It was an unusual Christmas vacation for us. My mother, who turned 80 years old on January 6, treated the whole family to a U.S. vacation. Mickey Mouse included, meaning Disney World.
I mentioned “unusual” because it was not really a relaxing holiday — what with kids ages 5 to 80, 25 toothbrushes, a wide range of interests, and just as many hungry stomachs to feed. Thanks to America’s wholesale food stores, we feasted on tall cans of clam chowder soup, 5 pounds of chocolate chip cookies, and a whole assortment of breads and pastas. But like most Pinoys, we soon hankered for good old sirngang na isda and durable adobo. However, it was instant fastfoods most of the time as we had to catch up with Mickey and his fantasy friends. Kodak must’ve made a fast hundred bucks on us, as we flashed our smiles, posing in front of pretty, sparkling bright and clean America.
When it was time to go home, we packed not only our suitcases (at least each one had a new pair of shoes… “Hey, hey Imelda!”) but balikbqyan boxes as well. I could’ve had my first fracture as I earnestly tried to lift my box to see how much it weighed!
We’re back home and I ride to work and see the same familiar sights
— the scattered garbage on the streets, the gnarled telephone wires on posts that are ready to fall and traffic so bad, I bring my office work and actually get some work done in the car. The newspapers showed triumphant winners in the sale of our public utility waterworks — 2 groups representing wealthy families. I asked my kids what they thought of all these. Our electricity and water utilities are now owned by the same family conglomerate — “The rich get richer” syndrome. Would you have wanted to live in America instead — with clean air, an orderly life (or so it seemed) and laws that are followed?
“This is our country. We belong here,” they chorused.
That to me is an admirable conviction. As an adult who can make the decision to move over to the USA (or any other country), I could have. But like them, I’m still here. I’m glad they know their country’s vulnerabilities and possibilities. And yet, it is a shame how very little we Filipinos have done to improve our country’s condition. It is a tremendous task to put order in this country and I have to painfully admit that the only way to start loving our country is to do our share. From the very smallest act of disposing our garbage (and having trash bins, which disappear!) to making laws that are good and sensible (and following them!) After the trip to the land of plenty, coming home brought us back to
the ground. A quote that helps me focus is “live simply so others may
simply live”.