Ang aming balik-bayan trip

As expected we're back to reality. Good thing is that I've psyched myself before going back that I just enjoyed every single day we spent back in the Phils and not feel so bad to be back in Malaysia.

First off..it felt soooo goood to be home!It was almost too good to be true. Suddenly all the simple things we took for granted in the Phils we came to appreciate and miss. Ang saya ng uwi namin!

Flight night:
I got stuck with turning over my candidates and other things in the office it was already 7PM and Ryan was waiting di pa ako makaalis ng office. We don't even have an idea what time the last bus is. Plus we're both hungry..dito pa naman eh wala nang mabibilhan ng food for snacks or something around 5PM. We were hoping we can grab something at KL Sentral para dinner na.

It was hard getting a cab since it was Friday. We were dragging along our monster luggage na almost empty and the Samsonite hand carry stroller. Good thing here, it's very easy to make taxi calls. Isang tawag lng, sila pa magrereturn call sa iyo and voila the nearest cab will be there in a few minutes.

In KL Sentral umalis na ung last trip ng isang bus line going to the airport. Naglakad lakad pa kme kse ung isang bus line may trip pa pala. Hence, we left KL to go to the airport at around 8PM. The bag of Ruffles I grabbed from the kitchen this morning came in handy + the empty bottle of water I refilled from the office. Instant dinner. By the time we arrived at the airport we spoiled our appetite for a proper dinner. Still I ordered cheeseburger at McDo and Ryan some mcnuggets.

We waited for hours since our flight leaves at 1:20 am and with the same predicament we had when we went to Bacolod Cebu Pacific's flight was delayed for another hour!!!At least shorter than the 3 hour delay of our flight to Bacolod before. Still it was such an unholy hour!!and we can't sleep properly with the airport seats. Wala bang iiimprove ang Cebu Pacific???

Day one: Friday

Since I informed my family that our flight was delayed when we arrived di pa sila umaalis ng bahay. Hehehe. Kami na lng naiwan sa airport na walang sundo pero even if there was no food served sa aming budget fare & napaka-stiff ng upuan ng Cebu Pacific eh I was so ecstatic to be back. Actually since 3 mos pa lng kmeng nawawala there were no drastic changes sa Pinas. Jollibee ang aming first meal kse ang tagal nila Dokee & mama dumating. In fairness ang sarap na ng fries ng Jollibee ha! Dati di mo ako mapapakain ng Jollibee fries.

Sa car pa lng mega update na kme. Especially kay Kris Aquino at James Yap...hahaha!And we forgot that it's almost election time na pala sa Pinas. So update din ng mga tatakbo etc. Pagdaan namin ng Makati gusto kong humalik sa lupa we were greeted with the usual morning rush and traffic. Ahh...ito ang wala sa KL. Kung meron man eh stop light lang feeling ng mga local eh traffic jam na dito.

Breakfast was tinapa & itlog na maalat!Yum yum yum! Sobrang busog ako! At ang bahay namin may Christmas decor pa..muntik na akong maiyak kse dito parang holy week ang naging pasko namin. Tlagang di nila tinanggal para makapag-picture daw kme (as if eh na-lo bat naman ang digi cam at di namin dala yung charger).

We went with Dokee right away to have my tooth fixed. She had so many patients we tried sleeping in her clinic's dining area to wait for my turn. When I woke up I requested for a yellow cab pizza! Yum yum yum na naman!!!!Aliw na aliw naman ako sa mga campaign ng senators sa TV. At may mga starlets na di ko na marecognize ha.

Anyway after my treatment dumiretso na kme sa Greenhills tiangge for my maternity clothes shopping. Salamat naman at uso ang preggy blouses kse sa totoo lng di pa kasya sa akin khit small na maternity clothes. Dapat nga papa-derma pa ako kaso di namin nakausap yung derma ko kung papayag syang i-treat ako and her new sched pala is off sya pag Fridays. For merienda we had pansit malabon...and sarap!Grabe sa totoo lng super sarap kumain. At home for dinner it was monggo with chicharon!!Ang dami dami kong nakain. Yung baby bihira lng maglikot maybe because ang dami nyang stock ng food.

Day two: Saturday

Ryan and I promised to keep Saturday for ourselves. It was our "date day" especially we did not go out for Valentines and reserved it for our homecoming. Gusto pa sana ni Ryan 3 sine?! Sabi ko 2 lng. So we booked Ghost Rider in the afternoon & Music and Lyrics in the evening. Kme ang nagbukas ng ticket counter..hehehe!So we got good seats. Nasabik kme sa sine kse sa PInas we watch movies regularly or I mean as far as my schedule would allow. Hehehe at least sa Pinas anytime na trip mong manood you can watch tlga. Dito naman kse sabog ang sched ng movies. So its a must to check a website and be at the cinema on time.

We went home for lunch sa bahay kse gusto ko tlga ng homecooked binagoongang baboy & mangga. So mama prepared this while I went to the salon to have my nails done & Ryan went to his barber na halos yakapin nya sa pagkamiss (esp after his tragic haircut incident her tlgang mapapatay mo ang barbero sa kapalpakan).Balik Greenbelt after lunch kahit na late kme sa Ghost Rider..hehehe inis na inis si Ryan kse di namin nasimulan. It was a big date night indeed. Ang saya ng buong gabi! We heard mass at Greenbelt chapel, ate & ate the food we missed..goto + tokwa't baboy, bibingka...ang sarap kumain I barely had room for dinner. I loved Music & Lyrics sobrang nakakatuwang panoorin and after the movie you'll really have a last song syndrome of the song Way Back Into Love. Dapat nga bibili pa ako ng soundtrack kaso sarado na ang Music One so dito na lng siguro sa KL. Another best part of the day was Ryan bought me the lacking series of my Shopaholic books. Hehehe. Spoiled!

Day three: Sunday

Time to go to Ryan's hometown. Same old same old except that ang layo na pala ng tawiran sa dati naming babaan so mega walkaton kme under the sun. It was good to see his family again although super kulit and likot ng kanyang mga pamangkin. Ang cute cute na ng bunso ni Ate. Nakakatuwa din si mama although ewan ko lng kung namiss nya kme actually di ko rin nga alam kung kilala nya kme...hehe. In a way I took it as an indication that she knows us in her heart kse nung ngpaalam kme na aalis na kme she said, "aalis na kayo ulit?" parang somehow eh may sense sya that we are going away.

Day four: Monday

Appointment for the day: SSS (maternity benefit), LTO (license application), lunch with Ma'am Cecille, more shopping in Makati, haircut at Lucy B., dinner with the winckies. Need I say more? I was a full full day. I ate kare-kare twice one sa Dencio's with Ma'am Cecille and nung dinner at Recipes. Most importantly I love my new haircut and I love the stylist in Lucy B. bakit ba ngayon lng ako ngpagupit dun. He did a great job with my hair and he styled it while it was dry para walang phony after-cut kapag basa at na-blow dry. It was so natural and was really low maintenance as he promised it would. I just forgot his name pero di sya gay, lalaking lalaki gusto ko nga sana ipa-train si Ryan..hahaha!Sya nga daw nakukulay sa wife nya. Bongga di ba?! Imagine nagkukulutan kme ni Ryan pag weekends.

It was so nice to see my friends na ang iba ay nung kasal pa namin huli kong nakita. Chismisan galore!Kulang ang gabi...naawa nga ako kay Ryan kund di lng ako buntis pinauwi ko na. Kse naman we haven't had a decent sleep during our trip.

Day five: Tuesday

Ilang oras na lng we'll be in KL again. Syempre nagpa-footspa muna ako sa Index ever. At nggrocery n kme ng mga food na wala dito. Lie low and packing galore. Ang galing tlga mag pack ni mama! Ang dami dami naming dala. It was a wortwhile stay ang kinalulungkot lng ni Ryan di kme nakapag-Boracay or something. With the baby coming kelan nga kaya ulit yun? I wonder if we'll have the heart to leave the baby behind and have a vacation.

I was so happy di naharang ang aming bagoong, taba ng talangka, tocino, hotdog, luncheon meat, etc sa airport kse maiiyak ako pag naiwan yun kung alam nga lng namin dinagdagan pa namin ang dala...hehehe.

All in all it was a good trip. I learned my lesson sa Cebu Pacific and chose the seats na may pinakamalaking legroom. Next time din puro pagkain na ang laman ng bag namin that is if I can resist shopping for clothes again. =)

Uwian na!!!

It has only been 3 mos yet I'm so excited to go back home!!

Ryan and I came up with a list of things to eat and take home with us:
MUST eat:
- tinapa, itlog na maalat
- binagoongang baboy & mangga
- longanissa
- Yellow cab
- tapa king
- kare-kare with bagoong
- crispy pata
- bacon
- hotdog
- chicharon bulaklak (Pampanga)
- Fishballs & Squidballs
- balot
- relyenong bangus

and the list gets longer as if we only came back to eat. Hehehe!I'm so excited!

I'm sure our bags will be packed again just like the first time. Good thing the attendants of Malaysian Airlines were kind enough to allow the overweight. What an overweight it was before.

This time I'm meeting again one group of friends only. Have only one body to do so and only 5 days to accomplish what we will come back for. I never knew one can miss his own country this much when he/she becomes an OFW. Good thing about our set up is Ryan & I are together so no dealing the usual long distance relationship stuff. Still I miss the food and my usual activities that I can't wait to go home into the arms of my excited family & friends!!!And all the food the used to comfort me of course!

What am I doing?

At the office today and I'm engrossed with my e-book Confessions of a Shopaholic. Obviously blogging now, not really doing anything productive so it seems.

I am at a point where I don't want to admit frustration..more appropriately it's confusion and the floating feeling of not having a sense of direction in what I am doing. I don't let my thoughts wander far into that.

No wonder weekends at home are boring me.

There's a five day vacation in the Philippines I am looking forward to but the problems with vacations is the feeling why it has to end so soon. Arrrggghh! Ignore the gloomy gal I've become. Must be the pregnancy hormones doing this. Hahaha!

Di na nakakatuwa

Grrrr tlga!Grrr grrr grrr!!!

Although I have complaints about my new job which is so mababaw and seems to be part of the job, I have prepared myself working with people who has a different culture naturally. Having better hopes with my kababayans instead.

Unfortunately not the case. People here whether from India, or locally here in Malaysia have been very nice and easy to work with. Of course not minding a few communication gap once in a while (again very acceptable di ba?). It is so disappointing na kung sino pa yung mataas expectations ko sila pa ang hindi makaintindi. Nagtitimpi na lng ako na sigawan ang mga taong concerned ng isang malaking BOBO!!TANGA!! Considering that working as an HR for more than 5 years has extended my patience and tolerance for people in the workplace who are so narrow minded. At talagang di ako pumapatol sa bading na papansin at hindi makapag-English!actually tinagalog na di pa din makaintindi.

Di ko alam san pa huhugutin ang pasensya. Ang hirap kseng patulan ng tao na stupidity lang ang problema. As in hindi marunong magbasa ng email..sorry but the email HAD TO BE IN ENGLISH! Because the management here was put in cc alangan naman itagalog ko para lang maintindihan ng isang..hmmp ewan!!

Grrr tlga. This is the last time I'm wasting my time for this type of person gusto ko lng tlga maglabas ng sama ng loob. Kse alangan naman i-share ko sa officemates ko dito eh so far peace loving naman sila. Sabihin nila I can't handle my own kababayan...which is actually true. Haaay kakalungkot!

Today's OB visit

It's been two weeks since I last saw my OB and the baby under the ultrasound. As of yesterday baby is officially 4 mos. old inside me. He/she is now bigger and fuller. The toes and hands were clearer. Even the head showed more distinct figures of the lips and eyes. The baby was so calm..after he waved at Ryan (as Ryan claims). The tiny cute heart was beating. Sometimes I can already feel his movements at night when he's usually active.

I went back today since my doctor insisted on getting my blood for some tests. I hope it goes well considering that I lost weight! When I was not pregnant I tried hard to lose weight..oops make that wished hard I can lose weight. Now I'm losing weight when I should be gaining it already.

Morning sickness is over and what a relief it is. Unfortunately my tooth filing got removed and chewing became so painful. Hence we suspect this for my weight loss. My OB recommends immediate help from the dentist. Given my condition I don't want any dentist hello! I want Dokee! I was thinking of sending her over but it will be so difficult for her alangan naman maghanap kme ng mahihiraman nya ng clinic dito. I wanted to go home but hesitating since work schedule is sooo tight!! Ang daming requirements and napaka-untimely not to mention bago lng ako dito magpaalam ng 2 days leave. Nakapag sick leave na nga ako eh. Tapos late na late na late pa ako kanina pumasok dahil sa check-up ko...11:30 na ako dumating..hehehe ang kapal noh?! So the chances are so slim na payagan ako..

Minsan tlga nakakamiss ang buhay sa Pinas na may househelp. Kse kakatamad magluto pag sobrang pagod sa work at sobrang sakit sa ipin. Dati kse nakaready na ang lulutuin ko...at pagkatimpla may taga-bantay pa. Patikim tikim na lng. May taga-hugas pa ng mga ginamit ko...hahaha!At pag tlgang nakakatamad may BBQ kay Aling Rose na sure na malinis at fresh. Sana wag mabasa ni Ryan ito kse baka i-deport nya ako sa Pinas kaka-homesick ko lalo na sa mga food. Sana din may milagro bigla na pwede akong mag-absent dito kahit 2 days lng para makakain ng hotdog, tocino, ginataang halo-halo, lechon; makapagpa-manicure, pedicure & hotoil sa suking parlor; makanood ng mga teleserye, tagalog movie, magshopping sa SM...este para pala mapagawa ko na itong ipin ko.

Baby's KL Experience

Now that it has been a month since we've settled with our new jobs and new life here in KL I'm glad to be back to blogging. Of course only as often as my work load would allow me.

I immediately saw a doctor (or at least the soonest I can, considering that I had to work for my first weekend and the company outing the next). It was no contest in choosing my new OB-Gynecologist, there were only a few of them holding a clinic on Saturdays on a nearby hospital where we got our place and since this is my first we'd be more comfortable with a female doctor. She was the only female doctor who holds a clinic on Saturdays.

I've been hearing plenty of good feedbacks about the hospital too such as it's the best maternity hospital here in KL. We were not disappointed it was first class even better facilities than Makati Med. Hehehe. Equipments and rooms are all new. So the package for giving birth of around P50,000 normal delivery here is worth it. It already includes my doctors PF according to the hospital. Pricey I know but we feel confident that it will all be worth it for this hospital. =)

As for my doctor, medyo mashunda na sya..hehe. Ang kaba ba naman ni Ryan baka daw matigok bago ako manganak...don't mind him OA lng yun. Indian sya so halos lahat ng pasyente ganun din. Pagpasok namin sa clinic nya grabe!Parang walang naligo sa kanila..wahh!My biggest worry na sabi ko kay Ryan pag ganyan din ang simoy ng hangin ng doctor ayoko na. Buti naman hindi tska mabait naman. Our visit to her was also the first time we saw our baby via ultra sound. Here's the picture:



I never thought it will be such an overwhelming experience! At first the monitor was aly facing Ryan and I wanted to get up and pull the monitor because he was getting all excited and the OB was telling him these are the hands, the arms, the eyes and he was ecstatic because the baby was so active and kept on moving! Until finally I got my turn. Indeed the baby was so malikot...naku nasa tyan pa lng ang likot na! He kept on moving. Ryan told me when they were looking at the baby he turned away from them. But I never thought the experience of actually seeing a proof that indeed a life is forming inside me would be this much! Ryan insisted on coming back or even buying our own ultrasound. Di tlga excited ang daddy to be!Hehehe.

Aside from the frequent throwing up my pregnancy is just fine. Ryan gets to do a lot of house work especially when my morning sickness strikes me at night. Good thing he doesn't complain..(yet!I hope). I guess as long as he's expecting the baby I can make him do whatever I want..except for allowing me to eat potato chips etc. Nyahaha!Not that I'm abusing him or anything ha!hehehe...

By the way thank you all for your well wishes! Sorry but the time we found out we were so busy packing our things going here that I didn't get to thank you all. Especially the surprising visitors who sent me text messages after reading my blog (hehe may nagbabasa pala nito). I didn't even had the chance to say goodbye because we were so busy. After a months time I would say that we're more or less settled and finding our way around here.

If you're linked to my multiply account I usually update it with our recent pictures here in KL so just check it out once in a while. =) Til next time!

First sign

It was Saturday morning and we were scheduled to go home to Pampanga to visit Ryan's family. When I woke up I feel lazier than ever and nauseous that I want to throw-up. Fortunately I did not. I had a strange feeling already and even asked Ryan that I wanted papaya for breakfast. It was almost noon when we left and so as not to take too much time we just ordered a pizza for take-out. I slept most of the way in bus and never felt dizzy (I rarely have motion sickness). When we got of the bus however it was a different story. The world swirled around me and I reached out for the plastic bag Ryan was holding and threw-up. Dinner I hardly ate. Breakfast I felt sick at the sight of pork fat in the afritada and ended up just eating 1 piece of pandesal.

On the way home I was getting nauseous again. So when we got off MRT we decided to pass by Rockwell to have lunch. I wanted to eat nilagang baka so we ate at Dencio's. However I did not enjoy it so I finished only half of my rice. Mwahaha!Ako ba ito? It was only 2:30 pm when we got home so we thought we will sleep first before hearing mass. After the 7:00 PM mass there I was again...very very nauseous and throwing up like forever. I insisted that Ryan buys a pregnancy kit. We were supposed to buy one after the mass but we left our wallets and brought only enough money. While Ryan was out I was sprawled at our bathroom floor feeling weak already from another bout of throwing up. I got up to do the test...

One line appeared...

Then another...



Not conscious of the result Ryan told me "diba pag dalawa yung line positive?" We checked the box to make sure. Indeed a double line means I'm positively pregnant! =D Yey! We read it again and analyzed it pa...but you know I had this feeling since Saturday. A feeling different than just being delayed of my period. We were hugging each other so happy and excited! Suddenly all my dizziness vanished. What worries us was if I'm not pregnant then what was happening to me. Food poison or an allergy, fortunately it was nothing to worry about.

Finally the answer to the relentless questions we've been hearing since we got married. "wala pa ba?" some mean statements pa like -- "wala ang hina naman ni Ryan!" I just haven't complained in this blog but it's a classic annoyance to any newlyweds. But that's another entirely different blog entry. For now we are celebrating so many things and just looking forward to the following days to come!

Tamang pagka-miss

May mga tao na di pa umaalis at nandyan pa lagi sa tabi mo pero miss na miss mo na
...siguro dahil alam mo ilang araw na lang at mawawalay na sya sa iyo

May mga tao na dapat sana namimiss mo pero di bale na lng
...siguro dahil nasaktan ka masyado, di mo inaasahan, di mo maintindihan pa'no kayo naging ganito ngayon

May mga tao na di mo alam na namiss mo kung di pa kayo ulit nagkasama
...siguro madami kang pinagwalang bahala sa relasyon ninyo noon

May mga tao na pwede mo na lng ma-miss
...dahil alam mong sa isip at panaginip mo na lang sila makakasama

Pero ano pa man klase ng pagka-miss alam mo at alam ko na ang mga nakakamiss lang ay ang mga tao na importante sa atin. Kasama mo man sya ngayon. Inasahan mong kasama hanggang ngayon. Di mo na madalas makasama. Di na muling makakasama.

Sana lang importante ka din sa kanila. Sana lang ganun din ang nararamdaman nila.

Ngunit higit sa lahat hindi man kayo pareho ng naiisip o nararamdaman...sana lng alam nila na ganyan sila kahalaga.