Author Topic: Flying high and going places with Geraldee Vallejo Campbell - Balbona  (Read 2459 times)

Fiel Angeli AraoaraoGabin

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Flying high and going places with
GERALDEE VALLEJO CAMPBELL – BALBONA
A-1 student. Beauty queen. Medical technologist. Cathay Pacific Airways flight attendant.
By Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao – Gabin

       
1)   Dyndyn, the conscientious career woman,
              almost 14 years now with the Cathay Pacific Airways fleet,
              among the best in the world

2) Blast from the past. Dyndyn at center, wearing Cathay’s third
     uniform (from 1954-1962), with other crew. (Uniforms are just
    some of the designs worn Cathay Pacific’s 60 years of service) 
                                                                                                                                       
3)  Dyndyn with a supervisor and a pilot.

4) As “hands-on” mom to 16-month-old son Neil Francis, the youngest

5) Happiness is being with her family in
Hong Kong: with husband Arthur Dave,
Nicole, Natalie and Neil.
   
The following lines were taken from Edward Lear’s “The Owl and the Pussycat:” “The owl and the pussycat went to the sea, in a beautiful pea-green boat. They took some honey and plenty of money, wrapped up in a five-pound note…And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, they danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon. They danced by the light of the moon.” Those lines have been etched in my memory since our elementary years at Holy Spirit School. The poem was a favorite piece of Dyndyn, my oh-so-pretty and smart classmate back then.

When I e-mailed her last week to ask for information about herself, she did reply after a Taipei flight and told me she was so busy from arranging her eldest daughter's 12th birthday party which was followed by a 'sleep-over.' The celebration lasted for three (3) days. She was also in the thick of things for the barbecue cum Halloween party attended by more than 50 people, plus more than 30 kids, in the CX (Cathay Pacific) community where they live in Laguna City, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Geraldee “Dyndyn” Vallejo Campbell – Balbona, born on July 27, 1970 in Sta. Mesa, Manila, is the eldest of three (3) children and the only daughter of John Mumar Campbell from Bool, Tagbilaran City, assistant cashier of PNB-Tagbilaran before he retired in 1992 to immigrate to the United States with his family, and Azucena Lupiba Vallejo from Calape, an elementary teacher, who, before retiring from the service, was principal of Dao and Bool Elementary Schools and now works at the Department of Motor Vehicles in San Jose, California. Mrs. Campbell was also Mama Wincie’s co-performer, among the original cast of the very first staging of the Blood Compact “Sandugo” re-enactment here in Bohol in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s, with no less than Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, the first Asian to serve as president of the United Nations General Assembly (1949) and the only Filipino journalist to win the Pulitzer Prize, as guest of honor.

Dyndyn was a consistent honor student (and best speaker) in elementary, graduated salutatorian in high school (Holy Spirit School) and finished her bachelor’s degree in medical technology at Velez College in Cebu City. She took the 1991 licensure examination, passed, but never really practiced her profession as a medical technologist nor proceeded to medical school, as others would have opted. The walk-in interview in February 1993 ushered her way to exciting travel opportunities as flight attendant after she joined Cathay Pacific Airways, Ltd., a Hong Kong-based airline. Enjoying almost 14 years in the fleet, she’s currently a flight purser, in-charge of a cabin. (Cathay Pacific Airways is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Passengers love the different uniforms the crew wear at one flight since everyone look colorful and quite interesting, giving them a blast from the past.) 

In between flights or during her spare time (which isn’t much), she likes to read everything from fiction/ thriller to autobiographies, to the 'Lonely Planet'. Traveling and visiting places tops her list of favorite “things,” which, of course, she admits, was why she joined CX in the first place. Other than the Philippines, the Balbonas have picked their favorite family destinations: Bali and Phuket in Thailand for its wonderful beaches, relaxing atmosphere and great food; Singapore (it’s green, clean and the food's great, too!) and San Francisco and San Jose in California where her parents and brothers live, because the kids love the theme parks there. She hopes to bring her family to Europe, especially to London, Paris and Rome when the kids are bigger and more mature to absorb its culture.

Her personal favorite CX (Could also be package inclusive of airfare, hotel + transfer) ports are Singapore, Bangkok and Japan.  “I love to eat, as you have probably guessed by now, and I like trying different cuisines. Thai and Japanese food are among my all-time favorites. As for Paris (France), “the place just sweeps you away! You might think it's cliché, but it definitely is one of the most romantic places in the world!” According to her, she likes London (England) because of the theatres and still cries every time she watches  “Ms. Saigon.” (Sappy, huh?) Sydney (Australia) holds a special place in her heart since it was her first 'long haul flight.' San Francisco is never dull as it has such diverse culture, aside from the fact that her family lives nearby, which she considers an added bonus! (Once in a while, she spends time with her parents and younger brothers Jude, 34, married, formerly with the United States Air Force and now working at Valleymaid County Hospital in San Jose, California and Robert Glenn, 32, still single, a practicing lawyer, specializing in immigration, divorce, family laws and wills in Stockton, California.)

Dyndyn married her longtime college boyfriend, Arthur Dave “Ardee” Balbona from Cebu City, who is now the front office manager of Langham Hotel, a five-star hotel in Hong Kong and they’ve just celebrated our relationship's 19th anniversary. (****, has it really been that long ?!?)  The union was blessed with three lovely kids namely: Nicole Marie (12 y.o.), Natalie Elizabeth (4 y.o.) and Neil Francis (16 mos. old). She is delighted that her kids do well in school. Nicole is a constant 'academic proficiency awardee' and was 'Best in French' last school year at the Christian Canadian-French International School. Though still in lower kindergarten, Natalie had an “academic achievement award” of which she's very proud of (she says she's like her Ate Nikki whom she idolizes).

The once Miss Teen Tagbilaran 1988 and Miss Cebu Tourism '92 runner-up says she’s pretty much a “hands-on mom” who enjoys baking, swimming, biking or just playing with the kids. Dyndyn tries to be involved with their growth as much as she can. “Time flies so fast, I wouldn't want to regret anything! My husband even teases me saying, if there was an award for the most active and dedicated Mom, then, it would go to me since I'm a constant 'volunteer Mom' in school…I'd have to say my children give me constant joy (and that's an understatement!). They, literally, give me strength, an energy boost, even after a 14-hour flight from San Francisco! I guess all mothers out there would understand what I'm trying to say.”
'Live each day as if it were your last' has always been her guiding line. “I try to do my best in everything, from my line of work to being a 'mom.' I try not to worry too much... as it can cause needless burden and stress which no one needs, ‘though this part is and always will be a constant struggle for me.   I guess it's human nature to think too much!” she quips. As a perennial head-turner, I am sure that Dyndyn is one of the ladies to watch in the 25th anniversary reunion of our HSS Elementary Class of 1983 in July 2008. – Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao - Gabin
 





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     I am there in that place last two years is there any new to that place?


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     I am there in that place last two years is there any new to that place?


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