First day in New York

I arrived at the 15th floor of my apartment with two people already inside. I later learned their names to be Esther, who will be my apartment-mate and Jaspreet, a secondee from India, who stayed in the 11th floor of the same building.

I realized this was the start of my nose bleeding. Everything will be in English from now on!

We exchanged names, hi’s and hello’s, travel experiences for about an hour and then I excused my self since I was so tired and needed to sleep already. But the next day, Sunday, we planned to go eat lunch together.

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GOOD MORNING NEW YORK!!!

I did not have a good sleep during my first night. Jet lag. Tsk. Tsk. But I was excited what the day will hold that I did not mind.

I took a bath and dressed in my first-ever winter ensemble (LOL).

 Since I was so hungry, we decided that eating breakfast was the first on our list.

And we had bagel for breakfast!

And I did not like it. That bread is so hard I think one’s teeth would give up even before you could bite it down. I never really learned why New Yorkers liked that bread. LOL.

From Esther (she’s from Australia), I learned that Manhattan is divided into streets and avenues (she learned that because she has a map). From east to west is avenues and from south to north is streets. So locating addresses in New York is very easy. If you’d ask where I am, I’d just say my coordinates and you’ll know where to find me. For example, If I’d say I’m in 44th Street and 6th Avenue and you are in 32nd street and 3rd avenue, you’d know you will need to walk 12 streets up and 3 avenues to your left! Easy, right????

So on we walked. Esther and Jaspreet are really fast walkers I had a hard time catching up. Probably because they constantly exercised, going to the gym and all, while I did not!

So we were able to see Macy’s, Times Square and Central Park. We had a very long walk, I tell you. I was almost always panting! But it seemed normal to them! Good thing it was cold so I was not drenched in sweat or anything.

And yes, it was so cold. I already had two layers but it was still cold. Like it’s biting into your skin. So I said to myself that I will wear thicker and more layers next time.

After familiarizing ourselves with the streets and buying a few stuff, we decided to go home at around 4:00PM to rest because the next day, Monday, will be our first working day here in this concrete jungle. 

The Long Travel

I travelled for almost 18 hours! My Manila to Hongkong flight was scheduled to depart NAIA 1 at 12:30 and we were in Hongkong at around 2:30 via Cathay Pacific Airways. My flight to JFK, New York was not until 5:30 so I was able to stroll around Hongkong airport for about three hours.

I noted that Hongkong-based flight attendants are not so nice. Or maybe I was just accustomed to the Filipinos’ hospitality? During my three-hour wait, I noted them scolding passengers for not queueing in the right line or for queueing up early when the flights were not announced yet. 

Anyway, I could be wrong.

By 5:00 PM, we were called to board the aircraft.

I was initially thrilled when I saw that the seats could be turned into beds with free wine and individual television sets and curtains for privacy! I then felt that it would be my most comfortable travel ever!!!

And then my shoulder slumped when I realized that this was for business class customers. I had economy class ticket. Well, so much for day dreaming. But someday, I’m gonna fliy first class.

For a ticket worth 3,500-US dollars, the economy class compartment was OK. We still had our own monitors with headset, free pillow and blanket. And although you could not convert your seats into beds, you could recline it up to 45 degrees to give your head a better rest.

And movies (read: Recent! Newly-released!) were for free!

And so my 16-hour flight to the US was at least not boring! I think I finished all the movies! And food was served regulary…so I think I could live there for months and not complain. 

The views were also amazing!

The first time the pilot announced that we were nearing New York, I immediately raised my window and looked for the Statue of Liberty. Don’t blame me, movies always show the Liberty when the protagonist arrives in New York! And to my dismay, there was none. I later learned that the Liberty is on the other end of New York.

Anyway, there was snow on the ground!!! Real ones! I was actually tempted to go out of the plane, play on the grounds and bathe myself with pure whiteness that is snow until I realized how silly that looked.

So I pretended that everything was normal and that I came from a place where it snows everyday. But deep inside, I was so thrilled!!!!

Despite travelling 16 hours, I arrived in New York at 10:30 PM, same day. This is because of the 12-hour time difference, and the delayed aircraft.

I was fetched by a black man, with a card that read: Christine Po, Ernst and Young! Too bad I wasn’t able to take pictures.

Our ride was a black Lincoln. And it was my first time to see a real GPS. And it was so cool! GPS servicing in the Philippines is kind of costly and Reymar claims that it is unnecessary since he is a “walking GPS”. In fairness to him, he really knows the “twists and turns” of the Metro Manila streets.

Anyway, JFK to Manhattan (where I would be staying) was like half an hour drive. But it turned out to be a 45-hour ride because of the congested traffic. YES there was TRAFFIC!!! But I noted that cars were at least a car away from each other. Unlike here in the Philippines where everything is bumper to bumper.

But the driver (I forgot his name) said that this is a very rare occurrence and then I realized that farther down, a car accident caused the traffic.

Then there was the sign, “Manhattan”.

We drove further down some roads and then arrived at Oakwood, 32nd and Park South. And then I realized, this will be my home for the next three months.

Welcome to New York!

I am going to NEW YORK!

God has ways of doing things that we could not understand, but somehow, it works wonders.


After my Mother died, I was seconded to New York. Secondment is a part of my current employer’s training to its employees. I was seconded to the US for about three months. Despite what has happened, I still pushed it through because I know, Mama would want me to go on. I still have her text message congratulating me for being chosen to take part in that secondment.


That secondment was very unexpected on my part. It seemed surreal. And now I am thinking that maybe that was part of God’s plan for me to forget about happened to Mama. Sort of an “escape”. Because I do not know what could have happened to me if I stayed idle for several months after she died. I could have suffered depression. Or I could have gone insane.

Anyway, my flight to New York via Hongkong was scheduled last January 8. I will be blogging here all the details of my three-month secondment. I know this is kind of late but I just want to document here while my memory is fuh-resh.

See you soon Ma!

It has been a long time since I last blogged and a lot of things happened in between.

First of all, Last December 7, my mother died of salivary gland cancer. The months of October to December 2010 were the darkest days of my life. But what comforts me is knowing that she is in a better place now. She was the best mother one could ever have. She was able to joggle her work and being a mother…and did not come short in either two. Whatever I have become right now, it was because of her. I couldn’t emphasize this further because all the people close to me know how close I was with Mama and the impact she had on me while growing up.

Sob. Sob.


But I know Mama is in a better place. And every now and then, I can still feel her presence. I know she is still with us.

I’m actually reading one of Licauco’s books right now, as recommended by Reymar. It's supposed to talk about the power of our minds and how "another plane" is supposed to exist. Like a fourth dimension. Or some say, the spirit world. I will let you know more once I finish reading. :)