Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Couple's Corner - The First 365 Days

Posted by Kero at Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rodliz’s Nest

The following month after the wedding was a busy one. We spent our honey moon at Puerto Princesa, Palawan. We climbed Mt. Makiling in Los Banos Laguna. We went for Butanding (whaleshark) Interaction at Donsol, Sorsogon. We visited the Cagsawa ruins in Albay...and had a perfect shot of Mayon Volcano.


Dinner at Ka Lui Restaurant with fellow tourists. Earlier that day, we visited the famous Underground River


Enjoying the grounds of UP Los Banos -- a day before we trekked the enchanted Mt. Makiling. If you look closer, you will see the blue shoes with a bow that i wore to our wedding :)


Albay after swimming with whalesharks in Donsol, Sorsogon

Three weeks of love, laughter, and physical pain (oh yes Ceasar was THE FIRST *wink wink* call me old fashioned), the honeymooners had to part. Ceasar had to leave for Dubai. I tearfully dropped him off the NAIA. I was crying and sobbing and cursing the republic (sorry po!) why they cannot provide enough work for the Filipinos.....why husbands and Fathers had to leave their families behind.

For the next four months, we had again the entire Indian Ocean between us. Many nights, i would cry to sleep because i missed him soo much! For somebody who had been separated with her parents and siblings, I was pretty much used to the idea of loving from afar. But with Ceasar, being away from him was like half of my life gone.

The month of October put me out of misery. All our legal documents were ready and so i was able to leave the Philippines earlier than we anticipated. Seeing him again at Dubai airport was a most lovely sight :)

And that officially started our married life. I am sharing the details below so when my son is old enough to read this, he will know we did not always have that swimming pool on the rooftop.

Starting a married life in one of the most expensive cities in the world, was very hard. Though the city shouts luxury, we lived simply. Simple in ways beyond you can imagine. We stayed at a three-bedroom villa in Deira. We share the villa with 30 other people. Our room, was the maid's quarter so it has its own bathroom (just a shower, no tub). Back then, it was a luxury for a couple to have their own private bathroom. Yes, people here are used to making pila when taking a bath :). and they take turns cleaning the bathroom as well. Yes, the kitchen was common for everybody as well. We had like 20 rice cookers in there.

The monthly room rent was 2,500 AED (P32,000.00) plus water and electricity bill. We had no bed. Our single mattress was laid directly on the floor. We had a breakfast tray as table. We had a non-frost fridge. That and our laptop were the only expensive items in our room. If the human rights accused Dubai of exploiting the workers and laborers, there could be some truth in there.

March 2007, we moved to Al Satwa. Before, it would take more than two hours for hubby to reach work. Now his travel time to Al Quoz is 30 to 45 minutes. Our new room had its own bathroom and kitchen (though unfurnished). The kind Indian landlord gave the room for 2,400 AED/month including the electricity and water (we had to provide our own AC). The only problem was the room had no window :)

We lived frugally so we were able to save money to buy a window type AC. Then we bought our first gas stove and cylinder. Next we bought our front loading washing machine. I was living every housewive's dream teehee.



When we thought we couldn't be happier, my ob-gyne confirmed I was pregnant exactly the day we were to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, April 26, 2007!

17 sweets for Kero:

sheng on November 18, 2009 at 2:35 PM said...

i can relate....i guess every filipino couples here in Dubai experienced the same...and others maybe worst than that...

what's nice here is we have surpass a very difficult life compared to our comfortable and easy life back home.

Mommy Liz on November 18, 2009 at 6:01 PM said...

Kero, wow..nakita ko rin ang most mysterious "blue shoes" in the history of Couple's Corner Meme..Hehehe..

Naku, eh parang nararamdaman ko ang sakit ng loob mo noong maghiwalay kau ni Ceasar ah..Kahit na nga ba sinaktan ka niya physically, ehehehe..yan ang sakit na lagi mong ma mimiss, hehehe.

Marami na rin akong nakitang mga relasyon na nasira gawa ng magkalayo, but I guess, mas marami ang nagtagumpay naman despite of the situation. Tayo namankasi ang nagdadala nun di ba? Yugn ibang wives, nang jujulake, or yung ibang hubbies, nang jujubae, yun ang mga weak na relation..

Once na ang relasyon is based on LOVE, TRUST, RESPECT and great communication, it will be like all of our relationships here in Couple's Corner. Successful and very strong di ba?

Kim, USA on November 18, 2009 at 9:55 PM said...

Ganun??? I didn't know mahirap pala ang buhay dyan lalo na for a starter. Mahal ba talaga dyan sa Dubai?
And here is my take, and I always told this to old and new couples because my husbands aunt told me this and they just celebrated their 62 wedding anniversary this year, na kung saan daw ang waswit natin andoon din tayo. SAbi ko talaga??? Napag-isip talaga ako nang matagal noon.
Din came my first one month PI vacation, naku ang hirap pala malayo ka sa husbandry ano? Hello yung sa aking nga bakasyon lang yun ano na kaya kung the husband and wife is separated for 1 year or 4 years naku I can't take that!!
Good thing you came with him after a year, the trials of not having comfortable life will pass because life will be easy with the right man in our life diba? Happy weekdays!!
My Life’s Journey in Focus
At my tabletop
My Life’s Photo
My Pride and Joy

darly on November 18, 2009 at 9:59 PM said...

yan lang kasi hirap dito sa Dubai, the cost of living is so high- kaya its difficult for some families to be together kasi expensive nga. Pero you know what, bilib ako sau momi K kasi kinaya mo; ika nga in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer. i strongly believe couples shouldn't be apart kasi once joined nobody but God can ever separate you.

Happy CC, mine is up too :)

Kero on November 18, 2009 at 10:50 PM said...

@ Sheng. you are right. madami pa mas worse ang sitwasyon and i admire every housewife who went through such experience. sabi nga nila, for richer or for poorer, mansion man or a shack, a husband and a wife should be together :)

Kero on November 18, 2009 at 10:52 PM said...

@ Mommy Liz: haay oo unforgettable experince talaga ang first time. it gave a whole new meaning to "relax" hahahaaaa

It was a dream come true on my part. The man i was going to marry will get my glory :). i think it is among the most precious gift we can give to our husbands :)

Kero on November 18, 2009 at 10:54 PM said...

@ Manang Kim: Salamat po for visiting. yes, some expatriates here are experiencing the worst. but for some it is better than to go back home with nothing.

like you, i did tell my husband that even if we only have 20 pesos we should still be together

Kero on November 18, 2009 at 10:56 PM said...

@ Momi Ann: Salamat for the visit! I read your entry earlier this afternoon and was about to leave my mark pero nagising na si little boy.

I am heading to your page right now :)

Unknown on November 18, 2009 at 11:17 PM said...

Grabe in week of pain hehehe. first ko rin hubby ko buti nlng no work at that time and we just stayed in the room for 9 days hehehehe.

Anyway, buti nlng may honeymoon kayo, you got the chance to spent time together and make baby hehehe kasi work kaagad at sa malayo pa. Love the story sis, pangpelikula ang dating. thanks for sharing.

eds on November 19, 2009 at 1:52 AM said...

what a nice anniversary surprise.. hmm naku ike you ang hirap magumpisa.. though alam kong habibi is independently living alone before he met me, sanay sia sa maruming bahay.. so i have to dicipline him little by little..and like you basic furnitures lang ang meron sa amin.. so when i arrived I started to save para sa homewares at kung anik anik pa.. o diba.. talaga nman totoong behind great husband are great wives din.. hihihi

Cecile on November 19, 2009 at 2:43 AM said...

Kero, i can imagine what you went through during those trying times of your married like; aren't you glad it is all over?

For me, the simplest life the better; ang mga experiences natin make our marriage stronger, di ba? Am happy you guys are happy!

beakoluvko on November 19, 2009 at 2:56 AM said...

Love your story dear....see you around... btw love your blue shoes...

Rechie on November 19, 2009 at 3:51 AM said...

wow...napaka inspiring po ng married life nyo...nakakainspire para dun sa mga balak pang mg-asawa...lahat talaga ng trials and difficulties kakayanin as long na kasama ang mahal nating husband...

by the way, cute ng blue shoes

thanks for visiting mine

anne on November 19, 2009 at 5:29 AM said...

yup chie is right your shoes is cute, at least you have the chance to be with your husband in dubai, natagalan nga lang ng kaunti.. thanks for visiting mine

AC on November 19, 2009 at 4:15 PM said...

I agree!!! Not because we are in one of the most expensive cities, we also have to live expensively.. I always admire those simple living families.. Kame nga, ate kero.. we rarely buy things for ourselves talaga. minsan nga nagtatanungan kame ni hubby.. ilang years na yang suot mo? haha!!! but you see, it only shows that we can be happy and contented without those matrial things.. your life story is inspiring.. miss you ate kero! =)

LODS on November 20, 2009 at 5:44 AM said...

such a wonderful story sis.. I to am old fashioned like you,heheheheheh..my hats off to you for your honesty. Hardwork and faith will pay off in the end.. thanks for the story.

Seiko on November 20, 2009 at 8:48 AM said...

Distance could never be a hindrance for two people who are truly in love.Ang hirap kaya ng magkalayo kayong mag-asawa,kami nga oras lang ang gap ng paghihiwalay I was nearly demented na in worries & sad ,what more kung taon na.You just proved that true love really works even if it's at a distant place.

 

Coffee, Pearls, and A View Copyright © 2010 Designed by Ipietoon Blogger Template Sponsored by Online Shop Vector by Artshare