Prologue
To capture a month-long adventure in words is indeed a tedious task. Reading the resulting lengthy narrative is even a greater feat. Thank God for pictures to make things shorter but more interesting!
Finally, our California move sonata.
To capture a month-long adventure in words is indeed a tedious task. Reading the resulting lengthy narrative is even a greater feat. Thank God for pictures to make things shorter but more interesting!
Finally, our California move sonata.
Saying Goodbye
Juliet had aptly said it. Parting is indeed such sweet sorrow. As much as you are excited with what lies ahead as you depart, the notion of leaving people and things you love behind is truly heartbreaking.
Since we will be away for the next 18-24 months, we have to dispose most of our belongings. We gave up our condo (where all our happy memories since Riki and I got married happened), sold all our personal stuff (and just got to keep in storage selected items for posterity) and forced GAEL to join the (car)workforce for the meantime while we were away. (Gael is one year old today, April 12... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!)
If saying goodbye to these THINGS was hard, imagine the sadness of saying goodbye to PEOPLE. With only a two-week window after getting our US visas, Riki and I had despedida parties/lunches/dinners till the early morning of our March 1 departure flight. I realized we are indeed so loved, having families and friends wishing us well and telling us that they will miss us while we’re away.
To everyone in Pinas, you are the reason why we will definitely come back home in 2008/2009.
Juliet had aptly said it. Parting is indeed such sweet sorrow. As much as you are excited with what lies ahead as you depart, the notion of leaving people and things you love behind is truly heartbreaking.
Since we will be away for the next 18-24 months, we have to dispose most of our belongings. We gave up our condo (where all our happy memories since Riki and I got married happened), sold all our personal stuff (and just got to keep in storage selected items for posterity) and forced GAEL to join the (car)workforce for the meantime while we were away. (Gael is one year old today, April 12... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!)
If saying goodbye to these THINGS was hard, imagine the sadness of saying goodbye to PEOPLE. With only a two-week window after getting our US visas, Riki and I had despedida parties/lunches/dinners till the early morning of our March 1 departure flight. I realized we are indeed so loved, having families and friends wishing us well and telling us that they will miss us while we’re away.
To everyone in Pinas, you are the reason why we will definitely come back home in 2008/2009.
The Adventure Begins
It was Evan’s first plane ride.
It was Riki and Evan’s first trip to the US.
It was Riki and me’s first trip out of the country.
It was the family’s first plane ride/trip together.
It was a Business Class booking, and it was free.
Thank you my beloved employer!
It was Evan’s first plane ride.
It was Riki and Evan’s first trip to the US.
It was Riki and me’s first trip out of the country.
It was the family’s first plane ride/trip together.
It was a Business Class booking, and it was free.
Thank you my beloved employer!
Buhay Expat
Moving to CA on an expat status definitely has its perks. From the exclusive club hotel accommodation pre-departure, business class airline tickets, grand airport limo transfer (complete with a bottle of champagne opened at your delight!), a designated relocation consultant at your heed and call for the first two weeks, to the luxury of corporate housing accommodation and transportation. Everything seems to be served in a silver platter, as they say (free of tab).
Well, everything except the implement to immediately cope with the emotional challenges of relocating to a foreign country with a different timezone, opposite weather and far more diverse culture than your comfort zone home country. The first two weeks had been especially hard to Evan who stayed awake at nights, slept during the day, felt grumpy and irritable the whole day and moved bowel every three hours. Good thing my mom followed us after three days, to the rescue! Whew!
And then there’s work of course. In the midst of all the relocation adjustment we have to endure, I have to start earning our keep and report for work. And as if my adjustment issues at home are not enough, I have to do the same in the workplace. My new role here is TOTALLY different from, again, my comfort zone. My expertise is Functional SAP. But lo, they assigned me to the Technical Team. I am to lead the Infrastructure Services group in the org chart. That means, I have to learn SAP Environment Management fast to be able to deliver in my new position. After two weeks on the project, I am popping 800 mg. of Ibupropen a day to ease the pain of my newly-acquired malady, migraine.
As I ponder later on, after all the haze had subsided, it really is fortunate (and in a way necessary) that we came here with all the luxury and convenience attached with our visa status. Otherwise, with all the emotional hurdles the family had to endure, we might be questioning why we were here in the first place, uprooting ourselves from an otherwise comfortable (and nanny-abundant!) sphere.
Immersion
All adaptation profiles go through the anxiety stage to the growth stage (we learned that from our Cultural Orientation here). As Riki and I start to get comfortable with our new surroundings, settled in our new home for the next two years, everything began falling into their right places. And then we started appreciating the flowers, and yes, even the squirrels.
Having Filipino friends, colleagues and even new acquaintances around also made life easier. Believe me, after a whole day at work speaking in English, it is a welcome exercise to converse with fellow Pinoys in our beloved language afterwards. It’s like eating all leaves (salad) and bread for breakfast and lunch, and finally going home to eat kanin and ulam for dinner.
Most importantly, the fact that the family is intact and together in this new life adventure, everything turns into sunshine and good memories (pictures and avps).
Action Items
This move is only temporary. Thus, it is but wise that we maximize it and make sure we have fun!
The first three weeks of hurdling relocation issues is now over.
The fifteen months of shopping, travel, exploring and good times begins!
The Garcia’s TRAVEL DIARY starts on the next post. :)
Moving to CA on an expat status definitely has its perks. From the exclusive club hotel accommodation pre-departure, business class airline tickets, grand airport limo transfer (complete with a bottle of champagne opened at your delight!), a designated relocation consultant at your heed and call for the first two weeks, to the luxury of corporate housing accommodation and transportation. Everything seems to be served in a silver platter, as they say (free of tab).
Well, everything except the implement to immediately cope with the emotional challenges of relocating to a foreign country with a different timezone, opposite weather and far more diverse culture than your comfort zone home country. The first two weeks had been especially hard to Evan who stayed awake at nights, slept during the day, felt grumpy and irritable the whole day and moved bowel every three hours. Good thing my mom followed us after three days, to the rescue! Whew!
And then there’s work of course. In the midst of all the relocation adjustment we have to endure, I have to start earning our keep and report for work. And as if my adjustment issues at home are not enough, I have to do the same in the workplace. My new role here is TOTALLY different from, again, my comfort zone. My expertise is Functional SAP. But lo, they assigned me to the Technical Team. I am to lead the Infrastructure Services group in the org chart. That means, I have to learn SAP Environment Management fast to be able to deliver in my new position. After two weeks on the project, I am popping 800 mg. of Ibupropen a day to ease the pain of my newly-acquired malady, migraine.
As I ponder later on, after all the haze had subsided, it really is fortunate (and in a way necessary) that we came here with all the luxury and convenience attached with our visa status. Otherwise, with all the emotional hurdles the family had to endure, we might be questioning why we were here in the first place, uprooting ourselves from an otherwise comfortable (and nanny-abundant!) sphere.
Immersion
All adaptation profiles go through the anxiety stage to the growth stage (we learned that from our Cultural Orientation here). As Riki and I start to get comfortable with our new surroundings, settled in our new home for the next two years, everything began falling into their right places. And then we started appreciating the flowers, and yes, even the squirrels.
Having Filipino friends, colleagues and even new acquaintances around also made life easier. Believe me, after a whole day at work speaking in English, it is a welcome exercise to converse with fellow Pinoys in our beloved language afterwards. It’s like eating all leaves (salad) and bread for breakfast and lunch, and finally going home to eat kanin and ulam for dinner.
Most importantly, the fact that the family is intact and together in this new life adventure, everything turns into sunshine and good memories (pictures and avps).
Action Items
This move is only temporary. Thus, it is but wise that we maximize it and make sure we have fun!
The first three weeks of hurdling relocation issues is now over.
The fifteen months of shopping, travel, exploring and good times begins!
The Garcia’s TRAVEL DIARY starts on the next post. :)
4 comments:
Hey, Emi!
Happy to hear that everyone's adjusting well. Man! Pagbalik niyo here (if ever, hahaha!), slang na si Evan! Hehehe. Kwento ko blog mo kay Kiko tonight. =)
Hi to the hubby and kisses for the baby! =)
i guess evan is adjusted already? :)
you and your family are truly blessed. tama ka, enjoy while it last.
take care and will wait for more kwentos.
maski anong hirap sa bagong bansa at bagong trabaho, everything becomes alright basta kasama ang pamilya....
enjoy kayo lahat dyan!!!
Oh, Emi! I don't know what to say. Parang emotional roller coaster yan ah. But yeah, do make the most out of this blessing. Enjoy your stay there. But do blog more often :)
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