Admission
I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the Philippines.
It was a horrible time in my life for 3 years.
It was also a wonderful time in my life, full of the most wonderful relatives ever.
It was sensory overload.
Culture shock.
My first lesson in real heartbreak.
My first foray into independence.
Being there taught me how to survive.
It taught me compassion for the poor, for those the rich would rather forget.
It taught me resilience.
Above all it taught me how important family was.
And away from the city, it had some of the most beautiful sights one could behold on Mother Earth. The warm tropical water, the exotic fruits, the lush green of the rain forests, acres upon acres of rich green from rice paddies, sweet delicious pure coconut juice.
I will return to you Philippines. I hope to return next year, if I can afford to go with my family that's even better, but at least two weeks would be nice just to revisit cousins and aunts I would otherwise not see again. I want to photograph the graves of my grandparents.
It's an overwhelming desire to go back, even if it may be for the last time in my life, just to properly say goodbye.
It was a horrible time in my life for 3 years.
It was also a wonderful time in my life, full of the most wonderful relatives ever.
It was sensory overload.
Culture shock.
My first lesson in real heartbreak.
My first foray into independence.
Being there taught me how to survive.
It taught me compassion for the poor, for those the rich would rather forget.
It taught me resilience.
Above all it taught me how important family was.
And away from the city, it had some of the most beautiful sights one could behold on Mother Earth. The warm tropical water, the exotic fruits, the lush green of the rain forests, acres upon acres of rich green from rice paddies, sweet delicious pure coconut juice.
I will return to you Philippines. I hope to return next year, if I can afford to go with my family that's even better, but at least two weeks would be nice just to revisit cousins and aunts I would otherwise not see again. I want to photograph the graves of my grandparents.
It's an overwhelming desire to go back, even if it may be for the last time in my life, just to properly say goodbye.