FRENCH LESSONS

This is quite comical. Lourmier, my chat friend for a year now, whom I fondly call "French Fries", kept buzzing me and typed assurance vie as if I could understand his language. I buzzed him back and typed assurance vie like crazy... He buzzed me back again and typed assurance vie again. Until, I could no longer contain myself, I called his PC... He answered and spoke in his native tongue. He stopped talking and laughed real hard and finally spoke in English... And guess what? He accidentally saved my YM as his sister's YM. He said he asked his sister to inquire on his behalf, about life insurance as he is planning to sign up for one. His sister works at a coffee shop, in the same building where an insurance company is currently located. With his busy schedule, he could not take care of it himself. So that's it, "assurance vie" means "life insurance"...hehehe...lmao

This is not the first time this happened. Lourmier always like to teach me new words in his dialect. The funny thing now is that, I did not ask him about the word. It simply came like rain... Anyhow, thanks dear. I learned a new word or idea today--- GBU!

4TH OF JULY FOR AMERICANS & FILIPINOS

For the United States, July 4 is the day for their Independence. But years, back, Filipinos also had it as a day in the Philippines designated by President Diosdado Macapagal, the father of our current president, to commemorate the liberation of the country by joint Filipino and American forces from the Japanese occupation at the end of World War II, hence it was called Filipino-American Friendship Day.

The Philippines was a U.S. territory from 1898 to 1941, when it was occupied by Japanese forces, and again by Americans for a brief period after the war. The country gained complete Independence on July 4, 1946. My Lola Viating told me lots of stories about war and the liberation. Including their love story, hers and Lolo Peping. See, my Lolo Peping was a Filipino soldier who fought the Japanese side by side with the Americans. He was one of the soldiers who helped my grandmother's family when the Japanese made my grandmother's house in Tin-ao, Agusan, a garrison, since it was the only big house in the area made of TISA. I think I will have a separate post about that. Anyway, my Lolo Peping was recognized as a War Veteran by the American government. If my grandma claimed the benefits of being a War Veteran, she would have been in the US before she died. But she didn't claim that part of the benefit. She stayed here in the Philippines until she died. She said it was not important. And I think I understand her very well. She loves her country more than anything. And she is proud to be living here till her death.

Initially, the nation's Independence Day holiday (Araw ng Kalayaan) was held on July 4. Former President Diosdado Macapagal moved it to June 12, the date on which the Philippines had declared Independence from Spain in 1898. Filipino-American Friendship Day was created in its place, and it coincides with the United States's Independence Day.

By the way, do you know that July 4 is also the day of Liberation of Rwanda? Well, I found that information today..