Contemplate – kulang ang mga pinggan
Punctuation – pera para maka-enrol
Ice Buko – nagtatanong kung ayos na ang buhok
Tenacious – sapatos na pang tennis
Calculator – tawagan kita mamaya
Devastation – sakayan ng bus
Protestant – tindahan ng prutas
Statue – ikaw ba yan?
Tissue – ikaw nga!
Predicate – pakawalan mo ang pusa
Dedicate – inatay ang pusa
Aspect – pantusok o pandurog ng yelo
Deduct – ang pato
Defeat – ang paa (ng pato?)
Detail – ang buntot (ng pato?)
Deposit – gripo (call DIPLOMA if DEPOSIT is leaking)
City – bago mag-utso, a number to follow 6
Cattle – doon nakatila ang Hali at Leyna
Persuading – unang kasal
Depress – ang nagkasal sa PERSUADING
Defense – ginamit ng mga pangsulat sa kontrata sa PERSUADING
It depends – kainin mo ang bakod
Shampoo – bago mag-labing-isha (11)
Delusion – maluwang (kapag maluwang ang damit, eh DELUSION)
Delivery – walang bayad. Kapag working lunch, eh DELIVERY na ang tanghalian
Profit – patunayan mo
Backlog – bacon saka egg
Beehive – magpakatino ka
CD-ROM – tingnan mo ang kwarto
Debug – ang ipis
Defrag – ang palaka
Defense – ang bakod
Defer – ang balahibo
Deflate – ang plato
Detest – ang eksamin
Devalue - yan ang susunod sa letrang V
Devote - ang boto
Dilemma - bronwout, ah!
Effort - dun nagla-land ang efflane
Forums - apat na kwarto
July - nagsinungaling ka ba?
Thesis - ito ay...

Isa na namang kapana-panabik na araw sa buhay ng isang hamak na clerk ang naganap. Sa wakas natapos ko din ng medyo maayos naman ang annual report na dapat sana ay last year pa sinimulang gawin.

Bago kasi ang public relations and information director kaya sige lang, ok lang na hindi nya pa nagagawa yon sa oras na dapat ginagawa nya na. Bago na nga, di pa marunong mag-computer! So ano nga naman ang ma-eexpect mo, di ba?

Ilang linggo na ang nakakaraan (buwan na nga yata) nong magpa-encode sya ng composition ng editorial board nya. Hindi ako kasali. Sa isip ko naman, ok lang. at least bawas trabaho.

Bigla na lang, isang linggo bago ang deadline ng annual report, may bagong set ng editorial board members. Aba! Isipin mo ba naman at kasali pala ako? Encoder daw. Hala, sige na nga. Encoder na kung encoder. Meron ibang layout artist (draftsman ng school) kaya kampante naman ang isip ko na madali lang trabaho ko. Ano ba naman yong mag-encode. Yon naman talaga ang kadalasang ginagawa ko.

May orientation meeting pa daw. Ok naman ang plano. Maraming gustong gawin. Kesyo gusto yong may class tapos gawing standard ang design/layout para di na palit ng palit every year. Ok naman din para sa mga gumagawa. Menos trabaho. So after ng meeting, masaya ang lahat. Klarado ang gagawin. Ni hindi nga ako kasali sa usapan eh. Bakit ba eh encoder ka lang naman.

Pagkatapos, kung kelan Friday na, saka sasabihin, ako na lang daw ang maglayout kasi hindi pwede yong layout artist. Nanganak daw ang asawa. Namputsa! Bakit ba sanay na sanay kayo sa ganyan? So kelan nga yan kailangan? Lunes daw. Syet talaga! Ano na naman ibig sabihin neto? OTy na naman?

Kaso mo, nong uwian na, lumapit sakin yong director. Naawa ako sa itsura. Parang wala na sa sarili. Pawisan na at ni hindi na makaimik o makapag-utos. Hindi na nya kasi alam kung ano iuutos nya sa dami ng kailangan pa nyang tapusin na sabay sabay ang deadline.

So naawa naman ako. Kakaawa naman talaga kasi. At least di naman nya ako pinipilit na mag-OT. Alam naman kasi nya na matigas din ang ulo ko pag pinipilit. Hehe.

So punta ako sa opisina kahit Sabado, at kahit wala pang request. Care na kahit di ma-credit yong overtime. Naawa kasi talaga ako. Buti na lang medyo maganda ang mood ko. Kahit nagiging makulit sya at medyo nagsasalubong ang kilay, ok lang. deadma lang.

Kaso di pa rin natapos nong sabado kasi meron na naman syang dinagdag na kailangan pang i-encode. Sabi ko di na kami punta sa opisina ng Sunday, masyado namang abuso na yon. Lunes na lang, tutal tapos ko na naman i-encode. Bale layout na lang. ano ba naman yong lagyan ng mga pictures at anik anik yong buong report. Hehe. Tapos ko na naman yong pinaka-cover. So madali na lang yon.

So ngayon nga, medyo maaga ako pumasok. Aba at ang lola wala pa. Ano ba yan? Parang di deadline ngayon ah?

Pero ok lang. Di ko naman sya kailangan para magawa ko yong trabaho ko. (ang taray!). So simula na ako mag-layout (kuno). Maya-maya dumating na. Meron na namang pinapa-dagdag! Naku naman!!! Bahala na. Kung matapos, e di ok. Kung hind, hayaan mo na. Ganon talaga ang buhay.

So continue lang ako sa ginagawa ko. Nong makita ko wala namang ginagawa yong kasama ko sa kanya ko na lang pina-encode yong dagdag. Tutal encoder din sya para sa annual report. So ang tinutukan ko lang, yong layout.

Madali lang naman kasi konti lang yong pictures. Kaso medyo bumabagal ang processing ng laptop na ginagamit ko kaya maraming lapses.

Katagalan, natapos din. At ang masaya, hindi ako pressured or harassed. Very easy lang ang pakiramdam ko. Yong bang feeling na alam ko matatapos ko. Di ako nagpadala sa pressure or sa negative vibe. So kahit na rush ang trabaho, masaya pa rin ako in the end. Medyo ok naman ang kinalabasan ng ginawa ko.

At least kung di man kagandahan yong designs, masasabi nilang kasi madalian lang. What more pa kung maraming time di ba? Hehe. Mayabang ba ang dating? Di naman. Masaya lang sa kinalabasan at sa attitude ko sa paggawa nong trabaho.

Hay! So ngayon pasalamat sila sa “angels”. Kasi wala namang ibang gagawa non sa ganong kakonting panahon. So pasalamat talaga sila sa amin. Hehe.

Bow!

So after waiting in line for all the naval officers, students and other guys to finish taking a bath (that's where my dad stays now), i was finally able to shower and clean up and head to the NZ embassy.

The taxi driver was kind enough to take us (my dad and me) there (without asking too much) and so i was still fresh and clean when i walked up the BPI Buendia Center Building. There was a specially assigned security guard for NZ embassy guests only.

special guard: saan po kayo ma'am?
ma'am: NZ embassy po.
special guard: purpose?
ma'am: magsusubmit po ng documents
special guard: ilan po kayo?
ma'am: isa lang
special guard: paki-fill-up po dito. tapos pahiram po ng ID nyo.
*scrambles to get ID, gives it to the special guard who gives ma'am a visitor id*
special guard: 23rd floor.

My dad decided to leave me now coz he has other things to do himself.

(ding)
*gets in the elevator*

(ding)
*gets out*

another guard: good morning, ma'am! pa-check lang po ng bag.
another ma'am: saan po cr nyo?
another guard: sa labas po ma'am. for personnel use lang po yong dito.
*another ma'am goes to find cr*
another guard: good morning, ma'am. pa-check lang po ng bag.
*ma'am looks back*
another guard: ma'am, bag po.
*ma'am looks back again*
another guard: check ko lang po yong bag ma'am.
ma'am: oh.. me? *smiles*

(beep beep beep)
another guard: ano kaya 'yon, ma'am?
ma'am: baka yong cellphone po.
another guard: sige na po ma'am. ok na po.

*ma'am goes inside embassy office. waits in line*

embassy staff: anong purpose?
ma'am: mag-susubmit po ng documents
embassy staff: pangalan?
ma'am: mermaid po
embassy staff: ilang application?
ma'am: isa lang po
embassy staff: ok. paki-off lang po ng cellphone.

*turns off cellphone. opens door*

ma'am: oopppss! how do you open this?
applicant: ok na. bukas na.

*smiles*
*waits*
*looks around*
*reads*
*pretends to read*
*can't understand what im reading*

visa officer: number 10?
*gets up, walks to the visa officer window*
*shows visa officer all papers*

visa officer: yong mga letters po?
ma'am: anjan na sa loob
*visa officer shuffles the papers*
visa officer: yong mga pictures po?
*ma'am got confused*
ma'am: ano pong pictures?
visa officer: pictures po ninyo.
*ma'am remembers she might have brought one picture, rummages through her envelope, found it, smiles and gives it to the visa officer*

Visa officer: eto lang?
Ma’am: opo. Di ko naman po kasi alam na kailangan ng pictures.
Visa officer: ma’am kailangan po kasi yong mga letters na magpapatunay ng relationship ninyo tapos mga pictures.

Ma’am: nasa bahay po kasi.
Visa officer: taga-san ho kayo?
Ma’am: Sorsogon pa po
Visa officer: ay ganon? Baka po sa email, meron kayo. Kahit san naman pwede yong email di ba? Kahit mga chat ninyo tapos mga pictures
Ma’am: wala pong ibang pictures eh. Yong sa cellphone lang po.
Visa officer: pa-print nyo na lang po. Kailangan po kasi yon para hindi na maghanap yong visa officer.

*ma’am goes out to look for an internet café*
*walks*
*walks*
*asks a policeman. Pointed to ayala avenue*
*walks*
*walks*
*walks*
*still walking*
*walks*
*walks some more*
*can’t text or call*
*grows tired of walking*
*decides to take a bus*
*looks up and saw the building to the airline office, smiles and surprised she’s walked that far*
*looks out the window while bus passes by*
*gets off bus*
*walks some more*
*goes up an overpass*
*walks*
*walks*
*waits for a bus*
*rides the first air-con that she sees*
*realized the bus goes back to where she was from*
*gets annoyed and ashamed with how stupid she’s been*
*gets nervous that she might have taken the wrong bus*
*comforted when another passenger said he’s going to the same place*
*looks out for that passenger*

he jumps, I jump.

*gets off the bus*
*reloads cellphone*
*walks again*
*walks further more*
*smiles and remembers walking along that path with a martian*
*buys phonecard*
*gobbles a grande-sized crème brulee zagu*
*calls home to text dad to meet up with me*
*waits and had lunch*
*dad arrives*
*mum got confused so dad has to go back to get my bag*
*goes to internet café to start printing emails and chats and pictures*
*chats with martian*
*dad arrives with my bag*
*returns again to tell me his cellphone got snatched from the MRT*

mermaid: what?!!!

*texts my cousin to fetch me*
*logs off and calls my cousin and mum*
*waits*
*waits*
*waits*
*can’t text cousin coz my battery is drained*
*looks around*
*waits*
*waits*
*looks around*
*pretends to read*
*waits*
*gets really annoyed and tired*
*feet hurts like hell*
*gets tired of waiting*
*goes to the foodcourt*
*takes off my sandals and puts on a pair of sneakers*
*feels a little relieved*
*calls mum*
*mum texts cousin*
*waits*
*thinks of where I can stay for the night if gets really annoyed with cousin*
*calls mum again*
*cousin already waiting at meeting place*
*meets cousin*
*dinner*
*goes home*

*chats with cousin a little about my favorite topic – martians!*
*cleans up*
*pet dog barks at me like crazy*
*still barking*
*in bed, still barking*
*dozed off*
*dogs barks again*
*barks to my ear*
*barks terribly*
*tired and annoyed and pissed off*
*wants to strangle dog*
*dog barks still*
*mum of the house yells at dog*

mum of the house: pag di ka tumigil, pupukpukin kita, patay ka bukas.

*miraculously, dog whimpers silently*

silence finally.

i decided to report to work even though i was already on leave. i thought it's best to use my leave credits wisely.

first things first.

check if our fax machine is working. it is but for some reason still can't receive fax from NZ. so i had to go out to
1.) check my email for any updates from the airline
2.) to scout for a telecom office where i can receive the fax
3.) have my address changed on the bank certificate and the bank book
4.) follow up another bank certificate from a different bank

bank cerificate ok (the other one from metrobank i wasn't able to get because the staff said it takes a week to process while when i applied for it the other staff said to return after a day - inconsistencies!)

i can't call from my cellphone again so i had to be online every few minutes to check with him if he was able to send the fax or not. thankfully, he was able to send it to the second telecom office.

after we're sure that he was able to fax though that fax number, i emailed the airlines to fax me the booking office through that line too and hoped they check their email reguarly.

by the time im finished with all that, it was already lunchtime. i went home for lunch and went to the office to help out a little before going back to see if i have a new fax.

luckily the airlines are really reliable. so i was able to breath easy when i already have all that i need.

pretty soon it was time to go home, get my things and head to the bus station.

had to have a quick bite because the bus is delayed and im already really hungry and a little tired from the whole day's work.

i didnt feel good when the bus starting to drive away. i'm not used to travelling anymore. i decided to just sleep the bus-sickness away. i can't be too haggard when i go to the embassy office.

the week is full of action. i'm out of the office almost everyday to follow-up papers that i need for my visitor visa application.

i emailed the travel agency to book my flight and also to ask for a booking certificate (not being online just when i need it is really annoying and tiring coz i have to go out during office hours). i also have to get the money to open my dollar account. i bought some additional dollar so that i dont have to close the account when i have to withdraw the money. after opening the account, i have to wait after a few days before asking for a bank certificate (which is better than if i have to wait 6 months!).

everything is organized. planned to the very detail. but sometimes you can't tell nature what to do. it just does.

typhoon caloy decided it's time to pay bicol a visit and stayed so long we weren't feeling very hospitable anymore. it was a thursday.

i have a bus reservation to leave sunday so that i can submit the papers first thing on monday of the coming week.

i was hoping this was just an overnight very-heavy-rain-with-strong-wind typhoon. but it wasn't. caloy continued to circle around the bicol region until the following day, friday. of course if i wasn't able to go to work, all the other office workers wouldn't too, including bank staff. the irony is that now that i have all the time to call all the agencies that i've always wanted to call but couldn't because they would put me on hold for hours and i can't do that at the office - i can't! i can't text, i can't call long distance.

i went to legaspi the following day, saturday in hope that i can contact anybody from manila. nada. even internet cafes are offline.

so i had no choice but to reschedule my ticket and leave monday. it's pointless going to manila wihtout the papers that i need.

luckily, by the afternoon of sunday, i was able to call NZ. boy was i glad to hear the phone ring! *smiles*

so i asked him to check my email, in case the airlines already sent me the booking certificate or if they tried to contact me in any way. he did and told me that the airlines tried to fax me the booking certificate but couldn't get a fax tone. tried to call my cellphone but can't.

that was a relief. to hear that they were prompt and they tried to contact me any way they can.

sometimes it's refreshing to get a prompt response when transacting business in the philippines. and it still happens, thankfully...

Inquire
- how to wire money to Western Union
- what are the requirements to open a dollar account and how much is the initial deposit needed
- ask if the bank issues bank certificate or bank draft

Follow up
- follow-up if leave form is already signed and approved

Accomplish
- application form
- supplementary questionnaire

Check
- www.nzembassy.com/philippines
- double check my length of service from employment certificate and my monthly salary

Making Plans

We have already agreed that our next step is for me to visit him in Christchurch but no definite plans yet because he still has to save up for my airfare.

If I have never procrastinated for the longest time, I shouldn’t have waited until he saved up enough for the airfare that we’re advised not to pay for yet anyway.

Once he had saved up enough, he checked out the embassy website for all the requirements and things I have to do to apply for a visitor visa. Still I thought it was still a long way ahead to start working on it.

It was only lately that I checked out the website and downloaded the application form.

I read everything I need to know about applying for a visitor’s visa and even the things I have to do when I get there.

We also checked with the travel agency to make sure we have enough fund for the tickets.

Now that I’m informed and we have enough fund, the journey begins.

Checklist

I have three checklist or list of requirements that I’m comparing, so far they say the same things, that I would need the following:

A completed, signed application form
Application fee - if you want to stay in NZ for more than 59 days, below that processing is for free (which would be the case for me so yey! It’s free)
A valid passport valid for three months
A recent passport size photograph which will be attached to the application form
Evidence of financial support while in NZ.

Aside from those requirements, the manila NZ embassy also wants:
Supplementary questionnaire
Leave certificate from employer.
Confirmed 2-way booking certificate from travel agent/airline showing onward travel

Application Form

You can download the application form and fill it up. The first time I browsed through it, I found it totally silly that according to the category section, I only have to answer question A26 to A29 of the form. When I got to the specified section, I found out that I only have to answer A29! Gosh! Of course I didn’t believe that it would be all I have to fill up but just the thought of it made me giggle.

When I reread it, I found out that I have to fill up all the items, aside from the questions on specific categories like limited purpose visa, for purpose of a culturally arranged marriage (I can’t believe there is still arranged marriage to this day! What happened to love?), legal guardians and other special visitor categories.

Upon knowing the list of things that I need, I emailed the embassy to know how long it would take for my application to be processed.

They said that for an application with good travel history, it would only take up to 5 days. For applications that may need verification of documents or interview, it may take up to 45 days.

Valid Passport.

I already have my passport for a year already and it wouldn’t expire in the near future yet so that’s already done and checked.

Recent passport size photo.

I’m still trying to feel for a prettier-me day. *smiles* I want to look nice and friendly so that the visa officer wouldn’t doubt that I will not go return to the Philippines. Plus I’m also trying on my clothes to see which one looks the most smart-looking combination.

Evidence of Financial Support while in NZ.

This one is tricky. There are different examples of evidence. Bottom line is, you have to have at least NZD1000 for each person included in the application or NZD400 if the accommodation is already paid for or a completed and signed sponsorship form by a NZ citizen or resident.

Evidence can be in the form of:
a. Cash
b. Bank draft or certificate supported by bank book showing savings history
c. Personal assets - land titles, shares, stocks, business registration, etc.
d. Employment certificate showing monthly income, supported by income tax return
e. And if you're self employed, provide business registration, permit, SEC, bank acccounts, income tax return

I have enough savings for the NZD400 that they required because my accommodation is free (I'm staying with him for the duration of the trip) and I also have some peso deposit on my own account.

Supplementary Questionnaire.

This one is just like the application form but with additional information specifically if you have a good travel history (meaning, if you travelled to any two of the listed countries: NZ, Australia, UK, USA, Canada) and your level of education. (I wonder, would your application be affected if you're a college graduate or not? Just asking...)

Leave Certificate from Employer.

This is not a problem since they can't wait to get rid of me. *giggles*

Booking Certificate.

Since they don't recommend to purchase the ticket before the application is approved, a booking certificate to show that you have travel arrangements and will leave NZ when the visa expires.

So these are the things I have to prepare and collect to apply for a visitor visa to NZ. And now I have to get going...

Mnsn gus2 natin sbhn na msya tau pr0 anumng plit ntin mging msaya hhnpin prin ntin ang 1 ta0 n ngppsya stin…
E1 q kung cn0 sau..
Skin kc..
“si Mr. Bean…”



3 lalake ngksala sa tribu.
CHIEF: Kyo dala tig 10 prutas na pare2ho tpos kyo balik.
Una bumalik c Juan me dala santol.
CHIEF: Psok mo lht santol pwet mo, pg ikw nangiwi o nangiti, patay ka.
Pnasok ni Juan una santol, nangiwi. Patay.
Sunod dumating c Pedro may dala ubas. Pang10 ubas na xa ng mpangiti. Patay.
Ngkta c Juan at Pedro sa langit.
JUAN: Buhay ka p sna Pedro, kung d ka nangiti sa pnghuling ubas. Bkt ka b kc nangiti?
PEDRO: Nkta q kc c Berto, may dala langka!


hAvinG s0mEoNe to remember is pLeaSiNg enOuGh to D hEarRt.. iT dOeSn’t mAtTer iF u remember Me OnCe in A wyl, wHat mAttErS iS.. We’Re FRNDS aT all tyms..


I hd a drim Lst nyt I was n d beach wokng..
I saw God..
caRRyng u, nd I askd:
LORD wats d problem?
He answrd:
My child, “NADALI KAN LAFAYETTE”


Kht nasan k kht wala k s paningin q
Kht aLa k s tbi q
Kht gano k kaLayo skn
Tandaan mo:
Hindi kta nkikita..


“anyone can make you smile or cry, but it takes someone really special to make you smile when you already have tears in your eyes…”


Titser: Class, wat r d dfferent colors of banana?
Mark: Mam! brown mam!
Titser: tarantad0! My br0wn b n saging!
Mark: Tarantad0 karin! NILAGANG SAGING, bobo!


GOD makes life a little rocky…
Not to grind You into Dust…But…to polish You into a brilliant Gem!

Ever felt like you want to be with a person so much it sends chills through your spine? If I have a nickel for all the times I did, I’d be well off now. :-)

It’s not even planned or calculated. It’s amazing how even when I’m watching a horror movie I would feel the urge to be with him. Maybe that’s the reason I’m not so afraid watching horror movies. Lol!

I can already imagine how it would go when we’re already together:

6:00 a.m. snuggling
6:05 a.m. still snuggling
6:10 a.m. waking up
6:12 a.m. tickling
6:15 a.m. smooching
6:30 a.m. still smooching (oopss!)
6:31 a.m. have to get out of bed (darn!)
6:35 a.m. shower
7:15 a.m. breakfast (tasty toast and yummy bread)
7:45 a.m. time to go to work
7:59 a.m. smooching before getting inside the office
8:30 a.m. calling to remind about lunch date ;-)
8:31 a.m. working
8:40 a.m. remembering last night (smiling)
8:45 a.m. can’t resist anymore (calls just to say hi)
8:55 a.m. goes back to work
9:00 a.m. gets busy finally (hehe)
10:00 a.m. meeting (but doodling and thinking of martians)
11:30 a.m. a little hungry
12:00 nn lunch date (yum!)
12:45 p.m. prepares to get back
1:00 p.m. back to work
1:45 p.m. thought of something funny (texts him)
2:00 p.m. working
3:00 p.m. really busy
4:00 p.m. can’t wait to go home
4:30 p.m. gets a call (giggling)
4:55 p.m. gets ready to go home
5:00 p.m. waits outside
5:10 p.m. strolls
5:30 p.m. gets tired and sleepy
5:40 p.m. going home
6:00 p.m. helps with dinner
7:00 p.m. dinner (veggie pasta, yum!)
8:00 p.m. washes dishes
8:45 p.m. cleans up
9:00 p.m. snuggles in bed
9:05 p.m. you don’t have to know that anymore! *giggles*