27th

They say, old age begins at 27 and today's my 27th birthday. Crap.

How do I feel about my age? Why is it a bit of a mindfuck? I think that part is due to my culture telling me it is significant. But let’s play along. How do I feel about where I am so far in my life (something I consider far more often than every year or 10 anyway)?

Answer: Generally satisfied. Old but generally satisfied.

So as I turned 27, I’d like to offer a toast: here’s to not giving a shit about our age and dismissing the social perceptions, by appreciating what we have regardless of where we are in life, and by growing and accelerating the whole way. I can deal with that.

PS Thanks again Mom for your lunch and coffee treat earlier. I love you to bits.


xo

Episode 6

I received my employment visa yesterday and there are only two words that burst out of my mouth. YES and FUCK.

YES, as I am seeing things more clearer now. I finally have a job.. a real one after like forever. This visa thing is one of the important things in my life lately. I can say that this is the step 2 of my overall venture.

Now FUCK, because it's been only less than 3 weeks. I could've exited in some near country and prolly be back to sandpit undisturbed in no time! Geez!

Anyway, this episode starts right here...

Since I already got my visa, I pantingly went to POEA this morning.. early morning... very early morning. I'm quite positive that I can finish everything up in a day but luck wasn't with me at all. Imagine: I woke up by 4am, skipped bfast, took a very cold shower.. at first, it's nothing because when I got to the POEA office I am 5th in the line but in the end, I went home with nothing. How cruel is that?

POEA is and should be opened by 8 in the morning but what else to expect? This is a government sector... in short, when I was there, twas quarter to 9 when they started opening their windows. In fairness to them, all the docs that you'll be needing to submit is posted in every walls. So I advice you to use your eyes instead of your mouth. But I need to press on one important matter. Yeah, you posted the requirements that every applicants should submit but please BE PRECISE. I haven't found in any of your postings at your office and even in your website that you guys require a POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) verified contract. I mean come on! You're exactly aware that not all applicants came from an agency or some sort. It's as if this verification could be done in just a snap.

Back to the episode...

When it's my turn to submit my documents, this asshole checked on my papers and then returned it to me. Having a contract with no verification, he just told me "Have your contract verified and when it's done, go back here." As easy as that. This moron never realized if I came from Timbuktu or what. Compare our small talk in less than 5 minutes to the hours I spent waiting outside. And what's worst, the verification thing should be done in POLO of the country to where you're hired to work. I ain't finish yet. In order to have your contract verified, there are loads of requirements that you need to your employer needs to submit as well.. including your original visa. So to make the story short again, I have to mail my original visa back to my employer so they can start on processing this fucking verification of my contract. Kill me now will you please?

The imbecile in the counter didn't hear anything from me as I turned my back on him though I want to break every inch of his bones or maybe start an amok. Instead, I started smoking and walking non-stop in the heat of the sun. I stopped when I saw I was in Shangrila Edsa already. So there, I just went home totally bruised inside. Now, I am starting to think that I hate being a Filipino.

Hayyyyy.. life sucks awesomely!

Munchkin's 3rd

July 9, 2007 is the best date ever of my entire life. Twas when I gave birth to Xioms - my most precious possession.

making a wish

Lord knows how absolutely grateful I am standing right beside my daughter on her special day. Time really flies sooo fast! My munchkin is now 3. If I can only wish that she'll be 3 years old forever. Hayyy..

Happy happy birthday kiddo! Always remember that Mama loves you to bits.

PS Thanks Ninang Keti for the yummy Icing's cake!

Daily Routine

As I've decided to relocate, I prepared myself of the consequences that I might embrace but the least I thought of or should I say, I never thought of is the daily routine that I would be facing.

In Abu Dhabi, I am living with my 4 or 6 mates in a flat. You prolly wonder why I said 4 or 6. Originally, we are 5 at home but one friend is out as of the moment because her family just arrived from the Philippines so she preferred staying at her sister's flat, a more convenient place I dare say. Another friend used to stay with us though it was only during weekends, he has his own accommodation near his office. So to make things clearer, we are 4 in the house right now.

Flats here in UAE is no joke. The best example is ours. Apart from its valuable price, it doesn't have an attached bathroom. You see, in a building there were different floors, right? Each floor contains 2 or 3 main doors. As you enter the main door, there were about 3 more doors. These doors are called flats. One master room which includes its own bathroom; one cafe which practically can occupy up to 10 heads; and one bedroom which can occupy 3 or 4 heads. These three doors inside that main door I was telling you shares the same kitchen and if you're lucky enough, the common room which in our case, we don't own. What else... Ahhh... how could I ever forget the shared bathroom of the cafe room and the bed room.

Since I am a newbie in this flat hell, I don't have the right to pick what time should I take a bath. Yes, you heard read it right! Taking a bath is scheduled. Mine was 4:30am and what made this irritating is that my office hours is from 9am to 6pm. So, I will be picked up by my service at around 8am. Come to think of it, by 5am I'm all cleaned up though I have to wait until 8am for my service to arrive. Imagine the wasted hours just because of that stupid shared bathroom! I could still add it up on my sleeping hours for goodness' sake!

This is the reason why we pushed ourselves to find a new flat with attached bathroom. Luckily, we found one though its price is much higher. Oh anyway, we got the largest room plus we finally have our own bathroom AND balcony is a jackpot! =)

Well, bathroom is not the only hassle of my life in Abu Dhabi. My trip to and from office was hell as the shared bathroom. Home to work is like a 30 to 45-minute drive not including the nerve-wrecking traffic. My service is a long van. It picks up/drops 10 people everyday. My place is the first pick up point so that means I am the last drop. I usually got home 8pm the latest.

So to summarise, I wake up 4:30am just to take a bath.. and I'll be home by 8pm from work. Security guards are in no match with my fucking schedule. Btw, this routine lasted for two weeks only. Thank God we transferred to our new home. Wake up call was changed to 7am and bathroom was all mine by then.


Hayyyy... life in UAE.

Torn Between Two Emotions

Got my flight ticket already and will be leaving tomorrow.

I still can't help but to think about the POEA shittiness. I cannot believe why Philippines can't just be the same with other countries. It's not that I don't want to go home but you see, if in case I will be exiting in some near countries, immigration there won't ask anything except for your passport and visa. In Philippines, good luck! Hayyy Pilipinas!!

On the contrary, one of the reasons why I want to come home is Xiomai. Part of me is thrilled to death because I'll be able to catch her 3rd birthday. Though I'll be coming home with no presents. I know that Xioms would not mind. She's just a kid for goodness' sake! And I'm pretty sure that it's no biggie with my family as well.

So, see you Pinas and until we meet again Abu Dhabi!


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