CHRISTMAS OF AN EXPAT

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." -  Matthew 1:23

Inside the St. Joseph Church, Abu Dhabi UAE - after the mass

 

This would be my 3^rd Christmas away from home, away from the country.  You ever wonder how we celebrate Christmas as an expat or how we celebrate the occasion in an Islamic country?

As an OFW we can't hardly keep our mind of thinking to celebrate the yuletide season back home. It’s a very special if we can celebrate it in our own country, in our own turf. But for some, constraints at work will not allow us to do so. We do what we can to make the occasion as meaningful and enjoyable as possible. With the help of new found families here things will be positive for us Filipinos. 

 

A week before the occasion you can see many Filipinos having there groceries for the Noche Buena. As if we are only in the Philippines buying our groceries. Others are busy finding gift for their manito/manita or the exchanging gifts during the party. You will also notice a lot of Filipinos bringing bags as if they are going to travel somewhere but what inside the bag is of course the liquor. (You need to have it inside the bag as this country allows the sell of alcohol but you are not allowed to display it in public).

Then comes the Christmas Eve, we are lucky here in UAE as religious tolerance is exercised in this Islamic state. They allow Christian churches here and as a catholic we have one here in Abu Dhabi, the St. Joseph Church. Mass of different language is scheduled to cater every catholic nationality here in the country. I am proud to say that part of our Christmas as a Filipino is hearing mass.

After going to church all in the flats are now busy preparing the food for the Noche Buena. Everybody is in their festive mood cooking whatever is on their menu. Others are busy on their laptop and computers talking to their love ones back home. Philippines are 4 hours advance from here so we can see them having a party before we can start ours. After dishes were prepared the countdown begins. Singing carols, a bit of loud music (loud enough to strut a dance but not too loud to attract the police outside). After the festive mood some need to curl up in bed as they still have work tomorrow. So to sum it up celebrating Christmas is more like home minus the love ones we had and every crazy thing we do in partying.

The Noche Buena minus the lechon

In bed can't help to think that there's no other merrier way to celebrate Christmas than to spend it back home in the Philippines … I might have it next year! Merry Christmas!

FIRST RUN

I did it; I had my first run yesterday after a long absence of major physical activities. And yes, I am using the Nike+ sporstband given to me by my wife. As I blog earlier it can calculate the distance I covered, the calories I burnt and time I consumed in doing the run. At first I started with a normal pace walk as I managed the labyrinth of park cars going to the park. As soon as I am already at the jogging lane inside the park I increase the speed of my pace (as I intended to start my first run slowly to give my muscle a warm up) but still I am walking. After a few blocks I started an easy run taking my time and watching the sunset in front of me.  I am catching my breathe cause it's been a while since my last run. I am thinking of just walking all the way but what the heck I think I can manage. And then my wife call me as she was about to go home  ( it's already in my calculation that I will be in their building by that exact time she will be out of the office). Before my wife came down from their building I was already in front. As I went home I downloaded immediately my run and whoop it was uploaded to my account in Nike and posted on my facebook status, amazing isn't it?.  I covered roughly 5.32km according to my sportsband not bad for a first run errr walk huh! Here's the post generate automatically in my facebook from Nike+ site:

And here's the area I covered during my run I created from nike+ site:

 and to top it all, I get to fetched my wife from her work, sounds like a win-win situation ayt?

SEE HOW YOU RUN

My wife just bought me yesterday the Nike+ Sportsbands to accessorize my running shoes. The so called bracelet will track down your performance of your run using the sensor that comes with the bracelet.  You can save your run; select a training program and you can even compare your performance from other Nike+ users using their challenge friends’ option. What a way to push and motivate the user of the sportsbands. They even have a mini where the cartoon of you will improve depending on how you run. You can have these features using the Nike+ Sportsbands and the downloadable application from the Nike+ site.

Now all I have to do is run and I don’t have the excuse anymore of not doing so. Actually I really need to lose weight as my BMI is not reading well; I am 6 points overweight the last time I check. I don’t want to belong in the category of the obese so I have to.

So good luck to me, it may be difficult to start but I know it’s worth it. As the saying goes, “health is wealth” so wish me luck.

Tall Order

The Burj Khalifa - day time

 The Burj Khalifa standing tall in Dubai, UAE

This building now holds the record as the tallest in the world. This was named after the famous ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheik Khalifa.

At over 828 metres (2,716.5 feet) and more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa holds the following records:

•  Tallest building in the world

•  Tallest free-standing structure in the world

•  Highest number of stories in the world

•  Highest occupied floor in the world

•  Highest outdoor observation deck in the world

•  Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world

•  Tallest service elevator in the world 

I am just one of the lucky individual who witnessed the rising of this great magnitude of human achievement. 

The Burj Khalifa at night

Opposite Attracts (PROUD TO BE PINOY)

(a re-post from my other blog...)

It only take seconds to identify the vast differences between this two countries I inhabited. It may be two exact opposite but i'm so proud i am part of this place.

I've been in Abu Dhabi for almost 2 years, I admit that I am in great awe the first month living in this concrete jungle but was able to survive and catch up and became an expat living in the richest city in the world . With left and right infrastructure and almost every corner new skyscrapers are built you can't help but notice that this country was never shaken by the previous economic crisis. Working here climbing the corporate ladder for the Filipinos is never hard compared to other foreign expats...as we may say we have the edge. We have all the advantage in the world from education to work attitude.

(The ABU DHABI Skyline at night)

Despite the grand surrounding and tall skyscrapers surrounding the city I cant help thinking back home. I really agree that there is no place like home, even if poverty is widely observe, politics and corruption which sicken the country but still Philippines is a great home to live in. It is where your roots is even if you make it big abroad but part of you lingers to come home.

Now me and my wife are getting ready for the our first homecoming since we decided to come here in Abu Dhabi. We are hoping for a great time spending our family but most specially to our precious daughter Sam. As many expats would anticipate, that this will be the time to relax after many months of hardwork....despite the chaos and problems in the country we still manage to smile because we are home....and there is no place like home...home is where the heart is. See you soon guys!

Rated BISDAK

(i just stumbled this one pero wa nako kahibawo diing suoka... pwerti nakong katawa tungod kay naka relate ko...suwayi ninyo ug ka relate ba mo...so nag suwat ani salamat ha...repost nako sa ako blog)

BISAYA KA'NG DAKO KON...

1. You feel insulted when a non-Bisdak ridicules someone by saying "Bisaya", but it's okay if another Bisdak uses it to another Bisdak, as in "ah, Bisayaa sab oy!"

2. You feel proud when Matud Nila is sung and you sing along with it bisan dili nimo memorize.

3. Hibal-an nimo kung unsa ang "habal-habal" bisan wala pa ka kasakay niani.

4. Common usages kung ga-tinagalog: the use of "kuwan" as interjection, ang superlative nga pirmi gamiton mao ang "masyado", i.e., maingay masyado, sobra masyado, bilisan mo masyado (read: paspasi lagi) adunay tendency nga pulihan lang ang "o" or "a" og "i", i.e., ang atop into atip, ang kan-on into kan-in, ang sud-an into sud-in ug ang utan into utin)

5. You know what "itlog mo 'noy orange" means.

6. You know that the karaang "bayle" aron mahimong modern gipulihan na og "disco" (discoral).

7. Aduna kay hibaw-an nga at least usa ka kanta ni Yoyoy Villame like Bongsuela! or Max Surban bisan sa tono lang.

8. You can use varied terms of endearment for friends and relatives like bay, parts, paparts, migo, parekoy, pareng, choy, higala, kid, gaw, gaweks, manoy, nong, inse, ditse, iyo, iya, palangga, pangga, gang.

9. You call someone "Inday" and/or "Dodong" as a term of affection and hate it when other non-Bisdaks use the term as if its a title given for a househelp.

10. You know what "maninghag" is?

11. You know Vino Kulafu and Fighter Wine...sometimes you even know their jingles!

12. Instead of Stork, you chose Snowbear or you buy Timbura when you mean Corniks.

13. You're familiar with the brand Loalde in clothing.

14. You crave for inun-unan, paklay, ginamay, halang-halang, kinilaw, ginamos, buwad, binignit, sikwate paresan sa puto maya.

15. Esteban Escudero and Golyat are folk heroes.

16. "Handumanan sa Usa Ka Awit" is closer to your heart than "Maalaala Mo Kaya" TV show.

17. At ...pag-nagulat-nabigla ang mga Bisdak ang biglang sigaw ay "ay bilat" o kaya "ay otin sa kabayo"

18. SUTUKIL is as common as TAPSILOG; in fact you know that SUTUKIL came first (Sugba-Tula- Kilaw).

19. Your common pulutan for tuba drinking is "TARGET" - asin nga targeton lang nimo sa imong tudlo.

20. You have at least once in your lifetime experienced "Ang Mysterio sa Paglawig sa Barko Padulong Manila", a phenomenon that when the boat is approaching Manila, everybody around you suddenly becomes Tagalog speaking nga adtong miaging adlaw lang pwerting Bisaya pa ninyo! Nakatilaw sab ka ug sakay ug "Kukalyong" paingon sa Cebu.

21. You whisper Bisaya to a fellow Bisdak in the midst of a Tagalog crowd ...and he replies loudly to you in Tagalog!

22. The first question you ask when you found out that someone is Bisdak, "taga-asa man diay ka?"

23. You usually use the warning phrase "Hala Ka!"

24. You know the meaning and proper usages of the following (irreverent) words/phrases: pesteng yawa, usapa na, pastilan, lat-inanag, butalo, way kurat, hastang, puslan man, buing, kuwangol, libod-suroy, ligas-paka, way kuha, ka-ubo, kolera, burikat, duha singko, balang, palag, wa ka kyapi?, ok pas olrayt, haybol, ang pahak!, jer-jer, way blema, pagarpar, giro, kalandrakas, ambot sa langaw pilay idad sa ok-ok, bugnawg simod, bagdok, gi-atay!, gi-ahak, gibangkong, tibak (tiguwang bakla), NPA (nawong puros agtang), tira pasagad, basin diay pilay pad sa ungoy, banat kay awaaw, mat-an pas pinya, ngitngit pas alkitran, gi-bangkuliya, tak-om pas tuway, malalim mo na!, sus!

25. Sigurado ko nga naa pa kay ikadugang ani: miembro ka sa GKK no? "gagmayng ki-at ki-at", LKK (Looy Kaayo Ka), bayntchenge (.25), sewewen (.50), wesiwesi (P1), eskina lang noy, pamokong, bahala na'g ligsan basta in-shirt, ug ering-ering DUHA! Sa mga lugar, kahibalo ka asa ang Larsian, Bukid, Boulevard, Sammy's, ka Monette, kandingan, Sutukil, Duawon, original Ngo Hiong (kadtong orange nga plato nga puwerting ka mantikaon).

Be proud that you are a BISDAK!!! PAK! Ana lang!

kanang ginganlan ug YOUTUBE

It's been days that we can't access the site, the one of the most important site on the web. We don't have no idea why, the site will open up to its main page but when you are going to access the videos posted you get nothing but that black screen with no signs of life...

But wait, why I am writing this and making a big fuss about it. Well I just come to think of some theories I stumbled upon by some desperate users of the site. More of a conspiracy thing that government shuts down the site because of that alleged scandal video. Ahh...the creative and imaginative mind of people nothing beats it. Creating stirs and deep conspiracy theories from a simple glitch encountered from this famous site. This makes the world more fascinating with the mysteries surrounding it and the imaginative thinking of some people. Kinda make a color to this already colorful world.

But in my world? hahaha..no big deal, yah im pissed that this isn't accessible to us while the rest of the world enjoying it. I am not going to indulge myself of creating such theories to highlight my disappointment of not be able to get YOUTUBE works. Yah i love to watch videos of my favorite bands, I get some tips also on my new photography hobby (to which by the way i'm not sure which level I am, but that's a different story though) I heard my flatmates cursing, thinking of upgrading our internet line. I understand them, internet is OFW's best friend, makes us nearer to home. Anyway, YOUTUBE is working now...answered prayers perhaps. o..login na...tan-aw nata bidyo.....arib!

NEED HELP... and no it's not the age factor..

Yeah...definitely not age, hehehe...before we argue about age let me clear this thing I'm talking about. Password and user name, that's what is this fuss all about. I almost can't access this blog of mine because of such lapses on my memory. We'll there's a lot of password I'm keeping using only my head maybe that makes me hard to remember which one is which for a particular account. Work related passwords is mixing up my personal one. Passwords for the office servers, the administrative password for my troubleshooting, one for my office mail and one for my personal mail, and so my list goes on. I maintain only a handful of passwords enough to be able to remember it but boom! sh@$ happens 20 minutes of trying the correct password, anyways but i still got it guys...thanks and no thanks to this help module extended by the host website...see below my desperation act:

Well that doesn't work, I did solve my own mystery hehehe... now I learned my lesson. No, It's not by writing all my passwords in my so called blue book ala yakuza gangster style...I stick to my old school style of storing all my password in my own memory bank...My head...don't worry guys I will remember it but if not you will not know it...and hey don't think I will forget your name I have my own ways of knowing that ....Ohhh!.....I forgot I am cooking...shoot! GTG!

Boredom as it happens!

Arrgghh! It hit me...after a couple of hours of punching my time card now I'm on the door answering the knock of Mr. Boredom in tow is Ms. Sleepy. But before I answer their tempting invitations to indulge me to sleepy world I decided to create this blog thingy. Maybe this keeps me awake as my mind is working along with the tapping of my fingers on this keyboard...and come to think of it I may look good on my boss seeing me very busy typing something..hehehe....! ups! Facebook window hide!

This is my first post...or this could be it hahaha...I am fond of starting something and in the middle got bored and dump everything. Yah! the bored thing really comes to my vocabulary. Got a lot of unpublished blogs in other sites which until now still under construction .... this one is no exception.

so let's see and wait...anyway...I will just welcome myself on this blogspot site, hoping this time i found a permanent home for my mind flushing activities......*YAWN!* See yah!