Home Sweet Home

Leaving my birth place to live with my mom here in the US has been hard for me. I moved all the way from the Philippines to Jersey City only two weeks after graduation. I left all the important people in my life for a chance of a better future for most, if not all of the Filipino Nursing graduates aim to live and work abroad to earn money for their families. I left my friends, my family - my grandma and my dad, and my boyfriend. We had been in a long distance relationship for more than a year now and though it was quite difficult we still managed. 
Anyway, my vacation to the Philippines was kept secret to my dad and grandma. Although most of the family knew, I insisted on surprising them. Thank God my dad doesn't have Facebook. lol. A fifteen hour flight from JFK to Hong Kong, 3 hours layover, a 2 hour flight to Manila, another 6 hours of waiting at the NAIA domestic airport for my flight home and an hour flight bound to Bacolod-Silay Airport. That sums up to 27 hours of travel but it was all worth it. All the stress went away when I saw my boyfriend, Eric, who has been waiting for me at the airport for more than an hour after my last flight got delayed. The moment I saw him I thought it was too good to be true. I've been looking forward to coming home to kiss him and embrace him and I have been dreaming for that moment for days, weeks even. That's why on that moment I thought I was still dreaming of being back home. 
I was beyond ecstatic and the feeling of being home still hasn't sunk in me that the drive to my house went by faster than it normally would... even though it was dark and drizzling. When we arrived at home I sneaked inside my house and my dad was so shocked to see me that he hugged me so tight. That was one of the best feelings ever. It was really good to be back home. 
I was up early the next day and jet lag was not in my vocabulary nor does my body feel it so I asked Eric to drive me over to where my Mamang lives. The thrity minute drive to my grandmother's house was filled with non-stop talk with house music playing in the background. Well, whatever tickles our earbuds. Another very surprised face greeted me when I arrived at her house. Mamang is my dad's mother and the family calls her Mamang. She practically brought me up and I've lived with her until I was 15 and then we moved to the city. Since 2007 until 2010 she has lived at Wildwood, New Jersey with my aunt but came home because she was lonely. And I missed her so much that she was one of the reasons I went home. 
It was a great start for my 3-month long holiday and I was really glad I came home. There is no place like home and nothing compares to the warmth of the embrace of your loved ones.