I don't even know where to start with this whole experience! Sigh... Let's go from the plane. The flight was very long, but otherwise uneventful. We were made to sit through three bafflingly stupid movies, who's names escape me at the moment. One was about platonic teenage vampire/werewolf love in the northwest, or so it appeared without sound. Another was exploiting civil-rights struggles to a sentimental effect with more Dakota Fanning. And the other was about a roller derby and Juno.
We landed in Manila crazy late at night and we were met by my cousin Enrique (it was the first time I was meeting him) and he helped us gather our luggage and pack it into his crazy looking diesel minivan. The last time I was here I hadn't really hit puberty just to give you guys a reference point... I tried to get pictures of Manila as we were driving out but it was too dark and dusty so nothing really came out very clear. Manila was... I don't even have the time or words to describe it right.
My dead great uncle's house is WAY THE FUCK out in the countryside, so we had a 2 hour drive to contemplate the universe and such, as we all sat in awkward silence. At first we tried to make small talk, but it's really hard to not be awkward when a man that you've never met is dead and everybody but you is grieving about it. So I pulled out my ipod and I covertly slipt an earbud into my ear while I blasted some tuneage.
When we got to the house, Jordan and I were to be sharing a mat at the top of the stairs. It is extremely hot and humid here, so we each took "showers" before sleeping. The bathroom is completely tiled with a a central drain, and to shower you ladle water over yourself out of a 5 gallon bucket. It would have been off-putting, if it weren't so hot. It's actually very conservative, and since showering 3 times a day in the heat I've grown fond of it.
Mosquitoes above our mat
We have to leave now and meet the aunties in the mall. To be continued...
5 comments:
so im guessing you don't speak tagalog? haha. i guess visiting back there has its pro's & cons (more cons for you, it sounds like) but i honestly miss it. well, kinda. i'd prefer to visit rather than live there again, not gonna lie. last time i visited was in the summer of 2006, right when i graduated from 8th grade. just curious, which part of the PI are you in? in luzon right?
well.. i hope you make the best out of your visit :P
good old Philippines, lol.
It grows on you, and strangely enough, the last time I was there, I also attended a funeral...
Grandmothers are special aren't they? I loved my grandmother way more than I ever loved, or will love, my parents. My grandmother left Poland at age 14 and never returned. She never saw her mother or siblings again.
Her courage has allowed me to be an US citizen, though.
Grandmothers are special aren't they? I loved my grandmother way more than I ever loved, or will love, my parents. My grandmother left Poland at age 14 and never returned. She never saw her mother or siblings again.
Her courage has allowed me to be an US citizen, though.
That pic of the mosquitos is making me itch all over! There's no way I would be able to get to sleep at night knowing that's what's hovering a few feet above me. brave man!
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