Essay on Meals

Meal

Having a meal with families and friends can sometimes be informative, interesting, memorable, or just part of someone daily routine. I usually forget what we discuss on a meal table but this particular meal in Philippines with my parents, is a meal to remember.

Early this year, my parents asked me if I can attend their house blessing and at the same time, have a family reunion in Philippines. I've been married for 10 years and my wife never been to my country of birth. During that time, the kids are on vacation and I have 80 available leave days. After carefully discussing it, we decided to attend. A week later, I bought a plane ticket.

Everyone was excited on the day of departure. We were not aware about the hassle of having three connecting flights. We had to go through three different countries inspection, screening and each every time we have to go though few metal detectors, remove our shoes, check our hand carry baggage, and what I don't like the most is pad down. By the time we arrived in Manila International Airport, everyone are tried and exhausted. As soon as we got out of the terminal, the rest of the families started complaining about the stinky smell of trash, smoke and the hot weather. Typically the hottest month is March to August, which temperature plus humidity can reach over 100 degrees. From the airport to my parents house was another four hours drive. Finally after 36 hours of travel through plane, going through customs and immigration, we arrived in our final destination.

My parent house is about 4,000 square feet with three acre of land, located about 10 miles from the old Naval Base in Olongapo city. My parents had a barnyard with lots of different kinds of animals such as: pigs, goats, chicken, ducks, and dogs. Every one of my kids enjoyed playing in the yard, which I call it "the wild" for the first time they were not in front of a computer or television. For the first two weeks all we did was sightseeing, shopping for souvenirs, taking pictures, and eating some local foods.

A week before we are leaving, we had a family reunion. Everyone from both sides of the family showed up. I meet some of my cousins of which I never seen for 20 years, I never realized how big our family was till the reunion; at times I don't even remember some of them. They asked me many question about my life in America, what I do in the Navy, and about my families. Everyone at the reunion seem had a good time. We started around 11 o'clock Saturday morning till 6AM the next day. We had lots of variety of dish, sing karaoke, and drink lots of beer. All my time there, this was the best night ever. But what followed the next morning was a meal to remember.