I am back to the city I consider most amazing. I was here for the first time for six weeks from July and August last year and I have learned to love Bacolod and its people and I promised to return. Here I am again for my break in between semesters from my classes at Al-Iman Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University in my home city, Riyadh , the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where I am a student of Literature Translation in English and French.

It has been a long and difficult semester in the university and what better way for me to spend my vacation in a most relaxing way than spent it in Barangay Sum-ag, the place of my former caregiver back home. People here have kind hearts, cheerful, helpful and are very friendly. I love the atmosphere here, where I am fascinated are so engrossed listening to radio music practically the whole day.

My first trip to Bacolod has imprinted pleasant memories in my mind that back home, especially before I sleep, my experiences keep flashing in my mind, including those moments when I tended the family sarisari store, giving me a greater desire to come back.

One of the things I have been looking forward to is the food in the city. Coming from a city where we had to drive hundreds of kilometers to get close to the ocean and being used to eating meat most of the time, I have learned to love broiled tilapia as well as other foods, like pan de sal in the morning, pancit and adobo.

Being here once more makes me feel that my soul has returned to my heart but my only regret is I'm staying here for a shorter period of three weeks as I was told by my professor to return home for my practicum – which will require me to teach Linguistics to high school boys.

I am looking forward to meet the mayor again whom I consider the best man I have met in the country. I am hoping the best for him, his wife and family and for all the people of Bacolod . May Allah continue to bless this city.

Abdul Nasser, 26, will return to his country on Feb. 2 where he will be on his seventh semester in the university.