Welcome Back Sonny!

With all that is going on in my life right now, I have to face the fact that Sonny is already a young man and is going places.

He left for student exchange programme last Tuesday, 27th October 2009. Departed on Garuda Air from Changi International Airport for a week at a school called Santa Laurensia in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Wifey was at a loss without her beloved only child the first night he was not around. Indeed, the house became so quiet... no boom-beat resonance emanating from his room. No little chat-chats with her son, no little "disagreements" heard between them for the past week.

Wifey broke her daily longing for Sonny with long distance calls to his hotel room every night. After 10:00PM Singapore time, the students would have retired to their respective rooms, back from their day's activities. Indonesia is an hour behind us.


Straight after our Dunman Supportive Parents' group or DSP meeting ended at Sonny's school at 4:30PM, Wifey and I left for the Changi T1 airport. There, we met other parents, obviously anxious too and waiting for their beloved children's return.

GA830 was the flight number. It departed Jakarta, Indonesia at 2:55PM and arrived on time at 5:30PM Singapore time.

Sonny was to first to come out from the arrival hall to the baggage claim. Spotting a new black T-shirt and a black military-like shirt over it, he looked so tall and all grown-up when we saw him from afar.

"Look!" Wifey quipped. "He chose and bought his own clothes there..." she continued "He has good taste like me." She said jokingly to me. She is so proud of Sonny. I know I am too.

Eyes searching the outside for us as he waited for his luggage to come out from the conveyor, he waved at us as soon as he spotted us behind the glass wall. Apparently, Wifey was waving frantically at him... so it was hard not to notice her, I guess.

He gave us a big smile, somewhat a relieved one. Most probably he missed us too. That smile made Wifey's longing for past week all worth while.


Spotting dark glasses hung on his T-shirt, Sonny was like a tourist coming back from a seaside resort or a overseas jig. One thing is for sure... he had his PSP portable held in his hand, like always. He never leaves home... in fact anywhere, without it!

Once he came out, Wifey hugged him so tightly and planted numerous kisses on him like he had gone away for years. It made Sonny a little embarrassed but at the same time happy that he was missed.

"5 days is such a long time!" Wifey said.

We went straight home. Sonny has so much things to share with us, especially with his Mom. Wifey will make for lost time with long chats with Sonny since the long school holidays have just started.