Homesick

The last time I went home was back in Feb during the Tet holidays in Vietnam which allowed us a break from work. Two weeks was too short to relish all the things I missed in Manila, and I can't wait to come home in December for Christmas. Fingers crossed, I'll try for a month-long vacation! In the meantime, below is a random list of what I miss back home:


1. Speaking in Tagalog ... and understanding what people talk about around you. Back here, it still feels weird sometimes to be hearing "noises" unfamiliar to your ears. So everytime I bump into a Pinoy on the bus or wherever, I can't help but smile. We pinoys also relish the act of talking in Tagalog without the others understanding us. Gumaganti lang for the times that they talk in Tieng Viet during meetings without caring to translate to us poor foreigners what the hell just went on. :P

2. My family! Especially my little cousin Leslie, who I am happy to hear is still her old feisty and naughty self. I miss the little brat. One of these days I'll write a blog entry about her.

3. Just when I am inches away from turning 30, I'd have to say that I miss Parental supervision. Or should I say, grandparental supervision. Our fridge has junk food, we don't eat breakfast, wake up really late on the weekends, can watch TV all we want, go home anytime we want, our sink has a pile of dirty plates... Yeah, I never thought I'd say it but I miss *some* grandparental supervision. Back home, if I did all those things, my Lolo would be on my case. For sure.

4. Friends. The ones who really know you and perhaps grew up with you. I've met some really nice people here too, but it's just not the same. My sisters are my friends too and I sorely miss them!

5. The malls. I wasn't really a mall rat, but when you go to a place with no real malls, you tend to miss it. Mall of Asia, Gateway, Trinoma (which I haven't been to), Town, even the megamalls cramped with people.

4. Oh, the Food. I think I have had just about had my share of pho, spring rolls and wraps. I need heavy duty pinoy stuff.

5. Movies that come on time. Case in point: they still haven't shown Transformers here when the rest of the world has moved on already to The Simpsons movie. How sad is that? May I also add that I miss nice cinemas, and not ones that look like you're in Ever Gotesco or YP.

6. Bars that close after 12. Seriously!

7. Good music. Good pinoy music, live acts, updated songs on the radio. Ang uso na kanta dito ay "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" ( you ought to know by now how much i love you...) It's not even funny anymore.

8. Manang, how we miss you. We have help that comes to clean 3x a week. But on the days that she doesnt come, the house is a mess.

9. Driving a car. Sure, the bikes are cute to look at but since you don't know how to ride it (and you don't really relish the thought of doing so), you are stuck with 3 options: walking (tiring), cabbing (expensive), or riding the xe om (ruins your hair and can be scary if you end up with a crazy driver).

10. How things don't work in the Philippines but you miss it - politics is dirty, the government is laughable, the peace and order situation is not exactly peaceful and orderly, brownouts, water scarcity (at least in BF where i live), less pay more work... You grew up with it, you are both frustrated and entertained with it. In the end everytime you see something remotely or ditectly related to the Philippines, you feel a surge of pride. You still have faith that it will be better, eventually, and even if it doesn't we will get by anyway.

11. And on that note, I also miss Pinoy showbiz: Ruffa, Gretchen, Kris, Piolo... all that hullaballo Could anything be more colorful than pinoy showbiz?


In fact, can anything be more colorful than the Philippines? In a way only pinoys can get - I seriously doubt it.