PINOY, NAHOLDAP SA AL-KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia

At dahil may pagkasensitibo ang post na ito, we'll blog about this in Tagalog. If you're an English speaking/reading visitor, please, our apologies, make use of the Google Translate option, then.

I saw this tag in Facebook with most of our friends in Khobar posting this in their walls. I also receive an email from my friend in Riyadh with this attachment. So for the good of the public, we would like to post it here.

Ito ang most common, or latest modus-operandi ng mga katutubong nog-nog dito.

Read on:

Use the ZOOM IN button, to enlarge the font, or OPEN in a NEW WINDOW by clicking the last Icon below

Here is the complete quote in case you can't read the page above.

_____________________________________________

"BABALA SA ATING MGA KABABAYAN!!!

Isa po sa aming kasamahan ay na hold‐up kahapon , Friday, Aug. 6, 2010 mga bandang 6:00pm, sa Al‐Khobar area (near fish market) Ito po ang kanyang salaysay:

Naglalakad po sya along 6th St. galing sa fish market pa‐uwi sa kanilang bahay na nasa Prince Bader St. between 6th & 7th St. ng lapitan sya ng isang maitim at malaking arabo (bado) at pagbintangan ang aming kasamahan na sya daw ang nakapulot nung nalaglag na pera ng arabo (bado).

Sa kanilang pag‐uusap, pinagbintangan po ng arabo (bado) ang aming kasahan na sya ang nakapulot ng

nalaglag na pera at inilagay pa daw ng aming kasamahan sa kanyang bulsa. Hanggang sa na‐uwi na po sa pagtatalo ang usapan.

Kasunod po noon ay may isang sasakyan na humarang at huminto sa kanilang harapan at nagpakilalang pulis, agad na bumaba nagpakilalang pulis at nagpatunay sa arabo (bado) na ang aming kasamahan nga ang naka pulot ng pera at inilagay sa kanyang wallet (ito po siguro ang paraan ng mga arabo upang sya ay takutin at upang maipakita nya ang laman ng kanyang wallet).

Sa puntong ito ang kinabahan na ang aming kasamahan at wala na syang magawa kundi ipakita na ang kanyang wallet upang patunayan na wala ang perang hinahanap ng mga arabo (ang hinahanap pong pera ng mga arabo ay nagkakahalaga ng SR10,000.00, ngunit ang laman po ng kanyang wallet ay SR700.00 lang).

Nang ipinakita po ng aming kasamahan ang kanyang wallet upang patunayan na wala sa kanya ang hinahanap na pera ay agad itong inagaw sa kanya ng arabo (bado), kasabay noon ay sapilitang ipinalabas ng nagpakilalang pulis ang kanyang cellfone at idinahilan ng pulis na tatawagan nya ang aming kumpanya upang ipaalam na hindi sya makakapasok kinabukasan (Saturday) dahil isasaama nila sa Police Station upang ikulong.

At dala na po siguro ng takot, napilitan na din po ang aming kasamahan na ibigay ang kanyang cellfone, sa puntong ito po ay sabay ng pumasok ang mga aarabo sa kanilang sasakyan dala ang kanyang wallet at cellfone, wala na pong nagawa ang aming kasamahan hanggang sa umalis na ang mga arabo.

Makalipas ang ilang segundo at mga ilang metro pa lang ang natatakbo ng naturang sasakyan; napansin po ng aming kasamahan na ibinato po sa labas ng bintana and kanyang wallet, at ng ito po ay kanyang suriin, napag‐ alaman nya na nakuha na ng mga arabo ang kanyang pera (SR700), blackberry na cellfone at ang kanyang SHB

Credit Card nya. Sa kabutihang palad po ay nakuha pa nya ang kanyang Iqama, Saudi Aramco ID at ibang mahahalagang laman ng kanyang wallet.

Sa madaling salita po, isang modus din ng mga arabo yan s al khobar area sa mga panahong ito.

PALALA PONG MULI; MAGING MAINGAT PO SANA TAYO SA PAGLALAKAD SA AL KHOBAR AREA, MARAMI NA PONG MASASAMANG ELEMENTO ANG NAGLIPANA SA MGA PANAHONG ITO. IPAKALAT PO NATIN ITO SA LAHAT NG MGA KABABAYANG PILIPINO DITO SA AL‐KHOBAR AT SA IBANG LUGAR NG SAUDI ARABIA.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO"

_________________________________

Ingat po mga Kabayan!

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Top 5 Free and Cheap Communication Ideas to the Philippines (2)

VOIP - that's what we need to remember.

There are lots and lots of companies and sites in the web that talks about this thing. This post is applicable whether you're based in the US, Canada, Singapore, Africa, Middle East, East Asia, Australia, or the Pacific.

First, since most OFW's have mobile phones, let's make use of it.

We use it for calling, we use it for texting. We pay a lot of money just to connect, just to hear the voices of our love ones, our friends, and classmates.

(oh by the way, did you subscribed to our RSS? You don't need to come here often, at your convenience, as well as the more than 150 others, receive our post via EMAIL. See the sidebar subscriber's button? So easy, just type your email address, and we will deliver Thoughts'ko'to directly to your Inbox)

Okay, now back to VOIP.

We need a mobile phone. I would love a WIFI phone. An Iphone is the best. Most NOKIA N and E Series are WIFI ready phone. They are affordable, and if you want to spend some savings, buy some type of phone that are wifi ready.

Now if your phone doesn't have a WIFI feature, at least it is 3G or capable of GPRS. If this confuses you, email me at thoughtskoto-at-gmail dot com for additional settings for Saudi based OFW's.

You've got the phone? WIFI and/or GPRS ready? Great!

1. Install a Dialer or an application like any of this in your mobile phone

FRING

NIMBUZZ

TALKONAUT

SKYPE

Once you installed that application, it will be ready to navigate.

Now, this is what I usually do.

I buy a credit worth 40 Saudi Riyal. It's easy because I just give my email address or username to the seller. They will load my account with 40SR, equivalent to 100 minutes of call to the Philippines! About 0.45 halalas per minute! In other countries, you can have 500 minutes worth of call with the same amount!

Okay, let's get back to the step by step guide.

2. Install this Nokia N and E Series Mobile Dialer here

BRAND PIN: 2755

SETTINGS OF CONNECTING YOUR WIFI PHONE

OPEN TO TEST YOUR CONNECTION

Open a website to test your access point

3. SET UP OF A SIP ACCOUNT

THIS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE VOIP PROVIDER THAT YOU CAN SUBSRIBE

CHANGE THE DEFAULT CALL TYPE TO "Internet"

4. SET UP FOR NAT INCOMING CALL

I WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN SIMPLER LATER HOW WE CAN SET-UP YOUR MOBILE and START CALLING. THIS IS 2nd in a 5-part series.

Read the previous entry HERE.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Top 5 Free and Cheap Communication Ideas to the Philippines (1)

Anyway, since we here at the Thoughtskoto are so supportive of the PEBA's 2010 THEME, and that is strengthening the OFW families, we would like to focus our entries on some tips and ideas on communication, love, faith, trust and even processing of family papers.

The first that we, the Thoughtskoto's are going to give you are the Top 5 cheap communication ideas to our love ones in the Philippines. We are hoping that if you have more ideas how a Filipino abroad can maximize his/her savings in trying to establish communications to love ones and friends back home, share it at the comment below or email us.

Here it is,

1. VOIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol is one of the easiest ways to make phone calls today that are free or cheap, excellent quality, and outstanding features. It is a telephone or a phone, connected through internet, while calling your love ones back home.

The set-up is simple, using either one of the three available options:

a) Analog or local Telephone

b) Wifi or IP enabled Mobile Phone (most Nokia E Series)

c) PC/Laptop/Netbook

Since most of us are familiar with PC/Laptop/Netbook using Skype and other messengers, I would like to deal simply on the first two option. And because not most of us have landlines, I would focus my step-by step support on Mobile Phones, Wifi or Not.

Now, since this will require a Series of post, why don't you subscribe to our RSS post?

Simply fill your email address, and that's it, you will receive our post in your Inbox!

Thoughtskoto is changing for the better. We been here for the last 5 years, and we have not done much better, so I think it is really time we will post some helpful tips and ideas for our kababayans.

I will give you a few ideas for now, since this is pretty easy to do, but in my next post, we will discuss a step-by-step guide on how to set-up your phone for VOIP Free/Cheap calls, wherever you are, whatever you, as long as you have internet, it will be rewarding.

Talking about internet, those of you in Saudi Arabia might want to consider using a Quick Net or a Mobily Broadband at home.

Al though I still would want to recommend you to apply for a DSL line, which is cheaper, and faster, especially STC, a lot of us don't want to apply for a telephone line and on the move can make use of this Wireless Broadband.

This is worth 360Sr for one month, and the next month, you will pay, 260SR, but upon purchase if you buy for a 6 months package, you will get two months free. It has two LAN CABLE slot, and up to more than 5 users of WIFI at 2.0 MBPS. No need to install anything, just buy the product, plug it into the electric, and detect in your laptop or in your PC with Alfa (Wifi detector/enhancer) and you are surfing the net. You can change the configuration in the instruction manual provided. It is very good.

Now that you have internet, you are good to go. Now some of you have internet at home and at work. That is great. We will continue discussing this in my next post on how to use VOIP as a free/cheap calls to mobile phones.

For the meantime, I'll leave you with the following good links that will give you ideas about what I am talking about.

MAJIC JACK XD

ICALL

YEHEYCALL

OOPA

So bookmark us or add us in your link, as we will continue exploring opportunities here, to strengthen our families, and to stay connected, wherever, whenever.

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Random Thoughts and Quotes

We won't be here (OFW's) for a lifetime. For me, wherever I go, so long that my family is with me, it's fine. That's our promise. To be together, here and forever.

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

"I don’t see any possible solution for an Overseas Filipino Worker and for his/her family back home to maintain a strong relationship of love and trust than to communicate in any possible means, constantly reassuring each other of the promises they made before the eyes of man, and the eyes of God, and that they will be together till death, and beyond."

My wife and I were taught of the “chastity before marriage and fidelity after marriage.” Our vows are not just to last till death, but for all time and all eternity. Knowing that, even if we are physically separated for now, we are doing every possible means to be together, in the voices of our heart, and the thoughts in our minds.
For true love is never waning and never failing, even a thousand miles apart.

Mr. Thoughtskoto

- From the Kablogs Journal Entry, "For Married OFW's"

"I hope the day will come that there will only be one nation, and no visa rules to follow, I hope the world will value families. And all families won't have a reason not to be together. Family should be forever and should stay together in this life and in the eternities."

- Mrs. Thoughtskoto

‎"In our lives, we will constantly meet 3 different kind of people. Those who are happy living a simple and quiet life with their love ones, those who find happiness in selflessly losing themselves in the service of others, and those who are happy and preoccupied by the praises of men and vanities of this world...There is always a human instinct within us- a longing to matter - to reach out - to serve."

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

From a talk delivered one friday morning at Saudi City, Jeddah

"God hears and answers prayers even those that go unspoken. He listens to the prayers of our hearts."

- Mrs. Thoughtskoto

"Someone told me that people, when they become richer and/or wiser, and/or older, they become prouder, unteachable, and easily offended. I wonder if he's right..."

- Mr. Thoughtskoto

"Some... but not collectively. This is what we call pride cycle, in humility we find success and our pride becomes the reason for our downfall."

Mrs. Thoughtskoto

"The easiest way to find love is to give love, the quickest way to end it is to hold it tight but the best way to keep it is to let if fly." - Mr. Thoughtskoto

"When the world evolves just around you, you'll feel miserable. But if the world evolves around the rest of us, you'll see the bigger picture, you'll be enlightened and then you'll have a greater understanding. There are people who talk and talk, wear sunglasses at night and earplugs all the time, figuratively speaking, are people who are miserable."

- Mr. Thoughtskoto

And no matter what others say, or testify, it is only thru the Spirit of God that we will know if these things are indeed true. How marvelous a simple sincere prayer can do....

-Mrs. Thoughtskoto

Sometimes, I have this weird thoughts. I'll live my life so that those who hurt, maligned, belittled and trampled me regretted doing so. Sometimes, I want them to see who I become because of what they did. In short, I am strengthened and become better because of challenges posed by people like them. But it is not healthy. Not good. I should not harbor hatred, but instead, forgive and forget.

Mr. Thoughtskoto

"Life isn't perfect, but the thought that you have a wonderful family, a loving husband and sweet daughter, makes everything worth it. And no matter how imperfect some things maybe it still feels a bit of heaven on earth."

-Mrs. Thoughtskoto

‎"You are just one person, you can't do anything." Well, thats a sad thing, but you know what, if this one person can influence a thousand, you better be ready. You never ever underestimate the ability and the capacity of one simple person. You might think he's a fool or a loser, but one day, he is the one who live a happy life, and more successful than you."

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

"Wrong notion of many: Didn't get an education because we're only poor. Would want to help if we're rich. The kids are behaving like that because the family is not well-off. Would have done this and that if am a millionaire. not having enough finances is not an excuse, its not the first and last option to be able to do things you want."

-Mrs. Thoughtskoto

"As we get older and become wiser, we realize that beauty fades with the years, but kind heart lives forever. So when we look at a person, do we see "beauty" within and the kind of heart he has? The problem is we are so blinded or perhaps wicked that we cannot see ones heart. For me, the only ugly person is those who sow ugliness"

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

"They say there are three kinds of people, the stupid who makes mistakes, the smart who learn from his mistakes, and the wise who makes mistakes, learn from them and never did the same mistake again."

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

"What do we have to prove? Why so many people are so concern with what others will say or think about them, rather than what they can do to make their lives better and then serve others well? Just a thought, way too deep, but so true as well."

-Mr. Thoughtskoto

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Keeping the love alive among OFWs

Keeping the love alive among OFW's. by Nixon A. Canlapan

Thursday, 22 July 2010 18:11 Originally published in Journal Online

Keeping the love alive for couples living continents apart is one of the trials overseas Filipino workers and their families in the Philippines must have to hurdle. Stories of broken families and failed long distance relationships are no longer new among migrant Filipinos. The pain of the absence of a lovedone has become unbearable to some and has even caused broken hearts and homes to many. This is the common fear of those who, for the first time, would have to live without the comforting arms of their relatives and friends in a foreign soil where culture and traditions are vastly different from where they come from. Broken vow Erlinda (surname withheld upon request), 34, and mother of two, said she and her husband got separated when she found out that her husband had impregnated his housemate in Dubai. Erlinda only learned about her husband’s infidelity when her friend saw him in a province in the Philippines where his supposed “other woman” lives. Shock overtook her when she discovered that her husband went home in the Philippines because his lover would give birth to their first child. When she confronted him, he confessed that he and her lover got married in Dubai. The two separated with nothing left for Erlinda but the broken promises of a brighter future for her family. A need for strong relationship Manny Garcia, famous author of Kapeng Arabo, a book about life in the Middle East, said there could be truth to the saying that “distance makes the heart forget.” “If the relationship is not that strong, it is doomed to fail,” he said. He added that in his years of stay in Saudi, he has seen the collapse of many relationships because of extreme loneliness on the side of the migrant worker. This, he said, is one of the reasons why Filipino workers opt to look for companionship that often ends up in an illicit affair. “Maraming tukso kapag wala ka sa tabi ng minamahal mo,” he said. He said this is one of the sacrifices an OFW has to face. “Pero kahit naman ang mga naiiwan sa Pilipinas ganun din. Marami dito ang nagpapakamatay sa kakatrabaho, to the extent of sacrificing their own happiness para sa pamilya, nila pero ’yung mga iniiwan nila naman ang hindi makatiis at nagkakaroon din ng mga affairs,” he said. “Kapag nasa abroad ka, you have to spend the rest of the day killing time. Let’s say you work only for eight hours; you still have 16 hours to kill. Kapag nag-iisa ka sa apartment o kapag magkakasama kayo sa iisang apartment o compound, kayu-kayo na lang ang nagpapalitan ng sama ng loob na madalas na-dedevelop into something deeper than friendship,” he said. “But this is not always the case, meron naman tayong mga kababayan na talagang wala nang inisip kundi ang kapakanan ng pamilya nila. Hayun, madalas nasa harap ng internet at kausap ang pamilya,” he said. He said the advent of the internet has somehow lowered the number of broken Filipino families. He said the internet has huge advantage for both the OFWs and their loved ones. “Mas madali na ngayon ang communication between two parties,” he said. He said families of OFWs must invest in computers. “Letting your love ones know you care for them is just one click away,” he said. Derek & Cynthia: For the love of Cynrick Frederick Bonifacio, an artist and photographer, said when his wife Cynthia had decided to go to Italy to work, he prepared himself for the prospect of living alone and by playing a mom and a dad in raising their only daughter Cynrick, 8. He said it was hard at the beginning but now that the internet is available, he finds it easy to make her feel closer to home. He said he always makes sure that he would send message of love to his wife “to make her feel that she is important in my life.” “When we talk, I always assure her that everything is alright and that I and our daughter miss her and always pray for her,” he said. He said he always sends her photographs of their daughter and always makes sure that she would get the latest news about the progress of their child in school and that she is always in good health. “Masakit nang umalis siya, pero I know that she also needs to grow at alam ko rin naman na para sa pamilya namin ang ginagawa naming sakripisyo. Napag-usapan namin na one day, baka sumunod kaming mag-ama sa Italy para magkasama na kami doon,” he said. He said his wife will come home for a vacation. He expressed his and his daughter ‘s excitement over his wife’s homecoming. Nestor & Leila: Always the 1st time Nestor Faustino met her wife, Leila, a nurse at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when they were both new in the Middle East. They eventually got married and are now celebrating their 25th anniversary. They were blessed with three beautiful daughters – Lanie, 23; Anna Coritha, 20; and Neslie, 17. Nestor said it was love at first sight in a land where you find happiness by meeting fellow Filipinos. “I was madly in love with my beautiful wife and until today, the light in our hearts continues to shine for each other,” he said. He said, they went back home for good in 1996, but Leila returned to the same company in Saudi Arabia in 1998. He said Leila comes home every six months “as if there are always special occasions in the house.” “We make sure that everytime she goes home for a vacation, she is always warmly welcomed. And for the two of us, it is always a honeymoon,” he said. And how does he keep the music playing? “We both have trust on each other. We love each other very much,” he said. Joseph & Marieta: Communication is key Marieta Prenda, whose husband has been working for seven years as a seaman, said they too had a hard time adjusting to living alone oceans apart. She said she too had a night of longing which always ended up in tears. However, she knows that her husband left to give their two children – Vince and Kyla – the best education they could have. She said: “Binubuhos ko sa mga anak ko ang pagmamahal ko sa husband ko.” She said before her husband decided to work on a foreign ship, they discussed the situation intensely. “We agreed to stick to our marriage vows; that everything we would do is for the future of our children. We know that we have a moral obligation to raise our children,” she said. While she, too, has her own work, she said it is not enough to sustain the family. Her husband’s sacrifices are now bearing fruit as they have already built their own dream house. After this, she said, “mag-iipon na kami ng pampuhunan kahit sa maliit na business lang muna. Kaya nga bago siya umalis alam na niya where the money should go. Gusto kong malaman niya na ang lahat ng pinaghihirapan niya ay may patutunguhan. Ayokong isipin niya na napupunta sa wala ang perang ipinapadala niya sa aming pamilya niya,” she said. She regrets that there are many families who suddenly feel they are rich just because they have relatives working abroad. “They spend unabashedly without thinking of their loved ones na nagpapakahirap sa abroad. this will never happen to me,” she said. She gives these tips to couples who are worlds apart to keep the good music playing. 1. Always open the line of communication – She said it is important that couples must find ways to communicate to each other. 2. Make her or him feel mportant -- When you talk to your loved one make sure that they are important. “When I talk to my husband, I always give him the best news as possible. Ayoko nang nag-aalala siya. I always make sure na puro magagandang balita ang natatanggap niya.” 3. Make everyday a brand new day – She said everyday must always be a new day. “Always look at the brighter side of life. 4. Pray to God – She said everytime she feels lonely, she talks to God and prays to Him for guidance. ©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Babalik ka rin

Ayun, sinisikap kong maging normal ang buhay after almost one month na medyo naging abnormal ito.

1. Vacation, umalis ako sa kompanyang tinatrabahuan ko ng maayos, pero maraming dahilan kung bakit. Sabihin na lang natin na hindi sila naging matino! hahaha.

2. Nagulat sa sobrang init sa Pinas, at maging sa kahit saang bahagi ng mundo ayun sa mga balita.

3. Maraming papeles ang inayos at inaayos para sa magandang kinabukasan.

4. Bumalik ulit sa Gitnang Silangan sapagkat di mapapalagpas ang oportunidad sa bagong offer sa trabaho.

5. Naghahanda para sa pagbubukas ng nomination ng PEBA 2010 sa July 2010.

6. Naghahanap ng magandang bahay at maipwesto ang PC at laptop para sa tuloy tuloy na Facebook at blogging. hehe

7. Walang upuan sa trabaho ko ngayon. Maghapon akong naglalakad sa laboratory at nakatayo na naglalaro ng mga chemical, kasama ang mga kinakatakutang theory at analysis sa Quantitative Chemistry nung 3rd year sa high school at maging sa college. Ang laki ng pinagkaiba, kung parang bossing ako dati, matindi rin ang mga bossing dito ngayon, pero pakialam ko sa kanila basta ginagawa ko ng maayos ang trabaho at milyones ang sahod ko! haha (yan ang sinasabi nilang mukhang pera?)lols!

8. Ang hirap pala ng mahiwalay sa asawa at anak. Nararanasan ko ngayon ang naranasan ng mga OFW na malayo sa pamilya. Nakakalungkot, nakakaiyak, nakakawala sa katinuan pero kelangan tiisin para sa kanilang kinabukasan at maaya-ayang pamumuhay. Hoping makasunod na rin ang mag-ina ko sa madaling panahon. Hays. Namimiss ko na ang mga luto ni Mrs. Thoughtskoto!

Reporting, Mr. Thoughtskoto, back to work, back to blogging!

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO