If Jaida Bug could write a letter, I imagine this is how it would go...
Dear Kuya,
The last thing I remember about home was the cold and snow.
It was quite early, but I felt a certain excitement in the air. Instead of dressing me up, Mommy kept me in my warmest pajamas, even as we marched through brightly lit hallways buzzing with the crackle of the intercom announcing flight and gate numbers.
Then we got on an airplane, much like the one we took to visit Auntie Raneeza, Uncle Paul, and Uncle Raffy in San Diego. My ears hurt for a little bit, but Mommy hushed me to sleep with a bottle and my binky. And I appreciated the warm pajamas that kept me cozy.
When I woke up, I knew we weren't on the Mainland anymore.
What, with all the swaying coconut trees on the tarmac, the thick humid air, the colorful leis, and folks greeting "Aloha!" to each other, there was no doubt we were in the island state of Hawaii!
The most dramatic tell tale sign that I wasn't anywhere near Washington State anymore was this, the tricycle taxi. They're everywhere! They're loud! And they're relatively comfortable. Unless it rains.
It's hot here! And humid. It's like a sauna. Mommy says it's good for her skin. And she wears shorts and tank tops everyday.
This place is even warmer than Preacher and Sonya's house! I've never sweat so much as I have in this oven, which makes showers rather necessary. Taking a shower here is an experience of communing with nature. Of course, there's a nice bathroom in the house. But why take a bath the same-o same-o way, when I could take a shower island style! I wouldn't mind the water being warmer though.
There are many things here that are just like home. Like oral hygiene. Here, our cousin brushes her teeth with an electric toothbrush. Kuya, are you remembering to brush your teeth every night?
Another familiar sight here is Uncle Paul! All the way from San Diego! And I've got him wrapped tight around my pinky finger.
Yet another familiar sight is Uncle John, all the way from Saipan! And you know, he is as much a comic here as he was when he visited last summer. Here he is, doing his Daniel Craig impersonation from the James Bond movie.
Oh Kuya, you'd love it here! We have cousins, lot's of them! And they're all loud, and boisterous, and happy, and caring, and doting. I wish you had come along because this might be the last gathering in a loooooong time to come for a reunion to happen again.
I'm meeting aunties that Mommy grew up with...
Aunties that Mommy keeps in close contact with...
You would really like 'em. Besides being so full of love and kindred spirit, they are all beautiful! See?
Every night was a joyful gathering. It's sad that great-grandmother passed away, but you wouldn't think there was a funeral with all the laughter going around. I guess, in a way, it's a celebration of great-grandmother's long, long life, and her legacy. And this wasn't even all of the cousins!
The funeral was quite a spectacle. There was a marching band! And I even got to play with one of the xylophones in the band.
And what more, the other side of the family came all way from the big city to pay their respects. I met Mama K and Papa B, Auntie Netty's parents. (And we thought Auntie was old!)
After the funeral, we all went back to the big city to visit Mommy's mom's mom. Would you believe Mama Dadie is our great-grandma?! We are her sungay. It literally means "horn", like on a bull. But I don't know what horns have to do with great-grandchildren... Well, horns or not, I love our Mama Dadie. She sings old folk songs, and bounces me on her knees. I was told she was quite the singer in her younger days, and a comedian. (Hmmm, maybe that's where Uncle John gets his funny bone...)
Mama Dadie has a furry little dog, which I don't know what to think of. Dogs are supposed to look like Preacher and Sonya, not a mop like this squirmy little thing...
These are Grandpa Ray's brothers and sister. They came along to visit the other side of the family. I was told that this house is where Grandma Riza lived when Grandpa Ray courted her. In fact, this house is where Uncle Paul and Mommy grew up for the first few years of their lives!
This is Grandma Riza's brother. He's quite a comedian too. Hmmm, now I am almost positive that Uncle John gets his comics from this side of the family...
As if the tricycle rides weren't adventurous enough... We all went to Bohol, the island where Mama Dadie and her late husband, our great-grandpa, were from.
While waiting for our boat, Grandpa Ray and his brother played a game of "close-open" with me. Sometimes I wonder if adults know anything... he kept doing to hand signal for MILK, but never gave me the bottle. Oh well, that's okay because I'd rather have sweet, ripe mangoes anyway.
The fast craft whisked us from Cebu to Bohol in less than an hour. The popular snack on board was banana-Q's. They're called banana-Q because they were grilled, like "barbie-Q". Leave it up to the Filipinos to come up with original words!
Papa B was at the pier to pick us up when we arrived. I helped him drive his car. He said he taught Auntie Netty how to drive by letting her shift the gear stick to start. I'm only up to "neutral" gear. And I'm sure that as soon as I can see over the dashboard, he'll let me drive!
Papa B brought a whole entourage of twenty-two relatives to see the "chocolate hills" at Sagbayan Peak. Oh Kuya, it's beautiful here! It's quiet. It's clean. It's fresh. It's Bohol!
But well, if you don't care for these naturally occuring mounds of perfect cones that look like chocolate kisses during the dry season, when the grasses die to a rich brown color, then there's the dinosaur exhibit at the entrance of the park. I also got to meet the Tarsier monkey, the world's smallest primate, reared in a small conservatory at the same park. But you might not like their big, soft staring eyes and miniature fangs... So, yeah, dinosaurs!
We all spent the night at Papa B's and Mama K's house. I made friends with Dalmacio [pronounced dal-ma'-shoh], "Sho" for short. He's much more well behaved than Preacher and Sonya (but shhhh! don't tell them I said that, I don't want to hurt their feelings).
Ah, I'm just so happy to be here! There's so much to see, so much to do, so many people to meet, and so much seafood to eat. Well, YOU could eat it, not me. And we've only been here a week!
Time for my nap. Please take good care of Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa. If only I could talk, I'd tell them myself what a swell time I'm having in such a wonderful place where everyone dotes on their guests, meaning me. Hah!
Your Sister,
Jaida Bug
P.s. You might be wondering why you didn't see much of Auntie Raneeza in the pictures. That's because she was the one behind the camera most of the time. I'll have you know that she was such wonderful company; she played with me, fed me, and changed me when Mommy had her hands full with other things. I would call her to thank her for all her help, but I can't use my words yet. So when I get home, you're going to have tell her "thanks" for me.
.
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