Category: personal

QGIS Sorceress in Training: A QGIS User’s Story

Presented during FOSS4G SoTM Oceania, November 21, 2018.
@hannahdormido | [email protected]

Here is the video of the presentation:

 

Who am I?

I am Hannah, and I see myself as a full-time journalist, part-time mermaid, and a QGIS sorceress in training. I am a journalist by training and profession, but learned mapping using QGIS as I specialized on data visualization.

Why am I a sorceress in training?
Sorceress: Because when I first encountered QGIS and all that came with it, I asked myself “what kind of sorcery is this?”
In training: Because every single time I feel like I’ve mastered QGIS, something new comes along, or someone else does something cool that of course I want to learn how to do. So never a master, always in training! Don’t you fret, it is a good thing!

 

This was me doing a freelance gig a while back—way before my GIS days. Those were the days when I had no clue what a shapefile was, or what a kml was for.

How did I learn QGIS?

  1. I learned QGIS via Youtube tutorials created by my former Graphics mentor.

2. I followed GIS people on social media and joined groups. Even though I am based in Hong Kong. QGIS Australia has kindly adopted me into their community. You can find us on Twitter and check out the website. You can also join The Spatial Community on Slack. There is a channel for #QGIS, among other spatial-related topics.

3. I read a lot of blogs, like Anita Graser’s Free and Open Source GIS Ramblings. I also bought and read books on QGIS, mapping and data visualization.

What I’ve created using QGIS?

 

Choking on Our Harvest
(Can’t take all the credit for these three gorgeous maps, I had design help from my colleague Adrian Leung in Hong Kong).

Pollution Maps

If you are someone who wants to learn more about QGIS but don’t know where or how to start, please feel free to message me. I would be more than happy to share what I know, and help however I can. QGIS and mapping might appear intimidating at first, but you are not alone in learning—there’s a huge QGIS and open source GIS community that have your back: all you have to do is reach out!

Thanks,
Hannah
@hannahdormido
[email protected]

Dear Mamang

Papang leaving us made me realise my words don’t really matter much anymore for him because he won’t be able to read, nor appreciate them. I knew he was proud of what I have become –and hopefully of what I can still be in the years to come, but it dawned upon me that I never really took the time to write to him.

I have outgrown the habit of making you DIY cards for Christmas (and all other possible occasions) as I grew up. I hate regrets, so I would not say I am sorry for the years I did not write to you. Rather, I would start writing to you again –before everything is too late.

Mang, thank you for being one cool grandmother. I always loved your stories –from how complicated our clan is, to your own insane and truly unexpected experiences.

Remember that day when I was at Nanay Corine’s wake? I was alone and my heart was terribly breaking, but you were there to stand by me. You told me the most random stories, some of them rather pointless, but you cheered me up. I was comforted by the thought that despite her passing, I still had a grandmother. I still have you.

Mang, when I was younger (especially during primary school) and I would not back down or back off when I knew I was right, or when I’d go home with bruises after standing up for myself (remember I got involved into fistfights with guys who were older and way bigger than I was),  I would always get this remark: “Apo na ni Batchong, matingala pa kamo.” (That’s Batchong’s granddaughter, so you shouldn’t be surprised.) I’d like to think I got some of my guts from you, and some of them from my mom and dad, too.

I’m shy to admit this, but there were years when I was envious of my cousins because I felt I wasn’t one of your favourites. But now that I have the capacity to understand things better, I realised you loved each of us in the best manner you know how, and you went out of your way to make me feel special. You would come by our house bringing me kilos of crabs and shrimps, bags of indian mango, dozens of pomelo from the farm, jars of guava jelly and atsara and all the other things my picky taste buds could tolerate. And I miss your alupe nga mais terribly.

Sorry if I don’t get to spend time with you often, but Manong Noel promised  if he wins the lottery, I can come home everyday. The problem is, he never bets. So looks like I have to cut down on my coffee expenses (or sell Papa’s roosters or Mama’s fishes perhaps ehem ehem) so I can buy more plane tickets and go home.

But really, all I want you to know is how grateful I am to be your granddaughter. You have shown us how tough you are –you’ve been our strength in this time of grief and loss, when ideally we should be strong for you. I want to be tough like you, Mang. I also want to learn how to see the bright side of things, how to continue living despite the pain of loss, and how to laugh heartily so the world will be enticed to laugh with me.

Happy birthday, Mang. I hope I make you proud.

I love you!

Coming home soon,
Dayjud