Manila Homecoming

After 4 months of waiting I finally got to go back to Manila. I would have loved it if I had the chance to go home to Tuguegarao as well but it was better than nothing. How do I exactly start?

Well, I got to go home twice this October, and it was back to back.

After Sydney, crew control was nice enough to give me 3 days off so I had the chance to go home to Manila. I never thought I would miss Manila. I was sure I would miss my family, friends and Dave but Manila itself, I was sure I would not. But I was wrong, the traffic, the side street vendors, the rainy days. I missed it.

Day 1: My mom and dad picked me up in the airport. It was raining really hard but it was all good. I missed the rain. Right when I we arrived our condominium; I gave them my “pasalubongs”. Unpacked my things and unwind for a while. After taking a nap and a shower I was off to Greenhills. Dad decided to stay home and rest. Mom was going to meet her high school classmates and I was to visit Janice’s place. The rain was terrible which caused horrendous traffic; it took as more than an hour from our place to my mom’s friend’s house in San Juan. Good thing Janice’s place was near my mom’s friend’s house already so we were in Janice’s place in like 5 minutes. Last time I was in Ninni’s place was last April; I actually lived there for 2 weeks. I was ecstatic to see everyone there, Ninni, Brian, Chester, Inri and of course Dave. I decided to wait a while before going out to eat because of the traffic. It was just like the olden days, hanging around at Ninni’s place, the only difference is Dave was there and so was I. It was always either Dave was there and I was not or vice versa. We went to Gerry’s grill for dinner, my favorite restaurant. I missed the sisig, calamares, baked mussels, kangkong, shredded adobo, yummy! *drool* Being around my closest friends was great. It was like no worries, that I had no job to worry about. We laughed like there was no tomorrow! After dinner, I was suppose to pick up my mom right away and go home to rest, but when I called her up she was enjoying her time with her friends and so did I and so we both said that we can just go home a ‘lil bit later. We went back to Janice’s place and just hanged out. It was more comfortable anyways than staying in the restaurant. We talked about everything! Not seeing Inri and Janice for 6 months! My gosh! There was so much to catch up with! Around 12 in the evening, mom called me to tell the driver to pick her up already and so he did, she wanted to see everyone as well so she went to Janice’s place as well. She wanted to talk to Janice about her experience with Atlasjet Airlines. And so, it took us about an hour or more before heading home. We got home around 2am and woke daddy up and from there we all could not sleep. We all stayed up until 3am, until they drank their sleeping pills. LoL!

Brian, Dave and I, Inri and Janice

Dave and I

Day 2: We woke up 9am, and since there is just so much to do and mall open at 10am, by 10 I was in SM Mall of Asia already. LoL! First in the list, get a manicure & pedicure/foot spa, facial and have my eyelash permed. I went to my favorite spa clinic, Let’s Face It! I stayed at the spa clinic for 3 hours to have everything done. I also wanted to have my hair cut and a hot oil but we didn’t have much time because I had to do my groceries, shop for things I needed and go to a designer to have myself measured for a gown for my brother’s wedding on January. Next stop was Shoe Mart, I bought new undergarments, hairnets, stocking, pins and a lot more. It was a Wednesday, so our car wasn’t able to be of use because of this coding rule in Manila. Good thing, Ate Vilma and Kuya Allan was there. Ate Vilma and Kuya Allan are good friends of the family. They picked us up in Mall of Asia and drove us to New Manila to the designer, had my measurements done and choose the design of my gown then we went to Greenhills shopping center. I met up with Dave in Greenhills. He was going back to Tuguegarao that night so I did not want not seeing him before he left. We just went around the mall. Looking for the perfect bag for my PSP, unfortunately, they did not have what I want. We had dinner at Italianni’s with my parents, Ate Vilma and Kuya Allan. I paid for dinner, and it was just fulfilling to see my parents overjoyed that I, their youngest child, can already treat them in an expensive restaurant. As a child, I was always scared of not pleasing my parents. I wanted them to be proud of me and that night I did. I wanted to cry when my dad kissed me in the forehead and thanked me for the dinner. I knew they were both proud of me and I that made me extremely happy. I would love to do it over and over and over again just to see them be proud of me. It was also the first time Dave and I in a expensive restaurant, I always wanted to eat fast food, the oily French fries, burgers, barbeque sticks in the streets and Mc Donald’s chicken nuggets, my favorite. Right when we finished dinner, we went to Chester/Janice/Brian’s place for Dave to pick up his things already. We brought him to the bus station and said our goodbyes. I felt so bad saying goodbye to him again. I won’t see him for quite some time again. I almost didn’t want him to leave but he had to, he had to enroll in school.

Day 3: Last Day, the only thing I was able to do was open a bank account for my savings and get my Jollibee! LoL! I missed Jollibee, I wish they’d put one up here in Abu Dhabi soon. I know they have one in Dubai but I barely go there. Expecting the flight to be full, I went to the airport early hoping to get a sure seat, but no, it was too overbooked so I had to wait for the captain and the crew to ask for a jumpseat. I was with another cabin crew, her name’s Sugar; she’s really nice and pretty. We talked to the captain together and yes, the captain was nice enough to allow us to sit in the jumpseat.

My Parents

with Kitchie

Going back to Abu Dhabi was a bit tiring. It’s not really comfortable trying to sleep in a jumpseat of an airplane. Good thing there was an extra passenger seat, Sugar and I exchanged every once in a while. I arrived the flat around 9pm in the evening. Slept pretty much the whole day, and I was off back to Manila for my flight. This time around I wasn’t a passenger, I was a crew already.

Touchdown in Manila was 2:00 in the afternoon; we were in the hotel by 4pm. My parents were waiting for me already. I slept for a few hours and then we left for San Juan, to have dinner with my Ninang Wilma, my godmother, and her family. It was her birthday so they had a mini birthday celebration at their place. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the couch. I was suppose to meet a couple of friends but complications and all I was unable to see them. Instead, I made plans with Inri and Janice again. Faye also just arrived from Hong Kong so it was a mini reunion as well. I haven’t seen her since last year. She works as a dancer in Hong Kong Disneyland. My parents dropped me off in Oyster Boy in Greenhills where I was to meet the girls. Ben and Al were also there, Janice and Inri’s boyfriends. It was my first time to meet Al, he’s a basketball player and he’s freaking tall! I also met Aira for the first time and I heart her already. She’s so fun to be with. Being with the girls once again was fabulous. Fun, fun fun! Although it was liquor ban, we were able to get some booze! Dara and Ken also came later on the night. Just to see me. That’s why I heart Dara so much, she makes ways just to see me. LoL! I got back to the hotel 3 in the morning already and to think I had a flight the next day. Whew! Superwoman! LoL! I asked my mom and dad to sleep in the hotel with me. Good thing I didn’t wake them up when I came in. My mom woke me up around 10am because I had to get all the groceries I wanted to bring from our condo. My luggage was so heavy! I had longganisa, bangus, daing, puto-pao, and canned goods! It was crazy but they don’t weigh our luggage anyways so what the heck! LoL! Flight was great, full but it was ok. After 8 hours, again I was back in Abu Dhabi! I was dead tired. I slept right away. Well, after bringing out all the frozen food I had with me then I slept.

Peaches, Faye, Aira, Ben and Janice, Inri and Al

They missed me

with Dara and Ken

It was great being back in Manila. Really! It was totally worth it. I didn’t care if it got me tired and all. Seeing my family and friends was awesome! Nothing compares to the time I spent with them! I can’t even find the right words to express how happy I feel!

PS: My mom has our pictures together in me in uniform. I’ll post them as soon as I receive them.