Rewind... January 4 2008 4pm
Molave Zamboanga Del Sur
The atmosphere was very happy. Kids were all around the garden. Mascot, party hats, balloons, dirty ice cream, cotton candy, games, gifts and more kids. It was a busy day. It was my niece's 1st birthday. It was my last day in Molave, my hometown before I will start school in China. I was feeling mixed emotions, as I was busying myself taking pictures of the celebration, trying to divert the feeling of anxiety, going to an unknown city the next day.
January 4 2008 830PM
Molave Zamboanga Del Sur
Still the atmosphere is very festive, now it's the grown ups eating and drinking. I bid my family farewell with a heavy heart trying to conceal the anxiousness I felt. Good thing there is a party held at our house, or else it would be much difficult to say GoodBye to everyone...
January 5 2008 9AM
Cebu City
Made a quick stop at my apartment in Cebu City, to grab my luggage which i packed before heading home for the New year Holidays. As I was taking the heavy luggage down my apartment stairs, I was silently hoping for time to slow down, so I can spend more hours in my apartment... Wheew, my apartment which I will be giving up now, my apartment, with so much good memories. Wheew My Cebu City Apartment.
January 5 2008 11AM
Cebu Airport
After checking in my bags, I was finally at the departure area waiting for my flight to my first stop. Hong Kong. As I was waiting for my flight to be called, I was hoping to see someone as to have a conversation and to eased the start of homesickness.. Nobody.. who would be travelling at january 5? start of the year.. People still have hang overs from the New Year Celebration.
I had the urge to write down what i felt. No pen no paper. I used my cellphone and save my thoughts in the "drafts". Let me share it.
A relative based in the US once told me that she gets depressed everytime she goes back to the US, after vacationing from the Philippines. Her Depression would last for the 1st few days after arriving in the states. She has been in the US for more than 20 years, Yet this depression cycle happens every year, everytime she goes back to US from Cebu.
After tons of email exchanges, waiting for exam results, packing and sending some stuffs from my Cebu apartment back to my hometown. I am finally moving on to unfamiliar grounds of Suzhou. New language, new environment, new weather, no friends and no comforts of family. Here I am uncertain of the new surprises that will come my way.
Cebu Airport. Im starting to miss my family, specially my older brother. Being the strong willed and determined in the family, I cant believe Im missing home this much. Im caught in between being the adventurous, extrovert to suddenly becoming the family clingy one. ( Deep inside a question pop out... Am I really the strong one or Am I just pretending to be overly independent?)
For me, Cebu International airport has always been full of happy memories of my family together waiting excitedly for our flight to be called for boarding. Now I saw families together. Businessmen with their laptops and suitcases. I suddenly feels so lonely, wishing my family is here with me, just like my fond memories of Cebu International airport.... Damn it i miss home!
January 5 2008 3pm
Hong Kong Airport
Taking cue from the transfer desk on my next boarding gate, I wasted no time and headed to my boarding gate to wait for my flight to Pudong Shanghai. I can't wait to continue on my writing. Here goes the continuation...
Now in Hong Kong Airport, craving for a starbucks. I was supposed to have 1.5 hours waiting time for my next flight. Because of the very far transfer gate, when I got to gate 18 its barely 30 minutes to my flight's boarding time. Homesickness was a bit eased as I saw people wearing winter clothes and thick jackets.... I realized this is it. I am away from home. Just amazing.
January 5 2008 8pm
Pudong Airport
The flight attendant announces in broken english that we are descending towards Shanghai Airport, Temperature in Shanghai is 2 degrees Celsius. Coming from Cebu with an average temperature on January playing around 30-32 Celsius. I am not sure If I am ready for this cold.
After i got my luggage and met with the driver that picked me up in the airport. I had to open my luggage and looked for a thicker jacket. The first thing I did when I stepped out of the airport was to feel and see my own breathe as I speak... Amazing to see air from people's mouth as they speak.
January 5 2008 10Pm
Suzhou China
The driver drop my off at a modern looking apartment. My room was at the 7th floor. The apartment hallways were poorly lit. The guard gave me the keys to my apartment.
I was trying hard to figure out how to open my apartment door at the same time holding together all my luggages . 10 minutes had passed Im still trying to open my apartment door. Suddenly it opened from inside. A white guy opened the door. He looked like he was awaken from the noise I made while trying to open the door.
Mark... My first friend in Suzhou. My housemate from Australia.
Molave Zamboanga Del Sur
The atmosphere was very happy. Kids were all around the garden. Mascot, party hats, balloons, dirty ice cream, cotton candy, games, gifts and more kids. It was a busy day. It was my niece's 1st birthday. It was my last day in Molave, my hometown before I will start school in China. I was feeling mixed emotions, as I was busying myself taking pictures of the celebration, trying to divert the feeling of anxiety, going to an unknown city the next day.
January 4 2008 830PM
Molave Zamboanga Del Sur
Still the atmosphere is very festive, now it's the grown ups eating and drinking. I bid my family farewell with a heavy heart trying to conceal the anxiousness I felt. Good thing there is a party held at our house, or else it would be much difficult to say GoodBye to everyone...
January 5 2008 9AM
Cebu City
Made a quick stop at my apartment in Cebu City, to grab my luggage which i packed before heading home for the New year Holidays. As I was taking the heavy luggage down my apartment stairs, I was silently hoping for time to slow down, so I can spend more hours in my apartment... Wheew, my apartment which I will be giving up now, my apartment, with so much good memories. Wheew My Cebu City Apartment.
January 5 2008 11AM
Cebu Airport
After checking in my bags, I was finally at the departure area waiting for my flight to my first stop. Hong Kong. As I was waiting for my flight to be called, I was hoping to see someone as to have a conversation and to eased the start of homesickness.. Nobody.. who would be travelling at january 5? start of the year.. People still have hang overs from the New Year Celebration.
I had the urge to write down what i felt. No pen no paper. I used my cellphone and save my thoughts in the "drafts". Let me share it.
A relative based in the US once told me that she gets depressed everytime she goes back to the US, after vacationing from the Philippines. Her Depression would last for the 1st few days after arriving in the states. She has been in the US for more than 20 years, Yet this depression cycle happens every year, everytime she goes back to US from Cebu.
After tons of email exchanges, waiting for exam results, packing and sending some stuffs from my Cebu apartment back to my hometown. I am finally moving on to unfamiliar grounds of Suzhou. New language, new environment, new weather, no friends and no comforts of family. Here I am uncertain of the new surprises that will come my way.
Cebu Airport. Im starting to miss my family, specially my older brother. Being the strong willed and determined in the family, I cant believe Im missing home this much. Im caught in between being the adventurous, extrovert to suddenly becoming the family clingy one. ( Deep inside a question pop out... Am I really the strong one or Am I just pretending to be overly independent?)
For me, Cebu International airport has always been full of happy memories of my family together waiting excitedly for our flight to be called for boarding. Now I saw families together. Businessmen with their laptops and suitcases. I suddenly feels so lonely, wishing my family is here with me, just like my fond memories of Cebu International airport.... Damn it i miss home!
January 5 2008 3pm
Hong Kong Airport
Taking cue from the transfer desk on my next boarding gate, I wasted no time and headed to my boarding gate to wait for my flight to Pudong Shanghai. I can't wait to continue on my writing. Here goes the continuation...
Now in Hong Kong Airport, craving for a starbucks. I was supposed to have 1.5 hours waiting time for my next flight. Because of the very far transfer gate, when I got to gate 18 its barely 30 minutes to my flight's boarding time. Homesickness was a bit eased as I saw people wearing winter clothes and thick jackets.... I realized this is it. I am away from home. Just amazing.
January 5 2008 8pm
Pudong Airport
The flight attendant announces in broken english that we are descending towards Shanghai Airport, Temperature in Shanghai is 2 degrees Celsius. Coming from Cebu with an average temperature on January playing around 30-32 Celsius. I am not sure If I am ready for this cold.
After i got my luggage and met with the driver that picked me up in the airport. I had to open my luggage and looked for a thicker jacket. The first thing I did when I stepped out of the airport was to feel and see my own breathe as I speak... Amazing to see air from people's mouth as they speak.
January 5 2008 10Pm
Suzhou China
The driver drop my off at a modern looking apartment. My room was at the 7th floor. The apartment hallways were poorly lit. The guard gave me the keys to my apartment.
I was trying hard to figure out how to open my apartment door at the same time holding together all my luggages . 10 minutes had passed Im still trying to open my apartment door. Suddenly it opened from inside. A white guy opened the door. He looked like he was awaken from the noise I made while trying to open the door.
Mark... My first friend in Suzhou. My housemate from Australia.
