When I first went to the islands of the Philippines I was sick with love-- the good kind. But one that never leaves until you return. The embrace around your heart kind that infects you deep within type because it's really like no other place I've been although I have traveled the globe a few times but avoided this place like the plague!!!
The reason? Heartbroken sadly with what I had considered my 1st true love and well, only love? An angelic American born Filipina beauty, a style and "Grace" that I hadn't seen or experienced before, Italian- Japanese- South American- "American/American that I didn't quite connect with somehow. But seeing and meeting with her family culture it seemed deeper and accepted possibly?
We broke up-parted ways sadly......... we didn't marry?
But that was a previous lifestyle, a previous life a long time ago.
Now decades later divorced and my 15yr old son that's has lived with me it's time to go back, this time to live. I had taken him there about 3 times every year for 45 days of school break. He loves it like I've always loved it...our face hurts from too much smiling and laughter. We hadn't been able to return back for about 3 yrs, I have taken care of my mother for about 12 yrs as I made a promise to her as a child not to put her in a rest home and to care for her. I kept my 50 yr vow and she passed in my arms an hour prior to her last breath and an hour after. She went with love and warmth to be with my father and my 2 older brothers.
The pandemic wiped out 2020 for us as well as most of the worlds plans!
I've signed the escrow papers on my house and property a few months ago and although we got our visas from the Embassy/Consulate General of San Francisco our Airplane tickets were canceled about 7 times. Was in Mexico or further South, searching for anywhere other than U.S. because, well......its now totally gone and my money obviously would go much further for less than 1/2 the price?
That's when my old neighbor from Tiburon California David Dagley intervened and suggested to visit him in Bali and helped in getting a business Visa for my son and myself..... now, this is exactly where we wanta be......a place called home! We really feel like this can be and is home. I'll always adore Philippines, but now my "fickle heart" has fallen deeply into the country and culture!
We do know it's in much better hands nowadays but will take perhaps decades to fix the economy, reputation and perhaps trust from other countries. Perhaps Philippines next year when pandemic is better controlled there, for now this is safe😎
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