Alas, it is the Eid, when all our Muslim brothers and sister break their month long fasts and celebrate like we do at Christmas. The next coming days will be filled with celebrations, public presentations, firework displays and people going out all night filling the restaurants, malls and hotels.
It's is like our Christmas, it is also a time for gift giving not only with love ones but to charity which is one of the foundations of their faith.
Eid is also a much anticipated hoildays of all the Filipino Expats here in Saudi and the rest of the Middle East, as we are fiven a fews off to rest or whatever we can do to let ourselves enjoy, replenish and refresh ourselves from working our butts off! Like most Saudis who likes to go out of town, we also take our part. Just when I thought that I would be spending the next four days in Riyadh, I was invited to tag along by an office mate as they head to Abha, the capital of Asir Province for a couple of days. It is situated at 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) above sea level in the fertile mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia. Its mild to cold climate makes it a popular tourist destination for Saudis and expats alike The only setback is that it takes 10 hours give or take, to get there by car and an hour and a half by plane. But the travel by land is far much better despite your aching butt as you can see a lot of beautiful landscapes along the way.
So much for that as my next posts will be from there and hopefully with catchy pictures with it. Til then!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
When In Rome Do What The Romans Do
Alas, I found an interesting article in the Arab News, the local English newspaper, although it was a month old issue, but I can't help but react to it. It is universal that when you are in another place, not even in another country, we have to be observant of the norms and habits of the people and its immediate surroundings. This is so in order to "blend" or "get along" with other's way of life. So much so when we are in another country, the very first thing we usually do is to learn the language and know the laws. Yes, the laws, what's allowed and not allowed, the do's and don'ts and what have you.
The article says about the how Saudis love to travel to another country during summer vacations and how difficult for them "to respect the rules of the country they are visiting." - Arab News 7 Jul 2011.
Those who are studying abroad too find out the hard way that living in another country and thinking that they can go away with who they usually are calls others to learn to respect and follow the rules.
"Many Saudis travelling for vacation claimed it had been difficult for them to respect the laws of the countries they visit because they do not respect their own laws in the Kingdom."- Arab News 7 Jul 2011.
Now that is something to ponder about, in my experience living in this country I have observed how the locals behaved and act as if they rule the world, I am not bad mouthing these people, I only share what I see everyday. Where in the world can you see a pre-teen kid driving a 2011 model Chrysler? Or hanging out the window of a BMW while another pre-teen friend of his drives the car as they sped a busy traffic, dodging other cars? Where in the world would you see people would cut you in a long que and claim that they are locals and they should be first? Where in the world would you see non-smoking sign room filled with smokers and when reprimanded will make all the effort to argue with you? How about the lack of etiquettes from the simple throwing of garbages to saying excuse me at any given situation? I see a lot of rules being broken left and right in all abandon and I really hated it when the only excuse they have is that they are citizens of these country and whether we find it offending and distasteful or not, we cannot do anything and just have to suck it in.
How lame and how sad, stories of locals abroad getting into trouble by breaking the host's country's laws thingking that they can get away with it literally can fill a newspaper. I won't even go far when right in my own workplace there is a big story that went around and was publicized in the net, but as much as I would like to say, I'd rather keep silent, but really it is humiliating.
An interview with a Saudi, who is student in UK claimed that "I was not taught how to behave in public places and how to respect traffic signs when driving."- Arab News 7 Jul 2011
I find this true, for instance, my neighbor's kids who were locals, which I think were from 6 to 10 years of age behave like wild animals on the loose. They shout, throw rocks at people, harass, break things (I saw one time how they break a car's front glass shield out of fun!) and where are the parents? We expats have no right to intervene nor to reprimand as doing so will only get us into a more serious situation, or worst jail. So we just let them and pretend we don't see.
We are also expected to strictly follow their law right down to the last letter or an array of consequences awaits, which is really an irony when we see them break their own.
A married couple, a Lebanese woman and a Saudi interviewed vacationing relates, "My husband used to eat in Saudi restaurants and cafes using his hands. He never used a fork or spoon. This embarrased me especially when we sat in open areas. Being a Saudi was an excuse for him to ignore all senses of etiquette." - Arab News 7 Jul 2011
Being well-to-do has nothing to do with not following the rules but rather it should show how well-mannered a person can be. Education is the basic foundation for being well-rounded, respectful and obedient. Being observant is the key. A feeling of Superiority really just shows the lack of feeling strong enough to compete with others on the useful side of life. He is not in harmony with society.
It seems to be a trait of human nature that when individuals - both children and adults - feel weak, they want to solve the problems of life in such a way as to obtain personal superiority without any admixture of social interest. - Wikipedia
The Romans did not coined the term when in Rome what the Romans do for nothing, people who travel to Rome hundreds of years ago are expected to follow the rules the city implements, and for those who breaks them will find themselves either a slave or in the middle of the arena and being fed to the lions.
The article says about the how Saudis love to travel to another country during summer vacations and how difficult for them "to respect the rules of the country they are visiting." - Arab News 7 Jul 2011.
Those who are studying abroad too find out the hard way that living in another country and thinking that they can go away with who they usually are calls others to learn to respect and follow the rules.
"Many Saudis travelling for vacation claimed it had been difficult for them to respect the laws of the countries they visit because they do not respect their own laws in the Kingdom."- Arab News 7 Jul 2011.
Now that is something to ponder about, in my experience living in this country I have observed how the locals behaved and act as if they rule the world, I am not bad mouthing these people, I only share what I see everyday. Where in the world can you see a pre-teen kid driving a 2011 model Chrysler? Or hanging out the window of a BMW while another pre-teen friend of his drives the car as they sped a busy traffic, dodging other cars? Where in the world would you see people would cut you in a long que and claim that they are locals and they should be first? Where in the world would you see non-smoking sign room filled with smokers and when reprimanded will make all the effort to argue with you? How about the lack of etiquettes from the simple throwing of garbages to saying excuse me at any given situation? I see a lot of rules being broken left and right in all abandon and I really hated it when the only excuse they have is that they are citizens of these country and whether we find it offending and distasteful or not, we cannot do anything and just have to suck it in.
How lame and how sad, stories of locals abroad getting into trouble by breaking the host's country's laws thingking that they can get away with it literally can fill a newspaper. I won't even go far when right in my own workplace there is a big story that went around and was publicized in the net, but as much as I would like to say, I'd rather keep silent, but really it is humiliating.
An interview with a Saudi, who is student in UK claimed that "I was not taught how to behave in public places and how to respect traffic signs when driving."- Arab News 7 Jul 2011
I find this true, for instance, my neighbor's kids who were locals, which I think were from 6 to 10 years of age behave like wild animals on the loose. They shout, throw rocks at people, harass, break things (I saw one time how they break a car's front glass shield out of fun!) and where are the parents? We expats have no right to intervene nor to reprimand as doing so will only get us into a more serious situation, or worst jail. So we just let them and pretend we don't see.
We are also expected to strictly follow their law right down to the last letter or an array of consequences awaits, which is really an irony when we see them break their own.
A married couple, a Lebanese woman and a Saudi interviewed vacationing relates, "My husband used to eat in Saudi restaurants and cafes using his hands. He never used a fork or spoon. This embarrased me especially when we sat in open areas. Being a Saudi was an excuse for him to ignore all senses of etiquette." - Arab News 7 Jul 2011
Being well-to-do has nothing to do with not following the rules but rather it should show how well-mannered a person can be. Education is the basic foundation for being well-rounded, respectful and obedient. Being observant is the key. A feeling of Superiority really just shows the lack of feeling strong enough to compete with others on the useful side of life. He is not in harmony with society.
It seems to be a trait of human nature that when individuals - both children and adults - feel weak, they want to solve the problems of life in such a way as to obtain personal superiority without any admixture of social interest. - Wikipedia
The Romans did not coined the term when in Rome what the Romans do for nothing, people who travel to Rome hundreds of years ago are expected to follow the rules the city implements, and for those who breaks them will find themselves either a slave or in the middle of the arena and being fed to the lions.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
What Is Happening?
I have been buying newspapers since last week so I would know what's going on around the world and not just around the place I am living, but no matter how many times I flipped the pages I cannot find any suitable information nor any good story to be my inspiration for my posts. Here and there, war, uprising, famine, freak weather, politics, death, poverty and sickness, crimes and economic crisis. I skipped the sports section as I am not a fan of football, nor cricket events and went straight to the entertainment section, even then it is about divorce, remarriage, settlements, suing this person and that person, movie flops and so on and so forth.
Makes me think, again, what is happening?
There's an insert of a Filipino tabloid, Pinoy Extra, and that even has nothing good to say, there's this reminder for overstaying Filipinos in the kingdom that they have until the 14th of next month to leave the country or they will be facing huge fines and an accommodation inside the jail cell. An OFW who is into melancholy because she misses her family too much and a feature about depression.
What is happening? The world is in need of a make over, but how? Until people start to learn that a change of heart is the main key, we will never see the light of another day, and for those who do try, being a minority will make it a tremendous task just to affect others of their positivity. It's like another war, but war againsts the negativities engulfing the entire planet.
I sleep everynight still praying that tomorrow would be better than the day before. But it is up to me to do that and not with anyone else. If I would wake up with a good mental and overall feeling, positive and welcoming, then the day would indeed be better. But if I wake up with all those horrors I read on the paper still clinging in my mind and affects my day, then I will be a part of how the world is turning up everyday.
Makes me think, again, what is happening?
There's an insert of a Filipino tabloid, Pinoy Extra, and that even has nothing good to say, there's this reminder for overstaying Filipinos in the kingdom that they have until the 14th of next month to leave the country or they will be facing huge fines and an accommodation inside the jail cell. An OFW who is into melancholy because she misses her family too much and a feature about depression.
What is happening? The world is in need of a make over, but how? Until people start to learn that a change of heart is the main key, we will never see the light of another day, and for those who do try, being a minority will make it a tremendous task just to affect others of their positivity. It's like another war, but war againsts the negativities engulfing the entire planet.
I sleep everynight still praying that tomorrow would be better than the day before. But it is up to me to do that and not with anyone else. If I would wake up with a good mental and overall feeling, positive and welcoming, then the day would indeed be better. But if I wake up with all those horrors I read on the paper still clinging in my mind and affects my day, then I will be a part of how the world is turning up everyday.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Reel and Real Friends
When you are far away from your loved ones, the next best thing would be having friends around to keep you company. It is not easy being in another land where the first difficulty you'll be having is having problems with communication, (unless of course you're in an English speaking country, but then again when it is slang or somewhat they "eat" the words they say), anyway, so "birds of the same feather, do flock together," and we seek our kind, fellow "kabayans" in order to feel we belong, at least safe, and encouraged.
But having friends here is like playing the darts, it's a hit and miss process. You will aways never know which one is true, just being nice, kind, or only using you. You will always never know at the same time, which one you can depend on, talk to or hang around with, for they can ignore you in an instant, or simply does not want to have anything to do with you. or worst make everyone turn against you.
I am lamenting about my own experiences with the people I met these past 4 years living here in Riyadh, even lamenting is a kind word, if grieving is deeper then I am grieving. I am grieving that most of the "friends" I have here are not my "frienships."
We Filipinos are friendly in general, but we also have this inert talent to shun out whomever we dislike and we are capable of "acting" nicely in a click of a button. and I hate that. There is this reality that among the list of people I have met and described as "friends" only a handful I considered to be true.
Why I am grieving, I have a heavy heart because I think that it is important to have a support system and someone to be with in order to survive the loneliness and the hardships of being in a foreign land. Our families can only do as much with our phone calls, chat and emails, but being a physical person (I need to have a physical or personal contact with people) I am sad knowing most of my so called "friends" are not being true. I love friends, I treasure them a lot, that is why when I found out some of those I consider is fake, that a 1st-Class Louis Vuitton bag imitation is better!
How did I find it out? In reference to my post The Ones Who Never Left a couple of weeks ago, that those who stays with you even in your lowest times are "true friendships." But first it goes with the feeling and what we call instinct, our inert God-given talent to discern. I know when the person I am talking to is just bluffing and/or being honest. One thing also, you know that old lesson we always hear, that untrue persons never gives a direct eye contact when they speak to you, they cannot look at you straight in your face, either they look down, sideways or their eyes is looking in all directions and they usually cut you in the middle of the words you say, just to end it. Then they will always keep you "hanging on" and find it difficult to tell you "honestly" what they really mean and find it through other people the "real" reasons. There are those who are being too friendly and realize they just want something from you in the end, like a favor or a help, then you're ignored after. Once I do cared much to a "friend" and finding out through another that it was all taken negatively, and I hate those who are there during the happy times but leave you alone to fend for yourself. Lastly, there are friends you find only here, but once you come back home, they don't even bother to meet you.
It is true when they say that "friends are like precious stones, hard to find and too precious to loose," that's why I treasure the small circle I have here. Friendship is a recurring subject in my blogposts, because I really would like to put emphasis on the value of friends while living far from the family. They care the extensions of the family we love back home.
Another is that, I have learned that those people that I once ignored, where the ones that are really worth taking the time to get to know and hopefully develop real friendships. My world here may be small, but they are filled with great friends. Which ends this posts with a quote, "I have learned today that those whom I thought were nobodies are somebodies and those I knew were somebodies were the nobodies." by me.
But having friends here is like playing the darts, it's a hit and miss process. You will aways never know which one is true, just being nice, kind, or only using you. You will always never know at the same time, which one you can depend on, talk to or hang around with, for they can ignore you in an instant, or simply does not want to have anything to do with you. or worst make everyone turn against you.
I am lamenting about my own experiences with the people I met these past 4 years living here in Riyadh, even lamenting is a kind word, if grieving is deeper then I am grieving. I am grieving that most of the "friends" I have here are not my "frienships."
We Filipinos are friendly in general, but we also have this inert talent to shun out whomever we dislike and we are capable of "acting" nicely in a click of a button. and I hate that. There is this reality that among the list of people I have met and described as "friends" only a handful I considered to be true.
Why I am grieving, I have a heavy heart because I think that it is important to have a support system and someone to be with in order to survive the loneliness and the hardships of being in a foreign land. Our families can only do as much with our phone calls, chat and emails, but being a physical person (I need to have a physical or personal contact with people) I am sad knowing most of my so called "friends" are not being true. I love friends, I treasure them a lot, that is why when I found out some of those I consider is fake, that a 1st-Class Louis Vuitton bag imitation is better!
How did I find it out? In reference to my post The Ones Who Never Left a couple of weeks ago, that those who stays with you even in your lowest times are "true friendships." But first it goes with the feeling and what we call instinct, our inert God-given talent to discern. I know when the person I am talking to is just bluffing and/or being honest. One thing also, you know that old lesson we always hear, that untrue persons never gives a direct eye contact when they speak to you, they cannot look at you straight in your face, either they look down, sideways or their eyes is looking in all directions and they usually cut you in the middle of the words you say, just to end it. Then they will always keep you "hanging on" and find it difficult to tell you "honestly" what they really mean and find it through other people the "real" reasons. There are those who are being too friendly and realize they just want something from you in the end, like a favor or a help, then you're ignored after. Once I do cared much to a "friend" and finding out through another that it was all taken negatively, and I hate those who are there during the happy times but leave you alone to fend for yourself. Lastly, there are friends you find only here, but once you come back home, they don't even bother to meet you.
It is true when they say that "friends are like precious stones, hard to find and too precious to loose," that's why I treasure the small circle I have here. Friendship is a recurring subject in my blogposts, because I really would like to put emphasis on the value of friends while living far from the family. They care the extensions of the family we love back home.
Another is that, I have learned that those people that I once ignored, where the ones that are really worth taking the time to get to know and hopefully develop real friendships. My world here may be small, but they are filled with great friends. Which ends this posts with a quote, "I have learned today that those whom I thought were nobodies are somebodies and those I knew were somebodies were the nobodies." by me.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
I Thought It Will Not Happen Here
I just keep ignoring it, these past few months, because I still am in the notion that despite the world is experiencing a crisis, this land of milk and honey, as written in the Bible, will not be affected at all. Reasons like this country is standing under oceans of oil; taxes are not in their vocabulary; food is plenty; commodities were cheap and one can live in luxury to the extent of one's salary.
But I am wrong, dead wrong! Nowadays, the prices of the basic necessities here went up the least of 20%. Yes, my fanstasy of bringing my whole family here in Saudi to enjoy a good life is starting to crumble right in front of me. Although, in their currency, it is still "cheap" in a way, but to expats who's salary is just a minimum wage, and at the mercy of the company's business status, we count each Riyal to the last centavo equivalent.
I love fruits, I made my smoothies out of it morning and evening, here I can eat fruits that I only see on our table back home during the holidays, like Christmas, grapes, apples and peaches. Bananas as big as they can get, oranges a plenty, not to mention those seldom heard fruits like pears, cherries (fresh and not preserved), plums and strawberries, which I only eat when I am in Baguio!
Yesterday it strucked me, hard when I bought my week's supply of smoothie ingredients. When I asked how much were the fruits I bought for 3 kilos total (bananas, apples, peaches and mangoes), I gawked when the seller said SR 39.00! What the hell, I thought he was kidding me, as I am his regular customer and in all smiles and showing his stained and crooked teeth, I read he was not. Here's how the conversation went, hope you follow the drift:
"Esh hada?" I said.
"Sadiq, esh mushkala?" he replied.
"Esha mushkala? Liesh hadi gali?"
"Habibi, kulo gali!"
"Esh hada? Kam kilo hadi mawz (banana)?
"Sita (6), baden hadi tofah (apple) tamantash (8), mango kamustash (15), khokh (peach) ashra (10) riyal!
"La, la, la, la, la (no, no, no, no, no), liesh hadi?"
"Esh sawi? Kulo shil gali, lazem bai kida, malesh, baden saker ana bakala!"
"Mushkala sadiq, kief kida , esh sawi ana? Phulos shuweya, mafi miya miya, ana mumken mot!"
"Hehe, ana gib discount, mafi mushkala, kulo kamsa talatin (35), kalas!
Grumbling, I pull out SR35.00 from my wallet and mumbling to myself as I walk out that fruits and vegetable store.
Imagine, that's almost P400.00 in my money, and what I have brought? 5 pieces of bananas, 5 apples, 4 large peaches and 3 large mangoes! I haven't bought my yoghurt yet which cost SR 1.00 each and that P11.00, thank you very much!
Truly, times do change, even in a rich country like Saudi, but those who are sleeping in their palaces and grand houses, maybe doesn't feel it, orthose who earn much, but we the lowly workers, and those other poor locals, feel the big difference. Other basic goods like rice are now SR 28.00 per 5 kilos, whereas 4 years ago I get it at SR 18.00 only! Nowadays 1 whole chicken costs up to SR 14.00 when I used to have it at SR 9.00
If only those company owners would realize that the pay they give their employees should go with the times, then maybe we wil not complain as much, thank God for my housing allowance as rent costs here are also on the rise and right now there is this extra "insurance bond" that we need to pay which they say is refundable when we decide to leave, you can hardly see apartments here that are below SR 10,000.00 a year, and when you do find, it is so uninhabitable (to my standards, anyway) you will sacrifice your extra money you are saving, probably for a new Iphone 4, just to have a good night sleep and a safe place to live.
And I thought it will never happen here. Sigh.
But I am wrong, dead wrong! Nowadays, the prices of the basic necessities here went up the least of 20%. Yes, my fanstasy of bringing my whole family here in Saudi to enjoy a good life is starting to crumble right in front of me. Although, in their currency, it is still "cheap" in a way, but to expats who's salary is just a minimum wage, and at the mercy of the company's business status, we count each Riyal to the last centavo equivalent.
I love fruits, I made my smoothies out of it morning and evening, here I can eat fruits that I only see on our table back home during the holidays, like Christmas, grapes, apples and peaches. Bananas as big as they can get, oranges a plenty, not to mention those seldom heard fruits like pears, cherries (fresh and not preserved), plums and strawberries, which I only eat when I am in Baguio!
Yesterday it strucked me, hard when I bought my week's supply of smoothie ingredients. When I asked how much were the fruits I bought for 3 kilos total (bananas, apples, peaches and mangoes), I gawked when the seller said SR 39.00! What the hell, I thought he was kidding me, as I am his regular customer and in all smiles and showing his stained and crooked teeth, I read he was not. Here's how the conversation went, hope you follow the drift:
"Esh hada?" I said.
"Sadiq, esh mushkala?" he replied.
"Esha mushkala? Liesh hadi gali?"
"Habibi, kulo gali!"
"Esh hada? Kam kilo hadi mawz (banana)?
"Sita (6), baden hadi tofah (apple) tamantash (8), mango kamustash (15), khokh (peach) ashra (10) riyal!
"La, la, la, la, la (no, no, no, no, no), liesh hadi?"
"Esh sawi? Kulo shil gali, lazem bai kida, malesh, baden saker ana bakala!"
"Mushkala sadiq, kief kida , esh sawi ana? Phulos shuweya, mafi miya miya, ana mumken mot!"
"Hehe, ana gib discount, mafi mushkala, kulo kamsa talatin (35), kalas!
Grumbling, I pull out SR35.00 from my wallet and mumbling to myself as I walk out that fruits and vegetable store.
Imagine, that's almost P400.00 in my money, and what I have brought? 5 pieces of bananas, 5 apples, 4 large peaches and 3 large mangoes! I haven't bought my yoghurt yet which cost SR 1.00 each and that P11.00, thank you very much!
Truly, times do change, even in a rich country like Saudi, but those who are sleeping in their palaces and grand houses, maybe doesn't feel it, orthose who earn much, but we the lowly workers, and those other poor locals, feel the big difference. Other basic goods like rice are now SR 28.00 per 5 kilos, whereas 4 years ago I get it at SR 18.00 only! Nowadays 1 whole chicken costs up to SR 14.00 when I used to have it at SR 9.00
If only those company owners would realize that the pay they give their employees should go with the times, then maybe we wil not complain as much, thank God for my housing allowance as rent costs here are also on the rise and right now there is this extra "insurance bond" that we need to pay which they say is refundable when we decide to leave, you can hardly see apartments here that are below SR 10,000.00 a year, and when you do find, it is so uninhabitable (to my standards, anyway) you will sacrifice your extra money you are saving, probably for a new Iphone 4, just to have a good night sleep and a safe place to live.
And I thought it will never happen here. Sigh.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
A Normal Working Day
What's a normal working day for me? Well, I've been doing the same work for almost 4 years now, I can say even when I close my eyes I know exactly what I am doing. Normal means receiving paper works interacting with people, rushing through things, throughout the day and me trying to finish everything before I get off in the evening, that is normal. I had posted before here about how much we put value to our work time (How To Raise Your Salary), thus meriting a significant appreciation, however small, from our colleagues and superiors.
So I put value in my work time, yes, when at work, I do my best always, yes, there may be setbacks, there may be some mistakes, errors, something I forgot, but I do make up for it. Yes, there may be times I flare up, get irritated and stubborn, don't want to get bothered and rushed, but I still do my best.
That's normal.
I just received today an enormous task of preparing a hundred purchase orders. I haven't started it yet for I still have some other priorities to attend to, but rest assured, I'll finish it up in a flash, yes I am Speedy Gonzales when it comes to my work, why, because I like the feeling of relief at the end of a finished job. I like the feeling of achievement that I pushed myself to do the extra mile. Yes I do complain, but it's just my way of conditioning myself to the challenge staring at my face. And then while still catching my breath after all is done, I will start all over again. That's normal.
So I put value in my work time, yes, when at work, I do my best always, yes, there may be setbacks, there may be some mistakes, errors, something I forgot, but I do make up for it. Yes, there may be times I flare up, get irritated and stubborn, don't want to get bothered and rushed, but I still do my best.
That's normal.
I just received today an enormous task of preparing a hundred purchase orders. I haven't started it yet for I still have some other priorities to attend to, but rest assured, I'll finish it up in a flash, yes I am Speedy Gonzales when it comes to my work, why, because I like the feeling of relief at the end of a finished job. I like the feeling of achievement that I pushed myself to do the extra mile. Yes I do complain, but it's just my way of conditioning myself to the challenge staring at my face. And then while still catching my breath after all is done, I will start all over again. That's normal.
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