Bella Fe Bautista
8 Dec 2008

I was in the same situation as you were in Mozambique 2 years ago. I retired from my job and my husband was assigned to work in this paradise island of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

When we were packing to leave, I told myself, I’m sure there will be no Filipinos there as it is such a small island. We arrived in the island on a Saturday afternoon, checked in our hotel (paradise island, great hotel by the sea).

Next morning, we looked for the church, found it, heard mass. We sat at the back of the church…I saw 3 ladies sitting upfront, sabi ko na nga ba eh…mga Filipinas. They first saw my husband whom they thought was a Korean and when they saw me, Filipina daw. So we introduced ourselves, abalaan ko no 3 labat so Filipinos diman, ay agi, karakel da manaya. Wala niy 3 Filipina Dominican sisters.

And I thought it would be a lonely 8 months there! Never was lonely, karaoke every weekend as some of them are music teachers.

A former Philharmonic Orchestra conductor is also there with his family as teachers. There were about 30 teachers there plus their families. Then there were about 6 Filipino doctors who are still practicing there who’d been there since the late 60’s.

So, if you go to a place where you think, there will be no Filipinos, you’re wrong, mayroon at mayroon kahit na isa or dalawa. I still keep up with our kababayans in St. Croix. The 3 Sisters already came and visit with me here at home in the US for a week last summer.

It’s such a small world, you never know who you meet along the way.