Our House in the Middle of the Street: My Trip

It's been a couple of weeks since I've been back in good ol' Denver and I thought I'd post a few pictures and thoughts about my recent trip to the Philippines. As most of you know, I spent about a total of 10 years of my childhood there. My Dad worked as an expat that required him to work in the Philippines and Korea two to four years at a time. I left the Philippines when I was eight years old, lived in Korea for four years, and then moved back to the Philippines for another 2 years. By the age of 14, we permanently moved to the United States. My childhood in the Philippines is marked with wonderful memories. There were picnics in the park, rollerskating in Camp John Hay, bicyling through Burnham, playing with my cousins, eating ice cream in Session Road...and these are only a few of the many memories that reinforces that the Philippines is my true home. I was very anxious to return after a 12 year absence. I was excited to see the changes but more excited to see what had not. After a torturous 30+ hour trip, we were finally in Baguio City, the city where I was born. It is about 6 hours from Manila, a beautiful city nestled in the highlands of the Philippines, surrounded by pine trees and sunflowers. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines" because of its mild weather. It is much cooler than the hot and humid Manila or the lowland provinces. Although the city is now overrun by houses literally built on top of each other, there are still some beautiful views of the mountains and the rice terraces that inhabit them. I was in shock by the amount of people that walk the streets and the number of cars on the roads (which by the way lacks any form of traffic signals or laws). Riding in a car required lots of prayers and gasps as we narrowly avoided oncoming cars left and right. I was able to visit many familiar places such as the churches I once attended, the grottoes that I once visited, the parks, the restaurants, and many other landmarks. Being pregnant, I did not hesitate to each every morsel of food that I had not tasted in years! That included many of the fruits such as star apples and chiccos or the vegetables---ararusit, zayote, cigarillas (sp?), and many others. I also enjoyed the roasted corn, siopao, and halo-halo. Nevertheless, Mike was VERY jealous. Aside from the food and the places I visited, I was also able to spend some time with my family. I am the only "girl" cousin who resides in the States so it was very important for me to spend time with my girl cousins in the Philippines. I grew up with them and always considered them my best friends. It was nice to reconnect and I already miss them terribly. The trip only reinforced my love for my country and the traditions that I hope to pass on to my children. Family, faith, and community are such integral parts of the Pilipino culture. I hope Mike will be able to join me on my next trip to the Philippines, no doubt he will enjoy it!