How I met "Panaginip".
I don't know if I mentioned this before but my GF and I met already in Phils.
It wasn't an internet meeting, I was scuba diving in Malapascua, a small Island north of Cebu Island, and met a couple of fellow travellers and went for a meal at Ging Ging's there.
As we were all talking, a waitress came along side me and asked me "What is your dream?" (she actually asked "What is your drink" but I mis-heard her softly spoken voice). I turned around and looked at this exotic beautiful lady and could only say "If only I could tell you !!".
She was a little shy straight off but then she beamed a lovely smile.
She went to get the drinks and I asked someone what "dream" was in Tagalog and "Panaginip" was the reply.
I went back to the restaurant every day in the hope of seeing her and when I did said "Hello Panaginip". Two days before I was due to leave to continue travelling, I asked her could I have her address so we could be pen-pals.
She walked over and left me her address and phone number and later we had a few photos taken together.
I went back to where I was staying and told a man I knew there of my meeting with this beautiful girl. He knew her and encouraged me to meet her and even said that his friend was from the same sitio and his friend knew her well and would ask if she would like to meet me. I said that would be great.
I was woken at 6am the next morning and it was a quick shower then a hubel-hubel ride to her Uncle's house to meet him. I bought drinks and food as a goodwill gesture and met her Uncle. After a while "Panaginip" showed up and after a while we went for a little walk and talk right outside her Uncle's house. I was smitten.
The next day we met and sat outside where she lived and talked for hours.
She would not let me touch her, nothing, nada, zilch. I felt like Marlon Brando with his Tahitian Island beauty. In those few hours I was Captain of my own world, the happiest I have ever felt meeting a new lady. Her beauty to me was overwhelming and inspiring, her whole demeanor so lady-like and enchanting.
I went back for a few meals at the restaurant, but she was shy again, yet she smiled at me as she worked bringing food to people's tables.
I was really gutted as she didn't seem interested in the ways that I was used to and I left her soon after to a little wave each as I travelled for a week around Negros. I couldn't get her out of my mind and started to text her, then asked her if I was to return to see her would she be happy?
She said she would be very happy to see me, so I went to Cebu City where I made lots of copies of photos and bought her a large bouquet of flowers and a framed photo of the two of us. Also bought her an English-Visayan dictionary.
I went back to see her and gave her the gifts, all the girls were she worked scurried around shrieking, she thanked me gently, but had to continue working, so she kept her poise.
After a day or so, she took some time off work and we talked more.
I asked if I could visit her family and we went together with some of her family. I could not stay long with her family because the waves were picking up. It was so nice to meet her family, their English wasn't good - this is an isolated Island, but they laid on a sumptuous meal of sea food. I took many photos of everyone and only then was I allowed to walk a little with her.
I had to leave in a few days. I was devastated to leave, I know many of you have been "there" so I will leave that one alone.
We speak and/or text every day by phone and her English is now so good. She told me she was shy for a while.
Now she is so happy that I am going back.
More later, as they say
