My Favorite Space

It is only here in Dhaka where I was able to finally have my own room with no one to share with. Thanks for living alone in a three-bedroom company own apartment. The apartment is my own space, my own world. I have the freedom to walk around my apartment regardless what I’m wearing or if I’m wearing anything at all. In this apartment, I am the queen and the master; I can do whatever I want. Eat inside my room, in the kitchen or in the living room. But, there are two rooms that I really consider my favorite place or a place where I can really relax:
1st, is my bedroom: according to my colleague who stays with me whenever she is here in Dhaka, is my cocoon. I go straight to my room once I reach home, open the laptop and browse the net while sitting in the beanbag. During weekends, I stay almost the whole day inside my room and go out only when I have to grab something to eat. I like taking naps also in the afternoon together with my furry roommates sputnik the turtle and Happy Gilmore the bear. By the way, Happy Gilmore is celebrating his birthday on the 25th too because he was given to me as a birthday gift last year.

2nd is the kitchen: I love cooking (for myself) and baking for my guinea pigs. In here, I learn how to cook new recipes and experiment some recipe too. One wedding wish gift will be a kitchen showcase with all the hi-tech equipment that can help me in my cooking and baking. But honestly, nothing can top my favorite place, and that is in the loving arms of H. :-)

I'm sharing my favorite place to join Caryn's Birthday give away. Who knows? I may get lucky this time since it's my birthday month too :-)

P.S.
I met Caryn here in the blogosphere because of her Creative Swap which I intend to join regularly.

Lutong Bahay 003

since it's the lenten season, i tried to cook and eat veggies and seafoods only on fridays. So last Thursday night, i cooked Chopsuey using the Mama Sita's Chopsuey Mix that i brought with me from the Philippines :-)

On the other note, I've been very busy with work that I'm always out of the office to the job site (meaning: showrooms). And, i'm so pre-occuppied with other works also at home, like the scrapping that I intend to finish on time for April 12. Luckily, I was able to send the package for the Creative Swap first week of March, and I'm crossing my fingers that she will be able to receive it at all. I'm not sure of the efficiency of the postal service here yet. Like, I received a mail only once even if my friends in the Philippines claimed that they send a birthday card for me last year hehe! But my sister in New Jersey never received the card that I send them while my sister in the Philippines received theirs. Oh well! I just hope the package will reach my Creative Swap partner soon.

Happiness is

A creative lady, Little Ms. Firefly, celebrated her 30th birthday last valentine's day. No wonder she is sweet, she was born on the Heart's Day. As part of her birthday celebration, she had this birthday giveaway contest. It sounds so easy but not considering the sense of sight makes me pause and think what are the things that makes me happy if I dont have the sense of sight. Hmmm... so, here are some of the things that makes me happy:

Happiness is:
*a very reassuring tight hug from H, it leaves me breathless :-)
*hearing H saying I Love You in my native tongue, a music to my ear.
*eating something that I'm craving at the moment and receiving it from someone without me telling that i 'm craving for it.
*california maki, it's my comfort food.
*H calling me petnames
*getting my work done on time and having it approved by big bosses! Yahooooo!
*a long sleep during weekends... especially during workdays haha!
*long weekends/holidays means quality time with H :-)
*the smell of biryani, be it a chicken or mutton biryani. The smell is yummy!
*cooking something for the first time and it turns out good.
*hot shower after a very long and tiring day.
*smell of spring especially if a Narra tree is in bloom, the scent of its flowers reminds me always of my home, Vigan.
*sniffing H :-)
*getting what I want.
*hearing Jc's voice in the other line and talking to her for an hour or so. I haven't seen her for a year now.
*my staff learning new things from me. Very fulfilling...
*receiving snailmail from friends & family
*listening to H sing
*eating out with family
*dancing with H
*having a good night sleep and waking up everyday.
*eating a meal three times a day
*being able to share my blessings
*pleasant memories, memorable moments
*receiving comments here from strangers
*losing the extra pounds :-)
*learning new things
*Happiness is H...

Simple Things Makes ME Happy

"85. GET A HOBBY. Hobbies are a steady source of interest, providing two essential ingredients in life: consistency and fun." - THE 100 SIMPLE SECRETS OF HAPPY PEOPLE

Hmmmm, I'm in the right track then of being happy :-). Living alone is not that tough, I'm contented living alone and life can never be a bore as long as the internet is working or my scrapping materials is with me or I have a good book to read. I enjoy browsing the net, blogging and bloghopping, and in the process meeting new friends and joining creative groups here and here

Happiness is ....
simple wonderful things that I received unexpectedly or happens spontaneously. Like, yesterday, I can say it was one of my happiest days here in Dhaka. Why? Because I had a very hard day at the office this past few days, I have to revised the lay-out and have to work late to finish it and run after the big bosses to get their approvals. This month is really hectic due to works and projects that are overlapping in the schedules. My hands are really full this time. So, yesterday was no ordinary day at the office, I went home so tired and feeling gloomy, but when I reached my apartment, the guard hand me over a small envelope. When I saw the sender's name, I was so happy that I want to jump. I'm not exaggerating, that is exactly what I felt that time.

I received my first ever letter after a year of working here in Dhaka and it's from someone I met in the blogosphere.I never expect it to reach me since one of my colleague told me before that the Postal service here is worst. And I am so glad that I received the mail in good condition.

The sticker that was included there cleared my mind too, perfect timing.

It is a small thing that was made full of love for sure. Thank you so much for giving me happiness :-)

HOLIDAYS IN DHAKA

my little christmas tree, with little santa claus and his harley davidson ride

Christmas is a much celebrated day in the Philippines and in my family, thus celebrating Christmas for the first time without anyone from my family and in a hardcore Muslim country was totally a different experience.

Christmas tree @ a friend's house, Bamboo Shoot, Nando's

The day passed like just any ordinary day. There are few Christmas trimmings in the shops and there is no Christmas rush. No gift giving and no giddy feeling of Christmas time. It was just simply an ordinary day, with the slightest happiness that I feel with the thought that I’m going to celebrate Christmas with friends. There are lot of things that I missed so much last Holiday, the Simbang Gabi even if I never completed one, my family even if ours is far from perfect family, the simple and festive non-stop eat-all-you-can Noche Buena & Christmas lunches /snacks with friends and relatives, the last minute shopping, and the fireworks display on New Year’s Eve. Really, there is no place like home….


But since I can’t do anything with the situation, (I can’t leave the country coz I just got my Visa and passport last week), I have to do with what I have. I may not have the simple and festive Noche Buena that I’m used to, but I can adapt or try other traditions and share my own traditions too. And what is Christmas without “sweet ham” right? It’s not readily available here as pork is not available in groceries or any public market. So, I search the recipe for sweet ham and did it myself. And the verdict: it looks like ham and it tasted like ham.

small gathering after the Christmas Eve Mass

I attended Christmas Eve Mass at Banani and meet some friends there. After the mass, there was a small gathering at the church yard. Cakes, breads, drinks and other pica-pica are served. There are lots of Filipinos there too, and even the Ambassadress was there. Too bad I wasn’t able to take more pictures of the little gathering. One thing I noticed here is that I feel so safe and at home whenever I’m at the Church grounds. Everyone seems to be so friendly, maybe because it’s a small community that’s why people almost knew everyone, similar to private subdivisions in the Philippines.

After eating some cakes and saying “hellos” and greeting friends, we went home and have some simple Christmas dinner Bangladeshi style, and again, I forgot to take pictures. And drank some tequila which made me a little tipsy. I received a black saree, a jewelry set and a box of chocolates as a gift, yihii! The following day, we ate the sweet ham that I made, it was okay and it can pass as the commercial ones hehehe!


After Christmas, I am so busy with the DITF 2009 set up already, that I have to literally celebrate New Year’s Eve at the DITF Grounds with my staff and colleague since the following day will be the opening of the fair.
New Year’s Eve celebration here means going to the clubs and restaurants and other sponsored parties at the hotel and elsewhere. There are no funfair, no fireworks, none at all. But it was okay anyway, I’m just so glad that I was able to finish the set up on time and well, we received good comments about it (another entry for this).


January 1, of course is a working day, but I was able to spend the day with friends again and on the following weekend. I thank God for all this wonderful friends… Another year ahead, praying that this will be another fruitful one. Happy New Year everyone!

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Celebrating Eid-Il-Fitr with friends.


CREDITS: Paper: "Serendipity" by Mandy Mystique; Elements: Dream_Mzp, Summer_Mzp_Elements.