This journey was first imagined in 2020, but the world had other plans. My uncle passed before we could make it, and so we traveled with his family to honor him, carrying his memory with us.

Onieh, his wife, joined us, along with cousins Ronell and Ronald. Mae and her partner Jo were meant to come, but Mae’s new job in Sydney kept them from joining. Because of that, we chose to stop for ten days in Sydney before continuing on—a pause that carried their presence with us even though they could not be part of the trip. Ronald arrived with Ella and their son, Ryzen, while Buddy—Onieh’s brother—completed the circle of companions who would share this pilgrimage.

On March 13, 2026, our threads began weaving across continents. Jay and I left Sydney, Rica departed San Francisco, and Ronald’s family flew from Singapore. By design and by chance, our flights converged on Manila. Rica’s layover in Singapore gave her the gift of meeting Ella, Ronald, and little Ryzen for the first time—a moment that felt less like coincidence than destiny.

For Rica, this was more than a reunion. It was her first return to the Philippines since leaving at the age of four—a journey back to a homeland she had only known through stories and photographs.

When she landed, Ronell, Onieh, and Buddy were waiting, their welcome a gentle embrace after her long journey. Hours later, Jay and I touched down almost in step with Ronald, and together we made our way to our “home base.” Laughter, anticipation, and quiet awe filled the air. After fifty years, the Philippines was no longer a distant memory—it was a living embrace, ready to unfold.