Over the Atlantic



It feels so comfy and familiar, curling up in a window-seat. The stewardess has turned off the light inside the plane, and it is so warm under the blanket, with in-flight entertainment on and of course I’m holding Woofy tight.
I am so blessed with the world to see and a job that does it for me. I guess most of my jobs have been built in that way. Three months then Maputo, six months then Nairobi, and five months then Honiara. Places that people would not pin them as holiday destinations at the first place. But yeah, the world is too big to be captured by pages of traveling guide book. Tourism is just one of many ways for appreciating the earth.

And of course there is  my babe on the other line. Someone I love so dearly, I never thought I would find. And doesn't matter the distance, the feeling is constantly at the same level. And we have been built that way, living our mellodramatic life with physical distances between us. But how we love to beat them with any kind of transportation. Yes, our relationship has a lot of carbon print, we are no green at all.
The time I met her last year, it was short. Shorter than I expected, and from time to time I regret it much too much. We made a gorgeous plan, oh we did. Days of relaxing by the beach, in one of the remarkable decent hotel at the south of West Java. I can imagine that we would sit on the porch, looking at the Indian ocean and would feel so contented to have the moment. I'd be sipping my beer, and we would be in our favorite shorts and sleeveless t-shirts. We are sure no models though deep inside we believe we are, and we would pose for the kind of pictures you have seen in summer version of teen magazine.
But that day never comes.

We had tried so very hard to minimize the distance, beating all the miles. Eventually we were in the same country and have our bikinis ready, but God knows why we couldn't meet. I had a quite big change of life in coming months, and once we are in each of our hometown, many things get in the way.
I remember sitting quietly in my room and imagining to ring her up and laugh on whatever, just like we always do. But I can't push the green button, I felt terrible for ruining our best laid plans. In fact, I miss her so much, I couldn't bear the feeling of not knowing when we'll meet again. I was about to fly again to another continent and it seems beyond imagination.
But as we stroll days, constantly yearning i miss you over the transatlantic connection, we didn't realize that we are this close to meet each other. My tickets are booked and her tickets followed. I'm crossing my fingers tight, hoping this will be another adventure with her. We've been in a long distance relationship and loathed with the fragile feeling that it all became overrated.
But I'm here now, over the ocean and after the business is done, we're going to giggle over whatever. We’re going to talk about our life, dreams, or simply walk down the street facing the sweet reality. We're going to show off that the world is never too big and there is no such thing as we're too stranded from each other.
This kind of moment remind me of life sometimes is sort of.. kind. Nothing is too surreal, and nothing is too bitter, because there will be moments of happiness slip in in many ways. And nothing will ever come true if you keep saying 'Oh it's so far!' because life is a journey always worth-taking.

International Women’s Day

It’s the 8th of March today and acknowledged globally to celebrate women. I woke up at my usual waking time - an hour snooze after my alarm ...