Of Feasts and Goodbyes

I’ve known Joboy since we were in diapers.

I grew up with him in Hagonoy. His Mom is my mother’s best friend. Job and I have been roommates for almost four years now. I’m used to having him around: late night TV, junk food bingeing in the middle of the night and bonding over GPS green tea. Needless to say, he’s like a brother from another mother.

Last night, we threw a dinner party for him because he’s leaving for abroad on Tuesday. Just like most of our childhood friends, he has decided to pursue better career opportunities abroad. Will surely gonna miss him.

There was also another reason why we had dinner last night, to celebrate the feast day of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz. He’s the patron saint of Hagonoy.

I haven’t been home for 9 years now, and I miss it so bad. Hopefully I could go home this summer.

Back home, they still celebrate fiesta the grand way with lots of food, people, mass, music and dancing. And since it was a tradition we have observed since we were kids, we still do it now even if we’re far from home. So we had pasta, sisig, grilled pork chop, chocolate mousse and wine. The gesture made us feel closer to home.