Happy Birthday Jesus!🙏
Hej! IKEA Ph
https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSeuvSMCj/
Hej! Ikea Philippines
After the long wait, the largest IKEA Store is now in Metro Manila! The IKEA store in the Philippines opened with a huge store equal to 150 basketball courts! That is according the to the IKEA “welcome” magazine.
To those who want to visit, please remember to book https://ikea.olik.ph/#/dashboard?storeid=61865abd4d15a301ed50ce09 . IKEA PH will not accept guests without bookings. They will scan the code of the booking at the entrance.
And ofcourse, who can forget about the Swedish Meatballs which tastes exactly like the ones abroad! There are other IKEA staples too! Whats even better is that they have the restaurant, the cafe, and a bistro!
Bayanihan E-Konsulta : The Volunteering Experience
So I spent the last (Eidl Fitr) holiday on something that lead to a meaningful and fullfilling experience. After being inspired by a few of my former schoolmates I saw on facebook who spent a bit of their time by volunteering for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP’s) Bayanihan E-Konsulta, I knew I would like to make time too. This program was set up to address the need for virtual consultations especially during the rise in COVID19 cases since last February. The chat support or non-doctor volunteers will serve as the bridge for those seeking consultations and the doctors/nurses. The word “bayanihan” is so fitting as it is derived from the word “bayan” or town/community and “bayanihan” means working together as a community. I also salute the doctor and mental health practitioner volunteers for giving their time and effort to this very timely initiative.
After I registered, I was first informed through email that I got the volunteer slot and I was invited to their Onboarding program. You will be invited via an online team chat application and you can see and confirm your preferred schedule through it. On the day of your schedule, you will have a pre-shift meeting for other instructions before your volunteer shift. I tried doing chat support for a few hours and I felt time flew by so fast! The others I worked with already volunteered previously, so they are aware of the process and catered to more clients! I am amazed by this initiative and I feel glad and humbled by this opportunity to help.
Thank you to the Vice President Leni Robredo for this wonderful program and the opportunity to share our time and skills and to the awesome OVP team who were helpful and patient to ensure we have a good volunteering experience with the heartfelt connection spilling over to the people we “chatted” with. It was also touching to know that for those affected by covid and cannot work while in quarantine, the OVP made sure COVID kits will be delivered to them.
If you are interested, you may sign in via tje link below to volunteer. It’s just a small way to help but a learning and fulfilling experience
Link:
Bayanihan EKonsulta
*All images are from the Office of the Vice President Facebook Page
Light and Peace this Easter!
Easter is like my personal New Year. It is also like Christmas for our family. Usually we spend this with reflection, prayer, and family time. Being the most important event in Catholic faith, it also brings hope, peace, and light. With more practical application in our daily lives, we also take this time to recharge and restore what is needed. As a child, I would look forward to Easter Egg Hunt with siblings and cousins. I shared this with Sam. Globally, there are Easter bunnies, colors, programs and Egg relays and games to celebrate the day as well.
Away from the usual travels or celebrations this year, may we still celebrate. May this Easter send a message of light. Just as Jesus is the light and peace of the world, may we see the message in brings in our lives. In this world that needs healing, may create the change we need starting with ourselves.
Some Best Advice/s We Received for Our Wedding and Marriage
After a year of missing gatherings last year, I am so glad to know of a few people celebrating a milestone this year – getting married! And because I have been helping a friend with some wedding preparations, it made me look back to our own. What advices we took that actually helped our marriage until now. And a couple of the best advices on the wedding day itself that I would like to share with brides and grooms to be who happens to see this read in this humble online space of mine. Here you go:
Wedding
- Make sure to prepare more for your marriage than your wedding. Wow, this first one really hit me to the core. I was in the middle of all the preparations and figuring out the schedule of my family flying in for the wedding and stuff when one marred friend of ours blurted this out. When you come to think of it, marriage will ultimately be the goal of the wedding. While it is a once in a lifetime event, it is a ceremony preparing you for the MAIN event.. right?! What is all the details of fhe wedding if you are really not prepared enough for marriage?!
- Stick to the budget and just prioritize the details that matter. Going back to number one, I also realized that personally I would want want to have debts or loans at the start of our married life. One of the best decisions I made was to stick to the budget and just chose the things I wanted to splurge on and be creative with the others. For example, as a couple we really love food and we wanted to treat our guests – who are also the most important people in our lives gathered for a once in a lifetime event for a gastronomaically pleasant experience at the reception. Since married friends also told us that everything on the wedding day will be a blur, we decided to stick wih our top choice photographer to take care of the photos which is something we can hold and remind us on our special day even after so many years. There are actually a lot of things I could have also saved on if I could do it again, realizing what matters for us even at first I was so excited that I was willing to go over budget. Haha. Glad I took the other route.
Marriage
- Take your pre-cana seriously. By pre-cana meaning the pre-wedding seminar This one’s so basic and at the same time so true. Pre-cana seminar is the seminar we took sponsored by our chosen church venue. For Catholic and Christian weddings, this is given usually by the church. For civil weddings, this is required by the city or town prior to getting a marriage license. Some couples opt to just get over with it. One pre-wedding advice that we got though is to take the seminar seriously. In Filipino, there is a saying that goes “ang pagaasawa hindi parang kaning isusubo na pag napaso ayaw mo na” literally comparing to hot rice when eaten this means that getting married is not something that you can just give up if you feel a bit hurt. There are lots of things we have learned and really pondered upon about our relationship – some even beyond what we could think of as boyfriend and girlfriend. I feel that had we not taken seriously, we could have broken up or called off the wedding. Seriously. I did not even seriously think that money is the top issue married couples who want to get separated! I know from the onset that it matters. But, working since I was 20 I know that I could fend for myself. I also thought that the top reason would be extra marital affairs. I was surprised that it is not even the second top reason but just falls on the third spot! The second one? In laws! I did not know it was also higher than cheating or third party. We also had a counselor providing advice on matters we tagged as ‘big deal’ for us – on what we should do and how we can ask for the Lord for help. A friend also said the same about joining the Discover Weekend. I heard a lot of good feedback about it and the intensity of the process of getting to know each other as a couple. Had we not felt the Pre Cana we had was enough, we were also supposed to join this. I also recommend this to all soon to be married couples. I would say this process prepared us to sail along the crazy ocean called married life 🤪 It will help you figure out the most important reason in getting married – being sure with the person you are with regardless of other conditions. It is because if there are still ifs and buts, maybe it is time to re-examine the WHY of getting married . I remember telling my Dad when I got home that I just realized for the first time how I saw marriage, in all its reality, really is.
- Leave and cleave. This is something I would always hear from married couples. There is nothing like independence as a couple. Ofcourse it also depends on the family set up. I grew up with maternal grandparents living with us for years when they were in Manila. My dad had a smaller house constructed at the back of our house for my grannies. He said that this still maintains the independence even if we live with our grandparents. The issue is not whether the in laws or the couple are nice. People can be always nice but as they say there can only be one king and queen in the palace. The couple owning their house (the palace) shall have their own rules, independence, and decisions they got to make. This is sometimes hard to do if we are living with our parents’ place as it is hard to shift our priorities and independence and set the boundaries as a starting new family.
- Always date and maintain your unique kind of friendship. Regardless how many years, kids, or whatever circumstance. Cause laughters and love would get through and overcome every obstacle in the journey. They say true love ks effortless. False. Work on maintaining the relationship like the earliest days of the relationship. It is tough will all adult life’s responsibilities. But when in doubt ofcourse after God, marriage first.
That’s it! I believe thag making your wedding your OWN is what matters. Making your marriage about the both of you with the Lord is a must. This is true for ours. Society may dictate when you must get married but listen to yourself and your heart. This is the kindest thing you can do to your “ready to marry” self. We have tons of struggles my own single self wont know but it’s the commitment and prayers that helps us along the way. A married couple can always disagree except on both agreeing not to give up.
2020 Unusual year yet Grateful for the Blessings 🙏
Basically 2020, albeit an unusual year, it still has many things for me to be grateful for to the Lord ✨ Looking back, actually scrolling through my phone to make it more accurate, these are the things that used up my time this year😁
- plantlife aka plants in our home c/o @jzrojo 💚
- cooking at home series, which I think contributed to a “better me”😛
- food delivery series featuring ube cheese pan de sal🤪 #supporthomebased #supportlocal too!💯
- obsessed with minimalist cakes and creatively think of different designs for each family celebration. 🤍
- korean series! (and food! and drink! and music🤣) for sanity😄
- Sam’s online class series. Didnt expect I would see a virtual PE class 😆 Wooh!
- work from home and zoom meetings which I am grateful for 💙
- virtual parties and video calls with Family which kept my sanity and affirms the gift of staying connected and love💖
- care packages from family and friends – thankyouuu 🤗
- and Tiktok😝
Christmas in 2020
Global-virtual exchange gift?! ticked on my list🤪💚Always grateful for fun childhood Christmases✨Today, I am thankful for making it easier to reminisce cause of the virtual Christmas party and with the people I share it with growin up – family and the crazy cuzzies🎄
If at times I am being extra, that is because it runs in the blood😂 As such, we planned a pajama themed party with cookies. Crazy to do virtual exchange gifts across three (almost four!) countries and two continents props to cousin Elmrose 🌍Here’s to more timezone adaptibility during these crazy days, among us and jackbox tv games, secret santas, 5 hour virtual parties (thanks zoom for the unli mins), and fun times fam!💖 ps: thanks secret santa @seanonymous and to your lil helper aka Sam😊
And a peak from our noche buena at home : Paella made by a neighbor friend, Seafood and Pork Ribs from a quarantine homebased biz favorite Chef Daddy’s and MIL’s fruit salad as Christmas spread.
Times may be different but there are many blessings to be grateful for. Let us all remember the reason for the season🙏🎄💖Happy birthday Jesus!✨ Merry Christmas everyone! Light and hope to yall! 💝💚🤍
#SupportLocal #SupportHomebased
Here are some of our favorite #quarantineats from local and homebased businesses. Also plugging our very own TheGiftConciergeMnl (IG) if you wish us to purchase for you for any products you may want us a gift or part of any celebration (including virtual or zoom parties! we can provide ideas and execute deliveries at affordable but worth it fees!) as we support local and homebased brands in our concierge service.
Once Japan-a Christmas 2019
I have been hearing stories from people how Japan is easily their favorite travel destinstion country and how they are surprised I have not visited yet. So imagine how excited I was for this trip. Jesus has made it very special for this trip with family before the lockdown restrictions and quarantine.
Here are the top 5 things I love in Japan:
1. People are considerate and respectful. This is very evident in train rides, hotel lobbies and even on rush hours in the streets. It is as if discipline is a must for all and courtesy is always given regardless of rush hours or crowded places. I also love how people put quality in their work which is very obvious in their service and products.
2. Food! Need I say more? There are a lot of food to buy on my list going to this trip. I literally had to taste and/or buy them all. Despite my family living in Vancouver with tons of authentic Japanse restaurants and sushi places, one cant just get enough in the country of origin itself.
3. Fashion. There are a lot of fashion finds! Did someone need to say Uniqlo? From the thrift shops of Kamata to Don Quixote to streets of Omotesando, and Harajuku, Ginza etc you can never have enough of choices and possible purchases. My mom even said she wants to go back just for fashion haha.
4. Nature. We stayed in Tokyo and most of our destinations or stops are city spots. But, their parks and gardens and even those our shinkansen ride provided the best nature views. No wonder lush greens and mountains are easily enjoyed by tourists.
5. Culture. It is amazing how they have preserved their culture (and how it is influential!) despite being on the forefront of technology and modern world. Enough said.
thewonderfulkind 