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:
No comments:
Post a Comment