Random Thoughts and Happenings 2

Things that have been happening lately compiled into one blog post. Get ready for the word vomit! 😉

Home Alone

The husband is off to another work trip and this time, he’s going to Davao, in the Philippines for a couple of days. I’ve always been an independent person but I don’t think I will ever be used to him going on work trips and being gone for days. Knowing that he won’t be coming home for lunch and at around 7pm (yes, the people at the Philippine Embassy in KL work long hours) feels weird for me.

Also, I do tend to worry and I’m not that used to sleeping alone anymore. The teddy bears on our bed are actually there for a reason, you guys. 😉

On Long Holidays and Water Slides 

Credit: Sunway Lagoon

Alvin and I didn’t go out of town during the Holy Week because he was on call. However, we did make a day trip to Sunway Lagoon just so we can say we went somewhere during the long break. Oh and because we love theme parks as much as we love water slides. 😉

We were able to survive the Vuvuzela (twice!) which is the water slide pictured above. It’s 30 feet high! I gotta say it’s pretty fun and thrilling though I think my screams were heard throughout the park. Not a lot of pictures enough for a blog post though as it was only just the two of us and bringing the camera into the water park area isn’t such a good idea.

Credit: TripAdvisor

That’s my favourite, though. The Congo Challenge slide. I think I made Alvin go with me on that slide for over 5 times. We could be such kids sometimes.

Worst Allergies Ever

I was on self-imposed house arrest for most of last week. Mainly because I was nursing a really bad case of allergies. I plan to do a separate post with pictures on this soon so you can all avoid what happened to me but let me just give you the gist. I went to get my eyebrows waxed – something that I’ve been doing for years – to my regular brow waxer here in KL. She’s done my brows a couple of times and she’s been so good at it.

However, on that day, I decided to get my brows tinted as well. Tinting is something that I’m used to as well but this was my first time to get it done here in KL. I guess something in the formula didn’t agree with my skin so my eyebrow area was red till the next day. At first, I didn’t think it was a big deal since my skin really does go red after waxing. But then, the following day, it started to become itchy. Of course, I didn’t scratch it but the eyebrow area was also starting to swell. I applied some hydrocortisone but it didn’t help much and it got worse. Seeing the situation was getting out of hand, my husband then recommended that I start using an antibiotic cream and taking meds. That worked. However, since the medicine was quite strong, I lost a couple of eyebrow hairs which made my brows lighter and uneven. UGH. My brows look better now. No more itch, redness, and swelling. But I guess I’ll have to be very diligent with lining my brows and filling up the sparse areas until they grow back. Charging this to experience. Please grow faster, brows. :'(

Putting My Skills To Good Use

Recently, I was elected as the Secretary of the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle here in KL. My husband, our Ambassador, and our Ambassador’s wife couldn’t be happier and prouder – and I’m glad they feel that way. But oh my goodness. THE PRESSURE IS KILLING ME INSIDE. What if I mess up?

I’m the youngest member of the ALC and one of the newest too. So to be given such a responsibility is definitely a great honour. The patrons and the country representatives have all been so nice, helping me adjust into the new position. This makes it a lot easier. But still, being “Carol” – I do worry and get panic attacks (which are confined in my head, thank goodness)!

Sorry for the grainy photo! Our Cultural Attache, Ms Grace, was seated at one of the last few rows of the huge auditorium. But I guess this best illustrates how pressured I was. Look at that face. Lol! Credit: Ms Grace

Side story: The Ambassador of Cambodia to Malaysia is actually part of their royal family – their princess, to be exact. She’s also very active with the ALC. I’ve sat with her during a meeting and the recent general assembly. At first, I was a bit shy towards her because she’s a princess and I’m… well, I’m just little old me. The last time I felt like this was when I met Queen Sofia of Spain and when I interviewed our Secretary of Foreign Affairs back when I was a reporter. I’ve always been so afraid to say the wrong things to people who are just way up high on the social ladder. I’ve always known my place in life but as part of the media before and now, being a wife to a diplomat, it’s inevitable for me to meet such people and I have to be able to talk and interact with them properly and hopefully, I do not breach any protocol rules that I am not aware of.

But the Princess/Ambassador (like Queen Sofia and SFA) has been nothing but pleasant and accommodating to me and she even starts most of the light moments during meetings. She even convinced me to take the secretary post which I was quite reluctant to accept at first. It’s really nice to meet people who are so down to earth and friendly!

But still. I feel so pressured to do a good job! Please keep your fingers crossed for me?

Life’s Simple Pleasures

Skyping with my dad is more of a regular thing these days and I love it! Isn’t he so adorable with that tan? He just came from a vacation and his next one is going to be here in KL this May! Yay!

Telling my dad about my day or what’s been happening here in KL is usually one of the highlights of my week. I didn’t grow up with my dad and we basically lost 22 years worth of time together. I’m going to spare you from the dramatic details of my life but I just want to share with you guys how happy I am to have him as a constant presence in my life these days. I feel so whole. 🙂

Receptions and Fund Raising

I’m exaggerating. 😉 But here in KL, diplomatic receptions, dinners, and events happen left and right – and in quick succession. There’s really a whole lot that sometimes, I can’t keep up and post about all of them anymore. I’m not complaining. In fact, I like such events. Meeting new people from all walks of life is always interesting for me. We’re all so different from each other after all, I never get bored. So many things to learn about and from people everyday! 😉

Couple selfie times three! 😉 Speaking of down to earth people, we had a great time at the reception with PLDT VP for Global Operations John Palanca and his wife Angel, our Ambassador J Eduardo Malaya and his wife Dr Cristina Malaya whom I’ve been bugging about future pregnancy questions (for WHEN we DO decide to try and have kids) and is always nice enough to give me tips and references.. 😉  Once again, credit for the photo goes to Ms Grace. 😉

Early this April, our Ambassador invited Filipino professionals in KL to an intimate reception in his home. I think it was a really good idea to bring Filipinos working in different fields to meet up and explore ideas on how they can work together. Representatives from Petron, PLDT, Peugeot, and other Malaysian and international companies were there that night. It makes me so proud that Filipinos are holding such important positions in multi-national companies. Our talents are recognised worldwide!

And last Sunday, the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia hosted a fund raising bingo game for their upcoming activities. I love bingo. I find it fun and kind of exciting. Not the money part, but whenever they draw a ball and you have the number and you’re so close to getting the pattern – it can be exhilarating. Back when I was a kid, I would accompany my grandma to the carnivals that open up during fiestas in our neighbourhood back in the Philippines. I guess I got it from her? 😉

There were a lot of people at the embassy that day.

Credit: Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur

See? The Embassy grounds were practically packed and while the games were going on, you can really hear the people having fun – squealing, clapping, etc.

https://instagram.com/p/1Xes4_CqY5/

And needless to say, Alvin and I didn’t win anything. LOL. We never do! I guess we’re both unlucky when it comes to contests. Back in the Philippines, there’s a saying that if you’re unlucky in contests/games/raffles/gambling, then your love life should be good. And I don’t care about winning in games anyways. I just love playing them. I’m all good with having a great love life. 😉

New and Hopefully Lasting Friendships

Back when we moved to KL, I was so sad to leave my friends behind. I’ve been pining for them for weeks and I felt so bummed not having a group of girls to go out with whenever I feel the itch to do so. Sometimes, there are even experiences in KL that I find hard to share with my friend back at home because only somebody who’s also in KL can fully understand or appreciate them. 🙁

But I’m glad to report that I am now very happy in KL, having groups of friends to call my own. We go to events together, meet up to go to the mall, and even have dinner out. In fact, I have a couple of groups of friends now just like in Manila. I’m glad that I can finally say that I have truly adjusted here in KL!

How nice, right? And Alvin gets along with all of them! He doesn’t mind having the girls over or having dinner with them.

Whew. That was a pretty long compilation.

More beauty/fitness/food/travel posts later. 😉

Love,

Carol