About Something that Bugged Me for a While

My head was littered with stories of how well-off families had been denied a US Visa, single women were the most likely to be rejected, and an unemployed friend of mine had to pay an some dude P150,000 just to get enough documents for his application. After Mylinda pronounced May 14 to be her date for the church wedding in Brooklyn, with me as part of the bridal entourage, I proceeded to start overanalyzing my chances of getting my visa renewed.

I made my interview appointment back in December, started compiling oodles of paperwork including press clippings of my "fabulous" career, and worried about the upcoming interview with anyone who would listen to me. Still more people volunteered stories of how they didn't get in even with bigger bank accounts or actual real estate property and so the whole thing just got magnified in my head. The day before my 8am interview, I couldn't sleep. I hated feeling like I really wanted to get a visa, but I think I was also freaked because I hated failing at anything. Oh, and I had been promoted in the bridal party. Mylinda made me her maid of honor.

At the embassy, I spent 3 hours waiting and quietly listening to people worrying out loud at their upcoming 3-5 minute interview with consul. I saw older career persons and young families get the nod of approval. I felt sad when they turned down an 80-year old grandmother who said she wanted to visit her children perhaps for the last time. And then finally it was my turn.

Consul dude: So you're going to New Jersey to attend a wedding?
Me: Actually the wedding's in New York. I'm staying with a friend in Jersey. I'm excited to go to the wedding---I'm the maid of honor!
Consul dude: How many maids of honors are there? (Laughs)
Me: Just me!
Consul dude: So where do you work?
Me: A videogame company called Level Up.
Consul dude: Oh? And how long have your worked there? (Looks down at my papers)
Me: 3 years.
Consul dude: What videogames do you have?
Me: We publish...Ragnarok. Do you know it? (Fully expecting for his eyes to dawn with recognition. They don't.)
Consul dude: No. Do you have RPGs?
Me: Yes we have 3. And a couple of casual games. We even have a basketball game.
Consul dude: So I see the last time you went on vacation you went to Europe. You must have been gone a while, you went to so many places.
Me: Yup, 2 months. That's how I take my vacations, in one sweep. That was 3 years ago, I felt I owed myself another vacation.
Consul dude: Are you single?
Me: (With dread) Yes.
Consul dude: Do you know that when you attend weddings, you usually meet someone?
Me: Believe me, I never meet anyone when I travel.
(He laughs and hands me the yellow slip of approval.)
Me: Thank you!

Hell wasn't that easy? No questions on my bank account, my ties to the Philippines, if I have relatives abroad, all those other questions I expected to be asked! I still don't know until now if this subject was worth getting anxious about. Bur I really do feel sometimes that I can't possibly get any luckier than I already am.

A week later I find out I got a 5-year multiple entry visa.

Amazing!

January Lessons

The view from Surf Camp, Urbiztondo, La Union, the best source of banana pancakes and instant coffee.

Cool special effects from firedancers...and surfers too! Some people just have sooo much talent.

Lesson from Earl...learning to stand on the board. It took me 2 LU trips to finally get up!

I always end up wiping out.  But I've had at least one proper ride!

So mostly I just end up sitting on the beach watching the experts do it (taken at the Manila Surfer's Cup last January 21-22, 2006)...

...or posing with other surfing neophytes who hope to become real surfers someday...

We just love the camera!

Here we are hanging out with real surfers...guys who always have great tans year round and enviously flat abs! For more great surfing pics, visit Sid's fabulous photo galley.




My previous entry was about looking back at what I had learned in the previous year. But suprisingly January gave me a barrage of new lessons.  My 1st time to properly ride a wave in La Union, thanks to Earl's patience.   My 1st try at Power-Kiting, where I briefly got to fly a 6-meter kite in Greenfields, Santa Rosa Laguna,  thanks to Patrick. My 1st attempt to jump around in the sand playing Ultimate Frisbee.  Learning to play crazy and highly-recommended board games Apples to Apples and Cranium. Who would've thought I'd move beyond Cluedo, Pictionary and the classic Millleborne? The best lesson of all: learning that that I've finally learned my lesson on something I was so stubborn about after all this time!

The great thing about learning is that you never think you can figure it out but when you  FINALLY do...its one of the best feelings in the world. If this is what I accomplished in just the 1st month of the year, I can't wait for the rest.