( ): Philippines Trip part 2: Family

It's been over 20 years since I last visited the Philippines, and so my trip back was mainly focused on getting reacquainted with my relatives and meeting a lot of new ones. I enjoyed my time with them immensely. Growing up, it was always just my immediate family-all of my aunts, uncles and cousins were in the Philippines. Spending time with them, it was a wonderful feeling to know that I'm part of a greater family unit. I don't know if that's something other people value, or if they take it for granted. I sure don't.

This is my grandmother surrounded by her children on her 95th birthday. She's an amazing individual. As she herself put it, "My body is old and weak, but my mind is sharp. And as I get older it only gets stronger. While you're young, use what you have. Otherwise you've got nothing."

With my other aunts and my uncle Jun, who's to the right of my dad in the blue shirt.

Grandma with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Uncle Jun decided to hang for this shot. My cousins Tess and Liset were present but not in the photo, and unfortunately I missed getting any pics of them at all.

My cousins Jelyn, Christine (or Lek, as everyone called her) and me. Jelyn was just 4 the first time I met her on my last trip in 1983, and Lek hadn't even been born yet! All of the cousins were cool. I even got to meet a few second cousins I didn't know I had, and they were very nice.

Jelyn's daughter, Sam, took the above shot. She's awesome-very talkative and smart. A little spoiled but adorable nonetheless. When we first met on the ride home from the airport, she wanted to make friends but was shy about it so she kept telling Jelyn things like "Tell him I like Tarzan and Wonder Woman! Tell him I'm going to be Wonder Woman for Halloween! Tell him Ce Ce (her cousin) and Ella (her stuffed animal) are my best friends!"