“What are you excited about the most?” vs. “Are you excited?”

It is funny. When you are preparing to move to another country there seems to be a set of common questions most people ask you. Kind of like when you are preparing to get married or preparing to have your first child – you get the same questions asked of you over and over again. For instance, “Are you excited?”… “Do you have everything you need for the baby?”… “How’s the wedding preparations going?”… “How are you feeling?” … etc. And the same seems to be true about moving to another country. And one question that I get asked most often by people who learn we are planning on moving to the Philippines is, “Are you excited?”

I always have trouble fully and honestly answering that question. I seem to get asked that question more than my husband. Maybe that is because Allan is Filipino and grew up in the Philippines. No need to ask him if he is excited since he has already lived there and knows what it is all about. But to me such a question seems equivalent to going to Disneyland for your birthday. “So I hear you are going to Disneyland tomorrow, are you excited?” That’s an easy answer. But for me to answer, “Yes, I am very excited about moving to the Philippines.” Seems a little like a half lie or a twist on the whole truth. I feel as though I would not be fully human, or have no feelings if I answered with such a resounding YES! Because there is a lot more at stake in moving your family to another country. The unknown is fearful. You are leaving your friends, family, church body, and everything that has always been familiar to you. How can that be exciting?

But the other day a friend was asking me questions about us moving to the Philippines. When I noticed the conversation turning in this direction I was preparing myself for the question, “Are you excited?” and trying to decide how to answer without lying, but also without complaining. But I was thrown off guard when she worded her question, “What are you excited about the most in moving to the Philippines?” I was pleasantly surprised and happy that I could fully and honestly answer her question. ☺ I answered her briefly. But since then I have really thought more about her question. There are several things that I can honestly and fully say I am excited and looking forward to about moving to the Philippines.

FOOD – This came to mind first. ☺ I am very excited to move to the Philippines for their food. I am excited to be able to experience such a variety of different and tasty fresh fruits! I am excited to be able to easily buy and eat the Filipino mango whenever I want. ☺ I am also excited to be able to cook Filipino food for my husband. When we got married I asked him what his favorite food was. He said Filipino food. And although I can make a dish every now and then for him, it isn’t quite the same here. I can almost smell the warm fresh pan de sal! And what an adventure to finally be able to cook a whole fish (head and all) and serve it to my family! ☺ And I love to see the satisfied look on my husband’s face when he has had a good full Filipino meal.

RAIN – I am also excited about the rain. I have grown up and lived in So California all of my life. I can basically count on one hand the number of thunder storms and strong rains I have experienced. I am quite excited about the rainy season. To get to experience the awesome power of God over nature through the storms. To hear the rain pound down on the roof, and to be overwhelmed and blinded by the sheer amount of rain is pretty exciting to me. And I am also looking forward to the result of the rain – the vast amounts of green plants and grass and trees! Growing up in So Cal and the high dessert you don’t see much green unless you plant it yourself.

ISLANDS & BEACHES – I am excited about the beautiful beaches and sheer number of islands in the Philippines. I still laugh when I recall to mind my husband’s first experience with the beach here in So California. His high school swim team was going to the beach to practice. He was shocked and disgusted when he got in the water. The water was brown, he couldn’t see his feet and the temperature was freezing! Ha ha… to him he knew nothing except warm clear water and white sand beaches. To me the Santa Monica beach is the “norm” for what a beach is like. But oh to live in the Philippines with their 7,000 islands and to know first hand how God created the beach.

FILIPINO CULTURE – This is something that I have more recently begun to get excited about. Now that I have kids of my own, I am excited that my boys will be able to experience and know first hand the Filipino culture. My boys are half Filipino, thus half of their family are Filipino. I am excited that they will be raised in the Philippines and be able to know the culture, language and food first hand. This is something I can’t teach them myself. I am excited that my husband grew up in the Philippines and has many many fond memories of his childhood, so he can teach them how to be kids in the Philippines. How to have spider fights, and the enjoyment of a cock fight.

PEOPLE – I am excited about the people in the Philippines. Each culture puts values on different things. And I have noticed that relationships and people are very important to them. I am excited about what I will learn through them. There seems to be an understanding of authority and respect that I don’t fully understand being a proud and independent American. They have an understanding of serving others that is so genuine. They are full of generosity and give of themselves to their loved ones. Sure I know all of these values to a certain degree, but not in the same way that the Filipinos live.

I will end with a picture of the Luciano Family. This week they are having a family reunion. They have literally come from all corners of the country and from various countries around the globe. Why? Because family is important to them. Almost everyone was able to make it. I was talking to my husband and told him how surprised I was that almost his entire family has come out to the reunion. He wasn’t surprised in the least, after all they are family and it is a reunion. But to me, I ask “What about the cost? What about the inconveniences? What about….??” And I think that is exactly it. The difference in my thinking is that there is too much “me”… myself comes first almost all of the time. But for the most part the Filipino people have an understanding that “others” come first. For these reasons I can fully and honestly say, “yes I am excited to move to the Philippines!”