Christmas at Home

January 11, 2007

(My internet connection isn't working well yet hence my silence since my previous post. Today, I'm happy that there's an improvement. Medyo mabilis na ang uploading….medyo lang, compared to its pace in the past few days. So I'm taking advantage of this opportunity to post. I'll just give you a glimpse of how my Christmas vacation went.)

I spent nine happy, simple days in my hometown last December. There's nothing like being at home with your family on Christmas. Ang saya! I've enjoyed the company of my parents and my three brothers. Kulang nga lang ang members ng family ko. My only sister didn't spend Christmas with us because of work (she's not allowed to take a leave during holidays which are considered peak days). Anyway, I'm happy to have a lot of conversations about what everyone has been up to, catching up on what's been going on although we often send each other text messages or exchange calls when we're not together. Iba lang kasi talaga kapag kaharap ko sila. Iba ang feeling.

I'd like to share a picture of the street in front of our house. Those kids in the picture were playing patintero. They asked me later on to join them…and I did. Aba, player yata ako noon ng patintero sa school namin However, my team lost . 

Tahimik sa lugar namin. At 6 in the evening, halos wala nang tao sa street na yan. Masarap din matulog kasi panay ang ulan, malamiiiiig….. Air is fresh. Thanks to these trees which surround our house.

Hindi lang trees ang nasa bakuran namin. We also have rootcrops like cassava and ube. I had fun harvesting some of them when I was there. Tadannnn….

No, hindi po camote 'yan hehehe. Ube po yan, the purple root which is made into ube halaya or jam. My brother made a lot of ube jam out of these (ang hirap palang haluin! Kapuy gyud! ). Nanay made tasty ube maruya. Tipid sa handa, galing lang sa likod ng bahay namin hehehe.

I also visited some people who have influenced my life, friends and relatives who never forget the childhood days I spent with them, like this happy, simple couple who are close to my heart who obliged when I requested that they dance to a song being played in the videoke machine.

I really had so much fun. It was indeed a nice time to relax and enjoy life's simple pleasures. These are the reasons why I'm always excited about going home: the place which nurtured me in my younger years and the people who have shown me unconditional love. These are what pull me back to my hometown while at the same time inspire me and give me the courage to spread my wings in the city.

Good bye, hometown, for now. I'll be back soon.