So much has happened since Dec 2nd I thought it necessary to post a follow up to my trip report. Once again it’s just my observances and your opinions are your own.
When I left Manila, Honey stayed with Mary324 until her flight back to Davao was due. She and I had discussed what to do about having not gotten the visa and where I wanted her to stay she wanted to go home. Inside I knew she needed to stay to facilitate her being able to speedily come to me but I also thought that was my selfishness poking out so I let her go home to see her family and friends once more while she waited for the visa. I took the laptop at her request thinking it would only be a few more days – another mistake. We could not longer chat and see each other on the cam.
Sure enough, as soon as she got home to Davao her brother called her and said a package had arrived from the embassy. She was so excited she called Mary324 and had her describe her package and since hers looked like the one her brother described she called me and told me she had gotten her visa. I am sure most of you saw the posts. When she picked up the package the next day she found out it was a request for a copy of my divorce decree. She had this 6-page document and said she’d send it immediately but the embassy said no they’d pick it up next week sometime. This was on Monday. Honey was wading in tears when she called me. I called the Embassy.
The Embassy tried to put me off like they had for 2 weeks but this time I said that I had just flown home after spending 2 weeks there trying to get my wife to come with me because she was afraid of flying alone and that we had these papers and that St. Lukes had refused to allow them in the submittals. I also said that there was absolutely no way I could get her home before Christmas if they did not let her send them from there rather than them pick them up. They gave in and said “I” could fax them and they gave me a number and said, “send it to “n” team”. I called Honey and had her immediately go and fax the papers. I made a mistake here (another one!). I forgot to have her call and see if they received the fax after she faxed it. The next day I decided to check and sure enough they said they never received them. This time I said they’d get a call from my congressman as soon as I got off the phone but they assured me I could fax them again. I had Honey fax them again and then call and see if they were received. They were. Her visa was approved that day.
This is where the 1st mistake hit us hard. She didn’t stay in Manila so we had to wait for the visa to be delivered to Davao. 7-10 Days they said before we could call and request a status. Well on the 11th day with the next being a holiday she called and checked the status, it was there and would be delivered the next day. Nope. Honey was there to pick it up at LBC in Davao that morning.
Now could I get her on an airplane? No problem. Tuesday morning at 6AM leaving on Northwestern!! Honey called “Mariene_on_fire” and asked her to stay with her while she was alone in Manila. I wanted her to stay with May10 but she said she was too shy to ask and she just didn’t want to stay with Helen and Jane again? (hmmmm?). I found out that many things were said in Tagolic while I was there that didn’t get passed on to me. Some were quite rude and insulting to Honey. Without Lily being there, she just flat out refused to stay with Helen and Jane. But I guess I would have too.
Then another faux pa. Honey had asked me to bring everything with me to the states. She packed, it I muled it, including her x-rays (carrying all that cost me an extra $220 for being over limit). The package with the visa said “hand carry your x-ray through immigration”. I had that!! Gosh!
Okay down to Fed-Ex. Yap. $48.25 to get it there by Wednesday. I called May10 and asked her to receive it for her. No problem there. Okay I thought. She can get a flight out Wednesday evening or Thursday.
Guess what? The travel agent could not longer get a ticket unless I wanted business class at twice the price. All seats were filled till Dec 24th. More tears, and extreme depression, on the possibility that she might not make it before Christmas. Aaarrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Well we decided to do what we had always done. Prayed together.
On Monday I called the agent and they were able to get her on a Northwest flight at 8:05 Thursday morning. That gives her Monday for the holiday (another one?), Tuesday to get the CFO stamp, Wednesday to get the x-ray from May10 and then the flight on Thursday.
Thursday night. Finally here in my arms? Can anything else go wrong?
Bear
