Dear Zarah,

In case you're interested to still read my blurbs, I moved my little blog to hoysili.tumblr.com :)

Hehe.

Love,
Chely

How To Be Alone

This video is pure joy to watch. 

It really made my heart smile. And well, miss conceptualizing, shooting, and editing videos. Watching awesome work reminds me of how great a tool multimedia is. 

Anyway. I love spending time alone. There's something about the breathing space that allows for clarity to grow and doors of possibility to open.

Taking Cue From Miley Cyrus

Like I said, I was never the mountain climber. Last Saturday's forest-building activity was another reminder of how much I hated am not into mountain climbing. Nothing against mountain climbing itself; I have just learned to decipher what battles to lace my gloves for.

This treeplanting activity is the culminating event of The Cordillera Challenge. I was really excited to join and even woke ahead of our party to get ready. At 3:30am, I was up and about getting my gear on. The venue is an estimated 2-hour rough drive from Baguio. Upon arriving, a great number of sleepyheads gathered together to have a quick cup of coffee before having the orientation.

Antok Gang Member 001

Antok Gang Members 002, 003, 004...

Benguet Coffee

Message from Cordillera Conservation Trust
JP Alipio (left) saying that before, there were just 25 of them who were moving to reforest the mountains and how at this event, there are now about 300 who are helping out.
Ben (right) guided our group all throughout. He patiently listened and answered the countless "Are we there yet?" cries.

Yihee. My husband saying thanks, in behalf of BridgeComm, to everyone who came to help out.
Volunteers consisted of employees of Globe (specifically their photography and adventure groups), employees of Holcim La Union and Bulacan, and students from JP's class

That, you are :)

Beautiful children by the entry point

We were told that we will be divided into 3 groups: the creek area (lowest point), mid-level, and the peak. Knowing my lack of skills and fear of descent, I decided to stay by the creek area. My companions, however, chose to conquer the peak which was supposedly a 40-minute trek. 40 minutes? I could do that. So off to the peak we went armed with a sack of 20 seedlings each.

Seedlings

Spell unprepared: J-E-A-N-S

Meeting Manang on the way

An hour later, we still weren't halfway through. My shoes were slipping. My bag was feeling heavier. My sweat was creating its own pool. And the sun was generously burrowing itself into our napes. This was no 40-minute climb and there was no turning back.

Taking a break

Pagod na. 

Tempted to plant seedlings on the way up to lighten our load, haha

"Papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako."
- Kalabaw, 2010

I could list a million rants but I'll take what I learned from the hike instead:

Reconcile with haphazards. Sometimes, we get stuck in a rather challenging situation that we did not sign up/ prepare for. Deal with it.

There are no shortcuts.

Keep going. Because you can even when you think you can't.

Find rest in your breath. We will all eventually get through.

In the end, the experience embedded lessons to grow in me and 15,000 trees to grow on Cordillera grounds.

:)

A attempt to capture the view from where I dumped my exhausted self after reaching the top

Checking out the scenery/ praying for trail food

"Dear Ate Charo, Itago niyo na lang po ako sa pangalang Frank."

The brave challengers prepare for a group photo. Congrats, everyone! 

Such a feelin's comin' over me.. Sing it!

A matter of perspective and all is well.

WDYDWYD #003

Char Tan (left), activist and social entrepreneur with Good Food Co. teammate, Crystal

"I am most happy when of service."

Crystal is soon leaving for Ghana to be a VSO volunteer.

Reminder #7261582

Rules by Corita Kent

Lifted this off the blog of one of my favorite artists, Keri Smith.

"Rule 7: The only rule is to work. If you work, it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all the time who eventually catch on to things."

Aye, aye, Sister.

Corita Kent is a nun, artist, and activist rolled into one. Her serigraphs during 1960s and 1970s were considered a 'joyful revolution' amongst her followers. Her infamous watercolor Love Stamp reportedly sold 700 million pieces making it the top-selling stamp in American history.

And The Award Goes To --

I didn't get to stay for the entire day of presentation and awarding of I Am a Changemaker, sadly. I had to haul bum to Benguet for the following day's forest-building activity with Cordillera Conservation Trust.

Youth movers and shakers of today rock, man. The energy in the auditorium was surprisingly calm for a venue of competing groups. I think the peace came from the fact that countless possibilities lay in the hands of these people.

NCR contender Belly Happy proposes homecooked meal delivery for workers of Ayala Techno Hub. Women from a nearby Gawad Kalinga village will be employed to prepare the orders.

Rotaract Club of Cebu's Cool Center project proposes to train out of school youth who are technically qualified to work in call center agencies but lack soft skills

Really good speaker presenting their project entitled SUGA - a livelihood project that empowers women and promotes environmentally sound business principles

And the winners are --

• NCR: Good Food Co. - Community Shared Agriculture system where farmers and shareholders are mutually empowered
• Luzon: Isla Cullion Souvenirs - a souvenir items business out of sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of Tagbanuas, an indigenous group living in Calamianes Group of Islands
• Visayas: Team 3G - a youth cooperative engaged in seaweed farming that addresses the need of Pangan-an Island for help in livelihood, education, and employment
• Mindanao: ERSS (Entrepreneurs Responding through Social Service) - a bag-out-of-tarp enterprise employing women of Balulang, Cagayan de Oro
• Starbucks Shared Planet Award: Team 3G again! 

Congratulations! 

WDYDWYD #002

Nana Buxani, Photographer/ Cinematographer

"I want to change things. I want to create a better society, where their [children in her exhibited photos] dreams can come true."

The exhibit WORKING CLASS: A REPORTAGE by Nana Buxani runs until August 21, 2010 at the Manila Collective, Cubao X, Quezon City.