Eye Candy

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” -Helen Keller

Bukit Shah Bandar is Brunei’s remarkable nature trail. And it’s free for public use and yet, very well maintained. How cool is that? It’s also just about 20minutes drive from the city and is just beside Empire Golf and Country Club should you wish to spend a lavish afternoon tea break after climbing the hills of Shah Bandar. Thank you very much Mimi for taking time and inviting me to see this place. Nakahabol pa before I leave and it was worth it. The whole experience was so unforgettable because it was mixed with so many ‘lost’ moments. First, I got in the wrong lane and ended in Trader’s Inn hotel and back to Gadong. It was my first time to drive there alone and the sign was put after the road separates and is hidden in the bushes. But that was a minor ‘lost incident’ compared to what was awaiting us on top of the hills. We started a bit late coz Mimi came from work and I got ‘lost’ on my way there so it was already 5:40ish when our walk started. By 6:30, we were exhausted and can only finish 1 trail. We reached the 4^th hut though and on our way back, Mimi decided to be more adventurous and try the other trail going down the hill. The sky was getting dark and with all the trees in the woods, it was even darker in the ground. After all, I read somewhere that only 5% of the sun’s ray reaches the forest ground. It was exciting though since it felt like we were in some adventure movie – ala Narnia, Lord of the Rings, you get the drift. After about 10 minutes and we cannot see any sign of parking area or highway and just trees abound us, Mimi confirmed that we were indeed lost. We decided to run back from where we came from and just use the trail we used going up. We had to run because it was already dark and the park closes at 6:30PM and it was way passed that time. Lost count how many times we said careful to each other because of the steep road, some paved, some rocky but all very narrow. By 7:20ish, were out of the jungle and were so glad to see the highway. Only 4 cars were left and there were 3 guys chatting there. Apparently, they were about to find the owners of the 2 cars – my and Mimi’s, and were sure we were lost. Told them our story and thanked them profusely.

To reward our hard work and triumph – coz we sure felt like amazing race winners, we had buko juice! Sure trench our thirst.

And final ‘lost’ moment for me as I can’t seem to reach Bandar. It was dark and again my first time to drive on that rode alone and at night. After so many turns, I finally got it. I could have enjoyed the ride it is was daytime and was not exhausted from walking and running. I missed Cel’s birthday party and I’m sure there were lots of goodie food – she’s a good cook, but I’m still happy over the whole event. Unforgettable indeed!

Un-Filipino?

“Never let the things you want make you forget the things you already have.”

I’m in the last phase of visa processing. Had my picture taken, renewed my passport (for a whooping BND85 bucks) and fedexed my new passport to the embassy. In two weeks time or less, it will be returned to me and I’m good to go. Already my youngest sis is starting her list of ‘pabili’ and top of her list is a magic sing chip. You can take away the Pinay out of the Philippines, but you can’t take the Philippines out of the Pinay, lol. My friends here are in excited about the list of stuff that I will be selling on my impending garage sale. My car has a lot of buyers and one even went to our flat as early as last Thursday although they are very much aware that I plan to go back to Manila by middle of May. My stuffs are hot and they know it, lol.

Of course, in the middle of the raucous, I popped my close cyber friends and told them I have good news for me. Funny how they really know me well that Jojo gave three guesses: a) My papers got approved finally; b) I have a new bf; c) I got a big bonus. Told her how I wish they’re all true at the same time but I’m just happy that dream numero uno is positive. The latter will come, hopefully before next season, hehe. Jocy is already inviting me to do a ‘CSI’ - meaning tour Vegas, Miami and New York. Told her I’ll check my schedule. Dominika said she’ll definitely be in Canada by June and wants to know if we can meet. Superb. I still haven’t broken the news to my bridesmaid friends and those that I’ll be seeing in Manila. I have to arrange my 2 weeks in Manila first and be sure to meet HS friends, college friends, ex-officemate friends and ex-housemates. I want to meet them all and my list of inaanak. Also, it’s mandatory to meet my relatives but I’m actually looking forward to seeing some of them.

Now that everything is final and the waiting is over, one thought come running back to my mind. Not so long time ago, my ex-officemates and I were just chatting over lunch and the issue of brain drain in PH popped up. The pros and cons of migrating and how much better it is to be living in your own country amidst everything that’s happening (latest are Hello Garci, ZTE deal, Gucci Gang, to name a few). When asked why I am still in Manila despite the fact that my family has already migrated abroad, an officemate answered the question for me. I don’t want to be a second rate citizen daw. At that time, he didn’t know that I have my papers submitted already. Nakikisagot kasi. But that phrase made me think. Do immigrants feel like and treated like second rate citizens? I know for a fact that this is definitely not true as my family hasn’t felt that except for an encounter with a bitchy saleslady. But, that’s all. Patulan mo ba ang saleslady? Not that I’m demeaning the position but you know what I mean.

As a student, did I ever felt like a second rate citizen? Growing up and studying in 2 public elementary schools, I see teachers play favorites, school libraries that have a policy of no overnight borrowing of decade old books and school canteens that sell mostly candies and junk food. And I thought that was the norm. Until I met very few teachers who really want to educate and kind to the poor students who can’t afford to buy stuffs the school is selling instead of berating them and making them stand at the back of the room the whole day. That libraries can have the latest books, magazines and encyclopedia that you can actually touch and read without the librarian eyeing you like a hawk.

The entire lifetime that I was I a tax paying citizen working in Manila, did I always feel like a 1^st rate citizen? Commuting through the hell that was coastal road, racing through the streets to chase after a bus and wrestling your way in and hanging on to dear life while the bus drives through a potholed road, I was always reminded how poor the Philippines is and how corrupt the system is. Our very own baranggay chairman, who for some miracle, has been elected again after his term, has only succeeded in having another wife and literally kicking the deaf wife out of the house. Our baranggay is still the same though, except for a new baranggay office and a waiting shed (a not very nice one at that) at the end of the street going his house.

With my previous employer, it is an ‘encouraged’ and practiced culture to stay way past after working hours. The boss will raise his eyebrow (although not known to be a queer) if you try to go home pronto and this incident will be the major if not the only thing that will be remembered come appraisal day. But this does not guarantee overtime pay. My job includes covering for overseas counterparts when their work ends – cannot call them unless it’s a really an emergency. However, we got calls in unholy hours and weekends included because we had to take charge of our own clients. It doesn’t work the other way around. I stayed there and tolerated it for a while. That was my norm. One brazen manager (rest in peace, just in case) often tells the newbies that they are dispensable so just be grateful for the job.

Does migrating mean becoming a second rate citizen in a first world country? I doubt it, although I doubt I will never encounter such, after all, each has its own demon to battle. But I’ll take my chances. I’m reading about my soon to be new country and state, and I like what I read so far. Very well organized and the OC in me rejoices.

Why not stay and help PH instead? Well, can I not help if I’m based abroad? Last time I checked, the Philippine economy is fueled by the money OFWs send while that fu#%$#ng POEA fees feed the fat assess of those in position. That may only amount to pennies and cents compared to ZTE kickback, but these breed of alligators will suck everything they can. I love Philippines and I love my friends there and will surely miss them, but I just can’t stay anymore. Now I’ll stop here before this reads like a break-up letter. As for break ups, nothing beats a Sarah Silverman – Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel – Ben Affleck gig. Cheers!

Singleness

“Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.” - Maurice Setter

Four years after I submitted the documents for immigration (yes, I have long decided to be a citizen of another country), I finally got a reply. Talk about backlogs! I have heard so many people tell me that I should have gone through an agency so it will be faster and I’ll be guaranteed positive results. I at times almost believed them as I’ve heard a lot of people whose documents were approved before mine. Good thing I was/still am busy living life and enjoying the journey that I never felt bad that it’s taking too long. Well, maybe on bad days but I try to bounce back to the happy side asap, hehe. So, here I was trying to be a diligent OFW when out of the blue, the papers came. And the correspondence never stops. Updated documents here and there were requested. Kkapagod nga coz I have to process them in PH. Thank goodness for family and friends who helped but I still have to send authorization letters. One new requirement document baffles me and even made me snigger – Certificate of No Marriage or Singleness. It was the first time I’ve heard of it. Apparently, it’s a new certificate issued by NSO and is now a major paper requirement for my application. Panalo di ba? I have no qualms about it and when push comes to shove, I might consider laminating it for display on my office desk or facebook, might increase my chances of getting more dates… or I’m counting that people might simply think of me as looney, lol. Maybe it’s the government’s way of making sure Filipinos will have second thoughts about polygamy but I doubt if it’ll stop them from having kulasisi. Now nobody in PH can cry foul that their lover lied to them about their marital status. I just hope the immigration does not extend this requirement and make it like the police clearance they asked me for – 1 for each country that I lived in for a minimum of 6 months. That’ll be tough to gather and expensive. But I’m through submitting papers and my dear spring, here I go.

Ano Daw?! Part 2

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." - George Washington Carver

Well, I didn’t know that you can actually buy air should you opt to. Neither am I aware that you can actually but air for a price of a dozen bathroom tissue. But this is what I thought the first time I read this tag line from this tissue brand. Oh well, never fails to make me smile in that shitty part of my room, lol..

Couldn’t Be Anymore Chinese than Here

"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet." -Anonymous

It took me to be located in a Muslim country to experience Chinese New Year full blast – open house lunches, afternoon snacks or pika-pika and dinner invitations from Chinese boss and acquaintances, and of course the most exiting part, am pao. The latter makes me feel like a young girl back in our streets knocking on neighbors doors on Christmas day asking for pamasko. Good old times. CNY is the only occasion that I’m actually on the receiving end of money. And it’s been a long time since that happens, $1:PHP25 pesos pa! LOL. I often see news about CNY celebration on TV and newspaper and back in Eastwood, it’s a week long celebration complete with all sorts of psychic reading – from tarot to palm reading and etc. But that’s the closest I was able to get. Not even when I was in college and one third of the class were Chinese. Not even that my Auntie’s husband is Chinese (he’s so Pinoy that he cannot speak Chinese anymore). Not even when I stayed in Penang where only a quarter my officemates were not Chinese and the fact that the island’s main inhabitants are Chinese. Not even when my ex is Chinese (well, that’s another story, hehe). In short, walang nag invite sken, lol (sounds bitter pero nde naman, reality lang).

So I’m glad I experienced CNY here and to personally witness how a big deal it was. My gym even closed on 7^th February, the 1^st day of the year of the Rat. It compensates for the almost non-existence of 31st December eve celebration here.

Muslim Weddings

"When love beckons you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep, And when his wings enfold you, yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you, believe him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste in the garden. " - Kahlil Gibran

Another noteworthy experience is going to local weddings. Firstly, I have to thank Jocy and Mimi for lending me their baju kurung. It’s the local dress worn during formal occasions and as office formal attire for girls particularly with government employees. Our equivalent to Baro’t saya. But who wears them now, really? For local guys here, office attire is your regular Makati yuppie. They wear their traditional dress or Baju Melayu for formal occasions and prayer time.

You have to give kudos to the people here for having such true loyalty to their local attire. The more expensive Bajus are adorned with hand woven embroideries. During Hari Raya which is celebrated after fasting season and runs for one month, families usually wore dresses of the same garment. Super terno talaga, hehe.

In the picture is our client dressed in a majestic baju. It’s a week long celebration and we were invited by the groom, hence we were at his residence. The bride-to-be is in her own residence having a feast with her own guests. The groom will go to her place and his less than 6 steps walk from their doorway to the car must be covered under an umbrella.

Though the celebration stretches from 4 to 5 days, the days do not last long. Unlike in the Philippines where it could last for at least 3 hours (yan ay kung walang karaoke session to follow, lol). Each guest was handed a souvenir gift once they arrive. The female relatives will walk from table to table to shake hands or Salam with each female guest. The male relatives will go to the male guests and shake hands as well. Yes, females and males are seated separately. There will never be an opportunity to mingle and eye for single girls and guys here, too bad huh? After that, a prayer will start the celebration and the feast begins. As soon as the guests have eaten, all leftovers are up to grabs. Take-out or Tapao plastics are available and everyone dugs in. Everything usually takes less than 45 minutes and guests starts to go back home.

As for the newly weds, the celebration is ended with a honeymoon. Now that part is universal and no color or religion makes any difference. ^_^

Brain Meat

"One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is to listen to each other's stories." - Rebecca Falls

Another brilliant marketing strategy brought to you by a famous hotel (not just here I’m sure). I love meat but how can I lust for having a piece if it shows a picture of a whole cow? Cowabangga! He looks so cute and innocent that this ad actually forces me to go on fish and veggie diet. Nice job Sheraton.