Burgers, hotdogs and ‘pinakbet’

Our last visit to the “Land of Lincoln” was six years ago. A series of health issues that came up one after another brought about a temporary end to our annual “apostolic” missions to see the grandchildren in Illinois.

But this year, we made a special effort to be with them since both granddaughters, Nicole and Christine, were graduating from high school and college, respectively.

Nicole, a champion ice skater since she took up the sport, finished at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois. The academy established in 1887, is one of the oldest Catholic high schools in the United States. Many of its graduates move on to Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, and other institutions in the Midwest. This year, two were accepted by the US Naval Academy and another will be attending the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Nicole will enter Loyola University, Chicago, in September, pursuing a BS in Neuroscience.

My older granddaughter Christine, graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a BS in Education and Social Policy. This program provides a strong background in the social sciences and a familiarity with current social policy issues, such as education, welfare, health and the law. After a year of working with the Legal Assistance Foundation in Chicago, she intends to enroll in law school.

The proud parents of the two girls are medical doctors Miguel and Leslie Farolan. One is a pathologist at Edwards Hospital in Naperville, while the other is a neonatologist serving several hospitals in the area. Both did their undergraduate work at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

Another source of much satisfaction for the family was the graduation of Angelica Mapa Ostaszewski, granddaughter of my late sister, Patty F. Mapa. Angelica finished with a Master of Business Administration, summa cum laude, from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Her mother Patricia Mapa, is married to Chris Ostaszewski, a Polish-American statistics professor.

The commencement exercises at Northwestern University were held at Ryan Field in Evanston, with tennis great Billie Jean King as graduation speaker. Tennis aficionados will recall that in 1973, King defeated male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in a historic tennis “Battle of the Sexes.” In her commencement address, she focused on pay equality for both men and women, telling the women graduates that they may be “the first generation to see equal pay for equal work in their lifetime.”

Accepting an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, King left the stage to a rendition of “Philadelphia Freedom,” a musical number written by Elton John in her honor, as graduating members of the Northwestern tennis team hit balls into the crowd as keepsakes. One of the most successful athletes of our time and the first to come out as a lesbian, King has been a leading voice for gender equity and LGBTQ rights.

Many Filipinos who I met during our visit expressed grave concern over what is happening in Marawi. They asked how much longer the siege is going to continue, and whether our AFP can handle the situation. They also noted the assistance offered in the form of Orion reconnaissance aircraft by the United States. Someone asked if China or Russia were helping out in any way. I guess what he really wanted to say was that we need Uncle Sam more than Uncle Mao or Vladimir Putin, and it was time to tone down the anti-West rhetoric.

Our countrymen live in a deeply divided America. Many are Trump supporters although there are also quite a number who oppose GOP policies. US politics has become so toxic with violence breaking out even on a baseball field with several Republican legislators being shot at by a Democratic fanatic. President Trump is hell-bent on replacing Obamacare, the health plan that President Obama put in place during his time in office.

But the Republicans themselves cannot seem to agree on a replacement program. And Trump himself is facing a deepening probe on alleged Russian collusion during his presidential
campaign last year. Possible obstruction of justice charges are also on the horizon for his attempts to get former FBI director James Comey to set aside certain investigations involving his allies. Conflict of interest issues also bedevil the president. If you think Philippine politics is crazy, just take a close look at what is happening in Washington, DC.

The real beauty of America can be found in the small towns and communities that dot the countryside far from big cities like Chicago. We spent most of our time in places like Woodridge, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Naperville, and Darien. Not too many people are familiar with these places.

But these are where one finds the average American friendly and helpful even to strangers. Not too many among them know much about the Philippines, but instead of a look of suspicion, they have a how-are-you-today smile on their faces. Here there are no gated communities, no high walls surrounding their homes, no towering mansions or condominiums, and no traffic jams except when occasional accidents occur. There are no private security guards, and police visibility is almost zero. And yet the crime rate is on the low end.

We had lunch at Lou Malnati’s pizzeria in downtown Naperville. They serve the best pizza in the state of Illinois, with the crust almost an inch thick and the salad dressing out of this world.

If only it was possible to deal with each other on a people-to-people basis rather than relying on diplomats with their smooth talk and hidden agenda, perhaps relations between our two
nations would be on a more stable and solid foundation.

Our last dinner was at the Bolingbrook home of Hector and Lily Flores, both from Ilocos Sur. It happened to be Father’s Day. First on the table were hamburgers and hotdogs with soft drinks and a special concoction by Hansel Flores called “Manila Mule,” since it had a distinct kick. Then came the main course — pinakbet — as only Ilocanos can prepare the dish. It was a reminder that nothing America offers can ever take the place of our traditional, native dishes. It was time to head back to the homeland.