A place to breathe….

I checked in already at lunch time, just waiting now at the office for 6 pm to meet a few friends. They said they want to see me off, sweet =).

In a few hours I’ll be boarding my flight towards home. You can’t imagine how thrilled, happy, very happy and eager I’m feeling right now. Can’t wait to be home….

About work, turnover was great! I was offering my mobile in the Philppines but boss doesn’t want it. I still sent it via email hehehehehe, just in case. Spain, Italy and Canada have my number coz they might need assistance anytime.

And nope I didn’t bring my laptop, oh my gosh this will really be pure vacation and I can’t wait.

Mother, Father and Archie are picking me up… They too are super excited. Mom even hired a temporary cleaning lady coz she knows what happened last time, I was cleaning all the time and I require everybody to clean with me.

My sister even arranged our itinerary already for three days, it will be great fun. Tita Lyn and Emil I think are also joining us for three days…. Wow it will really be fun!

I can’t wait to be home….

One more day and I’m leaving already for my vacation and I was already packed as early as Tuesday hehehhhehee.

So am I ready to leave in terms of work? Nope. I haven’t finished yet what I’m supposed to finish and I have no idea on how to tell that to my boss. hahahhahah. I’m bringing home a laptop, not sure if I’ll be able to open it or not but I’ll bring it anyway hehhehehe…

So Philippines lapit na akong dumating… Yahoo!!!

Grabe one more week and i’m going home already.
My mind and heart are not here anymore, they traveled ahead of me already and that’s causing me a little problem coz i can’t work anymore hehehhehe…

I have so many deadlines and so many issues to resolve before i take my vacation. Arggghhh I don’t want to bring home a laptop otherwise I know i wouldn’t be able to enjoy my vacation. So the only solution is to finish everything this coming week and that’s the very reason i brought home some work to do over the weekend.

I’m already imagining sleeping in my room, complaining about the weather, enjoying the food cooked by mother, not getting enough rest because of my pamangkins, watching movie, breakfast at jollibee and chowking…. Home! I will be home soon…

I had a great time in Warsaw, capital of Poland and it has been the most adventorous trip as of to date.

First time to use ID Ticket on a personal trip
In our company we can get discounted tickets as low as you only pay for the taxes. This is my first time to avail such ticket and I paid only 10% of the gross price for a Geneva - Munich - Warsaw trip via Lufthansa. Crew was so great, they treat you like a paying customer. Bravo Lufthansa. I’m also flying ID 90 ticket business class via Lufthansa on my trip to Manila next week, I’m looking forward to flying via Lufthansa again.

Polish Visa - What?
I have a Schengen visa and this enables you to enter all those countries in Europe that are part of the Schengen treaty. When I arrived in Warsaw custom asked for my Polish visa, I said what? I have a Schengen and they told me they are still applying and have not yet been accepted. And I thought, OH my God!

While they are analyzing my documents like return ticket, hotel, Swiss permit, passport and my itinerary I was already contemplating what are my options now that I will definitely be kicked out of the country. I was thinking I can stay in the airport for a while and do some window shopping then hop on a plane and go to Munich where I can stay till Sunday and catch my plane to Geneva on my original schedule. Not a bad idea, I haven’t been to the city of Munich and from the brochures that I was checking at the airport it seems like not a bad idea at all.

On the contrary to other people that are being held in customs, I was there smiling for my stupidity and enjoying the thought of going to Munich instead of Warsaw. Then after deliberation they told me:"We will let you in but next time it will not be that easy anymore. Next year we will be in Schengen already, so next year you don’t need a Polish visa." I said thank you for being nice and for letting me in. Okay, scrap the idea of Munich.

My ex-boss from Manila, who is traveling with me is already waiting at the arrival area. I called her and told her what happened and that I’m going out already.

So why Warsaw? This was the question that was asked to me several times after answering my colleagues’ question of what are your plans for the weekend? I said why not?!

It wasn’t as tourist friendly as Paris, Italy, Spain or even Geneva. It barely offers anything to the tourist but that makes the difference. You experience the local life, no pretentions for anybody coz they don’t care about tourists. On the street you will feel what the Jews experienced there during the time of Hitler. The buildings symbolizes so many things that despite all the bombings that they had, they stand firmly on the groun. They may not be the original structures because everything was destroyed during World War II but the way they reconstructed it so that people will get to feel that they have not lost anything.

Warsaw may not have been the best place for service, luxury hotel or touristic spots but it will offer anybody the little thing it has, it’s memory.

I have a yoga class every Wednesday evening and now a new schedule will be open on Fridays and I’m really looking forward to have a two days session per week.

The only thing I don’t like about yoga is when we are doing the stances, it makes me feel that I needed to fart. After each session I always go to the toilet not only to change but to release all the gas. I don’t know why it has this kind of effect and I asked a friend and she told me it has the same effect on her. Hmmm.. I wonder why but so far I haven’t heard anybody fart yet during the class maybe i will be the first hehehehhehe…

2 more weeks and I will finally board a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt then to Manila, i really can’t wait anymore.

I heard it’s raining cats and dogs in the Philippines, my whole family were supposed to go to a beach resort in Bataan when I arrive but the weather forecast says it will rain till end of August and even if it will be shining already by September the beach will still not be suitable for swimming. Too bad, I was really looking forward to go island hopping and snorkle.

As per original plan I wasn’t suppose to go home to see my sister off but I said what the heck with the expenses and just go so I applied for a vacation leave and bought my ticket and viola i’m definitely going home now. Now I’m really looking forward to spend a few days with my whole family too bad kuya obet is out of the country. I know it will be quite long before we can do it again. C’ést la vie…

So manila, rain or shine I’m going home.

Two officemates in my department have Filipina nannies for their kids, one had a Filipina nanny when she was a kid, another employs a Filipina to clean her house and at first they were a little hesitant to talk about this in front of me. Maybe they think I will get embarassed.

On the contrary, I’m so proud of them. It is sad to say that our country does not offer the opportunity that Switzerland is giving them and they may be working as helpers, nannies or cleaners but they are earning a lot more compared to managers in our country.

Foreigners prefer Filipinas to work for them not only because we are definitely more charming compared to other nationalities but simply because we value our work and it is reflected on the quality that we deliver.

And now some of my friends in the office even go to the same Filipina who takes care of my hair and do my pedicure every month. It’s definitely cheaper and quality is better. And some already ask me for help if they need cleaning ladies and I am very happy to refer them to some of my Filipina friends.

Great job guys!