In (roughly) the order in which I met them:
Antony: It's a tie between the night we met and Diwali 2010. Both had a unique feeling I associate with you, which is a light, sweet, comfortable and playful kind of love, one that I feel every time I see you, no matter how mad you made me the last time we hung out.
Ryan: The night I first saw your apartment and I looked out over the lights of Clark, thinking how vastly different it was from the US and how it was all mine to enjoy, and there you were with me, telling me dirty jokes to try to make me laugh.
Randy: Late night at the now-defunct Carousel bar in Clark, talking earnestly about how lucky we were to have our respective jobs. (Oh, those were the days, eh?) Also, every coffee break we ever took at work together.
Davie: Hanging out at the Continental after hours and just gossiping, telling jokes that ended "You can stick that bagel where the sun don't shine, mister, because we don't take to your kind around here."
Matt and A.K.: Even though you two can't be separated, my favorite memories are of A.K at the Paquiano fight and Matt on a random night where I heard his surprisingly touching life story.
Nikki: Even though this relationship ended on a bad note, you were one of my closest friends for over a year. My best memory is the long after hours party at Flying V restaurant- a night that went on and on, full of jokes, laughter, and heads-together talk.
Jessica: Anytime in the kubo, just gossiping, teasing, telling stories and laughing.
Lea: How you went "to bat" for me with a recent ex and took my side. Once a mom, always a mom...
Ankit: Hanging out in the "pod" at Atlantis and feeling like everyone was jealous of what a good looking couple we made-- tall, well dressed and so in...well, not love. But something!
Lindsey: Any time we went to Skytraks, or the night of your goodbye party for your first "deployment" where it was like 8 guys and just us 2 girls. I like those odds!
Amanda: Hanging out in Manila, shopping, doing dinner and being girly. Ties with how you got lost walking the 3 blocks from Greenbelt to the hotel-- great story. Hee.
Ives: Cebu. Every minute, but the best moment (and it may be the almost all time best in the Philippines) was laying in that afternoon sun in the hotel room, just looking at your unbelievably exquisite face and knowing that for then, you were all mine.
Amit: My first week in the Philippines, you took me to McDonald's in Clark. I didn't even bring my wallet, because something told me I could trust you and as you said "You're with me, don't worry about anything". I was right, and so were you.
Govind: Probably a tie between the day I met you at a cultural sensitivity seminar and just knew we were going to be friends and the time we went out on a rager in Manila and went to Resorts World, Republiq, and some other places too all in one night.
Ton-ton: The only set up in my life where I wanted to give the matchmaker a medal. And you helped me out with a labor dispute like 2 years later! Now there's a gift that keeps on giving.
Froi: My first visit to Manila, where you helped me find gorgeous fabric for my mom. And that great breakfast we had at Breakfast at Benny's.
Alex: Riding in the jeepney in Manila to Divisoria, hearing about how your BF's mom had a minor stroke from yelling at her maid!!
William: Having you there to hold my hand when I was so sick in November of 2011, and watching "L.A. Ink" with you.
Erwin: Watching cheesy TV together, and going to Baguio and seeing you become a much looser, more fun person on the bus ride and learning about your heritage for the first time.
Manila:
Hart: Coffee breaks with that laugh of yours that can light up a room and this immortal line "Okay, so a customer calls, 'Ring, RING, ring RING" in a hilariously rushed sing song that defies description.
Nix: Halloween 2012, where you were so serious about your costume and asked me to brush the hair of the wig!! Hee hee.
Ace: Eating Chinese food at the "Causeway" Chinese place-- some of the best food I've literally ever had. At your recommendation!
August: Hanging out with Eric in my studio bachelor pad until 5 AM, laughing, drinking rapidly warming beer, and feeling the glow of being the 3 Muskateers.
Ivan Tan Lim: Teaching class together, and having a blast.
Haydn: The time you were 2 hours late to your own birthday for openers, but also all the BBQ's in Acacia Estates--good times and you were always a good sport-- friendly and keen to meet new people.
Rena: Having a long ladies who lunch except we're career gals lunch at Eastwood. I always wished we could have hung out more, but a girl's gotta work and pay the bills!
Mehul: Without a doubt, Hindi Campfire Sing a long night. A night that made me feel like I was finally doing something right in my travels.
Mark: Having drinks in Resorts World and playing "who do you know and what did you hear they did now?" about work acquaintances.
Pree: How about when I asked you if you'd ever been to Davao and you reminded me with a laugh that you lived there for 2 years before coming here...for the 3rd time. Hee.
Birthe: Totally the Hills/ Gossip marathon! So needed, and so fun!
Nimmi: Meeting you for the first time I felt a hope that I could meet cool, funny, smart girls who's lives didn't revolve around men and babies.
Trudy: Listening to funny stories at Mah jong at Diane's. You were one of the few people who took the time to get to know me and make me feel welcome. Thanks.
Alison: Hanging out by the pool! Can I count all those times as one? Also sinful brekkies at Bizu. Mmmm.
Allwyn: The night I came back from the US and flew straight to the hotel where you were staying. Room service, vodka and orange juice, a breathtaking view of city lights, and seeing you after 10 days away-- like drinking water after a desert mile.
Andrea: Meeting a brainy gal who likes to read and watch sci-fi- what a find! I have other friends who like to read too, of course, but it's hard to find fellow geek friends in a country where the female ex pats are few!
Haresh: Without a doubt, the day you picked me up when I was heartbroken and needed rescuing and you somehow knew to play the Furs. I love the Furs. I said. I know. You said. And you did!
Patrick: Having a deep philosophical conversation in a strip club the night we met, after watching you referee a girl on 2 girls boxing match. All Class, that's us.
Martha: Your goodbye tea gave me the inspiration for my Bon Voyage and was a light, bittersweet affair-- just how it should be.
Sargon: Should I count someone I know I'll most likely never see again but yet made such an impression on me? Probably watching you cook and giving you the once over without you noticing, just drinking wine and talking as if we had already been married for years.
Nir: Meeting you and listening to that delightfully odd voice-- coming out of that crooked mouth that held so much charm.
Vanessa: It's not so much a memory of the good times, but a feeling of gratitude for how much you helped me, a virtual stranger, at one of the hardest times in my life, for no gain to yourself. I will never forget that.
Zizi: Another one I didn't get to hang out with as much as I'd have liked, but the first night was super fun-- getting into "Prohibition" without even asking, drinking Patron and trying to stay up just one more hour....
And to everyone else I met that I've forgotten to include....you made my time here sweet and my life more full. I am a person who likes having a lot of friends (as evidenced by this list-- it leaves out casual work friends and "kiss-kiss" acquaintances I know from various social clubs!) and you added spice, flavor, and color to my life. Thank you all.
