via American Presidents LineWe are halfway through August! Can you believe it?
August: The month that marks nearly four months since I've been home. The month of many goodbyes. The month of my sister's birthday. The month of my best friend's birthday. The month of my late grandpa Felipe's birthday, my grandpa who, travelled by ship, to the United States when he was 16 years old, alone and afraid, yet unable to resist the lure of a new country; my grandpa, who visited the Philippines every few years, now and then, via the American Presidents Line's Trans-Pacific route. The company now dabbles in commercial trade, but once, a long, long time ago, its ships were part of a fleet that ferried people across oceans, to and from different worlds.
Every time I hear stories about his long journey on those boats and port stops at seemingly exotic places, I get the itch to explore. It was in the 1910s, and he was a little lad. If he can do something so brave, in that era, alone and without the comfort of understanding the language or the culture, then I think I have no excuses. :)
ReplyDeleteBombay? The city I live in....and now called Mumbai. So I see that this travelling and exploring is in your genes. Lovely! Did your grandpa also chronicle his travles in some way?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever been to Bombay? It is amazing what recent generations overcame and accomplished in their lives given the circumstances they endured. I agree. If you have such a great example in your life I say draw courage from that and stand up tall within yourself.
ReplyDeleteIn writing this I thought about the last line of this post: http://samosasforone.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-sound-my-barbaric-yawp.html
Corinne: How amazing it must be to have such a rich city and culture at your doorstep!! I'm not complaining about Cambodia, but intrigue courses through me with the thought of India. He passed away many years ago, when I was too young to appreciate his stories or his courage. He didn't chronicle anything! I would love to find his name on the ship list someday, and give it to my grandma Elpidia as a gift.
ReplyDeleteSamosas: Never been. Not yet anyway. I know. I didn't learn about his travels until maybe 2 years ago. And it was then that I realized how I'm not such a black sheep in my family. This need to explore runs deep in my blood. Gorgeous post!