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.