I met with Taynee, Larvin, Luigi, Mimi and her boyfriend at SM City Davao. Pgie arrived later. It was funny how hard it was to realize that you guys have grown apart from each other for a while. There are times when you do not know where to start or how to start a conversation. It was sort of a 'memory gap' as in Larvin's terms. However, there are still some things that never change. We still have that geeky part inside us; that fascination for new technology and that never say die attitude when we get to try new things but somehow doesn't seem to work. It was more fun and heart warming to realize that even if we have indeed grown up and somehow grown apart, some things never change still. We catched up a little but by 9pm (yeah, it seems like a long time but it isn't really) we had to get going. I left fot Cotabato the next morning at 6am.
It was a long 5 hour drive to Cotabato on the September 18 but I managed to make it in time for the wedding which was scheduled at 3pm that same day. I was one of the groom's men, a part of the entourage. All my relatives were stressed out worrying if I would make it in time, which I did by the way. Its just that it is sometimes annoying to have people try to follow up on your every step and worry like hell that you have made wrong decisions. I not a kid anymore who has to be looked after every minute. When will they realize this?
Good thing the wedding went smoothly and by 10pm, I was burnt out and very ready for a good night's sleep. After a relaxing full body massage courtesy of the local masseust, I had rest. I woke up the next day at 630am. I was suppose to leave at 9 with kuya Charles Uy but plans changed. I left with my uncle and his family at 8. So at 7:45, I rushed my bathing and dressing. In less than 10 minutes, I was done, packed and ready to go. All my rest that night before was immediately put to good use.
It was a shorter travel as we were travelling on a private van. The 4 hour trip had food trips along the way. I had my taste of durian, rambutan and lanzones plus goats milk for the drinks. We arrived at Davao at 12. We had lunch, I rested a little and by 3 pm, I left to visit my elementary school.
I had a blast catching up with the former Ateneo Grade School Administrative Assistant Headmaster and now Ateneo High School Registrar.He showed me around the grounds recalling stuff, catching up on my teachers. I also enjoyed talking to my Grade 6 homeroom adviser. She was happy to see me too and I was glad she remembered me. She told me that most of my classmates were taking up Nursing and most are now Registered Nurses. Each has seemed to grow up so fast. The last time I recall, we were in the brink of puberty and now we are grown men and women.
I met with Taynee and the gang at GS (formerly known as JS) by 7pm. I waited 2 hours for them since most of them had classes. Taynee and her boyfriend Gab arrived and kept me company first, then came Jay, then Larvin and Luigi, then Pgie, and finally Coykee, who I had to call personally for the invite. We went straight to Rizal Promenade for a drinking splurge which I hope would reach until my birthday.
 | At 8pm, with the cigarettes lit, bottles of beer ready and pulutan being cooked, the story telling, life updating sessions began, by 9 Coykee left and the bottles of beer had ran out. |
We ordered for hard drinks which somehow didn't seem hard enough as we were able to consume 3 pitchers with 7 of us left (2 were not heavy drinkers). By 12 midnight, they sang me my birthday song and toasted to my 21st birthday. I was glad I spent my 21st birthday in the presence of this set of people. By 1am, the gang was ready to go home. Most had exams and had come just to accompany me on my birthday (aww... :p). Pgie and Larvin had other plans however. Details will be released on a personal basis.
September 20 is my birthday. I spent half the day in Davao and was now in Cebu by 12 noon. I spent the day with my mom catching up on how things were among other family matters. We had dinner with my brother, sister, dad, and grandparents at Sunburst near Fuente. I forgot the name of the street. Somehow, it felt like a defining moment where I realized that there were a lot expectations from me now. There are many things that I should be responsible for yet despite which I know that my family trusts me and are proud that I am capable of handling my own life. At that moment, I knew that I have finally grown up.
The next day, I met up with one of my best elementary friends, Drew. We sort of catched up on each other's life over a 30 min lunch. We didn't get to stay on much longer as he still has work and I had to return home to pack and prepare for my flight that evening. It was good seeing old friends and catching up and this birthday vacation of mine helped me realize that growing up is not that painful most of the time. In fact, it can be a challenge that friends have to face and that despite have to grow apart in distance, it's just to make meeting up once again exciting. Cause there's just so much to talk about by then.
I can't wait to experience more in life now.
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