Dubai Flipside

A VERY LONG, err...SHORT ENGAGEMENT

2006-04-18T23:04:00.000+04:00

Wow! I cant' believe I had this long sabbatical from my blog!
For a long time, I felt like my hands went numb to write things on my mind. There were so many things happening, so many issues been raised and discussed that I really felt there weren't just enough for me to say anyway (which is not true, of course!) ...What the heck, I was just plain lazy and all and somehow I felt uncomfortable about it. Somehow, keeping the blog alive was like an on/off crusade for me, depending on who was the reigning King.

Anyhow, I am now awake and looks forward to update this blog. With so many things that happened to me during the past six months, there shouldn't be nothing to tell so please bear with me if I had to refer to the not so distant past.

And to dispel any rumors in the blogosphere in this part of the world, ..No, I did not leave Dubai, not yet. I did not fall ill to some mysterious disease nor become part of those gruesome statistics in Dubai roads these days, Thank God!

Nope! Wrong guess! I was not stranded in Kish. I did not even go to make a visa run to change my visa to that coveted (?) residence visa.

So to all those who wrote me to check me out if I was okay, thank you so much for your concern! It was not even fair to you that I had to subject some people to worrying, knowing how are things here in the Sandlands.

Maybe the past Holy Week had knocked something on my head so I feel refreshed now, like being resurrected again.

So now, my not-so-secret love affair with blogging has now resumed and hopefully, sustain the effort to keep this affair alive and well.

Start Me Up!

2005-11-07T21:45:00.000+04:00

Blimey! I wasted about 3 hours in the office today no thanks to XP's foul up.

Opening my Outlook file, I edited my PC's clock to change the date today since Outlook displays Nov 6 as today's date. No problem so far even after I entered my new task.

Four hours later in the afternoon, when I restart my PC I was suddenly locked out by the PC's security system. Error message says my PC's current time is different from the network's.

Yikes! a frantic call to mother IT in Europe is no relief as apparently the whole IT staff at the HQ was on a meeting so I didn't have much choice but to wait for the remote IT help.

In the early evening (after grudgingly staying put one hour past off or otherwise I would have to wait until noon tomorrow for those IT guys in Europe and foresee myself sitting with nothing to do for half day) , one mate volunteered to check my PC and after tweaking the BIOS'current time setting, voila! the PC suddenly cranked up and accepted my password!

Now I never really thought thatmere changing time and date in your PC would really create that mess that would bother IT guys across continents and time zones! Thanks Windows XP!

Eid Mubarak

2005-11-06T21:07:00.000+04:00

The Eid-al-Fitr holiday has just passed and now everything is back to normal here in the UAE. Eid -al -Fitr is just one of the Eid holidays coming in the next 70 days after Ramadan and this particular feast reminded me of what I learned back in grade school, the feast of Hari Raya Puasa which means breaking of the fast in Malay.

This holiday is also celebrated in Manila as a one-day holiday (Nov. 4) but here in the UAE, it is somewhat protracted, which also reminds me of the way we celebrate Christmas in the Philippines. If you are working here in one of the government offices, the holiday is a week-long observance (Nov 2 to 6) while the private offices normally had it for three days (including the Friday off).

I was also somehow bemused by the memo released by my previous company in Dhabi. It tells that
" ....The company will observe the first and second day of the Eid al Fitr holiday..." without announcing explicitly which days are those.

Of course, the normal reply was that it depend on the moon sighting which first day in November will it fall (Nov 2 or 3). But for me, without being too insensitive to the cultural connotation, the memo was the most ambiguous memo I've read in years, it was actually my first.

People in the office, and here is the most amusing part, espcially the non-muslims, also prayed hard that the moon should appear by Nov 2 < - and it would be hypocritical of me I say I'm not one of them, ;=) >.

When I got back here in Dubai, my flatmates are also hoping for a start of Nov 2 holiday start. But alas, Eid was declared in Nov 3 dampening the hopes of those in the private sector of a longer work vacation.

Despite this trivialization, I enjoyed Eid in one of its truest sense. I was invited in one Muslim Household in Deira and got to taste the hospitality and tradition of Eid.

But then I never anticipated how painful my tooth could be the next morning. Despite this, Eid al-Fitr has just become one of my favorite holidays!

Back to Dubai

2005-11-06T20:27:00.000+04:00

After three weeks toiling in Abu Dhabi, I am nowback again in Dubai. For a moment there, I thought I will be permanently moving to Abu Dhabi. Luckily or unluckily, a wonderful offer came up to work in one of the office cubicles in one of Dubai's technology mini-cities. After living in a solitary confinement in one of the thousand accommodations in the remote Musaffah area, I am now back in the chaotic and noisy environment of Dubai.

Actually dwelling in Abu Dhabi and coming back again to Dubai provide me an opportunity to compare the two cities. Unlike any other busy Asian capitals (Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Manila Jakarta), apparently Abu Dhabi provides a more laid back and breathable living compared to fast and frenetic mass huddles of Dubai ( imagine Washington DC to New York). What I particularly like in Dhabi is driving on its roads and highways (see previous post). The highway connecting Musaffah and Abu Dhabi is almost empty even during rush hours, that you certainly feel how it is to cruise on a highway. Despite the apparent lack of glittery skyscrapers that Dubai offers, getting lost in the streets and small corners of Abu Dhabi city centre will not fail to surprise one and be amazed in discovering the hidden treasures of the city (one prime example is the Abu Dhabi National Gas Liquefaction HQ - ADGAS, with its breathtaking and opulent interiors).

I have also come to know the common names of the prominent streets in AUH such as Passport Road, Electra, Muroor, Najda, TCA (that is the Tourist Club Area for the uninitiated) and Airport Road -- they are hidden by the formal names such as Al Falah St., Zayed 1St street, Zayed 4th st, Zayed 6th st, etc that you usually find in the street signs. (Try telling that to the Patan cab drivers who will give you blank stares if he hears you mouthing Zayed 1st st.)

People at work have been very interesting too. I gained a number of Indian friends who taught me how to distinguish Indians from among themselves (the Keralites and the Malayalam language, those who come from Delhi, Punjab and Mumbai and of course knowing some Hindi - it is very embarrasing to admit that I know only three words, Nei, Kalas and Malum). But I guess distinguishing them would be a difficult subject in a very short time from a foreign perspective because of their high multiculturalism.

Despite this, I still long for the round-the-clock on the go of Dubai (during that 3-weeks, I find myself coming back at least twice in a week aside from the weekend).

Dubai the Movie

2005-10-21T13:22:00.000+04:00

A recent Filipino film was shown here in UAE about Filipino expats in Dubai.

But before Filipinos start rushing in Dubai, there are some scenes in the film that need a lot of explaining:

1. The lead actor was shown to be living in a quite spacious flat, with one room reserved to his newly-arrived brother:

Fact: Rent in Dubai is at sky-high and still rising. If one person is to rent a flat with two bedrooms, boy, oh boy. you need more than 4,000 dirhams per month to get a decent flat in the downtown areas of Bur Dubai and Deira (forget about Jumeirah and the Al Barsha) unless our favorite lead character is living in Sharjah which is the emirate next to Dubai (ten minutes travel time plus at least 30 minutes for traffic and if you take the bus or take, add another at leastt 30 minutes).

Let us hear from the film's production outfit representative of courtesy of 7 Days):

".....the "delivery boy" is really supervisor of a courier service company who earns at least dhs3,500.
He lives in an old villa which he shares with other people who were no longer shown in the movie. As you know rents of old villa are much lower than rents of flats.
The lead character has been living in Dubai for nine years, therefore, he has bought some good things which are not very expensive considering that there are at least three seasons when sales discounts are the norm -- Shopping Festival, Summer Surprises, and Ramadan."

- Art Los Banos, ABS-CBN Middle East

If he is sharing it with other people, I think it was a mistake not showing it because it becomes misleading.

2. If one is taking a day-job and a car-lift sideline in the evening, one year is not enough to save money in immigrating to Canada. The car that is used is probably one that is rented (for 45 to 60 dirhams a day depending on the duration) and even if you earn 100 dirhams a night, waht about spending for your petrol-- 50 dirhams for about 39 -40 liters). You cannot even immediately drive on the streets of UAE unless you are from the US, Europe, Australia and the rest of the first world countries and the GCC. You have to apply for a UAE driving license after you get a Resident's visa.

3. The lead female character is working in Wonderland as a staff and yet can afford to live in a spacious flat with another? I don't think so, maybe more establishing scenes are again missed out for the sake of editing.

4. The lead character lived and slept under Maktoum bridge during his hardship-filled initial years(?)/months(?) in Dubai. Under the noses of the patrolling Dubai police around the creek?

I can go on with some more issues like absconding, the recent posts I written (How to lose a guy in 10 days and Dangerous Liaisons), visa change in Kish, the frigid care of the embassy, the warmth of Saint Mary's Church, inflation, taxis, harassment, etc. etc.

I'm quite disappointed with this film because I liked Milan last year, and it was made by the same director and outfit as it tackled head-on most of the issues of the expats and illegals in Italy.

Don't get me wrong again, Dubai (or Abu Dhabi) is a nice place to live in for the right people and professionals. I do pride in a fact that Filipinos have built quite a good reputation in the emirates, despite stereotypes.

Maybe this film can be saved and I just hope that the filmmakers clear up the misrepresentations especially for the audience back in the Philippines. They owe it most to the Filipinos, especially those contemplating of working abroad, in a place like Dubai.

Dangerous Liaisons

2005-10-21T11:14:00.000+04:00

A recent post by Secret Dubai, described an unusual report from Gulf News involving a Filipina maid, her kabayan lover and the spurned Canadian boss:

"A Dubai court sentenced a barber to one year in prison for having an illicit love affair with a housemaid who also alleged that she was sleeping with her sponsor.

The 23-year-old barber, identified as D.O., and the 21-year-old housemaid, both from the Philippines, will be deported.

The Dubai public prosecution charged the barber with trespassing into a private property and having an illegitimate love affair with the housemaid.

The Dubai police heard that the Canadian sponsor, who works as an engineer, returned to his villa in Al Safa Area and saw the barber, whom he had not seen before, sitting with the 21-year-old woman.

The engineer became angry and started shouting at the two accused. Then he quarrelled with the barber before the police came and arrested the two Filipinos.

In his statement to the police, the 23-year-old denied having an illicit affair. Meanwhile, the Filipina confessed that she was having a love affair with the barber.

She alleged that she was having a similar affair with her sponsor.

The Canadian sponsor denied her claims but his wife said she had suspected that something was going on between her housemaid and her husband.

The Dubai Court of First Instance did not consider the Filipina's claims of an affair with her sponsor because she could not prove this."

Reading further on the series of exhanges provide a curious commentary that despite the cosmopolitan atmosphere in Dubai, still not a few schmucks carry wrong general perception of other people / races.

Filipinos as romantics and horny toads? I would have to agree with SD, notwithstanding the strict Islamic rule against premarital sex or adulterous affair, it was hypocritical for that Canadian guy to prejudge and throw these lovers in jail (and deport them).

And about generalizing Filipina maids (or the Filipino men) as sex-crazed lonely worker? I always hear this crap pinning easily the blame on them after complaints of rape cases with their employers, be it in the suburbs of Manila, Singapore or Dubai. The truth of the matter is that these women are most often vulnerable, with some having less education and just wanted to follow their dreams of escaping poverty back home.

Don't get me wrong, I'll have to admit that Filipino men have their own share of perverted sense of machismo, oftentimes underscored by the stark contrast of strict family code in Philippine laws and the hush-hush mistresses on the side and the absence of divorce. And I myself frown upon this kind of chauvinism (- no thanks to TV soaps in the local scene! and the strong influence of the Catholic Church) that abuses the vulnerability of Filipino wives and the For-the-sake of children argument. But that is not something of a monopoly to the Filipinos. And Secret is right in pointing that out in responding to some comments in her blog.

Curiously, some said maybe the Canadian is probably is a recent Canadian by immigration, and implied his actual race/religion of origin. The debate that ensued again opened a mini-Pandora's box of the silent divergence on how Dubai expats see one another (Arab, Asian or Caucasian).

Ramadan 2

2005-10-19T19:02:00.000+04:00

It's been a while since I made my last post. I'm now posted in Abu Dhabi, and maybe, SD has been right all along, I will really have to change my nick in time.

Anyway, this blog will remain all about UAE life so blogging about Abu dhabi will not change the character a bit.

Speaking of character, Abu Dhabi is one capital city that curiously has much laid back pace of life compared to Dubai. For one, traffic is almost (!) non-existent. Taxicab is so cheap that it is usual to pay a 3AED fare for a 3-block distance within the city. Although the streets and roads are still well'lighted, they are still no match to the bright lights of Dubai and the complementing vulgarity of opulent neon lights coming form the shops and glitzy buildings.

One noticeable aspect as far as cit y landscape is concerned is the wonderful green sceneries that dot the airport and corniche road leading you to the heart of the city. Unlike Dubai with all its bermuda grass and dates, Abu Dhabi has more trees to offer that somehow makes you feel that the city is breathing, and not choking on its smoke.

But because it still Ramadan season, street life is more subdued especially in the daylight. You can't eat nor drink in public and sometimes, I even have to go to W.C. just to catch a quick drink. But in the evening, it is an enjoyable sight to see fasting Muslims take their iftar and share it with their fellows specially in some road corners and mosque grounds.

Start of Ramadan

2005-10-04T23:03:00.000+04:00

Today is the start of Islam's Holy Month, Ramadan. After the partial solar eclipse yesterday (- which I failed to witness here in Dubai), the first sighting of the new moon signalled the start of the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar.i All physically fit muslims are required to fast, abstain from smoking, and avoid getting into quarrel or swearing. For us, non-muslims here in UAE, we are not supposed to eat, drink nor smoke in public, especially during the daylight, lest we'd be accosted by the police (- I can deal with that.) However, my flatmates told me that night time can be a different story. All malls and commerciall establishements which were closed partially in daylight, would open until the wee hours of the morning. Night bars, however, would be somewhat restrained (drinking but no dancing?, I have to verify yet.)

I look forward to experience Ramadan as this is my first time. For non-muslims like us, it could offer us opportunity to reflect (I cannot find any equivalent celebration in the Christian world but the practice is somewhat similar to the Christian's observance of Lent) and pay respect to one of the most influential faiths in the world today which is Islam.

Clueless?

2005-09-29T11:21:00.000+04:00

Feeling like a fool when your tech savvy / geeky friends are talking in a jargon you feel uneasy about?

According to BBC, you're not alone. In their UK survey, one out of 10 people understand about podcasting, and worse, blogging, which you, my friend, and me are happily playing around for ages.

Fear no more.

Read the BBC article and be enlightened, chav!

GITEX Shopper 2005

2005-09-27T11:10:00.000+04:00

I would not say that Gitex Shopper lived up to my expectations especially for someone who is looking for a great bargain. Heck, I think I can find better offers with the shop that just sits near our flat without paying the hefty 15 dirhams entrance fee (...very commercial!)

One example is a Sony digital video camera (HC32E) which was priced in one shop at a hefy 2,065 AED (one of the midsize retail chains) and in dumbo mumbo shop, it was 1,960+ AED (with free case and 3 tapes freebies). Our nearby shop sells it at almost 1,800 AED... (crap!)

However, I think discerning shoppers for laptops, LCD TVs and MP3 players can find myriads of choices here. But do your homework first because gimmicks in Gitex can mask horrendous buys out there.

Overall, the event was just a one big carnival:
with some entertainment dance programs like this in Intel's:

or watching magic tricks in Emirates Computers':

....and they just sum up the experience:

....crowded circus entertainment and feeling tricked after discovering that you've just made a lame puchase!

GITEX is here

2005-09-24T12:09:00.000+04:00

Today is the start of GITEX, purportedly the largest IT Fair and Exhibit in the Mideast region. Alongside the tradeshow which is in Dubai's World Trade Center Exhibition Halls is the Gitex Computer Shopper, a one-week computer shopper haven in the Deira district, Dubai Airport Expo. I'm a sucker for trade shows, not just about IT. In fact, I have already attended at least 3 expo's and a mini-seminar here (which is a topic of its own in another blog) in Dubai.

But GITEX is different in a sense that it reminds me of the COMDEX event held in Manila every October which I religiously attend since '98 (last year's was cancelled). I hope to get some pics in the Computer Shopper while I'm there.

The Paper and The Blogs

2005-09-23T18:03:00.000+04:00

Bloghopping between Secret and UAE C Blog today quite surprised me stumbling on one of the posts. Apparently, this blog was one of those featured first in the Blog Bites Section of the Emirates Today, the newest English-language broadsheet in the UAE launched early this week. (For reference to the other English-language newspapers in UAE, read here --->).

Blogging here in the UAE has indeed seen phenomenal popularity judging from how the blogroll of the UAE C blog stretches day by day. Often I even find reading snippets that can become news material the next day or two and most posts even provide background stories from the headlines of UAE's newspapers.

For Emirates Today, thanks and good luck to your newspaper. Be careful in culling blog posts. Sometimes, blog posts are written in parts and if quoted improperly, might suggest an entirely different meaning from what the posts had originally intended.

How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days

2005-09-09T03:25:00.000+04:00

Well, maybe 45 days actually, but the number does not matter.

And it was the job of one of my flatmates who was fired (?) two days ago.

This is his story....

He started right off the good mark. Immediately after the final interview, Jewel (my housemate, that is) thought the job offer to be generous. He was to work as a Site Engineer (one of his projects was in one of the upcoming Malls here in Dubai, opening this September) for an interior works company we will call Galactic Interiors Constructions (not the real name, though but close enough). On his first day of work, he was issued a brand new Chevy sedan, a pair of good-looking safety shoes and promised a mobile phone. His starting salary, a bit modest 5,000 AED but with a promise of raise on his permanence (...or regularization to us Flips).

Things are looking up for Jewel, and the man was a very good Interiors Civil Engineer. Bosses in the office were impressed, as he would giddyingly tell us very night he comes home to our flat. The car was a big improvement to an old pick-up he used to drive in his previous job. Though not given accommodation pad, Jewel thought that housing was less of a problem and this would be a non-issue once he gets his employment visa.

So everyday, Jewel drove to their factory, got to knew fellow Flips in the office and got a cajoling for having been given a car ahead of them who were already in the company longer than he was.
Luckily for Jewel, he was still holding on to his GCC driver's license , courtesy of his previous job, and fellow Flips at work had none. From factory, Jewel would drive to his project sites in the city and watched over the project's pacing making sure that every concern would be addressed and relayed to his SAF boss.

Two weeks and all I heard from Jewel was praise to the company, and how huge was the potential of his career making it in Galactic Interiors Construction. Jewel was a hardworking engineer...he stayed up late in his projects site and reports for work at 6am, where most Dubaians would still be asleep. That he would do for the next two weeks more. His Thursday halfday off would still turn out a one-day job, some Fridays are even spent shuttling to the site to check completed jobs. Jewel was a deadline-obsessive engineer and a quality conscious one, rejecting factory-made interiors (aluminum dividers and shelves) if they seemed inferior and needed reworking.

But slowly, things change. At the middle of fourth week in Galactic, Jewel started mentioning about minor hiccups in their projects. How a designer in the factory would be submitting his work too late, site work at times came to a halt because drawings/design instructions were not yet given by Ibrahim (not his real name, again). How his gasoline reimbursements would be questioned:

Accountant 1 (Mohammad): How come you pile up too much gasoline expenses in a week? You should not be charging the company too much. I should know, we have the same car and I don't pay more than 30 AED for a gas in a week.

Jewel: My friend, every day I drive to the site from the factory, in some cases more than once if there are problems. I have more than one sites to visit and some projects have taken me to Al Ain and Abu Dhabi already. You my friend would only drive from home to the factory at most twice a day.

Accountant 1: (Throwing a bad look as if to imply, " you'd think you got me?"). I am not releasing your reimbursements.

And poor Jewel had to bring his gas receipts to his SAF boss who then had to personally come down to the Cashier's office instructing them to release Jewel's gas.

And Jewel still did his job normally, without grudge but without failing too to share his work anecdotes to his flatmates. Day after day, he would put in as much as 12 hours of work (without charging overtime, to which his sister reacted, don't let your bosses get used to that), catching up sleep at his midday break only to be interrupted by bosses' call for project updates.

At the end of his first month, Jewel got to knew that his laborers are not given their wages yet. It has been delayed for several days already, and not a few has openly complained about it to his face. Then his project at one site got hit by a big delay because construction materials are not being delivered on time because Galactic has failed to pay them for their previous purchases in the first place.

The problems was becoming larger and larger and there are no days that he told his boss about it. However, in engineering works, Jewel was wont to solving the problem first or at least proposed a solution to it before ticking off the boss at the bat. Thus, his SAF boss has grown to like him as well as his Flip collegues at works. His attitude to the job has made quite a good impression on his coworkers and superior.

Then one day, the other Flip (who is actually a foreman) and his men were all absent in the same day. And the Flip foreman was already out for more than a week and failed to make a thorough project turnover. Jewel was left all alone at the site. One design issue cropped up again and he had to go back to the factory to rework for himself the design defect. He informed his SAF boss and gave him the signal to continue.

Just then, Anwar, the MD entered the picture. That same day, he decided to visit the project site. After all, the showroom will have to open the following week and their German clients have become increasingly flustered about their deadline. Upon knowing that the Flip foreman and his flip men were nowhere to be found, and Jewel was beset by site problems still, he called for the SAF Manager and other department manager to discuss the problem and the danger of missing the deadline.

After a heated meeting, Anwar the MD came out of the door to declare that all Flips working on the site would be terminated; the Flip foreman, the Flip carpenters, including the Flip Site Engineer, Jewel. The announcement devastated SAF (who by the way is still on visit visa) and argued about how this could even more jeopardise the project. Then, as a gallant face-saving gesture, SAF also decided to quit.

Anwar, realizing maybe that there must be something wrong (...Hello!?) then said that SAF should remain and the Flips too except for one....Jewel. Why?

He is still on visit visa and only here for a month so far....

SAF was of course still completely aghast. Jewel was being sacrificed to give some credence to the earlier decision.

Now is it me or is there some Arab-style management lesson here:

I don't care how well you performed in your job, how much sleepless night you put in, no matter how many problem you can solve on your own, but since I already said so, no matter how foolish it was, you're still fired!

Reward the incompetent and the nincompoops, but fire the Performing guy just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Then why the hell the seemingly snooty recruitment process here? Looking for Western - educated (or US/UK/SAF/Aus/NZ), with local experience (with the career globalization of most white-collar jobs, does this really matter on the first day of your job?), and Arabic / English/** (fill in the blanks) speaking who can suck up to the bosses every time?

Meantime, Jewel is in Kish Island thinking about his next maneouver moves and probably wondering, what the heck did just happen?

TRAFFIC

2005-09-08T17:45:00.000+04:00

Internet traffic, that is.

Now that fellow bloggers here in the UAE brought some interesting snippets on the report of sitemeters on their respective blogs, I have quite my own to share. My own site meter's traffic report resembles a UN-like mini-convention judging from the varied countries of the blog's visitors' locations.

The interest in the blog has grown further with the linkage with Secret Dubai's blog (- thanks by the way, SD!) in a little more than a couple of weeks' time since the inception and since joining the fastest growing UAE blog forum: the UAE Community t he Blog (--another thank you!)

Then a sudden realization hits me, ala-Peter Parker "with great power comes great responsibility", I felt a bit embarassed how long it took me to update this personal web space and somehow lose its appeal to my readers. And it would be interesting to note the reactions and comments that come with entirely different cultural perspectives....

And my own views about Dubai...

Coming here to Dubai has greatly changed my initial perception about Middle East. Back in the Philippines, and to some extent in most countries as well, Middle East is Saudi Arabia, Iraq or Palestine/Israel, depending on which decade you talk about and your political/religious convictions. First and foremost was the safety concern, and then the scourging climate. On the first count, I was rightfully wrong. West Bank and Gaza strip is not Middle East, just as the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan is not the whole Philippines, or even Mindanao for that matter. The second account is indeed true and true. The summer heat in Dubai can be really furious not only to your skin, but can dehydrate you to death if you're not careful. However, I find the drastic changes in humidity in a single week to be fascinating. Some hot days can be bearable and some less hot days can make you sweat as soon as you step out of the building.

Reading the blogs written by nationals or with roots in Mideast (Alhamedi, Twisted, Emirati's Thought) has further accelerated the change in my view as it become the closest interaction I could get to people of Arab (and yes, Northeast African ) origin. Some stereotype images are still hard to shake off too and in few cases, continue to persist no thanks to "horror" and frustrating stories (both documented and rumored) reported in newspapers, online news and again, blogs.

But then, where can you find a perfect society? Watching our own TV Patrol news over the internet hardly exonerates Flips (-- an American misnomer to Filipinos during the Commonwealth Era) for supposedly being the only Christian nation in Asia. And even as my heart pours out to the victims of Hurrican Katrina in the US, I am similarly appalled as to how some desperate survivors in New Orleans behaved to exploit the situation and the seemingly inability of the government to act quickly on addressing the needs of the victims.

But living in Dubai can be an exhilarating experience, much more working in a highly multicultural environment. I feel that every move or conversation you make, you always cannot help but think aloud first:

Will I get deported for this?

The Fast and the Furious

2005-08-20T18:56:00.000+04:00

One thing that struck me most when I first arrived in Dubai is how fast vehicles move around Dubai roads. Well, friends and relatives back home have warned me about how dangerous Middle East roads could be.

But nothing more than prepared me when I saw cars and SUVs driving in a race-like manner around Dubai, zigzagging even in crowded and minor roads. And it amazes me more to be riding inside a car speeding through past 160 km/hr along Sheikh Zayed road, despite speeding radars. I must admit, back home I have been tempted to drive past 130kph, in a decrepit Mitsubishi lancer, along SkyWay, but that's because no one is using that road at that time (lol). And the several road accidents I have witnessed myself have somehow sinked in my thoughts about careful driving.

Later on, I will be applying for my own Dubai driver's license and I shudder to think that I could become one of these road daredevils, the top quality conditions of UAE roads can be too hard to resist. I think it's second nature for most humans to love speed in their lives, in whatever form they may be.

But it seems just senseless when dreams and aspirations are suddenly wasted because of the unnecessary mortality brought about by careless driving.

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

2005-08-18T13:10:00.000+04:00

One thing I like about blogging is that there's always funny snippets about different people and their idiosyncracies. Here's one that I think should be put in Blogspot's portal of classics (if there's one) courtesy of Secret Dubai:

"....On 9th june (issue of 7Days - tabloid in UAE- DN), some bizarre moron signing "Razi, Dubai" writes in to express his displeasure at the sight of furry friends:

"I am a regular reader of your paper every morning to get to know what is happening around. I felt uncomfortable looking at pictures of dogs in the early morning (K9, June 8). Please avoid this. It is no matter that dogs are close to human, they are still animals."

On 10th June, "Janice Jones, Umm Seqeim", replies to the animal-bigot:

" I am a regular reader of your paper early morning to get to know what is happening around. I felt uncomfortable looking at the letter from Razi in the early morning (Letters, June 9) complaining about the pictures of K9 pups.
Please avoid this. It is no matter that Razi is close to human, he still comes across as an offensive idiot."..

I almost fell from my seat laughing at this post admiring the great use of irony to highlight a point. From then on, I thought I ought to begin creating my own blog.

Be Cool

2005-08-18T07:56:00.000+04:00

In contrast to the unpredictable wet, wet weather in Manila, Dubai is simmering unpredictably from hot to very hot to very hot while windy. Yesterday was a special mention because apparently, it was the Hottest day in Dubai since 1999:

Yesterday was one of the hottest days on record in Dubai as burning winds blew in from the Empty Quarter and set the mercury soaring. The strong winds whipped up sand and dust in several parts of the country but they brought little moisture so conditions outside were bearable.
....At Dubai International Airport, a temperature of 47.3C was recorded by meteorologists - the same peak temperature as was seen on Aug.1.
This is Dubai's hottest temperature since August 1999 when the mercury crept up a touch higher to 47.5C."

- Gulf News, August 18, 2005

Fortunately, the good leaders in Dubai have come up a proposal to alleviate the masses' tough commuting by providing air-conditioned bus stops all over the city (Gulf News, Aug. 6). It may not be a perfect solution but I'll gladly take it.

Unfortunately, same cannot be said in the other parts of Middle East (Israel, Baghdad) where the summer heat was not brought about by the furious sun but by the man-made jolting, blasts and shots of the bombs and bullets of the war and conflict (Gulf News, Aug 18).

Breaking the waves

2005-08-18T04:26:00.000+04:00

Is this on? (tap tap)....yes, it's on...

ahem, wow... this is really exciting, albeit virtual.

My first blog..here on the other side of the planet..

I remember the feeling the time i created my first email account on the internet exactly ten years ago. Full of possibilities... hopeful.....reserved yet optimistic..... and eager to embrace the wonders of this technology.

A bit of introduction....here is a fellow that is one of those millions of expats trying their luck in the black gold fortune in the middle of a hot desert in Arabia. This blog will tell stories of unforgetabble experiences, from a perspective of a Christian professional living in the muslim world, my thoughts of the feeling of being a minority in Dubai (....not very long).

Posts that will summon common thoughts and diverse interests, nothing spectacular and gradiose but a simple celebration of life in all its humor, idiosyncracies, thoughtful opinions...

Hey, don't get me wrong, nothing serious here. I'll try to delve on pop culture, news clips, generate unique cultural insights to observe, enlighten and muse... rather than pass judgment on..

Actually, I was inspired by Secret Dubai.

Kudos to you, SD, that because of the unfortunate incident of your blog having blocked by Etisalat, the popularity of Blogging in the UAE soared to a new height, just like the rising Burj Dubai. And to a lot more Bloggers who, in their twisted sense of humor have tried to impart the lessons of humanity lost in the everyday huddles of our working life.

As Humprey Bogart says in one of my most favorite movies of all time (Casablanca):

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...."

Cheers