Blogging time!

I'm back! After more than a year, I am back.
I'm sorry guys kung natagalan. I know that some
of you want to read my blog (gee! nasabi ko talaga yun!).
Now I will try my very best to do it regularly. :)

If there is one thing I miss about blogging, that would be 
writing anything under the sun. Another form of freedom of speech, it is. Blogging is not just about 
persuading people. It is also about sharing information
based on personal knowledge, personal interpretations of movies etc. and 
personal experience. Moreover, writing is also a way of
letting go of what you feel, whether you are happy or sad, fulfilled
or not. Do you agree with me?

Anyway, just standby. I have a lot to tell.
I have to do a lot of explanations.
In a span of one year, I have matured; I have learned lot of things. I met new friends. I joined new groups. I took exams. I 'll write about it in my incoming blogs. Please continue reading and opening my site.

By the way, to those who are asking where am I right now, I am already here in the Philippines. After finishing my three-year contract in Jordan, I went home with high hopes. I hoped to do all the things I planned. Unfortunately, things did not go well as I have thought and planned. I will be telling my journeys later on.

Today, I am taking my time.  Taking every moment living in my homeland is what I do. Trying to learn a lot of things and spending time with friends and family. 

At the moment, I am going make you bitin a little bit. Pictures on what I did and still do will be posted soon. 

Despite the problems and struggles experienced in the past, I have realized I am indeed lucky of what I have for now. Pasenxa na, I am struggling with my English grammar after series of taking IELTS. Boom! 

This would be enough for now! I just want to say, I am happy that I am able to write again. To my readers, please support me by supplementing comments below.

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The little gods in Us

     At first I never understood what she (our prayer group leader) meant by the little gods in us. Later on as she spoke of her examples, I learned she meant it with our superstitious beliefs.

     Starting when  learned how to read the newspaper or the magazine, reading the horoscope completes my day. If it tells something good will happen, then I accept it. However, if it tells that something bad happens, you tend to doubt and reason out that this horoscope thing does not apply to Christianity and should not be believed.

     Palm readings, taro cards, horoscopes, and superstitious beliefs could be fun yet it could be destructive at times. These little gods in us are acceptable for some and others not.

     There was this incident narrated by my mom about some beliefs that simply hinders us. My mom was in need of money and she talked it over her brother. My uncle said yes and is willing to help however with one condition. She must take it tomorrow morning and not on night time. It so happened that my mom was in my uncle's house during the night. My uncle believes that  it is not allowed to bring out money out of your pocket in the evening. So with my mom's respect to his brother's little god, she returned the next morning.

     My mom is a Catholic Christian and she has also little gods in her, probably most of us. Whenever she cleans the house at night time, she never puts out the dirt from the house instead she collects it before the door then puts it in the garbage. She told me that her mom said, my lola, that  putting out the dirt brings out the grasya (graces).

     We tend to reason out, wala namang mawawala kung maniniwala ka. 

     Last year, I happened to come across an astrology readings.  I typed my birtdate and other needed information which I have given without any hesitation. What appeared was three stars (out of five) beside the word love, and three stars (out of five) was beside the word wealth. There were other things there but the words love and wealth just caught my attention. It says there to click the stars beside it. I don't remember the exact words written but it mentioned that my love life would be difficult and will be full of trials but we could get through it after getting married.   The next thing was to check on the wealth  stars. What I got was I don't know how to handle money. These were from last year's but didn't check what's for now.

     Maybe you would ask if there is truth in those hula  for me? I won't be answering that. It's something personal and must be kept to myself for now.

     The points is we tend to worry about things that would happen if we disobey this little gods and we get scared of it. There are even times when we had  bad lucks, we reason out that it could be possibly from disobeying these little gods.

     Remember that we have one God and a jealous God. If we are truly capable of loving and believing in our only God, our Father, then there will be peace in our hearts. We won't doubt about the future. We won't doubt about what happens next.

Let me share you some bible verses about putting trust to our God the Lord:

"Blesses is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look proud, to those who urn aside to false gods." -Psalm 40:4

 "Commit your way to the Lord;trust in Him and he will do this: he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."- Psalm 37:5-6

  "The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy."- Psalm 111:7

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."- proverbs 11:13

Have a nice day.

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The P_R_I_D_E of Filipino's

     Being part of the filipinos outside the country excites me. Why? Because a lot of foreign people says there a thousands of Filipino in Dubai, Singapore, Canada, etc,. I am not alone. I am not alone enjoying the praises of other non Filipinos. Knowing that other OFW's are successful with their chosen career and being appreciated by foreigners makes me more proud.

      Last Sunday Mass, I was very proud of the Filipino choir singing Christmas songs. They have guitar and they manipulated the song into three voices blending well together. I know for sure that all the other foreigners who went to church were also amazed and blessed with their beautiful voices delivering to the tip of your spine creating goosebumps.

     The other week  I accompanied my friend we visited the mall to buy gifts for herself. We went to Charles and Keith - a bags -and- shoes store,. This is supposed to be a well known store with their quality made shoes and bags. My friend went to ask the person on the cashier table about the price of the bag. But the Arab went out of the table and consulted someone only to find out that that person was a Filipino. Kabayan explained that the Arab can't speak english to she doubted on how to answer consulting him. In the Arab world they call Filipinos being able to speak Inglise (for English). Well of course, we are not english people

I am working in Jordan Hospital. This is a known hospital in its neighboring countries. Patients comes by plane just to have a day case surgery of Rhinoplasty, Dilation and Curettage, Phaco-IOL, and different kinds of cosmetic and bone surgeries. Aside from surgeries of the different department, we also have medical patients (Kidney pts., Cancer pts., Liver pts., and others) This means the more cases this hospital caters to, the more patients

S-M-A-R-T GOALS

          This New Year, people are crazy making their own New Year's Resolution. Have they even checked their New Years' Resolution (NYR) list last 2012? Out of how many of their list were applied and achieved? Maybe their NYR was missed place and forgotten. For some, they keep it in their wallets. Others would have pasted them on their own walls, mirrors or even on their ceilings.

Maybe this time, it's good to have a New Years' Resolution. They call this as S-M-A-R-T GOALS.

SMART stands for:

S-pecific
M-easurable
A-chievable/ attainable
R-ealistic
T-imely/ time bounded

Specific means to 'lose 3 pounds in three weeks time' and NOT 'just to lose weight'.
Measurable means to 'earn and save 2K in a month' and NOT 'just to earn and have savings and be rich'
Attainable means to 'spare 2 hours per day to study Mandarin using the internet and having a Mandarin class under a professional Mandarin speaker for a month' and NOT to 'learn one language a month y reading'
Realistic means to 'having a trip in Tagaytay by October saving a quarter of my salary from June, July, August, and September' and NOT just 'travel the different places of the Philippines'
Time bounded means to 'be able to wear my gown on my wedding day December 25,2013, which is two months from now. I should go to the gym atleast three times a week for two hours each day. With my gym trainor, I should be able to achieve a waistline of 27-29 inches (from my 34 inches waistline at the moment) and reduce my weight to 55 kgs which is 6 kilos from my present weight. I'll be watching my diet avoiding soft drinks, ice creams, high fat milk, and fried foods. I'll be adding 1 fruit for every meal. Fresh fruit juices will be my refreshments and atleast 6-8 glasses of water. Early sleeping time should be noted (from 9pm-10pm). My sister, who will be my made of honor (incredibly living with me who is known to be a vegetarian and makes exceptional vegetable crepes) will be making sure that I apply these things through out time and NOT just 'to lose weight'

Remember a dream without time frame remains to be a dream but a dream with time frame becomes a goal....
 

Mom Living One Hundred-Years

     I'd like to dedicate this article to my mom and to all mothers out there. This is just an idea of mine wishing God to let my mom live one hundred years.I want her to see more of my accomplishments/surprises for in the coming future. Saving for these activities/plans needs time and preparation. I'm running out of time. She's in her mid-sixties and retirement period. By the time I'm 30 probably she's in her 70's.

     She made a lot for me and I want to make a lot for her too. She probably doesn't ask for it but in return to her goodness, I'd like her to live  30 years more. Working in an environment where I witness different fatal diseases makes me worried that my mom will be taken away from me anytime .

     My mom is a single parent since 1998 (after my father died of aneurysm at the age of 49 or 50). She raised her 4 children working as a librarian in a government institution. This is one reason why I think mothers should not be a plain housewife. I believe that women should also be prepared and well educated before getting married. Working is a must so she can support her family in case the husband dies.

     When my dad died, an amount of money was received. She used it to buy educational plans. I believe she also started buying life insurance for she knows that a it's not a joke to spend thousands for a funeral. Knock knock on the wood. 14 years has passed. Thank God for lending her to us till now and thank you for more years to come.

     I was ten when the incident of losing a father happened.
Life was never easy before. I remembered when my mom used to wear those black clothings for a year and still be able to bring us out every sunday after mass just to divert the pain barely looking at our home without a father. There were times she cried a lot but her care for us was never been affected. 

     She is strong. She is not the crying emo-type. If others get depressed the whole time, she started going back to work as a teacher and librarian. She was already planning about the future, her children's future.

     I would always remember the times when my mom would do something for us not to feel such poverty. In rare cases, she would be buying  viand in exchange of a bunch of banana grown by her at the back of our house. She would be making charcoal out of crumpled-soaked-and-dried paper for us to use just incase we no longer have gas and I remembered cooking with those for two to three days. I would also remember when I was in college wherein she cried because (I brought some of my groupmates for an overnight to finish our project) we don't have gas and enough food to serve. So she did the same thing giving a bunch of banana to the store owner and promised to her that she'll pay when the salary comes.

     This is not always the case. We tasted brand new clothes and shoes. We tasted great foods. During Christmas bonus, she would give us 500 pesos to buy what we want for Christmas. We were never taught to spend much on something we really don't need. Buying a school shoe not until the old one is torn was her way of teaching us the value of money. Not spending much on our birthdays helped her save for our allowances and baon in school.

     I would also remember looking at her pay check with only an amount of 3,000 php left with all the deductions of her loans (she built a house for us in case she will be retiring), GSIS, and all other stuff. Salary comes every fifteen days. I would be asking the same question every fifteen days. Well I was wondering how come this happens. My mom is working in a State University, with masterals degree, with PhD (finished at her late fifties?). How come she receives only this? Anyway, I would be excited to accompany her to buy groceries thinking that there will be some extra penny for my wants. We ended up buying the usual needs- sugar, salt, a kilo of pork, a kilo of chicken, two canned-goods (tunna is my favorite), a bag of powdered soap (yes we have a washing machine :)) soy sauce (silver swan brand) , vinegar (datu puti brand), shampoo, toothpaste, if there still enough penny I would ask her to buy hotdogs (with cheese is what I like the most), my favorite banana bread (with cinnamon and nuts) and some others. But if no extra money, I would just enjoy looking at the different goods around, smell the different fragrances on the soap section (ariel was our favorite), look at those breads and just swallow my saliva back.I patiently carried our baggages back home and realizing she's carrying the biggest bag. Maybe I was thin that time and not strong enough to carry it or maybe just because it's her instinct that she doesn't want me to get tired that much. I tried once to carry the biggest bag myself but ending up saying , " Mama, agsukat ta haan ko kaya. Alaek na lng to no malpas ijay crossing".

     My mom was 2 inches smaller than me. She's 5 footer and a skinny but not on the abdomen area (excess fat on those area related to four times pregnancy). My mom is whiter-skinned than me even if many times she would be working on our backyard garden under the sun. You can consider her mestiza during her younger days. Probably thanks to chinchanzu (chinese face cream).  I tried it myself before but I don't like the smell and sticky feeling in my face.  She doesn't wear expensive clothings. Most of the clothes she wear are from the famous Ukay ukay bands.  Buying inexpensive make ups is also of her thing. Just simple with her well color coordinated clothes.

     So I went asking how come we live well being able to eat three times a day, have decent clothes, go to a private school in college with three thousand pesos for every fifteen days. This is not exaggerating. She explained to me in laymans terms that she had a lot of loans. Loans for our college funds, our two-storey house with an attic (the family loves attics as passed over by dad's love for attics), allowances and the like. Living in a semi- city needs a lot of money. A lot of goods needed and temptations to spend your money. But because we know that we aren't that rich enough, we never asked that much. I started college with 50 pesos allowance (that was already enough for a budget meal lunch and back and forth fare) and so with my big brothers. I already received hundred pesos when I was in 3rd year college. We had curfews at home, whenever it's dark, it's time to go home unless there some activities needed to go home late at night (no need to explain). At home, our viands are not ea- all- you-can buffet style. If we have fried chicken, one medium sliced is enough for you to have something tomorrow. There are some things not needed to be explained. We were taught how to be thrifty the indirect way.

     My brothers and sisters were successful saving from their daily allowances except me. they were able to buy their gadgets on their own. My cellphone were only secondly handed to me by my brother. I tried to had my own piggy bank but ended up opened for a buying some thing I like.

     But how come? How come my mother was able to bring us up without feeling so poor? I know of some people who are richer than our family but not able to fulfill their children's wishes to go to a private school.

     I didn't ask her directly but these are some of the answers she brought up:
1. Be thrifty! Do not buy unnecessary things but rewarding yourself once in a while is not a bad idea. Save as much as you can.
2. She spent thousands of pesos on our college funds which we were able to use once we reach college.
3. Loans, and direct utang. I don't know if there is someone who is utang-free. You just have to learn how to classify good from bad debts.
4. To be able to spend more for important things, you must spend less for less important things.
5. She tried her best to be thick-skinned or in local term kapalan ang mukha to ask for help to other people just like what she did to exchange a bunch of banana to a viand or ulam.
6. Be creative in recycling or upcycling things.

     
    Now that we all graduated and out of her house. I think it's time to plan what I should instore for her.

     I pray that God will give her longer and make healthier this coming years. With a longer span of time, I will have a longer time to prepare well for her future (just like parent planning for her child).

     Here are some of the plans I made to keep her smiling and in return of her efforts. I can never repay her outmost care and love just like she did but I'll try my best to do them.

•  Bring her to another country for a tour at my own expense (atleast twice) and another touring locally (atleast twice a year or more). 
• Celebrate her incoming birthdays a memorable one.
• Build her a house or finish our house that was started by her
• Give her atleast two grandchild or more (of my own) for her to spoil 
•  Give her the freedom of buying the things she likes
• Give her a garden to tend to whenever she is bored
• We'll have a hundred dates together.
• Let her taste to most delicious food in the world (eating in Singapore or Hong Kong
• Jogging moments or brisk walking together and stopping by a bakery to eat some pandesal
• and a lot more, big surprises ahead!

     I know she suffered a lot in her past and I just want to let her feel we loved her that much even if we don't often say it in words.

      How about you, how do you plan to return back the love to your mom. I hope I inspired you in a way. Plan it and make your mom live a-hundred-years or more.

      I'd like to dedicate a this song for all mothers out there who made their children proud.

Lyrics | Boyz II Men lyrics - A Song For Mama lyrics

I am Yvonne who is a netrepreneur who is willing to help others. Please feel free to check my About ME page.

"PASALUBONG AT KUMUSTAHAN"

While I was watching ANC On The Money, a question from an OFW was raised up and it asks,

" I'll be going home in the Philippines. My family and friends are expecting me to shoulder the money that will be used for the incoming occasions. My question is, should I start hiding myself?"

     Most of the people left in the country expects an ex-abroad to have saved a lot of money. But they wouldn't have known that at the back of these ex-abroad workers are scared of that expectation. We'll it's not that they have nothing. Most of them would have saved for a more important thing such as their children's education, house and lot perhaps, bills, life insurance fees probably and other things.

     Filipinos have one characteristic famously known as "Pa-libre naman jan attitude". This happens usually when a person achieved something then someone says ti him/her "Pa-burger na yan". Sa kabila nito, dahil masaya siya, nagpaburger nga. This is something nice in a way that we get along and celebrate things in life. This also applies to OFW's and most of their family and friends says "Pasalubong ko ha! Size 7 (mentioning his shoe size) ".

     Kaya ang ibang OFW ay nagtatago. Hinid nila pinapaalam na nasa abroad sila. Pag umuwi hindi rin pinagsasabi. Nope! This aren't tips guys!

     Let's go back to the show On the Money. The guest's answer was,

" You don't have to shoulder every occasion that comes. Be polite and honest to them that this is the only budget I can share. Like for example, I can only give an amount of php 5,000.00. That's it."

     I would like to add. If you can prepare pasalubong before going home, then that would be nice to show that you have thought of them while you were away. Pasalubong doesn't have to be expensive. Remember that you don't have to show off.

     Welcome party doesn't have to be extravagant. It is always nice to tell your family at home ahead of time that you don't need a big party. A simple get together with kumustahan para makabawi sa mga araw na nagdaan, is already a big event in your life. You could always suggest to them specific filipino foods that you would like to eat that you haven't eaten for a long period of time. 

     I hope you enjoyed reading. Sa mga OFW, masayang pagbabalik. At sa mga naiwan, gawin sana nating masaya ang kanilang pagbalik at hindi perwisyo sa paglalabas ng pera and kanilang datnan.

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GENERATING INCOME FOR THE FUTURE

     Short term career(contractual basis) like being in a three year contract scares me. This is what's happening to OFW's. After the contract, they have to find a new opportunity to support themselves or their family. In short, it means that a person who have worked abroad is not equivalent to a bottomless- ice- tea promo in TGIF restaurant. But if you have prepared well, with goals and priorities in life, you'll be able to provide.

      If you don't have a job to land in in the first few months, you should have prepared for it. Around 6 months-1 year atleast should be provided/covered by your savings to provide for your needs and for your family (if incase you have to provide for them). If you have applied earlier while your in the contract and luckily you got the job right after the contract then well and good.  
   
     Knowing this case scenario, it would atleast lead you to a far better ideas on how to generate your income.

     From Nannette Ferreria's (Director, MoneyDirector, Inc.) point of view, 

"Saving is not the key to being wealthy but knowing where to put your money will make you wealthy."

     She is just saying that saving your money in the  piggy bank won't generate your money. Almost all of the financial advisers would mention about about investments. Among the options are mutual funds, opening up a business, stock investments. However, all these mentioned above take risks.  

     
     Here is another catch. Do not ever go into something without consulting an expert/ experienced. Knowledge is always a must when entering something. When you say an expert, he/she must be in the field. Examples of which are financial consultants/ advisers (which are licensed), entrepreneurs who have engaged into successful business, or even your supportive parents can be an experienced when it comes to money.

     Generating income is not as easy as it seems but starting earlier would be a best option. Starting early like while you are still single is another better option. 

Plan now and act now. Going back home and meeting the family  after a three year contract work abroad is such an exciting thing. But being able to provide (not to provide for bonggacious occasions) is such a sweet thing.

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