Feyma Martin

Over a year ago we purchased a two door fridge from SM Appliance Center here in Davao. It was a pretty good size fridge. Before we bought this fridge we brought the one we have from the States when we came here. Our old one was already over 10 years old so we thought it’s time to buy a new one. The one we have from the States the brand was Amana. It was really a good fridge since we have kids that just keeps on opening and closing the door. Sometimes they also slam it. So it was really used a lot.

Well, the one that we bought here the brand was Electrolux. It looks good and durable. In just less than a year the tray that holds some sauces or eggs inside the fridge got broken. I called up SM appliance center if I could purchase the parts that was broken. Somebody from SM that was a worker of Electrolux told me and gave me authorize service center of Electrolux here in Davao. So I called up the number that was given to me. The person that I talked to told me that they will order the parts from Manila and will call me back in time of my parts that I ordered. I waited for 2 weeks and called them back, they said that the order still didn’t come yet. They said to call back in 2 weeks. I call them back in 4 weeks to give them time, when I talked to the person from the service center they said they’re still waiting. Until now still waiting.

When I have problems with my La Germania gas range the service people came to my house and when it needed some parts they just ordered from Manila and told me when it came. It was like 2 weeks at the most. I guess now just buy stuff that is more known and more people are using so that they have more stocks or have like a good service center in the area. It is a pain when you need something and they have to get it from somewhere else and it takes forever to have it done.

Maybe one of you had similar problems and had the stuff right away without waiting too long.

Well, I will write about my growing up years in our farm. As you know in the small town it’s hard to buy even just a simple thing. We didn’t have a decent marketplace I mean grocery store. Even to buy meat my parents had to travel 2 hours just to go to the big city at that time. The road from our farm to the nicer town was not good, lots of potholes. Usually we would ride horses to go to that town. At that time our farm had no electricity. During night time we used lamps with kerosene in it. We really were in the boonies it seems, compared to what we have nowadays.

For my parents, my mom would go to General Santos (used to be called Dadiangas at that time) once a week. Buy what she needs for her sari-sari store then some stuff for our daily needs. For the meat my parents always have chickens, pigs and ducks. They will butcher during dinner time like one chicken or duck for us to eat that night. At that time I will always watch my cousin or my sibling kill the chicken, sometime I will help them hold the chicken so that it’s not moving while their butchering it. At first it was hard watching the chicken, but I got used to it later. Really for me that was my eye opener that I would really have to study hard to be able to have a good education and could lead to a better future. For some people they are just satisfied to be a farmer. Nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted to be different than the other people there. I want to venture outside the box as what they say. So during my high school days I studied in General Santos to start to be independent. Later in college I went to Cebu City. I was thankful for that choice because if not for that it would be hard for me to be away with my parents when I went to the States then.

My childhood in the farm really taught me a lot in life. I was so thankful for my parents and siblings in helping me go through with it. I think I’m a good helper. I also help my parents work on our coconut trees and corn fields. We have tenants, but my parents would want us to work so that we would know how to run our farm. Honestly, it did help some of my siblings because that’s what they’re passionate about. I’m proud of them for that. Just not for me though. Sometimes now I told my kids about it. They think it’s cool that I grew up in the farm and have the animals to take care of. Hmm, I don’t think my kids can really handle living and taking care of lots of animals in the farm. Maybe I should let them try. That will be a good story next time.
How about you? Did you grow up in the farm and far from the city? Maybe you should share your experience to all of us too.

Mabuhay!

A few weeks ago our friend Klaus had a problem on his computer. He called up Bob to help him. So Bob of course went there to see what really is the problem on his computer. While Bob was there he notice the dogs and puppies running around the yard playing. Bob picked up one of the puppy to pet. Rose, Klaus‘ wife told Bob that they used to have 7 puppies. They gave 4 away just a few days before Bob went there. She told Bob that they are keeping the rest of the puppies since thats what the mom of Klaus wanted to do. I guess Bob already had an eye for one of the puppies. I’m glad he did.

When Bob got home he told me about the puppies of Klaus and Rose. He told me that they are so cute. A few days after that Klaus had problems again on his computer. He came to our house together with his wife to talk to Bob about his computer dilemma and just kind of used my computer to browse while here. Suddenly Rose told me if I would like to go with her to her house because she wanted to get something there. I told her sure I have nothing to do anyway. Well, while entering there gate I saw the dogs and puppies. I can see why Bob really feel in love with the dogs. I told Rose what a beautiful puppies they have. She just smiled at me. Then the next time we went to the house of Klaus, when we get home Bob asked me if we could surprise the kids with one puppy from Klaus and Rose? That is, if they will let us have one. I immediately called up Rose and asked her if we could have one. Her mother-in-law likes us, so she said YES. So thats why we have Chi Chi with us. I’m really happy that they gave us that puppy.

To Klaus, Rose and Klaus’ Mom thank you so much for giving us Chi Chi. We really love her. I think she’s getting spoiled now. We really appreciate your kindness. Our kids adore her.

A few days ago I was browsing on some of my web mails. I saw one that really caught my attention. The mail was from somebody that is really is close to Bob and I. We love this person dearly and this person I know for sure is totally honest in everything she will say.

Anyway, the neighbor of this person who are elderly died a few weeks ago. I guess it was due to starvation. The woman died first. I guess the husband just lay next to her until he died too. One of the neighbor went to these couple’s house to give something and they found the two of them lying already dead and holding each other. The sad part was these couple had few kids who are professionals, they didn’t even bother to visit or give something to their parents. I was also told that these old couple had one child who lives just a few houses away from them. She didn’t even go or try to see if her parents still have something to eat. Those kids were supported by their parents when they went to school during early days. One of the children was told about the death of their parents she starts sobbing. The neighbor didn’t like it because everybody wonders whats that tears are about. Everybody thinks that she faked her crying. I am really puzzled of what they are acting towards their parents. I am not here to judge, but I grew up in a culture where we have to take care of our elderly parent no matter what. It’s just really a shock to me of how these people handled their parents. For me, my parents don’t have much money but they sacrifice for us to go to school. In return now that my mom is ill I tried to do my share on taking care of her. I’m glad that Bob is so supportive of me on that.

Honestly, I was in tears when I knew about it. I could never imagine treating a human being like that. I hope that the children of these couple will think now what if it’s their turn to get old and their children will treat them that way? What will they feel about it?

What do you think guys? I know not one of us in these group would do something like that.

Take care everyone!

How is a wake and the burial handled if someone dies in the family here in the Philippines?

Let’s look at what happened during the death of my Dad.  I was living in the USA at the time of his death.  Six months before my Dad died, Bob, Chris and I came to the Philippines to visit my Dad due to his sickness. Chris is our oldest son, at that time he was just 5 months old, and our only child at the time. Papa just got out of the hospital at that time. We came because we pretty much knew that his days were almost coming to an end. We wanted to see him and that he could at least see and know Chris. Well, we were happy we did because few months after we came he passed away.

During our visit my sister mentioned that my Papa told her that when he dies he wants to be buried right away. So when my Dad died I didn’t get to come here due to our oldest son having an ear infection, he couldn’t be on an airplane - thats the doctor’s orders. So when my family called me up and informed me that my Dad just passed away I then asked my sister when will he be buried? She replied that they have to wait for a few days because they need to get some papers like burial permit and others. I talked to a friend of a friend these person just lost her son. She told me that her son died on a Friday, they can’t process any paperwork until like Wednesday because of the weekend and holidays. No offices will be open to cater for the people that needs these kind of papers. I guess thats the procedure before I just didn’t know it.

In our culture we will have a wake either in the house or in the funeral parlor. In the farm, people there to tend to have their wake at the house. As I remember if somebody dies we will watch the person that dies 24 hours seven days a week until that person be buried. I’m not sure if it’s different in every province, though. In the funeral parlor it’s same thing people would still keep an eye of the person until burial day.

Here it would be common to have like 10 days wake. Some would even have 30 days to wait till burial day. For that they were waiting for a family member from somewhere abroad or a far away Province to arrive. My brother-in-law’s niece died in a car accident here in Davao. She was reviewing for her nursing board examination and got into a car accident one night. She was brought to the hospital for 2 days before she died. They didn’t bury her right away because they have to wait for a family member from Germany and the UK. In my opinion 30 days was really a long wait but for some people here it’s okay though. On that I don’t even want to tell you how the dead person looks like by then.

You might be wondering how they keep the dead body preserved? Well, theirs somebody from the funeral parlor comes to the house and inject something to the dead persons body. They probably come every other day. When my father-in-law died (an American, and went through this in the States) it was a shock for me because It was so different from what I am accustomed to the way they handled him.

Anyway, I hope you guys that used to live in our different provinces of the Philippines and maybe you have different take on this subject it would be nice to hear your story.