The end of 2012, the time of solstice and holiday
warmth, flew by as I traveled in the Philippines. I wrote most of this newsletter from the very-warm-indeed
Philippines. I was on a ferry from
Manila/Batangas to Mindoro, making my way to North Pandan Island for some
diving off of Apo Reef. Now, I’m safely
back home with Oliver in the L.A. area, and I can hardly believe it’s
March!
As I think about this past year, I realize how much
of a gypsy I’ve been. Although I started
off the year living in the Bay Area for a solid four months, the summer quickly
took me on a whirlwind tour of scattered friends. While in the Bay Area, I had these healthy
weekly rituals that included hiking, dancing, yoga-ing, happy houring, and
working! I bicycled around town and
caught up with friends and family. I
also finished my first comprehensive exam, and I felt closer than ever to my
school community.
In June, I started moving around: to So Cal for
Oliver and his health, New Mexico with Grammie, back to the Bay Area for
retreats, to the farm in Ventura County, and last to Alaska for my hitchhiking/camping/kayaking/ice-climbing
adventure. With the Fall, things did not
change so much. I celebrated my birthday
in Tahoe then around Pismo Beach, and last in Los Angeles. I also
visited a friend in NYC on my way to present a paper at this big academic religious
conference in Chicago. The Chicago time
became really a big reunion, and I loved it.
I was struck by just how many friends of mine would want to attend or
present at a religious conference. And,
my presentation went well thanks to the many friends that supported me.
And, then, just after thanksgiving, after a Filipina
grief retreat, I decided it was time to be in the Philippines for a while to
connect with my Lola Concepcion’s homeland, my motherland in part as a Mestiza
Filipina. It was a timely trip as my
second comprehensive exam is on this topic (Mestiza Xicana and Filipina
Identity, Spirituality, and Creative Writing). I romped around the Philippines with my
partner and also became certified as a scuba diver too (big for me! Big fear
embracing!). Life under the sea is
amazing, and I found myself in love with the coral and colors and fish and
turtles. I spelunked through a long underwater
tunnel too!
For most of February, I joined with other Filipinas
and Filipina-Americans on a tour of Mindanao tribes. The trip was one of great celebration of
these indigenous people (my people!) who keep the ways of Earth and women
affirming community. Connecting with a
couple Mestizas on the tour, I had the opportunity to present at a
multicultural conference on women’s spirituality in late February. Also through women I met in the Philippines,
I connected with Sister Mary John at St. Scholastica’s in Manila. We danced together at One Billion Rising, the
Vday (Feb 14) event to end violence against women and girls.
Altogether, the Philippines was transformative and
both painful as well as beautiful. My
life just can’t be the same, and as I step into 2013 in California now, I’m (a
bit nervously) excited to see what comes from that grand adventure into one of my
family’s homelands.
