Life Here & There 
3 Comments Making a Home Away from Home
First and foremost, I am a Filipina. The Philippines is where I call home. Of that, there is no question in my heart. However, my home is also where I am with my family. In this version of home, it doesn’t matter where I live but it matters who I live with.
My husband and daughter make wherever we live home or a place I know I can relax in (when the bugs have been beaten off). But there is one side that is not yet complete. In the Philippines, you are physically close to your family of not just your husband, children, siblings and your parents but also your cousins, Aunts and Uncles. In the USA, the need to pursue income often splits children from their parents and scatters them throughout a state or the entire USA making doing things together challenging.
So having been away from relatives for about 8 years, there is only one thing to do. Transform our income streams so that it doesn’t matter where we live. By doing so, we can live where my heart says we should.
Where is that? My heart says we need to live close enough to the family here to help them. I do not necessarily mean my hubby’s siblings (long story) but we must serve his parents. They have medical needs and other chores that require help. Currently, they have to hire their help and that just isn’t right.
So it is time to make a home away from home. I really do not care about place we live in but it needs to be functional. What matters most is the opportunity to serve those in Goryo’s family as medical issues and age take their toll. The Filipino thing to do is to pay the toll for your parents. Doing so will make life here a little bit more like home.
Anah
Hi, Anah!
That’s quite the Filipino way of treating extended family members. As you said it, it doesn’t matter where you live it but whom you live it. I do believe you can still have your children inherit Filipino tradition even if you’re physically away from the Philippines. Education begins at home. Keep it up and I wish you all the luck..
Hello Anah,
I fully understand what you mean. Most of my career years were “away” from my homeland. It’s like living out of a suitcase as a travelling Salesman would. LOL!
I could take it because my job demands kept my mind preoccupied. It was not the same way for my wife. She was huddled at “home” all the time and pined for her family and friends back home.
You’re right, life and home is what one makes out of it although nothing, nothing in this world will replace the inborn attachments to one’s roots.
May God Bless you Always!
I do have the same feelings with you girl…