1. Becoming a "gaikokujin" mommy::外国人ママになる

Getting pregnant with our first baby was a big change for our household especially because it was only a few months into our marriage -the time when we were still learning the ins and outs of an international marriage in a foreign country.

Anyway, as soon as we confirmed that I was 2 months pregnant, we spent the following days reading about the growth of our as yet unborn child, gathering information on how to give birth in Japan, knowing the employee privileges from our respective companies and most of all, being a gaikokujin here - the legal processes we have to undergo.

The entire preparation process was a bit tiring but full of excitement and fulfilment. Also, I learned a lot not only about the general theories of pregnancy, but also the different practices of pregnancy in my own culture - the Filipino, my husband's - Bangladeshi and the country we live in - the Japanese culture. But in the end, we both agreed that theories on childbirth could be universally right or wrong and that finding the “common ground” between us is what matters most.

It wasn't easy getting pregnant, giving birth and rearing infant in a foreign country, but we were able to cope up, so if you are a gaikokujin expectant, just relax and enjoy waiting for the gift of life :D