OFW of an OFW

OFW - Overseas Filipino Worker... a person of the Philippine origin who lives outside the Philippines for work, either on a temporary status or a more permanent one. Most OFWs, like myself, have their own OFW... Oh Fine World.

Oh Fine World! Not great, yet not bad. Just fine. It could not be great being far from home and from loved ones. Yet it would not be bad while earning more than what one would back home. And there's much more bitter-sweet stuff about being an overseas worker.

Back home, we used to celebrate each member of the family's birthday. Either we go out or have pizza and pasta at home, together as a family. But this year, on my Mom's birthday, they eat out (without me of course) and I just greeted my mom over the net (thanks to Yahoo and Skype!)

We did the same last CHRISTmas, and new year's eve... and on various occasions... with family... with friends... all of them I miss so much!

Ask me about my first new year's eve here... it was fireworks less; it was very windy that night that the local government canceled all fireworks display in the island. For someone who used to live in Bulacan, where most fireworks in the Philippines are made and sold, and where every new year's eve is pretty happily noisy, that was just so different, and yes, disappointing!

But my oh fine world is not totally disappointing... like my last birthday, it was a blast! And I would say I am lucky that my boyfriend also works and live here in the island, so I am not without a "family" at all. Not to mention that at work, I got my own "family"- -We are five Filipinos in the office who would meet up beyond working hours or during weekends to get together for a movie night (in a theater or at home), videoke night, or some food trip (the latter, we are trying to avoid, as everyone's diet's affected, much to our dismay!). And Bermuda is just beautiful! You know that I always liked trees, and there's quite a lot of greens here, almost as much as the blues (the ocean and the sky).

So while an OFW's OFW couldn't be great, it could be fine... or more than fine, depending on how one handles it - normally on how homesickness is dealt with. I remember this friend who celebrated the last yuletide eating with his family. Not physically, but over the net. He took a leave from office (due to time difference) and ate his Noche Buena and Media Noche while his family are having theirs back home. He even took time to "decorate" the CHRISTmas tree with his niece! (thanks again to Yahoo and Skype!)

Oh well, life could not be perfect I guess... there are always trade-offs we have to deal with. Making the most out of what we have is what matters.

(Now I'm thinking if I should change my title... 'cause that last sentence applies to all... may one be an OFW or not.) ;-D

Waiting...

There are two bus stops near our place... one on the other side, which I cannot see, when I am on the other bus stop. Buses are from different routes and pass at different times and frequency.

Yesterday was just like one of those days, when I was running a little late for the office. I was in a dilemma... should I walk and go to the other bus stop? Or wait here where I have waited for quite a while? I would not want to see that I just wasted my time waiting. If I go walk to the other stop, will be I be just in time for the bus there? What if the bus from this stop that I leave pass me by? And what if I miss both?

Yesterday was like any other day... when I stayed and waited where I have been waiting for a while. Yesterday, I was not willing to take the risk. So there, I was late for office. So there, I wonder, what if... what if I took the risk... what if it was actually a chance?

My Monday...

Catch the bus
Take the stairs
Read emails
Drink water
Type type and type
Calculate
Read quote for the day
Read finance newsletter
Think a little
Go to restroom
Speak a little
Type type and type
Calculate
Eat lunch
Chit chat with friends
Type type and type
Calculate
Speak a little
Read and answer emails
Calculate
Type type and type
Calculate
Read and answer emails
Go to restroom
Speak a little
Drink more water
Type type and type
Calculate
Read and answer emails
Type type and type
Calculate
Catch the bus
Eat dinner
Watch TV, movie, etc.

That's the usual Monday... but today was different... I did not have to catch the bus! A friend saw me at the bus stop, so I got a free ride in his car Mac. That was supposed to be a good start, but I got too busy with work, I did not meet my target number-of-glasses-drank-in-the-office for the day - too bad! (I really need to do some improvements on this part!) I must say, I exceeded my budgeted number of mouse-clicks and keyboard strokes for the day! - is this bad or good? Surely a good thing, I didn't need to catch the evening bus! Tonight, my boyfriend and I got a free ride from our friends in their car Tota. And there's an added activity for me here at home, i.e.:

Type type and type

Is it not a fun Monday? =)
How was yours?

Oh, and just so you know, I am an accountant.

Wonder how tomorrow would be...

Cooking and Me

I love food! I like to eat! But cooking? It does not go with it! I never liked cooking!

As I was growing up, my Mom would sometimes ask for help in the kitchen. I would be willing to do the preparations: I'd chop the onion, the pork, the tomatoes, name it, I'll chop it! I'll beat the eggs, peel the veggies, and I'll even end up cleaning up the mess my Mom made. But watch her do the cooking, or actually help her "cooking"... na-ah!

Some people would be able to relate... some say, they don't like to cook because it's hot to be near the fire, so it's okay to do when it's wintertime. Some say they don't like cooking but they love to bake! Or do desserts! But none, none of these other stuff, I like to do!

Maybe because I am not good at it. Well, I try... to the best of my abilities, I would say. I initially thought I just need some practice! But it just isn't natural of me to cook! Not that I'm not able to cook good food at all... actually, I sometimes do... nevertheless, I still do not enjoy cooking! Does it really require talent? Or is it just because I am not passionate about it, that I do not get the fruits of my toil (toil=perfect word!)?

But there are just things in life we have to do, whether we like it or not! That I realize as I go older... While we always have another choice, i.e. in my case, to not cook, we sometimes end up choosing what we don't really like. Why? Because we have to, out of responsibility, out of necessity, but not because we have no choice.

So while I never really, really liked cooking, I just did three dishes today... my whole Sunday afternoon was all about something I do not like to do... Oh well! There are always some things that I want which I can do afterwards. Like end up here in my keyboard (my boyfriend's doing the dishes this time ;p).

Name Game

My mother told me that I was named by one of my aunts. And the original choice was to include "Marie" as my second name. Thank God, for some reason, they were not able to! Don't get me wrong; I have nothing against that name. Growing up, I always enjoyed having a short name! I didn't have much to write during quizzes and exams but the answers (if I happen to know them!). I used to hear complaints from those who were named too long... two or three names, imagine! But I could not blame anyone for that! As a parent, you would also want your child's name to be unique, wouldn't you? You might want to spare him the hassles of getting a police/government clearances; those with similar names as others have to wait extra hours/days before they get cleared!

I finally felt how to name someone when I had to name our family's dog. She's the most different among her siblings as her head was spotted with black, while the others are so white. During those times, I was dealing with a recruiter named "Heather", and I liked her name. So much so that our dog's "head" is differently colored! So, "her" "head" is! So "Head" "her" is! So I named her "Heather"! A British name for our cute mongrel (mixed-breed or "askal" in the Philippines)!

It might not always be that easy to come up with a name for someone... a name is a name!!! Most likely, one would carry it for the rest of his life (at least if he wants to be spared of legal expenses to have it changed!). It's never an easy task I guess. There are a lot of considerations at place - - - What were yours when you had to do it? Did you ever have regrets? Was your subject happy with the name you gave him?

Title

Took me sometime to come up with the title for this blog. I initially planned to copy the title of my other blog, but realized I should make this one different. My original choice was just "green"... certainly it was taken... then i thought, how about "greenest"... again, that's not available... then there was "my garden", "my green garden" and am sure you can guess i can't have them, too. so i ended up with this one; not that i don't like it... it's just not as simple as i want the title to be.

So why green? Don't think too much 'cause I didn't. I thought of things I like... so there, green! Yes, it's that simple, the color green!

Growing up, I always liked that color. I was in high school when I changed to "blue". Then in college, I didn't have a favorite color at all, but I liked red, black, etc. But since forever, I always loved trees when I see them. It was only recently when I finally realized that I love looking at trees because I like their color!

But why garden? Well, aside from the fact that I had to add that word (as I was deprived of my planned one-word-title), it has a little bit of personal touch, too. My real name is like a garden. And so much that gardens are normally green!

Now how I love this blog's title! Oh so mine! And so me!

How did you name your blog? If you don't have one yet, you always have a choice. And if you choose to blog, what would you title it?

we always have a choice

This is one of my favorite poems… I received this in my e-mail, forwarded by my friend Raquel, sometime 2004. It's still in my mailbox, guiding me, especially during difficult times. Now I don’t want it to just be there, let me share this with you, and who knows, this might be your favorite, too!

THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE.

———————————————–
You don’t have to buy from anyone.
You don’t have to work at any particular job.
You don’t have to participate in any given relationship.
You can choose.

You alone steer the course you choose in the direction
of where you want to be today, tomorrow or in any distant time to come.
You hold the tiller.

You can decide to alter the course of your life at any time.
No one can ever take that away from you.
You can decide what you want and go after it.
It’s always your next move.

--------------

my next move at this moment is to start blogging again... what's yours?