Ramblings of a Perpetually Tanned Filipina

Tim is so sweet enough to get me THIS.... Oh yeah! An ice cream sandwich in mint flavor! Eating one is like having a party inside your mouth! om nom nom nom nom... Don't panic, it's not as big as you think it is. Blame it on the camera. :) I am now in heaven.

The gruelling hours of filling out pages of forms and gathering evidence is not yet over once you get to the United States on a K1 visa. After you get married - which should happen within 90 days of entry, one should file for adjustment of status so that you would be able to land a job or visit the Philippines for a vacation without applying for another visa. The adjustment of status is your passport to getting the green card. It's not just about paperwork, but you should prepare $1010 for the application and some extra for your needed vaccines that aren't completed in the Philippines. We Filipinas are really expensive! That's why we should also be treated as a gem and not as a househelp or a punching bag once we get here. I am blessed to have a husband who doesn't give me any of those traumatic experiences. Here is my timeframe for the Adjustment of Status (AOS): 01.20.10: Arrived in the US. POE- Chicago, Illinois 03.17.10: Wedding day 03.19.10: Appointment with Civi...

It's been almost 3 months since I left my beloved homeland, The Philippines. I don't go out all the time, but there are things that I've observed that would always remind me I'm already in a different country. 1. Almost all drivers follow traffic rules here. The red light means stop no matter what time of the day it is and they stay in their own lanes. 2. There are no security guards when you enter the mall, grocery store, or movie theatre. 3. Referring to point #3, there's no frisking when you enter such establishments. There were only two places where I've experienced frisking - at the airport and the city hall. 4. The use of Fahrenheit instead of Celsius when reading the scale. 5. That distinct "smell" when you enter the house. It's the scent you will smell when you open a balikbayan box back home. I love the smell so much, but Tim says he doesn't know what I'm talking about. lol! 6. They use a LOT of plastic bags - and I mean a LOT! 7. ...

I envy a lot of people who are earning a lot through their blogs. I have all the time in this world, but I just can't seem to put my heart and mind into making my blog "profitable". I am just too lazy and too moody to write an entry worth reading. Most of the stuff I write are random thoughts I have when I am in the mood to blog about it. Most of the time, I am just staring at my laptop trying to shake the boredom out of me. It's about time I take out the trash and do a little cleaning inside the house. I think earning through blogging is just not my cup of tea. Ranting would. :) Toodles!

Chicken Afritada is a Filipino dish with potatoes, bell peppers, and tomato sauce. Here's my own version of this dish. Ingredients: 1 kilo chicken cut into pieces 5 pieces potatoes, peeled and halved 1 red onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 green/red bell pepper, sliced into strips 2 cups chicken stock 3 cups tomato sauce (just use 1 cup if you are not a big fan of tomatoes) 2 tablespoons of fish sauce 3 tablespoons of cooking oil salt, pepper, and sugar to taste Chicken stock: One piece of chicken cube dissolved in hot water. * Heat oil in a cooking pan; * When the oil is hot, sauté garlic and onions (garlic should be slightly brown and the onion chunks are transparent); * Add chicken and make it slightly brown (if you added pieces of chicken with bones, make sure that there's no blood on the bones); * Add potatoes and continue to cook; * Once potatoes are already cooked, pour tomato sauce, stock and fish sauce; * Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes ...

Adobo is a popular Filipino recipe and is also my husband's favorite food to eat. Cooking was never my forte and my mom would always tell me that once I get married, my husband will return me home 'coz I don't know how to cook. For the sake of saving myself some dignity and for me not to be single for the rest of my life, I learned how to cook adobo before I left the Philippines. I got the recipe from my roommate and I have been using this since. And it is true that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Here are the ingredients for the adobo I cook during lunch or dinner: 1 kilo of chicken 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced half a teaspoon of ground pepper (add more if you want spicy adobo) 5 pieces of laurel/bay leaves 4 teaspoons of sugar almost half a cup of soy sauce almost half a cup of vinegar Combine all the ingredients in one pot and bring to a boil. Mix for a little bit, then simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked. Ma...

March 25, 2010 I had to get my Social Security number yesterday and Tim was at work, so I had to go to Gatlin on my own. The day before that, Tim had to force me to take the bus and I wasn't so excited about the trip. We checked out the nearest bus stop in our place the night before, so that I would know where to wait. The dreaded day came and I was supposed to leave the house before 9am, but I ended up leaving at 10:30am. I was too nervous and I wasn't looking forward to it, so I went online first and did a little research. I printed the bus schedule and checked the landmarks near the place I was headed. I even checked the bus stops near my place 'coz I was worried I might miss my stop. I also checked youtube for bus ride tips. I'm glad I checked it 'coz I had an idea on what to do. Instead of taking 2 bus rides yesterday, I only took one 'coz it was a lovely day outside and I just walked that .6 mile supposed 1st bus ride instead. It was weird walking along th...