Random Snapshots From A Moving Train

The Memory Reaper

After I posted my previous blog entry "Not-So-Accidental Tourist", I made a rare trip down to our lower ground floor to dig up some of the trinkets I've saved from my earlier journeys. After deftly dodging boxes and luggages from falling on me, I felt triumphant upon finding the plastic container where I stored my souvenir thimbles. As I inspected each one of them, a few memories from those jaunts came to mind and they just made me smile. Those were the days when all my friends and I wanted to do was to explore and get away from the bleak work situation we found ourselves in.

As I glanced around the chaotic basement, I can't help but notice and ruminate at how much "junk" I have accumulated over the years. When I left the Philippines in 1994, I only brought one suitcase with me but when I relocated to another apartment a year later, it took a couple of trips and a hired help to transfer all my belongings. Ever since then, I seem to have amassed more, courtesy of the many needless shopping sprees and bargain hunts. Everytime I moved, it took a lot more time and sweat. Fortunately, I sent some of the "surplus" to my family via balikbayan boxes or there would have been more to lug around.

One thing that also helped was practicing the yearly spring cleaning which prompted me to eliminate objects that were not essential or functional anymore. Living in a two-bedroom apartment, I realized how scarce storage spaces can be. To keep my domicile in order, I adhered to the rule of divesting myself of items that had not been used in the past two or three years. It was quite testing when it came to clothes though. I had a tendency to retain them longer than I should even if they didn't fit me anymore in the off chance that the latest fad diet will work and I can wear them again. The garments eventually found their way into the balikbayan box when they were deemed so out-of-season (to my sisters' benefit and delight, of course). It also became the perfect excuse for further retail therapy, I'd say.

It's amazing how some people can cling on to their material possessions so vigorously. I do understand keeping those articles when there are memories and strong emotions affixed to them. Although I have stopped collecting thimbles, I still keep them around since they are aide-mémoires of those fun-filled excursions with my friends. Nevertheless, I've been to a few houses that are overwhelmingly cluttered with a multitude of knick-knacks that one may think the inhabitants might be pack rats, a slang term that refer to people who collect miscellaneous items and has trouble getting rid of them (a compulsive hoarder). If you've seen the TV show "Clean House", you'd be appalled at how people are so desperately drowning in disarray. I can't envisage living in such anarchy but I know first hand how it can escalate to that level if no one will put the kibosh on it.

When I visited my family for the first time after four years of being away, I had a bit of a shock when I perused through all the assorted array of dusty Nescafe glasses, tattered school books, outdated newspapers/magazines, cob-webbed crib/bassinet and other baby paraphernalia that populated every nook and cranny of my parents' abode. I don't believe my folks to be serial hoarders but their house was obviously besieged with things from the past and was just begging to be purged.

The whole scene perturbed me so much that on the last day of my vacation, I launched an impromptu general house cleaning with my father as an accomplice. It resulted to a huge bonfire at the back yard. My mother and grandmother were clearly mortified and tried to dissuade me from pitching everything out due to a variety of sentimental reasons. I tried to keep my resolve but compromised on a few instances when I gleaned my mother being distraught and teary-eyed. I realized I was being very hard-nosed about it. I admittedly shoved a huge plate of tough love down their throats but they were ultimately pleased and relieved with the outcome. As a result, the house was freed up with more room for things of value and consequence. I guess I gave them a crash course on spring cleaning but they sure learned it well. So far, I have not done any clean-up of that magnitude ever again during my subsequent visits.

During our life time, we gather a lot of memorabilia along the way. A few of these multifarious objects have earned a proud place on the mantel and curio cabinets while some are too precious or private and are better kept hidden or under lock and key. A number of them are pretty mundane and have become part of our daily lives. Some of our keepsake magnets are prominently displayed on the fridge but are also useful in keeping reminders (appointment cards, work schedule, invitations) in place. Kenny regularly utilizes the coffee mugs that he bought during our travels. As for me, I like to wear such tokens just like a couple of my favorite sweatshirts. One was from Disneyworld where Kenny and I got engaged and the other was from Grand Cayman where we spent our honeymoon. Yep, I'm pretty schmaltzy that way.

Anyway, how about you? What mementos have you treasured and kept? What do you usually collect? Feel free to share them and if you have a blog post about it, leave the link in the comment section as well. I'd be happy to check it out.

Neighborhood Watch

It's always delightful having friends over for a visit and last weekend was no exception. My friend Marlica came from Michigan with my godson Rhyss in tow. She also brought along her mother who recently arrived from the Philippines a few weeks ago. Great! I got to play the tourist guide again.

I love Chicago and I'm always proud to show people around the city every chance I get. As much as I appreciate the other places I had been to, I have never really considered relocating anywhere else. Although most Filipinos might opt to live in warmer, balmy and sunny states like Florida and California, there's really no other place I'd rather be. Oddly enough, I do like the variety that the changing seasons bring. One gets to appreciate the changing colors of fall and welcome the birth of spring after the hibernation period of winter.

Despite the limited time, we managed to pack Saturday with a lot of sightseeing. We took our guests to our favorite spot to take a photo with the popular Chicago skyline in the background. Although it was forecasted to be chilly that day, walking along Lake Shore Drive was pleasantly tolerable. When we got to the Grant Park, it was pulsating with merriment from the Celtic Fest that was going on that time. We listened to the bagpipe music playing and watched as men in kilt participated in various highland games.

A few streets were closed for traffic and were lined with booths serving traditional Scottish and Irish fare and beverages. The Celtic Fest was of smaller scale compared to the annual Taste of Chicago but I kinda like it better and wished that there's a Filipino Fest as well. As a matter of fact, in all these years of living in the US, I've never really been to an organized Filipino social event or festival.

The Rizal Center is probably the only venue I know where some Filipino events are held or hosted but I've never been there either. Most likely, the typical places where one might come across and meet other expats would be at the Pinoy restaurants/stores and in communities where there are nursing homes and hospitals nearby. That's pretty much generally everywhere in the country.

Unlike most ethnic groups, the Filipino-Chicagoans don't have a known centralized neighborhood. The Chinese have Chinatown and the Koreans have Albany Park dubbed as Koreatown. Devon Avenue ("Little India") caters to people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Croatia and many others. The Logan Square is home to a diverse population including Latinos (primarily Mexican and Puerto Rican, with some Cuban), African-Americans and a number of ethnicities from Eastern Europe, (mostly Poles). These subgrouped neighborhoods are replicated in other US cities but I still have to come across one that's predominantly Filipino.  

In any case, I'm not sure if I would choose to live in a "Pinoytown". As much as it seems like a patriotic thing to do, I'd be wary to be existing in intimate proximity to folks who might exhibit those known much-maligned traits such as the notorious " crab mentality". I don't think I need to elaborate further on this concept, right?  

Truthfully, that's probably the main reason why most of my friends prefer not to join in any Filipino-American organizations/clubs. It can be more of a nuisance than advantageous when your personal affairs may become everybody's business . After years of living in the western culture, we've come to value our privacy and it is absolutely unacceptable when someone (be it Filipino or not) invades or disrespects it, in any shape of form, whether deliberate or not. I've encountered quite a myriad of blog posts of people disgruntled about other Pinoy's waywardness, their disputes, acrimonious relationships and rancorous comments (read: backstabbing, gossiping) of each other. I just don't think I have the drive to watch my back all the time and to muddle through all that negativity .

Let me end this post with a quote from the astute Malcom X:

"You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it."

Not-So-Accidental Tourist

"I want to travel the wonders of the world". I distinctly remember these precocious words as I always wrote them down in response to the question "What is your ambition in life?" in those "slum books" that my classmates passed around towards the end of a school year in grade school and high school. When most of my friends would reply "doctor", "engineer", "teacher", "nurse", or "CPA", I never wavered. Maybe I just didn't know what I wanted to pursue as a profession (and who really does anyway at that age?). Perhaps I was strongly influenced by the books I've read and the places I saw on TV and in the movies. Whatever it was, I've had the case of "itchy feet" for so long than I can ever recall.

Although I had a relatively blissful childhood, there was this burning desire to explore whatever was outside the perimeter of our lethargic and rural city. Admittedly, my decision to take up Nursing was also motivated by the chance to study and live in a diverse and urban metropolis such as Cagayan de Oro City. It wasn't exactly the biggest exploration ever but it was a start. Despite a very limited allowance and sometimes without my parents' knowledge and permission, I managed to go to places within the vicinity and outlying areas. Typically, travel and taking a vacation is pretty much a luxury and not a priority in a Filipino's life. Except perhaps when venturing out to the neighboring town's fiesta or if visiting some friends and relatives, it's not uncommon or farfetched that a Pinoy might not have ever stepped outside the boundaries of his/her own city or province. There's nothing wrong with that although I wish that they will also get to experience another world outside of what they know. It sure could make your outlook in life broader and enriched. I know it did with me anyway.

When I first arrived in the US, it was almost like I was possessed. Spurred by the sights and the novelty of the fresh environment, I embarked on a whirlwind of excursions and sprees to several key US cities and popular destinations. I was fortunate to be friends with people who had the same elan and fervor as I have. We shared the same pursuit to satisfy our curiosity and sense of adventure. It seemed like we were constantly on field trips. We were such avid tourists so much so that we acquired a sundry of mementos such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, magnets, keychains, thimbles, spoons, postcards, and scores of various trinkets that one ordinarily comes across at souvenir shops anywhere . We reveled in our growing collection of tokens from our travel but we mostly treasured the memories of being there. Browsing through my numerous albums of photos from such trips reminds me of the great times we had together. I must confess that I also enjoy seeing other people's vacation and travel photos in Friendster. I just feel a keen sense of connection with folks who've traveled and have similar experiences like mine. They surely inspire me to explore even more.

   

Although there are still a lot of spots in the US that I want to sightsee, I was more than ready to finally explore Europe. After all, the defining moment of my desire to travel was when I first viewed my Aunt Agnes' photos from her European tour so many years ago. I recall setting my eyes on her image with the Eiffel Tower in the background and I silently pledged to myself, "I will go there someday". Last year, that oath was kept. A few months ago, I made another pilgrimage to Europe and fulfilled my dream to visit Salzburg, renowned from a beloved movie "Sound of Music". I also got to appreciate the beauty of Prague which became a favorite of mine.

As some people probably know from my new profile photos, I recently had a weekend holiday in Canada, particularly the Niagara Falls in Ontario. It wasn't my first visit there but the last time I went was during the winter season so I was indeed keen to view the area differently this time around. Although it was a long drive (more or less 8 hours) to get there, the magnificent and breathtaking sight of the natural and industrial wonder was worth the trip. Not far away from the falls is a commercial hub of hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and other tourist traps. I guess they're the necessary evil in order for a travel destination to thrive. Overall, it was an enjoyable outing especially since I was with a vivacious group of friends and their families.

After several trips, I am nowhere close to slowing down. In fact, with every place I visit, I hanker for more. There's just so much of the world to explore. If I have unlimited financial resources, I would undoubtedly make travel my main preoccupation in life. As luck would have it, after these oh-so-short holidays, I have to rejoin the ranks of the wage-earning and income-chasing  populace. Thank goodness for mini-getaways or I would have gone out of my mind if I don't get a break from time to time. Of course, I'm already looking forward to the next one. It's just a matter of time (and money, of course).