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!
-
“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 … Continue reading “Matanim ay ‘di Biro!” On Indoor Plant Care
-
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 … Continue reading The Courage from Admitting Fear
-
The Latest Sexual Assault Nightmare
By: Giselle General Trigger warning: Trauma flashbacks, nightmares, violent sexual assault I’m sharing this in time for Sexual Violence Awareness Month, which is in May. If you have experienced sexual violence, there is help. This is just one of the many amazing organizations that can provide support and healing. https://www.sace.ca/ On Easter Sunday, my husband … Continue reading The Latest Sexual Assault Nightmare
-
Telephone Therapy Appointments: 3 Tips
By: Giselle General Therapy, the mental health kind, is something that I have been doing on and off since 2017. It’s remarkable how much time has passed since I first experienced going to a centre with a business-and-clinic vibe waiting room, and sitting in a cozy office with a couch-like chair and chatting with a … Continue reading Telephone Therapy Appointments: 3 Tips
-
“Sprinting While Connecting” The Captive Transit User Series Part 7
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 … Continue reading “Sprinting While Connecting” The Captive Transit User Series Part 7
-
My “Turning Red” Story: When I Got My First Period
In honour of the soon-to-end International Women’s Month, and in appreciation of the recent Disney Pixar movie Turning Red, I’d like to share the memorable and also a bit scary experience I had when I got my first period. By the way, I got mine when I was in Grade 5, at 10 years old. … Continue reading My “Turning Red” Story: When I Got My First Period
-
Book Review and Thank You Letter: Coming to Canada, the Ultimate Guide, by Chidi Iwuchukwu
The remarkable thing about volunteering in the community and pursuing community-focused endeavours is the gift of meeting amazing people right in the city. This is how I felt when during my election campaign for Edmonton City Council, I met Chidi Iwuchukwu. He volunteered a few times helping with door-knocking during the last month of my … Continue reading Book Review and Thank You Letter: Coming to Canada, the Ultimate Guide, by Chidi Iwuchukwu
-
Pecha Kucha Speech Transcript: I made it out alive! My first attempt running for Edmonton Municipal Election during COVID
After a long hiatus no thanks to the pandemic, it seemed fitting that my first in-person speech activity was with the same event where I did my last in-person speech from 2019. It’s with Edmonton Next Gen for their Pecha Kucha night! This is the transcript of my speech titled “I made it out alive! … Continue reading Pecha Kucha Speech Transcript: I made it out alive! My first attempt running for Edmonton Municipal Election during COVID
-
The Life-Changing Impact of School Choirs in My Life
By: Giselle General Humans of New York is a Facebook page I have been following for the past decade, with is compelling and artful way of capturing people’s portraits and their stories of the subjects, usually narrated from their perspective. A series of posts not too long ago talks about a subject that was dear … Continue reading The Life-Changing Impact of School Choirs in My Life
-
My Current One and Only White Hair
By: Giselle General It was February 2020 and I was excited to do my bi-annual ritual with my hair. I let it grow for close to 24 months and I cut a large chunk of it to donate for charitable causes that make free wigs for kids with cancer. Usually I alternate between Hair Massacure … Continue reading My Current One and Only White Hair
-
Cheating to Survive by Evading Transit Fare: The Captive Transit User Series: Part 8
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 on Time, I … Continue reading Cheating to Survive by Evading Transit Fare: The Captive Transit User Series: Part 8
-
Book Review And Thank You Letter: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
By: Giselle General My workplace organizes an opt-in Secret Santa every year, and I participate every year. This time, I received a book as a gift, which is perfect for the holiday break that we get from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, usually with an extra day or two. This is a Thank You … Continue reading Book Review And Thank You Letter: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
-
Love Language Reflections: Learning About Love Maps
The consequence of not having solid role models of what a loving, caring, mutually equitable marriage looks like, is that I had absolutely no clue where to start. While I am lucky enough to have some memories of my parents until they died when I was eight years old, that is not enough time to … Continue reading Love Language Reflections: Learning About Love Maps
-
The Mindset of ‘Understanding, not Agreement’
By: Giselle General There’s no need for a rocket scientist to tell me, or anyone else, that people seem to be more divided than ever. There’s enough commentary around lamenting the increasing ‘us versus them’ mindset, amplified by social media, people speaking out against injustices they have suffered from for so long, and people feeling … Continue reading The Mindset of ‘Understanding, not Agreement’
-
Book Review and Thank You Letter: Motherless Daughters, The Legacy Of Loss: by Hope Edelman
By: Giselle General In an attempt to fill the gaps in support and knowledge from my ongoing therapy, I was seeking out additional resources to help with dealing with the pain and loss of being an orphan. While my therapist wasn’t able to point me to an local support group, I found an adequate starting … Continue reading Book Review and Thank You Letter: Motherless Daughters, The Legacy Of Loss: by Hope Edelman
-
End of the Journey of a First-Time Councillor Candidate: Repost from the Alberta Filipino Journal
By: Giselle General Introduction: This is a re-posting of the articles I have written about my journey as an candidate for the 2021 Edmonton Municipal Elections. Politics and political participation in Edmonton will be a topic I would like to discuss on an ongoing basis, now that I had this experience. But since at this … Continue reading End of the Journey of a First-Time Councillor Candidate: Repost from the Alberta Filipino Journal
FilipinaYEG 