HomeSeek: Missing Home

Here in U.K., Harlow, Essex to be exact, either you live strong. Or die weak. As an OFW nurse, I could list hundreds of reasons why I shouldn't be doing this kind of work thousand of miles away from home.

Patients have told me, "You must be missing home." It's easy to answer them with a "yes." But underneath that one word reply, thousands of images and memories flashback. It's hard not to feel "homesick", we're only humans. There's no place like home. That's why I try to keep my "home" in myself.

I miss my family so much. We may not be the best example of an ideal family, but I like it just the way we are. And when I think each of them, it makes me happy/sad all at the same time. Yup, hi, my middle name's Bipolar.

I want to thank them not for the big things. But for the littlest things that they may never be aware of at all. Those little things that made the man typing this big ball of cornball right now, thousands of miles away from Manila.

I love my brother Jason. For he shared me his love for the music of Eraserheads and Beatles.

It made my life more lively since I was on grade school, I would secretly listen to his cassette tapes. He helped me love music in a way I could never imagine. And it shows he's got awesome taste in music, and in life as well.

I love my sister Catherine. For she shared me her passion for Archie comics and pocketbooks. She may not know it, but I would read and re-read her Archie comics for the nth time whenever I get bored. It gave me virtual playmates, and showed me a unique way of enjoying a read, and had a run with imagination outside of the boob tube. I appreciated her pocketbooks even though I didn't grasp most of their essence way back then, but I knew that she is quiet yet a very smart person.

I love my brother Ricky. For he shared me his passion for his jokes and Jaworski Fanaticism.

He would appear tough or rough at times, but he's a comedian inside. He's that type of guy who you'd least expect to be the class-clown in a group. And yeah, he's a great communicator too. And what would I say with the Ginebra-Jawo connection? Yes, that made me love the game of basketball. And had this weird love/hate feeling for The Big J.

I love my brother Eric. For he showed his presence by silence and his erstwhile That's Entertainment adoration.

He's this silent person, sometimes I would like to use the term introvert. But he doesn't mind it. And you'd feel his presence by him just doing that. As the song goes," You say it best, when you say nothing at all." Though he too speaks up sometimes, his calm demeanor is really a rarity these days. And yes, he's with the That's Entertainment era. I remember I was watching "Maskman" then, and he told me that he'd give me Maskman toys as long as I let him watch "That's Entertainment." I let him. And I'm still waiting for my Maskman toys 20 years later.

I love my mother. For she cooked amazing meals effortlessly. She gave us dishes that I could bring to school and boast it to my classmate how great my baon is. I could invite a thousand friends at a party and brag that my mom cooked all of it. She may not know it, but she can be a great cooking show host if she wanted too. (And if the talent fee is right).

I love my father. For his love of adventure. I would get to see his trips to various places such as Visayas, far provinces in Luzon such as Baguio, Tagaytay..etc. Here comes the punchline: He used a bicycle. Yep, he's that fit and awesome. I wouldn't even have the balls to bike across the highway. But his adventurous spirit is just infectious.

**An updated Family photo, 2015.**

Back Row L-R (Moi, Ricky); 

Front Row L-R (Jason, Cat, Eric, & Mommy)

All these "small" things contribute as to who I am today. I am as much as all of them combined. Every cell of me, has their imprints.

Those little things that made the man typing this big ball of cornball right now, here in England, misses home each and every day.

And this man typing this big ball of cornball right now, will make sure that his family will be proud of him.

With or minus the Maskman toys.