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TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2008
my great adventure.
It has been like about 3 weeks since I left. Wow, it felt longer. Welcome back to the United States ? Yeah, it was actually better this time around. No wait, it wasn't. Like the 1st day only. It went something like this, I was traveling with my uncle's family and my brother. I actually felt so independent cos I was "in-charge" with my brother, like I had to pay for all the taxes and stuff. : )) After our flight from Manila to Guam was delayed for 4 hours (I spent nalang my birthday in the airport not partying with the pilot : ((), our original itinerary was ruined. Instead of Guam-Hawaii-Texas-Florida, our flights got switched to Guam-Tokyo-Texas-Florida cos the plane for Hawaii left us. We were stuck in Guam for 4 hrs. then we were off to Japan. When we arrived, we had to get our tickets for the states cos we couldn't use our old tickets. Those Japanese airport staff are sooo.. annoying. Like they couldn't speak english AT ALL. Well she can gud, but I can't understand. So it was confusing what she was explaining to us, all I knew is that our flight for Texas was leaving in 15 minutes and she couldn't shut up. Finally she let us go, we were running like crazy people trying to catch our flight. Good thing we made it, we were actually early (palaw. haha). Then we were off to Texas. When we were about to land, the flight stewardess told us that we had to get all our luggage even though we have connecting flights and check them in again (it's this whole customs thing, like they have to make sure you don't bring illegal stuff in. We got caught pa jud, cos the dog kept smelling my brother's hand carry bag. The police had to check it and in the bag was this chicken sandwich from the airplane !! I got sooo mad at my brother. We had to go to this room where they had to check all our luggage once again so that we'd be cleared ). So me and my uncle hurriedly got our luggage so that we'd be able to make it to the last flight to Florida which was scheduled to leave 5 minuted after we arrive. I wasn't expecting to make it, esp after the whole getting your luggage and checking them again thing. One of my uncle's luggage was one of those that got stuck in the plane, so it took them a while to get it. He told me to go to the continental office and ask about our connecting flight to Florida, cos we were expecting to stay overnight and fly the next day. My brother and I went there with our luggage and to my surprise they issued us tickets to the last flight to Florida that day. It so happens that the flight got delayed ! So we were able to make it. Everything happened so fast, I didn't know where my uncle was anymore and the girl in-charge told us to run to the terminals cos our flight was leaving in 5 minutes already. I was so confused and pressured. I couldn't wait for my uncle anymore, my brother and I ran pass the security area and there was no turning back anymore. We had to be in that flight with or without my uncle. I felt so scared cos 1st- my mum didn't know we were arriving that day, she was expecting us the next day and 2nd- I had NO MONEY !! Like I only had 20pesos with me cos I gave all my money to my uncle. I was soo worried, I didn't know what to do. Before we boarded, I texted my dad all that happened to try to call my mum that we were arriving 5p.m that day(thank God for Globe Roaming !). In the plane I felt kinda relieved cos I thought everything would be alright. Finally, we landed in Florida. My brother and I were on our way to claim our luggage. While waiting for it, family members of other people were there welcoming them, helping them getting their bags and stuff. I waited and waited, no one was there to welcome us. Until the last luggage was claimed, no one was still there. And we didn't get our luggage cos they weren't able to make it to the flight. All I had then was my laptop, passports, baggage claim and 20 pesos. I was so worried cos when I turned on my phone my dad texted me that he did tell my mum that we were arriving and that she's coming but I was wondering why she wasn't there. It was 6p.m already and she should've been there an hour ago waiting. The other text was from my aunt who didn't know we were in Florida already, they were very worried looking for us. I wasn't able to reply to her cos my phone died. We waited and waited some more. After an hour of waiting, I started getting worried, I had no money to make a call and I didn't know where to ask for help. I tried to from the airport information, but guess what, they only gave me a map of Jacksonville, FL. I lost hope, I was already expecting my brother and I to be sleeping in the airport. It was getting dark already, the arrival area was EMPTY, it was only me, my brother and about 3 janitors. I felt really scared and my brother didn't make things easier, he kept blaming me for getting both of us into this. I turned on my laptop, luckily the airport had free internet. I went on YM and Skype hoping someone could help. It was a Saturday morning in the Philippines, no one that could help was online. Not even my dad or people in the office. I tried to make a phone call online, but no such thing exists. I figured out it would be useless too cos I don't know my mum's cell# and the only number I had was in my cousin's house which would be empty during that time cos everyone was in the wedding rehearsal. I really felt down cos this wasn't they way I imagine spending the day of my birthday, stuck in the airport hoping someone would get us. I wanted to spend it in the hotel with my cousins, partying cos it was the 4th of July. I started crying. It was so sad. I felt so mad too, cos my dad lied to me ! I felt really left out, FORGOTTEN and POOR. I couldn't afford to make a phone call ! I could see fireworks out the airport, I thought, people are partying without me : ( Huhu. Then my uncle in Zamboanga went online. We aren't really close but since I was desperate I had to ask help from him. To my surprise, he knew what happened and he told me he was trying to call my other uncle in California to tell them in Florida that we're in the airport. I was thankful cos he'd help me even though he was super busy. He eventually had to go, he told my cousin to go online and continue helping me. I was chatting with my cousins from Manila, the one I stayed with. It was weird cos we wouldn't even talk to each other in person ! But then again, I was desperate so I had to. They told me that they called my mum and told her we're waiting for her in the airport, she was really surprised when they told her. She was on her way with 2 of my uncles, I was told. So then, I stopped crying already feeling a lot better knowing that I wouldn't be spending the whole night in the airport with the scary janitors ! I kept on going outside to see if they were there. I went in and out like 83270498659625 times !! It took them so long to arrive. I felt kinda down again, but I knew that they'd arrive. It was almost 11p.m already, they weren't there yet. The night's almost over, I'm REALLY tired, no more celebrating for me. BOO. I was sitting in the bench outside the arrival area. I guess I obviously looked sad cos one of the policemen asked me if everything was alright, I thought there was no use of asking help from him cos my mum SHOULD be on her way. After 7284634296744 minutes of waiting, a blue car pulled up in front of me. Didn't expect it to be my mum cos it didn't look like our car. The guy rolled down the window and pointed at me, it was my uncle from New Jersey ! FINALLY ! THEY'RE HEREEEE ! He gave me a hug and told me my mum went around the airport looking for me and my brother. He told me to go look for her inside. I called my brother inside and we started looking for her. I couldn't see anything ! I wasn't wearing my contacts ! Hehe. I saw this guy walking to my direction, he looked familiar but his hair.. it's short. It was my big brother !! I was SOOOO happy he was there. He ran to me and hugged me. I started crying and getting mad at him. He apologized and said everyone got busy with the wedding rehearsal. 3 of us went up to look for our mum, and there she was by duty free. I started to cry more cos I was SO mad at my mum that time for taking FOREVER to get us. She hugged me and kept saying sorry. So all of us went back to the hotel where we stayed. I slept right away, I was WAYYY TOO TIRED. That was my great adventure. : )) That was my 16th b.day. Exciting ? More like very tiring and.. emotional. Hehe. Well as for my uncle and his family stuck in Texas ? They had their own little adventure, they also got caught for bringing in fried chicken from the Philippines, they checked it for Bird Flu. : ))
xojastinemarie.
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:^)
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