Tuesday, June 30

Top 10 Moving Back Realizations

Our Top 10 list of realizations after moving back to the United States from the Philippines...

10. Daylight Savings Time! We are not used to the sun being out until 9 pm. We are used to it getting dark at 6 pm in the Philippines. Needless to say, my kids have not been in bed anytime before 10 pm since we've been back to the States.

9. People are in such a hurry in the US. Life is way more laid back & leisurely in the Philippines. It is completely the opposite here in the States.

8. So MANY choices in the grocery stores! So many different kinds of cereal... salad dressings... Pop Tarts... toilet paper... makeup... It's completely overwhelming to go shopping!

7. Our family has a TON of laundry! Okay, so I knew this before we moved to the Philippines, but I'm sadly getting reacquainted with this fact. I can't keep up.

6. So many new rules/laws to learn. For instance, they changed the booster seat law, so my 7-year-old twins now need to sit in a booster seat until they are 8. I also learned last night that all riders in the backseat are required to wear seat belts, regardless of age. What else is new??

5. Traffic is much more manageable in the States! Drivers follow the rules here, use turn signals & stay in their own lanes! I still have moments when I want to pass a car illegally or use my horn at any given time & I have to constantly remind myself that these actions are either not allowed or highly frowned upon in the States. In the meantime, keep an eye out for me...

4. I don't have to ask for a check at a restaurant. Which kinda goes back to the fact that things are so rushed in the States... waiters/waitresses are in a hurry to get customers in & out of their restaurant. Before you are finished with dinner, your bill is already waiting to be paid. We haven't had to hold up our hands to make the common Filipino signal for "check" at a restaurant yet... although we've been tempted to try just to see what would happen.

3. The heat!! It is so unbearably hot in Central Texas! It was hot in the Philippines, but the humidity helped, in my opinion. This dry heat is scorching. I want to go to the beach!!

2. I'm in shoe heaven!! I can find shoes that fit my size 8 feet! And, I'm not looked at like a freak when I ask for my size. (Well, except from my petite sisters who have dainty little feet.) It's great to feel (somewhat) normal again. :-)

1. Sticker shock! Wow... we are paying a LOT for things that were so incredibly cheap in the Philippines! I miss inexpensive (but delicious) mangoes, foot scrubs & pedicures and fresh fruit shakes/cocktails, to name a few. We were definitely spoiled in the beautiful Philippines!

9 comments:

Akilez said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Akilez said...

Number 4 will be very interesting.
You should try asking for the CR? lol

Anonymous said...

10. Daylight Savings Time was tried in the Philippines in the late '7o's. I'm not sure why it was discontinued. But growing up in an island near Mindoro, I remember the full moon provided as our light as kids for being able to play traditional games outside. Also, I remember nights when some trees were swarmed with fireflies mimicking the Rockefeller tree. A natural Christmas Tree, it was magical.

Anonymous said...

9. That's why you should consider Philippines for a retirement place.

Anonymous said...

8. Advantage: USA
7. Advantage: Philippines
6. Can get too complicated, too many lawsuits, too many taxes...
5. Not in New York City, which is like Manila-lite, drivingwise, and minus the suffocating polluted air. If you can drive in Manila, New York city will be a piece of cake.
4. Eat at any New Jersey Diner and you will not be rushed, you will have to raise your hand and ask for your 'check'. Really, you're comparing Texas vs. Philippines

3. I've never been to Texas, but it seems like you described Las Vegas in the summertime, desert-like. Manila at 7a.m. feels like noon with unbearable humidity.

1. That's why you should consider the Philippines for retirement, even if only living there part of a year...your pension $$$ will go a long way.

Anonymous said...

you can buy a house in the philippines, i think. google brentville subdivision. it is owned by brent int'l school.

Amberly said...

Anon, love all your comments & insights! We would love to buy a home and/or retire in the Philippines, but unfortunately that's not where the job is for us... or family! But we do look forward to visiting again and hopefully often in the future. It's such a beautiful place with beautiful people!

Anonymous said...

Hi,this is Anonymous #1. There's a 2nd anonymous person here, the one who posted about you buying a house in the Phils., that wasn't me. I just commented on what you wrote, the ones that are numbered.
Anyway, I just stumbled upon your blog from following "Journey on tour", and it is a pleasureable read, all your experiences in a foreign land. You conveyed a sincerely positive experience for both you and your family during your stay. Good Luck.
Oh one more thing, I am a sports fan, which means I hate the Cowboys, and I wanna thank Cuban for giving us D.Harris as much as I love JKidd. And most of all, my favorite sport:CYCLING. So I say: Let's Go LANCE!!!!
"Don't Mess With TEXAS!"

info@aligmanila.com said...

Hi, this is Willy Nagtegaal, living in the Philippines, our first assignment abroad. I stumbled upon your weblogs, fascinating reading, I recognize a lot. I'm part of an expatclub called ALIG (www.aligmanila.com) and am the Newsletter coordinator. Can I copy one of your blogs into our newsletter? I love for instance this one!