champion pinoys

every trip to the philippines has been special to me and i always appreciate it a little differently. i 

am so lucky to be born to this family. they are quite unique and so incredibly lovely and their way of

life, though sometimes hard, is so simple and beautiful. whenever i am home, i feel so proud to be

filipino.

after talking with my friends who have relatives in the philippines, i realise that not all experience

something as blissful as i do. for one, my family is basically a bunch of larrikins. they're so cheeky

and are always looking for a good laugh. i've never seen a family who love to laugh as much as

they do. my family is also very big. my mama is one of nine and each of her brothers & sisters have

 about six-seven kids (minus my tatay berling & tatay edo). they also live communally. not all in the

same house, but basically. there is the big house that my mom grew up in, which everyone can (and 

usually will) sleep in. then all my uncles' homes are built around it. they cook dinner to feed 20+

people and everything is eaten. they will do wash up, hand wash clothes, sweep the floors, shine the

floorboards, and fetch water from the well when the toilet & shower need refilling. not all together 

but if someone sees that it needs to be done, they just do it. to take care of each other.

i miss my family most of all. they are some of the most incredible 

people i have ever met and i am so thankful to be part of them.
i cannot imagine a life where i did know them and i'm grateful for
all the steps my parents have taken to give me a good life and to know
where i come from.