Work of art – i can easily upload pictures of my clinical work in Aesthetic Dentistry or my coffee paintings but I choose my cheesecakes 🙂 “baking and photography” are my passion hobby among other things – beautybeyondfifty.
Soon..I am baking the second part of my cheesecake challenge!
cheers,
jamilamimi
I was talking to a friend last night about children who was born outside the Philippines with a Filipino parents and speaks fluent English but have difficulty in speaking our very own language “Tagalog”. He was very passionate discussing his views that our conversation lasted for three hours OMG! nosebleed 🙂
English or Tagalog
Why do you think mostly of Filipino children born outside the Philippines speak English more than Tagalog?
Why do we have to speak English at home? Why do we encourage them to speak English only at home and not our own Language? Isn’t it that they are learning English at school? With their friends?… after all, they live outside Philippines and the common Language is English!
Who is a better teacher in English, the teacher whose native Language is English? or the Filipino parents whose native Language is Tagalog?..so why not speak Tagalog at home? Don’t you think you are rubbing them off of the opportunity to be bilingual?
Universal Language
First of all, English is a universal Language, it is a common knowledge ..if children speak English fluently, they will have an edge to those who does not..they have a better opportunity to find a job and a better interaction to people around the world.
Guilty as Charged
I can only speak for myself, I am guilty as charged of not speaking Tagalog at home with my sons while they were growing up, not because we lost our patriotism or I didn’t think they are smart enough to be bilingual but because my priority for them is to speak English fluently… yes they learned English at school but practicing at home will also help.Thank goodness, they didn’t acquire my Filipino English accent! 🙂 not that it is wrong to acquire it but my philosophy is.. you have to learn it the right way!
For awhile, I have to agree that it was a struggle for my eldest son not to speak Tagalog fluently, he lost his own identity in his own birth place because he does not speak Tagalog but eventually he did learned the Language. It would have been better if I taught him myself,.. moving on…it was a blessing that he speaks both English and Tagalog and a bit of Arabic as well.
Native Language
My youngest son, was born in Jeddah obviously his first Language is English, should I say his native language is Tagalog?
What is native Language? a Language a child learned first at home versus a language learned later in life.
but because he was born to a Filipino parents, he also learned how to speak tagalog though not as fluent as he speaks English. He only goes home to Philippines once a year just for a short holiday and not totally emerged to the Filipino culture. He was born in Jeddah but did not acquired the Saudi culture instead he was exposed to a multi cultural environment which gave him the benefits of interacting/learning different culture which help him to be a well- rounded person, of not being judgemental of others belief, attitude and behaviour. I am so proud to say he is now multi lingual (English,Tagalog,Arabic,German, French) and holds a very high interpersonal and social skills which will lead him to better path in a near future.
I say his native Language and primary Language is bilingual, English and Tagalog.
He might not be as proficient or as fluent in Tagalog but he can understand and able to appropriately response back.
My verdict?
There is nothing wrong in speaking English at home as long as the child knows he can also speak and understand Tagalog. It is not about patriotism because English is widely used as a form of communication in and out of the country. It helps to identify you as a Filipino but it doesn’t defines who you are!
What is wrong then?..if you imposed or encouraged not to speak Tagalog at all!
” Learn English well and connect to the world. Learn Filipino well and connect to our country. ” – (Aquino 2010)
I rest my case 🙂 😉
Ladies, feed me up, I like to hear from you 🙂
Cheers,
Jamilamimi
Here we go again, rain or shine… we love to go to the beach! hahaha as if there are other things to do than beach hopping in the island of Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines. Eating? surfing? bonding? drinking? We can all do that in the beach!
From our house, it took only about 40 minutes ride by car or motorbike to reach the place (barrio Igang). The entrance fee were counted per person, the cottage was rented by day and my nephew rented a small bungalow (air-conditioned) to stay overnight. Swimming pool is also available but with extra charge.
Grilled pork chop! Hmmm forget about diet, this is so yummy 🙂
The sun was still up when we arrived but after an hour or so, the rain started and I was not able to take a good picture of the place. I don’t have protection for my camera lens which gave me an excused… to enjoy the scenery and ate with gusto 🙂
No one was interested to do Zip-line or even rock climbing.
Thinking of diving?
Oh! no..no..no mat-mat was scared but enjoyed the quick splashed at the end.
Canoe? Kayak? whatever it was… father and daughter enjoyed the short ride!
A wacky shot for all !
Twin rock? small and big,maybe? Till we meet again, hopefully the weather will be so nice on us 🙂
cheers,
jamilamimi
Working outside the Philippines has a trade-off and one of those.. is seeing my parents only once a year. This year, I have time to bond with my mom (my dad had a mild stroke and can not travel anymore).
A week before I went back to Jeddah, I asked my mom:
Me: mama would you like to come with me to Manila?
Mama: eh paano ang papa mo, sinung mag -aalaga? (what about your dad? who will take care of him?) her eyes twinkling and there was a faint smile at the corner of her lips, meaning she wanted to come but can’t leave without my dad.
Me and my siblings: don’t worry ma, all your grandchildren can take care of dad .
Mama: what about coming back, I can’t travel alone?
Me: ma, i will let the stewardess take care of you!
her smile widened and wallah! off to Manila.
I was so excited to bond with my mom but let me tell you a secret: I have six brothers and I am the only daughter, I guess you are thinking hmmm spoiled? nope! I am not, was not and will never be! My father is a strict disciplinarian but I am closer to him than my mom.When I was in high school, I was always voted as muse or oftentimes as a beauty contestant. I never heard my mom says: “My daughter is beautiful”. She even said: kuh bakit ba ikaw ang napipili palagi eh marami naman diyan maganda! sabay kurot! (oh! why always you? there’s a lot of beautiful girls around?)and she pinched my side tenderly. When I say, I love you ma, she never reply ” I love you too my only daughter. In short, my mom is minimalist in words of affection.
I was determined to give her the best of times, I made sure the hotel we checked- in was near the shopping mall, who doesn’t love shopping? We all do!! 🙂
Mama: ang ganda naman rito, magkano ba ang one night? (it’s nice here, how much per night?)
Me: enjoy ka lang ma, wag mong isipin kung magkano. (just enjoy ma, don’t think how much)
We had breakfast buffet every morning and my mom said: Ang dami- dami naman pagkain, ang hirap pumili, buti pa sa chowking. ( there’s so much food, difficult to choose, it’s better in chowking!)
Chowking , a Chinese -Filipino fast food restaurant that serves Chicken Lauriat meal (fried chicken,noodles,rice,pork siomai,butchi and chipcharap) in one order and cost less than a hundred pesos (less than USD 2.00). While buffet in hotel cost a thousand pesos per head (22.00USD) and more.
We visited her only brother whom she didn’t see for many years and this was like” mission accomplished” for me, it was like seeing a reality show, the emotions was high and I couldn’t control my tears.
It was holy week and mostly of the shops were closed but we manage to went around and dined with other family members.
TGIF! and again my mom said: buti pa sa Chowking! (it’s better in chowking) hahaha if only Kris Aquino (chowking endorser) can hear this, mom will be the best endorser!
I took her to David’s Salon ( a popular and expensive salon in Mall of Asia). She did her hair and nails. After I paid and she knew how expensive it was, she said, it was better in Virac (our province of Catanduanes) a lot cheaper and they cut hair better than here. 🙂
I gave her money for shopping so she can get what she wants but every time she looks at the tag price, she would abandon it … mom: ang mahal naman! (so expensive!)
It was a long day for both of us, I was tired carrying the shopping bags and I couldn’t get more pictures anymore but..guess what? My mom did not forget to mentioned” let’s eat in chowking!”
So we did! (no photos, tired of going around) 🙂
Mama, I know you enjoyed your trip and chowking 🙂 and even though you don’t say it, I always feel you love me too as much as you love my brothers, Even though we have different taste in clothes, food and lifestyles, I know you had fun bonding with me. I will always look forward to spend time with you and papa.
and yes, I LOVE YOU TOO!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Cheers,
jamilamimi
To reach the province of Virac, Catanduanes,it’s a choice of either air or land/sea transportation. The plane usually takes less than an hour from Manila via Cebu Pacific. By land, it takes about 10-12 hours and another 3 – 3 1/2 hours in a ferry boat depending where it dock at the port of Virac or port of Calolbon.
While waiting for my brother to arrive at the port of Calolbon, we decided to visit Batong Paluway.
Batong Paluway is a “mysterious miracle stone” bearing the image of Immaculate Virgin Mary. It was told that the previous size of the stone is 3/4 cm x 1cm and grew to 6cm x8cm. On Good Friday of Holy week,the youth usually organised “alay lakad” as an offer of sacrifice, the walk starts from Virac town proper to Calolbon where the Batong Paluway Church is located.
A candle light and prayer offering can be seen at the sides of the church.
A beautiful Day!
Cheers,
Jamilamimi
A spring resort in the island of Catanduanes, Philippines…what a wonderful sight! 
Location: Sagrada, Viga Catanduanes
Enjoying the stop over with my siblings.
Blooming flowers ,it’s smell is so refreshing to behold.
After two days trip from Saudi Arabia to Manila, Philippines to the island of Virac, Catanduanes, we decided to chilled out the afternoon at the white beach of Mamangal Beach resort. 
the afternoon was breezy, there was a little shower of rain, but the kids and young adult enjoyed the short trip. The pictures were taken by my niece and nephew. Where was I ? sleeping Zzzzzz!
Turon -banana spring rolls….. Baduya – fried banana tempura style (rice flour)
good to be home:-)
Jamilamimi
My ideal man…best husband,best father,good provider,a man of few words, strict disciplinarian,best grandfather, super handsome and a lot more! Happy Happy birthday. We wish you good health, WE love you so much!
Dr. Myriam- The Dental Aesthetic Clinic 
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