PERFECT TIMING
Who's got the perfect timing? No one else of course but the one who created time. I have been waiting to come home for the longest time and have been patiently waiting and waiting, but I have also set myself to a time frame of maybe first or second week of August, just to keep my mind from more disappointments; but lo and behold, when I least expected it, I received an email from the airline, saying that they have cancelled my August 2 flights but that they can rebook me to July 27th which was just a few hours away from when I received the message. I had the other option of waiting until August 13th. Of course I chose the one that was just 6 hours away. So I told everyone that needs to be informed that I finally had a flight, then secured myself a transport to the airport, and started packing up my belongings. Most of my things have already been packed up in May but because of the many cancellations, and the fact that I had to still go to class, I have been slowly unpacking my devarim. Anyway, the hardest thing was deciding what to leave behind. I have had to keep reminding myself that those are just things. So I left all of my clothes, except for the ones on my back and a skirt that somebody gifted me, and two other change of clothes because, I had to bring my books and my boots home, right? Books first. Shoes and Boots second, and Clothes last. Clothes are easily replaceable but, books, no. Still, I was not able to take all of my books with me.
So to the airport I went after saying goodbye to friends who came down to see me go. My taxi arrived at the airport in record time. I waited for maybe half an hour for the check in counters to be manned and after that, everything went smoothly. Before I knew it, I was on my assigned gate waiting for boarding time. We boarded and I slept through the whole flight, in fact I slept even through the disembarkation. It was a good thing there was a Chinese man who slept through it as well, that when he saw me he kindly yelled at me to wake me up. I picked up my things and went off the plane and the airport bus had to come back for me and the man. I do not understand how come none of the flight crew members thought to wake me up when everyone has already gone. That deep sleep must have been because I have been awake for most of the previous 72 hours. It was a 2 and 3 quarters of an hour flight, so... I went inside Istanbul International trying to locate the place where someone could direct me to the free accommodations given by the airline to passengers who have connecting flights in the same airline but with more than 8 hours of layover. After walking for what felt like miles, (because all the airport people I asked, kept saying, 200meters from here, 50 meters from here, so being the literal person that I am, I listened to them, but most of those directions brought me to unmanned counters, until I chanced at someone who took her time long enough to give me clearer instructions. It does not help that they barely speak English and we are all wearing facemasks.) I finally was able to find the "airport hotel," but when I went in, I found out that that was a private-owned hotel, and not the hotel where the airlines set up their passengers for a few hours. I asked him where I can ask about the free accommodations and he kindly showed me a map of where I was and where I should go. I thanked the man and apologized for bothering him and he said, it was no problem, and that there was no need to be sorry. How kind.
I went in search of the Turkish Airline Helpdesk and after the man on the counter conferred with someone else, they decided I need a Schengen visa to avail of the accommodations, but it was 3 in the morning, no one is in the consular office to take my application. I thanked them and traced my steps back to the airport hotel. I looked around the public lounges for someone who might want to share the rent with me, and miracle of miracles, my eyes caught the eye of someone who's been eyeing me since Tel Aviv. She was a Filipina like me who seemed to want to ask me a question but could not bring herself to it or something. I asked her if she was the lady I was on the same flight with from Israel and she said yes, and that she's been looking for me because she did not know where to go to get to the airline designated hotel. I told her I was just there and I was told that Filipino citizens need a visa first, and then I told her I found an airport hotel but the price for a night was a bit too expensive for me, maybe she was willing to split the rent with me and share the room. She was so thankful I asked her, so off we went. We finally reached our room after a small mishap in the elevator, where the elevator light kept dying on us. I panicked there a little bit, my claustrophobia rearing its ugly head, only to find out that someone 
from the hotel was trying to stop the elevator from outside because someone left their things by the front desk. Yup, it was me. I had a little shopping bag full of Israeli chocolates and nishnoshim (chips, etc) and my clothing for the night and for the next day, and when I put it down on the floor by the front desk to fill out some forms and pay the hotel, I forgot to pick it up again. Our accommodation was a nice and quite spacious room that enabled me to get some homework done as well as attend my online class. The lady that split the rent with me has kindly given me Israeli brand energy bars and Filipino cup noodles and nescafe 3in1 to help keep me going ;) ... As I left in a rush, I was not really prepared in terms of food. I was actually just thinking about fasting as needed.
The flight to Manila was long and boring, as long flights go. One moment I looked out the window when my eyes was caught by a breathtaking line of orange hue on the horizon which a few minutes later turned into an amber shade yellowish beauty, and I was waiting to see the sun come up but after half an hour or so, it got dark again and I could see the big moon right there. So for the whole duration of the flight, I did not see daytime. I need to learn more about the time zones of the regions above which we flew to know why I did not see the light of day from Istanbul to Manila when I left Turkey at 2 in the morning and landed at 7 in the evening.
The procedure of getting swabbed and then getting out of immigration into my assigned hotel after we landed in Manila was not too complicated. Aside from the swab tests provided by the government, there was one private lab that offers the same test for a price. I paid the price, and went into one of the makeshift booths so they can collect a specimen. The nose swab was easy but the throat one was a bit painful and made me gag. Until now, I feel a sting in my throat where I was poked. So I am here in my little claustrophobia-inducing motel room, the ceiling just three and half a foot above the bed, asking family from the province to order me meals because I am not allowed to go out from my room until I can show the front desk an email from the lab saying that I am negative, not to minimize the fact that the taxi from the airport got my last peso. Yup, that was how unprepared I was. There was only a 100NIS in my wallet and a couple of agorots. That's me living by faith, I'd like to think, hehe, but I was literally willing to go by-feet in order to go home if it all comes down to that. :-)
So I arrived in time to be in the same country for my son's birthday. He still has not understood that I am almost home now when I talked to him a few hours ago.
Let me thank some people whose friendship turned my short stint in Israel fun and not just something that I have had to endure and survive. Thank you very much, Shemuel, you have been a gift that kept on giving. You've lent me your ears many times, listening to my rants, and you never complained. :) To my little sis, Zamira, we had our times, ha! :D Thank you for the "good times" Hahaha! (Baka mamisinterpret, bakit naka-quotation marks? LOLs... well, I meant the times when you have to save me food, warn me that food is delicious and I should come and eat, buy me something to cheer me up, and for introducing me to some excellent smirgulps, etc... To my sis Hadassah, you have been such a surprise to me. At first I thought, our personalities will not click (hehehe), but, wow, you are the big sis, although you are not much older than me, who thinks about everybody's needs, thank you very much indeed for the goodness that flows from your heart. To the couple Yoel and Elisheba, thank you for your friendship and your gift, I would have loved to have hold Evangeline a few times, but I wasn't sure what was appropriate. :-) Me and my awkwardness. LOL.. To Asher, I told you this already, but I wanna acknowledge it here again, thank you for your help in making sure, we "older people" hehehe, have access to the books needed, thank you for sending them to me even before I ask if you have a copy. And of course, I would be remiss if I don't mention here that from the first papaya salad, and cinnamon rolls to the dumplings in the middle, to the last lamb chops that you prepared, they all have been a "comfort" to me. They came during the times when my mind needed my gut to distract it so I could get over an "episode" :-) It must sound a little weird, but don't analyze it too much, just accept my deepest thanks. :) To Hepzibah, Eonni! :D You are the Big sis that I wish I could be. Thank you for your gifts and for your bubbly personality. How to be you? (is how we say it here in the Philippines:) Thank you for the delicious food you always bring to the dining table. To Ezra (a.k.a Nehemiah), thank you for being the goofy you. :) You have brought a lot of light and easy fun in the middle of our hectic, sometimes boring life being quarantined for months. You asked me to never forget you. I promise you, I never forget anyone who keeps mispronouncing my name! :P Thanks also to you, Abraham, for always asking how I am doing, how my son is doing. That tells me you're a genuine person. To Shlomo, I won't forget that Cofix fun. :) To Rinah, we didn't have much time to get to know each other but the few times we talked, I knew you would have been a good friend to get to know. To Yehoshua and Deborah, you both are amazing, seeing how you applied yourselves to your studies challenged me. :-). To all the rest of the student body, thanks also to each one of you. It is my prayer, that the Lord will continue to bless you all with good health of mind, body and soul as you finish up there, and that He will make clear to you His leading and continue to take you to adventures of faith that will then result to growth in your love and faith in Him. If I don't see anyone of you again in this life, I know that I will see you all again in heaven, where we shall catch up on everything that happens between now and then in a language we will all be able to understand and speak equally well.
BUT YOU ALL HAVE A STANDING INVITATION TO COME FOR A VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST ANYONE OF YOU AND TAKE YOU TO SEE SOME OF THE SIGHTS.
To the teachers and the guides, thank you for all your hard work, your help and your prayers. The Lord bless all the work you do in His Name.
To my leaders, supporters, mentors, colleagues, friends and family at home and all over the world who upheld me in their prayers all this time, some even shared their resources with me, thank you and may God keep all of you blessed, favoured and safe.
To my uncle and friend Bagly, you have always been there for me and you continue to be. Thank you is not enough to appreciate what you keep doing for me/us. I pray that our God will continue to give you joy as you walk with Him and bless you with good and faithful friends.
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To hubBy, we've always been in this together... thank you always for being here with and for me and our son.
ABOVE ALL, I THANK THE GOD I SERVE FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS AND MIGHT IN MY LIFE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE GRACE WITH WHICH HE HAS BEEN SHOWERING ME BUT MY HEART IS FULL OF THANKSGIVING AND IT IS MY FERVENT PRAYER THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO GLORIFY HIS NAME IN MY LIFE IN SPITE OF ALL MY MARGIENESSES.
...with all of my heart,
mY Synapses...
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