zen

Let me introduce you to my good friend Anna. We first met in the Bamboo Telegraph, ISM's high school paper, of which I was features editor. Even after she got upset when I edited her profile of Bea Lucero- the article had already been published in her regular column in Manila Times- we still became close after I listened to her share a personal problem. She was actually a good listener herself and most of the time she would be the one entrusted by friends to keep secrets. We became inseparable when we entered UP, joining the Collegian and AIESEC together. In retrospect, it was probably because in the very political circles to which we gravitated, we were kindred spirits: liberal, idealistic, and a bit iconoclastic. I believe we brought out the best in each other and gave each other strength: it was Anna who sparked my interest in the environment and Zen and helped modernize my views on lesbians and gays. When I became Editor of Kule, I asked Anna to be my Associate Editor. Anna herself was a campus leader, having been elected President of AIESEC-UP.

Anna's undergraduate major was film, while mine was economics- this picture was taken during a shoot for her thesis. Interestingly, it seems like we've switched roles: she studied developmental economics in graduate school, while I've begun my forays into film production.

When I visited D.C. last year, Anna took me to her favorite spot, the Vietnam War Memorial, designed by Maya Lin. As I prepare for a trip to Hanoi, I remember Anna and the abiding influence of friends, both old and new, in my life.