My Beginnings

I was born during a typhoon. In the Wikipedia online, this meteorological event was recorded and says: Typhoon Wanda (Diding) Duration April 23 – May 4 Intensity 140 km/h (85 mph) On April 23 Tropical Storm Wanda began its life to the east of the Philippines. It tracked over the archipelago, and emerged into the South China Sea on the 25th. It turned to the northwest, and became a typhoon on May 1 just off the coast of Vietnam. The westerlies brought Wanda to the north and northeast, where it weakened until dissipating on the 4th near Hainan Island. The storm caused 56 deaths (with 39 missing) and $700,000 in damage (1971 USD) from the heavy flooding. Thus, I was nicknamed Diding. I got it from the typhoon that struck our area.

My earliest memory is living in a house with a huge door and large windows. It seemed to look like those Gabaldon type buildings in the schools in the Philippines. I also remembered hearing the ringing of the phone a lot of times. This memory that I have was confirmed by my Nanay (Mother) and my aunt who told me that we indeed lived in such type of a house when I was very young and that there was a telephone in that house.

One story, which I don't really remember, was the story of how the house we were staying at (which is my grandparent's house) was struck by an eighteen-wheeler fuel tanker truck when I was very young. This story was related to me many many times over by my mom and my aunties that I thought it best to add it here. My mum used to work at this time so she came home very tired. Feeling very tired that day, she wanted to have a nap. Normally, I would be with her when she comes back home but that day, I was put under the care of my aunties because my mother had to rest. Luckily for me, I wasn't with her. That spared my life as the eighteen-wheeler truck plowed through the house and rendered my mum unconscious. After the accident, she was found under the truck buried in a pile of her own books. Luckily she survived.

One of the things that I really enjoyed when I was young was going to the beach. I enjoyed frolicking in the sun, and making sand castles. I also enjoyed the food. We usually have rice with broiled fish, sea shells, crabs, prawns, clams, and other seafood. My dad used to have two jeepneys and we used them for our trip to the local beach which was quite often, especially in the summer time. I used to have the interior of the jeepney tires used as life saver floats.