I have often wondered how people can keep on talking, especially when silence is required (by me, mostly). I always feel bad for whoever sits beside me because they’re in for several hours of quiet.

I recently met a girl I really liked and we became instant friends. We sat beside each other during trips, while working and during meetings when open discussion and free speech was encouraged. There was always dead air. She has to physically poke me to bring out a few words, which almost always starts with a half irritated “What?”

My social awkwardness has never been more evident than now, being with 12 strangers for a good few weeks, meeting new people every single day, feeling the need to say a hearty Hola! to strangers on the street. And don’t even get me started on the kissing, he kisses, she kisses, we kiss, they kiss, the amount of cheek action I’m getting is obscene!

There was one meeting where I didn’t move from where I was but was attacked with an open armed “Rowieeeee”, puckered lips and all. I should be glad for the human interaction but inside me the devil has his pitchfork ready to skewer those unwanted lips.

Still, I appreciate the cordiality of people and the patience of friends. I may struggle at finding the right greeting for the time of day or get flustered at the thought of starting a conversation with someone but it becomes worth the effort when you get past the awkward stage and can start to show your real colors and just sit in stillness. You know we’re good friends when I could nap in your presence.

So before I head off to snooze-vill, I spread my arms, grab hold of your shoulders, get my best fish lips in order, and Ciao!

The winter solstice, that one time in the year when night is longest. When your blanket becomes a cloak of sadness and your bed does not give you much refuge from the cold. It’s when that coffee invitation seems so much more tempting and that cookie seems so much more inviting. It’s when sensibilities are tested to their limits and self control gets to flex its muscle. It’s the night when great mistakes are made.

But not all appetites need to be appeased. That Apple Crumble might stare me down but I will not budge, I prefer the Key Lime Pie. The streets of Lima might be peppered with stores selling the best Peruvian leather, but I will not cheat on you Charles and Keith. My intention to eat nothing but quinoa might have failed but I will keep avoiding all these carb-rich plates.

I have sampled the best restaurants here but I long for Daing na Bangus dipped in spicy vinegar, I cannot wait to drown myself in the warmth of Sinigang, I crave the thickness of Dinuguan and the crunch of Crispy Pata. What I would give to bite into a spoon of danggit with tomatoes.

Peruvian chicken is not bad but I still want to dig in to a warm plastic bag of Andok’s and search for the wings. I have been having chaufa almost daily but nothing will beat sinangag with garlic. There’s saltado but thoughts of my sister’s kaldereta still make my mouth water. Lumpiang shanghai, lechon kawali, sisig…

Oh Mang Tomas, take me back in your arms!

Never wake a sleeping monster.

I maniacally type this away in the early hours of the morning because someone from the other side of the world woke me up to ask me for something I already did two days ago. Irritated, annoyed and sufficiently motivated to throw a morning hissy fit, I create this blog.

I have recently been thrown a few juicy bones by life. I’m currently typing away in a hotel room in Lima, Peru where I’m staying for a few weeks trying to make a difference in this highly unappreciative world. I’ve been accepted to the IBM Corporate Service Corps program and in partnership with the Peace Corps, I’m spending a few weeks in Lima to create a tool that could help the country with their national volunteering initiative.

To properly document the experience, the intent was to use video and vlog. I, however, could not put my make up on long enough to stay visually appealing and shoot some moving pictures.

The intent was to shoot video as soon as I landed and call it ‘Touchdown Lima’. But after a 30 hour flight from Manila with tasteless airplane meals, all I can muster up was a short scene going down the escalator lipstick-less and pretending I still had sanity.

Pffft went the vlog…