It’s that time of the month again where I get to journal. As I shared last year, June is a special month for me. Aside from Father’s Day, it is also the birth month of both my father-in-law and my husband. They both proudly call Bicol their home. So for this journal entry, I would like to share my experiences on how I now call Bicol my second home.
My husband and I once discussed where we would like to settle down when we retire. I wanted a city life where I can visit the library and museums as often as I could. He wanted to retire in Bicol.
We visit Bicol once a year during New Year because it’s my mother-in-law’s birthday. In my first few visits to Bicol, I felt unaccustomed to many things. I didn’t speak the local dialect.
I wasn’t used to the early bed times. My parents-in-law took time out to “build” fond rituals for me.
They would always have an Atlantic (local brand in Bicol) loaf bread and a homemade mocha chiffon cake ready. We would always have the famous halo-halo (a local iced delicacy with multiple toppings) with cheese from DJC.
What I enjoyed the most was our annual visit to Tabaco, Albay. This was where my husband’s maternal grandfather lived. The journey alone allowed us a grand view of Mayon Volcano, renowned for its perfect cone. When we reached the place, Angkong (grandfather in the Fukien Chinese language) would always have my husband’s favorite stuffed pork leg and kiam pong (the Chinese version of paella, a flavored rice dish with dried sausage, meat and vegetables) ready. After lunch, we would all just laze around the living room and talk about everything and anything with Angkong.
My in-laws would also plan road trips each year. There was a year where we visited the Cagsawa Ruins. This is a famous landmark—the remains of a church tower after Mayon’s devastating eruption buried the town many years ago. Another year, we visited Sorsogon, where my husband had a chance to swim with the butanding the famous huge whale sharks from Donsol.
It’s also a fun time for my kids to spend time with their godparents, which are my husband’s closest friends since preschool. My kids learned their first charity work in Bicol when my husband’s friends organized a Christmas party in a city orphanage, instead of just a usual get-together.
After 12 years, Bicol has truly become a second home for me. I’m able to understand and roughly speak Bicolano. I always tell my friends I always feel most well-rested when I’m in Bicol. I have established my own rituals of visiting the Peñafrancia Minor Basilica, or the Minor Basilica of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, both in Naga. I conduct my store checks at the nearby malls. I look forward to spending time with my husband’s friends, who have become real confidantes, as well. And with my brother-in-laws now married, we build even richer memories each year. There was a year my sister-in-law, who is an exceptional yoga teacher, semi-forced us to do yoga almost every day. Most of all, I love that the whole family would always lounge around after dinner at my in-laws bedroom.
Today, people ask me why I’m studying to be a teacher. I see my husband’s reaction every time a strong typhoon hits his hometown. He would always find a way to help. Every year, I see how he gathers his year-old sports shoes and brings them home to Bicol to share to locals who love sports. I hope to one day also follow his lead to contribute to his hometown by teaching kids.
Advance Happy Birthday, Papa. Thanks for always making our trips to Bicol fun and memorable.