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On the road again **Update**

About two months ago, an email went out at work. It went something like this on a Friday afternoon,

"I (being my boss' boss...) am looking for a list of volunteers who would go to the Philippines for three months. There would be no time to come home for a break during this time. I need an answer to give to the Company by Monday."

Being the somewhat reluctant traveler that I am (NOT!) my response was "something" like this...

"I'LL GO!!! When is it?"

Unknown to be was the fact I had accidentally hit respond to all, so every manager and every senior, saw how "un"willing I was to go...
That was Easter weekend. I told my family, got all excited about the possibility, and moved on. Again, being the "reluctant" traveler that I am, I didn't get online and look at flights to the Philippines and I didn't try to find where I would be located. Of course I didn't look up World Venture Missionaries in the off chance that I'd go and get to see them, and I didn't get really excited about my Mongolian friends who are in the Philippines studying at a seminary. Oh, and of course, I didn't go looking for blogs on the Philippines so I could get some idea what the culture was like. Nope, not me!
Anyhoo, Monday came around and I didn't hear anything, accept for one co-worker coming around asking if we had valid passports. Seeing as mine was renewed last year, I double checked. Is an expiration date of 2018 a problem? No? Okay, I'm set...
Tuesday rolled around and nothing...
Wednesday came around and the training manger comes by my desk. Now, the email and the rumors going around indicated that we weren't going to send trainers overseas, so I'm thinking nothing of the fact that he's standing at my desk. Probably something coming up, like new product or something... He leans over my desk and quietly asks me,
-Is your passport up to date?
Yes (see above)
-Do you have any plans for June through August?
No! (Well, technically, yes, I was going to go on vacation with my family, but I'd already told them, "I love you, but... Philippines or a bike trip? Hmm, guess what? I can bike next year right?") so, No!
-So, unofficially (you can't tell anyone yet) I'm going to send you to the Philippines for two to three months... followed by some details that aren't important....
YES!!! (just a tad excited with a HUGE grin on my face)

Fast forward two weeks and a few conversations later, I'm jazzed and I'm gone! It's still unofficial, however I've got the list of shots I'd need, the list of passport photos that I'll need, a few details on the classes I'd be training, enough to really be gone already and I get this message from my boss...

-you're not going to the Philippines. Sorry.

Oh, man, totally destroy my day!

Life's gone one. I still occasionally read the blog, but I took all the markers off my google earth, and I don't remember the missionaries any more and I told my Mongolian friends I'm not coming. And I'm excited about that bike trip with my family... Until Saturday when a car decided to hit me (but I'm still going), and then Monday not much happened. I was in lot's of pain (to be expected) but glad to find a doctor across the street (literally) and then Tuesday when I went to work, just cause I was bored (well, kinda). I ran into my training boss and was telling him about what happened. He looks at me and says,

-do you think you'd be okay to take a 15 hour flight in July?

Yeah!

So, once again, I'm supposedly going to the Philippines! Not as long this time, only for a month!!! In theory I'm leaving the end of July and will be there through August. It feels a bit more official this time as he's emailing me the visa applications this week and he was telling me this in front of other people. So, yeah, seeing as I'm not so keen on travel, I'm NOT AT ALL EXCITED!!!!!!


***UPDATE***
I have an itinerary!!! Leaving July 29th. Returning August 29th!

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