Swimming at the Beach

Three weeks ago, I visited Odiongan, Romblon. This is where I was born and lived the first 16 years of my life. I have not been visiting my hometown since after marriage in 2002. Last week was quite a unique visit because I was with my two kids, Karylle and Barjae. My wife, Happy, wasn't able to come along due to some very urgent and important matters in our company. We both work in the same company and we both hold senior positions in the management. It is difficult to be both on leave at the same time.

Anyway, my Mom, who just retired as District Supervisor in a public elementary school have been insisting to bring Barjae to Odiongan. Only five months old, Barjae has no regular nanny and we have great difficulty in taking care of him because of the demands of our job. Knowing this situation, my Mom volunteered to take care of Barjae if we could just let her bring Barjae to Odiongan. It was quite a hard decision but we finally agreed to her request. So on March 27, 2010, we traveled via RoRo in Batangas to Odiongan. We were accompanied by Nono, my policeman younger brother and Prince John, a registered nurse and the youngest of the siblings. The sea was rough but we arrived Odiongan safe and sound.

It was a wonderful feeling to be back home again. The family are all happy to see me and my two kids. Barjae is the apple of their eyes because he is one of the only three male grandchildren in the burgeoning Famero family. I know I had a very short time and I need to be back at the office in two days. We made the most out of this very short window by visiting relatives and places which I haven't gone to yet like beaches and hills. Our town has changed from a sleepy municipality to a relatively fast developing town. The market area has been relocated, new schools have been erected, new commercial buildings dotted the blocks in the poblacion and more roads have been paved. There are more people now that I do not know - new businessmen, new faces and little children in the neighborhood who have now grown to adulthood I cannot even remember their names.

The best part of my visit was the swimming at the beach. It was fun to be swimming with your nephews and nieces. Bokbok was also present. He was his old self, retrieving whatever I throw into the water and bringing them back to me. His instinct to retrieve is a quality of a purebreed Labrador.

We went biking to Libertad, ten kilometers away from home. But the paved road is no match to the ruggedness of our mountain bikes. Nono led me in our trail and explained the new developments in different barangays as we passed by. The fresh air and scenery are the great bonuses of the trip, not to mention the instant exercise that sent my spinal chord and knees aching for the next five days. But it's all worth it.

Wish I could have all the time in the world doing these same things over and over again. Two days later I was back in reality. Back to work in Renaissance Tower 1000 at Ortigas Center.