ALONE BUT NOT LONELY

Being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely...

In fact, it is times like this that I get to know more people.

I used to travel always with my family, so the first time I traveled abroad alone again was initially intimidating.

These past few years, I have traveled alone abroad several times, although, always for continuing education activities.

Usually, I am the only Filipino or sometimes, I would meet a few Filipinos (who I haven't met before) there, too. 

Many times if we are already with friends, we are in our comfort zone so we don't feel the need to get to know others there.

I have met many new friends and colleagues from around the world along the way and usually, I take the initiative to introduce myself and be open to meeting them.

With Facebook, Yahoo and Google, somehow, I hope that the friendship continues even if we may almost never see each other again!

In my last visit to Bangkok, I found out that we usually get to see each other again, and many of them also became friends elsewhere.

The first time I met my friend from Bangkok was in Penang then HongKong twice and he asked me why I missed Macau a few months back.

We were quite a happy group in Penang coming  from Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and me from the Philippines.

One from Bangladesh said hello and reminded me that we met a few months back, also in Bangkok. His Australian friend told him that we  met in Paris last month.

New friends from Indonesia asked where I met their Indonesian colleague and I said in HongKong.

Of course,  if it were not a Conference, I guess I would have reservations about meeting new people.

I even have reservations about going around alone abroad - - a bit of fear on getting lost... and more likely, lost in translation!... and also fear of falling prey to spurious characters!

Even then, when I stay alone in the hotel room, I still am not lonely because of my dear Mac... and my love for photography and blogging!... and, if I have to do other writing or reading stuff related to my work!

from Wikipedia:

Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness, yearning, distress and solituderesulting from inadequate quantity or quality of social relationships. 

Again, being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely.


Busch Gardens
Tampa, Florida