US Bound in 6 days

The primary reason why I had to give up Bangkok is because of my month-long grueling schedule. It is so strict and so detailed that I could not ever skip a day. Even if I had fever, I would have dragged my ass to the office. The strict schedule was primarily due to the fact that I'll be earning a complex process within almost three months in another country, in another continent and would eventually be migrating it to the Philippines. Seems a pretty decent and hard task.

This is not my first time to go to the United States, but this will be my longest time away from home and stay in a foreign land. 72 days or 10 weeks is not a joke. Just imagine the amount of effort I would have to exert in packing. I have to think of clothes, how it would fit in the luggage and other important things that I would have to buy here. Then I would have to think of how I would be able to "live" there. I don't know how to cook and I will not allow myself to go on fast food for 72 days. I don't know how to do laundry. I have a week to figure things around and rely on my researching skills.

Unlike most people, traveling is something that I really enjoy even if I would be spending more than 10 hours in the plane or wait long hours at the airport. Even 72 days of stay in a foreign land is not a disheartening factor. I could entertain myself perfectly fine and since I would be trained there that just means most of my free time would be spent recuperating, sleeping and walking around the neighborhood.

I find myself lucky to be given this kind of opportunity. Not all people who are employed in a kick ass multinational company could get to learn a complex process from the main source. Most especially, not many people could get to travel abroad with all expenses paid, and be issued a multiple entry-10 year visa. I don't really have any reason to complain. I'm lucky. I'm happy, I'm young and I'm very thankful.

I've spent this weekend doing my last minute shopping. I shopped for clothes, toiletries and shoes. I secured a luggage and had a list of pharmaceutical products to buy before I fly out. I still have five more days to sort my bills, my documents and do the ever-final last minute shopping just in case I still have forgotten something, which is very likely. This weekend was also spent having a fairly good time with friends. Yesterday I hosted a simple get together in a nearby bar and invited some village friends and Citibank colleagues. It was fun hearing stories and getting a bit tipsy. Things like these don't happen on the other side. I'll surely miss their company, especially my loved one. I'll miss Mitch whom I get to spend most of my weekends with. He's my technical guru and food buddy. I'll miss my room. My basic home comforts. My Harvey, almost 2 year old Jack Russell dog, which I would cry over for days I'm sure. I'll surely miss Essie and be fearing that she might be driven by the wrong hands. I'll surely miss a lot, but I could handle it.

This will be my last weekend here. I'll see Manila again sometime in September for which I will miss the birthdays of my dog, my brother and my boyfriend. But it's fine because my personality and the most recent technology could make the isolation bearable. I would still get to be in touch and as long as there's wifi, there's Facebook.

Sure that I'll miss all of the people, comforts and activities I hold dear. I will also shed sacrifice and adjust big time, but there's no reason why I should wallow in negative thoughts. All I know is that I'm excited, I'm nervous and I'm anxious of this new experience. I just hope it will all turn out all right and I come home a better and more valued person.


http://www.decordova.org/decordova/images/exhibitions/2004/parkeharrison04/FlyingLesson.jpg