stolen shot by Ian across Bugis Street

Bugis Junction.

I thought this place was just an ordinary & small area at first. Little did I know that it’s actually a big & complicated one to meet someone without further detail especially for first-timers. I was pretty confident on my way expecting that I could easily locate my friend because I even clarified and asked her the exact location and she assured me to meet right in front of the station near the ticket counter.

I arrived at the area at 7:15 PM, 15 min before the planned meet-up. I was waiting right in front of the station near the ticket counter but it was already 8 PM and I was like , "Where the hell are you my friend?" So I began to roam around the area and found a phone booth. It became more challenging when I forgot to screenshot the contact number of my friend so I could call her soon, but I was foolish enough for not saving her number, I thought the image of her calling card she sent to me would still appear on my FB messenger. Finally, I started to give up and thought it’s better to go home and had my dinner alone. sigh.. life!

As I was about to leave the place, I heard someone speaking in Visayan dialect. I tried to approach them and asked for help without any hesitation. They looked a bit surprised yet amiable towards me. Since I was in a foreign country, It was difficult for me to use the internet. Just so you know, the Singaporean SIM card didn't work on my phone and I couldn't even connect to free wifi since most establishments need back-up pins/ password of a local telecommunication company. It was a sigh of relief for me to see fellow Filipinos and good thing they shared to me their internet.

Lesson Learned:

• Be specific with location. Consider some landmarks. Be aware of some famous establishments like McDonalds or Starbucks as it is possible to have many branches in just the same premises.
• Have a note or save important contact numbers and address such as embassy, police and among others.
• Be aware of your surrounding. You might get help out from your senses.
• Be friendly. Master the art of socializing.