Strange Saturday

Today I managed to do three batches of laundry and hand washed my favorite purple top. That means I spent roughly three hours doing those. I'm amazed at how many pieces of underwear my flatmate uses in a week.

Today I took a picture of the seafood oil and garlic pasta that i made yesterday. I just thought I would take one last shot before I gobbled everything up.

Today I had one last chat with someone who was going back to his homeland after a brief stint at work. It is a pity to see a free spirit go, but well, that's life. I wish him the best as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime.

Today I told my nephew that I was getting bored. He asked me to just go home. Easier said than done.

Today, another friend asked if I can meet up with her at the mall. I readily agreed since it's been a long time since I last saw her. She also brought me pasalubong: postcards, a magnet, a keyholder, coins, bills and a poster of one of Argentina's national parks. We spent two-and-a-half hours talking about each other's lives and sorting mine out. It's refreshing to have a different perspective amidst all the clutter in my mind. Finally, someone is coming to my rescue. One of the best gifts anyone can give is the gift of time. Muchas gracias, mi amiga Marcela!

Today another friend called me up (he was probably doing that to pass time..hahaha!) and subjected me to a barrage of questions (Why does it seem that all you do is laundry and ironing during the weekend? How much does that flatmate of yours pay you for his laundry? etc., etc!) After which he proceeded to make his opinions known (I think you should charge more for the amount of work that you do for him. You should be going out more often. etc., etc.!) It's strange to be talking to this person again like old times after a brief hiatus.

Today I had a disturbing realization (after the barrage of questions) that I'm relatively living a hard life compared to what I was used to in the Philippines. I almost cried. (Echoes of "What is wrong, Roma? and "Why are you feeling sad?" ring through my mind.) I am not, and will never be, used to living with so many people in one place. Right now, 18 people share a 3-bedroom flat with a large hall. That's a challenge considering that I am only used to living with my mom in a small house. Rent takes up almost a third of my salary and yet the space i have is very small. To earn a few extra dirhams, I took up the task of doing my flatmate's laundry for AED125 and selling Etisalat recharge vouchers to my flatmates.

Today some cheeky bloke made a crazy proposition that scared the hell out of me. It was so bizarre! I sincerely hope he is just winding me up.

Today I encountered a cab driver who knew a lot of Filipino words (sira ulo, kanan tapos derecho, kaliwa, unang kanan, salamat, walang anuman, kumusta ka). I was not prepared when he said this: Ikaw ay maganda (You are beautiful). I say a polite thank you. He said it again. Experience tells me to be suspicious but well, the guy was just probably trying to flatter me. Nice try though. Made me smile nevertheless. Sometimes compliments (genuine or not) come from the most bizarre places.

So much for complaining that my life has suddenly become predictable and boring.