September 4, 2021
Hey friends, how are you doing on this wonderful weekend? I know some of us are stressed for some reason. I am too, maybe I am just pressuring myself to publish an article a day which is impossible because I really don't have a lot of time sitting on my computer. I have a cute kid to tend.
I just realized that I've been in LDR with this Aussie guy for almost 7 years now. I told him that I'm going to write about our friendship.
Our destinies intertwined when I was with 24/7 in 2014 as a Technical Support Advisor...
The call
I was assigned as one of the "closers". Our shift ends until our business closes. It was kind of cool because we were only queuing until 8:00 PM Australia time and there will be like one or two calls until we go home. Australians believe in work-life balance so whatever issues they have, they'll take care of it until the next business days. Unless it is an emergency.
Customer Service is open until 5:00 PM AU time only, which means all after-hours calls are routed to the Technical Team.
"G'day. Thanks for calling, this is Mae. How can I help?", I greeted my customer in the other line.
"My name's G.C and I am concern about my bill..." We had a long talk about his account but unfortunately, the issue wasn't within our scope. He has to call CS to fix it.
I volunteered to call the team on his behalf. Elder people in AU need some extra TLC, take it from me. So I was able to resolve his problem with flying colors. He was so happy that he gave me his email address and phone number. But it's against company rules to get in touch with customers for personal reasons. I did email him, but after I resigned from 24/7.
We had several email exchanges but it was discontinued when I became too engaged with my personal issues. I got in touch with him again in 2017 and he sent me his first card.
I was so happy to receive his card. I didn't, ever, receive a gift from Australia. This makes it so memorable. He actually sent this to make sure the address was right and there is no hocus focus on our mailing system.
Our friendship's first challenge
Just like any other friendship, our relationship was tested. He was on the rocks with his wife and he was planning to find a younger Filipina to marry. I advised him (I actually scolded him like a daughter) that he might encounter an opportunist who will be just after his money. I've seen foreigners here in the Philippines who became broke, worst, beggars, after being fooled by their Filipina partners. Not everyone though. But he was already in his senior years and I was concerned. I don't judge him. He became a carer when his good wife had cancer. He wanted to be loved and to be cared for. I am glad he listened to me and gave their relationship a chance. Now he has a happy, growing family.
My birthday surprise :)
It was one of the happiest birthdays of my life. I didn't sleep after my shift when I received a notice from the Makati post office to collect a package.
Jaffas are orange-flavored round chocolate. It's one of the most famous Australian lollies. Its name after Jaffa, a town in Palestine well-known for its oranges.
I think he sent like 300-500 grams of Jaffas and I was having a hard time consuming it. I bought it in my office and shared it with my team. I was happy to have finally tasted something Australian.
He also sent me a birthday card, which is the red one. I was touched by his birthday message. I never felt so lucky to have a friend from another country.
A true friend cares for your spirituality
He is indeed, a one, true friend. He gave me the Bible so I could have a guide in raising my kids. He even left a note on what to read, a dedication on the very first page of the Bible. He cares not only about my life here on Earth but about the kind of life I may have in the afterlife. Nothing could be sweeter than that. Don't you think?
My mate is:
My adviser- He always wants the best for me and speaks from the heart.
My father- Yes, he is already in his 70's. I look up to him as a dad.
He is my confidante- I tell him everything that scares and bothers me and he doesn't judge me.
He is my pen pal- Or email pal. He always emails me even though I don't respond right away. Our last email was today about something romantic.
Oh, by the way, he also included 20 AUD in the package. I doubted whether to declare it or not, but I did, so I paid a tax.
I am lucky to have a cobber from the "Land Down Under"...(Cobber means a very good friend)
I hope to see him in New South Wales one day.
How about you? Do you have a long-time friend that you haven't personally met yet? How do you keep your communication going? Share it with me by leaving your comment below.
TO MY WONDERFUL SPONSORS: YOU GUYS ROCK!
I highly recommend you to visit their pages, you'll be surprised at how much you'll learn.
-Jaffas image was from Remarkablesweetshop
-The rest of the pictures and content are mine.
The only connection I have closest to that are in platforms like this :) In noise, I have met fellow noisers who live in my city. I hope one day you and your friend will see each other personally. I'm sure you will have lots of things to talk about.