Reminiscing Pre-Pandemic Moments in my Homeland

Summing up the things that made this 2018 vacation full of memories and added up another angle of perspective that I am certainly grateful for.

Traveling without so much fuss is one of the things I missed doing before the pandemic —especially traveling back to my homeland. My last visit was in year 2018—I know, it's been a while.

Today scrolling back on my notes, I found this entry I wrote when I recently came back from my last visit. I think it's about time I finally post it. Reason? Oh well, another —just because.

Summing up the things that made this 2018 vacation full of memories and added up another angle of perspective that I am certainly grateful for.

Family is everything. After all, home is where you left your 30yrs old pink knitted Lola’s handmade doll. Three weeks of highs and lows and yet, staying with my family is without a doubt, one of the best part of my vacation —always have been and always will be. Whether it’s simple as waking up with my nieces and nephews running or crying or whatever admirable mess they create is indeed a blessing. Being there present and taking a part of their childhood —from sleeping next to them or teaching them how to read is an absolute experience. Seeing both my Inay’s (Letty and Yoya) grinning from ear to ear, enjoying the sound of their laughters, hearing their stories of my childhood or simply being able to kiss them good night is my piece of heaven. Eating kwek-kwet balot with my brothers, trying to at least start a car engine with my Uncles, celebrating my little sister’s birthday with my Papa, sharing pizza with my cousins while trying to figure out how come they turned out to be taller than me in a span of two years, strolling ukay-market with my brother’s girlfriend and getting my hair done with my hipag will certainly be on my top list when I'll look back to reminisce.

Faith will always be, one of the topmost things that made me proud to be a Filipina. In the midst of this rocky road life, I’ve always been in awe each time I attend the holy mass in my homeland. A church overflowing with people is a sight to see, not to mention visiting churches even on the weekdays, seeing many devotees in every corner of the church with their fresh Sampaguita, lightning their candles, offering their prayers of gratitude. Sometimes just sitting there on one side, watching people as they leave the house of God and seeing their faces filled with so much hope—that’s an experience that will always linger.

Flexibility and patience will always be my best travel buddies. As expected, things did not go exactly the way I wrote it in my to-do list. Which is absolutely normal from simple reasons like bad weather or annoying traffic and other things that will be absurd to write in details. But so are the unplanned things that made my heart overflow with gratitude —from being able to extend a hand to innocent kids or doing school stuff with my nephews and nieces, being able to visit and exchange warm hugs with my other relatives, attending the Grand Feast with my besties, preparing coffee for my Inay and the list can still go on. Because as the days unfold, there is a certain magic when you choose to stay open to the possibilities that day can offer. Carpe diem folks!

Food, oh yes! Coming back home, the Rice is Rice rule will be on its finest😂 and that means from breakfast till dinner. Add meryenda and sweets in between, food is indeed —life in here. As one working and living overseas, I have my obligations doubled—one in the land where I live and one in the land where I came from—and sometimes it's hard not to be caught up in that rat-race style of living. I often forget how to enjoy little things, some things as enjoyable as eating. Coming back home made me realize to take time and fully enjoy my food and really feed my human body to be able to attend to my responsibilities efficiently. As they say, health is wealth. Check, check and check.

My Best friends. I will always be grateful that through all these years —despite the distance, different time zone, having their respective husbands or kids, being busy building our future or simply living our lives land apart and with all the changes that made us who we are —they still stick around. Shout-out to my dearest friends, I may not be able tell you all this so often but I am really thankful —for sharing a part of you with me. It’s always been a great pleasure to spend time with these beautiful souls. Thank you for the best friendship, thank you for the time. Sitting with you and sink in with our chitchats will always be one of my highlights.

This might be a long overdue post, but I believe it'll be more fun looking back at the photos with these emotions locked in written words. We may never go back to what was, still I can't wait to see things change for the better.

Oh yeah, I just can't wait. Until next time Pilipinas.