It's been a long year ...

The twentyeightthofjulytwozerozeronine marks my first year anniversary here in the United Arab Emirates ... well in its capital, Abu Dhabi to be exact. Over time, I've came up with numerous callings for this place ... the sandpit, sh*thole, Babu Babi etc. So I guess you can deduce my general 'affection' towards it. :p

I left my mind to wander and reflected for a bit yesterday while sipping on my bitter sweet french latte @ Hediard. (Well, at leeze ve now know ze French arr gewd for zumthin)

So how has the past 365 days been treating me??? Well, I'm not in a position to judge or conclude if it's good or otherwise. So with Mayang Sari's 'Tiada Lagi' looping on the Ipod, I'll just pick my mind and put to words the various milestones I could recall. The good, the bad and the fugly ... here goes ...

Initially, this project was scheduled to carry through a 20 months period. Kicking off in June 08, that should enable me to bid the camels sayonara by Feb 10. BUT ... (aww come on, you were expecting a 'BUT'!!!) due to unforseen circumstances and of course, the screw ups on the part of every party involved, it's gonna drag on till Sept 10 ... and that's if Lady Luck is smiling ... no ... cackling down at us. That's an extra 7 months before we can tell the sheikhs to kiss our tushies goodbye k. I know some of you will admonish yours truly, saying "Oi, that's an extra 7 months of pay ok". Ya la but in all seriousness, for some of us, money ain't everything. Don't get me wrong, I ain't hating the moolah, just that there are things in life that are worth more than the crispy dollar notes we get at the end of each month. The problem is, I can't be for certain what those things are. Time will tell I guess, I just hope it's not too late when I realize what they actually are.

When I first arrived, I dived straight into work and had my first twelve meals in the same dirty smelly Indian restaurant. There were other dining places nearby but I was told this is the best by far. That means I had briyani with ayam goreng at least twice daily and oh, the roaches will shamelessly share the table too. I came in the summer, so when I walked out on the first night of arrival, I thought I stepped in a puddle or something cause the soles of my feet were sweating due to the insanely high humidity.

Along with a few other colleagues, I was 'arrested' by the Labour Ministry cause our P.R.O (Public Relations Officer i.e working visa guy) didn't do his job competently. Was 'chauffered' to the detention center in a grilled van man. When all was sorted out, we were released a couple of hours later. It felt beyond relief to be 'free' again cause it was a pretty daunting experience to be new in another country (an Arab one no less) and your fate is not within your control.

I've been consuming more curries and spices than I have my entire life back in M'sia. My cholestrol level must be so off the charts it's not funny anymore. My weight have been see-sawing ... I gain some and lose some. A gym membership would cost me a whopping RM7k annually, so that's basically a no-no. To balance my huge apetite (close friends would gladly testify to this), I try to jog around my residential area as often as possible. I totally wore out a pair of NB within 8 months man. But it gets mundane after a while and did I mention the heat during summer goes above 50 deg C. Not only that, I sometimes toy with death coz my jogging route puts me on the same trail with quite a few lunatic drivers who reckon that F1 shouldn't be limited on the race track. Ever seen a Pakistani on an 18 wheeler with no load?! If you spot one, dive into a nearby bush or something. KNN!

I was never amongst those who bond closely with their colleagues. To me, if I'm already spend at least 1/3 of each day with you, another 1/3 for slumber, that practically leaves me with the remaining 1/3 to do what I want, to live my life the way I want it. That was back home la. Here ... I'm being holed up in the same villa along with the rest of 'em. So that's literally 24/7 with your work mates. Oh Jolly!!! Ok la, at least I got the room to myself, dunno bout the other poor buggers who had to share. Oh and did I mention the boss bunks here as well. The problem is that the boss acts all bossy even after office hours. This essentially pisses off a lot of people here. We're being put in a situation where it isn't ideal to purchase a car, so having no transport can be a real bitch. Imagine going out in the summer to hail a cab or bus in order to reach the mall. It won't take more than 10 minutes for one to be drench in sweat. Am sure the other mall rats wouldn't appreciate the odour eh. Yucks!

I started to cook again. Last time I did it regularly was during my uni days. Cooking a simple meal grants me a sense of satisfaction and I'm glad to know I still got it what it takes man. Wonder if I could give a certain Mr.Oliver or Mr.Ramsay a run for their money huh. Haha ... kidding la. Can't wait to cook for wifey again. A pinch of salt, a dash of coriander and a whole lot of TLC. :)

I have to do my own laundry. Blehhh ... the last time I did this regularly was also during uni days and every single fiber in my body hated it with a vengance then and they still do now. The washing ain't that much of a bother but it's the ironing. Can't wait for wifey to take over this homely duty. :P

I got married and went for a fabulous honeymoon. *YAY* For that, I've got this job to thank for. Financially, it enabled me to afford the wedding I had plus the glorious unforgettable trip to the Maldives. Couldn't have done it otherwise really. But it also gained us the pain of separation right after the wedding. The distance can sometimes be unbearable and takes it toll on our relationship as man and wife. We have to keep reminding and supporting each other with love and understanding during trial times especially when physical comfort is not an option. The miscommunications over unstable internet connections or the lack of it due to costly phone calls can potentially draw a risky gap in between couples. A friend once advised that the distance may result in the heart growing fonder. True but I think she forgot to mention the hurt and loneliness that comes along with it. :(

Someone told me, when faced with so many issues, the best solution is to adopt the 'come what may' attitude. I simply can't. When something so dear to me is at stake, I simply cannot do it. I've seen others done it in the past ... just like a flick of a switch, turn off all affection towards a certain something or someone and be free of the 'burdening' emotional bondage. Sighhh, to live without love, I'd rather not live at all. I'd go through it all even if it means having to experience the accompanying pain. To see the bad, only can I be enlightened of the good. To suffer the hurt only can I truly appreciate the joy.

Just today, a friend asked me why are so many people openly displaying their emotional stress on Facebook. I guess a lot of people out there are actually facing issues of their own ... fightings their own battles and demons. The beaming smiles that we often see on the faces of others are beginning to seem like pathetic facades masquerading the pouring tears beneath. Facebook is perhaps a hassle free avenue for such people to 'shout' out for help or cry out for love and attention ... and all these happening maybe even at a subconcious state. Hmmm, ranting on FB may result in the decrease in suicide rates ... you ever thought bout that? A distant relative suffered an accident and passed away on the same day. Wifey just attended the funeral today ... it serves as a grim reminder to us all that life is indeed very fragile and we'd end up being regretful idiots for taking things and our loved ones for granted. We can't turn back time or change the past, so why bother ... it's what we do about today and tomorrow that matters most.

Re-reading what I just typed brought one word to mind ... RANDOM. I apologize for such a messy entry and it's getting late and I have to work early tomorrow morning and I hate my job (althought I heart the money) and it's time for bed now. Haha.

Good night folks ... and just so you know, I earnestly believe in this phrase below ...

'After the storm, look out for the rainbow'

:)