because I’m still waiting for mine.. and i miss you

The Last of Days; A Fine Frenzy

Something causing fear to fly
Rising like a dark night
In silence
Traveling like a broken boat
Heading for the sky
And I’m an island

I watched you disappear into the clouds
Swept away into another town

The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I’ll be lost without you
Until the last of days

She said she first noticed me when I was at this party…

St. Patrick’s day @ Le Bar, Starfish Cove with Will

She said she was thinking “Who’s this girl? I love her dress! Nobody dresses like that in Vila”

Oh hunny.. if you had told me that to my face that night we would have become friends sooner!

But it wasn’t time.. we were still getting the feel of the place.. We were trying to get over the shock of finding ourselves in Vanuatu..

Good thing the city is small and in time we found ourselves at the same parties.. knowing the same people… and we inevitably clicked. How could we not?! I loved her just because there’s someone else aside from me who puts on eyeliner in the daytime! And I was in dire need of a girl friend and not just girly friends (hahaha. just kidding William!). Someone I can consult about my outfit, talk to about how men are so clueless (Take offense Will), discuss at length specific episodes of Sex & the City, and gush about make-up finds in the woefully understocked Vila shops.

Loitering around town one day.. we bumped into each other and we both found ourselves unwilling to go home yet. So we went for a coffee at Cafe du Village. We talked.. about how I managed to find myself in a relationship and how I’m coping with it in a city so tiny, how she came to be in Vanuatu, her work with the VSO, about people we don’t like (oh yeah. we had a bit of a bitch fest).. we talked until the sun came down and it was time for my boyfriend to pick me up for dinner. She came with us to L’Houstalet and was forced to eat snails by my very persuasive man. I think she realised two things that day: that escargot dipped in garlic butter sauce isn’t that bad and that we were going to be good friends.

Filos in Vila

My first week here I confined myself to our house – watching endless movies and TV shows and devouring the books I brought from Australia. I got to know our house girl Lorina and the different security guards that came to sit outside our house 24/7. I ventured into town twice. Once to do the grocery at Au Bon Mache. And the next when I had a sudden craving for beer and walked to find the first pub that would serve me a cold one. I didn’t mind going about it alone for a while. I needed to wrap my head around the place first by myself. But after a week I was getting a bit antsy and was looking for company I could talk to.

Good thing mum aranged for me to meet the Filipinos around my age. They picked us up, took us to dinner at the fabulous L’houstalet and then drinks at the Waterfront. I finally met people I could hang out with! Michelle, Ron, Jom & Kuya Rolex were awesome company! They were funny and they drink!!! There’s nothing like being around Filipinos in a foreign country.

After that first night, they’d always pick me up from the house and helped me adjust to the Port Vila lifestyle. We exploited the facilities of swam and played table tennis at Le Lagon. Went on night outs to Voodoo and Waterfront. And they gave me amusing running commentary of the characters here in Vila.

Here’s the people who gave me back my sanity on my first few weeks.

with my beloved friend michelle @ honeymoon beach on easter

mum & i at Waterfront on our first night out with the filos.

kuya lex, jom & ron after swimming at le lagon

i love these 2! my yosi buddy ron & michelle my partner in crime