Today marks the anniversary of my departure to New York City. Exactly 12 months ago, I was sitting in Changi Airport with beloved Steph babe. I was bawling my eyes out and ignoring the curious stares of the rest of the people waiting to board the flight. It was an unexpectedly difficult time for me.
Frankfurt Airport during the Transit
You’d expect that it’d be a happy and exciting time, full of anticipation and eagerness. After all, it wasn’t like I was going away for a year or more. I was going away for only 4months. Granted, it would be my first time away from my family on such an extended trip but still. I wasn’t going to some extremely dangerous place or something (though some would argue the state of New York is one terribly dangerous state indeed).
Yet it was an overwhelming day for me. Firstly, it was a great big rush because the bimbo in me had to make sure my nails were done so I went out to get my pedicure.. I returned home and still had about half my packing to do. My parents then suggested we go watch Jack Neo’s Money No Enough 2 before going for dinner.. So with about half my packing left to do, my parents, grandma and I went to the cinema near my house to watch the movie.
It is an extremely bad idea to watch a family-oriented tear jerker before a transatlantic flight that will bring you away from your family for 4 months I tell ya. Especially when the film was about a generous and selfless grandmother/mother. The whole time I was crying and crying.
the grandmother/mother in MNE2 (played by the brilliant Lai Meng)
Overdramatic? Not very. You see, we very nearly lost my grandmother awhile back and I was more or less brought up by my grandmother so I have a very very special bond with her. On top of that (and I’ve only told like, 3 people this), my mom had just been found to have a tumour and the doctor thought it might be cancerous.
So with a movie like that to remind you of all the worries you have, it really sets the mood doesn’t it? We went back home and I continued packing with a feverish rush. The seconds ticked away and soon my parents were screaming at me to get down. The scoldings came relentlessly with my mom furious over what I had chosen to wear for the flight (a tube maxi dress with sandals) and the fact that we were running late.
I realized in the car that I had forgotten to print out my boarding pass. Thank God for friends like Val, who kindly printed it out and brought it there for me. Overcome by stress at this point, I started crying in the car and during a yummy dinner of my favorite foods (chicken rice, fried fish with sambal chilli omg yums).
I cried and cried and cried as I continued to think, “What if they discover it IS cancer? What if Daddy doesn’t watch his eating and gets some kinda cholesterol induced sickness?” I barely dared to think bad thoughts about what might have happened to my grandmother. Clutching my por’s hand in the car, I cried silently all the way to the airport.
My friends were a source of strength and support as I was there. Darling steph was awesome with her constant encouragement and sympathy; Val was comforting and consoling; Ben was wonderfully supportive; Yarn was there (that alone was good enough=)); auntie josephine and cousins shannon and nicole were also there which was <3 and many people flooded my phone with texts of farewell and “I’ll miss you”s. My auntie mary called up and cried on the phone for not being able to be there to see me off.
darling yarn!
Lovely val (see my cried-out tired eyes? )
Wonderful Ben
It was a highly emotional affair and I cried throughout the flight over there. It was so bad that my eyes got really dry and stung and hurt very bad. Steph was very concerned, thanks babe.
oh US of A.. you were fine after all
And yet, despite (or maybe because of)all that crying, everything turned out fine. I had a ball of a time, and I believe I’ve come off better with the experience behind me. I know I can be strong, independent and am definitely streetsmart. I will never forget this experience, planning everything more or less by myself and executing everything to near perfection.
with steph dearest in NYC
Much love to steph, for experiencing the whole thing with me from start almost to finish. I’ve gained a great friend in Steph and many more great friends from the whole experience. That’s one thing I know I’ll value forever.
First Snow in Buffalo when we were there.. Oct 08
So a year ago today, what were YOU doing?
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