In the little details

I was at the US embassy this morning, applying for a visa so that I could be trained in XOXO of USA. I can’t really say where as I want to protect the privacy of my future patients just in case I mention them or just in case I end up with co residents who look like McDreamy, McVet or McSteamy and I may not want to share such information right? Could you imagine how many would transfer to my hospital should that happen? No no no.

Imagination running wild – uhmmm doc could you sign this lab form and then this one, this one needs your picture, close up and full body.

Anyhoo, in XOXO, I need an insider’s info on which place to live as the apartment ads would claim superiority when it is different from the reality. The place might advertise it feels a lot like living in new york when it actually means new york cubao… While waiting for my name to be called by the “oh-how-we-fear-you-consul” I saw Robin Padilla and Ai Ai delas Alas. And all I could think of was “More energy more happy”. And, didn’t he have this movie about visas? I wish he would do the same. I was fighting the urge to stare. CAN’T HELP BUT STARE… Tanging Ina was pretty and very simple. Robin was Robin. I wish Rustom was there. STARE. STARE. When you get older, you have this annoying privilege of staring blatantly, unapologetically.

I wasn’t really anxious about getting the visa, I knew that with the papers all in place, I’d get it. My concern, as Big J knows, is where to live for the next three years. Would he still be in the finer details?

My number was called and I said good morning to the consul. He asked me where I was going. I said XOXO and he raised his eyebrows. He began to tap on the table and was he making beat sounds?

Where will you be staying in XOXO?

I have no idea. (Wrong answer, my mind kept telling me) I‘ve been looking online and I can’t really decide where.

You know, I am from that place. And I could recommend some really great places to live in. Don’t go downtown as it is not that thriving.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Cool. That would be great. (Yes four months in the US and I learned their magic word – “great”… How you doing? Great. How’s the steak? Great. Do you like the music? Great. Flat tire? Great…You get the idea)

I ventured to ask about wakeboarding. I dunno why I asked maybe because today, was the day I was suppose to be in CamSur and wakeboarding. Pagkakakataon nga naman. He told me about the lakes there but there was no cable skiing like the ones we have here in the Philippines.

I smiled. Yeah, like the one in Batangas.

Lago de Oro? Consul asked.

Yup that’s it. Lago.

Hold on for a minute. He got up and gave me his business card. He told me to email him for the info on XOXO. Then he told me that my visa was okay already and it will be delivered…