It’s been exactly one month since I first landed in the UAE. The huge life change has been pretty smooth, aside from a few drawbacks.
So far I like it here. Even though a lot of people have been bombarding me with their negative attitudes toward the place, I’m trying to keep my hopes up.
I like the convenient transportation systems, I like the huge, well-planned roads (quite a change from the chaotic traffic of Cebu City), and I like the fact that everyone here keeps busy.
I’ve even learned to appreciate Arabic culture, which – up until recently – I knew virtually nothing about. I used to think that Arab women were forced into covering themselves with abayas and burqas, but that isn’t usually the case. Most of the local women who wear them choose to do so, either for cultural or religious reasons, or simply just to feel safe. Considering how much a lot of men (mostly expats) stare at women here, I kind of get that. And it makes me feel a bit envious that they’ve managed to hold on to something so richly theirs and infuse it in their everyday lives. Back home nobody really dresses in anything that’s specifically Filipino except on special occasions.
I like the window-shopping here, too! Since I haven’t started earning yet I can’t buy anything but just looking in the shop windows of the local malls is totally inspiring. There’s an outlet mall that sells great quality items at much lower prices, too. I also got to look around the Gold Souk (a souk is a marketplace) where you can see shop window after shop window of dazzling, intricate jewelry displays. My friend Sunshine also took me to look at fabrics in Satwa. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many interesting materials! I was so inspired to make stuff that I felt really bad that I don’t have a sewing machine here.
I like my home. I just moved into a room in a villa, which I share with 2 other girls. There are several other rooms in the house which are also shared with other girls. Everyone in the house is Filipino so at least I know I can cook danggit and things like that and not have to worry that someone will get upset about the smell. Haha. Our landlord is nice, and so are my roommates. There’s a living room, backyard and a big kitchen, so I’m very comfortable. It’s only a 10-15 minute walk to the office from home, too!
I like my work, most of all. I am so blessed that it only took me 12 days to get hired. My boss is Emirati and our managing director is Moroccan-Tunisian. Again, I keep hearing about how local Emiratis are all abusive and domineering but I know that that’s not true. My boss, Madeyya, is a very nice, well-educated and soft-spoken Emirati lady. She’s 3 years younger than I am and she’s already gotten her business going! That’s really inspiring. She has a great, modern sense of style (I can tell from her designs anyway, since I’ve never seen what she wears under her abaya) and apparently she was practically raised by her Filipina nanny so she has a soft spot for Pinoys. Our director, Karam, is also as nice. He’s very supportive and encouraging, and I’ve never heard him raising his voice at any of the employees. The work environment is very calm and relaxed and the pay is pretty good. Best of all, I get to do what I love every day and get paid for it. I’ve been designing and drawing nonstop since I started and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier doing any other job.
What I don’t like:
1) I haven’t encountered that many rude people here yet, but the ones that I have encountered, are SUPER RUDE. Seriously! I thought rude people in the Philippines were bad but it’s on a totally different level here. One example would be this one cashier at Hyper Panda. I ran all the way to the electronics section because they were closing in 10 minutes and I needed an electric fan. I jogged to the counter with the box in my hands and stood in line behind someone who was paying. I had been standing there for about 15 seconds when the cashier gave me a dirty look and he literally THREW his “closed” sign on the counter, practically at me. Seriously?! I mean, I would have been slightly annoyed if he had said “Ma’am I’m sorry but this cashier is closed now,” but I was really shocked at how unnecessarily bastos his behavior was. At least most people back home have the decency to look apologetic at their laziness instead of being arrogant. And that’s just one example.
2) My previous landlord. To make a long story short, he turned out to be a liar, a cheat and such a stereotypical caricature of a greedy landlord. I realize just how sheltered I was in the Philippines. I just couldn’t believe that there are people like that in this world. I didn’t even finish a whole month there, even though I paid for it. Good riddance to bad rubbish! (I also left him some rotting bananas in the fridge. I hope he gets the message)
3) Missing home. Every day I miss my family terribly. I try not to think about it too much or I’ll just end up crying. I joke about how I only miss the food and the beaches but I miss every one of them. My dad, my mom, my sisters, my brother-in-law, my nephews and niece, my dog, our helper, my cousins, aunts, uncles and all the rest. It’s sad to think about how many moments with them I’ve missed out on already, and it’s only been a month. Skype makes things better but it’s not even close to being with them. Only my faith in God and my belief in my dreams keep me focused and on track every day without getting too emotional.
Aside from these things, life here has been pretty great. I thank God for providing me with everything I need, and for the friends – old and new – who have helped me so much during my transition. Sunshine, Somer, Jimmy, Joey, Dionie, Jake, Rosie, Rose, Amy, Ruth, Brian, and most especially, Tin…thank you all, so, so, soooo much for being such a blessing!
