the story of...

Nanay Dina and Baby Abby
they've been there for more than 2 weeks. and even if they stayed in the hotel, the accommodation wasn't at all comfortable what with the daily fee of 50 dirhams. and the food, it was not somethng appetizing.
Baby Abby had her bout of chicken pox while staying in Oman for the entire duration of her exit. her visa did not come so soon that she had to endure being away from mommy while she was sick. room 210 was her refuge. and she sent nanay dina to a frenzy when she had high fever and didn't want to take in anything.

Saji
she's 20 years old and therefore is not allowed to work in the UAE. she finished nursing at the age of 19, went to the UAE to try her luck, found a job in one of the emirate's government facilities. she is earning a fortune now but she had to go out of the emirates for visa change. it is now her 16th day in Oman and still the possibility of a visa is as blurry as the mud down the hill.

the indian man
he's old, and balding. he came up to me one of those dreary nights. i was sitting in the hotel lobby. he asked if i had my visa yet, i told him not. he said he had been there for 10 days already and he has to wait for 5 days more before his employment visa comes. he has no money in his wallet and he has not eaten well for several days already. he said he worries about his family in india as he has not sent them money yet. he wants to lend his phone but he is waiting for communication from his company and from his agency and so the idea would not be good. one time i gave him enough for a meal. before i left the hotel to head back to UAE i gave him a little amount to last him a couple of days more if he would spend it wisely.

*** these are not their real names.

greeting the year 2008 with a bang!

it's the dawn of yet another year. now it is time for me to rethink of my priorities, my plans in the immediate future, and of my sins.

though faraway from family and friends and my comfort zones, i welcomed the new year with a light heart. i walked home after office last december 31, silently crying for the separation but nonetheless thankful for the time i had to be alone. at midnight, we had a sumptuous meal comprised of seafoods. i was with ate haidy, kuya bob and their kids (harriet, hyacinth, hillary and 2J). arlene and ate lot were also family. ate a lot of tiger shrimps that later on gave me the rashes. so much for seafoods!

the service later in the day was a meeting of culture. people from different walks of life came together to hear their first mass for 2008 at st. joseph's cathedral. the banquet that followed was an exhibition of different foods. i got a plateful and left the hall.

first sin committed this year: oversleeping. slept until 10am, ate and watched tv while busy with the phone and the internet, slept again at 2pm until 4pm, the mass, then slept at 8pm until 6.30 this morning. my head feels so heavy i swear i would not want to oversleep again.