Wonder Woman

 

When I was 8 years old, my young mother studied her PhD (Education) in Cebu City. We live in Surigao so it was decided she take my 2 younger siblings and I with her. I was enrolled at University of Southern Philippines. My father would visit us from time to time, especially if he has court hearings in Cebu.

 

On long weekends we take the ferry Friday night and woke up home in Surigao early Saturday. Then we ferry back to Cebu Sunday or Monday night, just in time for school the next day. 

I have lots of good memories of that time. It was a good experience, although I hate it when there are storms. The ship and the waves like to play tag. I still remember that awful feeling of being sea sick even at this moment.

Mama while studying also taught English at the University. Most nights she'd come home late but we had a nanny called Flora and an Aunt who helped look after us. Auntie Iddy was Mama's cousin. She was studying to be a teacher at that time, too. Though petite with a big smile, she was tough on her rules of us taking a bath first thing in the morning. Everyday. We actually do not have a tub so it was really shower with "kabó" - a small bucket easily held by one hand used to scoop water for bathing. :-)

Cebu is always hot & humid. We'd bathe at the back in open air using water from an artesian well. She'd scrub my brother Kingay with soap and a porous stone called "lugod". While my baby sister Ding, was on a walker right next to us. Sometimes she'd wander under the house where there are ducks and their nests. The upstairs family owned them.
 

At night we go back out in the back and scrub our feet clean ready for bed. Never go to bed with dirty feet. 

In that small 1st floor apartment, we had literally nothing. Just a small fridge, tables & chairs. No TV. 

Stark contrast to our house in Surigao, where we had TVs, library of books & music and lots of food.

Life in Cebu was very quiet. I love watching TV so I would walk out to the neighbour's house every dusk to peep on their window to watch soaps. Many times they would pull down the curtains, even shut the window on me. Sometimes I would just go home, but if Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) was on, I find a way. I watched it many times looking through a hole. I would stand peering through that hole for an hour or so until Auntie Iddy calls me for dinner.

One night Mama was walking home from work and saw me peering through a crack of our neighbour's wall. She did not say anything. She did not even scold me standing in the rain. I ran back & followed her home. 

That weekend, a big TV arrived in the house. That retro one with built-in-cabinet-doors kind. It was black & white. It was the best TV of them all. Papa sent it all the way from Surigao.  

After school I'd ran home to watch my favourite shows. Sesame Street, Electric Company, Chinese Shaolin movies and of course Wonder Woman.

I'd leave the door & windows open just in case some children in the neighbourhood do not have TV. 

It was a short stay in Cebu, the following year we went back to Surigao where we had TV in all areas of the house. 

Today, Rich & I have a huge one. In fact it covers a whole wall. It is like a cinema in our house in Melbourne. Sometimes when we watch old movies I never realize how blurry they were. All I remember is how it was always great. :-)

A few days from now, when the frenzy subsides - we are going to watch the latest Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot. I am beyond excited. I heard it is amazing.

 

Of course it is. I know that from the moment I was little, watching through a hole in a wall. 

And I'll celebrate the fact that I was raised and surrounded by wonder women.