HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2020 was certainly an unforgettable year, wasn't it?! A year ago, Taal Volcano was spewing ash all the way up to Manila. I actually saved some and put it in a bottle; it smells like sulphur. And then the pandemic hit and the world shut down. Toilet paper became a prized possession and rationing of essentials began. When I tried to buy 2 loaves of bread at our local grocery store, for example, I was told I could only buy one. And just one person from each household was issued a travel pass which we had to show at the checkpoints between home and the grocery store. Every time we reentered our neighborhood, the officials sprayed the tires of our vehicle with antiseptic and our hands with rubbing alcohol. And of course we had to wear face masks and later on even face shields. Schools around the world switched to online learning and college students were sent home. It was a time of great uncertainty and uneasiness.
