a departure

It has been two months since I arrived here in the Philippines. If I had not already been keeping track, I would have known because that, was the amount of time Nicole was going to be here for.
We had a going away shindig on Monday and now, at the time of this writing, she will have spent her first day at home (and is probably jet lagged to pieces.)
It was really quite fantastic that our plans synchronized as they did. For me, its one more to chalk up to the angel who makes sure I do not ride alone.
Historically, i loose when it comes to bringing people along for the trip. Fortunately, i seem to have gotten the skills together for picking the right friends. It seems to take one of them to tell me that they're coming with me in order for me to not go alone.
I seem to have had this stupid veneration for the lone ranger. If you do not know who that is, that's OK. It goes to prove a point.

My friends have been a blessing.
When i first came to Manila 3.5 years ago, I came alone, but not without my mom throwing me a big enough farewell party to remind me how much support i had back home. When i came back from that trip I jumped into college in the Fraser Valley- staying in dorms. I had a good friend jumping into first year with me and it was he, not I, who suggested we room together (best idea ever.) And when I decided to jump into uncharted territory and work at a camp on an Island for a whole summer, it took another friend to say he was going with me (the same friend who would have come with me to the Philippines the first time, had things not worked out against plans.)
Apparently I have been bad at bringing companions, but have something worthwhile enough going on that my friends hang around. This is a good thing.

I have to thank those friends, a lot. Whether or not i thought it important then, I think its important now. What pride or masochism possesses a man to make him think that maybe he should just go alone?

This time, when I left home, I made sure people knew where i was going, what I was doing, how to keep up with me. I threw myself a going away party. I ran into friends randomly (or not so randomly) on the streets and caught up with them. This time, I would choose not to go alone.

As of yesterday, Nicole has left. I do not feel alone. I have the Filipino contemporaries whom I have made friends with. I have a handful of Canadians kicking around the city whom I know. I have some great friends backing me from the homeland. Some of them even read my blog.
But it will be a different dynamic now, without someone who has done the same journey of immersion.
So here's to the next season.

Now, go check out Nicole's blog if you have not already. The link is near the top right of the page. She has some great descriptions and super pictures in there.

And with that, go out and buy a friend coffee for no better reason than thinking that their company is worth the time.

Adieu for now!