Should We De-Filipinize Or Start Caring?

For years, we Filipinos have been viewed negatively by foreign eyes. We’ve suffered ethnic slurs, racial profiling and more.

During the different periods of our history, colonizers, in an effort to demoralize us, called us “indios,” “monkeys,” and “baka.” Translated, these slurs mean just about the same thing --- “idiots”.

Some still continue to call us names in recent years such as the time when someone relegated us as a nation of nannies. Accusations of ignorance, incivility and opportunism have somewhat turned Filipinos into cheap artists offering cheap labor.

We swallowed our pride and allowed ourselves to be the so-called “bitches” of other countries because of poverty. And yet, we are also to blame for our own misfortunes.

Political minds at play met undignified words with their brand of verbal retaliation and nothing more. While we hurrah their efforts, not much has changed. After two EDSA revolutions, we are still the same old country basking in our perennial triumph of being the next tiger economy of Asia that couldn’t seem to shrug off the word “next.”

But how can this country jump to the next level when it’s in such a mess?

Dan Brown’s recent novel, Inferno, was quick to point out that Manila is “the gates of hell.” While he did not lambast the Philippines entirely, Manila, for all practicalities sake, is the Philippines. It is our nation’s capital and the city that represents everything that is our country to the rest of world. To describe it as filthy and evil says an awful lot about us Filipinos.

Criticism should be a catalyst for change. It’s funny that we’ve been so negatively criticized and branded before but remain numb and unwilling to change our selfish ways.

I don’t like Manila or my country being branded the gates of hell no more than the next guy. And yet, urbanization anywhere here leaves a trail of garbage and corruption unimaginable. And so, I would be a hypocrite not to agree that somewhere in this country, hell has an office.

Am I angry at Dan Brown? No. Am I angry with my fellow Filipinos? Not really. I’m just disappointed and amazed that despite years of negative branding, we’ve continued to tolerate the same. We haven’t grown, we got stunted.

But why would Mr. Brown call us that? For the uninitiated foreigner who enjoys a higher standard and quality of life, our country might as well be the gateway to hell.

The stench of rot, defecation and piss that greets you in Manila is probably as putrid as hell itself. Sadly, that’s just the first thing one has to face if they wish to acclimate themselves to our country.

I’ve had the opportunity to live in Canada for over a decade as a federal government public servant. I travelled to the U.S., visited Australia, and crossed the pond to Europe. Unfortunately, the Philippines is a far cry from the places I’ve seen.

I always had high hopes that there’ll be changes in our beloved country. But not much really happened. We are still a desperate nation ruled by selfish people who only want to enrich themselves. There’s poverty, corruption and kids who are undisciplined. Our nation’s future is secured. We will dejectedly endure more of the same.

Rich countries are prosperous for a reason. There are probably a hundred reasons why they’ve become powerful. I won’t elaborate on that. All I can say is that their leaders and their citizens are truly concerned and genuinely care in protecting their nation’s best interests. Unhindered by religious dogmas, they change constantly…for the better.

One example I observed is that they don’t mind the mess inside their homes but they freak out when someone throws garbage on the street when it’s not collection day. We Filipinos work the other way around. We are clean inside our homes but we are apathetic to anything outside of it.

We are a nation who is more interested in the cultures of other. Some foreigners even questioned our identity and authenticity citing our ability to embrace foreign cultures better than we do with our own. Thanks to our fascination to foreign media, we became culturally-savvy. And yet, we fail pick-up the very virtues that made them so great.

Nothing is wrong with taking inspiration from others or from going abroad to work. I did it and I think it was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. And like most expatriates, I’d rather be here. But you can’t buy in completely to that notion when you see how our country is being panhandled.

We are a paradox. Despite our better points, we prefer to put the bad ones out on display. If that’s the case, then why are we so offended of being viewed so negatively? How do we expect foreigners to love our country when we ourselves can’t even stand it?

In my experience, Filipinos who go to these beautiful countries tend to adjust and abide by their rules. It stupefies me that we can’t muster any effort to do that here.

Truth hurts. It always does. But we’ve only resorted to countering with words. Too much talk, not much work. If we wish to be competitive, we have to take action.

Negative reactions will not change how the world sees us. We have to change how we think and start really caring if we want to gain the respects of outsiders. We can’t ride the coat tails of other Filipinos who became successful internationally. We have to do it collectively or risk sharing the downfall.

As for Mr. Brown, I think we should be thankful he pointed out our faults. He should even be commended. I haven’t read the book but I’m interested. I want to know how others view us as a people. And maybe everyone should have the same opinion on the matter.

Criticism should be a catalyst for change. It’s funny that we’ve been so negatively criticized and branded before but remain numb and unwilling to change our selfish ways.

Just my two cents…

About The Author

Victor Dela Casa is a Filipino-Canadian who spent over a decade working as a business professional in Canada. Worked in IT, finance, marketing, international trade, public service, project management and the maritime industry. Earned degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines and Business Administration Honours from Eastern College. Currently based in the Philippines and working as a professional writer for a multi-national business processes firm.

Places To See Before You Die

The world is filled with beautiful places to visit and discover. Here are a couple of beautiful places you probably don't know actually existed and may want to go see before you die.

1. Plitvice Falls National Park (Croatia) - more info

2. Wisteria Tunnel (Kitakyushu, Japan) - more info

3. Cinque Terre (Liguria, Italy) - more info

4. Tunnel of Love (Ukraine) - more info

5. Blue Lagoon Hot Springs (Iceland) - more info

6. Ball Pyramid (Lord Howe Island) - more info

7. The Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia) - more info

8. Underground River (Puerto Princesa, Philippines) - more info

Where to travel with the new tax laws

Affordable Destinations in the Age of the Fiscal Cliff

With the world’s economy in shambles, affording the cost of travel for an exotic getaway is proving to be a challenge for the average household. The dollar may have stabilized compared to the Euro and the Pound; but the latest Congress-approved tax laws isn’t exactly peachy (although the new inheritance and gift exemptions will make any Warren Buffet wannabe jump for joy).

Europe’s top travel and tourism destinations can cost one somewhere around $3,000 per head a week. Australiaisn’t getting cheaper anytime soon. And Japan, my dream destination, can cost anyone their life savings.

The rule of thumb is “if you can’t afford to travel, then don’t”…or use those credit cards you’ve been holding out on since the bubble burst. But having debts, especially credit cards debts, isn’t as practical as it used to be. But what if there are quality destinations you can afford left in this planet?

Welcome to the list of the most affordable tourist destinations you probably didn’t know in the age of the new tax law. This is a list of some popular exotic places in the planet that won’t cost you more than $100 a day.

Egypt

When you think about this African paradise, you imagine pyramids, camels, bazaars and sand -- lots of it -- all under the scorching Mediterranean sun. Sounds fun and expensive, right? Think again. What we didn’t expect is the cost of living in the land of Pharaohsand one of the world’s first cradles of human society.

Egypt’s hotels far outnumber the demand for it thus the price for a room won’t cost you an arm and a leg. For $60 a night, you can get a deluxe double room in Luxorwith a view of the Nile Riverand free breakfast. A private room by the Mediterranean Seain Dahab will only cost you $20. The entrance for the pyramids is dirt cheap with prices ranging from $3 to $17, and some already includes a guide. A train ride from Cairo to Luxorfor only $20. In terms of food, you can’t go wrong with street foods only costing you less than 5 cents to restaurant servings at $5 a plate. The best part about Egyptis that it’s not hard to spot a place to eat, stay or guides in the city because they will come find you.

Mexico

This Canadian favorite winter getaway is already a bargain even before the economy broke down in 2008. With the current exchange rate as it is, Mexicoremains quite the deal. The tremendous bargaining power the U.S. Dollar has over the local Peso makes visiting truly worth it.

Accommodations and tour packages is affordable especially if you find a local colonial age themed city or a beach resort where natives are the dominant visitors. A three-course meal will cost you $5 to $8 at the local market. A nice hotel room is around $70 with breakfast and free wi-fi. A round of good ole’ fashioned cerveza for $5.

Thailand

This country is a popular destination for travelers of all budget levels. With the amount of deals on airfare, tours and hotels, Thailandremains to be one of the best bargains in the world. Everything is easy to find and there’s an abundance of coast lines for the ocean-loving tourist.

A standard double at a 5-star hotel in Bangkokwill only cost $250 or less each night. Much affordable accommodations are also available for the intrepid tourists. If you are looking to satisfy your gastronomic cravings, Thailandis popular for its delicious street foods and oriental-style restaurants – and they’re literally dirt-cheap, for a lack of a better-term. A plate of pad-Thai is only $2, no kidding. Admission to the ruins in Sukothai is under $2 and it’s practically the same for most popular Buddhist temples. With the savings, you can take a train ride up north to Chi’ang Ma-i for only $40.

Everyone I asked about Thailandonly have good things to say about visiting the country. With the cost of living in the country, you can get way much more bangs for your buck and more places to see.

Philippines

Our very own country boasts some of the best tourist destinations in the world but the lack of exposure means that there aren’t that many foreigners visiting and the cost of travel at a minimum. The country’s conversion also helps. The U.S. Dollar currently stands around $40 against the Peso and there’s quite a mileage for each buck spent.

The only drawback in the Philippinesis that tourist destinations and traps are spread throughout the county but if you like to hop islands ala Amazing Race it can be paradise. Hotels are the same rate or just a few clicks higher than those in Thailand. Budget accommodations are also available. A jeepney (local transportation mode) is only 2 cents a way and inter-provincial travel won’t cost you more than $50 from Manila. Admission to public beaches is at $2 per head. There’s plenty of everything here with the country being one of the most diverse culturally and gastronomically in the world. It is also considered as the one of the most-tourist friendly. A burger meal at a local fast food like Jollibee or McDonald’s is at $3 and most three course servings at restaurants won’t cost more than $10. What about the beer? A bottle of beer is only a buck for most pale pilsner brands.

Czech Republic

The costs of living in Europe’s big cities are often double that in the countryside. The Czech Republic is no different. While hotel and restaurant prices have gone up in Prague, it’s outside of the capital where one can truly find value. Yup, it’s a taste of Europe without the Euro price.

If you are looking to head outside the capital, visit a hilltop castle and stay in a hamlet close by. Most accommodations are $100 or less with breakfast. A 12-bottle wine tasting, my favorite, is only $20. With the savings, you can go on a cross country tour by train for $12 or less per way. Eastern Eurpoe is known for its exotic locally brewed beer and you can get a bottle for a dollar. Speaking of hill crest castles, the average entrance fee is only at $20. That’s quite the deal.

Peru

The temples of Machu Pichu aren’t the only destination of note in Peru. The country boasts its capital city, Cuzco, as one of the most beautiful cities in South America. But do you know that Peruoffers guided trips to the Andes, the Amazon River and Nazca?

This country has the cheapest deals on this list. You can find some of the best quality rooms and hostels at $4 to $10 per night. The entrance to the Cuzco Inca Museum is only $2. When it comes to food, a big traditional lunch with beer is $7 while a simple meal at a countryside restaurant for two is only $6. That’s not the only offering. As mentioned, there are guided treks and tours to the Inca ruins, the Amazon, the Andesand Nazca lines. All of which won’t cost you more than $40 a head. Now, that’s a deal!

The Congress-approved fiscal cliff deal may have taken more out of some people’s pockets. The only shining light is the new estate and gift tax exemptions that allow one to gift a much larger portion of their inheritances without paying the taxes. At least with this deal, a regular employed American can still afford to travel the destinations I listed.  

Before you talk to your estate planner, consult with a travel agent first.

Visit these local travel related websites for great travel deals:

Arlene's Travel and Tours

Bataan Buenalink Travel

Book Below Zero

Tags: estate planner, travel agent, estate, new tax law, African paradise, travel and tourism, fiscal cliff deal, estate and gift tax exemptions, inheritances, winter getaway, cost of living, best tourist destinations in the world, a taste of Europe, beautiful cities

About The Author

Victor Dela Casa is a Filipino-Canadian who spent over a decade working as a business professional in Canada. Worked in IT, finance, marketing, international trade, public service, project management and the maritime industry. Degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines and Honours Diploma from Eastern College. Currently based in the Philippines and working as a professional writer for a multi-national business processes firm.

Philippines: Matter of Taste

Note: ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES! !!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO RELIEVE STRESS..... 

This is so funny...take time to read it all the way to the end..

The following is from a British journalist stationed in the Philippines . 

His observations are so hilarious!!! !

MATTER OF TASTE 

By Matthew Sutherland 

I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in most respects well assimilated. However, there is one key step on the road to full assimilation, which I have yet to take, and that's to eat BALUT. 

The day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigration and ask them to issue me a Filipino passport. Because at that point there will be no turning back. BALUT, for those still blissfully ignorant non-Pinoys out there, is a fertilized duck egg. It is commonly sold with salt in a piece of newspaper, much like English fish and chips, by street vendors usually after dark, presumably so you can't see how gross it is. 

Food dominates the life of the Filipino. People here just love to eat. They eat at least eight times a day. These eight official meals are called, in order: breakfast, snacks, lunch, merienda, merienda ceyna, dinner, bedtime snacks and no-one-saw-me- take-that- cookie-from- the-fridge- so-it-doesn' t-count. 

The short gaps in between these mealtimes are spent eating Sky Flakes from the open packet that sits on every desktop. You're never far from food in the Philippines . If you doubt this, next time you're driving home from work, try this game. See how long you can drive without seeing food and I don't mean a distant restaurant, or a picture of food. I mean a man on the sidewalk frying fish balls, or a man walking through the traffic selling nuts or candy. I bet it's less than one minute. 

Here are some other things I've noticed about food in the Philippines : 

Firstly, a meal is not a meal without rice - even breakfast. In the UK , I could go a whole year without eating rice. Second, it's impossible to drink without eating. A bottle of San Miguel just isn't the same without gambas or beef tapa. Third, no one ventures more than two paces from their house without baon (food in small container) and a container of something cold to drink. You might as well ask a Filipino to leave home without his pants on. And lastly, where I come from, you eat with a knife and fork. Here, you eat with a spoon and fork. You try eating rice swimming in fish sauce with a knife. 

One really nice thing about Filipino food culture is that people always ask you to SHARE their food. In my office, if you catch anyone attacking their baon, they will always go, "Sir! KAIN TAYO!" ("Let's eat!"). 

This confused me, until I realized that they didn't actually expect me to sit down and start munching on their boneless bangus. In fact, the polite response is something like, "No thanks, I just ate." But the principle is sound - if you have food on your plate, you are expected to share it, however hungry you are, with those who may be even hungrier. I think that's great! 

In fact, this is frequently even taken one step further. Many Filipinos use "Have you eaten yet?" ("KUMAIN KA NA?") as a general greeting, irrespective of time of day or location. 

Some foreigners think Filipino food is fairly dull compared to other Asian cuisines. Actually lots of it is very good: Spicy dishes like Bicol Express (strange, a dish named after a train); anything cooked with coconut milk; anything KINILAW; and anything ADOBO. And it's hard to beat the sheer wanton, cholesterolic frenzy of a good old-fashioned LECHON de leche (roast pig) feast.. Dig a pit, light a fire, add 50 pounds of animal fat on a stick, and cook until crisp. Mmm, mmm... you can actually feel your arteries constricting with each successive mouthful. 

I also share one key Pinoy trait --- a sweet tooth. I am thus the only foreigner I know who does not complain about sweet bread, sweet burgers, sweet spaghetti, sweet banana ketchup, and so on. I am a man who likes to put jam on his pizza. Try it! 

It's the weird food you want to avoid. In addition to duck fetus in the half-shell, items to avoid in the Philippines include pig's blood soup (DINUGUAN); bull's testicle soup, the strangely-named "SOUP NUMBER FIVE" (I dread to think what numbers one through four are); and the ubiquitous, stinky shrimp paste, BAGOONG, and it's equally stinky sister, PATIS. 

Filipinos are so addicted to these latter items that they will even risk arrest or deportation trying to smuggle them into countries 

like Australia and the USA , which wisely ban the importation of items you can smell from more than 100 paces. 

Then there's the small matter of the purple ice cream. I have never been able to get my brain around eating purple food; the ubiquitous UBE leaves me cold. 

And lastly on the subject of weird food, beware: that KALDERETANG KAMBING (goat) could well be KALDERETANG ASO (dog)... 

The Filipino, of course, has a well-developed sense of food. Here's a typical Pinoy food joke: "I'm on a seafood diet. "What's a seafood diet?" "When I see food, I eat it!" 

Filipinos also eat strange bits of animals --- the feet, the head, the guts, etc., usually barbecued on a stick. These have been given witty names, like "ADIDAS" (chicken's feet); "KURBATA" (either just chicken's neck, or "neck and thigh" as in "neck-tie"); "WALKMAN" (pigs ears); "PAL" (chicken wings); "HELMET" (chicken head); "IUD" (chicken intestines), and BETAMAX" (video-cassette- like blocks of animal blood). Yum,yum. Bon appetit.. 

WHEN I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago, one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names. The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since. The first unusual thing, from an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname. In the staid and boring United Kingdom, we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them. 

The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard as overbearingly cutesy for anyone over about five. Fifty-five-year- olds colleague put it. 

Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples. Yuk, ech ech.. Here, however, no one bats an eyelid. 

Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names". These are nicknames that sound like -well, doorbells. There are millions of them. Bing, Bong, Ding, and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more door-bell-like combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding-Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on. Even our newly appointed chief of police has a doorbell name Ping . None of these doorbell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear. 

Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied, "because my brother is called Bong". Faultless logic. 

Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where come from "dong" is a slang word for well; perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent!! ! 

Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let, Mai-Mai, or Ning-Ning. The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one: Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while. 

Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy. 

More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of assonance or rhyme, as in Biboy, Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are-best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy). 

Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip). The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver. 

That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to Manila --taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk. 

Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary), and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao , believe it or not). 

That's a bit like me being called something like "Engscowani" (for England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland ). Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not. 

And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name. It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)? 

How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith. How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names. 

Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelievably named town of Sexmoan (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles). Where else in the world could that really be true? 

Where else in the world could the head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin? Where else but the Philippines.

Note: Philippines has a senator named Joker, and it is his legal name.

Extras: More Sources of Inspiration

Our Special Day in Bagac

Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated our first year of married bliss at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan. We got a rare complimentary private tour of the place plus a free night's stay. The weather was a beautiful 30 degrees warm, perfect for sun-lovers.

Getting there by local bus from the provincial capitol city of Balanga costs about P50 each and takes about 45 minutes through winding roads that snake around the mountainous terrain. Amazing, scenic views of the countryside, the rice farms and Mt. Samat greeted us during the bus ride to Bagac. Coincidentally, Bagac was also celebrating it's town fiesta yesterday so I know we were in for a treat.

During the bus ride, we sat with these Koreans, a guy and a girl. They don't seem to be a couple and we didn't try asking. We didn't caught their names, but they would, for some reason, hook up with us throughout the day.

Bagac is a small quaint town. Its quiet and simple. There's not a whole lot to see but whatever the locals have, they proudly share it. Everything is small and packed in. There are hamlets spread about by the only road leading to and out of the town. Yet, being there gives you this snuggly feeling. Perhaps it's the warmth and friendliness of the people there to travelers. They are very accommodating and helpful to oblivious outsiders like us.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (LCFA) is the town's pride. A tourist trap for the "can afford it" types. It's a resort-like community or a themepark of sorts. They call it a "Heritage Resort" and it features old houses from during the colonial age. Mansions or Casas aged hundreds of years from all over the Philippines are procured, photographed and demolished on location then transported and re-assembled piece-by-intricate-piece here for the public to enjoy. For P650 entrance fee per head, you can be mesmerized and inspired by the now rare houses that are impeccably restored to their old glory. The Koreans entered the place with us paying the minimum entrance fee without the guided tours. They brought their own snack. The guy's backpack has a jar of kimchi and the girl was nibbling at crackers and navel oranges. We asked them to join our tour but they both opted to scout the place on their own.

Everyone is clad in traditional Filipiniana style clothing. The staff, who didn't mind me bugging them for photos, is friendly and helpful.  Being there feels like you are back in time to pre-independence Philippines. Of course, modern amenities are also given a colonial flare. There are restaurants and snack bars serving local and foreign (Spanish) cuisines. They have their own church for weddings and a mini golf course across the wooden grandfather-bridge. Since LCFA is located by the ocean, they have their own beach with white glowing sands. There's also a 4-foot deep swimming pool and a spa. The place is huge with at least 20 Casas and more still being built.

For P1500 per head, you can get a tour package of the place with buffet meals. We, on the other hand, got a special complimentary (private) tour with one of the executives, Ms. Olive who kindly showed us around--and it's quite a huge place. Statues of children playing and olden time Christmas ornaments decorate and bring a sense of the holiday festivities, complimenting the cobblestone roads that expanses the entire compound. She gave us a tour inside one of the new mansions, Casa de Lubao, and boy were we surprised. The furnishings are rustic, minimalistic yet beautifully designed with matching paintings from the era. So much care and attention to detail is obviously given to ensure authenticity.

After the tour, we ventured outside to the town plaza. We visited a local carinderia called Olive's Food House. As you might've guessed, it's Ms. Olive's mom's restaurant. She served us a hearty, delicious serving of menudo, sinigang, lechon kawali and liempo with matching atchara. Boy were we stuffed! Finally, we strolled the local beach strip. We didn't stay long but we caught up with our Korean friends and hung out with them for a bit before heading back to the town poblacion for church, some "kasoy" shopping and the mardi gras parade. We spotted them later at the flea market haggling with local souvenir vendors.

At around six, we checked into our free room and enjoyed the rest of the quiet evening, reflecting on our beautiful and enjoyable day in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. As we look forward to another year of marital bliss, over a cup of nightcap coffee, I jokingly proposed to my wife asking her if she'd marry me again. She answered amusingly, "of course, sweetheart."

And whatever happened to the Koreans, you wonder? We didn't see them after we spotted both at the flea market. I'm sure they had an interesting time with stories to tell about their Bagac adventure. My wife at least thinks serendipitously about it. Something about this place truly brings people together.

My wife and our son John with Ms. Olive

My wife and our son John with Ms. Olive

Me and my wife Aileen