New Dress ...... Long Style........ Not too Expensive!

On that hot 39 degree day on Tuesday, Ai went with Angie

to the DFO ["direct Factoryt Outlet"] next to the big station in

Melbourne.

She saw this long dress, marked down to $20.

A bit tight in places?

Not really....!

Looks fantastic!

The Changes that Happen

Aileen married a foreigner and moved from the Philippines to Australia.

A three month visit then the birth of baby james, and then residing at lara from 31 December 2007.

Aileen and Lu were best friends.

Lu was in Tacloban studying architecture.

Roger was in Paynesville, three hours East of Melbourne on the edge of Lake King, a big blue water expanse. he has a boat for sale and a dog called Jacky.

Roger and Lu decided to marry, and live together in Australia.

They got the immigration worked out, and Lu arrived in December for a three month visit,

after filing an application for a spouse visa, which is pending.

Yesterday, Roger and Lu came to see us at Lara, their first visit together.

We had plenty of food, took a drive around the nearby town of Geelong,

had some laughs.

Then they headed back to Paynesville.

Weekend Assignment

Part of my plan for keeping Ai happy in the limitations of life as a mother at home in a small country township in what is still a foreign country, is to get her out and about at weekends.

- Last weekend, after buying a high speed three whel pram for baby, we did a circuit of the 5Km radius of Albert Park in melbourne, around the Lake, populated by black swans, moorhens and coots.

This forthcoming weekend, we are planning a night out at the remarkable, "back to the Eighties" disco at Doncaster. Hopefullywith friends Thomas, Shelley and Bryan. Then on Sunday afternoon, an appointment at one of melbourne's unique Italian style LA PORCHETTA retaurants. We plan to encounter for the first time, Peter from Perth, who is enquiring about

his chances of meeting Ai's friend, Lulu from Tacloban!

June 9, 2008

A walk with baby around Albert Park Lake.

Pictures from the Phone....

The resolution is not great.

On my Nokia 2300 in low light conditions, not perfect.

.... But a photo image does not necesarily improve with greater definition.

Distortions can add mood and drama....

The Landscape at Lara

We are 60 Km West of Melbourne.

The landscape becomes flat.

But there is a low range of hills near lara, called the You Yangs.

The name means the mountain in the middle of a plain.

The Western Plains go for a thousand miles.

Almost endless.

Kangaroo territory.

More!

More!

Want some pictures?

Well......it's a combination of cute baby shots, sexy Aileen and me looking a bit dumb....

Saturday night at the dance night.....

More about this later....we are heading to Doncaster.....a chance to dress smart and move to the music!
In a big space, called The ShoppingTownHotel 12 miles East of Melbourne city, there is this Saturday night dance scene with lights and pulsating music.
Unusual now, as the disco craze has become a thing of the past.
For the teens and early twenties there are fifty places in Melbourne called "clubs", where the music is the very latest and the "look" is younger. They fill up around midnight.
Sadly the "old guys", age 28 and over, are not venturing out so much, at home with their plasmas and their delining, inflated lifestyles, their overpriced homes. So many of the discos have closed.
Maybe Ai and I feel at home with this somewhat "retro", older group.

Yes, we had fun, stepping it out, and meeting up with Thomas, a man Aileen located on "CherryBlossom" website, and who has been corresponding with her friend, Angie, in Tacloban.
--- I will post some photos later

Suddenly it is Now......9 months later!... May 2008

Why did I not keep up the blog?

... Not sure exactly.

But in August 2007, wehad the painful and unwanted parting.

Aillen had been in Australia for 3 months since the wedding in April.

Our requests to Aussir Immigration to extend her visit were rejected..... except one, namely that IF we could provide evidence that it was unsafe for herto fly back to Tacloban, they would be compelled to extend until after the baby was delivered.

Ai was suffering constant sickness and cramps, and we knew ofa specialist who would support her staying here.

BUT, in view of our need to maintain a good profile for the sake of a permanent residence visa,

we decided to head back together to Tacloban.

We stayed in very cheap but decent hotels, and Malou helped Ai to find that rather poor ground floor apartment on the outer fringes of Tacloban.

It was a very difficult time for Ai.

The baby became larger than expected and the strain was enormous.

We counted down the weeks and days, sometimes meeting up on webcam at the internet cafe next to Shakers Pizza in Tacloban, thru to my slow home computer.

We had many phone calls, running to 3 a day, and when Ai needed money for rent or medical or food and clothing, I sent it via the very expensive Western Union.

Sometimes Lou slept there to help her, but it was her mother who was the most constant support and help, and we are very grateful to them both.

The drama climaxed when baby was due, but the doc was refusing a caesarian. Baby was VERY big! Then baby stopped moving. It was an emergency. I was sitting feeling helpless in Melbourne. Ai was telling me on the phone that they had made an appointment on 10 October, late in the day, to open her up surgically.

Then....the news that the baby was delivered.

But he would not be released and was in intensive care because he had contracted a form of pneumonia. His breathing was rapid and difficult.

Ai was also infected with a respiratory bug. Both of them were on antibiotics.

Plus the baby's heart had not sealed and was losing blood, a "hole in the heart" condition that may or may not rectify itself over the firstsix months of life.

When the baby was about 3 weeks old, I rushed over to be with them.

Baby was by then out of hospital, and with some astonishment, after meeting Ai at Tacloban airport, we collected him in a fine new bassinet from the apartment and settled at the charming

Alejandro.

I could not say baby recognised me. He could hardly see. I tried to be awake in the night with

Ai when he needed feeding. I also found I could calm him eby taking him out on the hotel balcony. He loves being outdoors and watching people going past.

Another painful separation after 3 weeks together, when I had to get back to melbourne to pay the bills and do some work. ---- I had airline tickets for us to travel together, but it was clear

that the temporary residence visa for Ai and the Aussie passport for baby, would take an extra month or two.

Our hopes were of Christmas together.

Every Sunday night at that time, I visited friends in St Kilda, Peter and Cynthia, and we called Ai together each week.

Then it was a hope of a new year together.

Ai and baby eventually took shelter at the home of our friends Michael and Dativa in Manila.

- At first, she thought only for a weekend. But with added delays, it ran to several weeks.

On Boxing Day, 26 December, the visa and passport materialised. But Ai was exhausted.

She called me and insisted that I travel next day to join her and help carry the baby and the

bags, also that I travel to the Aussie Embassy to collect baby's passport.

Why the SIA flight was deleyed on take off for 16 hours, I'll save for another blog.

Finally, we travelled from Manila on 29 December, arriving 30 December.

Aillen was given 2 years before converting to permanent residence, James was an Australian citizen by descent, and we were together at our littlehouse at Lara in the extreme heat of Summer!

It felt very good!

In short, after a further five months, it is now May 20.

We have had our first wedding anniversary, two important birthdays, and baby is just over 7 months and crawling, with his first two bay bottom teeth showing.

A few adventures, but going well.

Money is an important feature, as the whole courtship/wedding/honeymoon/pregnancy/ baby/ visas and passports thing had drained my resources. But we have kept it within limits and trying now to reduce the debt burden. Ai would love to find employment, but the bay is until now our first concern. He is healthy. His heart condition has resolved. All is well!

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...