Seeing Ailyn was interesting. I waited for her in a Starbucks in Lapu Lapu, a suburb of Cebu City closer to the airport than the city itself. I hadn't seen her in a bit and seeing her walk in and look around made me smile despite my best efforts to look cool and composed...but then, as she walked towards me with a smile matching mine, she opened her mouth and said,
"I'm leaving for Hong Kong in the morning."
I asked her why and she told me that she had finally landed a job that I had helped her to get with an NGO devoted to demining, removing land mines from former conflict zones. My smile long gone I asked her if there was any chance that she could delay the flight for even a day. She shook her head no and told me that her flight was at 4AM.
I burst into tears like a child, at the same time angry and embarrased for having done so. Ailyn softly told me to come with her and find a hotel. We took a Jeepney, the local form of mass transit,* and after only a kilometer found "The Bellevista." It definitely wasn't a 5 Star but should have been for the price paid. I paid for 2 days, 8,000 Pesos per, almost $90 US per day, in a nation where most make less than $3 US a day.
After 3 hours Ailyn told me that she needed to process some paperwork before her flight but promised to return. She returned to me after dark bringing a Hawaiian pizza from the Philippine chain "Greenwich Pizza." After a bit more of some "quality time" her youngest sister, age 18, called. Ailyn told me that the girl had never been in a hotel and asked me whether I'd mind her coming to stay the night with us. As there were twin beds I thought it a fair opportunity to meet a member of Ailyn's family that I had never seen.
The little sister came at almost 10PM and after excitedly texting her friends about her first visit to a hotel she fell asleep in the other bed. Ailyn and I spent the rest of the night "saying goodbye," despite the other sister being a meter away.
230AM came far too fast. Strangely, Ailyn said she'd go with her sister to the airport but that since she didnt like emotional goodbyes, I should just stay at the hotel. At the time I didnt ponder it too much. I had that giddy feeling, as if I really was falling in love. It was only afterwards that I would begin to wonder about the strange co-incidences that had taken place during my 8 hours with Ailyn.
* Jeepneys were originall surplus WWII Willys Jeeps with their drive shafts extended to the point that they were as long as small schoolbusses. Painted in garish colours and christened with fabulous names like "Sex Champion" or "Rooster of Light" they fufilled the role of public transportation. Nowadays those are almost extinct and the new Jeepneys are made in the factory and rarely have anything but a solid paint job.
"I'm leaving for Hong Kong in the morning."
I asked her why and she told me that she had finally landed a job that I had helped her to get with an NGO devoted to demining, removing land mines from former conflict zones. My smile long gone I asked her if there was any chance that she could delay the flight for even a day. She shook her head no and told me that her flight was at 4AM.
I burst into tears like a child, at the same time angry and embarrased for having done so. Ailyn softly told me to come with her and find a hotel. We took a Jeepney, the local form of mass transit,* and after only a kilometer found "The Bellevista." It definitely wasn't a 5 Star but should have been for the price paid. I paid for 2 days, 8,000 Pesos per, almost $90 US per day, in a nation where most make less than $3 US a day.
After 3 hours Ailyn told me that she needed to process some paperwork before her flight but promised to return. She returned to me after dark bringing a Hawaiian pizza from the Philippine chain "Greenwich Pizza." After a bit more of some "quality time" her youngest sister, age 18, called. Ailyn told me that the girl had never been in a hotel and asked me whether I'd mind her coming to stay the night with us. As there were twin beds I thought it a fair opportunity to meet a member of Ailyn's family that I had never seen.
The little sister came at almost 10PM and after excitedly texting her friends about her first visit to a hotel she fell asleep in the other bed. Ailyn and I spent the rest of the night "saying goodbye," despite the other sister being a meter away.
230AM came far too fast. Strangely, Ailyn said she'd go with her sister to the airport but that since she didnt like emotional goodbyes, I should just stay at the hotel. At the time I didnt ponder it too much. I had that giddy feeling, as if I really was falling in love. It was only afterwards that I would begin to wonder about the strange co-incidences that had taken place during my 8 hours with Ailyn.
* Jeepneys were originall surplus WWII Willys Jeeps with their drive shafts extended to the point that they were as long as small schoolbusses. Painted in garish colours and christened with fabulous names like "Sex Champion" or "Rooster of Light" they fufilled the role of public transportation. Nowadays those are almost extinct and the new Jeepneys are made in the factory and rarely have anything but a solid paint job.
