Sunday, August 31, 2014

"Abandoned"


I guess it was last week that I have posted on my facebook account about this abandoned disabled refugee boy. He was abandoned in the desert because their family were trying to escape in the conflict in Iraq. And he was abandoned in the desert at the glaring sun of 50 degrees. Imagine that.

Thanks that he was rescued and treated at the hospital. However another sad news this day that I have read that he passed away four hours before his father had come  to look for him after seeing in the Facebook that his son is in a hospital.

Very sad.

That war where most of the times innocent lives are sacrificed.


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Trip To Khobar


I think it is about a month since my last visit to Khobar because of Ramadan and I am much busier here in Dammam. And last Thursday night together with some of my friends we went to Khobar. And where else to go in Khobar but in Ramaniyah Mall. It is the mall which is flocked by many Filipinos here in KSA and if you are there you will say that you have not left the Philippines because almost all of the shopper and bystanders are all Filipino. Even the sellers/retailers learn Tagalog to attract the majority Filipino visiting the mall. The area where Ramaniyah is located is a very good spot and in its vicinity there are so many shops for almost anything that we want. There are other establishments that sell jewelries and gold and diamonds in an affordable price. There are many Filipino restaurants and supermarkets nearby. There are many small coffee shops along the busy district. A Pinoy's place in the desert!

In the mall itself there are so many Filipino fast food chains like Jollibbee and the soon-to - open Chowking. Other food shops sell mostly Filipino foods.

And almost every week if there are chances and of course some money to spare we go to Khobar and feel the tiny place where Philippines can be felt and actually experience.

In our visit I have bought two caps for the intense heat here in Dammam especially in the afternoon when we have to walk a little distance of about 10 minutes to our flat.

And lastly a trip to Khobar will never be completed if we do not eat at our national fast food chain Jollibbee!






Friday, August 29, 2014

"Nasaan Na Ang Anak Ni Oscar?"


I am just staring at my Pinterest account and I have seen this viewmaster photo. It brings back memories of my 80's where some of my friend's father were in Saudi Arabia and they had this wonderful device. And I am never seeing this one now. Just in photos.

Just like in a last corner before our flat here in Dammam there is this advertisement in the old building and it is for rent now. Do you know what is it before? It is an international cabin spot - short for a telephone booth in the 80's and the 90's where OFW should wait in line just to have those precious minutes of talking to their family at the other end of the line miles and miles away in the Philippines.

And now it is just a click away.


Some photos seem to bring us flashes of memories from our past. Looking at the photo which is  an abandoned  railway somehow bring me to that late 80's or early 90's where I have remembered Oscar. He is a real person but I'd rather not say if it is his real name. In that era I was close to him but not that close. He was a genius and he still is a genius but I don't know where he is now. For sure he is not dead right now.

Just like with my classmate's death ( I will tell in another entry) who happened to be a surprised to us this Oscar left me now with impression of her daughter. I have met the daughter a long time ago maybe early 90's and she was so intelligent and I could tell that from my line of questioning her I could say that her IQ was beyond normal. Way up beyond the average!

So now I am just wondering where is the daughter of Oscar? I know she has Chinese in her blood as far as I remember her. If I will search for her in the internet for curiosity reason then where should I begin? I even don't know her name (time got its way) and for sure she is not using her dad's surname either.

I am just wondering at this moment when sometimes life here is just nothing but to wonder for everything in the past.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

"Haruki"


Last night..not so humid in Dammam..Starbucks time..Jarir time..and book-buying time..Murakami is on my collection now..and I am reading Norwegian Wood and I am really hooked now to Haruki..And he is making waves internationally..I even post some photos of mine holding these books in the FB page of "Reading Murakami"..I am happy that there are many Filipinos in that page and we exchanged comments and opinions..



Saturday, August 23, 2014

If Learning To Cook Is The Answer I Will Do It ( Thinking Again?)



Thank you Facebook but no thanks..thank you that I have seen these photos of my friends in our own country..but no thanks that I have endure the agony of not having them but just be contented in looking at them..but I have to do something..I need to learn how to cook..then? I think I will not learn unless I am that hungry and no restaurant is available..then the next question is where should I buy such ingredients? in our place here some food are limited or I haven't explore Dammam that much..

In the end I think I will just wait for December to taste those foods..barely 3 months away!


Want To Take The "L" ?


I think I have given up my dream of being a lawyer for the moment and really focus on some other matters that might in the end bring me back to that "law" thing. I have just remember it now because yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine who's starting to love the law. He is somehow lost too. I have told him about this book by Turow which I have read for the nth time and got puzzled and sometimes scared of continuing my wish to become a person of jurisprudence someday. In that book the author narrated the worst and best moments of the most challenging first year at the Harvard Law School. I told my friend to visit and read this book to enlightened him of what it is to be like a freshman student of law.

My friend Alot invited me last year to go with her and study law. She is now currently on her second year I guess and she is loving it the law school. And she is very determined.

About a year ago or two years maybe I have met my old time friend and he is lawyer now. But unfortunately he suggested me that I'd rather not take the law for some reasons. So I was disappointed by that time and really confused why he had said that. He said that I'd better take another route. In that time I was on my last year of my MBA so I never bothered to continue to law since then. And besides I have to pay again for the tuition and prepare for those times to study a much harder discipline. And I am not getting any younger. I have some other priorities and maybe skipping law is the best option I ever have. And maybe I am not really destined to be a lawyer. I am just happy that my name is from a cousin of mine who is a lawyer himself: Marlo Perez Arcinas.

But let's see in the future if the wind will blow again and whisper to my mind that I am ready again for the law degree. Let us see in the future.

Take Me To That Place


Let's clear our mind. Explore the possibilities. The yesterdays. The years before this. Rewind it please And I have find myself in a place like this.

Forward. I want to have this once again. Later. Not this time.

Later.


Knowledge Is The Key


Our parents are very right that the only and most valuable wealth that they can give us is the education in order for us to have a good future. And we have to take that opportunity and never waste it. Some youth today are taking it for granted and they ended up broke. Some who have never graduated in college got lucky but still they persevere to have knowledge and skills in different ways.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Joyride?


Longing for that long ride - a joyride to nowhere? south to north? south to south? on the edge of the world?
I guess I am just a little bit exhausted ( humidity is killing us!) or maybe just a little excited for my December's vacation to my very homeland The Philippines!


I have remembered last year I have renewed my passport in July. It had  expired two months before July and I guess and remember that I really need to renew it for something. Of course to travel abroad. I never had a slightest idea that a year later now I will be here in the Kingdom. But honestly I like it here. The challenges. The adjustments. New learning. New everything.

A leap of faith. Change of destiny. For the better!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Vanelli's


Spaghetti with salad? In Saudi? I am eating less rice for this week but I have to eat this one. I guess my energy is depreciating without the much carbohydrates. Anyways back to no-rice /carbo tomorrow..



Saving Money Saving Memories


Travel. Vacation. Need some money. Spare some bucks.

Collecting money. Collecting memories. Retirement? Maybe. Planned.

Work hard. Rest on a beach. On a mountain. Overseas? On the board?
Dreams? Make it real!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

I listened now ( again)



And I have forgotten to listen and learned for the longest time. I used to listen to AM radio before when the very famous Ernie Baron was still alive over DZMM. I used to gather so much information only by listening to his nightly show which started during my elementary years. And then the internet came and I was flooded by so much information overload that sometimes I really have to rest and rethink all of the nuisances that the online world is giving to me.

And then I discovered the podcast. I am listening now to the happyyuppie podcast and the Dad's show. I even downloaded them via itunes and listen to them even when I am on the bus on our way to work.

Some striking ideas when I listened to those podcast came along and somehow retained in my memory. Sometimes the memories of Jake and the Morning show somehow resurfaced in the persona of John Worsham in his The Dad podcast. He is so funny just like Jake when Jake still have the morning show in NU107 back in the 1990's.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

RIP RW?


What? I can't believe it! Suicide?

RIP Robin Williams...the world mourns on losing one of the greatest star of our generation..

Dead poet society? The Awakening? Good Will Hunting? I will miss all of his remarkable films!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

"Why are you wearing a hat?"

I have seen it this week. A great hat or shall I call it cap - company cap. More classy than baseball cap. It makes someone younger.

Or going in fashion? I guess so.

Some accessories really add something to our appearance. Some jewelries? Status symbol? A lot of.

Some things or accessories just add value or should I say confidence when we are wearing it. A perfume? a pen? or just want to show off the world that we have those items? Psychologically maybe.

I have bought a cap too for heat's protection here in Dammam. Some buy it to hide some hair problems? I hope not.

Today I learned..

Thanks to reddit..this "today I learned" is from them..The TIL syndrome is upon me.

- today I learned that listening is one of the best way to understand others..

- today I learned that other culture has their own way of giving help - but still they give assistance without hesitation.

- today I learned that prices of commodities really differ based on the perception of market. Sometimes in the area that you are sure the price should be lower the opposite happens.

- today I learned that drinking a lot of water is really what we needed here in the Middle East..to refresh and to re hydrate ourselves.I just see them before in the safety signs..

- today I learned that every walk in the night is really very different because you will be amazed by the new stores around or hidden before your very eyes..

- today I learned that crossing the street is sometimes a burdened decision on our part..

sometimes..the day is so good!

- sleeping not that late..
- sleeping on the way there..
then all of a sudden..a saddened face..
afterwards it was a bright one..
the day got lots of surprises.
I listened..just listened..
then I became part of the group..
an outsider? not really..we are all human..
acquaintances..friends..
a whole day of listening..of inquiry..of waiting..
I was overwhelmed..

night time..
the heat outside..
sleeping..
with the air so cold..
artificial..
got to have the real one..
a print..
a point..

sleeping..
and tomorrow is Thursday..
in the Middle East..

waiting..again..sooner..
unexpected..

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Enough For Now



First I have bought some perfumes..some pens..
And now a Ray-Ban..I need it for sun's protection ( Dammam is so famous for high temperature!)



Then a couple of nights ago I have bought a watch..Blas' gift to me ( a Puma watch) is somehow damaged - it is running but in a day it is becoming late..and I cannot tell the real time now..So I have no choice but to buy a new wristwatch for me..And a few blocks away ( 5 minutes walk maybe from our house) Seiko district as we know it has it all the watches in the world. I should have bought a Seiko 5 automatic but a friend of mine have cautioned me in buying an automatic one. It might be good but not good enough and some problems occur when he had bought one back in the Philippines.

So I bought a Citizen.
I guess these items are enough for me..back to savings hehehe!

But I really cannot help but buy these books..need some time away from online world..and my refuge? of course books!




It's Swimming Time!



Last Friday - the beginning of a week-long holiday..and we went to a place..much colder..with water..a 30-minute drive maybe..Qurayyah boys on the loose again!





And we arrived at the place..with smiles on our face..and to satisfy our hunger the food were all ready for our stomach - thanks to Gerry and the rest of his other colleagues from the hospital for all of these wonderful and delicious food around..


Though the water was not that cold it was fun to have the taste of oasis in this land of the desert! It was fun to know that there still exist a body of pool where we can swim and have our day's out more exciting and fulfilling!




It was indeed a very happy Friday! Till next time on a trip in the middle of heat and sand!

Dreaming Is Good ( at least if you are in the desert)



Last night I was watching "Under The Tuscan Sun" and it was great though I was not done with it. Maybe I could watch it by tomorrow.

So thanks to Flickr with these wonderful photos of Tuscany in Italy. Maybe and I hope I could go there someday. A place of pure magic. A place of serenity. And good weather for sure!


It Begins Now

 I am now here in Batangas City. My hometown. My city. That never sleeps. I have myself and my mother. She is 83 now. And I am turning 47 th...