(Taken on 28th of January last year while in-flight)
Few days ago I surprised myself that I almost did not remember that I’m now past the 365th day of being an OFW. Living within the breeze of the Gulf didn’t hurt. What I thought of ‘okay-let’s-see-if-it’s-oh-kay-there’, is actually more than okay. It’s perfectly fine that soon at least five more colleagues from my previous office would be arriving here. The more, the happier.
It would be my turn to orient them
(a) why there are no security guards at the banks and other establishments, that it would eventually lead to getting irritated when you’re back home and there’s series of inspection whenever you chance to enter a building in the Philippines; it’s a sad fact that it’s relatively safer here;
(b) that a five-minute stop is heavy traffic;
(c) not to get horrified when some of their non-Filipino colleagues would ask, ‘hey, why do you bathe everyday?’ and/or ‘why do you always brush you teeth after lunch?’;
(d) where to get nilupak, halayang ube, crispy pata, goldilocks polvoron, etc. when craving/homesickness attacks;
(e) not to get so amused when the bags, wallet, mobile phones and other belongings you unintentionally left are returned to you/are still recoverable;
(f) why there are prayer rooms everywhere;
(g) that women are given so much respect, in general, while at work we are once in a blue moon told like, ‘this is the first time I’ve seen a female auditor’, or during a business meeting women need to prove (a lot more) when one says, ‘it’s a man’s world, you know’, and worse when a golden age fellow exclaims, ‘aren’t women supposed to stay home?’;
(h) and many others – these to include the sometimes awkward yet funny casual conversations with the other nationalities. My most recent encounter went like this:
Canadian Colleague: My long-time nanny is a Filipina.
Me: Was she good?
Him: Yes. And hmm… hey, I want to ask you something.
Me: What about?
Him: What does Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo mean?
Me: (Almost laughed at the accent). Who told you that?
Him: My nanny. She tells me that whenever I’m being nasty.
Me: You wouldn’t want to know.
Him: Tell me, please.
Me: (Translated Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo word per word)
Him: (Got it). Oh, that was cute!
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
wow! congrats on your anniversary! i hope you are finding fulfillment in your job…
it’s hard to be away from home.
LOL! Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo! Once I blurted “pu-cha” and a south-asian colleague ask what it means because they have a similar word in Urdu. I said it means “pour me some tea”.
BlogusVoxs last blog post..Ang OFW ay Tao Rin
Just what is the translation of “Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo!”
Hahahaha.
I think that working in a different country is enriching. You take both the good and bad experiences to a different level. I’m glad to hear you like both your life and work there – that’s very important.
I still have to reading “Sense and Sensibility.”
kaynis last blog post..31 Thank Yous And More
oh gosh, sorry about the bad grammar there…lol. Okay, I still have to read “Sense and Sensibility.”
kaynis last blog post..31 Thank Yous And More
haha. FUnny nanny story. That Canadian must’ve done (or is always doing) something bad to make the nanny say that. hehe.
Sounds like you’re enjoying your time there in the Gulf.
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LOL.. you should have told him “Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo!” means you look like a handsome ape
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That is so cool Jo, your life there must be really exciting, I wish you more blessings in life and happy years ahead in Abu Dhabi!
shengs last blog post..Blissful Moments of January
you already lasted a year there! that’s great.
i wish you’d have more funny conversations with other nationalities.
i was trying to decipher the songs listed up there. i like your playlist.
Congratulations on your 1st year anniversary!
I’ve never been there but I’m shocked that there are no security guards in the banks and other establishments! Loved the Put Ang Nay-Nay mo story!
Talaga?! No guards? And to think even the McDonalds here has guards!
And a 5-minute traffic is considered heavy traffic? Wow! Sana ganyan din dito. Kaya naman pala hindi ka masyado na homesick
haha, i enjoyed this post immensely. I agree there are perks as well as drawbacks in living far from home. I remember that question “why do you bathe everyday”, a collegue of mine asked me that question and I don’t know what to reply really.
I hope you keep enjoying your work and life in the UAE.
that was one feisty nanny your colleague has!
LOL, i’m cracking up!
my brother is in doha now, he’s there for about a month pa lang and still waiting for his nursing license evaluation. hopefully, he can start working very soon, we might visit him at the height of summertime. kj wants to experience extreme heat, we’re tired of extreme cold already!
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Thanks, KG. Life and work are wonderful.
Haha, that’s a cute excuse!
I had to do it word per word. He had a hard time dissecting Nay-Nay. Until I gave in and said, “okay, that’s actually Nanay which means mother”.
It’s challenging and enriching to know how to take the good and the bad. I’m still enjoying here. I hope it would be like that forever (what a kiddie wish!).
Have fun in reading SS! I saw your entry about the Austen journal and pen. Glad you liked the prizes.
I asked him if he actually told his mom about that. He didn’t and thought that was just his nanny’s expression. Only recently he knew what that means. =)
Yes, so far I’m enjoying my time here. It would be more fun once more of my Pinoy colleagues are already here.
Hahaha!
Thanks, Sheng!
Time really flies no? I occasionally have funny and silly conversations with them. I’ll try to blog about some of that.
Oh, the photo is grainy. I took that using an old camfone (I still use as a secondary fone). Those were Astrud Gilberto’s version. She’s very good. I’m actually looking for that particular CD.
Thanks. No security guards here, in general. Smooth flowing when going inside the malls and other establishments. No series of inspection. Unbelievable but true, things are being run based on trust. Too good to be always true.
The situation really makes the homesickness bearable. Sobrang nagulat din ako about the absence of security guards in most establishments.
That question was so strange no? I’m also hoping things will flourish as each day passes. Take care.
Oh, extreme heat! It’s winter in the Gulf right now. Summertime will be from July to August.