How is the first month of experience living in America as a Filipino?

How it feels the first month living in the United States?

We arrived here in US on the 2nd of July. It's summer and the best time of the year. But time is indeed fleeting. Summer is almost over and I've been asked how it feels the first month living in US.

Daylight here has been getting shorter each day and summer is about to bade its fairest farewell. This regal verdant foliage at the background will soon turn to deep skintoned, loosing its grip like a confetti flying in the air and kissing the surface with humility. Deep earth color will soon dominate as the perennial grass withers and the scent of rotten apples fills the air like a cider liquid. The thought of it thrills me like a child tiptoeing on the shore while embracing the comeback of every wave. Guess what... I'm so ready to FALL in love again. But before that reverie comes into existence, let my eyes dance with every shade of hues that signifes life from a distant flat farms of canola, barley and wheat. It's unfair not to mention the rows of potatoes from the adjacent barn. Oops! have I missed to say the hays to be stored at the stables so cattles can get by in winter? What a vigorous feeling to witness the hilly part of the country as the sun casts a various shadows of green pastures.

People have been asking me how my life has been here in the West. It's been 3 weeks then. Life has never been treated us unkind so far. I admit there were moments when I felt lonely because of the absence of the things I used to do and the inavailability of the people I used to be with. But I am not miserable though. My family makes me feel at home. In the near future, I'll be establishing new routines and making new friends and memories. As of now, everything for me is new and everyday is an adventure. It's more of inspiring rather than challenging in my own perspective. I'm in the process of acclimating. It takes time and patience to be acclimated somehow. To be surrounded with people so kind and welcoming makes every transition a sort of ease and comfort. Believe me, it's God's amazing grace. It made me felt beyond blessed.

Since I came from the Philippines where rice is prime commodity and is always present during meal. I have been aske if have I been eating it lately? Yes. I'm glad that even rice might not be a prime commodity here but still it's available in the Asian lane. Someone gave me a rice cooker so that my taste buds can feel at home as well. Oh it meant the world to me.

I've been eating strawberries fresh from the garden. Blueberries don't taste as sweet as grapes. Promegranate has the sweetness of ripened guava. However, mangoes are nowhere to be found. So are jackfruits and durians. But I told the natives here that they should try eating them when they get a chance. They would probably love them. Pineapples are abundant and are imported from Mexico. It's a kind of a little bit pricey though. I saw coconuts displayed at the counter but they're very expensive and rare. You know the supply of tropical fruits are limited here. The demand is high and so is the price. Beetroots are soon ready. I can't wait to experience its savory. They said it is the most nutritious.

I feel so naive every time I taste something new, American delish that is. My husband, David baked Tatertots Hot Dish and Lazy Man in a Pig's Blanket. Holy cow! It's out of this world. I'm totally alienated not only by its flavor but by its names as well. To return the favor, I was so eager to be the Chef of the day. I volunteered myself and served the well known 'Pancit Canton Teriyaki ala Mary'. Hey it tasted pretty good.

Big stalls of sausages, pizzas and cheese are the trademarks of every grocery store. America is the land of cheese, they said. Mozarella, Jack Colby and Chedar... name them! Yes, there you go. They aren't people, but kinds of cheese. But nothing beats like the humble baskets full of dried fish in Tabo-an market. Don't call Coke and Sprite here as softdrinks. There's no such word existed. They are called pop or soda. All stuffs come in big size or wholesale. Retail is not a trend since there's no sari-sari store. But there's one day, I was cooking and I noticed that we're running out of garlic. I asked my husband to buy me one. There he drove his car and he became an instant errand boy of the day for one clove of garlic at the Family Dollar spending 75cents, the least amount of bucks he ever paid in his life at the store. After two minutes, he came back and said while gasping, "Mary you should learn to drive." I knew what he meant and we laughed out loud.

I've been using the universal language to get myself connected with the people. Thanks God for the gift of tongue. But even though I can understand English well, there were times I felt my brain was drained maybe because of the sudden paradigm shifting. Oftentimes I felt dubious that I mispronounced some words or misstressed and misused ones. However, I am so kind to myself to never feel inferior of committing mistakes nor feel superior that I can speak another language.

I was asked one time where a certain place was. Of course what could you expect of a typical Filipina like me? Pouting my lips to where the direction of such place was. I could have said go straight to the west and turn north. Since I'm a stranger, I think sometimes I've been acting so bizarre and oftentimes sounding so queer. Please do bare with me. It's fun.

What's weird living in a new state is that you'll be celebrating birthday in two days due to time difference. Thank you for my friends and relatives who wish me well on my big day. Never in my wildest dream that I will be celebrating another milestone of my life in the Land of Milk and Honey. Know that the subject of my longing will always be in the Pearl of the Orient Sea .