10 Things I Miss the Most from the Philippines

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of April 2-8, 2012.

Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

When some things that are very important to us become suddenly lost or just not around anymore, that's the time when we finally realize how much we miss and love those things (and people). That's exactly what happened to me when I first left my homeland after more than 30 years of living there, when my family and I were suddenly "uprooted" and transferred to Chicago.

It was some kind of a whirlwind situation for us that I didn't even have the time or the comprehension to grasp what was happening and what it really meant for us. As for me, as long as my family is together, it doesn't matter what journey we had to embark, or where ever God would allow us to be. At this time, we’re in Chicago and that's that.

And yet, this doesn't mean that I don't miss my life back "home" in Tacloban. Now that we've settled in Chicago well enough, I have more time and the needed peace to think over and ponder what has transpired in the past (almost) 7 years of our lives. Too many words have been left unsaid to friends and family back home; so many things to be done that are neglected now, or have been taken for granted, since I've never really thought that we would be leaving the Philippines.

And how about the countless great things from my homeland that we’ve left unappreciated and un-enjoyed? With the power (and maybe the curse) of hindsight and afterthought, I would have loved to explore and enjoy my country more in the past 20 years of my life if only I've known I’d be missing it so much now.

As promised, here’s one of the articles for my "10 Things-series" that I've talked about in my previous article. This is a bit of nostalgic and bittersweet; I hope you’ll all bear with me.

(1.) The warm, summerlike weather all-year round. I know that one of the most exciting things to look forward to in coming to America is to experience winter, snow and cold for the first time. But I'm sorry to say that even though snow can be pretty, fun (for kids) and heart-warming especially during the holidays, winter can get old so quick. Just like how I've taken for granted the beautiful, warm climate in the Philippines all my life and now I want it back! I've come to realize that I can live with warm weather anytime rather than have winter for 5 (or more) months a year.

(2.) Summer outfit, sandals and "tsinelas" (flip-flops). Of course, with the summer-like weather comes the short-sleeves, pedal pushers, skirts, summer dresses and sandals. My toes get cramped with thick socks, closed shoes and boots for too long. (Sigh.) I guess that's why we love our summers here in Chicago too much because we know how short and fleeting it can be.

(3.) The "greeneries" and flowers everywhere. Winter time can be gloomy and sad sometimes. What with all the "dead" trees, shrubs and no flowers (except in the flower shop). I don't care now if all the forest of plants, shrubs, grasses and coconut trees in the Philippines bring bugs and insects. I'd rather have green around me than gloom. I may be exaggerating quite a bit here but I think you know what I mean.

(4.) The beaches, sand and salt water. Oooh, how I love and miss the beaches back home! We do have a huge lake here in Chicago (Lake Michigan) and a very long river (Chicago River) but there's nothing like salt water and beach sand. I miss the way the specks of our black sand in San Jose, Tacloban twinkle under the sun. Again, I guess we miss what we don't have anymore.

(5.) The short commutes, jeepneys, tricycles and "pedicabs." I go to work everyday by train (with a short walk) and I'm thankful that I don't have to drive and no traffic to contend with. But (here's that but again!) the train ride takes about 40 to 45 minutes one-way and I'm stuck on the train for 1 hour and 30 minutes everyday. That's 7.5 hours a week, almost a day in my computation! Oh well, I guess it's not that bad. I just miss the 10 to 15 minute commute I had to make to work when I was in Tacloban, then I can go home everyday for lunch, too! (Sigh again.)

(6.) The food! And that brings us to the food. Do I need to say more? I know how we get tired of our everyday Filipino food sometimes that we might have a craving for a "McDo" burger or a Japanese sushi once in a while but imagine having no Filipino delicacies and specialties the whole year round! (Like the chocolate moron, binagol, "law-law," ginamos, "buraw nga bulad," or my Mama's famous Carabao "beef" steak.) Oh my, my. my..... I'm drooling just about right now.

(7.) The "malling" experience. For some reason, malls in America have a different feel and ambiance to them compared to the ones in the Philippines. Although I really didn't go much "malling" in the Philippines except when we were in Manila every Christmas season to be with my husband's family, and yet I miss the Filipino way of "malling." We do mall in style! Even if it’s just to cool off from the heat outside. (LOL)

(8.) Siestas, "istambay" and "pahuway." Do I need to elaborate on this? I feel that I've been deprived of pure relaxation and "real" vacation for almost 7 years now. Oh, that's not counting the one time we went home to the Philippines for an "almost-a-month" of vacation 3 years ago. That was great! I need more of those please.

(9.) One word: Alice. Ever since I can remember right after I got married, we've had Alice in our life in Tacloban. She's not just a nanny to my son nor a helper at our home. She's family. She helped me with household chores and endless domestic errands while I worked full-time. She took care of Meldrick just like any mother would. She cried when we left for Chicago, I bawled. Now, I'm left alone with everything --working full-time, taking care of my husband and son (not that I'm complaining), the cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming and "attacking" the endless pile of laundry and ironing every week. Whew! It's now more than ever that I appreciate what Alice did for our family.

(10.) Family and friends. And of course, what is life like without family and close friends? It would be like going through the motions of life but not actually living it. I miss them so much. I miss the weekly fellowships we had at friends' homes, sharing a meal, playing games, having Bible studies, laughing and crying together, loving and growing together. I miss my parents, siblings, nephews and nieces, and cousins no matter how frustrating and "hair-pulling" stressful they can be sometimes. That's what family is all about, right? That's what they are there for, to make our life "miserable" yet full of joy, full of "drama" yet we’re filled with inexplicable fulfillment when they’re around. How I miss them so.

"10 Things"

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of March 19-25, 2012.

Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

Ever since I've written the "10 (Unsolicited) Advices for Teenagers" (see EV Mail News issue for January 23-29, 2012), I can't get over the fact that I've really, really enjoyed writing that article. I'm not sure if any of the readers enjoyed it too but I loved writing it. It was an easy-breezy for me. I actually finished writing that article in just one sitting and I was laughing the whole time. For the most part, I was imagining my son while I wrote each of those 10 advices. I can vividly picture his facial expressions and eye-rolling. Kids! I can't get enough of him but sometimes teenagers can really wear down any parent, even the best of the best among us.

But I didn't write this article today to reminisce on that previous one. I'm introducing to you the "10 Things Series" for my column. Since I've enjoyed writing the previous "10 Advices," I plan to write more "10 Things" in the future. I will vary it once in a while of course, but I'd love for you to join me in the countdown of several 10 things in my world. The possibility is virtually endless! 10 favorite things, 10 worst things, 10 most beautiful "whatever" things, 10 most annoying "whatever" things, and so on and so forth. I can't wait to get started, but not today though. This is just an introduction remember?

For some unknown reason, I’m an organizer. I'm a planner and I'm a manager. I love to have things in order, like from 1 to 10, if possible. Sometimes my husband teases me that my "neatness" and orderliness can come about as "obsessive-compulsive (OC)" at times. Take note that I placed the word neatness in quotes because I don't consider myself as neat, I'm just organized. Big difference.

A number of people in my life have already taken noticed of my "organizational abilities." Even with my household chores when I was still in the Philippines were "categorized" by day, per week, and according to importance. But wait, I'm not done yet. Those chores were also listed on paper. I actually had that list on my refrigerator door for my "assistant/nanny" Alice to follow each week.

One of my Pastors in Tacloban saw that list one time when he came by our home for a Bible study with my husband (we were newly married then) and he commented on my being "organized" based on that list. I was so proud of myself then but thinking back now, um, I think it was a little bit over the top.

I still do my lists until now. I have them on my PDA, my cell phone and on my computers (work and home), but I still love to write my to-do-lists on paper. I guess old habits are hard to break. And as I "mature" in age, I found out the hard way that remembering things in my head alone doesn't work that effectively anymore. I can't escape it, I do need those electronic and paper reminders more than ever.

The thing about those lists is that I do follow them strictly. It seems like my day is not complete and I feel I haven't really done anything constructive if I haven't at least checked-off half of my to-do list. I'm a creature of habit and I can't help it if I follow a list to help remind me of “very important” things I need to do, and then to actually do them. What's the point of having a list if not to do it, right?

So for now, one of my to-do things for today is to finish this article and email it. Check! Then I have to begin with that next article of "10 Things" so I can share with you my "OC-iness." Get it?

And as a follower of Christ, one of the "10 Things" that is very important in my life is the 10 Commandments given by God to Moses as recorded in the Old Testament. I know that as Christians we don't live under those Laws anymore in order for us to be right with God because we are under God's grace through faith in Jesus, and we're not judged under the Law. But as Christians we still have the obligation to follow and obey God because we love Him.

"(1)Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

(2)Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

(3)Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

(4)Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

(5)Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

(6)Thou shalt not kill.

(7)Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

(8)Neither shalt thou steal.

(9)Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

(10)Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's." -Deuteronomy 5:7-21 (The numberings are mine.)