Taking Life A Day At A Time

[TheMason]

Now where did I leave off. :lol: Have I put you to sleep yet? OK so we seem to now know each other in person pretty well by now and I was already in love with him from his letters, phone calls and his voice tapes that he sent me, but I am still not sure I want to move to the US and be away from my family and all that I have known for 26 years of my life and Lee was originally going to move to the Philippines but problems got in the way and he could not do it so I had a big decision to make and I was hoping he would change his mind and move to CDO. What did I know of the rest of the world and I was scared to death and there had been so man stories of foreigners marrying women and then insuring them and then killing them.

This part made me chuckle to myself. My wife was hesitant to go to the US at first because she thought maybe I wanted to steal her organs. She was also concerned that I wanted to have a baby with her and then steal the baby and go back to the secret wife I was hiding in the US. Apparently, there are lots of stories of foreigners doing those things too. :lol:

[Sampaguita]

:as-if:

Now where did I leave off. :lol: Have I put you to sleep yet? OK so we seem to now know each other in person pretty well by now and I was already in love with him from his letters, phone calls and his voice tapes that he sent me, but I am still not sure I want to move to the US and be away from my family and all that I have known for 26 years of my life and Lee was originally going to move to the Philippines but problems got in the way and he could not do it so I had a big decision to make and I was hoping he would change his mind and move to CDO. What did I know of the rest of the world and I was scared to death and there had been so man stories of foreigners marrying women and then insuring them and then killing them.

This part made me chuckle to myself. My wife was hesitant to go to the US at first because she thought maybe I wanted to steal her organs. She was also concerned that I wanted to have a baby with her and then steal the baby and go back to the secret wife I was hiding in the US. Apparently, there are lots of stories of foreigners doing those things too. :)

Happy to have provided you with a holiday chuckle. Yes we hear a lot of crazy things and what do we know, we live sheltered lives :as-if: but now I know almost all are not true for the majority of situations. You wife is always welcome to talk to me about life in the US or just chat and I would be happy to reassure her that it is not anything like what those stupid rumors say it is.

[Sampaguita]

I was going to add the next segment but since there seems to be little interest and no one else seems to wish to share and open up, Lee says that I am already saying too much so unless others share also to show me and tell me they wish to know more, then I will leave it up to the last post and waste all my days of typing the next one. :as-if: So if anyone wants me to continue then they also need to post their experiences as well because people can learn from the easiest to the most difficult and I think I and my family may have put Lee through one of the difficult ones. So come on share and if I can two finger type for days then so can others. One of the things I use to make it easy is I write myself an email and type it all up in there and then send it to myself and then copy and paste it into another email and continue on and then send it to myself, that way days seems to be just one day and there is no rush to post then I post and copy and paste it into the post and that makes it much easier to do because I have more time to look it over and have Lee read it.

[Sampaguita]

OK, more later but only if members are interested and would like to also share some of their stories.

I find the story very interesting and would love to hear more. Unfortunately, my story pales by comparison to this adventure which Mr. Lee undertook to be with you and meet your family. It speaks to his character and apparent love to endure the challenges of a new environment. It is much more than I could ever handle. I'm a bit spoiled with the modern conveniences and not sure I could survive without them.

Lee showed me how to rearrange this post, wow forums are so hard to work, I guess I am lucky to have someone in the house to teach me. :yes:Now to answer Ron, I have not told one tenth of it and left out a lot of good parts, like the first time Lee had to go to the bathroom on the first night and had to move my nephew off the trap door and did not know how he would react and then go downstairs and pee into the night without knowing if something was going to bite it off. :as-if: and one night walking a path to the cr and he turns on his flashlight because he hears a noise and there is a mother and baby Carabao and she moans at him and he just hopes he is not within reach of her rope because they can be pretty mean when they do not know someone. :yes:and then going to the bathroom while having to squat over a hole in the ground in a sort of outhouse too small for him to stand up in. :lol:and then there was one time when he was outside my uncles house and had to go in the morning after sleeping through a restless night that my uncle kept fighting in his sleep and Lee kept asking what the heck he was yelling about :as-if: and then the bathroom outside was a hole in the ground with sticks around it and there he was peeing and he looks around and everyone could see from the second story of the homes around and were waving to him and telling him maayong buntag and Lee looked down and realized the fence was not large enough for someone his size since most in my village are short and they really do not think much of those things but he did not know that and started to try to squat down so his privates would be below the fence and then asked me what the heck was that all about. :lol: I had to explain that we do not think much about those things because they are normal things and the children always pee in public on whatever tree is available up there.and then there was Lee's first bucket bath with totally cold water and out in front of everyone but with a shirt and shorts on and he was so embarrassed standing there in front of all my young nieces and many of the women who stood around laughing at his reaction to the bath and not at him but he did not know that they had never seen a kano bathe. :lol:and then the first time he went up to the spring with me for a really cold shower under the freezing cold morning spring water and steam was coming off his body. :lol:and the culture shock of seeing one of my 5 year old niece takes a bolo and walks outside with it while Lee was yelling for me to come quick and we both watched her cut open a coconut and then put it back. :) Lee was so afraid she would hurt herself with the bolo almost as big as she was.I could go on and on but I think long enough on us but what I wanted to say to Gold Heart and others, no story is boring because it lets others learn the easy ways to do things and then the hard so maybe your story is not the same but maybe how you are dealing with day to day life in the Philippines would be very interesting to everyone, I know it would be to us because we hope to be able to do it one day soon and I need all the help I can get talking Lee into it. Lee did fine all and all because of his life's experiences and his lack of fear of hardly anything. This post has been edited by Lee

[Hoz]

Well my story is differnt from most. I met my wife Fe, in the US. She had been here 18 years already and though "Americanized" she didn't actually have her citizenship yet. She is a Medical Technologist and works in Toxicology Drug Testing. She tested athletes at the 1996 Olympics. She now works for the State Toxicology Lab.In 1980's we were part of the "tennis boom" and we met on the courts. I guess she liked my moves. She became my mixed doubles partner and we won the local 3.5 club championship in 2 divisions that first year. We've been together ever since. We no longer play tennis though. When we visit the Philippines we stay with her sister in Cebu. Mr Lee and Sampaguita have seen the place. It's a small buhay kubo in Banilad, not a bad bivouac.

Edited December 25, 2009 by Hoz

[Mr Lee]

Well my story is differnt from most. I met my wife Fe, in the US. She had been here 18 years already and though "Americanized" she didn't actually have her citizenship yet. She is a Medical Technologist and works in Toxicology Drug Testing. She tested athletes at the 1996 Olympics. She now works for the State Toxicology Lab.In 1980's we were part of the "tennis boom" and we met on the courts. I guess she liked my moves. She became my mixed doubles partner and we won the local 3.5 club championship in 2 divisions that first year. We've been together ever since. We no longer play tennis though. When we visit the Philippines we stay with her sister in Cebu. Mr Lee and Sampaguita have seen the place. It's a small buhay kubo in Banilad, not a bad bivouac.

Small, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha and ha :as-if: I only wish our place was so small. Hoz is a great guy and Fe is a nice lady and we were honored to have met them and get to know them and sure hope to spend more time with them in the future. :as-if:

[Sampaguita]

Well my story is differnt from most. I met my wife Fe, in the US. She had been here 18 years already and though "Americanized" she didn't actually have her citizenship yet. She is a Medical Technologist and works in Toxicology Drug Testing. She tested athletes at the 1996 Olympics. She now works for the State Toxicology Lab.In 1980's we were part of the "tennis boom" and we met on the courts. I guess she liked my moves. She became my mixed doubles partner and we won the local 3.5 club championship in 2 divisions that first year. We've been together ever since. We no longer play tennis though. When we visit the Philippines we stay with her sister in Cebu. Mr Lee and Sampaguita have seen the place. It's a small buhay kubo in Banilad, not a bad bivouac.

Small, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha and ha :as-if: I only wish our place was so small. Hoz is a great guy and Fe is a nice lady and we were honored to have met them and get to know them and sure hope to spend more time with them in the future. :as-if:

I have to concur 100%

[Jollygoodfellow]

OK, more later but only if members are interested and would like to also share some of their stories.

I find the story very interesting and would love to hear more. Unfortunately, my story pales by comparison to this adventure which Mr. Lee undertook to be with you and meet your family. It speaks to his character and apparent love to endure the challenges of a new environment. It is much more than I could ever handle. I'm a bit spoiled with the modern conveniences and not sure I could survive without them.

Lee showed me how to rearrange this post, wow forums are so hard to work, I guess I am lucky to have someone in the house to teach me. Now to answer Ron, I have not told one tenth of it and left out a lot of good parts, like the first time Lee had to go to the bathroom on the first night and had to move my nephew off the trap door and did not know how he would react and then go downstairs and pee into the night without knowing if something was going to bite it off. and one night walking a path to the cr and he turns on his flashlight because he hears a noise and there is a mother and baby Carabao and she moans at him and he just hopes he is not within reach of her rope because they can be pretty mean when they do not know someone. and then going to the bathroom while having to squat over a hole in the ground in a sort of outhouse too small for him to stand up in. and then there was one time when he was outside my uncles house and had to go in the morning after sleeping through a restless night that my uncle kept fighting in his sleep and Lee kept asking what the heck he was yelling about and then the bathroom outside was a hole in the ground with sticks around it and there he was peeing and he looks around and everyone could see from the second story of the homes around and were waving to him and telling him maayong buntag and Lee looked down and realized the fence was not large enough for someone his size since most in my village are short and they really do not think much of those things but he did not know that and started to try to squat down so his privates would be below the fence and then asked me what the heck was that all about. I had to explain that we do not think much about those things because they are normal things and the children always pee in public on whatever tree is available up there.and then there was Lee's first bucket bath with totally cold water and out in front of everyone but with a shirt and shorts on and he was so embarrassed standing there in front of all my young nieces and many of the women who stood around laughing at his reaction to the bath and not at him but he did not know that they had never seen a kano bathe. and then the first time he went up to the spring with me for a really cold shower under the freezing cold morning spring water and steam was coming off his body. and the culture shock of seeing one of my 5 year old niece takes a bolo and walks outside with it while Lee was yelling for me to come quick and we both watched her cut open a coconut and then put it back. Lee was so afraid she would hurt herself with the bolo almost as big as she was.I could go on and on but I think long enough on us but what I wanted to say to Gold Heart and others, no story is boring because it lets others learn the easy ways to do things and then the hard so maybe your story is not the same but maybe how you are dealing with day to day life in the Philippines would be very interesting to everyone, I know it would be to us because we hope to be able to do it one day soon and I need all the help I can get talking Lee into it. Lee did fine all and all because of his life's experiences and his lack of fear of hardly anything. This post has been edited by Lee

and then the bathroom outside was a hole in the ground with sticks around it and there he was peeing and he looks around and everyone could see from the second story of the homes around and were waving to him and telling him maayong buntag and Lee looked down and realized the fence was not large enough for someone his size since

Lucky there was not much to see and no one got a fright

[Mr Lee]

OK, more later but only if members are interested and would like to also share some of their stories.

I find the story very interesting and would love to hear more. Unfortunately, my story pales by comparison to this adventure which Mr. Lee undertook to be with you and meet your family. It speaks to his character and apparent love to endure the challenges of a new environment. It is much more than I could ever handle. I'm a bit spoiled with the modern conveniences and not sure I could survive without them.

Lee showed me how to rearrange this post, wow forums are so hard to work, I guess I am lucky to have someone in the house to teach me. Now to answer Ron, I have not told one tenth of it and left out a lot of good parts, like the first time Lee had to go to the bathroom on the first night and had to move my nephew off the trap door and did not know how he would react and then go downstairs and pee into the night without knowing if something was going to bite it off. and one night walking a path to the cr and he turns on his flashlight because he hears a noise and there is a mother and baby Carabao and she moans at him and he just hopes he is not within reach of her rope because they can be pretty mean when they do not know someone. and then going to the bathroom while having to squat over a hole in the ground in a sort of outhouse too small for him to stand up in. and then there was one time when he was outside my uncles house and had to go in the morning after sleeping through a restless night that my uncle kept fighting in his sleep and Lee kept asking what the heck he was yelling about and then the bathroom outside was a hole in the ground with sticks around it and there he was peeing and he looks around and everyone could see from the second story of the homes around and were waving to him and telling him maayong buntag and Lee looked down and realized the fence was not large enough for someone his size since most in my village are short and they really do not think much of those things but he did not know that and started to try to squat down so his privates would be below the fence and then asked me what the heck was that all about. I had to explain that we do not think much about those things because they are normal things and the children always pee in public on whatever tree is available up there.and then there was Lee's first bucket bath with totally cold water and out in front of everyone but with a shirt and shorts on and he was so embarrassed standing there in front of all my young nieces and many of the women who stood around laughing at his reaction to the bath and not at him but he did not know that they had never seen a kano bathe. and then the first time he went up to the spring with me for a really cold shower under the freezing cold morning spring water and steam was coming off his body. and the culture shock of seeing one of my 5 year old niece takes a bolo and walks outside with it while Lee was yelling for me to come quick and we both watched her cut open a coconut and then put it back. Lee was so afraid she would hurt herself with the bolo almost as big as she was.I could go on and on but I think long enough on us but what I wanted to say to Gold Heart and others, no story is boring because it lets others learn the easy ways to do things and then the hard so maybe your story is not the same but maybe how you are dealing with day to day life in the Philippines would be very interesting to everyone, I know it would be to us because we hope to be able to do it one day soon and I need all the help I can get talking Lee into it. Lee did fine all and all because of his life's experiences and his lack of fear of hardly anything. This post has been edited by Lee

and then the bathroom outside was a hole in the ground with sticks around it and there he was peeing and he looks around and everyone could see from the second story of the homes around and were waving to him and telling him maayong buntag and Lee looked down and realized the fence was not large enough for someone his size since

Lucky there was not much to see and no one got a fright

Just lucky I was in the Philippines where things are small so I fit right in and did not look any different that what they see everyday. :lol:

[Mr Lee]

Here is a current day outhouse which is way too low for me to stand up in, so maybe people can get an idea of what it was like over 15 years ago. Notice the holes being filled with empty sacks and there are more on the back which easily lets kids look in. And this one actually had something to stand on while in the past it was just a hole in the ground to aim for which is kind of hard when you are squatting over it. And attached is a house from 2004 that is quite a few times better than the first house we slept in back in those days. and here is a house of one brother in 2004 who refuses to spend money on even electric but I still do not know where his money goes. and then 113 is how clothing is washed and where I and others have to take outdoor baths and this is in 2004 too. Oops, a better view of the one brothers house also the same house from back then but now in 2004. OK, if most of these were taken in 2004 or later, maybe that should give people an idea of much worse it was back when my wife grew up and how much worse it was when I met her and visited back over 10 years earlier than these were taken.