The Announcement

It’s been a month since our company has released their announcement.

Four months ago, our company made an announcement that the management level in our head office had decided to remain in Qatar. They advised us to maintain good business relations with our subcontractors, suppliers and clients. That we will secure new profitable projects after a couple of financially disastrous projects over the years our company has been in Qatar.

The management has also prepared some motivations for everyone. A bonus awaits us once we finish our project by 31 March 2010 and another bonus once handed over to the Client by 30 April 2010.

Everyone must have been happy and had revived hope of staying in Qatar. I was one amongst those who quietly celebrated. I was beginning to like Qatar and I want to stay in Qatar. I don’t know with the rest, but everyone was wearing a smile on their faces when they left the meeting room.

Everyone has new hope, new beginning, new motivations and need to work hard to complement the company’s new motivaton and to stay and be competitive in Qatar.

Last month there was an emergency meeting, everyone was surprised. All the senior staffs including Site Staffs were called in. The meeting room was full to the brim.

I thought to myself, this is very unusual and I was beginning to have a hunch. As we were waiting for the Vice President, the room becomes eerie. Slowly and slowly the noise had died down. Everyone seems to realize this must be an important announcement. A very important announcement, that everyone has a stake or will be affected.

When the Vice President has arrived, the silence in the room was deafening, you can hear a pin drop.

After going around the bush a bit, the bomb was dropped.

“The company has decided to close operation in Qatar in the meantime”. Everyone was shocked and surprised, the Project Manager was not spared.

The Vice President went on with his scripted speech, but for a moment no one seems to care. He talked about the justification of such a decision, tried to make some rationale and the measures way forward.

As a solace, he offered everyone to move to Saudi Arabia as the company tries to consolidate its limited resources to cater the substantial projects on hand in Saudi Arabia which is around SAR 14,000,000,000.00, yes with the capital B.

After the announcement everyone left the room very quiet, without a sound not even a sigh and with a common face, a poker face.

Our secretaries might have noticed the eeriness after the conference room door opened. That he cannot help but followed me in my office to scoop what have happened. I shared him the news and his face turned blank.

I was thinking to myself, how they can decide on that drastically. With over one thousand employees in Qatar, have they thought of impact to so many lives. How many families will be affected? What about those who might have passed on the opportunity four months ago, just to stand by the company when they announced that they are staying. Is this what they deserve for staying behind the company through thick and thin?

No one can change that now, the owners had decided. Emotional statements will never overcome the financial interests behind the decision of the owners.

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First Car I Drive Around Doha

After getting my driving license and as promised by our Administration Manager that he will get a car in two days, I was so excited. Two days had passed and the car never showed up…. Only after another two days, not bad after all he fulfilled his promise.

March 4, 2010, Mr. Gabriel gave me a 2005 Honda Civic.

It is not a new car, but at least it is working fine. It was actually the car of an ex-colleague who just left the company. I was a bit dismayed as I was expecting that the company will rent a car for me.

Renting a car in Doha is somewhat a good option to have your ride. Most of the rented cars are good as new, as if you just bought a new car. But look what I have. A 2005 Honda Civic with dents and scratches everywhere, no speaker at the rear seats, a blurry left head lights, the dusty inside stinks as spoiled sweat under the hot summer sun….sigghhs.

I wanted to complain, but my wife with a cooler head, as always, prevails over my ranting. “We will just clean it, freshen the air and would be a modest car in no time”, she said. To lighten me up, she jokingly said the dents and scratches should work for me, even if I scratch and dent it, I will be off-the-hook because the dent and scratches were “always” been there. Hmmm…sounds logical huh?

So we clean it.

Driving on the main road on my own for the first time was really different than I thought. I thought it would be the same as when I was driving during my training. The beating of my heart races against my mind on the thought that I am side by side with another car especially when I imagine I am between two trailer trucks on my both sides.

And so that day, I move out of the office at about 1:45pm, just to avoid the Thursday rush hour.

When I stopped at a red light, I called my wife and told her I’m coming home early. She asked me who’s driving me home. “I am driving by myself, I’m reaching home now”.

Her tone changed, “And why are you on the phone, aren’t you suppose to be driving?”. But before I can say the red light is on, the phone went dead.

I reached home safely, and my wife was there waiting for me, seeing me driving a car for the first time.

She teasingly commented that I was driving very slow. Yeah, alright, am I supposed to be speeding when approaching our gate?

After cleaning the car, I asked her to come with me to pump some gas in the car. We went for a drive to the nearby petrol station. She must have been nervous, it was the first time she rides with me on a car.

The last time she rode with me as the one driving was in a tricyle. With her sister they rode on the tricycle and we went to the beach. I was not really that good driver at that time, I don’t know why I had the courage to take them for a ride. My wife and sister-in-law, swears they will never ride with me again.

Everything went well, we pump some gas, and went back home. So far so good.

It was Thursday and we decided that we move from the Villa earlier and drop some of our packages to our new place and from there we will go to our church.

The road has become busier now and started to get dark. When I was above to enter the main road from the service road, I never thought that it was that hard. I have not gotten used to using the car mirrors, so taking me time to enter the busy main road. Everyone behind was already honking. Terrible and embarrassing and my wife seem to want to tease me or she’s trying to make me cool headed and relaxed.

Using the car mirrors is really one important tool of your car. I was having difficulty changing lanes and because of that I tend to go slow on round abouts and irritates the other motorist. For two weeks, I really cared to learn on my own how to use those side and rear view mirrors.

We once went to Lulu hypermart, as we were parking I was just reversing not noticing what was behind me. When I hit something, my wife shouts with a laugh, “Ok, we’re parked”. We quickly went out form the car and check what we hit. There stand the mart security staff, pointing at the posts, thanks God, it was not the security staff. Luckily there is a post in there, otherwise I could have hit the car on the other lot.

I was somehow disoriented on what had happened. I had a load of teasing and laughing with my wife what had just happened as we proceeded to do our groceries. After more than one hour we went back to our parked car. And there it is, parked and the engine is running. The Security staff was still there watching over our car."Sir, you forgot to turn off your engine", said the staff. "No, I turned on remotely", jokingly as I was showing him my key and he smiled gamely.

And guess what, I got a ton of teasing this time from my wife, enough to laugh ourselves on bed till past midnight.

I realized that driving really requires complete concentration in order to keep you car total control and preserve your own safety and safety of other motorists.

I had a lot of misadventures related to my first month of driving, especially the first 2 weeks which will make this post too long. So, you rather watch out for that post.

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My First Time In Saudi Arabia (Part 4)

As I had already mentioned in the first part of my post about my first time in Saudi Arabia, my expectations in the infamous Islamic Country are mentioned below:

1. I am expecting a desert / rural environment

2. Strict Islamic Culture

3. Backward mentality

4. Unaccommodating and arrogant Saudis

5. Not seeing a woman for the next seven days

My first hand adventure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia begins after I get past that immigration counter.

Saudi Arabia is known as the world’s number 1 producer of oils. Thanks to their vast desert lands where they draw all those oils that makes them rich. Naturally, I was expecting a desert environment wherein anywhere and everywhere you turn your head  all you will find is a desert, dunes, camels and sandstorms.

I was wrong…

Downtown Riyadh is just like any other city…shopping malls, restaurants, offices, business establishments are abound. And the center of it all is the magnificent Kingdom Tower, perch in the middle of the city. Its grandeur is best appreciated during the night where its multi-colored facade changes in the blink of an eye.

 

The Kingdom Tower is one of the many prestigious projects our company had proudly completed.

Saudi Arabia is known as an Islamic Country. Its culture is deeply rooted on the principles and values of Islam.

This is evident by the number of mosques all over the Kingdom. Almost every stones throw, there lies a mosque. This gives convenience to its faithfuls who strictly follow one of the pillars of muslim teachings, the prayer. Muslims prays five times daily.

Obviously you would know when its time to pray as the call for prayers sounds all over the place. At any one time you would hear four or five different call for prayers, which means four or five mosques are just nearby your place.

When the call for prayer starts, everything stops. Literally, shops, petrol stations, works, etc. Streets are emptied of any individual walking and loitering around. The rumors must have been true that if you were caught loitering around during prayer time, authorities will catch you.

During prayer time

In one occasion, after our seminar, I stayed a little while to chat with my colleagues. And when I left our office, I was caught up in the prayer time on my way back to the hotel. I got worried and ran towards the petrol station to hide until the prayer time was over. I did not managed to get in the petrol shop as it already closed when I reached there. Luckily no one has questioned me.

After prayer time

The perceptions that Saudis are arrogant and unaccommodating might not be true at all. Like any other races, they have their bad and good citizens. Such perception might be true to the older generations of Saudis. So far, the Saudis I have met have good manners and helpful. Our trainers and organizer are all Saudis but I never had such negative impression to them. On the contrary, they are accommodating, jolly and have sense of humors.

Although one of our trainers confides that he sometimes feel ashamed of his countrymen. Especially to the older generation and those who belong to the conservative types, that tends to be rude and backwards. Making it worst, they do not want changes, which makes them backward.

I thought for one week that I would be staying in Saudi Arabia, I would never ever see any woman. That’s what I thought until I went to one of the shopping mall one night, and there they are, all dressed in black. I was expecting that they wear those famous abayas but what I did not expect is that most of them were not covering their faces. Of course mostly were expats but “legends” were told that if a woman doesn’t cover her face is a big no-no in Saudi Arabia. Well, not anymore maybe.

But the separation of men and women exist. I noticed this when I went to the food court and buy myself a dinner. As I ordered my food, the staff was staring at me intently. I was thinking, was anything wrong on my looks, or what I was wearing. Then the other staff, a Pinoy, politely told me to queue on the other side. As I stepped back and move to the other side, I realized I was queuing on ladies queue. It was not my fault, the signage was in Arabic.

After paying for my dinner, I looked for a place to eat. With my food on bought hands I walked back about 50 – 60 meters from the stall where the dining area is located. This dining area caters only for men. The dining area for women is separate, enclosed with walls where they are not seen by the prying public.

High walls are standards to Saudi homes. Back home in the Philippines, walls around your property is a status symbol. The higher your wall, the more you have in life. The more ornate your wall, the more your elegance speaks out. The lesser your wall, the lesser you have. But if you don’t have a wall, doesn’t mean you don’t have anything.

But for Saudis, high walls are a must. This has something to do with their culture in terms of the privacy of their female members. Their religion dictates that they must keep their females members “covered”, away from lustful eyes.

Women is Saudi are prohibited to work, may be for now. What would you expect then who will sell those expensive perfumes and make-ups. Well, you must have guessed it right, it's the men. I find it funny but maybe just consider it as one of their backwardness. But then, what's the use of those expensive make ups when you cover your face after applying them?.....Just asking.

My stay in Saudi Arabia has given me the first hand impression of what the Kingdom is. I am now not relying on tell-tale of what is there in the Kingdom. But of course, I may have not seen everything during my short stay. In the end, my impression about Saudi Arabia has changed, not everything is bad after all.

Who knows, my personal impression might again change if an opportunity arise to discover more in Saudi Arabia. Only time will tell.

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My First Time In Saudi Arabia (Part 3)

We arrived at the King Khaled International Airport with a slight delay. It was a short flight from Bahrain, I was excited and nervous what’s there in the Kingdom.

By the time we reached the immigration counter, the queue has already built up. Mostly are Asians, Pakistanis, Indians, and Bangladeshis. I was at the middle of the queue, but 20 minutes had passed and the line did not move an inch.

Another flight must have arrived as another batch of Asians just joined the queue. Roughly about 400 – 500 is now lining-up to the immigration counter.

An immigration officer and his colleagues made some rounds on each line. They are singling out any Caucasians in the queue and ushered them to a separate counter where they were attendedm they cleared they swiftly through the immigration counter. This was my first observation, that the Saudis had high regard to Caucasians, they give them preferential treatments, but not to Asians.

Obviously, I have seen such treatment to Caucasian, even in my own country, and I don’t know why. Is it because of their white skin...Duh…But I have not seen this kind of treatment in Singapore. They don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, yellow or red skin; you stay in line and wait for your turn.

With that huge number of people queuing up, it started to get noisy. The officer again made their rounds and started shouting at these laborers. If they are not happy with the person in front of the line they just simply ask him to move at the back of the line.

I saw one laborer shout at by the immigration officer while checking his documents. Their hands were slapped when not properly placed on the scanning machine, made fun at them when taking the laborer’s photo. These officers don’t care if there are hundreds of people waiting in line. They just take their own sweet time, talking on the phone, chatting with their fellow officers, and smoking (ironically, there is a big No Smoking sign in front of the immigration counter). Haven’t they thought that they are on the front line of their country’s image, that they are the first and last person a non-Saudi will ever have impression at when visiting and leaving the Kingdom?

In front of me were Pakistanis. Each and every one of them was shouted at. I am getting a little bit nervous, I might shout back when shouted at. I just can’t imagine what would happen next.

But thanks God, it seems that when you can speak English properly, these officers does not show any sign of bullying. I was cleared in less than 5 minutes compared to the Pakistanis that took 15 – 20 to be cleared simply because of nonsense bullying.

My colleague was in the other counter. He was assisted earlier than me but he seems to be having some trouble with the immigration officer. When he saw me, he called me by gesture.

I went to him. He asked me to explain to the officer that we are here just for 5 days for a seminar. And so I did. My colleague told me that the officer is gesturing him to be locked-up. When I told the officer that he is my colleague and we are just here for a seminar. The officer is trying to say that I will be locked-up also.

I asked,”Why?” Then the officer asked for my passport. Then he checks again in their system, and then returns back my passport.

But my colleague was taken away. I asked him if I should wait for him, my colleague said, “No, if they take me to prison just tell to our management what happened. You just go ahead”.

When I gotten out the airport, our driver was already waiting outside. I called our Administration Manager back in Doha and told him what happened to my colleague. He gave me some numbers to call, it is the Personnel Administrator in our Head Office. Unfortunately, the only thing he asked me to do is to wait for my colleague to come out. But in my mind, he will not come out. I waited for 2 hours anway hoping that I was wrong, but it turn out I was right.... he never came out.

As I was waiting, a fellow Pinoy who was behind my colleague at the immigration counter confides that he was very nervous when the officer was confronting my colleague. He said, the officer was gesturing to my colleague, “You like this” (gesturing his hands together as if in handcuffs.)

The Pinoy also told me that the officer telling my colleague if he wants sex, which my colleague said that he doesn’t want, besides he is old already. The officer is just laughing.

When I just cleared the immigration counter, I saw also the same officer took my colleague’s back-pack. I thought he will check it, but he just simply raised it above his head and dropped it on the floor.

After 2 hours of waiting, I thought I was right afterall,  my colleague will no longer come out, he must likely been taken to prison.

I left the airport worried for my colleague. After I checked-in in the hotel, I was still worried for my colleague, I may not have slept even just a wink worrying for my colleague, what have had happened to him already.

The following morning, the first thing I did was to inform my colleague’s son, who is also working in our head office.

With my experience at the airport, my first impression on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is that Saudis are rude people. I was beginning to be convinced what I’ve been hearing about Saudi Arabia are all true. With 5 days to stay in the Kingdom, I was hoping that I could stay away from trouble and have some pleasant experiences to remember.

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Driving License At Last

At last, I have got my driving license.

It took me two years and one month after I first step in to the driving school, 3 enrollments, 8 driving tests and substantial amount of money and time.

The 2 years includes a year of waiting for nothing as my immediate boss at that time promised to assist me to resolve my driving license. Hopeful that they will be able to pull some string to get me a license, I waited patiently. Unfortunately, after a year of waiting, I was told that it is not worth to give in to the demands of their contact, I was advised to enroll again and patiently pass the driving test. Their contact was asking for QAR10,000 grease money, as our Administration Manager put it, it is a Mafia business here.

Our Administration Manager promised me that he can help me if I can provide him a Philippine driving license. He will just convert it for me. But the problem is, I’ve been away too long from my motherland, how do you expect me to have a driving license back home.

I called my sister to look for me someone who can fix my license and I am willing to pay. She returned to me, that my father have contacted someone who can fix my license for PHP 10,000, however, it is not the original thing, it is from Recto. I declined, I cannot spend PHP 10,000 for something made in Recto.

Desperate, and had failed six times already, I tried to find someone who can help. Someone who know somebody inside the school and just pay it. But my wife is coming to join me in a few months and I need the license urgently. I end up enrolling again for the third time and paying QAR 2,300.

I thought I will pass on my seventh try, check what happened in my other post.

On my 8th try, my wife asked me to just relax. She must be right. I tend to be more focused and know what’s happening around me, I know my actions. I realized during my last seven tries, I was always nervous once I sat down on the driver’s seat with the traffic police on the passenger seat and at the end of the test I always wonder if I did it right, have I checked the mirrors? turn on the signal in every turn? did I put on my seat belt? and so on....

I nailed it this time, I can now drive my wife around and outside Doha. Hopefully that she will like it more here and decides to stay with me.

Upon hearing that I passed, our driver relayed it to our Administration Manager, “Sir, Mr. Lopez has got his driving license”. “What?, really?, are you sure? Oh come?, our Administration Manager responded with disbelief, as if I can never have a driving license, not in this lifetime….Make no mistake, our Administration Manager is a joker.

And so, I went later to see our Administration Manager.

“Good afternoon Mr. Gabriel, do you know why I came to see you?”

“Why?”

“Someone has promised to declare a holiday if I passed the driving test” referring to him.

He laughed and said “Well, you can go home now, it is your holiday you must celebrate”.

“But the most expensive driving license has no use if I have no car.”, I said.

“OK Mr. Lopez, I will give you a car and consider it done, just give me two days and some sweets later.” gesturing a treat and smiling.

“Having the most expensive driving license, I have nothing to buy sweets, unless you give me my salary now.”

“I can wait for a few days for the sweets. In the meantime, give me a copy of your license and we will announce to everyone that you have passed the driving test.” Mr. Gabriel said jokingly.

I went out of Mr. Gabriel's office hoping that I will have my car in two days. Only then, I can use my driving license.

Wondering what type of car he will give....guessing....

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First Time In Saudi Arabia (Part 2)

Curious and nervous I am ready to embark and discover what really lies within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

February 5, 2010, my journey to the infamous Kingdom of Saudi Arabia starts on a morning flight from Doha to Bahrain. Surprisingly, as the plane shuts its door, the cabin crew starts distributing boxes of light snack, or should I say breakfast. Inside were chicken sandwich, orange juice and slice fruits. Then everyone start opening the boxes and start consuming the contents.

Then I said to myself, “Aren’t we suppose to take off and reach the cruising altitude before we take these snacks?”

But before I knew it, the cabin crew is already collecting back the boxes as soon as the plane starts taxing to the runway. “What?”. I haven’t drunk my orange juice.

Like a choreographed dance, just in time the cabin crew finish collecting all the left-over, the plane is ready to take off.

Fifteen to twenty minutes upon reaching the cruising altitude of 23,000ft above sea level, I thought I can have a quick nap. But before I can recline my seat, the Captain announced that we are about to descend. Then the cabin crew starts checking everyone’s seats and windows for landing procedures. “Sir, please upright your seat”, said the crew. Obedient as a gentleman, I upright my seat. But whispering to myself “But I want to take a nap”.

We land at Bahrain safely and I realized that the flight just took forty minutes. Sooner than my wife’s night shower in a summer.

Checking on my ticket, I will be stopping-over at Bahrain for five long lonely hours. Though, there are places you can visit around in Bahrain airport, five hours is just too long to wait. My company said that this is only the flight they can get in order for me to catch up the start of our seminar / workshop on Saturday morning (February 6, 2010). To me it doesn’t serve the purpose of taking a plane at all. Doha to Riyadh by land would take you about six hours. Just before I board my plane from Bahrain to Riyadh, I could have reached Riyadh by then via land.

Good thing there are free internet access at the airport. Somehow I can kill the time without feeling the drag. I log-in to my facebook and wah-lah, I‘m chatting now with my wife. I also managed to get in touch to a friend back in Singapore who is now in Riyadh. At least I have arranged someone, and willing, to show me Riyadh around.

My friend asked me if I brought with me my lap top, external drives, flash drive or digital camera, anything where you can save files. He advised me to make sure that nothing “funny” inside these gadgets, otherwise I will land into trouble.

Good thing I left my laptop, not because there are “funny” things inside, but to be safe from all the troubles. With me are only a flash drive and a digital camera. I have nothing to worry on my flush drive. And to be 100% sure, I deleted everything in my digital camera.

One thing I noticed at Bahrain airport, which to me is peculiar amongst the airport I have been. They have there staffs walking around calling for passengers, shouting at restaurants and shopping entrances, “Riyadh”, “Doha”, “Beirut”, “Jeddah”, and so on. They even wake up people sleeping to tell that flight so and so is about to depart. Very annoying and irritating.

Checking on the flight information, we are to board at gate 13 in half-an-hour. Funny, we were told earlier to wait at gate 16. Me and my colleague rushed to gate 13, just in time the queue has started when we arrived.

The flight to Riyadh from Bahrain is about an hour, and so I thought I will quickly finish my snack this time to have time for a short nap. But I was wrong, the snack was served after take off. By the time we finished the snacks, we are already preparing for landing.

Naps are really elusive when you needed it most.

Excited and curious, I am about to see for myself what is it in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Only then I can tell, if what I’ve been hearing about are true or just a plain urban legends.

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My First Time In Saudi Arabia (Part 1)

After a month of planning and preparations, my scheduled seminar / workshop in our Head Office in Saudi Arabia have finally pushed through, and it would be my first time in Saudi Arabia.

A month ago, it was postponed due to unavailability of a qualified trainer. And it was actually a blessing in disguise as our visa would have not been ready should the original schedule had push through.

I have been hearing about Saudi Arabia a lot of things, on the positive side as well as the negative side of it. But on my “second-hand” information, mostly are on the negative side. February 6, 2010 would be the day that I would be able to judge it myself.

My colleagues and friends who have been to Saudi Arabia are in chorus swearing that given a choice they will never go back to Saudi Arabia. The one and only reason in going back to the Islamic Country is obviously the economic benefit one can reap.

Stories of rampant arrogance, discrimination and backwardness of the locals are intolerable. If any chance that you find yourself in a police station, whatever the reasons, likely will be your fault, not the locals.

If a car, driven by a local, hit you on the road. Most likely it would be your fault, simply because if you did not come to their country you wouldn’t be run-over by them.

You will earn for yourself a trip, “Go To Jail”, simply by staring a woman or talking to a woman. I read an article about a woman who was jailed because she was caught by the religious police talking to a man, not related to her, over lunch in a public restaurant. Though, the reason for the encounter was to close a business deal over lunch in a “Public” restaurant. Obviously no malice whatsoever was intended, but then the two were jailed.

A camel is more valuable than an expat. To prove this, try to run-over a camel.

No such thing as rape. They called it seduction, so it is the fault of the woman not the man, as the word suggests. How can you argue about it? Unless the woman can bring four male witnesses that she was raped. Thus gives you an idea if “gang-rape” exists in this part of the world.

Stories about males being raped. Stories had it that when in police custody, rapes happen. If it happen to males, what more to a woman? Tell it to the marines.

Blaring calls for prayer is quite usual and the country stand still during this time. Shop is close, office works stops, streets are emptied, and so on…

If caught by the religious police roaming around during prayer time, you will be asked to join in prayer in the mosque or get jailed. Isn’t the religious police should be praying during prayer time? I wonder how he catches somebody roaming around during prayer time.

I was told that they actual search your luggage even it passes through the x-ray machine. I asked myself what’s the use of the x-ray machine after all.

I was also told that taking pictures in public, especially when capturing women in abaya, is prohibited. Abaya, by the way, is the women’s black dress designed to cover a woman and to conceal the woman’s feminine figure in order not to solicit lustful stares from men.

My expectations in Saudi Arabia, putting aside my principal purpose on visiting the desert country, are as follow;

1. I am expecting a desert / rural environment.

2. Strict Islamic Culture

3. Backward mentality

4. Unaccommodating and arrogant Saudis

5. Not seeing a woman for the next seven days

Curious and nervous I am ready to embark and discover what really lies within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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For The Seventh Time

It has been more than two years since I started securing a driving license here in Doha.

Yesterday was my seventh try. Yes, you read it right. For seventh time.

As it was been my previous tests, I started having butterflies on my stomach the day before I took each and every time I have my driving test.

All I have to do now is to pass the road test, the last part of the series of test in order to have that elusive license. The bummer would be, you cannot move on to the next stage if you fail the first stage and if you fail, you need to wait at least 30 days before you can try again.

It begins with the test on Traffic Signs. The test start at 5:00am as it shows from your schedule. Everyone is queuing to the small window by the office of the test committee. Inside the room is the examiner sitting by his table with a chart of all the traffic signs on it. Then he will start pointing on the chart and you are supposed to answer what does the sign means as quickly as possible. Just a few signs, five the most, and it’s done. I passed this the first try.

Then the L-parking, where you turn to your left and up the ramp and park. The car must not move backward or the engine turns off when you start your car forward further up the ramp then reversing it back down the ramp to your right. I failed this once and passed on the second try.

Then the notorious Pocket Parking, 90% who failed must have failed at this stage. Some says, if you pass the Pocket Parking, is as good as having your license already. It was actually a reverse parallel parking, where the parking lot was just enough to fit the car. I failed this twice and made it on my third try.

Then the last part and is supposed to be the easiest, the road test. I failed 3 times prior to my seventh try. The fist time I failed the road test was that I did not notice the road hump and it was too late to put on the brakes, screeeeetchh, the traffic police is shaking his head. The second time was that I was the last person for the road test, that means I need to bring the car back to the school, the longer I drive, the more opportunity the traffic police find fault on my driving. The third time I failed the road test is that, the person I was next to, park on an uneven inclined road shoulder, when I released the hand brake, the car rolled back, and the traffic police was not happy.

Yesterday was my seventh try and fourth on the road test. I get in the car. Adjust my seat. Check the side view mirrors and the rear view mirror. Put on my seatbelt. Turn on the signal light. Shifted to first gear. Released the hand brake. Check on oncoming vehicles then drive. I was quite happy the car went on smoothly, I shifted to second gear without any jerking. I was asked to turn right. Signal on, then turn. Then I was asked to park. Signal on. Stop. Hand Brake. Hazard. Finished without a glitch.

But before me, there was this Arab guy, who at first gear the engine turns off twice. He drives with his left wheel on the road center line. When he turns left, he cut two lanes toward his left.

Now guess who passed……

The Arab guy passed and I failed. Incredible…..It’s a feat….Manny Pacquiao and me has now something in common. He holds the record of having seven title in as many divisions in boxing while I hold the record of failing a driving test for the seventh time.

Now my dream of driving my dream car remains just a dream………

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Face To FAce

After 27 months of convincing, countless changes of mind, 2 visa applications, never ending reasons not to visit me in this far flung place called Middle East, she has finally boarded the plane and will be joining me at last. Finally, I will see her again face to face.

It took more than a year before I managed to talk her to give up her job. I thought she would join me after she quit her job. She was waiting for me to fetch her as I actually planned to have a break then return with her to Doha. My workload did not permit and numerous snags came my way until she gave up waiting and went to see our children back in the Philippines with the message “If you want to see me, find me in Philippines”.

My vacation had finally pushed through. But I did not manage to bring her with me. This time, she will look after our son who is preparing to join the National Service. Initially, our son’s medical report indicates that he has high cholesterol level and he needs to keep in shape and lower down his cholesterol level. After a week waiting for the doctor’s appointment, it takes another 2 weeks to wait for the result. This “medical” thing is working on her favor…aaahhhh….

The result came in, everything is fine. When they submitted the medical result, they were told that the report initially sent to our son have errors. So, all the while, my son is fine. But before I can celebrate, a notice came inviting the parents to tour the training facilities for the National Servicemen. Puffff….. Another month to wait for the tour….

Then came the yearend thanksgiving…. No more excuses…..

Now she is in the plane at last. In five hours, I will be fetching her at the airport…. I will see her face to face at last…..

My goal now is to make her comfortable, make her like my place, so she can decide to be with me, face to face for the longest time…..

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Balikbayan Box

Ask any Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) about Balikbayan Box, the likelihood would be 99.99% knows what a Balikbayan Box is, 90% (may) had sent at least once during his/her tenure overseas, 90% (may) had brought with him/her in his/her first return to the Philippines and 85% (may) had sent more than once.

What is a Balikbayan Box anyway?

Generally, it is a cardboard box which contains small items or just about anything and sent by OFW often through freight forwarders, or brought by Filipinos returning to the Philippines.

But to an OFW, Balikbayan Box has a deeper purpose and meaning.

Balikbayan Box has become a symbol of Filipino’s generosity. It is a cultural expectation from a returning Filipino to bring gifts to family, friends and colleagues left behind in the Philippines. To the eyes of strangers, the sight of a Filipino with a 3 to 4 boxes at an airport check-in counter is puzzling.

Balibayan Box manifests the Filipino propensity to accommodate his relatives, barkadas, neighbors and even his/her favorite teacher during school days.

Balikbayan Box may contain small items, but has brought immeasurable happiness and endless smiles to the recipient not to mention the sheer joy and unuttered delight to the sender.

Unfortunately, I am not a believer in a Balikbayan box. Throughout my 14 years abroad I had sent 2 balikbayan boxes. In both occasions, majority of its contents were my used belongings. If there were any new items in it, it is just to fill the box. However, I beg not to be judged as tight-fisted pure Ilocano something. I have my own views to justify myself.

My main reasons would be patronizing our local products and the economic impact as a result.

Whether you agree or not, balikbayan box more often than not contains items that are already available back home.

I remember when I was young, our grandmother received a balikbayan box from our uncle living in the US. She would place the box at the center of the living room upstairs and call everyone. She will open the box and ask everyone to grab one for each. As you would expect a lot of pushing and shoving only to find out most of the items were labeled with someone’s name. There were these items, pairs of pants actually, which doesn’t have a label. So everyone was grabbing for the pants, a tug ensued amongst my uncles, aunts and cousins trying to have the pants to their possession and I was just watching at the corner. When they realized that the pairs of pants were actually made in the Philippines, suddenly the pants were ignored.

A typical colonial mentality syndrome, huh… Anything imported is classy…

Back to my reasoning…

If only the money spent on these balikbayan boxes were sent back home and spent locally, multiply that by a millions of folds. It would definitely stimulate the local economy which will then translate to job creations. A job creation would mean another player in the economy and the ripple effect would be endless.

Having said that, Filipinos dwells more emotionally and culturally that outweighs the economic rationale of the benefits of sending money than in kind.

On the downside, only few amongst our love ones understands the challenges and sacrifices an OFW would go through to fill up that balikbayan box. To say that you would go through an eye of a needle would be an understatement. How many of these balikbayan box senders would spend more than half of his/her salary just to fill up and send a balikbayan box. How many would run into financial difficulties just to regularly send a balikbayan box and to realize the expectations of an unsuspecting love ones.

How many balikbayan box senders will go home at the end of the day with just a balikbayan box as possession….

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Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 02 December 2009

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for his posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

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Passport Blues

During my last vacation, I spend most of the time traveling. My plans had some snags that I had to extend my vacation for about a week. The main detriment to my plans is the renewal of my passport.

Before I left Doha, I realized that my passport was expiring within less than six months. I thought I would have some problems at the airport when departing from Philippine airport as the immigration officer normally verifies that your passport is valid for at least 6 months. Naturally, one of my plans actually was to renew my passport.

Since I would be renewing my passport, we have decided to renew all our passports. And at the same time overcoming the ever-changing “requirements” from the DFA officer. Sometimes, they require just either one of the parents of a minor renewing its passport and sometimes they insist both parents to be present.

As planned, we went to the DFA office in La Union to renew our passports. As we are waiting for our queue, I was thinking to “talk” to the officer if our passport can be expedited as I will be catching my flight back to Singapore on the 18 August. Everything went well as prepared by my wife, all the requirements were in order.

When our turn was called, we were asked what do we prefer, express or ordinary. It would take seven and fourteen days for express and ordinary respectively and obviously it would cost you more for an express. I thought to myself, if they can do it in seven days, why drag it for fourteen days, what is the difference. But it is useless to argue, your will just end up wasting your time. And so we opted for an express processing.

Unfortunately, the release of our passports will be on 2 September. It would be too late for my return to Singapore and back to Doha. I talked to the officer but they were unable to assist further as the new machine readable passports are all coming from Manila. We were advised instead to process our renewal in DFA Manila in order for us to have the passports earliest in seven days.

We proceeded to process our children’s passport at the Regional office and take the trip to Manila the following night.

Me and my wife took the 10pm trip to Manila and managed to reached DFA head office at about 5am. We thought that we were early but when we reached the holding area, the basketball court which serves as the holding area was already a third full. When they distributed queue number I was already at number 119. By the time they opened the counters, the applicants already spilled the holding area.

God knows what number we would be holding if we took a breakfast upon arrival at the bus terminal. Hungry and thirsty, we are not able to leave our lines otherwise we will just be having unnecessary arguments with fellow applicant if they thought we are cutting the queue. Fortunately enough, my wife has a bottle of water with her that we shared during this ordeal.

Once the counter was opened, the process (step by step procedure) was rather smooth until we reached the third step. We were asked again if we prefer express or ordinary. I asked the staff if they can process it in three days. He said it can be done but I need to talk to the officer in charge, in the meantime he put and marked my paper as express. He told me where to find the officer in charge and off I go.

When I was talking to the officer in charge and explained to her my situation, she rudely replied that it can be done but how would she know if I am really a resident in Singapore. So, we showed our Singapore Identification Card to satisfy her that we are indeed a permanent residents in Singapore. Then suddenly, she has another requirement, she wants to see our confirmed tickets which unfortunately we did not brought with us. I told her that we left it at home but she asked us to go and get it. Fuming inside I explained that we came from the province and took a six hour trip, it would be impractical to go back and bring the tickets just to show to her. I requested some consideration but she did not budge.

I tried and tried for her consideration but fell to deaf ears. And then she said, “Please excuse me, I have to go, we are half-day today”. I glanced at my wife’s watch and it is 8:30am, my wife’s watch could have been late I thought so checked my mobilephone and it was indeed 8:30am and she call it a day? Oh well, I forgot I’m in the Philippines.

I resigned and just contented with the seven day processing.

We managed to finish our renewals and my wife even managed to process other documents that I need for me to arrange her papers to join me in Doha. It was about 9:30 when we left the DFA building. As we walked towards the entrance of the compound, the queue was unbelievable. You cannot drop a pin on the holding area and the line continuous beyond the entrance which is about 200m away. I wonder, if they ever processed all the applicants on that day.

To what I heard is that DFA is issuing 4,000 passports a day. That’s how many Filipinos so desperate to get out of the country, be it temporarily or permanently. What does this represents? What does this portray to the Philippines as a country or to its leadership at the least? But then, the country’s leadership is quick to sugarcoat the reality about their shortcomings by priding itself as one of the major manpower exporter, duhh…

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Vacation 2009

Almost three month since I came back from my vacation, I haven’t posted anything about what happened during my short break. My updates were increasingly becoming irregular due to some changes that I need to adjust as already mentioned in my other post.

Tonight I brought home some works that I am rushing which I need to deliver by Sunday, and I am kind of stuck that I cannot think how to proceed with my work, my brain had ceased and refused to process anymore information about work. So I Thought I’ll take a break from my works and look back on my recent vacation.

Looking back, while I was waiting to board the plane back to my family I made some impromptu plans how to make the most of my short vacation. I wonder how I fared with my self-imposed plans.

“I plan to travel to Baguio with my wife to visit my dentist sister. Had an overnight in Baguio, take the first trip back to my place to catch the 10am worship service on Sunday”. Well, it didn’t happened, but, we took the trip on Sunday after our worship service instead of Saturday and rushing back on Sunday for the worship service.


“Monday, would be set for renewing our passports. I bet that my whole Monday would be spent “specially”for DFA.” This happened, though this needs a separate post about me and my wife’s passport renewal.

I cannot post our passports individually in here, but as proof, the above was a bonus as in “not in my plans”. Our very first “Family Photo” after taking our individual passport photos.

“Maybe a lunch in a restaurant, at Max or Midtown or a nice place..”


A testament that it happened..


“..it would just be nice to visit my family, mother, brothers, sisters and in-laws”.


Karaoke time with family and in-laws..


“Maybe a whole day at the beach with the whole family and friends.”






“Barbeques, sea foods and lots of pork, hehehhe…”



That’s lot pork, the ribs are spared though…


“Sunday again, Family Day.”



I guesse I managed all my plans to happen. The least I can say, I enjoyed my vacation and looks forward for my next trip in four months time…

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Signs That You Are A Facebook Addict

Signs That You Are A Facebook Addict

1. 
   
   You’re starting a fight with your children for your turn with the computer.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   You often use the phrase “I’m your mother/father, you listen to me” when trying to over-extend your turn with the computer.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   You don’t mind the smoke, the noise and strangers in an internet shop just to check on your “farm”.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   You are more worried of your “Farm” than you house being flooded by Ondoy.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   You called your friends to harvest for you at the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy, but you forgot to ask them to rescue you.
   
   
   
6. 
   
   You misuse the word “HARVEST” when you actually referring to “salary”.
   
   
   
7. 
   
   You use your mobilephone to check your Facebook every now and then, unknowingly shooting up your bill.
   
   
   
8. 
   
   You believe “ENERGY PACK” can make you awake and last the whole night.
   
   
   
9. 
   
   You thought milk chocolate comes from brown cows.
   
   
   
10. 
    
    You thought peanuts comes form elephants.
    
    
    
11. 
    
    You thought strawberries grows within two hours.
    
    
    
12. 
    
    You thought you can use a jack hammer in a war.
    
    
    
13. 
    
    You thought zombie cow is a vehicle.
    
    
    
14. 
    
    You thought your Japanese name is cute.
    
    
    
15. 
    
    You thought you are not actually your age.
    
    
    
16. 
    
    You thought you can sell your friends when you have misunderstandings.
    
    
    
17. 
    
    You are joining a cause to expand Farmville.
    
    
    
18. 
    
    You are referring to your friends as “neighbors”.
    
    
    
19. 
    
    You tend to ask a new acquaintance, “Do you have facebook?”.
    
    
    
20. 
    
    You try to search for your former classmates, hoping that you can reconnect.
    
    
    

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Away From Home: Survive, Out-wit, Out-play, Out-last

I have not been writing lately since I came back from my vacation. The atmosphere at the workplace has changed dramatically since I left for my long outstanding break. The name of the “game“ has changed to survival. To out-wit, out-play and out-last are your options to stay “alive”.

Colleagues were sporting a long face, not-in-the-mood attitude and too laid back and unmotivated to their works. Management has been insisting for demobilization of staffs from our project down to a skeleton framework which the Site Management has been opposing that such demobilization is premature as works are still to be completed. However, Site Management was overruled by the Executive Director.

Such demobilization plan has been unhelpful to the progress of the Project, literally and as a consequence. Literally, as the manpower and staff are reduced means lesser resources to complete the outstanding works. And as a consequence, people tend to slow down and drag the work as long as possible. This is due to the fact that there is no clear plan for the staffs if there is new project after our current project is completed. Where will they be transferred, at the least? Or will they be released / terminated.

Worries amongst employees are further fueled by rumors that an engineer was given a 1-month notice after he declined to be transferred to Saudi Arabia without giving him the option if he opted not to be transferred. Administration has discretely asked him if he wanted to move to Saudi Arabia which he said he has no plan. After a week or so, the engineer was surprised that he received a month notice for termination.

To add salt to the bleeding wound, at the end of his notice he is short of a week to have 5 years with the company which will entitle him for a 28 days per year of service as end-of –service-entitlement. He will have to content himself for 21 days per year of service.

Skilled workers has been drastically reduced and transferred to Saudi Arabia. Non-manual staffs were already scheduled for demobilization starting end of this month. Staffs wanted to stay but ironically their “performance” has declined to justify they deserve to be retained in the Project.

This demobilization issue has not spared me to worry about tomorrow. The Project Manager has informed me that my department is due to demobilize by end of October. I managed to justify to the Project Manager for my department to stay up to the last billing of the Project. However, higher management has the last say. Now one of my quantity surveyors is too worried as the demobilization plan has somehow leaked and he is to be demobilized end of October.

I have started to assess what would be my options should this demobilization comes too early.

1. Move to the next project (within Qatar)
2. Look for a new employer in Qatar
3. Deploy to Saudi Arabia
4. Move back to Singapore

Option 1 is bleak as no new project in Qatar is at hand. Our tendering department is chasing against time to secure new project for staffs affected by the impending demobilization.

Option 2 is ruled out. Qatar labor market is base on sponsorship system, your company is your sponsor. You cannot jump to another employer without your company’s consent. Company is unlikely to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Option 3 is feasible. My only worry is about my religious freedom. Saudi Arabia is known for its strict Islamic policies about other religion specially towards Christianity. Stories had it, exercising your religion in this Islamic country will cause you lashing or worst, beheading.

Option 4 would be the most feasible and safest option on my table. Not to mention my wife’s long pleadings to go back to Singapore. As the famous adage goes, killing 2 birds with one stone. Safe working environment and giving-in to wife’s pleadings.

In the meantime, I will fight for my career survival in this far flung place. I will just perform my duty as what I am contracted to perform and take one battle at a time to survive this war. The rest I leave it to God.

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Pamamaalam Sa Tagapamahala

Pamama-alam sa Tagapamahala

By: Anonymous

Nakakalungkot isipin na ikaw ay wala na,

Ang totoo, kaming lahat, hindi makapaniwala.

Itinatanggi ng puso pati ng aming kaluluwa,

Yaong katotohanan na ikaw ay pumanaw na.

Paano ba sasabihin? Saan magsisimula?

Kailan matatanggap ng aming gunita?

Na ikaw na nanguna sa buong Iglesia,

Ay kinuha na ng Diyos at pinagpahinga na.

Sobrang sakit sa damdamin ng malaman ang balita,

Kaming lahat, kahit saan, ngayon ay nagluluksa.

Sapagkat sa aming isip hanggang ngayo'y sariwa pa,

Ang pagdiriwang na isinagawa ng buong Iglesia.

Noong Hulyo 27, natipon kaming lahat,

Sa iba't ibang panig ng mundo, kaming lahat, nagsigayak.

Mga hinirang ay nagdiwang ng buong galak,

Buong pusong nangako na magpapakatapat.

Napahanga ang lahat sa nakitang kaisahan,

Ng lahat ng hinirang sa mga huling araw.

Hindi nakubli ang dakilang katotohanan,

Na ang Iglesia'y nagniningning sa buong sanlibutan!

Ngayon, kaming lahat na iyong naulila,

Ay nagdadalamhati, hindi mapigil ang pagluha.

Marami ang tulala at hindi makagawa,

Sapagkat ang balita tungkol sa'yo'y totoo nga.

Ang higit sa lahat na aming ipinagluluksa,

Napakalayo namin sa aming sariling lupa,

Gustuhin man namin na ikaw ay makita pa,

Pasensiya ka na po, pero wala kaming magawa.

Ngayon, ito po ang aming dalangin,

Sa ating Ama na napakabuti sa atin;

"Ama, patuloy Ka pong maawa sa amin,

Huwag kaming pababayaan, patuloy Mo po kaming kupkupin."

Kapatid na Eraño G. Manalo, Ka Erdie, kung tawagin,

Mananatili ka po sa aming mga damdamin.

Mga tagubilin na ipina-abot sa amin,

Pagsisikapan po namin na laging tuparin.

Doon sa Bayang Banal na pangako sa atin,

Tayo ay magkita-kita na taglay ang tungkulin.

Patuloy na umawit, Ang Ama ay purihin!

Kasama ni Jesus na umibig sa atin.

Amen.

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25 Minutes

After six months of waiting, 5 times reset, I am going home to see my family which I had been away for ten long months. I finally reach the airport and get past the immigration officer. Finally, I will be boarding that plane in twenty five (25) minutes.

Though it will still take me about eight hours to reach Singapore, ten hours of rest, another three hours of flight to Clark, and four hours of bus ride. Men, that’s twenty five hours before I can feel my wife’s loving embrace…ehhheemm. Counting hours is too dragging but at least it is far more better than counting days or months.

I have a simple plan to make the most of my 14 days of break, 3 days of which is spent on traveling. And so, I better make the most of the eleven remaining days I will be with my love ones.

If everything falls into place, I will be reaching home 8 August at 10am. I plan to travel to Baguio with my wife to visit my dentist sister. Have an overnight stay in Baguio, take the first trip back to my place to catch the 10am worship service on Sunday.

Just in time to take the whole family for a treat after the worship service. Maybe a lunch in a restaurant, at Max or Midtown or a nice place, after all it is just once in a while.

Monday, would be set for renewing our passports. I bet that my whole Monday would spent “specially”for DFA.

Tuesday to Wednesday. Since my children would be in school, it would just be nice to visit my family, mother, brothers, sisters and in-laws.

I would be looking forward for Saturday. Maybe a whole day at the beach with the whole family and friends. Barbeques, sea foods and lots of pork, hehehhe. No such thing in the Middle East as you know. I would indulge myself with it. But I would be mindful with the thin line between indulgence and gluttony.

Sunday again, Family Day.

And so on.

That is, if everything falls into place as I have mentioned earlier. What I am afraid is that, most of the time I plan things, it wouldn't happen. Wish me luck.

I got to go now, my 25 minutes is done. Got to board that plane before I’ll miss it.

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