I’m currently in the “countryside” aka province, which basically means that yes, I’m away from Metro Manila. My paternal grandfather is turning 95 in a few days which is a pretty big thing nowadays. Though he’s been healthy for the past few years, a heart attack from a few month’s back has made all of us drastically change the way we’re doing things. Each year is another year to be thankful, and another year to celebrate.

For the past few days that I’ve been here, my family has been pressuring me to put together a presentation (by us, the grandchildren) that we could present to the guests this Saturday. Presentation, sure, I don’t mind; the only problem is that they’re making me do something grand (like a skit) in 5 days time. Pressure much? Talk about last minute. Being the eldest granddaughter, and the eldest grandchild (living in the Phils), I have been burdened with the responsibility of making it all turn out well. Added to the pressure is the expectation that I translate to Hokkien whatever I’ve written in English, which I’m heavily opposed to since I barely speak the language.

Ranting aside, we’ve decided on doing a song instead of a skit. Besides the fact that I’m a Chinese Studies major (which is my family’s excuse for me being the best choice to “lead them” besides the whole eldest bit) I have a fair number of Chinese songs on my itunes list which we’re browsing through for choices. Hopefully, we’ll be able to finish “memorizing” it by Saturday. if not, well, the guests will have to deal with us having cheat sheets of the lyrics.

Also, the air here is a lot different from Manila, so I’ve been sleeping better. Besides sleeping earlier than I did in Manila, I wake up a bit earlier here, and even have time to have an afternoon nap. Hopefully, the intake of fruits and walking from my aunt’s place to my grandparent’s place for lunch and dinner will give me some sort of exercise to keep myself from gaining weight. I’ve also been surfing the internet a lot less nowadays, since the internet connection at my aunt’s place isn’t that good. The only reason I’ve been able to spend time online now is that I’m at my grandparent’s house with my laptop.

This is a good place to be, to vacation, not to live. The province I mean. I’m just too used to the city to live here. Not enough malls, theatres, distractions and such. I’d much prefer it where it’s noisy, and where I know a lot of people I could hang with. The province is a good distraction/vacation, as long as my relatives here don’t spend every waking day lecturing me on what to eat and what to do since I’m the eldest and have to set a “good example” to my younger cousins. I’m too old to be treated this way. I’m 20 for goodness sake.

Rant, update, out.
Love from Dumaguete.