“PINOY LAKWATSA” is the next theme of Pilya Blog Magazine in April 2018. It is all about travel. Watch out for it, folks!

Well, well, well! Let me think first. It has been a long time since I have experienced my first travel. When Ces, the Publisher, told me in an email what to write, I thought, “wow! I hope I can still remember” and then I stopped reading the email and reminisced what had happened more than three decades ago. I was a  15 year old teenager when I first travel to Manila and I was a 20 year old married woman when I first travel to Germany.

Traveling alone as a 15 year old girl was very exciting and at the same time it was frightening. It was in December and Christmas school vacation. As a shy girl, I felt so bored at home that I asked my parents to allow me to visit our relatives who lived just about 30 km. from our town. They were hesitant to let me go alone. I told them they should allow me. “How would I learn if I will not go? Anyway it’s only for few days.” My late mother said that she and my father would think about it.

I was thinking on how I could convince them to allow me and I got ideas. Waiting for a permission without doing anything was not right for me. So, I got the strategy that they could not say NO. I worked so hard at home. I cleaned the house, the surroundings, washed the clothes in the river behind our house, ironed them and many things that I thought my mother would appreciate. I was very polite and obedient. I was even extra nice to my siblings. Not that I was a rude child but I just made it sure that I got the “ticket” to go to my relatives.

Finally, I was allowed to go but I had the feeling that they were “cooking” something to let me back out from my plan. They told me that the road to Cabadbaran (the place I wanted to go) was flooded because of the heavy rains and there was no jeepney could pass the road. My uncle who was a forester near Cabadbaran told me that he could not even go to his work because of the floods. They kept on talking about the floods. However, I was not discouraged to go. I told them that I was determined to leave and would be coming back immediately just in case there was no jeepney. Luckily, I made it and the floods are just tales.

Meanwhile at home, my family was crying. “It was like somebody died,” said one of my siblings when we remembered what had happened that day. Time was so fast. I got my visa from the German Embassy as a wife without any difficulties. We did not have to wait long. Manila was safe and not crowded at that time compared to now. We landed in Frankfurt via Egyptian airlines, 2 weeks after our catholic wedding. As of my marriage, I am lucky to have the same husband for 34 years.

My advice to you readers. Listen to your instinct and pray that everything will be alright. Thank you for reading.

by Thelma Alberts

Note: This article has been previously published with Pilya Blog Magazine in October 2015. 

The 4th Annual Valentine’s Party of Philippine Cultural Group Bayern and their Search for Mrs. PCGB Valentine and Mrs. PCGB Charity 2018.

Plus

“IT’S EVERY GIRL’S DREAM TO BE A COVER GIRL! WOMEN BE AMBITIOUS! HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS AND FEEL FREE TO SHARE. I notice that some of my lady friends made their profile pics with this app as if they are in the COVER of a magazine. I admit I like it, you ALL look great! That gives me an idea and it is also because the event in which I awarded the Winner to be the COVER GIRL in April 2018 is cancelled. So, I decided, that I open it to the public. I’m now looking for the NEW COVER GIRL for PILYA BLOG Magazine’s “PINOY LAKWATSA” in April 2018. This theme is all about travel. If you’re 18 years old or older, a Filipina beauty with Pilyamazing confidence and resident of Germany then you can BE THE ONE! Please send me a message for more details. PERHAPS YOUR DREAM MIGHT COME TRUE! Maraming, maraming salamat po.”