I AM AN EXPAT

As I mentioned on my previous blog, the most expensive thing here in Dubai is your house rent, for bed space only (bunk bed) the average payment is AED500.00 or PHP6,000.00 as of our rate today in the Philippines, sometimes including DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority), sometimes NOT, so all the people in that flat will share the cost.  Usually Flat tenants here accept more bed-spacers than required, some to get additional income, others just to have someone to share for the high cost.  If you want to feel more comfortable and have privacy, then pay more.  Most Filipinos prefer for the cheaper one, and some doesn't have a choice because you also need to budget your salary every month, and average starting salary here is AED2,000.00 - AED2,500.00 depending what position/company you are in, and it will increase as you are getting more experience here. BUNK BED (DOUBLE DECK) as shown above pictures are the common space you can own here. With only c

When you happen to see these tiny creatures, what will be your reaction? "EEEEEWWWW!!!" Right? But seriously, BED BUGS  will be one of the most common thing here in U.A.E.  In my 30+ years of existence here on earth, never I saw or encounter bed bugs in my home country, maybe we have there but not same like this and honestly haven't seen one.   When I arrived here and stayed with my friend looking for a job, we stayed in a 3 bedroom flat somewhere in Bur Dubai with only Filipino men and women, at night I will be awaken with something that's crawling in my neck, my arms or my legs, at first I taught it was just a normal cockroach or I am just dreaming and I usually ignores it.  Maybe I am too much occupied thinking that time what will be my life here in Dubai or maybe because I am too much tired for the all-day-searching job and walking.   Until one day, my friend asked me "have you seen bedbugs already?" and then he explained to me this and that

I am working in a car trading company here in Dubai, I am the only Filipina here, and I can say I am lucky as they are treating me as their own family.  I am always with them during special occasions and celebrations like, Onam, birthday party, and so on.   And one of my colleague will get marry this December 2014, literally I am also invited to attend his ceremony, as a special request from him.  So, we all decided to go and for I am the sole Filipina colleague I need to process my VISA a month before my departure.  Yes, for us Filipinos, we need to get a visa travelling to India. so I searched the internet how to process and where are the locations here in Dubai.   As per Consulate General of India website, there are 16 BLS Centers  (click to find locations) here in U.A.E. where we can process the visa and passport applications, they were a trusted partner of Embassy of India and Consulate General of India here in UAE.   I filled up the form online, and for thi

One day, a good friend of mine ask me for a favor, "Ate, I have an assignment in my English class, can you make a speech for me? What you think will be the topic?" then I looked to her deeply, this girl takes her pictures and everything all the time.. So I replied, put OFW SELFIES.. LOL!!! And so I taught, why don't I write also about this? It is trending worldwide, taking your own pictures which the social media calls it as "SELFIE",even celebrities make songs out of it, getting the right angle of your face, in different places, situations, scenarios and even emotions. In fact I am one of the guilty person here.  We often post our pictures like this on our own social networking sites like facebooks, Instagram, twitter, wechat and so on.  And hundreds or thousands of our friends see these, take a look, click like, post comments, etc.  We, as an OFW, oftentimes or most of the times actually post the places we've been visited, posts good looking pict

I am not that techie type of person, But honestly I love gadgets. Before, I am always updated with all the latest mobiles coming out from the market (updated in a sense that I am doing research about their features, their looks and so on) colleagues will usually ask me how or what's better before they decide to buy their own, and somehow I used to have my "expensive one".  Until that became less priority, when you started your family and the budget is so tight. :b When I was still staying and working in the Philippines, I am contented with my old model of "Blackberry", the important thing for me there are, at least you can send SMS, phone calls, and some IM.  Frankly, I still have that "fondness" when I see new devices in TV commercials and malls, but (sigh) I just ignored that. :)  When I arrived here in U.A.E., the only gadget that I have with me are my blackberry and an Apple iPod touch.  For a year that I am using that, even most of

Broken Marriages, is this a common thing now? As we hit the new generation, more and more cases of broken families are there.  As if, it's already normal for people to marry then divorce or get annulment/separation after a while.  This is not common in the Philippines before, as much as I know when i am still a child, couples tries to save the marriage as much as possible, for the sake of the children, reputation and so on. But as time passes by, separation and annulment in my country became a normal thing..  What are the common causes of this break-ups? The number one cause of it is: 1)  INFIDELITY  - or cheating, or adultery, or having an affair. Call it whatever you wanted but still it's the same.  The most excruciating feeling a partner could ever feel (believe me it is), is to be in this situation.  I don't know why this one becomes a common thing to couple, maybe because    a) LOVE IS GONE ? - There could be a lot of reasons why someone falls ou