Sexy, Innocent Child-Woman

Honduras, here I come!!!

New passport--->check (I had to get my passport renewed for this trip.)
Honduras Visa--->check.
Anti-malaria pills--->check.
Vaccination for typhoid--->check
Antibiotics --->check
Fee for the immersion--->check (There goes a huge chunk of my savings!)

Well, I'm not leaving for Honduras till May 22nd. But I'm so happy--and relieved--because as of today, I have everything I need for my trip. I took the day off to apply for my visa and to get my anti-malaria pills, typhoid vaccine, and antibiotics (in case I get sick). While taking care of all these requirements, I sure looked like a chicken running around with its head cut off. I didn't even have a decent meal till I got home at around 5PM; I just had a cup of coffee for breakfast and gummy worms while I was on my way to the Honduras Embassy and the travel clinic. Tsk, tsk.

The process of getting my visa was an adventure in and of itself, what with all the things that went awry. Although I woke up at 5:45 AM, I fell asleep and didn't wake up again till 8:15AM. Que horror! I suddenly realized that I had to photocopy my I-20 form (a document for international students here) and print a copy of my itinerary. I also had to reprint my visa application form because I suddenly couldn't find it. So I had to pass by my school to print and photocopy all the documents I needed. Since I was running late, I decided to take a cab. Well, the cab driver got the street names mixed up, so we took the "scenic route" and there was a lot of traffic along the way. To top it all off, during the cab ride, I realized my passport pictures were missing! I could have sworn I slipped the pictures inside my purse before I left, but I guess I didn't do that after all. I panicked because I didn't know where I could get my picture taken. Also, I wasn't wearing a collared shirt (although I had a blazer), so I didn't know whether or not my picture would be accepted at all. Good thing there was a Walgreens close to the Honduras Embassy, and my attire wasn't an issue. Sheesh. I can't believe how scatter-brained I was today.

Something freaky happened on my way to the Honduras Embassy. After I had my picture taken at Walgreens, I had to take a bus to the embassy. While I was waiting for the bus, this guy suddenly pulled up and told me, "If you need to go somewhere on Fullerton (the street I was on), I could give you a ride." Inulit pa niya ang sinabi niya, tapos kakaiba ang ngiti niya (He even repeated what he said, with a knowing smile). As if I would take him up on his offer. I might have been desperate to get to the Honduras Embassy sooner than later, but I'm pretty damn street-smart.

The time it took to process my visa was pretty reasonable. The biggest challenge was communicating with the staff there. Some people mistook me for a Honduran (haha), so they were surprised to find out otherwise. They had to look for someone who could speak English, since I only know basic Spanish. The consular officer was really accommodating--parang tatay ang dating niya. He assisted me when I filled out the new visa application form (it turned out that they were no longer using the form I downloaded from the internet) and talked a lot about the conditions in Honduras. When he found out that my background was in teaching and social work, he told me to consider working in Honduras: "We need people like you." Before I left, he gave me his card and told me to send him pictures of my trip. Who knows daw, maybe I'll go back there in a year or two or even consider working there. But I have to master Spanish first.

It turns out my Honduras visa is also valid for entry into El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. I wish I knew someone in El Salvador, Guatemala, and/or Nicaragua so I could go backpacking in Central America. Oh well. There's always next year. Gallivanting is fun!

What will I be doing in Honduras? I, along with several other students from my university, will be volunteering at an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS for 10 days. I hope we also get to do some sightseeing while we're there. The trip is sponsored by the University Ministry, which sponsors domestic and international service trips--dubbed Alternative Break Immersions (ABIs)--during Sprink Break and in the summertime.

I'm just thankful that I get to participate in this trip. People actually have to go through a selective screening process in order to participate in any of my school's service trips. When I applied to go on either a domestic or international ABI for this year, I was waitlisted--even if I had gone on an ABI (in Pilsen, a Mexican neighborhood in Chicago) during my Spring Break in 2003. In mid-March, the chaplain of the University Ministry suddenly informed me that a slot for the Honduras ABI had opened up. I had mixed feelings because I was all set to go home on May 15th and I had even booked my ticket. I also had to figure out how I would pay for the trip. But my intuition--and my sisters and friends--just told me to go for the trip, and to trust that the universe would work things out. That's exactly what happened. I had to pay to rebook my flight; my plane fare is also more expensive kasi peak season na pag-uwi ko sa Pinas. But the University Ministry gave me partial funding for the trip, and we also held fundraisers to help defray the costs. So things did work out.

I may have given up more than a month of my vacation in the Philippines for the trip to Honduras, among other things (Since my cousin is getting married here on June 23rd, I also need to stay for her wedding after I get back; if I were to miss the wedding, I know my aunt would get really melo-fucking-dramatic.) But I know it will be worth it. Who knows, maybe the trip will open up new directions for me as I continue my soul-searching. Maybe it will shed some light on some issues and questions that have been on my mind for years.

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I talked to my mom (who is currently in Singapore, visiting my younger sister) tonight and told her about all the errands I had to take care of for my trip. When I told her that I'd be taking anti malaria pills for the next four weeks or so and that my vaccination for typhoid would be good for the next five years, this is what she had to say: "Ayan, tamang-tama 'yan para sa pag-uwi mo. Kasi pag-uwi mo dito, pupunta ka na naman sa Tarlac. At least handa ka na pag umakyat ka ng bundok. Kahit maraming lamok at kung anu-ano pa doon, protektado ka. (That's just so timely for your vacation here. Because when you come home, I'm sure you'll be going to Tarlac [a province in the northern part of the Philippines] again. At least you'll be prepared when you go up to the mountains. Even if there are a lot of mosquitos and whatnot there, you're well-protected.)"

Hehe :) That's my mom for you!

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If I don't update this blog, it's because I'll be busy grading final exams and papers and computing final grades. I also need to prepare for my trip to Honduras!

found herself @ 11:59 PM