A Moment to Remember

           The minute my parents told me about our immigration I was totally dumbfounded. It was actually planned ahead of time since my mom and my aunties had worked here for more than seven years already. They petitioned for all of us in order to be together here as a complete family. I knew it was going to happen but I did not expect it to be so soon. For 17 years I lived in the Philippines. So when I heard about the news I had second thoughts. Questions and doubts occupied my mind and I could not think properly. I knew life here would be different from where I grew up since the culture’s not the same. That was what I had heard and read about USA. I asked them if I could travel alone and they agreed. Fear invaded my body and soul when they told me that I already had a ticket.

            After they spilled the beans, my mom and I actually had some arguments regarding school. I was currently a college freshman when they told me this. They said that I could finish my first semester there but I needed to leave afterwards. I wanted to stay in the Philippines to get my Bachelor’s Degree first because I did not want to start all over again. Another thing that bothered me was the curriculum here. My friend, an immigrant here also, told me that it would take more years compared to college in the Philippines just to get a Bachelor’s Degree here. What she said stayed in my mind. College in the Philippines is pretty simple. I just needed to pass the entrance exam then pay for the enrollment and it’s done. The list of subjects for every semester and the class schedule is provided by the school right after the enrollment. But when my parents said that I must follow them here I had no power to disobey. It was somehow against my will yet, of course, I wanted to be with my family too.

            Time flew fast and it was only three days away from my departure. My closest friends knew about it so they decided to give me a little farewell party in one of my friend’s house. When everyone arrived, we were surprised, for most of us wore white shirts. It was not planned so it was really surprising. At the party, we had karaoke and a lot of foods. We sang our hearts out and ate everything until we were full. We made every minute or I must say every second memorable. It was truly a day to be remembered. Those friends of mine are the craziest, silliest, and funniest people I met. They are my second family. Before the party ended, they all wished me good luck then hugged me afterwards. Some of them were teary-eyed and I jokingly yelled, “Walang pwedeng umiyak! Bawal umiyak! Batas ‘yan!” (“No one’s allowed to cry! No crying! That’s a rule!”) I was teary-eyed myself but I did not want them to see me in that state.

            As much as I wanted to stop the time, the not-so-much-awaited date finally came. I woke up extra early to prepare for my flight and to meet my boyfriend and three best friends first. The four of them planned to see me before I go. I started the day positively and pushed away the hint of sadness that was about to build up. My boyfriend brought me a bouquet of pink roses which are my favorites. His eyes showed how miserable he was when I looked at him closely. We stared at each other for a while without uttering any words. Since I wanted to enjoy my last day in my beloved home country, we all decided to watch a movie in my little room. We laughed, we joked around, and we ignored the fact that it was only a few hours until I go. We tried to cover the melancholic aura in my room. I was very grateful for them to be with me during that time. They never failed to make me smile.

            “It’s time.” It took me a lot of courage to say this to them. They were all sad yet they tried their best to smile for me. As my uncle put my luggage in the car, I bid them goodbye. It was so hard but I needed to. I hugged them one by one and it took my boyfriend some time to let me go. He held me tightly in his arms and I felt safe. They could not come with me at the airport so we cherished the last minutes we had together. That was our last physical contact.

            When I arrived at the airport, I looked for my phone to see the time and counted the remaining hours before my departure. My boyfriend and I stayed connected with each other and we just basically talked about what would happen to us. It was really heartbreaking when I heard him sobbed on the other line. Both of us felt the pain brought by my immigration. Even though I already boarded the plane, we still did not cut the call. I did not pay attention to what was inside the plane by that time since I was too engrossed with our conversation. “I will come back.” I said to him. And he urgently replied, “I will wait for you. I love you.” That was enough to let my tears out. I ended the call right before the plane took-off. To forget the anguish I felt at the moment, I scanned the pictures of my friends and me in my camera and laughed at the memories I had with them. Also, I smiled at how sweet my boyfriend can be after I reread some of his messages. After a few hours, I looked around and saw some of the passengers were asleep and others were watching a movie. Due to tiredness, I just decided to succumb in my sleep.

            Awakened by the noise created by some of the passengers, I realized that we were so close to our destination. My sullen thoughts decreased and I actually felt excited. I was thrilled for I was about to see my family again. To travel alone was such an achievement for me. It was a new experience. As soon as our plane landed, I was escorted by an airport employee, a cheerful old lady, because I was still a minor. The process was pretty fast and once I got my luggage I was off to find my family. The moment I saw my dad and my little brother waved at me I literally ran like a kid. My mom was not able to come with them due to her work but I did not care. I was just very glad to arrive safely and to be reunited with them.

            On the very next day after my arrival, realizations dawned at me. My world had changed and I did not know where to start. It was unbelievable that it only took about 13 hours for my world to alter. I was so thankful that my family were here to guide me all throughout my journey. To adapt to a different environment is somehow difficult. I knew I will fully accept everything soon. After all I considered California as my new homeland now.

            I believe that God has a reason for what happened in my life. Maybe He has prepared something really amazing just for me. Still, I am happy for I never lost communication with my old friends back in the Philippines. My boyfriend and I also managed to maintain our relationship. The distance between us only makes us stronger. If I had the chance to change anything before I would not take it. What happened back then made me tougher. To know that I am loved by many is enough for me to endure any struggles that will come along the way.

            “Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes