Bidding Goodbye to 2020!

 I just thought to bring my blog alive because, why not?  2020 is a year that everyone for sure will never forget.  It is a year that maybe for some, the worse, or maybe an opportunity to boom their business/es.  It is unforgettable for some because they got infected by the virus, others lost their loved ones, and let's not forget, the kids who used to play outside or in the park, wasn't or isn't able to do it anymore because we all have to stay home.  

But, we gotta do what we gotta do, stay home.  Since March 2020, I am working from home, as well as my husband. This is something that we are really thankful for, being able to work in the comfort of our home, being able to earn despite of the pandemic.  I would say, the opportunity of working from home and getting promoted are the best of our 2020. 

Highlights of 2020 --Who would've thought that people will go crazy over toilet paper in 2020?  Thank God for our "tabo", we didn't have to go with the craze.  Made us sing two happy birthday songs while washing our hands.  We had to homeschool our kids.  We have to sanitize before we enter our house, cars, grocery stores, clinics, hospitals etc.  Applying sanitizer to our grocery cart, grocery bags and packages.  And of course.. wearing a face mask.

Photo courtesy of Google

2020 taught us to do DIY, things that we never thought we can do.  I learned to do haircut for my kid and myself (I've been doing my husband's hair cut since he got here, it's the easiest because I only have to shave it😂).  I learned to bake in which my husband ended up buying me a stand up mixer.  My husband fixed our broken stove by himself which could've cost us $250 or so. He also made a plant stand for our free plants from Superstore and neighbour. 

It wasn't as worse as you think, right?  Not until 2 weeks before Christmas that we had another miscarriage.   Two pregnancy losses in a year-- it was horrible, we were devastated.  I am actually frozen right now, I can't even type, I don't even know how I will describe the feeling.  I remember seeing the heart beat, the movement, it is so hard to believe that I lost a baby....again.

But then, that was last year and I can say 2020 made me stronger, that's for sure.  Made me realize that I still have my husband and my daughter who need me and keep me going.  

The pandemic--made me appreciate and cherish my husband, daughter, and our families back home.   Made me appreciate frontline workers.  Made me realize that there are things that we can do by ourselves and not hire or buy.  Made me smarter by reading reviews, comparing prices on different online stores before buying something. Made me appreciate little things, like tabo and reminded me that we can survive even the toilet paper shelves are empty.  

Life is too short to dwell on negative things that happened in the past.  2021 is giving everyone a new hope, a new life, a new journey.  May this year be better for all of us.  

Happy New Year!

Pey's first day at school

I can't believe how time flies so fast and now my baby girl is already attending nursery school! She can actually skip nursery since it's not necessary, yet, we decided to enroll her so she can acquaint with kids of the same age.

As parents, we are so excited to buy stuff for school especially for first timer like us😉  We went to the outlet mall to buy her new clothes, shoes, bag etc.  Believe it or not, I handwashed these clothes because I don't want them to get ruined in the washer and dryer.  I even told my husband that Pey will change clothes when she goes to the day care.  Yup, 2 sets of clothes in a day for our not-so-little girl. 

Photo from Google

We met her teacher a week before the class resumed.  We weren't surprised when Pey greeted her teacher good morning as that's how she is to everyone.  We paid for the supplies, signed some papers and gave our email address to her teacher so she can update us on Pey's activities through the app called "Seesaw".  Pey was walking around while we were talking to her teacher and left a good impression by being curious and showing interest with the educational and school supplies in the classroom.

Her first day went great! She woke up early, as in 6 in the morning (she was sooo excited to go to school), had breakfast, took a shower and took some photos of course!  She was cooperative and even said good bye to us even though the class hasn't started yet. 

We can't wait to see how she progresses at school but for now, we will enjoy the photos and videos that Mrs. Lawrence uploads on Seesaw. 😊

Ice Castles Winnipeg

Winter in Winnipeg is brutal and it's a no old news to everyone :)   Having a -30 to -45 wind chill is not fun at all, but hey! we get nice temperature sometimes too!  That's when we decided to head out on our day off, didn't send the little girl to the day care and went to the famous Ice Castles.

It's the first time that Ice Castles is being held in Winnipeg and it is a hit to everyone.  With the amazing ice forms, it's totally an instagram worthy!  The pictures I took don't give justice on how beautiful they are!

There are caves, slides and mini tunnel that adults and kids will definitely enjoy!  If you have a really good camera, it's better to go at night when they turn the lights on!  If you have kids, make sure you visit the Ice Castles during weekends to see the Frozen sisters.   Who doesn't want to take pictures with Anna and Elsa?  Too bad for us because the husband works this weekend and we went on a Friday but it's ok, our little bunny will meet them next month as we're gonna watch Disney on Ice! Yipee!

Some tips:

Check the weather before getting your tickets
Before buying your ticket, check online for coupon code (who doesn't like discounts?  c'mon!)
Buy tickets online instead on site, it's cheaper! 
Bring sleds for kids, it's not stroller friendly
Make sure you have memory on your phone, because you'll take lots of pictures for sure


It took us 30 minutes to admire the beauty of Ice Castles, it wasn't big as I expected.  So, if you're bringing your car and not planning on staying at The Forks Market, an hour or two is enough for parking. :)

Welcome 2018

2017 was a blast!!! Husband arrived in January and got a job in a month, I was able to go back to the Philippines in August to pick up my daughter and had a sweet escape from the snowy land and most importantly and the highlight of my 2017... my family is now complete! How great is that???😊

My heart is full of joy having my family with me now.  The thing that I was praying for 2 years ago has finally come.  Husband and I have a good job and Pey is loving the day care, what else could I ask for?  (A second baby maybe? LOL just kidding)😊

Now, husband and I are looking forward to more  adventures as a family once winter is over!  I can't wait to enroll Pey too in karate or ballet class and see how she'll enjoy it.  I hope I could write more too this year!

See you around!😉

ALONE NO MORE!

I'm glad to announce that hubby arrived safe on January 20th and started working beginning of March.  I can't contain my happiness knowing that he's here already and everything that I've gone through just went away instantly!  I can see the big difference of being by myself and with him now.  And 1 1/2 months from now, we will be complete again, our little girl is coming!!!!  Sooo excited!


My husband easily adapt to changes, with the weather, means of transportation and the way of living.  It was easy because even though we don't have train here in Winnipeg, anywhere you want to go can be accessed by bus, the bus schedule can be a pain in the a**, yet the Winnipeg Transit is still reliable.  I would say that the challenge for my husband was passing the road test.  For a person who have been driving for a while in a different country, you definitely built a habit which you bring wherever you go, and that was the reason which had him retake the road test.


I would suggest to those who are still on their way here to make sure to get your driving abstract from your country before leaving.  Having this document with you will lessen your car insurance payment as per MPI.  This is what I'll work on when I go back to the Philippines because the document that my husband has is just the Certificate from LTO certifying when he started driving and the MPI didn't accept it.  If in case you were not able to bring this with you, you can ask someone from your home country to process it in behalf of you and email it, they don't require the original copy. :)


Going back to the topic, now that husband is with me now and have a car and can drive anywhere, I'll share with you our adventures on my next posts!  Ciao! :)

VISAS on HAND

There's nothing more exciting than knowing that my husband and little girl received their visas last week!  One of the best Christmas gifts ever!  I thought their application will be approved in February next year, yet God knows how frustrated I am for being alone in this Holiday Season!

Sharing with you their application timeline:

May 17th - Application received by CIC
June 7th - Acknowledgement Receipt from CIC
July 26th - Sponsor's Approval
July 29th - CEM received their application/Acknowledgement Receipt 2
Sept 11th - Medical Request
Sept 15th - Medical Exam
Dec 7th    - Decision made on E-CAS
Dec 12th -  Passport Request
Dec 14th - Passport submission to VFS
Dec 16th - Application approved on MyCIC Account
Dec 22nd - Visas on hand

Everyone at work is excited to meet them, some of them offered me a ride to fetch the husband and the little girl at the airport.  How kind of these people!

My only wish for those who are apart from their families is for them to be reunited soon.  I know how hard it is to be away and I admire all of them for being strong facing all the struggles that came or coming their way!  Just keep in mind, GOD NEVER FAILS!

Apartment Hunting and Apartment Rental Procedure in Winnipeg

Now that I moved in to my apartment 3 months ago, I thought of posting my apartment hunting/rental application experience to give the aspiring and new immigrants an idea on how it goes. We all know that you'll be staying with your relatives or friends on your first few months in Canada but let's admit as well that you can't stay with them forever.  I started looking for an apartment on my 6th month here and took me 2 months to finally found an apartment with "this is it" feeling.

Apartment hunting is fun, just make sure that you're doing it on a Summer because it will be easier to go to places without the rain/snow.  The best way to find an apartment is online, specifically KIJIJI.  There were 7 apartments that I visited and found all of them through that website.  Here are the things that I considered in looking for an apartment:

>Rent price
This plays a big role of course.  I set a budget according to my income and expenses.  I wanted to have all the utilities included in the rent, however upon hunting, I found out that it ranges from CAD800 and up for a 1 bedroom apartment (well, it depends on the location of course).  Here in Winnipeg, apartments in the North End is waaay cheaper than the other ends.

>Location
I preferred a location where is accessible by bus (because I don't have a car yet) and nearby my work.

>Laundry On Site
Well, believe it or not, there are apartment buildings that do not have their own laundry room and it's such a hassle if you're going out to wash your clothes especially on a winter.

>Parking
I'll get a car eventually and I considered this too.  Not all the apartment buildings have their own parking.  Oh by the way, you'll pay extra for parking spot. :D

>Caretaker
Yes!  This is one of the things I considered.  I'll live in an apartment for a while and I want an approachable and accommodating caretaker. :)

Photo from Google

So I found the apartment that met my expectations.  Since I am a new immigrant and no rental history,  I can only submit my application to rent if I have a guarantor.  Though there are Landlords that accept application without a guarantor but most of them don't.  The caretaker asked me to submit the following:

>Damage Deposit
This is 1/2 of the monthly rent.  I gave this to process my application.  My caretaker doesn't accept cash and only accepts cheque or money order.  If in case that the application isn't approved, they will return the damage deposit.

>Filled-out application form of the tenant and guarantor

>Proof of Income of tenant and guarantor
I submitted my employment certificate, 3 months pay stub as well as my guarantor's.  I also provided a bank statement (optional) hoping that it expedites the process which it did. LOL

My caretaker submitted it to their office and I received a call from him 3 days after, telling me that I got approved.  He required me to pay the 1 month deposit, sign the lease contract and provide a void cheque because I opted to have the monthly rent deducted from my chequing account.

Also, during my apartment hunting, I learned some things that I want to share with you. There is so called SUBLET wherein you will finish the contract of the current tenant who will vacate the apartment before the contract expires.  In this case, the tenant will show you the apartment and if you're interested, the tenant has the application form to sublet and he will submit it to the caretaker.

I also learned that "some" caretakers only allow 2 persons in a 1 bedroom apartment.  So if you are a family of 3, whether the 3rd person is still a baby, they will require you to rent a 2-bedroom apartment.  Thank God my caretaker isn't strict and he is really the BEST!

I hope this post will help you in your apartment hunting in Winnipeg. :)

Sad reality

I thought living alone will be easy.  I never thought that boredom can kill me.  Almost a month since I moved in to my apartment, and living by myself is fun yet sad.  Thank God I have my internet installed after a week of moving in, or else I might be crazy by now.  Now I wonder how my mom manage to live by herself while we are away.  Back in the days I was still in PH, I used to call her during my break and made sure she's ok.  Now that I am in the same situation, I can say that living alone, well, I mean technically alone can be boring most of the time.

I found myself crying last night and felt the world is against me.  I don't have friends to hang out with, I don't have family in CA that could give me a hug when I feel depressed.  Yes, you read that right, I am depressed.  I don't know why all of a sudden I am feeling this, seems like my hormones are kicking in.  Saw my husband and daughter's pictures in a birthday party that made me cry out loud to the extent that I can no longer breath.  I told myself, I should be there, we are family, we should be together.

I woke up this morning and the feeling is still the same.  I have no one to talk to and decided to message my husband.  I don't want him to worry but I feel like going crazy if I won't tell anyone about what's happening.

Believe me, living in the different side of the world with only few friends and some distant relatives is a challenge.  Yes, they are there to help you but of course they have their own lives too.  Sometimes I'm thinking how I survive by myself and how I control my emotions seeing a family doing groceries together, seeing friends having a good time and witnessing couples fetching their partners at work.  I used to be in their shoes but now, I'm ALONE, just M-Y-S-E-L-F.  And I explode!  I can't tolerate the emotional pain anymore.

The last time I experienced depression was when my first month or 2 living in Canada and yet, here again.  The struggle is real.  My husband wants me to go out, then what? go to the mall by MYSELF and see families or group of friends hanging out? I'll end up envious of them.

I know no one can help me, but myself.  I know I'll be fine.  I'll be alright.  They'll be here. SOON. and I will say I HAVE MY FAMILY and I am NOT ALONE.

Sponsoring spouse and dependent child to Canada

When I was still preparing the application for my husband and daughter, I tried looking for blogs about how the application goes for Family visa to Canada.  Seems like there's none and decided to create one to help the spouses of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada to unite with their loved ones.  :)

There are two process in applying for a family visa application. First, they will determine if your sponsor meets the eligibility to be a sponsor.  Second, principal applicant's background check which takes place in the visa office where the applicant resides.

Before we proceed in discussing the requirements and process, let me share who can be sponsored under the family class:

-Spouse of Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
-Dependent child of sponsor and/or of the principal applicant
-Common law partner

To apply for this type of visa, the completed application must be submitted once at Case Processing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.

Questions I asked myself before I applied for my family:

-Can I sponsor my spouse or family even if I'm working part time/temporary/casual?
Yes.  The sponsor for family visa application doesn't require to meet the low income cut-off provided by CIC.  Yet, the sponsor needs to prove that he has a job to support the needs of his spouse or family.  If the dependent child has dependent child of his own, that's the time the sponsor is required to meet the low income cut-off.

-Can I sponsor my spouse or family even if I just arrived in Canada last year?
Yes.  There's nothing in their website that restricts the sponsor to apply for family visa even if the sponsor arrived in Canada in less than a year.

-Can my family do the upfront medical?
Yes.  Applicants under the family visa category can do the upfront medical and submit the receipt together with the application as a proof that the applicants are already done the medical exam.

-Can I still apply as sponsor even if I don't have the Notice of Assessment or Option C print-out?
Yes.  Make sure that you provide an employment certificate, pay stubs and a letter of explanation why you cannot provide the mentioned requirements.

The answers above are based on my personal experience.  I applied for my family while I'm on a temporary job, arrived in December 2015 and No Option C print-out, yet I got approved as Sponsor. :)

I only followed the checklist available in the CIC's website and did a lot of reading before I decided to sponsor them.  We all know how hard it is for us to be away from our family.  Applying for a family visa takes a lot of time, money and effort.  I would just suggest to be careful in filling-out the application forms, do not staple your documents and separate the documents of sponsor and PR applicant/s.

Once you submitted your application, the first email you'll receive from CIC is the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR1), then the Sponsor's Approval (SA).  In my case, I haven't received my SA yet, but I tried calling CIC and they confirmed that I got approved.  2 days after calling them, my husband received his AOR 2 emailed by the Canadian embassy-Manila.  From there, you will know if you still have additional documents that need to submit.  After the AOR2 and no additional documents required, you only have to wait for the Passport request from the embassy for visa stamping.  :)

Spring in Winnipeg

When you think winter is over, uh oh! Not for Winterpeg!  Winnipegers loved the weather in the past week because we were having +6 and snow melted.  When roads are almost totally dry, I think the snow missed Winnipeg and started to fall last Tuesday, just in time I was about to go home from work!  Good timing, eh?  I wasn't prepared then, and when I got off from the bus and walked towards home, my coat and shoes were covered by snow.

Who am I to complain?  I am in Winnipeg and it's not impossible to happen!  The next day, I was planning to just wear rubber shoes and to my surprise, the surroundings were all white!

I guess I should name it "White Holy Week" ?

Life of a new immigrant in Winnipeg

It's been a while folks!  I've been in Winterpeg for nearly 2 months and still adjusting to the weather, culture and simple life that this City has.  I arrived in first week of December and since then, I've been looking for work. It's true that opportunities here are endless, it's just up to you if you are comfortable working in a different field.

Life hasn't been easy since I arrived, especially if you migrated alone. The first night was terrible.  Sleeping without my husband and my baby was a torture.  I even experienced chilling outside until I arrived in my destination because I didn't check the weather (stupid) and just wearing a leather jacket plus a not waterproof boots.  But guess what, I'm still here, embracing what Winterpeg has to offer.

It is important to gain friends in a new environment, aside from building your network, you can have someone to run to if you need to have your resumes printed, go together and job hunt or simply catch up. I have a small circle of friends I met during the Entry Program and Employment Workshop hosted by Manitoba Start and still keeping in touch with them through Facebook.  Cool, right?

I would advice aspiring immigrants of Winnipeg, Manitoba to attend the MB Start.  They will help you create your targeted resume, how to be employable and gain confidence during interview.  You can also use your Career Coach as your Reference in Canada when you apply for a job.  

Job hunting isn't easy.  I'm telling the truth not to disappoint you but to open your eyes to reality.  I got my first job in a call center, attended a 1 week training (too much information that has to be taken up I guess for more than a month) and went to work for just a day.  Yes, you read it right, just a day.  Why? Because, I've realized that I'm not right fit for the job.  Yes, you'll just answer calls for 8 hours and stuck up yourself in front of the computer and give information and process your callers' request. But that's not me.  I used to work interacting personally with people.  I give up the job and look for another one.  I had 3 interviews this week, and luckily got a job that I wanted.  It may not be full time, but I know that I'll enjoy it.  While the other company invited me to 2nd interview in a different area and that will be on Monday.  

Like any others, I felt depression, I can even feel it until now.  There are times that I lock myself in the washroom and cry. I lie down, gather my thoughts then cry.  I always tell my husband that I'll just wait for my PR card and I'll go home.  However, I've realized, when I go back to the Philippines, I will also look for a job, we will look for an apartment, bring up our daughter to school and many more.  The same way that we will eventually do when they arrive here, so better yet build a career in a first world country where medical assistance and school for our kid are free.  Not to mention, there's also an allowance for our baby monthly.  Isn't it a good deal?

Now that I can write about my thoughts, I know I have gained now myself back.  Well, I'm inspired of the call I received this morning that I got the job. :)  So for newcomers, we've all been through that, just remember that Winnipeg is a place to be!  

Peycie's pre-birthday shoot

I still can't believe that I'll be having a toddler in less than a month! Photo s*cker I am, I won't let her birthday passed without having a photoshoot.  Remember my last post about the Baby Shower Studio?  Well, this time we didn't avail their service, not that we don't like their work, but because we are in a budget especially that I am now a stay-at-home mom for 4 months already.  I don't want my husband to shoulder the burden of my kaartehan.

Anyway, let me first show you my DIYs used in her photoshoot.  I never thought that I have a hidden creativity in my voluptuous body until I created these:

Paper pompoms and picket fence :)

I made the pompoms using crepe paper and with the help of YouTube, while the improvised picket fence was made of illustration board.  Over all, I was really happy seeing the result.

Let me share with you some of Peycie's shots last Saturday and how we used those props.

My little fairy

You might be wondering where are the pompoms, well we used them on the later part of the shoot.  I'm having trouble uploading it, so please forgive me for that.

It was a tiring yet a fun-filled afternoon!  I can't get over with the cuteness of my daughter, just like they say "love your own". :D

CFO Seminar

Who says I'm not busy the past few months? Yeah I know!  I only have 58 remaining days before I fly to Canada.  

In my previous post, I shared with you how I processed my nomination up to my immigrant visa application.  Here in the Philippines, before you leave the country as first time immigrant, it is mandatory to attend the Pre-departure Seminar (PDOS) provided by The Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO).

Once you got your visa and have a tentative date of departure, schedule your PDOS appointment.  Simply follow the steps below:

1.  Go to CFO website www.cfo.gov.ph

2.  Click the R&R PDOS on the lower left side and you'll be directed to this site: https://cfo.ph/PDOS_Reservation/

3.  Confirm/Verify your email

4.  Fill-out the registration form - Make sure that you have with you the necessary documents needed in registration

5.  Choose your preferred schedule of seminar

6.  Check your data in the registration form 

7.  Submit online your registration form

8.  Print your barcoded confirmation form

Don't get confused on the barcoded confirmation form and online registration slip.  You can go without the online registration slip (this slip gave me headache looking for one) as long as you have the barcoded confirmation form, you can attend the seminar.

Procedure at the CFO office:

1.  Show your barcoded confirmation form to the reception

2.  The reception will give you a number and a color-coded ID, in my case, it was color green

3.  Wait for your number and window where you'll proceed to flash in the monitor

4.  Present your barcoded confirmation form, passport, CoPR copy (The staff will ask you what is your expected job in Canada)

5.  Pay P400 at the cashier 

6.  Proceed to the orientation room (2nd floor for Canada)

7.  After the seminar, the facilitator will return your passport with the CFO stamp and a booklet about Canada :)

It's only a 2-hour very informative seminar.  

Camp Netanya The Little Santorini of Batangas

We booked our stay at this resort last May for Aug 8-9, 2015.  Making a reservation wasn't easy as they only have 2 contact numbers, no Facebook and no email.  Luckily that we were able to talk to somebody who confirmed our booking.

Despite of the bad reviews of the other guests, we gave it a try.

It took us 5 hours to get to Camp Netanya coming from Bulacan, including our stop overs.  Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and we arrived just in time.  Thanks to our Waze app!

The resort's structure is Santorini inspired and the view was spectacular, I must say.

Breathtaking view

The resort consists of 10 rooms and they don't accept walk-ins.  The infinity pool is from 2 to 15 feet.  They don't have a restaurant but you can ask them to cook for you, however they have 1 common air-conditioned room with 2 sets of dining table.  The resort isn't strict like the others.  

My little girl enjoying the pool

Common air-conditioned room

Room 

-Rate:  P5,000 for 2 pax but can accommodate up to 8 pax

-P1,000/excess person

-No television

-No refrigerator

-No telephone

Comfort Room

-They don't have hot/cold shower :(

Food

-Pay P300, and the chef will cook your lunch and dinner (you're the one to provide the rekados, of course :D) 

This resort is not senior-citizen-friendly because stairs are everywhere!  However, every corner is perfect for picture-taking!  

View from our room :)

Sad to say that Camp Netanya is temporarily closed starting August 10.  The resort is for sale and will probably resume their operations next year.  They will also renovate and add some amenities so expect a higher rate in 2016.

Review on Baby Can Read

I remember when my niece was less than a year old, my cousin and aunts used to play classical music because as they say, it helps the baby's brain to develop.  There's no harm in trying, however I wasn't able to do this to my daughter.  Instead, I looked for learning materials to be used for my little one that we will both enjoy using.

I stumbled on Mommy Kat's blog ( Hi Mommy Kat! :D ) and found her Baby Can Read post.  Like her, I read first the reviews before purchasing and true enough that there are a lot of people who are against on this product.  Lazy to look for another learning materials, and I still believed that this program is effective with the help of parents or anyone who is willing to study with the baby.

Bought from @ohbabyph (IG account)

Fast forward to using the materials, I must say that this program is really effective.  In 2 weeks straight that she watched the starter video, she already recognizes the words Hi, arms up, cats, dog, mouth, eyes, gorilla, elephant, nose and other words included in the video!  By the way, she was only 7 months and 3 weeks when she got the perfect score! No there's no scoring on this one, what I mean is, she picked all the correct words.  Sad part is, I can't upload her video due to my slow internet connection.

Though this is kinda expensive, I considered buying the Baby Can Read as an investment.  I even asked my hubby that when I'm already in Canada, to please continue teaching Peycie using these learning materials whenever he has free time because I can see her interest in studying.

Japan Visa Application

As mentioned in my previous posts, I worked in a travel agency and it gave me an opportunity to handle different types of visa application.  When I was transferred to our Documentation Department, the country that I first handled was Japan that's why I am kind of familiar with the requirements in applying for Japan visa.

In 2007, Japan Embassy only receives visa application from their accredited agencies and our company is one of them.  Come 2009, the Japan embassy retains only those agencies who have Japanese employees and sadly, we are not included.  Just to give you an idea, here are the requirements in applying for a Japan tourist visa (without guarantor):

-Filled-out application form
         Don't leave any blank.  If you do not have a hotel booking yet, just search online for a name, address and telephone number of a hotel in the city you'll visit.  If you'll visit multiple cities, it's okay to just put one hotel details.

-Original passport
       Passport must be 6 months valid. Include your old passport if you have previous used Japan visa

-2 pcs. 2x2 photo, white background
       The Japan embassy is not as strict as U.S. Embassy that you must have a neutral facial expression and wearing collared shirt.  The photos I submitted were taken in 2013, just wearing a shirt and with all my upper teeth shown. LOL

-Birth Certificate/Marriage Contract from NSO
        These must be issued within a year, which means, if you availed your NSO birth certificate in September 15, 2014, you can still use this in applying for a visa until September 8, 2015.  Yes, it is advisable to put at least a one week allowance before it expires.  To give you an idea on how to check when your NSO birth certificate was issued, check the bottom left of your NSO copy and look on the last 11 digits below the barcode.  Format is mmddyy.  This also applies for Marriage Contract.  Only married women are required to submit.

*If your birth is late registered, additional requirements are: Baptismal Certificate and Form-137

*If the applicant has been to Japan and his old passport with used Japan visa issued in the Philippines is in his possession, he is exempted from submitting the birth certificate and marriage contract.  He only needs to submit the old passport.

-Bank Certificate
         There is no specific amount the embassy requires in submitting a bank certificate. What we usually advise, an applicant must have at least 100k in his account.  Japan is really expensive!

-Certificate of Employment
          This should be issued within the last 3 months prior your application

-Photocopy of ITR

-Day-to-Day itinerary
       If your agency is as generous enough as our company, they'll provide this for you.  But if not, there is Mr. Google to help you. :)

The visa fee for tourist is GRATIS, which means you will only pay the service fee of the agency.  This varies, there is an agency who will only charge you P800, while others range from P1,000-P2,000.  Processing takes 5 working days, but in my case, it only took 3 days.  Day 1-submitted to the accredited agency, Day 2- They forwarded it to the embassy, Day 3- released from the embassy.

The accredited agencies will tell you that the visa processing takes 7 working days but you may follow-up on the 3rd or 4th day.  If it is not released by then, there might be verifications with your documents.

Japan is one of the countries that is easy to apply for a visa, especially now that they're inviting tourists. :)

Growth Hormones

Do you still remember your mom saying "matulog ka ng tanghali, sige ka hindi ka la laki!" ?  Well, my mom used to tell this to us whenever we choose playing over sleeping.  It's just last week that I learned that it's true!  It was my sister-in-law (Peycie 's pedia) who proves that my mom is not telling a lie.

Photo courtesy of Google

We discussed about this because Peycie did not get taller from her last check-up.  However, my SIL made me not to worry since the rate of the babies' length is slower than their weight.  The advice we received from her is let our baby sleeps during SIESTA time as this is when the growth hormones release more.

This is kinda challenging for me because this is her favourite time of the day to play.  But lately, I practice her sleeping after lunch which makes her sleep for an hour.  This is quite short, but I know she will adapt this in time. :)

Anti-Mosquito Patches

Yesterday, my MIL and I went to Clark to buy some stuff.  While checking on the items in the baby's  section, there was this one thing that caught my attention and that was the Anti-Mosquito Patches.  Out of curiosity, I bought it.  It consists of 12 patches and comes with 4 pieces free. :)  What is with this insect repellent that makes it effective?  It is the citronella scent that makes the mosquitoes and insects away!

In the instructions, you'll simply put it on your baby's clothes but not directly on skin.  I tried sticking it first outside her crib and if we're out of the house, I'll put it at the back of her clothes or anywhere she can't reach to avoid her putting it in her mouth.

These cute patches which have different designs to choose from only costs P85 which is roughly less than P10 each. :)

P.S. Don't forget to wash your hands after touching it. :)

Headbands!!!!

The moment I knew that we are having a baby girl, I started looking for headbands online. I find those cutie patooties wearing big bows adorable and I want my little one to wear those headbands as well.  Whenever I am in the mall, I never missed the accessories area.  I don't go home without at least 1 piece for her. 

It's some kind of my habit already buying headbands. ☺  Just this morning, my mom reminded me to control myself from buying these things and prepare for Peycie's future.  Yeah right, I got your point mom! But hey, I can't resist buying it for her! Ha ha

Peycie's growing collection ☺

 
Well, last week might be my last purchase.  Since I'm a Stay-At-Home-Mom starting tomorrow (loveeeet!), I'm planning to personally make headbands for her.  Who knows, I might fall in love making headbands and I guess, it won't be bad to make money out of it, right? ☺

Planning our Japan trip

Every year I see to it that I go to place/s that I haven't been to, locally or internationally.  This time, I decided to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. :) Initially, I will be traveling with my officemates but since I'll be away from my husband for 2 years (or more), I asked him if we could travel together or spend Peycie 's first birthday in Japan.  He agreed, however he doesn't want to bring our little girl with us since she can't appreciate it yet.

I haven't booked anything, and so as my ticket to Canada :p I'm still waiting for the Travel Madness this coming July 3-5. ☺  Meanwhile, I am busy preparing for our itinerary.  Mr. C and I want to visit Hokkaido or Kyoto, but still weighing the expenses for the both cities. 

Hokkaido is known for its scenic views and we are targeting the photo below.  Personally, I really want to take pictures with these flowers.  Feels like I'm in Holland!

Photo courtesy of Google

Hubby and I also want to experience the traditional life of a Japanese.  This is the main reason why we want to visit Kyoto.  Who doesn't want to live at least for a day in Ryokan, try their Onsen and walk along the city seeing Geisha? :)  Hopefully by end of this month we're already decided which city to visit and share with you our experience. ☺