What I'm getting used to...

While taking the boys for a hot early morning walk today, I was reflecting on the many things that I have become used to since moving here 3 months ago.  Here’s a few of them…

When we go for a walk, I get endless expressions of surprise and awe…. but I’m still not sure if onlookers are more impressed with my stroller or my cute white boys. Double strollers pretty much don’t exist here, so when they see a second baby sitting in behind they tell their friends and the staring and pointing continues! I am getting used to smiling and saying, “Opo, dalawa baby!” (yes, two babies!)

The heat. Or perhaps I won’t ever get used to this. I so envy all you BCers who are starting to get fall weather! I long for a cool breeze. I have to say, though, Manila is not as hot as Davao (where we lived 3 years ago) so I am thankful for that. I try to go for walks with the boys around 8 or 9am but I’m a sweaty mess and we can’t even play at the park…. too hot! I haven’t once worn a hoodie or anything warm-ish. Cody was SO excited to find a jacket in his closet the other day but as soon as he got outside he couldn’t stand it. We’re getting used to playing outside after 4:30 when everyone else emerges from their air-conditioned homes…. but it gets dark at 6:30 so it’s a short window of fairly comfortable weather.

I’ve very quickly become used to not having a car, as everything I need is in walking distance (there’s a big mall just outside our apartment complex) and taxis are easy to come by. And to my surprise, I’m even used to travelling with no car seats! Climbing into a taxi and holding the boys used to freak me out a little, but I don’t even think about it anymore. Crazy, hey! Once we buy a car we’ll strap the boys in again, but that might not be for a while still. In the meantime, pray for our safety!! :)

If you are addressing someone older than you, it is never simply by his or her first name. When someone is even just a year older, you call them Ate (big sister) or Kuya (big brother) before their name and for someone your parents age its Tita or Tito... there's also Lolo and Lola for grandparents. It takes a bit to figure out what to call people (especially when I can't tell if they're my age or 10 years older!), and then also what Cody should call them. Cody has gotten really good at it though…. when he greets people at the mall with a friendly “Good morning, Kuya!” he melts Filipino hearts:)

Last Saturday we had someone clean our house. Now that is not a hard thing to get used to!! I feel pretty busy and am realizing I need a bit of help. I am watching the boys full time, doing 2 or 3 hours of language everyday (while they sleep), cooking, cleaning, getting groceries, hosting (a lot!), writing budgets, reporting expenses and trying to blog and keep in touch with friends/family at home. And next week we’re having at least 15 people over for dinner and training (with Jack and Irene Suderman!) three nights in a row- lots of cooking and baking to do! When the boys are finally in bed at night, it feels like my work is hardly just begun. Being busy is hard to get used to, but having someone clean for me once a week is certainly not!

Busy malls. It’s like December 23^rd at Richmond Centre everyday, all day! At 10am, when the mall/grocery store opens (I really wish it opened earlier!) there is a long line up waiting to get in…. on a weekday! Here’s a picture of a weekend event at the mall and a taste of the craziness!

While we have learned so much about the Filipino culture in the last 3 months and also during our first stay here, getting used to a new culture takes a LONG time. Probably the most difficult thing is trying to understand the way people think and figuring out their worldview, beliefs and expectations. I am Canadian, so perhaps I won’t ever be fully used to the Filipino culture. But I enjoy the process and am excited for how it is shaping our family.

Video Update: the boys

We know that many of you miss our boys so here's a little look at what they're up to lately....

A couple Vids of our Kids from Darnell Barkman on Vimeo.

Cody is so full of beans, as always. He loves to make us laugh and lately he also loves to tell us what to do. He'll make up a word and then get everyone to repeat him.... becoming a bossy little one:) And because he's almost two, we hear "nope" with a little attitude way too often! He's very excited about his little bro lately and always wants to "show Akai" his books or cars. I take Cody to the playground nearly everyday and he makes friends with all the kids.... it's great because it makes it very easy for me to meet the moms and helpers. Darnell and I do language training every day with our friend, Bryan, and Cody loves to join in, as you saw in the video!

Makai is a very happy little guy. I hardly have to look at him and he'll give me a huge grin. So far, he's a little Cody all over again! He's feeding well, sleeping well (all through the night lately... let's hope it continues!) and is getting cuter and chubbier everyday. I can't get enough of his snuggles and giggles:) Right now he's quick to roll onto his stomach but tends to get stuck on his tummy and then get's frustrated. We might buy him some kind of toy for him to stand... wish I had the jolly jumper here!  This week I finally put the two boys together in their own room. Luckily Cody is a deep sleeper and doesn't wake up when Makai is screaming right beside him!

We miss sharing our boys with our friends and family at home. I often feel sad that they don't get to see their grandparents, cousins and friends. It's easily the most difficult thing about living away from home. I'm excited to have a little party for Cody's 2nd birthday soon, but every time I think of all the people I wish we could share it with, it brings tears to my eyes. We miss you all dearly.

Flooding in Manila

Yesterday Darnell spent most of the day walking through nearly waist-deep water doing community assessment with our friend, Bryan. 

Today they are delivering food to families in need. And I'm writing this from my very comfortable 5th floor apartment while the boys nap in a nice air-conditioned room- feels rather strange. While Darnell was out in the water yesterday, I baked cookies, cooked dinner and prayed. My only way of helping was to be a good hostess to our friends. Bryan and his wife, Maricel, are staying here for a few nights because their house is also flooded.... along with more than half of Manila! 

Bryan is a great friend of ours (and our language tutor) who started an organization called Evangelical Youth for Social Action and his volunteers have been mobilized to do relief work. We're thankful that though we've only been living in Manila for a couple weeks, we already have connections to help out with the relief efforts. 

Today it has finally stopped raining. We're very thankful. 

Here's a link to a short video of Darnell and Bryan in a flooded neighbourhood....
http://vimeo.com/47176123?action=share

We have a home!!!

After sleeping in 12 different rooms since we left Abbotsford 2 months ago, we now have our own home again!!!! We’ve filled up our closets, organized the kitchen and stowed away the suitcases and now we’re enjoying a lazy Saturday morning in a lovely space we call home…. 

And after much hassle and complications, our 3 big shipped boxes came the day after we moved in. We were so excited! They were supposed to arrive much earlier but in the end it worked out better because we got them delivered right to the door of our new place and we didn’t have to figure out how to transport them ourselves. It was so fun unpacking our stuff! Cody was thrilled to play with his familiar toys again… it felt like Christmas! 

And of course the boxes themselves are pretty fun… 

We are enjoying becoming familiar with our new neighbourhood…. getting groceries, finding good (and cheap!) places to eat, meeting neighbours, watching Cody at the playground, and talking with the guards. And tonight Darnell and I are going on a date!!! We haven’t been out on our own since before Makai was born- and yikes, he’s 4 months already! Needless to say, we’re ready for a nice dinner out just the 2 of us!!! And our dear friend Reg (who travelled with us for 2 weeks) is going to watch the boys. We are SO thankful to already have someone we love and trust to help us out! 

On Monday we start language training. We are really ready to get serious about learning Tagalog and are thankful for our friend, Bryan, who will be spending a couple hours a day with each of us as our language nurturer. 

As some of you might recall, we had planned to move to a small city up north called San Jose for a few months, but for several reasons, we decided to move straight to Manila. So now we’ve signed a one-year lease and feel good about having a home that isn’t temporary. Let this life of Manila-living and church planting begin!!!! :)