DILEMMA IN DISGUISE

Traveling for me is a dilemma sometimes. One of the worst scenarios was yesterday. I had to leave Cambodia and come here to Saigon – downcast, tired, and unhappy. Caught unprepared yet I had to go and hit the last bus.

Downcast because things didn’t happen as expected. A day’s extension to work things out would not help anyway. So here I am- in a must situation.

Tired from spearheading a three-month Summer Program ended just a week ago. It was a first-time-experience especially designing and implementing 18 course books – unnoticeably tough. I was surprised myself.

Unhappy about visa and passport issues – it has been a hassle for a while. So stressful!

Consumed by these seemingly awful situations affected my joy hitting the road. I usually love sitting inside the bus unwinding, and beholding scenery along the way. Regardless how long the trip is -but not this time!

And when a day looked like a bad one, that’s then things came in the open. It was just a peek-out-the-window a way. And that noticing moment was another lesson that pacified my murmurings.

I was complaining desperately about my situation. But when I finally noticed how devastating flood devoured every rice field and every home, I felt so ashamed. My situation was nothing compared to that. It was not worth complaining to be honest.






And when a day turned out like a hard, long one (seemed unbearable), that’s then a warm embrace of friends have been waiting there at the end of the day.

Traveling to a country not my own is truly lonely especially having no friends to hang around. But if you got friends to share your journey and life, it’s a different story. I’m so blessed having true friends everywhere around the world. Thank God for the many amazing people around me.

And when a day seemed disappointing and joyless, that’s then miracle was on its way. It is just a matter of believing.

As I said, visa and passport issues have been my stressors. Not if you have a year multiple entry. So you don’t need to worry about this stuff. But cases aren’t always the same for me. Since I started working for this NGO, I have been going in out of the country for visa purposes. This important need has been unattended because of the lack of fund.

And it is very, very, very stressful.

But that is not the only thing, every page in the passport matters. And when you ran out of pages, you have to buy them expensively. The worst thing to expect is the carelessness and scruffiness of immigration officer stamping the passport’s pages. And now I got three blank pages left and still far from expiration.

Guess what?

When I got to the border yesterday a quick change system happened. There was no more stamping! All they had to do was scan my passport and my finger prints. That was it!

From now on onwards, I don’t have to worry about buying pages or this messy stamp everywhere. Thanks to this electronic existence.

What can I say – a blessing in disguise?

No, it was not!

They are true blessings from above.

But it was a dilemma in disguise!