Yesterday was the birthday of my nephew. He turns 6 years old. He lives in the farm where I grew up. This kid’s parents really live in GenSan, unfortunately he is sickly, so my other sister and her hubby got him and take care of him as their own. His parents will be moving to the farm in the near future.
Anyway, my oldest son Chris is vacationing right now in GenSan for a few days. We will pick him up later this week. He really wanted to go to the farm to attend the birthday celebration and visit also his aunt, uncle and cousins there. Unfortunately he can’t go there right now. My sister and brother-in-law felt that its not safe for the my kids to go there. They said just to be safe don’t let the kids go there, or Bob. But we go to GenSan quite often. I really feel safe in GenSan and a lot of the areas there. Really we do go to the place just near our farm, just not in the farm itself because its kind of secluded. I really wish that the Barangay Captain asked assistance from the municipal place in letting those military people stay in the hill just near our farm. I wished she asked the local resident just a few peso a month for military support. It was really safe then when they were there. Honestly nothing happened yet for the past 25 years, but just to be safe just be alert though right now.
When I was a kid our neighbor owned big land and a store in the farm. One night some armed man took the woman and brought her to a further area from us and the people that capture her demanded ransom. If I remember the husband paid for it. The kidnapper brought her back. They didn’t harm her physically, but it did harm her emotionally. She got sick after that and died few years later. I don’t think people really know who took the lady. Really after that incident people tried to be vigilant and alert, but still my family just don’t want anything happen to the kids and Bob. They just want us to be really careful.
Hopefully by summer things will get better there. The kids already have a big plan to spend their summer there. They want to help my family there in working the copra, cleaning the land, making the charcoal and harvesting some vegetables. Of course riding the Kariton (cart pulled by the carabao) and swimming in the river there. That was really the big thing for them. They also like to help feed the pigs and chickens. I don’t know though if they will eat the chicken if they saw when its butchered. They never saw one before. I know for sure they will not eat a roasted pig thats on top of the table and be ready to eat and not chop to pieces. They don’t want to see a whole roasted pig, I guess they felt sorry for the pig. Probably some of you think my kids have strange attitude towards the roasted pig thing. Well, that’s how they are and I love them to death. I can’t change their minds on that.
Well, I will update you guys if we will go there for the summer vacation. Two more months and it will be summer vacation here for the kids. The farm is one of the place we are going to go to this summer, hopefully anyway.
Hi Feyma!
I really enjoyed your story. I can really sense the fondness that you have for your childhood home. It is really neat that your children long to share your experiences. I always tease Marie that I can eat anything that doesn't still have a face. I wonder if that is a kano thing? :LOL: I can't wait to hear about your vacation.
Have a nice Day!
Hi mare! See you once you're here. About time… 🙂
Hi Feyma
How far away from Gen San is your families farm???
I am sorry that your family doesn;t have freedom of movement. It is terrible that the birthday party of a young child has to be spoiled by the actions of others.
I wish him a terrific birthday.
Hi Tom Ramberg – Yeah I really love my childhood place. I did enjoy growing up there. Hmm. Do you eat balot?
I will post some pictures and column here whenever me and my kids will have the chance to take our summer vacation there this summer. Hopefully though…
Thank you so much for stopping by here!
Hi Feyma,
My kids don’t like to see roasted pig on the table as well, they say the lechon is so (Kawawa :-)). But, my hubby on the hand loves lechon so much; I like it too especially the skin, sooo crunchy. Reading you article always makes me envy you, why? Coz you’re in PI, and here I am in cold winter Colorado brrrrr…
I miss the farm life, esp. when you want to get away from hustling bustling city life. There’s a lot I miss in PI sometimes I just like to daydream….. It’s funny because when I was young all I dreamt was to go aboard, now that I am here (17 yrs) I can’t wait untill that day..
And oh! I have to tell you I miss riding Kabaw w/ balsa… hehehhe..
Despite what happen in the farm… wish your kids have blast this summer.
Hi bariles – Hope to see you sometimes too Kumpare. I know you guys are busy there.
Take care and thank you for stopping by!
Hi Tyleen Reynders – I think its like an hour or so from GenSan. I really hope and pray that it will get better soon. Luckily my other siblings, nieces and nephews were there to attend the party. They had fun.
Nice seeing you again here. Thank you for your nice comment. Take care!
Hi ann – Yeah they felt sorry for the pig. Oh yeah I like lechon too.
Hey, why don't you and your family retire here in the Philippines now? Oh gosh its so nice weather today, not so hot. It just perrrfect… 😉 I'm not going to say much you might be more jealous. 😉
I really hope that we can visit and take our summer vacation again in the farm this year. God's will.
Good to see you again here ann. Thank you for your nice comment.
Take care and God bless! Keep warm!
What happened with the kidnap victim?
Hi Feyma!
Sorry Balot violates a face in my food rule. Hee Hee! If I get selected as a contestant on fear factor I might give it a try.
Yea I know how you feel .. When i was there i wasn't allowed to go to the village in the mountains " there are rebels there "…but then it is not to bad when a small force of military personal are about 1/2 kilometers from your house ..makes life seem a little easier too ….Phil n Jess
Hi Tom Ramberg – Ha ha ha. Honestly when I was in the States I saw a contestant on the fear factor and the thing they need to eat was the balot, if I remember the contestant quit. Just can't take the chicks inside the egg. Can't blame her for that.
Hey, I don't eat balot either… Hmm, but if paid for a big money? I have to think twice too… 😉
Hi Phil n Jess R. – Yeah its hard when no freedom to go around. Hopefully the military will come back soon. Oh well, it will get better soon.
Thank you for stopping by!
i say that about the inventions but its not
Hi joshua andres – Thank you for stopping by here. Keep reading.