Showing posts with label blogger expats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogger expats. Show all posts

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Whole Chicken Shortage in kuwait, what's the Fuzz?

 

Photo Credit:https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/chickenrun/

I find it really strange and shocking to see a very less options of whole chicken in the groceries, it's been weeks of struggling to find the usual brand we are buying like SADIA, I am in disbelief  that, this time I really feel the impact,  frozen whole chicken is at the edge of shortage and on high price, I mean, what else we have to eat for a non-vegetarian average expat families in Kuwait, it's got to be chicken or fish, we are not more on beef and lamb,  so its like CHICKEN is our best option.  well, I guess I have to slowly introduce more veggies in our daily in-take, Inshallah! 

But this  sudden decrease in the supply affects not just the CHICKEN but the entire food industries, if you notice, Veggies started to increase its prices, even on seafoods and so on 

yet Salary still the same!!! what a mess!!! 😂😂😂😂

Monday, June 13, 2022

TRAP in the CORPORATE WORLD

Photo Credit: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/1meq2


Before I start let me ask you these questions:

1.) How many year you've been working in your current company?

2.)  Are you happy where you are right now??

3.) Is the work you're currently in,  provide you all the learnings and support to grow and take higher position?

4.) Would you stay on the same company in the next 5 years??

5.)  Do you feel confident/happy/excited going to work everyday??

The above are common questions facilitating your current working status, the more honest you are the more you will have a clear vision as to where you are right now, 

Ever thought of QUITING, STOP and JUST LIVE?? it's hard right???  

Living in this world has molded us to work for better life (in general)  till we finally say, it's ENOUGH and READY to REST, but even at our hardest days and pain we keep going, why?? because we are designed to be that way, to live, to provide, to survive, to live up to the lifestyle, to earn better and get more money, its a promise, a corporate world can give and provide in exchange for our time, blood and intellect.

We are a big part of this corporate simulation, a big grinding world that has the ability to take all our energy and soul we voluntarily gave, it is our sweat that keeps this world alive yet such world can easily paralyze us if we have nothing more to offer, THEY can trash people easily regardless of their loyalty, they give you heaven when you still have the ability to make it, and CRUEL when you have nothing more to give.  that's how corporate world works.  its a world where anyone can be slave and powerful at many levels.

While most of us are blinded in the four walls of the corporate matrix, there are few who already awakened, these are people who already understand how the matrix works and open their eyes in the world navigated by the powerful entities, they are able to work beyond the matrix and stay in the matrix whenever they want, THEY control their LIVES and use the MATRIX and not being controlled.

the GOOD news is!! Everyone is capable to be awakened!! just FOCUS on yourself!! look at yourself as the full resources you need to make things possible.

KNOW your worth and value yourself more than anything else, FEAR is an illusion, never ever!! underestimate the GIFT that GOD has given us WE ARE PERFECT the way WE are CREATED, GO explore Possibilities, LIVE LIFE to the FULLEST, do not be slave to work thinking that things will change someday when you can do better on SOMETHING,  I know, it easy to read but hard to do, so I leave you with this:

"YOU CAN CHANGE your SITUATION by CHANGING your MINDSET",  ask yourself everyday :  is the current work  would take me into a better version of myself and life in a long run??  

Sunday, June 12, 2022

SECRET to Filipinos Shiny Manageable hair


Photo Credit: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/shoppingandfashion/782024/heart-evangelista-swears-by-this-next-big-thing-in-hair-care/story/



Ok, Let's get this straight!!

One of many qualities or shall I say, Physical features of a filipino that really stands-out from other nationality is the HAIR, SKIN COLOR and NOSE (😂😂😂), a typical filipina can be described as medium height, "brownish" Skin (morena), long black hair and cute/big nose--  but more emphasis on the HAIR and Skin, !! Period!!!

I remember walking in the parking lot moths ago, a group of ARABIC ladies suddenly stopped me from getting myself inside my car,  I was so scared, like I can feel my heart pumping so hard going up to my throat, I thought they going to hurt me, but opposite happens, they were friendly and  they just ask where did I bought my WIG (😂😂😂) to my surprise, I burst out laughing telling them that my hair is not a wig its natural but colored ( Mahoghany color at that time) , I even dare them to pull my hair  if they are not convince that it is indeed natural.  but anyway to cut the story short,  one of the ladies is getting married in a week time and her hair was falling, super wavy, and thin ( you can almost see the scalp), she was looking for instant solution like wig or something, she was desperate to find the perfect wig like a filipina hair long thick and shiny.

Most Filipinos are naturally gifted with thick, shiny, straight hair,   if you happen to see some filipino with damage and thin hair, perhaps this is partly that they overdo any treatments or has to do with the environment like in kuwait the water seems to be very hard that taking a bath everyday will eventually damage the hair.  I once joked with my officemates that the reason FILIPINOS have a nice hair because we ate a lot of fish and banana, a week after " BANANA and Tuna" has become  a super trend in the office packed lunch, and it is where I fully convinced myself  that HAIR may not be that important part of the body (we can live without our hair) but it is indeed a crowning glory for everyone to feel beautiful and confident.

HONESTLY, There is no secret to FILIPINOS black shiny hair, it's purely GENETICS, but I can tell you few practices and rituals on how  to maintain/ take care of our precious hair, and even how to cheat to get that super shiny flawless hair,  interested??? here we go...

1.)  SHOWER everyday  ( at least once)

One of the essential step to great hair is to keep your Scalp and hair clean.

In my 15 years living in kuwait, working in a diverse multi-cultural environment SHOWER is not a common practice here, ( I don't judge) but in many occasions, I get to observe women with pretty faces but fails to see the importance of taking a bath (in general) everyday, so if you want to get that beautiful healthy hair, starts by REMINDING yourself that washing your hair everyday keeps the dandruff and odor away. 


2.) FIND the right Products for your HAIR

We often observed that when we use harsh shampoo on our hair, we tends to get dandruff or falling hair, it's always best get to know your hair type, (Oily, Normal, Colored, Wavy, so on...) these things matter,  I for one, tried many shampoos from the past, my biggest mistake is using products which are recommended by others, I mean, there's nothing wrong taking recommendations from others or specially endorsed by famous people, remember, NOT all that are suitable to them is automatically suitable to you, always check the ingredients, test if needed then maintain if you find the right one!

3.) SHAMPOO and CONDITIONER -They are BEST of FRIEND!!

These two should go hand and hand,  Get the right SHAMPOO and partner it with the perfect condition,  always have that handy conditioner after every shampoo this is to keep your hair super smooth specially if you are aiming for straight smooth hair. CONDITIONER on the hair and not on the scalp.

oh.. CREAMSILK conditioner is like DUH!! Filipino ultimate brand !! try it!! 😁😎

4.)  Let your HAIR breathe

YES!! let your hair breathe,  avoid anything that caused suffocation, I understand that most women here are wearing hijab,  let your hair dry before putting hijab, maintain clean and healthy scalp above all things , avoid putting oil or cream when wearing hijab, this is to let your hair breath, if one is not wearing hijab, let it flow for sometime, use hair friendly hair tie, stay away from rubber bands, do not tie your tight and hard to the extreme.

5.)  HAVE a TREATMENT at least once a week

Hair Treatment, does not always mean going to the salon, sometimes, the best treatment is just at the comfort of your home mixing all natural ingredients, here are few example how to pamper your hair at home:

        a.) Coconut Oil - a common extra virgin coconut oil available in a department store will do,  do this during you off day, massage a handful of coconut oil into your hair, covering root to tip, and leave it for like an hour or two then rinse ( do not forget to use hair conditioner for extra smooth)

        b.) Argan Oil --- same process as per the coconut oil, Argan oil is good for colored treated hair, preventing damage and falling

        c.) Natural Aloe Vera --  Promotes Hair Growth with Moisturizing effect, it has anti-fugal properties preventing fungus on the scalp, reducing/preventing dandruff and anything alike

        d.) Olive oil as Hot oil treatment, do not use excessively just enough to treat your hair, rinse and do not forget to conditioner

These are just few of many natural ingredients to pamper your hair naturally, if you feel that you do not incline in all natural, you can always buy a hot oil treatment products available in the market, the important is, take time to pamper your hair at least once a week and always use the right products suitable to your hair type


6.)  Eat the Right Food and Stay Hydrated

Eat food that are high protein, biotin ( for hair growth), Vitamin A and foods that contain Omega 3, you scalp is like skin,  drinking water can keep your scalp hydrated and healthy preventing problems like dandruff, itchiness and so on.  prevention is better than cure, any problem in our scalp can lead to hair problem overall thinning or hair loss


7.) Find the right professional to do your hair

I always believed that, not all are given the right hands/skills to handle hair,  I tried so many salons even on the length of Home service and I feel that, there is always that person who are naturally gifted or in plants (GREEN THUMB) when it comes to hair, in our Filipino tradition there is what we called "heavy hands" these are people working in the salon that has very negative impact on hair's energy, when this type of person works on your hair as to whether  a simple cut or treatment, it may look good at the beginning but "the after effects", your hair feels completely stress unmanageable, in my case, I feel like my hair is growing too slow, dry, dying and losing its energy to grow.

Always go to the SALON where the reviews are good and are highly recommended by people who actually tried the service,  Well, I cannot convince you to be as  superstitious as I am but trust me, find the right person to handle your hair.

Also, you can cheat your way to super shiny, straight hair thru salon's appropriate hair treatments, my TAKE is to, Thoroughly check and find the right salon, go ONLY to the PROFESSIONALS/EXPERTS to handle your hair specially when you do it the first time.

8.)   Keep it Simple and Maintain an Easy Routine

If you cannot keep up with the routine, find ways to make  it simple,  Taking care of your hair should be simple and budget friendly,  taking a shower everyday with right products, maintain a simple hair routine like combing it right before sleeping (not excessively),  

These are simple things that can be part of our daily routine without exerting too much effort. make it a habit to keep your hair clean and healthy THAT's all... 

Thursday, June 9, 2022

NETFLIX not Banned in Kuwait



photo credit:https://digiaide.com/netflix-marketing-mix/



NO BAN after all!!

The court dismissed the lawsuit banning netflix in the country!  ok... next....

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

KDRAMAS on NETFLIX: My Recommendation

It's funny!! few days ago I visited mom for lunch and found her multi-tasking:  Watching KDRAMA while ironing the clothes, even at the distant before pressing the doorbell I can hear that sweet tone (Korean language) coming from her TV, although I don't understand the language but the tone itself is something I am indeed familiar!!  in my mind, oh no!! I guess,  I just have to eat and go!! I won't be able to disturb mom once she started a Kdrama series.  

I don't know but in my experience there is something in Korean TV series/ movies that keeps you hook and slave to the comfort of your sit,  u'll become a vampire for like days wanting to finish all 16 or 20 episodes non-stop, I was addicted to all these TV series at some point,  I have to completely disown anything Korean at home to be free from the addiction (sort of self-Rehabilitation process 😂😂😂) 

So being free from that addiction, I want to share all my recommendations on the best and binge worthy Korean series available on NETFLiX, I guess, this is like my reward after all those dark yet emotionally great days addicted to Korean TV series, I have something to blog about ( 😉😉😁😁) and let others experience that temporary ecstasy.

One more thing, in KUWAIT we have some restrictions on certain kdramas, so not all kdramas accessible to other countries can be seen in kuwait, so this recommendation as per kuwait viewers mix old and new streams, and in no particular order, 

Here we go.......

Dr. ROmantic- Season 1 &2



Dr. Strange


It's ok not to be ok





Crash Landing on You

Flower Crew



I can go on and on, of course!! there are many more great kdramas to watch and look for, but I will leave you with these highly recommended ones, if you haven't watch any of these, go for it!!  Don't forget to prepare all snacks, pillow and blankets ( you'll need it!!) and of course, take some time off to take a bath and brush your teeth!!


Love lots,


Wisemummy




Natural Stones and Crystals: What's the Hype???





It overwhelms me to learn that young generations or even adults are now incline into crystals, according to an article posted on theGuardian.com, crystals industry years ago were not big deal that surprisingly  In 2017, the New York Times heralded “the great crystal boom” .

 New Age” beliefs and holistic approach in life has risen across the board,  Crystal industry has flourish not just doubled but in 100 folds, observe the increased of crystal post and hastags in popular social media platforms and more on-line businesses has jive into the popularity and demands. 

but is it worth all the hype and trend??? does anyone really have that magical experience on crystals??? 

In my previous blog, I've shared about my first ever published book, I'm still in a bliss thinking how my long time dream of having a book of my own has finally come true and it is thru crystals that I was able to manifest my dream.

This year has been a turning point for me,  not only I discovered more about myself but also see things differently, working with crystals and stones for long time had brought into some degree of understanding about the universe and who I truly am and  I never realized all these when I was young but over the years the more I focus on my studies and works on crystals I dig deeper  and had explored into a broader dimensions of life. I am indeed a crystal fanatic and a believer.

But going back to basic, social medias in all its popular platforms and famous people who are into crystals plays a vital role in the massive change on how crystals being projected in the eyes and mind of the people, somehow, it makes think, if everyone really is believing in the energy of crystals or simply just want to surf into the wave just for the hype without even knowing its essentials. 

so for those who wants to learn about crystals, do not hesitate to drop a comment or get in touch, i'll be happy to assist you, or  buy my book #ROCKWIZZE ultimate beginner's guide on crystal


Till NExt blog...



Love lots,


Wisemummy81



Sunday, June 5, 2022

I Published my FIRST BOOK!! #ROCKWIZZE

 


Well, apart from going back to  my blogging life, I recently published my first ever book on crystals, I can still remember motivating myself to write, I know deep within that writing is not my strength but I have that dream to publish something  under my name.

Years after, I finally manifested that dream. it's feels truly AMAZING!!!  Though, still newbie in the world of publishing and honestly, I still have errors and grammar issues, I’m working on it and ensure that on my next book it’s worth every penny.

My book can be purchased thru AMAZON, link as per the below

ROCKWIZZE: CRYSTAL BOOKS FOR BEGINNERS

I know, I still have a long way to go , I will work harder than ever!!!

Thank you all for staying up with me and being part of my JOURNEY!!


Lovelots,

Wisemummy81

The VALUE of TIME and LIFE

They said: As you grow older, you realized, Learned and Experience many things in life,  I, for one, Life has molded me to become the strong woman I am, oh well, I don’t really consider myself as strong (not even half of oprah or michelle obama) but looking back from childhood days till now, I feel that all in all I made it thru a rough life, growing up struggling to find that missing pieces  inside, force myself to grow up faster than my age, I've abused both my physical and mental capacity to survive and accept the fact that, I have only myself to hold and lean on,  I need to stand alone and protect myself and my sister, I have exhausted every inch of  pain to create my world, my life and my experiences. 

At the age of 6, I already understand the value of hard-work, I sell metals/scraps  while studying,  and I continue to work during my college days as a service crew in different fast food chain it was a hard-life. 

My mom sacrifices herself to work abroad to provide us a better life, a decision that makes me and my sister became orphan in a distant,  I grew up, understanding that to live and be healthy is the most important things in life than to have a complete family. I numb myself from everything, working and studying day and night in pursuit to find success and happiness in time. HAPPINESS which I cannot even define

Now that, I’m at my 40’s my world started to slow down yet I still feel that I haven’t achieve anything, I’m still who I am, only, older with a better skills and a family to share my every experience in life, and you know what, the slower I’ve become, the more I see life clearly and yes!!!, body aches and cramps slowly exist in my system that I now appreciate REST and being lazy at times is ok and it feels really good.  

The point is, in my years of living I never had that moment to pause and balance life, I was constantly working and struggle to find that validation from others, forgetting that in every passing days it becomes a memory I can no longer rewind. 

My physical being starts to ache yet my mind still in perfect condition I continue to live forward in my boundless world yet limited time. I do not fear death, but it saddened me to think that, I will have to leave my kids when my time comes. 

To my READERS:  ALWAYS VALUE time and every chance we live and breathe, we become old and slow, even vague in many things, Keep moving  and continue to walk the journey of life, create BALANCE and know that GOD has given us all the opportunities to enjoy and live life to the fullest, take every chances to live life the way you want it to be,  CREATE a memory worth remembering as you grow old you have that in you to smile and cherish

Till Here and Don’t forget to say: I LOVE YOU and Appreciate LIFE EVERYDAY!!

 

 


Thursday, June 2, 2022

EXPAT ISSUE: WORKING WITH NARCISSIST

 


I feel really great to finally get my fingers busy typing this post, though, the topic is kinda hard  or somewhat annoying but the thoughts of blogging again excites me the most!!! So here we go!!

Been in kuwait for more than 15 years   or exactly 20  (this year).. oh wow!! Time flies so fast!!  Such great years of my stay in kuwait  large percentage of it are being invested  at work and gaining that experience and knowledge to land the position of where  I am right now, although, I still have  many things to accomplish but ey!!  It’s not easy to be here!!

Moving forward,  for the past 15 years of my career working  in a diverse industries getting along with different race and ethnicity ,  I am able to pursue goals, create my name,  work with ease  even on the hype of different levels of pressure and stress, I get used to the corporate game  well, I thought I did…..

I actually quit my job few months ago,  I never ever thought that a person like me who’s gifted with so much patience, talent and deep understanding of humanity  needs to back out to find myself over again,

My last company ( I don’t need to mention name) was the worst I’ve ever worked with, I mean, there’s no perfect company everyone always have something to complain about anything but at the end of the day ,we can all agree that working as an expat in Kuwait requires extensive planning before jumping from one company  to another as we need to secure our residency before anything else. But in my case,  I quit without plans as I need to pull myself from losing it and drowning, the work and the environment itself  is soooooo toxic at the highest level.

I was part of the pioneer team, we established the company from scratch something I worked my heart and best to it, eventually,  the company started to grow and nailed its name in the market, it was indeed a company so positive and active at the beginning we aspired to create a great team and culture within, however, a year after, share-holders decided to hire more people as we need help to fully establish the company as it continuous to cater greater possibilities,  upper management decided to hire someone without doing any background check a mere recommendation from someone close,  "the newly hired" we all thought can make a significant changes in the company turn out to be a monster in disguise, a full grown NARCISSIST. , its funny how I saw a lot of tiktok post about working with narcissist I actually shrug it off and thinking that, even at the slightest chance there's no way a person like that exist, but indeed, it was the most stressful and horrific moments of my career,

Working with such person is like working with the devil, he will provoke, lies, manipulate and confidently flaunt his name to anything even to the extent of grabbing the works of others, he blames and don’t take responsibilities of anything, worst is that, he’s bringing the company down due to his lack of experience and knowledge on the field yet he knows how to speak and turn things into his favour.

 I guess, we all fall to the trap, he was given one of the crucial position in the company and sitting close with the partners and months after given the position, everything turn into nightmare, we never expect to be working with a extreme narcissist, well, I am not in the position to diagnose one but to experience first-hand I can’t stop myself looking for facts, research to actually understand the person and narcissist personality/disorder fits him well. 

It’s hard to imagine that in years of working, I became a brutal victim of a NARCISSIST; it was dreadful, stressful, discriminating and toxic working in that company. it’s like,  every day I have to prepare for a battle which I know I cannot win,  I may be part of the management team but to stand alone against a narcissist is super tiring  and  they will exhaust all your energy to the point of losing yourself on the process.

At the beginning, I tried to slave to all the demands and procedures, but as an experienced and professional in the field, it’s easy for me to observe and take noticed if one really has the quality and the impact to take control of all aspect of the business. Sadly, I was the first line of attack simply because I’m Asian and I speak my mind, every NARCISSIST do not like someone who go against them or better than them, they will destroy whoever they feel is blocking their way, they don’t care if their actions create chaos or downfall of the company, they are selfish, self-centered and excessive liar.

But I am grateful that I no longer part of that company and had moved on, being expat especially in Kuwait, we feel helpless knowing that we hardly find support from any agencies to help us on the issues such as this, so my take and my advice to those who are on the same situation are the following:

1.)Stay Calm and Control yourself

Narcissist loves to provoke and bully, they have the tendency to bring out the worst version of you, stay in control of yourself, your emotions, be calm and stay professional (grace under pressure)

 

2.) Find someone to confide,  do not curb all your frustrations

Find someone you can trust and confide all your feelings to release all the tension, let it out, don’t hide it alone.

 

3.) Have a BALANCE in Life : as you go out of work leave everything behind, always create a space in between work and home

 

4.) Stay focus and keep a good trail of your work

One of many things that frustrate a NARCISSIST is knowing that someone better than them, and trails of evidence supporting against their lies and manipulations, keep everything in writing and in detailed

 

5.)  Find Support within the company

Find someone you can trust and confide,  Narcissist are great manipulator and they take control of everything and everyone, but there is always that one person whom you can confide everything and  will be able to connect with the right people to  help you with.

 

6.)  Prioritize your health more than anything else, Never let work destroy your health both mentally and Physically, Remember:  Company can trash and replace you in any moment you no longer relevant to them.

 

7.)  Find new opportunity, always have the PLAN B, you don’t need to settle yourself for less, know your worth and move forward with integrity



Thursday, November 21, 2019

F1 IN SCHOOLS™ WORLD FINALS WILL SEE TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD GATHER AT YAS MARINA CIRCUIT


5 top teams representing 30 nations will compete at du Forum and Yas Marina Circuit to win the World Champions Title

Global STEM-based event will be under ADNOC’s title sponsorship for the first time, following an agreement that reinforces its commitment to the Yas in Schools programme

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 21 November, 2019. The F1 in Schools™ World Finals will take place next week at Yas Marina Circuit and du Forum, Yas Island ahead of the five-day FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2019 race festival.


Starting on Sunday 24 November with the Opening Ceremony, the competition will see the top 55 teams from 30 nations go head to head for supremacy over four days of intense challenges that test their skills to the maximum.
The highlight of the event will be the Awards Celebration Ceremony to crown the F1 in Schools™ World Champions 2019 which will be held on the track of Yas Marina Circuit on Turn 1 on Wednesday 27 November, under the iconic Shams Tower, the most exciting and unique venue yet in the 15-year history of F1 in Schools™ World Finals.
The event will be the first held under the title sponsorship of ADNOC, following the recent partnership announcement that sees the UAE’s national oil company support the Circuit’s Yas In Schools programme, which includes the highly acclaimed F1 in Schools™.
The Yas in Schools partnership reinforces ADNOC’S commitment to enabling the development of the next generation of the UAE’s talent through its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focused activities.
Yas in Schools offers a pathway of project-based, motorsport-themed STEM learning programmes for students aged eight to 21 years, with ADNOC providing the initiative across the entire ADNOC network of schools and technical institutes, as well as government and private schools in the UAE.
Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “It is fantastic to have the F1 in Schools™ World Finals back on Yas Island and at Yas Marina Circuit. Having the pinnacle event of a hard-fought season just before the five-day Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2019 means excellent global exposure for the event as well as giving students the opportunity to be inspired by real-life Formula 1 teams and drivers
“With ADNOC on board as a title partner, this will give the programme additional momentum and energy, continuing the positive impact it is making on STEM education in the UAE.”
Commenting on ADNOC’s support for the F1 in Schools™ World Finals 2019, Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Director of the Executive Office Directorate at ADNOC, added: “The F1 in Schools™ World Finals – presented by ADNOC – is an exciting event which will see some of the brightest minds globally compete for the World Champions Title at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
“Supporting and attracting global STEM programs and competitions like F1 in Schools™ aligns with ADNOC’s strategy to provide our youth with new and exciting challenges that push the boundaries of what they can achieve. We believe that investing in our students today will result in a more competitive workforce for tomorrow.”