A Midwest Reunion:

A Sunset Cruise in Michigan

 by Tatang Vergara

It was a most fulfilling 4-day weekend in Chicago. Josue “Pamboy” Castillo 67B and his wife Lita picked me up in the afternoon of Friday, May 28, 2010 and proceeded on a s-l-o-w ride to the new Michigan home of Enriqueto “Judz” Rey, Blitzkrieg 68A. (Like most Filipinos, Josue has become a most obedient and compliant individual of the US of A!) Thanks to cell phone technology (but no thanks to the GPS), Judz successfully directed us to his home by the St. Joseph River surrounded by verdant trees.

Judz acquired the new property (he still keeps his house in South Bend, Indiana) in the early part of 2010 but moved to this new house a month ago.

That means that Willie and Aida Ramos, Pamboy and Lita Castillo, and Tatang hold the distinction of being the first visitors of Judz and his wife Mely in this Niles, Michigan home.

A tour of the house immediately gives one the impression that the architect was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, who was known to have designed houses around the natural surroundings.

This piece of property has a private entrance to the Plym Park Golf Course, considered as the 7th best 9-hole course in the USA.

Willie Ramos ‘67B and wife Aida barely missed the picture-taking at the golf course, but then we were immediately treated to a fabulous sunset cruise along Judz’ new boat, while Mely and Lita went to town to buy some food for dinner.

We boarded the boat at Judz' private dock, and traveled North towards the end of the river, opposite the current that leads to the Michigan Lake.

What a beautiful site it was -- peace and quiet and wildlife and nature all around, plus the lush homes beside the river!

We also got to see the cars of Judz -- an antique MG, a BMW, a Lexus and a 2-seater Jaguar. When asked why he has so many cars when there are only two of them, Judz said jokingly, "Natatakot ako brod na masiraan ang isang kotse at hindi tuloy makalakad."

In keeping with Judz and Mely's healthy living, we were treated to a delicious non-fat, low carb, low salt dinner. It was a long, activity-filled, enjoyable day. After the Ramoses and Castillos went on their respective destinations, Judge treated me to his tiered, 8-seater home theatre with a new giant blue-ray television. After a good night’s rest, I told Mely, “Wala ka nang hahanapin pa sa bahay na ito!”

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Reunion and Wedding in Chicago

 by Josue “Pamboy” Castillo

Hello, Brods, this is Josue Castillo, 67b known to most of you as “Pamboy”. I met some of you at the San Francisco International Grand Reunion last year (pictures below).

Tatang considers himself lucky that we his brods in Illinois and the adjacent states of Michigan and Indiana have responded very well to his invitation to attend the wedding of his only daughter, Ria.
 

A medical doctor finishing her last year of residency in the University of California-San Francisco, Ria got married to her former schoolmate at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, Albanian Gentian Lluri MD, Ph.D. also finishing his residency at the University of Illinois hospital. The couple had their church wedding in San Francisco. (See above photos.)

Ria and Gentian had their big wedding celebration in Chicago, where 19 of us from the Midwest attended the affair. According to Tatang, out of the 250 guests who came only 39 were Filipinos.

Thanks to Lem and Laureen for organizing the Midwest group

Ria and Tatang were very grateful to Lem Michelena and Laureen for doing the organizing work so that we could honor this invitation.

                                   Ruben and Mila Monroy                                                   Josue and Lita Castillo

                                        Judz and Mely Rey                                                         Jim and Techie Gonzalvo

                                     Roger and Puring Aragon                                                             Willie and Aida Ramos

                          Lem Michelena and Laureen Escobar                                                 Mike and Tess Cornejo

                                            Nel and Edith Latoja                                                Bob Lorenzo (in brown barong)

Aside from me and Lita, there was Judz and Mely, who came all the way from Michigan. Willie and Aida Ramos drove all the way from Indiana. Then we had Jim Gonzalvo and his wife Techie (who came all the way from Ohio), Lionel and Edith Latoja, Roger and Puring Aragon, Midwest GP Mike Cornejo and his wife Tess, and Bob Lorenzo, who came in as single. Ruben Monroy, who was just recovering from a multiple heart by-pass, was able to make it with his wife, Sigma Betan Mila.

The extemporaneous speech of Tatang drew a lot of laughter, especially when he said, “I wish for the couple children who will have the blue eyes of Gentian’s father but with faces that will look like mine. I suggest that the first son be named “Albapinoy” but if that be a daughter, maybe ‘Filbania’ would be a most fitting name.”

Even if we Filipinos were greatly outnumbered by Albanians, I am sure none of us regretted having gone to this wedding, especially to those of us who stayed till almost midnight. It was an experience to most of us. It was what Tatang now calls as a “A Big Fat Balkan Wedding”, with all those Albanian rituals and music. We observed that Ria has integrated very well with the Albanians and their culture.

There was this “burning the handkerchief” ritual that symbolizes "goodbye to bachelorhood". The groom's brother Sokol did the igniting and passed the burning kerchief to the groom.

At one point, Gentian rode on the shoulders of the men while Ria was lifted up on seat apparently made for that occasion.
They also had their version of “money dance”. Note the shower of US green bucks. Welcome to America!!!

 It was truly a nice but too brief a reunion with Tatang and his Midwest brods. But I am sure there will be some other time. Farewell for now and till we meet again.
 

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