Journeys
Helen: I'm back, this time with Yehlen
Happy New Year to all! New Year may mean new life, new beginning, new dreams, new love and so on and so forth. It means different things to different people. Whatever we are into, the New Year provides signals that the best is yet to come. Join us as we take on this journey in life and love, places and events with some real people we meet "along the highway".
I'm back after almost a year of sabbatical from the On the Dot column that I maintained in this paper from September 1999 to January 2006. After my husband embarked on his own journey to the Great Beyond a year ago on January 6, part of "moving on" was to make adjustments on some activities I used to do. From then on, it has been a totally new journey altogether for my son Troy, daughter Yehlen and myself. The journey has been long, painful and at times tearful. It has been a test of faith, a test of character and a test for those around us. Ah, those were the times when the nights seemed endless and the days perpetually cloudy. The first death anniversary or bungkag lalaw is never a guarantee that grief has come to an end. As I wrote in January last year, grief is bottomless. It is not time-bound. As one changes garb from all-black to something colorful, it remains a wish that the mood also changes. But life must go on---it has to go on. The journey should not stop just because there was death in the family.
As I look back to the year that was, I cannot help but thank in my prayers the countless people who have helped us three see it through the first year. We wouldn't have moved on as fast and well as we did without the wonderful souls who helped us in any way they could. I need not mention names here as they are so many but they know who they are and what they did to us. Some say death is the privilege of the living. I say we might as well live with that reality. Sooner or later, we, too, shall be bestowed that privilege. In the meantime, let's make the most of this mortal life. Let's be happy, but first of all we should realize that knowing what we want is an indispensable prerequisite of happiness.
I must admit I missed writing the column. Constant requests from On the Dot followers especially my former tourism students who are now scattered and blooming all over the world also prompted me to talk with TNT editor Erly Garcia about the possibility of reviving the column under a different heading and perspective but still focused on travel-- focused on journeys. It seems that my friends out there maintain communion with me through the TNT website although we have not seen each other for quite some time now.
And so I'm back. This time with Yehlen. She, too, has stories to share about her own journeys - as a tourism professional, university teacher, event organizer, graduate student and traveler.
Yehlen: Sharing this column with Nans
I welcome the opportunity to share this space with my mom although I should be careful not to mess up. I realize how important her column is to some people who considered her defunct On the Dot their bible when it came to updates on the local tourism industry and many things besides. Rightly so, because in her own humble and unassuming way she has become the Atty. Helen J. Camarista of the Department of Tourism Region VI, adored by most of her students, abhorred by some of her tourism students and sought by clients for her mastery of her field -- tourism policy and legislation, education and trainings and promotion and marketing matters.
Since this is my first issue, I think it is but proper to do some self introduction before I nosedive into hardcore items. Some say Yehlen is a nice name. I say the story behind my name is nicer. Once upon a time when my mom was pregnant with her second baby, my father (who went on his journey to the Other Life last year) had a crush on Yehlen Catral who was then Miss Philippine Tourism and later on had a brief movie stint. He said should his second baby be a girl (the first is my only brother, Troy) she would be named Yehlen. Besides, Yehlen is a variation of my mom's first name, so why not? The rest is history.
So, what "K" do I have in sharing this space with mom? Wala lang.Whatever. I just want to share stories of my "journeys". That's all. So watch out for these titles,among others, in the future Friday issues of TNT:
"On being a professional tour guide"
"A day in the life of a professional tour guide"
"Training tourism frontliners"
"Let there be a teacher"
"Do I look Korean?"
"My life as a graduate school student"
"Graduate thesis: sailings and wailings"
"Coordinating the uncoordinatables"
"Hey, Negros Occ. is part of Region VI"
"Eyewitness and taster's account: Tinuom"
"Iloilo City restaurants: dining and whining"
"Event organizing: Perks and pests"
"Lose your brain, fall in love"
...and many other topics. See you around!