Reunions

Back in London, I used to be active with this informal Pinoy "group" consisting of students and professionals. For me it was one way of keeping in touch with the going ons in the Philippines as a great number of professionals back home come to the UK for further studies and return back to pursue their respective fields. Meeting fellow pinoys from diverse disciplines was a very interesting and rewarding experience as I learned a lot from these exchanges and network as well. I look forward to the gatherings not only because of the enormous Pinoy feast but also to enjoy the company of fellow Pinoys with the so typical Pinoy sense of fun. I have met quite a number of people from this informal group and some of them remain as my very good friends till this day. Being in regular contact with these informal group bridges the gap for the lost years that I was out in the Philippines. Now when I come home for my yearly visit, I know that not only do I meet up with my family or my old peeps back in high school/college but also with new friends I have met in the UK. Despite being away from home, it is nice to know that I could still manage to build new friendships back home. Next month, the "group" (there is really no formal membership or whatsoever) is going to Scotland for a summer get together. It is some sort of a reunion for those (like myself) who have moved on either to other countries or stayed to work in the UK, and for the current students/professionals as well. Coincidentally, this summer some former classmates from London are also planning to have a reunion in Germany. While most of us will be coming from Europe, some are flying from India, Africa perhaps the U.S. and even Canada. I have not seen a lot of them since we graduated but we have managed to keep in touch on a regular basis through our e-group or with a few of them through telephone calls. Sometimes I find it ironic that most of my European classmates are now all over Africa, two are in the Philippines, some in Afghanistan or India, and I stayed behind in Europe, and of all places in the Netherlands. Even my Dutch classmate is somewhere in Africa. And now, I got another email from former high school classmates who are planning a reunion sometime this year or early next year. It all started when I met up with a few high school peeps last January and discussed about the possibility of a reunion. Thanks to email technology, word just got around and we have started to update our database again. I also got two emails from former classmates who are also married to Dutch husbands. I must admit that sometimes I feel uneasy about these big reunions. For me it is some form of a reality check--on what I have become or what has happened to me during the last several years. I tend to feel ackward during the first few minutes of seeing people again after all these years. However, after a few icebreakers, the familiar camaraderie transcends and then you are back to your old foolish selfves again. Of course, there will be a few people who would try to be swanky but for the most part, people would rather talk about their families, kids, husbands, girlfriends (yes some came out), being single, married life, separation, single parenting, living-in, or just reliving the good old days. The years have passed rather quickly to merit such reunions. Suddenly you just ask yourself how the years went by. I have travelled quite extensively. Lived in several places. Studied more than I have expected. Enjoyed a career. Got promoted. Strangely, everything now appears to be somewhere in the past. Now, it feels more as if I am just starting over (at least another chapter of my life), a similar feeling such as having completed College and not knowing what to expect after. So what is there to say now? "I got married" (probable reaction: Oh finally!! Do you have kids?). "I moved from London to @#&#@%....".(possible reaction: Say that again...where?) "That's okay, I couldn't say it myself either". "I am back in school". (plausible reaction: "Doing what this time"? or "How nice") "Job? Oh, I am...some sort of a housewife" (likely reaction: Silence) I suspect that my present situation is very much different from what was written in my High School or College year book.