Manila  − 14 May, 2007

I returned home today. Even while still at the boarding area, the Filipino was coming out of all the passengers. Back to the land of tulakan (pushing) and lamangan (cutting the line). On a more positive note, back to the land of galang (respect for elders) and pakisama (goodwill to others). On the plane. the person seated by me happened to be one of my neighbors, who is a sommelier. Small world! My brother & my Angkong (grandpa) were at the airport to meet me. I spent an hour and a half at the baggage claim, because two full flights had arrived at the same time, one from Las Vegas, and the other from San Francisco. There was so much baggage on the conveyor! 

When we got home, I started to unpack. I noticed there was a low plastic chair nearby. After a while, my Ama (grandma) came in and started laughing at me. She said she put the chair there so that I would not have to kneel on the hard linoleum floor when I was unpacking. & I was only gone for 5 months! So that's why my knees were achy. Haha, seems like I'd gotten much too used to living with carpet. =)