On today’s Philippine Postcard, we’re back in Ballesteros, Cagayan where my mom’s side of the family is from. We were able to celebrate my mom’s birthday here and got the wonderful opportunity to reunite with some family and friends. My mom especially had the chance to reunite with some college friends and frat brothers and sisters she had not seen in person in decades!
Of course there was a lot of food!
Also this week, it was the first time I was able to visit the very rice fields where my grandparents worked blood, sweat, and tears for many years of their lives before immigrating to the United States. It was a very humbling and proud experience getting to actually stand on my family’s ancestral lands. Rice fields handed down from their parents and grandparents and are still in our family today.
It makes me even more appreciative and grateful for their sacrifices. Because without their hard work in the hot sun every day just to feed their children and allow them to go to college and then eventually start a new life in California, I wouldn’t be able to be here writing about a vacation or coming up with fake Amazing Race Philippines routes or rambling on about Kamen Rider and Super Sentai on my own website in 2025!
In addition to all the blessings I have had growing up as well, of course.