All My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready To Go...

Posted by Analyse at 8:07 PM

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Aoûtiens

Camping Advocates

After a lot of last minute changes and hesitations, we're finally leaving for vacation this weekend. It will be a 3-weeks getaway, starting off at the Ardeche area where we will most probably mount our newly-bought tent for the first time. As a growing family, Frenchguy and I both agreed that our miniature tent will not be spacious enough to hold Louna alone so we ended up buying a new one. Tho it won’t be Louna’s first camping experience, we still prepare ourselves to a roller coaster ride with a toddler in tow.

Mountain Climbers

Next in line will be the Pyrenees where we will stay in a nice vacation village situated atop the mountains. We took the option Pension Complete which means everything will be prepared for us, from breakfast to dinner. We deserve a break, okay? A lot of outdoor activities are also proposed everyday so it will be a busy week for us. An in-house day-care is available in case we want to do some sporty adventure sans Louna.

Ocean Adventurers

Next and last stopover will be at my BIL’s beach house at the Vendée area. The house is reserved only for us so it will be a cool moment to spend family time together without worrying about community activities. I particularly dig the ice cream eating session every afternoon.

Back-Packers

All these vacation itineraries had been a pain to organize and I hope everything will turn out alright, that we’ll have a great weather and Louna will go home to Dijon fully potty trained. Frenchguy and I would take separate work destinations direct from our vacation hideaway and the little Miss will spend a week more at her grandparent’s place. Yes, aside from the vacation must-haves that we packed, we’re adding two laptops and our passports on the list.


I’m Living on a Jetplane.

If you have to gauge yourself, what is your competence with process A using machine B ?

That was my boss’ welcome question when I arrived back from a 3-weeks business travel last month.

Bosing, to tell you frankly, I could work with that process using that machine with my eyes closed.

Yabang ko no? But apparently, I hit the right answer. Before I knew it, I got myself named for another assignment and with that came an air ticket and loads of emails. I tried to protest from my boss, telling him that he could surely name somebody from our Asian team with the same expertise, so we could save from air tickets, that I could always act as a support through emails, chat, call conference, video conference yada yada yada, to which he answered :

The request is from our sister company and they’re paying all of your expenses. I’m even checking on how I could charge them your travel incentives and your one week salary. With that said, they’re expecting a credible and reliable support from you…

Oh. Thanks for the added pressure. I really appreciate it.

Now here’s the catch. The sister company is based in the Philippines and I don’t think they know that I’m a Filipina. I just hope they won’t ask their money back because they’re expecting a French expert and all they could get is dark-brown Pinay.


PMN Fam Pics

But before I finally close my bags and hit the road to vacation, I’d like to share to you my un-official entry to the PMN Fam Pics saga’s August theme – Glossy. Here’s my little darling with her Glossy Apple Cheeks. This picture was taken after our summer vacation last year.

Credits: Verena Karolyi for the Papers and Suzanne C. Walker of DSP for the WordArt.


A Star in the Making

And before I end this already long post, please visit this site and listen to the group Plastiq Passion (Jessica Chaos) under the Music category. The woman behind the guitar is a cool mom who rocks between work, family and her passion - music. As she said, some moms do cross-stitching. She plays with her guitar. Ain't that cool? And would you believe that inspite of that seemingly hectic schedule, she still has time to meet blogger friends who lost their way to NY?

And oh, before I forget, please vote for the group ;).


Temporary Hiatus

This blog will officially be on temporary hiatus starting Sunday, August 5. All work and no play make John a dull boy. You wouldn’t want to see me get bored of my everyday life, would you?

See you in September.

21 comments:

tintin said...

Have fun Have fun! Your family is so outdoorsy!

Analyse said...

Tintin, thanks. Yeah, we love outdoors and I think Louna is already bound to be like us ;)

Christianne said...

Crossing my fingers that Louna will behave. Have a blast!

raqgold said...

enjoy your vacation and bring the sunshine with you, too :-)

as for the manila assignment, am sure they would be proud to know na pinay ang darating to work with them, iba na ang galing ng pinay!

Anonymous said...

Finally, work is over...hello to a 3 week extravagant hiatus! You both need a break, and don't worry Ana, I did the potty training with Mimi in Corsica when we came back to Marseille she's completely neat ! Naku si Louna nga mas maaga nag start kesa kay Mimi! I started her training 3 mos. lang !

So goodluck to your business travel again, don't forget my pasalubong BOY BAWANG puede na hehehhe !

Anonymous said...

Wow! That definitely defines what a vacation is, Ana. The Pyrenees! Hmmmm...I would love to go there if only I could. Hope you share your photos.

So, we will just communicate thru the PMN group about our Aug30 EB? Is it still on?

Take care. Be safe!

ScroochChronicles said...

Girl, we are moving on the same wavelength!! I have a draft for my "leaving for my 3 week honeymoon" in the works. Alam mo kung ano ang title...Leaving on a Jetplane!! Alis kasi ako sa September for 3 weeks with the huzbandah. Mag-honeymoon kami...pang-apat na honeymoon..hehehe :)

May tip ako sa yo...pag i-meet mo na yung mga company execs dito, magsuot ka ng hat na malaki tapos may veil. Mysterious effect...tapos pag hello mo sabay lift ng veil. Tapos sabihin mo "Bon Jour" (tama ba?) para magulat sila :)

Before you leave...eto lang advice ko....Enjoy ka ha at wag mong kalimutan ang pasalubong mo sa akin..hehehe :)

Francine Ann said...

ana pag hire kayo jan, hire mo ko incase ur serching for a secretary hehehe.dont worry, minimum lang ang rate per hour

Anonymous said...

Christianne, I really hope so too..

raqgold, we will go down south so it's almost 'sunshine guarantee'. well, we'll see...

re: manila assignment. i don't know but i always feel stressed out when i work with pinoys than other nationalities. sometimes, pinoys have this tendency to discriminate fellow pinoys (or am i just being paranoid?).

haze, that's the trick actually. older kids learn faster than toddlers because they understand more. yesterday, louna apparently removed her diapers alone during her siesta.. is that a sign that she feels icky and would stop the diapers on her own??? abangan.

hehe, boy bawang fan ka din pala ;)

julie, pix when i get back ;)

re: EB. yes, it's still on. I won't be able to participate in the organization tho, ill be leaving this weekend so hope to hear news from PMN mommies once i open my mails end of aug ;) would you be willing to coordinate?

ScroochChronicles, hehe 'leaving on a jetplane' ka naman pala e, ako 'living' as in nakatira na! hey, hindi naman kaya tayo magkabangga sa airport nyan? I guess i have my plane back to France on Sept 3 din. So where will be the 4th honeymoon? .... teka, ano daw? 4th?

re: work. hindi kaya isipin nila e 'ang seryoso nito sa email, jokla din naman pala' hehe..

Anonymous said...

Francine, hindi kaya maubos ang salary mo sa pamasahe pauwi sa Bordeaux? hehe.

Makis said...

What a busy holiday schedule!!! From Ardeche to the Pyrenees, won't you be passing by our way again :D

Napotzki said...

Can't help to envy you for this vacation, so cool.

I made plans of going to Phils also this August,we may catch there. But know what my boss keep insiting to stay..nah, I said. I'll do it nevetheless if you wanted me to stay. Takot lang nila noh!

Wenchie said...

Hi Analyse, have a nice vacation....Btw, you're tagged. Just do it if you have extra time. Take care. Hope to see you also when you get to Manila.

Anonymous said...

Makis, not this time :(. you've got the same question as Haze hehe..

Napotzki, when will you be there? Let me know, we could probably meet up somewhere.. yung malapit lang sa kin hehe..

Rowena, can I do it after vacation na lang? .. and yes, hope to see you too ;)

auee said...

What september??? Well just take loads of pictures ha? I wanna see Louna in her hiking gear
:-P

Also can't wait to hear about your experience in Pinas. I always "dream" about getting deployed in our country for a change. Mukhang pangarap na lang ang free air travel hehe

"See" you soon.

chuching said...

hey analyse, enjoy you three week vacation! pangarap ko naman mag-bakasyon ng walang itinerary. you know, totally walang iniisip where to go next para total relaxation talaga.

anyway, goodluck on your pinas assignment! ako mejo matatakot din if i were to have the same assignment. pinoys tend to be more meticulous kasi.

take care!

Anonymous said...

Have a great holiday! Savor each moment, naks siryus!

Enjoy na lang kayo sa EB niyo, pictures ha? ;-)

Anonymous said...

You are really an asset to your company.

Enjoy your vacation w/ pretty Louna.

Francesca said...

haha, i was laughing hard don sa "they expect a french expert!

which is a true comment, sa pinas pa, they trust more the WHITE COLORED SKIN, than the brown one.

Afterall ha,u are not going there for a Miss Universe pageant , but for battle of the genius kamo!

nosila, bale?

and take the work, ba, libre visit kina nanay at tatay na yan.
Dala ka manga pag balik ha?

Anonymous said...

Have a great vacation Analyse! And please tell us the reaction when they see the French expert in the Philippines. You should have a hidden camera! Have a safe trip!

Heart of Rachel said...

Have a safe trip Ana. Hope to see you soon.