March 24-25, 2011 Thursday/Friday
The new dawn found me excited to start my day. I got up after my rosary, fixed my breakfast and ate at my normal pace, mentally noting down the things I had to do for the day. I tried to contact Kiko once more but failed just the same.
At half past nine, I was already in a taxi on the way to the embassy. I noticed the long queues of cars in gasoline stations we passed by. (Goodness gracious! Oil-rich Libya doesn't have gasoline. What a catastrophe!) I was quietly observing the traffic outside when the driver distracted me. "Chini?", he asked. "No, Filipini," I answered. He was making conversation in Arabic and I just picked up some words to understand him. I was patiently tolerating him at the beginning, just nodding my head or answering in monosyllabic words, but when he turned to face me and tapped my thigh, I shouted "Hey!". I removed my sunglasses and stared at him indignantly. Even when he resumed his driving and was already looking in front, I still stared at him through the rear view mirror. My eyes must have given him a scare because he did not speak again and became fidgety while driving. I would have wanted to go down but I was not familiar with the area so I waited until we reach a place I knew and alighted from the taxi. I walked the extra distance going to the embassy (about half a kilometer walk).
I was at the embassy at about 11:00 AM. There were only a few people there. According to an embassy staff, the last batch of repatriates left at 9:00 AM. Upon hearing this, I silently prayed that if my going home is in accordance to God's holy will, then He would pave the way. I sat at the lounge and observed the other people. They were begging the staff to open another group for repatriation. The junior staff they were talking to asked them to wait for the decision of the labor attache who was the one in charge of the arrangements. At 3:00 PM, we were instructed to go to his office. The Labor Attache, Nasser Mustapha, told us that the group who left this morning was supposed to be the last batch and that at least 50 people should complete one group. He asked us if we were really decided to go home because there were many Filipinos in the past who enlisted themselves for repatriation but when it was time to go, they did not show up anymore. He said that it's causing the Philippine government a lot of money since they had to rent transportation corresponding to the number of signatories, but at the time of departure only half of them would come.This happened when they rented a ship going to Greece which was supposed to carry 1500 passengers. After staying at the dock for four days, only 750 passengers went on board. I told Labat Mustapha that one reason why Pinoy profs were hesitant to go home was because they would not be able to return to Libya because of the travel ban. He said that DFA did not issue a travel ban for Libya but Differed Flight, meaning that once the situation is already better OFWs can already fly back to Libya.
After making an affirmation of our intention to go home to the Philippines, Labat Mustapha requested us to sign the Repatriation List. He told us to pack our important documents and carry only the most essential possessions. He said that we have to travel light because we're going to walk for about one kilometer from the Libyan border to the Tunisian border. We were also told to wait for the embassy's call for further instructions. I was the last signatory at 4:30 PM. I was number four in the list so I figured that tomorrow being Friday (offices are usually close on Fridays), the list would not be completed yet. I calculated the list's completion to be on Saturday. "Probably, I would be going on Sunday," I told myself.
I was expected in Zletin that Friday. Kiko and Thel were to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary. It was also the birthday of Khyce and Therese. I didn't go there anymore because my checkpoint experience was still fresh in my mind, instead, I offered a mass for them. I also offered my morning rosary for their good health and well-being. I had no time to shop for gifts so I just look for items in my flat which I could give them. I wrote a short note to accompany each of the presents I prepared. I remember them telling me that I was their only guest so I felt a little sad that I wasn't able to visit them this weekend. Evidently, this rebellion had a way of putting distance among friends and loved ones, not just among Libyans, but among other races as well.
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