Pinoy Kids' Play

our ManCom team had lunch in Chili's. 'twas a light meeting with our boss for the birthday celebration of 2 of our managers. talk went to the hoola hoop that we have at the villa, and to how we can still manage to use that hoop.... and that hoola hoop talk led us to a nostalgic walk to the games we used to play then... 25 years ago...






patintero. we'd create lines using canal water (yaiks! i know! but it didn't matter then). then we'd create 2 teams with a minimum of 4 players each, each one protecting their lines of responsibility. i loved being in the middle-line, concentrating on both sides looking on the floor, ready to touch anyone who crosses my line! it is such an exciting game, until someone calls 'out!'.

chato. i loved this game! i was good in hitting the baton making the run longer for my playmate as he shouts 'cha-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-to!' until she reaches the base. but i also remembered hitting one unintentionally on the eye, making them red, and making me red too with fear that she might be blinded! i think that was my last game of chato!


tex. not the phone SMS. but the small cards which you swoosh on air using your thumb and forefinger. it took practice to ensure winnings, which my brothers generously gave me. if you are good, then your 'pamato' will be the odd one when all 3 texs cards land on the floor, then you will get all the deck of tex he betted on, otherwise, he'll get yours. there was a boy i used to play with, who kept challenging me, and ended up losing all his stacks of tex cards to me. finally, he gave up! haha!


jolens. find a good soil you can dig small holes of 3, and you're off to an exciting jolens game with a bunch of other enthusiasts! be ready to soil your fingers... muster all the strength that you have and bring them down to your thumb to execute that lashing hit to the other jolens! whew! the sight of bundles of jolens won, reflecting the sunlight used to be 'diamonds' in my sight!




taguan (hide-and-seek). from the regular 'taguan game', we came up with a less taxing 'taguan ng tsinelas' when we were so lazy to hide and just wanted to stay in a parked dilapidated unused jeepney! when we were in a more challenging mode, the 'taguan' area will cover not only 20 meters away, but even as far as the next 5 blocks!! hmmm.... we had way so much time in our hands then!

sumpit. the killer game i am so good with! get a straw-like tube, and mongo seeds, hide behind the tree or crawl under the bushes... and shoot your enemy! i know it is a dangerous play... but when we were kids, facing danger was equivalent to being adults! i don't know where i got that crooked idea...


chinese garter. the garter did not come from china, but from any lose skirt or unsued garters of our nanays. or from rubber bands connected together. then two kids will stretch them, and the other players will skip thru them, starting with the garter as low as the knees to as high as holding them up in the air with outstretched hands! variations have evolved all throught the years... but one things remained... it has always been the real test of flexibility for girls! who would have thought that our thin (then!) legs could hook up that garter held up high, and land on our two feet???


jack stones. all the girls get around, sit on the ground, and do that jack stone hand exhibitions! we were so creative in doing exhibitions that i think we have cooked up at least 20! haha! the more difficult, the higher it goes up the rank of the exhibition list! i think i got hold of a set just last year, and taught my niece a few tricks i can recall.



luksong tinik/ baka. either you just choose your feet , or your whole body as the barrier, this game has definitely brought meeting of eyebrows of my folks... what with wrong tumbles here and there! scratches here, and cries there...and yet, we kept playing the game! we just learned how to be more careful! haha!



gumamela bubbles. we didn't have the ready-made bubble-toys then. we used to sneek up at the back of a house on the next block to get loads of gumamela leaves. we then pound them, squeeze the extract and combine them with powder soap. then we get the long stems of kamias leaves, remove the leaves, create a rounded end tied firmly, and then dip onto the gumamela and soap extract-- and voila! we have the bubble toy!



sipa. who can ever forget our national game? of course, we'd have the guy's version made of steel end and the girl's version, made of cluster of rubber bands or cluster of leaves. and of course, the guy's way of doing it, and the girl's way of kicking it! haha!!! it was so much fun!






oh, the list goes on and on... whew! i can't believe we had so many games played before!!!



i asked my nephews and niece what they play nowadays. aside from my pc, others were just random games. others, rule-less. our house is at a dead-end part of our subdivision, so they have ample space to play on, unfortunately not much games to do. when i go back home, i think i have a big mission to accomplish--- play with my nephews and nieces and re-introduce the games that i believe are healthy (and cheaper) options than what they have now!

Road Trip to Rabat, Morocco

when we left Tangier going to Casablanca, we opted for a road trip via Rabat, instead of a plane ride (would i want to get offloaded again? haha!). i thought this was going to be such a humdrum.... but surprise, surprise!!! i was in for my green-and-blue fix for the day!

Rabat is the administrative capital of Morocco, while Casablanca is the financial capital.

it was like going to Tetoan, but this time, the sun was smiling at us! the sky is soooo blue, and everywhere there is a play of green, yellow and tangerine! it was a 3-hour drive, which showcased to us the different agricultural products of morocco. we saw plantations of bananas, dates, wheat, tomatoes, and others i do not recognize, neatly lined up on plain hills. along the road are stretched of plains sans trees, covered with seemingly 'carpeted' grasses, much like the one you see in "The Sound of Music".

then, there are also rocky areas with small quaint communities reminiscent of the site location of the 'Babel' movie of Brad Pitt.

forty-five minutes away from casablanca, we had a pit-stop at a gasoline station. it's not the usual caltex or shell stops that we have in manila. it was more of a rustic tranquility enveloped in a charming pastoral setting, with yellow grasses everywhere swaying at the beat of the wind...

and there... we saw the "Filipinos" choco bar (made from spain)! it tasted good! did i get offended? nah! i'd save my angry bone on something more deserving...

ohhh, too bad it ended so soon... it has all the elements of my idea of a relaxed road trip--- unfamiliar teritorry, awesome views, blue skies, good company and my random grey matter!

Hercules Cave, Tangier, Morocco

just a few minutes away from Cape Spartel lies the deep treasure of Tangier- the Hercules Cave. i asked our tour guide why it was called such, and the answer i got was nowhere close to the mythical Hercules' story. he just knows that Hercules is the son of Zeus (Greek God) and he lived in that cave, and that he was the one who separated Europe from Africa. oh, well...

this first picture is taken with him, using their usual winter covering, which i fondly call the 'obi wan' costume.

inside, you can see that it has long been used as a tourist spot. the floor has been well kept, there were even sellers of souvenier items! but when you look up, it shows the real age and beauty of the cave-- and beware of bats that fly above.

there were two women who allows tourists to wear the traditional berber tribe costume!

and this is the awesome cave opening-- known for its african-continent shape! and yes, it is for real! just standing there, hearing the smashing of the atlantic ocean and the mediterranean see has some sort of allure to my ears...

You Can't Have your Cake and Eat it too!

i've always believed that saying, and it helped me understand people and situations more. accepting that i can't have things both ways gives me peace and avoids unnecessary expectations. and we know that unmet expectation is usually the mother of discontentment, leading to depression. and depression is the thief of happiness!

everyday, i am exposed to people's woes, many of such are rooted from not being able to understand this truthful saying. we've always wanted things which are conflicting in nature, sending mixed signals to others and to yourself as well.

So what are some of these bittersweet scenarios?


Work scenes:

• accepting a high-paying job and yet expecting low stress level...
• opting to work overseas (even if there are other options), and yet maintains that incurable homesickness year-in, year-out...
• being in the public biz, and yet steams off anger when a part of their private life is usually feasted on...
• wanting to have a simpler and less complicated life, yet perenially complains of boredom...
• admiring a boss' charismatic ways, and yet disdains his seemingly 'softness' over corporate issues...

Between Partners:

• choosing the one person to be with, yet wanting to be with somebody else...
• getting married, and yet expecting to still enjoy the benefits of bachelorhood...
• opting to stay single (even if there are legitimate choices), and yet yearning to have a family of her own...
• wanting closure in a relationship gone sour, and yet wanting an open-end...
• admiring a partner's manliness, yet expecting him to do emasculating things... (and vice versa for ladies)...
• getting a good-looking partner, and not being prepared for the opposite sex's admiration paving the way to the green-eyed monster!
• wanting a sympathetic and sweet guy, and yet it rubs us off the wrong way when he gets emotional...
• loving his air of mystery, and yet how often we hate it when he does not talk...

And kids:

• training your children to be their own individual personalities, yet unconsciously comparing them...
• loving the 'malambing and sweet' child, and yet is frustrasted for her to be strong and assertive, and a leader in school...

and so on, and so forth...

and if God permits that both good things happen, i recon it as a great gift!!! but it should be taken more as an execption, rather than as a rule.

choose the thing you want to accept, then accept its equivalent drawback, and liberate yourself from unnecessary wrinkles.... as i love to say, "you can't have it all honey!"

Cafes, Cafes, Cafes

if the number of cafes per sqm of the mall is something to go by, it can be said that UAE is such a country of coffee-holics! just imagine in our mall, with a mere 50,000 sq m of GLA (gross leasable space, almost the size of Shangrila Mall but 2 floors only), the mall already boasts of almost 20 cafes!!!! not to mention that each cafe covers almost 200-300 sq m each! really spoilt for choice! they may come a close second to the french in their flare for cafes...

we have starbucks, gloria jeans, costa, coffee bean & tea leaf, amore, etc. there' s even the Central Perk cafe of the famed 'Friends' sitcom, now going on 3 locations just after months of opening their first store in Jumeirah... i wonder when will our Figaro conquer this side of the globe? i'm so sure it will be a hit! the locals just love lounging around, killing time, watching people pass by... did they get this habit from the europeans? or they simply has so much time and money on hand!

this has certainly put the cafe industry on top slots for areas to invest on --- get a good location, put on a good ambiance, put in good and comfy couches, install tv, plug the coffee maker, and voila, you have the formula for success!!! with each cup costing like a McDo meal for a raw mat of water and beans, that's so much gross profit for you!

this could have been heaven for me, unfortunately, i don't drink coffee. i experience palpitations even with just a slightest dosage of caffein, so i always go for decaf or hot choco. too bad.

the locals go for turkish coffee. that concentrated coffee taken in small amount, where the cafeein boosts can easily be felt in a single sip! ironically, i do not hear many of these arabs going for the 'arabica' blend....

so if coffee is your thing, come here and be pampered!

Soaring Philippine Peso

A news which is both half-filled and half-empty:

Half-filled story:
"Investors are cheering as Philippine stocks climb to a record high and the economy surges ahead at the fastest pace in 17 years... The economy has expanded 6.9 % in the first quarter, the strongest since 1990. exports have grown by 13 %, the philippine stock exchange has risen 21.5% so far this year..." thus says an article in Gulf News, International page.

Half-empty story:
all these economic jargon simply means one thing for an OFW Juan dela Cruz -- strong peso, weak dollar. and weak dollar, lower remittance.


the 'booming' economy and the rising value of peso have failed to uplift the commoners. being an OFW, it is common place for us to glance at the value of peso-to-dollar which is displayed prominently at the money exchange center which we pass by everyday on our way up to the office. and the stronger peso would mean shrugging off of shoulder at the calculated difference. e.g. for those who are earning $500 (at P50), late last year they get to remit P 25,000. But now, it devaluates to P22,750 (at P45.5).


"In a strange way, we are being punished for our own success" said a briefing paper by NEDA. our manpower has been our major 'export' for the past 10 years. there are about 8 million Filipinos (10% of the population) working overseas, wherein just last year, there was a record of $12.8 billion sent as remittance. and about 40 million people or almost half of the population, depend on remittances to pay for basic commodities.

the effect on dollar value is fast, but the effect on basic commodities and salaries in the philippines is hardly ever felt. prices still continue to soar, salaries do not change pushing more pinoys overseas, which, if the trend will continue, will mean devaluation of dollar.

when will it strike a balance? when will pinoys once again enjoy a complete family and not opt to work away from their loved ones? i don't know. economics used to be simple in college under Solita Monsod... can someone enlighten me here (in layman's term please?)...

Strategic Planning the TMJ Way!

ACTIVITY: STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2ND HALF OF 2007

THE STRATEGISTS:
T - the bull
M- the CPU
J - the creative juice

PLACE: GRAND HYATT

METHODOLOGY: SERIOUS COFFEE TALK

planning...

thinking...

discussing..

arguing...

more discussions...

more thinking...

add in creativity...

hooray! i have an idea!!!

at last!!!

cheers!!!

THIS IS HOW YOU

TARGET YOUR 2007 GOALS:

PEN BLASTS!

THIS IS HOW YOU

DEFEAT YOUR

COMPETITION: TIC-TAC-TOE!

THIS IS HOW YOU

EVALUATE YOUR TEAM:

FLAMES!

BUDGET: AED 20 each, make sure you bring the free piyaya so no need to buy cookies

COLLATERALS: pens, unsued notebooks and crazy minds!

i think i've had so much of Bob Ong's "ABNKKBSKNPL" book.

see, who says you don't learn anything from high school? ;)

Typically UAE

when i first set foot here in UAE, there are a couple of things that i found bizarrely interesting from what i got used to in manila, aside of course from the language which is really new for many. so for those who are planning on coming here, following are some of the things you need to check out:



olfactory exercise - different race, different smell! starting off when you land at the Dubai airport... must be the food that they eat, and their hygiene. this is something i haven't gotten used to even until now... and i'm proud to say that Pinoys here are known as very clean and hygienic, so you will see that pinoys are given priority when it comes to service-oriented posts.

call to prayers - five times a day, thru public speakers, you will hear the chant of the call to prayer which starts at 4am! before, it used to awaken me and even scare me... but now, it's just but normal. malls use the PA system for this, while for outside, all mosques are equipped with public speakers with sound loud enough to be heard by everyone! also, prayer rooms is a norm for all public places here. plus, for fridays, they really make it a day for prayer, with most of the public places being open only at 2pm. i wish we could place the same amount of importance to prayers and church life in manila...

british influence - you can see much of the british influence here. for our radio ad wayback 2002, the agency stressed on using a voice talent with brit accent. for regular conversations, common words that i encountered here are "to let" (for rent), "take away" (take out), "from here" (dine in), "signal" (traffic light), "timings" (schedule), "madam' (ma'am) etc. the influence can also be seen on the way the brits are given the preferential positions in companies. so where are the americans? i have not met a lot of them in the industry circle, but there are many in our church.

mobile phone calls - the calls always start with "hi, how are you?" even if you've spoken with the person thrice that day! also, our mobiles here (not called cellphones) is a like a part of our body already, bringing it around, even if we just go to the toilet (CR). the people here are accustomed to calling you straight on your mobile rather than on company landlines, especially if you're in a service-orineted industry like ours. plus, SMS texting has the same charge as 1 min call, so people call rather than send a text message.

addresses - when you are finding your way here, you better get hold of a landmark because most establishments do not have the typical address where there is number, street and area. why not? maybe because the road name is in arabic which is difficult to memorize, or in nos (e.g. 34 St. Community 138). only major roads command space in our memory! i've also noticed that most companies here uses P.O. Box for their office addresses.

ladies and family first - oh, ladies are given priorioty in almost everything (banking, bus queue, dining, etc). there are designated "family and ladies days" and "families only areas" so that the men will not intermingle with the ladies. people usually go out together as a family! i guess it's because they have the logistics to do this.

men holding hands - i used to think they were gays!!! but get used to men holding hands here.. be they locals, indians, pakistanis. and the locals do the nose to nose greeting, matched with a 'tsk tsk' sound and pouting on the lips! on the other hand, when we pinays do our holding hands thing and other cosy gestures (which is common in the philippines among girls), we get this questiong stares! haha!

courtesy greetings - get used to people being friendlier here. 'salamalaykum' is common greeting, to which you answer 'alaikum asalam' (and not 'malaykusayo!!!). they smile at you, greet you and may even talk to you. in manila, i used to be so 'suspicious' when someone talks to me, but here, just feel free to smile and greet back.

weekdays and weekends - for many, work days have long break from 1-4 pm, but some have already adapted the western straight shift. and for off days, start to switch your weekend mode to fri and sat, instead of sat-sunday! may be confusing at first, but in the long run, you'll get the hang of it.

shopping mall timings - usually on weekends, they are open until 12 midnight, with the cinemas open til 130am! the crowd usually thickens at 6pm... they are really nocturnal people!

construction cranes - it's everywhere! even dubbed as the national bird of UAE! with 90% of the world's cranes here in dubai, what do you expect?

writing of date - it is done using the day/month/year format as opposed to what we know as month/day/year. so it will be confusing at first. to be safe, write the shortened version of the month.

national costumes-- you'd identify most by how they dress up here. locals, indians, pakitanis, iranians, palestinians, normally wear their country clothes. it's like UN Day everyday! haha!

AC (aircon) - from office to flats, it is a must! so even if temp reaches 48 deg celcius, as long as we are indoors, it is no problem. the malls have used also a double-glass-door strategy which i think is basically used to temper the heat when it gets so hot outside. this helps to avoid glass breakage from temperature difference on the opposite sides of the door. but then, i also see this in the doors they use for toilets which are already inside the mall.... hmmm... maybe they are just used to having 2 doors... oh well..

laws can change overnight- oh, very normal! no need for the long discussions with senate and congress (none of those bodies here)... this week, this is the rule governing the visit visa holders, tomorrow it can be changed. the week after, another change. whew!

complaints complaints complaints - in our industry, i would be surprised if a weekend passes by without a complaint! people are very assertive of their rights and privileges as customers because they get immediate actions from the company and even to any government agency they can involve. from marketing promotions, to height restrictions on our attractions, to unfriendly service staff, to as bizarre as non-compliance (daw!) to building codes! and they are impatient in waiting for answers (thus, we need our mobiles always turned on and battery-loaded!!!) at first, it really terrified us, coz they always drop the phrase "i will call the police!" but then in the long run, we also learned the tricks of the trade.

police police and CIDs (civilian police)- very much respected here! and mind you, they are present in all places and they really do random inspections! in sharjah, a police/CID can put you into detention if you are found walking around in a dark place at night with a guy who is not your husband. so beware! and note also that it pays to have a police friend in this country, especially if they already start barking in arabic!

tissue tissue tissue - it's in all the toilets, and it's free! and i'm sure the environmentalists will be awed at the amount of tissue being used everyday! the toilet cleaners even use this, instead of the washable mops! crazy!

groceries - almost all things come in BIG package! well, i think it is only in the philippines where sachet-ization has happened! also, you will notice here how people are so 'galit with plastic bags!'. as in 3-4 items only in one plastic! soon, i'm so sure, they'll learn of cost-cutting! haha!

no National Bookstore-type - as in nada!!!! this is one of our frustrations here. if you need office supplies, the choices are limited in the mall. you can go to locations outside the malls, but they are inaccesible. i wonder how the parents buy stuff for their kid's school needs? they have bookstores, but not the complete National Bookstore types.


ahhh... those are just a few of the things you have to adjust to. well, for some items, if you can't beat them, join them!

Close to You

have you had a best friend, with whom you've enjoyed times of platonic friendship with, until one day... things suddenly take an interesting twist? cliche-ish as it may sound, but this is the plot of one of my fave Tagalog movies, "Close to You". this stars the charismatic love duo of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. the plot is quite predictable, but the sequencing, the continuity and the scenes going to the ending keep you glued on the tube! a really feel good movie which i need after a hectic week!

i am not proud about this, but i admit i was not used to patronizing our romance films before-- what with the infusion of slapstick comedy, unrealistic plots, prolonged drama moments which isn't complete without a 'sampalan' scene, and the musicals!!! oh my! the only film i can remember liking in the 90s genre was "May Minamahal" which stars Aga Mulach and Aiko Melendez. for me, this is classic! but recently, i've noticed how tastefully Filipino movies are being made. the acting is so natural, the screenplay is well written and the cinematography is just superb, which usually becomes the platform for showing the interesting sites in our beloved Philippines.

so right now, i anticipate the latest offings from Star Cinema or Viva or Regal. jologs as it may sound, but i am not ashamed to say, the "Yes! the filipino can!"


here are my other fave romance Tagalog films... enjoy the movies!!!


1. Don't Give Up on Us (Piolo Pascual and Judy Ann Santos)

2. Blue Moon (Christopher De Leon, Eddie Garcia)

3. Dahil May Isang Ikaw (Aga Mulach and Regine Velasquez)

4. May Minamahal (Aga Mulach and Aiko Melendez)

The Heat is On!

you'll know it's summer here in the UAE when:

1. the water coming out of the faucet is hot even without turning on the heater (sometimes we actually put ice to cool it down!)

2. the car dashboard says 35 deg celcius at 9 am, and 48 deg celcius is normal!

3. the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) mascot, Modhesh, starts to appear on the ads and almost everywhere in Dubai

4. when it's already 7pm and yet the sky is still bright! oh, long days....

5. the summer sale in the malls is on!!!

6. the schools are on their break already, and Adventureland starts to have crowded weekdays

7. Adventureland starts to have more guests from other GCC countries such as Saudi, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain

8. many of our sigantories are having their one-month vacation out of the country!

9. you sweat out just by going out of the house!

10. when our fave outdoorsy spots are not as interesting anymore except for the water parks e.g. parks, beaches, al fresco dining, desert safari, mountain road trip, etc.

whew, the things we have to embrace.... and miss.. when the heat is on! and summer is here to stay until middle of october....

Cape Spartel, Tangier

i am surprised that not much is written about this side of Tangier-- but for me, i simply love this part of it! the drive to and from Cape Spartel (first pic, tower which dates back from 12th century), down to the main part of the city is simply awesome! there are various spots best for relaxed afternoon stopover, rendezvour or picnics!

Rainy Day in Tetoan

after getting the feel of the moroccan way of living in the medina tour, we opted for a countryside trip... this time, to the spanish-influenced Tetoan community. we requested for a guided tour from the Moevenpick hotel, where we stayed. instantly, they have someone for us! cool!













so, rain or shine, we braved the roads. from Tangier, the road started morphing from brown to green plains... and later, brown sand, and later still, greeneries again. the view is breathtaking! i've been wishing to see greens the past days! i even saw herds of sheep, cows and goats along the way! the road was good going to and from the different cities, which is much needed with agriculture being one of their primary industries.



finally, we were greeted by two towers which means we are by the Tetoan land already. here we are! i saw again a medina and kasbah. the guide asked us if we want to go there. we said no, just let us walk thru the cobble-stone roads and feel the culture of the place. so we hopped on and off from one place to another, with the grand taxi following us. it was drizzling, and most people were looking for covered places, as opposed to us, who were posing for pics in the middle of the road!!!



i liked the mix of detailed moroccan designs with the soft spanish flare. the community speaks of ages of existence, and i guess that is where the magic is-- the untouched culture. many of the folks speak more of spanish, than french. it looks like a serene little town that is oblivious to the modern world just a few hours away. i was wondering maybe it would be nice to get lost there... i'd just have to polish my spanish, french and arabic! we'll see...

Medina in Tangier, Morocco

Tanger is the northern most part of Morocco, just a boat-ride away from south of spain. in a clear day, you can see spain from afar! geographically, this is the best of 3 worlds-- europe, africa and arab world! so the people here are blessed with different tongues, and interesting facial features.

I will take you first to the central part of Tanger- Ville Nouvelle (new city) and Medina (old walled city). These two places can just be an afternoon stroll experience. and that's what we did. the weather was very good, at 15 deg celcius, just the right temp for lots of walking!

the ville nouvelle is just a road strip where new shops are lined up. i feel like i'm in baguio. they do not have malls. maybe because of the french influence, or maybe because they do not need a centralized airconed place coz their weather all year round is nice -- 10-30 deg celcius, no typhoons. the roads are full of cafes with all the chairs facing the road! so when you walk by the pavement, it's a given that a hundred eyes (of men) are going to oogle at you! but people don't care- they just keep on walkign and walking-- maybe that's why i did not see obese people!

now, by the entrance of the medina, there was a central plaza called the Grand Socco, with huge fountain, where people and doves flock together! it was a weekend when we visited, so this must be their weekend thing! beside that is the grand mosque. mosques for men are the ones with mineret (tall vetical structure), while for women, it is domes. later, a guy approached us. it must be the camera that gave us away as tourists... or our peculiar look! he offered to guide us for 20 moroccan dirhams per hour ($3).

typical moroccan cities have their own medinas and kasbah (tower). medina is the narrow- labyrinth-type paths creating a community, where the center of activities happen. it is both a residential and commercial place. kasbah is the tower of the medinas, the highest part which overlooks the port areas. walking around give me the feeling of being in one of the James Bond chase scenes. the narrow walk ways are clean, and there are no 'tambays'. there are free water faucets in most turns. the architecture is amazing. they were able to preserve the intrinsic morcoccan designs. we were shown also the places where the men, yes, the men sew the kaftans (ladies blouses)! so intricately designed, hand sewed, personally designed, that's why each one can be costly.

good thing we got a guide, otherwise, we will not find our way into and out of the maze! but the trade off is-- of course, he has to bring us to the other stores where we will just be 'shown' things-- carpets, kaftans, on top of riads (guest rooms within the medina), natural pharmacy, antique souks... all of which generously offered their moroccan mint tea while we were viewing their stuff. this showing around led us into coming out with our two hands full of souvenirs! haha! good salemen! i got a small carpet for $50, herbal medicines for $20 and moroccan slippers for $10!

best way to cap the trip was a dinner in an authentic medina resto. we had chicken pastila, kebab, couscous and tangine. i love the food! i have an adventurours palate, that's why! the pastila is a deliciously weird combination of chicken, almond, arnis, cinnamon, confectioner's sugar, saffa, all stuffed in a pie!

what we thought would just be a 2-hr tour, lasted for 4 hours! it was worth the trip anyways.

my next blog will take you to the idyllic mountain-seaside of Tangier...

Elections! Elections!

just last week, one of my bosses was muttering about their election in france. and now, it's our turn in the philippines...

12 senatorial slots are up for grabs (6-yr term)... and so with the house of representatives (3 yr-term) and of course the local positions...

i already voted twice since i got the right. my first was a celebration of my adulthood, and the next was as usual as my daily breathing...

and this time, i am very pathetic! and most of my colleagues are! we did not even exercise our absentee voting privilege! in a way, i can say it wasn't my fault, since i really planned on going home last april... talking about blame-shifting eh? still, i would eagerly wait for the initial partial unofficial results tomorrow.... i would like to know who among the celebrities were able to make it, hahhaha! and would the Team Unity (TU) make it despite the obvious strength of the Genuine Opposition (GO)?

i hope that the results will reflect a more educated voting class... or else, there goes another of our money down the drain, and the kids' future becoming so bleak. even if i do not pay taxes anymore, i still care.

To My Single Girlfriends... Part 2 of 2

what is it then that we can enjoy in this stage in our life?

rest from heartaches - we are spared of the heartaches of being cheated, of losing a loved one, of heated arguments, of misunderstandings, etc. i guess the only heartache at this stage is when the guy we like, do not like us back, which is kinda minute compared to the ones stated above. it is basically a 'peaceful' stage, a needed plateau to the highs and lows of being in a relationship...

freedom - ask some of your married friends, and they'd tell you what that means ;)

decision-making - there are some things which are better off being decided by only one mind... where to go, what to eat, what to wear, what time to leave, what to watch, what to buy, etc.

time for our personal growth - we would like to accomplish much, and with more choices coming up, i think this is the right time to do them without much distractions! you want to study again? go! you want to switch jobs? go! want to shift gears? go! want to expand your travel portfolio? go! and the choices goes on and on...

time for others - why would the singles be tasked to take care of their younger siblings, or their parents, or be called on by friends? or be asked for a church ministry? it's because, we have more time! and time is such an expensive commodity nowadays which we are rich with! just don't be a corporate slave and be married to your job, or else you'll lose this privilege.

disposable income - we wouldn't be called the favorite titas for nothing? haha! this is also the time when guilt does not bite us if we have 2 pairs of our fave stilletos in different colors, or think of milk or diaper when we are looking at a killer bag on sale!!! nor our hands fighting between a much-desired out-of-town trip and the tuition fee for the 'kids'...

excitement at things - attending gatherings, new hobbies, meeting new friends, etc. excitement can be at an all time high, especially if prospects are available ;) plus, no guilt-feeling attached.

opportunity to widen our circle of friends - singlehood is usually the time when we widen our circle of friends because we have the opportunity and the drive to do so. friends from elem, high school and college, work colleagues, hobbies, orgs... we lose some on the way, and we retain some, until we are old enough and bruised enough to just be happy with our 'genuine' circle of friends...

service to our married girlfriends - they usually call on to us if they want some color in their lives! we regale them with our latest adventures. we provide the twist in their daily routines. we give them what they cannot buy for themselves. we provide the shoulder to cry on when the couples have misunderstandings. we lend a ready helping hand in whatever situation we are called, and other services which we are capable of giving because we are singles.


i do not know which of these are true for you, but these are just some of the things I can think of at the moment. the point is, let us always count our blessings as a single, and use it to prepare us fully, if and when the right time comes for God's blessing for the next stage -- of marriage.

To My Single Girlfriends... Part 1 of 2

singlehood is a stage in our life, just as being a kid, a teen, a young adult, a married person or an elderly is. but unlike being a kid, a teen, a young adult and an elderly which are clearly defined by age, singlehood and being married are not.

when we try to fit these two unto an age bracket, that's when problems begin-- discontent, impatience, frustration and unhappiness. we always had the internal pressure such as "when i reach 25, i should get married"... or "i'm 35, and i'm still single???"... or "oh my, i'm 40 and i don't have a baby yet!!!"...or worse, the external mockeries that push us "hey, when are you getting married?"...

dearies, you can be 30, 40, 50 and still be a single! the amount of time that you'd stay single, and the lenght of time that you'd be married is in God's hand. you maybe given more time to experience the joys AND sorrows of singlehood, or given more time to experience the joys AND sorrows of a married life. a married life isn't necessarily a charmed life, as what we were always taught, nor singlehood isn't always a pityful stage...

God is so wise in not putting all the good things in one stage. and man is so unwise into always wanting to hop out of the stage he is in without enjoying it fully (or in contrast, enjoying it soooo much and never wanting to leave it), onto the next, oblivious of its ugly aspects thinking that the other stages will always be better. oh, happines then will always be like the horizon for you... so near, yet so far.

i think the secret lies in enjoying all the stages that we go thru in life, especially singlehood, until we are called to the next! living it up honey, coz if you don't, you won't find happiness even in marriage... don't rush out of singlehood, as you may just quickly bounce back to it...

there are those who are single since birth, and a number are newly single--- fresh out of a broken relationship. to all of us, cheers, i have good news to us girls...

gone are the days when singlehood is typecasted with the negative connotation of spinsterhood.
gone are the days when singlehood is socially unacceptable.
gone are the days when singlehood is boring, a state you'd like to jump out from.
gone are the days when singlehood is only enjoyed by men.

am i justifying my current state? no, i am stating facts. facts that many of us need to open our eyes to, and willingly embrace.

so the next time someone pesters you about your lovelife, just be cool with it and get used to it. do you think it will stop after you finally get a new guy? nope! i guarantee you it'l just start a new, yet still nagging question 'when are you getting married?'... and after you get married, 'when are you going to have a baby?'... and after you have a baby, 'when are you going to have another baby?', and so on and on...

didn't you notice that most of these questions come from people who does not really know much about you and are just trying to have some small talk? so don't let them affect you...

or, or, they are from real friends you haven't gotten in touch with for quite sometime? i'm sure you'd not take it against them...

you may disagree, but really, no man will complete you.... and as preachy as it may sound, but believe me, only God can! that i guarantee! ;)

so chill out, smile and give them your new attitude! go girl!

The Butt of Jokes!

April 23 (make sure you read from the 'Major Blooper' entry and up to fully understand this trail)...

as asked in my previous blog... the answer is, i became the butt of jokes the whole time! looking at the 3 choices, i guess it was the least evil! with that line of thinking, i managed to handle the humor. they obviously did not get angry, and as to being taken as stupid, i had a lot of opportunity to redeem myself ;)

from my bosses, to my colleagues, to the other delegates, i had become so infamous! each opportunity they see to infuse my experience into a joke, they will! good thing i am not too touchy about it. i have to, or else it'd be a nightmare! haha! i just had to let is pass, and enjoy the rest of the trip!

and enjoying the trip is what i do best, despite the misfortunes that had happened to me! well, i do not know if i'd be given another chance to go there.... as i might miss my passport or my flight again, bwahahhaha!!!

anyways, all's well that ends well...

Adding Insult to Injury

April 19. 510pm, Casablanca time.

as if forgetting my passport was enough to make my trip to morocco a very eventful one, another blow came. a real injury! i was waiting for my flight going to Tangier via Royal Air Maroc, in gate 9B as stated in the ticket. the flight was at 505pm, I was there at the gate as early as 3pm. at 445pm, people started lining up. i lined up, but the person in-charge, when he saw my ticket, said that the line was for Marakkesh. I asked where is for Tanger. He motioned me to ' just wait'. I sat down at the nearest bench, i waited for another 5 minutes. they kept calling ‘Marakesh! Marakesh!’.

I thought, 'how come they are using 2 flights for 1 gate? how unlikely?' i felt something is fishy. so i asked the person beside me, she said she’s going to marakesh just waiting for the line to shorten. i asked another girl, but she can barely speak in English, but she kept blaberring somethng but can't figure out what she meant. i showed myt ticket to the guard, he pointed me to the the same person at gate 9B. i asked the guy-in-charge again, and showed him my ticket. He said wait, and then cupped his hand on his ears to tell me to listen to the announcement.

i spoke to an airport staff who was walking at the gate, and showed him my ticket. he pointed me to the same guy at 9B. so, i approached the guy again, this time it’s already 510pm. And he said, ‘plane left’. "What?!#$% are you joking???? What happened? How come the call for tanger was not made? I was here, since 3 pm, and asked you 3 times, and now you are telling me the plane left?" i didn't know anymore if he understood what i said, but i just can't stop myself from talking and shouting! i know, i didn't handle my act well at that time! i've been up 17 hours earlier, i was left by the plane, and nobody understands me! I really blew my top!

i kept arguing with the guy, raising my voice to level i do not usually achieve. my heart was pounding so hard, i could barely catch my breath! my voice was tweaking already from a mix of exhaustion, frustration and anger! we went to the airline manager, and filed a complaint! finally, someone speaks good english! but still, too late a hero... the plane left!

i broke down and cried while talking to my boss, telling him my unfortunate plight while i lined up to get the next flight, which is in ....the next 6 hours! the guy at the counter tried to console me. ‘please don’t cry miss’. i told him I am still enraged...

after getting my ticket, and complimentary meal stub, i walked aimlessly. i have another 6 hours to burn. what do i do? with the airport so small, i've mastered the gates already. i knew it like the back of my hand! later, a girl approached me. i learned that she had been offloaded too. whew! heaven-sent!

we had coffee. we went to duty free shop. we had dinner together. in between those stuff, we have explored already each others' worlds—hers, in Germany and Tanger, and mine, UAE and Philippines.

later, while waiting still on one of the seats and with my new friend taking a catnap, the guy i fought with approached me. he told me (in broken english) that the what happened a while ago was the gate for Tanger was changed. the announcement was made in french and arabic, so it was not my fault. oh well, i’ve exhausted my anger already a while ago, so i just shrugged off my shoulders, and thanked him for the info. too late... the damage has been done.

i've missed one workshop day because i forgot my passport. and now, i've missed our evening activity because i missed my flight. the other delegates waiting for me may either get angry at me, or take me as stupid, or i'd be the butt of joke when i meet them. am i ready for any of these? or even, ALL of these?

Flying to Morocco...finally!

April 19.

woke up at 415am. left the villa at 515am. reached dubai airport at 545. checked in at 615. at the boarding gate at 630am. flight at 735am. good thing I had “Tuesdays with Morrie". with an hour to kill, I can read the book and do people watching on breaks. that’s exactly what I did.

i think i was the only Pinay on board. and I was alone. there was a group of Kenyan athletes. others were locals. Others, were mediterraneans. they kept talking either in arabic, or french.

aboard, i was hoping to be seated with someone interesting. slim chance! we stayed silent all along, me having finished 2 movies and him asleep the whole time. it was only when the plane was about to land, when we both didn’t have anymore headsets, that we managed to strike up a conversation. it was just another small talk. he is not well versed in english, and so am i with either french or arabic.

inside the cabin, people kept walking back and forth maybe to exercise their legs. there was a time that an elderly man leaned towards me, maybe seeing that i am the only one looking quite different. we had small talk which we both dropped immediately after i found it difficult to lift my head up always just to talk to him, and him to understand the words i say without leaning forward, which was quite awkward.

at last we reached Mohammed V airport in Casablanca. i walked out, and felt like i was back in Manila in terms of the size and the oldness of the airport. i kept asking airport staff each step of the way so as not to waste precious minutes with a few mistakes, though i really have 4 hours stopover to burn. twice, when airport staff saw my passport, i was asked “filipini"? i say, " yes!" "oh, abu sayaf". I said "no". he said, "no, they are good"… ohhhh…morocco is a predominantly muslim country.

after getting my luggage, i had to check in again for a local flight which will fly 4 hours after!!!! I felt too sleepy already. tried to have lunch, but was so unlucky to find a resto that will serve me rice. walking to and fro the departure area, i finally heard familiar words--kabayans! three guys working at the duty free. they engaged me in a very short talk and left. wheew, finally, saw some people familiar.

Flying Alone?

April 18.

After facing the embarrassment talking to my boss about my passport, I was glad that God provided other means for me to make it the next day.


Passport. CHECK!!!
New flight. Check.
Roaming phone. Check.
All morocco contact nos in the wallet. Check.
Separate wallet for Moroccan money. Check.
All other things prepared the other night. Check.

Then later he called me again. He asked “Are you afraid to fly alone?” Hmmm…. Now that he mentioned it, it finally sank into my thoughts.... "yeah, i'd have to fly alone????" I became terrified... new territory, arabic and french speaking, a handful of pinoys only, and it's an 8-hr flight from UAE! whew!

I held on to my God who is my comfort... and it never fails! ;)

Major Blooper

Have you had your major blooper for the year? I just had mine last April 17th. I know I run the risk of losing the respect of my readers. But hey, you are my friends, and I’m sure you’d love me again despite this haha!

*************
Given that I am very much into traveling, you’d imagine the amount of preparation I did when I learned that I am part of the team who’d fly to Morocco on April 18 to study a project-in- progress.

It's now April 17, 8pm, and i'm doing the final rundown of my checklist:

Desk research on Casablanca and tangier. Check
List of entertainment destinations. Check.
Appointment with market research agencies in Casablanca. Check
Clearbook containing all correspondences about the project. Check
Documents to save in my flashdisk. Check
Moroccan dirhams. Check.
Finish all documents for signing. Check
Group orientation meeting. Check.

Weather inquiry. Check.
Clothes to wear for the 6-day visit. Check.
Personal supplies to bring (cam, charger, etc). Check
Call nanay. Check
Bring bible. Check
Bring ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’. Check.

My Skywards card. ok, that card is inside my passport pouch... Passport? Passport! PASSPORT!#$%* PPPPAAAASSSSPPPOORRT?!#$%!!!!

The black passport pouch has my skywards card, but not my passport!!! Shouting above my lungs did not make it appear. I searched for it in all my drawers…to no avail!

It is 10pm (flight at 735am the next day), I started bothering people, really bothering people. Our HR said that it is with our mother company who keeps our passports for security purposes, though she said, all along, she also thought it was with me. Yeah, I thought so too, seeing the black pouch there in my drawer……… but never really inspected! unfortunately, the office is closed already! (Who wouldn't be at 10pm?!!!) Tried to push more buttons…until I gave up at 11pm.

I can’t believe how stupid I can get! One hour, few phone calls, and two friends who stayed amused at the whole scenario, helped me get over it for a while. Good thing, I was able to secure a flight the next day.

Laughters interspersed with regret and embarrassment filled our drive back to our villa. I don’t think I’d be able to get over this fast… how could I ever forget the most basic!?!@ They kept consoling me that there must be a reason why this happened............ oh yeah, it happened because i was so stupid! haha!

A Tourist & a Resident

i'm sure that when my folks went back home, they had a lot of nice things to say about dubai...

yeah, they've marvelled at all the goodness of living here starting from the fresh air, to the no-cent-to-spare architectural designs of malls and different property developments, to the discipline in driving, to the safety of mobile phones and bag, etc...

they've unceasingly compared whatever can be compared between here and manila, and as always, manila is taken on a bad light. sometimes it becomes irritating, that i told them in jest, "hey, be careful...in a few days time, you'd be back to the place you're degrading..."

my dad even said it is somewhat the dream place he imagined... and even asked me why i don't choose a guy for a husband here? i know it was more of a balloon thought which unintentionaly became a thinking-out-loud...


but i think that is the difference of a tourist and a resident. it takes a number of close encounters before you'll see the real picture, the bigger picture. as a tourist, i've just showcased to them the best among the bests. but as a resident, you breathe and live the good, and the bad side of this place, the latter of course i spared from telling them, or else, they'd just worry about me here...

i guess in life, it's like that.... there are times when you need to be just a 'tourist', a passerby, and there are needful times when you have to be a 'resident'.

whether you are talking about a place, a topic, a new friend, a problem, or even a political candidate, you must be a 'resident' who knows a great deal of unbiased facts before you can really see the big picture which gives prudence when decision is needed...

and yet, there are times when it is better to be just a 'tourist'... more of the optimism and beauty, less involvement, less energy zapped out, less headache...

Young Hands' Writings

my brother gave me letters and drawings from my pamangkins cyrus and shaira- his kids. they've grown so close to me, i even consider them as my own kids! (pseudo mom!!!) ...

so these letters are special to me. hand written notes will always be timeless, and more genuine, specially if it comes from your loved ones... 'how are you', 'missing you' and 'take care of your health' ........

the drawings were that of a girl meeting a guy (hmm....), and a dragon coming out of a castle, and then there is another one with images of ducks, train, rabbit, etc... well, whatever these means to them that they relate to me, well, at least they are thinking of me! ;) it also shows the rich flow of imagination, as my kuya said they did not copy it from something. i just hope this interest in arts will not be suppressed, in the misconception that art will not give you a bright future. my dad says most artist become rich when they pass away... when they are posthumously honored by escalating the price of their works to 10-15 times while they are alive!

little hands... sweet words... greats artworks... BIG heart......i'd keep these in my office drawer so that each time i need to rekindle my thoughts on youthfulness, carefree spirit and genuine care, the reminder would just be inches away....

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...