quintessence: MANOK, MOTORSIKLO and WATUSIS

quintessence: MANOK, MOTORSIKLO and WATUSIS

MANOK, MOTORSIKLO and WATUSIS

"Mommy, when are we going to the manok?" "Manok" is my son's byword for my parent's home in Bulacan. They practically enjoy chasing my father's chickens and roosters around. They like very much feeding them too. Ama gives Yno and Deen the chicken feeds, they throw the feeds on the ground, and suddenly, all the chickens are huddled together around them. I can hear my sons laughing as they throw more feeds in different directions.

Recently, Yno has discovered a new interest. He loves riding Ama's motorcycle. Before, he is too afraid to ride on it, now he is too excited! Ama and his grandson Yno have found a bonding time in the motorsiklo as they slowly and steadily roam Malibo for errands and for visiting Yno's Ninang Marlyn last Christmas. It is a surprise for me that I feel less danger in Yno riding the motorcycle with Ama than when we all ride my husband Dino's Innova! Aside from the seatbelts, we have to hold the hand rails as Dino speedily curves through the streets of Manila and then suddenly screetches with the brakes! With Ama's motorsiklo, there is no seatbelt, no handrails; nonetheless, I feel that Yno is safer riding on it, just as I felt safe then riding on it when I was still a child.

Gone were the days when trompillos, fountains, luces, roman candles, five-stars, bawang, baby rockets, whistle bombs, watusis and the likes are fads during New Year's celebration. When we were kids, we were already delighted at the sight of a fountain in our midst, or a trompillo that is fast turning round and round in a wooden pole. A bonfire is usually lit in a vacant lot where we throw 5-stars and other types of "labintador" (per dino) or "rebentadors" (as I knew it). We cover our ears everytime there is a sporadic explosion of firecrackers but enjoyed the smell of dust and the reverie. We even delight in the simple "harmless" watusis, except that one time our little brother Rey swallowed some of them and we all panicked! We observed Rey after swallowing the watusis (we don't know how many) but when he appeared normal, we proceeded to again scratching the watusis on the ground and watch them sparkle to oblivion. My sister Ellen, on the other hand, after that particular New Year, gathered the dusts from all the luces, formed them into a volcano, then lit the mound with a matchstick. There was an explosion and after it cleared, we saw Elen covered with smokedusts, with her eyebrows burnt and her fingers with blisters. She cried aloud upon realizing what happened. I wondered what Inang could have felt then upon finding her daughter in the middle of an explosion. I never saw Elen touch a Luces after that.

Nowadays, the fireworks are quite different. Last night, when we gazed at the city's facade, the skies abound with all sorts of pyrotechnics and displays of lights and colors. Only few have fountains; we only saw one trompillo and watusis are absent! We can hear continuous explosions of labintadors lasting for 30 minutes or more. The endless parade of fireworks in the skies is a source of amazement to everyone. Yno and Deen would clap their hands each time a nice display flashes in the sky. As for Dino and I, for the first time in years, we didn't buy any of those firecrackers; not even a simple luces. That's a drawback in condo living. No space, no space. Without the simple bangs, we felt that New Year is not the same. Maybe we will try anew next year.

A PROSPEROUS and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Two weeks or almost! December 21 is our office' christmas party.. and the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th (christmas day!), 26th, 27th, 28th( that's today), 29th, 30th, 31st, january 1st are all holidays for me!! 11 days, imagine 11 days without work! because of the length of time that i am on vacation, i failed to keep track of what particular day of the week it is everyday, except today that i am doing this blog while my youngest deen is fast asleep..my two boys, as usual, are both vying for attention every minute. so even if i wanted to (very much), i haven't had much time for myself. we spent time watching thomas and friends, bob the builder, blue clues, christmas carols, fireworks, santa claus and all sorts of children's shows. i played with deen as he finds shapes and letters in the house..he chuckles every time he finds a shape, but he can't find an octagon so he settled for the yno's railroad tracks. yno is a helpful brother, he helps deen finds shapes but is always annoyed when deen destroys his well-organized railroad tracks..i also had a great time playing the car races (on my cellphone).. i am already on track 7, of course, while deen closely watches so i can't even see the screen of my cellphone. i was able to finish reading Father JJ's Yayee 4: Embraced by God.. very good reading and very inspiring.. i was able to read it while my three boys (including my husband dino) are fast asleep at night.. i realized i only have time for myself when my boys are sleeping!
overall, i had and still having a good, relaxing vacation...to all, hope you had a merry christmas.. wishing you a prosperous year of the rat!!

Yno and Deen

"A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer."
For lack of time to really sit down and make my planned scrapbook, i just decided to post, for posterity, some pictures of my kids... Most moms have taken the time to prepare a scrapbook, do an album or neatfully arrange their children's pictures... i haven't done the same.. their pictures are still stacked in envelopes or otherwise saved in my home pc!! and everytime I try to put them all together my kids are huddled beside me, asking, "what is that mommy?" and I just find the pictures thrown in all the wrong places..

so finally I gave up and decided to just create a blog ... and hope that someday I will finally have my own quiet space to assemble all the pieces...but in the meantime, i just have to satisfy myself with the chaos brought by my growing kids. children are children only once. i have to enjoy every moment with them, and shelve the scrapbooks that i am dying to do..

On Board an Emirates Plane

Remember that article "From Boracay to Greece"? I can't help but post a reaction to that because mine is an entirely different meaningful experience...

I had been fortunate to be sent to a seminar in France in December 2006. My husband Dino decided to come with me and since we do not have the financial luxury, we decided to get the cheapest and most affordable airline. Our travel agent got us Emirates economy class tickets.

The author, in her article, portrayed our Overseas Filipino Workers as a noisy and excited lot, almost without breeding. To this, I STRONGLY disagree..

The line at the counter of Emirates at the NAIA International Airport is rather very long compared with the other airlines. This can be attributed to the fact that Emirates has captured the market with its reasonable rates and that Dubai is also a destination hub of many.

The drawback for the cheap airline tickets would be the long lines. Some tourists, even I and my husband, complain and are impatient for these long queues. However, we have noticed that there are people, like the OFWs, who wait patiently in line, probably almost wishing that their turn to to reach the counter won't come. Who will be excited to leave their families behind for months and years? Obviously, the OFWs are not too eager and excited to leave as if going into some sort of excursion unlike some tourists in the line. I have not heard anyone queasingly ask the other passengers the question "domestic helper ka rin ba?". Almost everyone, except maybe the likes of the author, are plainly quiet and in a meditative mood. Some look tired; others seem nervous or melancholic. The atmosphere is not festive despite the holiday season. Is this due to the fact that the OFWs are too reluctant to leave and terribly missing their families already? That they are afraid of what will become of them in a foreign land and worried about their children and families? That they are worrying about how they can pay the loans incurred for the placement fees?

When we are about to reach the counter, I saw one passenger holding an unopened "skyflakes" and mineral water. He was told that he cannot bring the "skyflakes" and mineral water inside the waiting area. The man had to throw his "baon" in a nearby trashcan. I thought, what if he hasn't taken his breakfast yet and doesn't have enough money to buy food inside? My husband noticed the same and he said to me, "Gutom na rin ako, sana hindi mahal ang pagkain sa loob."

And so the time has come for us to board the plane. I find the legroom of seats in the plane comfy for an economy class. It is not possible to have bruises in one's legs unless one has a habit of wriggling around. There is the initial inconvenience when people put their handcarry baggages on the overhead bin which is usual for many types of planes. However, contrary to what the author had claimed, there were no complaints about those in the economy class carrying overweight handcarry baggages. (For if they do carry them, these won't be allowed in the plane at all.) The attendants in the Emirates plane are well-bred enough not to treat their passengers like boisterous children in a schoolbus. They treat their passengers in the economy class with respect and cordiality, possibly in the same manner they are treating those in the first-class seats. Again, I have not noticed the passengers, particularly anyone saying, "Hoy, kumusta ka na? At taga saan ka? Domestic Helper ka rin ba?" I've heard some people talking to each other though, about the places they've been to, like "Have you been to Greece? Spain? Where else? Oh, this place is great, they have this and that! etcetera, etcetera.." It's a good thing the plane has ear muffs, one can just easily shut off these people from one's world.

The meals on board the plane are sumptuous, complete and well-presented. Emirates offers wine even for those in the economy class. The utensils are genuinely made of silver. The pillows and blankets are brand new and disposable. The entertainment system is superb. I was able to watch two full-length classic movies while Dino watched several Hollywood action adventures.

After my seminar, we also took the Emirates plane going back to Manila. We had the same experience, except that, in the waiting area, I can see signs of joy and excitement in the faces of our fellow Filipinos. It is nearing Christmas, and just like them, we are excited to be united with our families. Home sweet home at last!

While waiting to get out of the plane, I heard a "tourist" with unknown accent blurt out "It's been a long time I left the country". "I can't believe I am back. I hate the traffic, the pollution, and the weather. If not for this reunion, I wouldn't have come back." His companion said, "Is that so? You should not have come back. You are better off there.." and WE ARE BETTER OFF HERE WITHOUT YOU, I very much wanted to addOver all, except for the long lines prior to boarding, our ride on board an Emirates plane with OUR FELLOW FILIPINOS is worthwhile and satisfying. Our experience in Europe as tourists is something else. But that's another story. One thing is sure, I still prefer touring the Philippines. And so does my husband.