Today, my aunt from Manila has completed her 10-day quarantine. Meaning, she is now allowed to go home from the quarantine facility. My mom, including my other aunties are too excited for her to come out. Every afternoon, they would go there outside the quarantine facility just to see my aunt from Manila and to have a little chit chat with her despite the 6-meter distance. You won't believe my mom and my other aunties do that during the 1st day of quarantine up to now. Well, I feel like it's normal to act that way when you haven't seen someone especially a family member for such a long time.
This aunt of mine has been living in Manila for almost 20 years. She lived there with her son after she and her husband separated. Why? It's because her husband was caught having an affair. They almost had everything. Wealth, prosperous business, and a perfect life but all came down when her husband spent their money on numerous girls without my aunt's knowledge. Little did he know that their savings was completely at its lowest. Of course, when my aunt found out, she did not hesitated to separate with him. Well, who would not?
Alright, so going back, my family has been so excited for my aunt to finish her quarantine. During the first day when the van arrived, my little brother almost went near to my aunt and my aunt hand some chocolates to my cousins as well. Oh dear, they're not supposed to get close to her. Luckily the guard did not see them or else all of us will be quarantined. That's not the first time. During the second day, my cousins again who are still kids went near to my aunt just to ask for 20 peso bill. Glad that the oldies have seen them and immediately called them.
My mom and my aunties as well are too excited for the 'pasalubong'. Pasalubong are the goodies, biscuits, things, clothes and other things that will be given away when my aunt comes home. As for the kids, they are so excited for the chocolates and 20 peso bill. For the oldies, my aunties, they are excited for the pots, clothes, bags, and other kitchen utensil that my aunt from Manila brought.
I don't know why they are like that when my aunt just came home from Manila, not from abroad. Fortunately my aunt was able to save from there because she has a store and a little business. Because of that, she was able to give what the family has expected.
This afternoon, my aunt was already out and just like the common Filipino scene when there is someone who arrives, everyone gathered around and wait for the 'pasalubong' to be given. Of course, there's a big box containing everything. In every thing that will be taken from there, someone in the family wishes to own it. It's cute and funny right? What a typical Filipino family.
My aunt also took jeans, ripped jeans to be exact and all the girls in the family are waiting for it. Each one of them wears it and whoever fits the size would get the jeans. One of my aunties forcefully wear it but she was not successful. It doesn't really fit to her. Can you picture out the scene?
After the giving of 'pasalubong', everybody eats dinner. The dinner was like fiesta. Exchanges of conversation went on and the voices are too loud as if they're talking so far from each other. My mom teases my aunt from Manila that her ex-husband awaits her too and would like to join the dinner. My aunt just laughed.
Of course, a celebration would not be possible without a beer. We drink some and continue the conversation. We had a great time, honestly. Sometimes I thought that our family went way too much for asking something to my aunt but then I realized that it's very common for us, Filipinos to share what we have to our family. Even if sometimes, there's nothing or very little left in us. Without these traits, we are incomplete as Filipinos.
I am proud and happy to be part of the Filipino family.
How about you there pips, what is a typical Filipino family for you?
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Sabi ng kasambahay namin ganun daw talaga sa probinsya. Siya kapag uuwi sa kanila ang dami bibilhin mga pasalubong sa kamag-anak tapos pati biscuit na malatimba sa dami ang bibilhin niya para naman daw sa kapitbahay. Sabi ko bakit? Kasi daw mga kapitbahay kapag nalaman na may umuwi galing Manila ay pupunta doon tapos makikikain. Usually daw biscuit nga pinapamerienda at may kasama pa dapat na pantulak. 😁