I was in San Pablo, Laguna (my father’s hometown) from Thursday to Saturday last week. It was a blast going back ot our province after a long time. I’m not sure when was the last time I was there. I remember I went back to San Pablo when Tiya Susan (my father’s youngest sister) went home from Kuwait and when I invited some of my cousins to come over to our house on my high school graduation, I just don’t know which came last.
Anyways, it was my cousin Dina’s wedding and I was her maid of honor. It was my first time to be an “abay” (I was a bit young pa when Iche got married and when Nancy got married naman, it was a bit rush so we weren’t able to go) but I wasn’t really excited. Haha. Why? I hate wearing gowns and heels and I don’t like having make up on.
Thursday
Only Papang, Mama and I traveled to San Pablo, Kuya and Bruce (my younger brother) were left to housesit while we’re away. We were supposed to leave after lunch because Papang still had a hearing to go to. But at about 1 pm, he called us to pack his things for him and just met him at the bus station. It was funny because Mama and I were carrying a lot of bags plus our wedding gift for Dina. I carried 2 mailman bags – mine and Papang’s. The bus ride was fun, we had so much energy so as usual, Mama and I were noisy. Mama would buy everything that’s being sold in the bus, from hopia to nilagang mani to shingaling.
We arrived in Brgy. Santisimo Rosario after a 3-hour bus ride and a tricycle ride that took forever! I pitied the driver na because the road seems endless. Feeling ko, titirik na yung tricycle any moment. Lol. But the good thing was, I was really feeling the cold air since the tricycle was very open. But that doesn’t end there, we had to walk a few distance pa. Being the complainants that we are, Mama and I would stop and complain once in a while that our feet hurt and our feet are so dirty na, etc, to Papang’s annoyance. Haha. (Well, actually, Mama was the one complaining about walking, because I’m so ok with it, I’m used to walking far, I was complaining about how dirty my feet were. I have sweaty feet kase, eh with the dirt, naging mud na ata inside my shoes. I was wearing a closed front, open heeled flats kase)
We were greeted by Dina and Tiya Lolet when we finally reached their house. We were also introduced to Dina’s groom, Chris and thereafter, we also saw Tiyo Trod, Michael and Bitong (Dina’s older brothers, also my cousins of course). My most gwapo cousin Matt (the 3rd brother) was nowhere to be found, to my disappointment. (Ito yung tipong, “Naku, kung di lang kita cousin!” Joke. Talk about incest. AcK! Why am I writing this for everyone to read??? I sound so abnormal right now…)
It was the night before the wedding so there was a party for the bride and groom. While Mama was busy calling home to check on Kuya and Bruce, I was busy eating. (Hey, I was so hungry! It was about 6:30pm then but I was so hungry already! We walked far!) While other visitors were eating, Mama and I went to our other relatives’s house and chatted away. A granny at Lola Maring’s house mentioned that I look like Iche, my oldest female cousin. I have always been told that since I was young everytime I visit San Pablo. What I didn’t expect is that she also said I have some resemblance to Tiya Susan, only she has whiter complexion. Err, Iche and I are very kayumanggi. J We decided to sleep at Lola Maring’s house so I fetched our bags from Dina’s house, along with Michael. My gosh, it was so dark, I can’t believe I didn’t get lost, but I dumped my right foot in some small canal. Going back to Lola Maring’s house, I was shocked when someone called me from behind. I thought it was some kapre because he was smoking! I couldn’t see his face because it was dark. It turns out to be Arjay, one of my cousins, Tiya Susan’s youngest son. I think he saw me coming out of Dina’s house but I didn’t so he followed me. He’s gotten tall. We were really close when we were younger. He’s 17 now. I didn’t know I was only 2 years older than him. I thought he’s much younger. When I came back, I saw Mamay BAdong!! (mamay = lolo) The first thing he did was pinch my nose! Ack!! He’s always teased me about my nose!
After we settled in our room, we came back to the party because the eating session (Lol.) is almost finished. I saw my other cousins Arnel (Tiya Susan’s eldest son) and Jojo (Tiyo Ninong’s son, Tiyo Ninong because he’s both my uncle and ninong. Hehe.) drinking with some people. Then the dance party started. Dina and Chris slow danced while the visitors pin money on their clothes. It’s nice to see old traditions such as this. After that, the girls and boys of the entourage are supposed to dance with the bride and groom. I was like, “Oh no.” I was hiding the entire time, sitting behind the tables, I didn’t even sit in the chairs around the place, where the “dalagas” are supposed to be seated, to keep a low profile and I have to dance??? I was a bit shy because I don’t know a lot of people there except for my cousins. Also, I don’t like slow-dancing because I have sweaty hands and it’s embarrassing to wet your partner’s clothes right? Tiya Lolet pulled me to one of the chairs and I had to say buh-bye to Mama who I was sticking to until then. BAsta pair-pair, I was the maid of honor so I’m supposed to dance with the best man. Everyone is paired up already and I was like, “How come noone’s getting me?” I feel like such a loser already when a guy comes up to me so we could dance. My first impression: Whew, he’s tall. For i dunno how many minutes, we embarrassingly danced in front of everyone. I even told Arjay na palit na lang kame ng partners. Haha. But I realized it wasn’t that bad.
Yep, I met a guy at my cousin’s wedding. That’s a good sign right? So nangyayari pala talaga to no? We got to talk a bit while dancing. Anyways, he’s tall, and his name is Ashley. (I still don’t know though if that’s his real name. Haha. I’m still in doubt. Whatever. I better go ask Dina about it.) He’s 20 years old because he asked me how old I was and I told him I’m 19, he said he’s only a year older. He asked me if I’m still studying and I said I’m in 3rd year college, he said he’s working already. He works with both Dina and Chris so that’s how he met both of them. He also asked if I’m from there (San Pablo), and I told him I’m not. I’m only visiting. I swear he asked that for like 3 times. Parang ayaw pa kong paniwalaan. Embarrassing moment: While we were talking, Mama called me to face her because she’s taking pictures. (!!!) I asked him what he’s role at the wedding is, but I didn’t really get a proper answer from him. When it finished and I came back to my seat behind the tables, Mamay whispered to me, “Gwapo yun ah!” Dina told me that the guy I danced with is just a proxy, the best man wasn’t able to come to the party and only to the church the next morning. Oh-kay.
After the dance, I went inside the house to check if my hair is still ok. There, I saw my cousins Nancy and Arnold (Tiya Susan’s children, Arnel and Arjay’s siblings). I didn’t see Nancy’s husband though. Arnold has gotten more gwapo too. I went to watch the dance because I don’t want to dance with Mamay, he dances in a funny way. So embarrassing. Hehe. Mamay Badong is the 2nd husband of my Lola Ida, Papang’s mother so he’s still a bit young. Not the uugod-ugod type of lolo. I stayed by his side most of the time to protect me from those drunken SOBs. Especially that Eric guy who later on create a bit of ruckus in the dance party. Later, Matt came and as I expected, he’s really gotten more gwapo. (*reminds self he’s my cousin*) I gotta say this, he said I’ve gotten prettier too. Haha. Why didn’t I know this – he has a 4 year old son already!!! After watching drunk men dance with the “dalagas” and laughing about it for about 2 hours, Papang, Mama and I decided to call it a night at 11:30 pm because the wedding the following day is at 8am.
We only had one bed so the 3 of us slept in that one, we shared one blanket too. Mama was in the middle, Papang and I were on her both sides. I actually sleep beside my mom usually so it’s nothing unusual only we can’t move a lot or Papang will definitely fall. Haha. It was freakin cold! I was beside the wall pa, so super cold! At 3am, nainitan ata si Mama so she took off her blanket, so nawalan din ako ng blanket. I couldn’t sleep! After thinking for a while, I woke her up and told her na magpalit kame ng pwesto. So we did. GAh, ang likot ni Mama matulog!! In the middle of the night, tawa talaga ko ng tawa.
Friday
We woke up at 5am and so Mama and I went to Dina’s house to take a bath. In the “poso”, there were 3 guys taking a bath, I was half-awake so I didn’t realize at first. They saw me first and they started laughing at me, so I laughed too and left fast. Haha. I dunno why time was so fast that morning and everything seemed to have went wrong! A neighbor fetched water for my mom and I because Papang was still sleeping so soundly. (Hmp, bad! Anyways, this is what’s good about neighbors in provinces, everyone helps everyone.)
After taking a bath, Mama and I went back to Dina’s house to have my make-up done, Mama told me to brush my teeth first before putting on make up because it’ll get ruined if I do it after. So I was looking high and low for toothpaste but it was nowhere to be found. I swear, I got 3 people to look for it, to no avail. Seems like someone ate the newly-opened tube of toothpaste for breakfast. While we’re looking for toothpaste, Ninong saw me and wanted me to eat breakfast, I had no choice but to comply because for sure, he’ll get mad at me. But then I ate a few spoonfuls just to let him see that I ate. Ninong must be crazy to set me up with that 29 year old guy!! No freaking way! Sabi nga ni Mama, “Ano ba yan? Thunder (Matanda) na yan eh!” Sabi ko naman, “Corruption of minors!” Although, I’m not a minor anymore. HEhe. But still that’s 10 years! I don’t mind a 10-year gap though if he’s Kim Sung Soo…Hehe. I saw an almost emptied tube of toothpaste and thought that will do. While I was brushing my teeth, I could hear Ninong yelling for me to leave my cellphone number to him. EEw! I swear, my guy cousins were laughing. Why is everyone trying to set me up?? I know I’m the only girl saming magpipinsan who isnt married yet, but what the heck, I’m 19! I’m not going to get married in 10 years!
So I had my make up done and I didn’t like my lipstick. I liked the eye make up though. So I erased the lipstick and picked one of my mom’s lipsticks instead. I swear I don’t like wearing make up! My face was itching! It was so embarrassing because I was the cause of delay, everyone was in the vehicle already and I’m the only one they were waiting for. I was running while i lift my skirt so it wouldn’t touch the ground. Thank God, I wasn’t wearing heels. Remember my dilemma with gowns? it turned out OK, I was really feeling the skirt but not so much of the top because it kept on moving!
The wedding went ok. It was boring. Lol. I couldn’t count how many times I yawned. My task is at the end of the wedding, to make all the ninongs and ninangs sign the marriage certificate. Some blunder happened again, but I swear it wasn’t my fault. The signing of the ninangs went okay, it was actually one of the ninongs who signed under a different name. That’s so stupid, huh? I mean, even if someone tells you to sign there, why would you sign it if it isn’t your name?? It’s the best man’s fault, because he didn’t ask if that’s his name before signing. HAha.
Boring things happened afterwards at the reception. After eating, I went back to Lola Maring’s house to change into comfy clothes so I dunno what happened at the reception next. Was there a bouquet throwing? I would’ve just watched it fall to the ground anyways. There’s no way I’d battle with every single girl there to catch it. When the wedding was over before lunch, Papang, Mama and I went to another relative’s house, to Ninong’s. I thought I’d see Iche but she, her husband and her 3 kids (Whew! She has 3 kids already! The last time I was in San Pablo, she only had one!) were in Sta. Rosa. Too bad. Nothing really exciting happened afterwards until the following day.
Saturday
We left San Pablo at 11am and arrived back home at 3pm. I was too tired so I was asleep in the bus the entire time.
All in all, the trip to San Pablo was fun. I got to experience how to live in the province again. The simple life. The wedding traditions. The fresh wind.
Oh and remember the proxy guy? I got a text from him on Saturday night, he got my number from Dina. J
