The year is almost over

This year has been a roller-coaster ride and I'm glad my wife is always here with me and I with her. We finally have a new home! There are still a couple of things to fix and furniture to buy though. Also, we never anticipated the inconveniences of following up documents and paying dues -- from the Engineers to the people at the City Hall to the utility companies.

Teaching is good but research is kind of faltering in the sense that there are few research opportunities. -- I'm glad though that our 3 year research proposal to DOST is approved. Hopefully we get the research fund early next year. I am under the impression that our research grant is a very small part of government budget devoted to research.

My undergraduate thesis advisees have been very diligent -- hopefully they will finish their projects on time.

Building our dreams - bit by bit

We wished to have our own home for a long time. Late last year, we finally started building one. The groundbreaking went without fanfare. The "trabajantes" even asked us if we are to celebrate the groundbreaking with lechon and pancit. Since we don't have any money to spare -- we have to disappoint them.

Our architect -- vis-a-vis -- our project manager is very efficient. The second floor of our house is already partitioned. Next week, our house will have roofing. Possibly, the stairs will also be in place next week.

Building a house, we realized, is not easy -- even if a husband and wife have decent jobs. You have to cough up a huge amount for house-bonds and for starting up the construction. In fact, the bank will not release your loaned money until X percent of the construction is done. I envy those OFWs who have the dollars to have their houses built. I have been thinking lately, that if -- a big IF -- I stayed a little bit longer in the US, I might have the money to finance the house construction without resorting to loans. Now, a substantial part of our net pay goes to mortgage.

Hopefully, we can transfer to the new house before the summer vacation.



State of construction, late December 2007



Planning for the construction, November 2007