Can we all get along!

July 25, 2013 by feyma

Can we all get along!

I was talking to an old friend. We were trying to reminisce our good memories of our lives when we used to live in the States. We’ve known each other during our time of getting the visa days in Manila. We’ve met there at the US Embassy office over 22 years ago now. We really became good friends ever since then. Reminiscing the waiting at the early hours for the US Embassy office to finally open, wanting to be the first in line. Ha ha ha.. No matter how early me and my sister went there we usually be on the 5th or so in line. But oh well, still happy to be one of the first few people that will enter the place.

What a chaotic place that was when it opened. We had a joke before that when entering the embassy, it felt like entering the public market here in the Philippines. Too noisy. Lol. I’m pretty sure they might be controlled better now, since some of the other transactions were done online. One sample alone was the getting of the visa. During our time we had to go back to the embassy a few days after the interview and get the visa ourselves. Nowadays, they will just mail it to you directly to the address you’ve provided for them to be sent to. More convenient and no hassles of waiting outside the gate and inside the office.

My friend was telling me about her experience in the area where she’s living now. Her and her Pinay friends were so divided just because of gossip and jealousy. My friend, she’s successful talking about financially and her family life. She just had better life than some of the Pinays there in her area. Well, some of her jealous friend spread rumors that’s not even true about her, she just didn’t do anything because she told me that she had better things to do than to think about those jealous girls. That’s the better approach to that I think, just leave it and later the issue will just die down. That’s what I would do too if I were in her shoes. Most of the gossip girls just don’t have something to do in life other than watch other people’s lives. They might be imitating the soap opera or the teleserye on TFC.

I saw a lot of it here too. It’s just not the Filipinos do that kind of thing, I saw and heard expats too. It’s just human nature to get jealous of the success of others. Some know how to control their jealousy, some just plain anger and jealousy that they can’t sleep without destroying other people. It’s just so crazy to think, but it happens. Some were even killing just over jealousy and gossip. It’s just not worth it. The “Crab mentality” is really present not just in the Philippines but all over the world.

Just like my friend was telling me, she was just letting someone borrow something from her. Then she forgot that the other friend had it for a long time. When time for her to use it, she remembered that the friend had it. She then asked the stuff that was borrowed to be returned. The friend was furious because the friend claimed she own the stuff since she had it for a long time. WOW, the friend had the guts to be mad and to think she’s the one that borrowed something. I can’t believed it that my friend was punished for being nice and trying to help out.

At the end she was blamed that its her fault that the friendship was falling apart. No friendship would fall apart if the friend just return the stuff and just say thank you and sorry that it was not return right away and friendship would flourish. Instead the friend just spread rumors and gossip and she even involved other friends. Even her kids she involved them too, which is really ridiculous and crazy for me.

Living with jealousy and anger will not get her life better. My friend is wishing for a happy and peace of mind for her friend. That she should live life to the fullest instead of bitterness.

Mabuhay!

July 18, 2013 by feyma

Reconnecting friends from over a decade of friendship!

Yesterday I went to see again a friend that Bob and I knew for over a decade now. We knew them through the net. Her name is Effy, she now lives in Texas with her husband John and their 2 kids Jessa and little JP. Now joined by Effy’s mom Ate Ermie.

We met her just not long after we arrived here from the States in early 2000. At that time we used to live in GenSan. Effy just graduated her college and got engaged to her fiancee John from The States. At that time Effy was still the shy girl. Just talking and interacting with her I remember my days with her before meeting Bob and before my days going to the States. The typical Pinay, so shy and timid. Effy really is every parents dream to have for a daughter. Bob met Effy and John when Bob came to Davao for a business trip. John came here to see Effy for the first time. Bob and John had been communicating on the net for awhile. John decided to visit GenSan. We’re so happy to show them around, we brought them to Lake Sebu and Isla Parilla and other nice places there.

The long time friends

We still got in contact with Effy after John went home. One day we had some business to do here in Davao. We then proceeded to Tagum to see Effy. I think at that time she’s working at the hospital there. It happened to be her off day at work, we invited her to come with us to Davao to have lunch. We brought her to one of the restaurant here. I think that was Don Henrico’s Restaurant near Gaisano South. We ordered foods and one of the things we ordered was onion rings. That was the first time Effy tasted onion rings and she really like it a lot.

John came back few months after and they had pre-wedding celebration here in Tagum. Bob and I were invited. It was really a nice and beautiful celebration. Effy’s mom Ate Ermie who is a fabulous wedding planner, she prepared the whole thing. It was grand since her lovely daughter would be married in a few weeks in the States. The party here was for the family of Effy who can’t attend the wedding in the States. We were sort of the grooms family during the pre-wedding. Our friendship did not end after we atteneded the pre-wedding. John and Effy went to the States a few days after the pre-wedding celebration. Effy first lived in Seattle for a few years before settling to Texas until now. John is a chef at RainForest Restaurant.

Aaron and Jessa

Even when Effy was already in the States I am still communicating with her mom. Then when Effy visit her family here after living in the States for a few years. She came to our house and just catch up with our friendship. Then a few years ago Ate Ermie’s went to States. We still continue on our friendship. Thank goodness for Facebook and the telephone. We continue knowing each other activities through there. I can see now that Effy is a very busy mom to her daughter who happens to be modeling. She’s traveling to have shows on some other areas in Texas.

Effy and her mom Ermie also do some wedding planning and flower arrangement on the side for wedding in there area in Texas. Effy also accepts Balikbayan Boxes shipment for the Philippines. If ever you want more info just email me on that.

To Effy and Ate Ermie, little JP and Jessa. It was really nice seeing you guys. Thank you so much for visiting. Thank you for the gifts too. I hope to see you guys before you head back home. Have a good visit with your family here in the Philippines. Have a good trip home.

July 11, 2013 by feyma

The eye popping show!

Been watching shows on TV. One that caught our attention was the show “Restaurant Impossible” by Robert Irvine. The show really is about drowning in debt restaurant owners and asking help from Robert on how to make their restaurant better and more profitable. What Robert will do he will renovate the restaurant and improved the menu for 2 days with the budget of $10,000. He will have help from his few different designers and his builder Tom. Both Bob and I really like the show and the people that help Robert. A lot of time we would be in awe of the outcome of the renovation. I also learned a few menus from him.

Robert Irvine of Restaurant Impossible

It’s really puzzling to me how could any owners let there restaurant be filthy, disgusting and so much gunk. Just watching the show makes my stomach turn upside down. Lots of time my eyeballs just about to pop out just watching those people when picking up the equipment in the kitchen and it’s filth every where. I felt that the workers just didn’t care and I guess the owners too. Too many OMG came out from my mouth in every episode that I watch of that show. It’s just mind blowing that the owners don’t have a clue how disgusting their restaurant has become. Like Bob and I were always commenting while watching the show, why can’t the owner start cleaning when they try to reach out for Robert before he come there to see their restaurant? At least when he comes to visit the resto it is partly clean already. Geez, if I would be the owner I would be embarrassed seeing my restaurant so filthy. Most of the restaurant that Robert would visit he always say its like a pig sty. And I totally agree with him.

Now since watching that show. My gosh, I was telling Bob that I felt like not eating at any restaurant now here in the Philippines, unless it is a newly opened restaurant. If the restaurant in the West goes like that so filthy and so disgusting, to think they had people from the government checking the restaurant regularly. What will be the restaurant here? I am not sure if they have regular people from the government checking the restaurant or do they have strict regulations on maintaining the restaurant here.

When going to the restaurant now all I’m thinking when ordering if the drinks and ice dispenser the inside is it clean? Are the cooking pots and pans cleaned? Are there mice crawling all over the restaurant during the night? Are the meats and veggies cleaned before cooking and serving? Gee, too many questions now in the back of my head. I mean I am not saying that the restaurant be super, super clean. Really it would be nice though if it would. But I would like it to be at least everything’s clean and the plates that were clean be covered that no bugs crawling in. No mice inside the kitchen running all over.

I don’t mind eating and drinking at some other good known restaurants here. Also right now I don’t mind eating at S & R since they just opened and some other restaurant that just opened recently. I know that the drinks & ice dispenser still in good shape.

Have a good eat everyone!

July 4, 2013 by feyma

“Brigada” the new requirements!

The new requirements now to enroll a kid here in the Philippines in a public school for grade school and high school are to do a Brigada. The “Brigada” or also known as Bayanihan. To work together to do something useful for the classroom or the school. It’s mostly and effort of the teachers, parents, students and member of the community. It is actually a week or 2 week long work in school. But you don’t have to work at the school the whole time. One parent or both can go there to the classroom and work there for an hour or more depending on how long you are willing to help out. I guess if ever few kids in the family goes to the school, the parents can do the brigada thing once and they can choose what grade level they want to work with, it surely depend on the parents on that.

Brigada Eskwela

With these efforts some volunteers were so attuned that they also give out or donate I say like paint, brooms, school supply, decor for the classroom, could give curtains and also helping putting them up, can give other stuff that needed there. The volunteers that help out will clean up the whole classroom inside and outside before the school starts. Parents and children will work side by side to paint the classroom or fix the chairs that’s been broken or other stuff that’s needs to be done. It also a good start to know the other parents and the teachers better. If you have some extra stuff in your house like cleaning products you can give it to the teacher-in-charge for the of used of the product.

Sending your kids to public school here it’s really similar to the States that almost everything is free. From the school tuition to the books. The teachers here would not even ask the parents for donations. They will just say that if you want to give you can, but you are not oblige to give.

Some schools they starts asking volunteers early (like the whole summer) to help out especially if lots of major repairs needs to be done like with the ceilings or some broken chair, teachers desk and bathroom leaks or smooth up the concrete walls. They also asked local businesses for assistance that will participate with the brigada.

I just heard that brigada recently when our wash lady was asking for an off day during the week for her to go for the brigada thing. She could tell that I had no idea what she was talking about, so she explained to me. Then I also asked my sister about it. Really it is cool to have it. I think they started the brigada thing during the mid 90′s to late 90′s. I’ve never experienced that when I was in grade school or in high school. It will be good start knowing the other parents especially later if your kid wants to spend the night at the classmates house. At least you already had an idea who they are with.

Feel free to share your Brigada or Bayanihan experience. School just started here, hope everyone is ready. Hope you guys had a good summer. For the folks in the West your summer just started. Have a good one there.

Mabuhay!

September 20, 2012 by feyma 3 Comments

Pork chop with caramelized onions!

Bob and I like watching a good cooking show. One of the shows we liked to watched were Gordon Ramsey’s “Ultimate Cookery Course”. It’s really a great and learning show for me. So for my first menu I tried the Pork chop. I went to the market last Sunday. While there I bought my pork chop there. As you know here most meat stands when they sells pork chop it was chopped to about an 8th to a quarter of an inch, so it’s thinner than the pork chop that I wanted. So I went to the meat vendor that I always go to in Bankerohan and told the owner of the stall what I want. She said to tell her butcher what I just told her. I told the in-charge if he could cut me 4 pieces of pork chop and about an inch thickness. He gladly did it for me.

Tonight I cooked the pork chops. I seasoned the meat with salt & pepper. Cut the side of the chops where the skin about 2 inches apart. While waiting for my meat to be at room temperature. I prepared the other ingredients, chopped the onions. I cooked the onions first. Cut the onions. Put the pan on the stove to heat a little then put some canola or olive oil not smoking hot. Then put the onions add salt & pepper. When the onions starts to turn glossy put about a half to a tablespoon of sugar and keep stirring until color brown or to your liking. You can add red wine vinegar to the onions or balsamic vinegar. Up to what you felt like putting. Put in the bowl and set aside.

Wash the pan where you cooked your onions. Put in the stove for a few minutes to make the pan hot. Then pour like 3-tablespoons of olive oil. Make it hot, then put the pock chop and maybe like 3 cloves of whole or a little smashed garlic with it. Let it be cook like 3 minutes in each side. While the chop was cooking put about 3 tablespoon of butter, using the spoon keep on putting the oil and butter mixture on top of the pork chop while its cooking to keep the pork chop moist inside. After cooking, put the pork chop in a plate and if you like garlic squeezed the cooked garlic on top with the pork chop and let it rest for like 5 minutes.

Have fun trying and eating you guys!

Good cut pork chop!

Pork chop with onions!

Yummy pork chop!

Cut the skin on the chops