I've always loved photoblogs. I feel like I'm more of a
visual person than a writer. Sometimes though my brain
loves to tell stories and thanks to Inquirer, one has
been published already. So this blog will be a mix of
both: things I see through my lens or letters I type down
on my laptop. (: Best viewed using Google Chrome.
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And the Day has Finally Come :)
Sunday, January 16, 2011,
 Please pray for my safety as I travel more than 24 hours to get to J.. Labels: Last 75 days  Leave a comment? // 0 Comment(s)
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CFO Sticker and Less than 2 Weeks Left
Wednesday, January 5, 2011,
Happy New Year everybody! :) I had a simple but memorable holiday with my family and I hope you did too. It seems like forever since the last time I was here. I feel like I’m juggling a lot of things all at the same time that busy is becoming an understatement. So many things have been accomplished. I have packed my balikbayan bayan box full of clothes to bring to Florida. Now I’m looking at the things I want to bring versus the size of my luggage. I know it’s impossible to fit my whole room inside a 25 kilogrammer, but miracles happen! :p I’ve also bought things that J asked for like Goldilocks’ Pinipig Pulvoron, Chocnut (he became obsessed when he first tried it last year) and tons of Happy Peanut for him (he lovesssss it!). Got my winter clothes ready too but lately Florida weather is coming back that I might not be able to wear the boots I bought when I get there. Tsk tsk, what a waste of money that will be. But nevertheless, my passport is all set to fly! (Just my passport, mind you. :p) The other day I was able to attend the Guidance and Counseling at St. Mary’s in Aurora Boulevard for the mandatory Pre-departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS). If you were able to read my old entry, it’s just 5 minutes away from my home. So it was a breeze to get there, no Manila traffic to beat and you can get the CFO sticker in the same place. I thought I knew what to bring since I’ve read a lot of articles online but good thing I was ready with all they needed. So if you’re planning to attend the PDOS at St. Mary’s too, please check the requirements below. For counselling (US Bound with Visa)*: - Passport and 3 photocopies - US Visa and 3 photocopies - 1 ID picture (they would accept any size) - Php 250 for the counselling fee After counselling/For CFO Sticker: - Guidance & Counseling Certificate of Attendance and a photocopy of it - Passport - Php 400 for the CFO sticker So here is an overview of what happened and some tips: Go inside the green gate of Good Sheppard Convent in Aurora. There are no signs outside. Don’t fear. Once you’re inside the gate, you’ll see a huge sign of St. Mary’s Center for Overseas Workers (SMEF-COW) plus sign board leading you to the Commission on Filipino Workers Overseas (CFO) office. The guard on duty was nice enough to lead me where to go. When you reach the blue door of St. Mary’s, you will be asked for your passport. Also, you’ll be asked to present 3 photocopies of the passport and the visa. Good thing I have them handy as photocopy service inside the building is Php14 each! I was asked for the counselling fee and was asked to write my details on a log book. After a few minutes of waiting, I was given 2 forms to fill out (1 for the counselling and 1 will be needed for the CFO office). They attached the photocopies of my passport and visa in the forms. They also took a digital photo for the counselling certificate. I was asked to fill out the forms in the waiting area. I got there 10 minutes before 10 am as that was the schedule written on the CFO information that was sent to me when the visa was delivered. But they told me to join the 11 am counselling. At this batch, there was only me and another girl who was bound for Qatar. From what I know, as per other PDOS blog entries I’ve read, there will be a film that will be showed on the counselling. It wasn’t shown to us and I’m thinking of reasons why. Maybe the fact that I have a half-Filipino fiancé who grew up here and the other girl who attended has worked overseas already and has married an Irish national were considered. But the real reasons will be unknown; for all we know it might just be a lunch hour crunch. :p After a talk about Metrobank’s OFW Bank accounts (which J and I are interested in) we were then off to one-on-one counselling. The other girl is pregnant and although I was there first, she was called to do the counselling first. As we all know, life is unfair! :p But my counselling was short. With the counsellor, we just reviewed policies on international airports and some horror stories about unlucky Filipinas and their fiancés. And we had a short talk about how I met J and our love story. It was short because I was hungry and I didn't want to talk that much. Yeah, maldita mode. :p  After signing the counselling sheet, I was told to wait until 1 pm for the CFO to open after their lunch break. So to finish off the SMEF experience, I was given a certificate of counselling and was told to have it photocopied as it is a requirement in getting the CFO sticker. I walked to the LRT station and bought my siopao for lunch since I only need to wait 30 minutes, I didn’t see the point in going home. I went back to St. Mary’s and sat down at the waiting area and ate away. At exactly 1 pm, I got up went upstairs for my CFO sticker. I was only asked for my passport, the other form that I’ve filled out earlier, the fee and the rest was their job to do. I only sat there as the lady printed out things and finally I got another Counselling Certificate that was stapled to my passport and the CFO sticker.   Took me around 4 hours to finish everything, if it wasn’t for the lunch time and if I was interviewed first, might have taken less of my time. I’m only waiting for 12 days more before my flight to Florida. I’m excited amidst all the stress. I’ll be having some despedida parties soon. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit this blog more in the next days. This, surely, will be a start of a happy happy happy new year for both J and I! :) xoxo *I wasn’t able to get the details of what you need if you still don’t have a visa. So for that and other things not in this entry you may call and inquire at St. Mary’s at 913-6439 and 911-1814. Labels: Last 75 days, PDOS, requirements, sticker before departure Leave a comment? // 0 Comment(s)
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Update: My Last 75 Days in Pinas
Sunday, November 21, 2010,
And the countdown continues today making it 58 days before I leave Manila. Yes, I know I have not been updating you guys but heck my job is keeping me asleep at mornings! :p But I'm not complaining, my job has been giving me a lot of good vibes lately. :) So what's been happening? Friday || 05 November Google.com has released a version of their page where you can personalize it! But sadly, it doesn't work if you have a Philippine IP address. But here, look at what J did for his. :)  Saturday || 13 November This is what's keeping me busy, work work work but all fun fun fun! Once I leave, I'm sure gonna miss the people I've been working with and the job itself. And yes, my hair is getting really long. ;)  Friday || 19 November And this last update is what I'm so excited about. We just ordered our wedding invitations online! I wanted to do it by myself but I just don't have enough time to spare at the moment. So I found this great website online which offers inexpensive personalized invitations. I've read great reviews for Wedding Paper Divas and I can't wait to see the final output of our own invites. :) It's a really simple postcard type of invitation since we're only doing an intimate civil wedding. I will be sharing some pictures once J receives it by end of this month but for now here's the back part of the invitation which I'm inviting you to read. It's like a 3-sentence summary of our entire love story! :p  Labels: Last 75 days, random updates, wedding, wedding invitation, wedding invitation designs Leave a comment? // 0 Comment(s)
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My Last 75 Days in Pinas
Wednesday, November 3, 2010,
If I do have a favorite tag line it's always been "Funny how time flew by so quickly." I've always been a fan of counting days and from today until January 17th it is exactly 75 days before I pack my bags and leave the Philippines. Migrating has always been a debate of wanting to go and just staying. The thing I hate about it is I will be leaving behind a handful of very close friends and my dad and family whom I love so much. But as J words it out, I can't always have a life full of shadows of people and I must think of a future of building new friendships and a future family with him. This blog entry, and possible future blog entries, will detail my remaining days here in my home town and a mix of things happening with J as he prepares a new life with me. Monday || 01 November J was walking at CVS when a sales representative went up to him and asked if he was "insert J's complete name here." He was wondering why the guy knew him. It so happened that last May, when we were busy completing our Fiance Visa kit, I ordered a printout of our photos via CVS and it was also in that same order that I requested a printout of a photo card for J. He got the initial photographs but never received the photo card. It was just last Monday, when the CVS rep recognized him, that the photo card was given to him. He paid a $1.99 fee but with that kind of surprise, it was worth every cent.   "Contrary to what the cynics say, distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It’s for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they dont see it nearly enough." Labels: Last 75 days Leave a comment? // 1 Comment(s)
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