Life on the Spot! Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar

Click here for more photos of our afternoon at Cafe Ceramique at The Mall in Doha

“Pasalubong” is what we call presents or gifts that you’re bringing for someone whenever you’re coming from a trip.  For us, it’s usually the things that we give our families on our yearly homecoming.  Usually weeks or even a months before the said homecoming, family members start telling you about the things that they want and as your flight draws near, the list gets longer.  Well that’s how it goes but no worries, we’re more than happy to bring them pasalubong.

Each year, Tian and I have our budget for the pasalubongs.  In the past, we do our shopping altogether but this time, I made a list of the items that I needed to buy for his family.  I did my own list for my family as well.  And then there’s another list for our personal use.  Usually in the list, you’ll find items like perfume, lotion, moisturizers, mostly beauty products that are very expensive to buy in the Philippines.

I visited Carre Four on Wednesday to take a look at the items they have.  Luckily for us, they are having this “beauty theme” so most of their beauty products are on promotion.  I returned the next day and did the shopping.  I bought mostly Loreal products and lotion.  I’m sure our families will be very pleased when they get their pasalubong.  I still have some items left on my lists though.  Anyway, I still have 2 weeks to complete them but I’m sure that they’ll be completed in no time at all.  

As early as now, we’re already very excited about going home.  It is and has always been something we look forward to every year.  We are just so thankful to God that we are able to do so annually.  It is always a happy feeling to be home and be with family.  We look forward to having a good time and bonding with our families whom we miss so much. 

Earlier I wrote about our plans for Xianelle’s 5th birthday.  But as her special day draws near (June 17), Tian and I both decided not to have a party for her anymore.  We’re just not up for it.  We’ll be going home on the 19th of June for our annual vacation.  We’re just so excited to go home and not too keen to take care of the birthday preparations.  Xiane has also agreed not to have a party.  She’ll just have the gift that she wants for her birthday instead.  She has asked for a Mariposa Barbie doll, the latest that they have from Barbie.  Well, she doesn’t know yet but her dad also got her the Prince Carlos doll.  She has always wanted to have a prince doll so I’m betting she’ll be very happy when she receives her gifts.

We plan to treat her to Jungle Zone on the weekend before her birthday and eat out afterwards.  On her birthday, I’ll be bringing a cake for her class and some loot bags with sweets and probably a few more other items.  Then the three of us will also have our own celebration.  I guess that will do.

Last Wednesday, a mother from school whom I also consider as a friend, invited me to her house for morning coffee.  I decided to bring some cinnamon rolls which I was glad that she liked.

This is the second time I’ve been invited to her house for a cup of coffee.  This new friend is from Germany.  I’ve always found her to be a very gracious and pleasant person. She talks so softly.  This time I was also fortunate to meet her husband who is as nice and as pleasant as her.  

Although she’s not that fluent in English, we were able to talk about a lot of things.  We had a dictionary on hand whenever there are words that I’m having a hard time to express and vice-versa.  Mainly, we talked about our children and our countries.  It’s always interesting to talk to her, I learn a lot about her country.  She is also as enthusiastic about my own country.

As a matter of fact I just learned that “schumacher” which is a German word, means shoemaker, so that Michael Schumacher literally means “Michael, the shoemaker”.  I guess that’s one good thing about living abroad.  You get to meet and be with different kinds of people and with that, you also learn so many things from them.  This also proves that we can get along with others and get past our differences in culture, personalities if we try.  After all, friendship is a universal thing.