A family travel blog meant to track our family goals and to inspire the world that anyone with vision backed with SMART goals are meant to have their dreams come to a reality!
Fact: Philippines has now completed 10 years without the distinction of producing even one chess player GM.
10 years?! Ang unang reaksyon ko?! NOOO!!! Ang gagaling kaya ng mga Pinoy sa chess! Our traveling family discovered chess when our then Under-9 wanted to play in tournaments. Tatlong taon na suporta sa among GM-wannabe made us realize the obvious – there’s not much exposure sa mga Filipino chess players around the world.
More than 40 days in Serbia playing chess has improved our now U12 chess player. Bakit? Kasi ang daming tournaments na accessible at puwedeng mag join both tourists and locals alike. Knowing chess is one thing, having the opportunities to play in tournaments makes a lot of different. Sadly, if we stay in the Philippines for more than six months, we doubt na magkakaroon ng ganong karaming tournaments.
Kaya naman, pagbalik namin dito Qatar, we aim to be engaged in the already existing Pinoy Expat Chess Community!
We are very fortunate to be now part of the Filipino Chess Player League – Qatar! ANG GAGALING NA MGA CHESS PLAYERS! There are a lot of stories na nanalo sila Top Prizes even defeating GMs who are globally known na sa larangan ng chess! Every single tournament na hosted ng Qatar Chess, for sure laging mag Pinoy! Kakaproud grabe. This group of people for sure will accelerate our chess player kid’s GM GOALS!
Hence, this appeal – please reach out to them to sponsor more tournament!! To kick start, we held the first blitz tournament last 25 February , kahit sa bahay lang venue we tried to accommodate para naman masimulan muli ang OTB tournaments. Grabe, you can feel the passion for chess and love of chess games! Imagine what could happen when tournaments are FIDE-rated na.
And the bigger point – ang daming GM-material na Pinoy everywhere. Kailangan lang talaga ng suporta. In our little ways, let’s give help.
Here are some photos from this tournament.
We need to inspire Filipino Chess Players from within our Expat Filipino Community here in Qatar – please reach out to FCPL-Qatar!They are not “professional chess players, some of them don’t even have FIDE number, pero HALIMAW sa galaw pag maglaro ng chess! Our dining table never had so much laughters around! Iba talaga mga chess players! FILIPINO CHESS PLAYERS LEAGUE – QATAR The winner of First Blitz Tournament 2022! Congratulations to Ryan Mendoza – Champion, Marlon Tallayo 2nd prize and John Orven Tia 3rd prize! – in terms of Filipino congratulatory endearment – balato naman! ❤️💪🏽Remember these faces (minus the one in orange kasi chess mom yan) – these people will conquer the chess world! Winners!!! Special shout out to The Empanada House – isang tawag for a cause – bigay kagad nga discounts para magenjoy ang mga chess players for this tournament. In photo is the president of FCPL- Qatar enjoying delicious yummy empanada!!! More collaborations to come, we hope!!
Another Fact: The Philippines used to be the #1 chess-playing nation in Asia. Now it’s not even #1 in Southeast Asia. (Consider the point I’ve outline how good in chess Filipinos are! Kaka-sad di ba?!
Now the question is : May magagawa ba tayo to reverse this ? If so, what do you think should be done? How can you help?
Our family has a clear conviction that family travel is one of the best gifts we can give to each other. From planning the travel itinerary to long after arriving home, this has proven to be true. Indeed, during the pandemic, our family travel history has proven to be quite beneficial to strengthen the family bonds, personal relationships and every family members’ resilience and strength in dealing with adversity such as the quarantine and loss of loved one.
Family travels enables us to form a much stronger relationship with each other. We all benefit from exploring familiar culture and not-so-familiar ones. Family travels give a better appreciation of the big picture, the fine, intricate and sometimes overwhelming details and, of course, love of life in its entirety – glory and gory!
Our traveling family has a huge gigantic desire to travel. #happyfeet
Who would have thought that these family travel memories would have us equipped in dealing with the pandemic? Here’s how it went for us:
Memories are forever. A lot of ice breakers. A lot of “DO YOU GUYS REMEMEBER WHEN…. Inserts a funny anecdote.” A lot of inside family jokes. A lot of “blackmail” materials against each other. Priceless. We could get stuck at home for a year (hey, this happened!) and we won’t run out of stories.
Global education in any form. We have been using Zoom, Teams and other online means way before the pandemic. Nothing new to see here. Reading books for days and days – oh yes please! Learning is everywhere. Besides, with all the “souvenir” books we have been accumulating from our 40+ countries of travel, we have plenty to read for the next months or so.
Strong family bonds. Been there, done that. We already annoyed each other to death during our family travels. What’s almost a year of quarantine stuck in a small space together? Cabin fever for a year? That’s nothing. We have already endured days and hours in flight delays and travels in all transportation mode.
Appreciate the little things. It’s in the detail. Devil is in the details. Art is in the details. Full focus on every day blessings is good for the soul. Appreciating each other and showing them. “Please,” “thank you” and “How can I help?” are few of the phrases we are used to saying to each other again and again during family travels – short or long travel itinerary. These words mean a lot in confined space – saved a few lives and hormonal outbursts!
Life is enriching. Every day. No Matter What. Yes – say that several times over. Looking at life as an enriching experience is natural for travellers. The perspective of looking at the huge wide sky and realizing that the a lot of other places have the exact same sky with variety of perspectives, is a fantastic blessing, not a limitation nor a curse. And this happens, we look at the window from our home during the quarantine period, and there’s appreciation; there’s a deep knowledge that life is always enriching.
When the world is wide open again for family travel, we will continue realizing our family goals. Until then, we will keep utilizing the benefits of our previous travels. There’s a lot t hang on to.
BIG YES to “Never let your memories be greater than your dreams.” YET, memories can be a strong powerful tool NOW to dream some more for the future.
We are barefoot and in our pajamas at home… we’re happy together and we’re thriving. On to family time and realizing dreams! No to “SOMEDAY” wishes. We seize the days, now and the future 🥂👊🏽🥳🍾❤️
“And patience [worketh] experience; and experience, hope” (Paul, Romans 5:4).
As Malcolm Gladwell argued in his bestseller book, Outliers, it takes 10,000 hours which is approximately 10 years of deliberate practice to become an expert.
With the goal to travel to 100 countries in10 years, that would make us seasoned family travellers. We’re onto our six years of happily traveling the kids along our family adventures, and by far, explored 36 countries, including the new territory we are currently exploring at the moment, Canada!
Yes, there are certain traveling tasks that feel so routine, like appointment with embassies, visa applications, packing, adjusting to jet lag and body clock. These are great expertise to have as a working professional. Patience with documents, mastery of own body sleep and up close encounters with countries diplomats… necessary skills of a future CEO or founder of a corporation, and we can discuss further why!
However, more importantly, though skills which we are yet to master, there are hormones, grumpiness and boredom.
Hormones, there traveling women vs. two patient men makes a team. This means at the very least, two weeks of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) of emotions, the struggle is real. Acknowledging this, makes the battle easier, though we can only monitor, not control. Experiences on the pattern makes it understandable and yes, conquerable, if not tolerable for the surrounding men around these women.
So you think you can balance girls’ hormones?! 😘
Grumpiness, or bad hair day moments, or waking up at the wrong side of the bed, is also normal during family travels. One day something too personal embarrassing the other. Too close for comfort takes patience and experience, too.
This traveling little man in the middle, gives a lot of patience to the family. He’s smile always cure anybody’s grumpiness!
Boredom, because what parents may find interesting, may be so very boring for the kids and the other way around. We would not be telling the entire truth to our traveling adventures, if we would lying if we say “everybody loves visiting .. insert name of place/ country/ region… Nope, most of the time, there’s someone who will rain on somebody’s parade when family travels together.
Kids these age will pick Legoland anytime over any museums, that we know. And parents don’t particularly enjoy Legoland. It takes a lot of give and take among family members to enjoy a long period of travel!
BUT, there are also the AHA moments, the wonder-at-first-sight moments, laugh-out-loud-together-moments, we-actually-saw-what-happened-together-moments.
AND… these moments turn into memories. Memories that would be from imprints on their lives and define the decisions and actions they would do in the future, what will define who they will be by choice.
Experience together over any material things… no argument there. We’re armed with experience-building patience, even if it takes 10,000 more hours together!
Living up to our main family value, we really are a hopeful bunch.
Peace on Earth is possible. Travel with family?! Maybe possible. 😜
Free educational and fun family activities Turknoy style aka deep-rooted into our family lifestyle are readily available in New York. There are lots of ideas, discussions and pondering mover aching feet and full stomach. Our senses are all overwhelmed.
Broadway is to talent and making it big in the world;
She’s a Harry Potter fanatic, an: watching the play brought lots of reading memories, lessons and bliss moments with Albus and Scorpius! #KeepTheSecrets (Broadway, June 2019)
Our first Broadway performance experience. How the kids have grown since the . (Broadway, October 2017)
When at home, we watch Late Show a lot. So kids know Stephen Colbert more than.. uummm Tom Hanks! 😂
Times Square is to branding and consumerism and making it known in the world
Times Square with family means discussion on economics, world inequality, wants over needs and lots of business ideas! (Times Square, June 2019)
Times Square, October 2017
Then, then… .. Financial District is money management and getting power over money in the world!
And until then… let’s get all the money vibes from The Wall Street Bull’s Balls. Legend has it that those who touch them will have prosperous and wealthy life. So, oohmmm we go. Seriously, we saw a Hindu lady who was actually doing this like a solemn prayer. So why not?
Our little ladies and the Charging Bull of Wall Street
Grab the bulls by balls and we’re set for life! Girl power!
All that financial wealth vibe with the ball and the Bull. 😀
Happiness is grabbing the Bull by the balls!
“My bull is a symbol for America. My bull is a symbol of prosperity and for strength.” – Sicilian artist Arturo Di Modica, creator of The Charging Bull.
Broadway, Times Square or Wall Street, New York can make dreams come true for this fearless and are able to stand tall and proud.
Freedom is NOT the absence of fear… but by being able to act fearless.. whoever we may be!
World citizens, worldschooler or not, New York sets an example. It may be the place, it may be the city’s history, it may be capitalism, it may be a lot of things… yet we firmly believe that these ideals can be replicated.. anywhere in the world. Dreams are dreams without time zone and coordinates. With positivity and a lot of hard work, sprinkled with luck (bulls’ balls!) dreams do come true, whatever they may be.
We don’t use ❤️ to reflect our emotions towards any city easily. We’re snobs sometimes… but New York she really ❤️💛💚💙💜
Straight from Oslo, Norway, like a real Viking explorer , off we crossed the Atlantic Ocean to New York, New York wee hours in the morning, straight to breakfast and off to see places for the second time.
Family’s photo in our favorite place in the world, to date… Oslofjord! A day before we head off to New York, New York this time around!
We’ve written about hope and goals and we’re excited really to realize baby steps to leap frog moments towards achievements of our family goals, travel goals included.
But for now, New York, New York!
First stop, Times Square early in the morning and we feel like we are in the living room as the place was still “unpopulated” New York style.
Sunset in Oslo, sunrise in New York… Time Square!!!
No crowd at Times Square, New York! Life happens for us. 😀
Second stop, Central Park, wishing to meet Tom Hanks or John Wick accidentally!
Central Park.. always a great stop for family!
John Wick hunting!
We are meant to be… we the North lovers!
Third stop, hungry for some Filipino food, hoops NOT… scratch that… we are world class.. so off we walked more to get a taste of the world’s most famous chickenjoy – Jollibee in Manhattan! Oh hot, was it crowded but we were determined.. and hungry and drilling over this chicken joy!
Third stop, hungry for some Filipino food, scratch that, we are world class.. so off we walked more to get a taste of the world’s most famous chickenjoy – Jollibee in Manhattan!
so off we walked more to get a taste of the world’s most famous chickenjoy – Jollibee in Manhattan! Oh hot, was it crowded but we were determined.. and hungry and drilling over this chicken joy!
She had been buried in bed for the past ten minutes, debating on whether it’d be worth it if she had finally dragged herself out; although when it had come to it, her body felt as if it weighed a ton. Her brain barked and brandished psychological threats, though her body displayed no signs of swaying.
She squinted her eyes against the rouge ray of white light that had found it’s way through the gaps between blinds as she wiggled her toes and stretched her spine. Her brain had swapped tactics, and was now shuffling through memories of homework that had yet to be thumbed through; coincidentally- or rather voluntarily loitering on certain sore spots.
Six seconds later she had found herself in the bathroom.
It wasn’t hard due to the fact that the rooms within their current apartment- like any other, had practically been pulverized among one another, and she had been able to cover the living room with what had been consisted of three sluggish strides; although it’d be difficult to deny the fact that the dread that lay within her notebooks had egged her on a tad.
She slouched in front of the wall mirror, much to her mother’s dismay. Her mother’s voice bounced about in her head, her face that had remarkably mimicked one of a Saber-toothed tiger at the time flashed before her eyes. She grasped her toothbrush, although she couldn’t help but straighten her spine. Her hair jutted out at every angle humanly possible, though as much as she fingered fruitlessly it had bounced back to it’s former maddening mane-like glory. It was definite. She was indeed related to ferocious Felidae.
She breathed in the cool, crisp air. Her shoes clicked against the damp pavement, as it was slightly drizzling. Rain patterned against the roof of her hoodie, a mollifying melody. She yearned to dampen her hair, although wasn’t quite as zealous at the thought of awaking sniveling and stuffy the day after. She clicked across the wooden bridge, the usual light tone of oak mirrored one of spruce once it had been drenched.
She proceeded to pass sculptures that would have been considered scandalous if not for knowing Norwegians, eyeing a few people she presumed had been posing for the wrong reasons.
20 minutes later, her clicks had become less enthusiastic; if anything, they had morphed into piteous shuffles. Dad had map at hand, cracked at the rim; although allegedly function-able nevertheless. She made a show of her discouragement plastered at face, frowning at what seemed like scraps of metal that had miraculously managed to cling onto one another; although her father- oblivious to the lack of approvement, sauntered off, offspring ambling afterwards.
Another 20 minutes later, after passing the scrap-metal-map among one another, as if the change in person would affect the topography itself; they had found themselves at the point where they had started, the sought-after Grass Root Square quite literally underfoot.
She glanced at Dad, a mixture of triumph as well as daggers. He made a I’ve-had-three-kids-nothing-surprises-slash-tires-me-anymore kind of face, as he scrutinized the sculptures.
In all modesty, she had seen quite the number of sculptures in the span of her 13 year old lifetime, though nothing compared- or rather embodied anything nearly as unique as this.
From a further prospective, it seemed as if slabs off of the pebble-gray pavement seemed as if it were levitating; although at intimate inspection, hundreds of thousands minuscule men- and women, had been bolstering the bottom.
Their sizes varied, depending on whether they had been maintaining the weight of stone; since the immensely minute figures seemed only to sprout in the stead of numerous blocks. Their tiny jade heads clustered together in order to embody a single large, lime slab.
Their minuscule mouths appeared to gape in agony as her brother layered the slab the tiny figurines were bearing with his rear. A flat, elevated surface was equivalent to an inanimate object worthy of bottom smothering. At least, through a certain someone’s eyes.
Numerous people swept by, not a single fleeting glance at the grass-like population that had literally been sculpted under their noses. Well, we’re definitely one to talk, although considering the multiple renovations that took place surrounding the area, it’d be considerably difficult for anybody to spot. Anybody who wasn’t trodding all over it, that is.
With the expanse of knowledge she had unveiled that day, something bubbled at the pit of her stomach; something of a melancholy melody. The world had ballooned a green 50,000 time’s bigger that day, for how would she ever make it, if tens of thousands of people; excluding those below five inches, were clambering for “it”? She knew the answer, although the thought of it sent bile belting up her throat. How? Well, first things first.
“Hope is not a prognostication; it is an orientation that no matter how things turn out, they can have meaning.” – Vaclav Havel
Family travelers are imparting the value of consistent hope. This is one of the many reasons we drag the kids around the world. Well, technically, just around Asia, Europe and North America for now. Hopefully, around the world soon enough.
This is our “Teddy Bear” in Doha airport, Hamad International Airport… the moment we pass this bear… hope hope hope Festival for all the very best out of our comfort zones!!
From one airport to the next (this time Oslo Airport) – one huge way to burst that comfort bubble!
When a traveling family run towards a train station hoping to catch the train on time, that’s hoping for the best.
When a traveling family is almost get denied entry by an Immigration Officer to a country of destination because of visa application requirements concerns and all family members continue showing calm while presenting valid travel documents, that’s hoping for fairness and diplomacy.
When a first time family hikes in an unfavorable weather up a gorgeous landscape in a foreign country and keeps the hyper mood, that’s hoping for an awesome adventure.
When presented with a bad customer service and the traveling family maintain a good attitude towards all people, that’s hoping for the goodness of humanity.
Emily Dickinson may have written it in a poem eras ago, but as family traveller, it is in our traveler’s literature pack.
“Hope”is a thing with feathers (By: Emily Dickinson)
“I see life as a passageway, with no fixed beginning or destination,” We tend to focus on the destination all the time and forget about the in-between spaces.” –Do Ho Suh quote during his colorful exhibition of structures to represent his experience of migration
It takes a creative city to create art structures that will have different meaning and impact to its residents and visitors. It takes a cosmopolitan city to create diverse art structures from international artists that sparks creativity.
Off our worldschoolers to hunt for the tiny little bronze statues in the city. They found it and didn’t count – 50,000 of them in total.
Expectation – tiny bronze statues, 50 thousand of them in total
Grass Roots Square was created by Korean-American artist Do Ho Suh. Some pavers in the square have been removed and replaced by tiny bronze statues, 50 thousand of them in total, ranging in height from 8-10cm. They’re standing together, interacting, and some of them are sharing the weight of paving stones. The project was designed and approved before the terror attacks, but somehow that makes the little people standing together in solidarity seem all the more poignant.
Turknoys Reality – counting them?!
tiny bronze statues, 50 thousand of them in total,
Now she’s part of this art!
It is our hope that contemporary art like this inspire our traveling kids that anything can be done to express creativity, that the world is a blank canvass for them to paint on.. or an empty pavement to install tiny little creations! Because no matter how tiny, there’s strength in numbers of trial and error.
Have you see the art of Do Ho Suh? Are you impressed?
“If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.” – Alfred Nobel
Oslo City Hall (Norwegian: Oslo rådhus) is a municipal building in country capital, Oslo, located in the northern part of Pipervika neighborhood and faces Oslofjord. It houses the city council, the city’s administration and various other municipal organisations. The building as it stands today was constructed between 1931 and 1950. It was designed by architects Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson.
Our Small Friends Exhibition besides the Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall is built of red brick and has two towers, one 63 meters tall and other 66 meters tall. The bricks used are larger than what was typical at the time of construction, but are roughly the same size as bricks used in the Middle Ages. The bricks – measuring approximately 27,5 x 13 x 8,5 cm – were produced by Hovin Teglverk in Oslo. The eastern tower has a set of 49 bells
On December 10 each year, during the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma.
A podium for the laureate and the Nobel Committee is erected in the far end of the hall for each ceremony. The Norwegian Royal Family and Prime Minister attends the ceremony.
Inaugurated in 1950, Oslo City Hall is the city’s administrative body and the seat of the City Council.
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The building has been decorated by great Norwegian art from 1900-1950, with motifs from Norwegian history, culture and working life.
Future Nobel Peace Prize Laureate – it’s in his smile already!
On December 10 each year, during the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, the Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in which the annual laureate gives his or her lecture and is awarded the medal and diploma.
There are free tours inside the Oslo City Hall. Have you seen the interior of this administration building?
Quick quotes from the Traveling Parents before we pass the torch to our eldest worldschooler who is extremely passionate about exploring and writing:
“Every secret of a writer’ soul, every experience in his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” – Virginia Woolf
You got this, kyvelo! – Turknoy Parents
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Saturday, May 5, 2019; 8:00 AM.
The night before, Mom had mentioned something among the lines of waking up at 4:00 AM, and had even went as far as planting the bloody phone alarm bomb alongside my bed. Protest had been on the tip of my tongue, although I hadn’t mustered the courage to do so.
As much as this fact had threatened my usual sleep-stocked slumber, I had slept soundly nevertheless. I had managed to pry my eyes open to what I thought had been four hours of sleep, when Mom bludgeoned through the unfortunate door; halting in her tracks as I allegedly “slept” on, completely unnerved. I had been semi-conscious at the time, so I hadn’t completely deceived mother dear. Mutinously mumbling, Mom trudged back through the door, which much to my surprise, had managed a piteous “click”, as she shut it behind her.
I squirmed beneath my sheets, partially due to the psychotic steam that had practically originated from myself, as well as the fact that I had started envying my former frozen self the day before.
Worldschooler, proud and happy! She did wake up like this!
Fast forward, although not too much so as to deprive Mom of precious “reflection”; I had been seated at the dining table a few minutes ago, where I had went through the usual territorial dish disputes; which hadn’t been much use since Dad had knowingly distributed accordingly, wary to the single grain.
Kim had decided to grace us with his bed-headed presence shortly after I had finished, although soon enough he wasn’t far behind.
We arrived at Oslo Central Station pink-faced and breath deprived, tapping for the troublesome tickets furiously, for the train had been due to leave in the next six minutes. As soon as I had stepped foot on the train, it had heaved and huffed, gradually gaining speed as we sped through the greenery. We stumbled through the numerous occupied seats; the occupants of which made noises remarkably like the exasperated huffs originating from the train itself.
The view to Lillehammer is marvelous… my favorite sister thinks so, too!
Speeding through luscious lakes, and fanciful foliage, the train rocked here and there, lulling me into a dream-lavished snooze of which I had debated on whether this infamous “Lillehammer” really had anything to do with hammers at all.
I clenched my teeth as another ear-piercing ring rang through the air. I had woken a few minutes ago, and had fruitlessly been screwing my eyes tight, in hopes of returning to thoughts of mjolnir.
The two hour train ride had finally screeched to a stop. The staff door swung open, revealing the person I guessed was the conductor. I narrowed my eyes begrudgingly, as I couldn’t find a reason as to why a grown man was in need to “toot, toot!” every five minutes. I stepped off the train all too gladly, skipping the way to Lillehammer.
That is, until I had caught sight of exactly how steep their roads, as well as their pavements were. You attempt skipping on a surface where the tiniest nudge would make it perfectly acceptable as a wall.
Map at hand, we marched up up up, family members overlapping family members; desperate for the front position, desperate for the valid excuse of “waiting” for the rest.
“Museum”. My heart skipped a beat as I saw those letters peek out of the green landscape that my skin tone had done a remarkable job of mimicking. I stumbled towards the building, eyes bulging as a bus sped past. Nostrils flared, I huffed as we stepped into the museum.
st. “Museum”. My heart skipped a beat…
“I suppose it was worth it.” I thought grudgingly, although I dare not say it out loud in fear of being accused of sucking up. Dad drawled on about the Vikings in the 1800’s in custody of practically nothing, whilst I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Nothing, huh? An enormous expanse of green stretched as far as the eye could see, shades of mint, lime, and emerald dotted here and there. Houses clustered just above the crystal lake, although it wasn’t difficult so as to imagine it’s former pre-beach-house beauty.
I pressed a palm against the spruce-like wood the cabins consisted of, breathed the scent of worn wood. Mom had teased about taking care of time portals, although now I had the strange urge to seek one out. A river rushed nearby, it was ridiculously accessible.
An enormous expanse of green stretched as far as the eye could see, shades of mint, lime, and emerald dotted here and there. Houses clustered just above the crystal lake, although it wasn’t difficult so as to imagine it’s former pre-beach-house beauty.
Seeing, smelling, and feeling things that had such stories behind them was simply indescribable. I’m not a lazy writer, so I don’t say that to the advantage of a decrease of words, which the previous extremely detailed paragraphs should hold proof of.
I had LITERALLY trotted through time today, from Viking abodes, to the perfect, prim, and proper peoples and places of the following decades; I had thoroughly enjoyed the adventures today had held, as well as Lillehammer itself. The architectural astonishment, and the historical heaven I had experienced the moment I took my last excruciating step uphill had been one of the most memorable; despite the lack of hammers.
The architectural astonishment, and the historical heaven I had experienced the moment I took my last excruciating step uphill had been one of the most memorable; despite the lack of hammers.
Turknoy Travels 100! 