Grateful Cheers to all of my Facebook friends who have provided time to "Like" and "Comment" about my Homecoming2012 my blog link!

So far, these are the tips they have given me:
1. stay at home
2. do not shop; only window shopping
3. do not eat in restaurants
4. pack lunches, snacks, do not drink soda but water
5. bring toilet paper anywhere
6. do not go places where there are entrance fees; malls and some public parks are free
7. tell friends, relatives to come and visit me at home.

Before, I told myself, I will not go home but will wait for my children to come and join me here in California where we can bond together after years of separation. I left home in July 2000 when my son Anto was 10; daughter Pol was 8; and son Ixtlan Pax was 6 under the care of Ate Fe.

Now, Anto is an RN at 23; Pol is graduating from college at 21; and Pax a freshman college at 17; and Ate Fe, same age as I am at 50 is retiring and going back home to Bicol after raising my children for over 12 years.

I am going home to bond with my children, mother, siblings, my core-family. I also desire to see my friends,former classmates.

So far, here are the things I have done in preparation for my trip back home:

1. booked my trip since January 2012;
2. sent 3 jumbo balikbayan boxes for my pasalubong; the 2 to be opened when I got home on April 2nd; 3. exchanged timeshare with Interval International for my 7-days exclusive bonding with my 3 children [a gift from Carmela]; 4. requested by PRESS ID from FAPCLA [Filipino-American Press Club of Los Angeles]; wearing my PRESS ID at the NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport] hopefully will make my airport exit smooth without inserting dollar bills in my passport during airport check-out;
4. arranged hitched-ride trip with friends Cesar and Gerry to my townhome Guimba, Nueva Ecija to visit my father and grandfather's grave site; and side trip to Asingan, Pangasinan;
5. attend my daughter Pol's college graduation [still waiting for the actual ceremonies date];
6. arranged Andia Family reunion on Easter Sunday hosted by my Godmother TitaLa;

TBA [To Be Arranged] events in Manila:
1. bonding with children, ex-husband Niel and his girl friend Irma at Irma's vacation home in Tagaytay City;
2. half-day exclusive bonding with Dr Vicky Narciso-Apuan in Miriam College
3. bonding time with BFF Merci Paredes & Philippine Daily Inquirer editor Esther Dipasupil;
4. all-star cast reunion of Bumbulaklak, play I have written in 1993, mounted thrice at the UP [University of the Philippines] Theater and UP College of Music Auditorium [written by Sokie, theme music by Ryan Cayabyab, sang my Nonoy Zuniga];
5. a visit to my BFF Lola Sela Bungangera at home or DZRH Radio station;
6. List of friends I desire to see [my list for my eyes only to prevent expectations and disappointments].

So for all my beloved friends, classmates, relatives who would like to see me, you are all welcome to visit me at my mother's home in Pleasant Hills, San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan, Philippines. I will bring my karaoke set so we can sing together and exchange stories.

And oh, by the way, I still need to go to Downtown LA Chinatown to buy a set of mahjong tiles to bring home and keep my family busy for the rest of my vacation days at my mother's home.

Actually, my April 1-30 itinerary includes air travel to and from Los Angeles international airport. This week, I am filling-up another jumbo balikbayan box to be sent via Alas cargo. I have kept all the receipts for accurate financial report once my 30-days vacation in the Philippines is over. One thing that I would like to prevent to happen as a result of my vacation is that I would be buried in credit card debts when I get back to California on the first of May 2012!