Steamed Fish with Chunks of Tofu

A few days ago, I was able to listen to a podcast from BBC Learning English website about chunks of language.

Chunks of language (as defined by BBC Learning English) are groups of words that naturally go together. They are fixed expressions used by native speakers of English. They can't be usually changed.

Based on my observation, you can find chunks of language through reading news articles and by watching English TV shows or movies. Idioms, sayings, and fixed collocations consist of groups of words so they're considered as chunks. For example, 'I'm a bit under the weather' means not feeling well or in state of being ill. We can't say it when we're excited or enthusiastic. Or change how it's being worded for example 'I'm a bit under the sun' when we mean the same thing. I'm not quite sure if there's such a kind of expression either. But we can say, 'I'm full of beans' when we mean we're happy as in 'I'm full of beans because the customer commended me when I professionally assisted her in her queries'.

Using chunks of language correctly would make our speaking sound more natural and fluent. Moreover, learning them is more interesting than learning them word by word. What an incredible way to increase our vocabulary! English is indeed rich in expressions. Using it is like sky's the limit.

Let's continue learning new words in chunks, shall we?

Here are some more examples:

1. Please wait at the hotel lobby. I'll be back in a jiffy. (It means I'll be back in a minute.)

2. Agent Carter had an exhausting day. She's sleeping like a log when her brother phoned her. (sleeping heavily)

3. Stand Up Paddle Boarding was such a lot of fun!

4. Tom missed his flight due to heavy traffic. It was bumper to bumper! (lots of traffic and vehicles are moving very slowly)

5. I baked a new kind of cake yesterday. I invited my friends to test the water. (to test the idea to see if it'll work, in this case a cake for a taste test)

Now, it's your turn. Can you write some sentences using common chunks in English? I'll check them as soon as possible. Good luck! :)

My 2016 kickstarted with an adventure that I tried with my loved ones. It's the stand up paddle boarding. This is one of the fastest growing water sport activities in the world. Technically, this is done by standing up on the board while using the paddle to propel through the water. Sounds easy, right? Actually, it's quite challenging.

Since I love the beach so much, it wouldn't be interesting without trying any sport that could be something memorable. We're all newbie paddle boarders, but the instructor simply demonstrated how to use the board properly, and what to expect while on the board. Well take note, you have to fall plenty of times! To balance yourself not to fall in the water could be a bit exhausting at first, but as you repeat the process over and over, you could tend to get used to it.

Moreover, it's difficult to maintain an upright stance on the board, but once you learned to balance yourself, you'd feel the excitement while paddling through the water. So every time we're able to stand up on the board and made a smooth movement, it's like little rewards on our part. You also have to understand that you'd experience hamstring and leg discomfort, just like trying out a new, advanced exercise regimen.

In addition, you need to learn the tricks in propelling against the moving water. I would assume it's much easier to practice it in lakes rather than the beach because of its currents. It's important to be calm and focused whenever there's a chance to stand up on the board. The fun part is to see yourself falling awkwardly on the water. :)

Due to limited time and scourging heat, I had to quit early. But I enjoyed taking some photos of people trying to balance themselves on their paddle boards. These people were very lucky to get successful while doing this sport. I wish I could share a photo of myself paddling up this board as well. Unfortunately, when it's my turn to have my photos taken, the camera went out of juice! I'm sure there'd be another time.

I learned that this outdoor sport activity would test your patience, guts, and endurance. It would probably take a long time for me to get familiar with this sport. What matters now is that we're able to take advantage of the nice weather and enjoyed the experience to the fullest. Most importantly, we burned a lot of calories!

In a nutshell, stand up paddle boarding is a trending water sport nowadays. Trying out this activity requires physical and mental alertness. Enjoy it with caution as you please, so your experience would be worth it. I could say that the whole experience we had was such a 'barrel of laughs'.

Have you tried something new this 2016 yet? Share your experiences on the comment box below. Thank you in advance!

Check more information here.

Is my cat laying or lying sideways on the ground?

The verbs lay and lie have been confusing English learners around the world for hundred of years! Their irregular forms make them even more troublesome. They're also common pet peeves even to people with PhDs. So on this blog, I'll tackle this topic with simplicity for the sake of our fellow learners of the club.

Let's define 'lay' first. Lay means to put or place something down (and to put on something). Its past tense and participle form is 'laid' whereas its progressive form is 'laying'. It usually has an object so it's transitive. Remember that transitive verbs always receive objects.

Here are some examples:

Please lay the magazines on the couch. (present simple - magazines here is the object)
The chicken lays egg every day. (present simple - egg as the object)
Chris Daughtry laid his guitar on the table. (past tense - guitar is the object)
The construction workers are laying the metal posts on the ground. (present progressive - the metal posts is the object)
I have already laid the books on the shelf. (present perfect - the books is the object)
Nicole Kidman had laid her make-up on the counter top before she went shopping. (past perfect - make-up is the object)

On the other hand, the verb 'lie' has two meanings. One is to tell something that is not true. Its past and participle form is 'lied'. The progressive form is 'lying'. But let's focus on its second meaning which is 'to rest' or 'to recline', normally in a horizontal way. Its past tense is 'lay' (not connected to our first verb - lay). 'Lain' is the participle form while 'lying' is the progressive form. Are you confused
yet? Take heed! In addition, lain is not commonly used these days in every day conversations. But it pays to learn it for academic purposes. It might appear in exams especially if you're still studying in universities.

'Lie' is intransitive which means it doesn't take an object. It's mostly followed by a prepositional phrase (on the ground, on the sofa).

Here are some examples so you could understand how this verb is used.

You looked tired. Please lie down for a few minutes. (present simple)
She lay in bed most of the time yesterday. (past simple - take note of the time conjunction, yesterday. The meaning is quite different from our first word - 'lay'.
The baby is lying on the crib. (present progressive)
I haven't lain in the bathtub for weeks. (present perfect)

Remember, 'lay' is transitive (has an object) while 'lie' is intransitive (no object).

Watch a video here for additional information.

Now it's your turn. Write a few example sentences using lay and lie. Try to use their different verb forms as well. We'll check them to see if you got them all right. Thank you in advance!

Good luck!

Education is the key for the success of an individual. I chose 'educator' as my word of the year for 2016 because it is my ultimate goal to be of service in the field of teaching. It sounds promising, isn't it? This club has inspired me to love English even more. I've learned to own it sans the negative notion that non-natives who are trying to emulate native speakers are fake. Ouch! Well, it doesn't matter as long as you have pure intentions to use English for your own self-improvement and career.

Actually, my former officemate encouraged me to consider applying for an English teaching position. Since I'm a fanatic of English and I've been passionately involved in the blogosphere for many years, I decided to welcome the idea. At first I was reluctant. I've also been contemplating whether if I should accept the challenge or not because I'm aware of the huge responsibilities that go with it. But after months and months of self-studying and test-takings, I finally realized the positive results that might happen if I pursue this job. So I'll definitely give it a go.

I must admit that being a moderator and blogger of this community has opened new windows of opportunities for me to hone my English skills. My hunger for knowledge about the English language keeps me going. It's like an addiction to something that I couldn't get rid off. But this one involves a personal and emotional satisfaction. This could be a fulfilling journey I'd treasure for a long time.

I think this coming year is a perfect opportunity to put my ideas and enthusiasm to the next level in which I could gain more knowledge and confidence to improve my personality. My online conversational English practices that I facilitated years ago also triggered my desire to pursue a teaching profession. I can still vividly remember those reading exercises with MyEC friends in which I couldn't help giving tips about proper pronunciation and commending them for participating the activities to speak English as much as they could. Surely those were moments I was full of beans.

If this is the 'calling' that I was praying and wishing for the past few months, then I'll welcome this new adventure with gratitude and open arms. It's gonna be a humbling experience to be able to share my creativity and passion to others especially to those who are struggling to learn the language.

I'm pleased that my family has always been supportive of me. As I embark a new adventure in 2016, I'd be grateful if you could include me in your prayers and wishes to attain my dreams and to perform the tasks with commitment, confidence, and fair judgement.

Finally, I'd like to thank MyEC wholeheartedly for being such an inspiration to me and to thousands of its members.

Cheers!

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. For the Catholics, Christmas is the time of giving and sharing of blessings, time, and love to one another. It's also the most festive, joyful, and longest occasion celebrated around the world. This event includes nine consecutive dawn masses which starts on the 16th of December at around four in the morning. The novena is part of the mass for the Blessed Mother.

'Misa de Gallo' culminates the last day of novena (24th December) with gift-giving among families. It is believed that wishes would come true if you complete the nine-day masses. Christmas Eve or 'Noche Buena' is the best time to dine with family and friends while enjoying home-cooked meals and exchanging gifts.

In my country, people start decorating their homes and surroundings as early as September. Christmas songs can be heard in different radio stations and establishments especially in malls. The loud music with upbeat tunes attracts customers to visit the stores. The nativity, glittering lights, 'parols' (traditional star-shaped lanterns), and Christmas trees symbolize the season.

Unfortunately, this occasion is becoming too commercialized nowadays. Some people forget the very essence of the celebration while others tend to be materialistic. It's weird to think people celebrate the event without believing in HIM at all. :(

On a positive side, there are still more and more people would welcome Christmas as a sign of hope, forgiveness, and compassion. What I love about Christmas is the chance to be grateful for all the wonderful blessings in life. There's also a time to bond with family and friends and most of all - to reflect to the gospel teachings so we could face our miseries or hardships with determination and positivity.

In a nutshell, Christmas is the season of giving, the feeling of being 'thankful' with loved ones, and most importantly - to believe in Him with all of the reasons why he's become the holy child. Indeed, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas!

What do you like the most about Christmas? Share your thoughts in the comment section. Thank you!

Dear France,

Millions of people were in state of shock and sorrow when they heard the news about the terror attacks in your breath-taking city of lights - Paris.

You are one of the nations that never cease to give assistance whenever someone is in need. It's evident how you've supported my country especially during the onslaught of calamities. Who would have thought those ruthless killings could happen to your remarkable city? A city with rich culture, art, and fashion. Is this the price you've paid for helping the refugees? It is as if no one is safe anymore. "There's danger everywhere!", as what some people would say.

I'm deeply saddened how you've been treated because of your kindness and generosity, and that you have to endure this kind of pain. In the moment of solidarity, I'm praying for your resiliency, for your strength, and for your inner peace. Let your country be united against senseless acts and violence. Let those lights illuminate once again to get rid the menace of darkness. Most importantly, may the grace of God shine upon you...

With love,

Robbie

P.S.

My thoughts and prayers also to other countries that were greatly affected by any form of terrorism.

So Stuart circumnavigated the entire planet looking for his brothers. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find them. He thought, "They're probably in Mars roving around, or searching for my kin who was driven off by other critters".

Since Halloween is just around the corner, Stuart decided to wear his 'Vampire' costume for the occasion. He's fond of doing naughty things, and one of them is scaring off silly kids. He spotted two boys annoying an old lady by ringing her door bells constantly, after which they ran away. Stuart hid in a huge Narra tree. "It's time to teach them a lesson". He cornered and startled those boys, one of them tripped and fell to the ground. Then in a spooky voice, he warned them that if they ever comeback, he'd offer them to his friend, Kitchie Witchy!

Stuart went to the woodlands and ate a bunch of banana clusters. Because he's so famished, he didn't notice that there's a huge, black bear staring at him. When he's about to take the last bite, the bear roared! He ran as fast as he could and sneaked in into a small flat. There's a man watching a horror flick. He asked the man if he could stay for the night. The man replied, "I needed something to eat". "I could murder anything I grab on". "You're just in time for dinner". Stuart saw the face of the man and uttered, "Crickey, it's the walking dead guy!" There's no point in being standstill. Even zombies can run fast now. "You can't have me". "Over my dead body!", he shouted.

Then again, he zoomed faster than the Flash and didn't have any idea where he could hide next until he saw a well. He's quite thirsty because he's been running nonstop. He drank a bucketful of water. "Finally, I found a quiet, safe place", he thought. But there's something moving towards him. A woman with a very long black hair and she's crawling aggressively. Stuart screamed to death. "It's Sadako!" But what would he do? He's tired of hiding. Moreover, he couldn't bear the idea of running like a fugitive, of being hunted by such scary phenomenon. "Urgggh..." Stuart passed out.

Little did he know that woman was Kitchie. She's trying to frighten him. Kitchie took pity on that poor minion and brought him home so he could rest well. When Stuart woke up, it's already a bright sunny day. "What a nightmare", he grimaced. "I guess it's not a funny idea to scare people off". "They might get a heart attack".

He decided to move on, searching for his brothers. He saw something in a tree from afar. A yellow, round thingy. "What the...", he murmured. :)

To be continued...

In case you've missed Stuart's first blog adventure, you can read it here. Happy Halloween!

Note: This story is purely fictional. This post has nothing to do with Minion movies. All rights reserved to the owners. The Minion toys I used are from the famous fast-food chain which are part as freebies. Furthermore, I wrote this blog for English-learning purposes only.

Dear Philippines,

My beloved country, you're an archipelago surrounded with crystal-clear waters. You're a mother to 7,107 islands and islets which you consider as your gems. You're unique in your own ways! I know you're busy fulfilling our needs 24/7, but I'd like you to take the moment to read this letter which I prepared exclusively for you.

You have the most beautiful smile in the world. It's no wonder your people love to smile even under pressure or dealing with a setback. You inject humor in an unfavorable situation. Who cares what others would think as long as you enjoy and live in the moment. Through your smile, you gained friends. Congeniality is your trademark.

One of your good traits is showing courtesy to older people or the elderly. You taught your children to respect others even to those they didn't know personally. However, some kids are acting weird and disrespectful nowadays. Is it because of colonial mentality? What happened to our rich moral values we acquired from our ancient Asian roots? In addition, violence on TV is becoming quite common that children tend to emulate. Is it too late to revert to our old times when life was much simpler, yet we're happy and contented? What do you think?

Another trait that I love about you is your resiliency. When a calamity or natural disaster strikes, you try your best to weather the storm. You could sulk in sorrow and misery, but instead you opt to bounce back or get to grips with the problem. You're always grateful for what you have. Moreover, you always look for a rainbow in every storm. Please remain this way...

Let's talk about your physical beauty. You have countless sceneries and breath-taking landscapes, beaches, and recreational parks. Many foreigners chose to stay and settle with you. I hope your people will take care of all those gifts from nature. They're irreplaceable! I'm sure they wouldn't know what to do if those captivating islands be filled with filth and pollution. Let's be reminded with this wonderful quote from Chief Si'ahl whenever we visit a tourist spot, "Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints!".

How about your food? Is it getting scarce? You're blessed to generate crops in different corners of your territory. Unfortunately, some farmlands have been converted to high-rising buildings. The government could prioritize the agricultural sector and provide additional aid to our farmers and fishermen who are doing their best to bring food on our tables. Teach us to be more self-sufficient so we don't have to import a lot. Eliminate 'wasteful' in our vocabulary, instead develop our ingenuity in food technology and be more resourceful. With the fusion of Spanish and Asian cuisines, allow your people to introduce new culinary skills that would be appealing to both local and foreign guests. Who would refuse these traditional and delectable dishes?

Oh my, this blog is getting lengthy! Alright, I'll end this at once. But lastly, I'd like to commend you for being immersed of the English language. The fact that we're colonized by Great Britain in 1762 and by the United States after the Spanish Era, English has become our second language. This doesn't mean we would turn our backs on our mother tongue. We are forever indebted to the men and women who died and fought for our independence which includes preserving our national language and dialects. They'll always be remembered.

I hope your children will consider retaining our worth-emulating positive attitudes in these fast-changing times. Let's all be united to face the challenges of the modern world. May the Almighty shower you with peace, wisdom, and prosperity.

Now, let's prove to the world that it's really more fun to be in your loving arms...

Warm hugs,

Robbie

Have you heard or read the word 'ain't'? This topic has been troublesome to English learners.

What is ain't?

The word ain't (informal) pronounced as /'eɪnt/, is a conjugation of 'be' (am, is, are) or has and have verbs + not. So those verbs are written as /am not/is not/are not/ has not/ have not/.

The common informal saying is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". It basically means that you don't have to do something or modify it if there's nothing wrong with it. This word originated in Britain and became widely spread while some articles claimed it was from African-American ethnic groups. Regardless where it came from, it's essential to use this term with care since many English learners find it confusing. They tend to choose a wrong verb for the subject. Unless, of course, if you're a native speaker this wouldn't be a big deal.

Here are some examples:

"I ain't (am not) gonna stop learning English".
"Life ain't (is not) easy".
"You ain't (are not) allowed to cheat".
"She ain't (has not) talked about the marriage proposal to her parents".
"They ain't (have not) printed the news articles yet".

Ain't is used in movies, songs, and everyday conversations. I heard it most of the time. However, it isn't advisable to use it in academic setting. So never attempt to include it in your reports or essays just because other people have been using it. I guess it's alright to use it with your friends.

Another thing, would you agree with me if I tell you that the more frequent you use ain't in your conversations, the more you'd sound poorly educated? Tell me what you think. I learned this information a few months ago. Ouch! I ain't gonna use this term anymore... :)

Finally, the songs "Ain't No Other Man" by Christina Aguilera and "I Ain't No Quitter" by Shania Twain used this word oftentimes. Likewise, the sentence "I ain't done nothing" is a bit complicated. Blimey! Grammarians or grammar police wouldn't be pleased with these three examples because they introduced "double negatives" - a taboo in the English language.

Check out our latest reading challenge in my group about double negatives courtesy of VOA- Learning English.

Remember, ain't shouldn't be used in formal conversations and academic writing!

Can you give other examples where you spotted this word in songs or movies?

Reference:

Oxford Dictionary

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings".

                                                                                         -William Arthur Ward

Six years ago I was a newbie of this club. My passion for blogging has grown over the years as I incorporated English Club into my life. How time flies! I can say I'm a keen learner because I like the idea of experimenting this language through different activities and challenges of this site.

For my 60th blog, I'd like to point out three main reasons why I'm grateful for being a part of MyEC- primarily as an English learner.

Reason 1: Encouraging Comments

A few years ago, I wrote this blog post. I'm thankful to the people who commented on it because it gave me the idea to publish this one. I read the other old blogs, and I couldn't help myself cringed when I saw my grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. I should say my writings were a bit horrible back then (I'm not bragging that I'm a perfect blogger now). :)

Comments as well as corrections from teachers and learners (regardless of their English levels) have encouraged me to continue blogging. Rational comments and constructive criticisms can make you motivated, therefore allowing to bring out the best in you. Similarly, words are powerful devices that can make or break your enthusiasm, so don't take them too seriously! I know some comments were nasty and irrational, but most of them are encouraging. That's why I'm thankful to all who commented on my blogs, photos, and videos. Apart from the comments, it's really important to choose an informative topic that you want to share to the club.

Reason 2: Friends and MyEC Members

One of the best ideas to hang out here is that people know how to keep in touch using English. How exciting it is to meet members from different backgrounds around the globe!

Some of my true friends have inspired me in many ways. They let my stay here as memorable as possible. I'm truly grateful that other members noticed what I've done and shared on the club. It wasn't easy coming up with fascinating topics; however, hardships and difficulties were bearable especially when they appreciated my craft. Your personal messages on my profile page made me grin like Cheshire cat! Thank you to all who remembered me!

Reason 3: Learner's Development

Being chosen as your video moderator has greatly developed my English language skills. I'm amazed how I've improved myself because of this club. I'm sure there's a long way to go and I would face it with open arms. I must admit that modding videos is way more challenging and rewarding than blogging. This volunteer work has opened a lot of opportunities for me to meet exceptional teachers and learners through their own videos. Furthermore, my love for English kept me going and at the same time helped me understand other cultures.

I'm happy as a flea in a dog house because most of the members are educated enough to use the video gallery in terms of sharing their videos. Please continue uploading interesting and self-made videos.

One more thing, don't lose hope if you think you're not improving as a learner. Find inspiration from your family, friends, and other members. If I've reached this far, you can do it too (even way better!).

In a nutshell, we should be grateful whenever there's an opportunity to improve our English, and to the people who are helping us achieve our goals. I'm grateful that I got the chance to thank you all!

What are you grateful for? Please share it on the comment section below.

Note:

The photo is from my aunt's garden, and I used this site http://bighugelabs.com/ to combine them.

The Minions are back in the big screen. As a fanatic of these little creatures, allow me to share with you a short, simple story about them. Please take note that this blog has nothing to do with the movie itself. This is purely fictional written by yours truly. The toy in the photo is from a famous fast-food chain. Here it goes...

Groovy Stuart is a party-goer. He's a happy-go-lucky critter whose day wouldn't be complete without grooving to his favourite beats. He loves wearing colourful outfits too! But he doesn't care for the world. He's a stubborn, unkind and a self-centered individual. He thinks he's a prince!

One day he became ill. Setbacks occurred one by one. His so-called friends left him because of his bad attitude. He didn't know what to do and he was definitely at his wits' end. Eventually, he managed to recover from an illness. But he remained lonely.

As he was sitting on his throne, he realized how important to live each day with a purpose. He knew he has to grow-up and face the facts. This means to be sensible and matured. He also knew that he has to change his bad habits and reconcile with his friends. If he'd focus to resolve the crux of the matter, then he would live happily.

He began doing good deeds by helping his peers. He used his happy-go-lucky mindset to influence others to be kind to one another. Furthermore, he spent his day wisely and alloted more time studying in order for him to progress. What a clever-minded minion!

Fortunately, things became easy for Groovy! He felt contentment for what's happening in his life. Perhaps what he's been through was a blessing in disguise.

Now he has to look for his brother for another adventure.

To be continued...

What's your minion story?

My Bundt Ube Bread

I have a new buddy at home! He's not a human, but a gas range oven. It encourages me to prepare gourmet meals with gusto and baking is one of them. Let me share with you my views about this activity.

My love for food challenges me to prepare menus that are healthy and nutritious. I must admit I'm a foodie! Well, I just don't eat, in fact I find pleasure in preparing whatever dish comes to mind. This newly-found hobby has also been giving me a gazillion of ideas to make baking as creative and flavourful as possible. Even though searching the right ingredients is already a challenge, I must see to it that I follow the cooking procedures religiously. I try to anticipate positive outcome, and if it really turns out OK, then it would be a rewarding experience.

I love the idea of modifying the ingredients. Oh how invigorating to see those colourful batters turn to soft, fluffy and delicious snack! The aroma of baked goods after they're done cooking adds excitement. Am I keeping you famished now?

In addition to what I mentioned above, I learned that baking is a fun and relaxing activity. However, there's an invitation to strive for perfection in terms of flavour and presentation. There's a bit of craftmanship since preparing a dessert involves time, effort and a dash of imagination. Who knows, I might open a bakeshop in the future!

Apart from that, I see to it that I practice cleanliness in the kitchen. Who wants to work in a filthy kitchen anyway? Messy counter tops and piles of dirty dishes are always included in cooking, so I wouldn't mind cleaning them up while waiting for the batter to cook.

This activity might look simple to do, but this would involve patience and passion which mean that you should love doing it (or else it would turn out awful), so that the final product would be appetizing! I'm sure you would agree with me, wouldn't you?

Finally, as an English learner, I tend to get obliged to understand the cooking terms and instructions, hence allowing me to gain knowledge as well as new vocabulary about this hobby.

How about you? Do you love baking? Share your thoughts (and tips) on the comment below. Thank you for reading my blog.

Oh, one more thing. Here's my version of Babovka, a Czech Republic's Traditional Dish.

Happy cooking! :)

Pope Francis, the highest leader of the Catholic Church had a rare chance to visit the Philippines last month. Many devotees eagerly waited for him in Villamor Airbase while others glued to their TV screens (I myself was included). As the aircraft taxied to the tarmac, loud screams transcended in every corner of the airport as well as during his motorcades. Prior to his visit here, he traveled to Sri Lanka where he showed solidarity to the victims of civil war.

Since I couldn't travel to Manila, I was content watching his homilies on national TV. What's funny is that I couldn't help myself taking some photos of him using my mobile phone. What more if I was given a chance to see him in person! Those images would serve as personal remembrance. I think he has the aura that captivates his followers.

Based on what I also read on newspaper, 80% of Filipinos are Catholics, so I could understand why the Holy Father was quite excited and humbled to visit here. The Argentinian-born pontiff conducted holy masses within the metro. One was in Manila Cathedral, which is one of the oldest churches in Asia. The other one was in Rizal Park which attended by an estimated six million devotees, the largest number of crowd in a papal visit.

He also held a mass in Leyte, particularly in Tacloban Airport. Storm didn't hinder the eagerness and enthusiasm of the local people to see him in person despite heavy rains. His heart-warming and up-lifting messages brought tears of joy, hope, blessing and gratefulness to the people who were greatly affected by calamities. Some of the survivors of typhoon Haiyan were given the opportunity to have a luncheon with the Pope. Though some activities were cancelled due to bad weather condition, he remained preoccupied with meetings and other activities.

Clearly, the Filipino Catholics have proven their typhoon-proof faith because of this event. The Pope's encouragement, mercy and love to his people might bring the devotees closer to the Almighty. It's humbling to feel his empathy especially to the ones that given up the reason to live because of tragedies. All of his exceptional deeds including his uniqueness and charisma convinced me to regard him as my "Rockstar Pope".

Viva Papa Francisco!

If you're a Catholic, would you consider him as your Rockstar Pope and why?

Related link:

www.papalvisit.ph
Photos courtesy of GMA News

I saw on the news a few weeks ago that the Philippine Postal Corporation, a government owned corporation that provides postal services in my country, launched a writing contest about the importance of handwritten letters to an individual. Letters which are delivered thru snail mail have declined for the past years, thus affecting the agency in terms of profit.

Technology advancement including mobile phone texting and access to Internet via email, instant messaging on Facebook, Gmail and Twitter has overshadowed the old habits of letter-writing. That is why the agency has come up a campaign to encourage people to use the postal services in sending their letters and greeting cards to their loved ones. As a blogger myself, I find this idea as a challenging opportunity to everyone especially to the students that tend to forget the essence of expressing their thoughts using a pen and paper.

I learned online that this campaign was also being observed and practiced in many countries particularly in educational institutions. Teachers usually inspire their students to be involved in writing contests. However, many students are still having a difficult time composing an essay because of gadget dependency. They rely too much on texts and chat abbreviations that result to poor writing skills.

On the other hand, I'm sure you'd agree with me that handwritten letters from friends and family are much exciting to read than the ordinary email message. These personal letters could be full of emotions, excitement and sincerity. They are like imprints to the heart, as well as serve as a remembrance to the recipient. I strongly believe that through this activity, a person can be creative and prolific as much as he or she wants to. As we all know, in ancient history letters were used as a powerful weapon to influence the masses. In my country, letters ( along with books and newspaper publications) were also used as instruments by our national heroes to revolt against colonialism.

While we keep ourselves busy most of the time, don't you think it'd be wise to write a letter (or even a blog) once in a while? If we get used to this idea or practice, it would serve as our own advantage especially when the time comes that we need to make a request, a complaint or a commendation to other people. Most importantly, if we are knowledgeable with this skill, it'd help us ace during job-hunting and report writing. Of course, we must always try to follow the rules of proper capitalization, spelling, punctuation and paragraphing to make our letters appealing and impressive.

In your opinion, do you think handwritten letters would be able to regain its popularity in the future? Why?

Share your thoughts on the comment section below. Thank you for reading my blog. Happy writing! :)

Sources:

Wikipedia

Philpost

Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
                                                                                              ~Albert Einstein

Oh problem! I'm not going to talk about a style of cooking, instead I'd like to give my two-cents worth on a serious threat that the world is facing.

What is poaching?

Poaching is the illegal hunting or killing of wild animals and plants without the necessary permits or documents. Personally, this is one of the biggest problems in the world. Wild animals and plants play essential roles in maintaining the ecological balance of forests and seas. Animals are poached for human consumption, medicinal purposes, for collection and even use its body parts as accessories. This illegal activity has been around for thousands of years! It looks like every country has its own battle to combat this dilemma.

A few months ago, the local authorities in my country had captured and seized a foreign vessel full of dead sea turtles, sharks, sting-rays and other marine creatures. It was reported that those animals will be transported to another country and will be sold as an exotic food or aphrodisiac. As a nature lover, I found this news quite disturbing. The Pawikan (Philippine Marine Turtle) is the local term of sea turtle which is endemic in the country. You can check more information here.

I learned in one of the episodes of NatGeo on TV that sharks' fins and meat have high content of mercury that could be hazardous to our health. Have you tasted the shark-fin soup? It's one of the most expensive soups in the globe! On the other hand, there are scientific studies that some viruses like Ebola and MERS-CoV (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome - Corona Virus) were first acquired by wild animals and then later transferred to humans because of poaching. Both viruses have killed many people in Africa and in the Middle East. That raised an international concern and fear to public especially to the medical professionals who devoted their time and knowledge to cure the infected patients. If the poachers had learned the effects of their action at an early stage, they would have prevented the spread of the virus to the community.

Poverty is the one of the root causes of poaching. If the government could provide different livelihood programs to the family of poachers, it would limit the abuse of wildlife animals. The government should also enforce a stricter laws to lessen those illegal activities and other forms of abuse to endangered species. We can support legit, non-profit agencies and institutions that protect the welfare of the natural resources and its inhabitants through volunteering and information dissemination with the use of social medias. More importantly, we must refrain ourselves in patronizing all products that came from illegal activities.

If we share and propagate the ways to help mother nature, and the people for their noble cause, then we can at least make a huge step. Or better yet, let us be the first one to act against those unlawful doings. Everyone can make a difference!

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaching

http://www.gentletouchpet.net/quotes/

Father (noun) /ˈfɑːðə(r)/ - your male parent. People often call their father Dad or, especially if they are young children, Daddy. In the past, people often called their father Father or Papa

My Father The Faithful Husband

In response to this month's writing challenge, let me share to you a few things about my father.

He's a senior citizen who loves to watch NBA games - a fanatic of LA Lakers. He also likes to watch current affairs programs and read newspapers. He taught me the importance of reading, and how it would keep me abreast on the latest happening in the country. He's quite opinionated on certain issues, so I can say that he's a natural conversationalist.                               

When my mother died, he spent his time by conscientiously supporting the family; acting as both mom and dad at the same time. It wasn't easy for him raising six children while working as a jeweller. What a multi-tasker he was, indeed! He also reminded us to be responsible in doing the chores at home, in our studies and be helpful to each other.

I used to tease him to find a new life-time partner, but he just didn't like the idea. Perhaps he had made a promise to my mom that he'd be faithful to her until his last breath. If my mother were still alive, she would receive unconditional love and devotion, as well as sublime attention from my dad.

Though he was stricken with illness due to aging, he didn't let it affect his desire to bond with his grandchildren. Some of them are already grown-ups and have their own jobs. By the way, he took care of them when they were youngsters. Whenever he's not busy, he would hang-out with the little ones in an amusement park or treat them in a fine restaurant. He loved the idea of surprising them with presents, too!

On behalf of my siblings, I'd like to dedicate this blog to our father. I wholeheartedly wish him vigor, health and longevity.  I'll continue to try my best to give him my utmost care (with positive thoughts and prayers). This may sound cheesy, but I can proudly say that he's the best father I have ever had.

Do you celebrate Father's Day in your country? What are the memorable experiences you've had with him?

Related Links:

Click here for the details in joining the latest writing activity.

http://my.englishclub.com/profiles/blogs/writing-challenge-fathers

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/

Seriously? Not exactly! I'm referring to a recent summer adventure that I participated along with my family in Boracay Island, in my country, the Philippines. This is called Helmet Diving.

What is helmet diving?

This is becoming one of the popular out-door activities among foreign and local tourists in the island. This activity allows you to climb down a ladder to reach the seabed while wearing a helmet made of glass plates. The helmet itself has an air compressor connected by a long hose up to its main oxygen tank. This will help you breathe normally under the water. Once the helmet is worn, you can be assisted by the diver to go down the ladder, walk on the seabed, feed the fishes and have your photos taken. The souvenir photos, plus a short video are included in the package.

According to the instructor, the actual helmet weighs 25 kilograms. It becomes 2 kilograms once you're under the water. This is quite true because I felt its heaviness as I wore it. It suddenly became lighter when I was on the ocean floor. We were fetched by a speed boat going to the flat-surfaced boat where the divers and their equipment can be found. The divers accommodated us and a short instruction was given. Prior to the activity, a waiver was signed. It's important to pay enough attention to the instructor since he'd give you the proper gestures during the activity, as well as essential hand signals that you can use to communicate with the divers.

When the helmets were filled up by air, we started going down one by one. As I went down the ladder, I could feel the coldness of the water. The divers assisted us until we were able to reach the ocean floor. I felt a little discomfort in my ears because of the pressure, though. There's also a large rope to grip on so we wouldn't be carried away by the current. Though the water was freezing, it didn't ruin my excitement!

It was a different world down there. The experience became sweeter when I saw different, colorful fish in front of me. I was looking for Nemo, but I couldn't see him! Maybe he's with Ariel. : ) The diver gave us a tiny, round bread to feed the fish and have them included on the photos. Imagination kicked in and I felt like an astronaut under the ocean. The fish was dazzling like stars in the sky. Feeding them was exciting! They're so untamed as I tried to catch them. My co-participants were also enjoying the activity.

The helmet diving lasted for more than 10 minutes. We had to climb up back to the boat. While waiting for the speed boat, I started to feel extreme coldness, probably because of strong wind and wet clothes. But it's all worth it!

This adventure was truly memorable and exciting! I took it as a breather after weeks of stress caused by the super typhoon. I'm grateful to experience this marvelous event with my loved ones.

Note: Please be warned that this activity is not for everyone. If you are hydrophobic, I suggest you not to try this activity. You should take caution and assessment if you're capable of joining in.

Do you have a memorable summer adventure? Please do share it here! Thank you very much for reading my blog.

This blog is a response to all members and friends who took the time to send their messages and to know my whereabouts during the times that I was missing in action (MIA) on MyEC.

My leave was supposed to be for just two weeks, but it was extended due to the calamity that struck my province. My country was hit by super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda by its local name) last November 8, 2013. This was the strongest typhoon that ever occurred in my country according to CNN. My family monitored the news and we didn't expect it that strong until we experienced how it wrecked havoc in my country.

I was terribly worried when the typhoon land fell in my province. There were heavy and strong winds as well as storm surges near the coastlines. We could hear a very loud noise, similar to an aircraft that's roaming outside the house. It's really horrifying! We saw how the storm wrecked our roof and other houses. We hid in our bedroom and stayed there until late evening. The typhoon started hitting the town around 12 noon! Most of the things in my home were soaked in water due to heavy rains. I thought the storm would never end and couldn't survive it. I held on to my faith so I would never lose hope.

The tips that I read online about disaster preparedness were truly helpful to withstand the chaos. I'm very thankful that my family and friends were not harmed unlike in other provinces where thousands of people were perished by the wrath of the storm. 'twas really heartbreaking to hear the sad news.

Many large trees were fallen, damaged and some were uprooted. Plenty of electrical posts were down that caused total blackout in many provinces. Mobile telecommunication signals were also weak especially during the first few weeks. This is the major reason why I couldn't reply on your messages nor tell you my whereabouts.

I'm truly grateful to be able to survive this tragedy. This experience made me stronger and wiser... Sometimes I couldn't describe the feeling, but the most important thing is that I'm alive. I learned to live life to the fullest and to enjoy every opportunity that I will have with my family and friends.

For those who sent their messages and showed sympathies about my absence on our club, thank you very much!  Your words and encouragements inspire me to make my stay memorable here.

Special thanks to Tara, Junco, Grace, Juli, Ha, Galina, My ever kind sisters Mitran and Fahime, Sera, Nida, Tawfeeq, Ehab, My younger bro, Arif and to all people for keeping in touch during the tough times. May the graces of Almighty be with you as you continue your journey on MyEC! : )

Hello! Before you roll your eyes with the title of this blog post, let me tell you that this is not a legit word. I innovated this acronym as one of my vocabulary learning techniques.

Vocabcuemery - means that it's time for me to learn new words using cue cards. Also, to jot down unfamiliar words or phrases as a vocab exercise.

This is a weird term, isn't it? As an English learner, it's essential to improve our vocabulary for every day activities. Even native speakers learn new words once in awhile. It's humourous to think that this exercise is helping me pumped up my desire to acquire new idioms and phrases.

In four years of my stay on MyEC, I've read different blogs and watched plenty of videos about how this activity could be useful and educational in enriching our minds. Actually, I tried reading a page of a dictionary before, but it didn't work out. I ended up losing some words in a couple of days! So, I told myself to try this fun activity. I'm glad that it's working well for me. I'm currently using Macmillan Dictionary and Merriam-Webster as resources. I wonder if the MyEC dictionary app would be available again, though.

I bet you're now wondering how I spot a new word, aren't you? There are plenty of ways to catch a new one. First, our surroundings are full of things that we can describe and learn from. Second, read a novel, magazine or newspaper. You may also try to read the product's label, packaging and instruction. And third, watch your fave movies, videos and TV shows. For example, the TV hit series, Downton Abbey, offers interesting phrases and expressions as well as stories of the elite and its servants in a 1920's setting. You'd also get familiar with the British accents. You could jot down the words that sound new to you. Search their meanings online and copy them using cue cards.

The next thing you'd do is to practice using them in your own sentences. Try to understand how those words are spoken. Pay attention to the proper pronunciation and use the phonetic symbols as guides. Do this activity daily or during your free time. I hope you're vocabulary would sky-rocket! You may go over those cue cards any time you want.

I hope this would work for you!

Thank you for reading this blog! Cheers!

Do you have other useful tips or activities that encourage you to improve your vocabulary? Feel free to share them in the comment below.

Do you like reading news or making audio recordings for MyEC? Why don't you join our latest video challenge?

For our new activity, I would like to invite you to make a video of yourself reading one of the news from MyEC feed. The news are recorded by our admin, Tara Benwell. You can listen in the way she pronounced and narrated the news. This would help you to be familiar with tone and inflection.

Practicing reading in front of the camera would help us gain self-confidence and improve our speaking skills. This is also one of the best ways to spot any flaws in our speech and make any development to attain excellent reading skills.

To join this activity, please follow the instruction.

1. Choose a news from MyEC feed. You can find other news when you click the more button of the "NEW On EnglishClub feed".

2. Once you've chosen a news, practice reading it until you're ready to record it. You may practice speaking in front of a mirror or a webcam.

3. Record yourself reading the news using your video camera, mobile camera or a webcam. I used my iPod Touch for this activity.

4. Save your video and upload it on our video gallery with the title,

    Video Challenge: News Reading.

5. Please provide a short description of your video and invite others to join the challenge.

I know you can do it! Break a leg! (Good luck)

To watch the video challenge, please click the link below.

http://my.englishclub.com/video/video-challenge-news-reading

Related links

http://my.englishclub.com/video/practice-reading-ecnews

http://my.englishclub.com/group/audiospeakinggroup/forum/topics/be-a-newscaster-2013