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Happiness & sadness!

Adjustment, Expats, Travel / by

When you’re reading this post my son Aaron is on his way traveling to the USA. He started his journey last night (Wednesday). He left Davao at 10:15 pm, and arrived in Manila at a little after midnight. He will be in Manila for a few hours, then he will be starting his journey to the USA today Thursday (today) here in the Philippines. He will be arriving in Portland, Oregon (Thursday there in that part of the world) almost 24 hours after he left Manila .

This trip, it all started almost 2 years ago. My mother-in-law got seriously ill. Aaron at that time was just a few months shy of his high school graduation. Part of his high school graduation gift, Bob and I decided on sending him to the USA to see his grandma and bond with her. When we talked to Aaron about our plan, we got a big “NO” from him. So Bob and I didn’t push him, we just dropped the subject, sort of mentioning once in awile. 6 months after, Aaron decided that he was ready. He told us that he wanted to visit his granny by June. He was just few months shy of his 17th birthday. So we gathered lots of his papers for the travel plan. We found out that there was so much stuff to do for him since he will be traveling alone and underage. When we went to some Philippine government agency for some paper work, Aaron got frustrated. As usual everything was so slow. Just to get something you will be standing in line for literary hours at a time.

The many faces of Aaron Martin
The many faces of Aaron Martin

He told us then that he wants to wait to travel after his 18th birthday. Less hassles. So after his 18th birthday, we then started gathering his papers. We went to Manila for his passport renewal from the US embassy. Apply some local paper work. Finally it was finished a few weeks ago. So we started looking for cheap tickets. We also thought that he will be traveling around the month of April or May. The tickets for April and May were much more expensive. When we tried to get good tickets, this week is really the best price ticket to travel already. Bob saw a cheap ticket a week or so ago. We thought that it will still be okay to wait. When we tried to book, it’s already full. Luckily we got another cheaper ticket. We got him a round trip ticket. He will be there for a little over 7 months. If he wants to extend he will try to re-book the ticket again for later return, which will incur a fee of course. I’m sure we will pay some for that. 🙂

He is really excited to go and see his Granny. It’s been a few years since he last saw her. They already made plans on what to do there. They will be seeing Bob’s extended family there from different States. This will be a good memory maker for both of them to last Aaron a lifetime. We know he will be okay there. This is Aaron’s first time ever being away from us for a long time. It will be hard for all of us here at the house and him too. But it will be good for him to experience and start a new life away from us. I’m not worried about it because he is in good hands with his Granny being there for him. Thank you Mother for taking Aaron and loving him. Bob and I really appreciate that very much.

To you my dear Aaron: Enjoy your stay with your Granny. Have fun exploring the land that you were born and grow up with until the time we left. Enjoy bonding with your cousins and family there. Don’t forget to see the people that we used to hangout with there before. We love you so much son. It’s going to be hard on all of us but we are so happy for you at the same time. Tears are flowing already from me hon while writing this post. I love you forever and beyond.

Message from Dad: Aaron, have a wonderful trip!  This will be a big learning experience for you.  The learning will start right away as you embark on your first time traveling alone, and it will continue as you get reintroduced to the land of your birth.  I am sad to see you leaving, but I am also happy that you will go back to the USA and experience life there.  I am happy that you can have some time to re-connect with my culture and with my side of the family.  You are a good kid, and I love you dearly, son!  Bon voyage!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Geri – Thank you so much.

      *** From one Mom to another it’s not easy. *** Not easy to let him go though, I tell you that. 🙂

      Happy to say that he is now waiting for his flight to Seoul, Korea.

      Thank you for the nice thoughts. Have a great day!

    • Hi Kuya robert – Hu hu hu… Mao jud. Grabe jud kamingaw sa iyaha.

      Thanks Kuya for the nice thoughts ug tell Ate Susie thank you sad.

      Take care!

  3. Last night, I talked to Aaron on the phone after he arrived in Manila. You guys have heard of the “deer in the headlights look”? Well, when I talked to him, he had the “deer in the headlights sound”. I think he has pulled himself together, now, though, and is doing better. He has about 6 more hours before his flight leaves for Seoul. Good luck Aaron!

  7. It’s the Airport Game of Hurry Up and Wait, but beig brought up Filipino, Aaron should be well acoustomed to this. I have no doubt that he will do just fine.

    • Hi Bob – Yep, true… So happy to say that he is now relaxing a little, he is just waiting for his flight to Korea. He was a bit nervous this morning, and it got me worried a little bit. Thank God he was done with the immigration and stuff here.

      Thanks Bob for the nice message ever since you learned that he is going back to the States for a visit.

      Take care!

  11. AJ and Family;
    I wish you a safe and joyful trip to Americas Great North West (It will look a lot like Maine) I hope while you’re there you’ll be posting about your adventures as a young man visiting your family. That would be quite interesting to all of us.

  12. What a wonderful tribute to your son.. As a parent I feel you sense of loss that coincides with a sense of pride. What a great time to be visiting Portland. I went to high school there, have a brother that lives in Scappoose and many relatives in the area. I agree with Mr. Thompson, hope Aaron will find time to post some of his experiences here so we can follow this adventure in his life. As a grandparent I am also excited for his grandmother.. How fun! Great pictures.. how do they grow up so quickly? All the Best!! to Bob & Feyma and to Aaron.

    • Hi Roy – Thank you. I’m glad you liked what I post.

      i’m pretty sure you will hear from Aaron of his many adventures there in the States. Hopefully soon. 🙂

      You should hear my mother-in-law, she’s really excited on seeing her grandson. She can’t wait to see him. I guess she loves him a lot. LOL

      Thank you again for the prayers and the nice thoughts. Have a great day!

  13. All the best wishes for Aaron on the journey.

    For sure it will be a lesson for life and a great way to learn new things,
    Nothing compares to travel, when it comes to learn new things, if you have a open mind.

    I am sure he will do fine and i hope we will get some good posts about the journey,

    Take care out there,

    • Hi Axel – Thank you so much. Yep, so many things for him to learn there.

      He will post about his journey here soon.

      Take care!

  14. Nice article Feyma.

    I’m sure that AJ will have the time of his life. I always have done whenever I have visited of worked there.

    We are planning to go to the States later this year for my wife’s first visit. It very much depends on my work schedule though. Luckily AJ does not have such restrictions.

    Cheers

    AJ UK

    • Hi AJ – Thank you. Something for him to learn and know the other side of his culture.

      Good for you. Good luck on your travel to the States then. I hope it will push through.

      Have a good time there!

  15. To all OUR LIP Family & readers – Thank you so much for the love and the prayers. We really appreciate the good thoughts and advice you guys gave for our son Aaron. We really appreciate that very much.

    We love you all!

  19. Wow, this is all so sudden. I thought Aaron postponed the trip to the USA indefinitely. I know how you must feel, Feyma and Bob. For you, it’s like the first baby bird flying out of the family nest. Seven months away from the nest is not really that long. Before you know it, you will be picking him up at the airport in Davao.

    Aaron, I know the feeling. I was 15 when I left the Philippines for good. I was depressed for a very long time. I didn’t have the advantage you have. While you speak fluent English when you arrive in Portland, the only English words I knew when I arrived in Monterey were, “Hello Joe” and “Elvis Presley”.

    You may have that deer in the headlight look as you step off the plane in Portland, and may even be sadder for a day or two, but I know you’ll get over it quicker than you think. I think you will have a blast as you immerse yourself deeper into the American culture if you have cousins close to your age, and especially if your cousins introduce you to some pretty American girls at the mall.

    Grandma is going to be wondering why you hardly stay home sampling her apple pie. LOL Time will fly, and before you know it, it’s time for you to return to Pinas. By then, I have the feeling you may NOT even want to come home THAT soon. If you left some Pinay girls secretly crying when you left Davao, I’m almost certain you will be leaving a broken-hearted American girl or two behind. At your age, that maybe the reason you may not want to come just yet. Enjoy your vacation, Aaron!

    • Hi John – Aaron is more excited than depressed or sad. Of course he is going to have homesickness and culture shock as well, but he can deal with it. This morning, he had some fear of what he had to go through, especially the immigration stuff. This is his first time to travel out of the Philippines as a dual citizen, and there are some special hoops to jump through.

      There are a couple of reasons why the trip was so sudden. Firstly, it was not postponed indefinitely, rather postponed while he took care of dual citizenship paperwork and such, now that he completed all of that, it was time to start looking for tickets. Secondly, we happened to find a good deal on a ticket that was only one week away from departure, so we grabbed it. 🙂

      As I type this, his plane wil be leaving Manila in about 10 minutes on the way to Seoul. He is very excited to get to the States. Feyma and I are both happy and excited for him, while sad at the same time for the loss that we feel.

      He is scheduled for a 7 month trip, but who knows what will happen. We have told him that if he decides to extend his ticket and stay longer, it is ok. He could decide to study there. He will likely get a job and get some work experience there too.

  21. Best wishes Aaron.

    I was just 17 when I paid my own way to a private school 1400 miles away from home. I took both high school classes and 4 college level classes.

    The first night I sat on the edge of my bed and asked myself, “What the heck have I done? ” I knew no one and had no support in place to help out.

    I decided to embrace the learning and experience and before long had friends that have lasted over 35 years.

    Expect disorientation and stress and rely on your support group -family in your case – when things seem to be hard. In doing so you will have memories that will last a lifetime.

    I wish you all the best.

  22. Once the wheels touch the deck and he walks out into a whole new world the excitement of being there will keep him occupied. Sure he’ll miss you guys, but I think the biggest thing he’s going to gain from this whole experience is emotional maturity as well as the confidence he’s going to bring back with him in 7 months. I’m excited for him. I agree! Aaron is going to be just fine! He’s got a good head on his shoulders.

  24. Yeah! I remember a story he wrote about going to college or waiting for a bit. This is something I chimed in about. Feeling as though he’s going to learn so much more from these seven months than sitting in a classroom. There’s always time for college. The funny thing? Class has already started for him. Good luck Aaron!

  25. Yes, I was telling Feyma just a while ago that his education started last night when we dropped him off at DVO, and it is continuing now as he is just about to leave Philippine airspace. 🙂

  32. Bob, are you & Feyma tracking Aaron’s flight? I’m glued to that flight tracker whenever my son flies. LOL I have it on my laptop, tablet & phone. I tell yeah, I’m a flight stalker LOL

  40. Ha ha.. Aaron doesn’t really follow baseball, but who knows? If he were to follow the sport, he would probably go for the Mariners, since they are the “local” team in our area.

  44. Seoul is a nice airport, I have been there on my last 4 visits to The Philippines. If I am in the slightest doubt about anything I always ask questions and the info counters at Seoul are most polite and helpful. The place has always been clean when I have been there, Rest Rooms clean and well stocked. Plenty of refreshment areas with a good variety on the upper levels in the boarding areas. Of course airport prices apply but when on a vacation, who really cares LOL. I saved the 330ml can of Coca Cola I bought there for the korean symbols on the can. The minor frustration there is arriving on the lower level and then having to wait to go thru security check and having carry on scanned before going to the upper level departure area. Once agian it is the airport game, hurry up and wait but I have every confidence that Aaron can deal with this a lot better than I and many Kanos would. At least I can visualize him going thru this airport. It’s a good one for my money.

  46. Aaron,

    Congratulations! Enjoy your journey to the fullest. Hope to read your post on here of your ongoing experiences abroad. If your grandmothers health allows travel the country as much as possible to experience your country of birth’s major claims to fame. (Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, etc…)
    Mabuhay!

  47. Not much I can add that hasn’t already been said. I know this has been in the making for a long time. I’m sure he will handle it well. I’m looking forward to reading about his adventures!

    Take care,
    Pete

  48. Aaron will be in good hands and being a well-grounded and open-minded person, he will be just fine. Am sure he will be glad to have both your love and support at all times. It is going to be a different world and he will have some culture-shock but he’s got a good head on his shoulder and got his two feet planted firmly on the ground, he will adapt well. He’s the type who will not disappoint you and you will always be proud of him.

  49. So Happy for AJ. Once he gets on the long flight from Seoul to Portland he will be able to relax more and maybe get a little sleep. But i have a feeling he will be too excited to sleep. Looking forward to hearing about is travels. I know he will enjoy some cooler weather there.

  50. Hi Juan Bala – He was born in the USA, and lived there until he was 3 years old. But, it is his first return since then, so he is in for a lot of excitement, new experiences, etc! 🙂

  52. You`ll miss him Bob, how long will he be away? Our son has been in China nearly a year now. You`ll even miss the things he did that annoyed you ! lol …kids eh?

  53. Hi Malcolm. He just landed in Los Angeles about 2 minutes ago! 🙂 He will be in the US for about 7 months, but if he wants to he can extend beyond that, but the plan right now is 7 months, slightly over that. I do miss him, although I am happy for this opportunity for him too!

  54. Yea, they grow up and spread their wings , and you want them to become independent but then you miss their dependency..its an emotional ride . Do you plan on visiting USA while he is there ?

  57. I just have no need or desire to go there. I am comfortable here. If I am going to travel, I would rather see new places, not old. Too much BS going on in the USA these days, I don’t care to be part of it. 😉

  69. Aaron, Good luck on your journey to the US. This is the best time to travel- when you are young. Keep us updated. I’m sure there will be some adjustment period, but many things will be familiar. In this day and age, its easier to keep in contact. Bob, will you be doing Skype or some other to communicate? Kevin