Passenger Talesstories about my experiences as a traveler and passenger

We went to Mt. Namhansanseong yesterday for the school hike. It was quite an easy hike compared to the two I have been to but it was still quite tiring. On the bus on our way to Mt. Namhansanseong I was struck by the beauty of the passing scenery. The mountains were auburn-colored with splashes of yellow. I could not stop staring and admiring and wishing that the bus would stop so that I can take pictures. It is my first time to experience the four seasons but even before, I always found fall to be beautiful whenever I see pictures of it in magazines or see it on television. Now that I am experiencing it, I’m not the least bit disappointed. I love the way the leaves change colors, some red, others orange, and the ginkos are yellow. When they are all mixed together, it’s like a splash of vibrant colors when there used to be just green. I have friends who told me that autumn is depressing like winter because the night falls early and it’s cold but I disagree. Autumn is awesome. It’s colorful and the weather is cool and sometimes chilly but it reminds of ealy mornings in the countryside during summer vacations. The downside of autumn is of course the falling leaves. Gardeners and groundkeepers have additional work of gathering the leaves that are continuously falling and littering the streets but to an observer like me, the leaves on the streets add to the beautiful atmosphere.

When we were hiking back to the bus, I told my friends I wish I could live somewhere where I can experience the fall season again. It’s definitely my favorite of the four seasons.

My friend Wendy has been moaning about wanting to have a facial. Since it is so expensive to get one here in Korea, which is not feasible with our allowance, she has to wait until we go back home. She wants to have her pimples treated. For the last two decades, dermatologists and facial clinics have been very popular in our country. They offer different kinds of facials, warts removals, acne treatments and other procedures for the skin. The skin really feels nice after the facial and if you have one regularly, you can see a difference in your face.

We were having a celebration after our taekwondo exam at a chicken place when suddenly one of my Korean friends mentioned that what she wants is an appetite suppressant. She has been battling with her weight with her parents giving her incentive with each kilo she loses. So far, she’s been cheating by doing something to their weighing scale. I wanted to tell her to search the internet for the best appetite suppressant but before I could do that she said that our taekwondo master was going to give her a 10 kilogram diet plan. Of course, I quickly asked to be included. But so far, I do not have an idea what is the plan.

Fire is both a curse and a blessing. It is very useful for cooking and giving heat but if not controlled, it causes so much damage. Just this year, forest fires have caused millions of dollars in damages. Fire service management practices have come a long way from the old system of a group of men throwing buckets to take out fire. Now, the focus is more of preventing fire through community fire protection initiatives. Fire fighters need to be equipped with all kinds of tools, skills and knowledge in order deal with the complex field of the current Fire Service Administration. The course Bachelor of arts in fire service administration will help equip fire service administrators with the very latest tools, theories, and practices to help them become more effective fire fighters and advance in their chosen field. The course not only deals with old and new fire management practices but also examines the issues of planning, implementation and intervention by fire service agencies involved in community protection. Moreover, it also touches on labor management relations, ethics in fire service, planning for community fire protection, among others. BA in Fire Service Administration will be a really great asset for people who want a career in fire fighting.

When I think about Florida, I think about the sand, sea, sky and some palm trees. Of course, all these are from what I have learned watching TV, reading books and talking to people who have been there. Another thing I know about it is that it is a retirement community where senior citizens enjoy the warm climate, which is more forgiving of their arthritis and rheumatism. It has great beaches, especially in panama city beach florida, which is a very popular destination of college students during spring break. So I guess this state is not only for the old but for young people also.

My friends are planning to buy an SLR camera before going home since cameras here are much less expensive than back home. I also want to buy one but I realized that I want something whose value would not depreciate overtime, which lets out the camera and other electronic gadgets. I am thinking more in the line of jewellery, like a simple pair of stud diamond earrings, nothing ostentatious because I cannot afford them. Unfortunately, I am not an expert on diamonds, or any kind of jewellery for that matter, so I am hesitant to buy without some expert advice. Maybe I will wait until I get back home and ask my officemate who has an eye for these things.

I was first exposed to GPS in cars when I came to Korea last year. The taxi hired by the host organization to fetch us from the airport had such a system. It was like a small television that the driver kept looking at. When my friend came here in Seoul for a stop-over visit from US to Manila, she was surprised that Korea also uses the GPS. Her boyfriend in the US had GPS in his car, maybe it was Garmin GPS or some other brand. GPS is really very useful in navigating the roads, especially if you are going to an unknown address. However, I think it would not be available in the Philippines in the near future because it requires satellite navigation and road database, which I doubt we have yet. Who knows, in the future, our cars and taxis will also have such technology giving the taxi drivers more information about longer routes to take.

I was up on the snack bar during the weekend preparing for lunch. One classmate was sitting down at the table where I was taking out my materials so his eyes were on the level of my stomach. He commented that I should go on a diet. I don’t remember now what I told him but I’m sure it was something polite. Comments like that makes a person think about what is the best weight loss pill just so you can show them what you look like without the love handles. But who cares about their opinions. It only matters how you view yourself. Losing weight should be a personal decision because you know that getting fat is not healthy and not because people think thin is sexy.

Whenever I hear the brand Clarks shoes I always remember my dad. He was a very casual person who often went around wearing shorts, t-shirts and slippers. He was not very particular about clothing brands and was comfortable just wearing give away t-shirts from all kinds of products. He was, however, very particular about the brand of shoes he wears. He might only have one or two pairs at a time but they were always branded. His favourite was Clarks. I cannot remember him buying them though. The shoes were usually gifts from relatives or friends, and that was what he had a lot of, friends. He was funny and can talk to all kinds of people, from carpenters to bank managers. Even though it’s been almost ten years since he died, I still miss him. I guess when you lose someone you love, you never get over the sense of loss. The feeling may diminish overtime but it never completely goes away.