Happy Holidays, World!

Leche Flan

I cook for the pictures.

So, there. My first contribution to Hyperbole, a leche flan recipe.

New Smartphone

Huawei smartphone

Bought a new smartphone, finally. 'Had to. Will probably loose it, again. Yes, Murphy's Law. But I need a smartphone for internet-on-the-go and stuff. 'Cost me ETB 2,800. 

My mint's thriving.

Smells like 'mint' spirit.

I can actually already smell the mint in the air around my little mint pot. Thanks for the mint, Andy. 

Happy International Volunteer Day 2014!

International Volunteer Day (IVD) takes place every year on 5 December as a celebration of volunteers and volunteering in all its forms -- that's me and what I'm doing!

Sketch: Alibaba is Chinese

Today's random sketch. (Illustration for a Hyperbole article.)

I've become an art teacher.

Art school confidential.

I fancy myself an artist, (among other things...), and anyway, we're all supposed to be artists, architects.

Paint Weekend

You talkin' to me? Luscious lips for the girls, Kalkidan and Amen at it.

Inspired by Ronch's lecture on street art and urban planning last Thursday, and the serendipitous (yah, yah...) visit of their artist/architect friend, colleagues were swept into a random (street art - inspired) paint weekend in their compound.

Proposed Auxiliary Student Toilets + Showers

My proposed design for the student showers.

The Scientific Director has again given me a design assignment.

One Sabado Night

So, for the first time in 10 months, I finally hosted a small soirée .

I've been talking about doing it for months. With Gavin, at first. He's been planning to host a party as well for his office mates, and when I got here, he asked me to co-host it with him, invite some of my friends over as well. But then that never happened. Then I took on that idea, thinking of a reason or an occasion to hold the party. Andy was also keen on the idea. He could host one in his house, too. Or something. We kept thinking and talking about it. With other friends. Intermittently. In between sips of beer. And getting by.

Remembering the October 15 Bohol Earthquake

Exactly one year ago, the island of Bohol snapped from beneath, rocking the very foundations of our faith and fate as a people.

In less than a minute, I saw our stone churches reduced into rubble, homes crumbled and toppled, lives lost, families shattered, dreams interrupted.

While today, I shiver still, as I remember the people we lost – the kids crushed by  a falling wall (the only concrete wall of their house), the farmer pinned down by a falling debris from a chocolate hill, the churchgoers buried under centuries-old rubble , fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends, classmates, colleagues, neighbors, strangers – and I shudder still, as I remember the earthquake, the 7.2 magnitude swaying of the ground, the eerie crackle of breaking earth, the raging groan of the tumbling hillside, the fierce seething of the sea waters, and the uneasy trembling of our hearts – I quiver more in rapture of the spirited humanity that engulfed the whole of Bohol during those most trying of times.

Gasa from Cebu!

Oh yeah, chicharon and danggit! 

 Sweet, another gasa aka pasalubong aka travel gift from the Philippines.

This time, they're from Sir Stephen, who hails from Cebu, about two hours (via fast ferry) away from my island province of Bohol.

Proposed Temporary Sports Field

Crêpe Crap

Sugar-sprinkled crepe.

So, I finally got to buy flour last night. Just at my neighborhood souq, too. See, I've been wanting to, and meaning to, for months now, ever since I craved for chocolate chip cookies (pan-cooked, having no oven), pancakes and crepes. I just haven't gotten myself to actually "buy" it. (Like the much more needed filter water gallon.) My excuse? A lot. "Where'd I buy them?" "I don't see them in shops." "I don't really need flour." And the classic. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow." (And me, bursting in Annie's song!)

Anyway, here you go. My crêpes. Sugar-sprinkled as I totally forgot to buy Nutella or its Ethiopian/Arabic equivalent.

Carbonara Craving

My gooey carbonara.

I've been craving for carbonara since I got back to Dire.

Ever since I had it one dinner at Awraris last week, I was like, "Oh, here's another pasta dinner I could make. And eat." The Awraris carbonara was not bad. Not as savory, and I'd say, bland even. But to me, this is good, as it means I could finish the whole serving because I don't have to drink (to drown the flavor) liquids in between swallows. You get the drift.