The days of my final summer before college have come and gone. Consequent a brief period of contemplation, I'm of the belief that mine was one of the more wholesome experiences amongst my peers. With a vast multitude of happenings common and uncommon, a recounting of the details would, understandably, be to my enjoyment. And so, subtracting the more private features of my time spent, the types of which are better shared between friends and a cold glass of beer, I'll be outlining the most memorable occasions I've encountered.
To preface with, I spent the vast majority of my curricular recess in my home country, the Philippines. Normally my time would be divvied up between three main locations: the city of Manila, the province of Pampanga, and the farther off island territory of Eastern Samar. However, due to time constraints, my self was unable to drop by the latter, where my paternal grandparents are based. So, as always, my journey began in the capital; my father was able to take a couple days off that allowed him to stay a while until his eventual return to the UAE. During that time, my grandparents came to spend time as well, along with occasional visits from other family members. After my father left, my mother went ahead to Pampanga, where her own side of the family was situated. For a week and a bit, my sister and I spent our time on family outings, until being picked up by our mother for our stay in Pampanga.
As much as I took pleasure in the presence of my uncles and aunts with whom we stayed with back in Manila, it was in Pampanga that I enjoyed myself truly, for it was there that I had relatives of my own generation. Why the distant province of Pampanga you ask? The reason for that being, my mother having come from a military family who until recently have been living in BASA Air Base, and have since relocated a short distance away. Five cousins in the same house, foremost among them one of my favorite people in the world, who although not related by blood and technically being my uncle, the negligible age gap and close bonds rendered these matters inconsequential. Through Charlhone, my number of companions increased even more, as his friends became my friends too, a close-knit group of slightly older people whose professions ranged from soldier, to model, to student. It was with them that I employed my time gallivanting around. However, my time with Charlhone himself was much less than initially expected. A 22 year old model, his absence was caused by his entrance to the locally famous television show Pinoy Big Brother, the premise of which is similar to international versions. A few days beforehand, a camera crew came by to film his introduction, which led to my appearance in televisions around the country, if only for seconds of fame. And so we parted ways, unable to see each other again for at least another year, as his tenure was to last longer than my vacation. Of little woe, for to my luck I still had other friends and family with whom I spent my days with.
Other than my hours in malls, beaches, and parks, certain moments during my break stand out brighter.than the rest. Chief among them is that one time I went on an hour-long road trip to Clark, Initially dropping off my cousin's handler on the way, we visited the airbase there, which is to all intents and purposes a restricted area, but through the gates of which we sailed through with nary a hitch. Dropping by the BASA hangar, we were greeted by, as I was told, our ex-neighbors and possibly my sibling's or my godparent/s. The pilots and staff being in uniform, some of them urged me to try one out for size. Some among them, notably the possible-godparent, knew my father from his airforce days, back when he was their superior. And honestly, as seen on my most recent Facebook profile photos, I look damned sexy in a flightsuit.
To preface with, I spent the vast majority of my curricular recess in my home country, the Philippines. Normally my time would be divvied up between three main locations: the city of Manila, the province of Pampanga, and the farther off island territory of Eastern Samar. However, due to time constraints, my self was unable to drop by the latter, where my paternal grandparents are based. So, as always, my journey began in the capital; my father was able to take a couple days off that allowed him to stay a while until his eventual return to the UAE. During that time, my grandparents came to spend time as well, along with occasional visits from other family members. After my father left, my mother went ahead to Pampanga, where her own side of the family was situated. For a week and a bit, my sister and I spent our time on family outings, until being picked up by our mother for our stay in Pampanga.
As much as I took pleasure in the presence of my uncles and aunts with whom we stayed with back in Manila, it was in Pampanga that I enjoyed myself truly, for it was there that I had relatives of my own generation. Why the distant province of Pampanga you ask? The reason for that being, my mother having come from a military family who until recently have been living in BASA Air Base, and have since relocated a short distance away. Five cousins in the same house, foremost among them one of my favorite people in the world, who although not related by blood and technically being my uncle, the negligible age gap and close bonds rendered these matters inconsequential. Through Charlhone, my number of companions increased even more, as his friends became my friends too, a close-knit group of slightly older people whose professions ranged from soldier, to model, to student. It was with them that I employed my time gallivanting around. However, my time with Charlhone himself was much less than initially expected. A 22 year old model, his absence was caused by his entrance to the locally famous television show Pinoy Big Brother, the premise of which is similar to international versions. A few days beforehand, a camera crew came by to film his introduction, which led to my appearance in televisions around the country, if only for seconds of fame. And so we parted ways, unable to see each other again for at least another year, as his tenure was to last longer than my vacation. Of little woe, for to my luck I still had other friends and family with whom I spent my days with.
Other than my hours in malls, beaches, and parks, certain moments during my break stand out brighter.than the rest. Chief among them is that one time I went on an hour-long road trip to Clark, Initially dropping off my cousin's handler on the way, we visited the airbase there, which is to all intents and purposes a restricted area, but through the gates of which we sailed through with nary a hitch. Dropping by the BASA hangar, we were greeted by, as I was told, our ex-neighbors and possibly my sibling's or my godparent/s. The pilots and staff being in uniform, some of them urged me to try one out for size. Some among them, notably the possible-godparent, knew my father from his airforce days, back when he was their superior. And honestly, as seen on my most recent Facebook profile photos, I look damned sexy in a flightsuit.
