My sleep was long enough to refill my body's lost energy. Still I can't believe that it's already the 5th of January. The day I'll be giving a farewell to my Motherland.
I packed the remaining clothes and all sorts of stuff in my luggage. My mother was sitting right beside me, seemingly she doesn't want me to go. My father was lying on the bed as well as my sister. As everything was set, silence slowly crept inside my room. I wasn't even certain about my emotions that time. It was like a bowl of salad with a mixture of excitement, anxiety, joy, nervousness, fear, and a whole lot more. As we were on our way to the airport, everything seem to be in a complete rush. The ticking of the clock seem to double and the things around me look like moving way too fast. We dropped by at McDonald's Buhangin to have an early dinner. It was around 4 o'clock then. My family and I just enjoyed the meal as we we're used to be. My mother kept on giving me all the necessary reminders which she believes I need. As we were about to leave, I saw how my mother burst her tears. I hurriedly came by her side and gave her the warmest hug. "It's your first time abroad. This is the first time you'll be a whole lot farther from us. I'm sorry, I cried. I think I can't really let go of you." my mother said. I couldn't even utter a single word during that moment. I was trying to hold back my tears but I can't. I hugged her once again and kissed her on the forehead.
It was nearly 6 o'clock in the evening when we got in the airport. Jean and her siblings were already waiting. We spent a few more minutes waiting for Dr. Mamonong, our teacher who accompanied us throughout the entire trip. Almost 7 o'clock. We bid our own families good bye with such a heavy heart. I didn't want to leave for I couldn't afford to see my family, especially my mother to look very sad. But, I must follow my destiny.
A first-timer's experience of something will always be one's most treasured one. Since it was my first time to travel abroad and the first time to ride on a plane, everything inside me felt like rushing because of too much excitement. I kept on looking around, trying to figure out how everything goes on inside an airport. I tend to observe every single person for I don't want to be embarrassed if ever I commit something unlikely. My eyes were all set to whatever Dr. Mamonong was doing. After passing through the baggage and self inspection, I started to feel my hands shaking and my feet wobbling. But this scenario isn't new to me anymore for these always happen whenever I am amidst any unusual or new circumstances in which I am not yet comfortable.
As soon as we finished everything, we sat comfortably at the boarding area and sent some messages to our loved ones before we depart. As I was having my steps, I felt like everything that's inside my body will come out and I couldn't do anything about it. Funny it may seem but that was actually my feeling during that moment. As I got into the plane, all the emotions came rushing in. It felt like I was having a stomachache, headache, felt like I was about to pee and urinate, it was definitely a mixture of everything. Since it was already dark, I was not able to enjoy the whole view. I felt asleep and I when I woke up, we were already in Manila.
Since we got a lot of vacant time to stay in Manila and it was already late when we arrived, we decided to look for a place to sleep and rest. It was eight long hours of waiting. My feeling went back to its normal state. It was nearly 7 o'clock in the morning when we went inside the plane bound to Bangkok.
The trip lasted for about three hours and it was daytime. We had Beef Kare-kare for breakfast and it was my first time to experience such. After eating, I placed my earphones back and enjoyed looking at the clouds and sky as if we're already heading to heaven or somewhere magical. After the long hours of waiting, here we are, stepping into the Land of Smiles!
And then, the journey began.
