Publish or Perish

Okay, so it's not my first travel experience, but it's the one I remember...at least some parts of it. The first time I traveled - at least from what I am told - was when I was six months old. And it was from Hawaii to Cleveland. Luckily, it wasn't during the winter.

Anyway, the first time I did any real major traveling was when I was six. We were traveling to the Philippines to visit my aunt and uncle and I think to get my grandparents. We were in the air for almost an entire day. I'm not saying a day like in the daylight hours. I mean 22 hours. Straight. We crossed the international day line so naturally, we were a day forward. But this is something I only put together later. Twenty-two hours to a six year old is an incomprehensible amount of time.

Being the American born child that I was being suddenly thrust into a whole new culture with no warning is a complete shock to the system. Nothing made sense; I was extremely hot and sticky all the time; the food was completely unappetizing to me. It never did register in my little mind that everyone had the same color (or close to it) as I did and they spoke the same language my parents did.

Nevertheless, everyone knew that we lived in the US and therefore had to have more money...which meant jacking up the prices. Again, this is something I was told later in life and not something I registered when I was there. One day, when I feel like polishing up the story, I'll post up the story based on those experiences.

We visited my mother's family in Cavite City and my father's family in Illocos. I met a lot of people and sadly a number of them aren't around anymore. I would have liked to talked to them now when I can form a semi-coherent sentence. I really wish that Loki and I had the money - and time - to travel to the Philippines to visit my family. But that'll have to come later...

Labels: family, me, memories, the past, travel