A Memorable Day with Guia Tan-Baldino in Montreal

I have never heard about Guia Baldino until I mentioned to Aunt Esther that I was going to Montreal to accompany my husband in his meeting over there. She said that Guia her niece lives in Montreal and she can show me around. And she added up, "she's not working and she loves to make lakwatcha.. Get in touch with her, she's in FB and also here in our Andrada Family group."  

At St. Joseph's Oratory

I was so excited and I immediately got in touch with her and she was in Florida that time. She responded immediately and she said she will be waiting for me. We set a rendez-vous and picked me up from my hotel as early as 7:30 in the morning! She reminded me not to eat my breakfast yet as she was taking me to the Pinoy Restaurant for breakfast. The exciting day was about to begin....

At Nelly's we were served Tuyo, fried eggs and fried rice accompanied with fried eggplants and some tomatoes. Ang sarap. A kind of breakfast that I have been craving for. Never mind the diet. For the meantime, that can wait!

Guia and myself just hit it off immediately. It's just like as if if we have known each other for ages. We talked a lot, just non-stop, laughed a lot too and we tried to talked about the people we commonly know back home

Behind is the city of Montreal 

Pretty Guia

It was funny, we never crossed paths to think that we lived just few meters apart in Urdaneta. But she was still small when I left home and studied in Manila.

Catching up for the whole day was not enough but I said, we'll try to meet each other in Urdaneta in December.

Guia brought me to the St. Joseph's Oratory of Mont Royal where we could get a good view of the city and then drove me around Montreal showing me the tourist spots.

That was not enough, we took the metro and she brought me to the underground shopping centers! Oh, my goodness, that was unbelievable. It is so huge and impressive! No, I didn't buy much as she told me that it is more interesting to shop in Los Angeles knowing that I will be dropping by anyway before heading home in Tahiti. Nevertheless, we went around, just mostly window shopped and I thought, what a big difference compared here in Tahiti!      

Mario and Guia Baldino

 After shopping, Guia brought me to her flat where her husband Mario was already waiting for us. I was also able to meet her daughter but unfortunately, I missed taking her a picture. She is such a pretty young girl and and real good combination of her mom and dad!

Afte that, she brought me to the company where her family owns and I was able to meet her brothers and a nephew who work there. And they told me that they knew my brother Nestor, a very good basketball player who unfortunately had already passed away.

At Nelly's home

It happened that same day, Nelly, the girl in the middle of the above pic was celebrating her birthday and she invited me to join. I gracefully accepted her invite and excited to meet other Filipinos based in Montreal. And that was a real blast indeed.

Party time

I met some members and officers of the Filipino  association in Montreal called the FAMAS where more than 4000 members are registered.As expected, there was so much food.....Filipino food at its best and I promise you...I ate with gusto and forgetting about my on and off diet again!

Of course, a party will not be complete without Karaoke and mahjong. As I don't play mahjong, I opted for karaoke and me being known for a big PR (puskol rupa) ha!ha!ha! Ay, biglang bumanat na! hahahahaha! I said, never mind, di na nila ako makikita. By the time they realize and talk about me, I was already gone back home in Tahiti. ha!ha!ha!

View taken from Guia's home.

We had so much fun. The people were so friendly. I chatted with them. Laughed and danced with them too. That was an absolutely a blastful party and I was so happy to be able to join. Thanks Guia for the sabit.

Filipinos are so warm everywhere. That traditional trait of hospitality still lingers and it such a trademark and well-known by everyone. I just felt so much like home away from home.

Thank you Guia for making my stay in Montreal so meaningful. You are such a sweet girl and I appreciate your kindness and your confiding with me. I admire your struggles, your sacrifices, your love for your family and all the things that you do for others. Don't change. Stay the way you are. You are such a blessing to others. I am so proud of you. The short moment I spent with you was so much fun. I hope to see you in Urdaneta in December and let's do some catching up again.  I am happy to have found relatives like you thanks to the Andrada Family Group here in FB. Thanks Auntie Esther. You are a champion in connecting people. I should call you the 'NOKIA' girl.

So mga kabagyan, beware, I love traveling. I love bulakbuling.....just be ready, any moment, I may be knocking in your doorsteps and visit you.

Cheers to all.

Priceless Words

The Priceless Words

After a long trip from Loss Angeles to Tahiti, I found these wonderful messages from my loving children wishing me Happy Mom's Day today. What a joyous feeling to know that they think of me and never forget me despite of the distance that keeps us apart.


Being a mom is not always en easy task but I am so blessed to have these wonderful children who give me so much pride and satisfaction in my life. I can't trade this for anything else.


I am eternally thankful for this opportunity to raise them up and see them grow as responsible adults.


Thank you kiddos. You really make me proud of you. And always remember that I am always there for you no matter what. May God always bless you. I love you!


Grateful, proud and happy hot momma!!  

A ma maman chérie, 

cette carte pour te dire que si tu n'existais pas, il faudrait t'inventer! Personne n'est aussi hyper active que toi (haha) ni autant pleine d'amour et d'enthousiasme, ni aussi généreuse envers ceux que tu aimes...
Alors pour tout ce que tu es, et surtout pour l'exemple que tu deviens à mes yeux maintenant que c'est bientôt à moi d'être maman, je te remercie de tout mon coeur :)
Avec tout mon amour, 

Cynthia

Marie-Anne Groussardposted toSusie Abenojar Barbieri

9 hours ago

Maman, quand tu es en colère,

Je t’aime de travers

Maman, quand tu t’en vas,

Je t’aime couci-couça

Maman, quand tu es de bonne humeur,


Je t’aime de tout mon cœur

Maman, quand tu me cajoles,

Je t’aime sans parole

Maman, quand je te dis ce poème,
Comprends tu combien je t’aime ?

Bonne fête Mamounette!

Joyeuse fête Maman, on pense beaucoup à toi en ce jour,malgré les milliers de kilomètres qui nous séparent. J'espère que tu auras passé une excellente journée. Je t'embrasse fortement.
Ton fils qui t'aime!

Pierre Barbieri (barbieripierre@gmail.com)

Forgive Me, I Need Help!

                                                   Forgive Me, I need Help!

Few days ago, I was surprised to receive an unexpected email from a person very familiar to me. That person has gone away from my radar for the past four years. But what have happened in the past was still quite fresh in my mind. And I tell you, it was not good at all and somehow, no matter how I tried to put aside this one, the hurt inflicted was just too hard to forget.

Daniella, (not her real name) is a single mom and was in need of job very badly to sustain her child. She asked some help and I did not hesitate to give a helping hand. She went abroad and only to find out that the work promised for her was not the one she was expecting. She was obliged to work in a bar and sit with drinking clients and she gets commission by the number of drinks every client orders. She was devastated and immediately wanted to leave. And she called me. I was so worried and I immediately called a friend if she could find a job for her. A house help or a nanny job would be okay as long as she could get away from that sick place.

My friend immediately found a house job for her but the pay was small, she refused.  So she decided to go home and pleaded me to help her pay for her plane ticket. In which I did. After that, a friend offered to help her train in online job and in that way, once she is trained, she could work at home and make money. A very good friend from the U.S. even gave her a used laptop for her future work. I was pleased for the way it was turning out. However, it didn't last long because I have heard that she was not really that serious at work so I was upset and I gave her a piece of my mind.

That's how the trouble started. She did not appreciate what I told her and she responded me in a very hurtful words and there were reproaches and blamed me for what's happening in her life . All I wanted to do was to help and I was so concerned with her future and for her child. I did not bother to respond to her email anymore. The best thing I did was to ignore her.

The recent message I received was full of remorse. She told me how sorry she was and asked for forgiveness and she really regrets of what have happened between us. She said she is hard up and nobody could help her and the only person she hopes to be able to help her now is ME. She has no job and obviously financially hard up.

Four long years have passed and here she comes again knocking, toc-toc-toc! Why only now? Why waited for a long time?

I responded and told her that she is forgiven and I also asked forgiveness. I was probably too harsh with my words at that but I just wanted to let her know that I was just only concerned for her welfare.

This is a lesson for both of us I guess. Learning to control someone's emotions is very important to avoid provoking hurt feelings in the future. Of course I was terribly unhappy for what have happened. I was not proud of myself at that time either.

Another lesson also for Daniella is humility. If she has different kind of life, if she is in good condition, she won't probably come and apologize and ask forgiveness.....and most of all ask for another  help.

What do you think?  

Rangiroa Atoll Getaway

A Weekend Getaway in Rangiroa

This is the 5th place we have visited in the French Polynesia and as expected it is a beautiful atoll. And if there's one characteristic why people love going there for diving. I am not fan of diving but my husband does and our son as well.  Philippe enjoyed it and took some pictures underwater. His camera is not that perfect but was able to capture some nice shots.

Playing with the dolphins!

                                                                 
                                                                   Dolphin

                                   
                                          This is a beautiful church in the village just by the water.

                   An ideal place for relaxation and just staying lazy and enjoy the nature's beauty.

                                                  We have adopted a cute little boy.

                                            We love and enjoy simply being together. 

We had another almost "perfect" getaway had we not been beaten by mosquitos! This is one of the problems in such places. Mosquitos are everywhere and don't hesitate to bite you. No discrimination at all. So I strongly suggest that anybody who plans of exploring the atolls and islands, be armed with tons of mosquito repellents, anti itching cream and all that stuff to prevent you from spoiling your stay.

We are already used to these kind of discomforts and we were able to minimize the danger.

Philippe and I had a great fun biking along the stretch of the atoll. We did 24 kilometers, but we took our time and tried to visit some pensions  and a very nice resort.

One thing we have noticed is that people are so friendly. Very smiley and very approachable.

We had another great time and hope to visit more places before we go back definitely to France. This is a great opportunity that we have to take advantage while we are still around.

Life is good.    

What A Joy To See!

 Okay, my daughter Cynthia told me as she showed herself on a webcam,  "mom, I am like a whale!" Is it?
She might not like me this showing this picture but I can't help it. (Pardon moi, ma fille.)
 Not because I am her mom, I find her so beautiful in her big bulging tummy! Honestly, that's the way I look at it. She is amazingly beautiful. Cynthia, you are not like a whale. You are a normal beautiful future mom! Believe me, your sweet momma!

I am just toooo excited to show how happy I am and proud that very soon, my promotion will come to reality. A "grandma"!

Like what you and your siblings asked when you were young and waiting for something like ....."How many sleeps more to go Mommy?" Well that's me right now. I am like a kid counting the days. The day where I will take the plane and go for a rescue like super woman. Ta-ra-ra-ra-rannn.....!!! Oh well, on a serious note ....to be with you when you deliver and assist in your  needs when my apo comes. And I don't mind flying on economy class and travel for almost 24 hours just to be near you. And I don't mind that jetlag which gives me trouble after such a long trip. Okay dear? Whether you like it not, I will be with you. Promise.

Being far from the family is such a pain at times. I feel so frustrated of not being able to touch, hug and kiss my children. But nevertheless, internet is such a fantastic tool to get in touch with one another. This is more than good enough than nothing at all. Technology helps and can really make the difference. If internet does not exist these days, I will really go crazy.  My life won't be complete without you internet.

Cynthia said, I am really feeling so gaga to think that then baby is not even out yet. How much more when she comes?. Then I said...."I will be the super Lola Gaga!!"

We have privilege moments for me and for my daughter as we talk and exchange ideas as how she is going about her pregrnancy. I told her about my experiences being pregnant of her. During my time, I was younger and everything was new to me. I just arrived in France that time and I had to make adjustments to many things. For her, it is totally different.  She and her husband are well-settled and more than ready to have a family. And that is something that is to be proud about. And one thing more, I have never felt so close with my daughter these days. And I love her.

One of my friends said, "Having children, is like investment. Having grandchildren, is like having your profit."
I absolutely agree on that. And I can't wait to enjoy, love, cuddle and spoil my profit little princess. 

The best gift that Cynthia could give me as a mother's day gift is my apo. What a wonderful blessing. And I will never ever trade this to any thing else! Thank you Cynthia for this joy that you bring in my life. Being a grandma is a priceless role that one can have. I am so grateful.

From Proud Lola To Be - Lola G (G stands for ganda!) lol!

"La Rigolotte": My Family Tree

"La Rigolotte": My Family Tree

My Family Tree

It was about in 1981 when I started putting up our family tree. Thanks to the help of my mother and other relatives who were still around at that time that I was able to get some important information. And I was able to go up to the 4th generation both on my father and mother side.

When I came to France, my husband and I tried to do his family side and for some reasons, we stopped and we never bothered continuing again. But I tried to keep all the records I have got including the ones I got from the church records and from the local cemetery in my hometown.

Until one day, in Facebook, I happened to ask in our family branch group if anyone has ever done any of our genealogy. And luckily, some of the members of the Andrada clan have started doing it a long time ago. And told me that a family tree has been created in one of the genealogy websites. That was a big surprise and was overwhelming seeing the names of my ascendants and their relations to one another. That was really amazing.

This has triggered and encouraged me to open my files once again and add more info that I possess on our family side and was able to accomplish important task.

Now, I am back to my genealogy work.

My cousins,aunts, nephews and nieces have started sending the family form which I sent them to be filled up and I am slowly progressing and filling up each family's information. I am so excited and very happy about this.

Why I am doing this? First of all because I would like that my children will get to know where their origins are. Being born in a foreign country, with a foreign dad, it is just important to keep records of the family and to know who their relatives are in the Philippines and also in other parts of the world as many family members have moved away and migrated worldwide.

I would like to thank the Andrada-Judan family especially uncle Philip and uncle Oscar who have helped me and in allowing me to add some info on our family side. And also in creating my own family tree. I am really so grateful and I can finally do the work seriously and make entries as clearly as possible.

I have entered more than 320 names at this point and I guess, I am not even half of it on my father's side. But I have those files coming in slowly. And when I become comfortable in it, I will start putting some pictures to be more attractive and much easier to know their faces and remember them.

My late grand aunt Lola Cion, my grandfather's sister gave me such a big treasure. She prepared a list of the family members and that contributed to the many entries I have made.

On my mother side, I have not started in the web yet and that will soon follow.

I plan of going to Mindanao when I go home by the end of the year to meet up with my relatives on my mother's side, her half-siblings to whom I have only once met when I was a child and to meet also my cousins that I have never seen in my whole life. I will take advantage in taking notes and info so I could create our family tree on my mother's side as well. I am so excited and looking forward for this opportunity and I don't want to miss this one this time.

I have never felt so happy while doing this. I don't know but I just feel close to see those names appearing on my list. As I type their names, dead or alive, I imagine their faces, ages and what have they become especially those that I have no pictures to see.

Once again, I regret that I did not take notes when I had those opportunities to talk and ask those records about the family when my mom and my grandparents when they were still around. I have heard some anecdotes. I would like to write them one of these days. But I will do that one at a time.

In the meantime, I will content myself filling those blanks, searching for those ancestors who have played a major part. That without them, we will never exist today.

I am so lucky that I live not far from the genealogy center here in Papeete where I can obtain information from some parts of the world. And of course, internet is such a big "pot of treasure" where we can acquire important names, notes and events as well.

This is time consuming I must admit. But I finally found this as more important than Facebooking! Of course, I can't set aside FB. Because thru this social network, I was able to find my treasure.....family, relatives and friends that I have never seen nor heard for ages who are all over the world. And they are all around me and could get in touch with just a mouse click away. And this is absolutely fantastic. Technology is good. Life is good. Genealogy is good too.