Baguio - first day

The bus from Manila to Baguio took 9 hours to get Baguio. My knees have problem and now they were becoming cramped all over. I totally felt sleepy but couldn't close my eyes because of views on road side. Those old cars that were in 1890s only appeared on the movie were running on road in front of my eyes. I was attractive at those one. They looked more tiny than modern car but had brighter color like blue, yellow, red. Mention colours I suddenly remembered buses were things that truly attracted me, they call buses were"Jeepny" or "Jeep". In Vietnam, at the present we don't have these buses, we had a type of vehicle was similar with but very long time ago when I was just 5 yrs or 6 yrs and they looked very simply. In Phillippines Jeep were art that you can not find two Jeep look the same. Phillippinos draw on them the pictures, the animals, the letters or slogans with color paint. It seems I am watching an exhibition. Our bus arrived at station at 5pm. Baguio with pine hills and cool weather and color street made me refresh. I forgot I sat on bus in 9 hours constantly.

Came to Talk, several students chatting to turn out and look at me. It's lucky I arrived at time for dinner. I only had two breads from night flight until now. Food was Korean dishes and I had dinner deliciously before receiving my bed in Queendom far from Academy about 15 minutes by car. Naru, a Japanese women opened door for me, she made me to remember Fumie, my Japanese friend who has small posture but always calm and friendly as Japanese style. Although I'm so excited about new things in Baguio, everything quickly ran away when I saw the bed. I really felt asleep. Naru was very kind to called and guided me using facilities in accomodation, after that she asked me "Jane, I am going to drink with my friend. Are you tired? Do you want to go together?". I hesitated "Uhm, yes. But is it ok for you?" Nearly 10pm, we started. The lights in Baguio seemed only to stand in the corner, the road was dark and the pine hills in two sides were so quite and dark also. If there was Vietnam, I would never go out at 10pm alone for drinking.

- "Naru, is here safe? It's too dark" - I worried

- "Yes, it's safe here"

- Do you often go out this time?

- Yes, sometimes

- Who is your friend? Is he not your boyfriend?

- No - Naru laughed - He is my old manager in academy where I worked before moving Talk Academy.

I held her arm. We walked to a bigger road to take taxi. We asked and shared the reason we came here. Several men standing on road side and I knew they were looking at us. A taxi stopped, we got inside. Gasoline was very strong smell. I misunderstood what Naru said. She said "drink" means alcohol but I understood "drink" means coffee. Because of it, when we stopped in front of Korean restaurant, I was surprised. I smelt Kim Chi and roast meat. There was an American man waiting us at the table next to wall. He smiled with us. Naru might inform him about my appearance so look him absolutely comfortable. It made me feel not shy. We ordered a dish and 3 bottles of Sochu. I can drink but after that my face will become red and I will say something from inside, well, I will cry about it, all is sad things. I told with Naru and John, American man "I don't know to drink so please feel free, I will touch my lips". Naru and John sometimes chatted about their work, they had same things. I looked around restaurant and ate some foods. John and Naru quickly turned to me. We started John's game. He was very smart and made us laugh on the floor. We played many games but I was very impressed with the game Say 3 things about dog, cat, rat, coffee and ocean. Naru made her sample answer and I started thinking.

I said about dog: smart, friend and loyal; about cat - glamourous, soft, naughty; about rat - dirsty, smell and ugly; about coffee - dark, sweet and addicted; about ocean - beautiful, large and scared.

John smiled and explained answer.

Dog symbols of your lover, cat symbols of yourself, rat symbol of your enemy, coffee symbol of your feeling in sex and ocean symbols of your life.

I was surprised these answers. I seriously gave my answer so it's exactly to be myself. Yes, I was scared of life, I always felt over thoughts and exhausted. Sometimes I wish I could relax totally. I was deep in pushing to get married, set up life stably, limit moving from place to another. They told me: Get married because I was too age to be single but they didn't know that I've just failed to declare my love. A guy refused me, my heart was broken and I was not knowing how to heal it.

Naru already played this game but she enjoyed it as her first time. I talked a lot and laughed also. Atmosphere became more comfortable near night and I felt I could be their friend. Naru had to pick up two new students, one from Japanese, one from Taiwanese at 1am and we said goodbye John. He paid for me that night and I didn't have anymore chance to return his or say "thank you". Naru and two new students and I arrived Queendom at 2am. I had good night at the first day in Baguio.