Wahoo, today I mustered all my courage and finally had my DMV driving test schedule by online appointment. My behind-the-wheel driving test will be on July 1 at DMV, Tracy. It’s a bit far from where I live, it’s about 45 minutes according to my cousin but then I opted for that DMV because that’s the only one where I can still find an available slot.
Anyway, I do feel scared but I have got to give it a try before my permit expires this July 19. I hope I pass this one too.
That is the hard part of being in the USA. One should learn how to drive or else they have to take the bus, or have somebody drive them around where they want to go and it’s hard because sometimes people will not always be available to help you. Sure you can take the bus or take a taxi but it really is different if you know how to drive. It is kinda liberating daw sabi ng ibang kababayan natin dito if you know how to drive yourself to wherever you want to go. Parang you feel confident in a way that whatever they can do , you can also do it.
So if the 15 year olds and the 70 year olds can do it, so can I! Go, go , go!!!
Some say that the Swine Flu should be called “Mexican Flu” because it originated from Mexico but that would be offensive to Mexicans, wouldn’t it? Some say that it shouldn’t be called Swine Flu since it did not come from pigs and that it is hurting the pork industry. But hey whatever is the name, this flu is kinda scary if you catch it because one toddler in Texas had already died of it.
We had a company meeting again because of this flu. The boss says that we don’t have to go to work if we think we have the flu or if we suspect that we have the flu to keep everyone safe. The company distributed anti-bacterial hand gels and advised us that we should wash hands frequently. And we should cover our nose and mouth when we cough or sneeze and use tissues or hankies when we do so.
My cousin who’s a nurse at one of the big hospitals in our area said that the emergency room has been having lots of patients these week because people are really afraid that they might have caught the flu so they go to the emergency right away for every little symptom.
I just hope that this virus can be contained to prevent it from spreading more. We already have a lot of problems and we don’t need any more to add to our burden.
Nakakaawa naman ang ibang Pinoy dito sa Amerika.
One time, habang naka- “park” ang sasakyan namin sa harap ng isang bangko, nakakita ako ng naglalakad na Pilipino, matanda na siya, marahil 70 years old at may dala dalang itim na trash bag. Medyo alam ko na kagad kung saan sya papunta. Dun sa malapit na trash can, dun sya pumunta para magkalkal. Medyo pino naman yung kilos nya, na parang nandidiri din sya magkalkal dun at may gamit din syang stick para gamitin sa pagkuha ng mga kung anong mapagkakakitaan nya don sa basurahan.
Ang mga soda cans, plastic bottles dito ay nabebenta sa mga recycling centers kaya ang mga homeless at ibang mga Mexicano ay yon din ang pinagkakitaan tulad ng matandang nakita ko. Alam kong may pera sa basura ika nga, pero kung matanda na ang makikita mong gumagawa nito, di ba nakakaawa?
Pero wala tayong magagawa, siguro dala ng pangangailangan kaya kinailangan nyang gawin yon. Tanong ko lang sa sarili ko habang palayo kami , ” Alam kaya ng mga kamag-anak nya na ganon ang ginagawa nya para lang maipadala sa kanila ang perang pinagpaguran? Alam kaya nila na kahit papano, nakakakapanliit na trabaho yon pero ginagawa ng iba para lang sa konting kikitain? ”
Sa mga kababayan kong nasa Pilipinas, sana kung may mga kamag-anak kayo dito na hindi naman kagandahan ang mga trabaho, sana lang, wag naman nyo sila abusuhin na mang hingi kayo ng manghingi ng pera kasi minsan napipilitan silang gawin ang mga ganyang trabaho para lang maipadala sa inyo.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
When I was young and I had to walk four times just to go to school and back, I thought I was already a pitiful waif, but watching this video made me realize I don’t have the right to even complain, I was fortunate compared to these kids because I didn’t have to swim from school, I only had to walk, in a safe and dry land.
Yes, the Philippines is a poor country but see how our people still strive to get an education inspite of all the hardships.
Tags: Emo
Six more people got laid off at work today. One each from the Engineering, Engineering Technicians, Assembly, Sales, Solder and Quality Assurance departments. It was another sad day. They were informed in the morning after the 9:15 break. Everybody was stunned since we didn’t expect it. We didn’t hear any rumors about the impending layoff today so I most especially got so shocked from the news. No wonder one of our sales people went home early, I was curious why I saw her with her bag on her way out. I waved goodbye to her but I really didn’t know she left because she got laid off. One of the engineering technicians, whose father is gravely ill, came by and I just said “Hi” but I didn’t know he was laid off. Only when I overheard two Pinoys talking ” Who else is gonna be laid off? ” did I got wind of things.
Two of these six people who got laid off are close to me. Ms. Lily, the Mexican lady and Ate Minda, whose husband has cancer. I can’t help really but cry when I hugged them goodbye because it just hurts me too. I am used to seeing them everyday and suddenly I won’t be seeing them anymore at work. Working at this company has been very pleasant because of them. They are truly nice co-workers and not the kind who give you a hard time. I will surely miss these guys. My heart just bleeds for them and I cried when bade them goodbye. (I am a big crier and sometimes I feel embarrassed about crying so much but I do everytime I feel so sad.)
I just hope that they will be re-hired again if business picks up.
My other post about the sales tax brought to mind something that happened when I just got here in the US.
I came to the US on May 2005, and being new here, my husband took me to a mall, to Macy’s, and at the ladies wear section he told me to go pick something for myself. I actually didn’t like the style of those clothes or blouses but since my husband kept egging me, I gave in and picked one up.
At the cashier, I was perplexed why I was seeing a different amount on the cash register from what was on the price tag so I whispered to my husband, ” why is she ringing us a different price? I think there is a mistake. ” and my husband told me ” oh, it’s the sales tax”. The cashier was a Filipina too and because we weren’t foreigners I guess, asked a bit rudely, ” bakit san ba kayo galing? (Why, where did you guys come from?) ” My husband explained that I have just arrived from the Philippines so I didn’t know these things yet.
I couldn’t believe it then that here in America they have this so called sales tax. In the Philippines, sales taxes are included in the actual price of anything that you want to buy, so what you see is what you pay for, right, kababayans?
Anyway, that was my first US experience with the sales tax, and an unfriendly Pinay. 
Tags: Uncategorized
