Topic Over Lunch

I feel right at home in this summer weather. The heat is up at 31 deg C but forecast says it feels like 39. Last time it was this hot, a heat wave was in the city and I locked myself in my pad. Thank God for air-conditioning. But today is a lot breezier, just perfect to have lunch al fresco. And it put me in the mood to get everything back in track.

Summer without your closest buddies with you sometimes sucks. You simply run out of options to do because they're not here to brainstormed about which beach to hit next and worst, even if you decide to go solo, you just don't have the means to escape to the closest beach or should I say more properly "the lake". While waiting for our lunch today, Lei and I were talking about how this immigration thing is being hard on our "social lives". Don't get us wrong, we know we are blessed to be living overseas and we in fact like it here. But making new friends is just not as easy as I thought it would be. Introducing yourself to someone is one thing but trying to find that common ground and intentionally meaning to build a new friendship out of the "common grounds" is another. Personality, time and your level of commitment each play a part and culture in between. It would be easier maybe if say I flew here in my teenage years or maybe it's just me. The challenges are out there. Intimidation will make its presence felt all the time. But if your guts are stronger, you should be fine. If you will always look for something new, you will find it. The less pressure you put on yourself on getting in the loop of new friends the more chance of landing into one, and it puts you in the position to just enjoy and appreciate the new acquaintances you have made. It keeps me sane too. I tend to have less distraction on set goals which is good.

I once said that a man can be an island. But only for long. At the end of the day you will come into the conclusion that everybody needs somebody and if you are an accidental overseas Filipino worker slash immigrant it doesn't matter how long they intend to be your friend. As for me, from now on I will seize the moments of meeting new people, enjoy their company and give my best punchlines over a snack or meal. And if God wills it, true ones will choose to stay and give as much energy as I'm willing to give in this thing called friendship.