Ed Hoffman

That was so sweet of you Nichole, my first Apple. I'm gonna keep it forever and ever!

Dale, you are definitely planning this better than I think any one ever could, really impressive. I'm just gonna tell you what I know and learned from actually being there. I want to tell you, it is extremely hot and humid in the Philippines when you walk out of that airport for the first time it is gonna hit you like bomb. It is like walking into a sauna, you will immediately bring to sweat profusely. You almost want to turn around and go back into the airport and go home, especially if you land in Manilla. Also because of that heat and humidity the people there move very slow, it will surprise you how slow they walk and work. So don't be such a slave driver, cause it ain't gonna work there. So, another thing, how old is she? I'm also gonna talk about Visa's and immigration requirements. Most people in the United States think that immigrants can just get on a plane and come to the U.S.. Well, let me explain it so any one reading this understands, that is not the case at all. The only ones that think they can come here by just walking across the border are our Central and South American neighbors. The Visa process is long, expensive, stressful and a whole lot of paper work. I'm very sure Canada has much the same process and requirements. If you have not checked into the process and requirements, you should definitely do that as soon as possible. I could tell ya many stories of all I went through, but I did already know that documenting everything and keeping travel documents, receipts and lots of pictures with the names of airports, hotels, resturants and tourist attractions with you and her in those pictures. Even emails and phone records. because you will have to prove it is a legitimate relationship. And Dale, on a personal and intimate level do not get her pregnant before she gets a visa, it could make it very problematic and more time consuming to get a visa. I brought wife here on a Fiancee Visa because it was quicker and it would give us both the opportunity to see if she and I would be happy here together, cuss any one who in a long term commitment knows it ain't no vacation, it's a lot of fuckin work more times than not especially to a foreign bride, I thought that was important. I want to tell you too, that women has never seen her own breath on a frosty morning. She has never felt cold when it snows, and the new beauty of cold frost and snow is gonna wear off real fast up there in Canada, trust me. You are gonna have a Hell of time getting her to go out side for the first few winters, Hell cool Spring and Autumns are gonna make her miserable, but she will get used to it. And you are gonna have to go buy her a whole bunch of warm clothes and turn the heat up pretty high for a few years. My wife became a U.S Citizen 3 years after she came here, she studied so hard to pass that test. I remember at Homeland Security, when they called her name for her interview and test. It was an older, and small in stature black man he called her name and of course he pronounced it incorrectly, she got up and walked to the door which he was holding open for her, she reached out grabbed the door, And Said, Thanks I got it! He just about fell over, after her test he told her Mam, when you grabbed that door and said what you said I knew you were gonna have no problem passing this test. She got every answer right. I remember at her Naturalization Ceremony, when she took the oath and said the Pledge of Allegiance and she turned around and looked at me and said Darling with tears were rolling down her face. It has been a lot of work, and almost worth it all Dale. Did I tell you we have a 10 year old daughter, both very beautiful and extremely intelligent. My wife says she's smart like me and looks just like me, She does get her meanness from her mom though. As far as you future wife being embarrassed of her current living/life situation, that is so very common for people in most places in that part of the world. I do want to emphasize the importance of gift giving in the Asian culture, a few cans of Spam to her mother and some little gifts to her sisters goes a long way. Don't take chocolate it won't make it. It sounds crazy, but ladies underarm deodorant, some good shampoo and hair conditioner, a little perfume and maybe some intimate apparel goes a long long ways with those Pina's , and few lovely words and your gonna be to tired to work for a few days. Well it's late and I gotta work tomorrow.
Tomorrow I'll talk to ya about makin friends and your Ideas.

Hey how did I get that Apple?

What so amazes me about all you have written and it explained, is you are a lot like me but with much more ambition and planning. You are very impressive.
I would like to tell you, I brought my wife here (fiancée visa) from Vietnam nearly 12 years ago. She is 23 years younger than me, in fact she was exactly half my age when she came. Age does not matter so much to Asian women, they just want a good husband and a secure life. She spoke very little American as we call it in our house, but I impressed upon her the extreme importance of her learning my language. I think we both had a headache for about three years straight, but she can now go any where and talk to any one extremely well. You could talk to her and would not believe that she didn't speak our language less than 12 years ago. But I taught her very well and she learned very well. Rice to the Asian culture is like air and water, the first morning we got up and went and bought her a Tiger rice cooker and a 40 pound bag of Jasmine rice, and many bags after that one. Now she does not eat as much rice as she used too, and the rice she buys now is grown in California and is supposed to be more nutritious. Dale, if for no other reason, but her own mental and physical piece of mind, buy and promise that women you will buy her a big bag of whatever rice she wants. People from those countries especially if they are poor believe they can not live without it, she will change over time. My wife gets along great with my 33 year old daughter and my 36 year old son, it's kinda funny when my daughter introduces my as her 34year old step mother, and no one gets a more perplexed look on their face than my wife. It helped my wife, before and immediately after she got here I told her and reminded her that my mother (who passed away before my wife came) was German and she was an immigrant. And Dale, tell your potential future wife that there are many immigrants in Canada. My wife came a disfunctional family situation too, but in those Asian cultures they are taught to always respect and obey all the older family members, wellllllllll same as you I believe respect is earned, and thats just the way we are here in the Western Culture. But it will take time for her to change, it's drilled into her all of her life, and those she is leaving behind well there is probably no reason for them to change. I've been to Cebu, The Shangri la Resort on Mactan Island just across a little bridge from Cebu is the most incredible hotel I have ever stayed at, the pizza in poolside restaurant is the best in the world. If you have her make a reservation it's half as much as they would charge a foreigner. It goes from like $400 a night to $200, but you gotta do it once right! I was a little concerned about your plans to build some sort of cob structure, but it is a lot drier in Cebu, I've been down on Mindanoa where it rains unfucking believable, truly sheets and buckets, I've never seen anything like it. You gotta remember too if your potential fiancée, give you subtle warnings like we need to leave or lets go, you better listen, cause she is from there and knows much better than you when there is danger or a compromising situation. And this thing of trusting every thing you say, well as bad as you may think her family is, they are all she's got, and when you leave with or without her, they are all she will have left. The Philippines is the most poverty stricken country I have personally ever been too. Dale I'm gonna write more later, I gotta go to work tomorrow.

Dale, It seems you have put a lot of time into this and are well prepared, thank you for sharing all of this very personal experience. I still would like to know where in the Philippines you are going?
You had stated before that the women you are going to see speaks very good English. Did you know there are probably more English speaking Philippine people than English speaking Canadians. The Philippine people are the third largest English speaking population in the world. The United States is the largest, then England and then of course the Philippines. They speak or use approximately 30 different languages and everyone there knows 3 or 4. They are all taught English beginning in Elementary school at a very young age. You are wise to not give too much without requirements on their side. I am not sure how the Canadian immigration system works or what they require, but you would be wise to document all of your travels. Save your airline tickets, take a lot of pictures (dated of course)of you and her together at places with the names of these places (signs of a hotel, resort, city or airport) with her immediate family members in some pictures also. And Dale, Philippine women (Pina's) no matter how poor are no different then any other women in the whole world. She and her mother and sisters may not ask or expect anything, but now this is gonna sound crazy, they love SPAM (the stuff in the rectangular can, and Jack Link's beef jerkey (teriyaki) and clothes that are made in America or Canada ( I mean actually made there.) And if you took her on a trip to a really nice resort, and there are many that are very reasonably priced, she would never forget it. You gotta remember you are looking at all this from a mans point of view, women especially Pina's are dreamers, she has been dreamin, about you her entire life. Hoping that someday you would get your crusty old ass on plane and come and save her. And you were probably dreamin about the same damned thing for about half of your life. So go there with your insanely incredibly great work ethic, and take a little time and take a fuckin vacation. Because it is an incredibly beautiful place. And that little Pina has hopes and dreams too, so go there and make her dreams come true. and God Damit don't cuss in front of her, cuss she'll start cussin too and you won't like it. I could tell ya a lot more but I'm tired I'll write more another time, unless you block me or somethin. In case you do block me, Good luck to ya Man, I mean it.

Dale, I don't even know where to start. But how about, where in the Philippines are you going? Everyone is talking about what and how to build a house, all I'm thinkin is you are going to one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. And one of the most dangerous! It is going to absolutely blow your fucking mind, it is incredibly exciting to hear your plans. You are so lucky to have to the sense of adventure and the inner strength to bring yourself to go on this journey. I am so excited for you. All I want to do is tell you what know about going there and to maybe give you a little advice from my experience. If you want to know from someone who has been there message me back, and fill ya in on what I know.

Ed 

Correction to previous post " a lot "

Hi Cath, by looking at the picture you posted I don't think a gutter is your biggest problem.
By the type of trees you have, I would say you are in the PNW. Did you use concrete bags on the bottom row?
And it is way too close to the tree to the right. It looks like you have a concrete sidewalk right next to the building. When it rains you are going to get alot of slashing water on the building, not good.
Did you put two rows of barbwire in between the rows of bags? It doesn't seem that you have enough drainage around your building either.

Hello Evan,
I have been following the Ant Village logs since you all started posting. Although I do not envy the challenges all of you face, I am very interested to see how you overcome them.
Anyway, the reason I am contacting you is because you are the one who is most actively posting. I did see on Jim's log how he had a little set back with his wood stove.
To get to the point, I would like to offer him, Sean or even your Dad a free Portable Rocket Stove ( one free stove ), that one of them might like to try out.
It is an impressive working Rocket Stove, all metal on removable metal wheels. I would not recommend putting it in a permanent cob mass, but I am sure rock or brick around it would work great.
If you think one of the other Ants could and would put it to good use to help them get through the Winter let me know.
I will keep checking your log.