REALITY CHECK FOR DUBAI 5

The Real Deal About OFW’S In Dubai

October 4, 2008 by Tingting Rimart

It is time to reminisce my life in the Philippines. How do I do this? I log in to my Friendster account, and check out profiles and pictures of familiar faces and names. Some have gotten married. Some have gotten fat. Some look good. Some are in Dubai. What’s with Dubai? I wonder. A number of Filipinos still want to go there even if it means changing careers. Well, some are fortunate though, to have great jobs in Dubai’s corporate world. I commend you.

You see — this is one of my issue when I relocated here in the US. I had too much pride in myself that, I was embarrassed of getting a job different from what I was used to. It was hard to accept, but I made it. My first job was far different from a dream job. I lasted for a month there, and luckily, I spotted one that, up to now, I couldn’t believe that I nailed. I enjoy my current job so much that I sometimes even forget to eat my lunch. I love everything about it, including the people that I work with and for — the nicest bunch.

Anyway, I want to share a very touching forwarded email that I got from a friend.

PINOY SA LIKOD NANG KURTINA

Over a thousand Filipinos arrive in Dubai every month. And why not?

Literally, the sun shines here all year round; prosperity is in the air; and it’s a place where people have reasons to dream of waking up in the morning as millionaires or with kilos of gold on their lap!

Yun nga lang, habang hindi pa nangyayari yun, iba ang nakikita ng maraming Pinoy pagdilat nila sa umaga — kurtina!

Betcha by golly wow! Paano ko ie-explain to fascinated Pinoys back home our living condition here!

Noong una akala ko isolated cases. But with the skyrocketing apartment rents in this City of Gold , such conditions are becoming the norm.

Sideways…sidesteps

Hindi yan dance step. That’s the latest move ngayon sa mga sharing flats. Sa sobrang liit ng space, patagilid ang galaw. Kaya minsan, mga ka-flatmates, hindi na magkakitaan. “Hoy, where have you been, ba? Hindi ka na umuuwi sa flat!” Kasi nga lagi silang naka-sideview!

Warning: Smoking is dangerous to your room.

Hindi health reasons ang dahilan bakit bawal magyosi, no! Ang styrofoam kuya!

Yes, naunahan ng Pinoy ang IKEA sa innovation na yan — Yes, styrofoam walls, styrofoam doors, styrofoam room. Di ba nga naman, styrofoam keeps you fresh! Para kang gulay, o kaya ice candy. Pero siguro mas feel mo minsan na ‘tuna’ ka, o di kaya ’sirena’ kung feel mong si Claudine ka.

“Ate, di ba fire hazard yan?” “Anong fire ka dyan? Rent ang mas nakakamatay dito!”

“Illegal ang partions sa Dubai . At least ang styrofoam, pag nagkahulihan, mabilis sa baklasan. Gets mo?!!!” “Yes, Ate.”

Therefore, ‘no smoking’: ang sirena baka maging daing!

Burj Al ‘Cupboards’

Hindi lang Emaar Properties ang may ‘K’ na magtayo ng skyscrapers? Haven’t we heard, the Philippines is a major supplier of architects in Dubai ? In other words, nasa dugo natin yan! Kaya ba ng Arabong gumawa ng rooms out of cupboards, luggages and shoe boxes?

Dati sa airport lang bida ang mga luggages, ngayon multi-purpose na: dividers na rin sila — para ang isang kwarto maging lima !

Pampataas sila sa mga cupboards kasama ng mga shoe boxes na pinaka-antenna.

Siyempre, the taller the better — you keep your neighbor’s eyes away.

Now Showing

Pagpasok ko ng flat, akala ko sinehan, ang daming kurtina. Mga kuarto pala. Pero ang cute, cinematic!!! Parang barangay, complete with eskinitas. Kada bukas ng telon, parang movie — sari-saring life. May natutulog, may nag-eemote, may nka-curlers, may nakasimangot. Sa panlimang kurtina, may nag-totong-its, sa pang-anim, may naggugupit.

Ang gandang movie, di ba? “Ang Pinoy sa Likod ng Kurtina!”

Paraisong Kurtina

Ayyy! Our Paraisong Kurtina. It can make you laugh, it can make you cry.

Be proud of our Paraisong Kurtina. It exists because we’d rather send our money home than spend more for our comfort. Within its walls, lies our desire for a little privacy, our groans, our tears, our dreams, our struggle for some little savings. My curtain says a lot. It says, “I have saved again, inay; I’ll be able to send money next month.”

Dream mo pa bang pumunta ng Dubai ????

Mag isip-isip….

by

Juan dela Cruz