From the brain of Beau Geste Torralba

Mom's Big Five-Oh

When you reach that time in your life, you always look back and think of the past accomplishments you've made, the success and failures you've endured, and your plans for the future. Most people think that the big five-oh is the turning point in your life where you wanna give back something to the Lord for giving all the blessings you've had during your 50 years of exsistence. That's exactly what my mom did in her golden age. Give back something.

Last saturday, we went to a foster home in Manila to celebrate her 50th birthday with 50 foster children. We played games, gave them food and other basic needs. Nothing special, just make some children happy just this once.

It was really nice to see them with smiles on their faces for this very special occasion. And for me, I really felt lucky because I still have a mom who's always there for me, supports me, and puts her family first in everything. Unlike the foster children who were abandoned there by their neglectful parents because they can't bare to take care of them.

In the end, everyone's happy. The children were happy, my mom's happy, and my mom's friends were happy too. And as for me, I feel lucky and proud to have a mom like her.

happy birthday mom!

To The Atlantic and Back

August 8, 2006; 0500 H

This marks the end of my 3 month long vacation to the other side of the world. It was quite an adventure, full of surprises, mishaps, losses and gains, yet it opened my eyes to an even bigger and better picture: Life in the United States isn't that easy as it looks. Life there isn't better off compared back home. The only difference there is, what you reap there is also what you sow. Sure, comparing a regular salary there from here is doubled, but working there is also harder, and simple services are way too expensive. I remember my aunt paying $100 just to have a locksmith unlock her apartment's front door because she left her key in there. Now, imagine how much that would cost if you would just take that same situation back here? From the most i think is P500 (and that's around $10). I remember also getting a haircut there. I paid $10 + tip (because tips there are mandatory or something), compared here that P100 can give you a better haircut. And it's up to you whether you wanna give a big tip or not. Movies cost around $7.50 in the morning, and $9 after 6pm (kinda makes you feel watching a P120 movie worth it). It's like you can watch 4 movies back home in a month compared to only 1 there.

Well i could be ranting about the wrong things. Maybe i'm just converting the prices way too much. I remember my aunt told me, "in the States, if you always convert the prices to Pesos, you can't get anything." Well maybe i do that all the time because i don't work there. And i don't earn green money. Maybe converting my own hard, long earned money is just little bits and pieces of dollars there. Maybe that's why it's so hard for me to let go of my money in my wallet. Even a measley dollar i can't hand out. Maybe my hand would be much more open when i would be the one who would start earning those benjamins.

Well now that i'm back, i have new profound sense in me. Being  more responsible to myself and my family, and a new battle plan.

Let's just hope that this time, it succeeds.

I Love New Jersey-York

Daaaaaaammmnnnnn!!!! Whatta week that was!!

I was in New Jersey last week to visit my cousins whom i haven't seen for the past 4 years. Well, all of us grew up, can't blame that, but our fun never fades as a child... only more matured. Nothing eventful happened during the weekdays, just chillin' in my cousins' basment/ room, a few conversations, stories about our other cousins back home, a few laughs, this and that, until i saw a card.. Yes a complimentary card! That was the ultimate plan!

Plan's set on Saturday night, after my cuz and i went shopping for his 4 hour kinetic watch (yes, it took us 4 friggin' hours to shop for it!). We boarded the train for New York, got a few beers in a bar (coz it's cheaper there rather than the bar where we're going from!), went to his friend's apartment, drink again, then went to Sin Sin (a bar), a few more drinks, bird watching, dancing, then going to another bar (a korean bar), a few more drinks (why am i still not yet tipsy nor drunk???), then the MAIN EVENT!! hahaha! after 3 hours at the main event, we went to eat at a 24 hr korean restaurant (i think it's around 4 am), then took the first train back to New Jersey and slept at 7.

After that very 'viewtiful' saturday night, we went to church at 5pm and ate at a mexican restaurant, and then ordered a few beers. 'twas then called "The most sinful weekend of my life" (going to bars on sat night, going late at church and drinking again afterwards!).

On my last day at Jersey i was treated by my cousin at Hooters for dinner. At first i thought this restaturant was for adults only, being my first impression of the girls wearing skimpy and sexy clothes as for men only restaurant. Turns out it was a family restaurant too, as there were also kids eating. One of the best chicken i ever ate!

After that it was time to go... Yet the time i spent there was time REALLY well spent.

Wow! A 3000 mile secret man!

What I saw last 4th of July

2 days before i came here to Chicago i experienced my very first 4th of July celeberation. Wala namang masyadong eventful akong pinuntahan nung araw na yun pwera na lang sa pag iikot ko sa Hollywood. I was planning to watch Superman Returns with my Aunt at the Chinese Theater (which is one of the famous spots in Hollywood) kaso lang sold out na ang mga ticket (and the friggin' ticket costs $10 each!). Still, i enjoyed myself walking around, looking down the sidewalk, baka kasi makita ko ang pangalan ng mga artistang kilala ko dun sa sinasabi nilang "Walk of Fame", took pictures of those stars, took a picture at the chinese theater, kodak theater (kung saan daw ginagawa ang Academy Awards), at iba pa. puro picture taking lang, walang pera pang gastos na dala eh hehe!! But i plan to see the wax museum by the time i get back from New Jersey.

Later in the evening i watched the fireworks from my uncle's sister's house. It felt like a new year has begun just like in the Philippines, the only difference is that walang nagsusunog ng gulong sa labas ng kalsada, walang kotseng bumubusina, at ang paputok ay regulated (w/c is kj, kasi pag illegal ang paputok mo, ibig sabihin galing yun ng mexico. at ayaw ng mga pulis na gumamit ng illegal na paputok ang mga tao dun. what i meant by 'illegal fireworks' is yung klase ng paputok nila eh yung tipong pang professional, yun bang nakikita mo sa mga fireworks display), at ang fine pag sumuway ka doon ay $1000!!! Grabe, !st time ko din makakita ng nahuli dahil s ganung paputok! Iniikutan pala ng police helicopter yung bahay ng nagpaputok ng illegal with matching spotlight! hehe astig!

Haaaay... now i'm more homesick than ever...

Back in the East Coast...

i just arrived back here in Chicago today, July 6, 2006, after a month's stay in LA. As I've said (i think i've said it) before, my mission here in the US is a failure (i sure am raring to get back to my co pilot's seat!)... The INS is already closed, and my whole plan of finding a job that will offer sponsorship is gone. My agency still hopes to get me at least a local job (which is i believed paid in cash, not check) for a local experience that i could add to my resume for next year, but i told them don't. Even though it's nice to get local experience, it's practically useless. What i need is a job that can give me sponsorship so i would be able to work and stay in the US, not a job that is not giving hope of a better life here.

I plan to go back home by August, as to the reason that by the next time i go back for another job mission here (probably next april, when the INS opens), i can tell immigration that i just took a 3 month vacation, which is what i am doing now. after a week here i'll be going to New Jersey to visit my uncle and my cousins, then returning back to LA to pack things up and prepare to go home. Well at least i picked up a few lessons along the road...

The Article in case the link doesn't work...

Aging Pinoy pilots with foreign airlines get new lease on life
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 06/30/2006

Old Filipino pilots never fade away; they just get their contracts extended.

With a worsening commercial pilot shortage worldwide, some aging Filipino pilots are now finding longer careers and lucrative employment with foreign airlines in their twilight years.

Yesterday, veteran pilot Capt. Cesario Baquil Roma was supposed to fly his final flight for Taiwanese airline EVA Air. The US-via-Taipei flight was to be his last, as he had just turned 60. EVA Air flight BR 271 landed at the

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at around 12:10 p.m.

However, Roma told airport reporters that his retirement will most likely be postponed for another two years since EVA Air has already offered him a two-year extension as airline chief pilot. His new retirement date will be on his birthday two years from now.

"I’ll work for two years more, if I accept the extension, which is most likely," Roma said.

Roma said that there were a total of 60 Filipino pilots currently working with EVA as chief pilots or co-pilots.

He said Filipino pilots are in high demand among foreign carriers since their capabilities and performance are at par with other foreign pilots and they have the advantage of being proficient in English.

On the other hand, employment with foreign airlines is also attractive to Filipino pilots because they are paid three, four and even five times as much compared with local airlines.

Roma said that while this exodus of Filipino pilots to foreign carriers is a sad reality, it has also been good for Filipino pilots who get what he said is commensurate pay for their expensive education and training to become commercial pilots.

"Dapat mag-compete sila (local carriers) pero hindi talaga kaya," Roma said, noting that local carriers find it hard to match the competitive salaries offered by foreign airlines.

Roma started out as a pilot for Philippine Airlines in 1969 and retired from the flag carrier in 1995.

After retirement, Roma said he was quickly hired by EVA Air to pilot their fleet of Boeings and Airbuses that very same year.

Asked to comment on recent moves by some lawmakers to pass a law that will impose a moratorium on the overseas deployment of skilled workers, particularly pilots and aircraft mechanics, Roma said that this was very unfair to Filipino pilots who will be prevented from seeking higher pay with foreign carriers, a salary they will not get with local airlines.

"That would be unfair for us. They should not stop pilots from seeking better pay," he said.

Roma said that the exodus of pilots should instead be viewed positively since it would make the job of commercial pilot an attractive career option and encourage more people to seek pilot training.

"Government should then just make sure that there is quality pilot training in local aviation schools," he said.

He said that employment with foreign carriers also develop the skills of Filipino pilots since foreign airlines provide good training for pilots they hire.

"Iba ang training nila, rigid and talagang top quality talaga," Roma said. "It’s a good experience for local pilots," he added.

Roma believes there will be a bigger demand for skilled pilots in the next several years as foreign airlines aggressively expand their fleets to meet demand, particularly mainland Chinese airlines.

"Marami silang eroplano. Ang problema wala silang piloto (They have many planes. The problem is they lack pilots)," Roma said.

The Sad Reality is...

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/news200606306601.htm

This link was given to me by my cousin while we were chatting on the internet. It's about career hope for us young aspiring pilots. The news tells us how the world lacks pilots and even retiring pilots still has a few more years left in their aging bodies to fly us from one place to another to safety. I really want to believe this so what kind of a "dream", because for me, as all young pilots, we want to get into the airlines as early as we can, so we may be earning a lot at the prime of our lives. The article even says "They have many planes. The problem is they lack pilots". To see is to believe. This is where the sad reality comes in...

To tell you the truth, back home, we have many pilots. young or old, a fresh graduate or a veteran. Take a stroll in the general aviation area, and you see them anywhere. That's very contrary to what the article said. What I see when they say they lack pilots? I see they lack SKILLED pilots. Pilots who already have airline, jet-type, turbine-powered engine experience. We have pilots, but they don't have the necessary flying time, experience, and skills to meet the requirements even of the local airlines.

For most of the young ones (like us, and in my own experience), getting the required flying time is very tedious. You need a combination of money (because even after graduation, you STILL HAVE TO PAY for your flying time, in order to BUILD UP TIME!) and connections. Yup, i have to say it, connections. The higher the people you know, the more you have chances of getting a job. As for money, if you think you're already done wasting money if you graduated from a flying school (in my case it's Airlink), then you're absolutely wrong. Airlines basically requires a pilot to have a minimum of at least 500+ hours of flight for a co-pilot job. But, after finishing your ground schooling and graduating, how will you get to 500 hours? In my case, i graduated with 200 hours. how am i supposed to get to 500? the answer, shelling out more money just to build up time. If you don't have Lucio Tan or Bill Gates for a father and you just barely pay up your flight training little by little, then how would you be able to get to that point? Tough luck...

Other pilots revert to alternatives within the gen av (general aviation) area. Some go to work as flight dispatchers, waiting for a break in their pilot career, others enroll at school again as aircraft mechanics, while others train as flight instructors (which, again, needs MONEY to finish!). Most unlucky ones however, give up the hope of getting back in the pilot's seat and seek work outside the gen av. I for one, am starting to look that other way...

I still believe there's hope in the aviation industry. I still hope that every pilot will be given the opportunity to succeed in the career they have chosen. I still look forward on becoming an airline pilot. I may be leaning away a little from the career I love, but in due time, I'll be doing what I love again. To be in the clouds, looking over the earth, dodging weather, and enjoying the view God created.

As my great instructor, the late Capt. Nestor Mayo said, "To others, the Sky's the limit!, but to me, the Sky is My Home"...

Nothing new hehehe!!!

It's starting to get reaaalllly boooring here in the US. My only companions are the TV (w/ 100+ channels na hindi ko naman lahat napapanooran, na minsan rin e walang matinong maipalabas.), and the ultra slow dial - up internet connection w/ a win98 OS (na pwede na, kc pinagtyagaan ko na ring mag download ng games para d2 s pc para di na ako mabored). Mukhang during this time, my plans of finding work in the US is very low. the INS (which the abbreviations means i don't know... but what i know is they're the ones who determines how many immigrants will be given h-1 visas, aka working visas.) already closed, and it reopens next year. Sayang, andito na ako last apr 24, di ko pa nai file ang application ko, pumunta kasi kami agad sa chicago e... hindi ko tuloy nai apply agad kasi yung agency ko nasa LA... bad trip... Well, better luck next year, as of now i'm just trying to learn or train living here in the US. at least alam ko na kung paano maglaba (may washing machine naman at dryer e hehe!), mamalantsa, at magluto pag gutom na ako (kasi walang naiiwan dito sa bahay. buti na lang yung pinsan ko e bakasyon na, at least my companion na ko.), at maglinis ng bahay mag isa. Magagamit ko ang mga natututunan ko dito when i come back next year and try again. Well, that's life! So now what i'm planning to do is to try getting a driver's license, then going to new jersey to visit my other cousins, and then go home. No use waiting til oct kung wala ring mangyayari di ba? I'm starting to miss home anyway... my family, my girlfriend, my barkada, my cousins, my work, my computer, my ps2, my car, yung mga pirated na dvd, at marami pang iba! balita ko nga e bukas na daw yung mall of asia since last month, gusto ko ring mapuntahan yun, kasi dati iniikutan ko lang yung pag palanding ako ng manila, ngayon open na siya. so many thing to do and to catch up back home, sana makauwi na ko! until then, eat, sleep, ligo, linis ng bahay, tv at internet muna ako. ciao!!

The Orlando Sidetrip

(Note: I really don't expect someone to read this, pero it's good info para sa mga kabarkada kong piloto.)

Last May 14 mom and I went to Orlando to check out the flying school i searched through the internet. Yun yung Delta Air Academy. I've known about this school for a long time back in college. Yung time na masipag pa kaming maghanap ni Tope ng job opportunities sa labas ng Pilipinas (kasi nung time na yun e naisip namin na walang pag asa sa atin ang piloto). The trip only lasted 1 week. 4 days sa byahe (oo byahe. 2 araw papunta at 2 pauwi. nag train kasi kami e. trip trip lang), and 3 days para mag ikot sa orlando. Sa trip na 'to marami na kaming naranasang problema.

Pagdating namin sa first stop namin sa Washington (from Chicago), naiwan kami ng train kasi nag cr pa ang nanay ko. We waited for the next train after 3 hrs (leche!). Pagdating namin sa Orlando, hinatid kami ng taxi sa hotel. I expected that the hotel i booked for was the one we stayed in 5 years ago, at dun nga kami binaba nung driver. Ang problema, hindi pala ako dun nag book! tae dun pa sa kabilang dulo ng highway yung hotel namin! So nagkadoble doble kami ng bayad sa taxi. After namin mag check in, we planned to get to Delta Air by renting a car (kasi $75 ang singil ng mga pesteng taxi, at 1 way pa lang yun!), tapos the other 2 days e ubusin na lang namin sa Universal Studios. We reserved a car, and then took it out the next morning. Asar talaga ang patakaran ng mga kano. Nung pumunta ako noon dito e 18 na ko, feel ko matanda na ko kasi sa atin pwede ka ng manood ng r-18 at bumili ng yosi at porno sa atin. Dito kailangan 21 ka. Tapos ngayong 22 na ako, hindi ako pwedeng mag drive ng hindi magbabayad ng underage fee dahil hindi pa daw ako 25. Pu**** law yan o! As usual, as a very typical Pinoy, Si "nanay" ang nagdrive, ayon sa Kontrata.

As we ventured to Sanford (andun kasi yung address ng Delta Air), nagkaligaw ligaw kami, hanggang sa makarating kami dun. Nabilib ako sa facilitied nila. Malaki, may sariling airport parang Airlink (although ang runway nila eh mas malaki pa sa Lubang), tapos malapit pa sa int'l airport dun, tapos naka line up ang buong fleet ng eroplano nila. Then here comes the Big Problem.

I talked to one of their consultants about my situation (aba'y ang mga loko e alam na pala ang sitwasyon ko? Kasi nung nag email ako e sinabi ko na yun, tapos pinadalhan ako ng mga sulat pero di ko naman sinagot. Kala ko nakalimutan na nila yung inquiry ko, pero yun pala nasa database na nila yung pangalan ko?? Hanep!), at ang sabi niya eh after ng training delta air will get contact for an airline to interview its graduates, but, being a foreigner, you must acquire a green card in order to work in the US. They can grant me the student visa, which needs approval back home, and i can just retrain and convert all my licenses however i won't be able to use them in the US w/o the green card.

Ah... Ang mahiwagang "Green Card". Ang salot sa mga pangarap ko... In short sa sinabi ko kanina, sila ang bahala sa training ko, pero ako ang bahala sa green card ko. kasi maiko convert ko nga daw ang lisensya ko, pero di ko naman magagamit kasi wala akong green card. at kung babalik ako ng Pinas na FAA ang lisensya ko, panibagong convertan nanaman yan (at wala akong balak ibalik un sa ATO pag nagkataon noh!). At ang malas pa, Earning a green card means 5 -10 years of processing. Ano ako bale?? magiging 30 na ko mahigit bago maging airline pilot? TAE!!! Guess it means plan "C". Alam na ng mga nakausap ko kung ano yung plan C hehe!

After that nothing much happened on the 2nd and 3rd day. Nagpakasaya na lang kami sa Universal Studios. Then, we went home...

And now to think of my next strategy.........

A Week Without Flying

It's precisely 1 week and 5 days since i have flown my last 2 hours on our company's twin bonanza, and exactly 1 week i've been freezing my ass off in the so called "land of dreams". tae pa english english pa! ano naman ang makukuha ko dun? haha! wala lang. what a term. "wala lang". wala kasi akong magawa dito. hindi ka naman makalabas ng bahay ng ganun kadali, kasi hindi mo naman alam ang pupuntahan mo. kung alam mo naman, mahirap nang magpagabi. kung iisipin mo pa daw mas safe pa sa pilipinas maglakad sa dilim kahit mas mataas siguro ang crime rate. siguro kasi kabisado mo na ang tatakbuhan mong daan o kalye para mailigtas mo ang sarili mo hehe! mukhang ganon nga, pero dito, dito sa kinalalagyan ko, mahirap. hindi 24 hrs ang transportation sa main road, hindi katulad ng mga bus sa edsa na 24 hrs may dumadaan, at napaka kupal pa sa kalsada. dito mukhang ang bus hanggang alas-7 lang ng gabi, pag inabot ka ng ganong oras sa daan, parang maswerte ka na kung makasakay ka pa. halos wala ding taxi. at hindi ako magtataxi kasi mas mahal mag taxi kung nag iisa ka lang tapos baka iligaw ka ng driver sa mga "shortcuts" nila. kung ganon man ang mangyari sa pilipinas, alam mo siguro kung saan ka tatakbo kung sakali mang magkaganon. pero dito, kahit ang tita kong more than a year nang nagtatrabaho dito, hindi pa rin kabisado ang lahat ng kalye sa lugar niya.

feel ko lumalayo ako sa topic ko ah.. hmm.. kaya ko lang naman ginawang title yan kasi namimiss ko na talaga lumipad. i can feel some of my skills dwindling down a bit. mukhang wala na nga ulit akong handling eh. namimiss ko nang gumising ng maaga, pupunta sa airport ng maaga tapos wala palang lipad, kung may lipad, namimiss kong pagpawisan habang nagti 360 ng eroplano sa init, tapos magbilang ng kahon habang mainit, tapos ginawin ng katakut takot ng parang feel mo pupulmonyahin ka, kasi ang lamig sa 10,500 ft. kesa nga naman andito ako, bored sa buhay. malamig kahit tanghaling tapat. leche! i wanna go home!

sana hindi na lang masayang ang punta ko dito. i hope it's well worth it. i hope the mission will become a success, kasi kung hindi, TAE!!! manghihinayang ako sa mga nasayang kong panahon na imbes na inupo ko na lang dito e inilipad ko na lang. huhuhu...