Wala Lang

Thursday night, I was peacefully enjoying my Merlot and dancing with my classmate, Sarah, in a party thrown by the Peace Studies students from the Kroc Institute.  Great party…with that Turkish smoking implement and all.  And then, this person came and started talking to us, and then to me…only.  Great dancer. He could twirl you so smoothly around the room, throw you up the air, and then catch you with so much flair.  No kidding.  At the end of the night, he asked if he could take me home.  My Filipino friends, Mica and Marco (bless their hearts), being very Filipino, told me in front of him to call them once I got back home safely.  And with emphasis, they said that they will wait for my call. This person told me later that he thought it was both funny and frightening.  He found it funny because my friends didn’t trust him and he found it frightening because after hearing their words, he was more determined to prove to them that he did just intend to take me straight home.  Sweet.

He drove me home (and yes, without any detours!), walked me to my door, and before he left, reminded me to call Mica and Marco.  The next day, we went out.  We went out again the day after that. And the day after that.  He went out of town two days ago to spend the rest of spring break with his friends in Iowa. 

Now, where is this going? Not sure, not sure.  A week from now, I might be writing hate and frustration posts on this blog again, right?  Let’s see.

Today, while doing my laundry, I sat down to watch a fishing show on TV.  Two men were on a boat in the sea and they were telling the viewers how to ‘fight the fish.’  I really didn’t understand what they were talking about, but I was just looking at the sea and ached to see it again.  I am, after all, a true-blue island girl, having been born and raised in beautiful beautiful Cebu.  Then, I turned to my roommate who is a born and bred mountain girl from Montana.  I told her that I miss eating crabs, prawns, tahong, and fresh fish.  She looked at me strangely and said that she doesn’t like seafood and rarely eats seafood. 

My quest for seafood here in South Bend is so frustrating.  Yesterday, I looked at the salmon in the grocery store, but it looked really unappetizing and yes, very expensive.  I tried to buy those frozen shrimps, but they really don’t taste the same.

I guess I am just going through this phase again where I am starting to miss everything and everyone in the Philippines.  I am posting pictures of some of the people and places I really really miss.  Best friends and best places.