I felt like I was caught up in a hurricane. Time flew so fast. The whole month of May was spent in Europe gallivanting before the occasion of the wedding of my sister-in-law, temporarily leaving the chaos of packing up for the US behind. Having put back the US migration at the back of our minds made it possible for us to focus on the European trip first. There was also so much to arrange considering that the trip was not a short one. After seeing Frankfurt, Munich, Miltenberg and Buergstadt in Germany; Milan, Venice, Rome, Pisa, Florence and Assisi in Italy; Paris, Liseux, Versailles, Nevers and Lourdes in France; Salzburg in Austria and passing by Switzerland en route to Italy, we were just eager to go back to the Philippines. It was Europe indigestion to say the least.
Back in the Philippines, with just two days to pack our stuff to finally leave for the US, we were living a crazy schedule. The European jetlag made it even crazier because the kids would still remain awake even at the wee hours of the morning just when you wanted to have them out sight. In between business meetings to make final endorsements, arrangement with the mover who will ship our stuff to the US, bank transactions to transfer funds to the US and setting up a system that will also make it possible to transfer funds back and forth from US to Philippines, terminating phone lines, credit card lines, liquidating most of our investments, we also gave way for despidida parties from our friends and colleagues. The night before we left for the US, we were still not done with our packing! It was such a challenge to try to maximize the luggage allowance of 23 kg/piece and 107 cm for 2 pieces given to us by the airline. Alvin and I did not have sleep at all. We ended up packing until daybreak and loaded 4 balikbayan boxes, 4 medium sized wheeled luggages, 2 car seats, 4 hand-carried bags, and 1 stroller. We also had to endorse the shipping of 1 more box via Johnny Air Cargo.
Saying goodbye at the airport was tearjerking. We do not know when we will be able to visit the Philippines again. So much uncertainty in the future. But what we were grateful for was the decision to leave as a family. There were preliminary plans of me leaving ahead of the girls and Alvin and making them follow after one month. But just imagining how it would be carrying all the luggages and going through immigration as well as making major decisions in the US regarding car purchase, schools, etc, made us think think twice about that other plan.
So now we were in it as one family... still together.
Back in the Philippines, with just two days to pack our stuff to finally leave for the US, we were living a crazy schedule. The European jetlag made it even crazier because the kids would still remain awake even at the wee hours of the morning just when you wanted to have them out sight. In between business meetings to make final endorsements, arrangement with the mover who will ship our stuff to the US, bank transactions to transfer funds to the US and setting up a system that will also make it possible to transfer funds back and forth from US to Philippines, terminating phone lines, credit card lines, liquidating most of our investments, we also gave way for despidida parties from our friends and colleagues. The night before we left for the US, we were still not done with our packing! It was such a challenge to try to maximize the luggage allowance of 23 kg/piece and 107 cm for 2 pieces given to us by the airline. Alvin and I did not have sleep at all. We ended up packing until daybreak and loaded 4 balikbayan boxes, 4 medium sized wheeled luggages, 2 car seats, 4 hand-carried bags, and 1 stroller. We also had to endorse the shipping of 1 more box via Johnny Air Cargo.
Saying goodbye at the airport was tearjerking. We do not know when we will be able to visit the Philippines again. So much uncertainty in the future. But what we were grateful for was the decision to leave as a family. There were preliminary plans of me leaving ahead of the girls and Alvin and making them follow after one month. But just imagining how it would be carrying all the luggages and going through immigration as well as making major decisions in the US regarding car purchase, schools, etc, made us think think twice about that other plan.
So now we were in it as one family... still together.
No comments:
Post a Comment