Because Family is Home
It's a known fact that hoteliers are considered frontliners too. We get to handle or interact with guests - LSI or OFW, who will be checking in and out at our hotel which is now a quarantine facility. It's risky because we wouldn't know if that guest is positive or negative of the coronavirus until their results are released on their check-out date. But still, all of us just hopes for the best while at the same time taking extra precautions and following proper procedures in doing our tasks just to be safe from the invisible virus.
There's this part of my job that I consider a perk. I get to witness our guests' reactions whenever they are told by the nurses that their results are negative and they can check out on that day. Of course, it's not always good as some do say:
"Dugaya pod ning resultaha girelease oy."
"Grabing laaya didto day oy."
"Mahala oy, way discount?"
"Dapat adto paning niaging adlaw ni among resulta, samang dugaya man hinoon!"
I wouldn't blame these people for their complaints and dissatisfaction because I'll never know what they've been through. Maybe some of them have been to 2-3 quarantine facilities already and they miss their families so badly, or they have spent a lot of money just to get back home, or the experience of being alone in a room for 14 days is draining for their mental or emotional health. Really, I'll never know, that's why we have to extend our patience and understanding to our guests during these times.
But aside from those complaints, we also have the other side of the table - those guests who get emotional or euphoric and excited that their result is finally here and is negative. After claiming their certificates, they call their loved ones telling them the good news and then ask them to pick them up here.
This morning I checked out 3 guests, they were all blood-related so they were staying in one room. They asked me to take a picture of them as a remembrance that they stayed at our hotel. Then, I was able to talk to one of them as they were sitting at the hotel lobby, waiting for their pick up. She told me that the 3 of them were from outside the country and they have already been to 3 quarantine facilities. The experience was a struggle for them as the 3 of them are all senior citizens (aged 60 yrs +). But as I was talking to her, I didn't feel in her aura that she was stressed or tired about all the procedures that they went through just to get home. In fact, she was so excited to see her sons and daughters who will pick them up. I figured, maybe she looked past all of it as she was focused and determined to see her children again.
Finally, after 10 minutes of waiting, their pick up has arrived. A man in the driver's seat was waiving excitedly, while a woman in the back seat went out, had a phone in her hands and I believe she was taking a video of the moment. And the lady that I talked to, went a little emotional and then she hugged another woman who was from another car (2 cars picked them up). Then the other 2 guests also hugged the other passengers in the car.
I was touched seeing that moment - families reunited, children seeing their parents again, parents hugging their children again after a long time. It made me realized that despite having our country under Community Quarantine (Enhanced, Modified, or General) for 6 months, I'm still blessed that I get to spend it or experience it here, in my hometown, with my family. I know there were days or even weeks when I was so ungrateful, complaining that;
"Boringa aning naa ras balay oy."
"Hagua pod ning di ta kalakaw or kalaag ug layo oy tungod sa quarantine."
"Lamia idung sa kuan oy, kinalaayan na kaayu diri."
But looking at other's situation, I'm blessed. I should have been more thankful. I bet those LSI or OFW's from around the world would have prayed for what I have. I bet they would choose being quarantined for 6 months in their hometowns with their families than being quarantined on foreign land, far from their loved ones, and with the risk that they could get the virus if they try to travel back home.
It's hard to count our blessings when we always pay attention to what we don't have, or the struggle that we're experiencing, or when we only think of what we want without considering other things. Appreciation goes a long way, and I sometimes kick myself for it for not being grateful and appreciative enough. So to those people who I've met and made me realize how blessed I am, thank you. Thank you for the lesson that I didn't learn too late, but rather learn it from you. And thank you God, for the gift of family. ❤️️
There's this part of my job that I consider a perk. I get to witness our guests' reactions whenever they are told by the nurses that their results are negative and they can check out on that day. Of course, it's not always good as some do say:
"Dugaya pod ning resultaha girelease oy."
"Grabing laaya didto day oy."
"Mahala oy, way discount?"
"Dapat adto paning niaging adlaw ni among resulta, samang dugaya man hinoon!"
I wouldn't blame these people for their complaints and dissatisfaction because I'll never know what they've been through. Maybe some of them have been to 2-3 quarantine facilities already and they miss their families so badly, or they have spent a lot of money just to get back home, or the experience of being alone in a room for 14 days is draining for their mental or emotional health. Really, I'll never know, that's why we have to extend our patience and understanding to our guests during these times.
But aside from those complaints, we also have the other side of the table - those guests who get emotional or euphoric and excited that their result is finally here and is negative. After claiming their certificates, they call their loved ones telling them the good news and then ask them to pick them up here.
This morning I checked out 3 guests, they were all blood-related so they were staying in one room. They asked me to take a picture of them as a remembrance that they stayed at our hotel. Then, I was able to talk to one of them as they were sitting at the hotel lobby, waiting for their pick up. She told me that the 3 of them were from outside the country and they have already been to 3 quarantine facilities. The experience was a struggle for them as the 3 of them are all senior citizens (aged 60 yrs +). But as I was talking to her, I didn't feel in her aura that she was stressed or tired about all the procedures that they went through just to get home. In fact, she was so excited to see her sons and daughters who will pick them up. I figured, maybe she looked past all of it as she was focused and determined to see her children again.
Finally, after 10 minutes of waiting, their pick up has arrived. A man in the driver's seat was waiving excitedly, while a woman in the back seat went out, had a phone in her hands and I believe she was taking a video of the moment. And the lady that I talked to, went a little emotional and then she hugged another woman who was from another car (2 cars picked them up). Then the other 2 guests also hugged the other passengers in the car.
I was touched seeing that moment - families reunited, children seeing their parents again, parents hugging their children again after a long time. It made me realized that despite having our country under Community Quarantine (Enhanced, Modified, or General) for 6 months, I'm still blessed that I get to spend it or experience it here, in my hometown, with my family. I know there were days or even weeks when I was so ungrateful, complaining that;
"Boringa aning naa ras balay oy."
"Hagua pod ning di ta kalakaw or kalaag ug layo oy tungod sa quarantine."
"Lamia idung sa kuan oy, kinalaayan na kaayu diri."
But looking at other's situation, I'm blessed. I should have been more thankful. I bet those LSI or OFW's from around the world would have prayed for what I have. I bet they would choose being quarantined for 6 months in their hometowns with their families than being quarantined on foreign land, far from their loved ones, and with the risk that they could get the virus if they try to travel back home.
It's hard to count our blessings when we always pay attention to what we don't have, or the struggle that we're experiencing, or when we only think of what we want without considering other things. Appreciation goes a long way, and I sometimes kick myself for it for not being grateful and appreciative enough. So to those people who I've met and made me realize how blessed I am, thank you. Thank you for the lesson that I didn't learn too late, but rather learn it from you. And thank you God, for the gift of family. ❤️️
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