Dreams & Venting...
Funny story... When I was in the Philippines in January F.B. & I were in bed falling asleep. Sometimes my dreams are so realistic I might talk out loud (sometimes I also see bugs on the walls & wake up startled.) Well, in my dream F.B. was taking me down a dark tunnel (I'm very claustrophobic!) I wake F.B. up saying, "I see stuff on the wall!" ??? F.B. says to me (I must have been half asleep by then because I don't remember this part.) "Are you having a bad dream?" I say, "No." and go back to sleep. Haha! In the morning I told him to stop taking me down dark tunnels in my dreams and I wouldn't wake him up anymore, hehe!
*Edited To Add*
Last night I text messaged F.B. and asked if I could call him. It was about 2am. (2pm Philippine time.) So he texts me back and said: He didn't think it would be a good idea because he was waiting for the mechanic to bring the car back to the house and he needed to be available to check it out and stuff. I was kind of upset by his answer so I just went to sleep. Around 3am he texts and says the car was dropped off & I could call now if I wanted to.... an HOUR later... when I could have called him and talked to him earlier when I first asked. By 3am I was half asleep and too upset with him to call. The thing is... I hardly ever get to call him. We don't talk on the phone that much because it's very expensive! But once in awhile I need to hear his voice and actually talk with him. We don't get to do that every day!
The reason we usually text before we call is because of the 12 hour time difference. It's helps to text beforehand to make sure we're both available. I was just upset and frustrated because I don't understand why I couldn't call when I first text messaged him. His reason was: 'He didn't want our call interrupted.' But we probably would have finished our conversation before the mechanic even showed up. When we talk on the phone it's usually 15-20 minutes at the most. It's very rare if we get to talk an hour, because of the cost. I don't know... is this a petty thing to be upset about? Long distance relationships are so frustrating sometimes... sigh.
Foreign Food Cravings!
1. Gerry's Grill
2. Chow King
Chow King is fast food Asian food. Whenever we go here we usually order the same meal: Sweet & Sour Pork, Rice, Pansit, Dumplings, Prawn Crackers & this little dessert thing with sesame seeds and cinnamon inside.
3. Yellow Cab Pizza Co.
This became one of our new favorite places to eat on my last visit in January. The picture below is the New York Special- with everything. And the Charlie Chan Pasta with Chicken & Peanuts. We've also tried their Veggie Pizza & Hawaiian Pizza. And we also got chicken & shrimp in the pasta once which was so good! I'm not a pizza person, but I LOVE Yellow Cab Pizza!
4. Tokyo Tokyo
This is where F.B. & I went on our first date together. That was the first time I tried Sushi. Tokyo Tokyo is fast food Japanese. We usually order California Maki (Roll) Sushi. And I'll get the Shrimp Tempura meal which also comes with rice & vegetable misono. (Kinda like coleslaw without mayo?) F.B. usually eats the veggie stuff, I don't like it much.
5. Jolliebee
Phil-Am Foods
Philippine Snack Foods
Taste Testing (Asian Aisle)
Dude! My Tampons are in the Philippines!
I was thinking tonight about relationships and how if you're serious you might leave some of your belongings at your boyfriend or girlfriend's house. Well... my fiance lives on the other side of the world! It's a 12 hour difference from Philadelphia to the Philippines... but I have belongings... stuff of mine... in the Philippines! In another country! In his house! Like my awesome purple Nine West carry-on bag that I sadly had to leave behind because I couldn't stuff it into my suitcase. Or my purple stuffed kabayo (horse). My fluffy white xmas blanket, my purple embroidered 'Sarah' towel. Several t-shirts I sleep in. My Dove body wash, St. Ive's clay mask, Sunsilk Conditioner, Vanilla Secret deodorant. My shower pouf, my toothbrush! And... tampons! I have a box of tampons waiting for me in the Philippines! HAHA! That's so crazy to me!
BTW... on my first trip to the Philippines back in 2006 I had a girly "emergency" and we went to the drugstore. They had shelves & shelves of pads... but no tampons! I almost cried. The next day when F.B. woke me up he says, "I have a present for you..." It was tampons! I said, "Thank you soooo much!" He said, "I had to ask my aunt and she knew where to find some."
It is EXTREMELY difficult to find tampons in the Philippines... in fact the only kind we could find were in Watson's drugstore in the city. They were O.B. tampons, 8 in a box with no applicator! So yeah... if you're ever in the Philippines bring LOTS of tampons! My cousins said if I ever move there when F.B. & I get married they will ship tampons to me for holidays!!!
Another thing... when visiting the Philippines. 90% of the public restrooms will not have toilet paper! I didn't know this the first time F.B & I went out on a date to the mall. I used the rest room ("CR" or "Comfort Room" in the Philippines) and there was no toilet paper! Luckily I had some Kleenex with me! I said to F.B. "You didn't tell me they don't have toilet paper in public restrooms!" His answer: "I'm sorry... I didn't know. I've never been in the girls bathroom." HAHA! So remember! Have tissues with you at all times when you're in the Philippines!
Just some silly things I was thinking about tonight!
Anniversary Cards.
I was also able to go to the park on Saturday with my cousins. The weather was nice & sunny but it's still chilly for spring. I can't wait until it gets warmer. I took some gorgeous scenery photos! Here are a few of them:
You can view the rest of my park pictures on my photobucket account!
I'm also a girl that takes her pet rats to the park! Pics here! They loved it!
Visa Issues...
In other news: I mailed F.B.'s anniversary cards to him the other day. Our 4th anniversary will be on April 1st!
Staying in touch...
When I'm at work during my lunch breaks F.B. will get online. I have AIM built directly into my cell phone and we are able to chat while I have my break. We also email during the week. We don't email on Tuesday's or Thursday's. And we don't email on weekends since we get to spend time together online. This schedule works for us and also gives us some alone time as well. We also stay in touch by text messaging each other.
Phone calls are expensive. We usually save them for special occasions. He has a prepaid cell phone. And I usually buy a phone card. Sometimes we will surprise each other by calling out of the blue which is nice. And occasionally we talk on headsets through Yahoo Messenger which is completely free but it has bugs where your voice will sound like a chipmunk, interference noises through the headset or dropped calls.
We send cards & letters frequently. And packages for special occasions. It's about $50.00 to express mail a package to the Philippines or to the USA. We don't use any other service besides express because mail service in the Philippines isn't perfect and sometimes mail is lost. I've had quite a few letters get lost in the mail.
And of course we get to see each other yearly! It takes about a year to pay the balance of the plane ticket off on my credit card, which is why there is such a space of time in between our visits. But it's so nice being able to know when we'll be together again. And it's motivation for the year, something to work towards. I'm thankful we'll get to spend 8 weeks together this October. And maybe the trip after I'll be able to stay even longer.
Despite the incredible distance, we make it work! Sometimes it's tough, but we manage make it work. We are in touch every single day, thanks to technology! Long distance relationships can work. They takes alot of sacrifices, time & money but they work. You have to be able to trust each other. You have to be willing to make sacrifices. You have to want to be with each other, to make time for one another. But believe me, they can work!
I wanted to recommend a book that both F.B. & I have read. It was so good I purchased a copy for each of us about 2 years ago. It's called: The Long Distance Relationship Survival Guide: Secrets and Strategies from successful couples who have gone the distance. By, Chris Bell & Kate Brauer-Bell.
Back to the Philippines in October!
I played around with the dates a bit and came up with Oct 6th-Dec 4th. That came up with an $1,100 flight. Pretty much the same flight I always take through Chicago & Hong Kong. Except instead of Philippine Airlines I'd be taking Cathay Pacific Airways to the Philippines and back to Hong Kong when I go home. Which means I won't be at the smaller airport for just Philippine Airlines, I'll be at the big main airport. I'm sure F.B. and I will find eachother though. That's about the only new part to my flight.
So I put the ticket on my credit card. Ahhh more debt... lol. I'm usually able to pay off my tickets before the interest starts by making $60.00 payments twice a month. I told F.B. I want to visit ever year until we are able to get married.
I will be going to the Philippines again October 6th-December 4th. I'll be staying around 8 weeks! I'll get to spend F.B.'s birthday with him this year. Yay!!!!
I mailed off my visa application to the Philippine Consulate in New York on March 18th. I had to have the application notarized and I had to send in my passport, 2x2 white background passport photo, e-ticket, flight intinerary & my income tax copy, prepaid envelope & $30.00 postal money order. Now I am waiting for my application to be processed and my passport returned to me with my visa. Nervous. I hope I filled everything out correctly. I need the visa, since I'll be staying 2 months.
Here is my flight schedule:
Monday, October 6, 2008
Depart: United Airlines 9:24am Philadelphia International (PHL)
Arrive: 10:49am Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)
Change planes. Time between flights: 1hr 22min United Airlines
Depart: 12:20pm Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)
Arrive: 4:45pm Hong Kong Int'l (HKG)
Change planes. Time between flights: 3hr 15min
Depart: Cathay Pacific Airways Depart: 8:00pm Hong Kong Int'l (HKG)
Arrive: 10:00pm Manila Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL)
This is an overnight flight. Total duration: 24hr 15min Total miles: 9171 miles
Thursday, December 4, 2008 Return
Depart: Cathay Pacific Airways 6:30am Manila Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL)
Arrive: 8:30am Hong Kong Int'l (HKG)
Change planes. Time between flights: 3hr 10min
Depart: United Airlines 11:40am Hong Kong Int'l (HKG)
Arrive: 11:49am Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)
Change planes. Time between flights: 1hr 21min
Depart: United Airlines 1:35pm Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)
Arrive: 4:45pm Philadelphia International (PHL)
Total duration: 22hr 43min Total miles: 9171 miles
My Favorite Philippine Products.
I've just about paid off my last trip. Only $300 more dollars to pay off before I can make a new debt on my credit card of $1,100-1,500. Getting a new credit card again with a 0% APR for a year. That's usually what I do. I hate interest! I always get a new credit card without interest for year when I buy a new plane ticket. I should be getting my new place ticket in April sometime! I'm excited!
It would be great to spend 8 weeks (2 months) with my boy! 3 weeks just goes by too quickly and it's so expensive to fly there. I want to stay as long as I can! So will be getting my plane ticket and applying for my visa! And then I can look forward to spending time with my boy again!
I wanted to share some of my FAVORITE Philippine products. I always stock up when I go over there.
1. Vaseline Shampoo.
Vaseline Shampoo (Unilever Philippines)
Buy Vaseline Shampoo from Pilipinomart!
Ahhhh! This is the best shampoo ever! I've tried them all except the blue one with aloe... haven't seen that one yet. But I always bring back several bottles of the stuff. It works so well and leaves my hair clean and shiny. I wish we had this in the USA! You can buy it online, but it costs $7 for the smallest bottle- compared with under a dollar for the same bottle in the Philippines! Which is why I stock up on it when I'm over there!
2. Closeup Toothpaste (Philippine Version.)
Closeup Toothpaste
For some reason Unilever Philippines isn't showing up on Unilever's website. Not sure why. It's no fair! In the USA we only have Red Hot regular and Red Hot Whitening Closeup. In the Philippines they have even more Closeup flavors than the picture above! My favorites are: Crystal, Icy Chill & I love the Lemon Mint Twist. Don't think I'd like Menthol though... blech.
Weird thing is... you can find Menthol Halls Cough Drops in the CANDY aisle in the Philippines! Yes Candy! F.B. & I would walk by the candy aisle and I'd get aggravated and say, "Cough Drops are not candy! Menthol is not candy! Come to our drugstores and you'll find Halls next to the sore throat medicine! Menthol is medicine!" (BTW- if you ever need cough drops while in the Philippines just go down the candy aisle!)
3. San Mig 3-in-1 Sugar Free Coffee Mix
San Mig 3-in-1 Coffee Mix
Buy San Mig 3-in-1 Coffee Mix
OMG! This coffee is BETTER than Starbucks... better than Wawa coffee! It's Amazing! And it's INSTANT! It's also sugarfree and comes with the sugar, creamer & coffee in one packet. And the coffee flavor is AMAZING! I've never tasted coffee so good in my life! My brother didn't believe me until I let him try some. Then he made me bring him back some. I emailed the place I buy some of my Philippine groceries from (Pilipino Mart) last week and asked if they would ever consider carrying San Mig coffee. They emailed me back saying they were adding it to their new products! So you know I stocked up! (You cannot get this coffee anywhere else online! I've looked!) There's a link above, if you would like to buy some too! I'm thinking when I visit the Philippines again I might ship a box back over to the USA for myself. It's cheaper to buy there and it's sooo good! I've only got 2 more packets left until my order comes! Hehe!
4. Choc-Nut
Buy Choc-Nut at Pilipino Mart!
Choc-Nut candy is sooo good! It's like a peanut butter chocolate powder candy. It melts in your mouth! You can actually buy it online from Pilipino Mart. I ordered 2 packs when I ordered the San Mig Coffee, hehe! Yummy! F.B. got me addicted to Choc-nut. Hehe!
5. Kopiko Coffee Candy
Kopiko Coffee Candy
Buy Kopiko Coffee Candy on Amazon.com
I think the Kopiko coffee candy I get in the Philippines is made in Malaysia. But it's still sooo good! It's a creamy coffee hard candy. My Mom makes me bring her a bag back whenever I visit the Philippines. It's the best coffee candy around!
So those are some of my favorite Philippine Products I wanted to share with everyone!
Philippines Trip: 2008.
When leaving Chicago the plane stopped on the runway because the air conditioning unit fell off the plane. They had to return to our gate to fix it. We were delayed nearly 3 hours just sitting on the plane before we took off. I was late getting to Hong Kong and I was supposed to have a 4 hour delay there but when I got to Hong Kong it was already 8:30pm and my next flight was boarding at 9:20pm. I had to rush throught the airport to make it to my flight!
During my flight to the Philippines the stewardess asked me if I would give up my seat for a mother and child so the child could sit next to her mother. She ugraded me to first class! That was an interesting experience I've never been in first class! The seats were like lounge chairs. They put a table cloth on your pull out food tray & they even had real dishes and utensils. I had salmon on the plane (yummy!) and they had this fancy cake for dessert and they would keep refilling your water glass!
I arrived in the Philippines around 11:40pm. I met F.B. & his Mom in the waiting area outside the airport. They were holding a red 'Sarah' banner this time, so I could find them. We hugged & I didn't say anything stupid this time around, lol! (See: You're not so short!) He had flowers for me in the car. We got back to F.B.'s house around 1am. When I arrived at his house his family had made me another welcome sign. F.B. had rose petals scattered all over the floor of his sister's room that I was staying in. So sweet! Hehe!
We spent a week in Makati City this time. We stayed at the Best Western Astor Hotel again. We got to spend time in Greenebelt again and Glorietta Mall. We also spent alot of time at Mall of Asia in Manila. We had our 1 year Engagement Anniversary on January 10th. We went to Saisaki Buffet for the occasion! Saisaki is our favorite Japanese buffet! I got a cute stuffed horse/donkey? with F.B.'s iced tea. Saisaki always does that. Last year I got a purple stuffed dog, hehe.
We also visited the Ayala musuem while in Makati City. Where we saw Philippine History Dioramas and Philippine Art. On January 9th I got to meet up with my friend Gayle whom I met on myspace. We got together at a Starbucks in Glorietta Mall. F.B. & got to see a play on the 11th in Greenbelt. We saw 'Tuesday's with Morrie.' (My first play!) And we went to see a 3D movie at the Imax Theater at Mall of Asia.
I caught the cold his family was passing around when we were in Makati City. I had it pretty much the whole trip. F.B. gave me some vitamin c pills to take and some medicine. The one afternoon at the hotel he let me sleep in. And I got to visit 7 Eleven in the Philippines and bought some Gatorade.
We visited alot of malls during my stay. Sta. Lucia and Big R. Trinoma Mall, Mega Mall, Market Market, Glorietta, Mall of Asia. And got to eat at all my favorite Filipino places, Gerry's Grill, Chow King, Tokyo Tokyo. I also got to try Jollibee this time. (Basically a Filipino Mc Donalds.) And Yellow Cab Pizza became one of our other favorite places to eat. I finally got to try Wendy's in the Philippines, that's my favorite fast food place at home. And Starbucks... we must have gone 9 times in 3 weeks! I'm addicted now! Help!
I got to try Goat for the first time when his family had a family reunion lunch. The dish was a bit spicy for me. My favorite Filipino dishes are Liempo, Pansit, Chicken or Pork Adobo & I love Corn & Crab soup with Quail Eggs. Yummy!!!!
I also got to go to my very first Basketball game in the Philippines. We went to the Cuneta Astrodome on January 20th. We were just behind the courtside row. There was a lady reporter there filming, I kept ducking because I didn't want to be on TV, haha! F.B.'s mom & Aunt said they saw F's hair on TV! We also took some amazing sunset pictures at Manila Bay outside of Mall of Asia. The year before it had been too cloudy for sunset pictures.
The one night the power went out at F.B.'s house around 11pm. He tried playing around with the fuse box but that wasn't the issue. So I had to take a shower by candle light that night. Then we sat outside on his porch talking and having s snack of dried mango and some pringles. I saw a lizard climbing up the porch wall. And we also saw a bat flying over one of the palm tree's. The power didn't come back on until about 9am. It was hot without the fan so F.B. fanned himself and me while we tried to get some sleep that night.
F.B. & I had such a nice time together. It was sad when we had to part after the 3 weeks again. Got to the airport in Manila around 6am on January 24th. F.B. and I said our goodbyes. We were both crying outside the airport. Luckily I was at the smaller airport again just for Philippine Airlines so he was able to watch me through the windows. We waved to each other until I had to go past customs.
I arrived back in the USA on January 24th after a 24+ hour grueling travel day. The lines were really long for customs in the Philippines and I almost missed my flight. The airport tax changed from $12 up to $18 now! You have to pay the airport tax to leave the country.
I got to Hong Kong for my 15 hour flight, but got stuck next to this crazy Asian lady. The guy on the aisle seat was going to Philly also, and we kept giving each other these 'looks' when the crazy lady did stuff. She was like hanging over the guys food tray talking to people in the aisle, she accidentlly split beer on me. Thanks and when I was sleeping she kept taking snacks and stuff from the stewardess for me- poke me when I was sleeping and I'd have to say, "I don't want it. I just want to sleep."
Got to Chicago and had a 1 hour delay which was not enough time to go through customs- wait for my baggage hand my baggage back, take the tram car, go through more security and get to my gate- the entire waiting area was empty everyone was on the plane, I barely made it. I got back to Philly and guess what? No baggage! My luggage was missing! 5 people including me that were on the Hong Kong flight to Chicago and then back to Philly lost their luggage because our flight left. Luckily United Airlines returned my baggage later that same night.
F.B. kept a journal the entire 3 weeks. At night he would briefly write down everything we had done that day. When I got home he mailed me the original and made himself a copy. That was really nice, because now we can look back on our trip and read about what we did on each day.
Please check out all the photos from my Philippines Trip in January by clicking here!