Walang Ganyan sa States!

Initial Excitement
Last March 11 (Friday), I flew to the US to attend a 4-day face-to-face meeting with my global counterparts in the organization. Finally, after 30 years, nakarating din ako sa isteyts, ALL EXPENSES PAID PA!!! I stayed in California for ten days and then back to good old Pinas, just in time for the Holy Week vacation.

And I traveled in style people! It is our company’s policy that if your flight time is more that six hours, you always travel BUSINES CLASS. And what difference it is compared to flying via the Economy Class. No long queues during check-in and boarding, free food and comfy chairs at the Business Lounge/waiting area, priority baggage and most of all, better seats, food and service during the flight itself.

I was even upgraded to FIRST CLASS during my flight back!!! And whoa, I learned there are only 12 seats in that section (yes, I counted them before leaving the plane!), most seats are window AND aisle seat at the same time (only four in the middle are not), and most of my seatmates are Japanese and American businessmen (I guess) who are all in their coat and tie. I was wearing a plain t-shirt and my dirty denim jeans and running shoes. But still, care ko! I enjoyed the first class service to the max like a princess. They served better food here using expensive plates (as opposed to the normal square silver trays in the other sections). The flight attendants addressed us all by our formal names, and are at our beck and call. Special and personal treatment indeed! (Halata bang ngayon lang ako nakasakay ng First Class?!... hehehe!)

That is indeed the way to travel! – especially for a pregnant woman like me and most importantly for long flights. (hay… if only I can afford it personally!).

I arrived in San Francisco International Airport also on March 11 (Friday). This part of North America is 16 hours behind vis-à-vis Phil. Time. HK airport is still my favorite, infrastructure-wise. The Custom Officer greeted me “Welcome Back, Mrs. Garcia!” Heller? It is my first time in this stateside land! Ngek, napagkamalan pa ata akong Mexican. The weather is not that cold, thank God. It is already the start of spring here.

And the sadness begins…
The minute I entered my hotel room in San Ramon, the homesickness began. I have two and a half days to waste before the start of my business meetings. I intentionally arrived early to have extra free days to just cope up with jetlag and adjust my system to the different timezone, as per advise of my colleagues. But after the first night, I had fully recovered from my jetlag. Thus, most of my first weekend was spent calling up all my relatives and friends in the area, telling them all that I have arrived and that I needed company badly. And thank God for my highschool friend JANE and her family who dropped all their plans that Sunday to tour me around San Francisco!

Nevertheless, at the end of each day, I still end up alone in my hotel room, beaten and lonely. And that was pure torture. Even if my body and mind is so tired from all the sightseeing (coupled with my still prevailing all-day “morning sickness”), I can’t go to sleep. I missed Riki and was regretting that I did not give in to his wish to come with me here. I spent the first four nights crying while talking to him on the phone in the middle of the night till the wee hours of the morning. I am dying to go home already. This seems so far from home. I promised myself I won’t come back here without Riki anymore.

The sleep-deprived participant
I began each of my working days with only two hours of sleep. Fortunately, the discussions during the meetings are interesting and dynamic so I didn’t fall asleep in my chair. I also got to present a Cultural Moment featuring the Philippines to the global team and many were excited to go to Boracay in the future! And yes, some of them have Filipino friends who let them eat Filipino food – even the mortifying “balut”! Their favorites are the Adobo and Lumpia. It was also during these sessions that I got the whole picture and realize the full impact and criticality of my new role. And boy I think I need a raise! And lastly, I did a presentation of my team’s Plan for 2005 to the Global Leadership Team and what a terrifying experience that was! These people are the big bosses in my IT group globally, and this is the first time I got to meet them personally. Luck must really be on the pregnant woman’s side because I was able to come out of that conference room alive and proud. They were all impressed with my presentation and answers. *ears flapping* Hay….. now I can go home!

Amusingly as well, everyone was also giving me special and sweet attention once they get to know that I am pregnant. The bulging belly (or the prospect of one) is indeed an attraction and a way to melt hearts anywhere in the globe.

Time to Play!
After business is done, I have three more days to spare for more sightseeing and shopping. My good friend Jane is again back to the rescue. She saved me from my lonely hotel room and brought me to their house so that I can sleep there for the rest of my stay. Riki and I are forever indebted to her, her fiancé Frank and her extended family. If not for them, my first visit to the US would have been a bad memory.

So off we went exploring the streets and shops of San Francisco, Sacramento, Vallejo, Concord and San Pablo, even the valleys and vineyards of Napa. We ate our lunches and dinners in various houses, all of Filipino families living there. (Grabe! Lahat sila nanonood ng TFC! Hahaha!). They wanted to take me to LA and Rheno as well, but unfortunately, we don’t have time anymore. They made me promise to come back again next time with Riki already, and for a longer period.

Here are some pictures of our pasyal.

The bay area view is so beautiful and serene. I can’t get enough of the Golden Gate Bridge. Yes, we even walked in the bridge itself halfway through and back and then crossed (by driving) it later to get to the other side, and eventually get to the Twin Peaks. I also witness the world-famous Frisco cable cars in action! We also lingered for a while in the Exploratorium to watch the swans in the pond at the Palace of Fine Arts. Many of our local showbiz stars shoot their movies in this place. We also checked out the celebrated Lombard Road (too bad spring is only starting so no colorful flowers there yet!), the Coit Tower (where I got to view the Alcatraz from afar), and of course passed along Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39 and the ever-present everywhere Chinatown.

I have to visit Napa Valley! This is where Big stayed for a while went he left Carrie in New York. The vineyards are just awe-inspiring, and the wineries are simply breathtaking. However, visiting Napa when you are pregnant is not that advisable. I was not able to experience what every tourist who goes there does – wine tasting! It is indeed frustrating. Especially when you see everyone enjoying it and savoring the moment. Grrrr! I just amused myself tasting all the variants of the yummy chocolate fudge, which I ended up buying, together with some wines of course.

And oh, let me just tell you that the Napa Store Outlet is a delightful pitstop! My credit card were happily swiped in its outlet of Nine West, Liz Claiborne, Quicksilver (my hubby is now into windsurfing!), Tommy Hilfiger, AEROSOLES (this is my best buy!! Well, next to my Camcorder!), among others! Everything is half the price or way lower than half the price in the Phils! Weeeee!

We went around appreciating the city riding the Regional Transit/Light Rail. Of course, a must stop is the office of Governor Arnold, the Capitol Hills. My shopping here was concentrated on the Victoria Secret store where I think I bought around two dozens of lingerie for myself, my kikay cousins and friends. This was such a fun experience for the whole group! Those colorful thongs are just soooo cute!

We also went shop-hopping to various areas (some of which I can’t recall the names already!). My Filipino friends seem to know all the factory outlets and stores with good buys, to my advantage! Perfumes, lotions, clothes, shoes….good thing my luggage is expandable!!! But the highlight of my shopping spree is my acquisition of my first and brand new Canon Digital Camcorder for a price cheaper than the amount I paid for my Canon Digital Camera in Singapore! WAGI! Now Riki can practice shooting videos in time for the BIG birthing moment! Hehe!

Throughout all these escapades, although I am comforted by the company of my Filipino friends, I still miss Riki so much. I have fully exhausted my Globe Handyphone’s credit limit and shamelessly used my friend’s phones just to talk to him and let him know what we are doing and where we are. Everything will be more fun and memorable if only he was there to experience it with us.

Thus, after ten long days of serious work, pleasurable trips, shopping spree, sleepless nights, chronic crying sessions and homesickness in the Land of the Free, me and Evan are happily back last March 22 (Tuesday) to the warm and soothing arms of my dearest husband (now beautifully tanned from his recent windsurfing lessons!). GIGILLLL!!!

I can truly say, walang ganyan sa States! ;)