THE ETHNIC PECKING ORDER

Sa unang pagkakataon na nanirahan ako sa labas ng Asya, ngayon ko lubusang nakita ang katotohanan ukol sa sinasabi nilang “Ethnic Pecking Order”.  Sa totoo lang, matagal ko na itong alam at tanggap, kung saan ang mga puti ang nasa itaas, samantalang ang mga may kulay ang balat ang nasa ilalim.  Pero sa pagkakataong ito, kung saan sa bansang aking kinaroroonan ay nagkalat ang mga kabayang naninilbihan sa industiyang serbisyo, mas lalong kapansin-pansin ang katotohanan sa nasabing teorya.

Kung babalikan natin ang pinagmaulan nito, masasabi kong ito ay nag-ugat na sa kasaysayan kung saan naunang naging sibilasdo ang mga puti na sumakop sa kabilang kontinente na kinaroroonan ng mga may kulay and balat.  Matapos ang mahigat dalawang libong taon ay masasabi kong patuloy pa rin ang pananaig ng paksa.  Pero sa pagkakataong ito, naging mas positibo ang pananaw ko sa masakit na katotohanang ito.

Una, bilang isang mamayan ng nasyon na lubos ang kasikatan sa kahirapan, korupsyon, kwestiyonableng seguridad ng bansa at kung anu-ano pang negatibong mga opinyon (at katotohanan na rin), nagiging hamon ang mga balakid na ito upang ipakita natin sa mundo na hindi nasusukat ng mga nakalulungkot na katotohanang ito ang ating galing at pagkatao bilang isang indibidwal.  Nagiging paraan din ito upang mas lalo pa nating ibuhos ang ating kabuuan upang ipamalas sa kapaligiran ang ating kakayanan na maaring sa iba ay kagulat-gulat.  Nagiging layunin natin ang ipamukha sa lahat na nagkakamali sila kung ang natatanging tingin nila sa ating lahi ay yung mga bagay na tuwirang negatibo.  At ang masarap dito ay kung sa huli ay ating lubusang napagtatagumpayan ang bawat pagkakataon na kanilang sinusukat ang ating kakyanan sa kulay ng ating balat.

Ikalawa, ang sarap din ng pakiramdam na magtanga-tangahan sa simula at sa huli ay gulatin sila na higit pa tayong may aking galing kumpara sa kaya nilang ipakita sa mundo.  Nagmumula ang pakiramdam na ito sa bansag ng iba bilang “dark horse” or “underdog” na kung sa huli ay matamo ang tagumpay, tunay na napakasarap ng pakiramdam – pawang emosyon na hindi mo ipagpapalit.  At sa pagkakataong ito ay matatamo mo ang respeto ng mga taong di nag-akala na kakayanin mo ang simpleng pagsubok – ito yung tipong masasabi mo na lang sa isip mo ang mga katagang “akala mo ha, buti nga sayo”!

Ikatlo, para sa akin ay mas nagiging proud ka bilang isang Pinoy.  Kung sa simula ay naglalakad ka ng nakatungo, ngayon ay mas confident kang itaas ang iyong noo at ipagmalaki ang lahi na iyong pinangmulan.  Maging anuman ang iyong trabaho o kalagayan sa buhay, di dapat ito ang maging sukatan ng iyong galing at kaalaman.  At dahil mas higit ang hamong ito kumpara sa mga dinaranas ng mga puti, lokal at Asyanong mula sa first world countries, mas mapagpalaya at inspiring ang resulta kapag nasa kamay mo na ito.

DUBAI TOURISM 101

After working and living in two different foreign countries, one of the important things I have learned is that to continuously enjoy the ride, one should maintain the “tourist” mindset.  Once you feel that you are already a local in that certain place, the thrill, curiosity and excitement of exploring what your “home away from home” may offer can just simply fade away – and that, you don’t want happen as it would eventually lead to boredom and irritation (on the extreme side).  For sure, there would be other aspects to consider to sustain one’s level of interest in a new place, but this is only one bit which based on my experience, matters quite a lot.

Hence, I am taking that conscious effort to always see myself as a new tourist here in Dubai (despite the fact that I have a resident visa stamped to my passport), knowing that this will allow me to always love what I am seeing, appreciate what I am experiencing, and perhaps most importantly, not have feel the unnecessary stress that may come along my way.  Simply put, keeping the I-am-a-tourist-and-I-am-on-a-holiday mode (but of course, while still being responsible), will make each and every single day a pretty exhilarating one.  :)

In the spirit of the thought, I am fortunate to have experienced a couple of “touristy” activities in the city over the last two weekends – desert safari (complete with dune bashing, camel ride, buffet dinner and belly dancing) and Friday Brunch in a South African joint (not uniquely “Dubai”, but part of every expat’s lifestyle – just like how it is in Jakarta and Singapore – only difference is doing it here on a Friday instead of the typical Sunday sked! Hahaha!).  Some pictures to sum it all up…  :)

Back After More Than Four Months

Charge it to laziness combined with a slew of toxic days that escalated to weeks, that turned into months – tis the reason why I was absent from my own blog site for more than 4 months!  Anyway, I forced myself to get back to this and I’m glad that I am now…  Coincidentally (or not), I also decided to re-activate my very dormant Twitter account today – for no apparent reason, it just got to me after I heard mass (was it an inspiration from God?! – nah, I don’t think so).  Boredom perhaps, as I was waiting for a cab to arrive and there’s nuthin much that I can fiddle around with on my BB.  :P

Bottomline, I am so back in the cyberspace and I will do my very best to be more committed in religiously updating this – same way as I was a couple of years back (hmmm…  what happened that marked the difference?!  oh well…).  And not to forget (note to self, actually), the theme of my blog is picking up “life defining” bits – big or small, lame or profound, simple or complicated and not picking up “angst” and magnifying it!  :)

Hence, back to normal – Joseph is alive again and this time, reloaded!!!

 

Re-training Mr. Spoiled Brat

It’s been two months since I moved here in Singapore, but it actually feels like two years!  Is that good or bad?  Oh well…  :)

If I were to put a title or theme that can summarize the last 60 days of my life here, I’d call it “Re-training Mr. Spoiled Brat”.  Apparently, I am the Mr. Spoiled Brat!  After a long period of enjoying a very comfortable life in the Philippines and in Indonesia, I felt and witnessed the meaning of hardwork and perseverance all over again.  Not to mention, the feeling of really sweating (literally and figuratively) on a daily basis to do daily tasks, tend to my personal needs and perform well at work.  Here are some specific examples that can showcase my re-training:

1.  Doing a long walk (relatively speaking), riding public buses and the MRT has been a way of life.  I miss having a chauffeur-driven car, or at the very least my own car that I have an absolute control of.

2.  Performing the household chores like cleaning the condo, laundering/ironing clothes, cooking and washing the dishes on my own.  I miss having a maid or a cleaning lady who used to do these practical jobs for me.  Yes, I can hire some house help here, but the service is pretty expensive – I might end up not saving any money at all!

3.  In connection with the last sentence in #2, everything is way too expensive here.  Case in point, a pack of Marlboro Lights is 10x the cost compared with the price in Manila or Jakarta, a grande Hazelnut Latte at Starbucks is 50% higher, taxi service is 200% pricier and apartment rental is 4x the cost!  Hence, if these were part of my “basics” before, some of it may now be considered a luxury!

4.  I used to have more time for myself.  Now, I only have the weekend for myself (well, that is if I am lucky not to have any disturbance due to weekend work which sometimes is inevitable due to the nature of the industry where I am in).  Since weekdays are well-packed with work, which extends to 12 to 18 hours daily, I am practically dead when I get off the office.  The only thing that I am longing for after work is my comfy bed and soft pillows!

5.  I’ve been accustomed to having a fairly wide network of family and friends that I can immediately get hold of after only one text message or phone call.  While I have a constant companion here and my weekend sked has always been filled with visitors either from Manila or Jakarta, I also miss that level of security of having those preferred people around.

This entry may appear to have a lot of angst, but then again, I am rising above the negativity and looking at it constructively.  I know that this is given to me because I need it!  Life is not all about ease and convenience.  It should go beyond what is physically perceived, given that at the end of the day, building one’s character is more important than just simply drifting everyday without any challenge at all.

Thus, doing a re-training and fulfilling the mission of unlearning some unnecessary things may be mandatory to make Mr. Spoiled Brat a better person.  He may be having some difficulties to cope at the moment, but he will strive to thrive.  Knowing that he is a great fighter, surrendering is not an option that he would consider.  As we all know, there is always what we call “birth pains”, yet once the stage has passed, everything else would be peanuts!  :)

3 Must See Summer Movies

I am so grateful that the last 3 movies I watched over the last 3 weeks are surprisingly good!  For sure, a lot of reviews have been written about each of them, but as usual, let me give my quick thoughts about these must see summer movies of 2010…

PRINCE OF PERSIA – “Destiny”.  This encapsulates the theme of the movie.  Within the context of its technical side, it has a perfect mix of action, adventure, love story, good acting and fairly seamless special effects.  In terms of depth and relevance, it strikes that chord about your longing to see your dreams and vision come to fruition, against all odds.  Indeed, an entertaining and inspiring movie rolled into one – truly, Disney never fails to be true to its equity.

SHREK, THE FINAL CHAPTER – “Valuing the now”.  As a Shrek fan, I would say that this final installment turned out to be a good conclusion to the slew of Shrek films that came out of the market.  I love the idea that it maintained its style of having a very simple plot, matched with jokes that are very contemporary which both kids and adults would appreciate.  Not to mention that in terms of animation, it remained consistent and perhaps there are some scenes that were pretty amazing (especially in 3D!). Relevance-wise, it leveraged on the universal insight that we tend to appreciate the simple things in our lives once they are gone – sad, but true, but the big difference is the message that even if we lost them, if we strive hard and not surrender, we can get them back no matter what.

TOY STORY 3 – “Moving on”.  It was my first time to watch a “Toy Story” movie in 3D, so it was interesting to see Woody and Buzz popping out of the cinema screen!  In terms of the technical aspect, hands down, Pixar is really the best (sorry, I am really biased to favoring anything related to Steve Jobs!  Hehe!).  In terms of story, I would say that it is ironically the funniest (won’t ever forget the Spanish version of Buzz), yet the most melodramatic (bitter sweet ending, as my cousin puts it) “Toy Story” ever produced.  But it’s all worth it especially if you were a kid who grew up with the movie who is currently “moving on” from being a child, entering into the complicated world of adult life.  A must see, definitely!  :)

Ang Pagiging Masungit

Kumpara sa Indonesia kung saan mababait at pala-kaibigan ang mga tao, tulad ng mga Pinoys, mejo kabaliktaran sila dito sa Singapore.  Flat at masusungit ang mga tao.  So ang nagiging tendency ko tuloy e mapaganti ng pagsusungit din!  Hahaha!  Ayokong mag-generalize pero parang ang obserbasyon ko e yung mga galing sa lahing Intsik like sa Hong Kong at China, pare-pareho sila na walang warmth sa pakikitungo sa mga tao, lalo na sa mga estranghero.  Baka nasanay lang ako sa mga Pinoy at Indonesians na innate ang pagiging friendly, or sa mga Westerners na kahit papaano e mahilig mag-small talk.

But anyway, ganun talaga.  Kailangang matutong mag-adjust at mag-cope sa nasa kapaligiran.  Kung isa ang pagiging masungit dito, siguro kailangan ko lang maging conscious palagi at hindi maging reactive para hindi ko ma-adapt ang di kagandahang sistema at pag-uugali nilang ganito.  But then again, sabi nga ng iba kong mga kaibigan, masungit din daw ako by nature, so perhaps wala na kong dapat baguhin pa!  Hahaha!

Getting to Know Singapore

Two weekends ago, I finally managed to get out of my very busy schedule from work which allowed me to spend a fairly decent weekend in Singapore.  With my old friend Wena, we spent that Saturday in one of the many museums in the city…

After several times of visiting SG, this is my first time to go to one of its many museums...

The chosen one: National Museum of Singapore!

With the portable audio system provided for each visitor, we navigated the museum in our own pace and started with the basics...

Similar to most of the countries in Asia, Singapore was taken over by the British navigators during the olden days... Just like how Spaniards owned the Philippines and the Dutch for Indonesia...

Same "jurassic" look...

Before the efficient lines of MRT were operational...

The hall dedicated to the local women who fought for their rights...

From the start, the value and passion for education had been very apparent... Similar to how Americans educated the Filipinos, Singaporeans were also lucky to have been educated by the British...

Domesticated life...

The country also experienced a difficult ordeal during World War II when the Japanese attacked! Again, like the Americans in the Philippines, the British lost the battle and Singapore was left in the hands of Japan.

Didn't realize that the use of bicycles became part of the guerilla tactic of Japanese invaders... Interesting!

Japan Japan!

Finally, World War II ended and Singapore was set free... The British went back, but the country opted to be on its own...

The country's post-war look...

Intriguing mix of English and Chinese... which until now is very distinct the way locals talk - Singlish vocabulary and accent!

With its very inspiring, determined and admirable leader, Singapore geared up to becoming a first world country... While it started being a part of Malaysia, the split turned out to be the great turning point which is very apparent in today's world!

Aside from having a leader who was a great visionary, the country embarked into an industrialized society which also marked another difference...

In terms of food, the country has almost everything that most Asian countries offer - I would say it's a mix of both Chinese (North Asia) and Malay (South East) influence that made this possible... Example, satay!

A classic which is my current favorite, Chicken Rice!

Include the tea culture...

Another favorite for now, Nasi Lemak! Just appreciated the mix of pritong mani and malutong na dilis, combined!

The roots of Roti Boy!

In a nutshell, that is Singapore! Now I have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the place where I am currently in...

After the tour ended, since we were perhaps had too much of Singapore already, we ended up craving for something closer to home – Pinoy food!  Hahaha!

One of my newest discoveries - "Bonifacio"! It's just like Manila's "Sentro"... Should I crave for the fattening and high-cholesterol foodies, I know where to go!!!

Nilagang Baka!!!

Crispy Pata!!!

Dessert 1: Turon!!!

Dessert 2: Leche Flan!!!

Looking forward to more great weekends in this new country that I am starting to know, inside and out!  :)

Celebrating my “Big 3-0″

I have always been big when it comes to birthday celebrations.  Traditionally, I would throw a party and spend the night with friends and the following day with family.  This year, as I am opening a new decade in my life, I opted for a rather different kind of celebration, compared to what I have been accustomed to the last 29 years.

I dreamt of spending my 30th via a backpacking trip in Europe with some friends.  Unfortunately, due to changes in plans and circumstances, that said trip is temporarily being put on hold (but hopefully can still happen within the year).  Instead, “Europe” was moved to “China”!  Hahaha!  But considering that it would also be my first time in Shanghai and Beijing, the vacation turned out to be a really amazing and unique celebration, spent with a couple of lifelong friends who made time to sing a grand “Happy birthday to you…” to me!

Welcome to China! First meal is at Yonghe King (trivia, this fast food is owned by Jollibee – I’m still loyal to the bee!).

Slurping my first real chinese noodles!

Walking around Beijing with Bena who flew from Melbourne!

Successfully managing to be seen as local (lost in translation – again!)… Attribute the misconception to my 25% Chinese blood!

As it was the tail end of winter, it was still very cold (1 to 8 degrees celsius) and kinda gloomy…

The mall in front of Temple of Heaven

First official stop: New World Mall… Yup, mall again! Hahaha!

Posing with Mels, my Shanghai-based friend who gladly hosted this vacay…

Checking-in to our home for 3 days… Holiday Inn Express, Beijing – a no frills hotel that I certainly satisfied me… Highly recommended!

First dinner: 1949 Hidden City

Modern and cozy interior but still with a touch of Chinese culture…

Wide selection of wines…

Main course – the yummiest duck I’ve tried so far!

Equally delicious sweet and sour pork with onion rings…

While I’m anti-veggies, this has to be ordered!

The so-so spring rolls…

Capping the dinner off with an Australian white wine…

Toured around Hidden City after devouring the duck… Found some nice pieces like this outdoor LED-based bar…

And did I mention that it was color-changing?

Full and tired… Ready to end day 1!

First stop the following day: Forbidden City!

Trivia: The sand storm is currently happening while we were touring around Forbidden City, so just imagine a really cold, windy and sandy weather!

Now, the “emperor’s house” hopping begins…

By the way, the tour was very informative and insightful as we have hired a very good guide, she’s called Rosa (the girl in read coat)…

Each stair case has a designated owner… the center-most/highest one can only be used by the emperor!

“Regal” defined…

By the way, there were also tons of other tourists… mostly Chinese!

Count the mystical creatures from the tip of the roof (the number has a significance)… Also note of the innermost animal, they believe that it’s the one on top of the food chain – dragon!

One of the many seats of the emperor… They say that it’s forbidden to cross the line from where I was taking the photo from… Only those with royal blood can do so! Fine!

Tis the largest stone carving in Forbidden City…

Scary!

During the olden days, they fill this up with water, a natural defense against fire!

Path leading to the Imperial Garden, which by the way is exclusive for the emperor and her empress… I wonder if it’s also concubine-free?!

A crazy, ancient rock in the middle of the garden…

I don’t remember the significance of this structure… what I remember is that I went to the toilet behind it! Hahaha!

Trees with red tag = 300++ years old, trees with yellow tag = 100++ years old…

Ending the tour of the “forbidden” land…

Next on the list: China government’s biggest jade factory…

This humongous intricate jade carving was made from only one piece of stone... took three years to complete! Amazing!

Found my new favorite Chinese mystical symbol: horse, which means success!

Wanted to buy this interesting conversation piece... but didn't give in - it's hideously expensive!

Another interesting and significant piece... Means family harmony, longevity and happiness (if I remember right!)...

Uhmmmm... kinda too much, no?

Ang mga paso... bow!

A section of the jade shop... just to show how massive it really is!

On to the next stop... the major highlight of this trip, i.e. Great Wall of China!

Whew! The mere sight of the long wall is both amazing and tiring!

Let the 8-kilometer climb begin!

The distance and the incline weren't that tiring, it's the strong wind and the very chilly weather that made it challenging!

Good thing, there were "rest areas" in every section!

So far, I can still smile!

At least, there's some comic relief! Oh yeah, I'm in China!

Just before Mela's cap flew!

Almost there...

You're so near, yet so far! Hmmm... perhaps better not finish the whole track?! Hehehe!

One last solo shot... before surrendering!

Side bar: Philips lights up Great Wall! Interesting!

Over-all, it was a fun experience! Feels great to put another check mark to an item in my bucket list!

After Great Wall, we passed by the 2008 Olympic Stadium but didn't go down anymore... Instead, we went to this famous traditional Chinese tea place...

Trivia: this ornament in front of the shop is made from tea leaves... galing!

Enjoyed the tea ceremony... tried 5 types and ended up buying 2... Oolong and Jasmine...

Birthday dinner time... roasted pork at Capital M!

And a bottle of Shiraz to put some heat on the very (literally) cold night...

Back to Shanghai... This eye-catching signage in Mela's flat made my day!

My posh temporary home...

Nice "park-ey" feel!

While winter is at its last few days (look at the first few flowers), twas still chilly...

Trivia: 12 years (and counting) of preserved friendship with these 2 lovely ladies!

Pa-cute lang!

Didn't realize that in the age of mobile phones, this still exists!

After devouring traditional Chinese food over the last few days, time to shift to something else, hence, we decided to do brunch at Simply Thai.

Yummy and hearty kebabs!

Pandan Chicken - staple for me!

Tom Yam Soup - another staple!

Pad Thai - my rice extender! Hahaha!

"Something" Pork!

After that huge meal, we all gained 5 pounds and wanted to just head back to bed to sleep!

Next stop: Xintiandi!

Feels like I'm in Europe!

One of the retail shops with a nice facade...

And another one...

Oh, and this one too!

This one also! Uhmmm, ok i take it back... not so! Hahaha!

Uniform stalls with sales ladies with uniform clothes and uniform faces!

And did I say that's it's a mall again?!

With the World Expo 2010 starting on May, the place is plastered with tons of "Expo" stuff!

Finally, we decided to stop walking...

...and ended up laughing here instead! By the way, the "profound hazelnut latte talk" started way way back in college with Mela and myself... From Starbucks-DLSU, now at Starbucks-Xintiandi! Sweet!

Xintiandi-check! Moving on...

Next stop - Nanjing Road!

Barbarossa - quaint resto...

Mandatory "trying to be funny and creative" shot!

The ironic combination of the city scene and tall trees...

Nice!

Korean pose in china!

More photo ops!

Shanghai's version of NYC's Times Square...

Translated as: Let's all hold hands while walking...

Arkong de-ilaw!

Another nice facade...

And we kept on walking...

Shanghai's version of San Fran's cable car...

This is the best facade for me though...

Glorious, indeed!

"We love Shanghai!"

Now, time to walk towards "The Bund"

...and catch a glimpse of "The Orient Pearl" tower...

...to have this mandatory shot...

...and this we-are-excited-tourists shot!

Day after... Time for brunch again...

Opted for some toast, sausage, egg and vegies...

Today's plan: Yu Garden!

Time for some retail therapy... while in the middle of some drizzle!

Interesting architecture...

Talk about "culture"...

More shops...

Ang Mcdong intsik!

That indeed was a great trip! I love China and I will definitely be back!

Goodbye and Thank You, Indonesia!

After 1 year and 8 months, I’m bidding Indonesia goodbye…

It just feels like yesterday when I first stepped in to the very dynamic and diverse culture of Southeast Asia’s largest archipelago.  I won’t ever forget the combined excitement and fear that I felt after accepting the idea of embracing a lot of first time experiences that is intertwined with the new blessing that came my way: being expatriated, living alone in a country that that is stranger to me, working in a new industry that I honestly didn’t have the complete expertise, and taking on a senior management role that is both overwhelming and challenging.  Yet, after nearly 2 years of experiencing these monumental first time milestones, I am very grateful to have had the courage of seizing the opportunity that fell on my lap back in 2008.

From personal experience, I can say that the concept of expatriation in a tough country is a big “character building” exercise.  More than the test of professional competencies and skills in your workplace, it is more of a test of inner strength, drive and commitment not just to survive but also to successfully thrive holistically as a person.  A friend once told me that the first 3 months will appear to be heaven since it would be your time to enjoy a lot of new things, but on the 4^th month, it would become a turning point – you will start questioning why you are in the place where you are, depression can set in and you might “make” or “break” it.  Not to my surprise, I realized that my friend was right.  Fortunately, I was able to view it in a very positive light – using my personal standards as measure, I can proudly say that I managed to brave the trial and pass the exercise of finding myself, building a stronger character, standing by my personal values and validating my vision in life.  The experience also gave me a liberating perspective about life and how to seize the unlimited possibilities that it can throw at you, with this as a guiding inspiration, I saw the “world” as my oyster and it further ignited my passion to transcend to becoming a significant global citizen that can create a positive dent wherever life’s road would lead me.

On the context of living and breathing as an “Indonesian”, the entire journey is indeed a memory that will be treasured for a life.  If I were to put on a list of things that I value the most and will definitely miss out of the whole experience, they are the following:

1. New bunch of friends, acquaintances and contacts made from various parts of the world – Indonesians, English, Americans, Indians, Malaysians, Singaporeans and of course, Pinoys.
2. Studying, learning (a bit) and using Bahasa Indonesia, especially “Jakarta slang” and some profane terms.
3. Huge malls in every corner of the city (Grand Indonesia, Pacific Place, Senayan City, fX, Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan, Mal Ambassador and ITC Kuningan on top of the list).
4. Great clubs and chillout places like Dragonfly, X2, Blowfish, Immigrant, Loewy, Tabac, Elbow Room, Social House and Potato Head.
5. Gastronomical treats – ayam goreng kremes, nasi uduk, rendang, dendeng, sate, otak, nasi liwet komplit, ayam goreng mentega, martabak, pukis, and a whole lot more!
6. Driver Darmo and house help Nini for spoiling me, being patient with me and always being physically there for me (literally would not have survived without the both of them).
7. “Vacation haven” defined by Bali – Kuta, Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Legian, Uluwatu and Ubud.
8. “Culture” defined by Yogyakarta – seeing a creation which was once part of the world’s wonders: Borubudur and witnessing how “batik” is made.
9. “Solace” defined by Lombok beaches.
10. Destination spots for tourists in these towns/provinces – Bandung, Surabaya, Padang, Batam and Medan.
11. You-C1000 orange water, which replaced my morning coffee and became a default post-lunch beverage.
12. Being a millionaire everyday – thank you for the Rupiah currency, which offers a lot of “zeros” in most money bills.
13. Crazy traffic, undisciplined drivers and swarm of motorcycles (call me wimp, but I didn’t have the guts to drive in Jakarta; Filipinos said that if you can drive in Manila, you can drive anywhere…  I don’t think so!).
14. Blue and Silver Bird Taxi service – if there is one thing that works well and efficiently in Indonesia, this would be it!
15. Casablanca Mansion Executive Residences in Jl. Casablanca, Kuningan for being my home, thank you that the rumored ghosts (as in real ghosts, cause the place used to be a cemetery) never visited my unit!  Special mention to the apartment café’s volcano rice and chili wings, which served as my staple Saturday brunch.
16. The slowest internet connection in the world that never fails to drive me nuts!
17. Some local Indonesian TV shows that I sporadically watch during really boring days – soap operas commonly known as “sinetron” (favorite scene: the antagonist character talking to herself alone while facing the mirror), Bali TV channel’s cultural shows, infotainment’s showbiz gossips and the cheesy, cheap and corny yet entertaining antics on the dating show “Take Me Out”… indeed a guilty pleasure!
18. Dangdut songs accompanied with those funny dance moves!
19. The aroma of Gudang Garam, the national clove cigarette of the country (I think) – at first can make you puke, but when you get used to it, you’ll think it’s cinnamon roll you’re smelling!
20. Teh Botol – the national drink of Indonesia (for me) – tasted like flower (eeew right?) when I initially tried it, but turned out to be another staple drink, which I eventually appreciated.  Include all the other tea variants (my favorite is Ultra Jaya’s Teh Kotak though)!
21. Four Season’s Hotel’s spa – therapeutic and certainly relaxing!
22. Being “lost in translation” with market vendors, my favorite though is ordering food delivery as I made lots of enemies or nearly had moments of incurring a heart attack from this activity!
23. El cheapo restos with yummy delights – Abuba, Andakar and Bebek Guinio.
24. Cheap electronic gadgets galore – enough said!
25. The loud sound coming from mosques (especially the one at four o’clock in the morning) inviting people to pray!
26. Observing the customs during Ramadhan and Lebaran – I remember trying to participate in the fasting month; I only made it to day one!
27. Blitzcinema and XXII Cinema, truly state-of-the-art cinematic experience!
28. The warungs and the wartegs for making everything so accessible and convenient, and for not making me sick of typhoid fever despite the questionable food safety (due to hygiene issues)!
29. Oleos 1 office building – it was the venue for tons of great memories and learnings that I will forever treasure!
30. DDB Indonesia team – not only for being professional colleagues, but also for being real friends and for making me feel that I am one of them!

I can go on and on with this list but I don’t think that what I owe from the experience will be well encapsulated even by identifying a million things that I would miss.  Truly, the fulfillment, joy, challenges, sadness, inspirations and lessons that the journey planted cannot be quantified.  So at this final moment, allow me to say, from the bottom of my heart, “thank you and I will definitely see you again, Indonesia!”.

New Year, New Life!

Don’t you just love the overused cliché about new year that is hinged on (for the nth time) improving one’s life and correcting the flaws that were consciously or unconsciously made in the previous years?  Call me a stupid conformist, but I am one of those idealistic individuals that patronize such belief.  Year on year, I have been very consistent in thinking, writing and charting my new year’s resolutions and plans, and also year on year, I win on some (especially those that involves making my dreams happen) and I lose on most (especially on the parts that start with “This year, I will stop blah…”).  Yet, as the year comes to a close, I do not have regrets for not being able to fully accomplish everything that I had set my eyes on when the year began, perhaps because the whole journey of trying and failing has a richer context in terms of character building and profoundly knowing thyself (note that I am not rationalizing here, okay?), and striving for pure perfection is really a lost case to begin with.

I definitely have no right to complain about 2009 – it had been such a meaningful, happy and prosperous year for me.  Perhaps, I can even say that it was one of the best years to date.  2010 though (I feel and hope) would be immensely more meaningful, happier and more prosperous.  Since it is also the year when I would hit the big three-O, I view it as another turning point that will open a new chapter filled with life defining moments that would serve as windows to who and what I would be in the coming years.  Let’s elaborate on this come March 21, 2010.

Bottomline, I am very excited, prepared and determined to make the most out of 2010 – as always, my passion for life fuels this unrelenting spirit of striving to be the best person that I can ever be, wherever I am and whatever I do.

So, let the fun begin!  Carpe diem!