Davaoenos: GALENGA TALAGA , UY!

How can one distinguish a Davaoeno from a Cebuano? or to a Cagayanon? Difficult? Easy. Davaoenos are one o f the most unique people in the world. We can easily stand out if we are placed in a crowd of Filipinos from other parts of the country. And how, you say? Language.

Davao City, aptly called the melting pot of cultures, is home to many dialects.
Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Ilocano, Chavacano, Moslem, Bicolano. Name it, we'll speak it. If the Filipino language is a composition of all the dialects and languages in the Philippines, you might as well say that the language we speak in Davao City is the real Filipino language, and not Tagalog.

However, since it is a hodgepodge of different tongues, it is sometimes funny to hear ourlanguage "bastardizing" , for lack of better word, the other dialects. Strangely, that distinguishes us from the rest. Try these...

In stating a fact, Manilenos say, "Talagang mabait si Weng." In Davao, we say. "Mabait bitaw gyud si Weng".
Too assertive? One asks, "Ano nga `yong pangalan mo?". In Davao we say, "Ano gani `yong pangalan mo?" (or worst, ngalan) When somebody commits a mistake or surprises someone, we always never fail to say, "Halaka!". Duh!

We are fond of re-constructing the language.

1) There's the GI+ verb, such as,"Gisabi kasi ni Helen na mag-absent si Bernard bukas", or "Ginanon ni Lalai si Belinda sa mukha". You'll never find "ginanon" in any dictionary, I swear.

2) There's the KA+adjective, as in, "Kaputi gyud ng mukha ni Yang-yang" or "Kapayat gyud ni Jason ngayon."

3) The MAKA+ verb form, such as, "Maka-inis talaga si Albert, uy!" or "Maka-uwi talaga ako ng matagal ngayon".

4) The NAG+ verb, as in,"Nagsabi kasi si Tita Prescy na pupunta daw tayo ng airport" or "Hindi pa man siya nagdating, uy!"

Adding new words or new meanings to old words to the dictionary is one of our favorite past time.
NAKIN: "Alam man nakin `yan ba!", "Saan nakin kita nakita gani?".
KU-AN: "Ku-an daw ang gawin mo", "Si ku-an kasi ano masyado". (No sense at all.)
ANO: "Na-ano ka diyan, Bryan!", "Ano man yan si Van,uy!".
HA: "Lake-ha na ng tiyan ni Lulu uy!", "Gwapa-ha niya uy!"
BEH: "Sige daw beh, dare!", "Pakipasa daw ng ballpen ni Tzaris beh".
KAY: "Huwag na, Wowie, kay nandito naman si Norma", "Umupo ka muna kay nasa-CR pa si Elma."

To express disgust over someone, we utter, "Gago kaba diay para maniwala sa kanya", or "Ano man yan siya uy!", or when pestered when doing something, you'd quip,"Huwag lagi ba!" On the other hand, when we praise somebody's extra special deed or talent, our Davaoeno tongue slips words like,"Kuyaw lagi `yan siya!", "Galenga niya uy!", "Ayusa niya uy!", "Kuyawa ni Orly uy!" or "Hindi ako makatu-o sa ginawa niya!".
Hay, makatawa talaga. Ooops!

There are just so too many words to mention. Just check out the words you spew everyday. Sometimes you just laugh at yourself when you realize that you've just said those very words. No matter how long you stay in Manila or in the States, the moment you're back in Davao, your tongue feels as at home as you do. Language is the very soul of every being.

You just can't do anything about it. Or as how we say it, "Anuhin man natin yan?"

'Criminal intentions' of Filipina maids in Kuwait

Published Date: February 25, 2007
By Nancy Oteifa - Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: "Although Filipina housemaids are considered the best maids in Kuwait because they are clean and are mostly educated; I wouldn't ever trust them or leave my kids alone with them, after the recent spate of crimes committed by them," vowed Shaikha Ali working at the Ministry of Education, while speaking to this Kuwait Times reporter. In recent years some Filipina maids have indeed set bad examples by resorting to violent acts of crimes, causing a lot of problems in the Kuwaiti society by committing crimes ranging from killings, abuses and several others. Most of these crimes became sensational topics of public opinion and debates in the society, like the case of the Filipina maid who murdered her sponsor two years ago and has finally been sentenced to death.

Another recent crime committed a month ago was by a maid who frantically ran after her sponsor's children brandishing a knife, where some escaped her wrath, but left a small innocent victim dead. All these issues instilled fear in people's minds in leaving their children alone with the maids; while others fear, just having a Filipina maid at home, leave aside leaving her alone with their precious children.

"Most Filipina maids are educated and are fluent in English, this makes it easer to communicate with them, plus the fact that they are smart and quickly understand their duties, and adapt to the family situation," said Alyaa who employs two Filipina maids at her house. On asking one of the employees who works at a domestic labour office in Salmiya, he said, "To be honest, people always opt for Filipina maids, as most of them are educated and are intelligent, they are even among the most expensive domestic labour hired in Kuwait, but after the recent crime of the Filipina maid who killed a small boy a month ago people started having second thoughts in hiring them, and this had temporarily affected our business."

Another lady shopping at Marina Mall with her children, when asked about her opinion said, "I had an Indonesian maid, then an Indian, but now I have a Filipina, who came to Kuwait to work as a nurse but due to circumstances had to work as a domestic maid. Actually she is the best maid I ever had as she is very clean and never forgets anything, she also teaches my younger son when I am busy. I never saw anything negative about her, but honestly I temporarily start having apprehensions leaving her alone with the kids after reading any bad news in the newspapers." Ahmed an Egyptian employee working at another office in Hawally said, "The fact that Kuwaiti sponsors are afraid in hiring Filipina maids are only rumours as they are still in high demand by them."

Some employers, especially Kuwaiti families are stiff-scared on the issue of hiring them and tend to change them frequently with maids of other nationalities. While others are more realistic and believe that nationalities have nothing to do with the fact that maids can turn into criminals. "I believe that when maids turn insane or commit crimes, then it's the sponsors who must be blamed. It's the way these maids are treated that affects their mental state which alters their characters or attitudes for the worse," said Maryam, an Egyptian expatriate in Kuwait. Supporting this view, another expatriate who preferred to remain anonymous said, "If the maid is well treated and not abused then she will never be provoked to murder or even hurt anyone she works for. But if she is overloaded with work or abused, then in some cases revenge could be the only option they are left with."

Kuwait National Day

The Kuwait National day is celebrated every 25th of February.

Not every expats know that it has nothing to do w/ gaining independence from the Brits on 1961.

On February 25, 1961, Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Al Sabah became the crowned ruler of Kuwait.
He was the most loved and respected ruler because he made and implemented the constitution as well as paved way for Kuwait independence.

Forty something years later, this is how they celebrate their national day on the streets.

Before hitting the road, they goes to the store to arm themselves w/ this foam sprays.

And for some, they add San Miguel Beer on their picnic baskets. Non Alcoholic of course.
They wait on unsuspecting cars who's either stupid enough to forgetno idea or just unlucky enough to brave the street traffic.

Having a Kuwait flag flapping in your car windows won't help you being spared from those white foamy sprays.

From these very energetic and fun loving chaps of this nation.

It doesn't matter if you put your wiper up, because they're very kind enough to put it back in, and spray your windshields and mirrors for the sake of having fun.

I had a good laugh over it.

I was one of those idiots who said to hell w/ traffic because I really want to go shop. The photos are all taken on the way back to the house, despite our best efforts to avoid gulf road, there is no getting away w/ these foamy sprays.

They will run after you. Chase you down the road. They will even open your door, because having white foams sprayed on your car interior is even funnier than the outside. And funniest if they get to spray it in your face. Which really does happen, as told by friends and the radio.

What is the purpose of those sprays anyway? Does it help them remember the greatness of their Aemir? Does it in some way shows their culture? Am I missing something?

I know that like any other holidays, people are there to have fun. To spend it w/ family and friends. To relax.

But can't they do it w/o spraying foam on some poor child's eye?

The authorities should really ban those sprays from the market. Just like banning firecrackers in the Philippines. But of course more rigid than the latter.

They should have more cultural program. More shows. More contests. More -i-don't-know-but-give-us-anything-than-sprays-please kind of events.

Foam spraying on national day might be fun. But just like the used up canister, the whole thing is empty. EMPTY.

What's On Kuwait Fridays'.

Being the last day of the weekend, expats and nationals alike have different way of spending it. Some might opt for sleeping the day away, watch t.v or go to the church for bible study.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, Kuwait have a church. Quite a number of it in fact. Catholic, evangelical, Iglesia and the likes.

But I'm going to talk about how I and the rest of our family spend our fridays.

There are days we stay home and watch movies after movies. When we are in the mood, we go out to the gym at Hilton or Crowne Plaza.

But most of the time we $hop.

Wether it's in Marina Mall to check out Virgin Records, Zara, H&M, Aldo and hang out in Le Note or Paul, there's also the Souk Sharq for major grocery shop and Debenhams, Al Kout and the new Mall near Rotana hotel. Centrepoint, TopShop, Vero Moda, Al Fanar and all the stores in Salmiya are great to check out if you don't mind the traffic. Once in awhile we also visit old souks where local products can be found.

Nothing is cheap in Kuwait but it doesn't stop us from jumping in the car and go to different placesTo shop some more until we dropped.Kuwait is a gulf country therefore locals and expats alike take advantage of the beach. Whether it's for sports.

Or for kids day out.That thing gives my 7 years old cousin Alfin John - qoute "heart attack" unqoute.

After a week of school children gets to swing around in mid air. Walking is a healthiest form of fun. And people in Kuwait loves to do just that. Because walking by the seashore gives us the highest form of relaxation.Burying your new shoes in the sand is also fun. hehe. And sneaking photo taking w/ the locals. Staring up in the sky and wondering what good luck will the dragon clouds bring.Enjoying the sunsent while taking a photo of oneself in almost all angles. And taking some more pictures of the shoes.Is lotsa lotsa fun.!.

If you are matampuhin like my cousin Kevin, then you can do thisSit near the shore and stare in the water hoping that somebody will take notice of your tantrums.Most locals opted for picnic. If the agenda is to drive along the Gulf road, families and friends alike can be found grilling for their picnic by the sea side.Those are the regular things we usually do and go for.

That is how we spend the last day of the week.

Relaxed. Laid back. Fun.

That's what Kuwait offers on a Friday.

I have yet to blog about my frantic Thursday.

My day started at 6 a.m rousing the children for a supposedly oatmeal and cereals breakfast. It turned out they wanted it to be a very special morning so they opted for a can of sardines and sausage.
Food being out of the way, we went to this magical hidden place of Fahaheel.

Oh my God! *Jaw Dropped to the floor* He just won 1 million pesos! teehee. Sorry this wasn't part of my Thursday, just awhile ago, a contestant in Wowowee - w/c I was able to watch thanks to the joys of TFC - said that when last Wednesday he went to church and said that whatever clothing was covering the cross, that's the "bayong" color he will choose. A hundred thousand pesos later, he stood firm on the bayong. Such firm faith. Unwavering belief. He won the money. Seeing that he did gave me happiness. Thank you Lord.

Anyway, back to the story.
Whoever said Kuwait is nothing but a desert is deadpan wrong.

Kuwait may be flat due to the absence of hills not even sand dunes but it has it's own charm. Like the buildings that sprouts like mushrooms. And the flowers. Look at those beautiful beautiful flowers. Never mind the fact that the government pays millions to have them planted and replanted every season of every year. Everywhere.

Our initial plan is to try our muscles for some tennis and cricket game. All my life I make it a point to avoid any ball related sports, or any sports for that matter, but this time I figured I should at least try to wet my hands to anything I could think of while I am young. And it was tennis this week. I'm still confused between roller skates or karate for my next mini adrenaline thrill.

I haven't been in NY but I absolutely think this looks like a spot in Central Park.
The park's view enthralled me. I love the yellow wild flowers so much that I vehemently forbidden my mom to uproot it from our garden.

If soring your arms from a lot of pick-your-tennis-balls-you-sissy is not enough to make your day, try finding a good buy of strawberries. While walking around the park, we saw this small door to the harbor. What surprises us is that it only does not lead to the water but it also led us to the "Bakalas" or small wholesale stores. They were freshly delivered. So fresh that we saw it being unloaded from the delivery truck.
The photo shown above is one of the main reason why I don't eat lamb. It's disgusting. It's horrible. It's inhumane. We went to the City Centre for some major shopping. In preparation for weeks of being left alone by the oldies next month.
So, while we shopaholics shop, my cousins contented themselves w/ their PSP's while riding the "arabana".

I Went Around Kuwait City

Despite my earlier ramblings about not having plans for the holidays. The plans manifested themselves in the form of 7 to 12 years old unruly kids.

Before we knew that yesterday was Ash Wednesday, we've already decided to go to church.

On the way, Kenneth asked "Ate, what do you do inside the church?", the others laughed at him and I have to confess that out of surprise I chuckled a bit too. And then I realize he was dead serious. Shushing the others, I tried to grasp the simplest explanation I could think of with the mass ritual so that an 8 year old could understand the context of catholicism.

Thankfully, years in Dominican and Jesuit schools paid off because he seemed to be contented not to mention interested w/ my meager words.

On the way, there was alien invasion.

Not.
It was the kite flying contest. One of the hundred programs Kuwait has lined up for this coming days.

We stopped for awhile and looked up the sky in awe.

I admire the people of Kuwait for their patriotism because months before the actual commemoration of their Liberation and National day, these are already visible everywhere.

By land.

Or by air.And anywhere in between.

Before I go off to dreamland, I have one more thing to bragblog about.
My new Puma shoes.

That Kenneth has chosen for me. As shown in the photo.
This serves as one of the first monthly reward to myself. HA!.

Lolz.

Who am I kidding.

In Lieu To Working

I blog. And it's not easy. My head is throbbing for 5 hours of non stop monitor staring. Times like this I wish I smoke. Any excuse to stand up and go out.

3 hours is the only thing between me and the 5 days holiday. One of the reasons why I love living in Kuwait. The Public Holidays!. In between January to March and then again August to December. May to September is summer vacation. On November. Well, they always find something on November.

January
New Year.
Eid Al Adha.
Hijra New Year.
February
Kuwait National Day.*
Kuwait Liberation Day.*
March
Prophet's Birthday.
August
Isra And Miraj
October
Eid Al Fitr
Eid Al Fitr
Eid Al Fitr
December
Arafat Day
Eid Al Adha
Eid Al Adha
Eid Al Adha

***By parliament law, any sandwiched working days will also be considered a public holiday. E.g. - Thursday and Friday are weekends (a), Saturday is a working day (b), Sunday and Monday is a public holiday (c), therefore Saturday (a) will also a public holiday.

Isn't Kuwait the greatest?! :) If only this place has something more to offer than the usual malls, gulf roads, trendy restaurants, and hotels. Those places are fabulous but a bore in the long run. Something more. Something new. Something exciting than civil ID checking and car crashes down the road. Please.

That being said, my itinerary for the holiday is Nilch. As in Zero. And it makes my head reel.

Tonight, the kids and I are going to the city for a mass. Tomorrow we will play tennis. And after that, there's nothing. Nothing. It's sad. Very sad.

RANDOM THOUGHTS WANTS
1. I want to buy a good book. And devour it in the comfort of my own bed w/o disturbance.
2. I want to drink red horse stallion. I don't care if I drink it alone.
3. I want to be able to describe myself. For the about me columns in all my accounts.
4. I want to fit in all my clothes. Comfortably.
5. I want to submit loads of mirror projects if only to ease my boredom.
6. I want to take the license test.
7. I want to have a credit card. This is self explanatory.
8. I want to be eligible to franchise and take it here in Q8. Bayo.Kamiseta.Schu.
9. I want to go home and sleep. The whole 5 days.
10. I want to learn and speak the smart ass way.
11. I want to be more eloquent.
12. I want to finally decide on my vacation plans.
13. Because I want to enrol on EFL intensive training course. Cebu or Phuket.
14. I want to enrol online. For any diploma courses. I don't really care.
15. I just want to study. To do something. Anything.
16. I want to go home to Pinas and spend time w/ Lui. Alone or w/ friends.
17. I want to save money. Scratch that. I need to save money.
18. I want to be more apt. More aggressive. More sensical.
19. I want to be able to enjoy. Without reserve. Without the usual cold shrug.
20. I want to be friendly. Really.
21. I want to talk to my friends.
22. I want to be able to coach tita Maritess out of her woes.
23. I want to find my passion in life.
25. I want to be passionate in something.

KUTOSKUDOS Corner
/Yey to ma for finally having her drivers license after 3 years of application.
/Yey to me for surviving another week.
/Yey to my brother who's in camping right now.
/Yey to my other brother who is again a DL in Ateneo.
/Yey to my sister who is trying to be a good girl.
/Yey to my cousin Ram who recovered from his sickness.
/Yey to all the people who has the heart to go on no matter how many times they are tested.
/Yey to my students for passing another grade level.
/Yey to everyone who finds happiness in anything.

YEY! YEY! YEY! uhmp.

Mirror Project

At last!

After a couple of weeks waiting for rejection and/or approval I finally got my chance to the limelight. Este flash pala.

Couple of my entries was accepted in the mirror project.

This one wherein I know Lui or Eva would surely kill me.

And this one taken a year before I knew there was any mirror project at all.

Yey! It's silly but it certainly made my day.

Happy 17th wherever you are. Mahal ko ikaw.

Hearts, Corporate and Birthdays

Corporate day thursday was uhm. Something new.

New place to see/go to.

A boat slash restaurant slash tourist spot.

In the first and new entry of Kuwait. The Al Hashemi II for the Guiness world of records

I wish I could be in the Guiness. Any category would do.

The big boss playing the weakest link.

Boats won't be called boats w/o the fish.

And insane flower decorated watermelon.

Boat view from the diwaniya.

The gold Al Motamyzoun Award. Next year. I'll get it.

Corporate day, meeting and getting rides from strangers exhaust the heck out of me that I did not have the energy left for the birthday party.

All I was able to do was wrap my gift for Tita Maritess out of the old flower bouquet wrapper.

And I think I did a fabulous job.

Because she loved it. Really loved it.

Taking that picture is the last thing I did before passing out infront of cartoon network show w/ a bunch of kids at the second floor.

Odin bless himself.

I've decided to delete my earlier post. It's not only depressing it's also self depreciating. And we don't really want to read all about those do we?!

Now on the perkier side.

I'm celebrating Valentines day by wearing a red sweater and greeting Lui. No, there's no snapshot of me this time because I still want to go on living w/ my pride intact knowing that people hasn't seen how fat I've become.

Job is doing great complete w/ corporate fangs and overly sensitive newbie bosses.

Lui and I are trying to work it out. Again. Which is really helluva fun.

Tomorrow is corporate day. I should really move my ass to the salon. I look like Mike, that green monkey in Monster Inc., nowadays.

I'm planning to enrol for an online course. I'd probably do it by April. I have to finish something. Somehow.

A family friend got fired on the spot by her boss, which is really illegal especially when there's no ground except that the boss wife is extremely jealous of her and his getting tired of it. We feel really sorry for her that my aunt decided to give her shelter for the time being until she recoup.

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

My back feels like my heart is in it.

I swear i'm not hallucinating, as I sit here staring. Yes staring at my stark white wash wall leaning on the leather couch, I felt something beating in my back. Humping pumping whatever it's called, I can feel it in my lower back. I told ma it feels like i'm sprouting wings. God i'm paranoid.

I was supposed to be taken to the hospital yesterday after work but as soon as my head touched the pillow, I feel asleep and woke up at 10 this morning. The pain isn't bad as yesterday, but it is there. Lingering.

I'm a junkie.
I was shocked on the number of pills that accumulated in my drawer. No wonder my kidney gave up on me.

Xenical is expensive. I gave it away. I'd rather be alive and fat than thin and dead. Goodbye slimming pills and laxative teas. You are never going to purge my systems inside out ever again.

On being Sick, Break Up and Corporate Award

After a week of enduring this backstabbing numbing pain, without much fuss and complain from me mind you, my mother finally decided to call and told me - no - ordered me to take a sick leave from work, go home and I shall be taken to the hospital later tonight. Yikes!.

My coordinator has been kind to offer since last week that I can go anytime I want to and rest. I didn't take on the offer because I don't want to have a record besides if I can still take the pain and the humiliation of running to the loo every 15 minutes then I'll bear it. Finding somebody else seating on my desk by the time I get back from recuperation is scary as hell.

I am now a firm believer of the saying "biruin na ang lasing wag lang ang bagong gising." Biruin - awayin no difference, same outcome. I am sad that it happened the way it did.

This too shall pass.

On a lighter note, as the project manager passed by my table he said:

PM: "Oh by the way, congratulations on the bronze award."
Me: Look of bewilderment and wtf are you talking about then - "Excuse me?"
PM: "You got the corporate bronze award, I am going out to arrange for a camera because I'll be handing it to you once the driver delivers it this morning."
AC: "Golly, we have a celebrity in our midst."
Me: "Uhm, thank you." - Silly grin - Ever the vain me was thinking all this time - f*** photo ops happens on your most dress down days.

Here is what they call the award as copied from the company newsletter:

I have no idea what it means but I know it signifies that my hard work for the past 18 months didn't go unnoticed. Cheers to the people in my old project who nominated me.
I should start planning my outfit for the corporate day this 15th of the month. We'll be celebrating it here:

AL HASHEMI II

Parked at the Radisson SAS Hotel and Marine Museum. I've always passed by it because mom's old job at the Palms Hotel makes them neighbor to this one eyed wonder.

Something to look forward to. :)

Malady

Being sick sucks.
I've never been sick in all my life until I came here to Kuwait.
I can still remember fervently hoping to be sick during school days.
But now that I am obliged to pay for my medical bills, I am returning to natural medicine
and the powerful power of water.

Before I confuse you of my ramblings this is what I currently have for the past week:
(WARNING: Explicit content may gross you out! EXTREMELY.)
Symptoms for kidney infection
Symptoms of a kidney infection. Left untreated, they can cause blood poisoning, loss of a kidney, or perhaps even death (GOD FORBID. PLEASE!).

Kidney infections are dangerous. Left untreated, they can cause blood poisoning, loss of a kidney, or perhaps even death. Unless you regularly suffer from kidney infections, most people don't recognize the symptoms or think the symptoms are another disease.
Here are some warning signs of a kidney infection:
-- burning during urination. This is also a good sign of a UTI (and untreated Urinary Tract Infections can lead to kidney infections). Don't confuse the burning with the itching/burning of a yeast infection. This burning is painful and will sometimes bring tears to your eyes. (IT JUST DOESN'T BRING TEARS, IT WILL MAKE YOU BAWL LIKE A BABY. I KNOW I DID. UH. STILL AM.)
-- a pain in the lower back, right around the waist. It could feel like a dull ache. It could be a sharp stabbing pain. It could feel like someone punching you repeatedly. Any pain concentrated to that small corner of the lower back could indicate kidney trouble. (AND THIS IS WHEN I ADMITTED TO MYSELF THAT I AM FREAKING DEAD. RIGHT THERE.! I'VE BEEN HAVING THE PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK FOR MONTHS NOW. INITIALLY WE THOUGHT BECAUSE OF OUR BONE PROBLEM, THAT SPINE CAN'T HOLD MY WEIGHT. I'D RATHER BE LABELED AS OBESE THAN HAVE THIS DISEASE.)
-- fatigue. For people who get frequent kidney infections, the number one sign is the fatigue, which can hit suddenly. You'll be fine, no other symptoms to speak of, then, boom, you are so exhausted that it becomes a struggle to keep your eyes open. It takes every bit of energy you can muster to keep from slumping in your chair. (EXAMPLE: I ALWAYS SLEEP IN THE CAR TO AND FROM WORK, I SLEEP ON MEETINGS, I SLEEP WHILE STARING AT THE MONITOR, I SLEEP WHILE LISTENING TO MY BOSS, I SLEEP WHEN I'M IN THE LOO, I SLEEP ANYTIME ANYWHERE. I ALWAYS COVET FOR MY BED, ANY SOFT AND WARM ENOUGH CORNER.)
-- fever. Usually a low-grade fever goes along with a kidney infection in the early stages. If the infection goes untreated, the fever will rise. (GOT THIS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. GOT THIS LAST WEEK. GOT THIS THE OTHER DAY. STILL WAITING FOR THE INEVITABLE OF THIS THING SOMETIME TODAY OR TOMORROW.)
If you have any of these symptoms, call the doctor immediately. Doctors don't fool around with possible kidney infection. (NOBODY TRUST THE DOCTORS HERE, WHETHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN BECAUSE OF HOW RIDICULOUS THEY CHARGE A CHECK UP.) Ask to speak to a nurse about your symptoms, and the nurse because the nurse will probably arrange for you to be seen as soon as possible.
If you do have a kidney infection, the doctor will most likely prescribe a sulfa drug, which is most effective. However, a good number of people develop allergies to sulfa drugs (even if you've been using them for years). If you develop hives or other side effects, call your doctor immediately! For those allergic to sulfa drugs, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. There are also some new drugs on the market to help prevent UTIs in people who are prone to them.
How can you prevent a kidney infection? Many recommend drinking cranberry juice regularly (I HATE I HATE BUT OH OK I WILL). Ask the doctor for a definitive opinion on that. But all doctors will recommend lots and lots of liquids daily. A minimum of 8 glasses of water is a must. (I SWEAR ON THE LIFE SPAN OF MY NEW BAG THAT I'LL DRINK 8 500 ml OF BOTTLED WATER EVERYDAY. FROM NOW ON. PROMISE)
If you should end up with a kidney infection, remember that, no matter how you feel, you are seriously ill. As several nurses and doctors have said, "This is not something to fool around with." Take the time to rest and drink lots of liquids. Also, don't expect to recover within a day or two. Even the most mild kidney infection takes about two weeks for a full recovery. A severe infection takes months. Allow your body to recover fully before resuming strenuous activities.

(OH SHIT.!.)

Wondering what took me so long to realize I am sick?

Because after a days` dose worth of this stuff didn't make me feel better.

And I thought a goodnight hug tops w/ white chocos can cure/solve anything.

Archie's gang and Charlotte's web only amused me for hours but never really made me forget the throbbing pain.

A good bargain of 9 west bag gave me a temporary satisfaction.

Not to mention this..

Uber cute Oasis little bag that I got to have. I passed by the store half a dozen times before giving up w/ lust.

NOTHING WORKS!

Oh please, I swear i'll do anything short of getting butt shots just to get this horrific malady off me.
UGH.!.