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Kristyn Maslog-Levis February 14th, 2008

February 13 was a historic day in Australian history.

Finally, the federal government said the magic word – sorry. After decades of sometimes not so silent conflict, someone actually had the balls to stand up and do the right thing.

But before I go to that, I just want to say Australians voted well when they put Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the seat. Aside from the obvious shallow reason (he has more appeal especially on camera), Rudd has done what others never did on the first months as prime minister – and he wasn’t even officially installed yet until this week.

He did his part to save the whales and finally put international pressure on Japan who still tries to hide behind the ridiculous façade of “scientific whaling program”. After Rudd pointed out the huge pink elephant, other countries finally said something about it (how many leaders have no balls in this planet?).

He also ratified the very overdue Kyoto Protocol, which the Howard government ignored time and time again. Now only the U.S. is left to be the “rogue nation”, as TIME magazine puts it.

Rudd has already earned my respect just by doing these two initial things – both for the environment, both to make sure the next generation will have a planet to live in.

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis January 25th, 2008

I came. I saw. I enjoyed.

I dropped by Dumaguete City for a couple of days during my trip back to the Philippines. It’s been seven years since I left the port of this lovely sleepy town and I was quite surprised to find how much it has changed – and how much it has remained the same.

I opted for the local pedicab instead of the taxi to immediately get the feel of the city I once knew. Driving through the boulevard knocked me back to the years when I walked with my schoolmates, eating tempura and balut.

Dumaguete is a temporary home to many Filipinos from all over the Philippines. For the most part of our young adult lives, the city served us with great zest. No matter which years you lived in the city, it always leaves a mark on you.

When I returned, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I was going to see only a few of my batchmates and friends, many have flown overseas and scattered themselves all over the country – each making a name in their own way.

I was also surprised to know people were familiar with this column – which actually embarrassed me. My column is placed beside the writings of others who write about far more important and serious issues. Maybe mine is an oasis to relax on before going through the more relevant topics.

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis December 20th, 2007

I have no kids yet, which makes me unbiased about the issue I’m about to raise.

Last weekend, we visited some friends who has two little girls, one is five and the other one is seven. Everytime we visit them it never ceases to amaze me just how clever and inquisitive these two kids are. They are not prodigies, they are normal kids, yet they speak their minds and question adults very sensibly.

I’m not a huge fan of stupid bratty kids, I guess that’s just like everyone else. But the parents told us one disturbing incident in their kid’s new school. Apparently, at one point, her kid was alienated because she didn’t know how to put make up on her face. There was this five year old kid who carries around with her a lipstick and make up kit and puts it on at school. And she doesn’t just put it on, she puts it on like she’s a pro at it, without using a mirror. Even I can’t bloody do that!

Five years old, people. Five years old. Apparently the mother encourages this too. How demented is that? Are parents raising a generation of little sluts and hos? Did the parents of these types of kids lose their brain cells while guzzling cosmopolitans and thought that making their girls sexy at a young age is cool?

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis December 10th, 2007

Where do you put yourself?

We live in a world where 12 year old girls model for adult women’s clothes.

We live in a world where worshippers of size 0 are heard more than the opinions of real women.

We live in a world where being a size 2 is considered fat.

If this is the world we live in, I, therefore, am a whale in the standards of today’s society.

It’s a struggle to keep healthy when you live in a society where the “bad stuff” is more convenient, but I try anyway because I’d like to be healthier.

But it doesn’t really help when you are bombarded with messages that you are not beautiful because you have excess baggage. It’s even worse when some people around you are brainwashed by this incessant message and doesn’t have any qualms in calling you fat to your face.

I have quite a healthy self-esteem and I’ve always believed that if you don’t want your looks to be criticised, don’t criticise others. And if I do criticise, I myself should be ready to be criticised as well.

That’s one of the reasons why I love the Australian environment. It’s not like the Philippines where the first thing you say when you meet is “you got fat”. Well nice to see you too, fucker/bitch.

Kudos to Dove for doing the best they can to highlight the different sizes and shapes of women’s bodies, and especially for propagating the self-esteem ads for children.

I don’t mean to be negative but it does seem like this issue is a losing battle. As a child, I don’t remember feeling those things in the ads, wishing for curly hair, thinking I’m fat, not loving my chinky eyes. Today’s kids are under so much more pressure to “look good”. Children are being forced to have a certain look, to be a certain way.

Meanwhile, mothers are being forced to shed pregnancy kilos after giving birth, racing with celebrities on who can get into a bikini the fastest. Many seem to forget just how traumatic a pregnancy is for a woman’s body (ever wonder why a two-year gap is best between each conception?) The worse part, however, are the mothers themselves who look at other mother’s in disdain because they haven’t managed to lose the extra inch or kilos. It’s a case of mothers alienating other mothers in the race to be the “yummy mummy”.

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis November 25th, 2007

The election is looming in Australia, but should I care? Like many residents in here, I am some years short of qualifying for a citizenship. Plus with the new citizenship test, the odds are getting thinner and thinner.

Only a couple of sleeps to go before the nation decides. The heat is on and voters are seeing the campaign strategies on TV.

This is the second election I will be witnessing, and although I can’t vote yet, I am very much aware of the issues being debated by both parties. Does it matter that I can’t vote? Not really. Why? Because my husband will be voting for two.

That’s right. I may not be able to vote but someone close to me has the voice to look out for what’s best for me too.

I wonder if the political parties thought about that. How many migrants are there in Australia with no right to vote but are close to someone who does have the right to vote?

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis November 21st, 2007

The ability to run. The ability to hide. The ability to scream with delight.

Those were the days of my youth, the chance of play, the moments to enjoy the tropical outdoors of the Philippines.

If not Patintero, it was Una, Takyan, Jackstone, or Chinese garter. I wasn’t an athletic kid. In fact, because of my feet’s condition, I usually tripped on myself which never failed to cause some gashes and superficial wounds.

But not even that discouraged me from going out and playing the games Filipino children used to play.

Is that still how it is now? Do kids still throw their bags in the house after school in a mad rush to go outside and play?

Or has today’s generation of Filipino kids also been seduced by the shiny toys of the indoors?

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis November 1st, 2007

It was my fault too. Some of it was schadenfreuding (aka malicious joy) but in a way, it was in order to protect herself.

Mea Culpa.

Let me clarify. I know someone whom I believe is in an abusive relationship.

Recently, we did a segment for the radio program on domestic violence to celebrate the anti violence week in November. The thing about this job is that you learn something new every time you deal with an issue.

I found out that only one out of every five women in Australia say something about their violent domestic situation.

Abuse comes not only in the physical sense, but also emotional and psychological. It eats away what confidence you have in yourself when you first entered the marriage. Before you know it, your life and decisions are dependent on your partner’s happiness and satisfaction.

You won’t even realise when you start making excuses for your partner’s inconsiderate and rude behaviour. You hide behind the façade of being “okay” when in fact, your closest friends and families can see so clearly just how much you’ve changed and just how much you’ve lost your sense of self.

The fact sheet we used for the program gave advice to family and friends about what to do once they realise someone is in an abusive relationship.

The first advice is totally the opposite of what I’ve constantly done to my friend — “don’t tell them what to do”. Instead of pushing your opinions on her/him, encourage them to think about their options.

That was my mistake.
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Kristyn Maslog-Levis October 25th, 2007

I just went under the knife. I’ve been waiting for this for quite a while, trying to muster up the courage to face up to reality that, yes, I need the procedure.

Liposuction?
Collagen injection?
Breast enhancement?

No, no and no. I admit I’m a bit overweight but I’ll never resort to lipo to get rid of fats I intentionally stored in my body (intentionally because I was aware where the calories were going).

But I digress.

It’s a simple 30-minute surgery of getting rid of an offensive mole. Why is the mole offensive, you ask. Cindy Crawford’s turned hers into an icon like Marilyn Monroe’s. Well, you see, my mole had the making of becoming cancerous and spreading bigger and bigger until the doctors will have no choice but to dig up a crater on my shoulder to take it out.

I first noticed it after showering one morning. It seemed harmless at first, but upon closer inspection I realised its appearance and colour has changed.

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Kristyn Maslog-Levis September 16th, 2007

Yes, the leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit arrived and left Sydney – in a mess.

I understand that the visit of these leaders create a big impact in the agreements between the countries they are representing.

I understand it is a necessity in today’s society to create diplomatic ties with other countries.

I understand that when a country hosts this kind of thing, it is integral that everything works out smoothly and the leaders are safe and comfortable.

The last APEC summit I covered (well, sort of) was back in Silliman University when I was a newswriter with the Weekly Sillimanian. I wrote it with another newsreporter but didn’t really get what the summit was about.

Today, even as a full time journalist I still have a hard time understanding what they do in this little summit of theirs. I do, however, understand the inconvenience it creates for the residents of this city.

A week before the start of the summit, a fence was put up around the Sydney Opera House and botanical gardens. Media delegates from all over the world called it The Great Wall of Sydney. The authorities said it was for protection, for security measures – in case George Bush decided he wanted to wall climb the side of the Opera house.

Then, days before Bush was set to arrive in the country, authorities went into intense security mode.

Fences were put up all throughout the city, barricading a lot of the areas from people. Those who worked in the central business district, like my husband, had to change routes to work.

Some train stops were eliminated from the schedule so that people had to walk more to go to work (not really a bad idea, a bit of exercise in the morning helps unless you’re wearing heels).

A gazillion signs were put up all over Sydney reminding people of closed roads and busy areas prior to the APEC summit. Friday was declared a public holiday, which isn’t bad except that some people are on contract and missing a day means having no pay for that day. Everyone was discouraged from entering the city or being remotely near it. My husband had to cancel some of his band rehearsals because it will take at least an hour to get to the destination because of closed roads.
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Kristyn Maslog-Levis August 10th, 2007

I am overweight.

I am ashamed to admit it because I didn’t enter Australia in this state. I was in a very healthy and sexy weight range whilst in the Philippines, even after gorging on Humba and Lechon.

I arrived in Australia four years ago and decided to adapt — to embrace their lifestyle and go with the Aussie way.

Four years later, I realised I’ve put on 13 kilos (28.6 pounds) and I had very little idea on how it happened.

And then one day I joined a press conference by a medical centre in Sydney that focuses on immigration issues and heart disease. I found out that most migrants enter the country in a healthy state because of the strict medical compliance that is required from us.

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