Enjoying Budapest and sticking to our budget

Bonjour! From Budapest we have flown in to Fontainebleau, France where Insead is based as Anthony continues his EMBA studies.  The children and I are thrilled at the chance to be able to accompany Anthony here and spend quality time together in between classes, during lunch breaks and after school, sharing a meal or training as a family doing a variety of workouts like gym work, a swim at the nearby pool and a bike ride around the school vicinity.  So far, what has been an unforgettable and such a precious experience but also very tiring is regularly walking to Insead and back home.  It is a total of five kilometers!  It takes us 30 minutes and even longer at times, when we choose to visit the grocery.  It takes much longer when we decided to visit enchanting Chateau Fontainebleau just a few blocks from where we live.  I find this practice of walking for long periods of time together such a blessed experience because we are constantly discussing a variety of topics and several options on how to get along as we have unique inclinations as well.  There are also moments when no words are shared but our hearts are intertwined, nonetheless.  How we manage to cooperate and live harmoniously with one another despite our differences is a simply beautiful experience that I know I will keep going back to.

This would be our longest stop as we stay here for 12 days, and we are blessed with a lovely home to stay in.  It’s a three level house with a sprawling 1,800 square meter lawn! Our wonderful landlords have had the chance to live in various Asian countries that they have fallen in love with. Having us in their homes is something they feel has connected them once again to the continent they miss.

I love having conversations with our landlord, Evelyne Matha. She was here the other day to measure a window in one of the six bedrooms in their chalet. She apologized for having disturbed us but I assured her we didn’t mind at all. She asked the cleaning lady to come tidy up the house a bit and to lend us a bicycle and offer us assistance if we needed a ride to go anywhere. Such a gracious landlord! She and I agreed to sit down soon to have an extended time together and be able to consume the champagne they have prepared to welcome us into their home.  Before she left, she reminded me that people are more important than all the beautiful sights we will see when we travel.  I agreed with her and vowed to make the most of our engagements with people as we get enthralled with all the magnificent sights we will see as we continue our travels.

There is of course a cost attached to every story and experience I relate to you (more like a price for every word). And so our continuing integration of financial management principles and techniques as we share this “journey in progress.” But as Anthony has stressed himself in the stories he’s written the past weeks, we receive as much learning and insight as we give you, our readers, through our own personal reflection as we go through this life-changing trip with each other and our children.

One affirmation we have received as a family is how important group travel is to us. Here in Europe, it isn’t only important, it is a given or second nature to families to travel together every year! Not so much because of wealth; it’s as if it’s part of how they maintain their health! It keeps them sane, is almost like a stress-reliever, and is considered part of every person’s education.

Seeing its impact on our family now, we have begun discussions how we can keep this going in the most “cost-effective” manner. Some ideas include closing some business contracts with the network through my studies, negotiating internships for the children to help effect costs, timing the trip during sale periods (it’s amazing to buy shoes and clothing at — believe it or not — Divisoria prices!) and focusing on a travel and credit card partner to maximize points for future travel (like our 20th year together next year!)

Another valuable lesson is to do away with having to carry cash that may end up too little to exchange when our trip is over.  Even if there is a common currency like the Euro, not all European countries have adopted this. You’ll be amazed at how many bills and coins we have from all over the world that we have in our house from previous trips, and I know we are not alone. Using a card is convenient and economical because you get the best value for your money without having to pay extra for having changed to different currencies and stacking up the loose change after!  It is also great to feel secure about having to own a card that is recognized in the establishments we have visited.  Of course we have to be mindful of our credit limit and make sure we are on track with our budget.  That is when our online banking comes in handy.  Even as I write this column, I am coordinating for payments that need to be made - in cash, check and electronic banking - to our network in Manila. This is technology at work!

In between the glamorous sites we visit and high tech activities we are experiencing in the “modern world” we cannot, and wish not, to ignore.  Since we travelled without any helpers in tow, Anthony and I have had the chance to savor the cooking of our children for the majority of our meals each day. Masarap na, mura pa! Without this approach, there is no way we can survive our expenses here in Europe, given Anthony’s already “challenging” tuition : )  A basic rule” play your role IF you want to eat! Some will do the grocery, others will do the cooking. Still there are those who will set up, and I will do the clean up! Anthony? He keeps the team motivated! (Extra candies or budgets for those who do exceptional well. All my children have fixed personal budgets to start with and everyone keeps tabs to make sure we don’t go over).

When all is said than done, people are truly more important than things or budgets, or even the Eiffel Tower. Without people to share these with, they wouldn’t really matter. Over the weekend, we had the chance to take the train to Paris to celebrate the birthdays of our eldest daughter, Ella who turned 17 and our youngest daughter, Solana who turned two.  We were welcomed by friends Robert Mongaya and Boyd Hedriana and their families. They met us at Gare de Lyon and we whisked through the metro swiftly to go from one location to another.  Everything happened so quickly and at one point, I almost had a heart attack when my youngest son, Benjamin was left behind in the metro.  Good thing angels came to the rescue in the form of a mother and daughter tandem and my son was brought back to me in no time! And yes, we did go to the Eifel Tower once again and other famous sites like Arc de Triomphe, Pont Alexander III Bridge, Champs-Elysees.  Ella requested to get some macaroons at Laduree to share for her birthday. That evening of our arrival, our friends prepared a feast for us, which made our daughters’ birthdays truly memorable. Last Sunday was a picnic with the Filipino community that made us feel like we were back home. Truly the hospitality of the Filipino is extraordinary. And when one thinks of that entire weekend, beyond just the Filipino, what made the time special and unforgettable, in spite of the costs incurred, is people.

After Anthony wraps us here in Fontainebleau, we will spend a few more days in Paris before taking a six-hour bus ride to Amsterdam where we would have our last stop.  That would cap our month long journey and we are all looking forward to more stories — and financial learnings — to share with all of you.  Au revoir!

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