Canada has four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall

When my twin Luz and I were in 4th year high school, we were attracted to take up the course Medical Technology to go to Canada. Our aunt Lourdes (the sister of Mama Rose), a Med Tech and Manong Steve were immigrants there.

We were required to take the subjects equivalent to Grade 13 that would qualify us to take Med Tech there. After our High School graduation, we immediately enrolled during the summer at Mapua and during the school year we enrolled at UST College of Arts and Letters and cross enrolled in the Education and Commerce departments.

We After completing all the requirements, we were ready to go and then came the sad news. Manong Steve deemed it best that we study first at UST, graduate and then go to Canada. Our twins were crying. We were ashamed to face our former classmates for we had already informed them of our plans to go to Canada. But Papa Bisting assured us that it is not something to be ashamed of if our plans do not materialize. We only have to feel ashamed if we had done something bad.

So we took up AB Communication Arts (the in-course at that time) and finished it in 1974 (the year Manang Rocio also graduated fromMedical School). After graduation, we worked for a while at the National Media Productions Center and then flew to Canada. It was a wonderful life. Close friends in the Filipino Community gather together and enjoy potluck party _ we kambal enjoyed the barbecue, a crowdpleaser food that is simple to cook. Manong Steve once served as president of the Filipino community. He brought us to the United States and in New York visited the family of our cousin Ramon Villanueva.

During Fall _ Manong Steve saw to it that we did not waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine, so he brought us out of the house in the open air. We admired “the falling leaves of red and gold which hid the path so quietly and feel the winds blow.”

As we thank God for all the memories in our 2 1/2 years stay in Canada, we are thanking Him especially for you. We are glad you are our brother....the best brother in the world. Know what? God gave us memories, that we might have June roses in the December of our lives.

James M. Barrie Manong Steve, We pray to the good Lord, for His continual blessings to you, Menchu, Katie, Paolo, their spouses and your grandchildren.