Sometimes, the best memories are the ones we didn’t plan.
I arrived in the Philippines last May 18 for a short vacation. My main reason was to attend the graduation of my daughter—who, just like me, is now a proud Medical Technologist. What made it more special was that she graduated from the same school I went to. It felt like life was doing a full circle moment for our family.
While I was still trying to settle down and adjust to the heat and jetlag, I messaged some of my college batchmates from MedTech Batch ’94. I just wanted to see if anyone was around and maybe grab a simple coffee or dinner. But God had something better in store.
One of my batchmates, Weng, was getting married. I didn’t even know! And when they found out I was in town, they didn’t just say “hi”—they invited me to the wedding! What’s more, some of my closest classmates from our college days were also coming. From a simple “kumusta” message, it turned into something bigger: a wedding and a mini reunion in one.
Jay, one of our kind-hearted classmates, even offered us a ride to Moalboal, Cebu a day before the wedding. On the way, we talked about the old days, laughed about our crazy stories in the lab, and realized how fast time has flown.
We stayed at a beautiful resort, and the wedding the next day was absolutely magical. Weng finally found her soulmate, and we were all there to witness it. But of course, being the foodies that we are, in the middle of the wedding prep, we got a bit hungry and snuck out to nearby Dumanjug eatery to eat manok bisaya. Honestly, that was one of the best chicken meals I’ve had in a long time!
The wedding reception was full of joy and happy tears. We laughed, we danced, we hugged like we never left college. It was a mix of old memories and new beginnings.
The next morning, we all had a hearty breakfast together. Everyone was excited to go swimming with the sardines and maybe spot a turtle or two. I didn’t join them in the water—but I stayed on the side, happily watching them and taking videos, capturing the laughter and energy of the moment.
By noon, it was time to go. Everyone was smiling, but you could feel the bit of sadness too. No one wanted it to end.
It was more than just a wedding. It was more than just a reunion. It was a reminder that no matter how far we go, no matter how long we haven’t seen each other—friendship, memories, and love will always find a way to bring people back together.
Thank you, Batch ’94. Thank you Weng, Jay, Jane, Roselyn, Dubhe, Juliet and Sharon, for this unexpected gift of reconnection.
