Change

There will come a time, really, that change will happen... that positions will switch - one will assume the task of the other, and vice-versa. For Alice and me, it started when we started working abroad... the change didn't actually happen overnight, it in fact actually evolved, and before we knew it we had switched tasks. First of it is when I started doing the cooking. I don't know, but maybe because of my hidden passion for cooking - and eating - I actually initiated doing the cooking everyday at night, after coming from work, and during weekends when we just stayed in the flat. I am not complaining or anything, in fact, I really relished it whenever I come up with a good recipe and Alice gives me the compliment. Cooking for Alice is a joy for me, and hopefully, when the kids arrive, I could cook for them also.

And so I cook. But I always leave the cleaning to Alice. Sometimes when I'm in the mood I'll clean before we eat, but normally I just leave everything in the kitchen and Alice knows that it's her job to clean everything when we're done eating. And it stayed that way. I cook, Alice cleans the dishes afterwards. It was the first switch in house chores that happened to us here.

Then, washing and ironing happened. Of course, back in the Philippines we don't do these things. We don't want to be pre-occupied with these little things since the bulk of work in the Philippines is just too much (if you know what I mean) for the family to survive, and thus we have our own housemates that do them for us. When we start working abroad, things naturally changed. We have to do our own washing and ironing. It started with Alice doing the washing of clothes and me ironing them. And then after sometimes, we just found out things had switched - I'm doing the washing and she the ironing. Thus another switch happened.

Right now, I'm waiting for Alice.

Two weeks before, I waited for her for two days if I remember right in the office because she has to attend to some important meetings. I remembered the times in the Philippines when she had to pass hours surfing the Web, waiting for my meeting/s to finish so that we can go home. Last week, Alice had been out of town the whole week attending to some important work, which left me alone in the flat for five days. It reminded me again of those times in the Philippines when I would attend a seminar or conference for a few days, and she calls me once in a while asking how I'm doing and telling me she's fine at home with the kids. In those five days I normally would call her and ask how she's doing and tell her in the process I'm already back in the flat after work and missing her. Then today after going back from work, her boss called her again to attend another important meeting with the Undersecretary regarding one of her works. And again I was left in the flat waiting.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything. In fact, I'm proud of my wife. I actually thought what happening to her as a career woman shoud have happened to her way before, knowing her work values and her talents. It's a good thing this is happening to her now, and much more, in the international scene. I always thought she can do more, and go places, and make things happen. And the way it is now, she proved that I'm right.

Anyways, going back to what I'm saying - change happens. Before it was Alice waiting for me, and it was me spending extra hours doing extra work and building my career. And doing so, I could say that I'd been successful. All those times, Alice waited in the background, supporting me and egging me on. This time, it's her turn to be successful. And I know exactly what I will do.