Weekend Nasa Paraiso

I just had the ultimate, best, most amazing, refreshing, wonderful, incredible weekend ever! I went up to Pampanga with my Lolo Fort to his village, San Pablo where every person in the entire village is related! It's pretty crazy, actually, to have 2000 people all closely related and mostly with the same two last names. Anyways, I got up there on a Friday evening and immediately began singing karaoke for FOREVER! Filipinos love karaoke! Then I met a bunch of awesome people my age in the empty playing court behind my Lolo's house where they were preparing things for a huge 18th birthday debut party. We talked and sang and chilled late until the night, makin decorations and food and stuff for the party. They next morning we rose early and went out to my Lolo's little farm in the wide-open rice fields where the men caught fresh fish that we grilled. We had an incredible lunch of fish, rice, and fresh-picked vegetables all served on beautiful banana leaves. Then Lolo and his son and I went back into town at eleven to watch a cock fight which was, well.... Anyways, the whole rest of the afternoon I played with the kids, hung out with my friends, decorated and stuff, and got fancied up for the party. Oh, and sometime in between there I took an interesting shower. Never realized how hard it is to shower without running water - things we take for granted. That night the party was so much fun! It was the grandest birthday party I have ever been to and the debutant was dressed up so beautifully! She looked like a Filipina Cinderella. The whole ceremony was beautiful. After the ceremony was over us kids stayed out and jammed and talked and laughed and jamme and talke and laughed until, like, 3:00 or something. Wake up the next morning was at the ungodly hour of six, again, and I spent my morning talking with relatives and jamming with Lolo's super-talented nephew, Alex. Then, his adorable granddaughter, Kayla Mae was a flower girl in a wedding so I went and watched her. The Filipino weddings are a lot different than ours in the states. After that I went back to Lolo's house where some friends invited me to go swimming with them which was a blast and then, *sniffle, tear* it was time to go home. I sadly packed up, feeling as though my heart had never been so free and happy and at home than when I was there, and drove back to my house. But now, and I hope for always, Lolo's village is my home. There I have geniune friends that are so wonderful and well-behaved. The teenagers have fun without having to do bad stuff. Going there was what I needed to pick my spirits up. Next time I go, I am going to teach the American Football, which they have never played! But they don't sell footballs over here...grrr....

I am a simple person. I love living in a hut with no running water. I long to go back there were my heart can sing. I long to go home.