February: The Normal That Was

After all the festivities, February was jam packed. A reflection, perhaps, of what normal life used to look like. In the first week, I was in Kuala Lumpur, where I inconveniently developed sniffles on the last day (this scared the shit out of me and I took my last meeting in the hotel room over video conference). The week after, I went to Manila. On top of all the business meetings, I was able to see some friends. And over the weekend, I drove back to my family home.

Ah, how I miss those times. Driving through the traffic of Manila to our home uses up so much energy, causes so much frustration and even a back ache, but once I step out of the car, I inhale the fresh air and think it’s all worth it. The smell is very distinct – like that of newly cut grass – and it’s also a tiny bit cooler than in the city. When I enter the house, my dogs are always a mixture of confused and excited, not having seen me for a long time. 

During these mini side trips, my usual activities include: sleepovers with the sisters in my room (every single night), game nights with the cousins, playing with the dogs, smelling like a dog, and talking about my grandmother’s plants in the garden. Finally, on Sunday, my entire family will go out for lunch before they drive me to the airport so I can catch the 7pm flight. Yes, my entire family. Like a proper OFW.

Thank you February, for a taste of the normal that was.