when the Choc Nut and Christmas islander blogs within the breeze of the Gulf

I am basically spending most of my time at work with foreign nationals.  But my constant companions for my current assignment are two Indians.  We easily adjusted with each other’s accents, points of view, and other things except for one thing.  One of the main reasons why inter-racial marriage is not encouraged in their part is the major adjustment for food. 

Whenever we are in the Emirates’ capital city, dining out is no much problem for us.  Usually they dine together in the Indian restaurants nearby.  Moreso, there are many Filipino food hubs aside from the popular global fastfood chains around.  I usually meet up with other friends (who also moved here for work and some to settle for good) for lunch.  Until we went for a three-day assignment in Dubai.  Good thing that we were coming back home daily.

On our first day, the three of us went out for lunch altogether, for the first time.  It took us almost an hour to finally decide where to dine.  Well, there was no Indian nor Filipino restaurants nearby.  So we unconciously took long walks, roaming around only to find mostly Iranian and Arabian food.  Until we passed a street that offers oriental food.  It was a yipeeee moment… I so thought. We all agreed for a chinese restaurant.  But the problem didn’t end soon.  They are both vegetarians AND they both hate seafoods.  OMG!  So we inquired from three oriental restaurants about purely veggies offer and they don’t have except for the soup.  Another consideration was that there must be no other diners eating seafoods at the moment cause they find it too smelly and cannot tolerate it.

The more that I realized that Filipinos are more adaptable to any form of change/adjustment.  If only there was an Indian food, we could have grabbed it right away and I will bear the helly spices.  After more walks, we ended up at Pizza Corner (literally situated at the corner).  So they ordered a vegetarian pizza (specially prepared for them).  While I had to be very careful with my order. Seafoods pasta is one of my all-time favorites and I immediately declined the craving.  I kindheartedly chose carbonara with mushrooms and chicken.  One of them tasted it while the other one obviously didn’t even thought about trying it.  They offered me slices of the vegetarian pizza.  But my tongue chickened after seeing all those spices being spread on top, and suddenly it became a red pizza after they poured in tabasco pepper sauce all over.

The next two days and I had my packed lunch.  They went out settling for the vegetarian burgers.

So how was your V-day?

In my second night here in Abi, I got an invite from an officemate for a dinner treat.  I was not yet officially reporting for work then.   I wanted  to try arabic food.  I think it is sort of old-fashioned if you will never explore during your first few days.  My colleague was a little amazed of this exploration, and it was too late to realize that such was a treat and it will be  a shame if I will eat just like a birdie if in case I hadn’t like the authentic arabian taste.

We went to Mugg and Bean in Abu Dhabi Mall and we had real spicy chicken, nuggets as a breather, and I ordered an arabian plate.  A fresh orange juice (nothing so distinct) and white choco frap (far different from Coffee Bean’s ice blends and Starbucks frappe, theirs tasted and looked like a halo-halo) on the side.  The chicken nuggets were tastier than the usual, the several pieces of chicken were spicy enough but were manageable for a chili person that I am. 

The arabian plate was challenging.  It has olives, weird spread that tasted like kabab, lotsa new taste for me.  I dared to taste every weird thing in that plate and I realized that I am just that not ready for it.  I managed to take in some, but arabian plate is not something that I would order when I am so hungry.  On the contrary, I should have that when I am religiously trying to loose weight.

Any arabian food experience? 

“Congratulations!  Good things happen to good people.”

“Congratulations 3 Cs, wohoohooo!”

“Congratulations, you deserved it!”

and a lot more

These were some of the messages I got through email and SMS yesterday.  As I woke up today, I am still overwhelmed by this newest blessing that God gave me.    I didn’t expect that I will pass the CFSA exams… but as always I kept the faith.  For the not so familiar, this examination captures questions on banking,  securities, insurance, stocks, a little of derivatives, all combined with related-international laws and auditing procedures for financial services products.  You gotta be patient with the materials and it would help to have a practical knowledge.

I decided to take the November 2007 exams primarily for practical reasons.  Since it would be computerized starting this year and fees will increase by more than 100%.  Also, if I will be chancing on the May 2008 batch, there will be fewer times to study.  Anyway, with the kind of work that I have (I love my job!) it doesn’t matter which time I take it, I would always be busy.

The most struggling part happened when I begged for a week study leave.  To make the story short, it was granted but I was on-call.  So it was not like a solid study leave.  I was attending meetings, working at home, running to patch some last minute errands.  With all these, I always loved my principle “never complain, just work on what you have.  Just like in algebra, if you are working on an equation, just work on what’s given, no more, no less.

So, I crazily tried to finish the materials.  The problem with cramming is that you cannot absorb everything.  While the good thing is that my adrenaline gland was working so well then.  Preparing for this exam will also give you non-complacency since it only has less than 20 sample questions.  So, I didn’t know how the actual questions will be thrown. 

On the date of exam,  there was an unexpected weather change but no typhoon that caused much traffic, real heavy.  It took me two hours to get to the examination site, Cultural Center of the Philippines.  I was a minute late.  The very last to get in.  Really stressed.  The exam begun and I finished it just in time.  I was a bit worried when I noticed some who passed their papers so ahead of time.  Maybe they were so prepared.  I just instructed myself, “mind your own business”.

I never saw most of the questions/concepts in the materials.  It helps that I am oriented to some of the disciplines:  banking, insurance, securities, etc.  But I went home that day with much uncertainty.  I didn’t know if I did well.

Now, due to my busy preps for going out of the country then + the workload bling. bling, I completely forgot the release of the exams until I got an email from IIA and from my pals back home informing that the results were available for pick-up. I replied to IIA Secretary’s email that I so forgot to leave an authorization before I left because I got so busy.  And she emailed a scanned copy of the result.  (Annalou, you’re so kind!  I thought you would require me some papers). 

I got the result, and Yay!  I made it.

Now with the 3 Cs, I don’t intend to make my name longer (nagpapahaba ng pangalan).  I was supposed to take other exams two years ago, but I cancelled.  Personally, I am taking something because I want it and not just with the hype of it.  I respect others’ reasons, anyway.

If you want it, go get it.  No excuses.   The night before the exams I was texting a colleague (who was nervous as well) who was taking another exam.  Told her, “I have little preparations.  But I tried to work well with the given time.  Little preps, but I have big faith.”  That time, it sounded like I was reiterating that to myself.

God is so good, I could not ask for more right now.