Polo says: I can be your friend

Polo's grandma and his godmother in the Philippines gave him DVDs of Veggie Tales, a cartoon series featuring vegetables as the main characters in stories that highlight good morals through song and dance. One of the stories was about making friends and it ended with a song saying, "I can be your friend... tralalalala..."

When the song ended, he quickly ran to his brother and sang the song to him.

Awww... what a wonderful way to learn about be-friending one's sibling.

Veggie Tales DVDs and those who gave them to Polo are now #4 in my Thank you list! Through them, my son Polo learns morals that are better caught than taught.

How about you? Are there DVDs or TV Shows for children that are as effectively helpful?

Thank You Item# 3: My Storchenwiege Baby Wrap

Waiting for my ride at the bus stop with two-month old Baby N in the wrap

I purchased My Storchenwiege Leo red sling a week before Baby N was born. I bought it because I planned on breastfeeding and knew that I had to do it hands-free while doing other household chores. (This is one thing that living in Europe entails -- household chores hands-on + taking care of baby hands-on with no family or yaya* around to help out with the daily grind.)

I also saw it as something necessary so I can breastfeed discreetly in public.

I chose this brand because of the following reasons:
*Reviews said that the material is sturdy.
*It can be washed in the machine and placed in the dryer and still retain its form
*It doesn't snag easily unlike the stretchy materials f other baby wraps and slings
*It is made in a country beside Luxembourg (meaning cheaper shipping costs)
*The website had an english translation and the email correspondeces were also in english
*It came with a Hoppediz user guide that had complete step-by-step instructions on how to make the different ties (the user guide still intimidated me but an instructional video I found online helped break the ice).

There are many ways to tie it in order to carry a baby in different positions. I've only tried two so far: the kangaroo carry and the cradle carry. Between the two, I prefer the kangaroo carry.

My Storchenwiege baby wrap is one of my stay-at-home-mommy-in-europe essentials. It helps me keep Baby N sleeping soundly for an average of 2 hours, no matter where I go -- be it on the bus, going to the supermarket, picking up my son P from school, and even when going down to do the laundry or while working in the kitchen. Hmmm... I wonder if I can use it while playing Wii... Hahaha!

*yaya - is a stay-at-home household helper in the Philippines who helps take care of a baby

Thank You Item#2: Balikbayans

In Filipino (the official language of the Philippines), "balik" means to go back and "bayan" means town. Put the two words together and it means to go back to one's hometown.

Balikbayan - the word is also used to refer to Filipinos living or working abroad who go back to the Philippines for a vacation or for good.

Back in the Philippines, when I was working in a telecommunications company that had a group focusing on serving OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers or what we call the country's modern day heroes), it was a known fact that OFWs prefer sending money to their families in the Philippines through balikbayan friends.

Now, I've experienced the ease of having balikbayans friends courier a number of Christmas gifts from our family in the Philippines to us here in Luxembourg as a great big favor. To me, if were are if they brought warm Pinoy Christmas cheer from thrity-degree Celcius Philippines to zero-degree Celcius Luxembourg just by agreeing to become our family's messenger-cum-courier service. To my eldest son, they were Santa Clause who delivered gifts post-Christmas day.

So even if our friends returned to Luxembourg a couple of days and weeks after the Christmas holidays, Christmas was extended to the second week of January when they hand-delivered the goodies from the Philippines.

That's the magic of asking balikbayans for a "padala" favor (a shortened version of "paki" which means please and "dala" which means bring = "padala" meaning please bring). That's one of the joys Christmas brought to us this year.

To our balikbayan Pinoy family in Luxembourg, I am truly grateful for you!!!
To our family in the Phlippines, maraming salamat sa mga regalo (thank you very much for the gifts).
You are all part of my Thank You List for 2011. Cheers!

A Trip to the Dentist

I visited my dentist last Saturday. It was the fourth time I went there since the time we arrived here in Luxembourg (and I know that there will be more).

The first visit was a requirement for the maternity benefit I am entitled to get for giving birth here. I thought that the check up would be similar to pre-employment dental check ups in the Philippines where you need to sign a waiver so the company will be relieved of spending for dental procedures if you had teeth that needed some dental work (an impacted tooth, a root canal, etc) prior to employment. Instead, the dentist just made sure that my teeth were in overall good condition, free of infections that may harm the baby in my tummy.

The next visits were for dental work that I wasn't able to complete when I got pregnant. In my trips to the dentists, I have note a few things that are done differently here. Here they are to name a few:

1. Like in many of the medical clinics I've been to, the waiting area precedes the receptionists desk. When a patient enters, he just sits in the waiting room until the receptionist calls him. The patients don't need to take a number. First come, first serve policy applies and all are courteous and honest enough to wait for their turn.

2. A small green mint tablet is placed in the cup of water that's used for rinsing the mouth. It is like a small mint version of an Alkaseltzer. I like it, it gives me fresher breath and it tastes good.

3. I'm used to paying for dental treatments in full or in installments after every visit. Here, they insisted on sending me the bill via mail, which I received a few days after my treatment. I have the liberty to decide on when I want (and can) pay the bill. I'm not yet sure about the maximum number of the days within which I should make the payment. I was told that if I don't pay within that period, the dentist can send the police to our house to demand for the payment. Now, that is something unneccessary.

I can pay online from my bank account to my dentist's bank account. The bank and the dentist are able to track the payments I make with the use of the facture (it is the French term for invoice) number that is indicated in the payment order online.

Have you noticed anything different from how dentist visits are in your place?

A Snow-free Day

Last January 8, we woke up to an almost snow-free day. The sun was shining and the snow was almost gone.

Here are the remnants of snow in a nearby street.

The sun was even shining down on our apartment window. Ahhh... Sunlight!!!

Drawing on the Blue Sky

On a clear sunny and not so cloudy day, I see jets speeding through the sky, drawing beautiful lines. Looking at them makes me feel the vastness of the sky. It gets me thinking that here in Luxembourg anything is possible under the great blue sky ( yeah, well except children making noise beyond 10pm).

Doesn't the picture just inspire you?

Little Kings and Queens

On the 6th of January, the classroom beside Polo's smelled like yummy pastry. The delicious smell turned out to be slices of the galette des rois that were individually packed in clear plastic bags tied with a ribbon. It seems that the teacher decided to give out slices and play out the local tradition.

Today, I saw a little child from that classroom going home with a crown on his head. Now, I know who got the little child from their galette des rois. There were a handful of children wearing crowns on their heads today. They must be their class' respective kings and queens. They kept their crowns on even after school. Maybe, they feel like royalty today. I'm sure, that they will wear the crown the whole day and act like little kings and queens at home just like my little King Polo, who is very comfortable with wearing the crown.

His face lights up when I say, "your majesty." I was even privileged to try on his crown and be called his queen and princess today. :)

Who will be King?

The Feast of the Epiphany, the time when Jesus manifests Himself to the three kings or the three wise men -- Gaspar, Melcor, and Baltazar -- is celebrated during mass on the first Sunday after New Year's Day in the Philippines.  In Bulgaria, men dance in the icy water of the Tundzha River in belief that the one who retrieves the cross from the river and those who dance there are blessed with good health throughout the year. In Spain, they have a Three Kings parade and give gifts to children in the morning of the 6th of January. The Epiphany is celebrated in various ways all over the world. Check out this link for more.

Here in Luxembourg, they have the galette des rois (King's Tart or Pie). It is filled with pomme (apple) or frangipane (almond cream) and is topped with a golden paper crown. Hidden inside the pie is a small image of a child and whoever gets it in his slice of pie receives the crown and becomes king for a day. All bakeshops sell it weeks before January 6.

I learned about this in the blog of a resident here. Good thing, I read it a few days before the actual feast. To go with the flow and to experience something new, I ordered a galette des rois from our neighborhood's bread and bakeshop and brought it home for us to try it out. I was curious about how it tastes and was also excited to introduce Polo to this Luxembourgish tradition.

.... So after dinner, I brought out the galette de rois and served it as dessert partnered with coffee. I like the buttery taste and crumbly texture of the pie's crust. The apple filling was more like compote or apple jam.

Guess who got to play king for the night?

Permis de Sejour -- Permit to Stay

The entrance to the Commune at Hamilius

We have been in Luxembourg for almost ten months now and my permit to stay needs to be renewed in two months' time. Good thing, M's employer hires a local law firm to assist us on these things. A few days ago, they emailed me the requirements. Today, I was out in negative three degrees Luxembourg city with Baby N to do most of the leg work.

For those who are interested to know the requirements here they are:

1. The request for renewing the Permis de Sejour should be made at least two months before it actually expires.

2. Copie Certifiée Conforme (certified true copy) of one's valid passport.

This can be requested from one's commune (Or city hall as we call it in the Philippines). Strangely in my case, our commune said that I should have it done in my country's embassy. I went to the commune in the city centre, instead. I learned from a friend that they do this even for those who live in a different city or commune. I found the personnel there more warm and accommodating. I also give them major points for efficiency. I was number 193 and they were at number 173 when I arrived, yet, it took me only around twenty minutes to have a certified true copy of my passport. I paid only two euros for it.

3. Certificate de résidence (residence certificate)
This can be obtained from one's commune for two euros. It shows one's name and address.

Our commune issued me one after showing them my passport as identification. I seldom see a lot of clients at our commune. Three has been the max. It took me less than ten minutes to get this document as well as the next requirement.

4. Certificat de composition ménage (family composition certificate)

The names of all the family members living in a residence is printed on this document, as well as each member's birthday.

5. Extrait récent du casket Judiciaire (recent extracts of the criminal records
This is like a police and NBI clearance. It is obtained from the Casier Judiciaire in the Cité Judiciaire, Bâtiment (building) BC, L-2080 Luxembourg (the location is a short walking distance from the Notre Dame Cathedral).

Thanks to the instructions my friend gave me, I easily found the building. At the casier judiciaire, I just asked for an extract and showed my passport. The extract was prepared instantly at the desk for free. It took me less than five minutes.

6. Recent photograph respecting the ICAO/OACI requirements

It is an identification picture sized 45/35 mm, face, head with at least 20 mm of height. Most photo centers know the size and proportion requirement. The ID photo costs twelve euros for a set of four copies of one picture. They are usually available within ten minutes at the Photo Service center found at the ground floor of Auchan, the mall in Kirchberg.



The service board that displays the number of the customer
being entertained at the respective service desk.



Thank You Item #1: An Exceptional Bus Driver

This year, I will take care of my heart by training it to be more grateful. That's why I will have a thank you item list in my blog.

Item #1:yesterday's Walfy Flexibus Driver

Let's start with the definition of terms. Walfy Flexibus is a mini bus service where one can book a trip thru their toll-free hotline, and have the bus bring them to and from anywhere within the neighborhood (or commune as they call it here. The ticket for the ride is 2 euros, which is good for 2 hours. I call it the taxi-bus.

I use it everyday. Baby Nicolo and I totally depend on it when picking up Polo from school and going back home. We are not snow-proofed enough to walk to the local school that is 10 minutes away from our place in single and negative degrees.

Riding the bus everyday taught me not to expect them to go the extra mile in customer service. (This is a blog entry about gratefulness so I won't go into the details of my disappointing encounters with them.) However, yesterday's assigned bus driver deserves a medal in customer service because he called me thru our intercom to inform me that he is there and to check if I was coming. I was surprised that 1)a Walfy bus driver called, 2) he was fifteen minutes early -- apparently, the hotline operator booked my trip at 11:15 instead of 11:40, 3) he tried his best to speak in english -- others wouldn't even try.

Imagine what would happen if he didn't ring me up. Baby N and I would have to walk all the way up to Polo's school in the freakin' cold weather. That would have been tiring and way too stressful. Thanks to the driver, the hotline's mistake was corrected and Baby N and I were saved from braving the cold!

I really wish that there were more drivers like him and extra-milers like him in Luxembourg's service industry.