It's the last day of our Didi today. Didi means big sister in Nepali and they also call maid Didi.
It's sad that after a year of training her, she will leave us. She got married 2 weeks ago and her husband wants her to go back studying which is nice so now, she is leaving us. We are happy to let her go because we know that there is a bright future ahead of her. We just hope to see her again in the future.
Now, here comes the problem in replacing her! We found this new Didi, about 26 yrs old. She does not speak good english but she works hard. She was crying when I was interviewing her because according to her, her husband is out of work, she's got a 5-year old daughter, they rent a room together with the sister of her husband for a thousand rupees a month. She has an experience being a Didi before so we took her.
Salary, she was not happy about what we gave her but she could not refuse because she needs a job. She feels that we need to give her more because she's got a lot of financial problems. She is complaining about the long working hours (8 hours a day, 6 days a week)??? She comes in at 6:30 in the morning to prepare breakfast and leaves at 2:30 in the afternoon. She does not have to stay longer because our cook comes in at 12 noon to 8 in the evening to serve us dinner.
I dont understand how people complain about working for 8 hours a day for a couple who are both working. We offered her 7000 rupees which we will increase once she completed the probationary period. If she continues to complain, am sure that there are more out there who would want to work for us.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Love through Watermelon
My husband came home one time with a cute watermelon.
I felt that it was strange for him to buy a green small oblong watermelon and most of all, buying it from a shop where we promised to ourselves we will not buy there again for giving us a bad kind of watermelon long time back. We sliced the watermelon that night and found out that it was not ripe enough, but still, we tried to eat some parts of it that were red.
I already forgot about that incident until one time, we passed that shop again and I remembered to ask him about that small watermelon. He told me that it's not the season of watermelon anymore when he saw it. He bought it becaue he knows that I like it so much, he thought that it will make me happy.
I felt a little guilty because all this time I was focused on the weirdness of having that watermelon. I did not realize that there is more to it than just a watermelon. There is love.
Time and time again, you will reaceive love in many different ways and it's up to you to recognize it or not. I hope you will not make the same mistake as I did.
I felt that it was strange for him to buy a green small oblong watermelon and most of all, buying it from a shop where we promised to ourselves we will not buy there again for giving us a bad kind of watermelon long time back. We sliced the watermelon that night and found out that it was not ripe enough, but still, we tried to eat some parts of it that were red.
I already forgot about that incident until one time, we passed that shop again and I remembered to ask him about that small watermelon. He told me that it's not the season of watermelon anymore when he saw it. He bought it becaue he knows that I like it so much, he thought that it will make me happy.
I felt a little guilty because all this time I was focused on the weirdness of having that watermelon. I did not realize that there is more to it than just a watermelon. There is love.
Time and time again, you will reaceive love in many different ways and it's up to you to recognize it or not. I hope you will not make the same mistake as I did.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Honeymoon in Rome and Venice
We got married in the Philippines on April 18, 2009. It was my dream wedding! Nice gown, good food, solemn ceremony, all my good friends were there, my family and closest relatives were present as well. I was even thinking that maybe when I get a little bit older, I will auction my gown!
We left the Philippines the following day to go to Rome and we saw the Pope! Our stay in Rome was excellent, we saw the Colliseum, the Fontana Devi. Their maps there were very precise. I was a little disappointed about their subway because it's a bit smelly and dirty but efficient. I bought my Chanel shades on our way to the Fontana, oh I love those glasses.
We went to Venice by train after 3 nights in Rome. We were lucky to have bought the tickets through the internet so we did not have to fall in a long line at the terminal. Just log on to https://orario.trenitalia.com/b2c/Payment/conferma or http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c79686605528a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD then click english located at the top right corner of the page. The ticket you should take is from Termini to Sta. Lucia. The seat numbers were arranged in a way that the two consecutive numbers are seated infront of each other.
Hotels in Venice are extremely expensive especially if you want to have a good view of the Grand Canal. Since it was our honeymoon, we did that anyway! The day before we left Venice, we took advantage of our Grand Canal view by taking lots of pictures there. We have a picture where the police boat is passing, the cargoes, the ambulance, etc. We also had a chance to ride the gondola which was very romantic.
Of course we cannot leave Venice without going to the infamous Marco Polo. We walked going there. When we saw a nice tall church, we started taking pictures of it until we realized that it was not the Marco Polo! We walked more and we found out why that place is so special.
We went back to Rome and spent another night there.
My advise:
- If you are staying in Venice only for a night, dont pick the Grand Canal view because you will be out the rest of the day to see other places anyway.
- Starhotels in Rome has excellent service, nice people and not big but very nice room.
- We stayed at Hotel Principe in Venice. You will encounter a situation where the porter is expecting a tip from you, don't be forced to give a tip if you don't want to. Beware of arrogant porters!
- If you plan on going for a tour to Colliseum and other places, either you book in advance where they will pick you up from the hotel and bring you back or you just go directly to the place and find some tour guides there. The disadvantage of a pre-planned tour, you will have to follow their schedule and it's more expensive. While if you go there directly, the tours are less expensive and the waiting time is less too.
Take note, I was eating spaghetti with meat sauce everyday in Rome and Venice. They have the best Spaghetti in the world!
I would say that it was the best honeymoon ever! Not to mention a very sweet romantic husband that I have with me the whole tour.
New Job
I was in the consulting business for the past 10 years but this time I want to leave that fast-pace life and have a fresh start being a TEACHER. Yes, you've got it right, a grade 1 and 2 teacher.
I am a Math major with MBA and Doctorate degree in Business Administration. That could also be the reason why instead of a job interview, I landed to be a Secondary Maths Teacher and as a consolation, they gave me the Science for Grade 1 and 2.
I could not say no, instead, I was so excited about it. It was an International school. I don't have any teaching experience and license as well but they trusted me. Let's see what happens! I hope the kids will learn from me. Hehe!
I am a Math major with MBA and Doctorate degree in Business Administration. That could also be the reason why instead of a job interview, I landed to be a Secondary Maths Teacher and as a consolation, they gave me the Science for Grade 1 and 2.
I could not say no, instead, I was so excited about it. It was an International school. I don't have any teaching experience and license as well but they trusted me. Let's see what happens! I hope the kids will learn from me. Hehe!
Engagement and Arrival in Nepal
It was June 21st when I was proposed at. A beautiful diamond ring with 5 promises along with it.
Faithfulness and exclusiveness
Economic security
Emotional stability
Good communication
Respect
It was a long distance relationship. He is living in Nepal and I am in the Philippines. We spend 2 hours every night talking over the phone until we found out about using Skype which is much much cheaper.
He's a wonderful man. He always keep his words every single day. He will call when he said he will call. He will visit the very exact date he will visit even if it was planned 6 months ago. He NEVER failed to do as he says.
It was June 24 when I arrived in Nepal to live with him. We arrived in the evening.
At the airport, the driver hang this beautiful yellow gaerlan to my neck as a welcome gift. As soon as we enter the house, I was surprised about how beautiful the house was. There were some flower petals on the rug right outside the door formed in letters saying welcome. There was a card on top of the shoe cabinet that was prepared by the Didi saying well-come (and yes, it is with a dash). A nice chocolate cake prepared by the cook with a word welcome where the "e" at the end was almost falling out from the cake (he's not a good artist I may say!).
I felt so welcome but a little scared as well. But my fiancee promised to support me all the way.
The following day, I met the Didi, she's very pleasant with a nice smile. Big woman but young, about 23 years old. We had breakfast and my fiancee showed me the whole house. He was so proud about this classroom that he organized for me with a big white board, a nice table, chairs, and cupboard. The plan is that I will have my Nepali trainor and that is going to be my classroom.
We met the Nepali trainor. She's very nice, high caste called Chettri. She is single about 45 to 50 yrs old I guess. I never had a chance to ask her age. We paid her 350 rupees per session and she did not complain coming to our house even if she lives so far away. She lives in New Baneshwor.
It feels like everything is in place when I arrived in Nepal. Then my job interview next....
Faithfulness and exclusiveness
Economic security
Emotional stability
Good communication
Respect
It was a long distance relationship. He is living in Nepal and I am in the Philippines. We spend 2 hours every night talking over the phone until we found out about using Skype which is much much cheaper.
He's a wonderful man. He always keep his words every single day. He will call when he said he will call. He will visit the very exact date he will visit even if it was planned 6 months ago. He NEVER failed to do as he says.
It was June 24 when I arrived in Nepal to live with him. We arrived in the evening.
At the airport, the driver hang this beautiful yellow gaerlan to my neck as a welcome gift. As soon as we enter the house, I was surprised about how beautiful the house was. There were some flower petals on the rug right outside the door formed in letters saying welcome. There was a card on top of the shoe cabinet that was prepared by the Didi saying well-come (and yes, it is with a dash). A nice chocolate cake prepared by the cook with a word welcome where the "e" at the end was almost falling out from the cake (he's not a good artist I may say!).
I felt so welcome but a little scared as well. But my fiancee promised to support me all the way.
The following day, I met the Didi, she's very pleasant with a nice smile. Big woman but young, about 23 years old. We had breakfast and my fiancee showed me the whole house. He was so proud about this classroom that he organized for me with a big white board, a nice table, chairs, and cupboard. The plan is that I will have my Nepali trainor and that is going to be my classroom.
We met the Nepali trainor. She's very nice, high caste called Chettri. She is single about 45 to 50 yrs old I guess. I never had a chance to ask her age. We paid her 350 rupees per session and she did not complain coming to our house even if she lives so far away. She lives in New Baneshwor.
It feels like everything is in place when I arrived in Nepal. Then my job interview next....
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