Francesca in France

We spent our sunday at San Remo and we had some ice cream at Living Garden Bar and Restaurant along the port area where there are yatchs and also there was a race of sports cars, mostly antique models.

Michels Icecream bowl
Mine, with an ek ek decor, looks like a fanfare, mama mia!


one of the sports car displayed during the race. Very expensive, must be around 50,000 euros, model 1950's? If I am not mistaken it is a Morgan sportscar

Question: Should I divorce Michel if this is the offer plus among other things?lol
Went home at 10pm.hows your weekend, girls?

When I quit my work with Butler's Boss, I thought I would miss the work and regret the decision. I didnt.
So far I am happy,because I dont have stress, I can sleep long in bed, and wake up to arrange the house with out pressures.
And I can sit on my pc!!!Yehey....
Then I can go to shops and have looong hours to window shopping! Of course I suffer (too) huhuhu because I wanted to buy some stuffs, but I cannot. Bank will be calling Michel, to report : "Your wife shops again !!!"

Anyway, I am still working Mon-Sat from 12 noon, until, depends on me, when to stop. I can do the work in 3hours, or extend in 5 hours, maximum. Then in between I can take an hour break to attend my driving lessons which is every 3-4pm, monday wednesday and friday.My present Boss is very accomodating and nice. April, I might have a week off for holiday, because of Holy week.And I get paid with a good salary on top. Imagine, no stress, good money?! (grin)

The only stress I have is the train strike, bus strike all over France.Next week there will be another strike, mama mia !These strikers do not know how to work, thats why they complain of the new law, that an employer can sack a worker(age 26 and below) if he is not satisfied with the worker.
Here in France, employers pay the retirement benefits, the health, insurance,etc etc by declaring the workers. On top of the salary, they give 46% of the employees salary to the SSS for that benefits.With 5 weeks paid vacation. Still some are complaining...
Magtrabaho sila sa ibang bansa or sa bansa nila, walang ganon!
And you?
Are you happy with your work at the moment?
job security and satisfaction?

I was browsing the Saturday newspaper "NiceMatin" and I was surprised of the real estate news.
For 100,000 euros price of a flat, or 6.3million pesos
The news said: Who can survive the 100,000 euros flat in Alpes Maritimes?



41 sqmtr year 1999
39 sqmtr year 2000
35 sqmtr year 2001
32 sqmtr year 2002
30 sqmtr year 2003
26 sqmtr year 2004
21 sqmtr year 2005

Every year 3800 apartments needed to house a family/ residents. Nice at the moment is dificit of lodgings to constituents.Less than 200 lodgings are ready to be sold and occupy for less than 3000 euros/sqmtr.

1541 lodgings are sold by the state via social financing in 2005. The property is not that fantastic as in Monaco , but habitable for average income family. We are in that category.Meaning, the State will build a building, average materials, sell it to residents (those who can afford) via mortgage plans.

If very low income head of the family request from the State a lodging, the State will provide HLM (Habitation a Loyer Moderee). For a flat like 60 sqm, a family of three can rent it for 500 euros/month.

At the moment, rent for a studio of 25sqmtr in Nice is 460 euros per month includes charges (for the agency that collects the rent)

Our apartment if we have it rented, we will charge roughly 1000 euros for an 87sqmtr.

Worse in Monaco. A studio for rent there is 1200 euros/month ,30sqm, no cave no parking. What more if one is living near the Port, or near the Palace.

Real Estate Agencies offers monthly mortgage for properties. One apartment ( 65sqmtr)for sale is 200,000 euros, payable monthly for 965 euros. It didnt say in the news ads, how long is it to be paid.

Personal Loan interests offers 2.8% per year(in private companies) but in banks it is 6%
if loan of 10,000 euros, total interests for a year is 280 euros;

Housing Loan: 3.5% interests a year(private companies) but in banks it is 6.5%.

In Phlippines, get a housing loan, (like Ayala offered), it is 18% per year.
If in Five years to pay, thats 18 X 5 years, the price of the property is double.


On the summary, the dificit of lodgings in Nice, France for active constituents (working class) made manifest of a genuine brake of economic development of the area.
Meaning the economy is getting down and down. Those who would like to work here, cannot keep up the cost of housing.

exploding cities

I saw in the news about the christian peacemakers liberated from capitivity in Iraq. Although one of the victims died. I asked Lolo how does he view the activity of these peacemakers trying to help Iraq.

Lolo said: Do you see Jehovahs' Organisaton supports any political affairs?
Religion should not interfere with politics. Never.

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what makes the budget more difficult is: filipinas (or people of other nations as well) has the tendency to be "KIND".

They dont have money as the budget is already tight. Here comes the problem from their family back home.

Mama is sick.Needs medicine regularly, its diabetes.

Kuya is in police station, needs money to put him out of jail, he is a drug addict.

One of the nieces will be graduated this year, will be in college next year, can you provide the graduation and enrolment?

Oh, your aunt has a big lot in the province that is about to be taken by the bank, can you save it.You may send few euros just to pay the interests if you dont have enough money...

Your son will be celebrating his birthday, and he wanted to invite the whole class to Jolibee...50 kids plus families...Only.

Sister wanted to start her business,just a small sari sari store, so that she will not ask your anymore help to feed her family, husband has no work, can you send her 100,000 pesos?

The FX of your father is now stranded because of no PERMIT to operate, was caught my Police. Needs 6000pesos to have his driving liscence back...

And the lists continue on and on and on...

Poor Pinay. How can she survive?!!!


One pinay told me, she spent the money of her Madame. Its only a hundred euros to pay Madames' pressing (dry clean) gown, and Madame wanted it sent to Switzerland immediately. Pinay has no money. She is waiting end of this month for her check to arrive. She vent me her problem. I cant help, I told her.
Why I refuse to help her.
She got a responsibility. The money is not hers, she should not touch it, whatever happens. Her work is at stake. If Madame calls, why the gown still did not arrive in Switzerland, she had it. I have nothing to do to her problem. She should be wise not to touch the money that is not hers.
If she is correct and she lost the money, I will. But no, she bets in Lotto almost everyday, 20 euros! Thats gambling!

On top of their financial problems, they rely on Lotto. 20euros everyday! hey thats a lot!

gambling...

Now that I am doing the groceries, I could see that things went up in prices.
I wonder how much is it in your area? Especially in Philippines!How some survived!

Here in Nice, France:

PORK (with bones) 3.50 euros a kilo / 200php
Pork fillet 6euros a kilo / 400php
Beef with bones 2.30 euros a kilo / 140php
Beef fillet (laman) 10-12 euros a kilo / 700php
Chicken farm 6 euros a kilo / 400php
Chicken normal 4euros / 250 php
Shrimps: 12 euros a kilo big ones
6 euros a kilo small ones for saute
Salmon pink 12euros a kilo
Mussels buchot origin France 6euros per kilo

Pink lady apples 3euros a kilo
Oranges 3euros
Bananas delmonte 1.80 a kilo cavendish ito, malalaki na hindi naman pansinin sa Pinas, nasa 120 pesos a kilo
Sinigang Knorr 1.15 euros / 80php
Tomatoes 2euros a kilo / 120php
Onions 1 euro a kilo in a tipid bag or 65php a kilo

If used to french cuisine si Pinay, there's yogurt, cheese, special bread,olive oil, butter no fat, etc etc.

Imagine if one living here has not enough work and money coming in, One will feel the pain despite heavy hold on budget . Much more if on top, there is another mouth to feed, pay for infant milk and pampers and buy shoes for kids everymonth, as their feet grows fast. Children born in France has only 16Oeuros per month allowance from the Govt until three years old.
Imagine one has to pay monthly the rent, for example a 25sqm studio, it is 400euros per month (35,000 pesos) and electric, water, telephone,(100 euros total or 7,000 php ) then padala sa Pinas.Then pay your taxes, sometimes your personal needs like coiffure, new stockings, new socks for winter.And here with four seasons, one has to change wardrobe 4times from winter, spring,summer, autumn.
And minimum salary in France is 1500 euros per month.Depends pa yan of the position, some gain only 1200euros (70,000php)

How can one survive????!!!

No wonder, instead of going home every year, they decide to do it every 3or 5 years, as they cant afford :to do it every year. Plane ticket France -Philippines cost from 600 to 1300 euros (40to80thousand php)depends on the date of departure and on top of it, you must have more euros to spend when in holidays there.

And some of our families do not understand.They thought money abroad flows like milk and honey in Moses' times...

Panong budget pa ba ang magagawa, para makatipid kababayan natin ha? Some has to invest on a project, a house for Inay at Itay with kapatids, as they are living in a shamrock all their life.

No wonder some kababayan here, despite does all the extra work like sittings (dog, baby, old, dinner until 2am) still complains: its not enough.

When is it that they can say: enough is enough??

I went to the market in Nice, near Notre Dame Church, and I end up in Arab's corner where there is "Halal", meat shop ata sila and some fruits and meat and veges. They almost covering the whole area(2blocks) in line of shops with arab names.One can even spot a shop of goldie bits,necklaces, earings, bracelts, must be coming from Dubai.

I stepped inside a shop saying: "Je cherche une jarret de porc, monsieur."
(Im looking for pigs' calf Sir...)
The arab attendant looked at me like I came from another planet.
He said, none, and ignore me, annoyed!

I went out of the shop,wondering why he reacted like that, then I realised, ehhhhk, they are muslims and they dont eat pork!

I ran away to get out of the area quick...lol
soweee...

Have you been asked of advices from friends? Do you help? And how did the person asking reacted to your suggestions or help?

Today, a filipina asked me if she can petition her sister to live in France. I said: as far as I know sister and brothers are not included in regroupement famillial to petition to live in France.Only children and spouse.

Then she said, "I can make her papers as she is my daughter.
I asked her: Can you?
She said, "my sister is 17 years old, we got the same surname so I can file petition for her because I will claim her as my daughter"
(girls,as if France are that stupid to believe her story, hehe.)
Then I told her, "you know her birth certificate shows, she got a mother, your mother."
She answered: "Oh, I can register another birth certificate that I am her mother. You see I am a resident ten years in France, I think I can petition her."
(She is full of hopes, this ones,girls, but a wrong one...hehe )
"I told her, of course you can, but it is risky. It is fraud, thats altering legal documents, eventually if France discover that, you are in trouble."
(Especially french embassies met a lot of story just to pass a visa to France. Some will make a story of: learning french lessons in France,want to see Effiel (awful)tower, see Chirac and Bernadette, or even saying, oh I want to see the baby of my sister who just give birth... Just like that... anything, just to get a visa. Oh, yeah I once did that, they dont believe my story, I got: denied visa!lol. But I do understand, wh would like to live and die in Philippines...)
I continue to tell her:
"Unless you are a french citizen, then maybe you can petition sisters."
"How can I be a french citizen?"she asked.
"You may apply at immigration office, ask if you are qualified.But what I learned you must speak french as they are giving french exams for applicants and also you will be at tribunal for that."
She gets annoyed telling me: "there are filipinas I knew that are now french citizens but do not speak french!"
I told her, "maybe they were citizens long time, not since 2004, because as far as I knew the law is : to be a citizen, one has to attend civic action seminars and must speak french."
She seems not having hopes for his sister to come to France, she told me: "then I dont believe you." She left me at the train station.

The thing is, it is always the same. Everytime I tell somebody the truth, and it hurts them, I dont see them anymore. LOL
Usually, in my experiences, once I told answers to the questions , and they dont like the answers I gave, they go off.
A person asking advice, has already preconcieved ideas what to do to her situation, but still ask someone to confirm, if their way of thinking is the same with the other,and if I (for example) would suggest different on what they expect, I had it. I lost them.

Thats why I dont have many friends!LOL

Which is alright. How can I keep friends like that? You see, I tell them the truth, and usually the truth hurts.They buzzed off.LOL
I got to be pleasant daw to keep friends, hehe.Meaning I have to tell them only what they want to hear, and if I tell the opposite, I had it.

Nice friends.

Well, she asked advices, I cannot tickle her with lies, just to prove she is correct, cant I?
meanwhile, coucou (crazy) na naman tagboard ko, expired na yata liscence ko!

The palm tree is real. The man painting the wall, has been there 24H, 7days NON STOP. The pantalon design, is ek ek(ART) too. Apartments at the back.
Nice train station,left wing where Michel would pick me up, also near Ibis Hotel.The event this week, Nice Festival with "Mardi Gras." I add it here when I spot it this sunday.

Nice ville train Station entrance, where I take my trip to Monaco. The panel board announces "Boat Show" this weekend at the sea side port area.
  


The beach at "Promenade des Anglais" ,area for english and tourists to stroll around the beach.Lots of restaurants and cafes markets, souveniers'shops,bars, discos nearby.

Palm trees, grows along the seaside. Paris do not have palm trees.Palm trees grows only on warm areas.




Suisse Hotel, if wanted to have a good sunshine on your bedroom window fronting the beach area.This is near the commercial center, ten minutes from the airport, bus service going to all areas (Cannes, antibes, even Auron, the mountainous ski area, three hours from Nice Center.
Which of the photos would you like to go when in Nice?shopping, beach, bar?

For more info about Nice, France.
nice festival

nice.fr

Email I recieved to day from Atty Pulido. If this has sent to you, then, you know already the story, if not, then, continue...

A store that sells new husbands has just opened in New York City where
a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the
entrance is a description of how the store operates.
"You may visit the store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the
attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends each floor.
There is one catch! You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may
choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the
building!"

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These men have jobs.

The second floor sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men have jobs and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love kids, and are extremely good
looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

The fourth floor and sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead good looking
and help with the housework.

"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly believe this!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help
with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to make a pick here, but she goes to the sixth floor
where
sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men
on this floor.
This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.

Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.



A new wives store opened across the street designed with the same
premise.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These women love sex.

The second floor sign reads:
Floor 2 - These women love sex and have money.

The third through sixth floors have never been visited.
Do you know why?

This is some of the questions gathered from my emails. Not many filipinos knows about this laws, and some think, this is a law granted only for the rich like Sharon Cuneta and some others celebrities and politicians.
No.
Any grieved party can file, but she or he must have grounds or proofs to present in court to void her existing marriage.
Adultery ,Bigamy, abandonment, even no marriage liscense are parts of grounds under this law!
So check your copy of marriage contract if it is recorded in NSO and in cityhall where your marriage took place. Maybe you are one of those...with no marriage liscence. Some marriages, the official that solemnized by the law has no authority, this marriage is void also. There are lots. You may email me or my annulment lawyer in the links of this blog.

In Philippines,with a filipina wife, husband sometimes beat her, even cheat on her, but dont let her go hungry, because the time someone offers her good position in life, she would file an annulment of marriage to end her sufferings.Its normal, who would not like to have better oppurtunities.This is a fact base on one of my discussions with my attorney.

The correct attorney, will ask you questions, why you want to have your marriage annuled. She would listen your case, assess it, and look for the ground that suits the story you told her.
Then she would ask a copy of you marriage contract, birth certificates of children if any, then she would check the marriage liscense in the city hall where it was registered.

In Manila city hall, there are lots of double or even triple marriage liscences used by a lot of couples, because they were conned. Please check your marriage contract if you are registred in Manila cityhall. Just to make sure, check if you have a vlid marriage liscence.

When the lawyer finds your marriage liscense as fake, bulls eye, you dont have an existing marriage by the law. Grounds to be used: no marriage liscense. Six months, you will have your marriage annuled. But still you have to hire a lawyer of your choice, because a judge will hear your case and decides. Oh, yeah, there are still a lot of paper works. They will decide, send copies to cityhall and NSO that the marriage of so and so is null and void. So theres still expenses to shoulder.

In psychological incapacity grounds, petitioner will hire a psychiatrist. Some lawyers will refer one, but petitioner can choose hers, if she knows one.It is a must for the case because the psychiatrist will testify in court to establish psychological incapacity of the respondent.

For the proofs, the narration of the petitioner is the basis of the proof. The birth certificate of children if any wil be exhibited in court. Then other things like salary of husband, if working, or photos, or letters to support the allegations etc etc.
Then the lawyer will prepare the petition, file it in court where either of the party presently living. The court will stamp it as recieved copy, lawyer will pay fees, and the party will have an appointment with a fiscal, who will determine if any collusion (mutual agreement) between the parties to file an annulment of their marriage.

If no collusion, the fiscal will render a decision as "no collusion" case can go to pretrial hearing. If proven there is a colluSion, the case will be denied to continue to the judge.
A date will be given to both parties. Respondent will be notified he has a case against him on this and that date. He has options to appear or not.It will not be against him.

Annulment of marriage is a civil case between husband and wife. It is not a criminal case like we read "vs people of the Phils."
No.

Date will be given to the parties to appear.Their will be a preliminary hearing, this is a presentation of the petitioner to the judge, presentaion of the lawyer who handles the case and the respondent and his lawyer. Judge will check if both parties had undergone proper proceedings, acknowledgments reciepts had been filed in the court :that respondent was notified.

If the judge is full up, there will be three or four hearings for the case.
When case hearing was done from petitioner's testimony to witness, the court will ask the lawyer to submit evidences to the court . A 90 days duration is given to the judge to render decision. When the decision arrived, the court will send the decision to the court of appeals. Meaning there will be a final decision if the marriage be annuled or not.

Zsa sza Padilla's case was decided by lower court. When it comes to appeals, it was denied. If it is like that, as it is a final decision, it is for life. She cant have her annulment of marriage even she re file.

Thats it.

But my advice, before any decision on annulment, be ready for emotional stress. People will scorn you, as in filipino culture, husband and wife should stick together despite.Even your family, or your husband's family will despise you, and threaten you to take away the kids from you.

Also be ready for financial stress. It is not as cheap as buying a new dress.
Instead of having an annulment, try to save the marriage. Talk to the husband, maybe there is a way.

In my case, the first infidelity, it was a wave of shock, five years before I recovered. When I started to trust again, on the 6th year,the infidelity started again also.

Try to forgive and mend, even it is hard. Sometimes a confidential talk to one another helps builds up again a shattered marriage.Click here for tips on your marriage can be saved


speak to you soon...

I received some emails asking me about annulments. I was a grantee of that law in Philippines. I was not aware of the idea at that time how annulment is and the effects on it to those I love re: my children. That time ,deciding for an annulment of marriage is my way of taking justice, not revenge.You may believe me or not, it does not matter.I got it, I was happy of the outcome.

Annulment is simply a voided marriage. In the eyes of the Philippine government and the Catholic Church, an annulled marriage is a marriage that never really happened. It’s as if someone stepped into a time machine and traveled back in time and prevented the marriage from ever occurring. This is different from divorce, where everyone agrees there was a marriage, but that the divorce “ends” the marriage. Divorce terminates something that really existed – a marriage. Annulment points out that there never really was a marriage, thus there’s no need for divorce, and nothing to prevent the individuals in the annulled marriage from marrying again. Well, not exactly “again”, since the first marriage never happened, right? You get the idea. (source: Asawa forum)

And the ground I use was:

Art. 36. A marriage contracted by any party who, at the time of the celebration, was psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage, shall likewise be void even if such incapacity becomes manifest only after its solemnization. (As amended by Executive Order 227)

My now ex husband is not considered a looney. He was judge by the court as: has no capacity to comply his marital obligations based on the facts I presented in court.

Complicated in a way because of:
that marriage proven by court as never existed, I got three children out of that marriage.Its normal, I consider myself that time as having a family... and a marriage despite my ex didnt. Anyway, upon learning that, I got a not nice presumption on that "so called marriage", forgive the use of words:

"That my then husband and I were just copulating like animals!!!!?"
Waaah!
I dont think so...

As I got that marriage-never-existed,declared April 2004, then my marriage with Michel is my first real marriage base on this law!

Isnt it great to know???!!!

Michel's photos: La lang, just for some show offs...


he is happy

more happy

crying to tears but happy


I cant believe he is that happy!mama mia!

shhh, bawal makitawa, hehehe.

As Im working only in the afternoon, sarap sa gala! Friday, punta ako Monaco early as ten am instead of 1pm, I took a train Nice to Monaco, please see how far in:

France map


Idlip idlip sa loob ng tren, when I heard a man's voice, "Carte Identity, s'il vous plait" sa tenga ko!
(Identity card please...)yan ang sabi, dinig ko.
There were three Police Nationals standing just next to me, asking the papers of a M-----n Nationality sitting in front of me inside the train cabin.
I understand whats the discussion, (so far improve na rin ang french language ko, and useful na, hehe.Kinig nga ako sa tsika... Ako fi???!)

Police: Identity or passport, Monsiuer?
Passenger: None. (He gave a piece of paper.)
Police: Where are you living?
Passenger: Nice
Police: Where are you going?
Passenger: Vintimille, Italy
Police hand the papers the ones from the passengers,(around five pcs )to another Police
Second Police: Next stop, please go down with us from the train ...
Passenger: OK
Usapang civil sila, as if hindi nagkakahulihan, LOL!

I wonder why they do that? Is it to get a survey to those who are irregular in Cote d Azur???!
Taka ako ha? Hindi ako na ask ng: "Identity s'il vous plait, Madame?!"
I look discreetly to the passenger, naka shades ako kya pede ako look ng hindi halata. Eh kasi naman, wala na nga papel, gutay gutay pa suot! Takaw control police nga naman if ganyan!

Me, kahit linis bahay ang work, abah, day, Madame ito, hihihi, naka GUCCI sunglass, peke nga lang. shhhhhh...LOL




Bah, sa nagdadala lang yan, kaya isnob nila beauty ko if na sa control time. If they ask me kasi,ako rin wala dala, photocopy laang. Eh ayaw nila ganon, kelangan orig passport or identity. Yoko dalhin, eh kung mawala, di ako makauwi ng Pinas agad, dami pa kuskos, if renew ng lost passport noh!!So far, wala pa nag control sa akin and ask "carte identity, s'il vous plait..."
eh kasi papasok lang to work, ganito pa attire ko:



Tips: lagi presentable kasi suot, para no pansin ng parak! Malay nila, 5 euros coins lang pera sa bulsa...Basta ba naka Gucci shades !
laban ka?...