Passenger Talesstories about my experiences as a traveler and passenger

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten Season, so after work I hurried to Megamall to attend the 6pm mass at the chapel. When I got there, the chapel was already closed and there was a long line already. The line was already in front of that Vietnamese resto and still many people were falling in line. There was a somewhat brisk movement but when I was already near the entrance of the chapel, the guards stopped letting people. However, there were few people who did not stay to hear the entire mass so I was able to go in. It was already in the middle of the Psalms. The chapel was so crowded that some commented, “Box office ba to? (Is this a box office movie?)” or “Parang MRT lang. (It’s just like the Metro Rail Transit)”. I even heard a girl tell her friend that she was not sure if she could stay in the very crowded room. I think she was claustrophobic. While listening to the readings and the homily, my mind can’t help thinking that if there was an earthquake at that time, stampede would very likely happen.

Anyway, despite the very crowded Eucharistic Celebration, the communion and putting of ashes were fast. There were a lot of ministers there to assist. When I got out people started pouring in for the 7:15 schedule. I could see a long line that started moving. I don’t know how long the line was but when I reached the first escalotor from the atrium of the fifth floor I could not see the its end. During Ash Wednesdays, churches are really packed like during Christmas and New Year. Even though extra church services were held, it was still not enough to comfortably accommodate the church goers. Well, Lent is season for sacrifice and Ash Wednesday is the start of the season, so might as well start sacrificing.

Earlier, I texted my brother to fetch me in front of my office building so that I won’t have to climb the stairs of the overpass to the intersection where I usually wait. Since he did not answer my messages, I called him up. It turned out that they just finished their training for the day. Then he asked me a favor. He wanted me to could go to Megamall to get the pictures and DVD copy of his baby’s 4D scan so that he won’t have to park. That’s where he will just fetch me. So instead of having it easy, I had to walk for about 500 hundred meters from our office to the mall, climb two overpasses and ride escalators to the 5th floor. I tried the elevator on my way up but somebody spilled something on the elevator floor so the elevator attendant called for a mop. Since it would take some time, I decided to use the escalators instead. It was really not a day for me to take the easy way.

A couple of weeks ago I was walking out of our compound on my way to the office. Along the way I came across two brothers and their companion. They were on their way to school. I overheard the older brother tell the younger one “Makulit ka kasi (Because you’re irritating).” Then the younger brother responded, “Kung di ako makulit, boring ako (If I’m not irritating then I’ll be boring).” I found it funny that a boy of around six or seven had that notion already. When I was a child, I cannot remember caring whether I’m boring or not. I guess it’s really different now. You have to be always interesting or your passe. What a burden.

My eleven-month stay in Seoul was one memorable moment after another. But the most memorable one was during our first Sunday in Seoul. We decided to find a Catholic Church to hear mass. The staff in the school did not know any nearby Catholic Church but we decided just to forge on with only the knowledge of getting on the bus in front of the school and getting off at Anam Station. When we got to Anam station we asked around with great difficulty because of the language barrier. We decided to just walk and try to spot a church. Whenever we see a red cross we hurry to the church to see. It turned out that red crosses meant Christian Churches like Methodist or Episcopalian but not Catholic. We were getting a little bit frustrated when we decided to ask the guy walking towards us one final time. So we asked, “Is there a Catholic Church near here?” and we pointed to the area. The guy said, “Churche?” “Yes”, we chorused. Then he asked us, “Jesus only or Jesus and Mary?” “Jesus and Mary”, we replied. Then he told us that he did not know any nearby church for Jesus and Mary. We thanked him and we continued walking. I guess for non-Christians, this is the basic difference between Catholics and the other Christian denominations.

That Sunday, we were not able to attend mass because we were lost already but we just walked wherever our feet would take us. It took us past a stand selling the biggest strawberries we’ve ever seen so we bought and tried it. I can say that those were the sweetest strawberries I have ever tasted in my life. Even the succeeding strawberries we bought during our stay did not taste as sweet. Although we were not able to find a Catholic church that Sunday, we chanced upon a street with plenty of stores along it so we were able to buy our snow boots and a skirt. Going home was also another adventure but we were able to locate the bus stop for our bus and we got to KDI School none the worse for wear.

Going home, I pass by so many pawnshops. I sometimes wonder how these shops survive when they are in close proximity to each other, like sari-sari stores located one after the other. I read once that the prevalence of pawnshops in an area says something about the poor economic conditions of the area. Well, it is true from what I can see. I guess pawning things can be considered as a form of asset based lending since the amount the pawnshops lend you is based on the asset you pawn as collateral. However, the money you get from pawning should be used wisely and also used to raise enough money so that you can get back the item you pawned. It is just a stop gap measure.

I was crossing the street to get to our meeting place when the MMDA directing the traffice suddenly signaled the vehicles to start. I was then stuck in the middle of the road while I waited for the stop signal so that I can cross to the other side. While waiting, a car suddenly slowed down in front of me and the driver lowered his window and winked at me. I was stupefied! What a maniac! Yikes! It gave me the creeps.

Since Monday I’ve been in DAP for training on project management. It’s been around three years since I’ve been to the building. While I was walking from the road to the building I felt like I never left. The scenery was almost the same. The building has undergone a facelift and I saw that they have installed ramps for wheelchairs to be friendlier to the physically handicapped. After the first day session I decided to visit my former officemates. When I got to our floor, it was under renovation. After asking around, I finally got to the right floor. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the new office. It was decorated in contemporary furniture with the cubicles colored orange and off-white. It looked spacious and very bright unlike before when the cubicles were made of wood. Nothing really remains the same but the improvements were very welcome.

A friend was telling about how she and some friends joined a run-for-a-cause. They finished a 5 kilometer run in 45 minutes. Being an ignorant, I was prepared to be impressed but she told me it was a very slow time. She had so much fun that she was thinking of joining again in the near future and breaking their “record”. I told her she had to practice in the meantime. She said she plans to exercise using the treadmill available in their condominium building. Instead of treadmill, perhaps she can try ellipticals because I heard that you can exercise at a gentler rate but burn the same amount of calories. Well it does not matter what equipment she chooses as long as she uses them regularly to increase her speed and stamina.

During the first few days of our stay in KDI School, I used to go to the gym with my friends. I mainly used the treadmill to walk then jog. I remembered how easily I lose my breath if I jog so what I do is walk first then jog for 10 minutes then go back to walking. I was amazed how my friend Deki could run on the treadmill for more than 30 minutes without flagging. I guess she has more stamina and stronger lungs than me. Now that I’m back in my country, I go jogging with my officemates twice a week after office hours. It takes us about 45 minutes to walk and jog around the UP oval. It feels great after. I just hope that it will be a permanent exercise.

Summer is fast approaching. People, especially the students, are making full use of the outdoor furniture available on campus. You can see groups of students congregating in the different benches and some picnic tables to enjoy the cool and mild weather. It is so different during winter where you can only see the students as they hurry from one building to another in order to get out of the bitter cold as soon as possible. But now that it is sunny and warm, everybody is outside enjoying the fresh air and warm sunlight. I am sure it would be another case when it gets to hot already.