TORONTO - The Gamerls (Joe and Jean, nee Ybay) of Nebraska were the latest in a series of visits by Isantonino Americans to North of the Border in the past few years. Last year the Martels (Doug and Cora, nee Arca) of Boston were in Toronto to attend the summer picnic of the Ivatans in Cambridge, Ontario. Prior to that the Albas (George and Isabel, nee Elica) of Honolulu were in the city to attend the 25th anniversary of Roger and Aurora, and still prior to that, a visit in the mid-1990s by Bill Velasco (father of American Idol Camille Velasco) of the US Navy.
Many other Ivatan Americans also visited at one time or another. We hope our Ivatan American friends will continue to visit. Surely, there's life north of the 49th parallel.
Plains of the Midwest), and to many of us so used to the vastness of open space, in-your-face living as well as the high cost of living is not very much welcomed.
This above all: to thine ownself be true!
Joe is honest to himself and to others and won't hesitate to describe things as what he thinks they really are (call a spade a spade). This is the same Nebraskan who told us that when he first landed in Batanes, he thought he just landed on the backside (to put it mildly) of the world, but metamorphosed soon after, totally mesmerized and completely captivated by the beauty of the Ivatans, but most especially by one Ivatan beauty he saw walking down the road.
The couple were able to meet some of TICO's leaders and other Ivatans in a BBQ gathering at Roger's (Jean's high school classmate) residence, and if there is a positive spin to their visit, it must be that this most wonderful couple from Nebraska had a chance to meet some of the most wonderful Ivatans in North America and vice versa.
Joe and Jean have a Canadian connection: Their daughter-in-law is a Canadian from British Columbia. - vbc, October 2005 |
