Philippines Vacation and Long Term Stay

by: Mrs. Aileen B. Soriano Plans for  1 - 2  November 2014: 1. Specify the date of the house where you will have the family reunion. 2. File a leave ahead of time, 29th October  is the best time to travel to the provinces or early morning 30 October, otherwise be prepared to be traveling in severe traffic. 3. File a leave for 1-2 November 2014. 4. 1 November 2014 is all Saints Day, we ask the help of the Saints to pass this pilgrimage to life safely. 5. Prayers and Holy Mass are offered for family, friends and relatives who died ahead of us. 6. A movie about a life of the Saint, like St. Francis or St. Josemaria Escriva, or St. Francis Xavier, or St. Ignatius, St. Pope John Paul II. 7. Celebration ...Celebration... 1 November...good food and good cheer. Asking the help of the Communion of the Saints to pass from this long pilgrimmage safely, with the protection of the Guardian Angel and St. Michael ...himself. 8.   2nd of November...families are usually in a sober mood, as all prayers

by: Mrs. Aileen B. Soriano When visiting the Philippines starting November till February, here are some tips on what clothes to bring: Formal Attire: The safest to wear a formal attire in my country is when the occasion or the invitation calls for a formal outfit. If it is not written in the invitation, you may ask your host. 1. Bring at least one or two formal attire for a special family occassion. 2. Philippines formal attire are typically Barong Tagalog for the gentlemen. The Barong Tagalog is made of "jusi" and available in different colors. The Barong Tagalog fits any nationality. Wearing an "Americana" is acceptable ... but honestly it can be uncomfortable especially if the air conditioning fails... it happened that a German gentleman fainted because he was wearing an Americana and there were many people who attended the occasion; and the airconditioning failed... that is why I always advised a Barong Tagalog for formal occasions, whether it be wedding or what

by: Mrs. Aileen B. Soriano Here are sure fire tips on how to buy fresh fish in the Philippines: 1. Look in the sky. Make sure the moon is hiding. Check your Chinese calendar. Avoid buying fish after a full moon, you will surely end up paying an expensive per kilo fish. 2. When the moon is hiding, buy your fish supply the next day. 3. You can buy super fresh fish and cheaper compared to other days... Typically to avoid the frozen taste, fish are kept maximum of 2 days. If you cannot avoid it, do your best to cook fish recipes that will include a great combination of spices.

by: Aileen Soriano After a trip from different time zones, the body gets confused... Here are tips which helped me get over my jet lag: 1. Upon arriving, best to take a short rest of 1 hour and 30 minutes. 2. Unpack. 3. Take the usual supper or lunch of your house. 4. Take a week's off if possible. If not, do your best to come in your home country or "work country" during weekends, this will give you time to make adjustments. 5. If you will be flying in a time zone and will stay only for a few days, do you best to work around a schedule where you sleep the same time of your home country.  6. If you stay in a country like Iceland which is very different from the Philippines. A weeks off is necessary. 7. Make sure you have lots of vitamins and minerals when going in for a vacation in the Philippines. Take advantage of our fresh buko juice...and if you can take it... 2 T of virgin coconut oil will help your stay in my country. I am writing this for those balikbayans who will