Let's thank the Lord for the year that was. Indeed, it was a very challenging year for me. With so many changes and discoveries. But what I learned is that, I am stronger than I used to think! Coping with life's challenges was never easy, but giving up was a heavier task to fulfill. I know 2013 would be different from the past since I already left corporate world and starting a new career. Nevertheless, I am so ready for the new changes and risks because I know the Lord will guide in every step of the way. So for 2013, let's go for  gold!!!

Stay positive... and pass it on!

from pics22.com

I know this is a bit late but better late than never, so, Happy Holidays, Everyone! I may not have all the things I've listed on my wishlist but no amount of material presents could ever replace the love and warmth one can get from a loving family. Love is all around these days so grab it, its for free! And make sure you give back more! Forget your worries for now and relieve your mind from stress and all that jazz. This is the time of the year that everyone should be rejoicing!



Again, from my family to yours, Merry Christmas and An Abundant 2013 to All of Us!

Again, another outstanding individual awed, not only the world, but the whole universe with her wit and charm, and showed what the Philippines is made of. Janine Tugonon won first runner up in the Miss Universe 2012 beauty pageant but certainly, you deserve the winning crown! 

Miss Philippines, the only Asian candidate who made it to the Top 10 couldn't have answered it better:

Me and my family would like to request whoever may stumble upon and read this blog to take a moment of silence and offer a prayer for all the souls of the teachers and the little kids who became victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre. This is such a sorrow for the whole world. We would like to extend our sympathy to all the parents and the relatives of those whose lives were lost.

Dear readers, with this unfortunate event that happened, may this remind us to always celebrate life. Show your loved ones how much they matter to you... you never know what may happen the next second.

Let us always, always celebrate the gift of Life.


My condolences to their families and friends...

photo from abcnews.com

Christmas is definitely just around the corner! At home, we have already set up our very own Christmas tree as well as the Christmas lights (though we will lit it up on start of Simbang Gabi to save some energy hehehe).   With the holidays only days to go, what could be more exciting than to make a Christmas wishlist! I believe I'd been a good girl so Santa make my wishlist come true? Please?

1. Christmas in New York City with the family. I want to experience the New York City life! Yeah, I know its not the place to be if you want to relax and unwind. But all I want is to have spend Christmas in a very cold place and still feel warm because I am  spending it with my family. Maybe a once in a lifetime Christmas at the Times Square wouldn't hurt at all.




2. A very effective planner. Just because I have so much to do next year and I need an organizer/planner that fits my personality. I am planning to buy the Belle de Jour planner. I just read about it and the description says its for a woman. I have already quit my day job to plunge into the risk of being a self-employed cum full time mother. Its a mixed emotion of fear and excitement of the unknown as well as happiness because I can spend more time with my son and be able to work on a schedule of my own.

from http://belledejourpowerplanner.com/

3. A whole body spa pampering. Who doesn't need it? With all these holiday stress, one thing I would never refuse is the gift of a whole body massage and pampering in a spa with an ambiance that spells relaxation. My favorite is The Spa. You may want to give into that long needed break and try The Spa and I'm sure you won't regret it plus, your body will tell you 'Thank You!'.

photo from: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spa/55463411822

4. New dress. I want another dress from my favorite store, Plains and Prints! I just hope it would compliment me :) That's Liz Uy, the store's new endorser.




5. That Vaio Ultrabook. I need a new laptop. Ok, ok, not much of a high-end one since I am no longer going to use it for coding and all that IT stuff, but I definitely need to a new one for starting my business because the old one is not very presentable at all. But since this is just a wishlist, I'll include this on my list. 9hours of battery life? Who wouldn't want a laptop like that :D

read more about this ultrabook: http://www.vankaizer.com/sony-launched-their-first-ultrabook-vaio-t13-and-t11/

6. Melissa shoes. How I wish I could own one! But its too expensive for my budget, 5k for a pair! But I promise to buy one once my business becomes a success. A way to thank myself.

photo from fashionjournal.com.au

And the list goes on! Surely, no human can be contented on what he has, but remember, no amount of material thing can replace the gift of love. So for my last wish,

7. Good health, happiness, guidance from Above, harmonious family relationship, successful career, and a love that will stand the test of time.


How about you, what are your wishes?

Stay positive, everyone! And pass it on!

Paulo Coelho is one of the many authors I admire. Simply because his books are really substantial. I've read just some of his books since I wasn't able to purchase his entire collection but I would definitely grab some more on the bookstore once I already have the budget. His books made me realize a lot of things and how we all get too busy and worried about life we forget how to live life to the fullest. For this post I would to share a simple quote from Paulo Coelho and I hope this would inspire you to act on to whatever you are dreaming of today. Make it happen now, not tomorrow, not in the future. Begin to chase it today!

photo form Paulo Coelho's FB account

Stay positive... and pass it on!

Christmas season is around every corner and its definitely the season for giving! Aside from the material things you can give as a gift, be most generous when it comes to giving L-O-V-E. This, you won't have to stretch your pocket and the best thing is, everybody would love to receive the gift of love.

I found this very inspiring video circulating in the Facebook site and thought of sharing it to you. I believe in the good in everybody. CCTVs are mainly used as surveillance cameras to monitor threats and capture foul activities. But the video below shows otherwise. People are amazing - love is a built in character to everyone. Yes, even those who we think have the worst behavior. Watch it and see how much of a better place we can have only if all of us gives a little bit of our love to everyone, not just to someone, "everyone" we meet.



I hope after watching this video you feel good and hopeful about our world as much as I am. Stay positive everyone... and pass it on!

Give a little bit of that love inside you!

“This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.”




Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

September from now on not only marks the official start of the Christmas season but also, for our family, celebration of my dearest son's birthday. Oh yes, Swoosh would be 1 year old on September 26. How time really flies! Isn't it just yesterday when I first embraced him gently with my arms?

One year almost passed and there's just too much realizations about myself being a parent that made me understand my parents now more than ever. For me, the biggest realization is that being a parent makes you feel your mortality. What a deep thought, you might say. But its the truth. And just what do I mean by that?

Being a parent makes you feel how mortal you are. Surely, our children growing up is inevitable. They will get hurt, fail, cry, succeed, get lonely, be happy, love and be loved in return. Those are life's gifts to us and we will all have almost the same experience, just different situations. But when you are a parent, the thing that mostly would concern you is how to protect your child. What if you are no longer there to protect him during the bad times? Who would take care of them until age 61? Who could they lean on if times would go bad and you are out of reach?

About a month ago, there was an not-so-good experience I've encountered that made me realize this. I was on a bus heading to main avenue in Cubao because that's where I will be taking another bus going Bulacan. I loaded the bus in Santolan and immediately positioned myself to stand, since all seats are taken and a lot of people are all already standing, just at the front of the bus, near the driver and the door since main ave. is only 2-3minutes away from Santolan. The bus driver drove smoothly until intersection at P.Tuazon and we were stopped by the red traffic light. Just when the lights went on green, and our bus started moving straight ahead, another bus came cutting us off going to the left! Our bus driver immediately pushed the breaks and I was almost thrown onto the front mirror of the bus had I not grabbed the pole tightly I am holding on to. People on the bus got frightened by the incident. Most cursing the other bus. Thank God none got hurt. As for myself, I think I just had a little ankle sprain because I was caught off guard and I had to keep myself from falling by standing firmly even if my ankle got a little twisted because of the shake. It was a tolerable hurt that lasted for 2days, maybe.

Why am I sharing this? This is one of those situations I fear might happen. Can you imagine what might have happened if our bus driver was a second late from pushing that break? That was when the realization of my mortality immediately emerged from the back of my mind. What if the unfortunate happened and I was on very front of the bus? I don't want to think about it anymore but when I got home that night and saw Swoosh happily seeing me arrived at last, I cried. No, I can't bear the thought of leaving my little baby too soon. My son needs me.

Being a parent is a very tough responsibility. Your parents may not be the best parents in the world, but always remember, their existence, is not just for themselves. Their main purpose since they became a parent is to be there for you. They strive to exist for you.

 I know I can never be the best mother in the whole world, but I will try to be one for my son. But if I fail to be the best parent for my child, I hope he would realize that I may not be the best but surely, I will always be the one person who would always be there for him. Watching him grow, taking care of him. And if God permits the longevity of my mortality, yes, I will take care of you... till you're 61.

I don't if its just coincidence that whenever I decide to go on a diet, a lot of all of a sudden celebrations would emerge. Dear God, help me not to pig out! But God really tests my self-control. How can I say no to these mouth-watering Filipino dishes?

Last Friday, me and my new colleagues at my new work celebrated Nap-nap's birthday. We decided to give Kanin Club a try since this is just near our office premise and a lot of rave have been said about. But I don't believe all these sayings unless I try it for myself. So here you go, a little feedback of what we had.


Crispy Pata - The crispy pata will always be a Filipino favorite. For my verdict, Kanin Club's version is just the same as the others. No don't get me wrong, I didn't say it negatively. I've tasted a lot of crispy pata from other restaurants and I can say that they're all good when properly prepared. The crispy pata of Kanin Club will surely make you order more kanin!


Sinigang na Hipon - The taste of this sinigang is perfectly right! I can't help sipping the soup. Just like how my mom prepares sinigang at home. I could go on with my lunch even with just the soup.

Crispy Dinuguan - Their bestseller. No wonder why, crispy meat in a diniguan dish? I can't explain it in words, all I know is that, I think I consumed half of the order. hehehehe!

Its always nice to celebrate one's birthday, but aside from that I believe that this also is a celebration of a friendship blossoming from new acquaintances. :-) So, dear God, thank you for the food and the friendship! I obey! No diet for today! Haha!

Heavy rain pours down all over Manila for almost a week now and nearby provinces resulting to almost a similar scenario during the Ondoy 2009 storm. Our office declared no work today due to a lot of areas in the whole Metro not being passable. Keep safe everyone! Make sure you charge your phones and get ready your flashlights in case of emergency (I really hope there is none!). Be sure to keep enough clean water for drinking and some foods you can instantly eat. Get ready the first aid kit too. Stay at home as much as possible and keep yourself informed by watching the news.

Photo from Inquirer.net. Bulacan area.



Four days ago, Roxas Boulevard.





From Trust.org - photo taken 5 days ago, Navotas Area


From Interaksyon.com, Taytay, Rizal. A day ago.




As much as  I would like to cheer everyone up, I am also worried of what's happening around. So my advice for now is just to keep yourself aware, stay at home with your loved ones, and of course, let's pray for the safety of everyone. Good vibes, everyone! This too shall pass.

The start of the week had always been a assumed as a dreadful day to begin with. Monday, to most of us especially commuters - kids who go to school, working parents who prepare their children for school, working students, employees, etc - this is the least favorite day. Why? For me, Monday used to be the most unproductive day because firstly, the time spent on traffic, secondly, because the long traffic starts the stress. Getting to the office tardy and stressed is not the right mood to start the week at all!
Now that leads me to conclusion that I can never start a positive attitude if I will concentrate on these Monday madness. I need to divert my attention to focus my mind on other things and at least reject the negative vibes from people around me who are also stressed. Morever, if I engaged myself on other things, I believe will motivate myself to be more productive.
I've figured out some ways to make Monday morning traffic somehow delightful. Hope these helps ease your Monday ahead :-):
1. Plan. While traveling from home to office or school, you start planning your day, your week, even the whole month. Write your to-do list on a paper, phone, organizer etc that you can look at to help keep on track with your tasks.

2. Write. Writing is one of my hobbies. It may be challenging to write while surrounded by the busy city but you may also find inspiration in the midst of it. So if you have love for the unspoken words, you may want to do what I've just done, writing a draft of this blog while on a bus commuting, using the tablet my husband gave to me. ;-)

3. Read. If writing is not your forte then you may want to try reading. As for me, reading supercedes my love for writing. Reading books leads me to a whole new dimension. Making me forget the not-so-nice things about reality. You may also want to read the newspapers for current events and some intellectual articles about finance, business, economy, which may help you in a way or two.

4. Communicate. A lot of communication devices are in the market right now, making it easy to keep in touch with our loved ones despite the busy schedule and our distance to them. If the week will be too busy for you, why not say "hi!" as early as the start of the week to make them feel they are never forgotten? This is also a very effective way to give and take good vibes!

Remember stay positive and always pass it on.
Good morning, Monday! You never fail to start the drama! :-)

These past few days, I've been consulted by two of my girlfriends regarding their wedding planning. I think a lot of girls of would agree if I say that weddings, not debuts, are the ladies' ultimate celebration of their beauty and femininity. I remember planning my own wedding. It was stressful yet so addicting. Unfortunately, I was not able to execute my dream wedding. Even so, I am still very much happy with the outcome of our wedding. It was beautiful and intimate with only the closest people who have really touched our lives as a couple were able to witness our exchange of vows.

So, what happened then, what was actually my dream wedding? The truth is, my dream wedding theme is really the next thing to impossible since I am aiming for... a winter wedding theme! I wish I could have snow in my wedding but Philippines being the tropical country I've always loved, I knew from the very start this cannot come into realization. Nevertheless, I would always want to witness a friend maybe, to have a winter wedding. Here's a mood board I've created to show you how elegant this wedding theme could be:

My Winter Wedding Dream

And as everybody says, its not the wedding that's most important but the marriage. Before you say I do, make sure you can differentiate the two. Spread the Love!

Ask me what I hate most in the world, my answer would be Cancer. This disease took my mom away from us just when she was starting to enjoy the fruit of her labor in life. This disease has some form of a betrayal on it, just when you thought you are as healthy as can be, cancer cells suddenly produces themselves inside your body and before you could even notice it, they've invaded your entire anatomy.

I know how hard the battle is. I've seen and felt it with my mom. The video below was filmed in Seattle Children's Hospital. Watching this, I can almost feel how strong they are facing their tough battle. What are my problems compared to these children? Such an uplifting video for those whose battle are the same as theirs. Yes, they know it in their hearts, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.



Some scenes during the making of this video:



Stay positive and pass it on.

I know that I have a lot more to learn when it comes to financial literacy. But as far as I'm concerned, a lot of readers of this blog may have the same goal as mine, to reach their first million peso. I know its not a lot but hey, its still the start of becoming a millionaire! I am in the process of realizing this goal and hopefully by the end of the year this would materialize. Stay positive everyone!

For someone who works in the IT field, you would think that it may be odd that I never get interested in buying lots of gadgets. And I swear, if you want to know anything about gadgets, I may just be the last person you would like to ask for an opinion. Because honestly, I don't know anything about these high tech, expensive, complicated specs gadgets.

For personal use, I own a laptop (3year old), a cellphone(5year old) and a point and shoot digicam ( I can barely remember when did I buy it). These things do the works for me and I'm very happy with their performance. I don't know what did I say to my dear husband but for Mother's day he keeps on insisting to buy me a tablet. I got hold of an Ipad and Galaxy Tab and instantly want to own one. But after sometime, I thought what am I gonna do with it? For me its just practicality, but for some, I know they would just easily say I'm so "kuripot". Two weeks of my husband's stay in California and he said I'd better decide what I want. With all these gadgets, how can I pinpoint which would fit my needs? What gadget would an woman like me needs to help in my multi-tasking? Managing household, taking care of the baby, working in corporate IT, blogging for a hobby, and having fun with my girlfriends, which do you recommend should I be getting? I surely hope to get your insights!

1. Apple Ipad 2 - An eye candy for the techie peeps! But I always thought, if I buy this today what upgrade version would we have on the late quarter of the year? Apple has been known for releasing upgraded versions of their products very often. I don't want to be "addicted to Apple products and keep buying when there's a new release!

Mac Pink Nouveau

It was four years ago when I last said I love you to you face to face. Four years have passed yet, everything seemed like yesterday. Come to think of it, so many things have happened but still, I admit that I have not yet moved on. Yes, every day, every minute, I still wish you are here with us. Enjoying life as you should have, as you have deserved. But then reality snaps in, and all that's left for me are just memories. All the memories are so vivid to me. I know never it will fade. I will miss you every second of my life. I know since the day you left, I will never get over it. No, I cannot move on. I guess I never wanted to.

Ok. Ok. I'm having very little time to update this blog since I'm now being a full time mom to my kiddo. I have no helper as of this moment so I cannot update the blog regularly. But I promise to update this page as often as I can when I already have the time. Time is such a precious thing!

For now, let me share to you a promotion from the previous company I worked for, Trend Micro. Just like the page in Facebook and then follow the prompts and if luck is on your side, you may win P1,500 gift certificate! Isn't that great? No sweat at all! Join now! Click the link!

Trend Micro Weekly Giveaways!


Goodluck dear readers!

Dahil medyo nammiss ko na ang Amerika, naisipan kong i-post muli ang isang artikulong ginawa ko habang naho-homesick ako noon. At para maiba naman dahil nagno-nosebleed din ako paminsan minsan sa mga Ingles kong blog, naisipan kong magpahinga muna sa wikang banyaga at gamitin ang wikang Tagalog. Sana magustuhan nyo ang mga mumunting obserbasyon sa maliit na panahon ng aking paglalagi sa Amerika.

buhay amerika vs buhay pinas:


1. maluwag ang daan. parang wlang eskinita dito. parang laging nlex ang daanan kahit ordinaryong kalsada lang. maayos lahat ng traffic lights, hindi naggigitgitan ang mga sasakyan, walang msyadong traffic ( maliban kung weekends), malinis ang daan walang basura halos at wla ring kanal na amoy imburnal. hindi din gamitin ang train nila dito dahil lahat halos may sasakyan. bigla ko tuloy naaalala ang mga kalunos lunos pero nakakatawang experience ko sa mrt.

California

2. disiplinado ang mga tao sa daan. pag may tmtawid bawal tutukan at dapat talagang huminto ang mga sasakyan. ang mga sasakyan hindi pedeng sumakop ng 2 lanes. may pangalan ang bawat street kaya din madaling malaman ang mga daan. kaya lang bawal huminto basta basta sa gilid ng daan. di kagaya sa pinas parang kahit saan pwedeng pwedeng mag-park. kaya kahit naliligaw ka na sa US diretso lang ng drive.

3. hindi ko alam kung tamad lang ba sila sa bahay o mahilig talaga cla mgimbento. napakdaming bagay na napakadaling gawin ng kamay pero ginagawan pa din nila ng imbensyon para hndi na kailangan pang gamitin ang kamay. halimbawa, de kuryenteng peeler ng patatas, cucumber etc. may pambukas din kami ng delata na de kuryente. nammiss tuloy namin yung pambukas ng delata na manual. panu na pag mgbabaon kmi ng delata sa pamamasyal? wla kaming can openner kasi nga de kuryente yung nasa bahay hindi pedeng baunin. demanding?!

4. mahal ang bigas! OMG! sa isang pinoy OFW (ofw talaga?!) hindi ito makatarungan. $17 para sa 20lbs ng bigas. kaya cguro ndi sila mahilig sa rice. hindi ko maintindihan ang mga amerikano kung pano naging substitute ng bigas ang mashed potato at bread sa kanila. nakakalungkot naman kumain ng tinapay at sinigang di ba.

5. ilang beses na ko nakatanggap ng compliments sa kulay ko. pero sa pinas nilalait nila ko. parang araw araw daw ako ngbbeach. buti naman dito ngustuhan nila kulay ko. kung hindi eh san pa ko lulugar.

6.  andaming pagkain n less fat, less sugar, less than 200 calories, less na lahat parang halos wala ka ng nakain. pero ang tataba pa din at ang lalaki pa din ng tao dito. baka dito ng aapply ang sabi nila na "less is more".

7. madali lang para sa kanila makabili ng mga bagay bagay na napakahirap bilhin sa atin. halimbawa, TV. makakabili sila sa isang buwang sweldo nila ng de-kalibre at makabagong teknolohiyang telebisyon at may matitira pa din sa sweldo nila, samantalang sa atin, 2 taon mo huhulugan sa credit card ang ganoong klaseng TV.

8. sa amerika napakalayo ng mga bahay. hindi uso ang tsismisan tuloy sa kapitbahay. nakakalungkot di ba? na-miss ko tuloy ang kapitbahay naming walang humpay sa pakikipagtsismisan sa umaga habang nagwawalis ng bakuran. kahit di na ko manood ng tv o makinig ng radyo, mas madami pa syang alam na impormasyon tungkol sa mga artista at sa mga tao sa barangay namin.

9. SNOW! umuulan ng nyebe!!! para sa isang taong namumuhay sa init ng araw 365 days a year, ang makaranas ng pag-ulang ng yelo ay tunay na pruweba na talagang nakatapak na ako sa lupang banyaga! isa din ito sa pinakahihintay kong pagkakataon para makapasuot ng "boots". oh yes, boots! pangarap kong magsuot ng boots pero di ko magawa sa pinas, napakainit ng panahon at kahit nakatsinelas ka ay nakapakainit pa din. hindi ko maintindihan ang ibang kabataan sa pinas pano nila natitiis magsuot ng boots sa gitna ng sikat ng araw. baka may aircon sa loob ang boots nila o baka lamigin talaga ang paa nila. ewan.

isnow!

pacman vs clottey fight in TexasT

10. ang tanging bagay na na-miss ko sa Amerika -- mag-shopping. mura ang bilihin. ang mga "branded clothes" ika nga ay halos "bagsak-presyo". marahil ay nasanay ako sa kakarampot na sweldo sa Pilipinas kung kaya't pagdating sa ibang bansa talaga naman "shopping galore" tayo, sa Amerika, ang sweldong pinaghirapan mo ay marami ng mabibili. ang bawat sentimo ng dolyar ay may saysay. sa pinas, ang tawag natin sa singko, singkong duling. at kapag nakakuha tayo nito, kalimitan inihuhulog na lamang natin sa mga lata ng red cross. nakakalungkot isipin.

marami pang ibang gusto kong ilahad pero sa susunod n lang. masaya ang buhay sa amerika. pero yun ay kung ndi mo naranasan mabuhay sa pinas. 

Again, I am so busy at work I have no time to blog. I really miss posting on my site and seeing lot of traffic on my webpage. So I thought I need something worth reading to post and something that would really entice my readers' minds. :)

Last week, I have just done one life-changing decision. I have just passed my resignation letter. Though it is truly a heartbreak to leave the company I have worked for 8years in my life, I know that God is up to something good that's why He gave me a new opportunity to be accepted in another company.

When we decide to leave the company we are working for, it must be because we have found a better workplace. Be it a better pay, better working environment, better work schedules, etc. But can these "better" things compete with the world's best countries to work for? Surprisingly, America is not on the list. Aaaww, does that mean no more "American Dream" for us Filipinos? I have nothing against USA but the facts says it all, USA may not be the only country that can be branded "the land of milk and honey" nowadays. Read on and see for yourself what we are actually missing. :) (the blue lines are my comments)


The 10 Best Countries to Work In

Source: Yahoo! She


2. BULGARIA: Bulgarians are given up to 410 days of paid maternity leave at 90 percent of the mother's salary, 45 days of which must be taken prior to the birth of the child. Parents are also eligible for a second year of paid parental leave at a minimum salary. Even better, both the father and the grandparents can take the second year of maternity leave in place of the mother, if necessary.


3. BRAZIL: Brazil is most notable for offering workers the most paid vacation days per year in the world. Full-time workers can earn a whopping 41 paid days off - 30 of those days are mandated for leisure time at the worker's convenience, and the other 11 are considered paid federal holidays.



4. FRANCE: According to the OECD, French people work nearly 200 hours less each year than other countries in the organization. France is also a world leader when it comes to the number of paid vacation days: 40 in total, 30 of which are mandated and 10 of which are public holiday.



5. FINLAND: Like Brazil and France, Finland is one of the world leaders in offering paid vacation days - up to 40 days a year, including 30 of which are mandated, and 10 more as public holiday. Additionally, only .04 percent of Finnish workers work more than 50 hours a week on average, an important indicator for a healthy work/life balance.



6. NETHERLANDS: Workers clock only 1,378 hours per year, or 27.6 hours per week. Like Germany, however, the Netherlands maintains a healthy GDP and high standard of living in spite of fewer hours on the job. On top of that, they are given 28 paid vacation days per year, and 16 weeks of paid maternity leave at 100 percent of their salaries. As if that weren't enough, Dutch workers are also offered tax breaks on an additional 26 weeks of unpaid maternity leave if required.



7. NORWAY: A parent is given as much as 47 weeks at 100 percent salary, or 57 weeks at 80 percent salary. Nine weeks are reserved for the mother, 12 weeks (the "daddy's quota") are reserved for the father, and the parents can share the rest. Norwegian workers are also given a healthy 35 days of paid vacation per year.



8. DENMARK: Denmark was ranked No. 1 in the world for providing the best work/life balance by the OECD. It has a number of factors working for it: a full 52 weeks of paid maternity leave, 34 total days of paid vacation, and only .04 percent of workers are on the job more than 50 hours per week. Additionally, the OECD calculated that as many as 16.31 hours per day are dedicated to personal care among Danish workers.
 

9. LITHUANIA: It is the only nation tied with Brazil in offering the most total paid vacation days in the world at 41 ("only" 28 are mandated, but 13 are public holiday). Lithuania also offers a generous maternity leave: one year of leave at 100 percent salary, or if parents opt to take two years off, the first year is set at 70 percent salary and at 40 percent in the second year.



10. SWEDEN:  As many as 480 days, or 16 months, of paid parental leave is offered to workers, 60 days of which are reserved for the father. Furthermore, those 480 days can be spent however the parents see fit over the first eight years of their child's life. Sweden also offers a generous 36 days of paid vacation every year, and ranks firmly in the top 10 countries in the OECD with the best work/life balance.

For the record, Sweden is my best bet to work in. :) How I wish I could have that 16month paid parental leave :(



WOW. Working in these countries may just be the work-life balance everybody's dreaming of. Apparently, 9 of these countries are situated in Europe. Oh yes, not in America. Reading this article actually got me into thinking, would it be best to migrate in these places? Who knows, one day I might just give in. But for now, I am such a patriotic as everybody knows. For me, still, "Its more fun in the Philippines!" I love you, motherland!