Cureless

Call yourself busy when you’re unable to update your blog even if you’ve just gone to some new place and had an awesome experience lately (like some two weeks ago). All you could do is upload some low-res version of your pics on Friendster and hoping in some way to your network friends may notice your new photos on the update section of their profile. (Thus, LOL @ the title, what an attention whore!)

Truth is I’ve been meaning to write something about my business trip (with my boss) to the US. I wanted my entry to be special, with words making it sound like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I tried drafting an entry about it when I was still in the hotel. I planned to make a daily account of my brief life in that new place but all I was able to come up with was to rant about my jet-lag.

While writing this entry, I’m on my fourth day at the hotel somewhere in Pennsylvania. It’s 5 AM, yes and I’m wide awake. Some things just don’t turn out the way you plan them. Like when I usually take a two-hour nap at home after getting from the office, I still manage to sleep two or three hours after that nap and wake up at 6 AM. It just doesn’t happen here. My experience during the past three days tells me that there’s no way to get sleep easily after you’ve broken that initial sleep at 7, 8 or 9 PM. Is that how getting jet-lagged is?

Quite pathetic, really. Finally, I could no longer wait for that “drive” to write a more special entry and so let’s begin.

First of firsts

The trip was (if I could reiterate any further) an awesome experience for a lot of reasons. It was special because I was able to do a lot of things for the first time. I’m 25 (was still 24 during the trip :P) and believe it or not, it was my first time to ride that jumbo flying thing.

And with that, you can also guess that it’s my first time to get off the island of Luzon (discounting my boat trip to Catanduanes 11 years ago haha). My first visit to a foreign country. First encounter with so many foreign-looking people at one place. First time to feel such chilly weather. First time to see so many yellow and red trees.

First time to eat very huge servings of pasta, pizza, steak and sandwiches. First time to stay in a hotel room alone. First time to see a stretch limo. My first time to see those nice country houses they feature in movies and TV shows. My first time to see the land from the sky.

And that’s only naming a few of those “my firsts” experiences. Moreover, I’m so amazed at how they all happened at the same time because there are some things I could have experienced while I’m in my own country like visiting other places off Luzon and going there by plane. ;^^

Mixed feelings

At some point, during my one-week stay, I was really overwhelmed by the force that has enabled me to experience all these. Who am I to deserve it? I was only a two-week old employee at my company. (I had to show the TSA officer some documents to prove that I was summoned by my boss to come to the States.) I had to convince myself that what brought me that experience was either “perfect accident” or pure luck. Blessing, that’s what I used to call it but it kind of gives me guilt feelings.

To be honest, my experience wasn’t all about feeling happy, jolly and giddy experiencing new things in a foreign world. I felt unhappy whenever my mind took me to remember Fluffy and my loved ones. I wish I could spend the moment with them. (How contradictory that I look really happy in the pics… see? :D)

Moreover, I felt envious of the living conditions, the efficient services, the wide roads, and the GPS system, among a lot of good things I saw in the US. The Americans are a really privileged people. No wonder why a lot of us would opt to be them. There’s always a tinge of sadness in my heart whenever I look at our country’s condition and wonder why we’re getting less than they what they have.

Future visits

Even though the positive experience greatly outweighs the negative feelings I felt during the trip to the US, I still don’t have a great urge to migrate out of the country. Call me nationalistic (cause that’s what I’ve been since), but Philippines is a beautiful country. And you can tell just by looking below the landing airplane, seeing those lush green and blue natural landscapes, which is waaay prettier than the yellow desert sands of the west coast.

There’s no denying though that I would love to go back to San Francisco and stroll along the other tourists. Or see those colorful autumn leaves again along the streets of Pennsylvania.

Just a few reminders. I need to stick these into my mind so I won’t enjoy less that I should next time.

• If your camera uses AA or those individual cell battery types, be sure to stack loads of them in your luggage. Not only they cost ~300PhP a pair in airport stores, they also seen to get discharged quickly.
• Don’t ever forget your cellphone’s charger. We know that mobile phones have been multi-functional these days. They can serve as your backup camera, recorder and instant currency converter, to name a few.
• Ask the waiter which food in the menu has a relatively small serving. Some small Asian people like me need time to get used to those huge servings of salad, soup or sundae.
• Learn how to drive. Your driving skills are as important as your money if you want to go to places other than your office and hotel. Chauffeured services are really expensive. Imagine shelling out ~5000PhP for an hour of limo ride.

Question is, when is next time?