Meeting up a friend!

I was meeting an old friend on line. I think we’ve been friends with them for 5-6 years now. They are husband and wife, both are Filipinos in their early 70’s. They migrated to the States for over 30 years now. They live here in the Philippines part time. The wife just came back here from the States 3 weeks ago. Every time they come to visit they brought along with them some goodies for me and Bob and the kids. They really are like a parents to me and Bob and grand parents to our kids. They had a house here in the city.

I was meeting the wife at Starbucks for coffee and chit chat about what goes on with both our lives. I told her that I was so busy preparing for the graduation of my 3 kids, and was telling her what our summer plans for the kids.  I was kind of narrating to her what my typical day during the month of March. We were both laughing about it, because she said that she’s already done all the stuff I am busy about a long time ago. She said she’s happy to tell me the fun part but she said it will be exhausting but fun day for all of us at the end.

It was really nice listening to her the time when they were migrating to the States. She said that it was her husband went there first and stay there for a year or 2 before all of them finally reunited. Next that went was her 3 daughters. She was giggling narrating to me how the 3 daughters were struggling financially on their flight to California. Luckily some other passengers giving them extra money dollars. They didn’t anticipate some airport fees and at that time no cell phone, so they can’t call mom again to come back to the airport. So with the gracious and helpful other passengers they get by. Other passengers also gave them snacks while waiting at the plane. By that time the girls were already had a good feeling that they are really going to a nice place. The last one that flown to the US were the wife and the youngest kid. Just talking to my friend she really had a good and happy memory even though they really went hardship to get what they have now.

Living in the USA was really a big adjustments for everybody. Both husband and wife had to work. Kids during summer-time had to get a part time job. All of them had to pitched in. With God’s grace and the families determination they survived there and all the kids finished up college and had good job now. One of their child got married and had baby. Since babysitter were too expensive, the family had to adjust on what work they had to take. The parents of that kid works graveyard, the grand parents works during daytime. Like my friend said that they always tease that kid that he grew up in the car. The other family member were also working but they also helped out on babysitting. The kid now has a good high paying job and happy to helped out his parents and grandparents.

Living in the other part of the world away from the culture they grew up with was a big adjustment, but they brought along with them the value of togetherness as a family. It’s not so common nowadays that families will really sacrifice for other members of the family.My friend did and they seems happy passing it all along the culture they grew up with to their offspring.

I wish that the way Bob and I grew up with will continue on to our younger generations. We are trying to pass it to our kids and hopefully it will continue on to their kids and on and on.