For the past 4 months, I lived like a local here. I enjoyed staying here and loved the city and its beauty. As my boss would say, I adjusted so well that you wouldn’t even know that I’m not an American with the way I speak and look (lots of Asian-Americans here). Back then, I knew that it’ll be a while before I go back to Manila so that thought was completely shut from my mind. I guess it’s not really intentional but it was more of a natural reaction for my situation.
But yesterday, as I was going home from work, I prepared myself for the 2 degrees Celsius (yes, I still think in Celsius) weather on a windy Chicago night. As I was going out the building I noticed some workers were putting on lighted Christmas lights in the tress along La Salle Street, much like the one that usually is in Makati. That’s when it hit me. It’s almost like a stereotypical scene in an OFW movie. A strong sense of wanting to go home struck me. Not because I dislike Chicago anymore and wanted to leave it. But because I would much rather spend my Christmas with family, loved one and friends in Manila. And seeing those Christmas lights being arranged in a tree confronted me with the fact that I miss my homeland. Now, my mindset is a bit different. I’m hurrying to go to museums and parks because I know that I can only see them here and I’m coming home soon. I do not hesitate to spend now and buy all those things I wanted to buy because I know that I can only buy them here and I’m coming home soon. But then again, who am I kidding? It’s only November 7 and still has around 2 months of staying here.
It’s probably just a case of mild homesickness. For others it strikes in just weeks or a month or two. For me it’s four months. Almost there…..
