Welcome 2010

Year 2009 is just disappeared that I even think and believe that the year goes so fast. The whole world welcome together for the other year. Year 2010 is the year of the tiger as counted in Chinese Zodiac. Before we say goodbye to the Ox year (2009) let us remember things that happened on this year.

Every year is the new beginning for us. Things change and the world keep on rolling in each continental. People always hope for a good change and for the better of the nation we are living. Year 2009 left us with lot of sorrows that conscience of every human kind started to stir.

When the world economy collapse poor and rich families was affected and suffered. In Volvo Gothenburg Sweden more than 1000 employees lose one's job. The worst year ever for the vehicle industry. When you live abroad Volvo car is one of the luxury car. Volvo proud to be a product from Gothenburg City. Sad to say that when Ford company bought the Volvo car the quality was not so good. Of course we have no right to blame Ford for the situation.

SAAB is Swedish car that was also sold to GM corporation. The production of SAAB cars located in Trollhättan. This time the employees are on state trouble. All of them feel worried for their job either they could continue next year or not. The negotiation between the GM and the SAAB buyer is not clear yet.

This was not the only companies that forebode employees. Factories and boutique are also affected. Hospitals and other public sectors have give noticed to their employees that they have problem with their economy.

As now I am living in Sweden I do hope that year 2010 will give us hope...Happy new year

dangerous side of the road

Wednesday morning the sun is shining but still cold outside minus 10 degree. I am off at work but this day I counted as my big day. I started my first step of my IVF treatment (nose spray)to sink the hormone production in the body. I was thinking from the start that it's ok but suddenly I have mixed feeling.

Well IVF is my only chance to be a mom so I go for it.I am so thankful that my husband cooperate and console me everytime.

My day off day is fully book with different scheduled. I have my acupuncture hour 13.45. My husband told me if necessesary but I insest because acupunture helps me a lot. I feel more active and free from stress after the treatment. yah!it cost money but interms of health I think it's worthy if I go for it.

Right after time hour 15.00 I decided to went window shopping. I phoned my husband if he could pick me up but he was busy with some customer. I walked through the tram station but wow!the road was so slippery. It took 30 for me to reach the station, I don't want to brake my legs as few people did accident this morning.

In the shop center the first thing that give my attention is the 50%sale. As usual after Christmas day here. I looked some article of clothing but I don't find one. People is every where that I wonder where they came from. They did shopping here and there, I understand them because the price is much cheaper compared from the normal price.

Happy new year to every one and thanks for reading!

the kind hearted!

It's better to give than to receive one of common saying that I've learned when I was small. In our world today selfish people will rather received than giving? It's unbelievable how individual turn to greedy just because of money. Of course we have a simple explanation since money can buy everything.

Here the government and private sector collected money through advertising or selling 2ND hand things. Most of the money are send to poor countries both Africa and Asians.Where the money goes?asked by others. One month ago I was watching documentary program and it's all about the donated money. But the organization here has been swindled! A lot of aid and assistance to poor countries but the money are gone.

Lot of negative reactions that is becoming more and more common. That people as today feel hesitate to help. No one could stop the "corruption" and we ordinary people have not enough courage to stop them. It's hard and it's painful I myself cried when I saw the program. We are helpless and unpowerful against them.

For the kindhearted people thanks for the support.More power to everyone.

the good and bad situation

I tried to be calm and ready in work in terms of difficult situation . Working with old people with state of ill-health is not easy. I have a stressful job and that's why I prepare myself both mentally and physically. This morning an emergency situation was happened again. I was overwhelmed over my head nurse because she responded right away and take over control.

After an hour everything is normal again but I never thought that I could be affected with the situation.I took my noon brake for 30 minutes and suddenly I felt weird in my whole body. I feel sick and terrific tired.

After work hour 1500 I phoned my husband and asked if he could pick me up. Thanks for him with his generosity and considerate he drove me home. On way home I come up with something. I need to pick up my nose spray in the pharmacy for my first IVF treatment that start this Wednesday.

Unfortunately my doctor did not send the electronic prescription of the said spray. I got little panic since the time is almost hour 1600.Here in Sweden everything take by phone even it matters about emergency. Telephone hours are different between weekdays. What a day! and what a phase that I have today.

I have in a hurry at home thinking that maybe I can made a call to the hospital. Thanks God everything was fixed. I managed for today's stressful situation. I believe that everything could be possible.

without control

Yesterday was the 5 year anniversary of what had happened in Thailand and Indonesia. The Tsunami tragedy that killed more than 500 Swedish people during their vacation in Thailand. It's a sad story for us and for the family victims that woken up the whole world. Lot of people believed that it's a sign and punishment of God. But some individual never believed it. We are different and have our own perspective on every calamities.

For me maybe it's God sign and for the other hand the world is too old enough. Things changed and the world is changing. This is the time that we need to think our climate and mind our actions.

Here in Gothenburg the weather showed strange for summer and winter. Time will tell what happen to us in the future. Let us hope that our politicians will do their best and work together for the sake of our mother Earth. We can also help! just look around you...

common flowers at Christmas

Hi everybody out there, I need to ask an apologize if I keep on writing about Christmas in my blog. I am thinking that since it's December and I have more things to tell you about Christmas here in Sweden. This is my easiest way to inform my family and friends in order to update my life here abroad.



I am deeply impressed since people here show their compassion on Christmas. Asides from the Christmas light as remarkable during Christmas. Here we have Christmas flowers that most families have at home during Christmas . Swedish people are always fascinates with flowers. I am thankful for that because it gives me much more idea about different kinds of flowers that I've never seen in my life before.










































Euphorbia pulcherrima or we called it "Julstjärna" in Swedish is one of the common potted plants during Christmas here. I used to have it in my kitchen window and other parts of the house. I have it for the following month even if the Christmas is passed by. But this kind of flower have different color that you can choose between white and red.

Another flower that is popular here on this high season is "Christmas hyacint". I got it the day before Christmas from my mother in law and I did my own flower design arrangement. The flower was not yet blooming when we bought it. The day last 24Th I saw that the flowers are open a little bit. Today it looks like this as you see in the picture. The flowers itself have sweet smelling and have different colors such as blue,violet,white and red. This kind of potted plant last about 12 to 15 days.

I placed it our side table in the living room.

the day after Christmas Eve

Christmas is still on the air.People all over the world continue celebrating and spending time with families and love ones. Yesterdays Christmas Eve celebration give me a wonderful feeling. Although I am spending Christmas day without my Filipino family but with the help of "internet"I have the oppurtunity to see my family out there in Philippines.

I am eating Swedish Christmas food for 3 days now. I do like their Swedish style Christmas ham. The taste is different from Christmas ham way back in my home country. It's an half ready ham and need to cook in the oven with egg, dried breadcrumbs and mustards. It was delicious!!!I bring some to work and have it as bread toppings then I add mustrads.

Evenings weather here in Gothenburg is not so cold. But it's snowing around hour 20.00. Once again Merry Christmas to all.

rush hour

The day before Christmas Eve is stressful day for me. I have morning shift and out at work by hour 1600. I did some grocery for the lucking things that we need for tomorrow celebration. The groceries are full of people that did their shopping for the last minute. Rush hour is the only words I could say.

Tomorrow is the big day for us every body and in the whole world. How nice it is that people share their love and exchange gift to their love ones. How I wish we people used to have it everyday maybe no one suffer the poverty. Rich families and medium class join together hand in hand. But unfortunately we only experience once every year that the whole world is united.

This is why Christmas is special...Merry Christmas to every one.

My favorite in the snow

Snow snow white flakes falling from the sky. It's snowing in the air and I love it! I am acting little childish but I'm really dreaming for the white Christmas this year. This is the 3rd year that we experience snow here in Gothenburg since the year I arrived. Unlike in the other part of Sweden that it's snowing every winter.

I finished my evening shift hour 20.00 and still snowing. One of my favorite in the snow is playing my footprints. For me snow is the messanger of winter and Christmas. Well of course I am not mean it in the tropical country but country that have winter season.

evening picture that I took outside my working place. Sit,down please! in the snow couch

It certainly is nice to look at when trees are covered in white that looks like popcorn.

December is so cold but there's a snow in Christmas..

white Christmas really comes

It's been snowing since last night. I was busy re arranging my Christmas decor. My husband and I are the hostess for this coming Christmas Eve. My mother in law and brother in law is coming. We did groceries yesterday for the some Swedish food preparation.

We decided to have the traditional Swedish Christmas food on the dining table. I think it's more easy to prepare than my Filipino food since I don't have the all ingredients.

For today,I did continue shopping for the exchange gift. I felt dizzy inside the store that lot of things to choose but it's hard to decide which one.

view outside from the bedroom,car owner scrape the snow away from the windshield.otherwise he can't drive the car. this morning temperature was minus 10 degree

do u believe in God

I was born being Catholic and until now I have the same religion. During my single life I was active to some church activities. But not until I moved to another country. My believe to "Jesus Christ"doesn't change at all. I am still doing my rosary although not daily but I try to remember it weekly as I can. Praying the rosary is like my meditation that helps me a lot to control my worries.

I visit to church not every Sunday,but deeply in my heart,I always believe in HIM. I really don't know if it matters a lot to us believers by not visiting HIS house. But for me my principle is it matters about your actions and behavior to others.

Days passing by,and yes we are near to 2010. Another year to come another year of fight on different obstacles in life. It's just 9 years past that we was afraid of the millennium year.People had different interpretation that on the year 2000 bad things happened.

New year and new technology find,but only God knows when is the end of an era. Please help pray for PEACE.

cold day

I am happy not because I win money but for the reason that it's snowing. I think the white Christmas is coming. Watching the snow dropping in the ground is cool.The whole day is minus 9 degree,and it was cold. But thank you for the snow it's getting lighter in the evening. December is the special month for me because of Christmas,otherwise this month is fully boredom. It's sad to say but the longest night and the shorter day did everything boring.



I just say in the morning when I go to work at hour 700 on this time still dark. I quite work at hour 1600 already dark. People feel only depressed just for this weather situation. A lot of Swedish family spend this Christmas by having semester in warm country.



Thanks for this Christmas season that people here think more positive on the month of December.

30 minutes fresh air

I have a tough day at my work.. Working abroad,and have high standard employer is hard to adjust. But well,I am fighting and show them that I have potential.I don't like trouble so for me it's better not to say too much but show them the good works.



Some of my co workers wonder where my energy came from. I just smiled at them and say nothing. I called them whining old woman, because they are. A small problem could come up they make it big and then started to complain. In general all of them are nice to me. Sad to say that I feel tired of them..In Sweden you need to show that you are knowledgeable, example if you mispronounce the Swedish word,they totally misunderstand you. It's hard,that's why you need to learn quickly and speak the words correctly.



I hate to say but i don't like this being too much honest of themselves.I think the way we used "maikod"in my dialect is much more important to me. Showing respect to someone for me is "big thing". Of course it's worthy being honest person but it depend every things discussed.



I take 30 mintes walked after my shifted, it's cold and minus degree but nice to have fresh air.

11 days to go Christmas

The clock is ticking,it's 11 days to go christmas. I don't find Christmas gift yet . I asked my husband what should we buy for his mother but he have no idea. Well,since his mother told me that she have everything she need. She mean that she don't want gift,but since it's nice if we open our boxes together on Christmas Eve. I still buy something for her.

To decide things all by oneself is not easy. I am hoping I could find something that cool and unique. Exchanging gift during Christmas is important to me.I think the that day is special since it only happen once every year.

I was joking the other day and told my husband that I want something that will last.Hope he got what I've mean to him.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Lucia day.

The whole Sweden celebrate Lucia day today.It's the honor of "Santa Lucia",the celebration started when Scandinavian countries were catholic. But the tradition continues even they change religion to protestant.

A touching moment,while listening the "Santa Lucia"song. TV station was sending live the coronation of the Santa Lucia candidate. December 13 is not an official holiday in Sweden,but it's one of the popular occasion here. Schools,hospitals,nursing home and other private sectors honored this day.

During this day people used to eat "lussekatter in Swedish"English (Saint Lucy Bun).Picture above was taken from some recipe site.

the sad news.

I am worried for the bad situation in Maguindanao. Most of my co workers are asking about the massacre. I did my best to explained them and try to clean their minds that everything is in control. But it was hard to convince since people here are reading daily newspaper everyday.

I love my country,but I don't know how to depend it against criticism. I know I am lucky enough living abroad. But deeply inside me is seeking answers of why politicians in my country are living egoistical way. When could it happen that someone give a real service without thinking of money.

I may be wrong, or maybe I am right.But for the sake of my "kababayan". I bother about the future not only for my families that living inside the country but for everybody. Hope worse situation would be solve soon.One more advice "ALWAYS VOTE WISELY":

Merry Christmas to all..

I was carried away..

I was tired after my morning shift today,even though I have 6 hours duty. My body tells everything that I'm not feeling good. I really don't know,maybe it's a mixed feeling because next week is my first treatment. My menstruation period is on going and it could possible caused why I looked tired and unhappy.

At work this morning after the coffe break hour 11.00. The Lucia participant from daycare center came by and sang Lucia song. Ooh they are so cute and I was carried away. I cried while watching and listening them singing Merry Christmas song. What a solemn atmosphere we have in the department. I am so sensitive with these small things. It reflected me more how I long for an own child.

This IVF is my only chance and hope. It's hard enough to be a mother?

More on Swedish Christmas

Celebrating Christmas every December has many origin. In Sweden and other Scandinavian country from the 11Th century Christmas was celebrated on the occasion of the celebration of the winter offers. In addition, as a part of Christian celebration of Jesus Christ birth.


As part of Swedish tradition in church and every families have there candelabra with 4 candles of Advent. One candle lighted in every Advent before Christmas. This kind of tradition is hard for me to understand during my first year of stay. I only know about the (Misa de Gallo) or the Gift Mass started every December 16 until Christmas day. Filipino families called it Gift Mass in good faith that your wish will be granted, after attended the 9 successively mass. Which until now I still believe that it's true.

( my candelabra with 4 Advent candle. I have 4 white candles instead of red as I have the other

year).

Christmas in Sweden is celebrated during Christmas Eve rather than Christmas day. This is a family event,and much more to eat with the traditional Christmas ham, a salad of beet, ginger biscuit and some other dishes vary from family to family. After eating,the family gather in the couch and watched special Christmas show. TV channel (SVT) is the Swedish Channel operated by the state. This channel have no commercial brake(the reason that all family that have TV paid "TV fee" or called TV license.

A ginger biscuits hung in the window with"God Jul" its a Swedish word that means Merry Christmas. My colleguae baked last weekend with different form. Swedish ginger biscuit smells good because of its spices in the recipe.

In the beginning ginger biscuit was a delicacy that people bake during festive occasion for example Christmas. The reason why Swedish people have it in their table during Christmas season.

Have a wonderful day everyone and Merry Christmas!

Lucia visit!

Lucia candidate visited Bjöla today(place I work).All of them are so cute and have a wonderful voice. They are dress in long white with blue belt. I almost compared to the dress of "Saint Fatima".

The crown of Santa Lucia will be this 13Th of December as it is the Lucia day.Why Swedish people celebrate Lucia will I will try to find out.

The picture attached was the last year contestant since I forgot to bring my camera this afternoon.

Next day..

Hi to my friends and followers,I am so tired today after my evening shift.Tomorrow I will promise to update my blog and write about Swedish christmas tradition.

some picture in Malmö

This picture was taken during our weekend trip! Malmö is the 3rd largest city of Sweden. The city neighbor to Denmark and it is connected by the Öresund Bridge.

with the "Turning Torso" building the park is the most visiting place during summer.

we just wonder about this floating house by the side of the boat.

while we checked it yes, it's a house that me and husband called it the "little Venice".

The park near by sea shore.View across the ocean is Copenhagen Denmark.The bridge is unclear in the picture because of a cloud of smoke. While during summer we can see it clear, one reason that draw tourists here every summer.

from the park facing "The world trade Center" Malmö.

Condominium with view near the ocean. Typical place that have highest price amount(due to ocean view).

from the park we went to the new shopping mall called Entre Malmö. A place that reminded me on SM City Cebu...

picture taken insede the mall with their nice Christmas light decor.

the weekend trip!

The fun was continued,this weekend with company of our couple friend. Since the weather is not very good here,we make up some fun together. We did not plan in advance but since it is easy to ride with car so we have agreement right away the both of us.

From Gothenburg we make the first stop in Halmstad and thinking have something to eat lunch. I felt hungry for some reason that I did not eat breakfast. First restaurant we stopped by was not yet opened. It was a funny situation of us because the time was 12:00. We proceed to find some "Thai restaurant" but it looks like awful.

Halmstad is a municipality in Halland County,in Southwest Sweden. It is a small community with the population of 90thousand people.The place is nice and lot of restaurant is in the main Municipality. There we finally decided that to have lunch"Chinese restaurant".

We drove forward to Helsingborg and looked around. When we was in Malmö we stop over for the following hotel to check in for one night. All of them was fully booked,we wondered why?and haven't an idea at all. We was joking that maybe the whole people of "Denmark"move here.

At the end we did our hotel reservation in hotel that located in Lund. It is a city in the province of Scania southern Sweden. That we drove 20 minutes from Malmö. I felt so tired and wanted to sleep right away,but since the time was only 1600. We spend our evening,to have a nice dinner.

We asked the hotel personnel if they know the occasion in the City of Malmö. All of us four laughed because it's the "Climate conference"that held in Copenhagen started 6-12 of December. Of course it answered our questions wondering about the hotel in Malmö.

This morning before we go home,we looked and take some pictures of the "Turning Torso". The skyscraper residential building that have 54 floor. This is the highest building so far in Sweden as of today.

Christmas in Liseberg

I enjoyed yesterdays Liseberg visit. Liseberg is the biggest amusing park here in Sweden that located in Gothenburg City. My mind got lost,because of the nice Christmas light decor that reminded me in my home country. I felt the spirit of Christmas right away when I listened Christmas song.

It was crowded that I cannot move my feet to the other side,when I played game for the biggest"Marabou chocolate".Unfortunately I did not won,but I have a good time for that moment.

I heard happy laughter to those got the special price but all people were looked pleased and happy everywhere. Even if the weather was chilly but the fun is going on.

Thanks to this electrical artificial"charcoal" that helps us warm.I did have fun this evening

My Swedish Christmas dinner

As Christmas is approaching restaurant have so much to do. Private companies or government staff are started their Christmas dinner. I got my job about 1 year now and yesterday evening was my first Christmas dinner with my colleague. We made "Christmas dinner"reservation at culinary school. My colleague did their "Christmas dinner"before. The restaurant have top rank so I expected something special and new.


Swedish "Christmas dinner" food tradition is not like what we have in my country. They don't serve plain rice yet they have cooked potato,but I have no problem about it. Their food tastes excellent and have some favorite that I forgot the name of the menu. I took some photo's of yesterday evening "Christmas dinner".

my first plate with egg that have top on it(can't remember the name),smoked lax(that taste delicious)!.I took some herring(very common during Christmas and Easter holiday).cooked lax again(can't remember the menu).

my dessert plate.. rice pudding (delicious too).

their display made of chocolate by the culinary students.

still made of chocolate...