my hide-away

A Tragic Death for a 3 Year Old

2008-07-24T14:10:00.002+02:00

I was listening to the morning news on my way to work yesterday and I was again caught by this disturbing incident seemingly propagating like a plague across France. It's the 3rd incident I heard in less than a year.

A father forgot his daughter inside the car leaving her for a day under the scorching heat of the summer sun. The little girl died of dehydration. Worst is that, the father left his son at school that morning, then drove his way to the nanny's place to leave his daughter. He passed infront of the nanny's house but did not stop. He continued driving till he arrived at work. At midday, he took his car for a quick lunch nearby without noticing his daughter. Afternoon came and his wife called him up to check if he already fetched their daughter as she's not at the nanny's place. The father then realized that he forgot his daughter inside the car. He quickly ran to his car only to find his daughter dead.

Such incident would surely change a man's life for forever. I wouldn't like to blame or to judge that father. He surely didn't do that on purpose. Who would, anyway. I would just like to share the story to all moms and dads out there. To warn them that such incident could happen. Be careful with your little ones. At that age, they're not capable to open cars yet. And with car security measures nowadays, they couldn't open it anyway. And to those who see babies and toddlers left alone inside the car, that they call proper authorities for intervention.

Thanks.

Sunday Getaway

2008-07-21T21:35:00.010+02:00

Summer is timidly starting here in Dijon and it starts to be tiring. Though I already arranged our winter clothes, a pull-over each morning is still a necessity. So each time a sunny weekend is announced, we make sure that an outdoor activity is planned.

Arnay-le-Duc was the chosen destination this weekend (~45 km from Dijon). The initial plan was for Frenchguy to debute his career as a triathlete. In fact, he just bought a road racing bike which he wanted to test but unfortunately not delivered this weekend. The seller lent him another one which evidently was not customized to his size. So he half-heartedly abandoned the plan and contented himself in watching the participants.

To those who, like me, are not into sports at all and have no idea what triathlon means, it's simply a ...swim, bike and run kind of sport. Easy for me to say but imagine this: you swim 700 meters in a lake at a temperature around 21°C, then bike a total of 24 km with of course an up and down slope, then run 5 km up to the finish line - with a quick halte at a common platform where participants change, take or leave their bike and other accessories related to the activity.

It was an interesting triathlon watch as we were able to observe the experts. In fact, after swimming, they just remove their overalls and caps, then slip on their bike shoes and off they go. Just before arriving at the platform, they already removed their shoes (right picture) so they just wear on their running shoes (most of them without socks!) without changing to their running clothes (right picture shows the champion that weekend. He's in fact France's champion - junior category). A stop at the platform only takes them a few seconds!

Loads of professional racing bikes at the platform, each probably averaging to 2000€! Frenchguy suddenly felt tiny with his undelivered bike, lol. But he's a neophyte afterall and not seeking for national competition.

I was teasing Frenchguy because he planned to swim without the overalls (meaning he would consume all his energy just by swimming alone), then change from swimwear to his biking clothes (which he bought the day before!) and finally, change from biking clothes to his running shirt and short! And why not add the Ipod to the package while we're there, don't you think so?

Well, he learned a lot of tactic and he would surely be more prepared when he finally debute his triathlete career. In the meantime, he still needs to wait for his bike, lol.

During those time, Louna had only one objective in mind - play with the water. She was able to persuade me to dip his feet into the lake (swimming wasn't in the initial plan so I didn't bring anything). Then seeing that she would eventually soak her skirt, we removed it before any accident happens. But the playful kid finally end up wearing but her undies.. so she went home with her skirts.. without her panty!

On Pregnancy, Maternity Leave and Everything that Goes with It

2008-07-18T14:38:00.002+02:00

Third Trimester Ordeal

The curse of the third trimester started to hit me.. real hard. Sleeping pattern had been a sort of lottery. Sometimes I win (which means I sleep well). Most of the time, I lose. I was like a walking zombie at work yesterday so I asked Frenchguy to sleep on the other room last night so I could sleep better. Lo and behold, I had a relaxing sleep and I was on a better mood this morning (which didn't last till this afternoon).

But even sleeping presents an inconvenience. I'm obliged to sleep on one side (preferably left side.. but I'm used to sleep on my right side :( and with the weight of the baby bump, I end up having backaches. All that cumulates with the baby actively kicking me, the shortness of breath, leg cramps, and all the inconveniences that go with pregnancy that even writing this entry already makes me tired.

Birth Classes

I already started birth classes, to at least sooth the pain, but that one hour session of sophrology only gave me.. but one hour of relaxation. And since I'm not that much of a fan of yoga and zen stuffs (because I'm a cool person by nature), I didn't really appreciate the benefit that class offered me.

Aqua Gym

So I do aqua gym on my own with a small dose of jet massage from time to time. This exercise really relaxes me. It gives me a moment of calm and lightness, a moment where I commune with my baby without feeling the inconveniences. But I couldn't stay floating on water eternally, lest I want to transform myself into a mermaid.

Work

All these feelings of fatigue leave me intellectually and physically drained. I lost my usual energy. I'm a result-oriented person. And a stubborn one. I hate leaving things half done. I've heard that the big boss jokingly recounts how he's incapable to chase me out of the office because I wanted to do a lot of stuffs before my maternity leave. But that would most probably change. I start to be more convinced that I'd leave sooner than I wanted.

I started transferring my projects to some of my colleagues. With a heavy heart. I hate starting something and leave it half done. Yes, I already said that, alright. But that's how I feel. I don't take engagements lightly, and that's causing me problems at times.

Maternity Leave

I'd be on vacation August 4-15. But I've always told my boss that I'd be back and would try to work till end of August. If I would follow the old system wherein expecting moms are obliged to take their maternity leave 6 weeks before D day + 2 weeks of pathology leave, I should normally stop on August 8.

With the state of fatigue I am in right now, I'm afraid my OB Gyne wouldn't allow me to work till end of August and force me to stop earlier. The bump is heavier by the day. I've checked my first pregnancy pictures and my current bump size corresponds to my 8th month, Louna time. And geez, I'm only on my 6 and a half month of pregnancy!

New Experience

I've written that second pregnancy is a sort of déjà vu. But what I'm experiencing right now is totally new to me. I'm a strong woman – never sick, could adapt to any kind of environment, never cries. I hope Frenchguy believes me when I say I'm tired and not take that as an alibi. He's not used to hear me complain about difficulties of pregnancy. But it's been 2 weeks that I'm in a bad mood so please, don't force me to smile when I don't feel like it. Got that?

Innocently Sweet

2008-07-16T21:17:00.001+02:00

The doting Maman had just chronicled some of her sweet Louna's innocent remarks at the Crèche Privée. Read it here.

Less Vacation Time for the Frenchies?

2008-07-10T20:14:00.002+02:00

June to August is a very busy period in France. .. Errr, I mean, the Frenchies are busy with their vacation. But not for long. A new reform has been adapted recently to pass from 218 working days per year to 235 days !!!

Ano daw?

Well, to be clear, let's take my case. I'm on a daily rate. I'm not subject to the famous 35 h/week rule. I work a lot more than that. And I'm not paid for overtime. But I have a flexible time. I manage my time. I could start at 9am and finish at 7pm on one day. Then work 8am to 3pm the next day. As long as I finish my job as planned, then no problem.

With this system, I enjoy a total of 36 days of paid leave for a 218 working days/year distributed as follows:

- 25 days Congé Payé - paid leave
- 1 days Pont Payé - Normally taken once a legal holiday is situated on a Thursday, for example, to have a longer weekend. Additional day which we could actually take anytime.
- 2 days Congé d'Ancienneté - linked to length of service
- 8 days Réduction de Temps de Travail - declination of 35h for employees on daily rate

With the new system, it seems that we have to give up our RTT and some official holidays if we want to keep the 25 days CP! To think that they allowed encashing RTTs to boost the buying power just this year! What would happen to that? How could we encash RTT this fiscal year, for example, if we won't have any?

Let's say we would increase the productivity of industries and all the other sectors with this measure, would that also mean increasing the salary of employees since we would be working more? Or better yet, daily rate employees pass to hourly rate and we tax the companies for overtime?

Hmmm, strange that I haven't heard any possible strike/rally regarding this matter. Is it because the main victim of this measure is at the executive level and nobody cares because most work more than the legal number of hours anyway?

Hay buhay. But if this measure could really boost the economy, then go, even if it only answers to the question of productivity and counters the measure on improving the buying power. Let's give change a chance.

She's Biking!

2008-07-05T22:35:00.004+02:00

I'm a proud mom. Please bare with me. I just can't help it. Every little bit of new skill is chronicled in this and Louna's blog. Well, only parents could probably understand me. Know what? My daughter just learned how to bike on her own! See her live here.

Not My Lucky Day

2008-07-03T21:54:00.002+02:00

I was in our Paris office last Tuesday and Wednesday and I think I had the unluckiest day among my travel days. After work, me and my colleague headed to the RER station (metro train serving the outskirts of Paris) to go to our respective destinations. He's headed back to Dijon and me, to my hotel. Taxi wasn't an option at 5pm. Too much traffic. Metros are more efficient.

Not that day. Apparently, a metro employee was agressed the day before and they decided to go on a surprise strike. It was a hot day and there were no taxi available. I was stranded for over an hour. (Well, I was able to work with my laptop nevertheless).

Arriving at my metro destination, I thought the hotel was just a kilometer away (I checked their website before), so I thought, a bit of walking would surely do me good. But after an hour of being stranded in a not-so-cozy place, all I had in mind was a cold shower, a quick dinner and a wifi connection to send the emails I prepared during the wait.

The one-kilometer walk became more or less 3 kilometers and the tired and impatient yours truly started to get irritated. Arriving at the hotel, I quickly reserved the taxi for the next day and a table for dinner that night.

7:30pm. Pronto. I was already sitting at the restaurant, alone, sipping my heavenly fresh-squeeze orange juice. I thought This should be a quick dinner, I still have emails to send before I doze off. I checked the menus, 37€ minimum for a complete dinner. Not bad. But I need to do it quick and anyway, I have less appetite when I dine alone. So I just ordered for the main meal and dessert. I should have known it's a chic restaurant. And when they say chic, it means loads of protocols (and less quantity, of course). And the protocols led me to finish my meal at 9:30pm!

Next day, Wednesday, I was already waiting for my taxi at 8:30am (I was hoping to be able to work before the seminar starts because the goddamned wifi at the hotel didn't work!). And the taxi arrived 15 minutes later because of too much traffic jam. The unlucky day continues.

Arriving at home, I tried to connect again to wifi, and hélas. Still, it didn't work. And since I already prepared my emails on my laptop on my way to Dijon (on the train), I hated the idea to re-type them all over again on our home pc. Kainis.

It turned out that it was my laptop which had a problem that's why I didn't have wifi connection. Hay naku, gusto kong sabunutan yung computer technician because of that. Hirap ng buhay buntis!

The Little Mermaid

2008-06-29T22:33:00.002+02:00

I have been boasting about our little girl's love for water - how she jumps without fear. She's been learning more and more tricks each passing week - without us teaching her.

Find out her new tricks at Ma Crèche Privée.

6th Month Visit

2008-06-25T22:04:00.001+02:00

I have this impression that this pregnancy goes faster than my first pregnancy. Or am I just a little too inattentive? My gynecologist asked us to get an appointment with the anaesthetist at the maternity clinic. Then with a midwife for my childbirth preparation courses. My reaction was - Déjà? That sounds too soon.

Continue reading here.

Costly Education - How Much Does It Really Worth?

2008-06-19T11:16:00.002+02:00

I was chatting with my cousin this weekend and I've learned that her nephew just entered MIT. Not Massachusetts tho - Mapua. Former Mapuan as I am, I've always been interested to any news related to my alma mater. I've always been proud being a part of this huge family.

But did you know that students from this institute are subjected to a kind of stereotyping? Most of the time, when folks learn that we're from this school, the common remark would be Ang talino / galing mo siguro no? To which I reply, Grabe naman, understatement yan, sigurado naman. Lol.

I don't know if current students / graduates still suffer from this same stereotyping. Graduates from this school normally enjoy a relatively high market value. I never wrote a motivation letter, companies were calling at home to get an appointment for an interview. I had choices. But I probably graduated at the right moment too.

Mapua had been known to be pang-masa. You get quality education without ruining your parent's pockets. I'm not the first Mapuan in the family. My Dad's cousin who is 4 years my senior paid P3,500/semester from year 1 to year 5 (older Mapuans in the family paid much less than that of course). I entered year 1993, paid P7,500 for the first semester then finished my studies 4 and a half years later with P12,500 tuition fee. Batch 1993 started the yearly increase system implemented by Mapua.

But did this increase go at a reasonable pace? I'm sure a lot of entities, from pre-schools to universities joined the bandwagon. Everything had gone at a gigantesque proportion. I've learned that they pay around P40,000/semester now (not really sure, but around that amount anyway), and they're practicing quarter-mester. That's a huge P160,000 a year!

Now. If you consider education as an investment, how much is the entering salary of a fresh grad nowadays? How long is the ROI? Are there still jobs in the Philippines? Are the Mapuans nowadays, with the amount of tuition they pay, still get the same prestige as what we, the former Mapuans enjoyed? Ain't that a kind of discrimination? Because by practicing such prices, the target market had been marginalized to a certain social class. Does the government do something to control prices? Or they just let private sectors exige their prices so everything would be inaccessible to lower class citizens?

No. This isn't a black propaganda against Mapua. As I said, I'm proud to be a part of its graduates. It's better to invest in higher education than spend too much money at playschools. Because I also learned that pre-schools could cost even more than P50,000 a year. That's too much money and when you know that during job interviews, employers don't really care if you did kindergarten or not, that's part of the investment going to waste.

Well, if you have the money, why not. Every parent wants the best for their kids. But should best be evaluated through pesos all the time? If you already struggle to make ends meet, I think it's better to explain to your child that you could get good education in public schools too - that you better save for the more important step which is college.

I graduated from Tubotubo Elementary School (no kindergarten, oh yes!), a public school situated at probably the most rural barrio in my hometown. A lot of people smile or laugh when they hear Tubotubo. Cute or baduy, it's up to you to judge. Laugh all you want but it's there where I learned how to write, count, socialize, build the kind of person I am right now. And yabang aside, look at where I am now (o sige, yabang na nga, lol).

Anniversary Treat

2008-06-15T15:16:00.002+02:00

We had a double celebration this weekend. We had a lot of fun at daytime to celebrate Father's Day - please check out Louna's blog, she took charge in updating the blog since it's father's day - then had a romantic dinner without Louna.

We went to this rather chic restaurant in Marsannay-la-Côte where a complete dinner was delicately served in 3 hours. In France, it's almost a rule - the more you pay, the longer you wait and the less you get on your plate. But each serving is worth the euro you pay and the minutes you waited. So after 2 and a half years of no dinner en tête-à-tête with Frenchguy, we decided to call last night, our night.

The menus were mouth watering. And to not to spoil the evening, the prices were not indicated in the menu. The list of wines was overwhelming so Frenchguy let the sommelier (wine-waiter) decide for him, depending on the meal ordered. He had a glass of Marsannay 2001 and Nuit-St-Georges 2000, both Grand Cru. They were just so tempting that I took a sip on both. Geez, that was heaven! Alcohol-deprived pregnant women would of course understand me, lol.

3 hours of dinner gave us a lot of time to look at each other and talk. That's probably one thing we don't do that often lately. Of course we do talk. But everyday conversations don't take us that much reflection on what our future holds, etc. We almost always talk about work. Last night, discussions were focused on US. A sudden realization that our daughters are Bourguignonnes (natives of Burgundy) almost shocked us. For me, they're simply French. For him, they're Belloprataines (natives of his hometown). Not a big deal? Not quite. But that would mean they would have Burgundy accent, the adjective that would best describe them would be snob or bourgeois, and a lot more. But well..

Then, while checking out the list of wines, we suddenly thought about the wines we need to buy for Louna (as a symbolic birthday gift). 2005 wines should start to commercialize this year. Then I thought we need to do the same for the 2nd baby. Frenchguy thought we could probably find another good idea. But I vetoed explaining it would be extra special that during special occasions, our daughters could open a bottle of their birth year from the province where they were born. And honestly, Burgundy wines are not nothing.

Then we talked about Louna. It's her first time to stay with somebody else at home. It was our first time to eat in a restaurant without her. It's a new experience and we didn't know how she would react. (Apparently, everything went well. She asked once where Maman and Papa went and that's all. No fuss.)

A lot of topics had been tackled within that 3 hours. We didn't even notice that it was too long. When it was time to enter our pincode, we nearly choked. We looked at each other and without uttering a word, both understood that it's not everyday and we need a break, and it was our night. But like in a comic strip, another bubble message came out. It reads: McDonald next year.

Tough Schedule!

2008-06-11T22:28:00.003+02:00

It will be our 6th year anniversary tomorrow (that’s 9 years of knowing each other and over a year of long distance relationship!) and though we’re both here in France, we will be celebrating the day apart. I’m on the fast train going back to Dijon at the moment (from a 3-day seminar in Paris) while he’s surely driving to join his colleagues for a 2-day team building seminar. Yes, we won’t see each other this week.

What about Louna? She will be spending the night at the nanny’s place (because I’ll arrive too late) and I promise not to work too late tomorrow so I could be with her earlier. Tough schedule!

Well, we have the weekend for the 3 of us to enjoy. I need to find an idea for Father’s day!

Too busy. The 3-day seminar in Paris was great though. It’s a seminar for newly-hired executives in the company (hehe, moi newly-hired after 4 years?). The objective of which is to know the company better – know the strategy, its goals, its market, and the role of different departments to attain common target. 80 participants from different corners of the globe were there. The speakers, including the PDG of the group assured impeccable presentations which kept all participants all-ears from Day 1 to Day 3. Interpreters were there too to ensure that everybody’s getting the same message, but then, switching from French to English was inevitable. A workshop was also initiated - mixing employees from different departments then presenting the other department’s job through a stage play. I normally hate seeing myself in front of audiences but I find that experience pretty fun.

All 80 participants (even Parisians) were required to stay in the hotel to create real synergy among us. Dinners were animated and we really had fun. They organized a kind of casino on the last night with each participant holding 1000€ play money to begin with. Geez! It only took me an hour to lose that amount of money to poker. Now it’s sure, my future is not inside a casino!

It was my first time in my 4-year career life in this company where I travelled and I didn’t work (well, except for reading emails before and after dinner). Ang sarap pala, lol. Our department organizes an annual meeting outside of the company premises but then, it is held in a day so there’s no real synergy being formed.

Frenchguy’s team building seminar is a first in their department and playing golf is apparently included in the agenda. Not to mention that it will be held in a castle somewhere in the Alpes – in a mountain village located far from Dijon!

My big boss just sent a meeting invitation to the whole department and a lunch date was included in the package.

I just have this impression that something is changing in our company. Team building is in the air. Great! Especially when everybody's demotivated with decreasing buying buyer, increasing oil prices, the unpredictable weather, low satisfaction survey on HR department (probably why they boost team building, lol), etc., etc.

And oh, before I forgot, I need an idea for Father's Day. Any suggestion, hmmm?

Le Congé Maternité

2008-06-08T14:48:00.005+02:00

Paid maternity leave in France stretches from 16 to 46 weeks depending whether it's your first or third child or you're carrying a twin or a triplet. A pathological leave could even be added - 2 weeks prenatal and 4 weeks postnatal, if the attending gynecologist judges that a mom needs additional rest. A mom could choose nonetheless to take only 8 weeks of maternity leave with the approval of her gynecologist.

In my case, I'm supposed to stop 6 weeks before and 10 weeks after the D Day. This rule has apparently changed since February 2007. Now, moms could choose to take a minimum of 3 weeks prenatal leave and the rest of the weeks not taken before the D Day would be added on the postnatal leave. That's cool! That would give me more time with my 2 girls.

The end of the year announces a lot of roller-coaster ride at home. We need a breather and this news is really a great one. Louna will start pre-school this September. We will need to change our nanny (we will look for somebody not far from our place). Then the coming of the little girl.

All that looks simple but if you know how it works here in France, you would surely wish me goodluck. Great nannies are rare gems here in France. Much as we wanted to keep Louna's nanny, her place is just too far from our place. Louna's pre-school is just 4 blocks away from our place and it's just logical that we search for a nanny (for the 2nd baby) nearby. The nanny should be able to fetch Louna from school too, in case we're blocked. Thus the necessity that she be just around the area. Louna's pre-school have a nursery which could keep kids from 7am - 7pm so that's pretty comfortable.

Well, all that talks about logistics. But the real big change is that Louna will be a big sister and will start pre-school. How will she react to that change? Nobody knows.

We would certainly need to take a closer look on our time management. Work travels should be organized carefully. I would certainly ask not to travel till the little girl turns one (I did that for Louna) and we should find a nanny who could offer a lot of flexibility.

Well, I know that everything will fall at the right place at the right time. There's always a solution to every problem, right?

Breast Cancer Awareness

2008-06-08T09:48:00.003+02:00

Help spread the awareness on the Breast Cancer Awareness month of June. Please help convey the importance of regular examination and early detection of breast cancer in order to catch this disease when it first erupts, maximizing the chance of survival and recovery.

These are the some information/symptoms that I’ve got upon searching the net regarding Breast Cancer.

A change in how the breast or nipple feels
A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
Nipple tenderness
A change in how the breast or nipple looks
A change in the size or shape of the breast
A nipple turned inward into the breast
The skin of the breast, areola, or nipple may be scaly, red, or swollen. It may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange.
Nipple discharge (fluid)
Early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. Still, a woman should see her health care provider about breast pain or any other symptom that does not go away. Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer. Other health problems may also cause them. Any woman with these symptoms should tell her doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Source: MedicineNet.com

Help spread awareness. You can help the lives of many women by spreading the word about The Breast Cancer Site. If The Breast Cancer Site receives 8 million clicks on the pink button in June, their premier sponsor -Bare Necessities- will donate $10,000 for more free mammograms. CLICK the pink button today!

Please click. Or better yet, do the tag for the whole world to know ;). My nanny's mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer just recently and though we're not related, it was just too painful to learn such bad news.

Bientôt SAHM

2008-06-05T13:52:00.003+02:00

Ruth's entry on being a SAHM hit me hard I think. I still have it playing and replaying in my head. Here's an excerpt:

when i hear someone say she'd love to just be stay at home mom if she could, i often find myself thinking that if she really did feel that way, she would. so why doesn't she? if one delves deep enough, i suspect many (not all, of course) women choose to not to stay at home not because they can't, but because they don't want to.

and that's fine.

don't want to be tied at home, tending to the household and kids 24/7. don't want to give up the second income. don't want to lose out on career opportunities. don't want to lose the sense of self they've built over several years. don't want to be intellectually stagnant. don't want to be considered less productive. don't want to lose self-worth. don't want to be financially dependent on spouse. don't want exchange the glamour for the hausfrau lifestyle.

You probably noticed my profile. It says I'm a SAHM wannabe. But all the time I talk about this topic, I can hear myself loud - I sound DEFENSIVE. And I don't know why. So when I read Ruth's entry, I suddenly came to a realization. It hit me bull's eye. She was describing me!

There are certainly a lot of factors why SAHMs choose to be SAHMs and WMs as WMs. There's the influence of the environment where that mom was raised and the society she's in right now. There's the economic impact. There's her personal values that plays an important role. And a lot more..

I was raised in an environment where both my parents worked full time and I don't feel I missed out on something because my mom was at work. Honestly, I don't feel the need to stay at home. I hardly cook and I hate housechores. Needless to say that Frenchguy does almost all the housechores till we hired a cleaning lady. Call me lazy but I could be productive too - not at home but at work.

And what would Louna and I do the whole day? Learn ABC? I'm afraid I would just transmit the wrong values if she sees me doing nothing the whole day. I assure you, I'm capable of doing nothing the whole day! At least, with our current set-up, she could see me active and responsible, juggling between work and family life with ease.

I told you. I sound defensive when I talk about being a SAHM. I'm probably not cut to be such. Well, in fact, I'm quite sure about that. And that kind of frightens me out. I'm approaching my maternity leave which will officially start on August 22. At that same time, we will terminate our nanny's contract. That would mean I'll be a SAHM for the first time (at least for the whole duration of my maternity leave which is 4 months). Now that I think about it, I don't know if I have to be excited or what. I hope Louna will enjoy her time with her boring maman. And who knows, I might enjoy it and reconsider being one. Ayan na naman ako. Wishful thinking.

All moms are working moms, I know. But my CV is just not fitted for the job. Well, at least for now.

Not Her!

2008-05-31T17:57:00.002+02:00

Medyo na-bad trip yata ako kahapon. Nalaman ko kasi na yung proyekto nung katrabaho ko e hindi pa maayos ayos at kailangan pa nyang tumigil sa Tsina. So sa madaling sabi, magiging mas okupado pa sya kesa sa naka-plano. E sya pa naman yung papalit sa akin sa proyekto ko naman dito sa Dijon habang ako ay naka-maternity leave. And mas masama pa, parehong makina yung trinatrabaho nya sa Tsina at yung makina na itinatayo dito sa Dijon sa ngayon (as in yung makina ko). Magkaiba nga lamang ng proseso. Gagana naman kaya yung makina dito sa Dijon? Lagot ako pag hindi, ako kasi yung nag-design ng makina.

So sabi ni bosing kaninang umaga, since busy yung isa, baka yung isang katrabaho ko na lang yung papalit sa kin kasi mahirap iwanan sa baguhan (kukuha kasi sila ng papalit sa kin - contractual) yung proyekto ko lalo pa at nagiging mainit na sa mata ng mga big bosing tong proyekto na to dahil nga sa experience sa Tsina.

Heto ang problema ko sa ngayon. Yang isang katrabaho ko din kasi na yan yung pumalit sa kin nung naka-maternity leave ako kay Louna. Na-hire din sya pagkatapos kasi nagkataon na me umalis na katrabaho namin. E hindi ko sya feel. Heto kung bakit:

- Isa syang fashion victim. Sya ang nagpa-uso ng high heels, palda, make-up, alahas, at susmaryowsef, kung makadamit, kita na ang cleavage! Magkasama nga kami nyan minsan sa Barcelona, kinabukasan, sinisipon na. Kung di ba naman sya magkasakit e ang baba ng damit nya. Sabi ko sa kanya, e pers taym nyang magbyahe, pano pa pag sa Asia o US sya pinadala, e Europe pa lang, di na sya maka-adjust sa klima, lol. - Sa awa ng Dyos, di pa sya bumabyahe mula nung na-hire sya, ngek.

- Masyado syang magastos. Biruin nyo, kilala na nya lahat ng driver ng taxi sa Paris! E karamihan sa amin e nagmemetro lang. E ikaw ba naman ang naka-heels palagi. Minsan, nagco-compare kami ng gastos. Sya, di nga bumabyahe di ba, hanggang Paris lang. Ako, galing ng Bangkok noon (kasama tiket sa eroplano ha). Aba, halos pareho kami ng gastos. Kaya siguro di pinapadala sa labas, ang gastos e.

- Masyado syang pa-epek. Lam nyo yun, nasa meeting e hindi mahiwalay ang mata sa computer. Hello, respeto lang po sa ibang tao no, kung di mo maiwan ang laptop mo, e di wag kang umattend ng meeting. Minsan naman, kung makaporma sya e parang alam nya lahat. Hay naku.

- Parang wala akong tiwala sa kakayahan nya. Minsan kasi, may gusto akong ipakitang litrato na kuha sa mikroskopyo sa kanya. Gusto kong malamang kung ano ang opinyon nya tungkol sa problemang yun. Sa panahon kasi na yun, me problema din sya sa proyekto nya. Aba, di pa daw sya nakakita ng litrato ng partikular na bagay na yun na kuha sa mikroskopyo. Hello?

- Medyo sipsip lang naman sya. Aga yang pumasok pag andyan si big bosing. Ganda ng chika lagi kay bosing. Samantalang sa amin na ka-level nya, wala kang makukuhang impormasyon na galing sa kanya. Feeling ko tuloy, extract lang sya lagi ng kakayahan namin, kami, walang mapala sa kanya. Sabi ni Frenchguy, it's either ayaw nyang mag-share ng info, o kaya, di sya ganun ka-confident para mag-share, o wala syang alam.

- Feeling ko, di sya seryoso. Minsan kasi, magkasama kami sa training sa Paris. Di pa tapos ang meeting, nagpaalam na sya at maiiwan daw sya ng tren. Ganun? E meron pa namang tren pagkatapos nun. E trabaho nya yung pinag-uusapan. Ako e consultant lang kuno. Nung Martes, ganun ulit. Umalis sya bago pa matapos ang training.

- Hindi ko rin sya ma-imagine na humawak ng makina. E tumingin na nga lang sa mikroskopyo, di pa nya magawa e. Yan ang problema sa mga bagong inhinyero sa amin, lagi na lang nakaharap sa laptop. Ang sa akin lang, paano ka magiging epektibo kung ni hindi mo alam kung ano sinasabi mo?

- Ang pinaka-ayaw ko pa sa kanya, hindi sya honest. Or ewan ko kung ano tawag dun. E di ba nga sya yung pumalit sa kin nung buntis ako kay Louna. So sya humawak ng mga subjects ko. Then merong award yung isang subject, pero yung pinakamalaking trabaho, syempre ako ang gumawa. E hindi naman alam ni big bosing yun kasi bagong dating lang sya sa service nung panahon na yun. Aba, ang loka, taas noo sa pagkuha ng award, nakalimutan ang pangalan ko. As in ang sama ng loob ko nun.

So ayun. Ako ang nag-design ng makina. Feeling ko, iba na naman ang mag-aani ng itinanim ko. Bakit ba naman ang aga kasi ng maternity leave dito sa Pransya? Hay naku. Bad trip. Kakausapin ko talaga si bosing pag confirmed na sya nga ang papalit sa kin. Laki ng problema ko no?

Last Week's Blahblahs

2008-05-25T14:42:00.007+02:00

Dealing with Administrative Stuffs

I'm barely two and a half months away from maternity leave and my mind couldn't stop listing all the necessary procedures I need to do while waiting for the D Day. I'm not talking about maternity stuffs though. My expiring passport starts to annoy me and I can't drag myself to renew it at the embassy in Paris. There's just too much papers to present and I don't have all of them. And I hate myself for not asking for naturalization earlier to avoid such a headache.

So stubborn me thought, ok, I need to get on with this. I need to be French. Just for the sake of my passport! Darn.

I took my Friday off. There's just too much to do. I just can't sneak off the office to do all that.

First rendez-vous was at my gynecologist for the 5th month visit (first portrait as shown on the left).

Then after a quick lunch, I went to the Préfecture to get the updated list of requirements for the Naturalisation thing. Jeeez! The list was long. It was almost okay except that I need to have my Philippine documents legalized by the embassy - the birth certificates and the NBI clearance. I hope they won't ask me for red ribbons everywhere - I mean, I only had mine stamped, but not my parent's.

Then I went to the Mayor's office to ask for the Attestation d'Accueil for my sister and my Mom. I hope they could spend Christmas and New Year with us. The same, the list was long but since I already asked for my parents two years ago, I already prepared all the papers before going there. Surprise! I can't put both of them in the same document, so I paid 90€ for two Attestation d'Accueil. 2 years ago, it was only 15€/person.

After my stop at the Mayor's office, I went directly to Trésor Public to ask for a Bordereau de Situation Fiscale, a paper needed for the naturalization thing. It's a document stating that I paid my taxes - revenu, proprietary and resident taxes.

Whew, I was never that productive in my entire life! I think it's a hormonal thing, lol.

Frenchguy Got Back from the US..

.. and he brought my new toy! It's sleek. It's black. It's sexy. It grows longer when you play with it. Here it is:
The euro-dollar rate is so interesting nowadays that US became our favorite boutique lately. And since Frenchguy gets to travel in that part of the world quite regularly, I bought that new toy there (thru internet).

The shopping addict (read: Frenchguy) also bought some stuffs for Louna - clothes, toys and books. Prices here in Europe just got too expensive lately that having this shopping mall alternative is a welcome treat to our pocket.

If only I'm not pregnant, I would surely organize our summer vacation in the US - to visit families and friends - and of course, to do some shopping. And you hear that from somebody who hates shopping!

It's Tax Season, Arrgh!

Have you declared your 2007 revenu taxes (residents in France)?

I was probably hallucinating. I saw more than 2000€ difference from our 2006 taxes. Didn't they promise lower taxes? I checked again this afternoon, even re-simulated the computation, but still the same, we will pay an additional of 2000€ this year!

Nope, we didn't really have huge salary increase. I know that they changed something in the computation (removed the 10% deduction and 20% abattement before the application of QF). I also know that they changed something on the computation pertaining to travel incentives. But the heck, that's 2000€ (+ the base of 2006 revenu tax which also increased compared to 2005!).

So the government talks about measures on how to increase buying power? Are they really serious?

My Hometown Under State of Calamity

2008-05-20T11:39:00.001+02:00

So you probably heard the news. Mang Cosme has hit Northern Luzon and left thousands of families homeless. My hometown is apparently the most ravaged in Zambales - Sta. Cruz. Indeed, I saw the news, saw familiar landmarks, even saw my cousin's internet shop with computers drenched, all houses roofless, no electricity.

I was trying to call up my parents for no particular reasons this weekend. I wasn't informed, I hardly keep up. But they were unavailable. Apparently, their mobile phones have no charged batteries anymore. And with the damage Cosme had caused, it would probably take them a month for electricity to go back to normal.

My sisters in Manila just informed me that our parent's house lost its roofs, our car was hit (Don't know if the insurance would handle the reparation expenses), all trees were broken/fallen (Including those mango trees that my Mom planted ages ago. They just started to bear fruits.) and our ricefield was flooded, and so, damaged (Meaning all investments washed away, no harvest this season). The only good news is that my parents are safe. Which is the most important news.

As far as I could remember, we already had the same calamity ages ago (I was probably 7 years old) but we only lost our roofs. It was during the night and we woke up floating on our instant swimming pool. We in fact slept in the basement, on a bamboo bed, so it floated. I could remember how happy I was playing with our swimming pool.

Rip-Current Deaths

Raqgold's entry about a drowning incident in one of the beaches in Zambales disturbed me. It's a story which is a déjà vu for me. I felt a certain familiarity to it. Aren't these the kinds of incidents where oldies would say Marami talagang na-eengkanto dyan. Taon-taon may kinukuha dyan. Aren't these the kinds of incidents why my parents always warned us against going to the seashore?

There was never any scientific explanation to it. Province people has always relied to kababalaghan, sa sabi ng matatanda, sa tadhana. But as I said, I was kind of disturbed. Me and my siblings, inspite the warning from our parents, are beach lovers. Philippine beaches are there to indulge to, and lifeguards are almost nowhere. We need not rely our lives to life security which is not there. We need to be responsible. I found this link which explains what this phenomenon is and how to avoid it. And why not, save lives. Please do me a favor. Read it.

Deux Ans et Démi

2008-05-18T16:36:00.000+02:00

Check out Louna's update at 2 and a half years old here.

Italian Getaway

2008-05-14T18:37:00.006+02:00

We’re back from our Italian escapade. All three of us are beautifully kissed by the Tuscan sun. We’re slowly starting to get things back on track but loads of pictures are still waiting to be sorted, retouched and downloaded. Oh by the way, I met Michelangelo's David in Tuscany (left photo), tumaba na. Naober yata sa pasta, lol.

A nice weather greeted us upon our arrival in Pisa. The 8-hour drive was quickly forgotten once we saw the Leaning Tower. Did you know that I came to this place like 5 years ago but was not able to see the tower? It was because Pisa was not included in our itinerary. So I, together with an Estonian friend decided to take the train from Florence and go there. Unfortunately, or should I say, stupidly, we missed the fast train because we were caught by the beauty of the Uffizi Museum. We stayed longer inside without caring for the time. So instead of the fast train, we took the regional (slow) train, unknowingly. Upon arriving in Pisa, we only had the time to take another train back to Florence because our bus was already waiting for us. Luck!

After the visit, we headed directly to Florence for a two-night stay. Museums were full-packed (and anyway, I already visited them lol) so we just contented ourselves to a walk around the city and appreciate its architecture, visit churches, eat ice cream, pasta..

We visited the Science Museum (just near the Uffizi Museum) where works of Galileo Galilei and other scientists were exposed. There’s generally less visitors here so for science fanatics like me and Frenchguy, it was haven. I already visited it but I didn’t mind re-plunging myself to these great works. Even Louna appreciated peeping on Galileo’s telescope!

Our next stop was in lovely Rome. There’s just too much to say about this place. I’m speechless. I let the pictures speak for themselves.

We took the Roma Pass which gave us access to public transportation for 3 days, free entrances to 2 museums, and discounted entrances to other museums. With that, we had direct access to the Colosseum which was a bonus because there was too much tourists at that time.

But well, anyway, we did not visit a lot of museums because Rome could be considered as an open-air museum. You could just walk around the city and church hop..

We visited the Vatican City on a Sunday, May 4. Big error. Incidentally, it was also the 140th anniversary of Santo Padre Benedetto XVI. Could you see the number of people over there?
After the intensive city visits, our next getaway was at the relaxing countryside of the Tuscany region. Our first stop was at Pienza (Siena Region) - a UNESCO-protected site. We stayed in an Agriturismo where Louna had the privilege to collect eggs every morning. A morning walk around the farm was a relaxing way to unwind from our busy lives.

The last stop was at Volterra (Pisa Region) - again in an Agriturismo. We mixed between visiting old villages and sunbathing by the seaside.

We visited a lot of typical hill-top villages but you need to note these sites: Pienza, San Gimignano, Siena, and Volterra. A walk in the farm and old villages or a road-trip is the best way to enjoy the Tuscany region. Its beauty is simply captivating and extraordinary.

Tips: I did all reservations via booking.com and reserver.it. Great sites. Lots of choices and you could also read feedbacks from former users. I highly recommend BBSavoia in Rome simply because the owner Augusto is really nice. I had all needed information before my vacation and he even updated his site for me ;). Another one is Agriturismo Il Colombaiolo in Pienza. Nice room, nice view, good breakfast and really accommodating owner Lucia. She wanted to keep Louna with her.

More pictures here.

Spring Tease

2008-04-28T21:59:00.006+02:00

A teaser. We had a taste of spring this weekend. Sunny at 23°C. The lawn mowers around the neighborhood were out Friday night perfuming the atmosphere with this cool spring breeze. Plants and trees, despite the sudden decrease in temperature early April were displaying their flowers and leaves with pride.

Days like these don't pass unnoticed. We had our weekend fully booked. We invited some friends over for lunch Saturday afternoon.

Louna enjoying the afternoon sun with new-found friend lil K.

Frenchguy did a 10-km run Sunday morning.

Louna waiting for her Papa then showing the flowers she picked afterwards.

Then we attended a birthday party in the afternoon.

Louna learning to blow her new toy.

Today. Inside my office. Looking outside my window. Gray and raining outside. 12°C. End of Spring.

So before I get depressed with this uncomprehensible Dijon weather, I'll go pack my stuffs and enjoy the Italian sun this weekend. Leaving on Thursday morning. On the itinerary: picnic at the park viewing the Leaning Tower of Pisa before we indulge ourselves with arts and culture (and pastas, and gelatos, and limoncillos (with moderation, svp..) in Florence and Rome. We will end our escapade enjoying rural life under the Tuscan sun.

PS: Mahirap ng ma-depress si buntis.

Régime de Solidarité

2008-04-24T19:17:00.001+02:00

Like most, if not all of the EU countries, France takes social solidarity at heart. And the Frenchies would go on strike on all the streets of France metropolitan to keep all their social benefits intact. But France is spending more than it earns. A social reform is more than necessary but the Frenchies just won't let go.

Left-wing parties and supporters would criticize today's government as pro-rich because they reformed taxes so as these chosen fews wouldn't give 50% of their income to the government. Considering that revenu taxes comprise 20% of the total revenu, they need to smoothly lighten the burden to keep the remaining chosen fews in France. It's not uncommon to hear that a certain rich kid had transferred its fiscal address to Switzerland or Monaco because of fiscality reasons. Because aside from tax revenus, these rich kids are also liable for solidarity tax on wealth (assets amounting to 760,000€ on January 1, 2007). So why stay in France and pay a lot of taxes when they could go elsewhere and keep their moolahs?

So it's a fact. These rich kids are financing the majority of revenu taxes. They fund monthly allowances for kids, daycares, retirements, etc. They're cash cows. We need to keep them. Underpriviledged populations should slow down a bit on their whining and think a bit. The real victim of this social government are the middle class - like me.

So ok, I'll rant. Our household income falls on that painful 30% bracket and we get almost no financial assistance from the government. Not even the 800€ government gift for each birth. When we searched for a daycare, we learned that it will be more expensive for us to leave Louna there rather than hire a nanny (who takes care of 2 other kids). And that's because of our salary bracket.

So whatever we get from the government: monthly nanny allowance and free medications (vaccins for Louna, all pregnancy expenses, etc), we deserve every single euro of it. We pay 30%!

FYI. I normally laugh at them when I hear them complain. Spoiled brats. I always compare their social advantages to what we don't have in the Philippines. But the heck. They pay and they just want more from their money (though most of those who really complain are those who don't contribute). But I'm open to compromises. I know that we're on deficit so an intelligent reform is more than necessary. And I said intelligent reform!

Family on the Limelight

Talks are on going on the reform of family allowances. The government proposes a one-time increase of allowances for teenagers starting at age 14 (+60€) as opposed to the old version wherein, a first increase is given at age 11 (+50€) then at age 16 (+60€). The savings which will be gathered from this reform would be used to increase the number of daycare centers and to increase government assistance on nanny pays.

I was starting to get excited on the news when I heard that it will again be indexed on the household income. Darn!

4th Month Visit

2008-04-22T18:58:00.000+02:00

Our visit to the gynecologist is always an exciting event. She's got a 3D doppler machine (or is it 4D?) so we get to see not only the black and white images, but the 3D image as well. She's even saving the images on a CD, great for sharing with family and friends.

Continue reading.

Buying Power

2008-04-18T20:09:00.002+02:00

I was discussing with a friend a week ago and she informed me that the price of rice she normally buys increased by 1€. Me who doesn't really pay attention to this detail shrugged. Anyway, I consume my 10 kilo sack of rice in a span of probably 4 months.

My father cultivates a small piece of land, enough for us to have a supply all year round and a little amount to sell for extra income. My family won't be hungry. I have my peace of mind.

But what about those who eat rice three times a day? Those who regard it as a sort of means of survival? Those who prepare it as a porridge so every hungry mouth could have a taste of dinner? Like for a lot of poor families in the Philippines, for example?

I don't even have the courage to ask mercy from God - like most of the Filipinos do. We could always pray but rice will not fall from heaven. Nasa Diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa. Does the government have any measure to save our nation from starvation?

I was actually about to blog how prices soared high here in France. The skyrocketing price of gasoline is taking its toll. It's effect starts to reflect on our everyday lives. Like a disease slowly propagating in our system, it's now attacking to our basic needs - food.

But in France, the government distributes financial aid to less-priviledged families. They apply some measures to control prices. Prices are indexed to the average wages of the people. I mean, one could still live a life - probably close to survival - but they survive.

I've read that even NFA rice has joined the bandwagon. But in the Philippines, everything is expensive. Clothing, jeepney fare, rice, galunggong, probably even kangkong..

An example: My sister's paying P1000 for a monthly subscription on DSL internet connection. And that includes phone line. I pay 30€ (P1950 at P65 to 1€) for my DSL (with Wifi) connection which includes phone line with illimited calls to France metropolitan and to over 70 countries worldwide plus cable TV. And I was told that her connection was a good deal based on what's being offered there. Hayyy.. and I complain that prices are too expensive here..

Dalaga Ako Ngayon

2008-04-14T21:42:00.004+02:00

No daughter. No hubs. Just plain pregnant me.

We braved the long 6-hour drive last Friday night, amidst the rain to bring Louna to her grandparent's place. It's her cousins' spring break so we decided to bring her there. That way, she could spend quality time with the family, escape the monotonous everyday life in Dijon, breath fresh air and sleep longer hours.

She's apparently enjoying her time there. And the family's really having great fun with Louna's new tricks. She suddenly became the clown.. and she's loving it.

It's also great for the family to get to know Louna personally. I mean, beyond what they hear on the phone and what they read on her blog. At least now, compared to what I had as a feedback before, they know and even heard how Louna talks.. a lot even. She's not talking like a 4 year old, alright, but she's NOT 4 years old yet. No rush.

Frenchguy and I took the same train to Paris this morning. Then took separate Metros (underground Paris train) afterwards. He took the airport direction (off for work travel this week). I took the lakwatsa direction.

I met a friend in Paris. We ate out, talked a lot, then watched a movie. Tagal ko na kayang di nakakapasok sa sinehan. And to add to the fun, the movie was in VO, as in version originale. That's refreshing. I mean, I don't really care if it's in French. But hearing the movie in English was like a breath of fresh air.

Back to Dijon now. I know, I haven't been bloghopping lately.. and I know you understand ;). This week, the buntis will strike again. See you around ;).