May Movie Marathon

The last time I watched a movie was in February, when I was running out of other things to do.  Luckily, I was given a free ticket so I had no excuse.  I remember wanting to watch Yogi Bear but learned that the ticket did not cover 3D movies.  I ended up going alone to see No Strings Attached.  I was thinking how apt it was because Somebody was celebrating his birthday that day.  It was your usual rom-com but I enjoyed it nonetheless.


Now, as the first week of May comes to an end, I have already watched 2 movies for 2 consecutive days.  I saw Thor in 3D with my flatmate (who was seeing a 3D movie for the first time!) and by the end of the movie, we were both gushing about how Chris Hemsworth (Thor) had a striking resemblance to Brad Pitt in Troy!  I enjoyed the movie immensely and wondered how much hard work has been done to make everything look so amazing!  I was a big fan of Greek, Roman and Norse mythologies as a kid and it was really great to see Asgard and the Norse gods come to life!  I am not sure though whether the movie was faithful to the Marvel comics version as I have not read it but thought the plot was interesting enough to keep the audience hooked till the very end!  Love, love, love the movie and love, love, love Thor! ;-)


Today (well, yesterday) I saw Fast 5 with my brother who was visiting from Oman, his wife and her relative.  I think sitting just two rows from the screen made it more exciting and heart-stopping for me!  I saw the fourth installment with him too but we both agreed that this one is so much better.  I think you can never go wrong with throwing hot chicks, equally hot men, hotter cars and sizzling action scenes that will keep you on the edge!  Highly entertaining, what else can I say?


I did not realize until now how much I have missed my brother who has always been my Dubai movie buddy.  My kuya is really passionate about films and is the perfect companion whenever a big movie comes up (well he is the perfect punch bag too, hehe!).  He will patiently explain the plot especially if the movie is part of a series I have not watched.  I always have fun reviewing the movie with him afterwards.  Plus, it is always fun watching guy movies with a brother who will fill in the gaps for his sometimes clueless girly-girl sister.  I enjoy rom-coms and cartoons but I also have a penchant for action movies.  Hence, it is a joy for me to watch Fast 5 even if I don't know how to drive (he does), shoot with a gun (he does) or fight (he does).  The reason is simple:  I can indulge my boyish side and still be my brother's little sister.


Come to think of it, perhaps that is the reason why I have stopped going to the cinema for a while.  Sure, other movie buddies have come and gone, but nothing beats watching the big movies on the big screen with my big brother.  I sure hope he will be in town when X-Men and the Transformers hit the cinemas!!!

The Price I Paid

Two years to the day of that near-fatal mistake and in the light of recent events, I realize that now is the best time to take stock of the relationships I have had since I landed here in August 2008.  Coming here, I thought that making friends would be easy and I would have a diverse set of friends in no time.  Nearly three years later, the people I have met and have considered as friends, at least to some extent, have a) left the country for various reasons, b) done some unacceptable things over a period of time that it was best to just drop them and c) continued to be my friends in a not-so-involved level.  Those who have remained all happen to be fellow Pinoys who I live or have lived with.  The other two are both my friends since college days.  Perhaps their constant presence is the primary reason why I continue to survive.  I found comfort in the fact that somebody will always be there to hear me out no matter what mood I am in.  They serve as my surrogate family, stepping into the shoes of real family members who sometimes forget - asking me how I am, if I have eaten, giving me advice and alcohol relief when the going gets tough, etc. - things I will be forever grateful for.  This kind of constancy, sadly, is sorely lacking in the other relationships.  Maybe it's the transient nature of the country, or maybe it's the culture they grew up with, I am not sure.  All I know is that I either become distant or I make an effort which, in their view is just a bit too much.  Just where does one draw the line?


I think I will be kinder to myself from now on.  Today, I am resigning to the fact that there will be no room for deep connections in a place like this.  People will come and go and I can no longer look beyond each moment that I share with the people who I am with.  There won't be any more effort to try and get to know people in a deeper level.  No more thoughtful gestures except for the people who really matter.  I will only give back what is given to me, however difficult it may be for me who derives happiness in going the extra mile for somebody.  The real Roma will only be revealed to those who will display true commitment.  I have had enough of wearing my heart on my sleeve.  The barriers are now up.  Two years ago, I honestly thought that someone finally understood me and got my back.  Unfortunately, I was not up to his standards and so it was very convenient for him to drop me again, and again, and again.  The same situation would happen with someone else later on.  Estoy muy cansada.  No mas.


Sadly, it seems that missing the company of true friends is the highest price I paid for leaving the motherland.  Until I come home, everyone else will just be fellow travellers joining me till the next crossroad.  Until I come home, I will never be fully able to be myself.  For now, this is the only way I can think of to survive the harsh reality of living a strange life in a strange land.

The Holy Week That Was...

For Christians all over the world, Easter marks the culmination of the whole Lenten season. To many, it also marks the end of a 40-day long sacrifice. I can proudly say that this year may be my best ever yet, in terms of sacrifice.  For this Lenten season, I have decided to give up alcohol.  Now, this is not to say that I am an alcoholic.  I do enjoy social drinking, just that it happens almost every week, thanks to my flatmates who seem to share the passion for this type of activity.  I cannot stress how hard it is to resist on several occasions - Stranger in town for a visit, a flatmate's birthday celebration that started at home and ended in the neighboring Pinoy bar, coming home and spending 2 weekends there, visiting a happening place like Singapore and the team dinner at Media Rotana on Maundy Thursday.  There was only one day that I faltered, and perhaps God will understand and make an exception - the toast at my childhood bestfriend's wedding.  As a result, I have had to content myself with drinking water and cola while the rest drank beer and tequila.  Last Thursday, the cranberry vodka just became a cranberry cooler - cranberry juice mixed with a bit of Sprite.  The plan to do something unique, that is, visiting a gay bar in Singapore had to be scrapped because my friend was also giving up alcohol for Lent.

Last week, I decided to level up by foregoing meat for the rest of the Holy Week.  The first day also saw me giving up rice for a day and I must say that drove me nearly mad.  I joked that I would be one cranky woman by the end of the week!  Surprisingly, it wasn't so bad as I pictured it to be.  I was forced to turn to fruits and veggies for sustenance and even managed to experiment with some salmon recipes in the process.  I ate less amounts of rice and calmed down when I realized that I can still have pasta and bread for my carbs.

My last challenge was also the hardest.  I decided to try my hand at fasting - restricting myself to just one meal for the whole day.  With only mushroom soup, spanish sardines pasta, fruit juice, a bowl of grapes and lots of resolve to last the whole day, I tried my best to enjoy my Friday.  I swam, spent some time in the sauna and even managed to clean the flat's common areas by myself (my cleaning partner was a no-show).  At some point, I even thought of food blogging but decided against it.  I just ended up watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episode on Singapore.  Well if I can't eat food, I might as well just watch it! :)  Towards the end, both me and my stomach were grumbling.  Good thing my friend put things in perspective:  "Just pray for the people who have to face hunger everyday."  Soon enough, midnight came.  I survived!!!  To break the fast, I ate some leftover shrimp and egg salad with some Arabic flat bread.  They tasted like heaven to one hungry woman! :)

I may not have lost weight from the experiment but there is a sense of satisfaction for having completed these challenges.  I realize that I have been lax with myself for the longest time, often choosing what is convenient over what would be good for me, both in terms of food and relationships.  I do not have to take whatever or whoever is there just because they are there.  I have become too focused with goals that may take months or even years to realize, forgetting that I can also set small ones, enjoy the little rewards and use them to fuel the bigger goals.  I am thankful for Lek and the brief stay in Singapore - both happened at a time when I thought things were falling apart.  Now it turns out that the trip was my saving grace - it filled my tummy with good food and my head with new inspiration.  It also served to cushion me from the ensuing events.  I am not too bothered anymore with what happens because a)  if things took a turn for the worse, that means I am off to my next adventure somewhere else or b) if things start falling into place then it means I will stay here for a longer period of time.  I am thankful for the opportunity to gain a better perspective of things.  It is really true that in giving up, you are also gaining something.  I am finding myself yet again.  Hooray for new beginnings!  Happy Easter! :)

Duh!

Sometimes you just get the weirdest call...

Roma:  Good morning Turner & Townsend!
Caller:  So your office is open, huh?
Roma:  I'm sorry?  (Did I hear the question right?  I am slightly annoyed.)
Caller:  Your office is open today?
Roma:  Obviously, you are talking to someone - so yes! (Insert visibly annoyed tone here.  Almost tempted to say, "This is an answering machine.  Please leave a message after the tone.  Toooooooooooooooootttttttttt!)

I suppose it was time for my daily dose of stupid morning caller.  Grrr... (Insert eyeroll here.)

Home...Again!

It seems clearly insane to come home three times in a span of less than six months.  It may be costly, but I would like to think of it more as investing on my sanity...hahaha!  I love coming home because it offers me an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family.  I can do that online, sure, but nothing beats seeing them and actually hugging and kissing them.  To a certain extent, it is also indulgence on my part, because I can be the makulit Roma that everyone has come to love (I would like to think it is that!  hahaha!). 

However, coming home this time is slightly different - I am distracted and restless.  The upcoming wedding is stressful - I am going to be a bridesmaid and the wedding is out of town.  I will only be staying in the country for a little over a week - thus I need to cram dealing with banks, checkups, trips to the spa and the parlor, seeing friends, watching cable TV, etc in 10 days.  I have yet to recover from the stress of losing my wallet and my Overseas Employment Certificate.  There is also an amount of stress from the fact that I have lost two relatives in a span of 9 days and that I have not been able to see my relatives during this difficult time.


The process of returning to the Philippines can also be very exhausting - making sure you book the flights at the right time (especially when there are promos), planning the logistics (we don't have a car and we live 2 hours away from the airport) and deciding what to do, who to meet, etc.  Then there is the herculean task of packing - baggage limit can be anything from 20-35kg and so far I have managed to bring a variety of things - an LCD TV, bottles of perfume, chocolates, books, a flat iron and even old clothes!  Guess I truly have become your typical OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker), sans the glitter of gold jewelry and leather jackets, hahaha!


At the airport, you can easily distinguish the Pinoys from the rest of the world - they like to be in clusters and seem to be chatting noisily all the time!  At a glance, you will think that they are all friends, but if you listen close enough, they all just met at the airport!!!  Enough said about not talking to strangers!  Filipinos probably have the most interesting hand-carried luggage too - the biggest teddy bear, doll or toy car, the most number of toothpaste, coffeemate, nescafe, bath soap and chocolates ever!  A great number of them tote laptops and the fanciest phones too.  The others are garbed in their newest Nikes.  You get the old-timer OFW who is usually the calmest (been there, done that) and you get the this-is-my-first-time-to-go-home-after-X-years-and-I'm-so-excited-can't-you-tell lot who are obviously the noisiest.  There is a mix of anxiety and longing in the air - ate is coming home to introduce a foreigner boyfriend or a child fathered by a foreigner, kuya is nervous to see what has become of his family after ten years, ate finally coming home after escaping from an employer from hell, kuya proudly telling everyone that his son is finishing college and you have the likes of me who just want to come home, chill out and gain a piece of her sanity back.


Once the purser announces that the plane has landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the plane bursts into life.  People start bringing out their phones long before the plane reaches full stop.  Some even clap their hands, overjoyed that they have finally reached their homeland.  As the tube connects to the plane, people jump up and reach for their stuff in the overhead cabin.  What ensues after is a mad rush to get out of the plane and survive the queues at the Immigration.  Once at the baggage carousels, there is a market-like atmosphere.  One by one, the luggage emerge - a balikbayan box filled with more soap, chocolate, towels, clothes and toys, 32-inch LCD TVs from every manufacturer known - and the addresses listed come from everywhere, Cagayan in the North to Davao in the South!  The passengers all look haggard but still manage to smile.  The Pinoy, always the gentleman, never forgets to assist the Pinay in pulling out the luggage from the carousel.  Shouts of "Kabayan, salamat!" (Thank you, fellow Pinoy!) and "Ingat!" (Take care!) abound.


After leaving the Arrivals area, Pinoys then have to maneuver their way to the winding ramp to see the eagerly-awating relatives on the other side.  Again, you will hear the petite Pinays letting out squeals because they are too small to resist the gravity and end up getting dragged by the trolley filled with heavy luggage.  By the time everyone reaches the ramp, they are partly running, crying and laughing!  The passengers now join a sea of confused faces as everyone is trying to locate their loved ones.  It is only a matter of time before everyone finds each other and the confusion, longing and anxiety are replaced with laughter, smiles, hugs and kisses.  The foreigner boyfriend gets a warm hug from his girlfriend's mother.  The half-Pinoy, half-foreigner kid becomes the apple of everyone's eye.  The father gets teary-eyed to see his kids all grown up.  As for me, I always get the shock of my life because my mom just appears from out of nowhere and says Boo!  (I guess I have always been scared of big crowds so I rely on my mother to find me all the time!)  


Excuse me while I enjoy watching cable from my LCD TV and my aircon. :)

Bitten By The Food Bug

is the title of my new mini-blog in Tumblr.  As I love taking pictures of the food I eat, this is the easiest way to share my food pictures (with the hope of making people salivate in the process.  Haha!).  Travelling to other countries can be very expensive so I just let my tastebuds do the exploring.  Dubai plays host to a variety of cuisines and eating can arguably be this city's favorite activity (but the shopaholics might protest).  This mini-blog will chronicle my journey with food (and includes info on where I ate it, how much it costs and if I am not too lazy, how it tastes) and pay homage to the ones who created it.  It is my hope that my photos will do justice to their masterpieces.  To the people who want to know what is there to eat, this will give you an idea.  To the ones who ask why I am not losing weight, this is your answer.  To my friends who get stopped from digging in until I take a picture of the food, this is where all the photos go.


Join me on my food adventure at:  http://bittenbythefoodbug.tumblr.com/.


Because life has a lot of flavor.

Roma's State of Mind

I was walking home tonight after a long day at work and suddenly, a thought occurred to me.  I am happy to be where I am but I am raring to go and explore more of the world.


After almost three years in Dubai, I can say I have eaten my way through it, seen the sights, learned to do housechores, lived with lots of people and experienced diversity firsthand.  I am happy because I can say I have achieved a certain level of comfort working and living here.  I had come at a time when recession was starting to peak but I am glad to have caught a glimpse of how people react to the most adverse of circumstances.  I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best and the most hardworking people I have known.  After almost three years, I have learned to deal with the different characters at work - the man I affectionately call my father, who can arguably behave like a brat at any given time of the day, the woman who is reputably the craziest of them lot, the quintessential last minute man and the man who likes to wear blue when he visits the office because he thinks he gets better treatment from me.  After almost three years, I already know how they want their tea or coffee.  They in turn already know that the best way to say thank you for doing crappy things like formatting BOQs or binding reams of papers is through food - a bar of chocolate, lunch or Starbucks.  If they go on trips, they know what to get me - postcards or money.  If they get their post, they automatically surrender the stamps to me.  I am happy to give an answer to the weirdest queries, happy to teach a few tricks in MS Word or Excel, happy to book the most complex of flights, happy to lend my writing and editing skills to each letter, report and submission that goes out of this office.  I am happy to just make things happen for everyone, perhaps except for me.


Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I cannot hide the fact that I yearn to do something else - something that will make use of my brain more extensively, something that will eventually pay more money.  I may be good at what I am doing now (ok, maybe except for the filing bit) but the call to excel at something more meaningful is something that has been resounding in my head for quite sometime now.  Change is the more important issue that I need to address right now - it could be in the form of moving to a different company or maybe even moving to a different country.  I am still buying my time, gathering enough courage, battling with myself and praying to God.  It will only be a matter of time before I stray from my comfort zone and plunge into the unknown.