On my way to nowhere

[zyzyly]

As we speak, I am not on my way to the Philippines. "The Family" decided it was too dangerous for me to go. They came up with a plan "B", which involved sending my sister in law instead. She tried to get the time off her job--they said no, so she quit.

In the meantime, "The Family" had come up with a plan "C", but didn't tell her, so she now has no job, and doesn't get a free trip to the Philippines either. Kind of like picking the wrong door on "Let's Make a Deal".

Plan "C" sends my brother-in-law to the Philippine Embassy early Monday morning to try and do a one-day passport renewal, and a monday night flight to Manila. He's not too happy about it, but you don't go against "The Family".

I was ready to go. I had it all worked out--the music I would take along, and 800+ pages of Harry Potter to read along the way. I was attracted to the adventure of it. Flying halfway across the world to deliver something, have dinner, and come home. I could have pretended I was a secret courier, carrying the plans for "shadow robots".

It's probably for the best that I'm not going though. It would have been selfish of me to leave right now. Maybe it was more of a temporary escape. Plus, american tourists are sometimes targets in the Philippines, especially if they are carrying secret plans for shadow robots.

So I'll take Leo down to SF tomorrow afternoon, and then have dinner with my dad. Almost the same, but no jet lag.

Comments

[bigpancakes.livejournal.com]

Well, on the way back from SFO, you can stop at the Jollibee at Fourth and Mission for a taste of the Philippines. I think there's one in Daly City too.

I'm still confused as to why the green cards can't be mailed.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I think that they probably could be fed-ex'd or something, but they are concerned that someone might try to steal them.

Filipinos approach these things different from Americans. This is one of the things I have never been able to figure out--how they think.

[bigpancakes.livejournal.com]

I think I know a bit about what you're talking about. I have a friend at the seminary who is Filipino, and his parents live about three hours away. They told him they would come visit him one weekend, and then they canceled at the last minute. This happened three or four times before they actually came! Once or twice the reason they gave for canceling was that they were nervous about catching SARS! In Evanston, Illinois! He says they just hate Chicago and think it's an incredibly dangerous place where nobody decent belongs.