Christmas thoughts 2011

Four straight, no five consecutive Christmas and New Year spent not in home, four onboard and one outside Iloilo.

Christmas 2007 spent in our boarding house in Cembo, Makati. While our landlady and her family vacationed in Iloilo for Christmas Holiday, I, together with former college classmates and friends opted to stay in the house under Mommy’s first born who is a professionally unemployed and her third child who is a nurse dominance.

With not enough money at hand due to long unemployment (that time we had just passed the licensure examination and completing our trainings as pre-requisites for the coveted COC) we do not have much plan for the occasion.

“Ari gali mig pang nochebuna nyu sa paskwa” (here for your nochebuena) uttered by one of our senior before he took a cab to airport while handing me 1500 pesos taken from his wallet.

There, problem solves. We cooked sinigang na hipon that night and the rest of it Red Horse of course. I admit it’s not my choice to spend Christmas there, its just I don’t have a choice.

I considered it as one of the longest nights ever I had in my life. With a heavy heart I decided not to go home in Iloilo in order to save money. I was being practical at that time. We drowned ourselves in Red Horse to avoid being melodramatic.

That year a day before nochebuena, we welcomed our first born. Like any other first time dad I was very excited to see this cute little angel in flesh, too bad I don’t have much money to pay for the fare. To ease the loneliness I felt I decided to celebrate New Year in Nueva Ecija at my brother’s home leaving my friends at the boarding house.

This Christmas 2011 was a little bit different from other Christmas onboard I experienced. Last time we celebrate it in open sea so we had an ample time to prepare and to plan games and activities (though I really did not participate at all).

This time we were at anchored off Higashi- Harima in Japan with 0700LT pilot boarding scheduled the following day. The food was excellent (kudos to Mayor and his legion for a delicious dinner) and overflowing. They had fun at games facilitated by Chief Engineer. Me of course on my night watch at the bridge.

We Filipinos celebrate Christmas like no other. As ber- months come Christmas themed songs hit the air waves, malls decorated with Christmas symbols, lights gracefully dance to its music mesmerizing not only the youngs but also the olds, carolers soliciting for their party, exchange gifts, bonuses, long holiday (no work), 9 mornings (simbang gabi)

As for OFW’s this is the season were we become vulnerable to loneliness and to homesickness. No extravagant Christmas party can suffice and fill the emptiness felt during this time. A phone call or a chat can somehow slacken the solitude felt but the fact of being alone and far from loved ones bruised the heavy heart.

Listening to Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas medley made me felt at home though some songs triggered an upsetting tear. I thought 4 years of feeling this can eventually numb me. I was very wrong like saying we seafarers are used to violent waves. Its just we don’t have a choice but to face it.

Month of December doubled the lonesomeness I felt literally for it is not just a Christmas season but also the birthday of our son. He is 4 years old now, 4 birthday party I missed.