Away from home
09.07.2009
A Columban Seminarian tells us about his first missionary
journey to the Philippines.
I arrived at the Manila International Airport on June 25, 2008 at 11:30pm after a 10 hour flight from my home country Fiji. I have completed a year and a half of seminary studies in Fiji and I have come to the Philippines to continue them.
Fr Dominic Nolan and my new formator, Fr Mick Cuddigan, were waiting to greet me. We headed to the Columban Regional House in Manila where I spent my first night away from home.
Lying in bed that night was one of the hardest moments in my life. I was in a country where everything was different from my own. I didn't know what to expect and how to react.
I was homesick, afraid and lonely. Culture shock began the moment I walked out of the airport terminal. I found the noise, the people and the lights were different from home. There were so many new things to see and marvel at in Manila: the jeepneys, tricycles, the busy traffic, big malls and the pollution. I remember my first ride on a tricycle and I had to get on behind the driver because I could not fit with another inside the cab. Never in my life have I seen so many people. I was told the population is about 87 million. Back in Fiji we have just past the 900,000 mark.
Fr Cuddigan and I left for the Columban House of Studies the next day which was about an hour from the Regional House. I was introduced to our cook Yoli and our cleaner Minda.
The rest of the students were not around for they were still on holidays.
My Columban brothers arrived four days after me. I was thankful and happy to see them. It didn't take us long to blend in together. We have so many things in common and we were friends the day we met. This friendship was strengthened when we went out camping during our first week together.
The aim of the camp was to build bonds between us students and to also be a time of reflection. The campsite is a historical site and I was honoured to be part of it. It was quite a peaceful place and it reminded me of home and soon enough I was homesick again.
At the moment we are attending different institutions depending on our different years of studies but most of our lectures are in-house. I am enjoying the food and have come to try new delicacies like balut (hard boiled duck eggs which are about to hatch) and bats. The trick is - eat with an open mind.
Each day I learnt new things. I don't know what the future holds for me but I am enjoying the present moment. This is an experience that I will never forget.
Etuate Tubuka is now back in Fiji continuing his studies for the priesthood.
