Simple as this

Lianne's trip home is always very special to our group of friends so we make it a point to spend some quality time with her whenever we could. Apart from the usual dinner dates and coffee catch-ups, she sweetly arranged a day at the beach for just us girls back in May and it was probably the perfect weekend getaway, the breath of fresh air we all needed.

I have returned

A couple of months after my first visit, the team and I trooped back to Tacloban early on Labor Day to witness what has progressed since. All throughout that weekend, I've seen the people in the city and its neighboring towns smile better as thousands of volunteers from across the country and around the globe came to help rebuild their homes and their lives.

Summertime gladness

Unlike elsewhere, summers in the metropolitan areas of our side of the globe means staying indoors as much as possible due to the unbearable heat outside. And true enough, I spent most of April under the shade and away from the sun, with the office or restaurant a/c as my instant best friend. While part of me wished I made the most of the no-school traffic these dog days bring (e.g. taking my heart of adventure on a road trip and ending up someplace I haven't been before), the idea of meeting with friends and family in the city and enjoying their company over our favorite meals and much-awaited catch-up conversations seemed to me like a more feasible and comfortable option.