We moved! And will settle soon!

Last week, we moved from our old place to a new studio near the Botanical Gardens. This one is a little smaller than the old studio, apart from that there is no division between the bedroom and the living room. Nevertheless the surroundings is very nice... and the rent is lower! I must say the latter is the main reason for the move. We are still working on the layout of our small pad, and will soon post a few pictures once somehow settled, hopefully in a week's time.

We just had our internet reconnected this Friday. Been really busy with a lot of stuff, and if I must say, service here in Bermuda could be slow compared to busier cities. For instance, in Manila, most establishments would be open on Saturdays and even Sundays. Here, you're lucky to have them open for the whole Saturday, and almost impossible to be of service on Sundays. I am just glad I'm back online even after almost a week of fixing schedules with the local service providers.

Let me note a few things I like so far in this new place of ours:
(a) there is a horse nearby - it's the landlord's, and it's a breeze when I see them cleaning their horse and the barn, even more when they go out for a ride with their friends (who have horses too, I think) - kinda like those that we used to read in romance novels.
(b) the landlord's family looks so family - they would go out swimming (we live in a tribe road - meaning the road has easy access to the sea), eat breakfast at the porch, the father would go gardening with his young son, etc.
(c) the pad is near relaxing places - like the Botanical Gardens, and the sea

So far so good. We'll see what more awaits us here. For now, got to segregate stuff for storage - that's the pain of living in a studio.

Dilemma

We are in a dilemma... whether to move out of our current studio to a one bedroom house, which is of course larger and more homy, but farther to town. Cost differential is not material; but convenience is a factor, as our current place is near to a grocery store, a beach, and a church. Waaaa!!! I found it hard to sleep last night because of this!

Change is one thing, but there are risks associated with it. We barely know the lessor there. We do not hate it living here. The bus schedule there is much better. The area here is much lighted and feels safer at night. Laundry facilities there is private, while we share with the other tenants here. What a headache to consider all these and more!

We have not decided yet. Could be more sleepless nights.

Monday was Clean-up Day!

Break from work? Vacation? Also mean general cleaning day for us!

Cleaning a studio means taking most things out first. And clean from one area to another.

The sad thing is we lost (and found) two friends. One near the flowers (maybe he thought those were real ones... poor lizard!) And the other from underneath the sofa.

Vacation in an Island

Finally, I get to do this again... feel how to be a tourist in an island... not far from where I reside... here... in Bermuda.

Believe it or not, I have been looking forward for this. I have been here in the island for a year but have not visited all of its attractions. I would not want to leave without having to enjoy most if not all of them. I was taking my time... I still am, but guess time may not be very long as I initially expected. So better enjoy while I am a paid "tourist" here.

Last Wednesday was Lay-off Day

Yes, and luckily, I was spared! Thank God!

But there is no assurance whatsoever. It appears that this is how most companies work nowadays. You work today, but you don't know if you'll still do tomorrow. Applies to most contractual workers here in Bermuda.

I commend the company though for at least being courteous with the process of letting people know. The "chosen ones" were emailed to go to the office of the President. (Since the company I work with is a small one, and most of us are expats, it is not a big deal to be in that room - it normally happens when we have to sort working permit documentations, etc.) They enter that room, get the bad news, then leave. Subtle and silent, none of the other co-workers would have known that meeting was "it".

Only after all of the "chosen ones" were informed, that the other employees were made known through their senior managers. There, the styles differ. One manager emailed each of her staff and talked to them in her office to explain what just happened. My manager, set a team meeting and informed all of us of the news. At least we were spared of the agony of waiting to be emailed ('cause most likely we'll have a hint on what's "happening" since we're kinda paranoid these days). The team meeting worked for us since none in the team got laid off. Otherwise, I would not like it at all.

Until now, we do not know for sure all the names of those being "let go". Normally, the news comes from the person himself/herself. At least, he gets to decide when and how to let others know.

Another good thing for me is that the lay-off is not effective immediately. I hated it when I heard some companies escort their laid off employees on that same day he/she heard the news that that day is his/her last day (even last hour actually) in the office! I learned that the latter is "the law" for some countries. Nevertheless, I do not think it's humane especially not initially agreed upon (in the employment contract).

So much to thank for! So much, while they last!!! And there goes the rainbow.

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