Sarap Pinoy

Marami-rami na rin akong kakilala, kaibigan at mga kamag-anak na OFW, mga immigrant sa ibang bansa. Nami-miss daw nila ang pinas. Pero mas pinili nila na sa ibang bansa magtrabaho o manirahan kasi mahirap daw ang buhay sa bansa natin. They need to sacrifice their own happiness by working/living  abroad so that the younger ones (their children) can get a better life than them. Gaano nga ba kahirap ang buhay sa Pilipinas at napakdami ng naalis? Ang tatay ko, naniniwala na kaya mong mabuhay ng matiwasay sa bansa natin basta matyaga ka. Kasi sabi nya, siya rin daw galing sa wala. Pinag-aral din nya yung sarili nya at hindi umasa sa magulang nya, pero kahit papaano may naipundar sya bukod sa napaaral nya kaming magka-kapatid. 

I personally can see my father's reason. It all depends on one's wants and needs. One needed only the basics, but wants so much more. Basics - food, shelter, education, konting savings for health. Others are "wants", not basically needs.  But nobody can blame anybody for wanting more. For having a little of something, for working so hard all your life. Pero sabi nga ng tatay ko, kung basic lang..kayang-kaya. 

So, ano nga bang  meron sa Pinas na wala sa ibang bansa? Para ma-miss mo ng sobra ang Pinas? Na kahit anong sarap ng buhay sa ibang bansa ay mas gugustuhin mo na bumalik.

1. Family - Sino bang gusto na malayo sa pamilya niya? Wala. Kasi sa kultura ng mga Pilipino, mahalaga ang pamilya. Mawala na lahat, wag lang pamilya mo. Dahil may maga oras na kahit meron ka ng lahat ng bagay at pera sa mundo, kung hindi mo naman ito maise-sahre sa pamilya mo, bale wala.

2. Init -  Sobra ang init dito, dati kaya mong tiisin ang summer heat. Ngayon, wish ko na pwede. Kahit tag-ulan na, rainy season na o kaya e, -ber months na, grabe pa rin ang init. Kaya bago lumabas ng bahay, you need to protect your skin, kasehoda na payong o hat, pero sunblock, pinaka importante. Pero syempre, yung init ng pagmamahal ng isang Pinoy!

3. Extra rice / Unli-rice -  Sobrang hilig sa kanin ng mga Pinoy, kahit nakakataba. (Waiter, isa pa ngang rice dyan!)

4. Palengke -  Walang palengke na kasingbaho at kasing dumi ng tulad sa Pinas (feeling ko lang). Kahit pa yatang sabihin na 1st class municipality o 3rd class municipality e kasama na yung ganyang klase ng palengke sa atin.Pero masarap mamili at makipagtawaran kay suki.

5. Pagkain - Oo, masarap din ang pagkain sa ibang bansa. pero mas masarap pa rin ang lutong Pinoy (para sa akin!). Sa karinderya man yan, o sa isang restaurant o kahit simpleng luto ng nanay mo, masarap talaga kumain ang Pinoy. Kahit nga kamatis at bagoong lang ang ulam e, swak na!

6. Beaches - Need I say more? Beaches are the best here in the Philippines. Kahit worst ang airport natin (hayzzz), ayos lang.

7. Maynila, Cebu, Davao, etc. - Sino bang ayaw umuwi sa bayan na kinalakihan mo?

So, sa inyong mga OFW, uwi-uwi rin pag may time. Ipon-ipon din nga pamasahe pag may time. Kasi miss na kayo ng mga kababayan nyo. ('Wag nyo na lang pansinin pulitika dito, para hindi masayang ang happiness nyo. Hehehe.)

A Lot of First in a Single Day

It was a sunny day. A good day to be out and enjoy the sun. Last September 26 was my daughter's school field trip. The field trip that we chose not to attend because of some financial reason. Instead, my husband, my daughter and I headed to Manila to visit some sights. Sights that she's never been too. A good day for a lot of first time.

The first stop was the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help or better known as the Baclaran Church. Going there, we took a bus to Manila, then took the LRT (Light Railway Transit) and got off on the last station, the Baclaran Station. It was my daughter's first time to ride the LRT. It was an exciting time for her. She even made  small sounds of the chugging train. 

On-board the LRT

Going to Baclaran Church brings back happy memories for me. It's been 8 years since the last time I have been there. It was the place where my husband, who was then my boyfriend, frequently visit. Even if my husband is into other religion (he is now a Catholic convert) when we started with our relationship, he stays with me inside the church while I make my prayers and "hiling" (wishes) to our blessed Mother. This is where I'd prayed so hard to have a child after months of trying. The Blessed Mother granted my wish and as I sign of gratitude, I brought my daughter to Her home. This is also a first for my daughter. Fond as she is of churches, she was asking a lot of question about the people she sees inside the Baclaran Church.

Baclaran Church

Inside the Baclaran Church

Sweet smile!

We had our lunch in a fastfood near the church after which, we linger around the shops in Baclaran to check out come tights for my little one. We got some  6 pieces tights for a mere 270 pesos. A real deal indeed! After that, we're off again to LRT bound to Rizal Park. 

We got off the UN station and walked all the way to Luneta. Again, another first my my sweet daughter, and for my hubby, too. Even in the heat of the afternoon, my daughter was too happy to be there. She was ecstatic in seeing the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and even asking me where the Bashi Channel is, which she learned from her Civic class.

Where's the Bashi Channel, Papa?

We had tons of fun in Luneta. Another first for Ikay is our ride in a calesa. There were also some doves in park which you can feed with bits of bread. And if ever you and your family got hungry, there's a lot of food stalls inside the park.

Calesa ride

Lastly, we went to Luneta to see the famous statue of Dr. Jose Rizal. Even if the rain was threatening to pour, we hurriedly took our souvenir photos. 

                                                      

Shy dove!

Lots of doves!

Dr. Jose Rizal

Behind the statue is the controversial building

            

It was a tiring but a fun day. Although we did not have that much budget for this trip, we still accomplish a lot of firsts for my daughter. Now, she is making a list of other places to visit. Till next time, till our next trip.

Atchara: Pickled Papaya

    Atchara is a famous side dish of Filipinos. Usually, it is served together with grilled, and fried dishes. It is very are affordable and has a long shelf-life. Every family has their own version of making atchara, and, today I am sharing mine. Although, walang sukat talaga yung pag-gawa ko, its up to your taste bud on how you want your atchara to taste.

     This recipe has been a money-making idea for me. Since it is very tedious to make, and that I have some allergy of sort in papaya's sap, I just make them every ber-months. 

You'll be needing:

- green papaya

- vinegar (anykind will do)

- water

- sugar

- salt

- pinapple tidbits

- pepper corn

- bell pepper

- carrots

- onions (optional)

- garlic  (opitonal)

     You need to peel, wash and grate (or slice thinly) the papaya. Put some salt, wash it again then remove the excess water. We usually put them in a clean cloth or katsa, then my husband and I would wring the papaya dry. Set them aside.

      In a pan, put some water, vinegar, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients except for the pineapple. Bring them to boil, but do not stir. When boiling, lower the heat, and taste your atchara solution. If it suits your taste, then its time the add the grated papaya. Turn off the stove. The heat from the solution will then cook the papaya (and it will cook easily since the papaya is already grated). Add the pineapple.

      Let it cool. When cooled, you can start bottling them. Bottles should be sterilized properly. 

Ready for bottling

   

Ready to be sold!

Heartache

   Just got a fight with a family member. A little misunderstanding turned into a real, ugly fight. Now we're not talking to each other.

   It will  take too long before healing. I just know it. Ang mahirap, even my daughter is getting at my moods. At pati siya e nasisigawan ko na rin. Lalo kapag may failing grades siya sa mga quizzes nya. At kapag hindi nya masyado ma-gets yung mga review ko sa kanya.
 
    I hate myself right now. I just hope I'd feel better about things. Soon.

Sigh....

No More

Coffee is a big part of my mornings. Kung walang kape, feeling ko, hindi ako productive for that day. I feel something is just missing. 

I sooo love my coffee habit.

Pero something is not right with my body system. My blood pressure has always been 90/60. As in, always. When I got pregnant with my daughter, it slightly went up to 110/80. Fairly normal. But I'm not pregnant anymore.

My daughter is attending her big-school. I have to get up extra early to prepare her things. So everyday, is a  4:30am call time for me. Errands and chores means coffee break is at 7am and 4pm (if its too hot to have coffee in the afternoon, I'd usually have them in a smoothie form).

And all those caffeine is adding something to even lower my bp. And so is my lack of sleep.Which sucks, because I'd feel woozy more often than I like.

I guess its goodbye coffee? Goodbye Coke (my stress-buster)? And goodbye iced-tea?

I need to be healthy for my daughter because she needs me. I am not young anymore. I can't afford to be sick. 

(Sigh)   :(

Educational Field Trip

It is the Field Trip Season. Together with the -ber months, private schools usually have their annual field trips on these months. Months that are usually rainy. Months that indicates more expenditures.

My daughter's class is having their "educational field trip" on the 26th of this month. They are set to go to two locations: the first one, to a doll factory, and the next is to watch a theater show. Costing 1550 per head, accompanying her (although, it is okay not to accompany her, but she is much too young to be left on her own on such a long trip) would mean a tiny bit more than three grand. That's just the field trip fee. It does not yet include our food for the trip and some pocket money I may need to bring just in case my daughter would like to buy other stuff. For only a day, our trip would at least cost me  4,000 to 4,500.

I must say that's its a little bit too much for an average-earner such as myself. The good thing is that, its not mandatory (she just need to do a make-up project). And even if my daughter really wanted to go, I told her that we just can't afford that right now. But, supposing we can afford it, the news of different accidents happening on the field trips of other schools is just as disturbing and frightening for a mom like me. My husband is even the first to tell us that it'll be much too dangerous to go.

So we are definitely not joining this year (we join two-years in a row of the previous trips). But I did promise to bring her to a different "pasyalan". A visit to a park, to a museum or a movie even. My husband can also come with us, and I just know that it'll be fun and cost much less. 

I just hope that the "field trip" thing would be abolish someday. Not that its not educational but the students have seen it all, every museum, every zoo and animal sanctuary, every factories of bread, dolls, and other things that the metro and other provinces near the metro has to offer. If it can't be abolish, better make it every other year. That way , the excitement of traveling for the child would still be there.

PTC Day- 1st Quarter

Last Saturday was PTC day. It was the usual card-giving day, and a little chat with your child's adviser. So, my daughter and I went to her school to get her report card. I dreaded this day because I know my daughter's score in her quarter finals examination. My daughter asked me, "Ma, natatakot ka ba?" I told her no, "Hinde ako takot anak, nervous lang si Mama. Pero kahit ano pa grades mo, okay na yun, naibili na kita ng gift e."

I relaxed a little while waiting for my turn to talk to her adviser. Turn out, there was nothing to worry about my baby. She was well-behaved in school. She's even one of the achievers (those who got the highest average), even if its only within her section and not in the over-all grade level. I am so proud of my girl! 

She is beaming while she makes kwento to her grandparents of her achievements. All smiles, I know how proud she is feeling at that moment. 

This is one of those things that I like with being a mother. Seeing your child all smiles, like its Christmas.