By Anna Urquiola-Green
When I was invited to write an article about a Filipina’s life in the UK I jumped at the opportunity. Mainly because I want to share the experiences I had in this country and quite a lot of these were eye-openers for me.

Moving here three years ago, I learned to adapt quickly especially with the climate. My family and I spent the previous 10 years in the Middle East and from a place where there is only one season - summer, and here in England when they have 4 seasons, it is a total shock to the system.

Picture this scene: a woman sits in the visitor’s chair in an office pouring her heart out to the lady behind the desk. Her life story unfolds and there is a drizzle of tears. The listener nods sympathetically and after understanding the cause of her heartache, comforts her and gives her some sound advice. The client leaves with a lighter heart and words of wisdom that can hopefully turn her life around. You probably think the scene happened in a psychiatrist’s clinic or at a radio station during a “Dear Abby” type program.

A heavenly mix of things that make life worth savoring – sweet memories, toughening experiences, crisp humor and dollops of daily miracles all mixed together in a thick cream of faith in the wisdom of God.

TODAY'S TIDBIT:

“He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him.” – Mark 1:27

It is much more difficult to prove yourself to an expectant audience who also happen to be your parents. Also, it can get exasperating that your home environment is the same as that in your office: no issue can be closed and deferred to the next day once the clock hits 5 o’clock and all other previous engagements have to be forgone for work. But these are petty inconveniences that are paid off by the advantages and the privilege of handling your family’s business.

Around three hours from Manila is Quezon, my home province. Since it’s just a short hop away, I can easily go home for business or to be with family on special occasions. Last week-end, I did just that – wrapped up some business matters and attended my cousin’s birthday bash.
This homecoming was a little different. I wanted to bring my Ka-Pinays on a virtual tour of Quezon. For the first time I will be seeing Quezon through your eyes. So come on and let’s go cruising in Quezon.

By: Myrna Salanguit
You may be asking the difference between saving money and investing money. Saving is putting money aside for a projected expense – to pay for a child’s college education, for a rainy day, or for a down payment on a house or car. Or probably you want to be sure you have six months’ wages saved in case of a dire emergency.

By: Caren Resurreccion
Nowadays, women are starting their own business at twice the rate men do. It has been reported that everyday, 420 women go out and start their own businesses and most of them are growing revenues, profits and creating more jobs than the businesses itself. But being a woman entrepreneur is a challenge on its own - the assertion of identity and proposal of stability underlying a character of fragile sensibility - present issues that are thankfully less divisive now that it may have been in the latter years.

SECOND STOP: Palaisdaan, Tayabas
Hungry from the trip, we stop at Palaisdaan for lunch. This is locatedbetween Lucban and the town proper of Tayabas. The restaurant serves native cuisine with the special touch of Quezon, the gata (coconut milksauce), in some of its popular dishes.

We enter the restaurant through an arch where a veil of pink-tasseled vines cascade down to almost eye-level.

Nature has imbued its creatures with instinct and the ability to survive. Being the only creature that has free will and the freedom to make mistakes, man can learn a thing or two from these lower forms of life. The ant and the bee, for instance, are good models in learning about financial literacy.

TODAY'S TIDBIT:
“People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” – Matthew 9:17

By: Mica Kerkdijk

Mommy used to tell us all the time that her dream was to have our home run like a hotel. Well, that's been fulfilled, somewhat, in my home, but that's because I feel like I'm the @#^*& chambermaid!

By: Rissa Calica-Gimenez

One of the ancient home remedies for balancing high blood sugar or diabetes is just as close and down-to-earth as your garden.

The neem leaf, one of our country’s wonder plants, is a popular Philippine medicinal plant known for its countless cures, most specially for wild, insulin swings!

Diabetes or hyperglaecemia is a condition when one’s body is unable to cope with the sugar overload in the system. The neem’s potent extract is extremely bitter and counters the sugar offenders in the body.

TODAY'S TIDBIT:
“Her children arise and call her blessed…” – Proverbs 31:28

Being a mother can be a thankless job. Most days I don’t know if what I do for my kids is appreciated. Or if it makes a difference in the way they are growing up. I take heart in the story of Tita Mely, a senior member of our community.

By: Becca de la Vega
Since arriving in New Zealand in May 2007, we have experienced two autumns and survived two winters. Soon, it will be the blooming of spring flowers. And then, come December, the damaging sun of summer will he here again.

By: Becca de la Vega

We live in historic Howick, Auckland. This scenic seaside village is a top tourist destination known for its landscape and ancient charm. It is in this community where we have begun to grow new roots.

It is here where our children go to the local primary school. We chose this because it’s a Catholic school under the Diocese of Auckland and it’s just walking distance from our new home.

Are you a Maria Clara? A Gabriela Silang? Or a Cory Aquino? Like all women, Filipinas do come in all shapes and sizes. But what sets us apart is our character – unique, distinct, feisty, yet caring to the max. Find out what type of a Filipina you are and have fun!

You’re a Maria Clara if you…

Moms who like smooth, well tucked-in sheets like the ones you see on hotel beds will be delighted with these bed sheet clips. They are so easy to make and the materials are inexpensive. These little things are very useful in keeping bed sheets looking neat.

MATERIALS:

The smell of barbecue hot on the grill greets you. A mélange of fresh produce catches your eye. Succulent fruits of varied shapes, colors and sizes from as far back as the South, fresh organic vegetables from Tagaytay and Baguio, super sweet mangoes from Zambales. Then, a gaggle of voices intrude as the place starts to stir with friends and neighbors eager to sample the weekend’s offering.The place?

St Mark Square is said to be one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Even Napoleon called it the drawing room of Europe. Sometimes I don't see it when all I see are heads of tourists bobbing up and down the square to catch glimpses of the Bridge of Sighs, the Doges Palace and the basilica.Is it worth returning to time and time again?

Of course! No one ever gets tired of Venice and there is always something to discover in each trip. Here are the main places to see if you've got just a day to see Venice:

Yup! You’re bound to age… and you feel it as you trudge through your daily activities. Laugh lines become deeper. Chin sees double. Breasts head south.Horrified yet? Take heart, girl. Check out your to-do list of 10 proven secrets you can do each day to age-proof yourself!

TODAY'S TIDBIT: News Flash - “Motel chain shuts down for God”
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” – Matthew 13:16

by Anna Green
This year my family and I decided to spend our summer vacation in some local areas here in England.

So after spending hours trawling the web for hotels and places to go we chose the Midlands.

As with all road trips each member in my family has a task to do. I do the packing and unpacking, prepare food and drinks to take with us in the car just in case we get stranded for a few minutes and I die of starvation (that’s the Pinay in me).

Emy Cañete reveals her tips to looking fresh all day

Ladies need to look pretty on any occasion or situation. If you look good, you feel good. Imagine running into an old flame or a well made-up former rival looking like a greeting card left in the mailbox too long – washed out and weather beaten. The old flame will thank his lucky stars he didn’t end up with you. And the former rival will tut-tut at how much you’ve changed over the years.

Why people of mixed cultures marry and for what reason is often a hot topic of discussion. Having been married to a man from a different culture than my own for almost twenty-five years gives me a pretty clear picture. I can’t speak for all people but I do have some views of my own which I will share with you.

Looking for ways to feel energized? Don’t use your emotion and turn to food to lift you out of the doldrum. Food (especially fatty snacks) will only make you fat and more miserable in the long run. Here are 5 non-food tips to boost your spirits.

Christmas is almost here. I can already hear the groans of moms, ninangs, and aunts who are already feeling the economic crunch. Gift-giving this coming Yuletide season will be an additional burden for their stressed-out pocket books.

Celebrating a special moment in the life of your beloved is not only about finding the right gift to give. It includes the way you look, your fragrance, a place with a romantic ambiance. These create the right atmosphere for the time when you cap the celebration with the presentation of that special gift. And because it is special, it should come beautifully wrapped. Here's a technique for creative wrapping to let him know he's the man.

TODAY'S TIDBIT:

This was written as an exercise for my “Short Forms of Creative
Writing” course in UIC. Since Proudly Filipina is in its inception, I
thought it would be appropriate to share this piece about the story of
creation from a woman’s point of view.

Here's a quick and easy recipe for an appetizer that you can serve when you have a small, impromptu gathering at home.

THIRD STOP: Queen Margarette Hotel, Lucena City

Rising majestic at the outskirts of Lucena City is Queen Margarette, the premier hotel in Quezon province and the rest of Southern Tagalog. It is a luxury hotel with convention and banquet facilities and the venue for major events in the region. Business conferences as well as personal celebrations of well-heeled Quezonians are held here.

By: Deborah David-Ona, MD

Losing weight is a battle. I have been battling with my weight all my life. I have not been blessed with the genes to maintain my figure at its ideal proportions. Because it has been a life long struggle, I have tried a lot of “fad” diets, but it really is hard to figure out which one is the best.
Recently, researchers have compared 3 well known diets in 322 mildly obese, middle aged participants over a span of two years.

TODAY'S TIDBIT:

Luke 6:12 says, “Jesus departed to the mountains to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” This is what Jesus did before choosing his twelve disciples.

How do you make decisions during crucial moments? Do you decide by yourself because you believe you are doing the right thing? I’m afraid of making decisions. I might make a mistake which I would regret for the rest of my life. But when I joined our community, The Light of Jesus Community, (LOJC), this changed because I learned to pray for guidance.

Here is a best seller recipe whenever we had potluck in Saudi Arabia. This was the time that Filipino families met to make “tsikahan.” Kids will love this too ‘coz it’s so creamy and cheesy. For the health conscious, use mayo lite and unsalted butter instead.

5 easy tips revealed by a Pinay pro

A picture is worth a thousand words, as the famous saying goes. It creates a mood - makes you laugh 'til it hurts, moves you to tears or just gets you to say, awwww. That is, if the photo looks good.

These days, everyone’s got a blog, and a blog must have some pictures. If your shots are out of focus or badly composed such as the ever-classic lamp post sticking out of lola’s head, you just might have to be aware of a few photo tips.

How to dress 10 pounds thinner?
Start with the butt - Your bottom and hips will always look thinner when you are dressed in a solid color and it doesn't even have to be black it can be a beautiful incandescent hot pink if you like but solids tend to slim where other patterns don't. Now a lot of us don't go around wearing patterned pants but a lot of us wear patterned dresses and skirts - so be warned.

Diet alone cannot guarantee a slim waistline or a flat tummy. A balanced diet coupled with exercise will do the trick. Walking 30 minutes to one hour everyday will help you trim the fat and make you feel good. Check out which exercise regimen is best for you.

In your 30s or 40s?