Goodbye Philippines. Hello America.
After six years, I am finally returning
While you might think I flipped my lid and decided to finally stop the nonsense talk and move to the United States, I didn’t.
In two weeks, I am flying out of the Philippines to spend three weeks with my kids.
This was a spur-of-the-moment thing and since I had to fly to the States to take care of some important business anyway, I decided to turn it into a full-fledged visit. The only problem is it happened so fast that I couldn’t get visas to bring my family.
My wife is the one who urged me to go, considering I haven’t seen my boys in the U.S. for six years. I was there in 2016, but after I got back, I was broke for the next few years, and then, BOOM! pandemic. This year I had a heart attack, so it’s taken me this long to be able to get enough money to see them.
Frankly, I don’t really have the money, considering I am still paying for my hospital bill, but it’s been way too long and I need to see my boys. Even though they are men now with families of their own, I think they still need their dad.
We don’t talk much anymore, and I don’t know if they are mad at me, or they are just busy. I send them a message every week or two, and they reply when they have time. Me being in the Philippines has made me feel like an island unto myself, but I plan to change that by reconnecting with them and letting them know that even though we don’t talk much, I think about them every day.
My wife has been great, helping me plan the trip and get everything ready. We got my tickets over the weekend, so now it’s a for-sure thing and my kids know I’m not just blowing smoke up their butts about finally coming there to see them.
I know my wife will have a hard time doing everything here on her own, but her mom is going to help, and my daughter has promised to take up the slack. I know my wife can do it, I am just worried she will get stressed out while I am enjoying myself. To say I feel guilty would be an understatement.
I have a lot of anxiety about leaving my wife and kids, but I need to do this, not just because I have business, but because my kids need me and I need to see them.
I know Flora understands, but she has everything on her back for three weeks and I can’t help but worry a little about leaving her and the kids. I hope I can enjoy my visit, and that my chronic anxiety doesn’t ruin the fun. I want to have a good visit and spent quality time with the United States kids.
And I am looking forward to foods I have missed all this time: Shake Shack, Lucky Wishbone, and Mexican food. I mean, have you ever had a breakfast burrito so full of guac and green chilies that it is as big as your arm? I have, and I will again.
I need to do a little shopping too because the Philippines just doesn’t have underwear that fits me and Amazon takes forever to deliver. I like the soft Fruit of the Loom ones that don’t pinch your balls the wrong way. I have very particular needs when it comes to underwear.
And I am looking forward to a bit of cold weather as it is HOT year round here in the Philippines. And even though I don’t have a jacket yet, I’d love to see some snow, if it’s not too much trouble.
I plan to have fun — damn the anxiety!
I might even sample some of the devil’s lettuce while there, as it seems to be legal everywhere I am going. Maybe that will help the anxiety? I know all those years ago, when I used to smoke every day, my anxiety didn’t pose a problem.
I know I’ll be smiling and laughing a lot though.
I have a whole lot to look forward to, not the least of which is the quality time I get to spend with my children. The Philippines and my family here will wait patiently until I return and then, I can get back to work and start trying to create a full-time income as a creator. I can also bring some cool stuff back so my family doesn’t feel too bad they didn’t go.
They will go next time!
If you are interested, I will be vlogging the whole trip on my YouTube channel called Cringeworthy. Make sure you subscribe so you get all the new videos as they come out.
Wish me luck because the flights are long and I have huge layovers in Tokyo and Los Angeles. I plan to turn on the camera as much as possible and document the whole thing, so make sure you visit my channel!
Wish me luck, because in two weeks I am off on an adventure!
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