Ang Tunay na Katas ng Saudi

Hindi salapi, bahay, lupa, o jeepney. Kaming mga anak ng Overseas Filipino Workers ang tunay na katas ng Saudi.

There's no easy way to open up to the public the lives we've led as children of Overseas Filipino Workers but we will because we owe it to the men who made us possible, who made our lives breathing and thriving in this desert possible.

The main force that binds the Pink Tarha Ladies is not our love for shopping and eating but the fact that we are the second generation of overseas Filipino workers in our families. We have almost the same story. Our fathers were part of the early wave of migration during the 80s. We were the children left behind, the children who grew up in a different kind of home, where absence reverberates in every corner of our houses and echoes in every hollow of our hearts. What we have become are the fruits of labor of these brave, selfless family men. We owe it to them to tell our story.

What became of us, those little girls who only have vague memories of that day when the pillars of our homes left to seek a greener pasture? Shoegarfreeruby, Maryhadalittlehump, and Sundrenched grew up in the Philippines while Eyecandy was raised in Saudi Arabia. Was there ever a difference to OFW children who grew up in the motherland and in the Kingdom? What kind of fruits did our fathers' diaspora bear?

Raised in the Republic

1984: R with her mom, dad, and younger sister

I was only three when dad decided to work in Riyadh. I vividly remember that time when we took our family picture the day he left (above). My sister was two, and my mom pregnant with our youngest. Facing the ordeal of having a father away was something my mother bore for 22 years. We owe it to her that she was able to raise us all up with love. We never questioned why our father had to be away because she made us understand. Growing up, I remember that our yearly trips to the airport waiting patiently for our father to arrive were the happiest memories of my childhood. There were tears we needed to hold back when his vacation was over but the promise of seeing him again after a year comforted us. Who would have thought that I would be following my father's footsteps? - Shoegarfreeruby

1989: M and her sister missing their dad

It was in 1987 when daddy went to Saudi Arabia to work. I was two years old, too young to remember, and my sister was one. Our youngest wasn't even born yet. My mommy told me how I refused to approach my father whenever he was home for vacation. I was a stubborn kid, crying and very shy around this "stranger" who leaves and returns home and leaves again. And then I finally understood the setup. It wasn't difficult for my sisters and I because of mom and her relentless explanation why our father needed to go abroad. We cry when his vacations were over. And when he was back in the desert for the nth time, we resumed studying hard and asking the Lord to guide him because during those years, those were the only things we can do to repay my father's sacrifices. - Maryhadalittlehump

1996: S with her papa and siblings

The army green luggage now stashed in our attic never fails to remind me of the day my father first went to Saudi Arabia. That moment was framed in my brain, never mind if I don't remember exactly when. All I knew is, it was the longest summer of my childhood. Two of my siblings and I were whisked to the province and raised by our grandparents while my other two sibs were raised by mom in Makati. Two different worlds brought upon by an absence, a distance bridged only by cassette tapes we recorded for him, letters sent, and calls only made possible through an aging static landline. How can I forget the graduation days missed, the holidays celebrated on a five-hour difference, the long airport waits and the vacations spent like stolen moments? But just as the saying goes, "distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult," everything eventually fell into place. - Sundrenched

Growing up, the three of us (R,M,S) grappled with the reality that we were missing a part of our family. We felt like we never knew our fathers at all, and that they never knew us. We were aware though that our fathers were away to provide for us and there were some instances wherein we felt wealthy, one of the few middle-class families in our neighborhoods back then. We had the newest toys and we were happy but there was an indescribable empty feeling. We were well provided but we were incomplete.

We grew up knowing that every grain we put inside our mouth, every shirt we wear, and every penny we spent in school equate to every tear our fathers shed, every sweat in their brow, and every chilly night spent alone. Though at first, we weren't aware. Like most OFW children, we were spared the gruesome realities of our fathers' OFW lives. So when our eyes were opened to their hardships, we learned the value of hard work and perseverance. Their long absence has taught us patience; that there will always be times of waiting for someone, or no one. Their being away gave us freedom and the chance to explore that freedom to our heart's content. We felt the silent trust they gave while we were facing the world with both eagerness and caution. We became street smart, out to tend on our own. Yes, we were alone but never lonely because we also have our mothers and relatives who love us and somehow prevented us from rebelling. Our fathers' love was channeled through these wonderful people. Love, after all, knows no bounds.

Being raised in the homeland has also done wonders for us. We were never deprived of playgrounds, friends, and Filipino cuisine. We knew our culture, history and geography. We were never left without our national identity. We've been parts of historic events and we've experienced how it is to become a Filipino. Of course, these too much freedom and exposure have also given us reasons to take them for granted and abuse them in various ways. We were never the perfect OFW children and citizens. We committed mistakes and caused problems but in our hearts we knew that we have become half of what our fathers and motherland have envisioned their children to be. The rest is now being spent in proving ourselves to our selves.

Raised in the Kingdom

1989: E and her dad

Six years old was just about the time that I was beginning to develop my long-term memory and ever since I could remember, I’ve always considered Riyadh as my home. My father was fortunate enough to bring me and my mother to Saudi Arabia right after the Gulf War had subsided. Thrilled at the idea of riding a plane to be with my father, little did I know that ten years would pass before I would ride another one again. - Eyecandy

I grew up (up to my teens) as an only child, fed and bred in the best way my parents could afford. Despite not growing up in a “normal” environment…such as never learning how to ride a bike, climb a tree or play on the streets…I’d like to think that I grew up “normal” nevertheless. Back in the day, TFC was not yet around to give me an idea of what kids my age back in the Philippines were like. For me, what I had around me was the norm. I considered it the norm to wear an abaya every time I went out, to not have malls and cinemas and theme parks, to be escorted everywhere by my father, and to just have a “school-bahay-school-bahay” routine-type of existence. This happened because my family never went home for vacations, so my formative years were purely spent on Saudi soil. I didn’t mind the apparent “restrictions” of Saudi life because it’s all I ever knew. Besides, my parents never let me feel deprived of anything. In fact, I knew I was a very lucky girl. Too lucky sometimes, I guess.

One of the things that I realized about my growing up abroad is that kids like me were raised with a terribly abundant lifestyle. We are showered with anything and everything that our hearts desired because we are in a country that allows our parents to give them to us. But this sense of “giving us a better life or a life they never had” can be a double-edged sword. I can’t help but notice that most children who grew up abroad develop a sense of entitlement without a cause. We’ve never experienced a sense of hardship to get what we want/have. I’m referring to the idea that we are not surrounded by poverty and challenging living conditions. Unlike the children who did grow up in the Philippines, they know firsthand what it’s like to hold on to every penny and use it wisely, they know what it’s like to live through a flood, a blackout or a theft in the streets. They know that if they don’t study hard enough and finish school, they won’t get a shot at a better life. Unfortunately for most of the children raised in Riyadh, we have this notion that our parents will provide for us no matter what. We know that we won’t run out of money, food and clothing. I see it to our disadvantage that somehow, we were not immersed in an environment that innately motivates us to be more determined, street smart and/or thriftier. I say all this based from my own experience. It is not that I am ungrateful for everything that my parents have worked hard for me to have and enjoy. But if I want to be able to give my own children someday the same privileges that I have had, then I must be given the opportunity to realize the value of trials and tribulations.

It is a blessing indeed to be with our families here abroad. I am sure that it warms our parents’ hearts that during dinnertime, we are all complete at the kitchen table. I may have grown up to have both my OFW parents by my side, but I suppose the kind of absence that I endured is that of a deeper sense of what it means to be a Filipino. It is the nurturing that only a nation can yield. I lived on my own in the Philippines for more than four years and despite it not being the "better" kind of life that I was used to, I believe that despite of that, I became a better person and even a better citizen of my own country.

As children raised abroad, I can only hope that we find it in ourselves to realize what it really means to be a Filipino. Yes, we are all extremely blessed and abundant in all our neccessities. Heck, we're probably even set by parents to not worry about a thing when we grow older. But that shouldn't keep us oblivious to what our culture and nation is, and it's expectation from US--the next generation OFWs--and what are we going to do about it. We should also keep in mind what our parents have done and gone through to be able to bring us all together in that kitchen table along with the food that we eat. And should we be so lucky, someday, we will be strong and hardworking enough to do the same for our own families.

All Grown Up

The country benefiting from the Filipino diaspora is just a by-product, it wasn't the primary reason why parents leave the homeland. First and foremost, it's for their families. Our families. To pack up and go doesn't speak of our father's identity as a nationalistic Filipino. It speaks a lot about our fathers being courageous men whose priority in life is their family. Lucky are those whose parents do not need to go abroad to provide for their families. For OFW children like us, we should feel luckier because we have parents who are willing to sacrifice their happiness for us. Admire their courage and turn their absence into something constructive rather than destructive. Distance should never be seen as a hindrance to grow up to our best potentials as persons. After all, our parents are only providing for our present. Our future entirely depends on us.

Filipino children raised in other countries, always remember whom and where you came from. Open your eyes to the hard work and sacrifices made by your parents to bring you to a new land. Do not forget your Filipino identity. After all, being born and raised in another country doesn't limit your capacity to love your nationality. You are living in a world with no borders, with limitless possibilities where everyone is an extension of a particular race. One day, like your parents, you will come HOME and that's probably one of the most wonderful feeling in this world.

OFW children have different stories to tell. But whatever our stories tell about us and our families, what became of us is the main part of the story our fathers will tell to the whole world. We are the outcome of their sacrifice twenty years ago. We are the fruits of our fathers' labor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Kaming mga anak ng Saudi OFWs ang tunay na katas ng Saudi... and we hope that how we turned out was well-worth the sacrifice.

*If you liked our article, do vote for us at the Pinoy Expats Blog Awards 2009. Simply click the link, go to #28 PINK TARHA GIRLS on the nominees list, tick off the box and Submit Vote. Thank you! :)

batang bata ka pa - apo hiking society

That Little Something, Something

I think I never said this enough. The Pink Tarha Ladies love accessories, so much so that every foray in the mall gets us a little something that makes our wardrobe reek with color and bling. Whether it be jewelry (surprisingly, no one among us is into Saudi gold), bags, scarves, hair accessories... we get out of the mall with a thing or two. There will always be that something every day that gets our attention. You'll be surprised how much we say "Uy, ang ganda ng (fill in accessory name here) mo!" Usually, it's the shoes of shoegarfreeruby, headbands of eyecandy, and colorful clips of maryhadalittlehump.

Over the past few months, I bought some accessories I fancied. Some were even bought in Al-Khobar's Al-Rashid Mall, just to commemmorate E and I's train ride to the Eastern province (I'm sentimental like that). Some were bought during the sale season (I probably uttered the words "sale season" a hundred times now you might think it's my favorite term this time.. oh right, it is!). ANyway, here are some of my fave items:

Vintage-looking "suitcase"

That's in quotation marks because this one is made of ultra hard cardboard so it's not really a suitcase. I love how dainty this looks. Ya think I can pull off a prim and proper look when using this? Wait, I am a prim and proper lady naman in the first place! Hehe. :P

Accessories from Forever 21

There's no Forever 21 here in Riyadh (boo!) so I got these stuff from Forever 21 in Al-Rashid Mall. They're pretty cheap at SR9 each.

Layered necklaces from Promod

I've been wanting to buy these necklaces since I saw them. It was love at first sight but alas, it wasn't just meant to be because price got in the way. But now that they went on sale... it was love rekindled! Hehe. (Yeah,that sounded like yours truly is sooo cheap. :P) I wore the green necklace on our corporate attire Monday.

Bag from Accessorize

I love Accessorize but sometimes, the prices are just waaay out of league. Like, how can those headbands and hair flowers be priced at SR56 each?! C'mon! But in fairness, their gypsy-like, embroidered bags were all the rage the past months. Again, I cannot bear to look at the price tags then. Now, it's more bearable because their bags and accessories went 70% off. I bought this summery basket bag for a friend. I know our native bags in Pinas are way better than this but I'm sure my friend will like this just the same. Hehe.

That's it for me and my purchases this month. You can all heave a sigh of relief now that we're done bombarding you with sale items. Besides, the sale season is over so entries on shopping and retail therapy will start to dwindle on this blog from hereon. Ta-ta!

Huh?! What eyecandy? You have another power shopping entry? Hmn, can't really blame you. Post on! :P

Dining DUO Style

The Pink Tarha Team have had their enormous share of steaks, sushi, and shawarmas (that's American, Japanese and Middle-Eastern food). It's time for some European flair, must I say? Enter...


Located on the outskirts of Riyadh's city center, the extra drive to Exit 5 may well be worth your time. DUO serves a combination of fine French-Italian cuisine, aimed to awaken our senses to an authentic French and Italian experience. To begin with, the open dining area is the closest you can get to an al fresco feel with it's high, glass ceiling allowing natural light into the room. The yellow-painted walls are adorned with window panes carrying green fauna and the cobblestone-like floors and indoor light lamps are reminiscent of the streets of Italy. The ambiance is a fresh retreat from the overcrowded restaurants of the metro. It must be those high ceilings that make all the difference.

The entire restaurant is extremely spacious, also allotting seating area for those who would prefer closed dining. There is a second level, where the "Playstation" for children is located along with a couple of banquet halls that are available for corporate events or personal parties.

We arrived at DUO at around 6pm, and it wasn't a busy time just yet. As we sat on the wood-crafted, outdoorsy furniture browsing through the menu, we were served with complimentary fresh bread with mustard and olive spread.

For starters, we ordered DUO's delectable fruit drinks, concocted right off from their open bar. (No, unfortunately, there is no red or white wine with cheese to boot). They had an open salad bar though, which shows off their garden-fresh vegetable selection and several other healthy options.

DUO's Fruit Cocktails: Ciao (orange, banana and strawberry syrup), Monot (orange, pineapple and grapefruit) and Duo (orange, pineapple, apple, lemon and grenadine) at 18 SR each.

The salad bar was well-maintained and boasted of only the finely prepped vegetables. Fill up your plate for 25SR. Well worth the freshness!

From S, some crab meat, boiled egg, sweet corn, cheese and lettuce (there's some macaroni salad underneath too).

For J, some cherry tomatoes, fresh pineapples, lettuce and boiled egg. Looks delish, eh?

For me, French onion soup served in a round french bread with melted cheese for 15SR.

We had a good chit-chat as we waited for our food to arrive. The open dining area is open for smokers so if you are a "sunog-baga", feel free to puff a ciggie away just like the French do. Ahh, now for the main course:

A duo-style pizza. As the manager explained to us, DUO translates to "two" or a combination of two things. In their restaurant, it is the fusion of French and Italian food. In this pizza's case, it's the coming together of an Al Salmone pizza with a classic Pepperoni pizza. Al Salmone is made up of smoked salmon slices lying on a bed of tomato and cream sauce, mozarella cheese and rocket leaves. That bit was a hot item for us, as the tender salmon went well with the textured and mildly-spicy rocket leaves. I can't remember how much it was for a half-of-each pizza, but the price range of their pizzas go from 32SR to 48SR for 8 slices.

Chicken breast with 3 pepper sauce (42SR). Personally, we didn't think highly of this dish. It is after all...chicken. But what made this intricately different from your regular grilled chicken breast is the sauce and the spices used. According to the manager, the sauce was the most difficult one to prepare in the chicken section. The vegetables were scrumptious and sweet.

Spinach ravioli (42SR). Behold one of the definite highlights of our dinner: stuffed pasta with spinach in tomato and cream sauce. It was a very light and tasty dish. I wanted the cream sauce to linger on my mouth a bit longer...very delicious and I would highly recommend this dish to any vegetarian out there. :D Yum-OH!

Escalope Cordon Bleu (66SR). Here we have, pan fried breaded beef escalope stuffed with turkey ham and Gruyere cheese (a kind of Swiss/French cheese), served with mashed potatoes. Once we got over the slightly pungent scent, we thoroughly enjoyed the savory thinned meat. A bite size of this went well with the creamy mashed potatoes.

The girls and I shared the main courses and didn't fill ourselves up too much (hindi pa ba?!) because upon a friend's claim that their desserts are equally fulfilling, we decided to leave some space for the real goodies to come rolling in...Their dessert menu was composed of mostly French desserts, here is what we had:

I ordered this homemade strawberry cheesecake (25SR) and it really came off as light and fresh. The cream is fine and the strawberries were ripe and huge! This kind of cheesecake has a stark difference from the commercially-made cheesecakes we usually feast on at the mall. Apparently, french-style cheesecake are really light.

Creme Brulee (25SR). Creme Brulee is actually french for "burnt cream" and its preparation does require a bit of burning, so to speak, by caramelizing the sugar on top by using a small, kitchen butane torch. Now you've probably tasted leche flan before right? This is pretty much its posh, elegant, rich sister. It is essentially made of custard, only in this case, only the finer and fresher ingredients are used. I would imagine this better with some fruits to go with it. But on its own, I would say that there is nothing too special about its recipe.

Profiteroles with chocolate sauce (18SR). This towering piece of desert love is made up of cream puff pastry (aka "Profiteroles") in between generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. It was too picture perfect that we almost didn't want to dive our spoons into it. But we can't help it, this dessert is too much of a temptation to be left alone melting in its glory. It's not too sweet but it's quite addicting.

Now we originally didn't order this next desert, but when Chef Faisal, whom we were fortunate enough to meet, insisted that we try this, we just couldn't say no. He even said that he will prepare it himself! Chef Faisal is the Head Chef of the restaurant and also stars on his own cooking show on the Saudi cable network. Fancy huh?

Meet the Chocolate Fondant (25SR)

[Enter halo and cherubims singing]

Without a shadow of a doubt, this chocolate fondant is the Piece de Resistance of DUO's dessert list. Think Lava Cake, only a thousand times better! The cake is cooked to perfection and the chocolate that pours out of it is simply smooth and rich. It may appear to be one of those things that can give you instant diabetes, but I swear to you, it is not too sweet as it looks. We learned that all the chocolates used in their restaurant are made from Swiss chocolates that they purchase in block-form. For any order they prepare, they create it from scratch from these imported blocks of chocolate. One of us described this as, "Simply DIVINE! " while I commented that, "I would LOVE to eat this off someone". Yum. Yum. Yum. After tasting this chocolate fondant, we guarantee that we will never EVER taste chocolate and chocolate cake the same way again.

And you thought dessert would mark the end of our dining? Oh not just yet. :P What Italian experience would be complete without a sip of coffee? Or better known as their "espresso". This also gave us some more time to talk and let all the spirit of good food and good company take over us that evening. Isn't that how the Italians do it?

Mocha Viennois (12SR). S enjoyed this coffee made of cafe mocha and cream very much. She wished she had more space in her stomach to drink this down to the last drop.

Cafe Caracas (12 SR). Another tall order of coffee, vanilla ice cream and cream for our friend, J. It is pretty much like dessert part II really. But the coffee somehow jolted us a bit from our pending lethargy from all the food that we've consumed.

Cappuccino (8SR). This cup of capp is for me. One of the little things I love about any java cup is the little details, such as the foam and that sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Ahh, this was the perfect way to end such a lovely dining experience.

DUO is definitely not your ordinary restaurant. But don't let the extravagant interiors and fine dishes intimidate you. They surely have something for everyone: kids, couples, friends/co-workers, even large family gatherings. As me and the girls say, "Try something new everyday"...and look where it took us! A little indulgence once in a while wouldn't hurt. (especially when it comes to great food!) Rest assured, everything that we had at DUO was fresh and intricately prepared. The service was attentive and respectful, the space was unique and serene, and the food...well, you read our post and saw the pictures! What else can we say?

Spend your next special occasion at a place that makes everything special: DUO.


Salute!

-ec-

DUO
North Ring Road, Exit 5 (near Le Mall)
Tel: 01-200-6868
Fax: 01-456-0583

Soon to open in Jeddah!

Our Tribute to a Great Woman

The Pink Tarha Ladies wore yellow last Wednesday, joining many Filipinos all over the world to give tribute to a great woman who inspired millions of Fillipinos to aspire for greatness with humility and goodness.

As the Philippines bid farewell to President Corazon Aquino, we Filipinos in Saudi Arabia had our own way of saying our adieu to the woman considered as "the most loved president in the entire history of the Philippines." While we were not part of the huge crowd swelling into the streets of Manila ignoring the torrential rains of tropical storm Kiko to get a glimpse of the former president's brown casket, we paid respect by doing what we do best:

Dress up and accessorize... in yellow.

How we said goodbye.

Many Filipinos in our workplace wore yellow ribbons. It brought smiles to our faces whenever we encounter them on the hallways wearing their silent tribute. On the day of Pres. Aquino's funeral, the PT girls wanted to absent from work just so we could glue our eyes on television and watch the coverage. Alas, we couldn't! We just wore the ribbon above. Nothing can stop us to continue what Tita Cory has started and wanted - for us to be free and empowered.

Eyecandy, Mary, Sundrenched... continuing the good fight.

We were born on years when Aquino was president. While we do not have distinct memories of experiencing the first EDSA Revolution, we know how important that event was in our lives and the lives of every Filipino. We will not have this present if not for that glorious piece of past. Cory Aquino is gone but her ideals and leadership will remain alive. We hope that the values she left be the torch that will light our path towards Election 2010, for us to choose leaders with the same honor, integrity, and dignity that she had.

TULOY ANG LABAN, mga KABAYAN!

____________
What We Wore
On Eyecandy: Yellow tunic HARAJ Sleeveless inner top RIVER ISLAND Black slacks HARAJ Slingbacks MILANO Yellow cocktail ring DOROTHY PERKINS
On Maryhadalittlehump: Yellow sleeveless blouse ZARA Gray slacks PAPERDOLLS Black sandals ZARA
On Sundrenched: Cardigan, gray slacks, necklace, cream shoes NEW LOOK Yellow bracelets JADED (Centrepoint) Scarf CITYMAX (Eyecandy's)

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

I have fallen in love
With the same woman three times
In a day spanning nineteen years
Of tearful joys and joyful tears.

I loved her first when she was young
Enchanting and vibrant, eternally new
She was brilliant, fragrant and cool as the morning dew

I fell in love with her the second time
When first she bore her child and mine
She's always by my side, the source of my strength
Helping to turn the tide…

I fell in love again with the same woman the third time
Looming from the battle her courage will never fade.
Amidst the hardships she has remained
Undaunted and unafraid She is calm and composed.
She is God's lovely maid.

I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE (With the Same Woman Three Times)
Words by Ninoy Aquino
Sung by Jose Mari Chan

If a woman can inspire such a beautiful song like this, it's no wonder how great this woman is.

To the woman who inspired this poem and song, we are truly honored that you became our leader, a woman whom we can always look up to in every aspect of life - be it in politics, family life, religion... You did not only empower the Philippines during one of its most turbulent times, you have also inspired women like us to do great things for our country and for our people. Madame President Corazon Aquino, thank you very much. May you rest in peace.

*Yellow ribbon photo from Wikipedia.