Time came my mom has to go abroad for work. And for more than 10 years, we only see her in pictures or  talk to her on the phone. Then, after 12 straight years, she’s able to come home for a vacation. Finally,I thought we can have our picture taken as one complete family with the addition of my husband, my sister-in-law and my nephew. We can have a complete family portrait mounted on the wall, the one that i dreamed of.

But I was wrong, on August 2008, the same month as my mom had her vacation, my dad passed away. I wasn’t there yet when it happened. I arrived on my dad’s burial. It was a strickenly  sad moment. Thoughts ran through my mind, how come i let those times passed by when we were younger without having those moments captured.How come we never gave the chance to catch those times which definitely won’t come back. How I regretted those moments.

After my father’s internment,my husband showed me the pictures he had taken. I thought my wishes will remain wishes, i thought my simple dreams will just stay as is but for the final moment, we have had a complete family picture, although this time, my father is in the casket.

I remember when i was young, i used to spend my summer vacations with my grandparents in Manila. Sometimes,they were the ones coming over and stay with us in Cavite. Let me tell you, those were one of the happiest times of my childhood,the days with my nanay and tatay.

When I reached college, I spent most of my semesters living with my aunt and her family, and later on with my close friends during my proper years. Of course, I’m at home during semestral breaks and vacations. I have gone working and after a few years, i was able to travel abroad,had my share of scheduled time offs once in a while, go home to the Philippines,enjoy a few weeks with my family and friends then back again to work and spent most of the years working in a different land, in a different culture.

Now, I’m here in Canada. Here in the land which they referred to as the land filled with milk and honey; the land of opportunities; the land full of hopes and dreams. I tell myself, this is where i will build my home, my family. This is the place where I begin to face the new chapter of my life.This is the place that I will see the reality of my dreams and aspirations. I live here with my husband, we are both working as OFW’s.It is our hope that soon we can be immigrants of these country and eventually become its citizens. And it is our desire that one day, our parents and siblings will come and join us here. We’ll then be complete and we’ll live happily ever after.But up to this moment, it still remains a dream, an earnest desire of our hearts, a fervent prayer.

I have been to a lot of places, have known a lot of different people, even worked with high ranking officials, princes and princesses. I have been to places that some wish they have been. I am thankful that i have experience those things and reached those places. One of my biggest interest is to explore the world. If I only have the finances, I would certainly do so.I have walked the streets of Paris, climbed up the Eiffel Tower, rode the bullet trains of Amsterdam, passed by Belgium, became an instant millionaire in Istanbul,a hundred dollars cost several millions in their currency, experienced the different culture of Saudi Arabia, tasted the exotic cuisines of Thailand and walked in the clean side streets of Singapore.But I want more,I still want to travel the rest of Europe and Asia. I know there are still a lot for me to see. I want to taste their food, experience their culture,live their life even for a moment. Then, I will know where the best place to be. But contemplating on the fact that these are foreign countries, not the familiar places that I have grown up with, I begin to realize do I really believe that I will see the best place to live in these foreign land?

I remember a song by the band Side A, (though actually not their original)…

Maraming beses na kitang nilayasan

Iniwanan at iba ang pinuntahan

Parang babaeng mahirap talagang malimutan

Ikaw lamang ang aking laging binabalikan

Manila, Manila I keep coming back to Manila

Simply no place like Manila Manila, I’m coming home

I walked the streets of San Francisco

I’ve tried the rides in Disneyland

Dated a million girls in Sydney

Somehow I feel like I don’t belong

Hinahanap-hanap kita Manila

Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga

Mga Jeepney mong nagliliparan

Mga babae mong naggagandahan

Take me back in your arms Manila

And promise me you’ll never let go

Promise me you’ll never let go

Manila, Manila Miss you like crazy, Manila

No place in the world like Manila

I’m coming here to stay…

I think, after all the years that i roam around the world, time will come that i will still come back to the Philippines, where my heart really belongs. Where I developed my childhood and grew up as a strong individual. Yes, that’s right, I may carry a different passport, declare a foreign citizenship but my heart will still be a hundred percent Filipino. The home is where the heart is, for me, the Philippines is where my heart is. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas…my country, my home.

Choosing a friend is a little hard though

Like a hard boiled egg

Needs to break the shell before you’ll know well.

But most of all, we need faith

Faith in God that He’ll give us friends along the way

We just need to open up, trust

And if the person responds

Then you have yourself one.

Be careful though

‘Coz there are wolves in sheepskins oh

They pretend, they play

To catch a prey.

It’s really complicated

But the tools we need are

Trust, sincerity, truth and faith.

For the years that have passed, an answer  I cannot find…

Who do you consider friends?

Those you know from the past, or those you have just met on the bus?

Who do you consider friends?

Those whom you celebrate happy times with, or those who share low moments and grief?

Who do you consider friends?

Those who gives you promises but lies, or those who do not speak but acts?

Who do you consider friends?

Those who needs you or those you need more?

Please help me answer these questions

Because even I myself am wondering, can I consider myself a friend?

Adobo is Spanish word for seasoning or marinade. Long before we have known about this dish, it has been cooked in the regions of Latin America, Spain, Mexico, Peru and  Bolivia. Ingredients using tomato sauce, oregano,pepper,crushed garlic, salt, and citrus zest are used.  When the Spanish colonizers came to the Philippines in the 1500′s, they found an indigenous way of stewing with  vinegar, they referred to it as adobo. Dishes cooked in this manner was eventually  known by its name.

Thus, the adobo dish and cooking process in Filipino cuisine and the general description “adobo” in Spanish cuisine share similar characteristics, but in fact refer to different things with different cultural roots. While Philippine adobo can be considered adobo – a marinated dish – in the Spanish sense, the Philippine usage is much more specific.

Typically, pork or chicken, or a combination of both, is slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf and black peppercorns , and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterward to get the desirable crisped edges. It is commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers. Its relatively long shelf-life is due to one of its primary ingredients,  vinegar,  which inhibits the growth of bacteria.

The best accompaniment to adobo is white rice.

In Latin America and the Philippines, preparing adobo is simple and requires but a handful of ingredients. In good-tasting adobo, none of the spice flavors dominate but rather the taste is a delicate balance of all the ingredients. The most widely preferred type has been traditionally pork adobo, followed by chicken adobo which is generally considered somewhat healthier.

Other ingredients such as squid, beef, lamb, game fowl like quail and snipe, catfish, okra, eggplant, string beans, and swamp cabbage (kangkong) are also made into adobo, with appropriate changes in the basic recipe. Squid adobo (adobong pusit), for instance, is quite different. While most adobo preparations have a brownish sauce, squid adobo has a deep, purplish-black sauce not unlike the Spanish dish calamares en su tinta due to the inclusion of squid ink.

I bet every Filipino around the world will never forget to include adobo in their daily menus, especially for those having a hectic schedule and have no enough time to cook, adobo is a very quick to do recipe.

I have met a canadian couple in my work and became my good friends eventually. One day, we talked about our native food and they became interested to try adobo, so i decided to cook chicken adobo for them ( of course served with rice). They were so surprised how tasty and delicious adobo can be. They fell in love with it. So, every time i visit them, they request me to cook adobo.They weren’t rice eaters, you know, but they’ve learned to eat rice more often.

See how our taste in food influence other nationalities? I believe, we, Filipinos do not just have good taste in cooking but we have a good relational skills with whom ever we meet and that’s what makes us lovable and irresistable, just like adobo.

To my surprise, not all of my friends came, because of i think what they thought was  a more special event that happened last night, and it was the most awaited fight of Manny Pacquiao against puerto rican, Miguel Cotto. We were trying our best to search for a live streaming online, because our cable was not pay per view able. But before i proceed with the game, i was thinking, was  the game really more important than the get together that i planned? Well, i just do not want to dwell on my sentiments, they have their choice , i have mine. I just want to be thankful for my few friends who were able to come and spent time with us. Thank God they’ve enjoyed the dinner. And take outs too. In fairness with my other friends who have an acceptable excuse, i know they’d like to come, however,some unavoidable circumstances took place. In, summary, i enjoyed our night, i’m thankful for my friends who were around. And i too,am thankful that once again Manny Pacquiao did an amazing job, giving the Filipinos the pride that we are thirsty for.

It’s been a week now that the weather is cold. The wind is crisp and chilly. It’s about time to bring out the thick jackets, toques,neck warmers, wool scarves, leather gloves, heavy socks and snow boots. Most people even hoarded long john’s from the department stores, just to keep them warm.

We’ll that’s  life here in Canada, change of season, change of outfits. Here in Calgary, weather forecasters are saying that this is the most unpredictable place in the whole of Canada regarding weather forecasts. I have fun telling my friends and family that here in Calgary we experience the four seasons in just one day. Believe it or not, it’s true.I can testify to that.

The people who have lived here for the longest time, shares that the snowfall that we experience this week has been very early, actually, they say that the amount of snow that fell is equivalent to a month of snow that fell last year. Well, that most probably is the effect of climate change.

the love in your eyes i see

Resting my head upon your shoulders,

gladness you gave to me

Everytime these arms of mine wrap yours,

your love is felt securely

Deep in my heart i know,

your love to me – endlessly

Endlessly, my love would be

reserved to you forever be

Rain or shine, snow or sand,

my commitment always stand

In times of joy or trials may,

faithfulness will surely stay

Constantly,never endingly,

care for you passionately

Keep in your heart, my habibi

I love you and you only.