Dr. Myriam- The Dental Aesthetic Clinic

Category: Jeddah

  • Christmas in Saudi Arabia- how do we celebrate?

    It’s not easy to celebrate Christmas in a place like Saudi Arabia, where almost everything is forbidden like, mixed party, religious activities for non-Muslim etc, and what more if you are home away from home meaning, your family are not complete. A lot of OFW (overseas Filipino workers) are home alone (no wife or husband or children) it is really depressing but in spite of the homesickness, the spirit of Christmas overcome the loneliness.

    I am lucky to have my youngest son with me, my brothers and my friends and with the advent of technology,” Skype “group video call made the distance a bit closer, I was able to see and talk  to my parents, my eldest son and my brothers, their wife and their children simultaneously.

    However, a family will always be incomplete without a father, my husband is so distant, I wonder how much the cost of bottle of beer or a case maybe ,compared to the cost of calling and hearing the voices of his family. Virac, Catanduanes is an island but internet cafe is amazingly around each corner, so I don’t think internet connection is a problem. Probably a better quote would be “sorry ka na lang mas mahal ko ang beer” oh so, it’s not the price! 😦 , in fairness, I got a short text greetings of “Merry Christmas”.Ahhh at least in between the “gulf”,”crack” and jokes!!!

    my TFCK family, I miss u all

    Oh well, life continues and i am so thankful for the blessings in spite of my pain (physical and emotional) I am still functionally alive and able.

    old and new friends

    I have seen old and new friends with their family, though, it gives some twist in my heart, I am thankful and lucky with my two sons.I am also thankful to received messages of greetings from a lot of friends ,relatives and a “name” poem, and I am happy to share it to you:

    M-ost eloquent

    I- instrument of beauty; a

    M- mirror of life

    I-n the crest of wave.

    S-uch irresistible beauty beyond

    U-nderstanding yet

    A-mazingly spontaneous,

    R-eaching out to share the

    E-xcitement and

    Z-est for life

    author: Joey,… thank you, though we see each other only once or twice in a year. to say “hi and bye”, I am glad to received this on 25th of December.

    “the best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”- Burton Hillis

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  • OFW kitakits – a breezing night!

    It was a cool ,breezing night for all OFW (overseas Filipino workers) in Jeddah, the mood was festive and extra ordinary. Extra ordinary because we live in Saudi Arabia where male and female are usually separated in all occasions.It’s a one night happening in a year, you wont be glad to miss!

    my bff at the entrance

    As usual, i am carrying a small point and shoot camera, so here’s some of my shots…cheers!

    my ladies
    mens fashion

     

     

     

     

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  • When Ruby becomes Thursday with friends…

    Ruby Tuesday

    It is always good to see old friends , not old beyond fifty, I mean friends that I haven’t seen for a while. We had late lunch at Ruby Tuesday in Thalia St. the ambiance is just perfect for us.

    They have a lot of  good menu but we’re not interested actually of what are we going to eat, were just happy to see each other again, just us…, without a husband…though the 2kevs (my youngest and my friend’s son) tag along, they have their own table and world of their own (as usual).

    We spent the afternoon, catching up of the past things and latest news that’s happening to our everyday’s life. Sophie is working in UK and comes back to Jeddah every six months to see her family and Jo and I are both  in Jeddah but she is busy with her kids and helping her husband to run their small business and me?I am busy with my world too (home-kids-clinic-home). Some of our friends are still on holiday, lucky them!

    Friends makes your life better,especially  in this place, socialization is a key to make your day if not your week a pleasant experience.

    Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship and social networks in overall health. A 10-year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesityamong people whose friends gained weight. And last year, Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties could promote brain health as we age.

    huh! research or no research, everyone knows how going out with friends relieves some of your stresses in life.

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    staff at ruby tuesday
    the manager
    the bartender

  • Got to honk! for women’s right

    Where flowers bloom, so does hope

    A lot of Buzz about Saudi women driving on June 17 (Friday), I am not sure exactly why this date was chosen or the significance attributed to it. People were asked to Honk for support. I believed a lot of expatriate’s women are waiting for this law to take effect, however, cautious they (and I) may be, driving is a long-awaited , one step forward to women’s right. Among others are … the rights to work which is already being implemented (mostly in education, health, and finance field), mechanism for marriage and divorce, protection from domestic abuse which is globally tackled in many ways.

    Huh! Beautybeyond fifty at age 52 will start to drive in Saudi Arabia and a lot more who has been in this country for decades, can now put out their driving license in public, and in use hopefully. But this is not entirely a new thing, women in exclusive compounds can freely drive within and I also heard that in some rural areas, it’s common to see a woman in driving seat. So, what’s the big buzz if they allow them to drive freely in the city?  Isn’t it … they already have women pilot? Ironically,someone has to drives her to the airport , so she can fly the aircraft…strange but its true!  I guess not everyone is amused to the idea but for sure,  each has reasons, each has his/her own story to tell.

    I remember when my first son, got his driving license in the Kingdom, he was not as excited as I  expected him to be, his comment? …this is not the right place to drive ( at least for the first timer like him); a lot of drivers are not polite and doesn’t follow traffic regulations especially during rush hours and Ramadan months. I definitely agree with his observation.  This is the place where accidents happened most of the time, not only two but more like of domino effect, most of the time. Even though, how careful and how defensive you are in driving, there are a lot of munchkins on the road, ready to eat you and forever honking, until you give him his way, not to mention, texting while driving and stopping at the middle of the road, just to say “hello” to someone he saw on the road, never mind if he is blocking your way.

    What about those rude, smelly taxi drivers, whose eyes are on you… as if this is their first time to see a woman in their life and not only that, they will ask you” kabayan” filipina? kumusta ka maganda! the pedestrians are also the same, staring, wondering where are you going, where is your husband, where is your driver…annoying !

    On the other hand, having to drive your own car is a right of every individual who loves life and freedom. Why I mentioned “love life”because if you love your life ,you drive safely to avoid mishap and “freedom”we should be given a free will to decide whether we like to drive or not.

    Saudi Arabia is the only country that banned women to drive, if it is about Islamic law? what about the other Islamic country, why do they allow women to drive?

    It’s a never-ending discussion, each one has it’s own defense, women’s rights is a global issues, discrimination happens but are  they doing something about it? Is there a Law against discrimination in the Kingdom?

    Saudi women is still in guardianship..meaning they can not do anything even to travel outside without a male guardian. This is to protect family unity, family honor but what about expatriates? Women expatriates are not allowed to sponsor their husband either or even to invite them on visiting visa. If they value Family unity, it should apply to all expatriates alike who also has family of their own.

    Two years ago , my husband had a visa problem and I was literally begging to everyone I know, who can help  him to stay with us  but to no avail, we have to follow the rules. Of course, you would think this is another issue… but for me this is also connected in a way, if Saudi women have no rights in their own country, how could we?

    Beautybeyondfifty honks for Saudi Women… three honks for all Women!
    “When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life” .– Kofi Annan

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  • Letting go…no drama …only chopstix

    One of the delights of Life is eating with your love ones.Food is our common ground. and one of our favorites past time in Jeddah is to dine and talk. We pray, eat and talk. This is the time that we are all at rest, savoring tasty food, got into discussion not argument and enjoy!

    My eldest son , Edge finally said goodbye to Jeddah. We spent his last day in Chopstix, a chinese restaurant in La terra mall,amir sultan road.

    my love

    At this time,”no diet” is out of our vocab

    ^-^, we just like to enjoy the moment that we’re together, sooner than I thought, Edge will be gone ,next year will be Kevs turn and I will be left all alone in this country. 😦

    But, we don’ like drama…we move on quickly, life is too short to stay gloomy, sooner or later will be together again. I wish for you, my love is to reach the vertex of success. Keep focus to reach your goal, we will be your backbone and if at times, it’s so hard, don’t forget to ask HIM for guidance and HE will lead you the way.

    Remember no matter how thin the chopsticks,how difficult to use,it can still pick up food, the analogy, no matter how narrow the road you can still pass and reach your destination.

    Cheers!

     

     

    PS: if chopsticks doesn’t work,use spoon and fork (that’s ME and Kevs) and knife (that’s dad) 🙂

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  • Saudi Arabia: Will the Saudi Women Drive on 17 June?

    Saudi Arabia: Will the Saudi Women Drive on 17 June?.

    My comment: would it be better to increase awareness on ” driving safely ” first rather argue who has the right to drive? a lot of reckless drivers out there that needs to be re-educated. Road would be safer regardless who and what genre is on wheels.

    1. Sandy, on June 7, 2011 at 8:34 am said:

      @jamilamimi,
      No. It would not be better. They are two separate issues. For decades they have not bothered to address either. All they need do is enforce the laws. I am still at risk as a passenger because of the dangerous driving.

    2. Sandy, good comment.
      Everybody always seems to forget that because women are not allowed to drive they are not on the roads. They are, only in the back of their car all alone with a foreign, often substandard novice driver male. I don’t see how that makes it safer for women.
      On the contrary, I would say it triples the risks.

      My response:

      Firstly, I am not against women driving, If this law will come into force certainly I will be the first one behind my new wheels but having said that, I will be very cautious about when is the right time.

      Women driving and driving safely is a separate issues? It should be interrelated, If they are not bothered to address the issue how can you be sure  of your safety on the roads?

      Women are always on the road, no one forgets that! “ Foreign, novice often substandard driver male” why hire them? or why not educate them? How many driving schools are there in Saudi Arabia? Are there any driving instructors who uses   English or other foreign language as a medium of instructions? why use foreign? What ever nationality or genre or age maybe, at the end of the day, one should drive safely!

      Without any doubt, women can drive safely as other men do! They take care of their children make them safe at all times, with an exception of course, for those who entirely dependent on their nanny, who will take the children to school then? the nannies or the mother? This will saves one’s pocket of hiring one against two” a driver nanny” .

      “Teach me how to drive, so I can protect myself” in Facebook,( the original page of Manal sharif was missing) ,I admire their courage to defy the law, to speak out and fight for their right. We support Responsibly…Equal Rights for both Men and Women.

  • Celebrating 56 at Bamboo Seafood Resto

    Bamboo Seafood Restaurant

    May 27, 2011, is my favorite brother’s b-day. We celebrated his 56th year in Bamboo seafood restaurant in Al Rawdah district Jeddah,KSA. We been passing in this area a thousand times, wondering what’s in this huge lobster building?I was not able to taste the lobster in Boston ,Ma., so i said this is it!

    Lobster in Jeddah. whoah! the price is soaring high! probably,I may have indigestion at the end. So we discarded the idea!

    great interior…refreshing too!

    The place is cozy, the walls are decorated with bamboo, there’s privacy in each family , each partition  separated by real bamboo decor, though i was asking… a grape fruit on bamboo? hmmm, the sounds of water from the man-made waterfalls makes the place more refreshing, the waiters are polite and has smiling faces.

    the staff at Bamboo

    The foods are not bad, it taste good but the service is slow.

    It might be because …its Friday, the place is packed with families.

    Some tips… when they serve the appetizer make sure you order your main dish already and

    when the main dish just serve, ask for your bill too 🙂 otherwise the waiting period is so long, unless you just want to hang around.

    Oh well, it’s a great Friday with my sons, brothers,nephew and his wife.

    Happy b-day Kel,

    WE LOVE YOU!

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  • Friday the 13th: Hot to breeze to chill! (part one)

    American AIrlines

    May 13,2011 Friday. If you’re superstitious, I bet you won’t choose this day to travel because it holds to be the day of bad luck hmmm let me take you to my journey. As I was preparing to zip my luggage I was talking to my boss who doesn’t have any superstitious belief at all, his main concern is to keep the ball rolling on his side. “If anything happens to me, please take care of my children; give them what is due for my 24 years service in the clinic”. To make the story short, I’m off to airport at 6:30 in the morning. God forbid! I am ready to whatever comes to my way. Waiting to depart, I was invited to join (as a gold member of AA advantage) first class lounge, with free breakfast and Wifi ,ahhh  friday the 13th this is a good start!

    Well, as always, I felt all eyes turned on me, what is she doing here? If you’re a Filipina working in Saudi Arabia, you know what I mean, the stigma attached to women…. it’s either you’re a Nurse or domestic helper…or you’re married to a foreigner, oh my! We’re already passed millennium that was then! Alright, as I moved my eyes, true! There’s a Filipina traveling with his foreigner husband on a seat not too far from me…there’s another two blond lady reading a novel and mostly are business men (on their best suit) either busy on their phone, reading newspaper or just engaged in a conversation with another man. Only a few second look and everyone is back into their own business.

    On boarding, mostly of women still wears their abaya (a black robe we have to wear over our own clothes when were in public) as the plane (British Airways) takes off, abaya is off too. My flight is about six hours and forty-five minutes from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to London Heathrow. Heathrow is the busiest and biggest hub airport in UK, It has five terminals and I thought I have enough time to my connecting flight (AA –American Airlines) to Atlanta in terminal 5 to my dismay, there’s a long line for security purposes, they are scanning all passengers and hand carry baggage. The express train that will bring me to terminal 5 comes every 15 minutes and I have only 10 minutes left before boarding gate closes, Yes, Friday the 13th are you on me?? I approached the security and showed her my boarding pass and she called immediately the airlines to wait and Walla! I am on my way to Atlanta. If it wasn’t for her, I would have missed my first day of training.

    It’s a nine hours flight from London to Atlanta…again a long line for security check but I was not worried this time because I have no connecting flight to catch on, as the immigration officer stamped my entry, I heard a call “Dr. Suarez please approached the customer service” now what??? Friday the 13th…come on…”Dr. Suarez, we’re sorry your baggage was left behind, we will deliver it to your Hotel tomorrow evening” Oh no! I only have my jeans and shirt and my training starts at 8:30 the following morning. I have extra shirt and underwear on my hand luggage but not decent clothes for my meeting. The officer handed me a debit card worth of US$50 (huh! What can I buy for 50?)Your guess is right; my next blog would be what to wear under such circumstances.

    The weather is not as I expected, it’s breezy..a little rain shower along the way, as I went to my room and jump on to my bed, Friday the 13th was not so bad after all. I got my luggage after 36 hours of my arrival.

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  • Just another day at the office “banana sex by tree”

    Came to the office today expecting it to be the usual. The usual boring work i have to do. The usual boring people who are my office mates. although on occasion, the sight of one of them sleeping for most of the work hours, and the other playing games or watching tela novelas really crack me up.
    After all it is supposedly an “advertising” company. Those two,no doubt can have a sitcom, and the rest of the office the supporting cast.
    So around hmmm.. lets say 4pm.. I was just finishing a design up. only about the 23rd design or so. My boss in her own right is a character too. ” you don’t get what I want”. and her secretary trying to help me out ” at this point she doesn’t know what she wants, so just keep making designs. quantity over quality.” Again, this is an “advertising” company after all. So right about the time I got done, Ali ( not his real name of course.) walks and in a loud voice asks Manny (also not his name.hehe)” this banana sex by tree?” Ali asks in a loud voice.

    “which one?” manny replies, apparently he has no clue what ali is talking about.

    and at this point, im thinking, did i just hear that right? coz I wouldn’t know what ali would be talking about either. although, banana sex by tree… hmmm.. tree..bananas come from trees… so if banana sex by tree… incest??.
    I did my best to hide my face. which by now is screaming to let out a laugh.

    “THIS banana sex by tree???” Ali pointing to a paper he was holding.

    ” ah, yes yes. sex by tree, sexy by tree this one” manny replies.

    so after getting over the fact that they kept saying it that way. seriously, sex by tree. and apparently they were discussing this banana that was sex by tree. or more of arguing about it.

    I knew it was an accent thing. the pronunciation and all. Ali being of middle eastern origin. and Manny, of course being a pinoy. and if u don’t get it yet. since this is an “advertising” company. what Ali was saying, was ” this banner six by three?”.

    but still even though i knew what he really meant. i just couldn’t help it. really that was the only highlight today at the office. and u don’t get many of those where i work at.heheh. so i take it whenever i get it. heheh.

    i thought for certain that manny would have at least said six instead of sex. but it turns out. they understood each other well.

    so i guess, my day at the office wasnt all that bad. thanks to Ali and Manny.hehehe.

    oh thru out this whole time, lets call him, Boy. Boy was smacking his computer. literally smacking it upside the cpu.lol. and cursn at the same time.

    “taena naman toh! ba’t ayaw gumana, cra nlang lagi! putang ina!” Boy says with conviction.

    i dunno kuya boy. maybe if u stop smacking it and just gently push the on button. but its ok. way to go! thats what u call. thinking outside the box! we are after all in …. an “advertising” company.

    read em and weep!

    written by: EMS 🙂

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  • Ladies behind: Inihaw Kamayan Grill Resto

    Inihaw Kamayan Grill House Restaurant in Balad (old town ) Jeddah, managed and partly owned by Filipino OFW. Some of the owners are my acquaintances and the ladies (gina, dong, thess, jo) behind are my friends and one of them Jo Imperial is my colleague in dental profession. She also has a talent in fruit carving.

    "Ladies" of Inihaw kamayan Grill house Restaurant

    My eldest son was invited to take some photos and as usual, I tag along together with my youngest son. I took some shots behind the scenes too!

    This is very promising restaurant, the place can accommodate around 100 guest (maximum) and can be arranged accordingly. The foods are combination of Chinese, Filipino and Japanese dishes. Though we were not able to taste the Japanese, maybe one day, we will try it too!

    Some of my favorite dishes includes: kare-kare, laing (with hot chili pls!) and sizzling sisig.

    Well, you know, we can’t eat that much, we’re on diet…depends actually ..it could be full diet or balanced diet or no diet! ha ha ha ha…

    Ahhhh I love the halo-halo…maybe just once a month wont hurt the diet plan!

    thank you ladies! Keep up the good work!

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