When we first moved to the Philippines, I remember thinking it was incredibly "noisy" in our "out of the way" neighborhood. I've since gotten used to it. But, the other day, I was trying to take a nap, and I was reminded again of how the sounds wafting in are so different from one place to another. Like a sound sketch of that place. I decided to listen intentionally for 5 minutes to see what the Philippines sounds like. This is what I heard:
A little girl singing
someone hammering
pots and pans clattering
dogs barking
roosters crowing
goats bleating
ice cream vendor's bell ringing
cars driving
airplanes flying
stray cat meowing
gecko clucking
school bell dinging
distant thunder rolling
What does your window sound like?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
the list is getting shorter
I got to mark one more thing off my "what I want to do before I die" list today. I need to make a longer list!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Limited Time Offer
Some things you just NEED to do while you're young.
The other day, I was finding relief in a cup of coffee while my husband exercised in the gym next door (note: I DID exercise that day, just not quite as long as usual :) I NEEDED that cup of coffee. I NEEDED the silence (relatively speaking) of the little corner table in the back of the shop. I had my language lesson workbook open trying to frantically stuff more words and grammar into my brain before my next lesson, but the silent moment was like a door of a musty room flung open to the spring air. And I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift out on the wind.
What was I thinking about? I was musing on how a few weeks earlier, while Geoff was in Mongolia, I had such an easier time getting all those "extras" done that I couldn't seem to find the time to do now. Those extras being really not "extras" at all...bible study, quiet meditation, language learning, relationship building, and feeling a general sense of awe at my exotic surroundings. Why, now, when our family is together am I so busy again? The work required to learn a new language and to enjoy this culture increased exponentially when Geoff returned. Its not at all Geoff's fault. The fact of the matter is, being a full time culture learner, a full time mom, a full time wife, and a full time worker, is difficult. And I had the thought, "Boy, I wish I was single!"
OK, that is NOT true. I do NOT wish I was single. At all. But, I realize that having a family greatly increases your work at home and greatly decreases your ability to soak in and give out in every other area that you would like to. Having a family IS my work. And it would be wherever I lived. This sometimes makes me question why, then, am I all the way over here?! But nonetheless, this is where I'm supposed to be. Salt. Even in my daily family life.
But, it WOULD be easier if I were single. To engage with the world. So, I guess this is an encouragement to anyone who is "putting off" doing the amazing thing until they get a little more established, a little more money, a little more whatever. Take advantage of the ability you have as a single to be spontaneous. To think about the world and go there. To take action. To invest in relationships. To do the unthinkable.
Family life is wonderful. And being a family overseas has its rewards. But singleness, is a limited time offer. Redeem it. Spend it. And use it well.
The other day, I was finding relief in a cup of coffee while my husband exercised in the gym next door (note: I DID exercise that day, just not quite as long as usual :) I NEEDED that cup of coffee. I NEEDED the silence (relatively speaking) of the little corner table in the back of the shop. I had my language lesson workbook open trying to frantically stuff more words and grammar into my brain before my next lesson, but the silent moment was like a door of a musty room flung open to the spring air. And I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift out on the wind.
What was I thinking about? I was musing on how a few weeks earlier, while Geoff was in Mongolia, I had such an easier time getting all those "extras" done that I couldn't seem to find the time to do now. Those extras being really not "extras" at all...bible study, quiet meditation, language learning, relationship building, and feeling a general sense of awe at my exotic surroundings. Why, now, when our family is together am I so busy again? The work required to learn a new language and to enjoy this culture increased exponentially when Geoff returned. Its not at all Geoff's fault. The fact of the matter is, being a full time culture learner, a full time mom, a full time wife, and a full time worker, is difficult. And I had the thought, "Boy, I wish I was single!"
OK, that is NOT true. I do NOT wish I was single. At all. But, I realize that having a family greatly increases your work at home and greatly decreases your ability to soak in and give out in every other area that you would like to. Having a family IS my work. And it would be wherever I lived. This sometimes makes me question why, then, am I all the way over here?! But nonetheless, this is where I'm supposed to be. Salt. Even in my daily family life.
But, it WOULD be easier if I were single. To engage with the world. So, I guess this is an encouragement to anyone who is "putting off" doing the amazing thing until they get a little more established, a little more money, a little more whatever. Take advantage of the ability you have as a single to be spontaneous. To think about the world and go there. To take action. To invest in relationships. To do the unthinkable.
Family life is wonderful. And being a family overseas has its rewards. But singleness, is a limited time offer. Redeem it. Spend it. And use it well.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Just like the movies.
You know on TV when you see people at an exclusive resort & spa, and Asian women are twisting them, turning them, walking on them, and the person's like, "Oh! Ow! Arghh! Ahhh..." Well, I totally just had that experience! Geoff and I's date tonight was a Thai massage. One and half hours for $6 bucks. Painful and exhilirating all at the same time. Just like the movies. Can't do THAT in the States :)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
the dance
Dancing happens a lot around here. Not the twirling kind to a thumping beat, but the subtle communication that happens between people. We often say that driving here is like doing a dance because relationships (whether between drivers on the road or friends in their homes) are maneuvered by discreet, round about, non-confrontational, obscure communication that skirts around the real meanings on a tip-toe.
Helen (our housekeeper) and I danced today. [Now, before you get distracted by the fact that we have a housekeeper (yeah, I know, its crazy!), realize that housekeeping here is like selling a house. It has to be SPOTLESS all the time. The ants will come in hordes to devour a crumb in minutes. The window screens (not just the windows, the screens!) have to be washed every week or they will be brown with gunk from the pollution. Even our shoes have to be washed regularly and stored in plastic bags so that roaches do not lay eggs in them. (Yuck, I have to look in my shoe every time I put it on, just in case). So, all of our financial support could go to me cleaning all day, or we could spend a little of it on a housekeeper, and I can do the things we came for.... Ok, enough of my soapbox....]
I have been wanting to take Ariel to the beach for the day just to relax and enjoy nature. But our friends haven't been able to join us. I've also been wanting to develop my relationship with Helen (which is quite complex culturally as it juggles the Filipino rules of class system, work, and friendship).
So, the day before I was planning to go, I asked Helen if she would like to join us and bring her kids. She laughed and said, "Oh that would be nice! But I don't have the money for that."
E: "Its OK, If I'm inviting you, I will take care of the cost. And besides, the place we're going is not expensive."
H: "OK, that would be nice! Maybe I can bring some snacks because my kids eat a lot when they're swimming."
E:" Yeah, sure, that sounds great."
OK, so we're set...right? I thought so. But the next morning, Helen texts me to say that she wants the day off to do her laundry. Huh?!
There could be multiple reasons as to why she did this. It could be that she didn't want to incur debt. If someone is overly giving to you, you become indebted to them and they sort of have a power of you. It could be that she was embarrassed that she didn't have the money to pay for herself. It could be that she or her kids didn't want to go. It could be that she wanted to check my sincerity by forcing me to offer again. It could also be because I said no (indirectly, of course!) to an invitation to her house earlier or because I didn't give her extra money this week when she hinted for it. Or, I could assume that she really wanted to do the laundry bad enough to not receive a day's pay!
Needless to say, Ariel and I did not go to the beach, and we have no idea why!
So, we continue on with the dance. :)
Helen (our housekeeper) and I danced today. [Now, before you get distracted by the fact that we have a housekeeper (yeah, I know, its crazy!), realize that housekeeping here is like selling a house. It has to be SPOTLESS all the time. The ants will come in hordes to devour a crumb in minutes. The window screens (not just the windows, the screens!) have to be washed every week or they will be brown with gunk from the pollution. Even our shoes have to be washed regularly and stored in plastic bags so that roaches do not lay eggs in them. (Yuck, I have to look in my shoe every time I put it on, just in case). So, all of our financial support could go to me cleaning all day, or we could spend a little of it on a housekeeper, and I can do the things we came for.... Ok, enough of my soapbox....]
I have been wanting to take Ariel to the beach for the day just to relax and enjoy nature. But our friends haven't been able to join us. I've also been wanting to develop my relationship with Helen (which is quite complex culturally as it juggles the Filipino rules of class system, work, and friendship).
So, the day before I was planning to go, I asked Helen if she would like to join us and bring her kids. She laughed and said, "Oh that would be nice! But I don't have the money for that."
E: "Its OK, If I'm inviting you, I will take care of the cost. And besides, the place we're going is not expensive."
H: "OK, that would be nice! Maybe I can bring some snacks because my kids eat a lot when they're swimming."
E:" Yeah, sure, that sounds great."
OK, so we're set...right? I thought so. But the next morning, Helen texts me to say that she wants the day off to do her laundry. Huh?!
There could be multiple reasons as to why she did this. It could be that she didn't want to incur debt. If someone is overly giving to you, you become indebted to them and they sort of have a power of you. It could be that she was embarrassed that she didn't have the money to pay for herself. It could be that she or her kids didn't want to go. It could be that she wanted to check my sincerity by forcing me to offer again. It could also be because I said no (indirectly, of course!) to an invitation to her house earlier or because I didn't give her extra money this week when she hinted for it. Or, I could assume that she really wanted to do the laundry bad enough to not receive a day's pay!
Needless to say, Ariel and I did not go to the beach, and we have no idea why!
So, we continue on with the dance. :)
Monday, June 22, 2009
fertilizer
One of the cool things about our current life situation is the time that Geoff and I get to spend together. Of course, I write this as he's spending a month in Mongolia(!), but we're speaking generally here. :)
I guess the big difference is the shift in what our "work" life looks like. In the States, work is compartmentalized. Its something that you do, on your own, from 8-5 everyday. And then, you come home to your "family" life and do that (sometimes together, sometimes not). There were things that I loved and hated about that scenario. But either way, its very different here. In the Philippines, we are living our lives as our "work". Everything we do, from parenting Ariel to cooking food to working with musicians, is all considered our work. The main reasons I can think of as to why its this way is:
Having so much time together has also brought its challenges. We find out in what ways we DON'T get along :) and we suddenly have the time to hash through all the issues in our marriage that were easy to put off before. Both of these things did not "feel good" at the time, but having invested the time to walk through it and learn and grow and heal together, has been amazing. And if thats the only reason that God took us thousands of miles away from our busy US life, then it was worth it. We have experienced a friendship and love that could only be cultivated with the fertilizer of time and intention. And thank God for giving us that.
I guess the big difference is the shift in what our "work" life looks like. In the States, work is compartmentalized. Its something that you do, on your own, from 8-5 everyday. And then, you come home to your "family" life and do that (sometimes together, sometimes not). There were things that I loved and hated about that scenario. But either way, its very different here. In the Philippines, we are living our lives as our "work". Everything we do, from parenting Ariel to cooking food to working with musicians, is all considered our work. The main reasons I can think of as to why its this way is:
- We're always being watched.
- Things are not as convenient and, therefore, take more teamwork.
- Its a priority we've made.
Having so much time together has also brought its challenges. We find out in what ways we DON'T get along :) and we suddenly have the time to hash through all the issues in our marriage that were easy to put off before. Both of these things did not "feel good" at the time, but having invested the time to walk through it and learn and grow and heal together, has been amazing. And if thats the only reason that God took us thousands of miles away from our busy US life, then it was worth it. We have experienced a friendship and love that could only be cultivated with the fertilizer of time and intention. And thank God for giving us that.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
scenes from the weekend
Geoff is in Mongolia this month, so Ariel and I are doing what we can to fill our days with interesting things (so many of which are usually provided by Daddy himself!) I think we're managing well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)