Welcome! This is Giselle General and this is my personal blog, where I document thoughts and perspectives while living in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, as a Filipina-Canadian navigating various experiences!
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Memoir Writing Reflections 3: A Mic and A Stage
The largest, most intimidating, and important activity of the six-month mentorship is showcasing a sample of the work produced during that time. Since I had a very specific goal, a first draft of the manuscript for the memoir, showing a sample of this is not going to be a problem. Speaking in front of a crowd is…
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Memoir Writing Reflections #2: A Thousand Words A Day
Word counts and number of pages heavily influence my approach in writing. From Grade 4 onwards, in multiple classes from Language (English) class and Filipino class, we were required to fill pages upon pages of lined paper with paragraphs on certain topics. Some of them were comically dull, such as “what I did last summer”…
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Memoir Writing Reflections #1: The Brain is a Marvel
by: Giselle General This year, on top of everything else my husband and I drastically changed, I added one more to the list. I finally started working of my first memoir, my first full-length written work. The initial plan was to publish something right around my 30th birthday last year. That got derailed by two…
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The Female Duet that Changed my Preconceived Views
By: Giselle General Earlier this month, a high school student volunteer and I were doing some community service work for my neighborhood. It’s a requirement for her Grade 12 Religion Class. She is a Filipino teenager who is relatively new to Canada and Edmonton, being here for just a few years with her experiences limited…
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Two Small and Impactful Gestures of Two (Former) City Councillors
This time around I am going to publicly name two politicians for what they have done! What a timely post shortly after one year since the most recent municipal elections here in Edmonton. Cue scary noises! Actually, I’m just joking, really! I think it helps that they are both former former city councilors, but either…
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Like Father, Like Daughter: We Both Have Metal Dentures!
As an attempt to convince his kids to take dental health seriously, I remembered my father, when I was a kid, basically telling us “don’t be like me!” He had metal dentures for the top of his teeth, and he during one of these conversations, he would take them out of his mouth and show…
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Love Language Reflections: My ‘Unusual’ Public Displays of Affection
By: Giselle General In some ways we are unconventional and I love it! My husband likes to tease me about the ways I have showed ‘public affection’, more specifically, broadcasting about our relationship and marriage. I’d usually respond, “Well, what do you expect when you are married to someone so amazing?” Public Art Around summer…
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The Last Birthday Gift I got from My Parents
By: Giselle General It was May 1999, and my family is planning for another set of birthday celebrations. As my brother and I are born on the same month, and less than two weeks apart, the family is not very keen on having two large-scale parties so close to each other. In our small village…
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Blueberry Pie: When Food Literally was part of my Therapy Routine
By: Giselle General Content Warning: References to sexual assault, mental health treatment. This story is from my experiences between February and September 2017, a transformative and healing time for me as far as my mental health and outlook in life. February 2017 was when I had my first therapy appointment with the Sexual Assault Centre…
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Book Review and Thank You Letter “The First Phone Call from Heaven” by Mitch Albom
By: Giselle General It may sound silly but yes, I am writing a thank you letter to an object, which is the Little Free Library in a neighbourhood that was a 20 minute walk from my home. These are my thoughts after reading a book I got from it, “The First Phone Call From Heaven”…
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Transit Routes Made us Move! The Captive Transit User Series: Part 8
By: Giselle General This is part of an ongoing series of posts discussion issues I personally encounter while taking public transit in Edmonton. Links to other posts will be added on an ongoing basis: Part 1: Do You Want a Ride? Part 2: I Don’t Want To Be Raped Again Part 3: I’ll Make It…
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Community Resource Article – When Debt Issues Arise
By: Giselle General This article was also submitted by the author as a contribution to the Alberta Filipino Journal (a cultural/ community newspaper in the province of Alberta, Canada) in June 2022. Managing one’s finances is an important responsibility in order for us to have a comfortable life. But sometimes, unexpected things happen, and we…
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Community Resource Article – Opportunities to Volunteer
By: Giselle General This article was also submitted by the author as a contribution to the Alberta Filipino Journal (a cultural/ community newspaper in the province of Alberta, Canada) in April 2022 In hounour of National Volunteer Week which is on April 24, I would like to share some opportunities and resources when it comes…
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Community Resource Article – Supports for Women
By: Giselle General This article was also submitted by the author as a contribution to the Alberta Filipino Journal (a cultural/ community newspaper in Alberta, Canada) in March 2022. These are some community resources that can help provide programs, inspiration, physical and emotional support and more for the women and girls in your life and…
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“Matanim ay ‘di Biro!” On Indoor Plant Care
By: Giselle General Magtanim ay di biro, Maghapong nakayuko, Di naman makatayo, Di naman makaupo! (Planting is not a joke, as you need to bend over all afternoon, you cannot stand, you cannot sit!) This is a folk song I remember learning as a child, about the hard work that is required to plant rice…
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The Courage from Admitting Fear
By: Giselle General “That is a cool idea, my love. But I don’t feel comfortable initiating that at all. If we’re gonna do it, I need you to set it up, or at least do it along with me.” When you are so used to being your own provider, advocate, and nurturer, when you are…
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