A few weeks ago, I was watching TV, and couldn’t really find anything to watch, so I was just channel surfing to see if I could find anything of interest. As I flipped through the channels with the big movie channels like HBO, Showtime, etc., something caught my eye! I stopped for a few minutes on a movie, I am not even sure of the title. The scenery caught my attention, and soon I realized that the movie was shot in Portland, Oregon. For the past 15 years or so before moving to the Philippines, I lived in Vancouver, Washington, which is just across the Columbia River from Portland, so I kind of considered Portland as my home too (I even worked in Portland).
The movie looked kind of interesting, so I decided to watch it. As all the scenes went by, I did find myself feeling a little nostalgic as I saw places that I was very familiar with. I even felt a little bit homesick. But, as those thoughts crept into my head, I started thinking of how my life was there compared to how it is here, and I soon lost the homesickness. Sure, I still felt nostalgic about the old “neighborhood,” but I didn’t long to go back.
If you live abroad, have you ever seen your old hometown on TV, or in a movie? How does it make you feel?
Hi Bob–Whenever I'm in the Philippines for a considerable amount of time, I do get a little homesick for my relatives and friends, and some of the conveniences I had in the states. I long to go back to visit and to try to re-acquaint with the life I had there. But as soon as I get back to the states and start experiencing the stressful and harried lifestyle again, I long to get back to the Philippines where life is much simpler, slower, and relaxing.
Yes, you can get bored in the Philippines if you don't have something meaningful to occupy your time, but you can count the seconds, minutes, and hours and remember what you did during those moments, instead of wondering how the months and years went by, without you realizing it. That's what life is like in the states. It's just like that country singer Kenny Chesney's song, "Blink", where if you don't put your life into perspective, it'll pass you by. Till next time. 🙂
My hometown city of Davao is rarely in the movies or tv. However, I worked in Dubai, UAE for about 8 years. When I saw the Filipino movie "DUBAI", and when I see news on tv about this Emirate … I feel homesick-like too. It was my home for that long and I have a lot of friends there. There's been a lot of developments in that area, would be nice to pay a visit sometime, if I get a chance.
Hi Bob, YES, I feel homesick while watching Deutsche Welle (DW-tv) or even while listening Deutsche Welle Radio on line. Who can forget his roots? Smile 😉
I'm homesick for the Philippines 😆
(40 more days!)
Hi Julius – Nice to see you! It's been a while! I understand what you mean, no matter which way you travel, there is homesickness involved for your other home. It is really understandable!
Hi Joy Co – Yes, I didn't think about it that for Filipinos who go overseas they would rarely (if ever) see their hometowns in the movies and such. Sorry about that!
Hi Klaus – I could tell when we saw each other the other day that listening to DW had made you a bit homesick. For me, when I experience something like that, it is nice that I got a little "contact" from home, yet it can also sadden me.
Hi Paul – Ha ha… Perfectly understandable!
Yes, we re-watched Father of the Bride the other night, and it sure looked like home! Filmed in San Merino, it is very much like where I grew up in California. I even enjoy the freeway scenes in movies which are often filmed where I have driven many times. An added bonus, for sure!
Hi AmericanLola – ha ha… you got me laughing! My first thought when you said about the freeway scenes was "I bet she is happy that she is not having to fight that traffic!" My next thought was "oh, but the traffic here is even worse!" Ha ha…
Yep, it sure is! 🙂 Oh, for a California freeway on Mindanao!
Hi AmericanLola – Ha ha… wouldn't it be nice to have such a freeway from CdO to Davao, and another that circles the perimeter of the island? I bet you could make the trip from CdO to Davao in 3 hours if they had such a freeway!
Now I'm dreaming…. 😆
I think what makes me feel a bit like that is when I hear the Cork accent as I'm from Cork. More especially when I know that I had to train myself out of it while working abroad so that people could understand me. But it's strange how I automatically fall into back into it immediately when I visit, my wife cannot understand me when I speak native. 🙄
Also if I see scenes of green fields of different colour greens, I always wonder if it 's of someplace in Ireland and if I had visited that particular part during my younger escapades. It would bring a tear to a glass eye so it would. 😥 😉
Hi Jack – I understand how you feel! Especially about the language. I find that if I am with Filipinos who are not used to the way I talk, I take on a different way of speaking. More slowly and much clearer. If I'm around Americans, or with my wife or others who can understand my "American" English, I talk more naturally.
Have a look at the scene at the top of this blog Bob, here's the link
http://majorsleepyhead.wordpress.com/
this is the kind of scene I'm talking about, but I don't know if it's Ireland or not.
Gorgeous, Jack!
Hello Bob and all,
I do feel homesick specially with my family.I miss them so much. Well yes nostalgic with my hometown and friends but I also know that when I go back to that place it is not going to be the same what I have left. Not just physical feature of that town changes but the people arround the place you are used to. Sometimes even the families have move on e.g get married have their own life and move to other places. When I left the semi-cloistered life, I experienced these. To me life is like a time. That's why I like Jose Mari Chan's song "Life is a constant change." Most of you here probably don't know him. He is a Filipino singer.
Hi Mady – I know Jose Mari Chan! He is one of my favorites too! 🙂
Oh you know him. Nice. Since I didn't think of bringing one when I came here, I bought one of his videoke record in a Filipino store near DC 🙂