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? ;)