I stood in awe as four women shouted furiously at each other. The party of chaos included two ex-wives, one from Britain and another from Korean, a girl-friend from the Philippines and a niece from Mexico. Alfred Hitchcock once said that Drama is life with the dull bits cut out. Well, stuck in this frantic drama scene, I really hoped that someone would say "cut" and put an end to this nightmare.
It was my second week of immersion in Toronto. Despite the fact that it was not my first time going abroad, I still constantly felt like the end of the world when unexpected minor situations such as getting lost in the street occurred. I had finally gotten used to my 12 hours jetlag, the snoring of an elderly gentleman who lived next room and the incredibly tricky transportation system of the city. Just when I thought I had managed myself through the tough part and the enjoyable immersion in Canada could finally start, a phone call changed everything.
My host mom sounded nervous and a bit uneasy over the phone. She said: "Angela we had to move out of the apartment suddenly and I only had a few minutes to pack, so I just took out some necessities." According to my friend who was having lunch with me at that time, I became pale.
Then my host mom went on to explain that apartment we were staying at did not legally belong to her, it was under the lease of her boyfriend, who had died two days before I arrived in Canada. Therefore, the courthouse had taken back the apartment and she was not allowed to enter until they agreed on whose property it belonged to. The problem was, my passport together with all my cash and other personal belongings were left behind in the apartment.
"Don't worry," She said. "We'll stop by tomorrow and find the building manager to pick up your things."
I felt like I was on the edge of a breakdown on the way to the "emergency shelter" where Jina's daughter lived. Staring at the ceiling of the temporary bedroom located in the basement, it occurred to me that I should probably contact the staff from the international office. However, my host seemed to have reacted much faster than I did. I heard her talking on the phone with Stephanie who was the person in charge of international students at York University.
"Angela is fine." I heard her say. "This place is very secure, and she'll be fine."
I was not fine. My seemingly calm facial expression was only there to mask my fear. This was definitely not a safe neighborhood as it was just a street away from the notorious criminal district.
Stephanie was obviously doubtful of what my host said and she requested to speak to me on the phone. Jina walked right into my room, handed me her phone and said:" It's Stephanie. Tell her that you're ok."
For a moment there I felt like a victim in a hostage situation where you were supposed to report back for safety. I obviously could not tell Stephanie how I really felt with my host standing right in front of me overhearing the entire conversation. Think fast! I told myself. I took over the phone, pretended to listen for a few seconds and then I smiled apologetically at Jina and told her that Stephanie wished to talk with me privately.
As soon as Jina stepped out of the basement. I poured everything out and informed her how ridiculous this situation was. Stephanie assured me that they would have me re-located as soon as I got my belongings back the next day.
I lay in bed tossing and turning that night, trying to process the entire incident. Up till then, I had been so accustomed to having everything planned out by my parents or by the school that I felt terrified when I was in a foreign country having to deal with such a crisis on my own. Trusting myself and making the best out of this situation was the only thing that I could do.
The next morning, we returned to the building to meet with the building manager. I could smell the tension in the air the minute I arrived. All the related family members including two ex-wives, a niece and my host who was the girlfriend were present. While the first ex-wife appeared to be a kind British grandma, the second wife from Korean was much younger. She was tall and svelte. Her flawless skin seemed pale in her chic black suits. They all seemed serious and well prepared, holding bunches of documents in their arms. My instinct told me to get out of there as fast as I could, but my rational mind reminded me that I needed to get my belongings out of there before I left. "It's going to be just fine." I told myself, "They are all adults and they are going to settle this minor incident in a civil way, and I can get out of here in no time. You are just an international student who needs to get her passport back."
Just as I was prepping myself to talk about my situation with the family members, my host mom whispered to me: "Don't say anything and just follow me." Before I had the chance of asking her why, the two ex-wives spotted me and yelled: "Who is she?"
"She's just my daughter." My host mom answered calmly. I, for the record, was startled at suddenly becoming Filipino and I didn't understand her intention of lying, so all I could do was smile awkwardly and find out her next move. While I was trying to figure out whether to reveal my true identity or not, the niece from Mexico came marching towards us. "She's not her daughter, she is just a student! You liar!"
"I just don't want her to get involved in this." defended Jina. "She has nothing to do with it."
"Why did you lie to us!" questioned the ex-wife from Korean angrily.
"Because she always lies!" shouted the niece, "I told you to tell Angela the truth, didn't I? Why did you lie to her?"
"She is only here for two months. She doesn't have to know everything."
While my host and the other two wives engaged in a heated argument about their complicated history filled with grudges, the niece from Mexico dragged me aside to brief me on the "family history". I guessed it was very important to understand the background story before you became part of the drama.
"You see that second wife." she pointed at the Korean woman, "She married my uncle just for the passport!"
"And you know what," She continued, "Jina told me the other day that she thought you ate too much and you wanted to have vegetables."
I smiled awkwardly. Forgive me for eating too much.
Our first briefing session was interrupted by the second ex-wife who made a remark which provoked the niece from Mexico. She quickly joined the fight. Meanwhile, the first ex-wife, a lady I thought was very kind, came to my side and watched the chaos while telling me "her side" of the story. After about 30 minutes of frustration, I was able to conclude two main points about these family members. First, they all hated each other for reasons that may be traced back to 20 years ago. Second, they all seemed to "like" me for being so "understanding" and "supportive". I immediately grasped the opportunity and convinced them of the fact that I was a victim of this whole incident and therefore I should be allowed to retrieve my belongings from the apartment. They all appeared to be sympathetic but I still had to gain approval from the building manager in charge of the keys.
I entered the manager's office with the bunch of flustering family members. The serious looking gentleman listened to our situation and smiled.
"Sounds like he was quite a lady's man." Checking the lease and other documents, he told me, "I am very sympathetic for your situation Angela, but according to the court orders, no one is supposed to enter the apartment until everything is settled."
The world was literally tumbling down right in front of me. Without my belongings, I would get myself into so much unnecessary trouble. My voice quivered as I continued with the negotiation. "But legally I am not a part of this family. I'm only an innocent international student who stayed at this apartment as a guest. Besides, I will be leaving Canada in two months and this court won't start until three months later. How am I supposed to go home without my passport?"
He seemed to be moved by my words and started to display signs of hesitation. Only then did I realize that this was a fight that I was able to battle on my own even though there was no army to hold my back. I had never felt so logical and calm in my life. All he needed was one last straw. "Plus, I think that it is not a big deal if you would kindly open the door for me just to collect my belongings as I have the consent of all the family members. I promise I will be out of there in no time."
I waited for his approval. If he refused, I had mapped out a clear plan for myself. I would ask someone from the school to come and negotiate with him. Then, if that didn't work, I could even ask the Chinese embassy for help. There had to be a way for me to retrieve my belongings and I would not stop until I did so.
But that was enough. He gave in and agreed to make an exception just because he thought I "seemed to be a very nice person". Half an hour later, I was sitting in a taxi with all my belongings heading towards my new home stay. It was raining and the new location was in a small town outside Toronto. I had no idea what I should be expecting but I was not scared at all. After all, how bad could it possibly be? Crises made me more mature and helped me acquire wisdom. If you were going through hell, just keep going.