March 7 - 11, 2011, Monday - Friday
From Zletin, Kiko and I went back to Tripoli on Monday. Before we left the town, we looked for an open money transfer station but all were already close. Kiko was very anxious because of his daughters' predicament in the Philippines.
When we arrived in Tripoli, we learned that we didn't have LPG anymore. Our landlord lent us a kerosene-fuelled single burner so we could cook. He told us that LPGs were manufactured in Benghazi and Misurata, two cities which were under heavy fighting. We also learned that the internet and text messaging have been blocked . Communication is only through phone calls so the regime could monitor conversations.
On Tuesday, Kiko went to the bank to get his remaining money while I went to the university to talk to anyone about the plight of foreign teachers. The department heads were having a meeting. The secretaries and other staff who were quite friendly in the past were evasive. No one wanted to speak because of the uncertainty of the situation.
March 9 was Ash Wednesday. Bok and I went to church to do our Catholic obligation. After the mass, we visited our college. Kiko wanted to request for a letter similar to the one given me, granting for a one month emergency vacation but the dean was not around. He was asked to go back on Sunday. On March 10, Thursday, Kiko left for Zletin while I attend to my laundry.
On Friday, I attended the mass and was happy that the number of attendees had increased. After the celebration, I saw some parishioners who went to the Bishop to ask for his blessing. (The Bishop was a look-alike of Pope John Paul II and was such a gentle person.) I decided to seek his blessing, too. He was already alone as I was walking towards him from the opposite direction. He was staring at me as I was approaching and when I was already within reach, he stretched out his hand and grasped mine. He looked at me as he held my hand and said: "You are a strong woman. Your faith will give you courage." I got misty-eyed with his words. (The Bishop did not even know me personally.)
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