WiP [Work in Progress]

Thoughts and ramblings of a Filipino author

  • About
  • Bookshelf
    • Self-published
  • Blog
  • Archive
  • Contact

My New Life

September 5, 2017 • 6 Comments

Sometime in July 2016, in my little house in a small town in Negros Oriental, I woke up to an email from my mom where she was “screaming” in excitement, telling me our schedule was on. She was referring to my petition for immigration to the US which she filed in December 2005. Finally, after 11 years of waiting, my priority date was being processed.

Hah!

First step was for my mom to file the needed supporting documents. Once that was done, it was my turn to fill out forms. I also started packing most of my belongings for shipping back to Manila – mostly books and ornaments. The furnishings would be left behind as I planned to rent out the house.

Eight years’ worth of belongings, packed in just a few boxes. What the photo and boxes don’t show are the memories accompanying those items, collected over the years I made that little house in Judyville my home.

The accomplished forms were sent in by late September and again, we needed to wait for a reply.

In the middle of all this, my maternal grandmother died. She was 95. I think she timed her passing, knowing that I was soon to be reunited with my parents. She’d always worried about me, especially when I left Manila to live alone in a place that could only be reached by getting on a plane. I worried too, about already being away if she passed. I felt her slipping as early as September, her birthday. How would I go home to be at her wake then, only a few months (or weeks) since setting foot on US soil? But I guess she was at peace with how her family was doing, she was at peace with herself. And though I miss her terribly, her passing didn’t make me feel like time cheated on us.

At the end of November, a new email told me my papers had been forwarded to the US Embassy in Manila and I will be contacted again for my interview schedule. Before 2016 ended, we had news: Interview in February.

It was a mad rush after that. Had to schedule my medical exam before the interview happened. That was nerve wracking. If the medical results happened to show I had some sort of ailment, my interview could be delayed for God knows how long. While this wasn’t bad news, more waiting wasn’t something we wanted. And so, when I returned for the second day and was asked to go straight to immunization, I almost cried. I passed! The interview (and packing!) would be the last hurdle.

And the flurry of saying goodbye to everyone. Of course, I’d be back to visit but that would take years for me to fulfill. So farewell get-togethers were essential. A trip to Baguio. Dinners and lunches. Parties. The most painful of these was saying goodbye to Block 11 Lot 14 in Judyville. My little home. And my little car, OmNom Bubu Chacha Stitch.

Β Β Β 

On March 10, 2017, roughly eight months from the time we confirmed that my priority date was in process, less than a month since I was interviewed, I left the Philippines to live as an immigrant in America.

At the Tom Bradley International Airport, emerging from the arrival area after going through immigration and hauling three boxes of belongings

Today, I’m a few days shy of celebrating my sixth month living abroad. Until now, it still feels surreal. Like this is a dream, and I’m a different me in an alternate universe because the real me is still in that little house in Judyville, shuttling to and from Manila once in a while to visit friends, driving to Cebu to hang out with more friends and to eat grilled chorizo at AA Bbq.

But no. I am here. In America. Trying to make a new life for myself. Looking forward to this new life I will make for myself. God be with me.

 

Share

Facebook Google+ Twitter Pinterest Email

Leave a Reply to Chris Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Chris says

    September 5, 2017 at 12:56

    Praying for you, Gette, and sending you all my warmest wishes always.

    Reply
    • G. Gonzales says

      September 5, 2017 at 13:47

      Thanks, Chris! My warmest wishes to you as well. Hope to visit you sometime. πŸ™‚ Hugs!

      Reply
  2. Kat says

    September 5, 2017 at 17:53

    Kung sa trabaho, regular ka na. Haha. I miss you, but I’m very happy for you and your journey.

    Reply
    • G. Gonzales says

      September 6, 2017 at 10:56

      Kurek! May sick leave at vacation leave na ako. Tsaka hindi na minimum ang sweldo. πŸ˜€
      Miss you!

      Reply
  3. Ami says

    September 9, 2017 at 12:06

    TITA JET I WANT TO MEET U IN DECEMBERRRRRRRRπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜

    Reply
    • G. Gonzales says

      September 9, 2017 at 12:17

      See you soon! Konti na lang, my love. πŸ™‚

      Reply

Back to Blog

Recent Posts

  • So I Just Turned 46…
  • [BLOG TOUR] Second Wave Summer by Tara Frejas, Six delos Reyes, Jay E. Tria
  • [BLOG TOUR] The Crime Circle by Yeyet Soriano
  • [COVER REVEAL] Scandalized (Version 2.0) by Tara Frejas
  • [BLOG TOUR] The Secrets That We Keep (A #HeistClub New Blood Anthology)

Recent Comments

  • G. Gonzales on [COVER REVEAL] The Secrets That We Keep by #HeistClub New Blood
  • Jennifer Hallock on [COVER REVEAL] The Secrets That We Keep by #HeistClub New Blood
  • Review || Start Here anthology from #romanceclass – That Bookshelf Bitch on [BLOG TOUR] Start Here by #romanceclass Various Authors
  • My Sacrifice (MSV After Dark) on Coming soon for My Special Valentine After Dark
  • G. Gonzales on My New Life

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

RSS Unknown Feed

Instagram

  • #Repost from @minavesguerra with @regram.app ... Happy release day to @inwardfangirl! Flipping the Script is available now on Amazon at bit.ly/loloikong. Enjoy this film-themed contemporary YA romance! πŸŽ¬πŸ“½πŸΏ #romanceclass #romanceclassFlicker
  • Gusto ko lang batiin (kahit late na) ng happy birthday, happy anniversary, happy balentayms, ang mahal kong publisher @bookwarepublishing #MySpecialValentine sa kaniyang ika-27 na taon. 2003 noong una akong naging bahagi ng MSV at dahil sa inyo kaya may mga libro akong ganito. Mabuhay, MSV! Salamat!
  • After the release of #YouAreHere comes another one from @dawnlanuza! Coming soon!

#Repost from @dawnlanuza with @regram.app ... β€ͺYou asked for it, you got it! ❀️ Cover art by the talented @maedinn (who gave me 3 awesome cover studies but I can only use 1? WAE πŸ˜‚) ‬
β€ͺMost of my books were in the shade of blue or pink so we made sure to dip into a different palette! 🎨 What do you guys think? β€¬πŸ’‹
  • This is next week na! Go!

#Repost from @dawnlanuza with @regram.app ... Friendly reminder: this is happening in two weeks! Who’s coming? πŸ€—
  • Tagu-taguan sa ilalim ng pier. 😁 πŸ“· @jotheeful ❀
  • #Repost from @romanceclassbooks with @regram.app ... πŸŽ‰ NOW AVAILABLE! πŸŽ‰ Mina V. Esguerra's new book, Kiss and Cry, is now available on Amazon for pre-order for $1.99. Go to bit.ly/six32central2 and one-click now!
.
.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Calinda met Ramirez when she was 20 and he was 22. She was the rising star of women's skating, and he was the superstar forward of men's hockey. Her parents and coach were against their relationship, and because Calinda wanted to prove that no hot guy would ever distract her from her dream, she chose skating over him β€” and also avoided him all together.

Ten years later, they meet again as gold medalists and prominent sports advocates, still single and undeniably attracted to each other. It's still not a good time for them, because Ramirez is retiring from hockey and moving back to the United States. Calinda doesn't do relationships, really, and proposes they use his final three weeks in Manila to explore what might have been, and do all the things they wish they'd done (there's a list!). Then he can leave for good, and they can both move on with their lives without this one regret.
  • 02.01.2019
  • Strawberry cheesecake, warm pudding a la mode, and tiramisu. Perfect ending to a lovely day. πŸ˜‹

Copyright 2019 WiP [Work in Progress]