2021 and things are still not the same as before. Like last year, many events are pushed back. Some canceled. Some are still hanging on the balance if they will push through or not. Although virtual events are possible, it is not enough to fill that empty void that we longed so much.

Meeting friends in a convention, hugging them when we meet, screaming and cheering at the top of our lungs, meeting people who share the same passions as you…

Goddamn, I miss them so much.

These days are tough, but here we are still doing our best to make ends meet in the comfort of our own homes, finding new ways to enjoy ourselves while the world is still uncertain for now. I admit it is really hard to be hopeful when things are still not 100% okay.

Every time when I feel like giving up, every time I wanted to just stop being hopeful for the best. I always remember this one simple word, Puhon.

Puhon is Bisaya for hopefully, someday, or in God’s perfect time. It’s a simple word but it has a beautiful way of expressing something related to hope.

Puhon, We Will Meet Again.

The past couple of years is without a doubt, life-changing. I learned a lot from the many travels I had. I got to be part of a community where I met the best people in my life. They have become my friends, my sisters, my “fam.” I wouldn’t be doing these things, continue to be passionate about this genre if it weren’t for them. It’s not for certain to when I will be able to see them again, but Puhon. I will, once all of this is over.

They say when you travel, you meet the most interesting people in your life that would turn things around, change your plans, and make your destination a place called home.

You will laugh, you will cry. You will face challenges and meet them with victory. At the end of the day, lessons are learned. Memories are kept.

I will look forward to the day when I can finally step on that platform again, heading to my assigned seat beside that small window, my ticket in my left jacket pocket, my passport on my right.

The distance doesn’t matter, the expenses don’t matter. When you meet people who make you feel at home, nothing else matters.

See you soon. Puhon.

By Serena