I've been so busy these past few weeks, I haven't been able to update this blog. Not a big problem, I don't think anyone reads this, except me! I really missed writing here.
After two months in the US, I'm finally back in the Philippines! I'm still jet-lagged; this morning I woke up around 3am. I can't sleep so I ended up watching episodes of the Big Bang Theory in the bathroom (I didn't want to wake up anyone).
Before coming home, I did a little side trip to one of the cities in my must-see-places-before-I-die list: New York! This is definitely the highlight of my stay in the US. I've been thinking of going to this place ever since I hit puberty, when I started watching all those rom-com movies. I think it started with Cary Grant's "An Affair to Remember" and then came "Sex & the City", which just added more fuel to the fire. I also heard about the museums and all the art and of course, Broadway. I just had to go there. The question was "how?"
So when I got a US onshore assignment on my day job, I jumped at the chance of a sidetrip to NYC. Everyone thought I was crazy to go there alone, but was there ever a moment in your life that you felt that this was the chance you've always been waiting for? That nothing will go wrong and that this was meant for you? I felt it right there. Never in my life did I thought that I'd be in New York by the end of this year and yet, there I was, standing at the top of the Empire State Building. It's amazing how things sometimes work out.
There were little miracles. One time, I was walking around in circles trying to find the correct subway station, somehow I always ended up on the wrong one. I decided to just go with it and as it turns out, that route was way better than what I had planned.
Then there was a time when someone pointed out a small ad booklet, left near my seat in the bus. He said that I should get it and it had a really good map of Manhattan at the back. I depended on that booklet all throughout my trip.
Little miracles. I believe it helped that my mom was praying for my safety. Like the surprise Manhattan shuttle service in my Jersey hotel (until 10pm), not being late on all the events I've reserved even though I'm running behind schedule, Ripley's Museum still open at the late hours, being able to cross Central Park without getting lost, attending the Sunday mass, friendly strangers willing to give me directions and take my picture, no waiting time on all the attractions--Lady Liberty, Empire State and the Wall St. Bull, gorgeous weather and trees (it was autumn!), my favorite movies shown every night on my room, cheap delicious food.
For three days, I felt that nothing could go wrong. The time was mine.
