I'm back, and have come out of my Blogger disconnection reverie. I'm finally going back to school to pursue my personal babaylanism, yay! I was accepted and was ready and rarin' to go full time, as it takes almost 4 years to complete, and was glad to immerse myself in my new life. Then I found out that the loan that was supposed to be all-inclusive could only cover tuition, but no living expenses, and there were no other options, as I am a grad student. So I'll get a lovely education, but could very well get evicted from my apartment. I asked my financial aid officer, "How do other students get by as full-time students if only their tuition is covered?" She told me, "They usually get help from their friends, relatives, or parents..." Unfortunately, I don't have those options. I was so excited to go full time! Didn't want to go part time because that would mean my schooling would be 8 years instead of 4. It gets me how the powers that be talk about the virtues of higher education and how important college is, yet make it hard to afford it! So I had to go get my day job back, and will instead go to school part time. The majority of the week after work, I'll be going straight to school. Hope I can fit in some zzz's in the middle somewhere!

Check this out this Saturday...

“Human Writes” features Filipina poets and writers in celebration of Human Rights Day

In celebration of Human Rights Day, GABRIELA Network, a U.S.-Philippines women’s solidarity organization, presents the “Human Writes” Literary Reading on Saturday, December 8 at 8:00 pm at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. The reading honors the December 10th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ongoing struggles for human rights throughout the world. GABRIELA Network is a human rights advocate committed to fighting the exploitive global trafficking of Filipino women.

Readings, spoken word, and an opening vocal act will be performed by:

Ninotchka Rosca, novelist-activist and recipient of the American Book Award;
Nirupama Jayaraman, contributor to the Asian American women's anthology Yell-Oh! Girls;
Paolo Javier, whose poems have appeared in The APAJ, Interlope, and theeastvillage.com;
Sabrina Margarita Alcantara-Tan, creator of the magazine Bamboo Girl and contributor to various books including Dragon Ladies: Asian American Feminists Breathe Fire; and
Nadïne LaFond, vocalist with the groove, funk and soul band Swampadelica.

GABRIELA Network is the U.S.-based affiliate of GABRIELA Philippines, the largest assembly of women’s organizations in the Philippines. GABRIELA Network members have frequently been featured as guest speakers at national and international conferences about Filipino women’s and Third World issues. GABRIELA Network sponsors the Purple Rose Campaign, an internationally-recognized campaign against Filipino labor export, sex trafficking, and the “mail order bride” industry.

The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is located at 16 West 32nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Suite 10A. (Take the B, D, F, Q, N, R trains to 34th Street/Herald Square | 4, 5, 6 trains to 33rd Street | 1, 2, 3, 9 trains to 34th Street). Admission is $5.