When God does not make sense...

how can i explain to my colleague that God makes sense, when in a span of 2 years, she lost her grandmom, grand dad, father and now, her precious son?


how can i tell my friends that God knows everything that is happening when we lost a friend, including her son, in a car crash with a drunk driver on a new year's eve?

how can i convince my relative that God is the healer, when her mom lost the battle (on the eve of my birthday) with a seemingly simple sickness?

how can i comfort my single friends when they ask why God does not give to them a good gift they were asking for for years?

how can i appease my brother who has ever since been struggling with financial indebtedness, and has never seemed to have barely made it through?

the never ending whys... i do not have the answer. the never ending tears and pain... i can only point them to God, who i believe that even when He seems to not makes sense, He still makes sense! no amount of my explanation to them can satisfy, because only He, in His own ways, can comfort us, open our eyes and make us at peace...

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

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

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i read the book "When God does not Make Sense" by James Dobson given to me by MD and PD, and it is very liberating! ;)

Schengen visa, anyone?

applying for schengen visa... the feeling was like a mix of my first job interview and my finals in chem17.... go figure!

we woke up at 5am, went out of the villa at 545am.... we were at the embassy at 715am, and the office opens at 830am. we were the first in line but for some reason, we became 8th and 9th because they said they've been waiting downstairs, and we just walked past thru the security! well, we did not know! anyways, we did not argue anymore. mano said it is better that we see how it is done, so no. 8 is not that bad. while waiting, we managed to strike up a conversation with a south african stewardess, who was so perky and friendly. she said she cannot move without a visa, so she keeps renewing it every 6 mos. and even if she's been doing it always, she made us felt at home by empathising with our nervousness.

at 830am, they opened the office, and we were formally lined up. there were 5 bank-type windows (and yes, the typical venetian blinds!) and i realized "wow, everyone can hear what you are saying!". and then there was one glass booth for all german nationals.

then, two people were there on the other side of the glass window... hmm, they don't look like germans.... and oh, they smile! so they are not snobbish at all!! the indian family whom she is entertaining at that moment seemed to be so excited with his planned trip that he volunteers his stories about going to europe. the lady just kept smiling. and after the indian, i saw the local guy with 5 passports on hand. wow, they really have the money to do this with the whole family! and the girl spoke in arabic...hmmm, she really is not a consul, but just a receiver of the documents.

then my turn. i was nervous. maybe we overdid the 'impression side' as we were the only ones in office suits! i thought i had to make an impression that i can pay for this trip, and that i am coming back to UAE. i was so anxious what questions they might ask???? until, she saw my NOC certificate with the company logo, and beamingly she said "oh Adventureland! i always go there with my kids!" whoa, i hoped it was a 'ganda' point for me, haha!good conversation piece, so i followed it up with aksing her how often she goes there, where she lives, etc. just to relax me a bit. and it did the works. and then she asked for all of my documents (the online info was wrong! all the photocopies were not asked, and the application form need be in duplicate!). mano was on the other window. and she heard that her receiver spoke with my receiver, as if saying 'here's another one from Adventureland". cool!

then, i paid AED 300 (money down the drain if we do not get approved!) and we were given a receipt to wait for 10 days for the passport to be given back by TNT. yes, 10 waiting days..... the TNT guy who happened to be a kabayan, said that there are only 2% being rejected. i looked at the whole room.... there were only 10 filipinos... hmmm, that can make mano and me the 2%!?#$% haha! well, we just kept believing that it is all upto God now. nothing can be done on our side. the kabayan gave us these pamphlets about germany that really whetted our appetite the more!!..... oh, we just have to make our plan B super attractive so that we will not feel sooooo down in case we get rejected...


and just a few hours ago.... the TNT packet arrived, with my passport inside and....... the Schgenen visa stamped on it! yahoo!!!! we can finally plan our itinerary!!!!

Religious Freedom in UAE...

the first time i flew here to dubai, i thought the bible was not allowed. i brought it nevertheless. you see, UAE is known as an islamic country. but praise God, worship is not restricted here unlike in other countries such as saudi arabia. my churchmates in the philippines used to think that it was an underground thing. but no, we were blessed to be able to move freely as christians. i even pray in food courts before my meals... UAE (dubai in paticular) has become an open city, and christians are growing in numbers, even though churches are located only on 'church zones'.

but the sad thing is, when we experience this freedom week after week, our enthusiam for it usually goes to a lesser degree. and last friday, i had the rare moment of re-savoring this great privilege when we had a visitor in the church from maldives. maldives is known as the place which comes close to being called the paradise- idyllic island, blue seas, rich corals and marine life, friendly all year-round weather, and untouched nature! but to the christians, it is a terror place! christianity is banned. period.

so we can understand why our visitor was full of the spirit as he shared with us the joy he felt for being with a church for the first time, singing hymns and songs without worrying that somebody out there might hear us! his joy was even contagious! he enjoyed fellowshipping together, reading the bible, listening to the preaching and worshiping Him freely, undistractedly.

we are praying together that in time, they will be able to do the same in maldives... i covet your prayers for this... Matt 19:6 says "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".

Entertaining the Thieves

how would you react if you learned that your neighbor's house was ravaged by thieves, and instead of them driving the thieves away, they have welcomed them, entertained them and worst, fed them! they were robbed off of their wealth, and yet they even displayed the unbelievable stockholm syndrome. the thieves left, and a few days after, they kept coming back to your neighbor's house and robbed them more. and when they found nothing else to amass, they went to others' houses... and on to yours!!! how would you react? would you treat them the same???

i am sure that your reaction is an adamant "NO! they are thieves!!!" i am sure you would be preparing to fight them with all your might to safeguard your wealth. i am sure you would have been prepared to ask for help and plan your action. i am sure you would have faced the thieves with fierce anger and no amount of compromise will happen!!! this is how we will react when we are talking about physical wealth e.g money, house, car, furnitures, jewelries, etc...

but do you know that we are like the neighbor in so many ways? we welcome the thieves named 'negative discontent' or in escalated level 'covetousness' and let him rob off our wealth named 'happiness'? and they do not even deceive us by coming as wolves in sheeps' clothing. they present themselves to us as they are-- thieves in all its form and 'glory'! and that thief is such a parasite and we have been such willing hosts, willing victims, to the point that we even indulge in it! oh yes, we love rambling about our discontents in life! we keep entertaining the thoughts! we feed them by giving in to them, and inviting their close kins such as regret, sadness, envy and worst, covetousness. and we let all of them stay in our hearts until we ran out of happy thoughts!

i am not trying to be philosophical here, but sadly, this is the reality, the trap that many of us are falling into deeper everyday, which if we do not stop, will keep on stealing our happiness away... until we have no more to give... and as they say, if we lose money, we can easily regain it; but if we lose our happiness, no one can say the extent of salvaging methods we have to perform!

i want to share some of the anti-thief tactics that i found useful in my life:

1. "always remember that the thief is an enemy". never confuse it with friends. stop welcoming it, stop entertaining it, stop feeding it! Deut 20:4 "For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

2. "it's all a matter of perspective". it's either half-full or half-empty. i choose to cultivate the half-full perspective! be slow to complaint and quick to thanksgiving. God's blessing is being showered on us every minute, everywhere, even at the most seemingly dark providence! Deut 6:12 "be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery"

3. "choose your company". if you surround yourself with perrenial complainers and you have such a weak resolve, it won't be surprising if you'd end up being one of them. Prov 24:1 "Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company"

4. "cultivate only the positive discontent". it is opposed to lazy contentment which is not good in equal measure to negative discontent. it is not bad to graze at greener pastures, as long as you can manage and properly balance both reality and your expectations of yourself and your life.

5. "laugh a lot!" don't wallow in discontent and its close cousins. don't give an opportunity for these to enter your life by filling it up by its antidotes - a lot of laughter, positivism, and good contentment.

life is so short to be wasted and given away to these thieves! fight the first signs and sight of it, and live life to the fullest! ;) c'est la vie!

Hymns and Tears

i seldom cry. but if there's one thing that never fails to make my tears fall, it is hymns that tell of what Jesus Christ has done for the sake of undeserving sinners like me. it brings me back to that day in january 1992 when, by HIs grace, He has opened my eyes to the understanding of that bitterwseet cross of calvary... below is one of my favorite humbling and heart piercing-hymn... i hope you read and digest each word...

Words by Thomas Kelly, 1804
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/t/stricken.htm

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long expected prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
’Tis a true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See Who bears the awful load!
’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost.
Christ the Rock of our salvation,
Christ the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.


who can fathom this great love? not i, for until now, it still amazes me, humbles me... there's so much depth in its beauty, and i only need to yield...

A Case of A Dead Filipina in Dubai

such a loss...it's not so safe after all... i hope justice would be served!

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Last Updated : Wednesday 22 Aug, 2007

Dubai - Police have recovered the decomposing body of a missing Filipina in the Jumeirah district of Dubai. Last week 7DAYS reported that 38-year-old housemaid Mary Ann Carbellido, had been missing since an early morning driving lesson on August 12.The victim's younger sister Anariza Tangan, 35, was contacted by Bur Dubai Police at 11am yesterday to identify the body at the morgue.

"Police told me that they found her behind a villa in Jumeirah and they believe that she had died five to six days ago," Anariza said.She said that when she went to view the body, she could not recognise her sister's face, which had turned black.Police showed her Mary Ann's silver watch, jewellery, and the black blazer and black jeans which she was wearing when she went missing.

"I could not go near the body which was wrapped except for her face. I was only able to positively identify her when the police showed me her belongings," Anariza said. Mary Ann has three children and a husband back in the Philippines , who she called at least three times a week. "I haven't informed anyone yet in the Philippines .

Her employer told me today that he will cooperate with the CID to trace the whereabouts of the person who took my sister to the driving school. He said that the person who drove her to her driving lesson has already left the country," Anariza said.The last time she saw Mary Ann was on August 10 when they visited friends in the Satwa area of Dubai .

"We didn't have any problems. We were so happy that day. I can't believe that she's gone forever now," her sister said.A spokesperson for the Philippine embassy told 7DAYS she believed the case was being treated as murder and that they would be monitoring the case closely with police.The family has requested the repatriation of Mary Ann's body back to her homeland.

Awakening the sleeping bookworm

mano is such a bookworm! every time she goes to the mall, she does not go home sans a book. and even her habibi is such an avid reader. and the more i spend time with her, the more i get brushed with this passion. i guess she has just awakened the sleeping bookworm in me! such a nice positive influence...

she gave me "tuesdays with morrie" last april, and it spoke strongly to me. and "teacher man" for my birthday which is my current read. she lent me colayco's book on investment, and the expat's guide to managing your money, and it enlightened me on many practical matters. and when she left for oman, i saw on her bed "rich dad, poor dad" which i breezed thru in 2 days! she also made me reminiscent and laughing out loud with abnkkbsknpl of bob ong! when we had a book sale at the church, we both bought "a woman after God's own heart" which i've finished a few weeks after. and i'm also done with "the devotionals for women" which has seasoned my thoughts with the essentials.

now, i enjoy more my bible reading. i enjoy my devotions. we discuss many things over a cup of coffee from our latests reads. i can't let a week pass without reading something, or let a moment pass, whether i am waiting for something, riding the car for a long drive, having my foot massage or lulling my mind to sleep. i always have bathroom books too! now, i get excited with bookstores. i get high with the sight and smell of books, old or new. mano and i enjoy quiet moments together - with good reads on hand! of course, this is squeezed within the time with my old friends -- the journals, the internet and the magazines.

i think i am already having information overload... but the reality is, the more i realize i know so little coz there is so much more to be learned out there! it's great to be a bookworm ;) thanks mano! i'm gonna read your "princess diary" soon. it is a shocking and revealing true accounts of a saudi arabian princess... and more book adventures to us!

How do I tax you? Let me count the ways...

nowhere else in the world (unless someone corrects me) would one still enjoy a "tax-free" living, except here in GCC (gulf cooperative council) countries like UAE. as an employee, it's such a huge weight off our backs. it has attracted so many expats, in fact 80% of the population are expats! and so many companies have invested here. there are even a number of freezone areas in every emirate. last august 22, it was stated in Gulf News "UAE has ranked 20th worldwide and third in the arab world for the best international investment destinations (international outsourcing and offshore services center)..."


but wait!!!! no need to pack your suitcases and come running here! there are a number of hidden creative taxations that you should know first...



for employees like me


1. housing - flat rents have soared high!!! so if your housing allowance has not increased the past years, it either means you need to make do with lower standard of room space, or you go as far as ajman (and yes, accept the traffic!). in 2002, we were renting a nice 3BR flat for only $6,250/annum. now, we can't find 3BR within our budget, so we opt for 2BR at $16,300/annum. do the math to get the rate of increase in a span of 5 yrs!


2. electricity and water - oh same story, but a little less cushioned than the flat rent stories.

3. food - prices of basic commodities have shot up by almost 30%! so your budget allocation for food has increased in the same proportion, unless you go the famous route of 'dieting'!

4. transportation - given that your transportation to-and-from office is free, your cab fare for your leisure activities has increased by almost 50% since 2003!

5. if you're a filipino - your salary converted to peso has decreased by almost 18% (from P55 to P45 dollar conversion in a span of 4 years!), considering that most salary levels has not increased, or if they did, only about 5-10%


6. dining out - even with restos mushrooming everywhere, it does not make the pricing pro-consumer. i guess the demand is still much higher than the supply!


so you're one blessed employee if the company pays for your housing, furnishings, water, electricity, clothing, car, gasoline, parking, phone bills, medical insurance and gym! ;)



for companies




1. emiratization - for every 50 employees, the company should hire one local (emirati) with a minimum salary of AED4000 ($1,086) for a high school graduate! plus you have to pay part of their pension, and give way to special working conditions for locals.


2. labor visas - visa fees per staff has crazily gone up by almost 500% since 2002! plus you need to surrender a bank guarantee of $1000 per staff!


3. parking fees - gone are the days when you can freely park anywhere! public roads are charging $0.27 per hour, $1.35 for 2 hours and $2.17 per 3 hours! i'm sure in a few years' time, the malls will start making money out this too!


4. salik tollway - here's another bygone privilege... no more free use of the Sheik Zayed road! salik, proclaimed to be created to reduce the traffic in that road (oh, yeah?!) was said to be amassing dirhams by now, what with $1 per passing, and $54 for fines!


5. promotional fees - i can't believe that each kind of flyer we have to pay $135 per month! plus we have to pay all kinds of concocted fees for every promo that we make (and it's darn expensive!) and on top of that, we have to pay the economic department and/or chamber of commerce (really confusing at times! double pay!) to participate in their lame promos!


6. fines, fines, fines - sometimes you will not be aware of a ruling, until someone from baladiya (municipality) gives you a notice of fine! oh well!


7. business permits - many of business process has modernized, but entails more fees. of course! modernization has a price tag!


well, at least, as what taxation was all about hundreds of ages ago, it is those who make much money a.k.a companies, that are being heavily 'taxed'!

Good Morning!

finally, i saw blue skies in UAE. i took this shot last week. all i had to do was wake up early! as in 630am, and there it is, in all it's beauty! with the white cirrus clouds cheerily spreading its layers. and i heard once again my winged-friends chirping and singing its songs. Oh, goodie goodie morning! ;)

The Chief End of Man

"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever".


that is point no. 1 in the the westminster catechism. that is what i have always believed in upto now, but ashamedly erratic in practice. it is such a direct, happy and simple life goal, but 'self' and the 'enemy' has always complicated this. they make me a willing victim to 'merryland' and 'vanityland' and slowly blurs my vision.

i've toiled so hard to make my career CV flourishing (a stark difference with my spiritual CV), and i forget that it is supposed to be just a means (to achive my chief end), and not the end in itself. i keep forgetting. consciously and unconsiously.

one pastor said, "your life vision will guide your present action". and Matthew 6:21 says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". such a shame if God will reveal my heart right now. i'm glad He gives me mornings to start anew. new mercies. new hopes.


yes now, i have to focus back to my basic goal, cut out the unnecessary trimmings. i've to re-align my thoughts and efforts. i think i've detoured many times. i need His strenght, i need His guidance. Philippians 4:19 says "and my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus".

and to my investment plans? i know He wants me to be a good steward of His blessings while i am passing by in this world, and yet i have to keep remembering and keep living what Matthew 6:20 says: "but store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where no moth nor rust destroys, and thieves do not break in or steal".

The Good is the Enemy of the Best

i know that the bad is the enenemy of the good, so i avoid the bad...

but, i often forget that the good is the enemy of the best. having to choose between the good and the best is not always easy, especially if the good is in terms of material, and the best is in terms of spiritual. i am a sensual being, and so those that i can physically see, hear, touch and taste usually have a better grip of my decisions. i've tossed a number of times the good and the best choices, where i let the good win.

and so for my seemingly perennial crossroad, this has finally hammered down my ever-wavering thoughts...

Call-in Sick!

i just took a paracetamol. for 2 nights, i've been having bad cases of sore throat-- the first sign for me of low resistance. i gargled with bactidol, chewed losenges and ate hot munggo soup prepared by mano.

i know my body. every year, i have a once-a-year dose of fever, real sickness that lasts for days. maybe this is it for this year. maybe i should not supress it thru all these drugs, but let my body surrender...

maybe it is time that i stop trying to be strong always. accept that humans have down moments, and start appreciating that in my weakness, Someone and some people are my strength.

maybe it is time that i take things really slow. and acknowledge that this is my cooling down period of my shift from the fastlane to the slow lane.

maybe it is time that i put myself in the proper perspective. refrain from thinking that the company will suffer if i don't go to work. that actually sounds more vain, than concerned.

maybe it is time to accept deviations from plans. we plan for the day, but let God work out His plan accordingly.

maybe it is time to enjoy moments of solitude. and catch up on my latest readings such as teacher man, devotionals for women and so many others lying there on my side table.


it's not a bad idea after all to file for sick leave... and come back really refreshed and invigorated!

Wazzup? Keif? Musta?

i've always dreamed of having this special power of conversing in many languages. like Jason Bourne. he just speaks spanish, french, italian, whatever the language is spoken by the person he is talking to.

how do i do that when i don't even know a single dialect? i've always envied my college friends who speaks their province dialects. it seemed a nice 'secret' language in the company of many people.

so in this quest of mine, i would like to start with arabic. yeah, i know. i've been here for five years, and i've only thought of doing this only now? why? beats me! but i guess, it's never too late to start.

i bought an arabic book, with tapes which i usually play when i am driving so that it goes into my subconscious. it helps since my memory anyway always fails me. it's been 2 weeks, and i think i'm learning quite a bit:

welcome - marhaba! or more formal saalam mulaykum
reply - zain or bikhair or mulaykum maaslam
kumusta - keif halak? (to man) keif halik (to lady)
what's your name - shu ismak?
do you understant arabic/english - tefam arabi/inglesi?
no - la
yes - na'm or aiwa
i don't have money - ma andich fulus
no problem - ma fi mushkila
big problem - mushkila kabeera
Filipino - filipini


just like any skill, it has to be continually honed. i have to, so that i can move to the next level-- french! ;) wow, what a dream! haha! and i also would like to learn sign language and one pinoy dialect... one by one tetch... one by one...

A Baby Girl?!%# I'm sorry...

i thought it only happens in the outskirts. but seeing it on CNN recently confirms that getting rid of baby girls is widespread even in the supposed 'modern' cities of India. there, it is indeed raining men!

i have an indian officemate who testifies to this. he's from kerala, a province in india. i've asked the same question with other indians i know. while some dismiss it as an 'urban legend and so yesterday', others confirm its existence upto now. do you know that ultrasound machines were prohibited in some areas so that the couple will not know the sex of the baby?

and if asked why is this practiced, i only get one answer on why it happens --- the dowry being paid on the wedding day is so high, that most have to start saving as soon as the baby is born! but an indian friend of mine who was born and raised here in dubai defied this tradition. he had an arranged marriage but he did not ask for dowry! very good indeed! very unstifling for the in-laws.

in ending, as Oprah commented (when she featured this is her show), "if it's gonna be all boys, i wonder how will more baby boys be conceived without a woman?" you really wonder how...

if there is dowry for the groom, i hope there is 'labor gifts' for the mothers --- i guess this will equalize everything!

An Evening at Burj Al Arab

burj al arab is an iconic structure in dubai. it is said to be the tallest hotel in the world. set-off against the shore, and was dubbed the only 7-star hotel. all the rooms are suites (see left photo), and you cannot enter the passageway going to the hotel without a reservation (and take note, for reservations, they really get credit card numbers!!)

no, i did not get to stay in one of the suites coz i do not have $1000 to shell out. i am no dignitary nor celebrity. i did not get to ride one of the rolce royce parked outside the hotel. i did not get to use the world-class spa. nor did i get to touch the helipad at the top which saw tiger woods teeing off or the tennis champs playing!

but i get to take a peek at the exclusive seafood restaurant, and of course the grand lobby. it was a blast! this dinner would really make anyone's birthday special...

the first collage is at the waiting area of al mahara seafood resto. waiting for the submarine ride. yes, they have 'submarine' drama to bring the guests to the restaurant. next collage are pics inside! it can acommodate upto 10 people and runs for a minute. the windows run digital video images simulating under-the-sea voyage. and of course, the last collage is dinner time! can you believe that photography was not allowed inside? so these are stolen shots! i'm sorry, i can't help it! cannot let this moment pass my lens. i had a sumptuous seafood platter, superb german white wine and choco dessert! and see that giant aquarium beside us? lovely!

and now, the grand lobby pics! the first two pics here are from the net, coz vain as i may be, i forgot to take full shots of theses angles without me! haha! everything seems golden here! but it is just polished tanso and good lighting effect. in the collage pics (sorry, i'm in it gain!) i love the shot where i was peeking thru the squares with all these beautiful flowers!

oh, lovely evening! lovelier is the thought that, "wow, God blessed me with 33 years!" i couldn't be more thankful.

My Kabayans

it has always been a delight for me to say "kabayan!" (filipino term for countrymate) to pinoy strangers-- whether at the supermarket, restaurant, gym, mall, hotel, in Adventureland, on the phone, etc. it is a word which instantly connects me with these people. even some foreigners (who know other pinoys) use that word to just illicit smiles from our kabayans! one of our visitors who was here for a 5-day trip, and who has been elsewhere in the world, commented that pinoys here are friendlier to other pinoys. that i have to find out.

and each "kabayan" greeting is greeted back with a smile and usually with a question "matagal ka na dito?" (have you been here for a long time?). and that opens numerous work and personal tales that lasts a few minutes. most are always avid to share their stories, and i've always been eager to listen coz they teach me so much about life. precious encounters. whether we'd see each other again or not, the joy must be in connecting with someone they feel familiar with.

and i am glad that most of them say that they are treated well by their employers. if asked if they are happy, 50% says yes, 50% says no, on the basis of salary. there is still a wage discrimination -- if you are asian or non-arabic, both on the rank and file and the managerial level. it is a sad fact. there is no minimum wage law here. and among managers within the same company, usually a white and a local (emirati) manager earns higher than a pinoy manager.

but just the same, kabayans keep flocking here to dubai expecting greener pastures. some has good endings, others charge the bad result to experience.

wayback 2002, there were only a few of the so-called professionals here. i would often get the comment "you are the first Filipino manager i've dealt with". for them it must be flattery, for me it was an insult. exodus started in 2004 and was furhter boosted by the 'Dubai' movie of aga mulach and joh lloyd. but now 2007, it seems that all companies have their Pinoy clouts! and guess what? the reputation that we have gained thus far, are: hardworking, multi-tasking, very neat, and delivers good customer service. bravo!

so to my kabayans here: cheers and keep up the good work! whether the intention is to stay here and help the country thru dollar remittance, or to plough back to philippines the expertise and the savings gained here, i salute you!

Friendster vs Facebook

Friendster

i love friendster. i've touched-based with my long lost friends even wayback in elementary, in yes, friendster! how amazing can it be? it surprises me with the extent of its reach among the pinoy circle all over the world! it used to be the number one online social site, but it slid down and gave way to myspace. no. 1 or no. 2, just the same, when it comes to hooking up with my ex-classmates, ex-officemates-- nothing beats friendster! the true filipino online community! almost all people i know has an account, young ones and young once alike!

whenever i want to wile away time, i go to friendster and look at profiles and pictures of friends, or friends of friends, or friends of friends of friends... got it? i like flicking thru the pages of friends and strangers as well, and how they are doing now in life. new parents usually have their baby's photos on the first pic! newly weds have wedding pics, or the pre-nup pics and honeymoon pic, mala hollywood romance movies! those 'in a relationship' of course would banner who they are with at the moment! and the singletons---- their pets, travels, pamangkins and what-have-yous!

i am amazed at the 'how you are related' portion of friendster! i can't believe that my friend is also a friend of my friend! talking about 6-degrees of separation or in this case, relativity huh!

so now, whenever we take pictures here in the office, we make sure it is 'pang friendster'! haha.

Facebook

i also like facebook. salawahan! haha! blame its rise to stardom to prince william! but you see, for my non-pinoy friends, what they usually have is facebook. though i find the template kinda boring (blue and white), what they lack in color, they make up in applications! a whole lot of applications! even 30-ish people would enjoy these funky and interactive profile add-ons. right now i am still trying to figure out how to apply those to my profile!

facebook is not a good site if you wanna 'take a peek' at someone else's profile. all you'll see is their name (no nicknames, as opposed to friendsters' nickname mania... i wonder why!), thumbnail sized shots and the network they are part of. it's rare that one's profile is open for public (as far as my experience with flicking is concerned). you have to have the guts to 'add him/her as a friend' or 'poke him/ her' or 'send him/her a message'.

but one thing i enjoyed though is browsing thru all the clubs/organizations that facebook people have created! gazillions of them! it reminded me of my freshman days in college, when i'd apply in so many orgs and clubs, but ends up in maximum of 2 at the end of the year!

there you go with choices for online social networks.... so enjoy browsing!!!!!

Ciao! Arriverderci!

tues, my friend gelli introduced me to her three italian friends. we met in Vu's bar. after a few mintues of pleasantries, we instantly hit it off with discussions ranging from italy, to philippines, to business, to dubai, to each one's works. when we left them, we learned that they still jammed with the people from the other table, who happened to be-- you guessed it-- italians!

then thursday, they were invited by their new-found kababayans to a (italian) house party. they invited gelli, and gelli tagged me along, not wanting to feel left out. with nothing else to do, i agreed. plus, i think it sounded exciting! and an adventure...

at 10pm, gelli and i arrived at the villa by jumeirah. we were met by our friends, and then, by the host of the party. with all blondes, tall people, long noses and speaking italian, i suddenly felt out-of-place!!!!! they even separated me and gelli from the sitting arrangement in the dinner table, but was glad i was seated next to this cute italian guy ;)

the first part, as any social gathering is of relative strangers, was kinda awkward, especially when they started talking in their language. once in a while, when they remember us, they'd speak in english. hmm.... now i kinda know how it feels to be in a conversation where each word they speak is greek to me, and i really felt so lost! and the best conversation piece i can give is just a nod and a smile! now i can sympathize with foreigners in the company of pinoys who endlessly talk in tagalog! this is one of those times when i wish i had the power of linguistics!

but that part usually ends after a few minutes of ice breakers! and the big group talk disintegrates to small group talks... and that's when a cute seatmate comes in handy! unfortunately, to his right is a disarming pretty fil-italian! but he was kind enough to engage both of us in a good english talk...

now comes the part when they serve pasta... pasta... pasta... yes, in one plate, i was given 3 kinds of pasta! whew! one was carbonara, one was tomato-based and the other one was meat-based! i have to remember i was in an italian party. the noodle was so al dente, that i realized i liked my less al dente pinoy spaghetti so much more!

after the pasta feast... they served steak-- rare!!!! oh, haven't eaten a rare steak before, but with an adventurous palate, i tried it, and i liked it! and for dessert, i've tasted the best tiramisu i've tasted! i had two servings. i already lost my 'hiya'. and the hostess appreciated my fondness for her dessert.

then of course, wine flows like a river! they talk about different kinds of wine... wherein i only know 2-- red and white! they served different kinds of red wines, and different kinds of white wine, with each wine having a story of its own... and that simply means the table is filled with wine glasses! the last i've seen so many wine glasses on a table was during our home economics fine dining exam!

then, lastly, and the part closest to me--- was the picture-taking time! gelli took two shots, and left my camera on the table, and the guy beside me started taking candid shots of all of us, and even of the cherries in front of us! that was cool and fun!

then later still, as we let the food we ate settle in the inner corners of our tummies, there was the natural gravitating of the genders-- the guy talk there and the girl talk here! and some one-on-one talk on the living room...

at around 1 am, we bid ciao and arrideverci! it was a nice house party, and i would gladly be a willing victim next time gelli tags me along again...

London Bridge is Falling Down....

that was a cute nursery rhyme. but replace 'london' with 'minnesota', and it equals tragedy which happened last wednesady.

i was watching CNN, and caught the safety camera shot of the collapse of the minnesota bridge. i cannot believe it! in split second! i felt goose bumps all over me. can it be true? the whole bridge?!#$

the survivors were interviewed. the city officials gave statements. the safety specialists have something to say. the newscasters have their two-cents worth on the issues. like a thunderbolt, it once again awakened the people... the survivors felt being given the second chance at life...

if i were there, i wouldn't know if i'd have the presence of mind some of the people had at the scene of the tragedy. they immediately thought of rescuing others, of jumping out of their cars, of taking a photo of the whole thing...

and would i be prepared to meet my God? by God's grace, i can say 'yes'.

but since i was not there, and i am still here alive and kicking... He is giving me another chance to cherish the gift of life, a gift which i usually take for granted...

Does Life Imitate Art?

Scene 1: three months ago, afghan president is pressured to release its 5 terrorist prisoners in exchange for 1 italian reporter. he did.

Scene 2: the world community condemned this act.

Scene 3: two weeks ago, the terrorists kidnapped south korean christians riding a bus in ghazi province in kabul-khandar hi-way in afganistan. the demands --> release 8 taliban prisoners held by kabul, afghanistan government and pull out the korean armed forces in afghanistan.

Scene 4: kabul government did not heed.

Scene 5: talibans killed one hostage, the pastor. taliban pressured korea to pressure afghanistan, or else the remaining 22 will be killed. new deadline set.

Scene 6: kabul government said they will not release taliban prisoners.

Scene 7: talibans killed another hostage, and threatens to kill the others.

Scene 8: south korea pleads US intervention. others blame US for angering the talibans in 2001. korea government is in hot seat in deciding on this issue.

Scene 9: to be continued.....

i can't belive that what i am seeing are actual footages ad what i am reading are real stories, and not scenes from a movie. the sad thing is knowing that this does not end within 2 hours of reel-time. and that there is no assurance of victorious ending.

all i can do for now is to pray on bended knees, and seek the mercy of the Highest authority.

Red-Stained Victory for Iraq

By BUSHRA JUHI Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD Jul 29, 2007 (AP)

Defying orders from authorities, revelers fired celebratory gunshots and poured into the streets after Iraq beat Saudi Arabia to clinch its first Asian Cup soccer championship on Sunday. Mosques broadcast calls to stop the shootings, which killed at least four people. Security forces enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq's progress to the finals Wednesday.

Iraqis welcomed the victory as a chance to show the world they can come together and expressed frustration that their politicians couldn't do the same. "Those heroes have shown the real Iraq. They have done something useful for the people as opposed to the politicians and lawmakers who are stealing or killing each other," said Sabah Shaiyal, a 43-year-old policeman in Baghdad. "The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians. Once again, our national team has shown that there is only one, united Iraq."

The Iraqi team, known as the "Lions of the Two Rivers" beat three-time champions Saudi Arabia 1-0 in its first appearance in the Asian Cup final.

The jubilation over the victorious run of the team has given Iraqis a rare respite from the daily sectarian attacks, with men of all ages cheering and dancing in the streets after each win.
But extremists seemed just as determined to destroy national pride and unity. Two car bombs tore through crowds of revelers in two Baghdad neighborhoods, killing 50 people after Wednesday's semifinal victory over South Korea.

It's Raining Bills... in Japan!

i'm not exactly sure what to make out of this story... urban legend, or what???... good or what??? whatever!

********************************************************************************
by Miwa Suzuki Sun Jul 29, 6:32 PM ET

TOKYO (AFP) - A mystery gripping Japan over anonymous cash gifts has taken a new twist. For those who want the next batch of giveaways, the place to look is in their mailboxes -- or even right at their feet.
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Residents of a Tokyo apartment building are baffled after a total of 1.81 million yen (15,210 dollars) was found in 18 mailboxes by Saturday, a police spokesman said.
"The money was in identical plain envelopes, which were unsealed and carried no names or messages," the spokesman told AFP. But residents became "spooked" rather than pleased with the anonymous gifts -- and were too upright to pocket the money secretly. "Some people initially suspected they were fake bills. When they realised the bills were real, they reported them to us," the spokesman said.

The predominantly middle-class apartment building in Tokyo is not alone. An envelope with one million yen was left in the mailbox of a 31-year-old woman in the western city of Kobe on Wednesday. Police admit they have no idea who is leaving the cash -- whether a few people are behind the bizarre giveaways or if Japan is witnessing a craze of copycat benevolence.
Since June, dozens of city halls and other public buildings across the country have reported finding neatly packaged envelopes full of cash in men's restrooms.

The bathroom money has come with identical letters asking people to do good deeds -- leading to speculation that the benefactor may be a public servant trying to cheer up his profession or perhaps a member of a new-age religion. Japanese cash dropoffs are not always so neat.
On Wednesday, bills worth 960,000 yen were inexplicably seen "falling" in front of a convenience store.

"We can just say the money came from the skies," a puzzled police official said. "There were other passers-by outside and customers in the store but the incident caused no confusion," he said. "People thought it was too eerie to touch." A man who contacted police saying his daughter had dropped the money had his claim rejected as groundless, the official said.

The largest single dropoff so far was in the ancient city of Kyoto on July 23, astonishing a 67-year-old woman who found an envelope containing 10 million yen of stacked bills in her mailbox.
But mystery money does not always reach police intact.

A woman walking on a bridge over Tokyo's Sumida River told officers that she saw bills falling at her feet from an elevated expressway above on July 6. She believes 30 to 40 notes fell but police managed to collect only six notes worth 46,000 yen by the time they arrived.
"Some people were picking the money up on the bridge," the Tokyo Shimbun quoted the woman as saying.

No one can say if more people have collected money and not told police.

Media tallies suggest more than four million yen, including some found last year, has been found in the public restrooms. Dutifully, police are holding most of the money in case the rightful owner eventually decides to reveal their identity.

Warm-up and Cool Down, Anyone?

if it is true with muscles, it is true with us...

if it is true with machines, it is true with us...

if change is inevitable, we need to warm up for it...

if we need to stop, we need to cool down...

if you need to break a bad news, warm up...

if you need to shift to a slower gear, cool down...

if you aim for a new direction, warm up...

if you need to break up, cool down...


yes! warm up or cool down, or suffer the pain for days!!!! i know this, yet i took it for granted... so for days, i've been suffering from muscle pains! haha!

Masterplanners

mano has been used to with so many masterplanning templates. she's working in an architectural firm, that's why. so one day, she used this for her 'personal masterplan'. i followed suit! we ended up staying awake til wee hours in the morning with sheer adrenaline rush keeping us awake!

armed with mental notes that i got from reading "Managing your Finances, Guide to Expats" and "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", i was on to a wonderful journey of doing my life's masterplan!

version 1 was for my July 2007 to March 2008 plan. as soon as i finished it, my energy surged and ideas popped into my mind dragging me to do a 5-year plan! that was version 2.

General Objective: To go out of the rat race and have a more meaningful life for the next 5 years

Specific Objectives:

1. To acquire a degree in education (pre-school, elem and high school), a career which i would like to grow old with

2. To achieve financial independence to support my teaching dream (which, unfortunately in the philippines, is a career that is not well-paid)

3. To obtain the means to fuel my other other passions in life: travelling, evangelism, photography, missions and linguistics

4. To obtain short-courses in piano-playing, stenography and sign language (to communicate better with my deaf-mute nephew, who happens to be my fave!)

This is totally a different ballgame... venturing into the unknown! leaving out of the 'comforts' of regular paycheck is scary. i've been preparing myself for this the past years coz i know an abrupt change can be damaging for me. and my biggest comfort is that my life's Architect is Him who is the omnipotent God of the universe, my heavenly Father who knows what's the best for me!

Prov 16:9 "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps"

Prov 19:21 "Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand"

just drawing up this 'little masterplan' has somehow pulled me out of the crossroads which i've been in and out of, for the past months. but i also know that just like any plan, it can be revised upto version nth! well, that just makes my life more exciting! ;)

Coffee Talk: Central Perk in Jumeirah

this is actually long overdue! this happened end of june, and yet i will only be able to write about it only now. but i cannot NOT write about this too. because i would like to remember always how we can make our evenings different-- with friends!

all of us 4 love "Friends". even J now is addicted to it! so, where else is it fitting to grab a cuppa? at Central Perk!

after dinner, we searched for it within the inner roads of jumeirah. until after almost an hour of driving around, and close to giving up... we saw the wondeful sign!!!






they have magzaines, wifi, warm ambiance, very comfy couches, good coffee lines, and cool staff! i'm sure we found a gem in the city, specially on days when you needed to unwind...




















and as the pictures reveal, we had one crazy, make-believe 'Friends' night with the help of the friendly staff there! they said they have bands playing every saturday night, and movie nights every monday... so, i think we'd give our grand hyatt tables a rest for a while... ;) they also have in Uptown Mirdiff, which of course we already visited!

I'm Going Back to the Philippines

such is the cry of many amnesty-seekers in UAE. there are about 1000 of them, many are domestic helpers. the highest number being in abu dhabi and dubai. last july 3, they were given by the government amnesty which they should avail before end of august. i hope absconding pinoys will take advantage of this and not let the 'deadest deadline' mentality cripple them and lose their privilege to go back home safely...

common problem they face is paying of the airfares. airlines have cooperated by giving discounted rates to pinoys, and to other countries wherein this amnesty was given, such as india. filipino communities have worked hand in hand to give needed support, coz who else will help them?

i guess this is one main reason why our immigration in the philippines is so unreasonably strict in letting the visit visa holders leave the airport. they do no like others to suffer the fate of our unfortunate kababayans. however, many immigration officers take advantage of this and turn it into power-play and lose the real concern for those leaving the country... until someone, fortunately, irated the daughter of PGMA and re-organized the screening system of our NAIA immigration...

coming to UAE does not always end in 'happily ever after'. there are a small percentage of sad and bad endings. you have to be prepared for the worst...

Need a Raise?

when you are stuck in a job with a salary that has not climbed an inch after 2-3 years, what would you do? (1) sulk and let it reflect on your work until your boss notices it and hopefully talk to you, (2) get angry and vent in on a resignation letter, or (3) talk to your boss about it?

the first one is the defeatest attititude and the most childish, yet many people buy it! why? because it is the easiest thing to do, leaving the 'guilt' to the other party without ever having to do confrontation. it's a wait-and-see game.

the second one is, as what was written, a 'resigned' move! putting an exclamation mark even before exploring the 'whys' and 'hows' impairs the understanding of both parties. but many also are sold here because, again, no confrontation is needed. no need to act 'seemingly' needy. and besides, one may think "i should not be begging for my salary increase?"

the last option is the road taken by those who have the balls to face the consequences. and this is the fair move in giving the management an opportunity to hear one's side. just a word of caution: make sure you do this professionally. do away with loud confrontations. the goal is to be heard, and not to argue.

and i am not just talking about salary raise here. but i guess this applies to many aspects of our life as well... settling issues with spouse... settling issues with friends... settling issues with those in authority... settling issues with the family... in all these, we have the 3 options to choose from, and i hope, we'll always use the best option. it will not always result to what you wanted, but it will help you avoid regrets!

The Art of Negotiation

i vividly remember the first time i started negotiating bravely for something. you see, i used to be the typical 'play-it-safe' girl. if the teacher says deadline is tomorrow, then tomorrow it is. if the teacher says you bring this and that, i bring this and that. i do not like going against the norm. i used to admire the guts of my classmates wayback in high school and college who can sweetly talk their way out of some projects... or troubles. i stopped at admiring.

i graduated as a food technologist, and my first two jobs landed me cool slots in the the product development departments. i concocted the nacho king recipes and translated it to huge batches serving 25 stores. then i transferred to glico's to look into improving their product lines. i liked my job but i know i'm missing on something. deep inside, i am slowly dragged by the lure of the marketing world. so when the opportunity knocked, i didn't let it slip away.

our marketing officer resigned. i applied for the post, and obviosly, i got the arched eyebrows of my bosses and the silent stare (though i can hear them mocking me "you? marketing? you must be kidding!") days passed by, applicants had come and gone, yet they have not found the right one. then one day, i gave my boss an offer he cannot refuse -- i told him that while they are looking for the right one, i will handle the marketing AND the product development departments for the same salary i am receiving. we shook hands.

that dare was in 1998, and as they say, the rest is history!

i didn't know that, that negotiation will beget more negotiations -- with my future bosses, clients, suppliers, colleagues, subordinates, etc... oh, life is full of negotiations, compromises and deals! winning and losing depends on how you view it short-term, and long-term.

i learned that it does not necessarily have to cross the borders of my principles to achieve a win-win situation.

i learned that perception is powerful in negotiating, specially if you appeal to their self-interests.

i learned that negotiation protocols are just protocols.

i learned that there are 101 ways of skinnng a cat.

i learned that you do not have to quit on the first rejection, and that a 'no' presents in itself another opportunity.

i learned that in business dealings, relationships stand a better ground than portfolio.

i learned that you have to make sure that you are barking at the right tree.

i learned that you cannot always be assertive of your rights, and it takes prudence and humility to choose when not to.

and lastly, i learned that all of us on the negotiating sides are all but human!

and being here in dubai has honed it all the more! what with articulately persistent indians, assertive locals and egyptian flattery. after a lot of rubbing elbows with them, i am telling you i am not the same anymore from the shy and timid student that i was then...

The Bliss of Forgetfulness

oh yes, there is such a thing! and it works well for me. before i tell you how, let me just give you a background on this weakness of mine...

for those who do not know me that much, i have chronic forgetfulness. since college, my memory has always failed me. i forget names, formulas, data, etc. well, i can say it's really only by His grace that i survived school life! whew!!!

when i started working, i realized i cannot live with a marred memory. there were times i'd call someone in their local extension, and if she responds back even just after a minute, i already forget what i was about to say. more comical and embarrassng is when my boss would instruct me something, and then when i am about to do it, i'd ask him what it was again that he told me to do! oh, yeah i have those moments!

therefore, i tried all the tricks in the bag. i always have my notepads on hand (for any instruction of the boss), planners (for dealines and meetings), color coded pens (red to mark off 'done' items), highlighters (to highlight important nos and names), post its, outlook helps, and other what-have-yous. and yes, they are effective all these years! so work-wise, i am able to manage this, except for some lapses which thankfully, my colleagues forgive, hehe, like missing papers, missing keys, missing pens, missing phone, etc. i wish we can 'ring' all things in case they are misplaced...

in my personal life, it is my diary that stand as my witness. i've had that since i was first year college, and continues to do so until now. why? because the wonderful details of my life should not be left to the care of my memory!!

so where is the bliss there? you might ask...

well, for one, i do not carry an excess emotional baggage. my mantra is 'if you cannot say it, forget it; if you cannot forget it, say it". i've seen a lot of people victimized by a past they can never forget which haunts them and impairs their present. would you believe that there are times that i talk nonchalantly to someone with whom i've had an altercation with just a few days ago, simply because i forgot about the whole thing already? more often than not, i forget the small issues i have with other people, whether it's their issue against me or my issue against them. i said 'more often than not' because i'm still human, and there are still a few concerns which are retained in my limited-capacity-brain.

secondly, forgiving comes completely --- forgive and... forget! and move on...

thirdly, it gives me the opportunity to give people who wronged me a clean slate to start with. the Bible says "love covers a mulitude of sins". but of course, i couple it with easily learning from the past mistakes, so people do not take advantage of my supposed 'kindness'. i don't get mad, i get even! haha! just kidding! seriously, i believe that while people are breathing, there will always be a chance for change.

and lastly, it helps me to focus my energy on the more important issues in life. they say that relationships (or life for that matter) are not destroyed by big problems, but by small issues that has piled up and was not dealt with properly. true. in the same measure that life is composed of the bigger picture of God's blessings which we naturally easily dismiss, rather than the small black spots of unsettled wants which we hardly ever forget.

so, celebrate your 'selective' forgetfullness!!! cheers!!

I Googled Myself!!!!

Yaiks, this is creepy!!!! there is no way i can escape anybody.... try to google youself and see what the webspace has to say about you... and now, let me google those people whom i've long been looking for in ages, hmmmmmmm....


Friendster - Marites Tetch Ingente
Friendster: Marites Tetch Ingente; location: United Arab Emirates, AE; cainta, rizal; nacho king, glico's, countrystyle donuts, adventureland.www.friendster.com/tetchingente - Supplemental Result - Similar pages

FilipinaMates International :: View topic - \'Burn passport ...
Tetch Ingente With interest in Philippine presidential polls mounting, ... Tetch Ingente, based in Sharjah, said: \"Poe will win hands-down in any elections ...www.filipinamates.net/phpbb-1/viewtopic.php?p=569&sid=eee62571282c974bff92daa414315ba8 - 84k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

Tales from My Grey Matter
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Tales from My Grey Matter: You Can't Have your Cake and Eat it too!
Posted by Tetch at 23:32. Labels: Reflections · Newer Post Older Post Home ... About Me. Tetch: Mentos... go figure! View my complete profile ...ingente.blogspot.com/2007/06/you-cant-have-you-cake-and-eat-it-too.html - 61k - Cached - Similar pages[ More results from ingente.blogspot.com ]

Mideast Economy
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Tetch Ingente , Class of 1990 Tyrone Guya , Class of 1990 Wilfredo P PeÑafiel , Class of 1990 Agnes M Baston (Mabulay), Class of 1991 ...static.namesdatabase.com/schools/PHMM/Malate/ManilaScienceHighSchool.html - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

Names Directory: Tetch
Common surnames for Tetch: Tetch Ferrer Tetch Ingente Tetch Torres ... and typos for this name: Tecth, Ttech, Tecth, eTtch, Tetc, Tetca, Tetch, Tetch, ...www.namesdir.com/F_Tetch - 4k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

Take the Plunge!

would you rather know the reality about something, even if the odds are pointing opposite to what you want? Or just enjoy the slightest ray of hope and dwell on the bliss of the mystery of the unknown?

there are people who would rather not go to the doctor for the fear of knowing the real score of their health, until certain symptoms already appear and make the trip to the doctor inevitable; rather than dealing with the present while it is still manageable…

there are people who would rather all-together close themselves down for new friendships or new beginnings, because they were burned and betrayed a number of times; rather than learn from it and enjoy the possibilities of picking new gems again on life’s road…

there are people who would rather wait for divine intervention for their decisions, for the debilitating fear of making the wrong moves, rather than acting on it when God has fully equipped them to deal with the situation…

and then there are people who would rather keep mum about how they strongly feel for someone, hindered more by the fear of rejection and the uncertainties; rather than expressing one’s emotion to that special someone and dealing with the reality once and for all…

in many points in my life, i am like those people… but this time, with God’s guidance and strength, i took the plunge! after much prayers and deliberations with Him, i know it is worth it, so i took the risk… and i took the risk of losing my hopes and dreams, at the expense of knowing the reality…

we always fail to realize that knowing the reality, whether it is for us or against us, is actually more liberating in the process. we fail to see this because we let ourselves remain in the denial stage for so long. it is ok to let go of yourself in the depths of sorrow for failed dreams and failed expectations. it is natural. but it is also God’s will for us to be resilient.

now, i am free from the bondage of fear. i do not have to keep pinning my hopes on something in the air. i do not have to walk aimlessly. i do not have to deceive myself. i do not have to lose my energy on useless sleepless nights. i do not have to waste my time with endless exhausting mind game of ‘what ifs’.

but rather, I can now divert my remaining sanity on accepting the real present, keeping myself whole in the process and moving on forward in the real direction... while it is not yet too late.

at least now i know where i stand. i now know where i am. and it gives me a better perspective of where i should be going. and with God’s help abounding and freely accessible, i am now plotting on the ‘hows’ of getting there… baby steps at a time…

Driving Blues in the UAE

after almost a month of waking up early for my lessons, i failed my first driving exam. after another month, i tried again and finally got my UAE driver's license. the feeling was like passing the bar exam! haha! ... and i've been driving here for almost a year since then...

here are the things i like about driving here:

1. there is much respect for zipper-scheme when the road narrows for whatever reason (accidents, road works, narrowing roads, etc). road-narrowing used to haunt me in manila coz other drivers can really exhaust your patience. if you happen to be beside jeepneys or taxis, they would scare you to death by inching so close to you! headache! and when changing lanes, i do not find it hard to sqeeze into the other lane. very giving.

2. right of way -- drivers assert their right of way, and other drivers respect it, more often than not, whether in intersections, round abouts and other parts of the road.

3. not a lot of pedestrians on the road... nor motorcycles... so you just focus on the road!

4. roads are smooth, hole-free and road paints are clear. they even have raod vacuum cleaners which i usually see at night! in manila, i can hardly drive for more than 60kph because of suprise potholes, pedestrians crossing, motorcycles on your left and right... so as they say, defensive driving is best imbibed in manila.

5. road signs, road paints and tourist spot signs are clear and are really followed. i specially appreciate the lane lines coz it really gives proper direction to all motorists.

6. car watching -- if you're a car enthusiast like my nephew Onat, oh, the UAE road would be heaven for you. just drive along and gawk at all the new cars, SUVs and what-have-you in the motoring world! or, if you're fortunate, you may even park right next to a Bentley, or a Hummer, or a Lexus... and get a few snapshots!

7. well-lit roads -- it's a good shift from our dark hi-ways! whether a major or minor road, everywhere there's light!

8. roundabouts -- sometimes i don't like them, but sometimes i do. depends on the traffic situation.

9. cool drivers -- with the exemption of some, i find the drivers generally cool (well, compared to the ones in manila, for that matter). i have not encountered any shoutings, nor dirty fingers, nor continuous honking. when there's an accident, the police arrives within minutes, and the insurance takes care of everything in a flash! we've had a couple of incidences, and claims are easy to get.

10. use of lanes (overtaking, average and slow-moving vehicle lanes) are usually followed

things i do not like:

1. the poor urban planning of dubai roads -- if you are looking for a place, and you missed a turn, you're dead! it is difficult to find your way back to where you got lost. this is where i am happy with the road system in abu dhabi-- grid and simple.

2. traffic -- in sharjah and in dubai! simply terrible. i read it is the worst in the mid east! i think it is because they lack bridges that connect the two parts of dubai (deira and bur dubai). bottle necks usually happen right at the foot of the bridges....

3. white boys - the road courtesy is tainted by some show-off white boys (locals) who drive careflesslym sporting their huge SUV cars! if sporting their gigantic cars is not enough for making their presence really felt, they make sure they take 2 parking slots for 1 car, or they put on those loud blasters or better yet, speeds up along the freeway!

4. politics on the dubai-sharjah road -- i do not know the whole story to this, but there was a road that connected dubai from sharjah which was closed because of politics--- and yeah, we all do suffer!!

5. SALIK toll fee! i don't believe that it reduced traffic in Sheik Zayed... but it's more i guess of people not having the Salik tags yet so they divert from Zayed to avoid the crazy penalty fees!

The Stigma of OFWs

almost 8 million Filipinos are working overseas, and almost 80 % of them are married, and leave their families behind. this work trend has definitely answered a big problem among the Filipino families – financial survival. dollars are sent back to the philippines, alleviating their families’ lives, and on a bigger scale, it increases the dollar reserve and of course, increasing the spending cycle of money, making it a good machinery of the government to improve our economy.

our boss’ vision for bringing in employees from the philippines to dubai is “one filipino employee hired, means one family made financially worry-free.” yes very true.

but................ on the other hand, it left a stigma to many. it solved one, but created another problem. one parent is away, leaving the whole responsibility of child-caring to the other spouse, and many times, with the grand parents and uncles and aunties. the kids are left with no image of either the mother or the family, whoever decided to fly abroad. and because of this, filipino family has never been the same again…

the absence of one parent-figure is already disturbing. but there is something more shattering, and more alarming… the increasing cases of infidelities and broken marriages among the OFW families.

yearly, in our company alone, we deal with a number of these cases. is the saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ rubbing them in, poisoning their minds? the once ‘married’ are claiming to be ‘separated’, and thus making their current relationship legal. we’ve put our foot down on this issue and has implemented radical policies and decisions. but there are others who’d really sneak behind our back smartly, and prolong a taboo relationship longer than we’d imagine. not all OFWs are given the bi-annual treat to go home. many wait for 1 year, or worse, 2 years to be given the chance to go home.

or, it is the spouse left behind who is playing with fire! whew, is 1 or 2 years of wait really too long to keep the married vows intact?! ... i pity the wronged ones... but most especially, i pity the kids who have to borne the consequences of their parents' selfishness...


oh, the stigma… the curse of Filipino OFWs… financially free yet emotionally broken...... or would you rather keep the family intact despite being financially drowned?

My Gym Blunders

i don't know why i had this aversion to gym. i think it stemmed way back high school when it stuck to my mind that if i start gym-ing, i have to do this for life or else those muscles would just transform to fats! and since i cannot commit, then i will not start... anyways, i was thin like a stick then, so i did not care...

... not until the unsightly flabs started to appear 20 years later!!! and so now, i have to start loving the gym. to do that, i've to have a good gym-mate, and Mano just provided that. next, a good gym place, and that we easily got. and now, i just have to acquire the 'willpower', that i am slowly working on...

for one month, we've gone to the gym, and unfortunately commited the following blunders which you should avoid:

(1) hard workout = hard pig out.... haha! when we're stretched out and worn out, we find it so much more conducive for hearty meals! correction-- after a good workout, wait for 30 minutes before we face the moderately-portioned delicious temptation, and make sure we do not nullify the workout by putting in additional pounds! we were advised to have 6 small meals per day, so that the food will be burned properly and not stored as fats.

(2) treadmill running... heavy feet, rubber shoes heavily banging on the treadmill floor, seemingly telling everyone 'hey, i'm running!' correction-- run smoothly and quietly by lifting properly our feet and letting it stride with the mill. miraculously, i perspired more easily after just 15 min on level 7!

(3) long gaps in between lifting weights... oh, we keep relaxing after each set. coorection: we were told to keep on the rhythm and keep our heart rates up in order to achieve both cardio and muscular goals.

(4) jerking when using the arm curl... so that's why even after a month, i've not felt my upper arm flabs tightening! i was shown that arm should be clipped, and only the lower arms moving, with the back part feeling all the aches of weight lifting, which means that the muscles is working!

(5) going to the gym just whenever... ah, this is the part i used to be afraid of. but then, ageing is here to stay, which means metabolism is slowing down, and either i stay with an unhealthy heart and flabs, or commit to health for life! and consistently!

so to all gym-wannabes, hope you learn a thing or two from the one-month wasted gym-time that i rendered... and realize that going to the gym needs discipline and enjoyment to be successful!

Grey Skies in Dubai

whatever the other countries have, Dubai aims to do it better, earning the title an "artificial land" from many skeptics. it has created the world continents, aptly named "The World", it has "The Palms", it has Ski Dubai, and soon, a property development will re-create all the 7 wonders of the world!


in a way, i am amused and grateful. amused because they try so hard to do it. but also grateful, because out of this desire flows out the projects that generates our company's cash flow. i think Dubai can create anything... green mountains, snow-capped hills, underwater paradise, idyllic islands, tallest buildings, lush gardens, awesome beaches... but there is one thing they cannot recreate nor buy-- blue skies! most blue skies here are photoshopped!




however much they try, when we look up, it is still all grey up there! i cannot blame it on pollution coz there is none. i can't say because there is no sea that can reflect a blue hue, coz dubai is surrounded with the Arabian Gulf. or maybe because it is reflecting the grey sands? i love grey tops, grey shoes, grey bags... but not grey skies! gloomy skies! it dampens a soul for some reason...


when you've been out here for a long time, you'd definitely wish for blue skies. it relaxes the spirit. it brings back joyful memoirs to me. it tickles my bones. it curves a smile on my face...



and... it is what our country, beloved Philippines, is rich with! all we need to do is look up...
















pic 1 is Baguio skies, pic 2 is Quezon province skies and pic 3 is Boracay skies...