It has been 14 years since the last time I visited the "Motherland." I was two years old and I only remembered a few things. Ever since then I grew up in America, speaking only English. My mom wanted to take us (my sisters and I) back to the Philippines so we could be in touch with "our roots." My dad couldn't come because he had to work. For three weeks (from July 29, 2001 to August 19, 2001), my mom, sisters, and I stayed in the country full of our family history. I have met family that I never knew I had. All of my cousins are grown up, most are married and have kids. It took me awhile to adjust to the atmosphere. The traffic in Manila is CRAZY! Jeepneys and tricycles are the popular modes of transportation. What I like most about the city are the shopping malls and cheaper prices. I was the tallest person there so it was obvious that I was a "balikbayan." I also visited my mom's province of Batangas, where she grew up in the town of Taal. Despite the masses of bug bites, the scene in the province was beautiful. I can't describe my trip good enough in words so I'll just share a couple of pics from my experience. =)
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Ate Hazel, Me, Tita Jessie, CJ (daughter of my cousin, Ate Charmaine), and Ate Misty at the University of the Philippines, where my mom graduated from as a nurse.
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At Batangas Beach: Kuya Butch (cousin), Ate Misty, Tita Jessie, Me, Ate Abigail (cousin), CJ, Mom, and Ate Hazel.
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Ate Hazel and I in front of St. Martin's Cathedral in Taal.
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Ate Misty, CJ, Ate Hazel, and I in front of the church.
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Mom in front of an old building beside the church in Taal. (I'm not sure what the building is!)
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Tita Jessie and CJ, Me, and Ate Misty at a Talapia Farm in Batangas.
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Me, Ate Hazel, Ate Misty, and CJ at another Batangas beach.
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Lil' CJ says "I'm saxsi!"
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Ate Hazel, Me, CJ, and Ate Misty at my mom's aunt's house in Taal. For awhile I was too scared to sleep there...There had been a lot of stories indicating that there were "others watching us". Thank God I didn't see anything.
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Errol (cousin), Ate Hazel, CJ, Me, Tita Jessie, and Mom at Jose Rizal's birthplace.
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Ate Hazel, Me, Mom, Ate Charmaine, and CJ at the Jose Rizal Memorial in Manila.
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At the bowling alley in the Mega Mall: Mian and Allen (Ate Misty's friends), Errol, Ate Hazel, Charmaine, Ate Misty, CJ (with her mischievious look on her face), Mom, Me, and Tita Jessie.
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Ate Charmaine's adorable son, JC, at his birthday party at KFC. He turned one-years-old on August 18, 2001.
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Our last day in the Philippines was spent eating at a nice Filipino restaurant. First row from left: Ate Maricorr, Ate Abigail, Me, CJ, Mom, Ate hazel, and Ate Misty. Second row: Tita Jessie, Errol, Ate Charmaine, and Kuya Jojo (her husband).
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