People in the Philippines - Pearl of the Orient Seas

Philippines---the Pearl of the Orient Seas

Most of the times, specially when I am sitting down in front of the computer, I cant help but reminisce my beautiful country, the Philippines. I cant help but be mesmerized by the beauty of it, beauty inside and out, just like a Filipina woman. I look at the pictures of the beautiful scenic spots and it makes me happier. I will always remember the times when I went to Banawe rice terraces, Chocolate hills at Bohol and even just looking at the rice fields stretching along Cagayan Valley always uplifts my mood. My country is a rich tropical country filled with people who are relaxed, happy and intelligent. People are humbled by lives experiences but they remain resilient and hardworking.

To those of you who don’t know where the Philippines is……it is a country in the southeast Asia bounded by the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam. Northeast monsoon is from November to April and the southwest monsoon is from May to October. The total population according to the latest census is approximately 89 million (as of 2007). It is divided into three large island group, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Places are accessible round the clock through airplanes, buses and ferry boats.

Why I miss the Philippines?

The People

I miss the people, they are happy and always ready to smile and help others. They cant seem to be troubled by poverty. Most of their riches are encapsulated in their smile. They persevere through hard times, knows how to be happy, and most of all, knows how to survive through tough times. They know what life is all about. They love going to the mall, having fun, outing and singing at the karaoke bars. How I miss karaoke, I could sing Boulevard and I will always hit 100%. Now I can only sing in you tube. Everybody need to have a cell phone there. It is a fashion statement. People from all walks of life sending SMS non stop, it is a way of life.It is a unique culture.

I miss the life in Manila too, the city life. Even if I am far away I can still see what is happening there, (thanks to technology, internet), whether the media is putting hype on everything, politics, flooding, life etc. I am amuse, I know better than that. I miss my four beautiful children. I spent half of my expected life expectancy there. I miss the university where I used to work, and university life. So cool at the state university, all people from all walks of life and many come from different places all over the Philippines. It is like a cultural hub.

The sceneries, beautiful beaches, dialects

I miss the beautiful beaches in Palawan, Mindoro, although my friend in college before will always boast about the falls and the unexplored beaches in Samar, and even farthest to the north, Cagayan Valley. I miss Pagudpod.When you travel either by bus or through the sea, there is unending sceneries, blue and clear water, forest mountain, rice field or just trees, which make you wonder, how can a country so small yet so rich with natural resources. I spent my childhood in Cagayan Valley and I miss the caves where I use to just go once a week in Callao caves with my friends and enjoy walking in a tunnel cave. I was never afraid, instead, I always enjoy it.

I miss talking in Ilocano (my native tongue) with a fellow Ilocano in person. If you are a Filipino, you can almost speak two or more dialects, of course everybody can understand Filipino and English in general, even though some will have difficulty speaking. I can speak Waray, Ilocano and Bicol but with difficulty, although I can understand it very well. I can speak and understand Filipino and English very well.

The food, pampering and the like

Even though Filipino foods are available here, I still miss the way my mother cook adobo and beef steak, pinakbet and laing, my mother cooked the best laing in the world haha. I don’t think I can cook the way it is cook like my mother does. I will practice some more. I miss fish, ask me what kind of fish? Galunggong of course and bangus (milkfish). I miss how Raquel will cook for me. I don’t know where she is now, she used to help me with my children and she maintain the house for me. I miss the comfort of being wake up in the morning and Raquel will always tell me, ate your coffee is ready. So before going to work and going out in the busy streets of Manila, I am ready for anything that is going to happen. Whew, I guess I miss the life I had there, I am pampered. I use to juggle my time studying, working, maintaining a household, it was a little tough but I always get some help. It was difficult being a single parent. At present, I became more energetic, I mean physically, unlike before I do minimal household chores, now I can almost do anything, cook, wash, iron at the same time. Oh, how I improve doing household chores. I also love how I change and become more responsible doing household chores. I use to depend on help. Sometimes, I miss the pampering huh.

The Unique way of life

I miss tricycle, pedicab and jeepney, I miss people staring at you when you are inside jeepney and you also laugh while they are talking inside the jeepney. I use to text while inside the jeepney and it cost me my cell phone (whew brand new and expensive at that time). I miss the crowded malls, I will go to the malls with my children and they stay at kids at work and play video games while I roam around and window shop. I miss the haircut that costs only fifty pesos, and Nancy who use to go to the house to cut my nails and tell me ate, its time to change your pedicure now. Service at the house yay. I use to go to SM mall and wait for the show onstage waiting for moviestar, haha. I want to make Raquel happy, for helping me in the household.

I miss the karinderya (eatery), where I can eat anything and it is cheaper, my stomach is also used to turo turo style (point point). That’s the way to live in the city, you are ready to eat anywhere. I miss adidas (chicken feet), IUD (inside of chicken), and other street foods. I used to eat at state university (UP) where they also sell this stuff.

Oh I miss festivities too.

Huh….wishes wishes,,,,One day I will be there and I can experience everything again.