I’ve been going to the market every weekend lately. Really ever since our wash lady quit working due to she has to take care of her grand child. Before she quit she used to go to Bankerohan almost everyday. As you know to get the fresh fish and the veggies. But since she quit we don’t have many people here in the house that go to the market everyday. So me and my niece go to the market with the maids every weekend, to buy our veggie and meat supply for the whole week. Sometimes we go there early Saturday or early Sunday morning. It really depends on when we wake up early.

Two consecutive weekends ago Aaron went with us. It is much easier to have male companion to go there, at least somebody will carry the heavier stuff. The kids are not really a fan of going there. As you know the wet market in the Philippines has the tendency to have some smelly odors. But he had been kind enough to accompany me, my niece and maid to the market. What he does was just put his cell phone with MP3 on and just didn’t worry a thing and just follow me there where ever I shop. We went to the Bagsakan area (where they drop off fresh veggies from the mountains) for our veggies. It really is fresh. Just came from Bukidnon area. We like to buy the big potatoes (hmm not as big as Idaho potatoes though), onions (red & white) good for onion rings, beans, celery, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, green onions, and many others.

Veggies at the Market

One time when we went to buy the onions. The table/stall was loaded with people. When time for me to have my onions be weighed, the sales lady asked me if Aaron was a mestizo (Fil-Am) I answered her yeah. I could tell she had a sparkle on her eye. I guess she kept staring at Aaron the whole time when we were at her stall, and continued on when we moved to other stalls. I didn’t tell Aaron that he had an admirer there, he might not go with us there again. Really when we went to the veggie section, meat section or the fish and the fruit section some people were looking at him. I just not make a big deal out of it because knowing Aaron he will not go back there again if I said something. I like it when he goes with us, it is easier for me to roam around with the lighter load in my hand and he had the heavier one.

At the Market

It’s really nice to go there so early in the morning. Almost everything that’s being sold there is so fresh. Now we like to buy the meat like the beef tenderloin. It’s way cheaper there than the supermarket. I bought just a small amount last week of the tenderloin, I aged the meat in the fridge for 4 days, I cooked it after 4 days and the meat was really super tender and just so good. Slowly I will try other cuts of meat from there and just age the meat at our fridge. My niece also bought other cuts of meats from beef and pork for Filipino soups thing. It taste good too.

One place that we usually go there too was a place for Filipino delicacy (kakanin-snacks). They make good snacks food there. It’s really a family business. They only sell the snacks during weekends. The dad told us that his son cooks all the foods, so him and his daughter were the one selling it. It really helps out for the schooling of his kids he said. I think they also owned farm lands. I like to buy there to support them. Last week the son that cook all the foods was there. We were talking to him a little bit, the whole family seem nice people. I have to see next time we go there if they had a sign/name at their stall. I didn’t notice it though. I must have overlooked.

We also bought a whole tray of good sized eggs there with the lesser price of the egg we bought here at our sari-sari store. Since we like to bake and use a lot of eggs here in our house, it’s wiser for us to buy eggs there at the market. We already had a suki (place to buy a lot) there. They already know what eggs we want to buy. We also like to buy a good kind of rice there as well.

Its really is fun to go to the market. Lots of good stuff to see and lots of new people to mingle with. I might bump with one of you there too.

Happy shopping!

Wow, we got our big shocking earthquake a few nights back. My God,  felt that it would never end. It was really scary. I’ve been experiencing earthquake here and abroad, but never felt like forever until the other night. It’s one of the unforgettable experiences for us here. Just by looking at the faces at the people at my house, we had one thing in common “very scared”.

Because of the intensity of the quake, we decided to try to watch on our TV stations here in the Philippines. My goodness we didn’t see any breaking news from our local TV stations or the stations from Manila. Are you kidding me? Did you know where we got some of the warnings and the size of the quake? Of course from the cable news channels abroad like CNN, BBC, FOX NEWS, AL-JAZEERA, NEW ASIA, BLOOMBERG. Can you imagine no cable news channel from the Philippines takes the news on air minutes after the quake? We have ANC and other news network that are similar to CNN here. But unfortunately they still continue on with their regular programming. Solar TV get live maybe like 45 minutes after. I was even turning on our local radio FM and AM. No live feed from them either.

Earthquake shakes the Philippines

So it got us thinking, is it because the event was outside Manila. Is that why the cable news station in Manila didn’t make any effort to feature the event? It was really frustrating that you have to know from abroad of what’s going here in our country. Like a lot of people were really tuning on to see what was the announcement from PhilVocs, is there a tsunami on the way? We saw on CNN and other cable news abroad giving a tsunami warning. It would be nice to see our very own TVstations (local & cable channel) here in the Philippines featuring people from PhilVocs and have their advice relay to people. Some people say that you can see it on Twitter of what’s going on, hey the people in the mountain don’t have twitter account and cable news channel. They just rely on our local TV and radio stations here.

Just like when they had that tsunami warning. I told my family in GenSan right away. So they were up just to make sure. Those neighbors that don’t have the access to any information just went on to sleep and just didn’t think of any danger. Well, it turned out that the tsunami warning was lifted like an hour or so after the quake. But still, what if there was really a tsunami and people didn’t know about it because no TV and radio coverage from the local stations. Many people might die then. Really its annoying to know that everything will be decided by the Manila office even the event were outside there. As everything goes here in the Philippines all the stuff had the decision of the Manila office or something.

Earthquake damage in the Philippines

I think I’m not the only one that’s frustrated about it.  I saw all of those frustrations too from some of my friends on their walls on Facebook. We have the same thoughts, when something happened in Manila the stations there feature everything right away. Why can’t they do like that to the people in the other places here? Are they thinking we are just not as good as them? They should think where they get their food everyday. They don’t grow veggies and meat in the big city. Those things came from the provinces like Mindanao and the Visayas too. We work hard here like they do.

As if it’s not worth it to subscribe to the cable channel from Manila. But I know its needed too. I’m just so annoyed I guess. I have to vent a little here. Thank you guys for listening.

What do you think though? Are you okay that the stations here don’t bother to feature any event outside Manila? Let me know!

Since living here I’ve been asked so many times if I worked at call center or a DJ in an FM radio station. It’s been going on for sometime. At first I was puzzled and just didn’t think about it. Just a few days ago the question resurfaced again.

I went to a fast food restaurant early int the morning. I ordered something for breakfast. I gave the lady my order, we had a pleasant talk in between my order, just a simple chat.

We pretty much conversed in typical Mindanaoan way mixture of  Tag-Ce-Lish (Tagalog-Cebuan0-English). After I finished up telling her my order, she then asked me if I am a call center worker. I told her, sorry I never worked there. Awhile later after I got my take out food, it got me thinking. What makes people say that to me. Do I sound like the people working at the call center? How would those people there talk? Really too many questions tagged in my mind now.

A call center agent.. not me!

I’ve heard people and some friends who worked at a call center. They told me that they make pretty good money especially for a Filipino standard way of living. I think you guys that live here or used to lived here in Davao are familiar of the place called “The Venue” before? Just across the Central Bank over on Jacinto Extension. The Venue now turned into the big call center place here in Davao. Sometimes when I go to the bank early morning, I’ve seen the agents there at the next door restaurant and the sari-sari store drinking early in the morning. They were just out from their shift of work. Just looking at those agents with the nice and expensive cell phone in their hand, the clothes, the other gadgets, they look so expensive. They would not work there if the paycheck’s not good. It shows there they had fun doing what they are doing. I’ve heard and knew nurses that work at call centers. They said  it’s better to work there than abroad, the plus is not to be away from the loved one. I can understand that. Hmmm, that could be a job to think about for you ladies out there, just to ease the boredom of nothing to do.

Call Center in Davao

I remember a few years ago, a foreigner opened a call center here with his wife. He just put that business while waiting for his wife’s papers to migrate to the US. Plus the lady was finishing up her studies here before going there too. Anyway, one day he wanted to meet Bob and I. So we did, and he was telling us about his new business that they opened. As the conversation going, all of a sudden he said he wished he could hire me to manage the business. He said I know how to speak properly and I could help train his people how to speak English and I pretty much understand if somebody on the other line with some accents, he said. I was flattered he said that. I can speak English alright, but sometimes with the hard Southern accents I could be in trouble though.

For now I don’t think I have time to report for duty though. I’ve got so many things to do here in my house. I don’t have the stomach to work for those long hours too. 12 hours shift is way too much for me. That would be an exhausting job, plus dealing with the complaints and the miscommunication from the other end. That will drain me at the end of the day. Now it got me, this job might be just for the young people, is it really though?

Mabuhay!

Living in a third world country like the Philippines, some families that have a great deal of money hire 5 or more house helpers, drivers, gardeners, security guards, bodyguards and others to make life more comfortable for themselves. I guess typical households here hire 1 to 2 house helpers. In the West only the wealthy people have the capability of hiring helpers in the house. I know the typical household there doesn’t have any helpers or drivers. Employers here pay the workers just a fraction of what people in the West would pay. But of course people here will work for that certain amount of money because that’s the wage that everybody pays. I will not pay over the price that was intended to pay for the helpers. We will give something extra to our helpers in a different way.

Well, I just walked by a school here. I’ve seen family drivers with the nanny of the kid with them that will be waiting for the child/children of their employer. Some kids will have the nanny wait at the gate and the driver will just wait outside the gate in the car. Oftentimes other drivers will get together there outside the school for the children they are waiting to get out. While waiting most of the drivers that I’ve seen before will be talking or having snacks at the sari-sari store outside the school. Most of the schools have a covered area for the people to wait for the children to come out from the classrooms. Some drivers even sleep inside the car while waiting.

Drivers?

A few nights ago while walking and passing by the school. I knew their was a program in school because I saw the cars parked from one end of the street to the other. I just kept walking, heading to the street I’m supposed to go. On the way, I saw a van, and  the side door was opened. Saw people inside and outside. They were getting a little loud and I could tell they were having fun. As I was approaching near the vehicle, I saw a few guys playing cards. For me it was fine to play cards to ease the boredom while waiting for the kids. But something just caught my eye, one of the guy poured something from looks like a Tanduay bottle (from the silhouette  from the light post) on a small glass and he passes it to the other guy. I don’t know if they really are drinking liquor or beer. I am hoping not. But if they did, what would the parents think or do if the driver they entrusted with their kids were drinking? But then again it could have been the dad of the kids too that I saw. You’ll never know unless I was really asking them. But I am not going to ask them. I could be in trouble if I did. I would be told that it’s none of my business.

I remember when my nephew was with us. We let him study and hired a professional to train him. We paid good money for him to be trained. It was worth it though. Our rules for him were that he would never drink and drive. Even just a bottle of San Mig is a no no for him if he is driving. If he drinks it’s okay, but don’t try to drive then. He was driving some of our friends around town and outside Davao. Some of our friends drink. But he never drinks while driving with those friends.

I think the employer should set rules for the drivers to follow. They should not and never be allowed to drink and drive. I’ve seen people here driving under the influence. You could tell also that they are drunk. The vehicle looks like driving on the zigzag road. But then again it could be one of the parents. I know when we were in the States during time that there’s a big holiday there, we hardly go out because so many people partying. If we have stayed there we would be a member of that MADD (Mother’s against drunk drivers). Bob’s younger sister was killed by a drunk driver. It was a head on collision, and really killed her instantly. The hard part for Bob was, he saw the scene just minutes after the accident. Everything was still there. He thought it was all of his family there inside the vehicle. It was a tough situation for him to be in. I am not sure if they have that some sort of group here for people against drunk drivers. I will ask around.

If any of you guys hires a driver try to get a good and responsible driver.

Cheers!

I’ve been seeing some of my favorites fruits now in the market stand here. Been buying some of it already. Bob and I went somewhere the day before yesterday and we bought some pomelo, it was juicy and good. They had mangosten there at the fruit stand, I just didn’t purchase it yet because the price is super high. I can get it free from my cousin who lives in Kidapawan. Ha ha ha. They didn’t come here to the city yet. When they come here I will ask them to bring us some.

Rambutan

When me and my niece went to the wet market a few days ago. We bought  the fruits that’s in season now here like some green mango, rambutan, ripe mango (the yellow one), marang, lanzones, guava, santol and banana (also the really ripe banana that’s good for making banana bread). When it’s in season the price is so reasonable. All of us here in the house like to eat fruits. Well, except Aaron. He is choosy on what fruit to eat. He likes to eat apple, ripe mango, some pomelo and oranges.

We also like to eat tangerines, the green kind. When growing up my folks always says that when you have cough, citrus (especially a juice of kalamasi) is good for you. So I carried that saying to my kids too. So we have so many other kinds of oranges here. We like to eat the tangerines and dip a little bit in a salt (kind of weird huh). But, really it tastes good though, for us anyway. I remember when I was pregnant with my oldest son Chris before, I was craving for pomelo. Since I can’t find pomelo in the States, I just settled for grapefruit. Really it was good enough for me at that time. I would dip the grapefruit with salt. Same thing with the pineapple there, I ate it with salt. Really it helps with my morning sickness big time. My cravings when I was pregnant with Chris were pomelo, pineapple, grapefruit and beef jerky. What a weird combination huh? lol… Really that keeps me alive for the whole nine months duration of my pregnancy. Been to the hospitals a few times for dehydration. I can’t keep any other food in me. I will just throw up.

Pomelo

Anyway, the only thing that I say that the US was better fruits than here were the watermelon, cantaloupe, apple and peaches. But we can live with it. We really think that we have better fruits here. Good to make fruit salad. But did you know that most Filipinos likes to eat the fruit salad from the can and mix it with mayo and other stuff. I like it too. But here in the house Bob likes to eat the fruit salad with fresh fruits mix all together. He is not a fan of mayo so when my nieces makes the fruit salad out from the can, Bob will not have any from that. But honestly I do miss the raspberries (easy pick from the back of my in-laws yard) and the blackberries (wild near our house there). Good thing Abreeza mall has them from time to time.

Marang

Do you guys want some durian? Durian is getting good now, it’s the time of the year for harvest. When going around the city you can already see some trucks on the side of the road parking and selling durian. Bob and I usually opened our car window to get the lovely smell of durian. Bob and I, we are so opposite. He was the kano, but he was the one who ate the durian. Bob and my nieces they love it. I tasted the durian before but just don’t like the after taste. I can even taste and burp that stuff a day after. I kinda like the taste, but I don’t like the texture of it. Me and the kids would not eat durian, Jared definitely hates durian before. He even was mad one time when he was about 4 years old. He opened the our fridge and smell the durian, he was crying according to him “we are killing him” putting that durian on the fridge and it stinks to high heaven. It was funny to us when he said we are killing him. He was so furious and slammed the fridge door. He is okay with it now, but still would not eat it. He is into green mango though.

Mangosteen

Since I’m on the bragging mode about our fruits. Do any of you like to eat the jackfruit? Some people hate the smell of that jackfruit too. Me and the family like to eat jackfruit. We even like to put jackfruit on our ginataan ( sticky rice with coconut milk, banana and other stuff in it). Good also with turon (fried banana with jackfruit inside wrap with lumpia wrapper).

I think the US now gets good fruits from the Philippines already. I’ve seen some people bragging they have some rambutan and lanzones and kalamansi there. So it must be shipped there regularly. That is really good to hear. During my time there in the States I hardly sees  fruits that came from the Philippines. Hopefully Philippines will ship out more and more products to the West nowadays. If you happen to get tropical fruits, have a good eat there you guys.

Cheers!