Category: OFW


Aug
2016

Happy Monday Madlang People!

categories: Musings, OFW

Hello, hello! Happy Monday everyone. For those in the Philippines, it’s the first day of the week and for us working in this part of the world, we are almost half way there! Woohoo!

I am looking forward to the weekend as the fambam will be staying in Atlantis Hotel for the first time. It’s has been our tradition to stay in a hotel on our wedding anniversary and we usually visit those that we haven’t stayed before. So this year it will be the Atlantis. As guests, we will have access to Aquaventure waterpark so I bought this waterproof case from iStyle for AED 299. I asked the sales guy if it’s 100% foolproof and he said there’s instructions to follow for first time user. Although it seems to be fine, I am scared to put my brand new phone to test. Afraid!!! But let’s see.

Happy Monday Madlang People!

Talking about our wedding anniversary, this photo popped up on my Facebook memories and I remember how simple our church wedding anniversary is. We got married 10 years ago in the Philippine Consulate in Dubai and renewed our vows, this time in church, in 2012. I always prefer low-key celebrations so for our church wedding, it’s only our parents, two witnesses and the priest. That’s it. I bought my dress from Zara.

Happy Monday Madlang People!

To be honest, I totally forgot about our church wedding anniversary as I still consider our civil ceremony as the official one. I was surprised to received these flowers, cupcakes and balloons from the delivery guy. Totally not expecting it! Gibson was in the Philippines that day but he was still able to surprise me. Brownie points for him!
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While Gibson and Cole were in the Philippine, this is what Biel and I were doing. Makeup session!Happy Monday Madlang People!

It’s feel like it has been months ago since my last vacation when in fact it’s been only two weeks. I took a selfie on my first day returning to work. I look happy, right? LOL

Happy Monday Madlang People!

Lastly, how can I end this post without food. Here’s a sushi plate I devoured last time I was in Sumo Suhi annd Bento. I think that’s my quote for 2 months so no sushi post from me in coming weeks. Promise.

Happy Monday Madlang People!

Have a good weekend guys!

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Jul
2016

Pinas Vacation 2016

categories: Food & Dining, OFW

We’re back in Dubai, Alhamdulillah!

We had three weeks of relaxing holiday in the Philippines although we are a bit sad that Cole had to stay behind because he was hospitalized the night we’re supposed to fly back to Dubai 😓 He was vomiting, having diarrhea (sorry, TMI) and complaining of stomach pain (diagnosis: amoebiasis and UTI). I’m sad that it’s just me, Gibson and Biel who flew back yesterday but at least Cole is in the loving care of his grandparents. Gibson will just fly back again after 2 weeks to pick him up. I’m happy to report that he’s fine now and on the road to recovery.

Moral lesson of the story: Don’t let your kids eat too much junk and street food while on holiday even how much clean you think the food is.  (more…)

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Jul
2016

Is it easy to find job in Dubai?

categories: Musings, OFW

Is it easy to find job in Dubai?

Is it easy to find job in Dubai?

I’ve been receiving lot of questions both from people I know and from readers on how they can come to Dubai. Most of the queries are:

  • Is it easy to find a job?
  • How much is the salary?
  • Can you sponsor me?
  • How much is the visa/air ticket?
  • What’s the procedure of getting a visa?

I received this mail from Arlyn and instead of replying to her directly, I thought why not just write a post about it. It would spare me from repeating myself to friends and family asking on how to do it.

I also have a question. I’ve been planning to go there in Dubai for a greener pasture opportunity. However, I don’t have any relatives there whom can assist me with the Visa. Is the cross country thing safe? Say, I’ll go to HK then Dubai and I believe there is Visa offered upon arrival. Will that work?- ARLYN

I first came to Dubai as a visit visa holder too.We were a group of friends who tried our luck in this city and stayed in Satwa as bed spacers. Since I didn’t have a laptop yet (and there’s no wifi in our villa), I would visit computer shops everyday and apply for jobs online. I also experienced doing ‘walk-in applications’ (submitting resumes to companies even though they don’t have any vacancy). I consider myself lucky that I found a job as a receptionist in a catering company just two weeks after I landed. It wasn’t the case with my friends and some of the people I know who needed to ‘exit’ (a term which means exiting UAE and come back either on a visit visa or employment visa). (more…)

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Jul
2016

Hello Philippines and Hello World!

categories: Food & Dining, OFW

Hello Philippines and Hello World!

We are back in the lupang sinilangan and we are so happy! Happy to see our parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, neighbors and friends. Happy to visit places old and new. Happy that it’s raining. Even Cole said that he loves the gasoline smell when we rode the tricycle. Most of all, we’re happy to taste all the food we’ve missed. It has been 3 glorious days of non-stop eating. Calories – here we come!!!

And to be honest, these are just like 50% of what I ate.

Different dimsums in Hap Chan – this siomai, and then I ordered chicken feet, spareribs with tausi, congee with pork and century egg, and whole lot more.
Hello Philippines and Hello World! (more…)

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Jun
2016

Why OFWs need to save?

categories: Musings, OFW

savings-500x500

Why OFWs need to save?

I will not answer that question because you obviously know the answer. But if it is still not obvious or you’re oblivious then let me say it briefly – because we are all just expats in our host country and sooner or later we will leave whether we like or not, voluntarily or involuntarily and the worst that can happen to us is finding that we don’t have enough means supporting our loved ones. I’ve seen a former classmate venting his frustrations on Facebook on how he’s depressed that he can’t go back to Saudi (visa issues as I figured out). I am a child of a former seafarer and I know how difficult it is when your father took longer than usual boarding another vessel. The money runs out and everyone in the family feels the pinch.

How to save?

The question might be so easy and we can come up with hundred of answers but in reality it is easier said than done. I came to Dubai 11 years ago and someone would think that I may have saved a fortune considering the number of years I’ve been into this country. OFWs are all expected to save, right? But honestly, me and my husband had only started saving probably 4 years ago and had been saving almost 40% of our combined total income recently. We can save more but we want to be realistic and allocate some amount for shopping/dining out and emergency expenses. Balance baby.

(more…)

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Jun
2016

Thoughts about Ramadan

categories: Musings, OFW

Thoughts about Ramadan

How’s everyone? Ramadan started a few weeks ago and for OFWs in UAE that means shortened working hours which is one of the reasons I always look forward to this occasion.

When I first came in 2005, Ramadan started in October. I can still remember the time I was buying fruits in Al Maya Lals in Satwa and unconsciously popped one grape into my mouth. Split second after, I almost gag spitting it out and immediately dashed out of the supermarket thinking the CCTV cameras caught me and the police will grab me anytime soon. Well, no one knocked in our villa that night which was a relief but the stories of non-uniformed police and unmarked police cars patrolling and catching smokers in public, PDA-ing couples, gum chewers (I invented that term) and the likes still made me very worried and scared of Ramadan season. I don’t want to be deported. (more…)

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Jun
2016

Damaged passport

categories: Musings, OFW

This was originally posted on my other blog which I am not updating anymore. I decided to repost it here. This happened last March 2015, just less than 3 weeks before our scheduled flight to Italy for holidays. I added more info in case this happens to you. I hope not…

 

I came to office very early feeling stressed-out as I have to finish a lot of things before I leave the company (Post edit: I’m serving my notice period that time). I prepared a to-do list and looking forward to a busy and productive day. I will be joining my new company next week and I want to make sure that my handover is complete.

But before anything else, I thought of cleaning the contents of my bag. That’s when my horror story started… (more…)

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Jun
2016

Let’s talk about Duterte…

categories: Musings, OFW

Let's talk about Duterte...

There are Filipinos who are very pro-Duterte and will defend and fight for the President no matter what, even if he says the stupidest thing.

And there are also some Filipinos who are so anti-Duterte that they would put malicious context in all his statements, no matter how innocent the president’s remark is.

And then there are citizens like me who admire him but don’t know what to make of his actions and statements. It’s like falling deeply in love with a man and truly believe that he is ‘The One’ but then he will repeatedly say or do foolish things and then wonder why did I fall for this guy in the first place. It’s a love-hate relationship. (more…)

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May
2016

How to achieve your financial goal?

categories: Musings, OFW, Positivity

If you don’t know, I have another blog where I write about positivity and personal finance. I started that blog a few months before I even launched Filipina Expat and I am contemplating now of shutting it down. I didn’t renew its domain. I am quite heart broken and sad just thinking that I have to let it go. It’s just that I have to be realistic that I can’t physically and mentally keep up with two blogs considering my full-time job, my mommy duties and daily commuting. I have also other projects in the pipeline that would require great amount of my spare time.

Just to give you a background of what’s in there, my other blog is where I share my tips about saving and paying-off debts based on what I experienced. I also write about how to use positivity to manifest money and abundance. On that blog, I feel that I can inspire fellow Filipinos abroad who are drowning in financial troubles that it’s not the end of the world and through determination and positivity, we can reach our goals. (more…)

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