By Sarla Ferrer-Duller and Emelda Frange-Valcarcel
The Golden Jubilarians pose for a photo during Lucille Palabrica Kraseman’s birthday in Antique.
Memory … just like the famous song from the Broadway musical Cats, the Central Philippine University (CPU) College of Nursing class of 1969 AKA the 69ers, dreamed of the old days and remembered that life was beautiful then as they commemorated their Golden Jubilee from February 7 to 12, 2019. Attended by 25 69ers and some 12 husbands, the class reunion was celebrated in the provinces of Iloilo and Antique, and in six different venues: CPU; Iloilo Mission Hospital (IMH); Tambaliza/Pan de Azucar Island in Concepcion, Iloilo; Dingle, Iloilo; San Jose, Antique; and Pavia, Iloilo.
Day Five – 11 February 2019. San Jose, Antique. Happy Birthday, Lucille Palabrica Kraseman!
Those who stayed in the hotel woke up and took an early dip in the nearby beach while Paday and Jess prepared, packed and brought breakfast to the beach house where the rest of the classmates were billeted. Breakfast was devoured as quickly as it was served. Shortly after, the long table broke up into smaller interest groups. In one group, classmates were telling funny stories about their experiences in a foreign land especially during the first year of acculturation. Some were sharing their life stories on how they transcended challenges and hard knocks as immigrants. Grandmas bragged about their children’s children. Others were laughing over kwentong barber, adult-rated jokes, while some opted to just the watch the kids at play in the beach whiling the time away for the next activity/venue.
Golden Jubilarians enjoy their morning swim.
Closer to noon meant closer to lunch! The same vans took the jubilarians to a restaurant located just around the corner from the beach house. The lunch was sponsored by Lucille Palabrica-Kraseman and hubby Dieter, who maintained two domiciles – San Joaquin, Iloilo, and Germany. The lunch was to celebrate Lucille’s “th” birthday. By her looks, it might as well be her 50th! The jubilarians and guests occupied the previously reserved seats at the restaurant, which almost filled to capacity except for a couple of tables for other restaurant patrons. The seven course lunch buffet was exclusive to the jubilarians and guests only. Weight watchers had repeatedly broken their promise!
After the eating had dwindled down, Daday stood up and suggested that classmates and guests offer the birthday girl a toast of good wishes. A chair was pulled in front of the buffet table by Lucille to sit facing the group. Then classmates and some guests one at a time, table by table, stood up and offered Lucille verbal affirmations and positive validations. Collectively, these affirmations became what Daday referred to as a “spiritual bouquet of well wishes!” Once again, happy birthday sweet sixteen just as we were when we stepped into the CPU College of Nursing!
The Antique part was well-played. Soaked with fun of the day’s activities, all headed back to the van, and back to the CPU campus with great anticipation on what’s in store for the next day’s event.