So a good friend of ours gave us our nickname- the Van Der Buellas- back in the day before we had kids. Oh, the days before kids are a distant memory! Anyhow, we enjoy traveling, but I personally didn’t do much traveling until I was in my mid 20’s, which was over 10 years ago! We’ve enjoyed some adventures with the kiddos, but this was our first time using our passports since we had kiddos- woohoo!
This past year, 2016, marked 10 years of wedded bliss! Ha! For anyone who is married with kids, or anyone really… 10 years is a damn long time, isn’t it? And bliss is hardly the word to describe it. It’s messy. But we’re here and together! So we needed to celebrate, because this was huge (for us.)
Anyhow, we had a hard time deciding where to go. We initially wanted to do something alone, by ourselves- i.e. Europe. Flights were/are expensive and to make it worth spending that money, I’d want to stay somewhat long- at least 10 days. Well, that wasn’t happening. We don’t really have anyone to watch the kids for that long, so we nixed that idea. I came across flights for the Philippines back in March 2016 and snagged some relatively cheap tickets for Christmas in the Philippines!
Why the Philippines? SO many reasons!
1) My first time! Never been to Asia actually. I’ve never felt the connection to go to the Philippines. All of my immediate family and cousins, etc. are here. My parents never went back after they arrived in the U.S. So why not?
2) Christmas in the Philippines is supposed to be really special, and with the kids being off from school, we figured it was a great time to go.
3) The dollar is STRONG! We got to see a lot and do a lot, and were able to stay within our budget.
4) Family
So what were our highlights? Hmmmm.. SO MANY!
1) Our time together alone venturing throughout El Nido and Bohol was priceless. Swimming, kayaking, hiking, etc. Bohol was extra special and all I remember is Adelina hugging random Filipinos (i.e., our waiters/waitresses, people who worked at the transportation terminal, concierge) probably because she thought they were family! It was awesome being in a country where everyone looks like us! We had a dinner where we took a boat to a private island, to celebrate (our anniversary, my parents birthdays). Having this amazing dinner while the kids were playing on the beach was priceless!
2) The people and hospitality. I made strong connections with people there (employees at the resort) and family I had never met.
3) Seeing where my parents came from. I got to see where my dad grew up. Seeing the poverty there truly helped me put my life into perspective. Just thinking about their journey, where I am, and where my kids are in life- I’m so grateful!
4) Spending time with my family in Talisay, Cebu. I never met my family there and didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t adopted, but I imagine it being like meeting your birth parents. Not sure if there will be a connection, whether you’ll feel welcome and not knowing what to expect. Well I’m so glad we met my family there. They were EXTREMELY hospitable to us. And showed us where my Dad and his siblings grew up. I also learned so much history being there. My great grandfather was a mayor there in the 1940’s, and the house where my dad grew up, the Garces Ancestral Home, is an historical landmark in Talisay. To see my family name on a billboard that advertises Talisay, and see a street named after my great grandfather was unforgettable. And the time that I got to spend with them was priceless. I also got to meet my 94 year old grand aunt. It was so special. I hope to go back within the next couple of years and spend more time with them.
5) Spending time with Cisco’s family. I really didn’t know what to expect, but everyone’s warmth and hospitality is something I’ve never experienced and will never forget. I really got to connect with all his cousins and their kids, and get an understanding of how Filipinos live. S L O W paced- i.e. lots of traffic and super slow internet! LOL first world problems, really.
6) Visiting a school and spending time with the nuns that run the school. Cisco’s family is so giving and have helped a group of nuns run a school that started in a garage.
I posted a few pics here from our trip, but here is a link that has a bit more. Not all 2000+ that we took, but more like 60! 😉
https://goo.gl/photos/uq8EZcXTUuEZ6tpt7
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