Question for Filipinas living on the East Coast

[∞♥ 17]

How long did it take for you to adjust to the new time schedule and settle in to your new home?

Any hints/tips to facilitate my future Filipina wife's transition would be greatly appreciated!

[jenran4ever 0]

What area in the east coast will you live. This is Randy on Jenny's Account to get her a post in. But I am curious to know. I'm in the same both. But, I'm sure they will both be fine. I met a few on vj that are here already and doing just fine. No matter where in usa, there will be an adjustment and homesickness at some point I think.

[∞♥ 17]

What area in the east coast will you live. This is Randy on Jenny's Account to get her a post in. But I am curious to know. I'm in the same both. But, I'm sure they will both be fine. I met a few on vj that are here already and doing just fine. No matter where in usa, there will be an adjustment and homesickness at some point I think.

I'm in NC. What I am wanting to know is how long it takes for the body to get used to the new location...since they will be 11 hours behind their current tz and north of their current environment.

I'm sure it will take some getting used to...and I'm sure the homesickness will probably last a while too. I can't imagine.

[Messybrownhair 251]

The time wont be hard to adjust to, that's gonna be easy its the new routine and lifestyle that's hard, and missing family back home. Just make sure she has a Filipino channel, take her to the Filipino store for food and let her have a way to contact home. Other than that make sure you both explore her new town together so that she will comfortable in her new surroundings.

[∞♥ 17]

The time wont be hard to adjust to, that's gonna be easy its the new routine and lifestyle that's hard, and missing family back home. Just make sure she has a Filipino channel, take her to the Filipino store for food and let her have a way to contact home. Other than that make sure you both explore her new town together so that she will comfortable in her new surroundings.

Thanks for the input!

I will be taking time off when she gets here so I can show her around the area. She wants to do some volunteer teaching when she gets here, so her days should be fairly busy. I'm hoping that will help eliminate some of her homesickness. I can imagine that sitting around an empty house all day would be hard on the mind. I've got the phone cards ready for her so she will be able to contact home.

[Messybrownhair 251]

Thanks for the input!

I will be taking time off when she gets here so I can show her around the area. She wants to do some volunteer teaching when she gets here, so her days should be fairly busy. I'm hoping that will help eliminate some of her homesickness. I can imagine that sitting around an empty house all day would be hard on the mind. I've got the phone cards ready for her so she will be able to contact home.

That's great! The volunteer work is a great idea.. It will keep her busy and allow her to make friends and build her own life.. Something which I wasn't able to do since it was hard for us..the first three months we lived with my in-laws and we had only one car and my hubby used it all the time.. I was stuck, and not happy. I was so bored!! It's much better now that we have our own place, its tiny but its ours and its home. I have been doing nothing since Feb but finally I get to go to school in a month! The fact that you are taking off work and she has something to do makes a huge difference.. I think she will be just fine

[∞♥ 17]

That's great! The volunteer work is a great idea.. It will keep her busy and allow her to make friends and build her own life.. Something which I wasn't able to do since it was hard for us..the first three months we lived with my in-laws and we had only one car and my hubby used it all the time.. I was stuck, and not happy. I was so bored!! It's much better now that we have our own place, its tiny but its ours and its home. I have been doing nothing since Feb but finally I get to go to school in a month! The fact that you are taking off work and she has something to do makes a huge difference.. I think she will be just fine

The being bored and alone at home part is what I don't want for her...she will also have my family to take her places and interact with when I have to go back to work. We are hoping that from her volunteer work, she will be able to get hired full time after she gets her work permit.

Congrats and Good luck with the classes!

[rhenzhen 5]

Subscribing to TFC and GMA channels would really help her to lessen her homesickness also. Most cable providers now offers that channels.

[Jubi & Tony 3]

Hey lets add to this discussion ways to communicate back home.

My Honey just received her VISA packet today so all of these are on my mind

She will be getting an International Drivers License so she can drive as soon as she gets here (I will have a few quick driver lessons : ) ) and while she awaits her DMV process. This way she has the freedom to get out of the house.

I checked with Disnetwork and I can subscibe to Filipina Channels which is great too

But unfortunately Vonage doesn't cover the Philippines in their one rate international program : (

Calling cards can be expensive I'm thinking.

what about Magic Jack? Has anyone tried getting a local number for Magic Jack in the USA where they live and then ship the jack over to their relatives in the Philippines and a phone connected to the Magic Jack would allow your family back home to talk to you as if it was a local call and you can call them on the magic jack phone as a local call. Has anyone tried this??

[Messybrownhair 251]

Personally, I found Magic Jack to have awful connection.. I think it depends on how good the connection is in her family's home.. My hubby gets me phone cards and my mom uses the Globe ones so I get to talk to my parents everyday. They also contact me via Skype and Google talk

[∞♥ 17]

Calling cards can be expensive I'm thinking.

Unfortunately, this will be the only way she will be able to communicate with her parents. I'm sure it will be expensive, but I'll do anything to keep my future wife connected to her family that I know she will miss immensely.

[Jubi & Tony 3]

what is Globe One?

[∞♥ 17]

what is Globe One?

MBH said her mom used it, so I'm guessing that a telecommunications company in the Philippines.

[DaveE111 10]

You will get opinions all over the spectrum on magic jack. I have five of them in the Philippines. If the internet connection is healthy, they work fine. The only one that I really have problems with is the PLDT DSL connection for my step daughter in Manila. Two sisters in Negros Occidental and their magic jacks seem to work reliably, (but I don't know what internet connection they use).

What we like about magic jack is that we can be driving in the car, or camping in the woods, and my wife can call a local number on her cell phone and talk to her family in the Philippines.

I am sure there are other systems that work as well, but heck, for $20 a year I am happy.

[thekfc 26]

My wife have been here (NYC) with me for a couple of months now.

Her major problem was her skin getting dry & itchy. She arrived in the middle of winter and being indoors most of the time and the dry air from the heater did a number on her. After trying a few moisturizing lotions we found a few that worked well with her skin - I also invested in a (better) humidifier.

I would advice anyone (especially those in cold areas) to invest in a humidifier and also some good moisturizing lotion.

I subscribe to both the TFC & GMA Pinoy so she can watch all her favorite shows. I also have a HUGE collection of movies & music to entertain her.

I have a karaoke machine, the gaming systems & all different games on the computer - she knows how to operate them & uses them often.

I too did invest in the magic jack (the best $ I have ever paid for telecommunication), no major problems & have been using it for 2 years now (her family are in Manila & Pangasinan). The quality of service depends on the internet connection in the Philippines. For the MJ all you do is activate it here in the USA (you will get a local number) and send/take the MJ to the PI - all calls made to/from the MJ to/from a USA/Canada number is considered local & free.

She also video chat with her family on YM - to see their faces.

We also go out and shop in the various Filipino & Asian stores together. We also go to the movies.

Also when she comes (or if you will visit her before she comes), have her bring or you bring some of her favorite products (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc), although some of the products may have the same brand name as those here - they are not the same and she will surely miss them. That will give her time to slowly adapt to the US products.

I would also do the same for some of the products that are/will be hard to come by in your area.