Homesick
Yesterday, on my way home, I made two chance encounters. The latter one (which is not what this entry is about) is Don Pierre Riosa, a long time best friend of mine; and the earlier one is Jacky Lynn Ong, a girl I’ve befriended in my last trip to Cebu, somewhere in March 2005.
Don Pierre Riosa
Jacky Lynn Ong
Jacky’s family actually resides in Bacolod. For educational pursuit, Jacky, like her sister Princess (who also is a long time friend of mine), decided to study in Manila, right at College of St. Benilde. Incidentally, I know of Jacky before we have actually officially met each other. I know she sings damn well
I had quite a conversation - although a relatively short one - with both.
I asked one question to Jacky, and that’s what I remember the most. It goes: "Are you getting used to staying here?"
Her answer goes like this: "Somehow, not quite. I’m getting pretty homesick."
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Homesickness. That’s one word I’m overly familiar with. During my high school days I had to spend three years in Bacolod, while the rest of my family lives in Manila.
My freshmen year in college (as well as few years of being a sophomore) was momentously enjoyable, and one big contributor is due to the presence of my siblings, and my mom. Since then, my sister have left to U.S. to pursue her career in music; my brother left for Taiwan to improve his Chinese; and my mom moved to Bacolod to revive a declining Vegetarian Health Food Center. For three years, the house was almost empty- with me and my dad being the only family members that stayed there. More often, times become trifles. The event that I celebrate the most is when any of these family members come back. So far, it had never occurred, since the last three years, that all 5 of us were back in the same home. It’s always just 1, or 2 of them, coming back for a few weeks vacation.
Yeah, I’m overly familiar with homesickness. In fact, it feels sort of parasitic.
Somehow, I feel sympathy for people who feel homesick, and are not used to it. Look at me: even though I’ve been technically at my ‘real home’ 4 years since my leave to Bacolod, I don’t feel any less homesick, due to the fact that almost everyone is away (and for the record, right now I’m all alone since my parents have gone to U.S. to visit my sister.)
All I want is to purge homesickness away from my life.
