Departure & Arrival

i had a weird day yesterday. at 130am, i sent off my folks at the airport... 11 hours later, i was back for the arrival of my brother who was on vacation in the phils for 45 days. he is working also in Adventureland.

weird not because of the sleeplessness, nor the numbing thigh and leg muscles for standing up for a long time, nor anything crazy. weird because, within 11 hours, i felt all the gamut of emotions one can have in a lifetime! ... it's like 'One Fine Day', or my fave 'Before Sunrise' and "Before Sunset'.

on the departure episode, first there was riot in last-minute preparations... confusion on things to be packed or not, notes to be written and reminders to be said... and do not forget the irritations on things not done!... then, there is physical exhaustion after weeks of late night sleeps, whole day driving and squeezing quality time with folks while working... and then, sadness on saying goodbye after 26 memorable days. taking them to the airport was a drag, and as i've seen, i guess all departures are-- tight- and-unwilling-to-release-hugs, some tears falling, endless goodbyes... and finally, worrying about their safe travel back home. i am not the worrying type. i've always had a strong trust in my God who knows all things that are happening. but this time, maybe because it's my dear ones, i am really knocked off. so i was totally relieved when i finally spoke with them on the phone upon landing at NAIA airport 9 hours later. and then later still, called home and felt happy and very thankful to God, hearing the voices of the whole family (especially my nephews and niece) gathered back again.


so 11 hours later, i was back to fetch my brother at the arrivals area. with barely 4 hours sleep, i mustered all my strenght to be back there. the wait was quite long, but i have been amused by the happiness and excitement that rules that part of the airport. i've even observed surprised faces for those who may have not seen each other for a long time. i like so much the adorable facial expression of babies and kids at these meetings, ranging from excitement to questining stare to totally NVR (no visible reaction). the loved up expression are my fave scenes between dear ones reunited at that moment which are usually coupled with bouquet of flowers, kisses and hugs. there are the sleepy tots, exhausted from the whole flying thing. i've seen quite a number of anxious ones who are waiting for their relatives, and that including me. and add the angry moment for me, when i learned after 2 hours of waiting that the flight no. i was waiting for has been changed and needed to wait for another hour!!! oh, Gulf Air! so, when i saw my brother, i was pacified.

a day after, guess what... loneliness struck me like crazy! i cannot believe it! it's strange but so real, so engulfing... well, it must be the monthly hormonal changes...

International Property Show

i just came from the Dubai International Property Show at the Wordl Trade Center. we were trying to get a good inventory of the future supply of property developments which we can use for our business development planning.



and wow, am i so overwhelmed! covering across 4 halls just means that there are a lot going on in this field in the region. some even call it madness! crazy! well, i couldn't agree more. the fight for the 'est' has always been the name of the game... the biggest, the tallest, the gradest, the finest, etc... i even read in some chatroom how they find the dubai developments very fake. well, matter-of-factly, it is indeed fake. coz they do not have what the other countries are blessed with. but they did not take this sitting down, instead achieved it to the most extreme. knowing that in the near future, their main source of living will be depleted, oil that is, they have long prepared by opening other souces of living-- tourism.



they have the Palm, not only one but three. also, The World, reclaiming lands and shaped it into world continents. Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world. Ski Dubai, the biggest indoor skiing facility... in the middle of a desert! there are concepts of doing Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and all the other wonders of the world. the underwater hotel is rumored to be underway. weird architectural buldings were displayed in the show. and the list just goes on with completion of projects happening every year...




but on the other hand, if you've been here for a long time, and have heard of the other projects being launched but never reached groundbreaking event after many years, you kinda become uninterested and worse, sarcastic about all these grandeous concepts. after all, it's never a done deal, until you see the development built.




one thing positive i know though... in all stages, whether project is completed or not, thousands of jobs are always created.... and so the exodus of the pinoys may not yet end in the near future, sadly leaving behind many families hoping for a better present and future.

Emiratisation

a local of UAE is called an emirati. UAE has only about 20% locals, so you can imagine what the workforce here is comprised of. most locals work in the government where they get paid double or triple the normal the asians get (europeans are well compensated here!) and work less than 8 hours per day! plus, the government gives them a huge sum of dirhams (monetary unit) as a gift when they get married, and monthly allowance for their kids' schooling, and they have free medical services for all ages! oh, a charmed life!

last 2005, the Labor Ministry has released the 'emiratisation' law which states that for every 50 employees in a private company, there must be 2% (or 1 pax) local. i view this as a forced taxation for companies. kinda smart huh? oh well...

so, why the change? i assume that the population of the locals are booming, and the government cannot anymore cope up both in creating job positions and the provision of regular allowances. so this has to be borne by another sector-- you guessed it right, the private sector! although, personally, i think it is also to prepare the emiratis in what is going to happen in the future-- that their life isn't that charmed after all! globalization is here, and oil reserve will deplete in time... so they have to start learning how to work and live like the rest of us mortals.

this law has posed 2 conflicts in our company. (1) their salaries will create a gap in our scheme, and (2) we cannot find an emirati who can do what our staff does. remember that they are not used to our 'multi-tasking' and 'hard-working' culture, specially the ladies who are usually a stay-home moms or non-working young girls....


.... well, two years after, one of the emiratis we hired last march 2005 is still with us. she may not be what we expect her to be, but we know that she is the best among her league who has adapted well to our culture. a colleague once told me how she defended our company to her co-emiratis when asked why she was working in an all-filipino company when she can find one which is multi-cultural and will give higher salary. she says she enjoys her time with us, and i guess the pinoy charm has endeared her to us, and she says our happiness is so contagious. so it's not surprising that she knows more tagalog words than we know arabic words. she's been so immersed with the filipino culture, and says she loves it!

reversely, we are learning so much about the 'real' arabic culture which we cannot usually get from the books. family life, young girls' lives, arabic men, traditions, work life, weddings, arranged marriages, divorces, raising kids, and the list goes on and on... local women are very much 'revered' here i.e. you cannot stare at them, you cannot take photo of them, you cannot just talk to them, so looking at her, having photo opp with her and talking to her somehow bridges the cultural gap between us. (not to forget that she makes our pinoy trademark request for 'souvenir picture with a local' always possible!). she gives us a good peek of what their life is.... to which i must say, i will not trade places with!

simply put, talking to her makes me appreciate my race, and my life more...

Dubai World Cup

"The richest day’s racing in the world takes place at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday March 31st, 2007. The evening features the US$6 million Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race, supported by the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free and US$5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, the two most valuable turf races in the world. The other Group 1 race is the US$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, which carries the same value as the Group 2 UAE Derby. The Group 2 Godolphin Mile is worth US$1 million, while the meeting begins with the US$250,00 Dubai Kahayla Classic, a Group 1 race for Purebred Arabians. "


i do not understand much about horse races. what i just remembered was being in one preliminary races in the dubai world cup when we became one of the sponsors of the event. i sat on the airconditioned bleachers, and waited painstakingly (well for me) for the start of the race. up there were europeans and locals, and down there on the ground floor ring were the asians, mostly indians and pakistanis, and none of the pinoys.


later still, the race started. thru my digicam zoom, i can see how shiny the hair of those horces are!!!! must be the reason why kris aquino used the Mane & Tail shampoo... a few seconds has passed and the people started getting so pumped up that many can't stay on ther seats. and i ask, does yelling has to be necessary? well, i don't share their passion, so maybe that's why i'm so pathetic. in a few more seconds, the race was finished! wow, my wait was longer than the actual event! after that, we had a very upscale dinner which they say is suited to the ambiance.

now, the closest i can get to a finale of the Dubai World Cup was last 2006 when we waited for our boss who attended the event, at the carpark. the people who went out of the event were all in matching suits. and finally, i got to see those weird-looking yet overstated hats which only comes out once a year! (thank goodness!) and the ladies are all dressed to impress! i asked him how his experience went. he said, 'well it's very opulent event. those horses are treated like kings. it's all basically a social gathering'...

well, that's once facet of dubai for you guys...

Showing the World to my Folks

when my travel to the philippines was disapproved due to many urgent reasons, i was so stunned, then depressed, then angry. since january, i have been planning for our church camp, for my friend's wedding, and for all the other things i usually do when i am home.

all those day-dreamings came to a crashing halt on that one fateful January afternoon...

after going thru the different scenes of emotional tapestry, i finally got hold of my senses and thought for a while. 'what if i bring my home here to dubai?' hmmm.... when i mentioned this to my boss, he did not give second thoughts. so we rushed my folks' visas and travel documents.

a few days before their arrival, i was already so excited, and anxious, can't sleep. i was going thru the mental exercises of reviewing worst case scenarious in the manila immigration where many visit visa holders become victims of extortion. i'm thinking of how to guide them since this will be their first journey abroad. i gave them a step-by-step guide from manila airport to dubai airport and rehearsed them everytime i phone them. and now... they are here!

barely two weeks, i think they have covered more grounds than those who have been for two years! after all the practice in being a tour guide the past month, little did i know that the ultimate application would be for my folks!

showing this world to my folks has been an exciting one. they are like little kids curious about anything. many things are new to them, coz indeed, they are. from third world to first world. it's so easy to please them, and i appreciate that so well. all the mundane things becomes so amazing. the many things i take for granted, they effectively highlight and unconsciously bring to my attention.

i took them to the malls, the cultural places, desert safari, dhow cruise, abu dhabi, sharjah...

also showed them where i work and where i live, and the people i move with.

more than the new things that dazzled them, i was more than happy seeing my mom and my dad together, sans worries and just enjoying each other. i think i have not seen them like that. never. all their lives, they've been working their ass out to try to give us a bright future. i guess this trip is a small yet sweet recompense...

Nanay's Day

last march 21, we celebrated mother's day here in UAE, earlier than the May celebration in the philippines and western counterparts. for Adventureland, we had the usual roses and treats for the moms...

we were on our way to abu dhabi when i remembered it. . .i seem to have missed already 3 or 5 years of mom's day-- she, is the phils, and me in dubai. so now, i am so glad we are together for it this year. i bought a rose at the convenience store while we gassed up the car. then gave it to nanay. hugged her and kissed her. it was a very very small token of love, incomparable to what she has given me, and continues to give............

long before, she admitted to me that because of economic situations, and because she was so young then and didn't know any better, she actually tried to get rid of me when i was still a few months in her womb. she'd jump from the table to reach the ceiling and down to the floor. i joked that maybe inside, i felt it was more of a playtime! i did not feel any anger at all, as what others would have felt when they discover that. God moved me in a way that i understood.

i grew up not seeing her much, maybe that's why i used to be tomboyish- what with three olders brothers and a father surrounding my daily routine! all i knew was that she'd go to work very early at the socks factory, and she'd come home when we are sleeping already. but i would know she's there coz she'd leave pancit, spaghetti, or any other meal that she prepared for selling to her factory-mates. i'd bring lunch to her everyday to the factory when i was younger, until i think i was old enough to be shy about it.

even when i was in high school, seldom did i spend time with her. she was totally wrapped up with earning extra income so that we can go to school. she wants us to finish college, as she was even short of having an elementary graduation. in college, when she already retired from work, that was the time i moved out and into the confines of the university dormitory. so it's only weekly that i get to see her.

despite that, i don't think i missed out on having a mother-figure. when i was old enough to understand, i appreciated so well what she silently did for us. what she lacked in words, she more than compensated in action. i've seen her strenght amidst all the storms she weathered. she has the humor and laughter that keeps her young. she's very street smart that would put to shame my college diploma. she's the epitome of my human version of sacrificing one's happiness for her family.

it did not take much for me to accept why she has to be away most of the time. when i was already working, we already have the time and the resources to enjoy each others' company. moreover, when God answered my prayer to give her the gift of salvation last 2000, it sealed our best friend status! it erased all the years when we seemed to be foreign to each other.

now, my friends are her friends. my burden, her burden (though i sift a few which may unnecessarily bother her, you know moms). my joys, her joys. my travels, her travels. my achievement, her achievement. my dreams, her dreams. my God, her God.

....tonight, she's cooking her version of 'sinigang'... can't wait to go home...

10 Things I like about UAE

1) the roads - well paved or cemented, with clear road marks and signs, and with most drivers respecting road rules, which makes my driving such a pleasurable trip most of the times. i'm sure some europeans will disagree with me as i read that they find driving here below their standards. but hey, you know where i am coming from. it's a far-cry from what we have in manila. however, i hate some of the roundabouts and the overall urban planning in dubai! it's so confusing! but i like the road system better in abu dhabi.

2) safety - the feeling of security is notches higher than what i am used to, and if you're a manileno, you'll know how priceless it is!... freedom to wear your jewelries, freedom to roam the streets, freedom to use your mobile, freedom go home late in the evening, freedom from safety worries, etc... case in point, i lost my mobile a few weeks ago, and got it back on the same day!

3) stone's throw away from beaches and other leisure options - no need to allot a whole day for planning and another day for the actual going to the beach. you can be very spontaneous!! and if you feel like hotel-hopping, your spoilt for choice. malling. cultural immersion. nice parks. all these always come wit superb toilets (with tissue and hose bidet!)-- the underrated public necessity in many countries.

4) freedom to talk in the company of foreigners - no need to hold those candid thoughts. just blurt it out in tagalog with your kabayan (just make sure though that your facial expression does not give it away!). also, use the deeper tagalog terms or a philippine dialect, as some of these foreigners can already understand our tagalog such as 'mabaho', 'gwapo', 'maganda', 'pangit'...

5) multi-national community - i love the opportunity to mix and mingle with the others. there are just so much stories, so much culture, so much novelty! just perfect for a sponge like me! and also, this country is awashed with my idea of pretty and handsome faces! and oh i forgot to mention, very cute kids!

6) winter - oh, i love the winters here! just the right weather. perfect for strolling and numerous outdoor activities. perfect for sashaying fashion statements. perfect for natural cooling system in the evenings. oh, just perfect.

7) sale!!!! - twice a year i get to have my dose of Mango, Nine West, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Per Una, Esprit, etc. Plus, my latest indulgences such as Ikea, The One and Home.

8) unity in diversity - Dubai represents the modern world, Abu Dhabi the serene, green and laid-back ambiance, Sharjah the cultural center, and the other northern emirates the nature-laden spots. whatever you fancy, you'll find it in any of the emirates.

9) exploring the impossibilities - Philippines is experiencing brain drain when it comes to engineers, architects and autocad operators. why? they are all here in UAE where their skills are put to much use, where budget does not restrain their creativity. who has not been amazed with all infrastructures such as Burj Al Arab, Madinat, The Palm, The World, Ski Dubai, Burj Dubai (tallest building in the world) etc.

10) no tax - need i say more?

Coffee Talk#3 and #4 Grand Hyatt

oh, we broke the rule of hotel-hopping!!!! as you can read on the title, it is #3 and #4! why there? oh, let me count the ways...

1) very nice lobby! huge expanse of space! this must be the biggest lobby i've ever seen!

2) very nice themening! if you do not have the real one, recreate it! from where we were comfortably seated (second level lobby), we can see the nature-themed back area where rows of great restaurants are lined up! they mimicked falls, lake and a lover's type bridge which serves as the passageway to the different dining options. the lushy greens (which are real plants by the way) makes you feel you are not in the middle of the desert!

3) very welcoming grand lobby! the front side which houses the piano bar, exhibits the grand staircase leading down to the main lobby, which is also by the way, huge in comparison to the others.

4) very relaxing mood music! the lobby reverberates the smooth piano and sax music. we've befriended also the resident musicians, so when they see us coming, they already play "moon river', as requested by Mano on our first visit!

5) very cheap valet! no problemo in parking!

6) good tasting drinks! on our second visit, it was not 'coffee talk in the truest sense of the word', as we experimented on other drinks, such as cocktail, hot mocha and frozen iced tea! we actually called it 'confused talk!' hahha! but the club sandwich is very poor! the smallest and most expensive club sandwich i have seen. and by the way, it also does not taste good!

7) very good place to take-off your mind from work! since the whole ambiance seems to take you into another dimension (wow!), you are assured of full mind relaxation... or stimulation, whichever you wish. for the later, make sure to bring with you well-equipped resource persons! and we had that for the past two sessions!

8) very good place for people watching, in case you have gone out of topics to talk about! poor guys!

9) very good reason for us to dress up a bit on a thursday night! who knows whom we may bump into when we stroll around the place?

10) spoilt for choice of restos in case we need a gastronomic challenge before a coffee talk! haha!

well... we have to hop on to other places once in a while... at least for now, we've found OUR PLACE under the mid east moon!

The Iraq Paradox

just like for most, media has painted a very bad picture of Iraq for me. but talking to my arab friends confirm the truths in what were written. civil wars, killings, bombings, etc... it's the never-ending saga of trying to build a new government. i only need to click "war in iraq" in google, and there pops 120,000,000 sites within 0.42 seconds! wow! just imagine all the space this topic occupies in the cyber history...

lately, i've been working frequently with our iraqi co-employee for some of our local business development projects. yes, an iraqi, but he is not the stereotype. trips going to traffic-congested dubai, and all the inner streets therein, leave us with so much time to kill. and being the ever-curious cat, i pestered him with my questionings...

"how's your family?" "since the war started in 2003, they stayed in Barsa, which is south of Baghdad. they are fine but i always worry about them."

"how has the war affected your life?" "i think things are never going to get better. we used to be a rich country, with good sources of oil. but now, economy is plunging sooo low. "

"what really is the war about" "i think it is more of the unresolvable conflict between Sunni and Shia, the two types of Muslims."

"what??? I thought there is only one type of muslim" "no. sunni is the bigger of the two. they have been fighting in iraq ever since. when saddam was ousted, we knew it was not going to be an end, but another beginnning. a new reason to fight over... and the cycle goes on... "

"what are they fighting for" "i really don't know anymore."

"blah blah blah".... my line of questionings were endless, with some bordering into ultimate boring ones, so i will spare you the details...

even if i ran thru the whole of the 120,000,000 sites, i still would not find one real answer to "why is this happening?" nor will i ever find a good rationalization on the occurence of all these. but one thing i have always been sure of, as cliche-ish as it may sound, truly, there are no winners in any kind of war. thousands of innocent lives have been taken away. thousands of lives shattered. thousands still are better off dead than slowly dying...

i remembered reading some marvelous things about Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization... and centuries after, now Iraq, the cradle of uncivilization! A sad paradox.

My Second Home in UAE

i was supposed to be just going for a 3-month stint in Dubai on May 2002... and now it is 2007, and we are already celebrating our 5th anniversary! wow, how time flies...

being a BS Food Technology graduate and having part of my work experience in product development, my first mission was to assist the food service department when Adventureland (family entertainment center) opened last Feb 2002... it was cut-short when the then marketing officer resigned and the post was opened. spending most of my working years in the philippines in the marketing field made me more at ease with this new mission rather than the first.

Marketing-wise, it was much different! i can say it was a blast! being part of the pioneering team, marketing was in full gear-- from tri-media to local store promotions to PR relations! this was my dream-come-true work and i've been a part of the department for 3 years, with our major accolade as being the Anchor (of the Mall) of the Year Awardee for 2004.

afterwhich, i shifted to other departments such as operations management, audit, hrd, admin, and general management as a whole. every step has been such a different world for me, adding multiples perspectives that i found useful not only at work, but for my personal life as well... with colleagues coming in and going out, and others coming back again... with different ball games at each period... with birthday, eids, christmases and ramadans coming in so fast... my life in Adventureland surely has been one heck of a roller coaster ride!

i'd always remember the faces of the happy kids complete with joyful shriekings that enlivens our center day-in day-out...

i'd always love the people i've worked with who has become good friends, and all the new friends i made from the different countries...

i'd always be thankful for the countless experiences that have pained me, but ultimately enriched me...

i'd always embrace the joys and the fun times i had with my workmates...

i'd always treasure the bosses who've never failed to support us, mentor us and share a good laugh with us... they are rare in this corporate world!

i'd always bring with me all the tricks of the trade that i learned, which i can apply even in the most mundane aspect of my life...

i'd always be thankful to God for the opportunity to see the face of this part of the world...

this is another rich chapter in my life that i'd surely remember with fondness and much thanksgiving

I'm an Addict!

i confess i am an addict. when stress at work is at the top, or when we are celebrating a job well done, each week, i should have a dose of it. otherwise, my withdrawal symptoms ranges from headache, stomache to complete insanity...


my complete dosage includes:

1 bowl of prawn wonton noodle soup with roasted duck (see the yummy picture!!)

1 serving of prawn bag

1 serving of chili crab fried rice

1 serving of roasted duck

1 serving of eggplant sambal

1 glass of sweet passion


all this, with a little help from another Noodle House fanatic (servings are for 2), will surely make my day!


there are 3 locations in dubai-- in the upscale Bin Hendi in City Center, at the elite Emirates Towers where you can be seated in a table with perfect strangers and still enjoy the meal, and at Madinat Jumeriah, where you have to wait for 30-1 hour to be served on weekends!


since they do not have table reservations, as soon as we hit the table, we already tick on the order pads which are readily available on the tables. using spiralized ballpen, we tick all those mentioned above and immediately give them to the waitress waiting. and then, the salivating begins as we anticipate the arrival of the dishes on our tables... with fun talks in between, we will always end up stretching back, sighing out loud, burping a bit, patting our tummies, and ultimately, smiling crazily at this experience!

there was even a day when i had it for lunch in City Center, and really pushed it also for dinner at Emirates Towers! talking about addiction...

well, i guess there are times when my 'sinigang' would have to take a back seat... hehe!

Throwing the Years down the Drain

i'm not used to this feeling of coldness toward someone... it has been a long time since i felt it, and now it seems strange. it is seemingly rejected by my logical system, but my emotional drive processes it.......

there are many kinds of people who walk in and out of your life. many would be acquaintances, some would be seasonal friends and long time colleagues, and a few would be friends forever! a few of these you have given a part of yourself to. these are those whom you thought knows you, and you thought you know, but trivial circumstances will reveal otherwise which can result to strained relationships of what used to be (or seemingly) a deeply-rooted friendship. and when that happens, boom! someone gets hurt. it could be you, it could be the other person! or both.

when things are not sorted out properly, all the years, the memories, the relationship is thrown down the drain... and this really really hurts even the iciest of hearts!

but what is more hurting is the insignificance of the circumstances that led to it! even if you have the best of intentions to someone, and have expressed it openly, it can still be jaded by malice and devils whisperings. you then find it so difficult to accept the fact that a simple miscommunication, prejudice or unconfirmed suspicion will blot out all of these seemingly priceless treasures! these are the situations why the phrase "give him the benefit of the doubt" was invented, and has been proven very useful for many years. and when not exercised on you, "you are guilty unless proven innocent". but still many times, you are not given the opportunity to prove your innocence wherein, you have been judged without due process... this is the killer-pain! if you are as sentimental as i am when it comes to friends, this will spell a really bad day... or days! and finally, coldness... until healing comes with time, forgiveness, much prayers, and love...


maybe still... these situations are needed to separate the weeds from the real plants...

i remember reading thru the Old Testament the ingratitude of the Israelites to God despite His open display of love, care and provisions to them... i even don't need to go that far, coz many times i've been guilty of questioning God's love for me for many unpleasant circumstances, when He has already given the ultimate expression of it at the cross of calvary-- that is sacrificing His own beloved Son for my salvation! how short-sighted i can be!

having known the woes of a misjudged person, the next time the temptation creeps into my mind to doubt a friend, or more importantly my God, i'd have to think a million times. my stubbornness and selfishness might unnecessarily hurt a friend, or invite cold shoulders, or worse, destroy a wonderful relationship...

Valentine Craze

pinoys are really romantic by nature! even here in Sharjah, at the heart of the muslim-influenced emirate of UAE, valentines spirit still found its way...as early as yesterday, greetings of 'happy hearts day', or 'where is your date?' already flew like wildfire in our office. we are 97% pinoys, so you can imagine. and today, everyone seems to be in very good spirits! work was light, with so much jestings on whom to date and where to go filled the conversations.

dubai on the other hand did what it does best-- sell! it has managed to take advantage of this commercial opportunity to pump in more dirhams... valentine spa package, desert safari couple package, dinner packages, jewelry for his and hers, flowers, even HP printer has a valentine's promo! on the other side of the globe, i read a stat somewhere that in the Philippines, the card, flowers and chocolate companies account 15% of their annual business turnover for the period Feb 10-20 alone! talking about brisk business eh? it shows two things: (1) so many still value this day, and (2) pinoys have the eye for opportunities.

but then there are those who would not succumb to the seemingly commercialism and would rather be resourceful and artistic... good for you guys! i salute you! as the old over-used adage goes "it's the thought that counts!"

if the couples are all loved up this day and somehow positively (?) pressured on what to give to their habibis and habibtis (arabic of male and lady love), adversely, a number of singles are hard-pressured. i remember when i was in high school when me and my single girl friends would send each one flowers from 'anonymous' sender, just so to be 'in' for the season! now i think it's so insane! haha! oh well, the pressure dries up slowly as we age. and singles now seem to have more fun and more creative juice in dealing with the v-day than during the yester years...

well, whatever this day means to each one, whether good business, or romantic get away, or an unnecessary pressure, V-day is here to stay! it's a force to reckon with! haha! go rule!

Tour Guide

for the past weeks, i have mastered the art of being a tour guide...

the first batch was my boss' mom and friends, in their 60's but still very robust! i have been tasked to make their itinerary for 10 days, showcasing the cultural-side and the modern UAE... they were seasoned travellers being retired Pinoy doctors who are US Citizens... i love conversing with them as they passionately share their travel experiences in asia, europe, mediterranean and other places... they do not say 'no' to long walks and late evening dinners, and would not let their age get in the way. they followed their schedule scrupulously no matter how jampacked it is. nobody would think that these are senior citizens! the only thing that gives them away is their non-chalant talks of their BP and sugar levels at each journey's end...

the next batch were ladies in their 40s, best friends since high school... and they only have 7 days... hmmm! they actually did not need much help, as they came in at the right time--- shopping festival! this is the group where schedule is just a guide, especially if the time alloted was only 2 hours per mall! in them, i have been fascinated at their 'sisterhood' that has weathered all the decades...

the last one is a couple... and they only have 3 days, including valentine's day tomorrow. cool! valentines at the desert safari... for them, it is more of just taking a peek, as they are sure of coming back here for more.

so if you're planning on coming here to dubai, make sure you contact 'the tour guide'! im gonna give The Big Bus tour a run for their money! be it for shopping, for cultural enrichment, or for a mere stopover, i'd love to show this side of the world to you! my fave ones are: desert safari, sharjah gold shouke, madinat complex, burj al arab, all the malls, hatta fort, all the construction along sheik zayed road which will make you think you are in the terminator 3 movie, romantic dhow cruise, cultural trip to dubai museum and heritage village, abra and creek side trip, wild wadi water park and of course, adventureland!

being a tour guide on-the-side has always been a pleasurable experience for me as well... i am equally enriched with each group having their own characters, and their own stories to tell. i think this is the best way of putting to test my hard-earned 5 years experience in dubai ! haha!

Coffee Talk#2 Hyatt Regency

for our coffee talk 2, we went to Hyatt Regency. nestled at the boundary of Deira and Bur Dubai, and facing the gulf sea, Hyatt stands elegantly as it did some 15-20 years ago, being one of the oldest hotels in dubai. despite the years, it has caught up well aesthetically with the newer ones... we had a good resource person that evening who even treated us for dinner! yum yum! we dined in at The Kitchen savoring ceasar salad for starter, then nasi goreng and seafood rice noodles for the main course. i loved the food! just perfect taste and quantity! i think we enjoyed it so much that we did not realize it was already past eleven!!

later, after a good two burps, we knew it was time for coffee!!! for the remaining 30 minutes, we went at the lobby side of the hotel, and threw ourselves comfortably in their soft cushion sets! our friend had to leave just before the Coffee talk so Mano and I are left on our own. i ordered almond choco drink, while she ordered macchiato, and we shared the tiramisu which is delicious! the almond choco is good for a non-coffee drinker like me...

the ambiance was great, and there was a good vertical space giving ample air to really breath and indulge in relaxing! we were strategically seated at the aisle of the main hotel hall, so people watching was action-packed! it occured to me that there was really a downpour of men on this side of the planet, as we noticed that there were only a handful of ladies walking around! while Mano and i were seriously discussing, a group arrested my attention-- three men and a baby! the baby was oh-so-cute, and so was one of the guys, who seated 3 meters across us with a very good angle for surreptitious glances! haha!

the remaining minutes were spent just talking about random topics, but this time, with more pauses and gaps of silence... we just let our eyes and brows do the talking! this is one of the rare times when Mano and I are silent... hooray!

at 12 midnight, we both smiled and sighed... another coffee talk is over...

Hotel rating:
almond chocolate and tiramisu = very good
service = fair (we waited for 10 min before someone got our order)
ambiance = very good! good music too!
experience = very good! i think we will repeat this!

The Bigger Scheme of Things

there is something fascinating about how a certain decision is made... specially when it entangles a hundred more other issues, then it becomes super amazing! sometimes, we are allowed to see the bigger scheme of things, but many times, we are just given pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and each piece is meaningless without the rest. it happens a lot in corporate decision-makings, and many of those things does not make sense to people outside the circle.


i have done quite a stir in our organization the past 2 days when i was doing remedial plans to our manpower needs for those who have left and are leaving soon (since recruiting from manila will take a while). i was not aware that it was chaotic already until i heard it from our other managers. we have been doing simultaneous interviews, lateral and vertical promotions from within. the picture is quite clear in my mind with each one holding different parts of the puzzle piece. but to them, it comes off unclear and confusing! but today, being a 'mending day', i assured them that things are going to be ok and that it will be for everybody's good. i hope they believe me. i hope that things will fall into the right place at the right time....

i guess the same thing happens when God executes His plans for us. many times we do not see the sense in it. many times, we think we know how to do it better. and often times, we think we are left on our own to grope in the dark. then the sin of unbelief, discontent and endless whining comes in and ruins our relationship with Him...

if i, being a sinful human being, plans things that is for the benefit of most people concerned, what more does our loving Heavenly Father?! but unlike me, wherein i have to 'hope things will fall into the right place', His plans and execution does not depend on anything else, but on His wise estimation and mercy alone! but we have to let Him freely take his action in our lives!


lifting a quote from the book i am readung, i quote "when God does not make sense, He still makes sense!" His bigger scheme of things will always be for His eyes only, until He so pleases to show it to us...

Slow Movement in Europe

I received this email from a friend. i guess the 'slow movement' is slowwwwly making waves... a lot of points make sense to me... oh, if this were true, i hope asia catches on with this european spirit. this is quite exactly what i had in mind about the balancing act of: making a living and real living...


=======================================================

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe named Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and"craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour work weeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!". This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity.

It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living. It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighterand more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

Coffee Talk#1 The Debut

living abroad made me creative in terms of extra curricular activities. back home, i am content with staying at home, or at friend's houses to sing the blues away... but here, i have no family, and i do not have many friends... but, i still have work stresses to deal with. so what am i gonna do? suck my thumb? cover my head with pillows?...

we thought of going malling (nah! too expensive!), or bar hopping (nah! we're not fond of alcohol!) or how about 'let's sit and talk a while, in a one world of coffee..'? sounds familiar? yeah, that's the Nescafe commercial. but instead of having this coffee talk in just any cafe, Manoleth and I thought of doing it in more exciting places-- the hotel lobbies!!! we wrote down the 5-star hotels in Dubai, and we realized we are going into a weekly thing! and coffee in hotels are priced fairly compared to cafes. what's more? we plan on infusing topics for the evenings, depending on our 'resource' person for the night. resource here means either 'financial' or 'conversational'! haha! and even if i am not a coffee-holic, i think the idea is very tempting enough.

so for out coffee talk#1, we chose the closest to Mano's office, the Hotel Sofitel lobby. being quite a small city hotel, the lobby is not as captivating, so this is not an intimidating first time for us. we saw other groups of men discussing, while on the other table, a girl reading a book while probably waiting for someone. i thought, 'this is a great idea to whoosh my mind away from strain...' the ambiance is relaxing as we listen to piano playing from the second level...

we ordered donut, choco cake, and croissant, and decaf cappucino for both of us. we did not like the choco cake, but finished it anyways while talking about many things-- from writing a book about this, to naming resource persons, to dispensability of people, to our plans in life, to how we were betraying our gym commitment by munching all these sweets, and so on and so forth... so 3 hours, countless stories, endless laugh and $10 after, we were home-bound with a great smile!

...watching the world go by sipping coffee with a good friend, in style, is not a bad idea after all! i am now excited with coffee talk#2...

Change

i've heard this saying before, "change is as certain as taxes and death"....

i couldn't agree more! just when plans have been laid and you are congratulating yourself for a great masterplan, certain things crop up that will turn your world upside down. it could range from something as welcoming as meeting Mr. Right, to as extreme as losing a loved one. my current plan-twister is neither of those (whew!). but major changes in the personal plans of our management team...



some have left for greener pasture... others have given their intention to leave soon... and all these were happening just when i have already planned and did initial moves for my own replacement-program when i leave the company by 2008! hah! it is initially frustrating, but after useless sighs, blabbings and whinings, it now becomes challenging...


when people leave, it is both a sad and a joyous occasion. sad, because it leaves a vacuum. sad because a friend will leave. it is like losing my hand, or my legs. sad because it stirs up the organization unnecessarily. sad because change is not always welcome in everyone's comfort zones.

at the same time, it is a joyous one. i am happy for the person leaving knowing that he will be heading for a better life. happy because i know that he will bring with him wonderful memories of us to his next abode. happy because this is an opportunity for others to move up. happy because it prompts everyone to shake up and think really hard. happy because this simply stamps that "man plans, but it is God who makes it happen"....


as what we were taught in the church last friday, "the first step in dealing with change is acceptance". otherwise, other engines will not move.

Raindrops

when was the last time that rain has not been a nuisance, but a nostalgic experience for you? i had mine last friday. and it was awesome...

after church service, when we went back to our car, it was awashed with rain drops! yes, it rained in the UAE! and i was told that it has been raining since two months ago! (i was in Manila at that time). whatever environmental or even metaphysical implications this occurence has, for me, it was simply nostalgic. the smell of the after-rain, the cool rainy day breeze and the dark grey skies brought back thoughts about my Manila days... we drove down the nearby Jumeirah beach where we spent a little less than 5 minutes just to linger this beautiful day with the magestic Burj Al Arab in sight, and other families happily playing yonder...

a little later, when we were home in the villa, and i was busy cleaning my room, the rain started pouring again... and it gets stronger every minute... i opened my window and gladly listened to the raindrops cascading on the leaves of the tree beside my window... later still, i saw lightning, as we expect, thunder came immediately after... wow, this really feels like home!!!! haha!!! for some weird reasons, i was kid-happy inside...

this is not the way it is with the others here... because who would be happy being stuck in traffic because the roads are quite flooded with this brief display of rain? (part of UAE is not ready with the drainage system since rain is more of an exception) ... and when you are out there dining al fresco?.... or when you are trying to catch the last days of the Global Village (the external amusement and bazaar destination)? ... or when your roofing is not ready for even the slightest rain, just like what happened to our center...

who would have thought that i'd view the simplest rain process in a different light?.... truly, absence really makes the heart grow fonder...

The Pursuit of Simplicity and Discipline

in response to the title, i am telling you, when you're in Dubai it's tough to stay grounded! if not for His grace, i would have long been disoriented. coming here to dubai some five years ago, i was single-minded on two pursuits: (1) experience in working overseas and (2) financial independence...

five years later, my goal no. 2 has always been like the horizon-- so near, yet so far. not because it was unreachable, but because i change the goal even before reaching it! just like the rest who had a definite time frame even before stepping out of the philipine airport, a year later my ideas were morphed into something more complicated.

in dubai, i have been faced with these two struggles that never used to unsettle me this strongly back home:

Maintaning a simple lifestyle - when access to anything grand and fabulous is just as easy as pie, and when almost all the things you see blinds you in their flash and fancy, this goal could really be arduous. even in our company, we adhere to 'image is everything' mentality, so from clothes to shoes, to bags, to accessories, we have to be presentable to say the least. i've piled up pounds on restaurant-hopping for corporate meetings. i've ticked almost all the 5-star hotels for our R&R. been thru other high-profile leisure and recreation facilities for industry update purposes. my job entails that i know most, if not all, the entertainment whereabouts in UAE and the GCC.

and where does simplicity find its place? when duty calls, i've to be reminded always of moderation, knowing that the above things are just but fleeting pleasures. it's nice to experience them, to indulge once in a while. but making it a lifestyle? nah! i can't AND don't want to sustain it. why not? simply because it's not me, and i know it will not be good for me in the long run...

and when i am off-duty, i enjoy life's simple pleasures... that is (1) spending quality time with my friends, (2) enjoying the most mundane things like watching DVDs, chitchatting non-stop over tuyo, sinangag and itlog, etc. and (3) spending quality time alone with my grey matter...

Discipline in the means of grace - tough when you do not have any excuse to miss a devotion, a worship and a good prayer time! back home, i used to complain that i do not have the means to regularly attend gatherings, nor the luxury of a peaceful place and time for a good devotion... and now that i have them all here, i realized it is all the more worse at the other side of the battle! i have the time, the car, the money, the solitary place for devotions... except that many times, i lack the most needful thing-- the hungry heart for His words! and this battle confronts me more often than before... ONLY by His grace for His glory, a number of these battles have been won...

so to those who'd like to leave their simple comforts for greener pasture, be forwarned that you may solve some problems, but create other ones. i guess i'd just have to accept the fact that this world can never be problem-free, otherwise, this could be heaven already!

Glorious Moment for UAE

i stayed a little bit later in the office until the mall closed at 1030pm last night. i waited a few minutes more for Manoleth so that we can drive home together. at 11pm, we were out of the parking, and was contemplating on either going to a nearby Starbucks or just head straight home. we were both hungry, so we decided to give starbucks a rain check...

i tried on the new route that our driver told us, which is the second intersection, supposed to be much faster, until i went up the curve, and bang! huge non-moving traffic! we were both totally clueless at what was happening.... maybe coz it was payday??? nah! maybe it has something to do with football!

later on, we noticed some cars painted with UAE flags, honking continuosuly. as some of the cars moved a bit, i was able to slid into an empty road... until bang! another traffic! oh, we don't need this now, I thought, as my tummy revolted crazily! then some cars on the opposite lane were raising flags, and some throwing conffeties. even saw some kids sitting on the car roofs!!! i wonder if they know what was happening... some teenage boys were dancing on the road! and up the sky were fireworks! and if people are not hot-headed with a huge traffic as this, something wonderful must really be happening...

'if you can't beat them, join them!" so Mano and I just joined the revelry... i turned up the volume of my radio, though it wasn't anything arabic, but the 80's New Wave. haha! but who cares? everyone seemed to be in a festive mood! i honked and honked too! this is cool, we thought. the closest i can relate to was the People Power celebration in the Philippines.... well, except that i did not find any food peddlers around when we needed them the most!

finally, we were off the heavy traffic, and was sailing smoothly to our villa. the other lane this time, is the heavily-trafficed but happy lane! oh, a glorious moment in UAE we didn't know about. something in me was stirried up with this seemigly patriotic moment...

then today, it's all plastered on the front pages of the national newspapers:

"the UAE pulled off one one of the biggest achievements in its football history last evening to beat Oman 1-0 and win the Gulf Cup for the first time. The UAE win follows a 35-year wait since the first participation in the second tournament in 1972 in Saudi Arabia. They made history yesterday in front of 60,000 fans by becoming the fifth country to win the prestigious footbacll title in the region".

even though we were caught in traffic, very hungry, i guess it was worth the experience... anyways, it might be another 35 years before this happens again...

Weekend Spree

finally i had a normal and nice weekend! weekends here means friday and saturday...

thursday night was with my girl friends for a sumptuous dinner at Noodle House (the best Chinese resto for me!) in Madinat Jumeirah, the newest toast of the Dubai hospitality industry. after that, we dropped by Trilogy - a 3-levelled bar where there's separate places for house music, hiphop and r&b, and jazz music, all under one roof! i liked the r&b place the best! it's a rip-off when you go there on a weekend as they charge between $20-30$ just for entry because they have invited DJ's who do (boring! for me at least) music mixes! we stayed for a copuple of minutes, just had a few drinks, and off we went back home... as one friend has to be out and about by 7 am as she needs to go to abu dhabi, and I need to go to the church the next day.

friday morning. went to church, and was fed with meaty preaching from Pastor Dan on the topic "Nothing is Impossible with God". the church is venturing into various local ministries, and the people need to be fully armed with everything needed for the battle.

afternoon, went back to the villa. with power brush, power hose, car soap and vacuum cleaner in tow, i mustered all my energy for an equivalent, but more productive, of a 30-min gym workout! i was so happy seeing my car shiny and smells clean! after that, a lunch prepared by my villa-mates were already waiting in the dining... wow, can life be more wonderful? haha!

late afternoon, i cleaned our dining and living room, and a colleague asked "is something wrong with you today?" haha! no, actually something was right! after that, went to my room, cleaned everything, washed my clothes, cleaned my ref... then i prepared my clothes-combination for the next 6 day. i am starting to do a weekly color motiff of my clothes so that it makes machine-washing more economical...

later still, after all the hard labor, rested on a hammock tied to a tree in our garden, while i talk to my mom and dad (it's Friday!) over the phone which lasted for almost an hour! wow, it must be the cool winter breeze and the lazy hammock ambiance..

evening, after being fed by Mano withj her sumptuous pork steak, and after cleaning up myself, i did some aromatherapy sessions... lit candles, dimmed lights, dipped my tired feet on the foot spa, and plugged on my fave Friends DVDs for re-runs... truly relaxing! later still, Mano joined me in watching The Devil Wears Prada which is a great movie we were able to relate to, while she herself does the foot spa this time...

at 12mn, i've called it a day... turned off the lights, played the Body and Soul music... and there i drifted off to dreamland....

this is my idea of a balanced, fun and mission- accomplished weekend... which i just get once-in-a-blue moon...

Lost in Translation

here in dubai, there are hundreds of languages spoken. but still, even if we talk on the same language, there are still thought barriers... as my friend Mano loves to say, "lost in translation"... and when this happens, don't we just feel frustrated? and doesn't it give birth to other problems? and many times, when we are at our rock bottom, we turn to friends in the hope of being understood when we can vaguely utter a word... but do they really understand what we have in mind when they unconsciously nod or pat our back? i do not underestimate the genuine friendly concerns, but in the end, the most that we can get from them are listening ears..

the other night, i realized the importance of talking to someone wherein there is no opportunity for being lost in translation.... that is, talking to my God, my Saviour, my Friend...

i was reading thru Romans for my daily devotions. and there were words which struck a chord in my heart. and just simultaneusly, i started pouring my heart out without even saying a word... i literally just cried and cried, resting in the though that He knows the very contents of my heart in between those sobs and prayers... i am glad that i do not need to expand nor explain explicitly to Him each thought that i have, because He knows it even before i say a word... isn't this very amazing and comforting? no fear of being misinterpreted...

and i was never wrong... the next day, I got an SMS message from my mom which answered one prayer. then later, a friend said something which confirmed that God answered my prayers across the globe... and later still, he answered a prayer for me...

not all prayers though were answered. but still, i rest in the comfort that God knows everything that is happening around me and around the prayers i muttered to Him. it can be in the "pending for the best time", or "no, not good for you", or "yes, this is for your benefit".

and one more thing... i am super greatful that He does not have ANY assistant at all, and we can have direct access to Him when we pray! this i started to appreciate with my many encounters with power-tripping assistants!!!

"Be still and know that I am God" Ps 46:10

I don't wanna miss a thing...

if there is one love song that really pierces my heart, and can make me teary in an instant, it is the song "i don't wanna miss a thing" by aerosmith... yeah, you'd be surprised as i am no way a rock band fan...

maybe it's the wonderfully laid down words... very poignant, very real...

or maybe it was the way it was sang...very intense, very captivating...


I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever

I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time


or maybe, it is the sweet remembrance of that someone... very nostalgic, very touching...

i guess all of the above...

Road Blocks

after a crossroad, just when you though you know already where you are going to, and the travel seemed smooth-sailing..... there goes road blocks!







in some roads, there are warning signs... but for some, it will come as a surprise. unless you're prepared for it (well, most of us are not!), it can cause greater damage to you and to others near you...



so what do you do? (1) stop and retreat as this may be a sign that it is not the correct road, or (2) persevere and detour, and take this is a test of determination...



if you'll ask me.... i don't know yet, that's why i am asking you...

should i (1) just follow my instict or (2) study the situation well....

i dunno... im still stuck!

so what is Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)?

for most of us who has been here for the past years, this is known as the brilliant idea of dubai to create another strong source of income for the emirate--> tourism. "One World, One Family, One Festival" is the annual theme of DSF.

"On February 15, 1996, the travel industry in the Middle East heralded the beginning of a new dawn - the birth of the most impressive shopping cum entertainment mega event. An entirely new concept, it succeeded brilliantly in showcasing what co-operation between private sector and public sector could do to create a mind-boggling achievement... fastforward to 2007... 8 years, 25M tourists, and $11B in sales after, the 2006-2007 promises to be much even bigger!"

Here are the things I associate most with DSF:

1) Mega Sale!!! upto 70% OFF on my favorite brands such as Mango, Nine West, Marks & Spencer, etc etc... electronics sale, other SALE SALE SALE!!! plus month long events in the different shopping malls

2) Luxury car/ Gold and diamond raffle here there and everywhere!

3) Long queue at the Dubai International Airport Immigration

4) Difficulty in getting airline booking to Dubai!!!!

5) Global Village!!! That festive village that showcases different country pavilions! I love the Indian, London and of course, the Phils pavilion! The pavilions supposedly offer items from the country, but last year, what I saw are mostly made in china... hmm...

6) Fireworks, fireworks!!! and a lot of colorful road danglers and decors

7) School break! so more customers in adventureland

8) In adventureland, we have more blonde customers compared to other months in a year

9) Public parks and public spaces come to life until midnight!!! (which unfortunately runs as our competition... hmm..)...

10) All the dubai roads are framed with beautiful buncher of flowers... very picturesque!

well, on this part of the globe, DSF is truly a festival worth waiting for...

Baby Incentives

"...worried about the shrinking population and a birth rate at a post-war low in 2005, the government in September introduced the law to encourage working couples to have children. babies born on or after Jan 1 2007 qualify for the new baby incentives. parents who take time off fro work to care for newborns can receive two-thirds of their net monthly salary upto a maximum of 1,800 euros for 12 mos. if the other parent takes a further two months off, the benefit is extended to 14 months. -- reuters"

this could have been heaven-sent news to many Pinay moms who would like to be stay-at-home moms and enjoy rearing their babies!!! but this is meant for... Germans!

i was awed when i read this in Gulf News, Jan 2 2007 issue. you see, i came from a country where baby-making is never a problem... in fact, controlling it is the problem. just like in the philippines, china had a problem with population explosion, thus the controversial 'one child policy' was inked. it solved one problem, but surely created other problems...

i spoke with european friends, and most of them said, it is a trend there because of career boom among women, and increased physical consciousness of the moms. you see, it is not even about giving a good future because the government will take care of the education and other benefits. selfish maybe, but still, i do not know much to judge.

just like the UAE locals here... they seem to have difficulty doubling their population, when the government have already given all the possible benefits for doing so!

i guess no country can really have it all...

Friday Calls

when friday comes, almost everyone of us makes sure that our phones are loaded with credit because it's 'call philippines' time! it's when rates are 50% off!

people have their own call spots in our villa... the terrace, the room, the garage, the gate, the laundry area... wherever the signal would be good!

as varied as the places are, are the expressions in each ones faces... happy, sad, irritated, angry, laughing, NVR (no visible reaction), in-love, homesick... fridays become the quilt of emotions in our place even for just a few minutes that their dirhams can allow.

many of us working here have our families back home, and our only 'live' lifelines are the Friday calls. i used to call twice a week, but proved it quite costly and defeating the purpose of my coming here by simply making Etisalat richer.

the content of our talks is usually divided into: kumustahan, 20%; financial talks, 50%; tsismis, 20% and iyakan, 10%. to those who have been here for less than 3 months, fridays come in soooo slow.. but for those who has been here for years, fridays seems to come by so quickly...

when the new telecom company comes in, Du, we the consumers will be the winners... maybe i will not need to wait for fridays, nor look at my watch while talking to my mom on the phone...

Winter Solstice in the Mid East

i know it's winter already in dubai when:

1. the car dashboard thermometer says 13 deg celcius

2. the local guys use black kandura already

3. i can sleep without turning on my AC

4. i use the water heater when taking a bath, and

5. mall store displays boots, jackets and multi-layer clothings on the mannequins

when i came back last dec 27, at 2 am, the temp registered at 10 deg celcius! it is a nice yet equally disturbing feeling when it really goes under your skin as i do get very cold easily...

i usually keep now my window partially open in the evenings to let the cool breeze seep into my room... and so in the morning, not only the wind, but the chirping of the birds all around my room wakes me up! isn't that a wonderful morning? ;)

then when i drive to the office, i keep my window open and inhale the air as if i buy it for $100 a liter!!! haha! and i take the middle lane to just drive at 60kph and enjoy the sights and sounds of the road which i usually take for granted in summers! though the sky does not look blue (well, ive never really seen a blue sky here for a long time! usually, it's grey!!!) with dark heavy clouds, i try not be be psyched down with its gloom. instead, i just try to appreciate the little bits of ray of sunshine, in case some are able to peek thru the dark clouds!

in the office, people wear think clothes, boots and all sorts of body warmers. the best thing to behold are the cute kids running around our center in candy-colored jackets and nice warmers!

i guess i'd be doing evening walks now... to enjoy the season, and to lose the calories away... oh, i love winters here... if you've spoken with Europeans, the mid east winters are one of the best!

enjoy it while it lasts...

2006: The year that was...

well, wherever you browse your fingers to, you will see "the best of 2006", or "highlights of 2006", or anything to that effect. well, i'd gladly lift up that topic and apply it im my personal life... but instead of highlights, i'd be specific with my THANKSGIVING LIST.

and i'd apply also what we usually do for Annual Reports, that is statistical accounts of the progress of the different areas of the company:

365 days of living under the Father's grace and wise guidance

365 days of protection from danger for me and my family

365 days of health (senses, external and internal parts!) for me and my family

365 days of being able to freely read the Bible even in UAE

365 days of good sleep and good mornings

365 days of continuous online communication with friends all over the world!

365 days of relative peace in my family

313 days of being able to go to work, and providing a good work with good workmates

313 days of guidance in my work

52 days of being able to go to church, and providing good churches

52 days of rest times from work to enjoy with my friends

60 collective days of gloom which He turned into blessing-in-disguise

60 days of being with my family in the philipines
44 days of 45-min Friday calls to Philippines

30 days of vacation days with my family in the Philippines

27 days of celebrating the holiday season the Pinoy way!

12 month- ends of financial provisions to my family in the Philippines

12 Sundays with my MCBC family

15 collective days of reunion times and fellowship with friends and brethren! (priceless!)

7 days of non-stop birthday celebration in UAE

5 days of business-leisure trip to Qatar

5 days of business-leisure trip to Tunisia

5 days of business-leisure trips to Abu Dhabi

4 days of leisure trip to Hong Kong with Mom

4 days of leisure trip to Kalibo and Boracay

1 day leisure trip to Subic

1 day of resort family outing

provision for never-ending house renovation! haha!

new PC set to keep in touch with my loved ones!

new camera to capture the moments!

and the non-measurables:

early detection of my mom's trigeminal neuralgia

two new nephew and niece! they are soooooo cuteeeeee!!!!

the intact family that i have!

the friends i continue to have: MCBC, other churches, college, dorm, work, oh, ive a lot!

the friends i have re-united with: elem batchmates, high school classmates, dorm mates

the new friends i made: UAE, mid-east, europe, philippines, etc.

whew! the list can actually just go on and on.... and now, do you think there is even a space for complaint? ;)

Eid Al Ahda & New Year!

"Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It concludes the Pilgrimmage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibraham's (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son. Muslims believe the son to be Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Ishmael is considered the forefather of the Arabs. According to the Koran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead. The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor. "

Interesting eh? what's more interesting is that it took me almost 5 years to have the curiosity to know what this means! haha! talking about cultural immersion huh! and what's more surprising is that, most of my colleagues who've been here too for the last 5 years also don't know what this means!

Today, they are celebrating the second day of Eid al Ahda. The nearest that I could relate this to in the christian world is the celebration of the birth of Christ, in terms of pomp, merry making and 'spirit'.

Prayers. New clothes. Great feastings. Family gatherings. Ideya (gifts) abounds. Helping the poor. Invasion of the malls and entertainment centers. Luxurious dinings. More forgiving with one another.

For us in Adventureland, being a family entertainment center, it means the busiest days of the year ending each day at around 1 am!

this year, it coincides with the christian world's New Year! so our staff, being the sentimental race that we are, would have to find ways and means to connect with our loved ones without sacrificing our works. Oh, but i don't worry about Pinoys coz we will always find a way...

Back home in the Phils, i can already hear the firecrakers here and there... the crushed tin cans hanging by the moving cars creating that loud happy noise... endless blowing of the kiddie 'torotot' for a safe welcoming of the new year... and to the affluent parts in Manila, the delightful fireworks!

i guess whatever belief you are into, TODAY will find you in a merryment mode! and as for me, it goes beyond... it is first a remembrance and a thanksgiving for the year that had been, and and a feast for a blessed new year ahead...

A meaningful new year to all of us! Cheers!

My New Year's Resolution

since college, i've always had this list, however much i barely remember them when mid-year comes...

for this year, nothing much changes i guess from my past year's resolutions...

1. Know, love and enjoy God more... daily devotions, worships and fellowships

2. Always see each unpleasant circumstance as an opportunity to exercise faith... oh, this happens daily!

3. Be more available to serve others...however which way

4. Be physically fit (discipline in food and exercise... so that i can have more of no. 3

5. Live simply, stress-free and wrinkle-free... and fool others with my age (haha!)

6. Be focused... and eliminate distractions (do not compromise!)

7. Memorize 52 verses... and use them always

8. Accomplish other worthwhile activities... learn how to play the piano, join volunteer works, enroll in educ class during summer and finish watercolor paintings

9. Visit and explore historical sites in Egypt and Europe

10. Save for a worry-free looonnnnggg vacation in 2008 (oh, i like this thought!)

just writing this list makes me already excited for the year to come... tickles me like crazy! haha!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!! I pray for a more meaningful new year to all of us!

Shifting Lanes

either life tosses at you a different opportunity, or you actively look for one, shifting lanes is usually coupled with excitement and fear...


excitement for the new things, for the new challenges, new friends, new routines, new expereinces... fear for regret, unmet expectations, for bad experiences, or worse, uncertainties...

i myself am preparing for a 180-degrees shift not only in gear, but in the lane for the next years... but i guess, however much i prepare myself for it, i'd still be a human at best. the leap of faith is easier said than done... but it has to be done...


since i climbed up my 3rd decade, i have since desired for a slow lane... maybe because i am growing old, or maybe because i already knew how it is to be in a fast lane, and how it is not possible to shift to a slower gear while in a fast lane...




fast lanes have given birth to the word stress, mental fatigue, burn out, and the infamous words 'busy' and 'no time'. it also ushered more independent women, successful singles beyond 30, and working moms, working parents. and for all the enterpreneuring spirits, it spelled spa, physical wellness, daycare centers, personal shoppers, shieks, etc.

despite all these, how come many are squeezing themselves into this lane? well, for many things that the slow lane may not offer. financial freedom. career boost. travel perks. fame. etc.


i've tried to shift to a lower gear while in the fast lane, and try to get the best of both worlds. it can be done, but still, it was very difficult. either you get honked continuously, or you catch up with double the effort that defeated the purposes of your slowing down, or ultimately get bumped out of the race... i remained there for the rest of my twenties, starting when i was still fresh from college, so full of ideals, ambitions and zest!

each lane i guess has its own merits and demerits, depending on your goals and visions in life...


as for myself, i would like to try the slow lane... to really stop and smell the roses... and for whatever uncertainties there are, i just have to comfort myself that my God is already there!

Break Free

imagine being caged for a long time... there in your small iron covered cage... you want to move, you want to explore, but you cant...

and then one day, you are set free....

oh... the freedom that Christ gives...

i am not talking about financial freedom, nor intellectual freedom, nor emotional freedom....

but of a higher sense of freedom that surpasses all joys and triumpsh in this world...

spritual freedom from the bondage of sin and all of satan's lies whichc wraps it very cunningly...

it is far and foremost one of the great joys of christianhood.... knowing by heart (1) freedom from what, (2) who freed you, (3) what it costed and (4) the joys and responsibilites of freedom...

praise God for this wonderful grace!

"There stood by me.. the angel of God" by Albert Smith and E. Clark

ransacking thru my old journals has not only been a fun experience, but a very useful tool for timely and needed perspectives, specially on my rare 'crossroads moments' such as what i am going thru right now... wow, wouldn't you have known that this song made by Albert Smith which worked for me during the 'test of my life' (so my journal says!) in summer of 1991, will still hold water for me in 2006? God's truths are really timeless... however much we thought we have changed...

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I do not know what lies ahead,
the way I cannot see;
Yet One stands to be my guide,
He'll show the way to me.

I know who holds the future
And He'll guide me with His hands
With God things don't just happen
Everything by Him is planned;

So as I face tomorrow,
With its problems large and small
I'll trust the God of miracles
Give to Him my all.

I do not know how many days
Of life are mine to spend
But one who knows and cares for me
Will keep me til the end.

I do not know the course ahead
What joys and griefs are there;
But one is near who fully knows
I'll trust His loving care.