Travel Gourmande: Repatriation

48 days without blogging. 16 days without facebook and counting.

Today marks the day we finally get our own home internet connection. Yes, you read that correctly. Our home. After 2 years of nomadic life, I can finally fill up the blank address page in a raffle coupon without hesitation.

My absence online though was a result of a roller coaster of emotions.

The Anxiety of House Hunting

It took us more than 2 months searching for the right apartment. Satisfying extremely high standards with a limited budget can be quite a challenge. The first three-bedroom house we saw felt like 'the one.'

It was a dangled carrot that dimmed any possibility for other prospective apartments to compete with. However, the property owner took an extremely long time to sign the contract, despite giving us a verbal agreement that she accepts our contract draft. With lots of postponed meetings, delayed or unanswered texts and phone calls, the whole waiting game took a month. Only to be told later that 'the house' was sold.

Anxiety, tears, and depression took over. I had no idea searching for an apartment can be such a minefield. It was so far from my experiences looking for an apartment in Dubai even during the peak of its economic reign. In the Middle East, as long as I have my check book with me, I can sign the contract, close the deal that same day and move in whenever the apartment is ready for occupancy.

Desperation opened our eyes to other possibilities. We visited more houses after that until we came across a two-bedroom single detached home that was under construction in the middle of a rice field. All of us felt good when we checked the house and we knew that was it.

We saw about 19 houses in total.

Fiesta

The House and the Fiesta

We were invited by the house's lovely owner and her beautiful family to celebrate Argao's fiesta with them. During this period, we got to know them a lot more.

Since then our fate turned around. I suppose good things come to those who wait. It is true that we can do anything, but we can't have everything.

House Blessing Preps

Health Challenges

In between while waiting for the house's interior to be completed, we had to go back briefly to Manila to take care of our furniture and personal effects to be shipped, while dealing with some health issues.

I went to see a urologist and after undergoing an ultrasound, I was told that I have an 8mm kidney stone blocking my ureter. Surprisingly, I wasn't in any major pain. According to my urologist normally in this scenario, he would admit me for a ureteroscopy already, but I begged him if we could go down the medication route and rule out non-invasive procedures that would land me in a hospital bed.

I went through two weeks of drinking 2-3 liters of water per day, taking the prescribed meds, and downing pure lemon juice with olive oil. By the time I got back to Cebu, I had my second ultrasound and my stone is gone. Thank God, you have no idea how relieved I was!

Shipment

We have consulted several moving companies for shipping items from Manila to Cebu but either we got a really high quotation or we never got any response. My old schoolmate, Madz Uy who works in the shipping industry recommended Big-ger Freight Solutions Inc.

I remember my first phone call to schedule the ocular inspection with Ronald Arkoncel, Vice President for Sales & Marketing for the shipping company, already gave me a good feeling. Our succeeding correspondences were even more impressive. Ronald is such a gem! They were fast in responding and they were flexible in accommodating last minute requests. We were notified as soon as the 20 feet container reached the port of Cebu and we were constantly updated on the movement of the trucks on the date of delivery. All of our boxes arrived and not a single item was broken.

Moving is usually stressful, but working with Big-ger Freight Solutions' professional and efficient team made our move easy, fun and definitely stress free.

Contact: Ronald Arkoncel
Big-ger Freight Solutions
Address: Room 302 HHC Building, Victoria Street corner Basco Street, Intramuros, Manila
Telephone: +63 2 5468912 / +63 2 5277417
Email: rca_214@yahoo.com
Website: http://big-gersolutions.com/

Unpacking

Opening each of our boxes felt like opening Christmas presents. I finally found my french coffee press and my favorite mug. I was reunited with my old comfy bed and my piano.

108 boxes. Now we are down to 35 boxes that are looking for storage.

View beyond our backyard fence. Awesome farming job guys!

Insects Smorgasbord

Being in the middle of a rice field means more insects. We hired Mapecon's pest control services to exterminate all fliers and creepy crawlies including post construction termite control. The pest control is a yearly contract with services done every 3 months. It made a difference as we see dead insects sometimes even ants, around the house every day, but the centipedes and spiders seem much tougher. Armed with a can of insect killer, I deal with centipedes and spiders I can find on a daily basis.

Our unexpected house guest who slept in our front yard all day.

Unwanted Alarm Clock

We were also surprised to gain an unwanted alarm clock. A neighbor plays loud dance music through big speakers echoing across the field at 5 am everyday. It's so strong that our glass windows vibrate.

One morning, we were woken up by blaring old 80s tunes. The lack of sleep sent us to a moment of assertiveness. My husband went several doors down to ask nicely if our neighbor could lower the sound down a bit. He was busy chopping wood with a machete, while listening to his Ipod plugged in gigantic speakers. He obliged, however. Since then, he played his music in reasonable decibels.

Guess what? It turned out 30 minutes later that there was another neighbor responsible for playing loud music at 5 am. We realized this later based on the different choice of music. The dance tunes continue to wake us up daily, perhaps until we assertively request for our neighbor to adjust the volume down. For now we are grateful that evenings are peaceful and it seems everyone is in bed by 9pm.

Facebook Purge and Withdrawal

It has been 16 days since I abstained from checking facebook's news feed. The first few days were torture! Whenever I needed a social media fix, I turned to Instagram instead. Anyway, I'm still connected to friends and family on messenger since not everyone is on viber.

I was inspired by a friend who completely disconnected from everything online except for her browser and viber. I know, for a blogger, that's very close to social media suicide but I gave the FB abstinence at least a try.

Verdict:

It was liberating. The growing political articles being shared are just too much for me and despite unfollowing friends who are too radical in advocating their political stance, my news feed was rapidly becoming too chaotic. It was overpowering the positive and entertaining posts that a couple of friends were sharing.

The facebook silence is something I am enjoying right now. Away from the news that is beyond my control and away from opinions that I can never change. I am going to continue this FB fasting with a slight exception of sharing this blog post on the Travel Gourmande facebook page.

It's absolutely wonderful being able to write again.

How have you been?

What's life like in your part of the world?

Love & light,

Arni

What's Up Lately? How have you been?

The Holy Week in the Philippines is a huge event. Shops are closed on Good Friday. Everyone seemed to have left the capital, away on a beach vacation somewhere in one of the 7500 islands or touring in another country for a week long break, others are on a pilgrimage somewhere visiting 14 churches while the rest of us are on ~~house arrest~~ err staycation.

The afternoon in the suburbs is dead silent except for our neighbor's roosters who seem to tirelessly belt out karaoke tunes nonstop. Here's wishing that my baby daughter's nap time is undisturbed by its constant crowing.

Currently reading: Le Jour Ou J'ai Appris à Vivre par Laurent Gounelle

(The Day I Learned to Live)

It's about a French Man living in San Francisco told by a stranger that he is going to die soon and how this changes his life.

Currently drinking: Kapeng Barako or barako coffee with beans grown and roasted in Batangas, Philippines

Currently enjoying: The scent of sampaguita flowers my daughter picked from the garden.

Currently watching: I just started watching a local film, Heneral Luna, based on a true story of an arrogant and fiery tempered general who was betrayed by the very Filipino Government that he fought for during the American Colonization of the Philippines in 1899. He was assassinated by politicians to protect their own personal interests and ambitions. Heartbreaking, I can't bring myself to finish watching it.

Currently feeling:

Awakened. (like someone just slapped me, awakened). My laptop died on me this week while working on a friend's project. I'm afraid it can't function well with the drafting programs I have been using. I was depressed when my laptop crashed. It was the only thing that allowed me to practice Interior Design. With it gone, it made me question whether its demise and my constant delay of finishing drafting works are manifestations of an actual lack of passion in this domain. It's still a big question mark. I think in my head practicing design in my home country I fear may not lead me to where I want to be in this field. Yes, it did shake my core and I'm currently lost career-wise while being here.

Currently contemplating and reflecting:

Living a Life with Intention. I have been reading a lot of articles about mindfulness and living with intention on a day to day basis and I am moved by it.

Here are some interesting links about the topic:

10 Secrets to Living Your Life with Intention

The Beginner's Guide to Living with Intention

5 Steps Toward Living with Intention

I'm spending this Holy Week answering important questions while profoundly thinking about my answers and what I need to do.

Currently celebrating:

Our 10-year wedding anniversary today. Wow! I still can't believe we got married a decade ago. :))

What about you? What are you currently reading, watching and zzzzinking about?

What are your Easter Plans?
Love & Light,
Arni

If I were struggling to re-create my identity back in my home country after being absent for more than a decade, I can't imagine how it must be for my husband. Every time he was asked for a second identification card apart from his passport, he had no choice but to give his UAE driver's license that is nearly expiring.

"Are you ready to apply for your Philippine driver's license?" I asked him a few weeks ago. He nodded and started looking up how to start the process. Remember when I wrote about my own experience obtaining my foreign driver's license conversion at the Land Transportation Office a while back? He went through the same process as I did.

After obtaining much research and preparing the required documents and copies, (Check requirements here) we went to Land Transportation Main Office in Quezon City. For foreign nationals' application, we were advised by a friend of my brother's who works in one of the south branches of LTO to head over to Quezon City. I'm not sure if other LTO offices do process foreign applications as well. To avoid making a mistake leading to a waste of time despite its distance, we just followed her advice.

Where is it?

It was a long commute for us. LTO Quezon City is located along East Avenue. If you're taking the MRT Northbound train headed towards North Avenue, take GMA Kamuning station.

We circled Manila via LRT 1 all the way to Roosevelt Station to avoid the massive queues at MRT Station in Taft Avenue that day. We took a cab at WalterMart and a detour for a quick lunch in Maginhawa Street near Teacher's Village, thinking LTO is closed for lunch.

Guess what? They're not. LTO is open during Noon.

When we got inside the premises, we entered the wrong building first. The one next to the Chowking building is for application of transport registration. We were directed to a much bigger building with blue painted columns. The guard at the entrance was very accommodating and helpful, he directed us straight to Window 14. There's a central hall with rows of waiting chairs on either side and a chapel at the center. The main hall is open and airy. A complete contrast to the one where I applied mine. I'm glad we came here instead. There is good ventilation and the environment is pleasant.

They seem more strict as well. We hardly spotted any "fixer." If there were any lurking outside the gates, they were not as aggressive as the ones in Pasay City.

We approached the window and we spotted the LTO officer who was preoccupied encoding information. When we told him that we want to apply for my husband's foreign driver's license conversion, he checked his passport and entry date. We informed him that he doesn't have ACR (Alien Certificate Registration) but he intends to apply for both an ACR and a permanent residence visa.

We were told by the officer that it is mandated that the applicant's visa should be valid at least more than a year from the date of license application and he showed us their memo dated October 2015 of such rule. We then explained to him that my husband's visa is currently under "Balikbayan Visa", a free one year stay visa, this is an entry stamp valid for a year to foreign nationals married to a Filipina granted by an immigration officer under their own discretion at the airport on the condition that the couple present their marriage certificate and his Filipina wife be present with him upon entering the country.

My husband's Balikbayan visa is expiring in September which gives him less than 6 months stay. He intends to start his permanent visa process very soon before his Balikbayan visa expires. We showed the officer our company's SEC certificate and documents showing his name as a stockholder to convince him of my husband's long stay intentions.

We also mentioned that even if we start the residence visa application, my husband will only be granted a temporary one-year visa, not more, during his first year of application. He will only be granted a longer one during his second application process and he needs to drive soon.

The kind LTO Officer verified it with his colleagues after which, he returned with the good news. Yay, it's possible! :)

He was immediately given an application form to fill. We were directed to get a medical certificate complying with tests such as eye and physical test. This medical exam and certificate costs Php 200. The medical clinic is located on the first floor above Chowking.

After completing the form with his medical documents and requirements, we submitted them all back to the officer at Window 14 where he was given a number. His photograph was later taken as well as his signature. His name was then called at the cashier after 20-30 minutes of waiting. At the adjacent window, his name was finally called where he was handed his fresh and new driver's license.

The whole process took 1 and a half hours. The commute was longer but it was all worth the wait. Victory dance. Yay!

Love & light,

Arni