Hello, everyone! Sorry we've been MIA for almost a month. We've been extremely busy and for good reason: During the last week of July, we welcomed our secondborn: Elmira. Her name, Elmira, is of Arabic origin, which means "princess". We wanted to give her an Arabic-sounding name to commemorate the fact that she was born while Von was posted in Riyadh, K.S.A.
So #theFerrerasabroad is now a party of four. Can't wait to tell you more about my birthing adventures here in the Kingdom, as well as the challenges of raising a newborn here. :)
0 Comments
We're now well into our 36th week with Baby #2. The homestretch! Just a few more sleepless nights to go! Yey! They say that every pregnancy is different, but with the added factor of adjusting to the way of life in this country, I can definitely say that being pregnant in Saudi has been a most interesting experience: 1. Goodbye, baby belly! For a pregnant woman, the abaya is both a blessing and a curse. As a blessing, you only need to buy a few maternity dresses since they will all be under the abaya anyway. I brought with me all my maternity dresses from my first pregnancy, and I think I just bought one new dress this time around. Under the abaya, I can dress however I want. When going to the supermarket or during my hospital visits, I can dress up in comfortable pj's and a tight-fitting top, exposing my belly, and nobody would even know. But this is also the part where I miss dressing up in cute maternity clothes and showing off my baby belly. There's also a dearth of maternity dresses sold in malls and department stores. I was aghast when I was looking for a formal maternity dress to wear to an embassy event, and all I found in one department store under the Maternity Section was denim overalls! That's why whenever I get the chance, I do dress up in cute maternity clothes and take pictures of my pregnant self. Otherwise, Baby #2 will someday look back at my pictures and won't be able to see my pregnant belly underneath all the black robes.
3. Access to incredible food and fruits. I do appreciate the access here to some really great pregnancy foods like salmon, walnuts, cheap fresh milk, and exotic fruits, stuff which I once considered luxuries back in Pinas. I munch on walnuts here on a daily basis, something I've never done back in Pinas because imported nuts in Pinas are expensive. There's plenty of access as well to the folate-rich fresh strawberries, whereas back home, I only get to eat strawberries when someone goes to Baguio, (hehe) or when I buy the expensive ones in the supermarket. (The one thing I miss though from Pinas are the ripe mangoes. Indian mangoes are just not the same.) Since there is no pork here, my pregnancy diet is also healthier (no bagnet, no lechon kawali, no oily stuff). Well, it's a good thing I have no craving for these unlike during my first pregnancy! 4. No random people touching your belly. Because touching other people, especially women, is a no-no! Unlike in Pinas, when acquaintances (and sometimes, even complete strangers) assume they can just rub your belly anytime without asking for permission. 5. No pregnancy massages and hilot. One thing I really miss from Pinas are the really cheap massages. There are pregnancy massages here, but way too pricey at around SAR1,000---that's around P13,000! Crazy! Whereas I was able to get a pregnancy massage in Blue Water Day Spa in Makati during our vacation for only P700! For those really stressful days, we hire the services of a kabayan who offers home therapy and massage services as a sideline. It's still expensive at SAR100 (around P1,300), but way cheaper than going to a spa. Definitely missing the cheap weekly massages Von and I used to get in Nuat Thai, Ton-Ton, or Montalbo, one of our few indulgences. I'm also sad about the fact that I could not avail of any hilot services here after childbirth. While living in Bulacan, I got a daily hilot massage for 10 days after giving birth to Elise. Although many doctors and moms would say that it's not necessary, I loved the relief it gave me from my aching muscles. My therapist also gave me a lactation massage since I was initially having difficulties breastfeeding Elise. Good thing the husband always indulges me whenever I ask for a massage at night (hey, my body is making another human here, YOUR CHILD, haha). 5. Adjusting to the healthcare system. I'm a creature of comfort. I had a great experience during my first pregnancy and the birth of Elise with my OB, Dra. Aurora Quiambao, and with my hospital Capitol Medical Centre in QC. I already know the procedure for check-up and ultrasound, my OB's consultation schedule, I even had my OB's secretary's phone number saved in my phone book. Thats' why one of my apprehensions going here was the thought of dealing with a completely new system. I had no clue as to the set-up of consultations, appointments, etc. I also preferred a Filipina OB, given the language barrier, and was concerned we won't be able to find one. We almost considered going back to Pinas during the third trimester to give birth there. Thanks to my new mommy-friends from the Embassy, I got a good recommendation for a Filipina OB with office at Sanad Hospital, in Al-Hamra District. The hospital is quite far from our place, about twenty minutes away, but the mostly Filipina OBs and nurses made us decide to go here. Now, I don't have to deal with the added stress of language barrier. The OBs and staff are, of course, mostly English-speaking, but when I'm writhing in pain, I'm more at ease knowing I can express myself in Tagalog and someone will understand me, hehe.
* * * True story: During my last scan for Baby #2, I tried to ask the Sudanese OB-Sonologist if the baby was okay. Me: The baby okay, Doc? Doc: Inshallah. A few seconds later… Von repeated: The baby okay, Doc? Doc: Inshallah, inshallah. Inshallah, I think, is a beautiful phrase to say. It means "God-willing" or "if God wills". But also, I would have wanted to hear a categorical "the baby is fine" or "no problem". Well I guess if this is sufficient for our Doctor, this should suffice for us, too. I just have to get used to using this expression. :) * * * Having found our hospital and OB, there were some other bureaucratic stuff and cultural differences we had to deal with. Like during Ramadan and the Eid holidays, we found it hard to schedule a consultation since the hospital was understaffed and many of the doctors and staff were on holiday vacation. Good thing we were in Manila then for Von's oath-taking, so I was able to schedule a monthly check-up and the congenital anomaly scan in Capitol Med. Another surprising thing we learned: even inside hospitals, segregation is strictly observed. I got to experience this firsthand when during my 32nd week, I asked Von to bring me to the Emergency Room due to the painful contractions I was having. Turned out I was severely dehydrated. For almost 4 hours while I was given IV fluids, I was alone inside my ER cubicle while Von was asked to wait outside since he's a male and there were other female patients inside the ER (although they were all hidden behind their cubicles as well). It was quite inconvenient to have no companion inside the ER whenever I needed to say something to the doctor or nurses, or I when I needed to go to the bathroom. We considered this a dry-run and now we know that once Baby #2 is born, we should get a private, not a semi-private or shared room, so that Von can definitely stay inside the room with me. Lastly, we haven't found a regular pediatrician here for Elise and Baby #2. We were surprised to learn that there is no Filipino pedia here. We loved Elise's pedia in Capitol Med, Dra. Pia Mendiola, and felt extremely sad to leave her. Eventually, we do have to search for someone we will really like. Despite my concerns, I'm still thankful that Saudi has good healthcare facilities (maybe even better than Manila's? I don't know). I can't imagine if we were posted in a country with such unreliable healthcare system that we have to cross borders to avail of basic medical services (true story, as told by the wife of one of the Embassy's officers). * * * When I married Von in 2013, I hadn't the slightest idea that I will one day give birth in another country, moreso in Saudi Arabia. The absence of family members and familiar faces like your friends can be lonely and quite unnerving at times, but I guess it's all part and parcel of living abroad. Anyway, the people at the Embassy have been very supportive, and some of the mommies I've met have turned out to be good friends. They even threw us a sweet Baby Shower at the Embassy. As a form of encouragement, I often tell myself, "Hey, I'm not the first Pinay to give birth in Riyadh, others have done the same, I can do it, too!" During our third wedding anniversary last year, the husband and I agreed to go on a short weekend trip out of town. As usual, he let me plan the trip. I didn’t have a hard time choosing where to go since I really wanted to go back to Sonya’s Garden Bed and Breakfast in Alfonso, Cavite. The first time I visited Sonya’s was in 2008, during an event with the U.P. Women in Law, my organization from law school. Our event was held at night and I thought the place looked enchanted and magical. The first time I stayed here overnight was in 2010, with some girl friends from law school. We had a wonderful weekend getting away from all the stress. I was dying to go back to this place this time with my husband. The worsening traffic in Tagaytay these days didn’t discourage us from going. Thanks to Waze, we took the Silang route and completely avoided the congested Sta. Rosa road. The route took us directly to the Tagaytay rotunda. We passed by Ayala Mall Serin, so I thought we would encounter traffic there. Surprisingly, we didn’t. We left QC at around 12:30 noon. We arrived at Sonya’s at around 3PM. Not bad, I think, considering it’s a Saturday. The check-in was hassle-free since I have already booked through their website. The weekend rate is P3,500/pax for a twin-sharing room. This includes one full breakfast and one dinner/lunch fare. Web reservation requires full payment. There is an additional small web admin fee when booking through the website, which was fine with me.
Our cottage had one queen bed, one day bed and one sofa. The room was big, I’m sure if we had bought Elise and Ate Vangie, we would have been fine there. As expected, there was no AC in the room. It had a ceiling fan, and one desk fan. But no worries. The chilly weather more than sufficed. The capiz windows opened to the forest outside. After checking our cottage, we just roamed around and checked out the little nooks and crannies of the estate. A lot of things have changed since the last time I came here. They now have a bakery, and a store selling unique pieces of furniture. One thing that got us curious was the Proposal Garden. It's a nice, secluded spot, away from the restaurant where I guess you can pop the question? But wouldn't that be too obvious once your girlfriend sees that you have reserved a table here? Hehe. Later that evening, we decided to get an early dinner. Another great thing about staying in Sonya's: the food! No surprises here. Sonya’s is famous for its fresh salad, complete with its signature salad dressing. Von liked it so much that he had two servings, a compliment to Sonya's since he's not really a salad-person. To me, my favorite for the night was the bread and assorted spreads. We were given five spreads: white cheese, peppercorn, anchovies, olive pate, and the pesto basil. Oh my, I think ate about six pieces of rolls as I kept on spreading the pesto basil and anchovies on my bread. I wanted to eat some more, but I couldn’t as I knew the entrée was yet to come.
After dinner, we just decided to stay in our cottage and chill rather than venture out to Tagaytay proper. There is no TV in the room, but every cottage has a mini-library of books. Knowing this, we brought a laptop and movies for us to watch. After getting massages at the in-house spa, we just snuggled up in the evening with some chips and drinks and watched a movie. I know this isn’t a grand, romantic thing to do, but with a toddler in the house, this has become a rare treat for us. In the evenings, we just usually end up watching Elise’s favorite movies or we just fall asleep altogether due to exhaustion from work. This time, our movie marathon went uninterrupted, until when I told my husband I was already sleepy. Hey, can’t blame me, the cool Tagaytay breeze was lulling me to sleep! Come morning, I was ready for more glorious food! For breakfast, I was surprised that it is now buffet, unlike my last visit when the breakfast was also served per table. The breakfast spread consisted of eggs, chicken adobo, fried rice, daing na bangus, paired with the perfect hot chocolate. Very traditional and Filipino, which I liked. I also loved the fruits and the mango salsa, so refreshing! Overall, the price for a one-night stay in Sonya’s may be a bit steep, but when you think about it, the 7k includes room accommodation, lunch/dinner for two and breakfast for two. The lunch/dinner set costs P600/pax for day guests while the breakfast set costs 400/pax. So it’s like we just paid P2,000 for our meals, and P5,000 for our room, which rate is comparable to other hotels in Tagaytay.
Overall, it was a great anniversary weekend with my husband. We felt so relaxed and recharged. I love exploring new places, but at the same time, I also appreciate going back to comfortable favorites. Sonya’s will always be on top of my favorite places to visit when in Tagaytay.
Since our Muslim brothers and sisters are celebrating Ramadan, the program at the Embassy started only after the "iftar", or the breaking of the fast at sunset. Consul General Iric Arribas from the Embassy led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the "Partners for Change Art Exhibit" showcasing paintings and sculptures created by members of Hagod Filipino - a group of Saudi-based Filipino artists. Given the quality of the artworks, it was surprising to know that the members of Hagod are just regular OFWs - engineers, nurses, etc., who dabble in the arts as a hobby or as a way to earn extra income while abroad. Cheers to Filipino talent! After dinner, the second part of the program commenced with performances rendered by the members of the Filipino community depicting Philippine history. Elise enjoyed the performances and she was especially mesmerized with the fight scenes, hehe. She even cried when it was time to go home. The performances were diverse, from song and dance numbers, to even a fashion show of traditional costumes. There was even a "Santacruzan" with elaborate costumes and gowns created by RAMFA or the Riyadh Association of Modern Fashion Artists, a talented group of Saudi-based FIlipino fashion designers. We were already familiar with the works of RAMFA, having attended one of their events before - The Wedding - which showcased bridal couture gowns and Filipino wedding suppliers in the Kingdom. Elise was glad to meet the "princesses" - although she was already cranky and sleepy - and even got a souvenir to boot. Overall, despite the muted celebration because of Ramadan, the atmosphere was festive. The celebration was a good opportunity for the Embassy people to mingle with the members of the Filipino community. Definitely looking forward to attending more Embassy activities in the future.
* * * Read: Other articles about our foreign service life here in Riyadh: The Start of our Diplomatic Journey Welcome to the Kingdom House-Hunting in Riyadh: Fantasies and Realities One of the things I looked forward to the most during our move here was hunting for a new home. Despite the cramped space, we loved our small one-bedroom rented condominium unit in Quezon City. It had a lot of great memories and we could see that Elise felt sad leaving it. Weeks after we had left the Philippines, she kept asking us when are we going back to our "blue house". Upon learning that we were moving to Riyadh, I researched like crazy regarding housing options in the city. I learned that expats usually live inside compounds which offer more freedom for women. One, compounds are guarded so it's safe to go outside your house even without male companions. Two, the muttawa, or the religious police, cannot go inside these compounds so women can remove their abayas even when outside, and gender segregation is not practiced. Three, some compounds also offer shuttle services to malls or supermarkets which is a huge relief since women can't drive. Some bigger compounds are also self-sustaining, like there are schools inside, groceries, gyms, restaurants, etc, so you don't have to go outside. They also hold events and socials for their residents, since Riyadh basically lacks a nightlife. I got quite excited with the prospect that we will be living inside one of these compounds, I even bookmarked some compounds we can check upon our arrival.
Unfortunately, I had to let my fantasies go. Haha. While living inside a compound or DQ may seem like a neat idea, the high rental fees are just not practical. So off we go looking for a condo unit or house outside the compound life. Upon our arrival, the Embassy provided for our accommodations for two weeks while we waited for our iqama, or residence card, since one cannot enter into a lease contract without an iqama. Looking for a house in Riyadh is a lot more difficult than in Manila, as expected. I've lived in 9 different places in Manila for the last 12 years, and I'm no newbie at house-hunting or moving around. Still, I wasn't ready for the challenges posed by house-hunting abroad. For starters, there was the language barrier. It was very difficult to ask questions or haggle regarding rental fees with someone who doesn't have any idea what you're talking about (same goes for us). We had to ask an interpreter from the Embassy to accompany us during every ocular visit, just so we're not totally at a loss when dealing with the locals. (Plus, they're a lot nicer to you and more open to giving discounts when you can speak their language.)
As for the houses themselves, I find Arab architecture generally pretty, with the straight lines, geometric shapes, and hard edges found in houses and buildings, combined with intricate, almost lace-like, designs and patterns on their walls, windows, even their doors. I was surprised, however, with the layout and features of typical Saudi houses. I was looking forward to renting a house with big, open, airy windows, but most houses we saw had tiny windows, some with no views at all. I was initially disappointed. But then I learned that big windows in Saudi houses are not common because 1) they value privacy and women should avoid to be seen; 2) big window equals heat which can be excruciating during summer; and 3) there is dust everywhere! Fair enough, I stopped daydreaming about the big, airy windows. I was also surprised to see rooms separated by doors. Like there is a door separating the living room from the dining room, dining room from the kitchen, etc. I was hoping for more of an open space, since I'm a bit claustrophobic. Again, I learned that the closed spaces are designed for segregation. Like if you have male and female guests visiting, you may entertain the male guests inside the living room, and the female guests inside the dining area. In some cases, there is even a separate entrance for the living and dining area just so the males and females can altogether avoid seeing each other. I was blown away by these details. Location-wise, we tried to look for a house near the Filipino International schools since we expect to stay here for the next six years. The schools are mostly located in the Olaya and Sulimaniyah areas, which are quite far from Safarat, where the DQ is located. These areas are also located in the Riyadh City center, so the rental fees for housing units here are much higher than what we would have preferred. Ultimately, we decided to let this consideration go and just worry about moving later, or maybe just hiring a driver, once Elise starts schooling. With all these numerous considerations, we were concerned that we could not find an acceptable house to rent. Finally, our hearts settled down to a one-storey apartment unit in Irqah, a town in west Riyadh, and only 10-15 minutes away from the DQ. It's quite far from the city center, at least 15-20 minutes drive away, but oh well, something's gotta give. (I find it amusing whenever I say now that a place is "far" when it's 20 minutes away. Back in Pinas, Von drove everyday from QC to the DFA Main Office in Pasay! That's two hours of driving everyday, one-way! Oh my.) The house is a good compromise between my fantasies and reality. It has medium-sized windows, but with metal bars and a view of the high concrete wall surrounding the house. Fine with me. At least I can still remove my abaya inside our backyard, hehe. I just had to give up my dream of going outside, taking a walk, or bringing Elise to the nearby park by myself, since it's not considered generally safe. Anyway, the DQ is just a few minutes away and we can always go to the parks there. As for the layout, it's not as closed as the other units we saw. We just keep the doors open all the time just to avoid feeling cramped in. The next challenge is to furnish our house, one piece at a time, because the house is completely bare! No ACs, not even a kitchen sink! Anyway, so that's our first experience at international house-hunting. Challenging, but also exciting. Elise looks like she's having a grand time so far being able to run around the house, something she wasn't able to do inside our last house in QC. I can't wait to give birth to baby #2 and for another tiny voice and laughter to fill our new home.
* * * Read: Other articles about our foreign service life here in Riyadh: Welcome to the Kingdom The Start of our Diplomatic Journey The Day I Visited a Palace Last May 16, we went home to the Philippines for a quick two-week vacation for Von's Oath-taking ceremony and Signing of the Roll of Attorneys. Despite the very busy schedule, we managed (more like, I insisted) to visit Tagaytay and/or a beach at least once (since we will surely miss the beach while in Riyadh). We did manage to squeeze in one day after all the errands and happenings were done and over with. Breakfast at Antonio's, Tagaytay During our second week, we stayed at my parents-in-laws' house in Indang, Cavite, which is like thirty minutes away from Tagaytay (lucky!). I personally love Tagaytay, despite the heavy traffic and overcrowding nowadays due to commercialization. Still, it's one of my favorite places to go to outside Manila because of the 1) chilly weather; 2) quaint restaurants; 3) magnificent view of the Taal Volcano; and 4) it's our wedding destination so it will always have a place in my heart. :) On our way to Club Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas, we took the Tagaytay-Nasugbu route and dropped by Breakfast at Antonio's for a quick breakfast. I'm a HUUUUGE breakfast person and admittedly a big, BIG FAN of the breakfast buffet at Bag of Beans. Still, I wanted to try something new and was widely curious about the good reviews of Breakfast at Antonio's. I must admit I was hesitant to try the place given our disappointing experience last year at Balay Dako (which is part of the Antonio's group of companies). Upon entering, I asked for a table at the open deck so we can enjoy the cool Tagaytay breeze. Unfortunately, we were told that the open deck was currently undergoing renovation, so we were seated inside the Main Hall, which still has a view of the volcano. The open windows also allow some breeze to get in. Von ordered the Eggs Benedict, while I ordered the classic pancakes since I was sharing them with Elise. I ordered additional eggs done over easy and bacon - because we don't have bacon in Riyadh!!! Haha. Von raved about his Eggs Benedict, and I thought they were good, too, while Elise very much enjoyed her pancakes. The portions were huge! But I made sure we finish everything (because they were pricey), except for the caramelized fruits on my plate which I could no longer finish as I was so full! If I could return here without a toddler in tow next time, I would probably order one of the more exotic items on the menu like the Roesti, which sounds so yummy based on the description. Overall, it was a good breakfast experience. But admittedly, it's still short of the breakfast buffet at Bag of Beans. My standard will always be BoB's hot chocolate… mmm... After breakfast, we headed straight to Club Punta Fuego in Balaytigue, Nasugbu, Batangas. Day Tour at Punta Fuego We were invited by a friend for an overnight stay in Club Punta Fuego. Unfortunately, due to the hectic schedule, we were available only for a day tour. I was surprised upon checking Google Maps that Punta Fuego is still a good two hours away from Indang. There's a shorter route passing through Ternate, but we took the Tagaytay route since we planned to stop by at Breakfast at Antonio's. The road to Punta Fuego is so picturesque and relaxing. We have passed here before going to Canyon Cove, but Punta Fuego is much farther and the roads got more winding and steeper in some portions. Upon arriving, we registered at the Main Club and were given tags for identification. The day tour fee is P1,000/pax, P450 of which may be consumed with their in-house restaurants. We were not charged for Elise.
From the Main Club, we could see the gorgeous infinity pool but we weren't really much into it since there are plenty of pools in Riyadh. We were here for the beach! The registration staff suggested we go to Terrazas but it was a twenty-minute drive using our private car. She also suggested going to the lower beach which was closer to the Main Club. We decided to check out the lower beach and just go to the Terrazas after lunch. The registration staff confirmed that we need not pay another entrance fee if we decide to move to Terrazas. At the lower beach, there were no cabanas, beach chairs, or beach umbrellas. Just some trees, rocks, and sand, that's it. (Unlike in Terrazas where cabanas may be rented for the day). Here, we just found a space under some tree shade, lay our beach towel on the sand, and just started swimming! It's not the most comfortable, maybe that's why there were only a few people. The beach is great, not rocky as I'd expected. Elise enjoyed making sandcastles, and playing with "mud spa", haha. The water is clear blue and not too deep so it's perfect for kids. I enjoyed the "rawness" of the place, if you can call it that since the multi-million peso houses of the club members were just behind the beach, hehe. Around lunchtime, we packed up and moved our stuff to the Turtle Pool beside the lower beach area. There's also a restaurant conveniently located beside the pool area, Il Jardinero, which serves good Italian food (albeit a bit pricey). After lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Turtle pool. The pool was surprisingly warm and I thoroughly enjoyed soaking my aching body and swollen arms and legs in it, hehe. We decided to scrap going to Terrazas altogether as we found it already inconvenient. Besides, the lower beach had a great view as well, and there were no people around so we got to enjoy the place to ourselves. I guess this is also the benefit of having many swimming options in Punta Fuego, the visitors were well-distributed and there were no crowds (to be fair, we also went there on a Monday so the weekend crowd would have all left). The whole afternoon was well-spent. I know we could have gotten more value for the entrance fee if we had also tried the pools at the Main Club and beach at the Terrazas, as well as took advantage of the other facilities of the resort like the Kids' playroom, Mini-Theater, Spa, etc. But with a toddler in tow, and being 28 weeks pregnant, I just wanted to avoid every bit of walking. I also wanted to spare Von from lugging our stuff around. We were there to de-stress and enjoy our last couple of days in Pinas and I was pretty satisfied with what we got at Punta Fuego. On the way home, I couldn't resist stopping over at Bag of Beans to buy my favorite blueberry cheesecake for takeaway. We visited the one in Twin Lakes - my first time in this branch. I found this branch so beautiful - with the white interiors and the ever-relaxing view of the volcano.
* * * If you love Philippine beaches and enjoyed reading this article, do check out my blog post on wonderful Bohol and pictures in the Philippines Gallery. Enjoy! Hey everyone, we're back from a month-long hiatus. The month of May was an exceptionally busy time for us, albeit full of adventures and (good) drama. :) Last May 3, the Supreme Court of the Philippines released the results of the 2016 Bar Examinations. By God's grace, my husband Von was one of the 3,747 candidates who passed the Bar examinations. YEY! Learning the good news Learning the news of your passing is always a story to tell, just ask any lawyer. While waiting for the release of the results of the 2011 Bar Exams, I shut myself inside our bedroom, turned off my phone, and waited for my mom and Ate to bring me the good or bad news. As lunchtime approached, I knew the result would be out any minute soon and I began to feel sick. As in physically sick. I felt hot, my feet and hands became all sweaty and clammy. I could hear them talking in hushed tones outside the room, but I could not make out what they were saying. I panicked, thinking, "OMG, they were talking between themselves but they could not tell me what's going on, so I must have failed!!!" A few minutes later, my Ate opened the door and gave me that knowing look, and called me slowly, "Attorney…". I completely lost it and I began to cry, with my mom hugging me. As for Von, it was agreed that I would break the news to him. Since KSA time is delayed by 5 hours from Philippine time, we anticipated that the results would have been out by the time we wake up at 7AM. The morning of May 3, I woke up at 5:30AM and found myself tossing and turning in bed. I tried going back to sleep, but it was futile. Von, on the other hand, was still sleeping soundly (I could not imagine how!). So I just stood up, took all his mobile phones and put them on silent mode, and moved to the living room to monitor the results. When the results were finally released around 6:30AM (11:30 PH time), before I could even access the Supreme Court website, a friend already congratulated me and told me Von had passed. I contained my excitement until I could see the official list. It wasn't until another friend who works at the Supreme Court verified with the official list that I believed that Von had really passed. OVERJOYED might be an understatement. I CRIED! I cried alone in our living room, thinking of all the sacrifices Von made studying for the Bar. I cried for his success, for his parents' success, for our family's success. I tried to compose myself so I can deliver the news to him with a deadpan look, but it was useless. When I went to the bedroom, he and Elise were already awake. One look at me and he knew he made it. Well, he didn't cry, I already did that for him, haha. It was such a happy, happy day for our family. Oath-Taking Ceremony Due to the high number of passers this year, the Oath-taking Ceremony was moved from its usual location, PICC, to the SM Mall of Asia Arena to accommodate more guests. Unlike my oath-taking in 2012 when the oath-takers were allowed to bring only one guest, the oath-takers this year were given two guest passes which we gave to my in-laws. When I took my oath, my mom was my only guest and she beamed with so much pride seeing me on that occasion, I knew my in-laws would enjoy the occasion just as much. Besides, kids under seven were not allowed inside the arena so I also had no choice but to take care of Elise, haha. Signing of the Roll of Attorneys The signing of the Roll of Attorneys is the final act conferring one's official status as a full-fledged lawyer. With 3,700+ passers this year, we were concerned that Von's signing would be scheduled beyond our two-week vacation. Good thing it wasn't the case. On May 25, with the whole baranggay in tow (me, Elise, Von's parents, uncle, sister and nephew, hehe), we watched Von sign the Roll of Attorneys. What an amazing feeling. I could not be any more proud of my husband. In between the the oath-taking and signing ceremonies, we attended and held different Thanksgiving celebrations, met up with some friends, ran personal errands, visited our relatives in Bulacan and Cavite, all the while nursing our jetlags. To add to that, I also made a quick run to the Emergency Room and the delivery room at Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City, to my former OB, due to some bleeding which freaked the hell out of me given that I am 27 weeks on the way. T'was such a hectic (sometimes, stressful) schedule, we only had one free day to relax in Tagaytay and a day tour at Club Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas. But it's the good kind of hectic and stress and we had no complaints. :)
Finally, the deal with Von's Bar exams is done and over with. A huge sigh of relief for everyone, really. As Von had said in his thanksgiving post on Facebook, it took him 14 long years to get this, and while there were detours along the road, we are just truly and utterly thankful now. Now on the next big family event: the birth of Baby #2! Review of the Birthday Party Package at Jollibee Ortigas-Roosevelt Branch * * * Last December 2016, our unica hija turned three. This time, we chose to hold a birthday party at Jollibee because she asked for it. Months before her birthday, she's already telling us that she's excited to see Jollibee. (Yes, she's in that phase now.) Holding a party was also a good way to see some of our friends for the last time before leaving for Saudi. I chose the Jollibee Ortigas-Roosevelt branch because of recommendations from mom blogs and forums that this branch is one of the best. Here is my honest review of the place: Location. The location is ideal. It's close to Quezon City where we used to live, and it's in the middle of EDSA, so it's a good middle ground for our Bulacan and Cavite-based relatives, and our Manila-based friends. However, it's along Ortigas Avenue which can experience heavy traffic at times, especially since it's Christmas season and people flock to the Greenhills area to do their shopping. To avoid potential traffic woes, we chose to hold the event on the Sunday morning closest to her birthday, hoping there would be no traffic. We set it at 10AM, after morning church activities and in time for lunch. Facilities. There is ample parking space in this branch so we need not worry about our friends bringing their own vehicles. We also booked the combined Function Rooms 1 and 2 to accommodate more guests. We just needed to meet the required number of guests per function room. We set our guest list to 100. I liked that the function rooms were big, and seemed airy because of the windows so we did not feel cramped. Decorations. Elise adores anything pink so the Hello Kitty theme was perfect for us. Since my goal was minimal planning this time, we no longer hired an additional balloon supplier and just relied on the balloons and decorations provided by Jollibee. No table centerpieces, not even a customized background tarp which is so unlike me. Haha. I thought the decorations provided were pretty. We just brought a framed picture of Elise and displayed it at the entrance. That's it! My only DIYs for this event were the personal Hello Kitty lootbags. The party package already includes 10 (I think) lootbags so we just ordered an additional 20. We ordered the Jollitown lootbags (which includes a lunch box, spoon, notebook, and pencil case) so it's gender-neutral. For our personal Hello Kitty lootbags, we bought customized paper bags from a party supplier along Kamuning, Quezon City and bought candies, M&Ms, biscuits, and additional small toys as fillers. To seal the lootbag, I couldn't resist designing a Thank You sticker. That's the least DIY I did for any family event and I think my husband felt a bit relieved, haha.
After the program, one of the staff asked me for the guest headcount so they can start serving the food. This annoyed me because 1) I was busy entertaining our guests so I could not possibly do the headcount and 2) I thought it was their duty to do the headcount as I saw it done before in Jollibee E. Rodriguez branch where I attended a birthday before. So I asked them if they could just conduct the headcount themselves. When new guests came in and I asked the staff to serve more food, they told me they had already served the 100 meals, which surprised me because I was aware that there were still many people in our guest list who have not arrived. This could have been avoided if they had just given me a headcount when they started serving the food. Anyway, I just placed additional orders because I wanted to avoid bad vibes. Program. I have attended other Jollibee parties before and especially remember the program in the E. Rodriguez branch. The games there were new, challenging, and they gave away good prizes, even for the adults. Here at Roosevelt, I found the games usual like "pass around the balloon". The kids loved it, though. Even the adult game was fun. I just hope they can come up with newer and more exciting games in the future. During the program, we also rented a projector and played AVPs of Elise's pictures. It's an additional cost, but it was great because I got to choose the background music and it provided good entertainment while waiting for the guests to come in, and while the guests ate. The appearance of Jollibee is also included in the basic package, but we also decided to book the other four mascots - a gift from Elise's Lola Tess. It was great to see Jollibee, Hetty, Twirlie, Popo and Mr. Yum all at once. Kids and adults alike absolutely loved them! They did the routine Jollibee dance, stayed for the singing and blowing of the birthday candle, then a bit for some picture-taking. Honestly, I wish they did more, considering we booked the five of them and two function rooms. A friend also told me that she attended a Jollibee party once where the mascots joined the kids' games and gamely posed with the guests per table (I could not remember which branch). Anyway, it was still great seeing the Jollitown friends all in one room. Jollibee gift. Lastly, I also could not pass up mentioning the Jollibee birthday gift. Considering we ordered 100 meals, which is way more than the minimum amount required, they only gave Elise one free gift, the candy claw machine. I, not knowing the standards of other Jollibee branches, gratefully accepted the gift. But when my other mommy friends found out what we received, they were surprised because some of them had spent less and gotten more gifts. Upon further research in other mom blogs, I learned that given our food package, Elise could have gotten a kiddie bicycle. I really didn't mind the free gift, I didn't even expect it, but I didn't like the feeling of being neglected. I asked my husband to call Jollibee (because he is the calm one and I might get confrontational, hehe) to ask if we were supposed to receive a bigger gift given our food package. The party manager did promise to give us a kiddie sofa, which we got a month later. In the spirit of fairness, I hope they can be consistent with their gift policies for all branches. * * *
* * * For more pictures, check out the slideshow below. We hired the photo services of EGM Productions, upon Jollibee's recommendation. After a day of relaxation at our resort, it's time to visit the famous attractions which Bohol province is known for. Bohol Travel Buddy I got the number of Bohol Travel Buddy from another travel blog and texted them immediately. Unlike some who did not even bother to respond to my query, they called me right away. I liked that. Upon learning of their rates, I decided to book a car for 8 hours, instead of availing the tour packages per person. The rate is for P2,2000, inclusive of gas and exclusive of the museum fees and the Loboc Lunch Cruise. I made the computations in my head and the difference in the amount wasn’t really that big, only a couple of hundred. Plus, we had the whole car to ourselves so we weren’t very self-conscious about our belongings and the space, and we were able to design our itinerary the way we wanted it. Come morning of Day 2, Kuya Kim, our driver, showed up very early at our hotel - a few minutes even before our agreed time of 8AM. I was immediately impressed, we were not even finished with our breakfast yet. He was pleasant enough. He just gave us bits and pieces of information about the places we would pass, and he left us alone when we wanted to sleep. We decided to go to Chocolate Hills first thing in the morning, and we were surprised to find out that it was still a good 2 hours away from Bellevue, whoa! He also took care of our tickets at Loboc Lunch Cruise. Plus, he was very pleasant in taking our pictures! I would definitely recommend him and Bohol Travel Buddy! Bohol Countryside Tour Our planned itinerary consisted of the following:
We visited the Chocolate Hills first, since it is the farthest and you can pass by all the other locations on the way back. Finally got to see the famous chocolate mounds. One thing was, I wasn't prepared at all for the climb to the viewing deck! Gosh, I seriously need to wok on my cardio! I almost didn't want to reach the top anymore but seeing Von carry a 15-kilogram Elise pa motivated me to go on. The Chocolate Hills is indeed beautiful, but you only spend a few minutes here to take pictures and selfies. The biggest surprise for me was the Bilar Man-Made Forest. I thought “it's a 2-kilometer man-made forest of mahogany trees, so what was supposed to be so special about it?" Going to Chocolate Hills, we fell asleep in the car and Kuya Kim woke us up to tell us that we were passing through Bilar Man-Made Forest. I was like... WOAH! The giant trees prevented sunlight from coming in and there was a faint fog as it was early morning. The place looked enchanted, I felt like I was in Twilight! (Seriously, thats what I thought of while we were there). Haha. The highlight of the trip for me was the Loboc River Cruise. I have taken cruises in Perth, Miami, Bangkok, Corregidor, and I must say, the Loboc Rriver cruise can give these cruises a serious run for their money. Although the boat is definitely not as big or as modern as the Wonderful Pearl in Bangkok, the experience itself was amazing. Traversing the Loboc River was literally a breath of fresh air, as you are surrounded with trees, forests, and more trees. Traversing the river, we also saw local children swimming in the river, swinging in the baging, and having a grand time, which is a nice contrast from the techie babies I see in malls, hehe. Before the boat turned back, we stopped and docked beside a barge where a group of local musicians continuously played for passing guests. We alighted from our barge and joined the ladies playing their guitars, while the other guests joined the dancing. Tipping is, of course, expected. Overall, I found the layout of the docks very organized. As I've said previously, Kuya Jim secured our cruise tickets so we skipped the lines for the walk-ins. Mind you, the food was regular, the usual Filipino buffet, so don't expect too much. But the overall experience surely makes up for it.
Eskaya Resort Von was also invited by a friend who owns the luxurious Eskaya Resort also in Panglao for a day tour. I've heard about it and knew it was an expensive resort so this might be the only chance to visit the place so I readily agreed. We decided to visit the resort on our third day. Eskaya is so beautiful! We were shown the different kinds of villas, and was so impressed with each one of them. I was blown away with the Balai Datu Villa which costs a whopping P100K per night, and comes with your own infinity pool overlooking the ocean. We got Swedish massages as well from their in-house spa, the Handuraw Spa, which was sooo relaxing. I was blown away when I saw the spa room with a view of the ocean. The grounds of the resort is massive so guests are guaranteed privacy. Developments were still undergoing, still, I can see the beauty of the place. Maybe we can hold our 10th year wedding anniversary renewal of vows here? Haha.
* * * One thing I noticed about Tagbilaran, the capital city of Bohol, is how clean the streets are. Overall, I was impressed with how the local government has handled the influx of tourists. The places we visited were mostly clean, organized, with no tourist traps or anything. The attractions we visited were definitely family-friendly. Elise could not stop raving about "Bohol Bohol". Can't wait to go back and maybe we can try the Bohol Bee Farm next time as well as the adventurous attractions in Danao. * * * Read: Part 1 of our Bohol family adventure. For more pictures from our trip, do check out our Philippines Gallery. Enjoy! The first time I visited Bohol was in 2014 for a work-related function, so I didn’t have time to explore the province. We stayed at Bohol Bellevue then which I loved so much that I promised I would bring Von and Elise there the next time. Last year, we finally went on a family vacation and spent 4 glorious days also in Bellevue. I didn’t fill our schedule with too much activities so we that we can just relax in the resort and swim. Bohol Bellevue Resort This is my second time to stay at Bellevue Bohol and I still much pretty loved the place. During my first visit, I stayed in the West wing with a view of the town, whereas this time, we were upgraded to an ocean view room in the East wing, yey! The upgrade came with a trade-off. The positive of course was the gorgeous view of the beach. The downside was, the singing of the band can be heard from here at night. They only stopped at around 1030PM. A minor inconvenience for us, but it would have been annoying for guests who want some quiet time. The resort is located in Pangalo, quite far from the famous Alona Beach. The Doljo beach in front of the hotel is gorgeous, but it’s not ideal for swimming in the afternoon because of the low tide. So Elise just enjoyed making sandcastles. The resort makes up for it with the gorgeous infinity pool, though. Gorgeous, right?! The daily breakfast buffet at Lamian Restaurant was excellent. It had a lot of Filipino and Western options. My only gripe with the location of the hotel is that it's far from the local eateries so we ate at Lamian for lunch or dinner most of the time. The food was good (especially the pork humba), but definitely more expensive, although the portions are ideal for sharing. I was also excited to lean that there is a kids’ playroom in the resort, beautifully decorated with an ocean mural. It had a lot of clean and challenging toys, which kept Elise busy for some time. Tempting as it was to stay in the resort the entire time and just chill and relax, one cannot go to Bohol and not visit the other attractions which the province is famous for.
* * * Read: Part 2 of our Bohol family adventure. For more pictures from our trip, do check out my Philippines Gallery. Enjoy! |