When Holiday Becomes Her

Following to her brief stint in the snow-hugged land of Japan & Canada under the sponsorship of my freezing siblings there, my 65 yr old Mama bidded Ma-as-alam’ or Goodbye to the sun-kissed desert of United Arab Emirates this time - The visa-turbulent country that showered her with freshmilk, youghart, chicken and beef-shawarma for 3 intermittent years. Plus to this parting statement: my MidEast-veteran Sis (& Family) will sooner join the League of our budding Tribe in the West - and I, too, has to cast my poor self somewhere to flee the country’s stagnant pay and elevated-cost of living i.e., flat rental here that's getting through the roof. In lieu of these, Mom’s exit to Sandyland FOR GOOD is projected, irrevocable and binding. "No hard feeling". Just I need to prepare my coffee & lunchbox in the morning, and do the laundry & ironing in the evening. :(
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Before she left the other day, a semi-concerned someone asked: “Is your mum's sojourn in the Emirates worth mulling over?” To w/c I semi-guiltily reply “NOT SURE” :). Dang! With the company of AJ and her partly-cherubic partly-barbaric grandkiddoes she nannied 24/7 alongside those endless chores, what you think?
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But hey, we've much dear our Nanay!. She's our saving Hero in this busy part of the world. And even it may leave our wallet broke, we’d always find ways & means to give her the best form of leisure and amusement possible. Ah,! Sky is the limit for this frail woman in dire need of chilling-out. She deserve nothing but the best after all those backbreaking years of making and upbringing us. For all we knew however, outdoor isn’t her thing and mad crowd (as well as mad smell) isn’t her type. Nonetheless on weekends, we managed to take her out of the "jungle" that confined her senses 6 days in a week - our rented Flat that's stuffed w/ screaming boobtube(TV) and brawling babies (Yom & Jen) so she could regain her missing liberty, peace & fun at the City’s artificial attractions. Places me and my big sis Bing once enjoyed..and yah, tired later on. Let me share you a few of mum's latest Despedida snapshots.

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!!! where? -

(Pls.click on the link provided below to find out where the heck are those!)

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@ Sharjah Aquarium & Dubai Festival City

@ Sharjah Gold Souk & Marina Mall Abu dhabi

@ dreamland-aqua-park in Umm-Al Qwain

.BTW, while scrolling down our WaterPark pix, have you sighted something special ?!

!!! whatt?

Well, not about mum's smiling face (that I became an heir to), nor my shameless undressing here for the first-time. Its about a pix here that paints 3 words - TENDER-LOVING-CARE. So Day-in our Out, Holiday or not, Mum will always be mum, right?. Truly, like any other, she think-less of herself. Certainly, she always wanted to be near her offsprings. Ultimately, she's willing to be a humble-servant all time. Oh, mother-dear,... have'nt I told you earlier to just enjoy & seize the day! ? :(
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You'll be missed here in the Desert Mum. I know you're goin to mother us from a distance. Your next Holiday will be restored when I get there in Manila. Better one I swear. :)

I was…. “24”

NOPE. i wont rant about my supposed marrying age. But YEAH. This has something to do with that highly-acclaimed TV series 24 penned by the great Joel Surnow & Robert Cochran, acted by the caliber Kiefer Sutherland & Co. Oh, thanks guys for the sleepless nites. My eyeball’s been wanting to jerk out of its socket because of you. Zombie me. :(

Anyways, after spending unhealthy wee hours watching the dynamic pilot season last week, I've finally found a new program to addict my couch-potato self again, and a new one to potentially dethrone my all-time fave’ “sharpen the toothbrush” PrisonBreak (of Wentworth Miller) and the rich-in-Kryptonite SmallVille (of Tom Welling). 24’s dramatic use of split screen with running clock has turned the plot more gripping and connecting. No doubt for it scoring an early Emmy & Golden Globe.

But this item is not about reviewing/praising the mind-blowing series. This is more about my one suspenseful day at work [happened between 9 am to 4 pm yesterday], kinda’ reminding me of the action-filled tension this 24 injected each time I played my dvd copy of the same ("Capt Jack Sparrow" version, to confess). :)

In a nutshell, our business lines (telephone, mobile & internet) was out-of-the-blue, disconnected by the "ever-reliable" Etisalat – the country’s first & major telecommunication provider who I thought, was done with the Public Holiday. Badly enough, the DC verdict by the telecom-chief was too prompt – as fast as the speeding bullet, I should say.

So the bean counter in-charge with monthly invoicing, I WAS, THEREFORE, the very one to be HELD LIABLE – and to be BOMBARDED by my "accepting" superiors and co-subordinates if something went wrong w/ the lines. Hence, I saw myself a hapless double of CTU Agent Jack Bauer (Kieffer S). – dodging nasty gun shots and making life or death decision in between scenes of terrorism. Not literally though.

Along dodging came countering. For a legit customer like our Company who normally pay a hefty amount of Dhs 50 thou (or a staggering half-a-million Pesos); and for an Accountant like yours truly who pushes the cheque-payment on-time (even ahead) to avoid this cutting-incident to happen, - I guess I dont deserved untoward screwing by excellent-at-mayhem people in the Office - whose heartbeat too would stop once this freaking computer & phones ceases due to Office'-in-power's machine error, nay, incompetence.? Oh pls don't mistaken me for being defensive, i'm just explaining my side by stating the facts. Beside, its my salary appraisal in-stake.
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After my shameless follow-up and heavy bargaining with the concerned customer service and their not-in-the-seat Managers, came relief. And nothing gladdens my sanity than saving my job and seeing my Bosses and jolly-not-so good fellows enjoying their "toys and gadgets" [aka as computers and phones] again. Moral Lesson?: Sure there will always road humps to cross, hills of trials to scale - all big and small. There are times we dont know what to do or where to go. My naughty, but fatherly-professor in college once says, "don't jump-off the bridge, there are number of ways to oppose life's mounting pressures and challenges, he added". These three, he shared :

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1. Stay safe and alive as possible. HANG-ON!

2. Remember that loss too will come to pass. BREATH!

3. One way to reach a Goal is to move.... FORWARD!

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"Yesterday was the longest day of my foreign work-life". How about you, how was your 24?

The Hunt for Golden Visa….continues!

Reporting-direct from the traffic-chocked corner of United Arab Emirates is the latest dilemma of our country’s aspiring "modern hero". We've been reading and hearing the breaking news lately. I'm just, - in the pro-Expat theme of my blogsite, adding some...
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So who said cape-less HEROism in the Mid-east is fun? Oi, its no-easy leaving/saving your family and the collapsing economy behind. Thus, the heroic, but self-deprived motto: "greater opportunity comes with greater DANGER and responsibility". But a residence visa is a MUST to earn that government-given Title (w/c I found satirical more than a consolation). In this light, gloomied jobseekers holding visit-visa, should by hook or by crook, obtain the saving grace of Residency within 30-60 days of visit in the newest "promised" land; or else, he/she will be sent back to point of origin w/ empty hand, shattered dream & broken heart. Expensive lessons in the mind and lots of country-photos for friendster anyway, would complement the experience. :(
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Upon multitudes after multitudes of exciting, turned anxious wannabe’s flocking the colossal UAE Airport daily, finding a stable sponsor I tell you, is parallel to finding a lost needle in the haystack. Shocking, isn't it? :) but true. Now tell me, are you still joining the bandwagon?

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The national pandemonium w/c has brought unprecedented panic to the stranded "heroes" and their equally frantic relatives all started when last July, this ever-changing UAE Immigration mandated another-clever ruling on VISA-structure & extension -accordingly meant to eschew the abuse & mis-use of visa by tourists or visitors. Pls Read here and here for further info.

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While the sudden changes spewed anger among the Expatriate community and disorientation in Travel Agencies, the downsizing Order spell doom for Pinoys now marooned in the open, yet prison-environment of KISH and Qeshm Island in Iran, and in Buraimi at the Sultanate of Oman.

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Cheaper & Closer from the U.A.E., these exit points has became immensely popular. Just be watchful at the ff: 1. motel bedbugs 2. food & water 3. thieves & peeping Toms 4. pervert Irani's preying in dark corners & public beaches and 5. friendly Omanis marching with ancient dagger in the waist and rifle in the back. I should know. I was once thrown, slept, ate, swim & stroll too in these transient "haven", and yep, had shaken my shiverring hands with its local men. If my semi-aging memory serves me right, my nightmare, i mean, adventure was in 2001, 2003 and 2005. This is due to my bad habit of changing my Managers & Company every freaking 2 yrs. :)
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To back-up my today's supposed serious rant, let me share you a few of my “tourism” pix taken during our rough but meaningful times in the Persian Island together with my then fellow Tourist..err.."stranded" in smiley faces. Oh, I also remember, I became their BFF (bestfriend forever) right after my hours of arrival in the veiled Terminal :) I was surrounded w/ joking people filled with pain & sorrow inside. There is where I appreciate the true essence of giving, sharing, listening and counselling. I learnt to count my blessings too. Blessings these people are yet to see - i.e., ready visa & good job, ample budget to keep my feet and mouth around. And most importantly, a sound sleep I never had - back in "the busy City of Glamour, Dream & Gold". Above all, I had gathered interesting tales that triggers the writer in me.

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But then the “forever” thing fleets everytime one's golden visa arrived. Like the UAE laws, nothing really is permanent these days. Not even the Bagong Bayani's long-wait in queue, in hunger & in thirst, in desperation & in careless abandon. And I hope not even the negligence of Philippine Consulate and its well-paid Officers.

There is SILVERLINING in every dark cloud and there is LIGHT at the end of every tunnel. May the stranded "Heroe's" FIND these sayings SOON!

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Other Alarming Facts:

• Those who've been there for months, even years, survived by begging from compatriots and providing part time services to new arrivals.
• Some of them have been abandoned by prospective employers.
• Some have been driven to commit suicide out of misery.
• Stranded women migrants are forced into prostitution in order to survive.

(An Excerpt from the Letter of Ramon Bultron, Director for Asia-Pacific Migrant Workers to Manila Times dd Oct 4, 08)

Related Article:

• Exodus ni Juan


• ِA Visit to Our Hearts