Monday, June 15, 2015

"You are 60. And You are retiring? Good."

If I am not mistaken I have this conversation with a taxi driver three nights ago. I was going home from a short visit to Khobar. It was a night of doing nothing but eat at whatever Filipino resto in Khobar. And because I want to sleep early that night I did not indulged myself in having much time in Khobar.

And I rode a taxi. After a minute I spoke to an older taxi driver. Along the conversation he said he is in his 60. And he spend 8 years in Saudi doing that job. And I was his last passenger before his retirement. That night he said that by tomorrow he will fly to Lahore Pakistan. I felt some jealousy. I felt that I was happy for him. Along the 25 minute drive he summarized what he has been through before his retirement. He was a train driver before in Pakistan. Then he retired there and tried his luck in KSA. And now he is retiring for real. He will help his 3rd son in running his motor/spare parts business.

I could see in his face the hidden pride. The hidden joy that after all those years he is successful in his job that made his family as it is now. His grown up children are all professionals. And I wish him luck. And I will never see him again. Probably.

I want to be in my 60 too. Really? I don't know.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Writing Is Hurting


Kagabi at noong nakaraang gabi eh bumili ako ng produkto. Tangina parang tunay ah. Ok let's try it again. Parang mike test lang. Nung nakaraang gabi at kagabi I have bought some products dito sa malapit na mall sa may amin. ( Taglish) muna ang style ko at parang sawa na ako sa puro tagalog or purong english. Variation kumbaga. So balik tayo sa binili ko nung mga nakaraan gabi sa may Aldanah mall. Bumili ako ng tatlong puting piraso ng Hanes para pang ilalim sa aking uniform. Dati sa aking pinanggalingang kompanya libre it. I love Keilco! Bumili rin ako ng may kulay para pang araw araw at sobrang humid at init na dito sa Dammam. Nakakwentuhan ko ang nagbebenta. Isa siyang matandang Eqyptian pero hindi mukang Eqyptian. Malaking tao at para siyan Indiano na Pinoy na basta hindi sya mukang taga Ehipto. At mabait syang makipag usap. Pero kokonte ang alam nyang english wala naman akong alam na arabic kaya minsan nakakatuwang pagmasdan ang excitement nya pag nakakabigkas ng wikang english na sasang-ayunan ko naman na muka ngang tama at nagkakaintindihan kami.

Ah now ko lang ulit na-update ito. Ang dami kong dapat isulat pero minsay akoy tinatamad na. Minsan kasi walang kabuluhan. Minsan talagang makabuluhan pero wala namang oras at paraan para maisulat ko ito.

It is really nice to know that even in those simple "thank you" from the people whom I have helped in a very simple way changed their life and they cannot repay me but a thank you is already a full payment in my part.

My cousin who has a son and her son was supposedly to be enrolled in PUP. But because of the so many applications for admission, her son did make it and still in  the waiting list. So my cousin requested me to prepare a request letter to a certain dean or registrar to admit her son. And luckily he was admitted and also became a university scholar because of his sports engagement specifically badminton.  Sometimes a letter changed a man's life forever.

A colleague of mine for some reason lost his job and he has nothing to do but apply again in different company here. He is an experienced man and he is confident to land a job sooner. And he asked me a favor to review and arranged his CV or resume for a better chance of getting a new job. And I did, And he got a job which is giving him twice the salary before.

Thanks God!

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

"Bisperas"

Tomorrow will be my birthday. My second birthday in Dammam. Thanks be to God for giving me all the blessings and opportunities to be part of HIS grand plan!

Again tomorrow, another year will be added to my age. But who cares? As long as I am living to the fullest and giving whatever I have to those people in need, so I am very happy!

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...