Another Route

Tonight, there was a small family get together. The occasion: my cousin, Vanessa's, capping. How time flies. Soon she'll be graduating and become a nurse. That makes me... well, old. hahaha Anyway, like I've said, it is an intimate family dinner with a few other relatives as guests. To start with, the 2 old maids, my grandmother's half-cousins. But the family is really close with them. They say nothing but kind words about Lola. And the other guests are Tita Pe (my grandmother's sis-in-law) and her daughter Tita Girly, who is by the way, the present Ambassador of Israel.

I guess like in any other gatherings, visitors find their own places, where to sit and who to sit with. It is our family custom that the elder people sit on the 'presidential table' so to speak. Everybody else scramble to look for their own places. Myself, together with my cousins, managed to find our own place at the informal dining table. Of course it was a rowdy & noisy group since we were with the young ones, feeling young ourselves. However, as the fun is on its peak, my uncle showed up and summoned me to join them at the presidential table. I was embarassed given the special treatment (this started happening after I passed the bar). I had no choice but to comply. So I settled myself in between him and my dad. It was a table with grown up conversations. After all, they were all elderly people. hahaha Sure they gossipped but still related to the current events and a little of history.

They see me as someone so young and my future ahead of me. They wanted to take my hand and introduce me to a path I wouldn't have considered because of my ignorance... Or so they thought. Ironically tho, I've been giving that path a thought. Tonight was my chance to get a tip from an insider. A little push and a bit of assurance, I was hooked.

So yeah, I'm back to that route again. Actually, I haven't completely abandoned it. I have just put it aside. Now, I am exploring it back once more. But one thing's for sure. I wouldn't want to bring a gun that's not loaded. When I do make the move to walk on that route, I will make sure that I am very much equipped.

In My Life

Jolog na kung jologs. I won't be ashamed to admit that I was looking forward to watching this movie. It's not because of the actors nor the story. It's because of the location... New York. The second city I fell in love with instantly.

I have to say, I am a bit skeptical about the movie. I thought the focus is on the gay relationship. But it is not entirely that. You know what they say, "Don't judge the book by its cover."

The story actually depicted typical Filipinos abroad. There is a struggling TNT, a successful Filipino, a young couple without a child, and of course a Filipino who at first isn't crazy about the U.S. but eventually loved it.

1. Most plight of the TNTs would probably be finding a job that would enable them to earn enough money to sustain their daily needs with extra cash to send to the family left back home. Another would be finding ways to legalize their stay. One of the popular ways they resort to is 'marriage for convenience'. You have to bear in mind though that you should marry a U.S. citizen (not just a Greeencard holder) for you to actually change your status. So these TNTs have to come up with the money they have to pay their 'spouses' in exchange for papers. It's a risky situation. But reality dictates that desparate needs call for desparate measures.

2. A successful Filipino. In the U.S., the more successful you are, the less time you have for yourself or your family. In the movie, his character couldn't find the time to accompany his mom. He would always be either too busy or got caught up with something. I guess it is safe to say that work ethics is a serious matter, delivering results is very important and you must be accountable to your actions.

3. The young married couple having no children. It's common knowledge that in abroad, having a nanny for your child is very expensive. That having a child is an important issue the couple must decide on. A lot of factors has to be weighed in in the decision-making process.

4. A first-timer tourist who loved the U.S. more than expected. I have to admit, I am one of those persons who say 'I just want to see the U.S., that's it'. But setting foot on New York made my heart flip flop and actually made me want to live there! Anyway, adjusting with the way of life and the lifestyle is the first hurdle you have to pass. It's a totally different environment and if you're not open to change and to learning new things, you may have a difficulty blending in.

The story really never focused on the sexuality of the characters. It is just a spice in the story. Of course it is an issue that had to be addressed. But only at the beginning. Once that issue was resolved, the story focused on the characters and their relationship with one another. It's a welcomed breather as it is not your ordinary love story about a girl and a boy who fell in love, broke up and eventually realized that they're really meant for each other.. A happy ending. This movie depicts different levels of love from different persons. The extent of how we can adapt to change and actually embrace it. How candidly one instance can make you appreciate what you have. Most importantly, how greatly a single circumstance can affect you for the rest of your life.

I love the first part of the movie. The boys touring Vilma around the city. The scenes made me sigh as I was brought back to one of my happiest moments! hahaha Seeing NYC again makes me want to book a flight and vanish from here.. pronto! hehehe

I'm secretly praying that next year plan with my friends will push through. I have exactly a year to save up for the trip. I just hope I'd be able to or who knows, maybe parents will bring me along with them. We'll see.