mindanaoan in america Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Jun62017 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

US Embassy now asks for your social media accounts

America, Mindanaoan Update, New York, News, Society, Technology, Tourism, Travel, United States of America

The US government has now approved plans to ask US visa applicants for their social media accounts. Just recently, the Trump administration has started conducting background checks on the social media usage of visa applicants going back 5 years ago via a new questionnaire. The development now also allows consular officers to request email addresses, phone numbers as well as 15 years of biographical information from visa applicants, should a "more rigorous national security setting vetting" is needed. This may definitely make visa applications more difficult for lots of people. READ: How to pass your US Embassy visa interview The new questionnaire has a section where you need to write your usernames for any websites or applications you may have used to create or share content (p...

Dec282012 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Family Holidays 2013: What to Expect from your Florida Getaway

America, Travel, United States of America

For those of you who have been following this Mindanao lifestyle and travel blog, you may know that I was sent to the U.S. earlier this year to participate in a U.S. State Department fellowship. One of the U.S. cities that I visited was Orlando, Florida. Now if you're thinking of bringing your family there soon, this article will be useful for you. Read on... Low cost family holidays are the ticket to oversee adventures and quality time with your nearest and dearest. When it comes to your first time travelling abroad, short haul destinations such as holidays in Turkey, Majorca or the Greek Islands are an excellent choice. Spreading your wings a little further afield, holidays Florida style are bound to be the trip of a lifetime for you and your youngsters. Known as the ultimate holid...

Aug22012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mindanaoan In America: More Washington DC photos

America, Blogging, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, Travel, United States of America

I first shared some of my Washington DC USA photos awhile back. A lot of you have been asking me for more photos taken around the capital of the United States of America. Well, I'm here to please :) The photos below were taken during our Washington DC day tour, which took place a day after my fellow International Visitor Leadership Program 2012 delegates and I arrived in the USA. Like I previously mentioned, never mind if it was freezing cold that day. We were all stoked that we finally set foot in the land of milk and honey! By the way, here's the reason why I was in the States for about a month :) Yep, I was the only Filipino in the group and the only female :) I will share all about my USA and IVLP adventure using the America category. I have previously written about my trip from ...

Jul32012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Photos: US Ambassador Harry Thomas leads turnover of donations to Bulua

America, Announcements, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Cagayan de Oro City, Campus, Education, Features, Headline, Mindanaoan Update, Misamis Oriental, News, Northern Mindanao, Personalities, Photos, Society, United States of America

Like I previously mentioned in this blog, I had the chance of a lifetime to accompany US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas, Jr. for two days. It truly was an honor to be that up close and personal with the American ambassador, who I found to be very smart, direct and friendly. As a part of his party when he visited Cagayan de Oro City for the very first time last week, I got the chance to accompany him in various events. We attended the distribution of HACCP and ISO certificates to 10 Mindanao companies, the roundtable discussion with CIPMYL graduates in Xavier University and the launch of the Cities Development Initiative in CDO. Another event that I got to witness was the turnover of donations to Bulua National High School. The United States Agency for International Develo...

May152012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mindanaoan In America: Washington DC Metro Subway photos, tips

Advocacy, America, Blogging, Features, Government, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Photos, Technology, Travel, United States of America

This is a continuation of my "Mindanaoan In America" blog series :) You can read more about my escapades in the USA when I was a 2012 International Visitor Leadership Program delegate HERE. The first state that we stayed in was Washington DC. Like many states in America, Washington has its own subway or railway system. They call it the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit or simply - Metro. I found the Metro Washington DC subway easy to understand although my group and I did have to be guided by our ELO Alan especially when we already had to buy our very first fare cards or train tickets :) You can find below a photo of the farecards and passes machines - you can buy tickets there or you can always approach a friendly Metro employee. Here are some easy to follow tips on how to ...

Apr262012 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Mindanaoan In America: How folks in Virginia USA cast their votes (photos)

Advocacy, America, Blogging, Features, Government, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, Technology, United States of America

In America, they have this day called Super Tuesday which refers to "the Tuesday in February or March of a presidential election year when the greatest number of states hold primary elections to select delegates to national conventions at which each party's presidential candidates are officially nominated." Super Tuesday is a very important day especially since more delegates can be won on that day more than any other single day included in the primary calendar. Hence, political parties and the candidates themselves scramble to make a mark and win during Super Tuesday. I was in Virginia, USA for Super Tuesday 2012 (March 6, 2012). All eyes were on Virginia that day especially because only 2 out of 4 names of Republican candidates were on the ballots. Only the names of former Massachu...

Apr262012 by Mindanaoan Irene8 Comments

Mindanaoan In America: Around Washington DC

America, Features, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, United States of America

If I was asked to name at least 5 cities in the U.S. that I may want to live in, Washington D.C. would be one of them. I found Washington DC charming and interesting - despite the fact that politics plays a huge role there. I guess for those who abhor politics and all the scandals, flipfloppin', highs and lows that come with it, they won't feel comfortable in Washington DC. For people like me who get a natural high with fast-changing political strategies, however, Washington is the place to be. The day after I arrived in Washington D.C. USA for the start of my 3-week International Visitor Leadership Program, my fellow participants and I were toured around the city. I remember that day oh-so-well --- it was freezing cold but because we were supposed to have nice pictures taken for our...

Apr212012 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

I’m home!

Blogging, Features, Journalism, Media, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Personal, Travel, United States of America

So I am finally back from the U.S. I'm home, I'm home! :) *waves* I stayed in America for more than a month. I was there because I was chosen to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program, a U.S. Department of State-sponsored program. Technically, my IVLP 2012 experience only lasted for 3 weeks. However, I chose to fly to New York City, savor the sights and sounds of the Big Apple and spend my birthday there! (more on this later) I stayed in NYC for 2 weeks. I also had the chance to visit Connecticut specifically Yale University for a day. Anyway, the IVLP program that I participated in led me to Washington D.C. (and in some parts of nearby Virginia and Maryland), Orlando, Florida, Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon. I was the only female in the group an...

Mar192012 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Mindanaoan In America: Trip from Manila to Washington

America, BIMP-EAGA, Blogging, Commentary, Education, Features, Headline, Manila, Media, Mindanao, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Personal, Society, Tourism, Travel, United States of America

This Filipino blogger is currently here in the United States of America to participate in a US Department of State-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). You can read more about my current trip HERE. I'm very proud to let you all know that I'm the only Filipino and the only female in this group :) I will share as much as I can (and as much as I am permitted to) with you all. If you want to follow my U.S. escapades, you may want to SUBSCRIBE TO MINDANAOAN right now (click and please don't forget to verify!) or follow my official Facebook Page. For now, what I want to share with you all in this blog post will be my experience traveling from Manila to Washington, DC - the first stop of my U.S. trip. Hopefully this article will help those of you who will travel the sa...