What’s In a Title?

We don't have titles on our business cards. No one really gets any special treatment. No one gets a corner office to put pictures of their family and their dog in. - Jay Chiat

The British are the only European people I know who likes to put title before or after their names. From “Sir” to those who are knighted to the “nth-in-line-to-the-throne” for the royal bench-warmers. At least this passion is confined to their royalties.

Unlike here, you can see it everywhere. It’s announced in front of government buildings, in big bold letters, to connote the importance of that particular branch. Names like “General Directorate of …” and “Supreme Presidency for …” are just few of the more modest titles.

I don’t mind if an HRH is in front of a guy’s name. His royalty, that’s his official title. But commoners too like to have these vanity plates. They want to be addressed as “Doctor” so-and-so if he has a PhD from What-ever University and “Muhandes” (Engineer) if a graduate from Fly-by-night Institute of Technology. Since there are a lot of “engineers” in our project, one particular guy won’t respond if called unless you call him Besh Muhandes (top or head engineer).

South Asians are another title-obsessed group. I once knew a guy who is well liked by the man-at-the-top that he was never terminated, just transferred from one project to another. It’s not because he does amazing job, his just a good butt-kisser. The last assignment he landed to doesn’t have a title so he created his own. He called his position “Head of Logistics”. His responsible for buying all the supplies the project needs.

In terms of tenure, I’m the most senior among the employees of this project. My position or title is “Programmer”; as plain as bread without butter. The only thing that sets me apart from other programmers is that I can browbeat the Head of the Computer Department or the Project Manager if he does something stupid.

Opps! I Got an Award

I received an Opps Award from a fellow blogger and OFW, witsandnuts. It’s so flattering to know that someone out there appreciates the things and effort you put in what you do. Nakakataba ng puso.

The Oops award was created and is to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their humor and their talents, also for contributing to the blogging world in whatever medium. When you receive this award it is considered a “special honor”. Once you have received this award, you are to pass it on to others.

Here’s the reason why she finds my blog deserving:
“Through bloghopping from Sassy Lawyer, I landed to The Sandbox (his blog). Since then it became a regular read. I am especially looking forward to his Buhay Buhangin Series because these are witty reflections of life in Middle East.”

The rules for passing this honor on:
1) Pick 5 blogs that you would like to award this honor to.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Oops” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

In return, I’m passing this award to the following:

donG Ho – his travel journal of the Philippines is informative along with those beautiful shots he took of each places.
ever - a fellow OFW in Kuwait who made a name for himself through his art.
panaderos – his life and adventure in the US are really inspiring.
R-yo - his memoir of his life in Japan is quite revealing at the same time stimulating.
Tito Rolly - a teacher, a painter, a poet. Need I say more?

Pinoy Sa Likod Nang Kurtina

Foreword: I got this prose from my inbox forwarded by a good friend, Ferdie L. I don’t know who the author is. Perhaps his/her name got lost or deleted while on transit from one address to another. This soliloquy paints a picture of a day to day life of an OFW in Dubai. It allows us a glimpse of the sacrifices our brothers and sisters have to make in order to better their lives and that of their families. - BlogusVox

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 Marian ka. “Ate, di ba fire hazard yan"? "Anong fire ka dyan? Rent ang mas nakakamatay dito"! Illegal ang partitions 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 naka-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?

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