By: Gil delos Santos
The pleasure and surprise of my professional journey while thousand miles away from home outweigh the scale of nostalgia as never expected in no conceit. Technology nowadays has dramatically elevated convenience in the aspect of communication and information. I recall how tragic and depressing when internet and video calling were yet unavailable way back in the early stage of my career overseas. In other hand, looking at the entire individual as a worker – a whole new persona has somehow grew beyond prudence advancing towards a high level of maturity. Except for the imperfection constituted by human nature, that maturity is not limited only to flexibility of technical working skills but the total understanding of human nature and mother nature – its role, responsibilities and obligation.
As time leans on my favor each passing day, life is never ungenerous in giving surprises in ways how to become a better person. Surprisingly, a better person sees a lot more beautiful reasons to celebrate life rather than to hate the world. I live up with the mirror principle with wishes to stay under the margins of good social demeanor. This works for me big time. It is a method by way of looking into other people´s behavior – so it becomes your call to avoid his wrong doing and copy the good deeds in other hand. As my occupation brings me to different places and cultures, I have the greatest discoveries in far as geography and alchemy at the same time are concerned. The Americans´ characteristic of being outspoken gives me a whole refreshing insight on how to align personal issues. Not like the mirror principle where you look at other people to rectify yourself, I learn to take other people´s opinion and description about me in no offense. That makes a direct approach to correct personality flaw. More often, “not the better person” sees criticism as the reason to hate that person rather than to grow up. This discovery is way more beautiful than oceans which sometimes never offer a calm voyage.
There are just a bunch of reasons what´s with the title (Idyllic Find). My recent American expedition taught me gratitude not only beyond career and scenic spots, but people – amazing people who have the fortitude to appraise my value and blow me up otherwise. My respect goes to all the American fellows who share their world to me…And to the guys who mentored my shooting skills. It makes hunting a new line of interest and pro fishing is on the way. The hospitality of my buddies back in Stockton California – the private island, the clubhouse, the river, the rafting, jet skis, hunting, dogs (Hank, Abi, and Dudly – missed you guys), trucks, artillery, rabbits, birds, fishing, beers, barbeque, marina bar – are just few reasons that hold back from moving forward onto the next chapter. Since there´s an endless number of places to explore, my yacht never sits in one place – offering a whole new different story every time with a new set of different characters. Short but big stories I can definitely share with my grand children one day in the future.
As the California story closes this time (be back there one day for the sequel); after five days of solid rough sea beating, we hit our next destination – Alaska at last. I meantime forget good times from the last port of call upon seeing a picture perfect color combination of blue, green and white – that´s the ocean, mountain, and the Alaskan foggy sky. On the very first day that the yacht landed at the marina, what a surprise welcome present await ahead. Our 15-pounder test line caught a 42 pound Halibut with no struggle, good fish. For nearly thirty minutes, that massive 19 kilos fresh catch was all filleted and vacuum sealed for storing. After coming from a sleepless 5 days delivery, in that very evening (just not to miss the opportunity because we´re moving out the next morning) myself and two other boat buddies went to town bar hopping in Ketchikan. Weariness never had the chance to get entertained as soon as we hit the road. It is wide open, the streets are empty. It reminds me of Ushuaia in South Pole where population is literally low. After a couple of the local Alaskan amber beers and some Cuba Libres, alcohol easily diffused into my nerve. The quiet and reserved person that I am breaks all personal boundaries in that second bar we hopped in. I nearly talked to every single person in that foreign environment. From one intoxicated chap to another, I come to notice that most of them have the same delirious interest and getting excited to hear my story about a former U.S. president who happens to become one of my clients in my previous work assignments in the past - serving him and his wife some margaritas at a cocktail party. Their amazement sends a message to me that I am looking big to their perspective. The crowd was a mixture of professionals and punks. There was a charter plane pilot who sat with me for some time talking about his humble beginnings, a yacht owner who has massive passion on photography, a satellite technician who challenged me with one billiard game and nearly lost – we raced for the same last ball only I missed the opportunity and he couldn´t believe I almost stole the game because he easily beats everyone at the bar, the rests are the usual holiday makers, but I can´t forget this one tattooed guy with a long rock star looking beard and says he´s a mixed martial arts underground fighter (I am a big MMA fan). We started talking weird about racism to foolish nonsense. We´re just about to end the conversation when I say: “Man, sometimes we just need to get crazy to be free. Life is short!”
That simple spontaneous thought made him salute a Filipino straight off; the insight just blown him away because he´s been living that all his life but never thought of the idea. Over-all, I believe I left a good impression and legacy on that American bar as Filipino. After dozens of questions, opinions and exchanges; they get to realize that colonization have never been bad for the Philippines because after all – the Spaniards taught us Christianity, Japan taught us become polite, courteous and respectful; and the Americans taught us English and competitiveness . All those great influences have surfaced in that bar.
That is how this chapter kicks off in Alaska.
Others may have a different story about being away from home. It is just like looking at an abstract piece of art, various people will have various interpretations even if they´re all facing at the same subject. Every person´s perspective is activated by who he is and what he believes; a magnificent view or situation will look useless to people who don´t realize its value. It is on how we look at something that makes this world beautiful. Our call is on how to utilize opportunities to chill and savor every minute of the short-lived. Joy does not come voluntarily, we grab it.
(Originally written and published this piece July of 2010 in my old site)
The pleasure and surprise of my professional journey while thousand miles away from home outweigh the scale of nostalgia as never expected in no conceit. Technology nowadays has dramatically elevated convenience in the aspect of communication and information. I recall how tragic and depressing when internet and video calling were yet unavailable way back in the early stage of my career overseas. In other hand, looking at the entire individual as a worker – a whole new persona has somehow grew beyond prudence advancing towards a high level of maturity. Except for the imperfection constituted by human nature, that maturity is not limited only to flexibility of technical working skills but the total understanding of human nature and mother nature – its role, responsibilities and obligation.
As time leans on my favor each passing day, life is never ungenerous in giving surprises in ways how to become a better person. Surprisingly, a better person sees a lot more beautiful reasons to celebrate life rather than to hate the world. I live up with the mirror principle with wishes to stay under the margins of good social demeanor. This works for me big time. It is a method by way of looking into other people´s behavior – so it becomes your call to avoid his wrong doing and copy the good deeds in other hand. As my occupation brings me to different places and cultures, I have the greatest discoveries in far as geography and alchemy at the same time are concerned. The Americans´ characteristic of being outspoken gives me a whole refreshing insight on how to align personal issues. Not like the mirror principle where you look at other people to rectify yourself, I learn to take other people´s opinion and description about me in no offense. That makes a direct approach to correct personality flaw. More often, “not the better person” sees criticism as the reason to hate that person rather than to grow up. This discovery is way more beautiful than oceans which sometimes never offer a calm voyage.
There are just a bunch of reasons what´s with the title (Idyllic Find). My recent American expedition taught me gratitude not only beyond career and scenic spots, but people – amazing people who have the fortitude to appraise my value and blow me up otherwise. My respect goes to all the American fellows who share their world to me…And to the guys who mentored my shooting skills. It makes hunting a new line of interest and pro fishing is on the way. The hospitality of my buddies back in Stockton California – the private island, the clubhouse, the river, the rafting, jet skis, hunting, dogs (Hank, Abi, and Dudly – missed you guys), trucks, artillery, rabbits, birds, fishing, beers, barbeque, marina bar – are just few reasons that hold back from moving forward onto the next chapter. Since there´s an endless number of places to explore, my yacht never sits in one place – offering a whole new different story every time with a new set of different characters. Short but big stories I can definitely share with my grand children one day in the future.
As the California story closes this time (be back there one day for the sequel); after five days of solid rough sea beating, we hit our next destination – Alaska at last. I meantime forget good times from the last port of call upon seeing a picture perfect color combination of blue, green and white – that´s the ocean, mountain, and the Alaskan foggy sky. On the very first day that the yacht landed at the marina, what a surprise welcome present await ahead. Our 15-pounder test line caught a 42 pound Halibut with no struggle, good fish. For nearly thirty minutes, that massive 19 kilos fresh catch was all filleted and vacuum sealed for storing. After coming from a sleepless 5 days delivery, in that very evening (just not to miss the opportunity because we´re moving out the next morning) myself and two other boat buddies went to town bar hopping in Ketchikan. Weariness never had the chance to get entertained as soon as we hit the road. It is wide open, the streets are empty. It reminds me of Ushuaia in South Pole where population is literally low. After a couple of the local Alaskan amber beers and some Cuba Libres, alcohol easily diffused into my nerve. The quiet and reserved person that I am breaks all personal boundaries in that second bar we hopped in. I nearly talked to every single person in that foreign environment. From one intoxicated chap to another, I come to notice that most of them have the same delirious interest and getting excited to hear my story about a former U.S. president who happens to become one of my clients in my previous work assignments in the past - serving him and his wife some margaritas at a cocktail party. Their amazement sends a message to me that I am looking big to their perspective. The crowd was a mixture of professionals and punks. There was a charter plane pilot who sat with me for some time talking about his humble beginnings, a yacht owner who has massive passion on photography, a satellite technician who challenged me with one billiard game and nearly lost – we raced for the same last ball only I missed the opportunity and he couldn´t believe I almost stole the game because he easily beats everyone at the bar, the rests are the usual holiday makers, but I can´t forget this one tattooed guy with a long rock star looking beard and says he´s a mixed martial arts underground fighter (I am a big MMA fan). We started talking weird about racism to foolish nonsense. We´re just about to end the conversation when I say: “Man, sometimes we just need to get crazy to be free. Life is short!”
That simple spontaneous thought made him salute a Filipino straight off; the insight just blown him away because he´s been living that all his life but never thought of the idea. Over-all, I believe I left a good impression and legacy on that American bar as Filipino. After dozens of questions, opinions and exchanges; they get to realize that colonization have never been bad for the Philippines because after all – the Spaniards taught us Christianity, Japan taught us become polite, courteous and respectful; and the Americans taught us English and competitiveness . All those great influences have surfaced in that bar.
That is how this chapter kicks off in Alaska.
Others may have a different story about being away from home. It is just like looking at an abstract piece of art, various people will have various interpretations even if they´re all facing at the same subject. Every person´s perspective is activated by who he is and what he believes; a magnificent view or situation will look useless to people who don´t realize its value. It is on how we look at something that makes this world beautiful. Our call is on how to utilize opportunities to chill and savor every minute of the short-lived. Joy does not come voluntarily, we grab it.
(Originally written and published this piece July of 2010 in my old site)
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