How’s everyone? I hope you had a meaningful celebration of the holidays and that we are all kicking 2011 the best and most sincere way that we can. I have returned from my two weeks vacation in the Philippines the other night. It has been said plenty of times, but I want to exclaim again, walang kapantay ang Pasko at Bagong Taon sa Pilipinas (Christmas and New Year in the Philippines are unbeatable)! Though I didn’t want to leave yet, I knew that I was already returning to Abu Dhabi the moment that:
- I have started packing for the flight, including the presents I got from blogger pals (you all know who you are) and my online exchange gift partner – - many thanks!
- We have re-watched the videos of our family outings and other random gathering few hours before the flight.
- I have set the roaming on for my Philippine number.
- I looked at one of my handcarried bags containing my decent supply of Choc Nut, flat tops, chocolate mallows, lala (do you remember this choco?), dried mangoes, etc.
- I saw the influx of people in the airport on 2nd of January
- I waved goodbye to my dear ones, that no matter how many times it happens in every 1 to 2 weeks visit (or if I’m lucky, it’s few days longer than that; incidentally, I can’t leave my post at work for a month straight, but generously, I am allowed to chop it into several trips), one can never get used to it. I feel though that this was one of my best vacations to date.
- I was contemplating inside the plane about 2011, that as usual I have no new year’s resolution. But I just want to be a blessing to others.
- When I managed to finish almost 4 inflight movies. From Abu Dhabi to Manila, I just did a lot of sleeping.
I knew that I was already in Abu Dhabi when:
- I realized that it IS freezing. That night outside the airport it was 5 degrees C. Imagine that! The desert is freezing! (Before coming here for work, I once thought that it is summer in the UAE each waking day of the year. But there is actually winter from December to February and only from June to August is summer. I don’t know how to term the months in between, but I call them “fair weather season”.)
- I had to say “Marhaba” (greetings/ hello) and “Sabaa El-Khair” (good evening) to the immigration officer that he made it easier for me that I tried to speak a little Arabic.
- I need to be up the next day after few hours of sleep because I must report for work.
- When I got greeting cards and other stuff sent by blogger pals (you know who you are, too!) to my Abu Dhabi address. Much thanks!
Whenever people would return to the office after a break, some normally exclaims that they’re back to reality. I maintain the opposite judgment. For me, it’s being back to a game, something temporary or quasi. Reality for me is whenever my day job finishes and I am back to my sanctuary. But it’s most real, whenever I am in the Philippines.
PS. I owe all of you a visit to your blogs. I will do that once I’m done catching up with things. But I wish to congratulate Kayni and Gremliness for winning in the recently concluded 3rd Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards (PEBA).
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