It's been 3 weeks and 3 days since I
stepped out of Manila International airport and feel the “normal”
temperature again with overweight bags and clogged thoughts. Believe
it or not, the main thought that's on my mind was “What just
happened?!?” Stop: It's not what you think. :P
Now, rewind a few months ago... my
friend, T, invited me for a visit in Europe. Yes, you heard it
right. For “ordinary” person like me and for most Filipinos, the
idea of going to this part of the world seems like a dream, more like
a crazy dream. Well, for me, more like an illusion. So, when he
invited me, it doesn't sound like “a trip to Europe” but more
like “a visit to a friend's place”. And since it's just an
invitation, the thought of Europe still doesn't sink in. No kidding.
Seriously. I guess, I just don't want to set my expectations that
high. If it happens, it happens.
 |
| A huge cross of light for my travel.. sign of amazing things to happen.. :) |
After a few discussions and ideas and
some planning, I find myself working on the requirements and
documents for the trip. The dreamy reality slowly starts to sink in,
and the first reality check was when I talked to the personnel at the
embassy, and I realized “Oh, shocks! I have to speak English. I'm
going to a place where they speak a foreign language!!! :(” I'm not
so stupid not to know it beforehand, but as I've said, the idea still
sounds otherworldly.
Forward a day before my trip to
Europe... my exact thought: this-is-not-happening. The odds doesn't
seem to fall in my favor. My mind is too exhausted. Not because of
preparation.. nor of excitement.. but because my last piece of
document is not yet ready (!). It's almost frustrating.. the paper
that you have passed 2 months ago, because of certain circumstances,
is not yet ready. My government has this great idea to keep their
competent and not-so-competent employees within the country's
territory. I don't know how many officials have gone out of the
country to “escape” compared to the total number of employees at
hand.. anyways, that's a whole different story.. After hours of
waiting and praying, and because of some angels, a colleague and my
boss, I finally have it! I really don't have much time to be excited
after that, my mind is just too exhausted. I just have to make sure
that I did not forget anything.. passport (check).. documents
(check).. clothes (check).. etc (check).
And just when I passed by the
immigration border that I was able to breath (not literally though)..
mind check: so where am I heading again?? Oh yes, Europe.. my mind is
still clogged from all the almost-misfortunes and just tuning in to
international flight mode.. only when the plane to Netherlands took
off that I fully realized.. This-Is-All-Weird.. my Europe experience
/ my first ever out-of-the-country experience just began.. thiz iz
it! :D
Upon writing this I just realized that the picture of the sun almost looks like a cross.. :) I feel super blessed to have had this experience and for all the little experiences that I've had in my life.. my Europe experience is too huge to be in just one article.. ;) details of which will be written in the coming days.. God bless us all!
No comments:
Post a Comment