Have you ever woken up so confused that for three seconds you genuinely believed you were still on vacation? Ako, yes. This morning, I opened my eyes and I could still smell the pine trees.
Not the candle version from the mall ha. I mean the real one. That crisp, cool, slightly earthy smell that makes you want to wear a jacket, hold coffee with both hands, and pretend you are in a Korean drama kahit ang reality mo ay may laundry basket sa corner na umaapaw na parang emergency specimen rack.
For a moment, my brain whispered, You are still at Ponderosa Resort. Then I blinked, saw my own ceiling, and reality entered like a supervisor asking for pending results.
Vacation hangover is real. Reunion hangover? Mas malala. No lab test needed.
Last weekend, our College of Medical Technology Class of 1994 had a reunion in Utah, and grabe, my heart is still somewhere between the pine trees, the laughter, the Filipino food, and the endless chika that somehow jumped from blood banking memories to maintenance meds to who still looks exactly the same. Spoiler alert: lahat tayo may good lighting strategy now.
But this morning, as I sat quietly, thankful that everyone had arrived safely back to their destinations, I felt something deeper than post-trip pagod. I felt grateful. Grateful for old classmates. Grateful for shared history. Grateful that after all these years, we could still gather, eat, laugh, pray, reminisce, and say without saying it: we made it this far.
The Pine Trees Were Nice, But the People Were the Real View
Ponderosa had that peaceful kind of beauty. Tall trees. Fresh air. That Utah sky showing off like it had a filter subscription. The kind of place where you hear leaves moving and suddenly you start reflecting on life like you are the main character in an indie film.
But honestly? The best view was not the scenery. It was seeing familiar faces from our med tech days. The classmates who once survived exams, duty rotations, professors with legendary eyebrow raises, and those early mornings when we smelled more like disinfectant than perfume.
There is something powerful about being with people who knew you before your resume became impressive. Before the licenses abroad. Before the titles. Before the mortgage, the kids, the back pain, the cholesterol monitoring, and the very adult joy of finding discounted airfare.
They knew the student version of you. The one who carried thick books, memorized parasites, panicked before practical exams, and somehow believed that three hours of sleep plus coffee was a sustainable lifestyle. Hay nako, youth is a petmalu scam.
Why Classmate Reunions Hit Different Now
When we were younger, reunions sounded like something older people did while comparing eyeglasses. Now? I understand. A reunion is not just a social event. It is a checkpoint for the soul.
Especially for those of us living and working abroad, life can become a long list of responsibilities. Work. Bills. Family updates across time zones. Groceries. Shifts. Appointments. Repeat. Sometimes you do not notice how much you miss being around people who understand where you came from.
Then suddenly you are in a room with classmates from 1994, and one joke from the old days brings everyone back. The years fold like a blanket. You are not just an OFW, a healthcare worker, a parent, a spouse, a supervisor, or the person who always remembers to buy rice. You are simply you again.
Old classmates are like emotional time machines. One laugh and you are back in school, minus the exams, thank God.
The Filipino Food Was Basically Group Therapy
Let us be honest. No Filipino reunion is complete without food that could feed a barangay and possibly one visiting basketball team.
The smell alone was enough to make my heart do a little tinikling. Rice, of course, because rice is not a side dish. It is a life partner. Then the savory comfort of Filipino dishes, the kind that makes you close your eyes after the first bite and say, Ay, ito talaga.
There is a special kind of healing when you eat familiar food with familiar people in an unfamiliar place. Abroad, Filipino food becomes more than food. It becomes memory. It becomes Nanay calling you to eat. It becomes fiestas, birthdays, Sunday lunch, and classmates passing plates while continuing the chismis like professionals.
And the chats? Naku. The chats were endless. We talked about careers, families, health, travel, retirement dreams, and the things we survived quietly. Some stories were funny. Some were serious. Some had that pause afterward where everyone understood without needing too many words.
That is the beauty of reunions at this stage in life. We are old enough to laugh loudly, but also old enough to know that everyone carries something.
Reunions Are Good for More Than Nostalgia
It is easy to think reunions are just for photos and food. And yes, we took photos. Many photos. Enough photos that my phone probably needs its own vacation now.
But reunions offer benefits we do not always talk about. They are not just sentimental. They are practical, emotional, and even healing.
1. They remind us we are not alone
Life abroad can make you feel like you are carrying everything by yourself. But when you sit with classmates who also have their own challenges, you remember that everyone is fighting, adjusting, and growing in their own way.
2. They strengthen our professional roots
As med techs, our careers may have taken us to different places. Some stayed in the laboratory, some moved to leadership, education, business, or other healthcare roles. But our foundation is the same. We understand the discipline, the pressure, the responsibility, and the strange pride of getting accurate results while running on caffeine and prayers.
Networking sounds so formal, parang LinkedIn with shoes. But reconnecting with colleagues can open doors, share opportunities, offer advice, and remind us that our profession has built a strong global community.
3. They support mental and emotional wellness
Laughter is not a replacement for therapy, but it helps. So does being heard. So does telling a story and having someone say, Same. I went through that too.
In healthcare, we often become good at functioning. We show up. We work. We take care of what needs to be done. But reunions allow us to soften a little. To exhale. To be people, not just professionals.
4. They honor the journey
Class of 1994. Just saying it makes me want to sit down and drink water. We have lived many chapters since then. Some beautiful. Some difficult. Some we never expected. A reunion gives us a chance to honor all of it.
We are not the same students we were before. But maybe that is the point. We came back changed, but still connected.
What I Realized While Everyone Was Saying Goodbye
Goodbyes at Filipino gatherings are never quick. You say goodbye in the living room, then again by the door, then again near the car, then one last time while someone is still holding leftovers. It is not goodbye. It is a full closing ceremony.
As we hugged, waved, and promised to keep in touch, I felt that familiar lump in my throat. The one you try to hide by suddenly becoming busy with your bag. Alam mo yun?
I thought about how precious it is to gather while we can. While our knees still cooperate. While we can still travel. While we can still laugh at old stories and create new ones. While we can still say, See you next time, and mean it with hope.
Because life is unpredictable. Health changes. Families grow. Responsibilities shift. Plans get delayed. But gatherings like this remind us to make time, not just find time.
One day, the photos will become history. But the laughter, the prayers, and the feeling of being together will stay warm in the heart.
A Small Checklist for the Next Reunion
If your class or colleagues are planning a reunion, push it. Seriously. Do not wait until everything is perfect, because life abroad taught me that perfect schedules are mythical creatures, like unicorns and empty laundry baskets.
Here are a few things I would suggest:
- Choose a place that encourages conversation. Scenic is nice, but space to sit, eat, and talk is gold.
- Plan meals that feel like home. Filipino food has emotional Wi-Fi. It connects everyone instantly.
- Make room for both fun and reflection. Games are great, but so are quiet conversations.
- Take photos, but do not live behind the camera. Capture the moment, then be in it.
- Check on each other after the reunion. The group chat should not die after the last selfie.
Back to Reality, But Not Back to Zero
Now we return to our own lives. Back to work, errands, family responsibilities, appointments, and the usual adulting circus. Some will go back to the lab. Some to offices. Some to homes where people are waiting. Some to quiet apartments where the silence feels louder after a weekend full of laughter.
But we are not returning empty. We carry Utah with us now. The pine trees. The food. The jokes. The stories. The faces. The reminder that we are part of something bigger than our daily routine.
And to my classmates, my fellow Class of 1994, my med tech family: thank you. Thank you for the laughter that made my cheeks hurt. Thank you for the conversations that stayed with me. Thank you for showing up, traveling, cooking, organizing, sharing, remembering.
May we all be in good health. May whatever challenges are happening in our lives today become lighter in the coming days. May we continue to overcome, one prayer, one lab result, one family call, one brave decision at a time.
Farewell for now, but never goodbye.
And kayo, if you have classmates or colleagues you have not seen in years, maybe this is your sign. Send that message. Start that group chat. Plan that reunion. Life is short, but the chika can be long, and honestly, that is a blessing.
If you were part of our Utah reunion, drop your favorite memory in the comments. Was it the food, the laughter, the pine trees, or the moment you realized we are still the same classmates, just with better skincare and more maintenance vitamins?
