Learning from and about Deth

Dodeth (or Deth for short) is supposed to be our featured blogger in our Issue 3 (with the theme 'learning') because of her photography blog. But due to time constraints, we didn't manage to get hold of her on time. And now we did. And now she's here.

Some facts about her: she's a Psychology graduate from FEU, she's as tall as Gloria Arroyo, she hates the smell of pineapple, she's from Batangas ('pero laking Recto'), her bestfriend's name is Jane.



Her original blog, Minddeth, contains heartwarming posts about her life. Deth says she doesn't write well but if you'll visit her blog in Blogger and her journal at multiply, you'll see how true she is in her writing -- may kurot, 'ika nga. (I personally find her story about her grandma whom she calls 'Anda' very sad and touching).

Below are 15 questions that Deth answered for us. If, after reading her here, you wish to know her a bit more, she willingly listed 25 things about her which, honestly, we find endearing.

Can you tell us about yourself?

Back in college a former classmate described me as “one kick-ass clever girl with a conviction more stable than a rock! all that in a cute petite package…” I think that pretty much defined who I really am as a person. I’m a 25 year-old Batanguena, now based in Singapore working in an industrial construction company.

A blogger and a shutterbug, an optimist who loves to flash her smile and cute dimples. And I’m still single (ahemmm! hehehe).

Describe your blog in a Twitter message way (140 characters).

A collection of stories and pictures as I venture on my dummy adventure in photography.

How long have you been blogging?

More than one year. In February 2009, I started a personal blog Minddeth but decided to open a new blog dedicated for a new found interest in photography which I started last April.

What prompted you to blog?

At first with my personal blog (Minddeth), it was more of a coping mechanism, moving on from a past heartbreak, adapting to my new environment and culture and being away from loved ones.

I regard my current photoblog as an expression of myself and hopefully I'd also manage to share knowledge to other people who may have the same interest as mine. My blog is geared towards inspiring others who are as totally clueless as I with the whole photography “thingy”. I'm a work in progress and whatever knowledge I learn of photography, I share it with my readers in my every posts.

What changed after you started blogging?

A lot! I used to view the internet space as just a white space. Now, I view it in a different perspective. Via blogging (and incessant interest in the internet), I met a lot of wonderful people who have changed me and lifted up my maturity into the next level.

What is your goal for your blog this year?

I would love my photoblog to be a really useful site for beginners like me, come up with basic lessons and techniques on improving photographs. I really hope I could do that.

How do you choose your photo subject for your blog?

Most of the time posted pics are those recently taken, or in relation to what I feel at the moment.

What is your favorite post? Why?

I guess my fave post would be the “Daddy Moment…” because it is one of my favorite shot so far. (Taken during one of Deth's street photography at Orchard Singapore).

I’m a daddy’s girl also and to witness such a happy moment between a father and a daughter mean so much to me.

What do you do when you're not blogging?

Besides photography I also do yoga and I also run in my free time. I already participated in two charity marathon events this year in Singapore, both in 6km category (Run for Water & JP Morgan Corporate Challenge).

I also love watching movie as long as may manlilibre (hehehe).

Who are your three favorite Filipino bloggers?

Wheew, that’s hard because I have favorites for every category (travel, food, movie reviews, spiritual, celebrity, etc etc). I’m a big fan of Bo Sanchez's “Soulfood”. I can read his blog over and over again. I love his humor and how he honestly speaks about his love of God without being preachy.

For a celebrity blogs, it’s a tie between Chico Garcia’s “Strange Fruit” and Bianca Gonzales “The Diary of a Supergirl Wannabe”. Both are very clever writers; you won’t feel they're writing as celebrities but as ordinary people who deals with ordinary things like we do.

And lastly Ms. Nortehanon’s “Go celebrate the gift of life”. She’s not just a blogger and a friend to me; she have also inspired me that really there is still HOPE and yes she did give me a go signal to celebrate the gift of life.

Oopps…I think I listed more than three. Hehehe.

How long have you been an OFW?

One and a half year.

Three things that miss most about the Philippines.

Family, food and beach!

How long are you planning to be an OFW?

Hmmm, I’m giving myself a limit of five years. Hopefully if P.Noy can make a difference with the economic situation in the Philippines, it can be earlier. We’ll never know…

What is your life's greatest success so far?

Would you believe by simply seeing my friends using the photos I took of them as their profile pictures in FB is good enough a success for me…(babaw :P).

But seriously as a Psychology graduate I love dealing with people. HR is a well suited career for me (as my former manager believed so), but when I arrived here in Singapore, that career just didn’t happen. I ended up with a post meant mostly for Engineers & Architects.

The words are marked in me: “Learning is an everyday experience…”.

I love learning. I like taking on challenges, and, thankfully most of the time, pass them with flying colors. In my recent work appraisal, I’m the only one “daw” who got an “outstanding” mark (or pwede ring binobola lang ako ng boss ko…hehehe).

Any message to fellow expat bloggers?

Explore… I know we all experience bad moments in our lives because we’re away from our family; away from our comfort zones. But this is the best time for an adventure. Explore the beauty of the country you’re in, learn their ways and cultures, share and appreciate that you’re blessed for being given such an opportunity. Let's learn from it.

And as they always say… keep blogging.

(Written by Nebz Bandiez)

► With her sister Nikki, Deth blogs at Dodeth Alvarez Vergara Photography. Their site offers not just wonderful photos but also valuable tips about photography. We also featured her other photoarts here in this issue.

► Did you enjoy this Spotlight article? Read who else have we featured in our previous issues.