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Scams abound!

I was just browsing through my FB news feed and saw the wall of my dear friend Sharon. Just reading what’s on her wall got me thinking. I’ve receive too many junk text too, mostly I don’t even read it I just deleted it automatically. It’s so annoying to received almost half a dozen text or more in a day. Sometimes you’re busy working on something then when you hear your phone beeping telling you that you got text and when you checked it’s just another one of those junk. Geez,you really want to scream. LOL

This is nothing but a scam!

This is nothing but a scam!

Anyway the message on my friend’s wall that she posted to the right said: As you can read on the big and bold writing. The  problem if you reply to the number that was given. Then you are sending the person the load that they are asking. See here in the Philippines you can call anybody with your cell phone just using a pre-paid sim-card. What that means, you will buy a cell phone and buy the sim-card (either SUN Cellular, GLOBE, SMART, TALK “N” Text) separately. Every cell phone provider had their own promotional ad to lure the customers. Like us in our household, we all have Sun sim pack because they had a good deal right now. For Php 150, you can text unlimited for the whole month with 4 hours call to the other  Sun cellular number. If you pay Php 200, you will get the same promo plus you have 1000 free text to the other network provider. If you pay Php 450, you can call and text unlimited to the other Sun cellular number plus free 50 text to other network provider.

Lets move on to the text at right: Wonder why it’s a scam? Well if you follow what the text were saying, you are giving that person a load worth Php 300 pesos out from your load or your pocket. If you are on the post paid account and if someone texted you and said what it says below to text the 300 to the number that they gave you. Then you’re giving.  You see, if you do nothing, you have actually lost nothing, it is all a lie.  If you follow the instructions in the text, then you are helping the scammer steak P300 from you!  See that big writing that says: Txt 300 8888 Send to 29771907587

The 300 pesos load goes to the number like that one sample they have. The way we know its passing load or they called it here pasa load because of the text 300 and the 8888 was the code for passing the load.  Plus the number 2 in the beginning of the cell phone number means that’s passing of the load. Regular beginning number of the cell phone number should begins with 0 or +63.

Too many scams going on the cell phone right now. Some they even says that they got transferred to other place or they got accidents and they want you to give them load. Some scam even text you in Tagalog. If you don’t know what the text meant have someone interpret for you. It’s better to know what the context of the text than assuming it.

Anyway, beware of the scumbag again. Don’t fall for it.

Cheers!

 

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Prejudices in the US & here!

I’m writing about the prejudices that I’ve experienced in the States while living there for 10 years. Not really too many instances but it happened to me. It’s not really shocking but in many ways I also wonder why would some people do that kind of thing.

Really it happened to me when Chris was about a year old or two. Bob and I really liked to go for a short drives to small towns in either Washington or Oregon area & the coast. We went near to the town where Bob grow up in Oregon. He was showing me the places that he and his sibling went for their grade school. It was a nice little town. Good to raise young kids. Plus he also was introducing me to the lady that was close to his family that resides in that small town. She’s kind of the lady to go to with the kids. She’s a good and special teacher. On the way there Chris was sleeping. As we were approaching the town Chris woke up and wanting to eat. So since it’s still not eating time we decided to get him some fries. So Bob stopped at a small restaurant. Its really just a take out place.

On the Oregon Coast - I loved my time in the States

On the Oregon Coast – I loved my time in the States

 

So Bob & Chris stayed in the car and I jumped out of the car and went to the small take out place. I was standing just at the take out window and wanting to order, there were 2 white ladies inside and they can see me. They’re just like a few feet away from me. I started talking to them wanting to order. I was being ignored. I figured maybe they didn’t hear me since they’re chatting. So I said it again and they didn’t listen they just continued on talking and ignoring me even though they saw me. I waited for another minute and still they didn’t turn around and take my order. That hits me, Bob & his parents kind of mentioned to me about some people in small town has tendency to be against other races. So it hits me that this must be one of those small towns that had narrow minded people. So I decided to just go back to the car.

At Mount St Helens

At Mount St Helens

Bob asked me where’s the fries? I told him they don’t want my money. They’re ignoring me. Bob was gonna go to that place and give them some piece of what’s on in his mind. I told him to just not worry and just let them be. They’re just idiots and uneducated. But honestly inside of me was already boiling. Bob told me to not accept that kind of behavior of others. I guess he taught me well. After that it really did change me a bit. I’m not accepting those kind of attitude anymore. Especially now with my kids being bullied. Not going to accept it.

But the sad one was Bob’s best friend in high school. Before I came into the picture, Bob was talking to his best friend regularly. He lives in different State. He would call Bob or Bob would call him. After he found out Bob was married to me and I came from different race., that really changed everything. Bob would call him and he never called back at the house. Not sure if he called at Bob’s work (I can’t remember). I did talk to him once just a few weeks after I got there in the US. He seems nice but I think because he grew up differently, its hard for him to change. We never met in person though. I guess not my loss, it’s his. Bob told me that whoever would not accept me as his wife, he is dropping them. So far that best friend of his was the only one. Every one in his family and friends were so nice and so friendly to me. With Bob’s cousins the kids especially and his nephew. Lord have mercy they go gaga over me. LOL… At least some were so loving with me aside from Bob. :-) All in all my stay in America its good. Love my time there. Was happy to be with Bob’s family and my friends and neighbors. I’m happy knowing lots of people there. Same thing if any of my friends/family won’t accept Bob, I’m dropping them too.

Here in the Philippines was another story. It’s funny now but it was hurtful at first though. We came back to the Philippines I was just a month after giving birth, C-section, to my youngest son. During my pregnancy I really gained. I had some problems with my pregnancy. After giving birth with the moving and packing and preparing to come here I didn’t think of losing weight there. So I came here I weigh like 145 lbs. It was a good transition. A friend already had a house ready for us to rent here. It was really nice and in a good neighborhood. Did you know that the tricycle driver told me that I had to pay double because I was big. Then my helpers told me that some of those drivers said to them “Oh your employer is that big lady?”. Wow, I was hurt but I can’t just blow them off. How can I get to them, they didn’t even pass grade school. If I get mad at them as if I’m also not an educated person. What will I gain on that? But OMG, I really would like to give them a piece of what’s on my mind. God knows how much I really held back. Thankfully I still had my self control. Thank God for that. LOL

I guess really anywhere we will experience prejudices in our lives. Just know how to handle it that it will not hurt your life. I know it’s not easy to say. Some people really suffered hard. I wish with the internet people are more open and accepting.

Cheers!

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Are the in-charge doing their job right?

I was just reading my Kindle and Bob just told me something that really bothered me. He said something about a winner of the beauty contest in Bukidnon who was stripped of her title and her other awards. I asked him what’s the reason for it? Bob told me about the girl being an American citizen. He told me that he will give me the link. The name of the lady is Miss Marah Luz Smith.

So I read the link. So Miss Smith was born in the States, at the age of 3 the family moved back to Bukidnon. The mom is a Filipina. The thing that gets me on this, before the contest there supposed to be a committee, supposed to be overseeing all the contestants. It showed she passed all the requirements or she’s not gonna be there on stage and be the winner. Then, all of a sudden they felt that she’s not eligible to be the winner so just take it away from her. Is there rules on the contest that mix race were not allowed? How can you justify the stripping of her winning if the committee even said she was good to join before the contest? What made them change? It’s mind-boggling to me.

Ms Bukidnon Pagent

Ms Bukidnon Pagent

I’ve seen some contestants for our beauty pageant here the big one contest for Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth and others that compete abroad. Some of those contestant were born abroad and grew up there. You can tell they even had the accent from the country there from. Then the beauty contest committee were okay from it. They’ve been sent to other countries to compete. What’s the difference with the one from Bukidnon?

With the dilemma of Miss Smith it got me thinking of when my son was thinking of going to Philippine Science High School. When we went there to inquire wow the paperwork of a mixed race kids to be admitted to the school were just slim. When we saw the requirements to get to be admitted it’s just like  going to get a Philippines passport. The list were just endless. :-)  Even studying on the regular school here the mixed kids really had to pass lots of papers. Which I’m not complaining about. At least they had someone there to tell you that your papers are good or not. Same with the papers with Miss Smith they gave her the A-okay.

How could they miss looking through the papers of Miss Smith? She’s probably the only mixed race contestant on that contest. Or one or two of them. For me it’s just not fair to strip the title if the committee missed out doing their job. If Miss Smith doing bad stuff to shame the title holder then that could be justified.

What do you think guys? Feel free to share your thoughts here. I’m just hoping that the committee will see what they’re doing to the young lady. She’s really devastated right now. Hopefully they resolved the matter soon. Good luck to Miss Smith and her family. Hoping for the best for her.

Mabuhay!

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Thinking differently!!!

A few days ago I went to Nicole’s classmates house. I went there to ask some questions from the mother of her classmate. I guess one day last week Nicole had no class because the class coordinator had some meeting to attend to. He told his students that they can go to school the next day, just go to the other section and stay there for the class, but they’re not obliged to do it. Just a few students showed up at all. One of them was Nicole, our youngest daughter. Well, I guess instead of attending the class Nicole our daughter and her classmates decided that they would rather go to one of their classmates house, whose house was just walking distance from the school.

Nicole with DJ

Nicole with DJ

The problem on that situation. We have rules in the house that whenever the kids go somewhere they have to inform us where they will be going. That’s why everyone in the house has cell phone. If cell phone is dead, they can go to the office in school to call from their land line phone there to our phone in the house. Or use a pay phone. So Nicole had a problem, she went somewhere and she did not inform us. So a few days ago I went to the house where Nicole went. I want to know the parents of that kid and we want them knowing us too. Nicole can also invite classmates to our house sometimes, but we want the parents’ approval.

So when we went to the house (me, my niece and Nicole). I asked to see the mom of Nicole’s classmate. I guess she went somewhere and would be back in a short while, which she did after awhile. The person there at the house was the grandmother. I guess she usually takes care of the kids sometimes since they were living in the same house. She could tell on my face that I had some concerned. Just then the mom showed up. So I talked to the mom in-front of the grandmother. Honestly they’re nice people but we just had different views in life. When I told them about my concern for Nicole. My statement: “Just asking did Nicole come here a few days ago? My husband and I don’t have problem with our kids going to their classmates house, only thing they have to inform us and let us know where they’re going to and whose house and who are the people in the house? Also is it okay for the parents for them to be there?”. The reply of the grandmother to me – “it’s okay they came here no problem since its just a walking distance from school anyway. Also they’re just kids they want to hang out where they want to hang out.” I told her it’s not okay for us. Nicole has to inform us first before going anywhere. She has to follow what she was told.

The mom of Nicole’s classmate  told me that her daughter did the same thing. Went to her classmate without permission. She said they had to close their shop (store) to get their daughter. I told her the concern that she’s feeling when her daughter went without asking her, that’s how Bob & I felt. So I know she understood how Bob & I reacted. But I could tell that the grandmother thinks that I over reacted. I felt she thinks that I should let Nicole go somewhere without telling us since she’s just hanging out with her friends. I told her anything could happened on the way to there house. Nicole could have an accident while walking there. So many jeepneys passing by on the way to there house. I continue on telling her that Nicole is 10 years old. We will guide her and show her that being a concerned parent show her that we love her so much. To be honest Bob and I will continue what the rules we have here in the house.

I’ve seen parents here let their kids be out late at night during school days. Bob & I don’t want our kids (that goes to school) to be partying or hanging out with their friends during weekdays. Our students here at the house have a curfew. Our 2 teens (Aaron & Jean) now are allowed to hang out during night time with their friends during weekdays here at the house as long as they toned down their voices when our other kids (the students) are in bed.

Like Bob told me after talking what happened. We don’t give rules to other kids. But we let our kids know that we have rules to be followed here in the house. It’s just simple and easy. We let them go somewhere with their friends as long as we know where their going. Bob & I even encouraged them to bring their friends here at home. Sometimes they eat dinner here. No problem. We know the feeling, we’ve been students before too.

Anyway, Nicole knows now that she has to follow the rules and she learned her lesson. I think. :-) Hopefully she will not be influenced by her friends. We don’t want to be too strict too.

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A simple and important reminder!

I am writing here just a bit of a reminder to the anyone (foreigners or Filipinos that live abroad for a long time) that wanted to retire here in the Philippines. When we moved back here Bob and I had already been coming here many times for a visit. Bob’s been to some 5 star hotels and to lower end hotels here in Manila, Cebu, Davao, and GenSan. And, of course to my family’s house. Bugs and cockroach and mice were pretty much present in all of these places here in the Philippines. So seeing those critters was not really new to him. Bob doesn’t like it but we can’t just let those bugs spoil our vacation here. All those bugs are pretty common to majority of the households here in the Philippines. So don’t be surprised upon seeing one. I will tell you guys some of our experiences from before and after moving here:

One time when were visiting here with Chris and Aaron. Between the two boys, Aaron was the one having a hard time seeing flies around my mom’s house. We came here during fruit season. So many flies flying then. He’s always carrying bug spray with him around the house. Just for a few days he was ready to head home to the States.

Butiki - A Philippine House Lizard

Butiki – A Philippine House Lizard

Then there was one time when Bob’s mom came here for the first time to visit. She stayed with us. She’s staying in one of the bedrooms at our house. After she said goodnight to us and she went to bed just like minutes after she was screaming at the top of her lungs. My gosh, all of us were jumping out of bed and running towards her room. She pointed to the culprit – my gosh a 2 inch lizard on the ceiling. It was funny for us but really looking at mom it really terrified her. So Bob just explained to her that here in the tropics expect those kind of things. She understands but no more sleeping in the dark, she has to have  a night light during night time to know whats creeping in during her sleep. LOL

One of our vacation here that was in 1994, our visit for my dad’s first death anniversary. Bob and I promised my mom that we would be here in the Philippines for that since I was unable to come home for his funeral. When we came for a visit, our last lay over was in Cebu. And in Cebu, Bob and I usually stayed in Montebello Villa Hotel. We arrived so late in the night and our flight the next morning was really early. So the taxi driver was recommending these hotels in Mactan area. Bob told him that we really want Montebello because it’s nice and we’re used to that hotel already. The taxi driver said oh the hotel here in Mactan it’s nice too, the only difference with Montebello, they don’t have a swimming pool. We then agreed with him and headed to the hotel that the taxi driver recommended. Let me tell you, its not the same and can’t even compare. But we’re so exhausted and so tired to get out. Plus, Chris was sick already, he had fever ever since our flight from Hawaii. So Bob ordered room service, as soon as the food was brought inside our room after the waiter left, we could hear some noises on our roof. Bob and I just stare at each other and observed. Boy, as the food stayed in the room longer the more the noises were getting louder. My God as if the rats were having fiesta on our ceiling. You know what none of us touched the food. We just put the food outside our door and just went to bed. The rats went quiet after the food was gone from our room. We’re too tired to think about it. We had to sleep or we might miss our flight the next morning.

Just try to visit the public market here. You will see rats as big as the cat running around. I’m sure lots of cockroaches crawling around and flies buzzing around too. That’s just the way it is here in the tropics. I wished to God it was changed a lifetime ago, but it’s not. But this is the tropics we have to deal with it. You know what I mean? Think a thousand times before moving to the place that you’re not familiar with. So that you will not be sorry later.

***Hey don’t take me wrong we also have areas that’s clean too. If you’re a clean freak try shopping your food at the high end malls. Always have pest control services in your house and let them check every corner of your house.***

—- “Don’t be scared, exterminate them”—–

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