Hoarding

I never understood this craving for something Pinoy (Filipino) while living abroad especially when it comes to food until I came to live in Prague. I suffered months of mental agony craving for Filipino food, even those which are least of my favorites. Aside from being obsessive-compulsive, I discovered I have another illness to boot. I became a masochist since leaving Cebu. A gazillion times I imagined eating fried bananas for breakfast, devouring sizzling gambas for lunch, then dropping by Chowking after hours of malling to chill with a halo-halo.

Imagining and self-torturing no more! Just a few weeks ago Eva told me about this newly-opened Thai/Asian Food Shop very near her place. There were a few Filipino products sold and one was -- catching my breath --the Philippine Dried Mangoes! You couldn't believe how much money my sister back in Cebu spent just to send a few packets for me and A. Now they are just a tram ride away. I must have done something good in life lately for the universe to conspire to reward me with something fantastic as this.

Today I went there and hoarded everything from dried mangoes to crackers, even to a banana ketchup which I so missed. The owner is a nice English-speaking Vietnamese woman who asked me what else I wanted her to import. Cheez Whiz, was my quick reply. Later today A asked me to tell her to import Funchum mango juice and we'll buy all the boxes she'll import. Yes, A is crazy about Funchum, among other Philippine "products."

To find this place, take number 10 or 16 tram from IP Pavlova and get off at Palackeho Namesti (for tram 16, the first Palackeho Namesti stop as there are two). From the tram stop, you'll see a Czech resto called "U Pomniku" in the corner. Go around that corner and you'll immediately see the sign in white highlighted by red blinking lights. If you take the metro, go on line B and get off at Karlovo Namesti station. Go through the exit leading to Palackeho Namesti and follow the sign for the tram. You'll also come out at the same tram stop where you'll see the corner leading to the shop.

The odd one out

A and I are in the quest of spicing up our weekends. Sports, visiting friends, anything than just the usual staying-at-home routine. This quest brought us to Nadrazi Branik last weekend to play badminton.

I had the surprise of my life when I entered the women's locker room. Three women, apparently friends, were parading there naked, as naked as the day they were born. They were casually lotioning their arms while talking about beach volley or the sport they were playing. As if on cue to add to my discomfort, another woman came out of the shower, as naked as her other sisters were. Heck, I'm not a prude. Just that where I come from nakedness is something not treated with casual abandon.

I wanted to bolt out of the room because dressed as I was, I felt like the odd one out. What the heck, I said to myself. If I can't beat them, I'll join them! Easily said than done especially when I saw the papayas and melons dangling infront of me. I was really the odd one out with nothing but a pair of raisins to show. I changed my mind about joining fruit forces with them, hurriedly changed into my badminton outfit and bolted out of the room with a bruised ego.

Preschool LP: Painting with cars

Topic: Transportation / Colors

I already posted this on my sidebar a few months ago. The downside of a sidebar is that when you change the texts you can't retrieve them so I'm posting this here to save me from juggling my memory later.

One thing I notice is kids love to play with toy cars, boys and girls alike. As for painting, some of them like it but some also get disgusted with the mere sight of paints since they don't want to have these sticky stuff messing with their already dirty fingers. Having them paint with cars instead of the usual brushes entices them to join this activity.

My co-teacher did this activity with the kids so I don't know if this was her original idea or if she got it somewhere. Anywho, you need toy cars, a big sheet of white or brown paper, and paints for this. If you use this for transport topic, you may explain to the kids first that cars leave tracks when the ground is wet, muddy or when there's snow on it. Then have them dip the wheels on the paint and make their own tracks on the paper. If you do this for theme to recognize colors, you may ask them to dip the cars on a particular color at a time.

Happy tracking!

Satisfying cravings

There's a time of the month when I'm a Pacman personified. I eat everything edible that comes my way. Not only that, I have cravings that have to be satisfied otherwise my crazy hormones would make me go ballistic and all the more unreasonable.

Last week on V-Day I wanted to eat something Mexican as if my life depended on it. A and I had a very important appointment in the evening so we decided to have a lunch date instead of an almost required romantic dinner to celebrate the day. He checked the internet for listings of Mexican restaurants in Prague.

"Cantina" is located at Ujezd in Mala Strana. It's a tram stop before Helichova where most Filipinos go to church on Sundays. My mind was running wild on what to eat; enchiladas, nachos, tortillas, quesadillas, the list went on and on. I finally settled on grilled chicken enchilada with cheese toppings and goodness, it was sooo yummy. I was gobbling it 'til I was so stuffed I couldn't eat a single bite anymore.

Yummy food, cozy ambiance and a craving satisfied. The biggest bonus was when we had to pay the bill and realized it wasn't at all expensive than we expected. Cantina is really worth visiting a second and maybe several times around.

Lesson/Record plan

I've been attacked by this illness I call blogging malaise for weeks now. A few months ago I was so into it (blogging) but now I can hardly update my page. This is so like me, burning with passion for something right now then having cold feet about it the next. This passion is apparently resurrected at this moment, albeit temporarily, so might as well use it to the max.

Preschool teaching means you gotta be creative. I can't count the times I "invented" some arts and crafts activities which turned out pretty well. Unfortunately, I can't also remember them since ( this is a confession of sorts) I don't keep a record of things I did that worked well with kids. It's my second year at the school now and some topics are the same as that of last year's yet I still spend time planning my activities because my memory simply deserts me when I need it the most. I gotta change this awful habit. Right here, right now.

TOPIC: NATIVE AMERICANS (International Month)

The talking stick - has been used for centuries by many Native Americans to designate who has the right to speak. We explained to the kids that only the one holding the stick can talk and the rest will have to listen. This is a great tool at circle time since they want to talk at the same time.

For activity we went for a walk so the kids can look and pick for their own sticks. When we went back inside the classroom we decorated their sticks with feathers and beads. An easy activity but lots of fun for them.

Native American bags - Materials needed are lunch bags, strings, colored papers and a glue stick. Simply cut a part of the bag to make a fringe then glue it at the bottom. Kids can cut the colored papers (or pre-cut them) to the shapes they like and glue them on the paper. Punch holes on the upper sides of the paper to attach the string for the handle.

There, I surely wont need my memory next time. If there will be a next time, that is.

Undomestic Goddess' quick fix

I know, I know, I'm not particularly keen on this picture though this is the best it could get. The presentation is not at all to die for but I didn't think of posting this or even taking a picture when I was making the sandwiches. If I knew I would, I would have tried my best for them to look passable. But waitaminute, why do I sound so defensive?!

No, I'm not turning this page into a food blog. God knows I have no "k" (karapatan, as in "right"). I just want to share this to those who are endlessly struggling to come up with an edible meal like me especially when I come home tired from work. I call this, well, for the lack of words, my quick fix.

A sandwich is never considered a meal in P.I. It's a snack, mind you. Only here in Prague when I learned to appreciate its ability to silence my stomach. What's more is that it's so easy to prepare. Just bread, butter, hardboiled eggs, ham, bell pepper, pickles and voila--- a no sweat dinner for me and A!