(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!
witsandnuts 
0 thoughts on “Over a year”
kg
wow! congrats on your anniversary! i hope you are finding fulfillment in your job… 🙂 it’s hard to be away from home.
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BlogusVox
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
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TPS
Just what is the translation of “Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo!”
Hahahaha.
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kayni
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
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kayni
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
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Wil
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. 🙂
Wils last blog post..College Degrees
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bw
LOL.. you should have told him “Put Ang Nay-Nay Mo!” means you look like a handsome ape 😆
bws last blog post..GETTING HIGH ON OBAMA
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sheng
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
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mordsith
you already lasted a year there! that’s great. 🙂 i wish you’d have more funny conversations with other nationalities.
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Angeli
i was trying to decipher the songs listed up there. i like your playlist. 🙂
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Eper
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!
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Rico
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 😉
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kreez
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.
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odette
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! 🙂
odettes last blog post..fitting room chronicles, part 3
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