a carpenter's WIFE's tool box

My Interview with Kristie... The Culture Shock

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:16:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 8. Did you experience culture shock when you moved? What was that like? How did you overcome it?

Culture shock and adjustment are two basic components inevitable to migration. They are considered as packaged deal. The only difference between the two is how the person deal with them.

In my case, I am glad that modern technology was able to bridge communication gap among people geographically wise. It helps me a lot to stay in contact with my family back home through regular chat online and get updates from friends every chance we get.

The first couple of months away from home and from the people I know all my life and being with strangers and the new family I hardly know made adjustment tough but manageable. Culture shock on the other hand is limited to the cultural aspects of my new home.

My Interview with Kristie... The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:20:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 7. What are some of the good, the bad, the ugly…and the funny things you have experienced living overseas? Please share any funny or fun stories you have about the place you are living.

Living in Maine for almost two years now, I have a lot of experiences both exciting and unexpected... both beautiful and ugly... both unforgetable and traumatic.

I am always amazed at how we are so closed to nature. It amused me when I would meet a deer crossing the dirt road when I go for a morning run...

or wild turkeys in queue...

or some playful squirrels and chipmunks seeking for acorns at the backyard...

or a hungry bird having lunch.

I was so thrilled the first time my Hubby took me for a snowmobile ride to get pizza in the middle of a blizzard.

I can't forget the first time I caught my first fish when Hubby and I went ice-fishing in a frozen pond.

And I am constantly awed by the changing landscape of the countryside.

But living in Maine is not all about the good things. Maine is not a total paradise on earth. Winter in Maine is beautiful yet threcherous.

I hate driving in winter roads especially after a snow storm or worse... an ice storm.

My Interview with Kristie... The Permanent Change

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:03:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 6. Do you want to move back to where you came from? If not, what is it about the expat life that makes it all worth it to you?

Do I want to move back to where I came from? YES and NO.

Yes. I will surely go back home but only for a short visit or extended vacation. Don't get me wrong. I love my country and the people I left behind...

my family...

my friends...

my students...

But here is the thing, before I finally decided to come here, it took me quite awhile to think things over. It was not an easy decision. I needed to consider a lot of factors knowing that once I made the decision there is no turning back. But then, me and Hubby have planned to retire to the Philippines someday. So yes... moving back is a distant possibility.

No. I am not moving back... soon. Maine is my home now. Sure, I had some disappointments in some aspects of my life here but I also had learned to deal with them and I am doing a-ok now.

I am working and I love my work.

I have new friends whose company I enjoy and with whom I learned new things and culture.

I now enjoy lots of activities and things that I never experienced back home.

And if ever we do retire in the Philippines, we will surely be back here in Maine during the fall and early part of winter for...

the hunting...
... and ice-fishing season.

What makes my expat life worth it? Making that drastic decision to leave home was just that... drastic. But still I am glad that I did it because I know if I didn't I will forever wonder and deal with what-could-have-been-if-I-didn't kinda feeling more synonymous with the word "regret".

Interview with kristie... The Reason

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:16:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 5. If you were to do it all again (moving to and living in another country), what would you do differently?

Living in this country could be a dream come true to some. But for me, this country is the last place on earth I wanted to go to. Before I came here, I had this big plan in my mind to travel all over the world and visit key cities in all of the 7 continents of the world including Antartica. Seriously! But God has other plan for me.

If I have to do it again... moving to another country... I would definitely move here in the US. Despite the fact that I didn't like it the first time I came here due to some disappointments which is normal to any immigrant. But then, maybe if I did not expect too much, things will be different. or maybe if I brought more positive attitude things will be otherwise. And perhaps, it would help a lot if I have decided to do it when I was a little younger.

But then, looking back now, I know there is no other way I would have made my decision differently. I found my soulmate and I am fine with it.

Finding him made the change bearable.

Finding him made the transition period smooth.

Finding him made everything worth it.

Some surprises have come a long the way.

My Interview with Kristie... The Challenge

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:35:00 +0000

QUESTION NO.4. What was the most challenging part of living in a foreign country when you first started out as an expat? Do you have any advice for those facing similar challenges?

If living behind everything and bravely facing an unknown future to be with the man who swept me off my feet is not challenging enough, then I guess dealing with the unexpected and some disappointments would be fair enough to say that being an imigrant is not for the faint of heart... it is never easy.

My advice to those who are in the same boat... take the Online Dating 101 course.

Seriously, be open-minded. There is nothing that will prepare you for the unexpected. Welcome new ideas, culture and tradition with open arms. And going back home is never an option. Just deal with it and you will be fine... eventually.

My Interview with Kristie... Work-related Issue

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:39:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 3. Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get a job in a foreign country? Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get a job in the country you are now living in? What was your experience with getting a visa/job? Was it difficult?

Getting a job in a foreign country is not as easy as I expected it to be. Despite the fact that I have the credentials... communication skill is the big hurdle.

Language barrier is a big issue. It is not what you say but how you say it. Another thing is that I came here when the economy is not as favorable as it used to be. Competition with the locals is tough. So if you are looking for a job here, don't expect to get the job the you are trained for unless you come here on a working visa. In my case, I am a teacher by profession but I can't get a teaching job unless I get certified by the State and that means that I need to take a short refresher's course and pass board exam.

I came here on a Fiance Visa so getting the visa is not that hard because my Fiance was the one who filed for it. I only prepared the documents needed by the US Embassy, passed the Medical Exam and the Interview.

The only difficult part in coming here is leaving behind my family... my friend... my roots. It was indeed a tough decision I made. I had to sacrifice a lot of things just to be with the "Love of my Life".

Interview with kristie... My new home

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:47:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 2. What do you like/dislike about your new home overseas?

I love the changing seasons of my new home. I love how the sceneries change each changing season.
I love the color of fall...
the whiteness of winter...
the blooming flowers of spring...
and warmth of summer.
I love picking strawberries...
apples...
and pumpkins from the farm...
or wild blueberries in the woods...
and of course, dining on lobsters too.
I love ice fishing...
snowshoeing...
and snowmobiling in the middle of a blizzard...

I love Maple Syrup Sunday, garage/barn sale and flea market shopping...
I love camping...
and gold panning...
I love long driving in the countryside...
and going to agricultural fairs.

On the contrary,
I hate raking fallen leaves of autumn...
I hate black ice, slush, snow storm, ice storm and bitter cold days of winter...
and most importantly, shoveling snow!
I hate the mud season which is the transition period between winter and spring where the snow is thawing out and making huge mud pits and puddles...
and I hate the bugs of summer!

My Interview with Kristie... Point of origin

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:43:00 +0000

QUESTION NO. 1. Where are you from originally, where are you now and what brought you there?

I was born and raised in the Philippines... an archipelago in Southeast Asia which is composed of 7,107 islands... a beautiful tropical country of beautiful people rich in culture and tradition. I am now here in the northeastern most part of the United States. Maine, [the land of beautiful lighthouses] is now the place I call home. I migrated here May of 2007.

Fate, love, and sacrifice brought me to this far-far-away kingdom to marry the "love of my life" whom I met in the most unconventional way, in the most uncommon place, in the most unexpected moment.

Our love story is simple and ordinary with a twist of romantic charm brought about by modern technology.

As a 42 year old single-never-been-married woman, I thought I already missed the last train to marry-land and so I was so ready for what my fate will take me. And Cougar Town sounds a very interesting place to be. But then God has other plans for me.

My Interview with Kristie... The Introduction

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Months ago, I received an email from a co-blogger asking me if I would like to share my experience and life as an expat in a foreign country. Most of you have already known that I am an Alien in this vacationland Maine. And being a foreigner from another country, I am considered as an expat. I thought the idea was great so I emailed her back. She sent me a questionnaire to fill up and I did just that. Months passed since I last sent her my email and still I have not received any information if she already published it or not.

Anyway, as I was digging up old files [and photos] from my folders, I came across with this interview questionnaire and thought… since I was the one who wrote it, I might as well publish it in my own blog. And since my PR also went down to zero for inactive blogging, this is a good idea to start all over again.

So, I have decided that I will published the entire questionnaire [one question at a time] to be able to share with you my life as a Carpenter’s Wife here in this foreign land in the northeastern most part of the United States. And I will also post photos that I have taken since I came here.

I will call my series of post… My Interview with Kristie. I hope you will find this new chapter of my life - interesting.

Falling for Fall

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:09:00 +0000

It's Fall. I love Fall. It's my favorite season of all.

Living here in Maine for almost 3 years now has transformed me. Just like the seasons, I think I am constantly changing. This could be a good thing for those who persive me as a Diva because I am no longer as such. I am now totally domesticated. And when I say domesticated I mean just that... I take domestic chores seriously. Those chores that I refused to do when I was still in the Philippines are now part and parcel of my daily existence here. Saturdays are my special day for romancing the laundry... pursuing my groceries... and bonding with my vacumm cleaner.

Living here in Maine for almost 3 years has given me a chance to appreciate nature. The changing seasons give me a chance to adapt to my new world. And the unpredictable weather helps me become predictable.

It's Fall. I love Fall because of its color. I love Fall because it highlights the color of my skin. Though my skin tone may not have changed or lightened a bit but it definitely stands out among the white locals.

It's Fall. I love Fall because of the beautiful sceneries. The vibrant monochromatic red hues of the landscapes provides a magical scenario that keeps on changing. And I just love how the same place changes everytime I pass by.

It's Fall and strawberry picking and chilly summer nights are over. Now, I will be looking forward to apple and pumpkin picking.

It's Fall in Maine. It's Fall and it's chilly out. I need to bring out my Fall outfits and start to bundle up. My scraves and gloves will always come handy. My coats and boots have to be kept tidy. And most importantly... I need to moisturize.

I just so love Fall.

a special place to meet a special someone?

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:23:00 +0000

I found the love of my life online. Who could ever believe that you can find true love on cyberspace? Oh well, if you are tired of being alone or seeking for that special someone, why not try california chat lines. Registration is free. Just fill out the online form and get instant access to California chatrooms and meet single people all over the world. Who knows… your soul mate is just waiting for you half across the world.

Turning hardcore

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Hubby loves the outdoor. He loves the outdoor so much that his weekends are usually spent outside our homes. It’s not that I am complaining, I do love outing too. It’s just that weekends are the only time I have for doing chores. And if we have to spend most of our weekends outdoors… my chores will surely suffer a tremendous blow.

I learned to love the outdoors one way or another. When I first came here, we spent all our weekends out-of-town camping. Oh well, I mean “hotel camping”. Yes, we brought all our camping stuff but we always ended up in a hotel because of 3 major reasons. ONE: the bathroom. I need a descent bathroom because for some reason… my “royal b**t” has a mind of its own. It won’t do what it supposed to do once I see a porta-potty… or worse… the woods. TWO: the bugs. I hate the bugs. For some reason, they like me. They eat me alive and chew me without remorse. And THREE: the clean-up: I hate cleaning up and packing things back up. All those left-over food, dirty laundry, and whatnots are driving me crazy. That is why for quite awhile we always ended up in the hotel so that Hubby didn’t have to deal with my whining.

But this summer, we finally went camping… FOR REAL!

And with regards to my 3 major concerns… they were addressed accordingly. One: the campground has a descent bathroom… complete with running hot water. Two: I had a stock of bug dope. Three: I learned a system how to make packing up more organize and less stressful.

Now, I am looking forward to another weekend before the ground freezes off.

Vancouver Friends… anyone?

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:41:00 +0000

Are you looking for friendship? Are you looking for a soul mate? Or are you simply looking for a nice chat with someone who shares the same passion, interests or peeves? Try vancouver chat! Register for free and get instant access to Vancouver chatrooms and find out if this is what you are really looking for all this time.

Pet Sitting Business... anyone?

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I work as a camp counselor right now. This is my first time to experience summer camp and I love/hate it. Summer camp is both fun and tiring. Working with kids is both exciting and exhausting. And my work as a camp counselor is both challenging and draining.

I wish I could do something else. Sure, it is fun to be with kids but if you have to work with 20 kids all at the same time, it is indeed mind-boggling. I did wish that I would work with animals... dogs in particular... because they are adorable and I love dogs. Working with dogs is both therapeutic and relaxing. But there is no summer camp for dogs... SO I THOUGHT.

And then I stumble upon this CampBowWowUSA.com and found out that it is possible to work with dogs in a somewhat "summer camp" set-up. I checked it out and it is really cool.

So if you are like me who love dogs... and would like to put up your own Pet Sitting Business, this is the right way to do it. You can check out Camp Bow Wow and find out how you can start your own Doggy Day and Overnight Camp and help dog owners to have their peace of mind every time they need to be out-of-town on business trip or families who needs to be on vacation and couldn't bring their loved pets.

Make the Right Choices... Now!

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:04:00 +0000

We are all tired of all the economic issues in this country. We are all sick of hearing bad news about the economy. And we are all hoping that the economy will soon take the fastest way to recovery especially for those who lost their homes.

Well, a lot of people have lost their homes due to either wrong choices made in the past or pure bad luck. But now is the right time to make the right choices. The economy is bouncing back slowly but surely. And home prices are at its lowest right now so why not take advantage of the current situation to start anew?

If you are living in the Louisiana State or who dreams to own a property in this state, it is the right time to call or visit louisiana real estate and take advantage of this present economic situation for this is the right time to make your dream come true.

Roses are still Red

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:21:00 +0000

I was taking a break when my co-worker excitedly called me to go back to the Y. I was trying to take a nap in my car [as usual] even for just 30 minutes but my reverie was cut short due to the urgency of her call.

I hurriedly got out of my car and ran back to the Y because it started raining again. As I approached the front desk I saw a dozen red roses sitting on the counter. I already had a hunch. It was from Hubby.

It’s our second Wedding Anniversary today. This morning I prepared his lunch but this time aside from the usual sandwich, fruits, juice and chocolate pudding for dessert… I wrapped the card that I bought last week in a plastic bag so that it won’t get wet by the ice pack inside his lunch box.

This is our second year as husband and wife. Yes, we do have some rough times and ups and downs… and just like any couples… we also kiss and make up and keep our faith for each other. Yes, our relationship is not perfect… but we are trying our best to keep our love alive. Yes, we will always have trials along the way… and with all the trials we will always have each other... because the roses are still red and will always be red.

Happy Anniversary My Sweetest. I love you… always!

Note: I had to buckle the flowers up in the passenger's seat to bring them home.

A more beautiful you

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Cosmetic surgery is a common thing nowadays. It is as common as your favorite burger from a popular food chain or the banana split from your local ice cream parlor. And is it already considered as a necessity to anybody whose confidence or health is a serious issue to deal with.

We came to know about cosmetic procedures from our favorite celebrities who wanted to look more beautiful than they already are. And it has almost become a celebrity pastime to achieve perfection or to maintain that perfection. But for us who are not celebrities or not even a celebrity-material so to speak, health is more of a serious concern that can challenge personal decision. For example, if someone has big breast that cause her back pains, breast reduction could solve that problem.

Specific basis for health reasons that can be addressed by cosmetic surgery have specific benefits. But not all cosmetic surgery is the same. Its popularity and acquired status symbol among the affluent society paved the way for bogus clinics that can cause more damage than benefit. So be careful.

For a more beautiful you… MYA is just a click away. Get a free plastic surgery advice from their experts and have the peace of mind that you deserve from MYA.

Let’s Dance

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:05:00 +0000

I love to dance. I used to dance a lot when I was little. I participated in almost all school programs when I was a kid. My mom was so proud of me then. Oh, how I wish I could say the same with my own kid.

I don’t have kids of my own [just yet] that is why I really appreciate it when my sister-in-law sent me pictures of my nieces’ dance recitals. I just so love seeing them in beautiful outfits and dancing shoes.

Dancewear are really expensive in the Philippines, good thing I found FashionGuro.WikiSpaces.com and found Discount Dancewear. I bought some of my nieces’ dancing shoes from them at really good deal and sent them home. They were so happy and said… let’s dance, Auntie.

Nothing but the Best for the Little One

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:29:00 +0000

A friend of mine just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl a couple of days ago. She is her first child. Since she announced that she was expecting 7 months ago, her friends and families were so excited for her and the baby inside her bulging belly. I know the feeling. I once expected too.

Anyway, as a good friend I threw her the Baby Shower that all expectant mothers are looking forward to. Of course, since I was the mastermind for such memorable event, I made it sure that the gifts I gave are nothing but the best because I got her Baby Bedding from BabyBeddingPlace.com.

I so love fruits

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:43:00 +0000

I love fruits. Who doesn’t? And for the best in-season fruits… the freshest the better. I usually prefer them as a center piece on my dining table than the prettiest flowers from my garden. My breakfast will not be complete without fruits in my cereals. And I prefer to give them as gifts for almost all occasions.

I love fruits. And when my favorite fruits are not in-season… I usually order some of them online from this cool website FruitBasketReview.com that provides lists of the most famous and reliable fruit companies that sell Fruit Basket all year-round. That is why, every time I need to get a basket or two of my favorite fruits for gifts or for my own consumption… I just need to move a few muscles on my finger tips and viola!

Blogging Anemia

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Busy... busy... busy...

I have not been able to blog for quite a long time. I wish I will get back to blogging like I used to.

I am sick. I am sick of... blogging anemia.

exterior shutters

If your problem is the pipe… Call Mike!

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Home renovation is inevitable. Maintaining a home needs not only effort but extra cash too for emergency purposes and whatnots. And when you need to do a major repair in your home, if you don’t have a handyman around, you are in serious trouble because it will cost a lot of money nowadays or worse case scenario; you will have a hard time finding one to do the job. Good thing for me, I married not just Mr. Handyman but I also married Mr. Jack-of-all-Trade… so I don’t worry about home repairs.

But if you live in Colorado area and you desperately need to have some home repair done like plumbing I can understand if you wished to be married to Mr. Joe-the-Plumber. But don’t feel bad about it because if your problem is plumbing you can call Mike, The Plumber of… Denver Plumbing. Yes, Denver Plumbing is where you can find the right person for the job.

Yes, DenverCoPlumbing.org offers the greatest and high quality service to their customers. It provides its customers with amazing and very satisfactory results. And more importantly, it provides service at a low and competitive price without sacrificing quality work. So if your problem is the pipe… who you gonna call? Call Mike!

What I love on my Man

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:50:00 +0000

They say that the best way to get a man is through his stomach. I say the best way to get a woman is through her nose. Yup! Most women use their senses [common and those not so common] all the time when it comes to their men.

I love fragrances and I love them on my “man”. That is why I make sure that I get him the scent that is pleasing to me because after all… I am the one who enjoys it. And when it comes to women’s and mens fragrance there is no place I would get it but from MyFragranceRoom.com.

Today's Everybody's Game

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:27:00 +0000

I have not been doing a lot of blogging lately because I was doing Tetris online. However, since Brandon is into video games too, we kinda have to work out on a schedule for gaming time to have peace around the house.

Video games is today's everybody's game. Kids and kids-at-heart are drawn to video games. It's very amusing that is why it is very popular nowadays. So if your kids are into video games go check out BuyMMOAccounts.com where you can buy world of warcraft subscription for only $29.99 which is good for 60 days.

Time for a Treatment... Window Treatment

ruthinian@yahoo.com (ruthi) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:39:00 +0000

It's spring and it's time for spring clean up. I have so many things to do but there is only one thing in my mind... window treatments. And I will surely get it from PriorityWindows.com. Go check it.