Hello! I'm April Moncada, an English teacher from Cebu. Since this is my first article, please allow me to introduce myself. My parents named me April because of my birth month. However, "April"

Good morning from the man of the jungle! Walking away from humans Going home with an apple in his hand I am a city girl. I was born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines. So I'm quite excited and fascinated

Ayam goreng, leafy greens, and papaya slices Tilapia in curry sauce, green beans, and bihun noodles Spicy chicken flakes, bakwan, and vegetables Ayam andaliman, curried vegetables, fried tempeh, and banana

What a pleasant surprise! What's in the Teachers' Day gift box? _No, you may not borrow my tumbler, hehe. _ Yes, we are proud to be a part of this growing family. It was a pleasant surprise from our school

Last Saturday, I went with my friends to play tennis at the public court in town. I signed up right away, and for the first time, I had an official coach to guide me in this sport. It was 90 minutes of

Last Wednesday, I travelled from Cebu to Jakarta via Manila. Then after quarantine, I headed to Pekanbaru. In a span of three days, I've been to six airport terminals, and I couldn't be more exhausted

I needed an Indonesian SIM card to call the driver who was going to fetch me at the airport in Pekanbaru. So I asked the front desk officer at the hotel where the nearest shop was. He was kind enough to

Recently, I travelled to Jakarta and had to stay for a couple of days in Mercure Jakarta Batavia for quarantine. It is a four-star hotel, and I must say that I was quite impressed with the food they served.

I've gotten over milk tea. Now I'm into Koomi! It's better for my sensitive tummy too, hehe. It's a yogurt drink with plenty of fruit combinations you can choose from. There are some non-fruit options,

Times have changed. Radically so because of the pandemic. I'm still teaching online now just like so many teachers around the world. And today, I'd like to take you back to a time when I used to do seminars

It's one of those quaint little corners that have been popping in Cebu in the last couple of years. Every time I was in the area, it was always full. But this time, Tiger and I came earlier, and we finally

These are Lolo (Grandfather) and Lola (Grandmother). It's my first time to name my fountain pens. I don't even know if it's a thing, but it is for me now. You see, last November, I had a dream. It looked

It must be a Friday afternoon. Sometime before two o'clock. Somewhere in Sumatra, Indonesia. A few doors away from this convenience store was the bank. I needed to send money to the Philippines, but the

When the plane was about to land in Jogjakarta, I saw a glimpse of the shoreline facing the Indian Ocean. From thousands of feet up in the sky, I could see stretches of beaches punctuated by rocky cliffs.

Hello, coffee lovers! What is the most exotic coffee that you have tried? For me, it would be kopi luwak. In English, civet coffee. It's a type of coffee that has been partially digested then defecated

Would you believe that this enormous magnificent temple was hidden for centuries? And to be there at the top was both exhilarating and life-changing. Truly a mystical place, and in this article, I'd like

Dear F. Sionil Jose, I would like to call you "Manong" like my friend Hendri, but I've only met you once, so I don't think I've already earned that privilege. But I am here to say albeit belatedly

As we all can agree on, 2021 was a whirlwind of events. From extended quarantines to granular lockdowns to new COVID-19 variants to online classes to Typhoon Odette, it was a helluva year. But its redeeming

There's a running joke here in Cebu post-Typhoon Odette that people are not looking for the President nor for relief goods but for ATMs and Starbucks instead. Well, you can blame the stickers for that,

I received my first fountain pen for my 10th birthday. It was a gift from my father. It was a white Parker Vector with a fine nib and black ink. Although it sparked my interest in fountain pens, my

When the moon is in the Seventh House And potable water has gotten scarce May peace guide the planets As we pray for electricity to the stars This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius The stanza above