Proposed Terms

The details below are part of my job offer:

• Staff Nurse 2 Rank (I think this is the entry level rank)
• Housing accommodation is free as well as transportation
• 49 days of vacation leave per contract (only the ticket from the vacation area back to the hospital will be shouldered, sad, I thought it was a round-trip ticket but I guess they just want to make sure that you come back from vacation on time)
• Medical needs are fully covered
• Basic salary is 3,481 riyals
• 15% living allowance, that would be 582 riyals
• Total supposed earnings is 4,003 riyals or $1,067.5 (1Saudian riyal is = 11 pesos) so my total take home pay should be around 44,000 pesos.
• Work hours are 8 hours of duty, 6 days a week.  If we are required to do 12 hours worth of duty, the following day would be your 'off' day automatically.
• There would also be a specialty bonus for those who are going to be assigned in special areas.
• The contract is good for 2 years, if I am not mistaken.

I am quite happy with the job offer except for the airline ticket part, honestly I just want to get out of the country and be useful somewhere, anywhere!  As my mom said, now is the time to save.  I am just hoping that the magic age of 30 will bring me blessings for I am now only starting my career.  I am adamant that living independently abroad would teach me valuable fiscal skills because I am 'bulagsa' with money. :(

Caught in the act

Kitty drinking from the pail.

Huli ka!

Folly

Realization hit me again,
slapped me hard on the forehead.


Talked to my mama and
she asked me how my online
'monkey business' was going.


I told her how I was paid
measly for doing schoolkids' essays,
research and other scholarly work.


She said that I was being paid to do what
they should be doing by themselves and
I was not being paid to well.


Well, kids nowadays are a lazy bunch,
one kid did not pay me at all,
one kid paid days after the agreed date,
another paid me just 15 pesos
worth of mobile phone credits
for a reaction paper.


But some were really galante
may nagbigay ng domo-kun
pencil case plus a baller na free shipping pa,
just for 5 very short questions.


I was also trying to market myself as a subcontractor
for article commissions but most of them were
re-writing ones and one does get tired
of writing the same topic over and over again.


I was supposed to submit two 500 word articles
yesterday but I could only submit one and she got mad at me of course.
I am ashamed, yes, because I was not able to
tell her early on about my dilemma.
The payment was supposed to be $1 pitiful dollar
for a 500 word article, around P40 pesos or so.


Writing with sense and excellent grammar,
should be worth more.
And what is it about re-writing articles ?
What good does it do?
I think more than half of all netizens
can discern bullshit marketing
when they see it.


I was also trying to sell
my pre-loved items online.
I admit, I am not really a
business-minded person so I am
getting tired of this endeavor.


I now know, I prefer shopping in person
than online because you get to see and feel
what you are buying.
What most people love about online
retailing is the happiness they feel
upon receiving their items by post.


Look at the items they sell online,
they are dirt cheap, some of them really are,
my supposed Vapur water container
is clearly a copycat of the original one.
I think I might get cancer from using it.


Just the other day, while browsing
on one of the pages that most online sellers
hangout in, I read about the nasty boasting
of this girl gloating about her authentic
MAC cosmetics and brush set that was worth
around a thousand.
I asked her whether they were really authentic
and somebody replied that they were manufactured
in Singapore and not from the USA.
I wanted to comment on her post
about her stashes' purported authenticity
but that would just invite the trolls.


For me, it is better to invest in makeup
that are tested they might be from the same manufacturer
but they don't have the same guarantee.
You might get allergies from them,
worse galis from them hehehehe.


Those people selling contact lenses,
those Korean ones, they usually have defects.
I had one student who got her cornea scratched,
she went blind on one eye for awhile, because
of these fakes.


What about those BB creams and slimming pills?
You do not know what is inside those tubes,
the directions are mostly written in Korean,
Thai or Chinese.
For all we know, they have lead and mercury.


My dorm mate was found unconscious on the stairs
by our matron, (way back in college)
she was taking Bangkok pills then.
I guess nothing changed,
if it is not FDA approved,then be prepared
for the consequences.
If it works then well and good,
if it does not well blame yourself.


Selling clothes, shoes and accessories
 online are profitable though,
you just get what you paid for,
so expectations should be lowered.


Gadgets are expensive and most
people online are scammers anyway.
For every 1 honest seller there are 3
scammers who are just out there
to get your money.


The only useful thing I saw in the facebook market
were the organizers that can be flat-packed.


Well online retailing is not evil in its entirety,
there are honest sellers out there,
most of them source abroad
or buy locally from trusted brands
others join bazaars.


Other sellers, market services
such as catering or baking.
A close friend of mine
bought cupcakes this way and they were yummy.


We agreed that the safest way for
service transactions is to choose
a seller near your place,
that way you can check them
out yourselves or cross-check their
goods with the local gossip mongers hehehe.


One seller may work for your friend,
but may not work for you.
Items purchased online are risky,
they might ship you the wrong items,
bill you more than what was agreed upon,
or you might get the item but the courier
wrecked the thing.

Anyhow, in online retailing

nobody is 100% safe, you are on your own out there.

Just have common sense.

Agency Fees

A post long due,
about the time I e-mailed POEA
about the fees we were to pay
regarding the processing fees
and other charges.

P.S.
Kudos to POEA for answering my email right away,
But I would have wanted more clarifications,
anyhow, the e-mail answered all my queries.

And so here is the entire e-mail....

This has reference to your e-mail relative to your query as regards to the fees being charge by the Philippine Recruitment Agency and to the Fees/Cost Chargeable to principal and to the Workers.

          The schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary is outlined in Section 1,2, & 3, Rule V, Part II of the POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based Overseas Workers that specifically provides for the Fee, Cost and Contributions or allowable charges that may be collected by a Philippine Recruitment Agency, which reads as follow:

Section 1. Service Fee.  Agencies shall charge from their principals a service fee to cover services rendered in the recruitment, documentation and placement of workers.  The Administration shall provide incentives to agencies and employers who are able to comply with this rule.

Section 2.  Fees and Cost Chargeable to Principals.  Unless otherwise provided, the principal shall be responsible for the payment of the following:

a.      visa fee;

b.     airfare;

c.      POEA processing fee; and

d.     OWWA membership fee

Section 3.  Fees/Cost Chargeable to Workers.  Except where the prevailing system in the country where the worker is to be deployed, either by law, policy or practice, do not allow the charging or collection of placement and recruitment fee, a landbased agency charge and collect from its hired workers a placement fee in an amount equivalent to one month salary, exclusive of documentation costs.

Documentation costs to be paid by the worker shall include, but not limited to, expenses for the following:

a.      Passport

b.     NBI/Police/Barangay Clearance

c.      Authentication

d.     BirthCertificate

e.      Medicare

f.       Trade Test, If necessary

g.     Inoculation, when required by host country

h.     Medical Examination Fee

In the event that the recruitment agency agrees to perform documentation services, the workers shall pay only the actual cost of the document which shall be covered by official receipts.

The above-mentioned placement and documentation cost are the only authorized payments that may be collected from a hired worker.  No other charges in whatever form, manner or purpose, shall be imposed on and be paid by the worker without prior approval of the POEA.

Such fees shall be collected from a hired worker only after he has obtained employment through the facilities of the recruitment agency.

          It is clear from the foregoing provisions that the principal shall be responsible for the cost of visa, POEA processing fee and OWWA membership While the worker shall pay a placement fee in an amount equivalent to one month salary and the documentation cost as enumerated above.

          With respect to the other fees being charged by your agency, it is best for you to demand from your agency the specific details and composition of such fee.

We hope that we have sufficiently addressed your concern.

So Gelleesh Blog Giveaway !

First heard of the So Gelleesh Blog

when she posted on a facebook page

asking for blogs and shops that need reviewing and advertising

as she would be putting it on her blog.

I suggested several links and also decided

to take a peak on her blog as well.

Lo and behold ! I found her writing very amusing

plus the fact that she was brazen enough to post

pictures of herself in her tutorials and reviews,

got me hooked on her blog.

It is a real person behind the blog not just 

some weird marketing scheme that centers

on just one product.

Because of local makeup bloggers like her, 

I have rediscovered my passion for makeup.

Gelleesh is now celebrating the overwhelming

success of her blog, she is now giving away a 

prize to share to one lucky reader.

Look at the gorgeous prizes

and do not forget to click on the picture 

to see the directions in joining So Gelleesh's Giveaway!

And remember to follow her 

Twitter Account

Facebook Page

and to subscribe to her blog - So Gelleesh 

My Makeup Brush Set

It dawned on me that I have too much

makeup in storage and that they are dying from non-usage.

They should be used and not be left out in my kit

to expire and die a lonely death in the trash can.

I have been inspired from all the beauty blogs that

I have been reading and from all those online

retailers that sell fake cosmetics.

(Have nothing against them though, 

you get your moneys worth when you

buy cheap non FDA-approved products.)

So I decided to brush up on my makeup skills again,

since I am beginning to look losyang already.

I started by cleaning by makeup brush set,

a gift from my mom.

I dunno what the hell that fan like brush is for,

plus the small ones are Nichido,the ones with

the lettering on them.

This is the folding faux leather case.

I cleaned it as well as it was flaking black bits

of faux leather on the brushes.

The best part is the cover !

It protects all my brushes because 

I made the stupid mistake of

throwing all the plastic covers of the brushes.

Weh! Ang tanga ko.

My brushes !

I can still add to my collection methinks,

there are still free compartments, I could just squeeze them in.

I asked some help from my fave makeup guru AskMeWhats,

for the cheapest gel eye liner so that I can practice

at di manghinayang sa libo-libong halaga hehehe.

It is from E.L.F. and costs around P250 if

I am not mistaken, even includes a free brush!

Yey for Ms. AMW!

Please follow her blog!

I won: Bits + Treats Thanksgiving Give-away

Look what I found when I arrived home!

Its my prize from bits + treats

I joined her thanksgiving give-away contest and my name got picked!

Click on the image to see the actual post!

I won this Clinique pouch plus a Clinique consultation and make-over,

unfortunately I had to forfeit my consultation because

of my schedule, boohoo, my loss!  :(

There they are! My new babies!

Pardon my monstrous claw-like hand.

I got a lip balm, a mascara, and eye cream

and this lovely Pucci-like pouch!

Love, love, love!

Thanks Lady E!

And do not forget to subscribe and follow her blogs

bits + treats and 240 baons + 365 meals and Hyphen her online store!

Its a date!

My closest friend dropped by last Sunday!

She brought cupcakes wee!

Look at them !

Hindi ba nakakatunaw ng puso hehehehe!

Nakakabusog din sila thanks friend!

Eto para sa paborito kong apo si Ka...

Cut-cut ! 

Eto lang naman ang laging inoorder ng friend ko 

walang kupas yan,

Korean Pork Chop, may fried egg at sinangag.

At eto ang paborito ko ang macaroni salad at spaghetti!

Masarap yan as in, lalo na yung macaroni salad.

Mukha akong pasta kaya parehong pasta-based yan!

Salamat sa libre friend!

Masarap talaga sa Aurora's Snackhouse.  Wee!

I am so fascinated by online retailing right now, especially in facebook,

I just tend to view the wonderful pictures of items that

the sellers have posted.

However, most of them just resell what ever item is popular

at the moment, like contact lens, ballers dresses, etc.

There is one facebook page I hang out in and

it turned into a forum.  Some pasts are quite nonsensical

but instead of lambasting and criticizing I just let it pass.

Sign I have indeed matured.

There are also lots of auctions ongoing some trustworthy,
some not so.  Scammers abound everywhere,
so it helps that you get to know the industry first before
dipping your fingers and cash in it.

This is the JRS-delivered package of a lot that I won in an auction online.

The shoe organizer and the water container.

Yes, it is supposedly the infamous and expensive

Vapur anti-bottle.  But trust me it is not.

Curious cat is at it again.

Leaving white fluffy hairballs on the items.

I am a Granny !

The cat is out of the bag, literally.

Apparently, my kitty has been whoring

with compound whore cat #1(stray cat)

Above is a photo of whore cat # 1

This is my cat below, looking innocent.

Behind my back, nagchuchukchakan pala ang dalawang ito.

But of course, pusa lang sila, mga animal at 

sinusundan lang nila ang instincts nila kaya,

one day bumulaga sa akin na nanganak na si babaeng pusa.

Una akala ko di pa kay kitty,

 nakita ko yung unang kuting sa may santan garden,

fiercely guarded by mama cat.

Then, tinuro ni hubby ang ebidensiya...

Di mapagkakaila, ang pusa ko ang ama.

Undeniable to, dalawang puting kuting.

Huhuhu, binatang ama na ang pusa ko.

Kamukha pa niya.

Di ko naman sila malipat sa kahon

 kasi medyo protective pa si mama cat,

kung saan-saan sila tinatago.

Hay, napapa-isip ako kung ipapatanggal ko na ang balls ni kitty

at baka maglipana ang puting furballs sa compound.

Kitty Food

I have been posting on my cats ADLs (activities of daily living)

but not mine, I have a nasty cough.

The ma-plema kind with green mucus.

My head aches everytime I cough because of my exertions,

but I cant help it, this cough is really really nasty.

Look at this lonely little cat-food-fish.

My cat has been gorging on cat food like a depraved animal.

and this little bugger surprised me when I opened the container awhile ago.

Hubby has been feeding the cat non-stop,

and when I checked the food container this sorry fish 

was all that was left.

Kitty Deworming

Kitty's deworming meds courtesy of Mama.

Consists of 2 tiny tubes.

My cat's balls.

The liquid meds have to be applied at his nape

so he would not be able to lick it.

Look how tiny the tubes are!

So cute !

I could not post any images of kitty getting his meds,

he was squirming and we had to distract him.

Cat escapades: Kitty on the lam

Listening to interaksyon.com online radio now.

The Tulfo sumbungan portion.

A concerned citizen called in to squeal on a 

corrupt police officer,

he was very insistent that they keep his identity anonymous,

unfortunately at the end of the call

he asked if he could greet his relatives and friends on the air.

Tonto !

He did not realize he could be traced just by mentioning

the names of people close to him.

Sigh, stupidity beats good intentions sometimes.