March 7, 2008

Eyes wide shut. The surroundings started to tremble. My palms shook while resting at the edge of the armrests. Consciousness stirred in the moment my head tilted to the side. I slowly started to open my eyes. A ding went off as a small light lit up at the ceiling. A voice-over announced we were experiencing some turbulence. All passengers and crew were asked to fasten their safety belts. My eyes adjusted to the dark interior and the seatbelt sign was clear in sight.

It was about five in the morning, Los Angeles time, and we were somewhere over the Pacific. Sitting still, I stare blankly at the lever of my tray table, waiting for the turbulence to fade. My mind, though, was somewhere over limbosphere experiencing its own unrest. After eight hours on the plane, I still couldn't believe I’m going back to the Philippines. Albeit only temporary, I cannot help but feel anxious.

The decision to go home was one so swift it hadn't had the chance to sink in yet. Mother had an accident that resulted in a three-segment fracture of her humerus. An orthopedic surgeon recommended surgery so we thought it best she have it done at home. The quality of care in several hospitals is at par with world-renowned facilities at a price we can afford.

I was also uneasy that I might not recognize home anymore? What if I’m not able to adapt, assimilate? How will I manage with the country's summer heat and humidity? Will I be able to tolerate the forms of pollution I will see? Will I be able to endure inconveniences of every shape and size which some balikbayans fail to? Then there’s also my current home in L.A. What will become of it, befall it, while I’m away? How will it manage? In what state will I find it in when I return?

At the same time, I also feel elated going home. It's been more than two years and I'm excited to see what changes the Philippines has gone through. There are many family and friends to rekindle ties with, places to visit and revisit, and experiences to relive and relish. I am most excited of the food which I miss the most. Although most items are available in L.A., nothing really comes close to those at home. The one thing I can't wait to eat is pinangat or gulay na natong (taro leaves cooked slowly in rich coconut milk and hot chili peppers) in my home city of Legaspi.

The one month sojourn is also a chance for self-evaluation. What changes have I gone through since I left? How different or the same had I been since the last two years and so?

Ding. The seatbelt sign is switched off. My eyes had grown heavy. Jetlag is kicking in. I shut my eyes with the hope that my mind will soon follow. It's still five more hours until I see a new dawn in a "new" land.

Another Three Months Later

SO THIS

Once again, no post for three months. In the first Three Months Later I was primarily occupied with my home improvement project and assimilating to my new professional and social environment. Add to that the fact that I depend on the public library for internet access and public transportation to go around, the latter eating up a chunky amount of time. With the aforementioned issues resolved (except transportation), new challenges arose.

Working nights has taken a toll on my personal and social life. In general, day and night shifters have fairly the same amount of days off, but the latter actually end up with less because they have to sleep in the daytime on the first day off to adjust their body clocks. There’s not enough time to do all the stuff that needs to be done by the time they wake up because establishments are on the last part of their business hours.

A peculiarity I employed in my sleep-wake cycle is also a factor. As I've written in Nocturnal Animal I do not go back to my day pattern at all - even on my days off. So I sleep in the day and am awake at night. And that has been the case since July. Days off which start at 1600 have to be chores day for me, managing to squeeze in only little social time with friends and family and quite seldom owing to my sleep-wake pattern.

SO FAR

Two days before my birthday last October, my mother surprised me with two things: a cheesecake and her presence. Yes, without my knowledge, she flew in from San Francisco. It was a real surprise. And she's been with me ever since.

A friend's birthday gift to me was a ticket to see Avenue Q. The musical was so funny it had us in stitches. With puppets and real people comprising the cast of characters, its humorous touch on realistic issues such as racism, internet porn, masturbation and sex was a total hoot.

I got the flu shot but the flu got me anyway. And my colleagues who preferred not to get the shot didn’t. How ironic! Those who choose not to receive the vaccine argue it's recommended only for the very young and the very old who are at high risk. They say healthy adults will only be rendered more susceptible by the time they reach old age because they have been regularly injected with a live virus, though a tamed version. Could they be right?

But shot advocates defend: it's by chance whether you get the flu or not, there are many flu strains and it changes every so often, and if you do end up coming down with it you'll have better immunity and thus a shorter recovery period if vaccinated. Well, to each his/her own belief.

I have been preparing for this year’s Halloween since Halloween, The Beginning. To my frustration I wasn't able to join the festivities because I was on duty. Relegated in the hospital with deep, seeping decubitus ulcers as the only elements of horror, glimpses of live coverages of Halloween celebrations from patient room TV sets sunk me into despair. To compensate, I watched Cirque du Soleil's Corteo with two of my colleagues a week or so later. Appropriately macabre, the show was about a man's thoughts on how his funeral will be. The death-defying stunts and the overall spectacle were killingly breathtaking.

Finally after ten months of saving up, I bought my own laptop & internet connection! I can now check email and surf the web not only anytime but anywhere in the house as I please as well. Whoopee! It took that long because I wanted a Macbook at a good Thanksgiving price. And I got it! Disciplined patience satisfyingly pays off.

My mom and I flew to Washington, DC, stopping over in Las Vegas and Charlotte to get together with my eldest sister in Alexandria for the holidays. The main attraction was the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex, in Washington, D.C. It was goose-bumpy to have stood right before the National Archives where the Declaration of Independence is displayed. The most enjoyable dining experience was at the cafe of the national museum for Native Americans where I devoured succulent buffalo shank simmered in red wine sauce sided with scrumptious pumpkin salad.

The three of us, along with a pair of four-legged companions, went on a road trip from Alexandria to our home in Orlando, passing by Savannah along the way. In Orlando, I was finally able to get a taste of The Dessert Lady’s fine products. Cheesecake was a definite! And for the new year, I got a new hairstyle. Well, more like new hair color. Hair highlight is a first time for me so it was a mix of anxiety and excitement.

We were on the road again for the first week of the new year traveling from Orlando to Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge to Fort Worth, Fort Worth to Phoenix, and finally Phoenix to Los Angeles. Back to reality would be the short of it, the end of a good break from the hustle and bustle of working and living in the city of L.A.
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Photos in this post are author's property.

Livin' L.A. Vida

Today, February 1, marks my 1st year as an Angeleno, and I am proud to say I have persisted despite the unflattering reputation of my neck of the woods - Boyle Heights in East L.A.

My colleagues & classmates aptly forewarned me that my neighborhood can be unfriendly. True enough, while I was about to hit the sack on my first night home alone, a police car chasing a civvy car rushed past the street in full siren and strobe lights. There were about three more similar chase sequences that tore the silence of the night that seemed straight out of TV crime drama. Welcome to L.A.!

About a week or so later there was a hostage situation right across my block. Police cordoned of the area with the unmistakable yellow tape that says, "Police line. Do not cross". SWAT team members in full encounter mode bolted out of a couple of armored trucks strategically parked on both street ends. On top of it all, and literally, too, a chopper hovered the area with its bright searchlight streaming across the night sky. I thought I'd see stuff like that only in the movies. Well, not exactly far off for, after all, L.A. is home to Hollywood.

I live in a predominantly Hispanic community, with Asians & African-Americans immensely outnumbered. Whenever I explore the vicinity I feel like I'm sauntering down avenidas of a small town somewhere in Central or South America, what with Spanish signage on most establishments, burrito & taco stands on every imaginable corner, and the rustic charm of mariachi sounds in, where else, El Mariachi Plaza.

But the one thing that really makes you feel like you're in a different country is that most people here do not have or have little English comprehension. Filipinos probably have it easiest when it comes to the challenge of communication since many words in our language are derived from Spanish.

Speaking of communication, the public library, about 8 blocks away, had served me well as my only connection to the wired world. Since I did not have my own computer for a long time, I had to queue up along with other patrons to get a chance to check email and surf the web.

Another thing I didn't have and still don't have is, believe it or not, a car! So how did I manage this past year in one of the most car-populated metropolis in the nation? Well...I go Metro! It's an economical and earth-friendly albeit time-consuming way of exploring the City of Angels.

Stations & stops are strategically located. This actually allows overlapping of economic extremes. It's not surprising to find yourself in an impoverished area in one stop and then alight in an affluent district in the next.

The road often leads to Food4Less nearby for grocery, and I am part of the shopping force that makes the most of the supermarket's shuttle service that brings customers home. The closest shopping complex is Monterey Park where different shops cater to every whim and need. For a change of shopping environ and experience, I have managed to reach downtown L.A. and Glendale Galleria.

I have also explored the outskirts of my little Hispanic residential town and beyond. Chinatown's cultural richness reminds me of my link to the yellow race; Japantown's trinket stores are treasure troves of delightful surprises; Filipino stores in Eagle Rock & Glendale help ease my homesickness; and Universal City & Studios quench my thirst for All-American amusement. That's just to name a few.

There is still much of L.A. for me to explore, not to mention its interesting sibling cities that are all part of L.A. county. The Angeleno in me is yearning to further explore and experience my foster city and county that is as diverse as the United Nations. Did you know that L.A. county has the largest population of any county in the country, and that nearly a third of Californians live here? Now that is big.

Being a crucible of cultures is an indelible charm of L.A., with residents coming from more than 100 countries and speaking more than 200 languages. Restaurants offering various world cuisines abound. Cultural events are actively held each year. In their own peculiar ways, people from different ethnic backgrounds contribute to this cultural melting pot, making it richer in character which adds to its worldly allure.

Having lived in L.A. for a year also gave me the opportunity to experience its turning seasons and how its topography adapts to the changing climate. It's an attraction in and of itself. There are the snow-covered mountains in winter; the city showers in spring; the sun-bathed deserts and beaches in summer; and the welcome chill of autumn.

There must be a thousand and one reasons why L.A. is "the place" for about 10 million people. I've already stumbled upon a few and can't wait to discover a whole lot more.