Tuesday, June 12, 2007

A little slice of home

I'm always excited when I find out that a friend from home (home being Manila) is coming to New York. It means plenty of conversations over a meal, visits with Nicole, and lots of laughter about... well... anything. I have been fortunate that over the last many months, besides my husband making his trips to see his little family, there has been Steffi and her lovely family... then Chari... and Bobby... and Raymund... later on, Menchu... and hopefully many more.

I will admit, I am homesick.  For nearly 2 years, Manila was my home.  This was the longest that I stayed since I left in 1989, and I wasn't very optimistic that I would be really pleased about it.  I had, by the time I returned, made Los Angeles home base, really becoming accustomed to the life and the lifestyle.  However, fate intervened in the lives of the Chien couple, and off Rob went to Manila, followed by me a month later.  In those 2 years, I reconnected with old friends and made a few new ones, discovered new life passions, and welcomed the third member of our little family.  I also released a new album and got out of Manila to visit Cebu and Davao (and LOVED IT!!!).

Fate intervened yet again, and now I'm here in New York with my daughter and my mother.  Yes, life has been treating me very well, what with Les Miz serving to fuel my artistic passions (as well as improve my poker game)... it's been really fantastic being back on Broadway.  But I miss home.  I miss the life that I made for myself while I was there for those 2 years.  I miss everything and everyone that touched my life, making it just that much more fulfilling and wonderful.

So, whenever I hear that one of my beloveds is on their way here, my heart skips a beat with joy, for I know that with their presence, they bring with them a slice of what my heart calls home.

31 comments:

dianneLouise ♥ said...

We miss you also here in the Philippines Ms. Lea! =l

Rico del Rosario said...

We come to know you love your home as much as you love the theater.

Rony Fortich said...

I know exactly how you feel. I've flown home 14 times in two years to soothe the ache. Hehe. Hey there! Heard you met up with sila Topper, Chari, etc the other day. I'm so envious. Hehe... was hoping to make it up there with Menchu, but timing. Perhaps in your next show there...

Topper Fabregas said...

Don't go home. Stay in NY. New York rocks! :) Hehe.

Lea Salonga said...

I hear congratulations are in order!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Princess Alico said...

there's really no place like home Ms. Lea! hmmm..hope you'll come back here soon...God bless!

alvin sarabanchong said...

lea, will you be performing on saturday june 16th at 2pm? take care

JANE AREJOLA said...

oh, i know how you feel...there's no place like home talaga! we miss you here in Pinas Lea! hope next time, you'll come to visit Bicol(Cam Sur) too! Take care!:) and God Bless you and your family always...

lee canlas said...

Hi Lea! My husband and I will be flying this Friday to NY
to see you perform. We have the tickets for
Friday(June 15) at 8:00pm. Oh please... be there.
I am very excited coz this is my first time to see you.
We will be leaving our 6-month old daughter and our
2 y.o. son behind but it will surely be a trip
to remember.

Lee(celine_md88@hotmail.com)
Jacksonville, FL

Bobby G said...

i miss you already.

Chino Hernandez said...

Hello Ms. Lea I feel the same way. A cousin visited me recently and it was such a wonderful experience. Ang sarap diba! :-) Take Care and God Bless.

Ella Bugayong said...

theres no place like home right? hehe

augustine73 . said...

i know you miss home but remember that your fans in america also misses you.. hehe! hope you'll have more projects in the US.. TV, movie, whatever...

frances palmitos said...

we've been missing you lea. all we could do right now is visit your site and go to youtube to search for latest videos/interviews of you in broadway.

Chari Arespacochaga said...

I shall see you again soon! With lotsa lotsa cuento! Can't wait for Monday. Oye, do we pay at the box office or do we owe you for the tickets?

Blueboy Blueboy said...

BOO HOO........ I'll cry for you!

Chinky Fuentes said...

And we miss you a lot more!

Urane laderas-cabantog said...

It's nice to hear that... If you miss the Philippines, surely, we miss you more here.....
and it would be nicer to hear when will you come back in the phil.... (^.~)

advent philomels said...

a little slice can be very satisfying :)

Gina MS said...

You write so beautifully! It's nice to know just how passionate you feel about Manila. Our 'kababayans' would be so proud! But I, for one, am glad you're in the US for a while to give us a chance to see you do what you do best.

Amee P said...

hi lea! i've been following your blog since i've known about it and it's nice to know that you're a very humble and dedicated person. no wonder about the success you have right now. anyway, i will be going to new york this july and would like to catch you on one of the shows there. is there any website where i can find information about your show (show times and prices)?

Marcus Smith said...

Sorry but I can't help it, this entry sounds like a narration of a "tsismosa".

jr castillo said...

I enjoy visiting your site, especially when I feel down, because it's full of love and joy. Thank you. We're looking forward to watching your Fantine this July.

Marcus Smith said...

All gone. It's just unintentional reprint, my bad. Lea can just delete that non-sense, anyway.

Christian Writer said...

I wonder where gwmnyc got all this detailed info....

At any rate, there was no need to post this negative "comment" in Lea's blog. I don't see the point of him doing that. It was obviously done with malicious intentions.

Chinky Fuentes said...

He wanted to picture Lea as someone we should not admire with all her "flaws" but after reading his posting here, if all of these were true, I admire Lea more.

If these were true, some people would make these things as an excuse not to excel. But Lea, because she was born with excellence as her twin, rose above every circumstance that would otherwise drown a simple person.

So, to gwmnyc, if your purpose is to lessen our admiration for Miss Lea, you failed. Got it?

li mei bernadas said...

Well, he makes me admire lea all the more. Sorry to gwmnyc, goal not met. Bwehe, he, he....

arlin dizon said...

sorry gwmnyc! your long story doesn't bother me a bit.. it doesn't change a thing! i still love lea!

dianneLouise ♥ said...

gwmnyc:
wow! you know a lot about Lea! and you made us admire her more! thanks for that :P

Li'l Dove Feather said...

What an a-hole. Probably didn't have anything to do more worthwhile with his time so why not bash people? Especially Filipinos like himself? (There's no denying, with the mention of That's Entertainment and Bistek) Ang langaw nga naman, pag dumapo sa kalabaw, mas mataas pa sa kalabaw.

diane frances said...

whatever!!! i still admire and always admire Ms. Lea!!!