Surviving Typhoon Pablo Outside the Philippines

Yes, it is sound strange why I have this title about surviving a storm that recently hit the Philippines which in fact I am outside of the country. How on earth should I be affected by this storm when I am thousand miles away from home?

I am an OFW here in Abu Dhabi, UAE, so being away from the family is one of the sacrifices I made to be able to provide them with a better future. It is very normal to us that every minute we think about home and our family. So when news broke out that in 2 days time a super typhoon Pablo (internationally name Bopha) will strike our country and putting our province on the path of the storm our worries starts to grow. My province Bukidnon is not known to be a typhoon path area so I couldn't help but worry if the people, specially my family, is ready for this kind of situation. It is not just a simple passing but eventually the eye of the storm will be on my province. And this, as far as I remember, would be the first time that our place will be directly hit by a storm.

Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) 4 days befor landfall (Courtesy of PAGASA)

GRATEFUL OF 2010

I never write any year end reviews or any rewind about what happen after the year is finished. But since today I am greatly bored and 2010 events always flashes on my mind, I ought to try to write something about how was it in 2010 for me.

For a starter we start the 2010 with a bang, an all out party with our flat mates complete with games, singing, and a lot of dancing with the help of tons of booze. So it's a great and way too loud to start the 2010. It was indeed a great year for us.

I don't have any complains about 2010, there's a bit down moment for us but we survive. God's guidance was with us and will always will. So instead of counting our downs I will enumerate how God made our 2010 great according to His plan.

We are grateful to God of His blessings we received in 2010:

• -         we sent 2 large balikbayan boxes back home (it was a bit delayed in arrival but nevertheless it still on time for us to be there)
• -         we were both given a vacation together (me and my wife)
• -         safe flight on our vacation
• -         seeing some good friends back home
• -         seeing our families
• -         and of course seeing our daughter SAM after 2 years of not seeing her
• -         and the flashes of her eye how happy she was during her birthday
• -         wife's new job (of course a bit higher pay)
• -         new flat
• -         and good health for us and the whole family
• -         And a lot of simple thing that makes us comfortable even we are very far from home.

In general God give us a great year not only for me but for the whole family. We are so thankful for His blessings. I will also pray that this 2011 He will continue to guide and protect us and bless us. My prayer also to the less fortunate ones that this year they may find solitude and blessings, that they should always put in mind that God is always with them.

May this 2011 will also be a good year for us under God's plan!

CHRISTMAS OF AN EXPAT

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." -  Matthew 1:23

Inside the St. Joseph Church, Abu Dhabi UAE - after the mass

 

This would be my 3^rd Christmas away from home, away from the country.  You ever wonder how we celebrate Christmas as an expat or how we celebrate the occasion in an Islamic country?

As an OFW we can't hardly keep our mind of thinking to celebrate the yuletide season back home. It’s a very special if we can celebrate it in our own country, in our own turf. But for some, constraints at work will not allow us to do so. We do what we can to make the occasion as meaningful and enjoyable as possible. With the help of new found families here things will be positive for us Filipinos. 

 

A week before the occasion you can see many Filipinos having there groceries for the Noche Buena. As if we are only in the Philippines buying our groceries. Others are busy finding gift for their manito/manita or the exchanging gifts during the party. You will also notice a lot of Filipinos bringing bags as if they are going to travel somewhere but what inside the bag is of course the liquor. (You need to have it inside the bag as this country allows the sell of alcohol but you are not allowed to display it in public).

Then comes the Christmas Eve, we are lucky here in UAE as religious tolerance is exercised in this Islamic state. They allow Christian churches here and as a catholic we have one here in Abu Dhabi, the St. Joseph Church. Mass of different language is scheduled to cater every catholic nationality here in the country. I am proud to say that part of our Christmas as a Filipino is hearing mass.

After going to church all in the flats are now busy preparing the food for the Noche Buena. Everybody is in their festive mood cooking whatever is on their menu. Others are busy on their laptop and computers talking to their love ones back home. Philippines are 4 hours advance from here so we can see them having a party before we can start ours. After dishes were prepared the countdown begins. Singing carols, a bit of loud music (loud enough to strut a dance but not too loud to attract the police outside). After the festive mood some need to curl up in bed as they still have work tomorrow. So to sum it up celebrating Christmas is more like home minus the love ones we had and every crazy thing we do in partying.

The Noche Buena minus the lechon

In bed can't help to think that there's no other merrier way to celebrate Christmas than to spend it back home in the Philippines … I might have it next year! Merry Christmas!

FIRST RUN

I did it; I had my first run yesterday after a long absence of major physical activities. And yes, I am using the Nike+ sporstband given to me by my wife. As I blog earlier it can calculate the distance I covered, the calories I burnt and time I consumed in doing the run. At first I started with a normal pace walk as I managed the labyrinth of park cars going to the park. As soon as I am already at the jogging lane inside the park I increase the speed of my pace (as I intended to start my first run slowly to give my muscle a warm up) but still I am walking. After a few blocks I started an easy run taking my time and watching the sunset in front of me.  I am catching my breathe cause it's been a while since my last run. I am thinking of just walking all the way but what the heck I think I can manage. And then my wife call me as she was about to go home  ( it's already in my calculation that I will be in their building by that exact time she will be out of the office). Before my wife came down from their building I was already in front. As I went home I downloaded immediately my run and whoop it was uploaded to my account in Nike and posted on my facebook status, amazing isn't it?.  I covered roughly 5.32km according to my sportsband not bad for a first run errr walk huh! Here's the post generate automatically in my facebook from Nike+ site:

And here's the area I covered during my run I created from nike+ site:

 and to top it all, I get to fetched my wife from her work, sounds like a win-win situation ayt?

SEE HOW YOU RUN

My wife just bought me yesterday the Nike+ Sportsbands to accessorize my running shoes. The so called bracelet will track down your performance of your run using the sensor that comes with the bracelet.  You can save your run; select a training program and you can even compare your performance from other Nike+ users using their challenge friends’ option. What a way to push and motivate the user of the sportsbands. They even have a mini where the cartoon of you will improve depending on how you run. You can have these features using the Nike+ Sportsbands and the downloadable application from the Nike+ site.

Now all I have to do is run and I don’t have the excuse anymore of not doing so. Actually I really need to lose weight as my BMI is not reading well; I am 6 points overweight the last time I check. I don’t want to belong in the category of the obese so I have to.

So good luck to me, it may be difficult to start but I know it’s worth it. As the saying goes, “health is wealth” so wish me luck.