We moved here in March of 1992. School had just finished for us and so when we came here, our parents decided we would start school the next school year. Which meant a six month vacation... WOO HOO!!! ... With my siblings ... Booo. Lol just kidding! We had a great time. Anyway, we started school that September. 6th grade for me and my sis (no, I didn't get held back, we are twins), and 10th grade for my brother.
Growing up in the Philippines, they taught us English in schools, and we had an American channel we were stealing off the American base. So Saturday morning cartoons and "Saved by the Bell" was very familiar to us. It also made us the coolest kids in the neighborhood.
I learned to understand English, but speaking it was a different story. I mean, imagine a 12 yr old kid who barely speaks English and got made fun of or mocked in 6th grade... That was me. Mainly because I didn't really pay much attention in class. I never really thought that we'd end up here. So I never really learned to speak English, but I could still understand the stupidity and immaturity of the other kids. Anyway, needless to say, it was really tough making friends in a new country.
There were two kids that stood out from the rest who actually offered to help me out with my English, and just be a friend to me. Andy and Danny. They were my first "real" friends here in the States. We had good times together. It was sad that I only really got to spend a couple of years being friends with them growing up because after the 7th grade, they moved away.
After high school I got back in touch with Danny, under sad circumstances, but since then we've kept in touch and continued a friendship we though we had once lost.
Last August, he became a proud dad. Danny and his wife, Alyssa, invited me to come to the hospital to welcome their baby girl, Leah Nicole...
When I was processing these photos, I thought to myself, "When Leah gets older and she looks at these photos, they're going to look like they were taken yesterday." One of the best things in life for me is when I look at my baby photos, they're all aged, wrinkled and torn in some parts. You get to really feel the age of the photograph. So that's what I tried to do with these photos. Make them look older. Give her something that could give her a sense of time.
Leah and mom.
She had a long day... *yawn*
The proud dad himself.
With her dad and granny.
With her dad and gramps.
Leah y abuela...
... y abuelo...
Taking a peek at her abuela, and probably wondering, "Who the hell is the crazy Asian guy with TWO cameras taking pictures of me!? Oh... wait.. that's my Tito Glenn!" ... Yeah, she's gonna be multi-lingual. =)
I thought this was cool. Those are her footprints!
I hope to be a part of Leah's life for a long time, just so one day I can tell her how great a friend her dad is. And that friendships should never be taken for granted. Surround yourself with good people, and you'll be good as well.
I know what its like to loose friends, in losing touch, in spite, and in death. Danny and I lost a mutual childhood friend at the end of high school which is how we got back in touch with each other. I had to find him and tell him the sad, horrible news. That was the day we learned the true value of friendship. At the end, you take with you the memories and moments you had with them. Even the regrets of not being able to say "goodbye," or even "hi."
One of the most precious gifts we can pass on to our most precious gifts is teaching them the value of friendships. Its hard to make long lasting friendships, but when you make them, its the sweetest thing. Yeah, Leah's gonna have that. =)
GZ
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