Fancy Things and the Eid Holiday

The rich and the richer are gearing their fancy cars again because the long holiday is upon us. Eid is just around the bend and a lot of people celebrate this in the Middle East region as a symbol of the end of Ramadan. The affluent people share their blessings and some drive around town with their new flamboyant toys, complete with high-end accessories like boss motorsports rims, interactive GPS, sunroof, high-tech keyless entry, and you name it. It is also during this time where they throw the old stuff or donate them to the less fortunate people and they change some of their belongings or upgrade them.

Eid is like Christmas for the people here in Middle East. They celebrate this with plenty of festivities. The locals share their blessings to the poor as well by putting up tent and hosting free meals to everyone. They donate to charitable institutions and support local fund drives in bazaars.

This is the season where the locals come out as a "renewed person" right after Ramadan where they observed fasting to know more about themselves and relieve their earthly connection with the material things and to restore their human composition to become a better person.

Little Faith in Banking

I have very little faith on the banking system here in the UAE. I always have the feeling of being "robbed" of my own money. It is so hard to explain but I do not get the abstract banking law in this region. 

The banks charge the account holder so many fees, for example, if you want a print out of your statement of account, you have to pay so and so amount per page. If you want a liability letter, again, you have to pay so and so amount.  Isn't that ridiculous? They keep charging the hapless account holders considering we are the reason why they are still afloat.

I miss the banks in the Philippines where I can bank on trust. It is a different ball game over here...

Vacation Mode for Most Dubai Folks

It is that time of the year again when most of the locals and expatriates from Dubai and nearby emirates relocate to some place cooler.

The long and extreme summer months here cast away people because the heat is just unbearable. Also, the school ends on June and will not open until mid-September. So they take that opportunity to leave the country and explore the colder regions of the earth.

Other families prefer to drive to Salalah in Oman where the weather is not harsh and slightly cooler than its counterpart in the Middle East region. The big SUVs pack the road towards the UAE and Oman border together with their trailers and RVs. I sure hope they have checked everything before setting on their long drive. It is wise and important to have a travel insurance too and to check if 5th wheel warranty is applicable on their trailers or RVs.

I would like to embark on a road journey too before I leave the UAE. Driving to the neighboring country of Oman will be a scenic and wonderful experience for us.

Beach Body But Sun-Scared

It's that time of the year again where I always tell myself that I am definitely wearing a bikini. Like the previous years, I always end up in a one piece swimwear hidden under a loose shirt. Sometimes I wear shorts and a bikini top, again only to hide under a big shirt.

It's not that I do not have any confidence in my body, it's just that wearing bikinis, tankinis, one-piece suit or any bathing suits for that matter in this terribly hot and humid country is making me think twice on whether or not I will expose my sensitive skin to the harsh rays. I want to feel comfortable and at the same time not worry about how safe my skin will be under the heat of the sun. However, Dubai has plenty of beautiful beaches where you can actually sun bathe, apply suntan lotion and wear proper swimwear, even bikinis! It is hard to resist the call of the waves, the yellow-creamish colored sandy beaches, the cozy cabanas, jet-ski, surfing and the sports in the beach.

Dubai lies in the Middle East where the sun scorches and the rays just pierce your skin making you like a living, walking prune. I do not go out at the beach without wearing sun protection because it is just too hot here. I even wear sunscreen while driving, so you could just imagine how hot it is in this part of the world. A lot of the expatriates here who are sun worshippers love the beach area. I always see them apply either sun tan lotion or sunscreen but at the same time, enjoy the glorious sun.

I know a lot of people will go in drove to the nearest beach area to cool off wearing their beautiful swimwear. I just hope they will be wise enough to keep their skin safe and have their sunscreen lotions handy, just in case.

The Expat's Life - Part 3 "Someone noticed!"

My eyes almost popped from their sockets when a friend forwarded a mail which is quite unusual because we, the Filipinos as overseas workers, are featured by an Arab journalist which appeared in Arab News. Read this and weep:

We are finally noticed and given the respect that we truly deserve. In this part of the world, being noticed and recognized for our value is an aberration to the idiosyncrasies. At least, someone finally told the world what Filipinos are made of - determination, perseverance, hope, and integrity. Yan ang Pinoy! (That's what a Filipino is!)

Shukran Mr. Abdulla al Maghlooth for recognizing our value in the society. I hope there are more people like you who will give us what we are due.

(Please see my other entries on the Expat's Life here, and here)