The Unfaithful "Wife" (Part 1)

Today, I wish to share with you the true-to-life story of a family member, who is, incidentally, an overseas foreign worker, working as an assistant electrician in Qatar. He has been living with a girl for six or seven years, and has considered this girl his wife, sired a daughter aged five and a son aged three years of age, with her. Let me name my brother-in-law Mark and his common-law wife, Anne.

Before their union, Anne was married to an American that she met and made friends with, through the internet. This American came to the country to marry her after only a few internet encounters. They got married and after the ceremony, the man left her with the promise to process her papers so she could join her in the States. But before the papers were done, my brother-in-law came into the picture. Because of mutual friends, the two have been writing to each other while Mark was in Kuwait at that time. When he came home, they met, talked, and dated. Soon, they lived together.

When the American heard about what she did, he called Mark and verified the rumor which he heard from Anne's friend. Fearful that there may be some legal problems if he tells the truth, he told the husband there was nothing between Anne and him. At first, the husband believed their lie but due to the persistent rumors, he cut his communication with his wife and stopped sending money to Anne. Anne and Mark now live as husband and wife. She gave birth to a daughter who carried the American's family name, and a son who carried Anne's maiden name. Life then became hard financially, especially because Mark was not able to work abroad for six years. There were times when they had big fights and separated. Such fights do not last long though, they always end up getting back with each other. Such was their life when opportunity came again for Mark to work in Qatar. He left Anne and his two children to work abroad so he could give them a better way of life.

(to be continued...)

Groping

    Shame on me! I still grope around on what i should do to my blog. Sometimes, I laugh and ask myself what on earth does a fifty one year-old woman do in this highly youth-populated world of internet? For one thing, my son and my vacationing husband talked me into this and for another, I am just in need of something worthwhile to do, being confined to the house by myself. My eyes often blurred with constant reading and DVD watching.

     Being a full time housewife and mother, I just realized how "alone" I am, now that the kids are grown up and my husband working abroad. I did not have this feeling while they were still young. My three sons and my youngest daughter are quite a handful while still in their formative years. I was busy with disciplining, teaching, and taking care of their most basic needs. Early mornings were always busy, waking them up, preparing food and seeing them off to school. Now, I merely prepare food on the table and they do the rest. Actually, it's boring, more so for me because I am basically a homebody. I wanted to work again but here in the Philippines, I am just considered overaged to start a career again. In comparison, women of my age in the west still have time to make themselves useful, career-wise. Hopefully, this blog could give me a new avenue to stop me from feeling stagnant and boost up my dwindling ego.

     Really, what can I do with this new tool? Can anybody out there help me?

Cebu's Sinulog Festival

    Tomorrow, Cebu awakes with the annual exciting rhythm of the Sinulog Mardi Gras. The organizers are happy to announce that this year's contingents are exceptional, some of them coming from the different provinces of the country. Being a Cebuana, I sort of lost interest in watching the street-dancing the past years. I decided to give the chance to watch it to the great mass of tourists who seem to enjoy the crowd and the extreme heat of the sun. I found out I could do with the watching in the comfort of my home through the television coverage of the two(2) competing TV stations (how they compete!). Piece of advice to those who would rather witness the grand celebration in person, beware of pickpockets. Great opportunities abound for men practicing this trade though authorities try to gather known pickpockets before the event every year. Another advice...beware of hands that stray on your behinds while you jostle with the crowd. Pit senor everyone!!!!!

Once again...a departure

      It's sad to think that you marry someone of your choice with the thought that you're going to spend your whole lifetime with him. Woe to all women like me who have husbands working abroad as overseas foreign workers. Me and my husband both make sacrifices, he leaves home to find a better-paying job abroad while missing me and our four children. While I'm left behind, doing a man's job in disciplining my three sons and the youngest daughter. Truly, the truth hurts. I am just so thankful that I absolutely trust him and he absolutely trusts me. Even with the distance, our family is as strong as ever. And for all these, I thank the Lord.