Pusong Gala

Sabi ko dati, kahit marami ang pwedeng pasyalan dito sa Dubai, hindi rin nakaka-inspired ang gumala kung wala ka naman kasama o kung wala kang pera. Mas nakakalulungkot ang walang makakasama kasi ang pera pwede mong utangin o hiramin pero ang makakayag ay hindi katulad ng damit sa sampayan ng pwede mong hablutin kahit anong oras o softdrinks sa ref na pwede mong laklakin kung ikaw eh nauuhaw. Pinakamalungkot, yun mawalan ka ng pareho.

Kahapon, nawalan kami ng internet connection, pati tubig na pampaligo. Ewan kung sinadya kaya nawalan ako ng choice kung hindi ang lumabas ng bahay para magpalipas ng oras kahit na hindi pa nagshoshower. Tamang opening din pala ng Dubai Mall, kaya hayun, kinain ko ang mga sinabi ko ng hindi ako maglilibot nang mag-isa. Nakisabay ako sa pagbubukas ng pinakamalaking mall sa buong mundo. As usual, naglakad na naman ko ng pagkahaba haba para lang mapuntahan ang nasabing mall. Along the way, marami pa akong ibang namasdan. Heto nga pala ang mga pictures kuha ko sa mall, pati na rin yung iba ko pang nakunan habang naglalakad:

Ito ang Central Business District ng Dubai, ang Sheik Zayed Road. ____________________________________________________________________________

Ito naman ang Dubai World Trade Center Building. ____________________________________________________________________________
Ito ang twin buildings ng Emirates Tower, the right tower is currently the 16th tallest in the world. ____________________________________________________________________________
Ito ang pinakamataas na istruktura sa buong mundo, ang Burj Dubai. ____________________________________________________________________________
The entrance to and the Dubai Mall's Grand Atrium. ____________________________________________________________________________

Shopping paradise, over 70 luxury shops and 500 other retailers. ____________________________________________________________________________

The world's biggest indoor gold market with over 200 gold and jewellery retailers. ____________________________________________________________________________
An Olympic size Ice Skating Rink with stadium seats, the first in Dubai. ____________________________________________________________________________
The world's largest aquarium with over 22,000 aquatic species of marine animals. ____________________________________________________________________________

The Dubai Mall views, by night. ____________________________________________________________________________

Confession of a Drama King

Kakadating ko pa lang ng bahay, galing kaming overnight out of town trip kasama ang mga friends ng friend ko. Supposed to be last week sana ito kaya lang kasi di kami nakakuha ng mas maagang booking. Beach outing ire, supposed to be masaya pero ewan ko, hindi ako nag enjoy, kasi may bumabagabag sa akin, may malaking problema ako. Hinahabol ako ng sarili kong multo. Pero hindi ko pwedeng sabihin ang tungkol sito sa ngayun, kasi alam kong maraming madadamay. Marami ang magugulat, meron magagalit, may manghihinayang, may maaawa, may malulungkot, may maiiyak pero sigurado akong meron din naman matutuwa at magsasabing "buti nga sa 'yo". Saka ko na lang sasabihin pag ok na ko ulit. Pag nakahanap na ko ng solusyon. Dati pinapabayaan ko lang pag meron akong problema, pero this time, hindi pwede. Marami ang nakasaalang alang.

Kaya kagabi, kahit nararapat lamang na kami ay magsaya ay hindi ko na rin nakuhang makisabay sa inuman, sa kantahan, sa kainan pati na rin sa kwentuhan. Pinili kong matulog na lang at huwag na munang maki join kasi alam kong isang tanong lang sa akin ay posibleng mabanggit ko ang tungkol sa aking saloobin at ayokong makasira ng pagdiriwang. Isa pa, hindi ko rin naman silang lahat close friends kaya maintindihan naman nila siguro kung mag isa na lang muna ako sa kwarto at pigilan ang luha kong kanina gusto kong humalik sa aking mga pisngi.

Sa lahat ng oras hanggang sa pag-uwi kanina, hindi ko nakuhang tumawa o mangiti man lang. Sabi nga nila, baka raw nasaniban ako ng masamang ispirito. Ewan ko ngayun lang ako binuliglig ng kaba, pressure, pag-aalala at panghihinayang. Gusto ko ng makakausap pero natatakot akong mapagsabihan, dahil tiyak kong yun lang sukling makukuha ko kung ako ay magbubukas loob. Pero masakit sa dibdib. Mabigat. Higit kailanman, nararamdaman ko ang aking pag-iisa.

Habang tinatype ko ito ngayun, pumapatak ang luha ko na tila ba ulan sa tag araw, medyo nabasa na nga ng konti ang keypad ng aking laptop. Punasan ko na lang. Pero bakit nga ba ako mag mumukmok, mamomroblema at mawawalan ng pag-asa eh hindi naman ako namatayan. Hindi naman hopeless ang problema ko. Kailangan lang ng konting tiis, sipag, patience at tiwala sa sarili.

Kung meron man makakatulong sa akin sa problema kong ito, walang iba yung kung hindi AKO.Kaya tama na nga itong drama.

Laugh a Lot, Cry a Little

Eid Mubarak! Yesterday, the festivities of Eid-Al-Fitr begun. After twenty nine days of fasting and exclusion from wordly affairs, the crescent moon, which signals the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, has finally revealed itself, shedding off the Muslim community's sobre cape and ushering three days of mad and luscious celebration.

Ironically, after an uneventful and miserable day at the office (we were not spare of office though it's holiday), I went home with nothing in mind to do for the rest of the day. I just thought of spending time to give my site a make-over. It would be very timely since its Eid anyway, the Muslim's equivalent of New Year. As I was about to turn my laptop on, my celfone rang. It was an old friend and she was inviting me to go malling. I really felt heavy on my feet cause I know the mall's gonna be crowded to welcome the first day of Eid. But for old time's sake, I decided to meet her up.

It's been three months since we've last seen each other. Oh well, she hasn't changed a bit, physically and I hope, spiritually. She's still locquacious in her loud earthquake triggering voice and reactive in her predominantly "ayaw patalo" attitude. She's still always trying to outshine me in every subject of conversation that pops out of our head. Blame it on her blood, "kapampangan kasi" and she might very well be my last Kapampangan friend here in Dubai "na hindi ko pa inaaway nang tuluyan". "Ewan ko ba?", whenever we have misunderstanding, "nagkakabati rin kami palagi". Maybe because we know it's not easy to just forget "yung pinagsamahan namin kahit papaano", ooopppps without malice, we were really really "good friends dati".

We went to Dubai Festival City and just as I have anticipated, mammoth crowd has made the giant mall seemed like a jam packed arena waiting for a full blast football championship games. There wasn't hardly any space to walk through. Everyone was smiling, screaming, shouting, shopping and dining. During that moment, the place lived up to its name, undoubtedly.

As for myself, I was able to buy two bottles of perfume at a discounted price courtesy of her company ID. Then after that, we had ice cream over another set of gibberish conversations. There were lots of laughs, observing and mocking someone else's dress, fat bellies and oh! those plunging necklines, the skimpy outfits, the boobs, the muscles, the bottocks, etc. We can only laugh in their excesses rather than feel sorry for our deficiencies. Then we watched a boring laser light show and a not-so-impressive fireworks display. At ten p.m., I felt it's time to go home. I had no idea that a spoil was waiting in the taxi stand.

Our number was 200 cars away from being served. While waiting, we played some kind of "name that tune" game. That is, naming the title of he song being played on her Ipod. After roughly getting through all the songs saved on her Ipod, our que number was still a hundred cars away. Time to take a decent seat, a hundred cars could mean another hour of waiting. Then someone, a guy from Uzbekistan sat near me and he opened up a nice conversation. When he saw a child, walking upfront, he said that he also has a son back home in Uzbekistan and he kinda missed him. Then I asked him where was his country located, he said it's in Central Asia previously forming part of the USSR. Then I asked him if it's anywhere near Kazakhtan, he said their share borders. I even asked him if he knew Borat and he said Borat was also quite popular in his country. He did even mention that he almost died laughing when Borat wore that green one piece bikini in his movie. I said that was indeed hilarious. Then he asked me where are we going home and if he could go with us as his que would take him another hour to wait. Since his destination was quite not far from where we were going, i said it's no problem if he went with us. He even volunteered to pay for the taxi just to be able to get home earlier.

All the time that we were talking, my friend was minding her own business, texting. When i told her that he's joining us in the taxi, she said a BIG NO in a firm and uncompromising conviction! I was shocked I thought she was joking. But she wasn't. She threatened to walk out and she said she's gonna take another taxi if he come with us. I asked her what's the big deal and she just insisted that she didn't like it. Plain and simple. Now it was me to feel the dilemma. I have already said yes to the guy, but the girl said no. I paused for a while as I tried hard to hold back my tears.

I turned to the man and told him in a very apologetic manner, "my friend, I am sorry, but my friend doesn't want you to come with us". He understood and said it's okay. I never looked back at him. I was a little embarassed.

We took our taxi and I could barely speak a word. I was trying to figure out what happened and what went wrong. Then she explained her side but I was not listening, I was trying to hold back my tears. Then I told her it wasn't fair. She wasn't fair. Simply because he wasn't a Filipino made him undeserving of any help from us. I felt so much guilt. I told her, it isn't always that I got a chance to do good deeds or something nice to other people. Palagi niya ngang sinasabi na masama daw akong tao. Now, that I got a chance to prove otherwise, out of a clean intention, she herself has screwed it up. She said sorry but still I was deeply hurt. I told her she didn't know how it feels to say yes to someone only to take it back after a moment. It made me look I was half a man and that Filipinos were like that, malicious and selfish.

We parted ways without any reconciliatory words. Masama pa rin ang loob ko.

OktoberFest No More

Days to go and here comes October. Having worked with San Miguel Corporation for more than six years, October ushers in a tremendous ambiance of celebration not just for its employees but more importantly to the entire Philippine drinking population as well. On this period, nothing else comes to mind but overflowing beer, band rages, street parties and widespread fiesta. It’s time for San Miguel’s Oktoberfest!

For several years, I have been a part of Oktoberfest – now an officially DOT recognized event in our country. My employee ID was as good as an entrance pass and my various contacts in the Sales and Marketing Department has given access to enjoy the goodness of free flowing San Miguel beer. The kick off party usually begins on the first weekend of October in various simultaneous parties across the country. Together with friends and officemates, we just stay for a couple of hours because traditionally, as the party gets late, the crowd and the “outside crowd” becomes even more unruly and wild, and risk of being hit with flying empty bottles or showered with beer leftovers is uncompromising.

The Philippines is set to make it to the Guiness Book of World Records for the longest bar in the world--a staggering 600 meters in total, stretching along the length of San Miguel Avenue and winding down to Julia Vargas Avenue in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City. The bar, which easily bests the 240-meter record held by Taiwan, was one of the main attractions of the San Miguel Oktoberfest kick-off party held last September 5. The event, which also featured four stages and around 40 local bands and artists, also attempted to set a world record for the largest beer-toasting crowd. Third Eye Blind was featured as one of the main acts. Dubbed "San Miguel Oktoberfest 120," the event launched the longest-ever celebration of the world-renowned festival, now extended to 120 days.

Now I have resigned from San Miguel and decided to try my luck here in Dubai, Oktoberfest is one thing I truly miss most. Though I am not a beer lover by nature, the moments spent with friends while grooving to the music of the featured bands and the opportunity to just be there when it happens is something that I couldn’t find elsewhere. There are also beer here in Dubai, but as what the famous SMB commercial line said, “iba na ang may pinagsamahan.”

Traditionally, Oktoberfest lasts for a month, but for 2008, in celebration of the company's 120th anniversary, San Miguel has decided to make the celebration a four month long revelry of camaraderie, brotherhood, good times, exuberant parties and overflowing beer starting last September. “Siento biente na!” cried Manny Pacquiao. When there’s nothing left to take out of the wallet, Filipinos are sure to find a cunning way to produce money in time for that special occasion. In splendid irony, “pag sa pagkain walang pambili, pero pag inuman, lumalabas daw ang pera”.

Since I am miles away to be one with my friends in kicking off the celebration of Oktoberfest, only pictures of my friends have reached my mailbox as evidenced that Oktoberfest has indeed started. But hey, I might still be able to catch up the Closing Party if ever I go on vacation this December. If that happens, I will just text you and I will see you then. Cheers!

Ramadan: Fasting & Feasting

It’s the holy month of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers. Ramadan Kareem! Time for fasting and feasting…

Ramadan, in case you’ve missed your history classes, is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Koran was revealed to Angel Gabriel, to deliver it to Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (sawm) , in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until dusk. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God Almighty.

The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, and sympathy for those who are less fortunate. It is also intended to make Muslims more generous and charitable. Just the same, Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual thoughts and activities during fasting hours are also forbidden. Purity of both thought and action is important.

Tough call, isn’t it? Well, maybe that’s the retaliation for having the legal right to marry more than a handful of wives! A month long of sacrifice and abstinence, but just so you know it’s really a sacrifice, paradoxically studies have shown that some populations actually gain weight during Ramadan and it was due to compensatory increased calorie intake overnight. And why not, after they refrain from eating and drinking for half the day, they feast on their Iftar meal (meal to break the fast) and consume it until the brink of dawn so who wouldn’t get bloated with that! But maybe the sacrifice we are talking here is something beyond the worldly affairs, but rather taking a moment to slow down, even for a month, to focus on self reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment, establishing a link between God Almighty and themselves by prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others.

In the Philippines where majority of the people are Catholics, appreciation and public awareness of Islamic culture is hardly earned. I remember, when President GMA declared Eid ul Fitr as a legal holiday, we have never taken interest what the hell was it about. All we care was that it’s just another weekend extension and more time to sleep and to eat courtesy of the holiday economics. Besides, I myself have found fasting a preposterous idea, it’s just simply deferring your eating schedule. Not taking anything for hours, then after that, a feast of special foods until the next morning. I thought it would make more sense it they will have to renounce eating and drinking not just for hours but for days. That would be the true test of patience, sacrifice and humility. That way, they wouldn’t just feel how it is to be starving but really get through it the way many people in the world suffers, especially those from poor countries.

But here in Dubai, a genuinely Islamic country clad in modern outfit, the observance of Ramadan by its people is as sacred as it can be. So for Non-Muslims expatriates like me, it’s always best to just conform to the way things are going. Reserve your opinions and eat plenty when you get home. Our office hours have been reduced by one third, only there’s no lunch break so we are one with them fasting through our empty stomach. Mall shops and restaurants are usually closed during the day and drinking/merry making in bars are prohibited. There’s stampede for bus/taxi as everyone wants to get home to enjoy their meal.

But aside from reduced working hours and finding reasons not to eat that smelly pork adobo, Ramadan is always one of the best time for shopping. Since it is time for giving and sharing, best buys abound in most marketplaces. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours but it is the Filipino community here in Dubai who appears to enjoy more and take advantage of the discounted products being sold everywhere. Exhaust that credit limit! This seems to be the battle cry appropriately resounding this season.

The Islamic holiday of Eid ul Fitr marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. It means the Festival of Breaking the Fast and as such a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor, everyone puts on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. Usually it beckons another long weekend where people travel out of Dubai after month of veneration. Of course, Filipinos surely won’t be left behind when it comes to this.

Having Dubai as my second home, has not just helped me provide for my family’s financial needs, but also allowed me to get closer to things which I have taken for granted back home. Being just an expat here, I have gladly obliged respecting their traditions and everything peculiar to their culture. Then all along I was thinking, if we can do it here, then we might do it as well to our beloved country, that is, respecting and appreciating the culture of our brothers in the South despite its disparity from the ones we know.

A Year in the Sphere

It’s been a year since I started blogging! Happy anniversary!

To all the folks who took time to view these humble pages of my awakenings, my try-outs to see what’s beyond my fence and share what’s inside my heart, my sincerest thanks. I may not know each one of you personally, but I thank you all for trying to know a piece of me through my writings.

To all the people who might have hurt, embarrassed and annoyed directly or impliedly, no intention to do so was meant. In as much as I want not to disappoint anyone with my posts, I want to make this blog a reflection of my true self and that includes the undesirable side of me.

To all my loyal friends, I will always remember the days gone by. Keep in touch.

I started blogging in August of 2007 here in Dubai, that was the time when I left the Philippines and tried my luck in the City of Gold. I struck some carats actually but soon I realized that not all glitters’ gold. That is how I got started. I am an Accountant and mostly comfortable with numbers so I have never intended to write this blog to show how good my (trying hard) English is, though nonetheless I have found it cool and fascinating to play with words. I wanted to write basically to tell my stories, so if ever time comes that I will be judged, some will attest that I have not lived the most boring life. My life is actually one dramatic, comical, dark, scandalized and too-good-too-be-true big picture. What you discover in this blog is only the tip of the iceberg, the large chunk’s still submerged and waiting to be unraveled.

What’s with on-line blogging anyway? Prior to my descent to the online community, I have already been maintaining a personal journal of what’s happening to my life, my plans, my dreams, my heartaches, my frustrations, my escapades, etc. That was just for me and not for everyone to see. I was just too scared and awkward to let people know that someone like me existed. During that time, I had nothing and anything to brag about, only dreams and paper boats. Now things have changed slightly better compared to before. I am more confident and ready to tell the world about my enduring saga. And there can never be any better way to reach out but through the internet. Just one click and connect to a million lives.

Now I am back to Dubai, and as days of terrible misses never fail to keep me company, writing of some sort makes my nostalgic moments a little bearable. Not having too much to do during and after office hours, I make my day busy with writing and reading other people’s blogs. in this place where you could hardly find any diversion (because of the hot season), you just got to find something to avoid feeling homesick and longing. For me, exploring the blogosphere has been a very rewarding experience, not just personally because I got to outflow my emotions but because I learned a lot from other people. I have already made some friends in the blogosphere.

The earth is becoming such a small world through the internet and people from a thousand miles away feels like they are just around the corner. Even reclusive people, have made their voices heard from the cavern to the cockpit. You don’t have to turn yourself in, or show your face, the power of blogging is fast becoming a platform to convey personal joys, dilemma, openness and even big scandals like the Brian Gorrel case. Though my blogs isn’t as big and as glamorous as the others, I still feel accomplished and part of a sphere that links people from around the world, a sphere that evolves beyond gender, color of the skin, races, preferences and intentions, only genuine passion for writing, sharing stories and going with the flow.

Beijing 2008: Sad & Happy Notes

Our dream for the very first Olympic gold medal is still as elusive as the distant star. In the recent Beijing Games, our athletes have performed dismally and had we not sent any delegation to the event, it wouldn’t have made significant difference. Where did we go wrong? Or better yet I should ask, what wrong are they doing? If only they make singing, dancing, acting, backstabbing and corruption part of the Olympic Games, surely we will have a better or should I say, sure chance of showing up in the score board.

What a serious thought! But man, that is one irreparable problem we have I think. No matter how talented we Pinoys claim ourselves to be, unless we receive a genuine support from our government for training and education, unless the funds are flowed out to the right hands and not to the pockets of corrupt government officials, our dream for a first Olympic gold medal will forever be a dream.

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The Games are over and now the web is infested with so many, as everyone claims, photos considered as the best of the Olympics. Kaya naman eto, nagcompile din ako ng mga pictures from the recent Games pero yung kakaiba at nakakatuwa.