T3

(Written last Friday, Feb 20)

I’m off to Cagayan de Oro today for a quick vacay alone. It’s the first time in 4 years that I’d be traveling alone, both overseas and domestic. I was supposed to travel with the little one, but hubs and I are hesitant to bring him without the hubs. So the little one stays home, plus he has school too.

My Mom bought the tickets for me, when there was seat sale in Cebu Pacific. The travel was supposed to be done in time for the harvest season. The harvest is moved to another week, due to unforeseen weather conditions. Rather than of the tickets going to waste, I decide to travel still. And so here I am at the new Terminal 3.

Terminal 3 has been in use mainly by Cebu Pacific since mid 2008. When my whole family went home last November, we took Cebu Pacific coming back to Manila. It certainly was constructed according to International airport standards. Although, while we were waiting by the conveyor belt for our luggage, there was power failure. Good thing I was holding the little boy’s hand then. He still doesn’t like dark rooms.

Today is actually my first to trip out of the Terminal 3. Thank God Cebu Pac has moved here. I stopped flying Cebu Pac when the old domestic airport became too crowded. That was in 2002, I believe. I rather suffer delayed flights, old airplanes and bad service from Air Phils or overly expensive flights with PAL than go to the superbly crowded domestic airport.

Terminal 3 pre-departure is quite nice. I had to be here about 4 hours before my flight to pick-up my re-booked ticket. It’s not crowded at all, the line by the ticket center was long but service was quick. Plus they had 2 ticket counters to service everyone. After I got my ticket, I went to find food, I hadn’t had a bite of breakfast at home. There was a food area, there was Jollibee, a Mini stop, a Mister donut and a Kopi Roti. Not exactly an expansive choice, at least you have a choice, right? Jollibee is always a good choice anyway. And Kopi Roti has great cheap coffee. The washrooms are also clean and spacious. The aircon also works! Haha

After the check-in counters and the terminal fee counters, there are more restos and shops. There was even a shop selling slippers, crocs and chargers for laptops, cell phones and Ipods. It doesn’t feel too 3rd world anymore, what an improvement, I must say.

The service of the airport personel, such as the security guys, though is still very 3rd world. It is typical that airport security personnel don’t speak much, but the service that they provide falls on the Needs Improvement box. They are just not polite, bordering on being rude. I think that is what’s lacking in our airports, the politeness of the airport personnel. If I were a foreigner, out to for a vacation in a tropical country like the Philippines, who boasts of its hospitality, I’d be totally turned off. The airport is the first thing that a visitor sees of a country, it doesn’t have to be the best, I doubt if anyone expects that. At the least though, the people welcoming you in the airport should be friendlier. And I’m not just talking about the taxi drivers – that requires another post altogether.

One thing I didn’t like though is that there’s no wifi in T3. And I had to scour 2 floors to find an outlet before my battery ran out. And the paging system is so mumbled, you know the kind where the announcer doesn’t really care if you understand whatever she says? Reminds me of the old Ororama paging system back in Cagayan de Oro. This was the early 90s and it was cool to hang out there then LOL We’d wait for announcements over the paging system and laugh like hyenas when the pager says “Paging all FACKERS, paging all FACKERS, please proceed to the FACKING area”. Seriously. LOL

My boy's 3 and happy

This little one turned 3 last Feb 4th. It was a Wednesday and he had classes that day, so we trooped to his class bringing Filipino spaghetti (the sweet one), chicken lollipops, Lightning McQueen birthday cake, party hats and favors. He enjoyed it a bit, but wasn't feeling too well. He did muster enough air to blow out his birthday candle.

Isn't he sweet? Sometimes I still get delightfully shocked of the things he does and says. One time I asked him to throw a paper to the garbage bin while we were both watching TV. He said "Sorry Mom, I'm watching TV". Wadda say to that? :D He's grown so fast!

Being a Mommy, I used to sing to him to lull him to sleep. He doesn't need my singing anymore, but likes me to read him a story at bed time. Recently, I was suffering from migraine and was resting inside the bedroom. He came in looking for me, and told him I was "yayay" (meaning I'm sick) and so I asked that he sing to me and sang "Happy Birthday, Dumbo" to me :)

He answers "Mahal kita" when I tell him I love him. When hubs and I go out without him, he tells us "Kyan cried" when we get home. He refuses to talk to me when I'm away travelling. He sings "ABC" and "Twinkle twinkle" in a heart beat. He hugs a lot when he's happy, but still likes to box or kick when angry.

He's always going to be my little boy. I still pray the same prayer when I was pregnant with him. Every morning I pray that God bless and keep him safe at all times. Every night I pray that he grow up to be a good person, loving, caring, respectful, smart, kind and helpful. Today at lunch, I told him that he should eat on his own since he's already 3, he reminded me that "Kyan is a small boy Mommy". And I glance at him and indeed, he's still a small boy.

Happy 3rd birthday little bugoy! Mommy will love you always, always.

The good, the great and the trying

Marriage is certainly not a bed of roses. I’ve been married almost 4 years now and everyday is still a new beginning. There are good days, great days & trying days.

Good days are when you are happily contented with each other. Good days mean just sitting beside each other, minding your own way, loving each other, giving each other back rubs, foot massages and exchanging ideas. Good days make you feel good about your husband, and just by looking at him, you instantly remember why you feel in love. Good days are understanding each other faults, accepting them, nourishing each other’s thoughts. Good days are laughing about silly things, enjoying each other’s sense of humor, embracing each other’s differences.

Great days are when you make love any chance you can get :) Great days are spent enveloped in love, when nothing you say or do can dampen the mood. Great days are when you love his family and he loves yours too. Great days are when you are both in agreement. Great days are when you don’t need to say anything to be heard. Great days are days of endless laughter, crying from too much laughing. Great days are making your own traditions, or inheriting great traditions. Great days make you fall in love all over again. Great days give you more reasons why you love him.

And then there are trying days. You try to put yourself in his shoes, and see things from his side. You try to remember that anger will not get your point across. You try to remember what the point was. You try to keep your patience when it too difficult to hear him. You try to say that it’s not the battle, it’s the war. You try to think that you love this man, and you try to make it work.

Take marriage a day at a time. Not everyday is the same. There are moods and emotions involved. There are highs and lows. So you just go with the flow, as they say when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Right.

Where is your playground?

Being in HK used to give me a high. Even with 10 million meetings the whole day and taking the crowded MTR to dash to the meetings, I would still be up for shopping and sight seeing the following night. One time, I had to purchase another luggage coz I just had too much shopping! haha So the following trips, I remember to always bring a just-in-case bag. The bag usually had a case to be used for! hahaha

HK was my playground. I loved the shopping, the pulse of the city, seeing people rush to work or out of work. I loved how fashion is so funky. I loved how no one cared if you're eating alone and there are actually a lot of people who eat alone. I loved looking at couples, young or old, totally into each other. The older ones still holding hands :)

Last year was a really fun trip. It was the first time I travelled to HK with Mom. She's a government employee in the Philippines, so she doesn't have an opportunity to travel overseas much. If and when she travels locally for work, she'd always find herself accomodated in these cheap hotels or pension houses. So it was a treat for her to stay in a really nice hotel, she enjoyed the wonderfully soft pillows, the big nice bath robe, the great food. Plus she finally believed me when I said my colleagues are nice hehe!

This year though, I found myself in a different HK. Maybe also because I'm missing my boys every single minute. But also because I realized that HK no longer gives me same high. On the career side, speaking face to face to clients is still very enriching. The insights and the knowledge that I get is still great.

Shopping for me isn't as exciting anymore. Plus I feel guilty if I shop for non-essentials when I hear of people losing their jobs both back home and even among my clients.

Come to think of it, maybe HK has changed too... but the one who changed more is me. HK is no longer my playground. My playground is home. Where my boys are. Where my loved ones are. And where I will hurry home to on Sunday.

Travelling Mommy

I'm going to HK later today for the annual bank meetings. I'll be away for 5 days and I already am missing my two boys. Travelling is part of the job that I have. Mostly it has been fun to travel, specially when I was single. I didn't have to wonder who would read my little boy's bed time story or worry if he has drank his vitamins. I know it's just five days, but when you're a mom, 5 days seems like eternity.

Then mid-next week, I'd be going home to Cagayan de Oro and stay for about a week. I have to deal with a business venture with my parents. Hubs was supposed to go, but he had a lot of projects at work, so instead I go. I was thinking of bringing the little one, but with no Yaya in tow, I won't be able to help as much. And help is the main reason I'm going home. Oh, the sacrifices we make to earn a living.

In these times of crisis, one needs to find ways to make a little more money and save. Salary alone is not enough. But of course, you also need to be careful in picking out a business venture. Luxury things or activities are definitely out. Just stick with the basics, like food or basic services needed. That way, you also manage the risks.

I'm back

I've resurfaced... this is the new updated me.