Expat Meets World (Nomadic Style)

A travel presentation prepared and created to address the needs not only of frequent travelers but also of those who are about to begin their journeys. It's a compilation of different useful tips based on personal experience and experiences of other travelers, websites, and other videos.

Whether you're planning to go on a short-term or a long-term trip, traveling doesn't have to be expensive. There are several ways to travel with less budget and hassle-free.

Movie Review: รุ่นพี่ (Runpee) - "Senior" (Thai Film)

Genre: Teenage Romantic Ghost Film

Writer/Director: Wisit Sasanatieng

Cast: Ploychompoo (Jannine Weigel), Pongsakorn Tosuwan

Release Date: 03rd December 2015 (Thailand and ASEAN)

Runtime: 110 minutes

"This movie will change your beliefs about ghosts forever."

If you're looking for a film that has a different take on anything "ghost-related", then this is the kind of movie one must not miss.

Set in an old place of the royal one 50 years back, two teenagers must work together and play detective to unravel the mystery surrounding a boarding school. This pairing however, is not your usual boy meets girl deciding to save the world as Mon, the teenage girl played by Ploychompoo (or Jannine Weigel, Thai-German) has this very strange habit of smelling anything she touches - she could smell the spirits of the dead as well. Her partner on the other hand, is a mysterious boy she has never seen before. She calls him "Runpee" or "Senior" played by Pongsakorn Tosuwan . The story follows Mon and "Runpee" as they come together to solve old cases in the past. The two of them made a deal to perform a joint investigation on a murder that happened a long time ago. The princess at that time was brutally murdered and an old gardener was accused of committing the crime although he is seen pleading innocent - he was sentenced to death by firing squad. That's when spirits started to hover the building. Unusual noises and creepy feels all over. The spirits keep on crying for justice trying to ascertain the real killer. Mon and "Runpee" must search for all the evidences leading to the discovery and capture of the killer despite the twists and the turns.

The film's actors effective portrayal of their roles plays a major part as to why this film is a joy to watch. Ploychompoo and Pongsakorn blended so well like cookies and cream. The on-screen chemistry between them was as nice and as sweet as honey. I felt the connection between them that made me feel like a teenager once again together with the other youngsters inside the moviehouse. Moviegoers reacted to their precious and sweet encounters throughout the film. The supporting characters and their supporting stories moved me to tears a couple of times which proves of how well they played their parts. A ghost story that touches different aspects of human life and our connection with each other. Mostly with monologues which I find talented and clever, one could definitely relate to each of the characters as they move and grow along the film.

The individuals working behind the scenes are not to be ignored as they're as good as the actors with all of those special effects (graphics). Throughout "Senior", the effects were so cool and amazing that it was like experiencing what had transpired 50 years ago. The descriptions were beautifully and effectively illustrated that I myself got convinced to be watching a real ghost. It wasn't that artsy. It didn't strain my eyes. It was just a mix of basic computer graphics and storytelling. There was actually a scene where "Runpee" was exploring an old library on his own and by following him, I felt like I was going through those walls as well. Call it weird. Another indicator of an effective storytelling are the camera works. The film capitalized on panning and zooming with mostly medium shots to build the tension and anticipation of something to come and yet managed to be unpredictable.

This story, complete with effective performances on both acting and effects, is great for all those who need a break from their daily those of heavy drama. It's a ghost film yet packed with funny lines the Thai style accompanied by teenage take on love, friendship, struggles, and sorrow. A movie treat for every member of the family. Mon, with her relentless attitude on life despite her tragic family story, never backs down. She herself not only found a detective partner but friendship and love that transcends time - the kind that will truly last for a lifetime.

An 8/10 rating on my personal scale; go, sitback, relax, and see the movie. Definitely worth my 200 baht and yours too..8

Brain Teaser..8

Any idea what that is?! Well, it's made of wires connected to each other with a small ring attached to it. The goal is to remove the ring from the chains of wires without breaking it or dismantling it.

I was given this puzzle the past two months and it took me some time to figure it out. You may then try it. A good exercise for the brain..8

Happiness Where?! =)

It's been a while since I have last written something on just about anything. I can still remember a note which I have posted before. It was titled "20 Ways To Be Truly Happy."

Listed at number ten (10), it is something that most of us don't even consider to be very useful or effective. Most people find it normal or natural to talk about something (gossiping), to talk about people or one specific person (gossiping), to make comments or to state an opinion. Little do they know that most of the time, we all need just one simple word - SILENCE.

SILENCE - often misinterpreted, never misquoted. This is just one of the very few things I truly believe in. This is one of the very few things I try to practice faithfully. Not that I am scared to speak up or to voice out what's inside my mind or my heart. It is just that, I have proven it to be solemn, tranquil.

When we speak, we use words. We say them out loud. Others just whisper. Whether it be loud or soft, we say words with feelings, with emotions, with meanings and with motives. And may I say, negative motives.

Words are very very powerful. They can cause serious damage to any individual. They can make or break a person. I personally would rather be hurt physically than be hurt emotionally through words. Physical pain can last for just a couple of days or a month max but emotional pain caused by words one has spoken or thrown out at someone can never be taken back. It is easy to say "sorry" but still, sorry is not going to cut it. Therefore, be careful with words.

Point is, if we don't have anything nice to say, better keep our mouths shut.

#10. Remember that silence sometimes is the best answer.

You may try it and discover that HAPPINESS also dwells in SILENCE..8


P.S. I love my silence and I'll continue to embrace it with all my heart. 

10 Things I Hate About You (Own Version)

I hate the way you treat me And the way you talk to me
I hate the thought that you're so far I hate it when you seem so free
I hate your bloody red nail polish And the way you kiss my arm
I hate you so much it makes me sick That it even makes me smile
I hate the way you're always tough I hate it when you're cold
I hate it when you make me laugh Even worse when you make me a fool
I hate the way you block me on facebook And the fact that you don't have time
But mostly, I hate the way I don't hate you Not even close Not even a little bit Not even at all

For this someone whom I used to know so well...8

Realization

I thought you're different - different good. But I was wrong, really wrong. Not everybody can be who they say they are. Mere lip service. The most painful about it all, is the individual whom I trusted with all my heart so much that's involved. I really need to take this out of my chest..and still not enough..I am hurt..8

..First time again..

..Today is what... January 31st..last day of the month and marks as my first time to write something again..this will not be serious..this will just mark as a reminder that it really is good to be back writing something..

..Writing has become my outlet whether happy or sad..hungry or not..inspired or expired (chuckles)..anyway, I hope this is the start for me to go back and remember everything that makes me the person that I am now..

..if you happen to find this site, hope you enjoy reading..later..8


P.S. I have successfully edited my template being able to add "sharing sites" button at the end of every post..if you wish to share any of these to your friends out there, feel free to do so.. :)

???

Moses: Everything is law

Jesus: Everything is love

Marx: Everything is money

Freud: Everything is sex

Einstein: Everything is relative

..What Have I Done with My Life?!..

Instructions:

A. Copy this whole list.

B. Highlight the things that are true about you.

C. Whatever you don't touch is false.

01. When I was younger I made some bad decisions

02. I don't watch much TV these days

03. I love psychedelic mushrooms

04. I love sleeping

05. I have loads of books

06. I once slept in a bathroom

07. I love playing video games

08. I adore marijuana

09. I watch porn movies

10. I watch them with my father

11. I like sharks

12. I love spiders

13. I was born without hair and I still have no hair

14. I like George Bush

15. I am cool

16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year

17. I have a Jacuzzi and a Porsche

18. I have a lot to learn
19. I carry my knife everywhere

20. I can be really really smart

21. I've never broken someone's bones

22. I have a secret

23. I hate snow

25. Punk rock rules

26. I hate Bill Gates!

27. I love Chinese food

28. I would hate to be famous

29. I am so not a morning person

30. I wear glasses

31. I don't need glasses, except sunglasses

32. I have potential

33. I'm pure Japanese

34. My legs are two different sizes

35. I have a twin (!)

36. I wear a padded bra sometimes

37. I can ramble on about absolutely nothing

38. I'm left-handed

39. I hate llamas, but I'm one of them

40. I don't like horror movies

41. I suck at climbing, but I love it anyway

42. People hate me usually

43. I love pop music

44. I hardly ever go to bed before midnight

45. I hate parking fines

46. I know the national anthem of my country by heart

47. I know more than two languages

48. I can spend too much time on the computer

49. I often want to throw out the computer in a window

50. I live on a ground floor

51. I don't like chocolate

52. I'd like to be more original

53. I've lied

54. Cocks are my favorite birds

55. I want to conquer the world

56. I wonder what happens when I die

57. I've read all books about Harry Potter and watched all the movies too

58. I love my dog!

59. I love to exercise

60. I hate chemistry with a passion and math, too!

61. I love to write but I wish I could be as interesting as some people

62. I like changes

63. I hate going to class

64. I am afraid to die

65. I hate dish washing with a passion!

66. My hair is long and incredibly curly

67. My nails are nine inch long

68. My favorite color is black

69. I like to sleep on the floor

70. I am hopeless at cooking

71. I sucked my thumb when I was little

72. I should be doing something else rather than doing this

73. I am online a lot

74. I hate government
75. I don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend

76. I'm too nice for my own good

77. I love to read, I read as much as I can

78. I don't trust newspapers

79. I like debating

80. I live in a wagon

81. I clean my room once a month

82. I'm scared of American fast food

83. I have a third eye

84. I love the beach

85. I don't trust any religion

86. I used to play with Barbies only because all the other girls were doing it

87. I wanted to be a super hero when I was little

88. I like listening to wind chimes

89. I'm very disorganized

90. My hair is long and straight

91. I earn a lot

92. I don't like spicy food

93. I keep a diary

94. I can't do cartwheels

95. I can be very lazy

96. I'm sarcastic more often than not

97. I think my hair can be annoying

98. I could be sensitive

99. I love being "ab-normal"

Juliana Palermo: "Hija, uti na lang maganda ka"

it has been 3 months since the last time i spent watching television shows and one of them is DEBATE, aired by GMA7 every thursday night. so i got so excited when i turned on the tv set and discover that the said show's gonna be tackling the english language, if we filipinos are really "nangangamote" when it comes to it.

on the we're not "nangangamote" side there was mr. monico puentebella, camille roxas, and juliana palermo. on the other side were former DECS secretary nilo rosas, cong. amang rodriguez magsaysay and comedienne beverly salviejo. at first glance, the topic seemed to be okay and i was really expecting some positive outcomes if proven that we filipinos are really not that good in english. unfortunately, it was the other way around. beverly started telling stories about her experiences as a teacher. she said that it would be very hard for her to teach if she doesn't have enough command of the language. she also emphasized that several subjects like math and science really needs to be taught in english. after a while, juliana palermo (kung sino ka man) said that "math is not english", "science is not english". "math is all about numbers and they are not english". ok, ok, i get your point but i want to ask you, won't you find it difficult to teach math and science using tagalog? i think you will! sige nga you translate in tagalog the terms square root, cube root, differential calculus, integral calculus, pag nagawa mo baka maniwala ako sa'yo!!! regarding the sciences, chemistry, and physics, sa tingin mo kaya mong tagalugin yung mga topics na itinuturo ng mga teachers? like sodium bicarbonate, trinitrotoluene, metamphetamine hydrochloride, etc.? again, if you can, baka pumasa yang sinasabi mo. unless you could do it, i won't believe you!!! how dare you say that as of this time the philippine society is being bombarded with a lot of bisaya and konti na lang ang tagalog? if i could still remember it right, you said "nakakahiya!" for your information, the people you've been calling "bisaya" are the only people you can consider as the good speakers of english. how about you? during the debate, you cannot even speak english fluently and articulately! kung saan ka man galing bumalik ka na lang doon. don't you dare do that again!!!..8

English Everywhere

during my seventeen-year odyssey which i spent studying, something unexplainable keeps on nagging and knocking at the back of my head. what is so astonishing about education that most of us have to have? and the most intriguing of them all, why does it have to be taught with a language that we're not very much familiar with? english!!! a friend to whom i asked this question answered hastily, "because english is better than tagalog!"

most colleges here in the philippines have subjects that are taught in english. if you have noticed, even the song by F4 (a taiwanese boyband who have just conquered manila), has an english title--Can't Lose You, and even the line leading to the chorus "baby-baby." simply because there are no taiwanese translation for the words. and even if there is, it couldn't be sang as smoothly as we can. true it may seem, but what really are the things that make the two languages differ? let us see.

grammar: english and tagalog have their own sets of rules when it comes to that. thank you very much to my former english teachers who has taught me tough imperfectly, at least i have an idea. english grammar is very complicated, before you could start learning it, it takes a lot of hardwork and perseverance. and! if you are really interested and very determined to learn the language, it would be as easy as eating peanuts. on the other hand, tagalog has its own rules too. since we are filipinos, it would be very easy but the problem is that, we sometimes couldn't express what we want to say and the last option is to say it in english. therefore, we prefer english.

competitiveness: americans have the most number of businesses, companies, and investments here in the philippines. it is so because we filipinos are better speakers and they prefer us to be their employees and workers because of that. and english again, shows even more dominant through the interviews they conduct. so, if you were not trained with the language from the school you've been to, it would be very hard for you. the tagalog language is okay if you're going to work for a filipino employer, but if you want to be more competitive, the english language is the key.

in short, english really is better than tagalog. whether in school, at work, or in any endeavor wherein you have to speak. but if i were you, i wouldn't just rely on the language. no matter how good you are, no matter how fluent, articulate, and how eloquent you are, if you don't know how to handle yourself and you don't have the courage, it's nothing!!!..8