San Juan - Rueda Year End Letter 2007
San Juan - Rueda Year End Letter 2007
As another year is coming to a close, the Rueda-San Juan year-end letter is again being sent to our family, friends and loved ones with hope that it is received in good health.
The past year has been a blur as the 3 of us were busy with a lot of things. As Xianelle was nearing her fourth birthday, it also meant the start of going to the "big school" for her. We also got busy preparing for our Hong Kong – Philippine vacation in May. Everybody was excited to go home!
The first quarter was spent preparing for Xiane's entry to the "big school". She has been going to Nursery last year and as she is turning 4, it's time for her to step up. Being an expat in Qatar means having a limited number of choices for schools and slots as there were hundreds, if not thousands, of other parents wanting a place for their kids in the same school you chose. Mavis and I decided that we'd try to get the best option possible and send her to a school that we thought would give her a better start in her education. Also, since Xiane doesn't understand Filipino yet, she would be at a loss if we placed her in a Filipino community school. Several application forms and fees later, Doha British and Montessori School (DBMS) called to say that Xiane can start the September school year with them. We were glad that Xiane got a place and that we got this settled before we went for our yearly vacation.
We headed to Hong Kong on May 4. Our stay in Hong Kong was definitely a blast. This time was different from our visit in 2001. Back then, it was just Mavis and I, whereas this time, we were 8 in all (6 adults and 2 kids). My parents, sisters and niece met up with us on our second day in Hong Kong. Traveling as a couple is definitely much easier than being in a group with both the "young ones" and the "young once". Everything had to be done a bit slower. But it was fun just the same. Nothing compares to being able to travel and have a vacation with family. Who could forget the long walk we took going to the Victoria Peak Tram station or our frequent stops for rest in Ocean Park? Everybody got the shopping bug when we took them to the streets of Wanchai and Ladies Market. And with our entire luggage (16 of them), we even had to rent our own mini bus to take us to our hotel in Disneyland after spending 4 nights in Kowloon! There, we were able to swim with Goofy, had photos taken with our favorite Disney characters, watch the Disney Parade and be amazed as the sky lit up with fireworks at the end of the day. With all the walking taking its toll on us, only Mavis and my dad were spared from bouts of fever, cough and cold. The whole trip was tiring but definitely a trip to remember. (read more about the Hong Kong Experience)
We celebrated Xiane's birthday on June 16, a day before her real birth date. It's funny to think of where Xiane had been celebrating her birthday for the past 3 years. She was in Saudi when she had her 1st, her 2nd in Bahrain and her 3rd in Qatar. She was turning 4 but this was her first time to celebrate it in the Philippines, with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and the whole lot. We had been preparing months ahead for Xiane's birthday in the Philippines. However, the decision for the family to be in costumes came just 1 week before the party. I dressed as one of the Dwarfs, Mavis was Mulan, Lolo was dressed as Aladdin, Mamita was Lilo, Tita Tin was Pocahontas, Tita Doc was Alice in Wonderland, Grammy was The Blue Fairy, Tita Ninang was also a fairy, and Tito Den (Tita Doc's husband) and Grandy were Pirates. Kids came in their costumes; Princesses, fairies, cowboys, pirates, Batman, Green Lantern, Angels, and what have you. Some adults asked for Tiara's so they could wear them. Others were bringing wings! The party also gave us the opportunity to see friends and relatives we haven't seen for a long time. It was well attended and everybody enjoyed the games, the food, clowns and their loot bags. No one left empty handed! And it was a sight to see Xiane enjoy her party and see her eyes gleam with glee as she opened her presents. (view the photos of Xianelle's 4 th birthday party).
As always, I got to go back to Qatar a month before Mavis and Xiane completes their Philippine vacation. Upon their arrival in August, no time was wasted as we went to follow up on Xiane's enrollment to DBMS, buy uniforms and prepare all the school requirements. We also had to hire a private service to take Mavis and Xiane to and from school as the school didn't offer any bus service nor would Mavis let Xiane ride the bus by herself if it was even offered.
The 3 months that succeeded were colorful, to say the least. Sure there were moments when Xiane sat on the naughty chair for being so talkative; when she came home thrice with sand on her hair; when she made her classmate cry with a pinch after being teased. But Xiane also made strides in making new friends and showed great moments as her teachers would often praise her charm, thoughtfulness, and her smartness. She got to play a Shark in their school assembly, saying the longest lines among her peers ("I am a shark. A shark is dangerous. I have sharp teeth"). And on International day, she recited "Good morning everyone! I am Xianelle R. San Juan. I am from the Philippines. This is the Philippine Flag. The blue represents peace. The Red represents love for my country. The 3 stars represents the 3 big islands in my country named Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Sun represents hope. Salamat po!" She excelled academically as she has learned to read and write in a span of 3 months, which is a great achievement for kids her age. I'm sure Mavis gets to be a proud mom every time parents and teachers compliment Xiane for being who she is. Oh, and after giving up on the private transport service, Mavis now drives me to office and Xiane to school every weekday!
It already has been 2 and a half years since we first landed in Qatar and we are actually enjoying it. You don't get a lot of places to go to nor things to do but we still find ourselves lacking time for our daily activities. Looking back, it has indeed been a wonderful year. We are grateful to God for all the blessings that He continues to shower us every single moment. Taking a piece from our year-end letter last year - We thank the Lord not only for material abundance but most of all for our loving and supportive families; for wonderful friends who make life away from home less sad and lonely; for old friends who have remained to be good friends through the years; and last but not least for the gift of health. We hope that we all are showered continuous blessings in the coming year and be stronger in faith and love.
If you want to keep up with what's happening with us, you can visit our blog (http://www.lifeonthespot.com) which gives you a peek at our life in Qatar and our photo gallery (http://gallery.lifeonthespot.com) which you may want to check out. Let us also cheer you up with our little dance by clicking here.
You can always send us your thoughts through the following contact info:
Christian San Juan Mavis Rueda San Juan
Email: xtian001@gmail.com Email: mavisrueda@gmail.com
Yahoo ID: xtian001 Yahoo ID: voluptuousmavs
If you do get to Qatar, you can always call us at:
Chris: (974) 5030141
Mavis: (974) 6831219
With love and prayers,
Christian, Mavis and Xianelle