October 09, 2011 Sunday
A week after I arrived in the Philippines, I searched for my USB where I saved the original entries of my journal. To my chagrin, my all important USB was nowhere to be found (blame it to last minute changes in jacket and bag, so it was left at the house of Dr. Naj in Tripoli. Goodness gracious!). It had somehow affected my morale and made me lethargic for awhile. Then in mid-July, the "spirit" moved me and made me write again, this time from memory, my once in a lifetime experience of faith, courage, friendship and trust in the distant land of Libya.
Immediately after I arrived, I received the P10,000 OWWA assistance to OFWs who were repatriated. That money plus the little that I brought with me lasted for about a month, afterwhich, my son Benjo had to take over the financial rein. Kiko desperately sought the help of people to withdraw the money I had left in the bank but his efforts proved futile. Several inquiries as to how I could go back to Libya while my residence visa was still in effect also led to a blank wall. Even in my absence, I was given a renewal of contract in August which could have allowed me to return to Tripoli, but the Philippine government blocked efforts of OFWs to go back to Libya. By the time Tripoli had fallen in August 23, the renewed contract was no longer honored. Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has decided to renew only the contracts of foreign professors/lecturers who remained in the country during the rebellion.
In September, I was able to reconnect with my friends and colleagues in Libya and was happy that they are all safe and sound. When I see their happy get-togethers in the Facebook, I feel a tinge of envy (just a tinnie-winnie bit, which normal human beings like me feel). Now, do I regret coming home? No.... because if I say yes, that would mean I regret seeing my family, and friends again. If I didn't come home I wouldn't have had that candid conversation with my sister Marita before she died of cancer two months later; I wouldn't have spent happy bonding moments with my siblings in Bulacan and with my friends in Muntinlupa. And most of all, I wouldn't have witnessed the joys and pains, happiness and tribulations which my sons and daughter confront with in their daily lives. Having experienced all these things streamlined my priorities and the direction to which I want to take my family.
Do I still want to go back to Libya?... Yes, and let me explain it by quoting Pope Benedict XVI: "Each of us has a mission, each of us is called to change the world, to work for a culture forged by love and respect for the dignity of each human person."....Some people might say that I could do that too in the Philippines because my country needs me just as much as Libya does. But I could tell them that there was a time that I could not leave the country because I was needed here, and what was the result, three kids who were not able to finish college. One cannot give what he does not have. I cannot help my country if I myself is not financially stable. I can help Libya and it can also help me stabilize my finances. When I am already financially secured, then I would be in a much better position to help my country... Yes, I really want to go back to Libya, but meanwhile that I am not there, I have a life to live... here in the Philippines.
PS: The "Songs of the Skylark" will continue, this time she would be singing songs that speak about the things that are going on around her... just continue visiting this site. Ciao everyone! God bless you all.
REACTION/S:
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Flight Out of Libya (Post # 21)
April 02-03, 2011 Saturday/Sunday
We were not able to leave at 10:00 PM last night because the bus which picked us up did not arrive on time. We left at 12:30 AM, April 02. Our flight in Tunis was supposed to be at 7:00 AM so we were anxious if we could meet the said schedule considering that the bus ride was for eight hours. We arrived at the Tunis Airport at 8:00 AM and were met by a representative of the UN's Organization for International Migrants (OIM). He gave us a form to fill up and rushed us to our plane (which arrived late that's why we made it on time). The plane took off at 8:30 AM for a five-hour ride to Istanbul, Turkey. In Istanbul, another OIM staff met us, documented our arrival and provided us with snacks. He also accompanied us to the departure area. We took a Turkish Airline for our flight to Bangkok, Thailand.
After a nine-hour ride, we arrived at the Bangkok International Airport where we waited for three hours before our flight to Manila. The OIM staff who met us was Kim, a Thai, who was the kindest and most accommodating among all the OIM reps we met. He even assisted Ofel, a nurse who worked in Tripoli, whose medical scissors was confiscated by airport security. Ofel was teary-eyed as she explained to Kim that she had those scissors for 17 years already, since the time she started working in Libya. Through Kim's intercession, the airport authorities made a compromise to send the scissors to Ofel's Philippine address but she had to shoulder the postage fee herself.
The last leg of our journey was the four-hour ride from Bangkok to Manila. Finally, on April 03, the PAL plane which brought us out from Thailand touched down on Philippine soil at 6:50 PM. At long last, I am home sweet home with my family... safe, sound, and sane. Alhamdulilah! Thank God.
REACTION/S:
We were not able to leave at 10:00 PM last night because the bus which picked us up did not arrive on time. We left at 12:30 AM, April 02. Our flight in Tunis was supposed to be at 7:00 AM so we were anxious if we could meet the said schedule considering that the bus ride was for eight hours. We arrived at the Tunis Airport at 8:00 AM and were met by a representative of the UN's Organization for International Migrants (OIM). He gave us a form to fill up and rushed us to our plane (which arrived late that's why we made it on time). The plane took off at 8:30 AM for a five-hour ride to Istanbul, Turkey. In Istanbul, another OIM staff met us, documented our arrival and provided us with snacks. He also accompanied us to the departure area. We took a Turkish Airline for our flight to Bangkok, Thailand.
After a nine-hour ride, we arrived at the Bangkok International Airport where we waited for three hours before our flight to Manila. The OIM staff who met us was Kim, a Thai, who was the kindest and most accommodating among all the OIM reps we met. He even assisted Ofel, a nurse who worked in Tripoli, whose medical scissors was confiscated by airport security. Ofel was teary-eyed as she explained to Kim that she had those scissors for 17 years already, since the time she started working in Libya. Through Kim's intercession, the airport authorities made a compromise to send the scissors to Ofel's Philippine address but she had to shoulder the postage fee herself.
The last leg of our journey was the four-hour ride from Bangkok to Manila. Finally, on April 03, the PAL plane which brought us out from Thailand touched down on Philippine soil at 6:50 PM. At long last, I am home sweet home with my family... safe, sound, and sane. Alhamdulilah! Thank God.
REACTION/S:
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Flight Out of Libya (Post #20)
April 01, 2011 Friday
We had a head count after boarding the tourist bus, we were 42 in all. About half a kilometer away from the Tunisian border, we saw the "Tent City" which houses the refugees from other African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Chad, etc.).We were told that the UN is the one supporting them because their own government has shown indifference to their plight. The DFA official said that if we compare our situation with them, we would know how fortunate we are. After a five-hour ride to the island resort of Djerba, we traversed a single road constructed in the middle of the sea and connecting the island to the mainland. It was beautiful!
When we reached Djerba, we were divided into sub-groups and were assigned to pension houses which the OWWA staff rented for us. I was grouped with two Muslim ladies, Shafira and Sameera, who worked as domestic helpers in Tripoli. It was the first time that I learned that there were Pinoy domestic helpers in Libya. Having them as my roommates was a blessing, I didn't need to lift a finger. Shafira was the one who chose our room, and she was pleased to tell me that she chose the room with television. She also complained to Ron and Mario (OWWA staff) that the blankets provided to us by the landlady were dusty so they bought new blankets for us. They also gave us provisions for the night : mineral water, rice, canned tuna, noodles, coffee, sugar, laundry and dish washing detergents.
Shafira was really a character. She spoke Arabic fluently because she had worked in several Arab countries for 17 years already (Oman, UAE, Qatar, and the last two years, in Libya). She must have been a very good worker because her employers (whose family was already in London at that time) sent her money in the Philippines (She was discussing the transaction with them on the phone that's why we knew about it.). Her muder (boss) also asked her when she would join them in London because they would send her the plane ticket. (Isn't that something!) Shafira was very happy when she learned that I was an English teacher in college. She said that I had the highest rank in our group and felt proud that I was her roommate. She requested me to help her in the documentation. She confessed that she only finished third grade but her documents state that she's a high school graduate. My encounter with Shafira gave a new meaning to my flight from Libya. I now realized why I wasn't able to join last Saturday's batch. This comes to my mind every time Shafira sits beside me with a form to be filled up. God is really good ...all the time.
There were eight of us in the pension house : two female nurses, an engineer who worked as a supervisor in a cement factory, another engineer who worked with telecommunication, and Bong, the most popular in the group. (He is popular among Filipinos in Libya because he sold Filipino food outside the Catholic Church on Fridays; he's also a natural comedian.). Aside from the provisions which the OWWA people gave us on our first night, we were also given 12 Tunisian dinar each, to cover our meal allowance for two days. We agreed to pull our money together and buy everything we need for the next two days. Bong, the two nurses, and one of the engineers did the marketing while the rest of us watched television. When they arrived, they gave each of us four dinar change. Bong volunteered to cook, Shafira and Sameera washed the dishes. What did I do? Well, I just "supervised" them in what they did and "inspired" them with my presence (This one's a joke!).
At about 9:00 PM, Ron and Mario came with our passport and flight schedule. They said that it was the UN who booked us for our flight. Since we would be using commercial planes, they were not able to book all of us altogether. Only 20 would be going ahead and it was done alphabetically to facilitate the process. Three from our group were included in the first batch: Janice, one of the nurses; Shafira, and me. Ron said that our batch was the fastest group to be booked among all the repatriates. Others before us stayed in Djerba from 3-7 days before proceeding to their flight back to the Philippines. We were asked to prepare at once because we would be leaving at 10:00 PM that very night, taking an eight-hour bus ride to the Tunis airport. Shafira was very happy that we would leave together. She said that she really prayed hard for it. I said : "God is really good. He answered your prayer."
REACTION/S:
We had a head count after boarding the tourist bus, we were 42 in all. About half a kilometer away from the Tunisian border, we saw the "Tent City" which houses the refugees from other African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Chad, etc.).We were told that the UN is the one supporting them because their own government has shown indifference to their plight. The DFA official said that if we compare our situation with them, we would know how fortunate we are. After a five-hour ride to the island resort of Djerba, we traversed a single road constructed in the middle of the sea and connecting the island to the mainland. It was beautiful!
When we reached Djerba, we were divided into sub-groups and were assigned to pension houses which the OWWA staff rented for us. I was grouped with two Muslim ladies, Shafira and Sameera, who worked as domestic helpers in Tripoli. It was the first time that I learned that there were Pinoy domestic helpers in Libya. Having them as my roommates was a blessing, I didn't need to lift a finger. Shafira was the one who chose our room, and she was pleased to tell me that she chose the room with television. She also complained to Ron and Mario (OWWA staff) that the blankets provided to us by the landlady were dusty so they bought new blankets for us. They also gave us provisions for the night : mineral water, rice, canned tuna, noodles, coffee, sugar, laundry and dish washing detergents.
Shafira was really a character. She spoke Arabic fluently because she had worked in several Arab countries for 17 years already (Oman, UAE, Qatar, and the last two years, in Libya). She must have been a very good worker because her employers (whose family was already in London at that time) sent her money in the Philippines (She was discussing the transaction with them on the phone that's why we knew about it.). Her muder (boss) also asked her when she would join them in London because they would send her the plane ticket. (Isn't that something!) Shafira was very happy when she learned that I was an English teacher in college. She said that I had the highest rank in our group and felt proud that I was her roommate. She requested me to help her in the documentation. She confessed that she only finished third grade but her documents state that she's a high school graduate. My encounter with Shafira gave a new meaning to my flight from Libya. I now realized why I wasn't able to join last Saturday's batch. This comes to my mind every time Shafira sits beside me with a form to be filled up. God is really good ...all the time.
There were eight of us in the pension house : two female nurses, an engineer who worked as a supervisor in a cement factory, another engineer who worked with telecommunication, and Bong, the most popular in the group. (He is popular among Filipinos in Libya because he sold Filipino food outside the Catholic Church on Fridays; he's also a natural comedian.). Aside from the provisions which the OWWA people gave us on our first night, we were also given 12 Tunisian dinar each, to cover our meal allowance for two days. We agreed to pull our money together and buy everything we need for the next two days. Bong, the two nurses, and one of the engineers did the marketing while the rest of us watched television. When they arrived, they gave each of us four dinar change. Bong volunteered to cook, Shafira and Sameera washed the dishes. What did I do? Well, I just "supervised" them in what they did and "inspired" them with my presence (This one's a joke!).
At about 9:00 PM, Ron and Mario came with our passport and flight schedule. They said that it was the UN who booked us for our flight. Since we would be using commercial planes, they were not able to book all of us altogether. Only 20 would be going ahead and it was done alphabetically to facilitate the process. Three from our group were included in the first batch: Janice, one of the nurses; Shafira, and me. Ron said that our batch was the fastest group to be booked among all the repatriates. Others before us stayed in Djerba from 3-7 days before proceeding to their flight back to the Philippines. We were asked to prepare at once because we would be leaving at 10:00 PM that very night, taking an eight-hour bus ride to the Tunis airport. Shafira was very happy that we would leave together. She said that she really prayed hard for it. I said : "God is really good. He answered your prayer."
REACTION/S:
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