Thoughts about Ramadan

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. Continue reading →

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To remind myself why I started blogging

To remind myself why I started blogging

I started this blog last year during the time I was depressed. I was not happy anymore with my job, I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom (I still do) and I constantly feel guilty for not spending time with my kids. I wanted change but I feel trapped. Blogging diverted my attention to something more positive. I can write mundane things and rant about issues. I can share my experiences and hope that my readers will get something out of it – something useful. I can talk about food, parenting, travel – you know, just light stuff.

Starting out, I was so passionate that I promised to write at least twice a week if not more and boy I write! But real life started kicking in and I can’t even finish one article in 2 weeks. I have so many drafts but can’t publish it. I don’t think you would like to read a post that has 3-4 sentences on it. I read somewhere that for readers to be engaged, consistency is the key. And there’s no way I am consistent with my writing schedule.

I am part of a mummy blogger group wherein some mamas are SAHM while others have regular jobs like me and yet they can blog regularly. They are witty, intelligent, passionate individuals and they seem to be in-control of everything. The group talks how to monetize our blogs, attract more readers, and oomph our blogging game. Most of them are successful and it’s intimidating.

I find myself stressing out again. Not with my day job but with blogging.

Not that my blog hasn’t been noticed. Surprisingly, I am receiving invites to try places and attend events. Sadly, I have to decline most of them and I feel bad whenever I do. I mean how can I refuse all these invitations where I can network with other bloggers, introduce myself to the right set of people and just being out and about to the blogging social circle. I am passing up opportunities to be known internationally (LOL).

But being a life coach to myself, I told her to remember the reason why she started this blog in the first place. This is supposed to be my stress-buster. I should write whenever I want to and I will only blog things that interests me. I should stop stressing about stats, Google ranking or getting that blogger of the year award (is there such a thing? If there is, can you nominate me? 😂).

And I don’t want to sound snobbish but I realized that my time is precious (for sure yours too!).  Will that dinner invitation that will consume 4 hours of my day valuable enough for me? If the answer is no, I’m afraid I have to accept that I won’t be able to go. Unless the invite comes from Filipino-owned entrepreneurs then I might make an exception. I am proud of being a Filipino and admire Filipino entrepreneurs that take risks and just go for the gold!

I know it’s very early for me to be burnt out, I’ve been blogging for less than a year but knowing myself, I have short interest span. I am impatient with myself but also forgiving at the end of the day. Is this a sign of being a Virgo or is it because I was born in the year of the monkey?

Ok. Enough said. Have a good day/evening everyone!

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Damaged passport

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… Continue reading →

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Let’s talk about Duterte…

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. Continue reading →

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I hate FAKES!!!

Both people and things. But let’s talk about the latter for now.

So this morning, Gibson and I had a small argument, It started when I told him that my dear friend received a Louis Vuitton bag from her husband as a gift and for sure it’s not fake. My husband knows me so well that I hate fake things. Continue reading →

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The struggle is super duper real!

So I told you last time that I am replacing my meals with shakes and soups and I lost a lot of belly fat in 8 days. I was able to wear a proper swimsuit and didn’t end up wearing short and t-shirt in the pool. It’s common in the Philippines for ladies to wear shorts and sando while swimming. That’s definitely my swimming attire when I was much younger because how can you stand in front of people semi-naked, right? But living in Dubai where there are hundreds of nationalities co-existing, being exposed to their culture, tradition and their way of life is inevitable. And I’ve noticed that western nationals, no matter what their size or age, wear bikinis when swimming. And I thought why not?! Are Filipinos really a conservative bunch of people? Maybe. Continue reading →

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The struggle is real!

You might have seen on my social media posts that I am trying to lose some weight because A.) we are going on vacation by end of June and I want to lose a LOT of weight so I can eat anything I want back home. That way, I won’t return to Dubai looking like a pregnant whale (no offense to all the whales) and B.) fambam had ‘staycation’ in two hotels in Dubai and I want to wear a proper swimsuit (bikini and all) without being so conscious of my bulging tummy.

Ok, to start, I am genetically thin (thanks to my parents) and my only problem area are my tummy and chin, I don’t have that protruding chin. Ok, I can’t do anything about my chin unless I go into some kind of procedure so I won’t bother but my bulging belly is something that I can control. Continue reading →

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How to achieve your financial goal?

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. Continue reading →

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What’s up peeps?

How’s everyone doing? Are you enjoying the weather? No? Me too. The water coming out of the shower is very warm already and the sad part is it will only get worse. Expect first-degree burn every morning! And I have to invest in a very reliable deodorant if I want my armpits to stay dry and odor-free.  Continue reading →

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Splash ‘n’ Party!

Splash 'n' Party

When I told the kids last week that we were going to Splash ‘n’ Party, their first reaction was ‘Where’s that?’. After experiencing this water park, the place has now been a part of their vocabulary and the only question now is ‘When are we going back?’.

Splash ‘n’ Party is the newest aqua park in Dubai that caters to kids. Unlike other water parks geared towards teenagers and adults with their adrenalin-rush rides and water features, Splash ‘n’ Party is where children can truly enjoy while their parents chill out on the sides. Continue reading →

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