I have been checking around to find Asian markets that sell Filipino foods and some products that Riza would be familiar with. I have also looked for Filipino restaurants and even tried some of the foods. I went looking everywhere for Calamansi. I think I know where to get some frozen.

Plus I plan to stock up on rice before she gets here. I want to get a rice cooker so that she can put it in and just let it sit until she's ready to eat.

What did you men do in preparation for your Asawa?

-Ryan

Months before Mae's arrival, I did some interior painting. Got her a bedside dresser and a cute lamp. Got a space in the closet ready for her wardrobe. Bought 25lbs rice... I got her a stool so she can reach cabinets and most especially the microwave. Cleaned the entire house (I meant "hide junks")... I did lots of things that I couldn't remember anymore... it's been almost a year now. And I also couldn't remember how I did all the preparations for her arrival. I guess I was too excited. Oh, the day of her arrival, I got a bouquet of flowers (from our garden) and wrote a sweet note with it and place it on our dining table. She didn't see it until the next day (flowers wilted already, dang!) because she was so tired (arrived 1:30 in the a.m.) all she wanted to do was sleep. Bless her heart.

David

Rice cooker is numero uno.
Place she can buy bagoong, tilapia or bangus would be nice.
A lot depends on where you live!
Comforter for bed as she will be cold unless she's from Baguio!

I bought 2 rice cookers, they were on sale.
2 Philippine cookbooks to learn to cook kinilaw and adobo ( Carol does not know how to cook )
2 - 5# bags of rice.
Bought her jewelery,Pop tarts, candy, chips and snacks,groceries from the Asian market, winter clothes, bath and body works lotions, creams, and soaps, candles.
Will take her to Victoria's Secret when she gets here
Cleaning the house to make room for her clothes in the dresser and closet.

A brand new vacuum cleaner and feather duster just kidding

Carol's interview is 6/18 hopefully she will be here in July

I stocked up on Groceries and all the necessities(Feminine Products, toiletries, Shampoo and etc).... I got her a cell phone on my Verizon Plan, so she could talk to me anytime at work if she had a Question or just missed me.

I wrote a list of all of contact numbers (Family members, friends) so if she needed me, but couldn't get a hold of me, she had these people to call....

I cleared her Place in the Closet and had her Chest of Drawers cleaned and emptied. I know there is a millon other things I did, but my Brain just stopped working... I want you two to have fun and enjoy your lives together.... Good Luck to you both!

Check out Section 7.1 of the Manila Embassy K1 Visa Guide.

I was more looking for personal accounts of the last few frantic days of preparing. I already know the stuff I want to do. I thought that as a community, people might like to share their experiences, especially the humorous ones.

Cleaned the house, washed the sheets on the bed and put a new comforter on it. I had been raiding the local philippine and asian markets for the last four months so we already had a supply of food that would be familiar for her. I cleaned out half the closet and 3/4 of the dresser that we would share. Picked up a few of the personal hygiene products she prefers that we knew would be available here. The day of her arrival I picked up roses and an "I love you balloon". Don't forget to charge your camera or put fresh batteries in it. Good luck

LOL, this is a wise preparation. I can also see myself using a stool to reach into cabinets



Ha ha Victoria's Secret, reminds me of the many cute, sexy VS I got and absolutely loved it! I'd request Ryan to get me cleaning tools I'm a bit meticulous to my place's cleanliness/orderliness.



Great idea



Sheriff is funny Now I am wondering if these personal preparations are included on the guide. Haven't checked it yet.


Miss doing with my baby
-Riza

She will be here this thursday, so I am underway with preparations...

1. Rice cooker and rice (secured them a few weeks ago)
2. 24 Hour Fitness Gym membership-bought 3 year prepaid for her, renews at just $29 a year after
3. Verizon Wireless Env Cell phone
4. House will be cleaned before arrival
5. bought new car, so she will have her own car.. Needs to learn how to drive first tho!
6. bought new laptop, so she will have own computer.
7. Checked into catholic churches and filipino restaurants in area (ate at one a few weeks ago... will bring her there)
8. Looking into Filipino package on Directv satellite TV. There are 8 channels on there for like $30 a month. Up to her if she wants.

my husband told me that his dad is building a toilet and bathroom just for me caz my husband told my father-in-law that i spend an hour in taking a shower lol!

haayyyy....you guys make me mushy..i dont know you guys have a romantic streak in you. well done guys! stock up on VS's and may your ladies use it even for 10 sec hehehe!

you're all so sweet..

I put in a hand held bidet for wife and anak. THey missed using their tabo!
Best thing I ever did as I use it also. Sure beats TB!

LOL pink, tagal mo palang maligo and how sweet your father in-law is



Who said that pinoys (Filipino men) are the most romantic lovers in the world? I disagree!

It's heart-melting that our fiances/husbands are preparing this much for us. So sweet. Kinikilig ako, YAY!!!

-Riza

Oh...

lol! yeah i am planning to bring tabo too hubby said i can't use it there in the bathroom but then i said ok ill just tabo you if you mess around with me lol!



yup, matagal talaga me maligo hehe tas ung asawa ko 5-10 mins lng lol! kaya lagi ako pinauuna nya maligo pagmaylakad kami tas pagkatapos nya maligo d pa rin ako tapos magayos sa sarili ko lol! and yup my father-in-law is sweet and funny



Yay! te riza, lapit mo na makasama love mo i'm so happy for you

LOL, si Sheriff talaga




Ala bang available na tabo sa US? Kung gano'n kelangan ko palang magdala

YAY pink, oo nga May countdown kami everyday para mas exciting. Miss ko na baby koooooooooooooo

damn it! i have to do all of this stuff before she gets here?!!

lol, i can relate with this post hehehhehe.. my fiance started cleaning the house 3 months ago and just the other day he ordered a digital rice cooker online and just today he bought 22kilos of rice lol! he was asking me the size of my slippers but i said maybe i can bring or maybe will buy once im there cause dunno the size.
he's been looking where he can buy a tabo too!!! hahhahahha...
hi pink and riza, are u going to bring tabo really?? i was planning to bring but i dont want to be laughed at.. hehhehehe

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yup, i am serious. i don't care whatever they will think of me with that tabo hahaha

1. Rice cooker and stock of rice
2. Goodies from the Asian store
3. Cleaned the house
4. Filled up the tank with propane so she could swim even at winter
5. Bought new pillows and bed sheets with solid colors, per her instructions
6. Bought her a laptop and cellphone
7. I like Crest but she only uses Colgate so have to change , lol

8. Yes, have to buy a tabo ( I bought her a large plastic cup ) not for bathing though but for other purposes in the bathroom , lol. Don't ask. I found this fascinating . I learned a lot from her when it comes to personal hygiene. . the filipino way, lol.

9. She has a complete collection of books from Tom Clancy, John Grisham , Sidney Sheildon and Robert Ludlum which she wanted to bring but I didn't want her to deal with excess baggage so I ordered all of them at amazon and were at our mini library when she arrived. .she cried and just hugged me tight when she saw them. .

10. Bought her dozens of Nagaraya ( Garlic flavor) . .she said she can't live without them. Good the Filipino stores here have them. I like them too.

11. Painted our bedroom with the color she wanted. It was a surprise and boy the look on her face when she saw it was worth it.

12. Roses to give her at the airport but darn, I forgot them due to my excitement. She had them anyway when we reached my brother's house in CA

13. A new laptop desk and file cabinet. She said she would fix all my "disarrayed" documents into a file cabinet. They are all organized now. . just amazing. I am not worried about the house bills anymore, she takes care of everything.

14. The new dryer I bought is still unused. She said why use it when there is too much sun in Florida. So we just hang our clothes in the garage. Saves electricity and money. I'm sure she will start using it when she will be working

Having Myla is the best thing that has happened in my life. She is getting calls now for job interviews which unfortunately couldn't make it because she still travels with me. She wants to work soon, she said this is her longest vacation from work ever and she is excited to go back to work. Although she need not work, I want her to be happy.

Those were the things I did/bought in preparation for her arrival.

Joe

really..action speaks louder than words...

Joe,
We got the same problem with the toothpaste.... I like Crest and she likes Colgate...LOL! We are really happy for you two.. Stay young and laugh any chance you get... Good Luck to you both!
Danny

I think I'm doing the same as the rest of the guys here.
#1 CLEAN
#2 rice cooker
#3 make room in closet and dresser
I always wait to the last minute! Sandra "should" be here in 1 month

You got it Mogdog..... Good luck to you both. That month will go by quick!!!!

when I arrived, we dropped by the grocery store, he made it sure i had everything i like at home, red heart balloons welcomed me with gifts...it was our first valentines day together so sweet of him...

LOL iKHiNG, pressured ka ba?



Pag walang available na tabo sa AZ, magdadala ako

These guys were really doing great job!

aww! jom you r so sweet

8. Yes, have to buy a tabo ( I bought her a large plastic cup ) not for bathing though but for other purposes in the bathroom , lol. Don't ask. I found this fascinating . I learned a lot from her when it comes to personal hygiene. . the filipino way, lol.

"Tabo"...Only in the Philippines! Can't remember exactly..I think I was asked by my fiance' what's the use of it..I said for taking a bath......heck! there got a shower hun!! buti na lang di sinabing urinal..hahaha!

damn tabo!! maybe walmart has it..or bed bath and beyond.
i hope these ladies are kidding about bringing their lovely "tabo" here in the U.S.
there are other alternatives to a "tabo" i don't know, a tupperware? that big gulp container from 7-eleven? uhmm..anything that's made out of plastic, in a bowl shape that can hold up to 1 GAL of water?
and oh..gotta have that long pointy handle attached to it also

LOL, pink is serious about bringing tabo in the US. I still have to ask Ryan if it's available in Mesa, or else I will get at least 2 tabos here to bring

Oh my, a tabo good for 1 GAL of water? If I have that kind of tabo, in few weeks my muscles would look like that of popeye when he eats spinach Ha ha this tabo thing is funny

If I remember right you in Mesa, AZ. There is a LEELEE, I think in Chandler. Then at about 35th Avenue and Dunlap there is Little Manila store. Every thing from food, shipping package, plane ticket, phone cards and ect............ Then I think about 35th Avenue and Peoria is a filipino bakery. There is also new LeeLee at 75th Avenue and Cactus. Rice Cooker is key items and Rice. Also a few filipinos to talk to. Good Luck.

LOL Pink, just open a can of fruit cocktail, empty it and rush to the shower.
or to make it sosy, just use wetwipes to wash your wet-poo..hahaha!!

What a tabo! thanks for the laugh...btw, Michael just showed me a set of mixing bowl with different sizes that we can use as tabo..LOL..

Well, hmmm...thinking back...

Joined the local Fil-Am group almost immediately

Began attending church again and completed a membership transfer - we became active with summer Bible School and Sunday School music and teaching almost immediately after her arrival

Rounded up a few Filipino cook books - but we get most of our new recipes online

Learned to make killer lumpia, sinagan and pancit before she arrived - but she's modified my recipes a wee bit

Bought a nice rice cooker and a small bag of jasmine rice - would go shopping at several nearby Asian markets for what she likes after she arrived - she was really surprised what she can find here

Found two walis tambo and a nice stiff ting-ting broom - these are great for general housekeeping

Cleaned and organized....and cleaned and organized

Emptied the entire dresser for her, and made space in the closet

Cashed in the Victoria's Secrets free panty cards as I received them so she had a nice fresh stash when she arrived

Added the Mabuhay Channel to my Dish Network lineup (a single chanel that was not very good, switched to DirecTV after she arrived and now have the Filipino Direct package with several channels - MUCH better!!)

Since it was early April when she arrived, I bought a nice winter jacket and gloves - she needed them when we arrived in Detroit (thankfully I had packed them in the car)

Bought a big Philippine flag and an American flag and poles for both to mount to the front porch

But the craziest pre-arrival purchase probably was the big artificial 6 ft tall palm tree in the bedroom, complete with coconuts!! - she loved it!!!

She wanted a tabo when she took her first shower having no experience with continuous WARM water flow from a shower head, but she quickly adapted...also adapting to tissue (wet wipes were first)...coming from a very rural area, the indoor CR was a significant adjustment

Her adjustment was rapid...I waited for her arrival to add to her wardrobe and personal "native" home decor

Even since her arrival, she's got so many Filpina friends, and even her OBGYN AND our new pediatrician is Filipina!! She's doing fabulously!!

And...our precious new babae is due July 7!!! Woohoo!!!

Michael and Milah Jean

Same here. At first I thought it was for taking a bath and I told her that's what a shower is for and she even rebuked me because she also uses shower back in the Philippines and being well travelled, she is also used to warm water . Well, when she arrived she showed me what the "tabo" is for, LOL. I find it more hygienic. With the "tabo" comes a lot of alcohol in the bathroom, hahaha. Her "tabo" is a big plastic drinking glass from walmart which she labeled with a permanent pen " FOR BATHROOM USE ONLY" .

Just like David, he uses Crest and Aquafresh but it gives me mouth sores so I'm into Colgate too.

We have been looking for "tabo" for almost a year now and still couldn't find one. I should have brought one from the Philippines with me if I had known I won't find it here. I ended up using a plastic container. But we're not giving up yet... I'm sure we'll find it someday. So to all of you who are about to travel here in US, make sure you have "tabo" in your baggage especially if you think Filipino store will be absent in your destination.

Maybe somebody here will care to buy one for me and then mail it to me... Pleaseeeeeeeeeee!

--Mae

Can't our wives or Fiancees use a waterhose or a fire hydrant..... No need to buy a Tabo.... Huh? Laying all jokes aside, I really respect the personal hygiene of the Filipinas!

hahaha! this is a funny thread lol! yup, i will really bring tabo. my husband calls it "stone age" lol! of course i won't put it in my luggage, i'll include it in my big box together with some other sutff that we will send via manila forwarder

I therefore conclude that "tabo" is a must for every Filipina coming to the US Kaya, kelangan ko magbitbit ng tabo papunta doon. Ayokong maghanap ng tabo sa AZ ng isang taon

Mae, sa'n ka ba sa US, baka may papunta dyan malapit sa inyo pwede kang magpadala

-Riza

I'm in Springfield, MO... Wherever you may be you can always send the "tabo" to me thru USPS... so pleaseeeeeeeeeee... send me one, anyone. I'll pay for it.

wow usapang tabo pla ito hehehe!!! i wish i can have too
put here in our place we only have one filipino store and
no tabo, when i arrive here my hubby already get a rice
cooker and a bag of rice im so happy coz i cant live without
rice then we go to wallgreens and got some milk and diapper
for my son if i only knew that the milk here are expensive i should
just bring it but oh well my husband dont want me to have a hard time!
I love you hubby!!!!