The Adventure Continues
AUGUST 28, 2005Flight from Manila to Muscat4:00 pm Manila Time - 8:40 pm Muscat TimeFlight time: 08h 40minI guess the reality of the fact that I'm leaving the country all alone for 10 months just settled in. Memories of the past weeks and months flickered in my mind while I tried very hard to concentrate on the french crash course I was listening to, or while trying to sleep. I couldn't help but be afraid of the things I'm going to miss, and of what the state of things will be when I return. I tried finding solace in watching the other people in the plane, but everything was in vain because the plane was like an isolation box. Everyone else was asleep, or was at least trying to sleep. I could see a few lone lights turned on, but the people were just reading, or were like me, staring into space. The only bright scene I found in the plane was that of a baby and her mother. The baby was so cute, and she smiled back at me when I smiled at her. At that moment, I couldn't help but wish that I was in her place. She was probably travelling for an international trip for the first time in her life, and she was so bouncy and happy, unaware of the baggages (literal and emotional ones) adults like me have to bring with them when they travel.
Yes, i'm an adult already. I'm not a teenager anymore and it is my first time to travel alone. It might be too late an age for some people, but just the same, I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to do this trip even if there are so many thoughts bothering my mind. I couldn't help but think that in a few months, I would again be in a plane, but this time going back home. Maybe I'll be so excited that I'll be going home finally, or maybe I might not want to go home. Whatever the mood will be, I just know that I'll survive and life will go on.
Muscat AirportSome time between 8:40 pm and 10:00 pm Muscat Time
The Muscat airport looked just like any other airport. It had lots of empty space and bare walls. Nothing was new, save for the fact that there were lots of Arabs, Muscat being in an Arabian country. I'm a good traveler, I don't know which country in particular.
I wanted to go to their souvenir shop while waiting for my next flight but the stares of the people around scared me a little. Besides, Naomi texted me and warned me not to go wandering around so I just stayed in the waiting area and watched everyone go about their business. There were lots of Filipinos, and it was nice to have someone to relate to. I met a Filipina who was going to Bahrain to visit her relatives. She helped me reserve a spot in the line, and we went to the plane together. She came from the same flight as mine. She said that if I had met her in NAIA (the international airport in the Philippines), she could have helped me get a 1st class seat to Muscat. Anyway, the time came for us to board the plane and we had to part ways. I hope I'll meet her again.
Flight from Muscat to Bahrain10:00 pm Muscat Time - 10:30 pm Bahrain Time Flight time: 01h 30min The food was bad. The moment the food was served, my mouth started to water since the food smelled really good. When I gulped in a big serving however, I was severely disappointed. I don't know how to describe it, but it was starchy. Then I remembered meat wasn't allowed in that plane because it was an Arabian plane. So I just put my food aside, and I just watched the people around me and the lights in the desert below. By this time, I was too tired of nostalgic thoughts that I just wanted to enjoy the view.
Bahrain Airport Some time between 10:30 pm and 1:15 am Bahrain Time Bahrain's airport was grand. The rooms were really large, and the seats, comfortable. Besides, there was a Duty Free shop so I was spared from the boredom of just sitting while waiting for my plane. After looking through the shops and the expensive prices attached to the goods, I decided to buy phone cards to call home. I enthusiastically went to the nearest phone booth, read the instructions, dialled the number home, and waited for someone to answer the phone for eons. (Yes, i forgot that i might be calling at such an ungodly hour.) Anyways, my mom answered the phone after a while and we had a short chat as to what had happened to me. I then tried calling JC next and luckily, he answered the phone and we also had a short chat. I wanted to call Naomi but I remembered that yes, I was calling in an ungodly hour and bothering 2 people was enough.
I tried to stay put while waiting for my flight because of the strange looks of the men who were also waiting for the flights, but I couldn't. I saw women who wore black from head to foot, with only their eyes exposed for the first time in my life, and I found the sight unnerving. Since I didn't want to see the sky-high prices of the duty free goods either, I decided to just buy an internet card (yey! they had wi-fi!) and bring out my laptop. The cashier looked very Filipina and with the way she smiled at me, I could feel that she was also wondering if I was Filipina. Being lazy to ask however, and being quite enthusiastic to go online, login to Chikka and send messages to everyone, I just bought a card and plopped into the nearest, safest spot I could get. After sending messages to everyone and e-mailing ICAM and friends, the internet card ran out just in time. Since the terminal number for my flight was already available by that time, I went to the terminal and waited for them to open the line. An airport personnel was there and seeing that I was alone, he asked if I needed help. I told him I was waiting for my flight to begin accepting passengers. He asked where I came from, and when he learned that I was from the Philippines, he said "Mabuhay!". He was funny and very friendly. It was nice to see that he was interested in the Philippines also. Anyway, the time came for him to leave, and I continued waiting for my plane. Finally, it came and as I fell in line, I couldn't help but notice that I was the only Filipino, and with that came another wave of feelings of anxiety.
Let The Game Begin!
Here I recount my first few hours in France - more specifically, my first few hours outside the Philippines.
Sunday, 28 August 2005 11:30 am Manila TimeI was taking in the view of my room, the smell, the disarray which I have always been used to when the doorbell rang and in came my gradeschool friends - pima, ghe, ayen - and pima's boyfriend Tatang. I was so surprised with their appearance, and very happy. For a moment they pushed away the feelings of dread and anxiety which had been building up for the past days. But only for a moment. The next instant, I remembered I wouldn't be with them for quite a long time - no Meris reunions, no pigging out with them, no healthy discussions, or plain
chikka. Feelings of nostalgia ran through me and to prevent any more sad feelings, I went down the stairs to go to where my family was, busily looking over my luggage.
11:45 am Manila TimeTheoretically, by this time, I should have been saying my goodbyes to family and friends already. But no, lo and behold, my luggages were being unpacked. They were too heavy and thus, we had 15 minutes to unpack and repack (mind you, prior to this, I had packed and unpacked my luggage 4 times already). Out of sheer exasperation (Why one earth did they give me
only 20 kilos luggage allowance for a 10-month stay in france! Hello?!? I'll spend four seasons there! Winter clothes already take up half of that weight!), I left them to finish off my things because the more time I spend looking over what to remove and not to remove, the more I become sentimental - nostalgia piling up with each article they remove from my luggae.
12:00 pm Manila TimeWell, they made it. They packed my bags successfully. After a brisk snack to arm me with a little courage before I leave, we loaded everything to the car. My Meris friends started to say goodbye... and tears began to well up in their eyes. We had a group hug and almost everyone emerged with tears running down their faces... I was close to tears, but since it won't do any good, and with my lola, tita and mom also crying a bit, I couldn't bring myself to cry and I could only smile - a simple silent smile, just enough to show them I was brave enough to do it, that I was standing by my decision, and silent enough to prevent me from crying, from betraying the fear and the nostalgia which had built up in me.
12:30 pm Manila TimeFirst drama episode finished. Reality check. I forgot my batteries, my plug adaptors, and I didn't have a decent wallet!!! So we checked out a nearby sari-sari store and procured some batteries which I could bring with me. Passed by Crossings, and with my cousin Joshua, ran up the steps, looked for adaptors in vain, and found a wallet which was good enough, and which could fit into my tight peso budget since I only had a few peso bills left in my pocket.
2:00 pm Manila TimeSurprisingly, not a tinge of nostalgia in my blood. Toxic - of all the worries of checking in, of leaving something, of not making it on time. Good thing the staff of Gulf Air was very accomodating and kind. After a hurried checking in, I went out again to the sending off area - my Ateneo friends + joAnne, and my family were still there. I wanted to, but dreaded, formally saying goodbye.
2:05 pm Manila TimeThe moment I feared the most. The hardest part of leaving is walking into the sliding doors of the airport knowing that the next time you reemerge from those same doors, the scenery will be different , the people have changed, and even you will be different one way or another. The hardest part of being left is seeing the person you care for actually walk to the sliding doors, see the sliding doors part in welcome and then close, sealing and concretizing the parting which you've dreaded for the past weeks or even months.
So there I reemerged from the sliding doors one last time to say goodbye to everyone. I had dreaded that moment the most, and I had prepared myself for that - prepared myself so good in fact that I myself was astonished that I left without a tear, and only with a smile. Everyone was there sending me off with well wishes - kuya nits, lolo, lola, mommy, joshua, jc, naomi, jeleen, joAnne, dande, and el (who unfortunately got caught by the guard and was prevented from going to the departure area). It was a potpourri of emotions -
sad because I'll be missing them,
happy because I learned that they really cared for me and because my friends gave me a new book (eleven minutes by paolo coelho) together with letters,
afraid because after saying goodbye I'm on my own,
excited because I'll see the limits of my courage and
apprehensive because the guard was watching and was already warding us away even if we haven't finished saying goodbye (maybe he's too used to the scene it wasn't important to him anymore). Finally, when all was said and done, I had to go, and with one last hug, one last wave and one last smile, I stepped into the carpetted floor leading to the airport entrance, wrapped up my emotions, shrugged off my fears, and prepared myself for the long journey lying ahead of me.
Gulf Air staff member, Henry, was already waiting for me at the counter and with his cheerful personality, he escorted me to the boarding area and entertained me with stories and friendster information until i've settled into my seat.
2:15 pm Manila TimeEl texted me saying he was sorry he wasn't able to send me off personally (because of the guard who caught him). It was a pity he was able to get through the guard only after I went into the airport already. I spent my last moments in the Philippines looking at the other Filipinos around me (some wearing smiling faces, the others wearing chagrin ones), and texting my friends and family.
3:00 pm Manila TimeBoarding time. Carrying my hand carry I went in line, wishing that my seatmate would be nice. I found my seat, saw my seatmate. He was ok. He talked with someone the whole time before taking off, finishing with tears in his eyes... (sniff)
Misery loves company. I found solace in knowing that I wasn't the only one leaving the Philippines with a heavy heart.
4:00 pm Manila TimeTake off. Too bad I didn't have a window seat. At any rate, I saw the far away view of the Philippines for one last time and entertained myself with the amusing gestures being made by the stewardess for the security briefing.
to be continued...
