Still awaiting the immigration interview in Manila,

September 5.

Then Ai needs a security clearance, and fly back to Australia.

BUT, baby boy s due october 10, so the airline could refuse her if she does not depart by September 14.

Santa Rita Wedding!

The wedding was timed for 2.00 pm on 9 April.





The bride's gown arrived at Noon that day, as the gown store in Tacloban had overlooked the order !



Nalisa had to travel to Tacloban
on the morning of the wedding, to
collect the gown and return by
motor bike in time for the event!








We hope Ai's parents are happy with
the new family!

The Wedding on 9 April 2007

Let's do a few pictures at a time....

Aileen would like more pictures taken inside the church, and we will get these soon!

But here is the Bride in that gown just an hour before the wedding..... and two of our fabulous bridesmaids, sister Realyn and ravishing

Dorielyn, both taken waiting on the morning of the wedding, at the Santa Rita Guest House.

Those amazing bridesmaids' gowns were made by Ninang Bikay of Santa Rita.

Last Weekend

... we did the following [and more besides!].....

saturday morning market at Corio to get some imported Philippine fish...

.... went swimming at the Albert Park Pool....

.... went to see 'Becoming Jane' at the big old ASTOR theatre...

.... went to a

christening celebration for little Xenia....

.....walked round IKEA and bought some plastic fantastics.....

..... visited Peter and Cynthia in St Kilda for a few laughs.....

July after Three Months in Australia!

We have got along together .... like a house on fire!

The pregnancy is painful at times for Ai,

but she is handling it really well.

Tonight, we went through some baby names,

assuming it will be a boy!

Ai's ideas included "Carlos Miguel", mine included "Rodrigo"!

Please add a comment if you have any

brilliant ideas!

Extension Possible?

When anyone from the Philippines wants to come to Australia, they require a visa from the Australian Department of Immigration, sheltering in the offices of the Australian Embassy in Manila.

The logic requires that either the Philippino must be really prosperous, usually with employment to return to and valuable property such as a house and investments, .... or if the applicant is less prosperous, that there is a combination of a wealthy Australian sponsor [who will cover their expenses and guarantee their timely return] and also some connection which would induce the applicant to return to the Philippines within the allotted time.

One can add that the policy is discriminatory. I mean that in the sense that Australians wishing to enter the Philippines are not examined as to ways and means, no need for sponsorship, no need to demonstrate a reason for returning. - The logic is along the lines that Australia is the most desirable country on earth and there have to be barriers to stop the stampede of people from less fortunate countries. --- As such, it seems unfair and unjust.

We wanted it to be possible for Ai and myself to remain togather after the wedding in April, and not suffer another separation over many months. Therefore we took the easy option of obtaining a visitor visa. --- We explained that the baby was due in October and wanted a visa of some nine to twelve months to have the baby here. --- But the response was a three month visa expiring in July [next month!] marked that no extension was allowed.

Thus, Ai may have to fly home in July and make a fresh application for a spouse visa. They say this may take up to 12 months, although in simple cases, it may be only a matter of weeks.

But last week we received advice from the gynealcologist that in her pregnant condition, it was unsafe to make the 18 hour journey back to Santa Rita.

So...... this week we have made formal request by letter for the restriction to be waived.
----- History will tell what results.

It would maybe allow Ai to have a bridging visa, until such time as she can apply for a spouse visa. .... But until waived, it is not permitted to apply for a spouse visa while here on a visit!
--- The entanglement of rules is unsaatisfactory, and can result in strangely conflicting advice even from theImmigration advisory people.

So... this Saturday morning, as we head out to the local market at GEELONG, in search of Philippine bangus fish, we are waiting for a response from the Immigration people....

melbourne is on a river facing the bay.....

On 15 June, we took a lift to the 55th floor of Melbourne's second tallest building where there is a view of Melbourne in all directions. We had tea with Yasmine, who is offering to help with the baby.

The sun had broken through the veil of fog.

The yarra river and bridges are visible at left.

On the right is the amazing new Eureka building, the tallest in Australia.

In the distance is the 10o,000 seater football stadium incorrectly called the Melbourne Cricket Ground!

Yes, it stages cricket, but the real money is in the Australian game of football.

New Friends in Australia

Aileen and James have had heaps of support and friendly advice from Peter and Cynthia, and through them have met
Tess and Darren. Cynthia and tess are Filipinas, both recent immigrants to Australia.



On Sunday night we had a fun party night at P and C's place in St Kilda. - St Kilda is a trendy inner suburb of Melbourne, with Port Philip Bay beaches and cafe life.

The wedding - 9 April 2007 - santa Rita !

Here are some of the pictures taken by me, James, on the morning of the ceremony at the church.
Ai and I were staying at the Santa Rita Guest House, which has a spacious ground floor reception and dining area.

Looking back. The view from Australia.

On April 7, I came dangerously close to missing the plane.


- If that had happened, there would have been no civil ceremony of marriage ahead of the church wedding fixed for April 9. There was a problem with Qantas at Melbourne Airport.


- Qantas had converted without prior notice the check in for a domestic Sydney connector flight, to a full international check in. Added to which there were different lines and delays in waiting to reach the desk. The officil notice was to check in 45 minutes before departure, but the warning received at the sesk was that I should have checked in 90 minutes in advance.





Let's just be thankful that they rushed me through at the last minute. - The problem with Qantas is that there is no through flight between Melbourne and Manila. - Unlike other airlines, where the same plane continues on. - This means that you are required to take a domestic flight between Melbourne and Sydney. At Sydney there is chaos because the international and domestic terminals are miles apart, linked by a primitive bus service, and requiring additional baggage handling and security checks.



But on April 18, feeling weak from the effects of colds, pregnancy and Qantas, ..... Ai stepped out from melbourne Airport into the Australian sunshine. We were met by the incredibly generous Michael P., with a stretched limo!

So let's work back over the events of the weddings [plural]. Civil and then religious. And take note of the realities underlying them...

Leaving Manila Together - April 17, 2007

Since 3 April, I have been with Ai in the Philippines.
There have been times when internet access was not possible,
notably between 6 and 10 April when we were based in Santa Rita.
The wedding took place on 9 April at the church of Santa Rita,
with a reception at the magnificent modern gymnasium.
More on all this, and the photos later....
But at this moment we are within 24 hours of Ai travelling with me to Australia. An exciting and life-altering moment!
We are due to arrive on Wednesday morning, April 18.

Meanwhile the pregnancy is very important to us, not least because it is causing Ai recurrent abdominal pain and frequent bouts of nausea and sickness beyond expectations.

I have the impression that her gynae care in the Philippines has
been deficient, and am awaiting a chance to get an Australian opinion.

But with all the regrets that go with departing her family and friends, it is great to be heading for Australia.

And Ai mentioned today how Philippine women are driven to seek foreigners as partners, partly because they feel imprisoned in the Philippines. ---- In other words, because of their relative poverty, they do not enjoy the basic human right of travel to another country. In the case of Australia, they need either considerable personal wealth of their own, or an Australian to sponsor their visit.

There could not be a more fabulous country than the Philippines to be imprisoned within, but the feeling of being condemned to spend your whole life in a third world country is
oppressive!

We will add pictures and narrative of the time together, the wedding, the farewell party, the honeymoon and the travel to Australia as soon as we have some free time there later this week!

31 March 2007

On Tuesday,


I am catching a plane


from Sydney


and Ai from Tacloban,


and we are meeting


at the Swagman Hotel


in Manila around 7.00.





At 5.00 next morning,


we are taking a flight


to Tacloban.





On arrival, we are


depositing my bags,


then going to a civil


marriage ceromony,


performed by the


mayor,


Ai's boss til now.





From there


to the gynae,


expecting to


discover


the gender


of the baby!





Then some days


in Tacloban,


ahead of the wedding


on 9 April.





Today Ai had to


locate an alternative priest


as the usual man


cancelled due to


pressure of [god's] work!

At Jasmin Beach

Our first days together,

me just in from Manila,

to find her waiting there

at Tacloban Airport.

... The first six days

were at Jasmin Beach Resort,

on the Island of Samar,

2 hours drive from Tacloban.

Today Ai is 13 weeks pregnant.

She can no longer

get into the floral shorts

she wore at the resort.

I wonder how huge

her belly will be

in the full nine month term.

March 27, 2007 - Twelfth Week!

"Hon, someone [Annabel] ask at office.

How old are you!

Told her 60.

She was nasty!

She said i won't be happy with you.

Coz no erection!

Said, how would I be preg

without erection!"

Ai likes the Blog!

"Honey,
U make me fall in love to u more and more
as I go on reading d blog.
Thanx!
Love u so much!"

Now it's your turn!

what is the best place for having sex?
	in bed
	on the floor
	in the car
	on the plane
	in the supermarket
	in the cemetary
	over the kitchen table
	on the dining table
	over the office desk
	in a public place such as a park
	at a party with others watching
	at a party but in a private room
	in the sea
	in a hotel room
	in a tent....camping out
	on a couch watching movies
	at her mother's place
	on the tennis court
	at the gym
	in the shower
pollcode.com free polls

Breasts and Breastfeeding and Breast Pumps!

Interesting to note that although
women remain incredibly protective
of revealing their breasts, the breasts
have actually become less essential
tools in sexual performance as measured
by erotic video material.

From around 1965, it became more permissible
in European cultures for women to expose
their breasts on beaches and in film and
theatre. Exposure was aligned with youth
and sophistication. Women became more visually
daring. Clothing was also more revealing.

Since 1990, there has been a social tendency
to cover the breasts, partly due to the
realisation that the risk of breast cancer or skin
cancer is increased by exposure to bright
sunlight.

Exposure of the navel became fashionable in
2000, but not the breasts.

Emphasis on the shape or size of breasts has
also diminished. A smaller, more natural profile
is promoted, for example i models and in leading
movie stars. Breasts are less the subject of
male jokes than in the mid century. For some reason,
they are very private, but less central to the
female armoury.

With pregnancy, it fascinates me to see how the
private treasures of the female anatomy become
delegated to child bearing and rearing. As a male,
it is mysterious to me how the mammary organ
translates into a feeding tool. How its sexual
appeal is dissolved into a mechanical and semi public
function.

The following is taken from http://www.breast-pump.info/manual_breast_expression.htm

Manual Expression - Pros and Cons

Breast feeding one's child is the best gift that a mother can give to her precious bundle of joy. The milk coming from the mother not only feeds the child's hunger on the spot, but also builds up antibodies and nutrients in the child's body that prepares it to face the rigors of life in the years to come. The complex and still mysterious constituents of nature's best food act as a shield against the germs and diseases permeating in the air, not only when the child is at its most vulnerable, but also when the child grows into an adult.

No wonder, then, that healthy mother's milk is now prefered any time over formula milk. To the extent, that, working moms would gladly trade in - as much as their circumstances permit - their productive hours for a few quiet moments expressing their milk to be fed to the child. It is not uncommon to find mothers beautifully balancing demands of work with the nutrition and care needs of the child.

Breastpumps - one of the most practical inventions for both the working mother and those who face special breastfeeding conditions - are a handy tool that enable the mother to overcome any guilt feelings of having to be away from the child when the latter needs her the most! The breastpump has become such an integral part of the post-natal kit over the past two to three generations, that it is now unthinkable for mothers, who cannot directly breastfeed their child, to be able to do without it.

There are times, however, when manually expressing milk is a better, or the only option available. And, - surprise! - there is no cost associated with this technique. The basic first activity that one has to do upfront, is to find a quiet place where one can relax, and prepare oneself physically and mentally, so that the flow of milk is automatic and smooth. When the breasts appear to be full and soft, cup one breast in the hand, with the thumb above and just slightly behind the areola. The other fingers may be pressed against the tissue below the nipple. Push the breast back, and squeeze the thumb and fingers together. When the fingers are rolled forward, pressure starts shifting from the back of the breast towards the nipple. This stimulates the milk ducts to release milk through the nipple. Feel your breasts all the time: you can, with consistent practice, even identify the particular duct where milk is still available, and apply suitable pressure on the exact spot such that milk is drained out. This sequence is to be repeated on both the breasts, after working on one breast for about three to five minutes. The milk thus produced can be stored in just the same way as when a breastpump is used.

When is manual expression advantageous? Well, the primary reason that can be cited these days, is when the regular breastpump is facing some problem. Also, manual expression gives mothers an absolute control over the speed and comfort with which they can produce milk. They can, as described above, actually feel the ducts where pressure needs to be applied to generate milk. Since the exercise involves no automation, the mother knows exactly when to stop expressing. A breastpump, on the other hand, works in its own pre-programmed way - with a rhythmic suck-and-release mechanism that is unmindful of the breasts' actual condition.

When is manual expression actually harmful, or not workable? The immediate reason that comes forth is when the breasts are engorged. In situations when milk has not been expressed for a longer period of time than usual, milk starts getting accumulated in the ducts, and not finding an outlet, swells the ducts and the surrounding tissues. In extreme cases, hardening of the breast around the areola may take place, which is known as "engorgement". In such a situation, touching the breasts by one's hand might be quite painful. Deploying hospital-grade pumps in such circumstances is a good remedy in such cases. The market is full of models that address this very condition quite remarkably.

Another reason when manual expression might not work is when the nipples are flat or inverted. Usually, there are tissues beneath the skin that pull the nipples back, or restrain them, such that manual expression is hindered. A breastpump, again, comes in handy in such a circumstance.

It is the mother's judgement and wisdom to decide when and where to go in for manual expression, and when to deploy a breastpump. Afterall, who knows the child better than its mom?

The Second Meeting

On 3 April,
we are travelling to Manila
and meeting
at around 7
in the evening.Ai from Tacloban
and me from Melbourne.
We have been apart
since 25 January.
During that time
we discovered the pregnancy,
and have organised
the wedding on 9 April.




Ai is now 10 weeks pregnant, bit bigger at the hip, tummy and breasts. Still suffering from sickness when travelling and at odd times during the day. The cramps have gone away.




Today we had news that the Certificate of No Impediment to Marry has been isued by the Australian Embassy in Manila. - We are grateful to Cecile and the staff there for issuing at short notice.







Ai has chosen a very heavy white wedding gown with a train. An I have the pleasing task of removing her garter and throwing it to a groomsman for good fortune in the next wedding!


There will be three pigs and a cow roasting. --- but maybe I will stay with the fish?

Nine weeks?

We are not exactly sure.

The first doctor told Ai that it was earlier than possible. We only got together for the first time on 8 January. Before that we had exchanged internet messages and phone calls. Plus Ai was not yet fertile after a period. So it is now some nine weeks going from , say, 15 January.




















"Oh, ok forget vasectomy f dats d case.
















I want us both to enjoy our sex life.



We will make babies as many as d sperm you have honey pie.



So they know how in love we are."

Heartbeat

"Doctor say I am overstressed!
Heard heartbeat of our baby and doc say normal.
- Just need rest."

This followed a day when Ai had unbearable pain from a cramp in the lower abdomen. - She was
afraid the baby would
miscarry.

So to hear the heartbeat,
for the first time,
was quite a relief.

The cramp had also receded
this morning.

A Philippina in Australia?

MELBOURNE is cosmopolitan You can see this in the street. There are not so many from the Philippines, but many arrivals from China.


The citycentre, downtown, has become

one of the focal areas of Asian food. But I think Ai will miss the Philippine language(s), her first level of expression, English always good, but less easily available for conveying that point!


But there is always the text message, the phone (!!!) and the internet.

Cheeky Lulu!

She told me,

"Wow u have a nice body on d blog dear friend!"

I know it was sarcastic!





















I know her hon!

Poor Aileen..... She's a DEVIL to friends eyes!