I’m back!

Back from the sunny beachy paradise called Honolulu!

But before I get to that, can I just say that… there’s no better way to travel than via business class. Granted, it costs double a seat in coach, but heck, it’s worth every penny. Not only do you get express lane when checking in and when boarding, the food is great, the drinks unlimited, the movies all-you-can-watch, and the seats are as good as my lazy boy back home. No annoying crying babies here, mind you (my ultimate pet peeve when traveling), and you can practically dance and do cartwheels with all that legroom. (Sigh)… One of the best things about traveling for work is really the company policy that all international travel going for 5 hours or more automatically entitles you to a business class seat. After several work trips out of the country, I don’t know how I’ll ever go back to economy now. :-p

Anyway, so I landed in Honolulu, and discovered, to my pleasant surprise, that the secretary mistakenly booked my trip two days before the actual conference starts. That means I had two full days of total freedom in Honolulu-- free to do as I please, free to tour and to gallivant to my heart’s content. So off I went, of course, to do some shopping!! :-)

Though I didn’t have as much cash as I would’ve wanted, and though the sales were not as many as I expected, I still managed to make a decent haul. Thank God for Ala Moana Shopping Center and the outlet stores outside of town. Got a Dooney bag on 30% sale as well as a nice black beaded dress originally tagged $250 and marked down to $99. Managed to also get some pasalubong shopping done, too.

The beach was next. It’s true what they say that nothing can ever compare to the sands of Boracay. Even Hawaii’s famed beaches were no match. The only thing, I think, that they have going for them is the cleanliness. Cops are everywhere and ever-so-watchful to make sure you don’t litter. No cigarette butts here lying around in the sand, buddy, and no random candy bar wrapper washing up to you as you swim.

Met lots of Pinoys there too. Well, figures.. since about 35% of the total population there is Filipino. Met a lot of them who see Hawaii as their homeland now, and only look back at the Philippines on a once-upon-a-time basis.. That’s sad, I think.. To water down your own history and to relegate your mother country to an almost non-existent status..That’s just really sad.

I could understand though why they chose to stay and to become immigrants/citizens. Life is so much more peaceful, so much more organized, so much more.. maayos. The systems all work for you—the healthcare system, the banking/credit system, the government systems, etc. Your work always leads to the fulfillment of basic needs and to the enjoyment of life’s little pleasures. I met a restaurant hostess there who’s 2 years younger than me, who was earning $14 an hour and has already managed to buy her own car (paid completely already), can live on her own and can support herself fully. I also met another lady who, at 30, was able to fully pay for her own home and lot. That’s virtually impossible in Manila unless you come from a well-off family, or you got a big inheritance, or you work for the government (hehehe).. It’ll take you, what, 10 or 20 years to pay off a house and lot. It’s because we don’t have a robust banking and credit system here. Nor do we have a good social welfare system. In the US, you can get unemployment insurance which will pay you the monthly salary you enjoyed when employed, for a maximum period of 6 months upon losing your job. In Manila, if you lose your job or your source of livelihood, that’s it. You fend for yourself. The government isn’t going to be of help at all. Heck, our SSS system is about to go bankrupt.

So there… Add those insights to some rather-boring work stuff that thankfully finished much sooner than I hoped, some nights out on nice bars... A fruitful trip, wouldn’t you say? :-p

OK, back to reality, back to work. The good news is, seems like I may have a chance to go back to Hawaii early next year.

But before I get excited about that, I must first work with the situation at hand. Seems like a trip to the Middle East is in my immediate future. AFRAID!