Family Ties

 

If there's one thing I'm extremely grateful about from my Sanfo trip, it's the reminder that I have a bunch of crazy/funny, ever reliable and hospitable relatives in the U.S. who always make sure that we have a good time whenever we go there to visit. I've been there several times before but I still feel overwhelmed from the warm welcome they give us every single time. 

My dad's brother, Uncle Sammie, and my cousin Zel, the girl cousin I'm closest to in real age and mental age (harhar), picked us up from the airport on the day we arrived. They became our drivers by default during our entire stay there. I know it's not easy to drive from different ends of the city, but they did so anyway, for the love of us. Nyaha. They helped carry our baggage, took us to the tourist spots in Sanfo (Cable Car in downtown, Fisherman's Wharf, etc.) and dropped us off all the way to our hotel in downtown Sanfo.

 

 

Our cousin, Manang Val, and her husband, Raffy celebrated their daughter Jena's birthday on the day we arrived. Jena's actual birthday was in January, but they decided to celebrate it two months later so we could join the party.  

Manang Lily baked the best tasting birthday cake and red velvet cupcakes (I wasn't able to taste Zel's so I had no way of comparing hehe). We even took some cupcakes home and had them for breakfast for the next days. :P

Auntie Abbe and Uncle Leslie invited us to their home at Uncle Leslie's birthday and fed us until we were so full. They showed my mom around and helped us with our bags. They even gave us pocket money to spend for the rest of our stay. Auntie Lina took care of our lodging, treated us out to lunch and gave us gifts and cash. Her friends who arranged the hotel reservations even left us cupcakes, fruits and chocolates at our hotel rooms:

 

I'm also thankful for Uncle Jesse and his wife, Carol, who brought us all to Point Reyes, took us to Uncle Jesse's workplace at the St. Francis Yacht Club, and welcomed us to their home:

I'm also thankful for our cousin Kaye for driving us and for taking us around. It's nice to see her so well-adjusted now in the US as compared to when I last saw her 6 years ago. She and her younger sister, Lyka, have grown to be very responsible young adults. They drive now, take more initiative to help out, and contribute to the family/house bills. They both inspired me to become more proactive and to act more like an adult. Hehe

On two nights, Kaye, Zel, and our other cousin, Bryan, went out until the wee hours of the morning. I don't remember the last time I went out that late with friends. Bryan and I have never been close, although we were born exactly a month apart (he's older of course. Haha), but he and Zel were actually great people to talk with, especially when it comes to concerns about being almost thirty and still living with the parents and finding our place in life. I usually talk about these things with my law school and college friends, but it was nice to know there are similarly situated people in my family. Thanks Zel and Bryan for treating us :D

And again, super thanks to my cousin Zel for everything. On top of all the things she did for us, she even bought me an item at Old Navy. Haha. It would be nice to have her and my other (single) cousins as constant night out/rant session companions, if only we're not thousands of miles apart. 

With the other cousins:

The three birthday celebrators, my niece Bianca, Uncle Leslie and Bryan:

I feel really fortunate to have not only my immediate family but my extended family who will always be there no matter how crappy things may get with the other aspects of my life. I really miss everyone there and I wish I could've stayed for several more days to spend more time with them. I hope it won't take me another six years before I can visit again.