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Last night, Dodong and I hosted a noche buena for a few friends, who were also left in the cold desert to celebrate Christmas, in our shoebox of a flat. We had a humble Noche Buena feast of pork BBQ, crispy pata, kare-kare, chopsuey, hammour in oyster sauce, palabok, rice (of course!) leche flan and a few bottles of beer. I say feast because the food was good enough to feed a good 20 people when in fact we were only 8 ravenous people! It was a merry night of good food, stories, Christmas carols (alongside boy band songs), and drinks in our little home. We did have a merry little Christmas indeed! Or so I thought…

It was a merry little Christmas, my first OFW (Overseas Filipino Wife) Christmas, until I lay my tired, sleep-hungry body into bed. Dodong was peacefully snoring away when I tucked myself under the blanket and then started sobbing. I couldn’t understand why. I spent my first Christmas with my husband and new friends. I also slept with good food in mah growing fat belly. Though I only received one gift this Christmas, I was still happy and blessed with many other gifts. Then why the sudden gush of holiday tears?

I miss the boisterous laughter from the random everyday stories of my Titos, Titas and cousins.

I miss the mad rush towards the callos, Chinese ham, and queso de bola at Noche Buena table.

I obviously miss the once-a-year Noche Buena food!

I miss family history stories from Lolo, Papa, Titos and Titas…especially food stories.

I miss the popping of Sarsi and Pop Cola bottles…even though I do not drink softdrinks.

I miss the belly rubbing after the Noche Buena feast.

I miss answering a family trivia question, which entitles me to get all my Christmas gifts.

I miss waking up to a busy Christmas day filled with visits to family in Cainta and San Juan.

I cried because I miss my family dearly. I miss the Christmas traditions. I miss the company of my family. Sigh.

But as one of my readers commented a few posts back, loneliness / homesickness is something I really have to deal with (No choice!) and I do have to enjoy what I have right now: my new family, my husband Dodong.

And so I wiped away my tears and greeted my husband, Dodong, with a salty Merry Christmas kiss.

Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope you are enjoying your time with your respective families in wherever corner of the globe you are!

Thanks to www.flickr.com/kudaker for the image

 Homesickness really has kicked and bit me in the a$* quite hard this Christmas season as this is my very first OFW (Overseas Filipino Wife) Christmas, a holiday away from my family and friends. But thank God for the gift of visiting friends, I received a taste of home, my very first Kabayan Padala care package. What the heck is a kabayan padala package anyway?!?

A kabayan padala care package is simply goodies from the Philippines, which can include oddities such as soap or other toiletries (even if there are toiletries of all sorts here), instant noodles, canned goods, cured pork (pork is expensive here!) and more sent by family and / or friends through kababayans (fellow countrymen). I was quite ecstatic when I knew friends (former colleagues from my last company) and family were sending some love my way. They actually asked me what I wanted to receive and made some requests. I didn't expect that they would go the extra mile to send me some goodies!

Sweet treats: Uraro cookies, caramelized pili buts, pili nut tarts and a bottle of spicy spanish sardines!

I know these are simple, simple food items, but it is their love in a package. I really felt the warmth of home with a dash of the Christmas spirit of sharing food. On top of sending my favorite brand of Gourmet Tuyo (we aren't allowed to fry smelly dried fish in our apartment! Boo!) and two packs of my favorite pastillas de leche, my family even sent me a small queso de bola for our Christmas dinner

Queso de bola, a bottle of Gourmet Tuyo (my fave!) and pastillas de leche from my family

My friends even sent me some of my porkilicous requests There is pork here, but it is quite expensive so these pork treats are much, much appreciated! I'm just so excited to share these with Dodong!

Chinese chorizo for fried rice!

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!!!!!!

Thank you to visiting friends, who are truly kind enough to share some baggage space and weight for homesick Filipinos like me. Thank you to my family and friends, who made my Christmas extra special indeed! I love you all!

I can't believe that I am part of the more than 11 Million Filipinos abroad already. This is my very first OFW Christmas: a Christmas thousands of miles away from home, away from the Philippines, away from my family and friends. Oh, this is my first Christmas in a Muslim country too!

I initially thought that being away from the crazy Christmas-on-steroids in the Philippines (Christmas carols already started playing on the radio as early as August! WTH!?!) would be ok…perfectly fine. I would be away from two things I hate about the Christmas season in the Philippines. Thank God! First, I am thousands of miles away from the Christmas rush traffic. Horrible I say! Manila traffic is already horrid and for some reason, its even worse during the Christmas season!?! How is that even possible right? Second, I am away from the consumerism of the holiday. I love the whole idea of giving, but I think its too commercialized already. Call me a scrooge, but I say Christmas got a tad bit consumed by consumerism.

Christmas really isn't about the traffic because of the shopping / parties and the literal gift giving. For me and millions of Filipinos abroad, especially for those who have been away for yearssss, the best Christmas celebration is simply about being and enjoying the company of family and friends. It's Christmas stripped down to the bare essentials. Being together with family and friends is precious and there is no substitute. So being together with family and friends is THE gift. No balikbayan boxes filled to the brim with Christmas gifts can never ever replace feeling the hugs and kisses, hearing the stories and the  laughter and sometimes even wiping away the tears of dear family and friends.

Kakainis ka Coca-cola for making me cry this morning! Did you cry too?

I've only been away for two months but my homesickness has increased exponentially because of this Coca-cola OFW Happiness video. I will surely miss my family and friends even MORE this holiday season. Aside from missing Christmas celebrations, I will also miss birthday celebrations of my mama, my papa and two of my sisters (Yes, we have 4 December celebrants! 4 out of 8!), plus my lola's 1st death anniversary and two weddings of dear friends. So I will be missing a LOT noh?

But in true OFW fashion, I know that I will get to cope and survive this Christmas away from family and friends just like the millions of other OFWs around the world. Thank God there is the Internet, so I think somehow I would be able to join in some celebrations. Hopefully.

Care to share any tips on how I can survive this lonely season?

Stuffing myself silly is not the same without YOU

Last year, due to visa concerns, Dodong was able to spend Christmas here at home. But this year is different. After his 2-week vacation, he had to go back to the desert for work. So unlike most OFWs, most kabayans, who are home for the holidays, Dodong is in the desert, working while trying to recreate the Christmas celebrations with fellow kabayans. Is your honey home or away for the holidays too?

This is Dodong's first Christmas away from home in a foreign non-Christian land. Plus, this is our first Christmas apart…

Although when he's home, we do spend Christmas with our respective families, but then again, the whole getting together of families and friends just adds to the "missing him" mood. Thanks to technology, we would be able to be "together" this Christmas despite the distance between us…

Long distance Christmas phone patch

Once the clock strikes 12mn in Dubai time (approximately 4am Philippine time), I will be giving Dodong a call. Thank God for lower long distance call rates, I'd be able to call him without hurting my pocket as much. For Globe subscribers like myself, just dial 12800 + country code + area code + telephone number. Instead of being charged per minute, your call will be charged per second at Php 0.17 per second. Not bad right?

Live streamed Noche Buena

Hmmm with the time difference (4-hours), I think that our food would be wiped out by then. Hehehe! I'm asking Dodong if he could live stream their Christmas celebration. I could join in their kabayan Christmas celebration too It actually is a blessing that Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday which is the last day of the work week over there.

I just wish I could fly in a Christmas Ham to share the Pinoy love this Christmas day. Would you send a Christmas Ham for him?

Merry Christmas everyone! Don't be blue, technology is there for you Be happy that someone out there (literally) is there wishing you all the best for this Christmas

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay

I do have to apologize to non-Filipino readers but this song is just perfect for those who are spending their Christmases away from each other like Dodong and myself. (NOTE: I chose to post the Lea Salonga version since she is an International star so that non-Pinoys can somehow relate – Can you???) I really do not know what is it about this holiday season that makes me feel extra lonely. I know I should be used to this but it does get lonely. Super.

Maybe because of the weather. It's cold and it is perfect hugging, cuddling temperature. Maybe because of all the get togethers: families, friends, old friends, new friends…HAAAY.

Here are the heart wrenching lyrics of the song…Sigh.

Pasko na naman
Ngunit wala ka pa
Hanggang kailan kaya
Ako’y maghihintay sa iyo

Bakit ba naman
Kailangang lumisan pa
Ang tanging hangad ko lang
Ay makapiling ka

[chorus]
Sana ngayong Pasko
Ay maalala mo pa rin ako
Hinahanap-hanap pag-ibig mo
At kahit wala ka na
Nangangarap at umaasa pa rin ako
Muling makita ka
At makasama ka
Sa araw ng Pasko

Pasko na naman
Ngunit wala ka pa
Hanggang kailan kaya
Ako’y maghihintay sa iyo

Bakit ba naman
Kailangang lumisan pa
Ang tanging hangad ko lang
Ay makapiling ka

[repeat chorus 2x]

Sana ngayong Pasko…

I know I have a whole lot of other wishes for this Christmas. But really, All I want for Christmas is to be with YOU.

Isn't that your biggest Christmas wish too?

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay

P.S. Help from anybody can translate the lyrics in English would be much appreciated Nosebleed kasi e!

Glass half-empty or half-full?

Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent. For us, Catholics, it's the 1st Sunday for preparation to Christmas Day for the arrival of the ONE! And boy, does time do fly super fast! Aside from it being the official start of the Christmas season, Dodong has already spent half of his vacation already. Happy! Sad!

Okay I maybe in the half-empty and not the half-full mode since he still has another week to go. Of course, being my planner self, I have started preparations. Sadly.

How exactly have I been preparing for his return to the desert?

Prayers for Profitable and FUN Projects

I don't mind being busy because I do need it once he gets back to the daily grind in the hot desert sands of Dubai. But in the subheading, I typed fun as FUN. I guess it is a prerequisite for me so that I don't need much more emotional drama. The LDR actually adds a lot more to the drama already. I don't need more of that at work. Hehehehe.

Of course, I need the projects to definitely be VERY PROFITABLE. Dodong, who seemingly (please note seemingly) has caboodles and oodles of cash, will not be here to support me in my eating sprees. Hehehe.

I'd like to think I am still the independent woman that I am. At least financially

Prayers for Emotional Strength

Ohh lala! I am definitely praying for this. Especially since the next homecoming date is still indefinite. I don't know when exactly will Dodong be coming home. It could be another 6-8 months, maybe even more. I just have to be ready.

LDRs are fun and really, really challenging. It's a test of faith, trust and love for and in each other (Am I making sense?). I am praying for readiness for another roller coaster ride of love.

Prayers for Support

One of the major realizations this year perhaps is I don't want to be alone. When Dodong returns to the desert, I know I will be one less extremely important person…at least physically. I do pray for the support of my family and friends through the next months that he would be away.

How do you prepare for his return to his corner of the world?

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay

His homecoming is DEFINITELY a SPECIAL EVENT!

Dodong and I are already talking about his next homecoming. I know he is still here, yet it seems as if I am sending him off! Hehehehe

For now, he still can't pinpoint when exactly he will be coming home next year since there are a lot of factors that come into play with this decision. Aside from the fact that, of course, work load is a crucial factor, which includes asking permission from the powers that be at work.

Here are the non-work top factors for consideration in scheduling homecomings…

Special Occasions with "Normal people" (i.e. family, friends, colleagues)

One of the reasons Dodong came home is to attend his high school classmate's wedding, which we did go to last weekend in Tagaytay. If I remember correctly, the earlier homecoming this year was also scheduled (or maybe it was just a coincidence?) during another friend's wedding. The abundance of weddings of friends in 2010 is actually creating quite a dilemma. Tsk tsk tsk.

Of course, Christmas is the biggest homecoming occasion for OFWs like him. This is the biggest Pinoy gathering of family and friends. So he has to really fight with the hundreds (oh, okay maybe I'm exaggerting) of OFWs in his office to get a vacation leave. This month's homecoming is I guess also a Christmas one. Though he won't be here. Christmas is a few days away anyway.

Special Couple Occasions

Another special occasion we are looking at is our Anniversary. We haven't been able to spend 2 anniversaries together. So next year, our 8th year anniversary, I am hoping Dodong would be home.

Dentist – Doctor appointments

Though he is covered by health insurance in the desert, Dodong makes it a point to time homecomings when he is in need of dental-medical attention. For the past homecomings, he makes it a point to visit the dentist for the regular oral prophylaxis (is this the correct spelling?). Luckily, a very good friend of mine is his dentist. Hehehe! Friendly prices are an added bonus when undergoing procedures. Hihihi!

Travel documentation updates

Dodong also went home to renew his passport. A good thing for OFWs is that they have a special privilege when renewing passports. They don't have to go all the way to the DFA. Instead, they have a special queue in the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) for faster processing since OFWs have limited time during vacations.

Investment documentation updates

Dodong recently took the plunge in investing his hard earned money in some . So he is taking the time to fix all his papers while he is here. Of course, so that the cash keeps on growing and growing Yey for him!

What other factors does your better half take into consideration when coming home?

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay