Do you know what first-time experiences bring? It’s a mix of fear and excitement.
My father’s roots are in Bohol, while my mother’s are in Davao — so domestic flights never really worried me. However, traveling abroad felt different.
I’ve held a passport since 2012, expiring in July 2017, yet I never imagined I’d actually get to use it for travel. International trips seemed impossible — airfare, hotels, pocket money, and tours all felt too expensive. But my mother’s strong desire to go abroad (despite being a domestic traveler herself) encouraged us to book a flight via Cebu Pacific.
Unfortunately, my father became seriously ill, and my mother had to give up her ultimate dream of traveling abroad to take care of him.
This meant I would be traveling not with my mother, but with her friends — the famous Titas of Manila — along with their daughters. On top of that, I was also sick. There was blood in my phlegm, and the night before our flight, I had a check-up and an x-ray. The hospital suspected I might have tuberculosis — what?! Even worse, the doctor who attended to me was part of the Bureau of Quarantine at the airport. That made me anxious; what if I wasn’t allowed to fly?
Not knowing my x-ray results yet, my mother’s friends insisted I still come along since I knew the tourist spots — or at least had an idea. Ironically, I was about to be a tour guide in a place I had never even been to!
We arrived at the airport early — thanks to the Eid’l Fitr holiday, traffic was light. Special thanks to the Titas of Manila for being such early birds! At first, I thought we were being OA sa early, but the long lines and immigration interrogation ate up our time, and we only had about 45 minutes left before boarding.
Airport Process
- Paid travel tax (P1,620) — Yep, I believe only the Philippines has that.
- Grabbed a quick meal at McDonald’s.
- Checked in.
- Filled out the immigration form.
- Faced the Bureau of Immigration interrogation.
he officer asked where I was headed and who I was traveling with. I pointed to the Titas of Manila, queued behind me. She asked for my company ID — which I didn’t have. Then she asked if I had a credit card, and luckily, I did! (I got one last December without even applying — God’s awesome like that.)
She also asked about my college background, my course, and my college ID. Lastly, she requested our hotel booking details, and after all that, she informed me that my return would be monitored — the same warning she gave the Titas of Manila.
A few steps later, another officer reviewed my passport and directed me to yet another interview with a form to fill out. Oddly enough, the Titas of Manila were able to pass through without an issue — I guess it’s because I was a first-time traveler.
The officer asked for a sponsor, so one of the Titas (who had traveled abroad before) stepped in to vouch for me. There were five of us being held for questioning — one was a first-time traveler, while another was questioned about her excessive baggage for what was supposedly just a one-week trip.
When it was my turn, the second officer was less strict than the first. She asked for my credit card, my alumni ID, and details about my mother’s absence. I also mentioned that our hotel booking was under my name and had been paid with my credit card.
Final Steps
- Final security check — belts, metals, and gadgets removed.
- The Titas of Manila waited for me near the shopping area, and we grabbed a meal at Tapa King.
- Finally, we went to the boarding area.
After queuing for our passport stamps, claiming our baggage, and hopping in a taxi, I couldn’t believe I had made it!
I honestly thought I’d be offloaded, but thank God I wasn’t.
Faith goal, checked: Passport stamped!
I chose Kota Kinabalu for my first international trip because it was the cheapest Cebu Pacific destination and the closest city to the Philippines. If I did get offloaded, at least the money lost wouldn’t be too painful.
I’m now looking forward to more travels abroad in the future!
P.S. I received my x-ray results while I was at the airport. My cousin messaged me to say my lungs were clear. Whew!
