Ohhh The Anticipation!


 It feels like the past two years of preparing to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee (60 years after high school) at St. Scholastica's Academy in Pampanga is now at hand.  The bags are packed, pasalubong's in place, mail is on hold, itineraries halfway laid out, clothes and shoes picked out.

The excitement is palpable.  Tony and I look forward to eating familiar, new, delicious and authentic Filipino food, seeing friends we have not seen for a long time, relishing the unique hospitality of Filipinos and some pampering of body and soul.

For me, the culmination of 2 years' worth of preparing for a milestone class reunion supersedes other equally important activities to be experienced.  Reconnecting with relatives and friends, visiting a family library that has significance for our son, Allan, researching family connections on Tony's part are some of them.  We have countless planned activities for bonding with best friends and former classmates, anticipating laughter that will make us double over and bring happy tears to our eyes.   Will we recognize classmates that we have not seen for the longest time, will we remember names, will memories, hopefully amusing ones, creep back into conscious thoughts?  

"The laughter we will share with long-time friends will echo through the corridors of time, and will forever warm our souls" - Unknown   


Layover at Incheon Airport on our way to Manila

Chance meeting with retired UMC co-worker, Siobhan Snyder

Tony enjoying taho, bibingka and puto bumbong at Crowne Plaza

Serve yourself taho

Kakanin galore

Ensemayda with local fruits

My first breakfast with danggit and corned beef

First breakfast at Crowne Plaza

Evening meeting with Edna Cruz at Sentro

Always delightful to be with Edna

Gising Gising with sigarilyas

Sinigang Corned Beef with Fried Anchovies

Tired from long plane ride but happy

Visiting with good friend, Bon Reyes at Microtel Pampanga

Aurora "Mareko" catching up with Franco de Jesus

First of many meals at Nona's near Microtel L to R: Bon Reyes, Tony Jocson, Cynthia Jocson, Franco De Jesus, Ed Macaraeg, Aurora Macaraeg

Lovely Pair, Edna and Franco

Lunch at Nona's with Alma Bunag and Edna Cruz

Happy moments

Lunch prior to getting ready for the big night

Meeting other Scholastican at Microtel breakfast

So lovely to get this homemade suman bulagta



Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA

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