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Being away from “home” for the holidays has been a struggle to keep my sanity intact. Though my aunt from Sydney went here to celebrate with us, I can’t help but think about Davao. I heard a lot of gatherings and reunions with my friends and I feel sad missing them all.Getting through the holidays seems like a normal season for most of us here. Though malls and houses are madly decorated, the emptiness just creeps within me. Christmas in Oz is really is different. Not much fuss and nothing like Pinoys do.

After living here for almost 6 months, I could say that money isn’t really everything. I have spoiled myself during the holidays but never in blue hell did I enjoy like being with family and friends.

Anyway, few hours from now would be another year to get through and I hope things would be good for all of us. As much as I would like to stay and work in Davao, there’s not much opportunity to get things done sooner. I hope and pray that everything will be better for all the Pinoys in the world.

Happy New Year and God bless us all.

Few days from now and Christmas would again be sending people to parties and reunions. And being here in Oz, I’ll be missing a lot of Christmas related activities, making it my “loneliest” Christmas so far.

Christmas in Oz seems to be very different compared back home. Though malls, buildings and streets are decorated, the atmosphere seems to be clouded with their culture. That majority don’t care that much. That Christmas is just another holiday.

Going around Geelong and Melbourne has been very weird. It seems that Christmas is having a Holy Week feel. People tend to be pre occupied with work and the cold wind just gives me the sad chill.

Unlike here, people in Davao just can’t wipe the smile off their faces. You can just see the eagerness in celebrating the holidays, the enthusiasm to please their loved ones and the effort of masking the everyday struggle through recycled decorations.

I will also miss when carolers would just sing their hearts out and be greeted with “walay kwarta” and answered with “ang babarat ninyo”. The hit Pinoy songs having their Christmas versions, endlessly played and sang with excitement. I’ll be missing the kids who would just do anything like being asked to sing “boom tarat-tarat” with actions for Php 10.00 and trying to come back with a different shirt for an encore. These naughty kids just never fail to entertain me.

Thinking about these seems to bury a hole within me. I guess, I just have to get used in celebrating Christmas on this side of the planet. I’ll just try to close my eyes and cover my ears.

Maayong Pasko Dabaw! ‘Musta ang “soup kitchen” sa Rizal Park?

It was winter when I arrived here last July. As they have said, it was the coldest in 3 years for Geelong. It was 3 ° C. My clothes were not enough to mask the chill and the silence was deafening. Everything was so empty and being away from home, was the worst feeling so far.

For nights, the heater was my best friend. I had it in a way created Davao City in my room that I had my skin dried and cracked. I sometimes cried from the emptiness that it brings. It was silent and just can’t talk to be called my company.

In a way, I got everything that would help me beat boredom. I brought my iPod, my books, my photos and my notes. They seem to fill the gap until I grew tired of it. Everything has become irrelevant.

From the “what I had” to “the things that I have to do without them”, has become my 2^nd plan. I read labels of shampoos, soaps, lotions, tickets or anything that could just eat some time. I also tried exploring the surroundings by foot but being a Dabawenyo, “mu-ukuk jud basta bugnaw”. It reminds me of my friend, Racky, who owns “Avenue S” at DAMOSA Gateway. “Lugi kami basta mag ulan. Mga taga-Dabaw, magtambay ra sa balay basta bugnaw. Way halin.”

It really has been a struggle being away from home. Thank God, uncle had a spare PC. In a way, I could go much further in beating boredom…in missing home.

Since then, I have missed a lot. The Kadayawan, Mayor Duterte’s cussing on his Sunday show, the BBQ at Claveria (near Veteran’s Bank), my drinking sessions with my “El Barangay” at the “Barangay”/”Bak-Bak”, Midnight Sales, Balut and Lug-Lug at Bankerohan, “sight seeing” at Auto Shop Compound, Isla Reta weekend get-aways, family, friends and everything that Davao has marked on me.

I know it’s hard but the thought of coming home soon is something that I’m really into.

Magkita ra ta sa sunod, Davao.