Last Day in School

Technically speaking, last Friday was Theo's last day in school, and that was when this photo was taken by the mother of one of Theo's classmates. The toddler on the foreground is the younger sister of Theo's classmate. Theo will still go to school tomorrow and on Tuesday, but these days will only be for rehearsals and the closing ceremony, respectively.

Our Internet connection at home will be cut starting tomorrow, and the next time that I'll be posting here will be when we're already in the Philippines. We'll be very busy packing next week and getting rid of our garbage. And this will be the last time ever that we're going to do this.

Theo doesn't know yet what to expect when he returns to the Philippines, but most parents I've talked to recently believe that it is at this age that's perfect for him to return home to his own country.

I saw a Filipino-American say on TV, "I’m not entirely American, I’m not entirely Filipino either. I’m kinda stuck in the middle and that’s a hard thing."

Theo will never have to say that when he'll be old enough to recognize his true identity. He will grow up as a true, authentic, and proud Filipino, surrounded by an extended, inter-generational family that will provide him not only social and emotional support, but his identity as well.

Countless scientific studies have shown that the nuclear family alone cannot fully mold an individual's character and identity. That's the primary reason why Theo should grow up where he truly belongs.