Ditoy Kunada A Siudad Ti Basol [The Meadows]
by Amado Yoro
Ita pay, uray saanak pay unay a nakapagsimsimpa iti kaaddak ditoy, kas kabarbaro iti daytoy a lugar, para kaniak, isu ti baro a takuat, baro nga aglawlaw, baro a panagsukimat: ti laud ken daya; ti amianan ken abagatan; ditoyak man baro a nagsulian ti Twain wenno Mark Twain Ave [Samuel Clemen, the writer]; Stober Blvd; Spring Mountain Road, Sand Creek Street, nga agmatamata kas kabarbaro a makipagindeg ditoy estado a nangpadakkel iti naglatlatak a nag-Majority Leader iti US Senate Harry Reid ken kinabaddungalan ni nalatak a nagsenador Daniel K. Inouye iti Hawaii, ngem babaen iti napateg a mensahe ni Mrs. Chona Sonido iti email: “You are always welcome to write to Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. Dateline: Las Vegas, every issue if you will.”
A kas sungbat ti emailko kenkuana a nangipakaammuak, addaakon iti Las Vegas.
“I was wondering what happened to you for the past months.”
TI DAKKEL A PAMMATIK, sadino man iti ayanko – I ALWAYS WRITE, WRITE AND WRITE, AND READ AND WRITE, AS PART OF MY ADVENTURE AND LONG JOURNEY – SO HELP ME GOD.
Saanak a naglibas. Saanak nga umay aglemmeng. Diak ngamin kayat ti mangisturbo. Silent exit.
Umuna nga ayatko iti panagsuratan, inkakaubingak: piksion. Daniw, sarita, nobela, sarindaniw, salaysay, bukanegan, kolum, ken dadduma.
Ket kunaek: agsursuroak latta.
Itugtugotko latta a kanayon ti kina-Ilokanok, ken makunak, kas maysa a mannurat. Napateg ti pagsasaok. Siak iti pagsasao- siak dagiti sinuratko. Dagiti sinurat ken sursuratek ket isu ti kinapudnno a maysaak nga anak ti talon, anak ti Ilokano. Siak latta tay managkilaw. Managsida ti patis wenno bugguong. Saluyot ken rabong, nateng. Siak ni addaan iti kayumanggi a gurong ken piglatan a bukot ti dapan. Pudos ti nalaing a magna.
Iti labes iti nalaus a panagkedkedko nga umay ditoy a daga, isu met iti kinabileg ti kalikagum ken tarigagay ti kakaisuna nga anakmi tapno madennaanmi manen ida ken ti pamiliana.
Nalaus met tarigagay, essem, iliw, segga ken pannakaikawa ni kasimpungalan – iti nasurok a 51 a tawenko dita Hawaii, ti nangrugiak a nagbiag, nangipasdek ken nangmuli iti kinataok, kas maysa nga ordinario mangmangged nga agikay-o iti daga. Gagangay a utility field work iti plantasion ti kaunasan. Malaksid ditoy a nangrugian, dagiti nabangonko a kinasiak – napukawko ida.
Napukawko ida iti pannakayadayo. Adu a naimbag a pagayam, dagiti adu pada a community volunteers. Iti baet ti amin, agyamanak kadagiti diak napagustuan. Maawatak ti kaipapanan ti Pingki ken Salugsog ti biag. Bigbigek latta: tinubaynak ti Hawaii.
Wen, ket no ditoyak Las Vegas a mangrugi manen, iti makuna a sabali a kapitulo ti biag. Taliawek latta ti naggappuak. Ammok ti naggapuak.
Napateg ti tapao a nakayanakak a pinanawak, napateg ti Oahu, ti Nanu Place, Aiea, ti Hinaea, Waipahu, napateg ti Ewa Villages [40a tawen], Ewa Beach, 3 a tawen.
DITOY LAS VEGAS, ti kunada a Sin City, the Meadows, DITOYAK A MANGARAKUP KEN MANGABRASA TTI BARO A KRUSKO.
Ti krus a baklayek, no isunto met ti pakailansaak. Mabitayak no isu ti kayat a sawen ti ipapanaw.
We arrived very early on May 17, 2023 at the McCarran Airport where my daughter met us, straight to Maravilla Village, then Gloria and I moved in into the new unit on May 20, about 20 minutes drive away from Maravilla.
To me, I feel welcomed in this senior community. It is a new environment, new world, new life, with peace, friendly, quiet, safe clean, people with diverse background. I call it “the well of raw knowledge and continuation of our journey,” my CameLiaJos, in God’s Guidance and Blessings.
Surely, we miss Hawaii especially Honolulu where we spent more than 51 years with the Filipino community where I got involved with since 1971. It shaped my personal and professional growth.
But, there is a valid reason for us why the decision was made. We fulfilled the invitation of our one and only daughter Lei, and her husband Jun. The power and the value of family ties are strong. Our granddaughter Lia, one of our three grandchildren, just graduated from Tyrone Thompson Elementary School.
ADDA PAGSASAO: it hurts to say goodbye, adda latta mapanawan, ket adda latta masangpetan. Saan a mabalin ti tao iti agtaeng iti dua a puro—-no one can live in 2 islands.
Adda chapter iti tunggal biag. nalawag iti sabali a panangrugi, nalawag ii sabali a komunidad,, nalawag a sabali a karit, sabali nga oportunidad, ketdi nalawlawag pay ti pannakaituloy iti panagbirok, iti panagbaniaga ken panagsapul ti baro a kaipapanan.
I call this move: Love and Sacrifice. Because I love you, beyond my promise: I do.
I will continue to explore, to experience and to extend, expand my horizon, to seek a home of my faith, in God’s name with the process of adjustment and my quest.
SALUDSOD ITI BAGIK: yanna dagiti padak a mannurat nga ILOKANO?
YANNA dagiti padak a taga Sinait?
YANNA dagiti padak a taga Ilocos Sur?
YANNA dagiti padak a volunteers, community leaders a sigud a taga Hawaii?
Saludsod laeng dagitoy iti kaunggak. Ti agallangogan a saludsod iti barukong ni Angkuan Deppa.
I believe I will be able to find them. It takes time—–to build a community is not that easy. Organizing is an honorable task; it is a process.
Take and do your FIRST TOP PRIORITY: Health. Family. Stability. First thing First.
Siempre, immuna a sinarungkarak dagiti dadduma a kakabagiak. Sa dagiti gagayyem ti anakmi, maysa a simple dinner.
Naginnawagkami ken ni Franklin Borromeo, pasado presidente ti OFCC. Simmarungkar met da Danny Villaruz, dati met nga OFCC president; OFCC Council of of Past President ken ni Emmie, ken nagpaayak met a vice chair ti COPP.
Ni Danny ti kapautan a presidente ti Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii, [2001-2018] gapu iti adu a napateg a proyekto, awan pay makaartap, makuna a kabungaan ti administrasion iti dakkel a suporta dagiti kakaduana.
Ni Danny ti agdama a presidente ti Ilocos Sur International Association and Foundation [aka ISIF] a duly registered with DCCA Hawaii as a non profit organization.
ITA met laeng, kudos and congratulations to Vigan Association of Hawaii and Associates [VAHA] for its 40th Anniversary Celebration on August 18, 2023 at the Ala Moana Hotel. Guest of Honor the Honorable Mayor Jose Bonito Singson, Jr. of Vigan City.
Salute to the VAHA founding president Felipe Palma Abinsay, Jr., and the current president Teresita Fallet Aganon, and of officers, and members.
