Valentine's Day Surprise!

Now my hands is totally occupied by Valentine's day gifts. It is my first gift to receive from my husband on this day.

Then, I finally made sort of sense that why my husband insisted to go to his working place, University since yesterday.

In this morning, I was in the house to finish some of my freelance work. My husband sent me a message via google chat whether I really come to the campus or not and what time. Now I understand why he asked me in this morning.

I thought he was going to ask me some work to do. So that is why he wanted me to be there today. Ok, ok ok...I will go!

It is rainy day. I was bit lazy to go out. But promise is promise(I am very Japanese :D). I left for the campus by bicycle. Along the way, rain began to fall hard. Eventually I was wet even I used umbrella. My small pink umbrella just covered my upper body.

I was so wet and messy when I arrived University. As soon I arrived, two students approached to me holding several items and asked me whether I am a wife of a worker by mentioning my husband' name.

Yes, I said. I haven't concentrated on these people's talk yet since I was still fixing myself. One of students handed me three items, three big red and white balloons, cake and flower.

I instantly interpreted that these gifts might be for workers from University :D A student explained about these stuffs in Tagalog but I understood half of what she said. Then, I concluded the conversation by saying: I will tell and hand these to my husband. He was still in the class room. In this way, I stupidly answered to her.

She puzzled and showed me a small card which was attached to the box of cake.

In the card, I found a message: Ik hou van ... By the way, this is Dutch.

My eyes followed the message and found my husband name at the end of message.

Oh, no...

These gifts are for me!

Unromantic Japanese woman here has never thought of it. Hey, but if I think the situation, why unknown students who delivered these gifts could approach me? It is strange.. They were informed usual my parking location by my husband..

He likes surprise. It is very his way.

I was so surprised and happy at the same time.

Why I was surprised? 
He admittedly says he is not a person to give a gift. In fact, I am always the one to pick gifts for someone in occasions, birthday, Christmas and so on.

In addition, first gift he gave me was a piece of broken glass which was washed by waves for long time (I do not know whether it has specific name or not). I bring this small piece when I travel. From this experience, I understood his idea of gift is with some stories and memories.Things itself is not so important for him..

Flower and cakes?? what happened to my husband? 
These are typical gifts on the days. I have never received these from him. (by the way, for us it is not normal!)

Then, I analyzed this situation...it might be a sort of Valentine package..

Later, I learned he helped student's entrepreneurial idea on that day: deliver these flower, balloons and cake with message card to loved one. They might be business admin students. So I made sense of this kind of choice.

I should have given an advice to the student for improvement of their service because my hands was really occupied by these gifts. It was nice box of cake had small handles..and so on.. 

                                                                                 

However and of course...I am happy and thankful for him.

I felt that he thought of me even he has been quite busy past few weeks. Gifts will be gone soon but moment of excitement and surprise will be remained as a memory of Valentines' Day.

Thank you, agom ko. * Agom = husband/wife in Bicol language...

In many ways, it was surprising Valentine's Day.

    

A Story of Valentine's Day

Here in the Philippines, Valentine's Day is pretty alive in different way from my country. Romantic Filipino tend to be more romantic except my husband. Maybe in his way, he is romantic but it is not applicable to his wife.

How romantic Filipino is?

While I was working in a NGO, I observed gifts- whole big cake and bouquet - were delivered in our office on the day. This was for my male colleague.

Both cake and flower is quite big. I could see the sender spend a lot of money. Not only the amount she spend, but also I could see she made an effort to do it on the Valentine's Day. I was quite amazed at her courage.

However, my colleague who was supposed to receive these was not in the office. His presence was not controllable but surely sad.

I thought my colleague will keep these but...

One of colleagues opened box of cake and started to cut it. OMG! is it fine with him? Some explained they somehow broke up. Hey! but girl still sent this to him on this day. It must be the sign of willingness going back to the relationship.

Among my colleagues, they know each other well even their love life. So in this sense, as long as they say it is ok, it must be ok. But I felt guilty to have a piece of cake.

Her romance certainly feed us not him. We badly enjoyed a piece of cake.

The story did not end here.

Another colleague started distributing flowers to other colleagues. They asked me whether I liked flower or not. Yes, I like it but flowers from that bouquet?    

Eventually, a whole cake and rose bouquet have been gone.

This happened in the weekend. I did not hear any complains or comments following week. I decided not ask him what happened to him and that girl. But I thanked that girl to provide us nice snack in the long afternoon working hours.