Help The Philippines! #wecandothis

We all cannot believe what is happening in our home country, the Philippines. It has been rocked by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on October 15. The Visayas region hasn't even stood up from the calamity when a supertyphoon came barreling fast and strong leaving in its wake a destruction we have no words for. Seeing the photos and videos in the news channels and websites left us all in shock; our mouths open in disbelief, our hearts swell with anguish for our fellow Filipinos who have perished and were severely affected by the storm. Yolanda, international name Haiyan, is the strongest storm of 2013 and it has chosen to pass through the Philippines at a difficult time already. What are the odds?

We have no words... and these are just the destroyed properties. We cry at the photos of people. (via BuzzFeed)

But we Filipinos are known for our resilience and our bayanihan spirit. With these, we will prevail in these hard times. We highly encourage everyone, especially OFWs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to come to the rescue of our fellow Filipinos suffering in the Philippines. There are a lot of agencies open for relief and cash donations. 

For relief donations such as canned goods, mineral water bottles, medicines, mosquito nets, and toiletries, LBC branches kingdom-wide are serving as drop-off points. You can visit any of their branches:

RIYADH Branch: Store 14-16, Abi Alabass corner Al Murshdi Streets (Near Pinoy Supermarket), Al Batha District, Riyadh 

JEDDAH Branch: Store 175, Jeddah International Market (SARAWAT), Madinah Road, Jeddah

AL KHOBAR Branch: King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Street Cross A (near RAMANIYA COMPLEX, beside SEVEN ELEVEN), Al Khobar 

Customer Service Hotlines: 800-8-110332

For cash donations, the Red Cross is accepting via Paypal.

Donations via credit cards are accepted via the following websites:

Gawad Kalinga

Feed The Hungry, Inc.

UNICEF

ANCOP Foundation USA

You can also send your cash donations via Enjaz or through your banks to the following Sagip Kapamilya accounts:

Other options to help for people outside the Philippines:

We believe in the generosity of the Filipino people. We also believe in the generosity of the world who continuously pours their donations to the Philippines. Thank you! We wish that these donations are used for the calamity victims and not go to the pockets of our corrupt officials. We appeal to the government to make sure that all donations are given to those who need it and deserve them the most. 

We also believe in the power of prayers. Let us continue to ask strength, guidance, and providence from the Almighty to see the Philippines and the Filipino people through these difficult times. 

God bless the Philippines! God bless the world. 

100 Lucky Juans Winners

Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans contest came to a conclusion last August 18, 2013. We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners who will be flying in the inaugural flight of Cebu Pac's Big Juan from Dubai to Manila this coming October. Woot, we wish we can join you, guys! (Cebu Pac, are you reading this? Haha!)

We wish we can write about all the winning entries in this contest but we only have limited space in the blog so we chose a few that really touched our hearts... You all know that The Pink Tarha ladies are children of overseas Filipino workers, right? We even wrote about our experiences in one of our first entries in 2009 in honor of our fathers who endured the harsh desert to provide well for us. And so, we salute these parents who are dedicating their entries to their children. And we hope their children appreciate all the hard work and sacrifices their parents did for them.

Andre Dela Cruz looks forward to his vacation so he can reunite with his family whom he considers as his true home. This photo is full of happiness and love.

The joy of being with a loved one.

Divina Gracia Morillo recognizes the hardship of working abroad as a housemaid, especially in Dubai. But she doesn't give up because she's doing it for her parents and children. Like what she said in her entry, "Working in Dubai is so hard but that's life. We have to survive every day for our family." We're sure our parents, when they were away from us during the 90s, also felt the same way. It's nice to know that Divina doesn't want to waste precious seconds on her vacation. She's spending it all with her family.

This winning entry by Joey Eva is truly worth that seat to a beautiful vacation. He left the Philippines to give his son a better future but in return, he wasn't able to see the milestones in his son's life, especially when his son started attending school. This photo brings joy and sadness. Such a touching moment. 

Awww, cute!

I can imagine my father's emotions when he couldn't attend my and my siblings' recognition days and graduations. Ahh, the memories! But good for Joey, he will now be able to go home this October. His son will be in for a treat!

And speaking of graduation, Grenor Salvador's photo of his daughter on her graduation day is also poignant. He hasn't seen his children for four years. We're so glad he won because he will be able to come home this October and see his daughter get married. He won't miss that lovely moment of walking his daughter down the aisle. Awww.

Celebrating milestones

We are so happy for the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Check out all the winners here. We hope that they enjoy their prize this October. Don't forget to wave when you pass above Riyadh. Oh, right, you won't. But do remember that The Pink Tarha is cheering you on. We hope you all have a great vacation with your family and friends. Thanks Cebu Pacific for making this possible!

*This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's.

Family Affairs

Another round of winners were announced in Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans. And we were not surprised that most of them feature their loved ones and family members in their photos. After all, going home to the Philippines is really all about our families.

Take for example Ernesto Enumerables' entry which says that he wants to propose to his girlfriend on her birthday. Awww, sweet! (I hope publishing this wouldn't ruin the surprise! hehe!) He also wants to see and hug his baby, Joeliane.

Jewel Catungal wants to go home to the Philippines because she wants to see her daughter and tour her around the many islands of the beautiful home land! Truly, it's more fun in the Philippines!

I really like this photo of Melita Matabang featuring her mom and her mom's siblings. I like seeing siblings who really go along together. Reminds me of my brothers, sisters, and I. ;)

Congratulations to the Week 5 winners of 100 Lucky Juans! 

For those who still want to join, there's still enough time! Visit the 100 Lucky Juans app in Cebu Pac's Facebook app and submit your entries. This is open to OFWs in the United Arab Emirates only.

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

The Big Juan Soars

Cebu Pacific has really making some huge updates in their fleet lately. Apart from The Big Juan, their biggest plane to date, Cebu Pacific has just recently received its 45th aircraft, a brand new Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 from Toulouse, France. This is Cebu Pac's third delivery of this kind of aircraft for 2013. The Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 allows airlines to save up to 4% on fuel burn.

Soaring high!

And that's not all! Cebu Pac is expecting delivery of 16 more Airbus A320 aircraft with Sharklets, 30 Airbus A321neo and 3 Airbus A330 aircraft from this year to 2012. Now, that is one soaring airline!

Speaking of soar, the Big Juan also made its inaugural flight from Manila to Seoul (Incheon) . Flight 5J 188 was sent off with lots of fanfare and freebies. Wish we were Rizziane Tolentino, the first passenger to check-in to the flight who received a free roundtrip ticket to Seoul! 

The Big Juan ready to go!

The Big Juan's inaugural commercial flight to Seoul

Welcome aboard!

It's more fun with the A330!

The Big Juan was also used last July 8 for flight 5J 813 from Manila to Singapore. We can't wait for its grand Manila-Dubai flight on October 7, 2013! Which reminds us, have you joined the 100 Lucky Juans contest? Not yet?! Well, better hurry and check out how to join in this page and head to the Cebu Pac Facebook app to submit your photo/video/article. A seat in The Big Juan is worth it! ~ Sundrenched

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

Wishes Granted

Every Overseas Filipino Worker wants to go home to the Philippines to be with their families and the 100 Lucky Juans contest of Cebu Pacific is making the wishes and dreams of OFWs in the United Arab Emirates come true. The winners for Week 3 and 4 were already announced and The Pink Tarha had a happy yet nostalgic time browsing through the winners' entries. 

We feel their emotions emanating through their photos, videos, and writings. It's not easy to be away from the homeland and it's never easy to be away from our loved ones. We can relate to some of the entries saying that they wanted to grant the wishes of their parents and children to come home. After all, the Pink Tarha ladies were once these children of OFWs who long to be with our fathers who were abroad for quite a long time. 

Just like Ginalyn Caputol's entry which says, "My plan for my homecoming would be to grant my father's 60th birthday wish, his wish is my presence during his birthday. I would like to surprise him and give him a big party. I've never been home for 3 years." Now that she won a free flight back to the Philippines for a vacation on October, she has a chance to surprise her father. What a tearful reunion that would be. Sigh... 

Mhea from Jumeirah, Dubai has a wish for her family on her next vacation. She wants to give her mother a treat and bond with her siblings, nephews, and nieces. "Wala akong ibang iniisip kundi ang magbakasyon ulit sa Pilipinas... Gusto ko silang ipasyal sa mga lugar na dati dati tinitignan lang namin sa magazines. Gusto ko ring magsimba kasama ang buong pamilya. Simple pero very sweet homecoming." Well, guess what Mhea! Wish granted. 

Gina Basilan, on the other hand, wishes to experience the beautiful nature of the Philippines aboard the Cebu Pacific airplane with her family. "Being unhappy is not easy. I miss my family in the Philippines. I want to visit them after four years." 

She even said that she hopes to ride with Cebu Pacific. Your wish is Cebu Pac's command, Gina! 

And finally, Suzeth Jalandoni from Sharjah, UAE gets a chance to bond with her son this October. "Sabik ako maparamdam sa baby ko yung pakiramdam ng pagiging ina. Halos araw araw ng aking buhay dito sa UAE, inaasam ko na sana kasama ko lang ang anak ko at pamilya ko... Dito ko lubos naiintindihan kapag magulang kana pala, kahit mahirap, kahit mapalayo ka, bsta mabigyan mu lang ng magandang buhay at masuportahan ang pangangailang ng pamilya, lahat nakakaya. Kung pwede ko nga lang pabilisin ang araw pra lang bakasyon ko na!" 

Start counting the days to October, Suzeth! 

All these wishes and dreams are so close to our hearts as OFWs in Saudi Arabia. Every day, we want to see our loved ones in the Philippines and if only we can teleport whenever we think of them, we'd do it all the time (work be darn! Hahaha, kidding!). Good thing, there are flights like Cebu Pacific which brings us closer to our families and friends back home. Congratulations to the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest! 

For those who hasn't joined yet, you still have time to submit your entries to the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Good luck! ~ Sundrenched

This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's own.

A City in Gridlock

We were stuck in a gridlock on the streets of Jeddah that day. Our meeting time in the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah was 6:00 pm and we were already half an hour late. Our friend made a wrong turn and we helplessly looked at the traffic all around us. It was moving at a rate of... zero per second. On those moments I start to wonder what's with Jeddah...

Shoegarfreeruby and I visited Jeddah exactly a year ago and I liked it in an instant; the roads are wide and smooth, the people are friendly and caring, the old seamlessly melding with the new, the city thrums with a steady, comfy pace that the go-getter city of Riyadh didn't have. Riyadh is a modern city that vibrates in a fast-paced stride, always running for progress when it comes to infrastructure and roads. Today, Jeddah is seemingly in the race too with tall towers built here and there (the layout of the city almost an afterthought) and most of its roads being re-constructed, fixed, and made. Thus the gridlock. I look at my watch and sigh.

We reached the consulate in Um Al-Qurra street after an hour on the road and parked in front the beige building just behind a police car. We see the Tent City beside the consulate. There is a vacant lot beside the consulate building. Was vacant... because it no longer is. This was the tent city months before. Now, the lot is filled with camping tents of all sizes, people milling about like they're in a place in Manila. It was hard to believe that the tent city is literally a tent city. After all, aren't tents made for summer picnics, treks and hiking in the mountains, or camping on a shore?

Outside the consulate, a line of Filipinos snakes its way in all directions. There were many people waiting for their turn at this hour. The temperature, the last time, we checked was around 40 degrees. We were marveling at the patience of these people when we heard a loud rap in one of our rented vehicle's windows. A man asked us what we want. We told him we're waiting for someone. I choked back my thought... "We want to help." But that didn't seem right. Seeing this first-hand; the number of people inside the tent city, the number of people in line to legalize their status, the number of people coming and going... I came to realize, we cannot help... enough.

Our contact, Mr. Kenji Solis of PEBA Inc. ushered us inside. The girls and I carried whatever we could from the groceries we bought at a hypermarket. Some men from the tent city and volunteers of PEBA came to help us. The energetic Jasmin, PEBA's volunteer and herself seeking to legalize her papers, directed where each box goes. A system where there was none materialized out of need. The packs of loaves, bottles of mineral water, and trays of eggs go to the Tent City. The huge packs of diapers, boxes of pastries, and sachets of coffee go to the shelter inside the consulate where a number of women and their children were housed.

We passed through the gates of the consulate and we feel the eyes of those in line on our backs. Uneasiness crept while we bypassed the long lines to enter. We climbed to the topmost floor and saw for ourselves what kind of life our distressed kabayans are currently leading. The top floor of the consulate is filled with women and children who Jasmin had lined up to receive the meager stuff we brought for them. Almost everyone lined up carrying their babies with them asking for a specific size of diaper, a piece of bread, and a sachet of coffee that can only serve one.

What are we doing here? That's one of the first things that entered my mind when the giving began. It didn't seem right to be here, to invade these people's privacy, to act like we know what they're going through, to pretend we understand how they arrived in these circumstances, and to radiate a positive energy assuring them that every thing will be all right. Being in the shelter, and also later on in the tent city, was a harsh snap into a reality that we didn't know.

Our kabayans sleep on thin mattresses lying beside each other. Some of them live outside the building into the terrace that has only sheets of canvas to protect them from the heat. When a sandstorm strikes, they go inside and huddle like sardines into the rooms already filled with people. Fans battle the heat of day but they can only produce relief in brief intervals, blowing air that is as hot as the wind outside. There are rooms allocated for the pregnant and the babies; the air-conditioning going on-off, on-off on certain hours. (And we, the privileged ones, already complain of the hot weather after a minute or two of walking under the sun.)

We had to duck low in entering the inner sanctum of the tent city. At the back is a kitchen where all donations are gathered and a group of kabayans lead and cook for the others. They're huddled in makeshift mats in the floor while a few chop and boil the day's supper. A table serve as a mini pharmacy where all donated medicines are stored. A man talks to us about the conditions of living in the tent city and what is the status of the illegal workers. The gist of it is... there are things being done, papers are being processed, but all eventually gets clogged in the agencies in-charge. There are so many of them but so little time.

I feel so present in the midst of this chaos but I also felt detached. I felt the suffering, saw it for myself, but a disconnection gnaws my inside. Yes, The Pink Tarha ladies are not in the shoes of our kababayans in the tent city. We do not know suffering in the kind they are experiencing right now. After this visit, we will all go back to Riyadh feeling far away, not only in distance, but also in mind. The faces and names of everyone we met creates a mishmash of hastily put directories in our brains, blurring as days go by. This is not our struggle, not our fight, but then again, we want to help in ways that we can. Remember what we most Filipinos are known for? Bayanihan.

Eyecandy remembers the time when we were lined up at the grocery. A fellow kababayan wondered and asked what all our trolleys of groceries were for? She answered, it's for the people of the Tent City. He replied, "Ano yung Tent City?" (What is the tent city?) It caught her off guard considering that this man obviously lived and worked in Jeddah and yet he was not aware that such a thing was going on within his community. But for whatever reason that this person was caught unaware, Eyecandy believes (and we share her belief) that this is what we should work towards to: awareness. Let us not let our fellow kababayans suffer under the heat of the sun and the mercy of a faulty bureaucratic process without at least making it known. Because it is only through our awareness of the issue that our humanity can be triggered. 

The Pink Tarha ladies may as well be just bloggers. Just fellow OFWs. But we are all first and foremost, people. Our humanity lies in our compassion for others and for those in need. While we acknowledge that we don't have any legal authority or influence to empirically change and alleviate the situation in the Tent City, we must more importantly recognize that it should not be a hindrance for us to help, in any way that we can. Be it in terms of donations of daily goods, medicines (which they badly need) and most importantly, our time. Yes, we may appear to be powerless in a problem such as this. And yes, we know that the best solution for them is to get these displaced OFWs back home. But if we believe that there is no power in the human connection, in having a heart that gives and shares, and in a prayer so deep and sincere, then what does that say about our humanity? What does that say about the Filipino spirit?

Hope and love.

If there's anything that was etched in my memory, it would have to be the children; their faces smiling and full of hope and dreams, their innocence being eaten slowly by their dire circumstances, by their parents' sacrifices and mistakes (whichever apply), by the action of the governments of two countries, and by the days swallowed whole by the unforgiving weather. If there's any thing more we pray for other than the resolution of each case and status, it would have to see these children in an environment where they are free to grow as healthy and happy as they can be.

We continuously pray not only for our kababayans, but also for everyone -- from Jeddah to Riyadh to other various cities and provinces -- affected in these new labor laws in various ways than one. May these cities of gridlock be alleviated soon. 

~ A Sundrenched + Eyecandy collaboration entry

* Donations can be given through Mr. Kenji Solis of PEBA Inc. You can contact him at kenjebz@gmail.com or via the PEBA Inc. Facebook page.

** We would like to thank Jollibee KSA, Mr. Julius Alfonso, and Ms. Jou Pabalate for their sponsorship and donations making this gift-giving possible.

*** Photos will be added soon.

Family First

What is the essence of being an OFW if not for family? 

It's hard enough that we have to fly thousand of miles away from home to provide for them but for most Filipinos abroad, saving up for a vacation back to the Philippines can pose some financial difficulties. Lucky for us, Cebu Pacific is starting to offer direct AND very affordable flights from Dubai to Manila and vice versa. 

I was looking through the entries of the 100 Lucky Juans on the Cebu Pacific's Facebook Page and found myself drawn to these three photos in particular:

I really liked this photo from Karen Cabangon because it reminded me so much of how most ordinary days in the Philippines feel like with our families. Lounging around the "sala" with the electric fan on, watching TV and enjoying a glass of cold softdrinks in the afternoon. They looked really happy in this photo and that kid is just sooo cute! I also liked that she took the time to tell us her story in the caption section. Truly vacation would be grander if the whole family could come along. 

This photo from Michael Grace reminds me of my own experience of flying with Cebu Pacific with my friends just last year and it's always a scenic shot to show that you and your loved ones are doing some traveling (I have the same photo, standing outside the aircraft). What I really enjoy about the idea of Cebu Pacific is that they've made air travel accessible and affordable to every Filipino. Whether its because you want to see your friends and family or because you just want to visit a new province/city in the Philippines that you've never seen before. I do believe that everyone should travel, if given the chance. :) 

And of course, the picturesque capture of the Burj Khalifa by Roland Sapnay is simply perfect especially since Cebu Pacific is currently promoting its upcoming direct flights from Manila to Dubai. Dubai is a very cosmopolitan with a cityscape that any person can be at awe of. There are thousands of OFWs based in Dubai and the UAE and they will surely benefit from this offer by Cebu Pacific. I am sure that this can bring them closer to their loved ones here in the Middle East and back at home. 

As OFWs, we do travel in and out of the country more often than we would want to. However, no matter where we go, it's always about our families. We wouldn't have chosen to become OFWs if not for them. So whether we bask under the desert sun of the Middle East or as we gaze into the bright lights of the big city, in our hearts, home and family is where we all want to be. 

Join the 100 Lucky Juans for a chance to win a free flight from Dubai to Manila! Details can be found here. 

The PEBA 2011 "Where The Heart Is" Photo Contest

We have a new project and we'd like you, fellow OFWs and Filipino expats, to be a part of it!

The Pink Tarha has been tapped by PEBA Inc. and Globe Kababayan to spearhead this year's PEBA Photo Contest. The truth is, we don't know how to go about this; we've never held a photo contest before... but we're not backing out on something new, right? So, here you go...

Okay, it's colorful and vintage-y. Lol. This poster speaks like The Pink Tarha. :P But going back to the photo contest, we'd love to see your photographs! Please read this for the full details. We're also posting at the PEBA blog so please visit us there too. Share this page to your friends too.

Tell us where your heart is! Tell us your story through the lens and light of your cameras. :)

How To Be More Than Just "Desert Housewives"

IT'S A KNOWN fact that the professional environment in Saudi Arabia is dominated by men - Saudis and non-Saudis alike. Men who have families usually have wives sitting at home, most of the time doing nothing but housework and attending to their husbands or children. It is a particularly common scenario with OFWs, who are able to bring their wives and families with them to the Kingdom courtesy of a dependent visa. However, despite the "luxurious" idea of coming to a different country and expecting to be adorned by their husbands with gold jewelry (and of course, the quality time they've missed after being apart), wives often find themselves stuck at home while their husbands go to work, often feeling like a desert-ed housewife! (Minus the actual "Desperate Housewives" drama I hope!)

Once they arrive here, their usual comments would be: "Ang boring boring naman dito! Walang magawa!" (It's so boring here, there's nothing to do!). I remember almost twenty years ago when my mother and I first arrived here, my mom would always say that the streets were so "lonely" and that you could barely see one or two persons out in the residential area...unlike in the Philippines where the hustle and bustle of the city can easily seep through the subdivisions.

As an OFW's wife living in the Philippines, you at least had the liberty of riding your own car, traveling alone, going to a cinema or museum to amuse yourself -- amidst the responsibility of keeping your home and caring for your children. However, as an OFW's wife living in SAUDI ARABIA, your choices of having a productive and fulfilling time can be very, VERY limited. Most of the time, husbands are reluctant to allow their wives to go ride taxis on their own, and/or they might go home too tired from work to even drive their wives around the city at night. And it certainly doesn't help the men when The Pink Tarha announces the sale alerts, 'eh? :P

So ladies, what can you do to spare yourself from seeing TV Patrol World and Wowowee twice on the same day? Could your days as a housewife in Riyadh be more interesting at the very least?

In my growing up here, I've seen several housewives take their idle time as an opportunity to come up with ways to, dare I say, "re-invent" themselves. Here are the most common ventures that bored OFW housewives can do to pass the time (and maybe even make some extra moolah!):

1. Round up some babies (and kids!): It's probably the most common occupation for Pinay housewives here. Families who both have working parents usually need a place for their children to stay at during the day. And since not all families can afford hiring a "yaya" in their own homes or enrolling them to daycare right away, there are hundreds of parents looking for a reliable and trustworthy babysitter for their children. There are those housewives who only take one or two kids while other homes can accommodate up to almost 20 children!

While initially, the goal is to just have something to do and not feel "too alone" in the house, once they realize that they can handle more children and that they are good at it (or some just want to earn a lot of money), then they decide to expand their services. If you already have your own children with you here to deal with, but would like to pursue babysitting, I suggest taking one child at a time. You know, one alone can be a handful. If you are here all by yourself, by all means, hoard as many as you can. Just make sure that you would take care of them as you would your own children. Babysitting can definitely occupy your time at home and maybe even harness those momma skills you got!

2. Get cooking. You know how they say that once you're married, you should know how to feed your husband? Well, we're going under the assumption that most of you out there CAN cook...SOMETHING (I know, some may have a more talented cook for a husband). Whether its Filipino meals and delicacies or pastry products, if you have a passion for cooking, you have all the time to practice at home. Once you master a particular dish, you can try selling it to your friends and neighbors and see what they think of it. A lot of catering and made-to-order meals have become popular within the Filipino community here in Riyadh, and most of them started with housewives who were just sitting at home and had a bright idea come their way. What first was one, two orders of "pancit" or "chocolate cake," slowly and steadily grew and had more regular customers. Some had even grown to the point where it has become a catering business or become a restaurant itself. If this is your cup of tea, one suggestion is to pace yourself. You never know how fast word can spread about your cooking and you might feel overwhelmed when a lot of orders come your way. Try setting some terms within what you can and will be able to deliver. Remember, you still have your husband/family to cook for first above anyone else.

I suggest visiting TitaMariyah's website at: www.titamariyah.bravehost.com and Nadia's Bake Fresh blog: http://bakefresh.blogspot.com for inspirational women who took their talent, honed it and are now more than just housewives living in Saudi Arabia!

3. Tune up your music, arts, and teaching skills. Another popular venture for housewives here is teaching piano, guitar, and music to children. Some even teach arts and crafts, like painting or sketching. Years ago, I had a close friend whose mom put up a music school right in their own home. They taught kids how to play the piano, guitar, violin, offered voice lessons and even had recitals by the end of each term. Again, your number of students can depend on your own capacity and availability. If you are musically gifted and would like to share this gift, you can advertise yourself and encourage young ones to pursue their potentials in music and arts.


Another option would be to tutor a particular subject. Say you were an engineering graduate back home but you are unable to find work here in that field, you can offer services as a tutor in math or any related subject. This gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge within the comforts of your own home. Otherwise, you can always apply for a teaching position in the Philippine schools in the Kingdom.

4. Networking prowess. Some housewives who have children studying in the schools here spend a lot of time in the school's premises just waiting for their children to finish class. It's there where they meet fellow moms and are able to socialize. You can use this opportunity to stretch your inner-saleswoman. There are several wives/moms who engage themselves in selling AVON, Oriflame, Natasha products and other networking businesses. If you used to be in marketing in the Philippines and have an interest in sales, this would be a simple place to start.

This photo was taken from this website.

5. Look for actual professional employment. It's going to be much more of a challenge since there aren't a lot of job opportunities for women here unless you are a nurse or a secretary by profession. But it is not impossible. Applying as secretaries or teachers is the most common occupation for OFW wives here, and often the most probable. Working with a company/school will be more demanding than the home businesses I suggested, but hey, if your husband supports you in it, why not? At least your career won''t experience a full stop just because you came to KSA.

Waiting around for husbands to get home and have them adorn you with gold jewels and fancy gifts is nothing to complain about really. That's what most Arab women do. But we're Filipinos and we're industrious and we like being active, so if you are one of those women who feel bored at home and is reading our blog, I hope you find my suggestions helpful. Just promise me that even though you'd start venturing out now, you'd still come by and visit The Pink Tarha blog! Oh, and remember, family should still come first!

Cheers!
-ec-

TPT in TKJ

The Pink Tarha is featured on The Kablogs Journal! Please visit the May issue of the journal and tell us what you think. There are trivia in there that we haven't written in our blog. Visit the first issue too.

The Kablogs Journal Issue 2, May 2010

We'd like to thank Isla de Nebz for writing this article. His questionnaire was rather long and we were racking our brains for answers. We were late in replying, sorry! Hope we answered intelligently (cough, cough). :P Kikay-ness and intelligence can go together, y'know! Lol.

OAV 2010 (Riyadh, KSA Edition)

For the first time, I voted as an overseas Filipino. And really, I feel like I matter and that I am a responsible Filipino citizen. :P

I voted! Yeee!
(Sorry, I have an ugly thumb, hehe.)

It was last Thursday when my father and I went to the Philippine embassy in Riyadh to have our thumbs inked, and of course to have a say on who's going to be the next president, vice-president, and senators of our beloved Philippines. It was an easy thing to do. We registered last July (remember how ecstatic I was when I finally managed to drag my father to register and now, to vote!). For his entire career as an OFW (that's 18 years and counting!), he didn't really participate in any of the elections. Elections come and go like countless days and nights in the desert and he couldn't care less about what's happening in the Philippine government as long as he's providing for his family. That's actually understandable. I'm sure most of the pillars of our homes think that way. So, imagine my surprise when he listened to my plea to vote. Kasi naman, we at home gets an earful of his (and sometimes, my brothers') rants about the government of GMA and how she runs the country. I told them to magreklamo kayo sa mga balota n'yo! And so all roads lead to the Philippine embassy in Riyadh...

Check point at the Diplomatic Quarters where the Philippine embassy is located.

The Overseas Absentee Voting started last April 10, 2010 and is on going for a month. Polls will close on 1:00pm (Riyadh time), May 10, 2010. I didn't want to get caught in the lines of people on May 10 or anywhere near the date so we went "early." Maybe a bit late in some other people's standard but there were less than 10 people voting when we went there, hehe. Mary and her family went a day after.

The process is a breeze. For Filipinos in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, here are the very simple steps. After you enter the gates of the embassy, go to the Liwasang Bonifacio where these boards are:

To the left...

To the right...

You have to find your name there to find your precinct. Hep, don't wail now. Even if it looks like a sea of names (it is), it's very easy to find your names. If you know your surname (of course you do!), go to the board that contains your surname's first few letters. Make sure your name is there and take note of the precinct number. Our surname starts with a Va so it's situated somewhere between surnames starting with Ta and Vi. We're in Precinct #13. Wee, lucky 13! There are 14 precincts in Riyadh. Once you find your name and know your precinct number, go to the basement parking of the embassy. There are many signs like this:

Follow the arrow...

Find your precinct number. The precincts are merely tables but their numbers are largely written. It's not a very wide, open space for you to not find your way immediately, unless there's a huge crowd when you go. If you're lost, ask! Once you find your table, give the officers your valid ID (iqama, passport, company ID, etc.) and they'll look for your name in their record. They'll give you a ballot and will ask you to sign. After that, you go in the table behind the officers and write your candidates! Yes, I said WRITE. The process here is still manual. No automated ballots and PCOS machines here.

It's wise to bring your kodigo so you don't waste time and forget anyone on your list. But if you're not as prepared, there's a list of candidates available at the table. Write the names as they appear on the list or your vote might become invalid. Pick 1 candidate for president, 1 for vice-president, 12 names for senators and 1 for party list. I'm sure you know this by now but I'm just saying. (Click the links to see the list of certified candidates for national elections.) You don't need to complete all. Just whoever you like to vote for, really. To tell you honestly, I got stumped in the party list. Imagine 3 pages of parties to choose from... I don't even know that such parties exist. Maybe I'm just ignorant but if you're voting for a party list, make sure you have one ready. Going over each one in the list is time-consuming. But if you want to take your time, no one's preventing you either. Voting for local positions is not available for OAV.

VOTE WISELY!!!

Let's not discuss who I voted for and why. I'm sure you have your choices too. After you vote, fold your ballot and give it to the officer-in-charge of your precinct. He/she will then ask you to put a thumbmark on your ballot and beside your name and photo on their record. You will put your ballot on the ballot box. The ballot box here is literally a box. Like the balikbayan box, only smaller. Lol. Where are the metal ones with a lock? Is this true to the elections protocol? I feel weirded out by this. Also, they didn't put any indelible marks in our thumbs after we voted. Seriously, is this the protocol for the OAV? I wouldn't know for sure because the officers merely said that the box was the one provided by the Comelec. Hmn...

Ooookay. Whatever happens, I am making darn sure that my vote gets counted correctly. My eyes are on you people!!!

For your info...

So you guys, OFWs and expats alike, go now and vote! Here's the voting schedule in Riyadh and Al-Khobar. Don't waste this opportunity to exercise your right.

§undrenched

PS. I visited the Comelec website to check their online precinct finder. I did find my precinct... precincts! I found my precinct in the Philippines (I'm registered in La Union) and in Riyadh, KSA. Does this mean I have two active records or was my Philippine record inactive now that I have already voted in Saudi Arabia? I inquired via email but no response until now. Can someone please enlighten me? I do not want to be tagged as a flying voter (anlayo ng nilipad ko in fairness) nor do I want my Philippine record to be used for cheating! :)