Pop Culture – Page 23 – Rock To Riches

My First e-Passport Renewal Experience Overseas

I went early yesterday morning to Dammam to renew my passport through the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh’s “Embassy on Wheels” or the EOW program. Thanks to a colleague, who’s also a volunteer for the EOW, for giving me a lift to the Al Jazeera International School (Philippine School of Dammam).

I booked an appointment with the Embassy through their website way back in August. I was trying to get a booking for their September or October tour but the online appointment was already full so I had to settle for the December schedule.

So I advise the Filipinos in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia to book their renewal as early as 6 months prior to the expiration of their passports to avoid any problem.

Let me take you to a virtual tour on how the renewal process went on yesterday morning. Continue reading My First e-Passport Renewal Experience Overseas

One Good Gift for Kids This Christmas: A Savings Account

Ninongs and ninangs in the Philippines are oftentimes caught in frenzy when the first week of December comes. Ideas run out on what items they can give to their inaanaks as Christmas gifts or more popularly known as aginaldo.

(Note: For the sake of our non-Filipino readers, the terms ninong and ninang pertain to baptismal/confirmational godfather and godmother of Filipino children. Inaanak refers to godchildren. Aginaldo was derived from the Spanish word Aguinaldo which means any Christmas gift received by godchildren from their godparents. Other Hispanic countries also use this term to describe such gifts during Christmas.)

Instead of rushing our way through the heavy traffic to catch the mall sale, I have one suggestion for the godparents. Bring your godchildren to the nearest bank and help them out in opening their first savings accounts. Continue reading One Good Gift for Kids This Christmas: A Savings Account

Three Anti-Impulse Buying Reflections This Christmas

Christmas day is fast approaching. A couple of weeks more and you’ll be opening a lot of gift boxes and read tons of greetings in Facebook or Twitter. You’d probably be using Pinterest this time around to share Christmas posters and greeting cards. Cheapskate, aren’t you. 😉

Most of you must have already started enjoying your bonuses and the fruits of your hardwork. Some of you have probably took some of profits and dividends from your investments. Heading out for the malls or fair this weekend to buy gifts for family and friends?

However which way you may have received those blessings and how you want to enjoy them, it is best that you prepare yourself and your emotions for the probability of impulsive decisions this Season.

Consider asking yourself the following reflection questions before pulling out those crispy bills or credit cards out of your wallets. Continue reading Three Anti-Impulse Buying Reflections This Christmas