June 3, 2008. First day in the Australian National University, Canberra. I should have been excited about everything. Well.. i was.. but such emotion is practically overtaken by the agony of not having anything to wear and nothing to eat.
I was billeted at the Liversidge Court Apartments inside the university. The unit is has two bedrooms: one with a queen size bed and another with two single beds. It has a fully equipped kitchen, a combined toilet, bath and laundry room, a living room and dining area. The apartment complex is actually intended for visiting VIPs who would have to stay in ANU for several days, hence the hotel like ambience. Its nice, but m also worried how much it would cost me. But before worrying for that, i need to have my lost luggage first. Everything i need to get started is there.
7:00 am. The weather was gloomy. It's been raining when i got out of bed. I am more gloomy than the weather. I cant get out: i have nothing to wear an i have to wait for my luggage to be delivered. The document given me by Qantas states that it would be delivered within 24 hours. I was hoping it would be around by 8:00 AM.
8:00 am. No luggage. I havent had dinner. Shops in canberra close at 7:00 or 9:00 pm. Since i was able to get out of the airport at around 10:00 pm, i never even had the chance to have a decent dinner. So much about that. What will I have for breakfast? Well... there's tea and biscuits compliments of the Liversidge Court Apts.
9:00 am. Still no luggage, rain is getting stronger. Called the toll free number to follow-up with Qantas.
10:00 to 12:00 nn. Luggage found but not yet around. since i cannot make an outside call to non-toll free numbers, officials of the policy and governance department at ANU helped me follow-up my luggage with the airport staff and courier service hired by Qantas to deliver lost luggages. Got word that it will be delivered by 2:00 pm, hence i was advised to stay in the appartment. What about lunch? Well.. there were still cookies and tea.
2:00 to 3:00 pm. Luggage where art thou? i looked like a snow man walking around the apartment and its surounding looking for the courier who will deliver my luggage. a hu hu hu this is already getting hard. Ive not spoken with anyone the entire day, and i have not eaten any decent food.
4:00 pm. Where's my freaking luggage?! The kind people of ANU's public policy dept ringed me to say that the courier service called - saying they went over my place at around 2:10 pm and no one was around. What!!!!! I was here.... how could they not see my all-white ensemble which Qantas provided in the first place. Worst, the ANU people could not return call coz the number given by the courier lacks a digit. M so hungry, i went out and bought food.
5:00. I entered my dark apartment with a small sando bag of groceries. VOILA!!! May bagahe sa living room. AAHHHHH, here is my luggage!!! How could it be? I called the people of the public policy dept to inform them that the luggage has been delivered. WHEW!! Maghapon ako naghintay, kung kelan ako wala saka naman dumating ^%^%^&&%&%$%$%$!!!!
8:00. Still no contact with the outside world: my cell phone has no more load for roaming, my telephone line is prohibited to make outside calls, i have no way to connect to the internet... well... at least my luggage is already around (pakunswelo de bob0). I opened it..... it's wet inside and out. A hu hu hu!!! how could this happen to me??!! I laid down the docs in the bed so that they will dry and put my clothes (in three batches) to the drier. My dad sent me two consecutive text messages: "anak kumusta ka na dyan?" and "anak mabuti ba kalagayan mo dyan?". I can't answer..... I have no more cellphone credits. What a day its been. :-)
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