This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading!
Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!
So when are you going to take a break?” I looked her squarely in the eye and replied, “I will, after I finish my commitments.” She shook her head and said, “That was your line the last time we had a reunion. When are you going to learn how to incorporate the word ‘no’ in your vocabulary?”
Her words echoed those of a well-meaning sibling, who on more than one occasion pointed out that my schedule was so stretched and the accompanying stress experienced was self-inflicted. She ended the early morning conversation with, ”Shouldn’t you be rethinking about what needs to be prioritized?” That piece of advice was welcomed. I was starting to feel less optimistic, easily irritated and impatient, losing a little bit of my sense of humor, and worst of all, feeling dangerously close to being resentful that with an overflowing plate, there was no room to pause and breathe. Acknowledging that being in that particular frame of mind was definitely unhealthy, it was time to practice saying that all-important word and make peace with the decision to do so.
Analyzing how I got to this point, I realized that saying yes to all the things thrown my way came from a place of guilt and not wanting to disappoint people who needed a helping hand. After all, what they were asking was aligned with what I was doing and fueled my sense of purpose. I failed to realize the all-important point that if people value and respect you, they will understand why you may need to decline certain requests.
Irecently had coffee with a friend who heads a business news outlet. He shared how his website crashed after publishing a story about how a famous local celebrity is rumored to be dating the son of a prominent businessman. While he saw the incident as a “good problem” to have, it also felt like a sobering reminder of the power of gossip to draw and hold people’s attention more than any other type of content.
The act of gossiping has existed for centuries as a way for people to build social bonds while exchanging information. In the Philippines, our brand of gossiping culture is best embodied by how the term “Marites” has become a part of the Philippine lexicon. Popularized around 2020, it began as a lighthearted label for someone always “in the know.” It is interesting to note that the term is not necessarily derogatory, but is even seen as a badge of honor that can signal access to social capital or information.
While it often frames gossiping as a form of storytelling and amusement, the normalization of Marites culture carries more serious implications, especially when it spills over into institutional settings like the workplace. For instance, when left unchecked, having a Marites culture in the workplace can significantly affect an employee’s morale and professional growth. When coaching public school teachers, one of the common frustrations I receive from younger employees is that they are afraid to assert themselves and voice out new ideas because they do not want to be the subject of informal scrutiny. It leads to a form of intellectual shaming, wherein people who are perceived to be too ambitious, too eager, or too close to the principal are criticized and talked about. As a result, many teachers said that they just choose to conform rather than deal with all the intrigue and negativity.
Mylene Vinluan Dolonius is a plant-based chef who pursued her culinary studies on the fundamentals of raw plant-based cookery in Thailand. She is also the founder of Plantmaed Academy, the country’s first plant-based culinary studio.
In the past decade, she has dedicated herself to promoting the benefits of plant-based cooking. Since the inception of her culinary school, the raw food instructor has successfully taught over 500 chefs who by now are equipped to prepare plant-based food, or at least incorporate plant-based dishes in their daily menus.
She is also a trainer for the Department of Health, where she educates medical practitioners on the healing properties of raw plant-based food.
Dolonius’ passion to spread wellness through nutrition has brought her recognition and won her numerous accolades.
She is proud of the courses and programs she designed. What she imparts to her students goes beyond the basics of preparing delicious raw vegan meals; it’s a journey beyond the kitchen that becomes a way of being, a way of life.
“I am not here to convince anyone to stop eating meat,” said Dolonius. All she yearns for is to be heard, and for people to know the many advantages that eating raw brings.
Raw plant-based chef Mylene Vinluan-Dolonius —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Overall health
Raw plant-based food advocates are assured of vibrant health. Raw vegan cuisine, according to Dolonius, is abundant in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that promote overall health and well-being. By consuming nutrient-dense, plant-based foods in their raw state, you can experience increased energy levels, improved digestion, and enhanced immunity.
She herself has benefited from the healing powers of plant-based food. When she was 44, her frequent bleeding caused by cervical cysts stopped. She attributed this to the food that she prepared and ate for 30 days while attending a raw food, plant-based course at Matthew Kenny’s vegan culinary academy in the US.
Kamote Tops Cheesecake
Diagnosed a little short of stage 1, Dolonius was due for a biopsy. In the span of a month, however, what was found simply vanished. Her healing was a gift that kept giving. Her other health issues such as acid reflux, hyperacidity, early-onset rheumatism, vertigo, and even depression from weight gain all slowly disappeared. The lady, who was once a size 8, now wears XS!
That’s how she was inspired to further explore the world of plant-based culinary education. Her desire to learn more brought her to the Sayuri Healing Academy in Bali, Indonesia, and to pursue further studies in plant-based nutrition in the United States.
Dolonius debunks the myth that preparing raw plant-based food is difficult. “No, it isn’t! If can do it, so can you,” she said. “I was in the entertainment industry as a producer for 20 years, and suddenly I woke up, and now, I am a happy vegan chef.”
Coconut Squid
Culinary pursuit
Plant-based food is far from boring. Raw food is a refined culinary pursuit. It requires dedication to transform the highest quality of vegetables using simple techniques to extract exquisite flavors, while preserving the essential nutrients and enzymes.
Equally challenging is complementing a prepared dish with nuts, seeds, seaweeds, sprouts, and fruits. Properly done, it gives the food multiple layers of flavors, textures, and tastes while increasing its health benefits.
Radish Noodles
Dolonius pointed out that adopting a raw vegan lifestyle is beneficial not only for one’s health but also for the planet. “By reducing your carbon footprint and supporting a sustainable food system, you contribute to a greener and more eco-friendly future.”
To date, Dolonius has 2,500 pending inquiries for her cooking lessons, and multiple collaborations locally and internationally. A host of plant-based nutrition programs is also due to launch later this year.
Like the vegetables she cooks, the future of this plant-based vegan chef is bright and sunny.
Boop! Maia Kealoha gives a heartwarming performance as Lilo. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
The live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch” stays true to its original source material, bringing the beloved story of ohana, the Hawaiian concept of family, to a new generation. What this film does is show that a faithful retelling of a story can resonate strongly with existing fans and new audiences when done right.
“Lilo & Stitch” tells the story of 6-year-old Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha), who is “not a bad kid but does bad things, sometimes.” She lives with her older sister and guardian, Nani (Sydney Agudong). Their lives are turned upside down when Lilo adopts an alien called Experiment 626, also known as Stitch.
Stitch tries to learn how to be a proper companion to Lilo in order to avoid being captured by his creator, the eccentric scientist Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), and Earth expert Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), an agent of the Galactic Federation. Their cat-and-mouse antics provide much of the film’s comic relief.
Stitch is still furry and cute.
As in the original 2002 animated film, the core message of the story is family—and that in a family, no one gets left behind.
In the remake, Lilo and Nani are portrayed with greater emotional depth as they struggle to stay together. Nani’s character is more fleshed out; she is more than just the big sister who suddenly had to act like a mom. We see her as a young woman with her own dreams and frustrations. Her struggle to hold the family together isn’t sugarcoated in funny antics; it’s shown with more honesty thanks to Agudong’s acting.
Key scenes kept
The film retains a lot of the key scenes that made the original endearing, such as the argument between Lilo and Nani where they are separated by a wall but move similarly, both ending up screaming their lungs out into a pillow—showing their bond despite the disagreement.
Tia Carrere makes an appearance as the social worker who looks after the case of Lilo. It’s a nice touch, as she is the original voice of Nani in the animation. Tutu is a new minor character introduced in the film, and she is played by Amy Hill.
Former CIA agent and social worker Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) takes a more active role in this version. The adults are very supportive of Lilo and Nani, taking them seriously. They make up for what the sisters lack in their lives: guidance, levelheadedness, and practicality.
The relationship of Lilo and Nani is explored more in the film.
Another point of comparison is that the original film didn’t have a traditional villain. They are just characters driven by their motivations. In contrast, this film has a clear adversary from the get-go. Jumba is portrayed as selfish, mean, and psychotic, making him feel more like a true villain than before.
This shift is balanced out by making Pleakley even more endearing. In this version, he’s more inclined to protect humans rather than obsess over mosquitoes. Both Pleakley and Jumba take on human disguises for most of the film, leaving Stitch as the primary CGI character throughout.
They did try to make the film as human as possible. This version confronts Lilo’s flaws directly. She longs to become part of something, but is left to her own devices, leading her to behave badly. This was sugarcoated in the animation, but here, we see Lilo as a problematic child. If anything, this also exposes Nani’s struggle to address this head-on with other adults. Nani is barely an adult herself.
Favorite characters make a comeback in the film, too.
But Kealoha is adorable as Lilo. She brings warmth to a complex character who finds connection with an alien who was designed for destruction. Stitch lives up to his reputation as a scene-stealer. He is cute, fluffy, and funny, but he’s also highly intelligent.
Part of Stitch’s charm is his imperfections. He’s not a fairy godmother, but he feels like an angel to a lonely child. Another plus factor to this show is that you can actually discern what he’s trying to say. His lines are clearer, making the show funnier or gut-wrenching.
There are no major surprises in “Lilo & Stitch” if you’ve watched the original, but that’s exactly what makes it work. The story is intact, the memorable jokes are retold with perfect timing, the important scenes are retained. This movie doesn’t try to fix something that’s not broken. Because of this, it is arguably one of Disney’s best live-action adaptations to date.
