Today, my hubby and I said our goodbyes to one of our very good friends.
As she made her way to Terminal 2 of Manchester International Airport, we wave sadly at her, knowing it may be some time before we see her again.
I've become used to this scene. It seems that one by one, our friends are moving on to pastures new. They take on new jobs, go home to their own country, and sometimes we simply lose touch.
At first, it was heart-breaking. Saying goodbye is never easy, and even with the best of intentions, you tend to lose touch, except perhaps during special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Then after a while, you meet new people and develop new friendships, and one day, they too will move on elsewhere. It's the Circle of Life.
Sometimes I think, is everyone else moving on but me? I've been here a decade now and I've seen countless people come and go. I sometimes wonder what it would be like for me to move on, get another job in another city or even another country. I get excited just thinking about it and daydream of my 'new life'.
However, no matter how many times I think about it, I know this is where my life is - with my husband, in our humble abode, in Manchester. It's making a difference in this city, making a positive contribution in my local community and be a familiar face to Filipinos who have made Manchester home, if only for a few years as they pursue Masters and PhD degrees.
One day, I know I will retire to my homeland where I will enjoy the gorgeous white sand beaches, gloriously warm sunshine and gastronomic fares familiar to me. But until then, it's Manchester for me. And I'm going to make the most of what this city has to offer.
As she made her way to Terminal 2 of Manchester International Airport, we wave sadly at her, knowing it may be some time before we see her again.
I've become used to this scene. It seems that one by one, our friends are moving on to pastures new. They take on new jobs, go home to their own country, and sometimes we simply lose touch.
At first, it was heart-breaking. Saying goodbye is never easy, and even with the best of intentions, you tend to lose touch, except perhaps during special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Then after a while, you meet new people and develop new friendships, and one day, they too will move on elsewhere. It's the Circle of Life.
Sometimes I think, is everyone else moving on but me? I've been here a decade now and I've seen countless people come and go. I sometimes wonder what it would be like for me to move on, get another job in another city or even another country. I get excited just thinking about it and daydream of my 'new life'.
However, no matter how many times I think about it, I know this is where my life is - with my husband, in our humble abode, in Manchester. It's making a difference in this city, making a positive contribution in my local community and be a familiar face to Filipinos who have made Manchester home, if only for a few years as they pursue Masters and PhD degrees.
One day, I know I will retire to my homeland where I will enjoy the gorgeous white sand beaches, gloriously warm sunshine and gastronomic fares familiar to me. But until then, it's Manchester for me. And I'm going to make the most of what this city has to offer.
2 comments:
hello,
i'm mareza and just would like to know how is life in Manchester?
my niece is getting married in May
and going to live there with his English husband in June..
they never met but they connected on line,sounds crazy but that's how i met my husband. any ideas?
Hi Mareza
Personally, I find Manchester as a really cool place to live. There's a vibrant multi-cultural population and is within easy access of lots of lovely places (Lake District, Newcastle, Liverpoool...).
It's cold and rainy a lot of the time, though so that's something your niece might have to get used to.
Manchester is like London, only smaller and less crowded. If compared to the Philippines, London is like Manila, and Manchester is like Cebu.
There is a growing Filipino community in Manchester, and you'll usually meet fellow Pinoys in mass on Sundays or in local hospitals here.
It's going to take some adjustment on her part (no different to emigrating anywhere, anyway), but how she enjoys it is up to her. Encourage her to get involved in her local community and get to know the city better and she'll soon settle in.
Hope this helps.
Post a Comment