Just a reminder: these are my observations and not my intent to be judgmental or rude. Just things as I see them. The opinions you draw from them are your own.
We managed to get an early morning flight Sunday. On arrival in Davao we called lots of Honey’s friends who all wanted to meet me. Of course we had to rush to Greenwich for spaghetti (made with wieners?) and chicken first.
Then came the trip to her parent’s house. I was really dreading the event but Honey seemed happy and unconcerned so I eased up. When we got there I found out it was because that her father was not going to be there. Everyone welcomed us there. But then we found out that LBC had tried to deliver Honey’s K-3 packet Thursday but because she was not there they refused to leave it. Honey’s family had done as asked and called the girls at Honey’s apartment who were supposed to text her and let her know so we could come to Davao earlier to retrieve it. One of the girls at the apartment is a “CB” radio nerd and was too busy to pass the info on. We really thought we had blown it big time when we read on the LBC “missed delivery” ticket that the package would be returned to sender after 2 days and it had been 3 already.
Then Honey’s brother came home and asked that I come to his birthday party the next night at 8:30 PM. At the same time her mother was telling Honey that she need to come back the next day to talk with her father. This really bothered her and she really did not want to do it – so much she didn’t even tell me till the next day when we were heading there. We left and headed to her apartment. Only one of the girls was there and we were not able to let the one who didn’t pass on the info about the delivery how disappointed we were that she held this information to herself. Later we found she did say something to the girl who was going to text us but it wasn’t till we were already on our way there. Finally we went to out hotel and to bed. I was really worn out.
The next day was an out and out marathon. After breakfast we headed to the college to get a refund on her last semester of college since she had to drop out. I promised her she would finish her in the states rather that spend the next 5 months apart. But of course no one at the college that would refund the money’s so we had to come back later. Luckily though one of Honey’s professors was a friend of the Director at the DFA in Davao and suggested that since we were so panicked that we point out the fact that if she didn’t finish the physical before her “period” started she would not get her visa before I had to go back home. She even wrote a letter to this effect for us. When the office opened we took the letter and all the papers we had and headed to the DFA. We were allowed in immediately without waiting. After filing our requested they said told us to be back in 45 minutes and we headed to the LBC office in Matinia. Honey’s package was still there – Thank God!!!!. Back to the DFA to complete our interview. Our request was pretty much ignored? When we went to pay the fees I asked what time to pick up the passport and was told in 3 days. We asked why our request was being ignored and they discussed it for a few minutes and said pick it up the next day between 3 and 4 PM. Wow!!!
Next we headed to the new Shoe Mart to get some things we needed and to meet one of Honey’s best friends Christie. We ate at Greenwich again, Christie met us there. Surprisingly, ShoeMart did not have any of the items we wanted so we headed to Giasano Mall. There we bought another suitcase, some shoes for me and a few other odds and ends. As we headed to our apartment I was dreading the late night birthday party because the “jet-lag” was hitting me again. This is when Honey told me we were having a meeting with her father!! Gee! Gosh!!! Thanks for telling me.
All the way there she complained and didn’t want to go. So I tried to find ways to comfort her and figure out what I was going to say. When I entered the hut I sat across from her father and we chatted politely but he actually waited for me to acknowledge him first. Honey and I sat down to eat, everyone else had eaten. There while we ate I told her to just do as we had originally planned, sent $100/month but make sure it paid for the phone and college of her siblings. She wrote instructions on how to use the ATM for her sister and then we gave her brother his birthday present and cake. We then sat the whole family down and told them what we were going to do. They graciously accepted the stipend. I went outside for some air and Honey’s father followed me outside. I pointed out to him I had been very foolish the last time and had spent too much money showing off and it took 6 months to pay off all I had borrowed and that I had hurt my neck and lost my job. And even though I now had another job and could still do well I had been really set back by all of this. He listened but didn’t say much back. Maybe it was the language difference – not sure.
Honey and I left to the apartment again where we met the rest of the household. After her showing me off a while we headed back to the hotel.
The next day was another go, go, go day. We went to Honey’s apartment to pack and Jonah, Glenn of Mag-Anak’s fiancée and a former pen pal of Zebson’s came over. She stayed with us the whole day. We got every thing packed and dropped this off at the Hotel then went and turned the phone back on at her parent’s house then rushed to Giasano Mall to meet with “RGG” from Planet-love (Roy Garcia) and his wife. It was great meeting people we chat with. We all went to Harana (which means serenade) for dinner. RGG owns a cell phone store beside Dhones Café in the Mall. After the lunch things moved into full speed. Honey wanted a special type of dress to wear to the physical, needed some makeup and we wanted a few odds and ends. We then needed to head back to the college to get the refund and allow her to say her goodbyes to her best friends. During all this Honey set down all her papers at one of the stores and in mall and caused us some frightful moments till we retraced our steps and found them.
The DFA was a piece of cake. In and out in about 30 minutes. From there we went back to the hotel and packed and headed to the airport to catch our 7:15 flight and get a bite to eat. I just don’t remember Davao airport. It seemed like purchasing a ticket in a jungle village of South America with the local military carrying automatic rifles everywhere you went. Finally the time came to load the plane and we said bye to Jonah were she made me promise to take care of Honey and boarded the plane. Two hours later we were sleeping in a room at the Palm Plaza Hotel in Manila.
Some of the things that really surprised me is the fervor that they fight for positions while on the roads but yet do not seems to care when someone just cuts right-in in front of them while in lines. I am also amazed at “Philippine standards” for determining who is “maganda” or “pangit” (according to Honey that is). The Filipinas she thinks are the most pretty to me are not. Maybe it’s just me. Another thing I was really impressed with is that Filipinos don’t hesitate to show regards for friends and are constantly hugging and holding on to someone even if just walking while holding hands or wrapping their arm around someone. I know I have said this before but fellas Davao is a city of gorgeous single babes. If your looking its worth the trip.
Today we could not start the physical till we paid the fee at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). Actually went to 4 of them before ore would accept the money. Then we started hunting for St. Luke’s. Yeah everyone wanted to help us get there but they all sent us in the wrong directions. We finally got there at 10 AM. We stayed their till nearly 4 PM getting everything accomplished. Go back tomorrow for the results.
It saddens me to say that one of the girls Honey met during the process bragged about how she was going to divorce her 60 y.o. husband in a year and even brought her boyfriend to the physical. Supposedly the 60 y.o. guy agrees to this and actually loves her sister who is already in the states.
I am glad I have gone through this process with Honey. I never realized how much hoop jumping was required. These girls really have to go through a lot to be with us. Not to mention that they leave their families, home and countries to live with a guy they have known only a few months in a place where they hope life will be better but then they literally have to cross “t’s” and dot “I’s” exactly as a bunch of beauracrats tell them or the government won’t let them. It’s a combination of emotions hard to explain and is completely draining.
Honey and I ended the day by going to see the new Harry Potter movie and then the JollyBees for spaghetti and chicken of course. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
More to come
Bear
