Hi Eva,

Nice to hear from you. I think it happened so fast that after graduation we were all so eager to find jobs that we somehow lost touch though we were all still in the Philippines.

Well yes, I remember now Tina got married first, then you.

During the early stage of our working years Dolores and I regularly caught up with gossip via phone and letters, kasi alam mo naman she went home to Iloilo once or twice a year. Then she went to Canada as all her brothers and sisters were already there. I did not even know if she ended up getting married.

Then Eleanora, Amy, Emma and myself still got together for some Friday drinks since we worked in the same area in Makati (Amy & me were with Comtrust and Eleanora with Bancom. I forgot where Emma worked but it was also an accounting firm). Baby then went to the US as tourist in 1981 or 1982 can remember exactly, did not come back anymore, (we said good on her because her boyfriend then was a jerk), but got some news thru Emma who was also planning to go to the US then to pursue a Nursing career. When Emma was studying in Virginia she still sent me some photos and letters. Then all communication from the rest of the barkada were cut off, I think mainly due to my fault as I was enjoying my single life then, disco-ing and dating guys, meeting new friends.

Suffice to say I enjoyed my single blessedness so much that it did not dawn on me that the clock was ticking. I ended up getting married at 29 (nearly 30 na nga). Si Amy Inlong ang last na contact ko, because she got married to my kababata from Paranaque and also our officemate at Comtrust (now BPI bank).

Then my husband and I decided to test the waters abroad, after the Marcos downfall. My husband (also a CPA) was then working with the company who was administering all the sequestered Marcos properties, but we thought after all these properties are sold he probably would not have any job thereafter. Kaya nag migrate kami sa New Zealand in 1987. As we are blessed with no children, we decided to try moving to Australia in 1998. We only lasted 18 months there, didnt like the Australian way of life, missed the quality of life in New Zealand so we decided to come back here in New Zealand. From thereon, we just spent our time travelling to the US, Europe and Philippines of course (we try to go home to PI every other year). Had I known you are in New York, I could have called and seen you when we went there in 1995 and 2003.

Now here we are in Auckland. Career wise, I started as an accounts receivablez clerk with Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS, NZ, Ltd. ), left the company, worked in a coffee lounge as a cashier, enjoyed meeting people and the thought of not taking any paper work home that I stayed in that job for 4 years. Then moved career to Insurance here in Auckland and Australia where I worked with AIG. Went back to NZ and my previous company re-hired me as Customer Service Consultant. Moved roles within the same company. I am now with the same group of company but on the bank side, in the IT department. I am now a qualified software tester, testing all sorts for banking and insurance software systems.

My youngest brother , with his family , also lives here. My sister ,Joy, is in Virginia with her husband and only son.

Last year we went home and caught up with some old high schoolmates from St Paul Paranaque. And yes, Carol Conti owns Conti's , a famous cakeshop and sells yummy , rich all sorts of cakes. A business she first ventured with Ruby (bakery named Dates and Nuts), but later they decided to split.

Ok haba na nitong story ko, ikaw naman magkwento. Tell me about your parents, are they still alive ? When was the last time you went home to PI ? Tell me more about Marianne, how do I email her ? Did she get married ? When ?

Sana we can also reconnect with some of our classmates in college. I'll try to search, for a start I'll visit the SPUM website. Hey do you know that SPCM is now a university, a co-ed university at that.

Talk to you soon.

Regards,

Belle