SINGAPORE — This Chinese eatery seemed to be calling me by my first name when I passed by it last night as I was trying to locate the backpackers’ hostel, Coziee Lodge, my home in the Kallang Area for the next five days.
Photos of beef noodles, stir-fried vegetables and pork ribs swimming in oil and chillies reminded me of my years in Shanghai and Guangzhou when life was simpler and the most difficult task I had to accomplish was to make sure that my P15,000 scholarship allowance “made it” to month’s end.
I left Cebu for Singapore last night to carry out my periodic solo travel… away from marriage and motherhood and the many pressures which come from having writing as a profession.
I need this.
Jeff knew it was a time for it.
So… here I am, sitting by the corner table of this eater waiting for my food: a bowl of beef noodle soup, 10 dumplings and a pot of green tea.
It’s noisy right here.
The table behind me were talking about family issues, the couple to my left were smooching and in between breaths addressed each other “baobei” (baby). From the other side of the room, a man calls out the waitress as “fuwuyuan”.
I love it!
All these people talking at the same time as I wait for my food to arrive. This reminds me of foreign student days in Shanghai when I was learning to order food in Mandarin Chinese but words escaped me every time I tried to open my mouth. My confidence to speak was a little better in Guangzhou, four years after Shanghai, but by then I had Jeff and the twins to take care of so I was mostly serving as interpreter and translator even when my ability to speak the language had gone rusty.
My friend, Cayoy Porras, said artists need time to themselves because they need this process to make art. If artists don’t spend time with themselves, they become emotional wrecks which will all together affect the ways they do their jobs. Goodbye magazines, art pieces and novels.
I love being alone.
When I travel, I don’t wake up early (unless needed) because I love sleeping in. I can’t do that at home. I write the moment I wake up. And it’s a beautiful cleaning exercise for me. It’s like the words are swirling in my head and if I don’t write them, there’s eternal hangover affecting my physical body.
It’s always a relief to get them out.
Today, a Monday, I just finished an interview/tour of Gardens by the Bay with public relations and business development executives. I’ll go back there Wednesday for a more leisurely walk without having to ask questions and taking note of answers.
I’ll be in Singapore for five days with no itinerary in mind. My super plan is to just visit one site a day and just let my feet bring me wherever. Tomorrow, I’ll meet some college friends, Yarry and Kris.
On Friday, I’ll leave for Pattaya (Thailand) where my former graduate school classmate Kamilla will take care of me. I don’t know how she will do that exactly but she’s a big girl and I presume she has my best interest in mind.
Grateful for this opportunity to spend alone time for 10 days.
In this noisy eatery, believe it or not, there is peace in my heart.
