14 hours ago
Packed for my early summer in the Philippines and boarded our flight from SFO to Taipei.
5 hours ago
Layover at Taipei
Before landing, I caught a glimpse of dark grey styrofoam clouds overlooking Asia. After daydreaming a bit, it was my vision of the sky turning cloudy to clear within milliseconds that gave me that rush of the things in life you can't really explain but can only feel instead.
It was a strange yearning in me that I was looking above the clouds over a city I knew nothing about.
Though, it wasn't all day dreamy. We were walking to our transfer flight to see that it was noticeably empty. It was 10 minutes before our boarding time that we realized we were at the opposite end of our gate that China Airlines failed to write on our boarding passes.
My mom, a woman we met on the plane, and I had that movie moment you'd never ever think you would have of running all over the airport to stop the person you love from boarding the flight - okay, it wasn't even close to that but we desperately had a flight to catch!
Feeling frustrated to hopeless to relieved, we made it at 7:15am to a long line and a delay in our flight. We either got super lucky or just thank god for running on "filipino time."
Currently
After catching a ride in Manila and saying goodbye to my mom (see you soon!), I feel safe and tired as ever (still getting used to the 15 hour time difference), staying at my best friend Sam's condo near her university.
I caught her right before she left me for class and it's weirdest feeling ever to visit your best friend (who moved here in Manila around 2008) to her new home in a completely different country never thinking in a million years I'd be the one to visit her. I'm so excited for her to show me around while she's approaching her Spring (more like Summer?) break.
...
I still can't even believe I'm here!
xo A