FILIPINA INTERNATIONALE

When I opened my email today, I am flooded with these news and photos from my friends who are beauty contest afficionados or pageant maniacs ...and I am so excited as well. As in one of my friends memorizes the names of all the winners from the year 1960 and has all the video collections of the pageant ... can u imagine??? TRIUMPH AFTER TRAGEDY Four months after her father died in a road accident, Bb Pilipinas Precious Lara Quigaman last night won the Miss Int’l title, the first Filipino in 26 years to capture the crown. Quigaman, a 22 year old fashion model, is the 4th to win Miss Int’l, the last one was Melanie Marquez in 1979. She completed her studies in media production at Filton College in UK and she a course in childhood and youth studies in Bristol. Tragedy struck her family in May when her father died in a road accident in London. Miss International 2005 Results courtesy of Stephen Diaz, Missosology's Correspondent in Tokyo, Japan Miss International 2005: Philippines, Precious Lara Quigaman 1st Runner-up: Dominican Republic, Yadira Geara 2nd Runner-up: Finland, Susanna Laine Top 12 Semifinalists: Brazil, Ariane Colombo Colombia, Diana P. Arbelaez France, Cynthia Tevere Japan, Naomi Ishizaka Peru, Vanessa López Serbia & Montenegro, Sanja Miljanic Turkey, Sebnem Azade Ukraine, Maria Zhukova Venezuela, Andrea Gomez Miss Friendship: Hongkong, Queenie Chu Best in National Costume, Tanzania, Margareth Wilson Chacha

MUCH ADO ABOUT AGING !

I should say we take a lot of fuzz in celebrating our birthdays. And last saturday's N's birthday party was not an exception. For one week, we cleaned the house - top to bottom. And on the day itself, we hired a professional cleaner to make sure everything noticeable is dirt and dust free. For one week - I found time to go get more groceries, re-arrange and tidy up rooms, and marinated stuff for the barbeque (thanks to Isay and Grace who gave me instant tips on how to prepare BBQ pinoy style). And of course made sure we invited friends and family. I bought the birthday cake from Myers (mind you, it was a Baci Cake), which I should not have placed overnight on the fridge to stop this from turning into a stiffy hard mud cake as it was on the night itself. Luckily, I also ordered a couple of Brazo de mercedes from a friend who bakes really beautiful birthday cakes - to compesate this fiasco. There was no remarkable or unifying theme for the party though we tried to invite people to come in their best 70's attire. I guess there were only four or five who came in 70'ish costume, although most of our guests were born before 70's. I also tried to build a nice table with blue theme (can u imagine) - so I got all these blue or bluish materials like candles, blue stones, blue napkins, and even blue irish flowers on the table. Crazy me. Guests : Around 25 people Drinks : Tropical Punch, the usual beer, white and red wine Foodwise : Springrolls (Thai, Fil), pansit bihon (w sundried tomato), friend rice Barbeque pork and chicken, kebab, Fruit bowl salad, spring vegetable salad, Buko salad Some friends brought some food as well - - springrolls, fish-kinilaw, menudo, cakes. Overall I would say, it was a good party (you could never have a perfect party in our present condition) - a good mix (gay couples & straight couples, singles, Fil, Viet, Malaysian, German, Anglo, Scot) - came and enjoyed the karaoke afterwards. Lowdowns - it is hard to hold a big party in our house because we do not have a big entertainment area - where everyone should just congregate. We have a very small kitchen, small dining, a relatively big lounge room but located on the second floor far from the kitchen, a small garden barbeque area. And these areas are divided from each other with long narrow hallways. Imagine the constant running up and down the whole house to make sure people are fed and had their drinks filled! That's why I hate unrenovated old Victorian houses - they are not entertaiment friendly! We have not thought about this when we bought the house. Anywayz, we know now what we want in our next house - just plain and simple open plan living with modern gadgets to make life easy ! And parking in our area was horrible especially that it was the final match of the year's footie season! Reason enough for other invitees not turning up. So the party is over and done with - looking forward for next year's. Whew! Most important thing was that - we celebrated the event and the celebrant was quite happy, as you can see !!!

FAMOUS & NOT-SO FAMOUS BEAUTY PAGEANT TITLEST

Oprah Winfrey Before becoming an Emmy Award-winning television talk show host, Oprah Winfrey won the 1971 Miss Fire Prevention and Miss Black Tennessee titles. When asked what she would do with a million dollars, Winfrey delighted the judges when she blurted out, "I'd be a spending fool!" She competed in the Miss Black America Pageant, but failed to make the finals. Vanessa Williams Vanessa WilliamsThe first African-American woman ever to win the Miss America Pageant, Williams won both the swimsuit and talent competitions at the national contest. Sadly, she was asked to resign when Penthouse magazine published sexually-explicit photos she had posed for earlier. Despite initially appearing to be ruined by scandal, she rebounded and achieved fame as a recording artist (The Right Stuff), film star (Under The Gun, Eraser), and Broadway star (Kiss of the Spider Woman). Diane Sawyer Diane SawyerChosen as America's Junior Miss in 1962, Diane used her pageant scholarship money to attend Wellesley College, worked as a weathergirl, then press aide to Richard Nixon during his presidency and after his Watergate resignation. In 1981 she was named co-anchor of the CBS Morning News. Initially dismissed by some critics as an unqualified beauty queen, Sawyer earned high marks and was hired as a Sixty Minutes correspondent, co-anchor of Day One, Turning Point, and, finally, ABC's PrimeTime Live. Sawyer ranks as one of the highest paid newswomen in television history. Halle Berry Berry, whose pageant titles include Miss Teen All American, Miss Ohio-USA, first runner-up to Miss USA 1986, and 4th runner-up to Miss World 1986, won the coveted role of Queen in the Alex Hailey mini-series,Queen, on the TV series Knots Landing and Living Dolls, and starred in the movies Jungle Fever and The Flintstones. Sharon Stone Screen queen Sharon Stone, of Basic Instinct fame, honed her instincts for performing in small town pageants where she won the titles Saegertown's Spring Festival Queen and 1976 Miss Crawford County. When a Miss Pennsylvania Pageant judge suggested she try modeling, she contracted with the Eileen Ford Agency and her career was launched. Stone eventually switched to acting, starring in Basic Instinct, Sliver, and Intersection, and rapidly becoming one of the highest paid actresses in film history. Michelle Yeoh Americans know her as Pierce Brosnan's sidekick, Chinese secret agent Wai Lin, in the James Bond flick, Tomorrow Never Dies. But the former Miss Malaysia (1983) is known throughout Asia as a kung-fu queen who has starred in nine movies including the mega-hit, Police Story III: Supercop. And, yes, she performs her own dangerous stunts. Raquel Welch Once considered one of the world's sexiest women, movie queen Raquel Welch only placed second in the Miss Southern California Pageant. Her film credits include the memorable role of prehistoric babe in One Million B.C. Imelda Marcos Before reigning as First Lady of the Philippines by the side of Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda Romualdez reigned as Miss Manilla 1953. Jhayaleta Jukleta Kundirana Once considered one of the world's exotic beauties, Jhaya was crowned Ms Asia Pacific 1995 and won 1st runner up and Ms Congeniality in the 1997 Ms Universe Pageant. When asked asked what would be the first thing she would do if President Clinton woould visit her house tonight - she tartly answered without batting an eyelash - - "I will quickly brush my teeth". She got a standing ovation for that witty remark.

OF DOGS AND MASTERS

I just found this old photo of N and Riss. They look so happy together like they belong to each other. And I can really see the resemblance !!! As i was walking home yesterday, I walked past this lady with her two dogs jogging past me... Gosh, they really look like a family. The resemblance is almost unbelievably uncanny! Anyway, they say that you pick up the pets that almost look like you or vice versa. And the longer you live with your dog you resemble each other as well. And they also take up your characters and quirkiness! Oh well !

IDENTICAL CRISIS

I was reading one of my favorite blogsite's post about identity crisis and I could not help but relate very well considering that I am a person with so many personality and characters as well. I am/was always literally "lost in the translation". Having lived in three continents (Asia, the Middle East, Oceania) for the past decade, I intermittently experience what they call identity crisis once in a while, maybe due to change in culture, status and relationships, gender and even weather. Peels and peels of layers - like an onion, we add more layers to our character to hide and cover who we truly are. Hmmm...Self preservation theory, or survival of the fittest. Who am I now? Who knows? Who cares? Just as the color of my hair changes with the season (from brown, blond, red, blue), so does my character and my personality and moods - - - peaceful, angry, loving, caring, passionate, carefree, bitchy, artsy, – and mix these with roles such a (tired and bored 8-5) employee, a (loving but sometimes obsessive) partner, a (dedicated but wayward) son and brother, a (a certified but not totally out) asian gay guy, a (trying hard and frustrated) artist, a (reckless) bitch friend, a new age person…etc…… and then lately being a crazy copy-cat blogger !!! I am a different individual to different people at different times. We all play roles, characters and we all project certain images. Why? Because we want to be loved, be accepted (by other people or by our own self imposed standards) to belong, to live, to be happy … and when we achieve these - then probably we want to be just simply who we truly are. GO WITH THE FLOW AND JUST BE. NAMASTE !

JOY RIDES

I just got a circulating email from a friend in San Diego ... it's some sort of a warning but anyone from the Philippines does not need any of these anymore as we all know how and what it is all about being "there". Anyway, I just found this sort of email "nakakatuwa" as you can really imagine and feel the daily smell, sounds and drama of Manila. And just observer how she writes it - so pinoy ! Sad to say, I sort of miss all of these.... --------------------------------- Thanks God for e-mails like this one, kasi if I haven't read this, I could have fallen victim to this type of new Modus Operandi (MO) while riding a jeepney. It has happened to me this morning around 8:00am. And believe me, I think there are at least 4 people involved in this type of MO. CASE # 1: On the way ako to work this morning when 3 men got on the jeep I was riding (Pasig route) dun sa may Samat St. sa may Shaw Blvd. (before flyover). Medyo meron lang akong naramdaman na kakaiba coz I was sure I zipped my bag after I have paid the fare. (Syet, bago pa naman bag ko, bigay ng mga frendly frends!!) I noticed that my bag was about 2 inches open na, kaya naging aware ako dun sa mga katabi kong mga lalaki na parang sinandwich na ako. When the jeep was at St. Francis na, dun sa may Sara Lee Building, merong lalaki na umubo ng malakas at dumura. I was sure na hindi naman ako natalsikan kasi hindi naman mahangin and I saw that he partially covered his mouth when he spat out yung chuvers (laway ba…) niya. Tapos, I felt like yung mama on my right side, medyo dumikit sa Akin at parang meron akong naramdaman na hard object na inilalabas niya from his pocket somewhere. Now, there is a big, burly man right across me na kanina pa ako naiilang kasi parang sinisipat niya ako, as in nakatitig. I noticed I was the only girl in the jeep na at that time, buti na lang meron isang babae na sumakay pa. Tapos, yung katapat kong mama biglang tinuro yung buhok ko, motioning to me that I have chuvers on my hair, sabay labas ng panyo na aktong pupunasan niya buhok ko. Yun na talaga yung warning sign sa akin and I immediately stood up and got off the jeep! Di ko na nga naisipang parahin yung jeep kasi I just wanted to get off it, buti na lang mabagal pa yung takbo ng sasakyan. Kung nagkataon eh di kagandahan ang nangyari as I am in skirt and siempre naka heels ang lola niyo. The man who was about to wipe my hair, sinundan niya ako ng masamang tingin at nakatitig siya sa akin, especially nung nakita niyang sumakay ako agad ng ibang jeep. Nakita niyang may sinasabi ako dun sa driver habang nakatingin ako sa kanya, and my fellow passengers, as well as the driver all looked at him kaya I was sure he knows I know what they were about to do. Natakot ako lalo kasi naisip kong baka ako abangan at habulin nung mama. Then, nung yung jeep nila andun na sa may corner ng Sheridan St. and Shaw, I saw that the person who coughed and spat when I was in their jeep was the one wiping the hair of the girl na sumakay before I got off! Nag switch na ng roles ang mga panget na lalaki!! Di ko na masigawan yung girl that she will be robbed nung mga lalaking yun kasi nauna na yung jeep na sinasakyan ko. Nanginig ako sa takot talaga kasi feeling ko, ako dapat yung biktima nila that time! And the fact that it happened early morning, nakakatakot talaga. As in ang mga magnanakaw pala, parang empleyado din. They start robbing people at 8am, gosh! As in di ka pa nakakapagkape, nanakawan ka na. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE WARNING E-MAILS LIKE THIS ONE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU! I'm just lucky that when it happened to me, meron ng nakapag forward ng warning sa akin. I f ever naman me feeling kayo that something is not right sa mga kasakay ninyo sa public transport, please get off it. At least pamasahe lang yun, kesa naman kung ano pa ang mawala sa atin. Also, be aware of who you are beside with. Alam kong di naman lahat ng mga makakatabi niyong mga panget na lalaki eh masasamang tao (kesehodang masama ang mga amoy nila, no!) The point is, always be aware of your surroundings. Ako pa naman di ako mahilig magpo forward ng mga kung ano-anong emails but luckily, the e-mail about this type of MO, I was able to send to some of my friends. Ingat na lang tayo lagi. (Siyet, sa takot ko, di ako tuloy nakapag almusal!!) CASE # 2: Hi! For the past 4 weeks, I've been hearing about a new modus operandi wherein three of my officemates were victimized. And for the last 4 weeks, I've been praying that I be spared from this. I make it a point to pray the Holy Rosary and that I be shielded always. I've been taking extra precautions too: I always take an FX or jeepney from our subdivision to make sure that all the passengers are residents of our subdivision, and I do not bring ATM cards, checkbooks and big amounts of cash. On August 19, Friday around 7am, I took a jeepney going to Crossing United. It was unusual to see that there were a few passengers unlike the regular days when jeepneys and FX are full-packed, only to realize that today is Quezon City day and thus a non-working holiday in QC diminishing considerably passengers taking public transport. Upon reaching Rotonda, Pasig, a lot of commuters hurriedly came up the jeepney I was riding in and got their space. I was seated on the right side of the jeepney and near the entrance. A few minutes after, I noticed at the left side of the jeepney , a thin man spit out of the jeepney's window. On his right was seated a rather dark man (may katabaan), with curly hair and carrying on his right shoulder a dark green canvass bag (almost black), about 2 feet long. Then next to him was lady carrying a pink Sophie Martin sack bag. Then suddenly, the man beside her commented that there was saliva on her hair. At this point, I realized that this was the GANG my officemate (a victim) was referring to. I panicked and wanted to get off the jeepney, but I changed my mind. I stayed there and memorized the face of the "mandurukot". The lady got her hanky and started wiping her hair. The man seated across pointed to her the location of the saliva. She even allowed the man to hold her hanky and wipe her hair while the dark man placed his arm beneath the bag he was carrying and started using his cutter. At this sight, I brought out my rosary and started to pray. But I could not take my eyes off at what the dark man was doing while the lady and the man seated across her were busy wiping her hair. After a few minutes, the dark man (mandurukot) got off infront of Philhealth Office, followed by the thin man (dura man) who got off near Kapitolyo, then the "good samaritan" man (the hair wiper) got off just before SSS office and the last man got off at SSS office. I immediately informed the lady that the man beside her took something from her bag. And sure enough when she checked it, her 2 wallets were gone and there was an ugly slash on the side of the bag. She questioned me why I didn't call her attention, but I told her that I was trying to but since she was wearing a pair of brown shades I could not tell if she was looking at me. A more aggressive reaction from me could alert those con men who could be armed and pose danger to our safety. The con men were gone - with their loot. Poor woman, with her two wallets gone, I offered to give her some money so she could reach her place of work which luckily was also along Pioneer St. What a harrowing experience!! Being an eyewitness to such an incident and so helpless was almost as if I had been the victim. God bless!

SPRING FLOWERS

We went to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens a few weeks ago and these are some of the flowers that are newly planted the garden beds. Aren't they so beautiful?

FAVORITE THINGS

I grew up with our old record player, as my Dad was a music lover. We had music officially played every Sunday morning before going to church ... or while we were doing the household chores... or on special occasions, but always played it henever I am by myself and everyone is out of the house.

He played the clarinet - and this helped him through college being a member of the band. We have several records (favorites were Matt Monroe, Peggy Lee, etc). . . but my all time favorite was The Sound of Music.

I learned to sing the lyrics before I actually saw the movie while in highschool. From memory, I was so enthralled - actually "fallen in love" with the movie that I watched it over and over again. It was only in college that I though of this as form of "westernized colonial mentality" but so be it.... i really love this film !

From then on, I always thought that the Captain Von Trapp was really attractively handsome and that Maria believe it or not - became my ultimate role model. There was a little hill near our place like the first scene of the movie, and I always climbed that hill and sang to the top of my voice "...the hills are alive with the sound of music" like Julie Andrews did at the opening of the movie, to my heart's content.....

When I met my closest friends (kindred spirits) twenty years after - - we discovered that one common bond was our attachement to this movie and how we related to Maria/Julie Andrews one way or the other....Although most of us wanted to become the Countess. I think there are so many things about me and things that happened in my life that The Sound of Music movie can well explain....

MY FAVORITE THINGS Artist: Maria LyricsSong:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings These are a few of my favorite things Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes Silver white winters that melt into springs These are a few of my favorite things When the dog bites When the bee stings When I'm feeling sad I simply remember my favorite things And then I don't feel so bad ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ and these are some of my favorite people and things..... NATASHA One of my happy happy thoughts is about my niece Natasha. She is the one and only daughter of my younger sister. She is the oldest of all my nieces (2) and nephews (2). I arrived in Australia just one day after she was given birth, so I became sort of a "mama" to her for the first months. She is so cute and beautiful (like moi), and her lovely eyes just melt my heart away. Wishing her all the best in life, from me being her second "mummier". FLOWERS, flowers.... but my all time favorite are the fiery red orange tulips. I have taken this photo from the foyer of the National Gallery of Victoria last week. They have these gorgeous tulips plants and I was just so elated !!!

BANANA Leaves .... and anthing that has to do with with banana leaf wrap... like grilled Bangus wrapped with banana leaves, tupig' (an Ilocano delicacy expertly made by my grandma)...

BAMBOO... and anything that has to do with bamboo... like a big cool bamboo bed...

LEMONS.... lemonade, for bath, for cleaning, to give zest to food...

GAZEBO

Filipino style... just lazing away in the afternoon with friends....actually, this is what we are to have when we move to Brisbane.... maybe in the garden yah?

PAINT

Aside from flower arrangements and gardening, I wish that I could really pursue my dreams of becoming a painter. I might go into a short course just to get the basics of painting - a lot of friends say that I am a natural artist - and I have a very good sense of color - so I think this is really going to be my hobby. Well, when I get bored while at work - the best way for me to keep myself look busy without leaving the computer is to go to MS Paint and do some painting. I'll post some of my work of arts later !!!

CULTURE

There is much to say about food in relation to culture. The picture that I would always wish to remember about Filipino food and culture is when I was still in my teen years and frequently visited these old villages in the province and found that most of them have really perfected a fine art of preparing their food. Well, at home we have modernized our kitchen culture a little bit, so I was really impressed with these filipinos in the villages. Aside from being clean in the way that they could, the food that they prepared were really delicious and smells good. Not the way we see them today though - especially the ones in the city. I love street food - - - but not the ones being sold along smoky, murky, smelly and dirty alleyways. I have not been to Thailand, but wish to visit this great country one of these days. From what I have heard and seen on the photos, and basing on my experience with Thai friends here, they are really clean and proud of what they are doing - even hawking simple food on the streets. Wish that Filipinos (selling food on the streets, at least) would also be like them. Just a wishful thinking!

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AMBIENCE

At the moment, we are living in a four bedroom 17th century Victorian House in the city fringe. Age brings character and inner beauty to the house but together with this are things that just do not work unless you do a big renovation to totally modernize and upgrade the house. Our next house, would be simple, modern and minimalistic. Maybe a low maintenance modern garden with just my favorite plants and trees. And please, I want a clutter - free, bright and sunny house !!!

GODDESS

Go with the flow and JUST BE. Me and N started doing Bikram Yoga September last year. We stopped when my parents came, so we have more time to spend with them. I was a bit skinnier last year - so i could easily perform most of the poses. When we started again two weeks ago, I could not anymore do most of the routines. Hopefully in a month's time - I will be back to my athletic physique. Namaste ! ------------- Bikram Yoga Bikram method yoga is an intelligently designed series of 26 postures (asanas) lasting 90 minutes. It is practiced in a hot room (around 37 °C) to warm your muscles helping to prevent injuries, allowing deeper stretching, and sweating toxins from the skin. It is performed in a sequence designed so that every posture stretches and strengthens the specific muscles, ligaments and joints needed for the following posture. The Bikram method is cardiovascular and an intense workout suitable for beginners and experienced students. Every muscle group and all five systems of the body are stimulated towards optimal functioning. The end result is an unparalleled feeling of mental and physical well being and relaxation.

TIMELESS

20 YEARS AGO Ateneo de Davao University , Library Lights camera Action : I just heard the university bell at 6:00 pm. I suddenly woke up from my deep slumber... My evening class starts fifteen minutes from now! I, in my usual green Tachini T shirt and levis jeans, have to pack my books and notes in my bag quickly. Gosh, they are soo heavy! I don’t know why I am carrying my whole house. I am using this favourite cubicle which is actually for grad and law students but then I really like the atmosphere and the fifol here are so cool. I can really concentrate on my studies. For the next four years, I will be this cubicle's usual resident. Being a university scholar of Ateneo de Davao University, I’ve got to maintain an average grade of 93% and above in all my subjects. I am also aiming for a full scholarship in the next semester. My agenda is crystal clear – to be at the top of my class, no matter what. Not easy but not impossible either. I guess I am living a life of a nerd. I have no close friends except Elvi, a philosophy professor of Ateneo, with whom I am sharing a flat together with his cousin who is also taking a biology course. They are a bunch of nerds too, but nice ones. I did not like the Cocofed dormitory. Anyway, I need to excel in all my subjects and at the same time get one extra curricular activity that I like. I am hoping I would pass my Atenews entrance test. And then the interview. Babeth, the editor seems to be very keen on getting me, maybe because of my previous editorship in my highschool paper. She liked my article on the Lumads of Davao. Hmmm, I am so excited already!!! I am a bit hungry ! The banana and camote bbq which I had awhile ago, just was not enough! My stomach though which is very flat is gurgling like a volcano. I am looking after my meager budget so I can go watch a movie this Friday night, my only indulgement – was it the The Mission ? or something ? I cannot remember. Anyway, I am not really eating properly, I guess with my very thin waiflike look, a bit girly sometimes, very fragile and intense – people always took me for a gay princess. But then, I am not a screaming faggot like the others. I am actually the reserved type. I am not out like them. I am determined to prove something and I need to survive. Ohh, Gosh, I just saw my crush! He’s really so cute …. This building is really full of … hunks... Well, I think all the books that I am reading really opened up a lot of things in my mind. I am obsessing with Atlas Shrugged now. Who is John Galt? But deep in my heart…I am still the proverbial poor barrio lass who got enough of the bananas and decided to went to town! 15 YEARS AGO

Mindanao Region Whewwww that was a touch landing…. This airport is really amazing. Not as big as Davao but Cagayan de Oro’s airport being on top of a huge mountain is a sight. I’ve gotta get out of this plane soon. Pity, this cute male flight attendant keeps on flirting with me even in this early morning flight.

In my two years being a junior auditor of Joaquin Cunanan Pricewaterhouse, I’ve been travelling like crazy the whole of Mindanao Region whether by your usual plane, boat, bus and even private helicopter or plane. We also have trainings in Manila twice a year. I love travelling. August is in a lean season but this special engagement to audit Manila Mining Corporation is really interesting. We’ve just finished our substantive with San Miguel – Coffee division, and that was really exhaustive.

As usual, we will be treated like royalty. A company driver will be waiting for us in the airport for sure and will bring us to the company accommodation or hotel. I just love this extra attention that we are getting especially when I am with Nonie, our branch manager. He is a total prima donna, a certified tantrum queen and an obsessive whinger. No wonder he is promoted in two years to his position, and no wonder everyone hates him – male bitch! Well, I learned a lot from him. Ohhh well …. I am so looking forward to the physical count! Would I be counting gold bars?

10 YEARS AGO Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

I am looking over the wide expanse of the city of Riyadh. It is really amazing - - totally different from the Philippines. Very dry and arid land but the never-ending sky is so clear and cobalt blue. Honestly, you could not really get homesick here. It is always sunny. Working on the top floor of the tallest building in Olaya Road in Riyadh, as a Senior Financial Analyst of Al Faisaliah Group of Companies, I thought I almost reached the pinnacle of my career. Well, I never dreamed of becoming a Financial Controller or becoming a CEO. That’s too big for me. I thought I am just contented doing the number crunching without being totally crunched, and still have enough time to socialize and continue my adventures in this foreign land. Four years ago, I was with a different company – Arabic Computer Systems as an internal auditor. And then I moved on to another company Al Hejailan Group as a Group financial analyst. Before I left the Philippines, I worked with DTI and BIR after leaving the auditing firm, JC & Co. I liked it in Saudi. No regrets. Everything that I needed was paid for by the companies that I worked with – from yearly paid vacation, airfares, first class accommodation, and other expatriates allowances. Aside from being tax free, I was getting ten times as much as I would normally get from the Philippines. Very true indeed. Saving a lot of money, I was able to help my younger brother and sister finished their degrees. My being out overseas, really helped our family financially. My Dad suffered a stroke and my mum being an elementary grades teacher could not cope with all our expenses. I met a lot of people from work and some become real friends for life. It’s funny but then circle of friends are really formed and established when you are away from home. Some of them are now in the USA, Canada, back to Philippines or in some other countries. But most of them are still in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I always missed this part of my life. I am single, vibrant and free, and having fun. It is also the time of my life when I truly trusted people and became very open with my sexuality. Very dangerous and very ironic that I did this in a very homophobic environment. But then, I was with real friends who accepted me for who I am. 5 YEARS AGO

Melbourne, Australia It’s freezing cold and yet I am standing with a group of friends on the Southbank bridge waiting for the big event – the heralding of the year 2000. Fireworks and more fireworks when we crossed over to the new millennium. It was an exhilarating event. I immigrated to this beautiful country in June of 1999 as a skilled migrant. It was also the time when my younger sister Armi gave birth to my first niece Natasha Celine. It took me more than five years though to process my papers. While I was in Saudi, I have been preparing for my dream to move to Oz, and start my life all over again. My new country is beautiful and it has heaps of opportunities. It can be too cold during winter time but then I love wearing my winter clothes too. During my first months I worked as a temp in various roles and it was indeed a good way of assimilating into the culture and meeting friends. I passed my membership to the CPA Australia as an associate and I am still doing further studies to be a full fledged member. Currently, I am working in a finance company in the accounting department as an overall Assistant to the Financial Controller.

Two years after I arrived in Melbourne, I became an Australian citizen.

It was also during this time that I met my boyfriend, Norbert. He is a lighting consultant but he has also previous experience in the military. In so many ways, we have so much to complement each other. We are our own version of the yin and yang. We bought our house near the city. It is a 17th century 4 bedroom Victorian terrace house located in the city fringe – in very good condition but needs a lot of renovation. Good challenge for both of our artistic and innovative inclinations. I have also finished my interior decorating course on my spare time, which I am really proud of. I think I am veering into my artistic side much more lately.

LAST YEAR Richmond, Melbourne

My parents visited us last year and it was really good fun bringing them around the country. It is a bit difficult because my Dad could not move the left side of his body (feet and hands ) very well (he had a major arthero stroke ten years ago), but then he really tried and he did very well. Hope they can come back again in the future. Riss, our dog died of old age. Met a pinay named Grace through her husband Peter who works with Norbert in the lighting company “Custom Lighting”. That was September of last year when they attended Norbert’s 47th birthday. They just moved from Hongkong. From then on, we clicked to each other like two pancakes in the air. We have so much fun doing Mary Kay together and having some bbq parties now and then.

THIS YEAR

Still in Melbourne

My younger brother and his family arrived in April this year. I originally sponsored my brother to come here three years ago when he was still single. When he got married the other year, I was devastated since it would affect his application and it did. It took us another year to reprocess his paper with his family. It is a long long wait only to know that when they arrive here, they have plans on moving to Sydney where the relatives of his wife is living. It is a bit sad and frustrating for me at first because I thought that they are going to stay with us in Melbourne. But then they have their own lives to live now, so I just hope the best for them. Things are just going as we plan. But then and again, I always still miss my old friends - Dale, Angel, Ace, Ezon, and Frenzy. Hope they are all well and happy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YESTERDAY Thursday... working, we finished our month end financial reports, so I was just doing some tidying up, I still maintain the trophy of being the tidiest staff at work .... and then in the evening we did our Bikram Yoga. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TODAY Friday, still working, i luv fridays since we are allowed to wear casual clothes, weatherwize - beautiful so am wearing a Tshirt and jeans ... just finishing my cashflow for next week and decided to finish this blog today.

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TONITE We are going to do our Friday Yoga ... and maybe eat in the Buddha's Restaurant, owned by a very close friend. Her food is so yummy !!! I just love Thai Food.

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TOMORROW Do some cleaning up - my own version of spring cleaning... we are also doing our bit by bit renovation in the house, for the past weeks we were overwhelmed by the job of polishing the floorboards of the stairways. We took off the carpet to show the old old cedar wood but we did not realize the work involved !!! Maybe movies later in the evening.

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NEXT YEAR or SO

Still in Melbourne and looking forward to a grand vacation in Europe or the USA. Maybe moving to a new house - something modern and less clutter. We got enough of the old Victorian look with museum type of furnitures !!! We need something fresh, modern, elegant and clean abode. Maybe a smaller one this time.

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5 TO TEN YEARS FROM NOW Looking forward to early retirement !!! Moving to Brisbane or Sunshine Coast, where it is more sunny. I love the sea and the warm weather. Might even travel around Oz and explore the outbacks !!! Live and enjoy the moments....

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