The Girl Who Always Stalled
The girl I will tell you about
Is Mariana Mamaya na.
She has to stall and take her time,
When mum asks her to clean her grime.
She loves to play and chitty chat,
Won’t brush her teeth or take a bath.
“Mariana, come!” her mum would shout.
Bad Girl just turns her back around.
“Mariana, fix your bed right now.”
“Later mum! I’m busy (frown)!”
This is the daily scene
In the house where Mariana and Mum live in.
And then one day Mariana learned
Her lesson in a hard way.
She got her class card with failing marks,
Worried about how mum would react.
She stayed in the garden for a while,
Waited for Courage to come by.
Looking at her card she thought,
“How will I make this work?”
And then to her surprise and awe
Her marks came to life and talked!
“Hello Mariana,” 75 said.
“I’m sure you are scared to death,”
“You got low grades because, you know,”
“You didn’t study after all.”
Mariana got confused and scared,
So she screamed and then she fled.
On to the house she went,
Locked the door and climbed the stairs.
She then thought she needed a bath,
But then too bad the faucet cried!
“There is no water for you, I’m sorry,”
“Isn’t it that taking baths make you feel itchy?”
“Why are you in such a hurry,”
“To get rid of the grime on your body?”
“Ahhhh!” Mariana cried.
She couldn’t understand her plight.
She ran to the kitchen and got some soup.
It was all too much she needed to scoop.
But then as she put the spoon to her mouth,
The spoon wiggled and tugged with all it’s might.
“No! No! No food for you!”
“You have always ignored me, no food for you!”
Shocked and bafffled Mariana ran,
In her bedroom she ended up all wan.
“This is all impossible!”
“Spoons don’t talk and numbers don’t walk!”
She then thought it’s just a dream,
And to her bed she tried to un-dream.
Her bed then laughed outloud and jumped up,
And said, “No, Mariana! Enjoy the fun!”
“Why sleep when you have always wanted to play?”
“Isn’t it that you hate to sleep so early in the day?”
As if by magic, the faucet and the spoon,
Together with the numbers, were now in the room!
They were all laughing and jeering and sneering,
Poor Mariana couldn’t hide, couldn’t scream.
They were all around her now pushing and pulling,
She tried to fight them but her arms turned to pudding.
It was when she felt really scared and perplexed,
That a nut hit her head and thought she was going berserk.
So she looked up and everything then disappeared!
Poof! She was back in the garden under a tree...
Whew!it was just a curious dream!
But Mariana knew better now about things.
She would tell mum that she failed and learn from her mistakes.
And would promise not to stall ever again!
She’d promise to study and get homework ready,
Before she’d watch TV or play with her Barbie.
She’d promise to brush her teeth and shower,
After a bag of jelly beans and a game of Chinese garter.
What Mariana didn’t know,
Is that the numbers smiled and winked,
“The curious dream worked!
The girl who loved to stall, won’t be a brat anymore!”
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Toto
What could he be thinking now...
Swordfights, princesses, pirates, flying bikes,
He is here with us but his eyes are blank,
Maybe he is thinking of big fish tanks.
He’s neither happy nor sad,
I wonder if he is in Fairyland,
I envy him so much sometimes,
He gets to travel and have so much fun.
I like sitting with him all day,
I like the silence, I like the game.
Elves, pixies, castles, and goblins,
Magic, mystery, witchcraft, bravery.
There are times, like now, you see,
When he turns and looks at me.
He would smile and hold my hand,
As if he’s saying he’s glad that I’m around.
Mama
Mama loves me very much!
She always prepares my lunch,
My dress is always clean and white,
Because mama makes sure of that.
Mama loves me very much!
She strokes my hair and gives me baths.
I love the way she sings to me,
The lullaby that is heavenly.
Mama loves me very much!
Her hugs and kisses dry my eyes.
When she cooks I always watch,
I learn from her and get a prize.
I love my mama very much.
I hope she really loves me back.
Because every time I wake up --
My mama disappears with the night.
Ondoy
Rain, rain, go away!
Come again another day!
I really don’t want to play!
Please rain, go away!
Please, please take away,
The cold and hunger I cannot bear.
My knees are buckling,
My throat is dry,
Hurry, hurry I might die!
If I was really very bad,
Please know I understand.
Just save my sister, she’s inside,
Her room is locked ,
Water’s rising fast!
I’m sorry for all the things I’ve done.
I was the one who ate the candy bar.
Mommy, it was I who locked
Little Tanya in the dark.
Rain, rain, go away!
I really don’t want to play!
Some jokes are bad, I know that now!
Save my sister, please dear God!
The Kid in the Cordilleras
Walking, walking
Mud on feet
Dirty old slippers
Swish swoosh swish
Water from the river
Wet tired feet
Cuts and blisters
Happy little feet
Skipping, skipping
Rocks and stones
Rubber slippers
Stuck! Now it broke!
Little hands try
Little hands try
To fix dirty old slippers
Eyes up to the sky
Slowly, slowly
Swish swoosh swish
Water from the river
Careful little feet
Wobble, wobble
Don’t burst the bubble
No need to rush
Careful of the rubble
Hurray little feet!
School is behind the trees!
More dirty old slippers
On happy little feet!
Monday, October 26, 2009
HALIK
Aegis
Interestingly, one of my colleagues who's a Nepali is taken by the song Halik and asked a favor to have the song translated in English... I was not so busy at that time so I thought, why not? Turned out that the song is poetic even in the English language...
THE REQUEST
Hi all,
I have a task 4 u all.. n I also this is my humble request to all of u.. can u plz translate Halik song In English. If u got time then, only….
I had attached Original Lyrics which is in Tagalog.
Salamat Sa Iyo..
THE SONG
I hope that you won’t have to go
My world then will be destroyed
But what can I do
If you don’t want this anymore
Who am I to keep you from leaving me alone?
When you go you will leave behind
Traces of our love
This song is a reminder
That I will never forget you
Because you are the only one in my world,
in my heart, in my life
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
It hurts, oh baby
Every time I see you...
I can’t help but get jealous baby
Whenever I see you with someone else
Because you are the only one in my world,
in my heart, in my life...
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
I hope that you won’t have to go
My world then will be destroyed
But what can I do
If you don’t want this anymore
Who am I to keep you from leaving me alone?
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
I miss your kiss
Why did you leave me?
I miss your kiss
Why did you leave me?
Thanks Chloe!! Can u imagine the feeling he/she got.. its so touching. Thts y I like this song so much.. yesterday I only know da body of the song.. bt now by ur help I got da soul too.. thank u again..
Thank you in nepali “DHANYABAD”.. n in Tagalog Salamat sa Iyo.. Tkcr.. bye
Aegis
Interestingly, one of my colleagues who's a Nepali is taken by the song Halik and asked a favor to have the song translated in English... I was not so busy at that time so I thought, why not? Turned out that the song is poetic even in the English language...
THE REQUEST
Hi all,
I have a task 4 u all.. n I also this is my humble request to all of u.. can u plz translate Halik song In English. If u got time then, only….
I had attached Original Lyrics which is in Tagalog.
Salamat Sa Iyo..
THE SONG
I hope that you won’t have to go
My world then will be destroyed
But what can I do
If you don’t want this anymore
Who am I to keep you from leaving me alone?
When you go you will leave behind
Traces of our love
This song is a reminder
That I will never forget you
Because you are the only one in my world,
in my heart, in my life
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
It hurts, oh baby
Every time I see you...
I can’t help but get jealous baby
Whenever I see you with someone else
Because you are the only one in my world,
in my heart, in my life...
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
I hope that you won’t have to go
My world then will be destroyed
But what can I do
If you don’t want this anymore
Who am I to keep you from leaving me alone?
I miss your kiss
I miss your kiss
Why did you have to leave me?
I miss your kiss
Why did you leave me?
I miss your kiss
Why did you leave me?
Thanks Chloe!! Can u imagine the feeling he/she got.. its so touching. Thts y I like this song so much.. yesterday I only know da body of the song.. bt now by ur help I got da soul too.. thank u again..
Thank you in nepali “DHANYABAD”.. n in Tagalog Salamat sa Iyo.. Tkcr.. bye
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Accent and Effective Communication
Chloe Nina Ballesteros
No matter how good we are at what we do in this customer service oriented trade, nothing will come out of our efforts if we cannot communicate effectively. Like it or not, all of us must know how to communicate in English. English is the language that is universally understood in the field that we are in. In this multi-cultural community, it is inevitable to encounter customers, colleagues, bosses, and clients who do not share our native tongue, thus, English will connect the dots.
For reasons that are deeply rooted in culture and norms, a lot of us are hesitant to speak in English in the workplace. It must be realised that communicating effectively in English doesn’t rely on accent. We can convey our messages effectively regardless of whether our regional accent is obvious or not. Our aim should be that we ‘reduce’ our accent a little bit so as not to confuse. It is not necessary that we immitate a certain accent of English (American or British accents, for instance) to be considered effective. A French classical author once said that “the accent of one’s birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as well as in one’s speech.” In learning English as a second language, therefore, one must focus more on learning how to put words together correctly and how to pronounce individual sounds and put them together, than focus on how to sound like a native speaker, because the latter is not possible unless the learner exposes him/herself in the culture of that native speaker for an indeterminable length of time.
Our accents may give away our birthplace but this should not be a hindrance for us to try and learn how to communicate in English following grammar rules and correct pronunciation. English can be learned. At the moment, we may be speaking and writing it with a couple of grammatical and pronunciation errors here and there, but at the end of the day it’s better than telling people that we can’t speak nor write in the language. Isn’t it frustrating to tell someone that you can’t help not because you don’t know how but because you can’t find words to explain yourself? Through constant practice and continuous learning, we will all get there eventually. We will all be competent communicators in English if only we open our minds and begin the learning process no later than NOW. How? Speaking only in English in the workplace is one small step that we can all take that will allow us to practice conversing in English. Another way is to expose ourselves more to English reading materials and TV programmes like CNN and BBC. If there is a chance, it will also help to attend courses that teach English as a second language. English is no more intimidating to learn than our own native languages. Besides, the aim of our use of English is to be understood and to be more effective in our respective designations, and not to sound posh or grand.
In conclusion, it is best to quote the African writer, Chinua Achebe in one of his interviews:
So my answer to the question: Can an African ever learn English well enough to be able to use it effectively in creative writing? Is certainly yes. If on the other hand you ask: Can he ever learn to use it as a native speaker? I should say. I hope not. It is neither necessary nor desirable for him to be able to do so. The price a world language must be prepared to pay is submission to many different kinds of use. The African writer should aim to use English in a way that brings out his message best without altering the language to the extent that its value as a medium of international exchange will be lost. He should aim at fashioning out an English which is at once universal and able to carry out his peculiar experience.
Chloe Nina Ballesteros
No matter how good we are at what we do in this customer service oriented trade, nothing will come out of our efforts if we cannot communicate effectively. Like it or not, all of us must know how to communicate in English. English is the language that is universally understood in the field that we are in. In this multi-cultural community, it is inevitable to encounter customers, colleagues, bosses, and clients who do not share our native tongue, thus, English will connect the dots.
For reasons that are deeply rooted in culture and norms, a lot of us are hesitant to speak in English in the workplace. It must be realised that communicating effectively in English doesn’t rely on accent. We can convey our messages effectively regardless of whether our regional accent is obvious or not. Our aim should be that we ‘reduce’ our accent a little bit so as not to confuse. It is not necessary that we immitate a certain accent of English (American or British accents, for instance) to be considered effective. A French classical author once said that “the accent of one’s birthplace remains in the mind and in the heart as well as in one’s speech.” In learning English as a second language, therefore, one must focus more on learning how to put words together correctly and how to pronounce individual sounds and put them together, than focus on how to sound like a native speaker, because the latter is not possible unless the learner exposes him/herself in the culture of that native speaker for an indeterminable length of time.
Our accents may give away our birthplace but this should not be a hindrance for us to try and learn how to communicate in English following grammar rules and correct pronunciation. English can be learned. At the moment, we may be speaking and writing it with a couple of grammatical and pronunciation errors here and there, but at the end of the day it’s better than telling people that we can’t speak nor write in the language. Isn’t it frustrating to tell someone that you can’t help not because you don’t know how but because you can’t find words to explain yourself? Through constant practice and continuous learning, we will all get there eventually. We will all be competent communicators in English if only we open our minds and begin the learning process no later than NOW. How? Speaking only in English in the workplace is one small step that we can all take that will allow us to practice conversing in English. Another way is to expose ourselves more to English reading materials and TV programmes like CNN and BBC. If there is a chance, it will also help to attend courses that teach English as a second language. English is no more intimidating to learn than our own native languages. Besides, the aim of our use of English is to be understood and to be more effective in our respective designations, and not to sound posh or grand.
In conclusion, it is best to quote the African writer, Chinua Achebe in one of his interviews:
So my answer to the question: Can an African ever learn English well enough to be able to use it effectively in creative writing? Is certainly yes. If on the other hand you ask: Can he ever learn to use it as a native speaker? I should say. I hope not. It is neither necessary nor desirable for him to be able to do so. The price a world language must be prepared to pay is submission to many different kinds of use. The African writer should aim to use English in a way that brings out his message best without altering the language to the extent that its value as a medium of international exchange will be lost. He should aim at fashioning out an English which is at once universal and able to carry out his peculiar experience.
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