My Way.

It's been a crazy two weeks. Getting almost bumped off my flight out of Manila, staying in Korea for 15 hours, and getting the colds in Canada.

At the NAIA, the clerk told me my flight was in the early morning, but my ticket showed a 12:20 pm departure. I was told to come back, that my agent should've notified me of the changes, blah, blah, blah. I insisted to take the noon flight.

After a half hour of waiting, KAL agreed to let me hop into their jumbo, checked me into Hyatt Regency and gave me free dinner and breakfast buffet. Excellent.

ABOVE RIGHT, with nephew Justin.

Now, my nose is almost un-clogged after the sudden change in temperature upon reaching the shores of Toronto.

Here now in another city called Toronto,in Ohio, I am slowly digesting news back home, some happy, one disturbingly sad.

Dual citizens have difficult lives. Being transported back and forth into different weathers, cultures, scenarios, scents and people.

The Ber's are Back.

I was shocked to see Christmas Trees on the set of a local morning news show yesterday. Then I remembered it was September 1st, and then I remembered I was in P.I., the country with the longest Christmas celebration.

If I were in North America, the start of Ber... September, would remind me of the demise of Summer, and the re-birth of cool days of Autumn and Winter.

Here in Manila, my sweaters and jackets are packed inside two suitcases. If I were in North America, these items would be hung in the hallway and walk in closet, uncreased and ready to be worn anytime.

Here in Manila, my stuff are constantly re-arranged and sometimes, I've got no clue where my personal items are; if I were in North America, my things would be where they were as I left them.

Being tidy is called being neat freak here in Manila; in North America, it is a must, almost a law. How could you not keep nook and crannies spotless when you are bombarded by North American TV docus showing mites hiding in mattresses and bedding and bacteria in whatever you touch, and TV commercials hawking cleaning and hygienic products.

I hate dirt and smelly clothes, Kay Brosas the comic, shouts in one local TV detergent spot. I could commiserate with her.

In the washroom, I hate seeing grime and want to smell Lysol. In the sink, I hate seeing black spots and want to smell Lysol. Under the cabinet, I hate seeing ants or roaches crawling and want to smell Lysol. In the living room or bedroom, I hate seeing mosquitoes and want to smell fresh cologne.

I'm a tidy person, not a neat freak. I hate the sound of freak, it freaks me out.