Pilipinas. The first five days here.

So much has happened within the first five days here.  I can’t even fathom my entire existence of being in my home country.  With the comforts of having Lorial Crowder, the co-founder of Filipino Adoptee Network (FAN), assisting me in my stay here I’ve experienced minimal culture shock.  Also that we have not ventured outside of Manila yet.  Places we’ve hit so far are Kalookan, Quiapo, Makati, Binondo, and now Manila.  There’s a sort of disconnection yet familiarity of being here.  Maybe it’s because I look like everyone?  Yet I look ‘kano’ or American at the same time.

About a day or so after my arrival, I was able to buy ‘load’ or text/call points to contact the Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) and also notify my foster mother that I have arrived here.  While at the ICAB office we helped them prepare for the Global Consultation on Child Welfare conference.

Upon meeting Bernarda T. Torres aka “Mama Nor”, she was so warm and it’s like we’ve known each other since forever.  There was not too much of a language barrier since I was able to speak some Taglish (Filipino and English combined) and bits of Cebuano.  She had tears in her eyes just like in the photo when I came to America and like when she first heard of me searching for her and the rest of the foster family.  I’m beyond fortunate to be given this opportunity to see her once again.  I’ve learned even more stuff about her as a foster home as well.  We met in Novaliches Bayan, Kalookan where one of her daughters live.  I’ve been in contact with her daughter’s son to be able to make it easier to meet them.