Until we meet again, Philippines

Farewell!

Pic: Children playing by themselves at the dock while their parents work away, wave happily towards the stranger taking their picture. Bolinao, Philippines, 2004.

Farewell, sometimes a word hard to say out loud. Leaving the Philippines brings both a pang of sadness and relief at the same time. The differences, though not too apparent made me long so much for my homeland. Being away for this short stint reminded me why I liked my country so much, the people, the places, the friends and the familiarity. Though we met so many people there while working, it’s still hard to say goodbye especially to those we called friends. Memories etched in our hearts as we flew off back to Malaysia, the city of Manila slowly becoming a dot in the horizon, passing the coastline, over the South China Sea and finally touching ground on Kota Kinabalu. Echoes of a song we heard on lonely nights being strummed on the guitar, accompanied by the soulful serenade of a disembodied voice afar.