This is the time to see the neglected areas in the house that were calling for much needed attention. Of course, I still have to cook for my husband who needed nourishment of Filipino food. After all these years, sandwiches and pizza are not lunch nor dinner fares for him. It must be at least two courses with rice. More is better for him, of course.

My favorite season is coming up and so my mind set is adjusting. I become more calm and more pleasant in my dispositions. My husband is happy with this. There might be less social activities to attend but not exactly zero. Life is more balanced, shall I say.

Homecoming Party

Jennifer Eusebio, the unica hija of Jun and Jovy Eusebio, is coming home from Japan after her one year of “Study Abroad Program ” at the University of Tokyo. Family and friends were invited to join her parents in welcoming Jennifer back to Metro Washington D.C. in a gathering at their lovely home in Bethesda, Maryland. A few years back, Jennifer was one of the Cotillion dancers of a group of debutantes sponsored by the Philippine Medical Association. She was then a high school student and during that time, she went to Argentina as an exchange student, came back home fluent in Spanish. This time she chose Japan to study as part of her college academic program in Michigan University. Jennifer was years younger when I choreographed the cotillion dance and now I am excited to see this young lady and hear her many accomplishments in school. I’d like to hear her “Arigato” expressions.

Exchange Student

Our home has been an empty nest for quite sometime now. Our four children, one married, have already acquired their own homes. We are not grandparents, yet and I am not complaining. Just mentioning it (just in case my daughter reads this).

This week, a sixteen year-old teenager arrived from Germany to study at Marshall High School as an exchange student. This delightful and pretty young lady will stay with us for six months.

She is not just an exchange student to me - she is a Goddaughter whose mother is a Filipina married to a German. She is fluent in English with a little interesting German accent. I was surprised to know that she was familiar with the American movies and popular movie stars. After enrolling her, it was fun to shop for her school needs like the old times when my own children were her age. Like a typical  teenager, her eyes sparkled whenever we were at the teenager clothes section in department stores. I welcomed her with some stuff that I knew would delight her. There was a bunch of flowers and three welcome balloons at the airport, a small organizer bag, a box of make-up essentials and a manicure set when we arrived home. Then, a perfume and lotion Britney Spears set and some local magazines.

When classes start on September 5, she will prepare her own sandwich for school. My own children are also excited to see our “adopted student” and being my goddaughter, they would also like to get things for her. I started familiarizing her already with the “how, where and when” in the house and the rules that appropriately apply. She is definitely a nice teenager with good demeanor and surely, we will enjoy having her in the house.

Sympathy Note

We condole with Bambi Lorica on the recent passing of her mother, Mrs. Consuelo “Cholly” Rosales Asuncion-Antonio. Drs. Vic and Bambi Lorica were the co-chairs for the successful Philippine Festival celebration in June, 2006. Mrs. Antonio was a board topnotcher of UST Pharmacy class of Class 54 and earned the degree, Master of Science in Pharmacy at Iowa State University. She was a native of Bulan, Sorsogon and had resided in White Plains, Q.C. A cremation rite was held at the Loyola Memorial Park Crematorium in Marikina, Philippines.

Email: pagsibiganr@aol.com