Summer Reunion of the San Juan - Apuya Family in Toronto

By Tony A. San Juan, OCT
Toronto-Canada
September 8, 2015



September is certainly a good time for enjoying the last gasp of summer in Canada. Yes, indeed. The San Juan - Apuya family of Toronto, Canada celebrated the final days of the month's hot weather with a welcome- cum- birthday  salo-salo and family reunion on September 6th, 2015, Sunday at the midtown residence of one of the 14 San Juan siblings in the Dufferin St. and Rogers Rd. area in Toronto, Ontario.

Hosted graciously by Benjoe and Angie San Juan, the family event includes welcoming to the city the visit of its 2 close relatives from the Philippines and California, USA. as well as a joint celebration of the birthday honourees for September. The family happily welcomed its first cousin Rea Apuya- Martin, youngest daughter of late General Clemente Apuya, Sr. and Nita Madrigal-Apuya. Likewise,  the San Juans bade a maligayang pagdating to their niece Maritess Apuya Vargas and her partner Charles Marshall coming from San Diego,Ca.. Maritess is the daughter of late Nora B. Apuya-Vargas ( niece of late Engracia " Asing" Apuya-San Juan).

The memorable gathering , with lots of Fiesta- style potluck foods, was characterized by the usual Filipino tradition of praying, sharing, and kumustahan, kwentohan, karakanan, kaogmahan at kantiyawan . Over cut-out servings of Mang Tomas a.k.a Rudy's diet-busting lechon and Marie's cake, the family members also joyously greeted with "how- old-are you now ?" the birthday celebrators comprised of : sister Senen San Juan, bayaw Frank Leaver, brother Salvador San Juan, Jr., hipag Angie Ambagan- San Juan, bayaw Lito Cruz, and hipag Buhay Juniosa-San Juan.

Joining in gamely were the older and younger generations of the San Juan family composed of : Shirley Rosales, Sylvia Leaver & hubby Frank , Tony San Juan & wife Jocelyn, Senen San Juan, Salvador, Jr. & wife Virgie, Andrea San Juan, Marie San Juan, Beth & husband Lito Cruz, Ramon San Juan & wife Buhay, Benjoe San Juan & wife Angie. Not present were: Sonia De la Cruz, Eva San Andres, Susan Llanera and Grace Juschitz.

Delightfully in attendance too were : Nita Madrigal-Apuya, Lala & Rey Palad, Rea A. Martin, Maritess A. Vargas, Charles Marshall, Ben San Juan, Matthew San Juan, Emily Wat, Collin Rosales and Jannie Rosales.

A visit to Toronto, as scheduled, was not complete with out the  ever traditional  sight-seeing trip to the world-famous Niagara Falls,  wine-tasting at Niagara estate wine country, merriful dancing lessons from "Tita" Eves, a city tour and home-hopping visits to relatives for lunch- and- dinner dates and other courtesy acts.

With heartfelt paalamanan at pasalamatan and "see you next time" pledges , the enjoyable get-together and visit arranged by Marie San Juan ended with the usual kodakan and formal celebratory posterity- souvenir shots. Hooray and good bye summer !( T. San Juan).