I still get a buzz out of going home to the country I call my second home !
Its been great reading al your stories over last year about how many of you have gone out to the land of smiles and cute babae's and found love, after all its not that hard is it boys ! but less we not forget it not just you guys but we have a lady on the forum who found love with a Filipino gentleman, and I know we all wish her well, its the cruise ship lady, and we wish her well.
But you know I want to share with you the fact that it doesnt really matter how long ago I travelled the same road as you all travelled, I still get that excitement and buzz inside me when my time comes near to make that nostalgic trip to the far side of the world.
Do you still get the countdown feeling as I do, when you know its only a matter of a few weeks before you pack your snorkelling kit, and your flip flops, and grab some new t shirts, and start thinking of what you will do when you get in country, and where you will visit, I know many of you save up all your hard earned pennies so that you can go to be with your girl, and good on all of you that sacrifice to do that.
There are many married couples here at the forum, some of with children, some who have not as yet, how does it feel when you know its not long before you climb aboard that big bird to take you back.
Whats your girl doing about 4 weeks before your scheduled to go back, is she figuring out what to put in the balik bayan box, and what about 2 weeks before you go, she is busy in her bedroom sorting out her clothes, and re packing and packing her suitcase, if your anything like me, your probably laughing and chuckling that you don't bother packing until the day before, but then again, your not a FILIPINA are you !
What about the day before, when all of a sudden you have to go to Tesco or something and buy an extra suitcase for all the bars of cadbury's chocolates she decides to buy on special ! have you noticed how they love buy 1 take 1 offers !,
Cadbury's bars at buy 1 take 1, costs you about £50.00 and then your carry on suitcase can hardly carry the weight, I know what youre thinking, geeeze is this guy a fly on the wall in our house, well not actually, its just that all the girls do that.
If its not Spam, its corned beef, and Kenco coffee, its an exciting time for all concerned, I would be the first to admit, I kind of laugh at Miss Gina when she goes to Tesco and buys enough cadburys chocolate to give out to the whole Purok.
Its all part of the excitement of that nostalgic trip back home, If like me you remember President Ferdinand Marcos and those days before Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Erap and PGMA, you will remember he coined the phrase, balik bayan, returning heroes to be precise, those ones who lived in foreign countries who came home with lots of pesos to spend and gifts galore, suitcases full of every good thing, travelling thousands of miles from foreign lands visitng families from far flung destinations.
Well I guess I am trying to say, my time is coming near, if like me you like to do the countdown, its 30 days to go, yes only 30 days to go, or if you want to be precise, 29 days and a wake up, is a better description, yes that time has come, I am following some of you back for that nostalgic trip, to see how the philippines is, after 1 whole year, I know its only 1 whole year, but my time is coming, only 29 and a wake up, the next 29 days are going to be hard, especially as I have to stay focused on my work until I am ready to hand in the last contract, make the last phone call, turn off the gas, close the windows, lock the doors.
Its exciting di ba ?
Do you all feel like this....
Visit number 11 in 29 days time.
