HOME SICK HOME: Idiotic, Nostalgic, and Adventuresome

our family residence at Tagum City, Davao del Norte

IDIOTIC

It was the last weekend of August. I was pretty giddy while on that idiotic evening flight to Davao. I remember I was all happy and excited whilst reading the Sunday paper and sipping some house coffee. I will be seeing my family! Aside from seeing my relatives and friends, I will be meeting my high school batchmates for a day of extreme activities (ziplining, wakeboarding, etc.) in Davao City. I couldn’t even care when my flight seatmate noticed my odd grinning, I was just excited.

I tried to read my paper, just to be compliant with my Sunday routine. However, my eagerness made it difficult for me to focus on the articles. I only managed to remember two news clips.

Slimmers World STEP UP Philippines 2011

YU-YU

News #1 - Our then upcoming competition had been announced in the national spread. Oh noes, that meant more mainstream competitors to battle with! Just when I thought this one's off the radar. Tsk.

News #2 - Ironically, the SundayBIZ section of Inquirer featured my hometown mayor's youngest daughter and her neat cafeteria YuYu that serves Western food, the first (or probably the closest to serve the authentic) in our city. I was pretty intrigued with the place that I muttered to myself, "I MUST dine here before flying back to Manila."

So anyway, after my arrival I scouted for public transportation in the airport, my first time by the way, Papa and Mama had always fetched me until today. They have sold our family car a few months ago, and it would be a little rigorous to ask them to travel to Davao City just to fetch me at the airport. And besides, they were at the moment entertaining a visitor, my ninang Casimira Villacura whom I fondly called Mama Mira when I was still a baby boy. Background: Even as she has four kids, she stood as my second mother, and I've always treated their family as my own. I last saw her when I was still in elementary school.

Me and Mama Mira

Mama Mira and the Co family

Mama, Papa, me, and Mama Mira

Me, uncle, and my cousins at my uncle's house

One of my favorite cousins, Christine Co

I so missed these guys. Working very far from them, and having to see them only around twice or thrice a year, makes me feel really happy just to be there sitting beside them, catching up, telling stories, and laughing a lot.

my cozy bedroom; Mama knows my favorite color is blue, thus the beddings and curtains

and even the wall paint!

the bathroom is no exception

my graduation pictures

another grad pic

another blue, an addition to our ref magnets, an item I bought in HK; hmm.. I think I've just decided on a new collection to start

Despite the fact that I had little rest the previous night, Papa woke me up very early. He said we're jogging in the city plaza. We jog while Mama attends the Tae Bo class, which takes place in the plaza every morning.

I was a little surprised, and glad mostly, to know that my parents are involved in a healthy lifestyle. They really have bad habits of eating fatty foods, so knowing that they're trying to burn the fats through constantly participating in morning workouts is more than good news to me.

I told Papa that I have no shoes and proper outfit. But to my dismay, his extra pair of shoes and running shorts were already sitting on top of my bed.

Love this shot. :)

Mama and Berna (my aunt)

I didn't expect it but I did have fun exercising with Papa and Mama. It's one of those rare moments where we actually participated in a single activity. We don't really fight a lot, but we don't have a lot of common interests either. So I'm glad I got up that day and actually spent some time with family. :)


NOSTALGIC

While heading home after the jog, I realized that life in my hometown is something that I'd want to have when I grow old. In fact, if I had only career opportunities there, I would have already moved back home right after graduation. I am just more inclined to a laidback lifestyle.

My envy of the laidback life furthered when I met with my high school batchmates in Davao City the following day. We met to catch up and to try doing some of the renowned Davao extreme activities; I'll talk about this part in separate entries. But my point is, when I was with them I realized how stress-free their lives are, how time is so slow for them, and how relaxed and contented they are. Me is envious. :(

Luningning, Jed, Sybil, and Lesele

Tagum night market

In Tagum, house hold = pambahay. lol

To top my vacation, we had a karaoke session on the eve of my departure. I guess Mama trusts me more now since she let me have a few drinks even if I had to go to the office early the next day.

By the way, before I end this entry, let me just tell you that I was able to locate that Yu-Yu cafeteria and had a tasty pasta there. All I can say is that the place is worth featuring in a newspaper page.

after a day-long blackmailing, I was able to get my friend Jed to drive me home to Tagum City. bwahaha

we found the YuYu shop right at the main intersection of the city

playful colors

the menu

ARRIVIDERCI, DAVAO!

December.




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By the way, did I already mention why the trip was IDIOTIC?

Well, I was originally booked to go home to Davao on a Friday night (after office) and come back on Sunday night, ingeniously-designed by yours truly to avoid having to file a leave. [FYI: I am running out of vacation leaves for the year and I can’t sacrifice my Christmas vacation] I have planned this whole trip months ago and have actually purchased the tickets at the start of the year. HOWEVER, with all the luck (or should I say idiocy) that I possess, there were errors in the booking of the flights. Instead of Manila-to-Davao (Friday) and Davao-to-Manila (Sunday), I booked Davao-to-Manila (Friday) and Manila-to-Davao (Sunday).Genius, right?

Good thing Monday and Tuesday were holidays, thus I utilized my Manila-to-Davao (Sunday) flight and booked my flight back on a Wednesday morning. It meant I had to ask my batchmates to move our activity date from Sat to Tues, and that I had to go straight to the office from the Manila airport. Pretty troublesome. But who cares, the fun was worth all the trouble. :)