Life as a beach Bum..

I've put off writing about this vacation because I know I can't describe the feeling Boracay gave me. Within a few hours there, I wasn't myself. I had this all-encompassing feeling of content and ease. No worries, like the Californians say. But it's more than a phrase, it's the truth. It didn't matter what or when we eat, drank, slept- it's all OK. I left my brain on the plane. Arriving in Manilla, the capital of Philippines, we were greeted by a man holding up a sign with my name on it. There's another life goal I've acheived over here. I thought you had to be much older and more distinguished to have your name on a waiting sign. Manilla was scary. Poverty like I've never seen before, crowds of people not appearing to be going anywhere. The airport had a 'Firearms drop-off box.' This was the first of many we'd see. Children running around with guns, shots ringing through sultry December nights, sand in your every cavity (some still remains lost in my scalp), stars painted right above me in the sky just for our island eyes (I drank out of the big dipper) and through all these unfamiliar sights and sounds of paradise, people were simply floating. Ok, so the poverty was alarming at first, but that was hidden once we got to Boracay. First, we had to fly on a 14 person jet where the pilot actually came back and gave us our safety instructions. Then we were driven on a two-wheeler taxi to the little ferry that took us to the island. Approaching the ferry, a small Filipino asked if he could carry something, I said sure and gave him my shoes and socks. He then gave them back to me and picked up a 6'4 Korean behind me on his shoulders and carried him onto the boat. No Worries! For the first time in my life, I was rich. There was always the divide between us and the Filipinos we met. We were alike in our passions, language, tastes but Darryl and I had more money in our pockets than they make in a month. That we could never overcome, just ignore and pay for everything. We spent every Peso we had but we wished we had more just to give to the kind bracelet/jersey/watch/sunglasses venders on the island. They were constantly selling us, but I never felt hassled. I stood on 4 islands, played basketball with little children on rubble courts, fell asleep on white sand and drank for seven days without the slightest hint of a hangover. And they had all the food I'd been missing here. Steak, and ribs, and tacos mmmmmmmm.......Ok, it's time for dinner, maybe I'll do more of this later. I'm back in the teaching groove, but I've been getting over a fever/food poisoning. The Philippines gloated about it being a "Bird Flu Free Zone." I might just be heartsick, longing for that week of no cares.