Oprah's Five Life Lessons

Oprah tells her audiences what she has learned about living a fulfilled life.

1. Pursue your passion
"When you're doing the work you're meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you're getting paid."

2. Failure can be a gift
"With every failure, every crisis, every difficult time, I say, "What is this here to teach me?" And as soon as you get the lesson, you get to move on. If you really get the lesson, you pass and you don't have to repeat the class. "My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment."

3. Listen to your spirit
"For me, there is no real power without spiritual power... When your life is on course with its purpose, you are your most powerful. And you may stumble, but you will not fall."

4. Respect your body
"Getting my life- long weight struggle under control has come from a process of treating myself as well as I treat others, in every way."

5. Gratitude is essential
"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. "In order to be truly happy you must live along with and you have to stand for something larger than yourself. Because life is a reciprocal exchange. To move forward, you have to give back."

- Women's Weekly

tuscani pizza

I've been wanting to try Tuscani pizza from Pizza Hut, so, this evening, I had dinner with Jeff at the Ayala Mall. That was to celebrate as well our 19th. <3

We had Tuscani Supremo Pizza for 349 Php (medium size). It has 10 different toppings- beef, black olives with garlic and olive oil roasted bell peppers, italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, onions, parmesan, pepperoni, and smoked ham, on a bed of tomato sauce.

We also ordered cheesy garlic bread topped with cheddar and parmesan cheese and sausage rolls with melted cheese.

Ways to be Happy

The happiest people are often known to focus on these four key areas in life:

LOVE

A long- term relationship helps create a lasting sense of well- being. A supportive partner helps you cope with life's ups and downs. However, married people are less happy if their parents is neurotic or doesn't prioritise family.

STRIVE

The happiest people have meaning in their life- religion, spirituality, volunteer work, parenting or a passion for work. "They tend to be much more appreciative and grateful," says Dr Tim Sharp. People with lots of friends are also happier.

WORK

Long- term unemployment ranks alongside losing a partner in the unhappiness stakes. Losing a job is deeply distressing to us, while working more or fewer hours than we would like also makes us unhappy. Being underworked is worse than being overworked.

MOVE

People who make time to exercise regularly and have a health body- mass index are more likely to have a higher life satisfaction than those who don't. Obese women are unhappier than those who don't have a partner.

- Women's Weekly

with Sheen and her mom

Sheen's mom visited Brunei to take advantage of the FOC tickets for dependents. They were fresh from Cambodia and Bangkok and now her mom is discovering Brunei. I went with them to the Empire Hotel and since I already had lots of photos in Empire with my younger sister, I took most of their photos. It was fun because I got to see the entire surroundings of the hotel. 

We had lunch at a Hong Kong Dim Sum Food Zone. While both of them had Mango Fish, I had a Japanese Hong Sau Tauhu Beef with Rice. It has mixed vegetables, onion, red chili, and Japanese beancord.

Afterwards, we visited the Sultan Oman Ali Saifuddin Mosque, named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei. We took photos and headed home.

a photo of me outside the mall in the capital of Brunei

Sheen and I with the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque as our background

with Gwen

Yesterday was an evening well- spent with Gwen. We had dinner at Coffee Zone. Afterwards, we had coffee at Coffee Bean. We watched The Darkest Hours on 3D at The Mall. And finally, we went to Net Zone and accompanied Kuya Bong who took his late dinner. 

I will surely be missing her and the rest of our batch =(

chicken soup for the soul: answered prayers

Afternoon of December 31st, I got this book from one of the bookstores inside The Mall. 

"Miracles happen all the time and these amazing stories of answered prayers will fill you with awe, inspire you, and strengthen your faith and hope. There are 101 answered prayers to inspire you, deepen your faith and make your day brighter. These fascinating stories prove that God is actively involved in our lives, listening to our heartfelt hopes and needs. You will be awed by miraculous true accounts of healing, divine appointments, angels among us, signs from above and timely gifts."

This good book is a good way to start the year. =)

Happy New 2012!

Happy New 2012, everyone! Gwen and I just got home from the church. It's nice to spend the first day of the year with Him. =)

For the first or second time, I haven't celebrated the new year with family and loved ones. Just like last week, I celebrated my New Year's Eve with the same people and I was grateful to have them as my family here in Brunei. We pretty had a great time. After spending some time at Tita Nene's house, Ching took Gwen and I to her friend's house and we ate again until early morning. We had tequila to end the celebration and headed home. 

I don't know whether this year of the dragon is going to be good to me or not. I basically am starting this year, jobless and basically no work to look forward to. Unfortunately, many of us already got rejection emails from the airlines we recently applied to. I guess this isn't the right time. 

From the last Bible service we had with Pastor Rex few days ago, he mentioned the following:

1. Put your heart at rest.

2. Lord will make a way.

3. Learn to wait and be fruitful.

4. Focus on your dreams.

5. Be diligent in seeking God.

I have taken note of those things while he was Bible sharing. Reading it again today inspired me very much. I realized that this is already a great opportunity for me to finish what I have left in Cebu. I took my university prospectus, estimated the units and time and found out that I have 3 semesters and 2 summer classes left to finish my degree in Psychology. I know it isn't just weeks or months but time flies. I wouldn't notice time until I'm ready for graduation. 

Lord, I know You will make a way and I know Your plans are better than mine. <3 Please help us to make this year fruitful.

2012 BDJ planner

The 2012 BDJ planner I got a month ago starts from December 26, 2011 until January 6, 2013, so, I'm officially using it, today and I'm loving every pages of it. 

Let me share you a little about what the planner has for every bella.

"Keep your

dreams alive.

Understand

to achieve

anything

requires faith

and belief in

yourself, vision,

hardwork,

determination,

and dedication.

Remember

all things are

possible for

those who

believe."

That is what the first printed page says. 

"It has been another year and a new one has come a-knockin'. It only means one thing: more opportunities to soar even higher and explore a most fabulous life! Surprisingly enough, you have everything you need to get you going this 2012: an endless curiosity, that expressive spontaneity and a zest for everything that life has to offer. The creativity in you is all you need to keep you pursuing your goals and conquering the world out there waiting for you. Live in curiosity, in wanderlust. As we go on with our careers, our lives, let's not forget about our ideals. Live life to the fullest; imagine your dreams become reality, day by day. Life can get challenging but know that you can be responsible for your own happiness and that you can create your own wonderland, if you will it so. Steer yourself to the direction you are aiming for. Now is the perfect time! There's a new slate in front of you and it's up to you to take on the challenge to color your world the way you want to. In the end, it's what makes you happy that always counts . Let go of your fears, let your doubts take the back seat. It's time you soar, you explore. Make 2012 the year for your dreams to take flight."

It was very well said. 

Today, I registered myself at www.belledejourpowerplanner.com to know more about BDJ's events, giveaways and more. 

I'm now a certified BDJ Girl! ;)

I wrote a letter to myself. This will definitely motivate me especially when things get tough.

This is my dreamboard page. A clear visualization of dreams can bring us one step closer to making it a reality.

This is one of the monthly divider lifestyle articles. These are tips and tricks that will guide through the year from fashion, beauty, self- development, etc. 

The planner has many other useful pages. It helps me note down my professional and personal priorities, good deeds, affirmations, important tasks, goals, personal errands, etc. It also contains articles about managing work life better, 2012 checklist, vacation planner, menstrual tracker, health checklist, special events tracker, habit tracker, gift list, bills and cash flow tracker and a page for random thoughts. Lastly, it has discount coupon pages. 

I will be claiming my BDJ 2012 lifestyle card, soon.

Christmas 2011

Just like the last four Christmas days, I spent the day away from home again. But I had a great feeling that it would be merry and so it was. I spent the Christmas Eve with some intake mates and friends who were Rachel's church families. 

Christmas is a season of thanksgiving. To keep the tradition of giving, yesterday afternoon, we wrapped our gifts for the monito- monita. We were then picked up by Rachel's church families and we went to their home.

Two hours before 12 midnight, the dinner was ready.

After the dinner, we all went out to sing Videoke with the video and lyrics on a big projector.  We all sang and danced.

Shortly after the pastor shared inspirational messages to everyone, the group had  the exchanging of gifts.

The entire night was great. I was enlightened by the pastor's message about not losing courage after losing a job. I may have not spent my Christmas day with family but I was able to spend it with friends. Good friends are families. 

I have been to Cagayan de Oro twice for a white water rafting and Iligan once to experience their beautiful waterfalls. These must look different now after being devastated by the flash floods. I know how sad Christmas will be for the families, but Lord, please help them that they will recover from their loss and still find meaning in their lives despite the destruction.

atv ride and mangrove paradise resort

After seeing Kampong Ayer and the Empire Hotel first week this month when my sister visited, I never knew I could still get to experience some more of Brunei. This afternoon, the girls and I went to Tungku Beach for the ATV adventure ride. Though I had tried this once in Boracay, I still felt like I only did it this time. We both tried the big and small vehicles. It was an afternoon full of fun. The girls had fun driving through the sand, going back and forth the entire adventure area, and shouting. 

Ching and I on a big ATV ride. I looked very scared, but that was at first.. ;)

the girls after the sun has set

I wonder though why there's not a single ziplining adventure in Brunei. Brunei must be a very good place to have a lot of ziplining businesses. 

After the fun adventure, we had dinner at Mangrove Paradise Resort in Jalan Kota Batu. The restaurant is located in the river. It was literally above the water. Now, I'm missing the barbeques in Baybay, Leyte which had a similar setting with this resort. It had a very beautiful view because of the night lights surrounding the area. I don't know how it looks during the day, though. 

I loved everything we had for the dinner, most especially this Mango Fish. It's called a mango fish since the fish has slices of raw mangoes all over it, and peanuts as well.

Well, I'm loving Brunei more, now that I'm already leaving a few weeks from now.

thanking God for...

I'm thanking God...

- for giving me enlightenment about steps to do next in my life (it has been quite dark for the past few days)
- for releasing Jeff from the hospital without minor and major concerns from his body and health (after a basketball game accident)
- for finally giving Jasmine a relaxation in mind (after taking the nursing pre-board exam)
- for a year full of friendships, places traveled and learning experiences
- for always guiding my friends, relatives and family
- for still making me feel good about myself despite this ugly bangs (had it cut a month ago)

intake 132 christmas bonding

That night was both a celebration of Christmas and a celebration of friendship. It started with an opening prayer by Rachel followed by my short opening remarks. The dinner then started after a prayer before meal. The celebration was full of activities. After dinner, each flat had a presentation and since I'm not living with any of my intakemates, I joined Kat and Gwen. Games were also played which everyone enjoyed including guests from other intakes. We danced. We sang Nikki Gil and Billy Crawford's duet version of You've Got a Friend. Each of us delivered a message to everyone. We listened. We laughed. We cried. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed taking photos. 

I'd miss flying but I'd miss the friendships more. Few weeks from now, we will all be on our separate ways, pursuing our own journeys. 

I know we will all meet again somewhere, sometime...

only dreaming

The clock's alarm wakes me up to prepare for a flight. I take a shower, eat my meal, put on my make-up, wear my uniform and wait for the transport. 

Then, I'd realize that I'm only dreaming. 

I still feel like everything is just a dream. I still couldn't believe I ended my job so quickly. I couldn't believe that I have already returned my uniform and all other important stuff. I couldn't believe I have already started packing my things and I couldn't believe I'm going home soon not for a vacation, but for good. 

I want my job back and I still want to fly. And honestly, I still do not know what steps to do next. I'm confused.

But I know these things are for sure- I know that God never does anything accidentally and He never makes mistakes. He only has better plans and that He will help us deal with this big change in our lives.

cabin crew recruitment campaign

Eight in the morning today, we were already on our way to the Empire Hotel and Country Club. We were there for Qatar Airways' Cabin Crew Recruitment Campaign. They were invited by Royal Brunei Airlines, exclusive for those who were affected by the massive downsizing. We watched a video presentation of the airlines. We listened as the recruiters talk about Qatar, the airlines, its rules and regulations and its benefits. We were also interviewed and will be notified after 2- 3 weeks whether we pass it or not. 

Though we were not really ready for it, it was a good try.

a picture of our intake after the interview

good bye RBA!

'I recognize this has been a time of great uncertainty and anxiety for our staff. We are working to contain the number of staff affected by the downsizing of our network. In that context, we are now targeting to inform individual staff whose positions may be affected by the restructuring process on or before December 15. In the meantime, with your continued patience and support, I remain confident we can move towards more stability and have a better airline as a result."

This is one of the things stated in the memo we got last November 25. While I was in Melbourne, I couldn't help but worry over the things that were happening while I was away. I cried alone in my hotel room knowing that my flatmates and intakemates got called up for the termination. Yesterday, after passenger disembarkation from the Melbourne flight and after checking the entire cabin for any left passenger belongings, some of my colleagues and I received a plot change requiring us to report to the admin office. I was expecting it.  Groups of cabin crew already reported last Monday, Tuesday and yesterday and the same thing happened to all of us. 

January this year, we all arrived in Brunei and was so excited to start our career with Royal Brunei Airlines. We all processed our requirements and all other documents and even immediately resigned from our current jobs. Things happened suddenly. This day, my colleagues and I reported to the admin office and we received our end-of-service letters. Our careers as flight attendants ended officially today.

It's a sad and difficult situation for everyone. The retrenchment is massive, I couldn't even believe it. This is really a BIG CHANGE to deal with in our lives.

melbourne, australia

December 10, 2011

After a 7-hour full flight, we safely arrived at Crown Metropol Hotel. Shortly after the debriefing just as everyone else was getting their bags to proceed to their rooms, I met Honna, Nelli and Ate Bev. Honna and I were highschool batchmates. She and her family moved to Australia five years ago. We all went straight to my room and we talked about a lot of things. I told them about what our current situation in work is and how afraid we all are about possibly losing our job soon. 

December 11, 2011

During my first stay in Melbourne, we all went to Eureka Skydeck, Southern Hemisphere's highest viewing platform which offers a view of Melbourne . The elevator only took us seconds to reach the 88th floor. Three of us tried the Edge Experience. We went inside a glass cube which goes out 3 meters from the building- suspended almost 300 meters above the ground. 

a view of Melbourne from one side of the skydeck

a capture of us inside the glass cube

After seeing Melbourne, we did a little of sightseeing on the city's attractions. Then, we all went to Docklands by taking the City Circle Tram. We had dinner at Nando's and went back to the hotel and swam at their infinity pool.

December 12, 2011

Dita, one of my colleagues and I went to the Melbourne Aquarium. One of the best things I saw from the aquarium were the big Antarctic penguins from their icy home. 

now, tell me what these guys are doing.. :)

After seeing a lot more of those unique marine creatures, we did sightseeing of the city. When I met Hanna that night again, she took me to Cervo Cafe at Crown Promenade. We had pizza and pasta for dinner. Afterwards, we visited a friend with Ate Bev and had little champagne. 

December 13, 2011
I spent the last day in Melbourne shopping at Victoria market and the last night was spent with Hanna, Nelli and Champ at Kitchen Workshop for an all-you-can-eat dinner.

My entire stay in Melbourne wouldn't be so special without Hanna, Nelli, Ate Bev and Champ's presence. It was full of good memories. Visit the 'Multiply photo and video site' tab above for more photos of my travel. 

sister bonding

November 30

I picked my sister up in the airport. I was glad she was safe. It was her first domestic flight from Tacloban to Manila yesterday and it was her first international flight today from Manila to Brunei. She just got her passport yesterday. It was funny how the ground staff in Manila told her to change from her shorts to jeans. Lol. I forgot to brief Jasmine about wearing formal since she's traveling as my dependent using the staff privilege travel.

December 1

We planned to go to Miri City, Malaysia but we missed the 7AM bus since we arrived at the bus area 8AM. We went to Limbang, Sarawak, Malaysia instead. Jasmine and I shopped a lot in one of their department stores.  At 2:30 PM, we were already at the bus waiting area to catch the bus that would take us back to Brunei. We waited until 4PM but the bus hasn't arrive yet. Good thing we were able to hitch a car and we arrived back in our apartment safely.

December 2

Jasmine and I were able to go to Kampong Ayer, the world's biggest water village.

December 3

We visited Empire Hotel and saw how beautiful it was and during the night, Jasmine and I had our simple birthday celebration with friends at my flat. 

jeddah, saudi arabia

The flight to Jeddah was surprisingly empty. It was my first and I wanted to learn as much as I could but not a single passenger was on board. It was an 11- hour flight and I saw how big King Abdul Aziz International Airport was when I seated in the flight deck upon landing. I tried being in the flight deck once in Airbus. 

The following morning, I ate out with Helen, one of my colleagues. The fried chicken from Al Baik fast food restaurant was great! It was even better than the chicken from international brands like KFC and Mcdonalds. The garlic sauce was amazing. I had four pieces of spicy chicken with bread, fries and an orange juice. The prices were below average. The restaurant have a separate area for male only and another area was for families, just like any other restaurants in Saudi Arabia.

My first night in Jeddah, I met an old friend and new Filipino friends while the second day was with the rest of the crew. We went to Aziz Mall and Balad Market.

gratitude is good

On this day of your life, Jessa, we believe God wants you to know ... that gratitude is good.
	The more you are thankful for, the more you will have to be thankful for. God responds to a grateful heart with joy.

you are a child of God

On this day of your life, Jessa, we believe God wants you to know ... that you are a child of God.
	Remain strong in your faith, no matter how many mistakes God's children make along the way of growing up, they are still destined for Grace and eternal Joy.

your whole life is a miracle

On this day of your life, Jessa, we believe God wants you to know ... that there are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.
	Don't wait for miracles, your whole life is a miracle.

you still love me

I’m so glad you still love me. It’s so easy to love someone when a relationship is just beginning because both people are always looking their best, saying their best, acting their best. But those days have come and gone for us, and you still love me. You’ve seen me at my absolute worst, both physically and emotionally, and loved me in spite of it. You’ve been supportive when I’ve felt good about everything in my life and even more so when my self- esteem was low. You’ve shared in the celebration of my achievements and helped me deal with my anger and disappointment when everything seemed to be falling apart. You’ve been at my side when I’ve felt proud and strong and you’ve held me close and listened when I really needed a good cry. We’ve been through so much since we first fell in love… And still, you love me. And that makes me love you even more.

- Words by Renee Duvall

joyful resting =)

I can't believe I can now cook Tinolang Manok. =) I had it for everyone in the flat. Yum!

I have catch up some zZzZz this afternoon and I'm re- charged. For almost four hours before siesta, I was on Skype with Jeff's little cousin, Gabriel. He's such a lovely kid. 

I don't know what to do to the rest of my standby days. And guess what? My next flight is on the 10th of December to Melbourne, Australia for a three days off there. I have contacted Honna, one of my high school friends and she will tour me around the city. Her home is only 30 minutes away from our hotel. And I miss her a lot. We haven't seen each other for years. I'm very much excited to see her and her family as well, if possible. 

But that's like a month from now. I'm hoping Rostering gives me any flights, regional or long- haul. I'm stuck at home feeling like inside a prisoner's cell. I hate it when I don't do anything. 

November 29 is an off day for me and the day after that until the 5th of December are my vacation leaves. Thanks God! He gave Jasmine and I the opportunity to have her passport processed a week before her 22nd birthday. Beyond 5th of December, she's no longer my dependent on staff travel privileges, though my youngest sister and father still are. I promised to be there on Jeff's birthday this 25th but plans changed when I realized I could still make it to Jasmine's first and last use of her privilege. He understood it. I promised to go home on New Year and spend some time with him and both our families. 

So, I'm excited for my sister's coming over to Brunei and celebrate our birthday with a simple gathering with friends. We'll discover Brunei, together. And we might also consider going to Kota Kinabalu for a day or two.

Yesterday, Shewee, Stacy, Issa and I went to Limbang, Sarawak, Malaysia. Kuya Bong drove us until Kuala Lurah, the border point between Brunei and Malaysia. We went through the immigration center. After a quick walk, we went into a big chilling place there. We ordered some pork barbeque, shrimps and Carlsberg drinks. 

And just as I finish writing this post, God Wants You to Know app in Facebook sent me an update:

we believe God wants you to know ... that you've been driving yourself too hard lately.
	Sure, there is time to invest yourself fully into work, but there is equally important time for joyful resting. And for you, this time is now. What is the absolutely most wonderful little treat you can give yourself? Do it today.

This is so true. I can invest myself fully into work but my long standby period now is a time for joyful resting. God knows. Thank you Lord for reminding me on this. 

And oh! I'm going to have a driving lesson with Kuya Bong. I'm looking forward to it. =)

life's different, exciting & worthwhile..

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

Bob Marley

jumeirah beach

Two hours after we arrived back at Flora Park Hotel from a London flight, all the crew gathered at one of the flats and said farewell messages to one of the ladies who was resigning and doing her last flight with us. When we got back to our own rooms, Rachel saw that I was online on Facebook so she asked where I was. We both found out that we were both in Dubai. She went to my room until we decided to go to Jumeirah beach.

I thought I was staying inside the hotel for the whole day but I was very much thankful for her presence. We slept for less than three hours. When we were ready, I accompanied her first to buy a cargo bag at City Center. Afterwards, we took a taxi and the driver dropped us off the Jumeirah open/public beach. Though we could only see the Burj Al Arab from afar, we could see the Jumeirah Mosque opposite the beach. The place was very beautiful, clean, white and sandy. It was full of white people trying to get sun-kissed tan. Dark colored ones like us and Indians were everywhere, too. The beach has sun loungers, big umbrellas for shelter from the intense heat of the sun and lifeguards. 

Rachel and I under the shade of a big umbrella we paid for 10AED.  It was one of the best times to take the tripod with me. :)

This is a view of the open beach. A small walk is required to go near the seashore. 

As Rich and I started to wet ourselves into the water, we were approached by a group of Filipinos. They were nice and friendly. We introduced ourselves and our jobs and started to share other topics. They invited us to have a lunch with them at their house. Since they seemed to be very good people, we joined them. We first went to Deira Fish Market. When we arrived at their place, there were more of them. They seemed like family though they were only groups of friends, some were couples. Being there with them felt like being with our own families. Seeing them together was like a typical family in the Philippines. Some cooked. Others were watching a basketball game and others entertained us with their abroad and job histories and stories. We were impressed by the entire people in the house for the overwhelming and friendly welcome we received from them.

It was nice meeting all of them especially Kuya Criss, Manny and Ate Marissa who still took their time to take us back to the hotel. Filipinos are indeed hospitable wherever they go.

desert safari adventure

Fifteen minutes past three in the afternoon, I received a call from the reception asking if I booked for a desert safari. I hurried down to the ground floor to meet the pick- up. The driver and I went straight to Shangri- la Hotel where I met my friend, Joanna and two of her workmates, Mel and Ate Porsche. We were with other two ladies who work as Flight Attendants for Cathay Pacific. At exactly four that afternoon, our journey towards the desert started. 

We drove through the desert attacking the hills of massive sand dunes. I kept on shouting every time I felt like we were going out of balance. I was very scared of going over the steep slopes. I felt like we were going to crash down. The bumps made me feel like I was in a roller coaster. The seatbelts were really a  must! It was a very challenging journey, considering that it was my first. Though it was a trip full of thrills, seeing the desert's solitude and natural beauty and the beautiful landscape amazed me. 

It was also nice to see the sunset's reflection to the sands making them red. 

After stopping to see the sunset, the group went to the desert camp where we enjoyed the rest of the tour package. We took photos all around the area. There was a Shisha facility and everyone could try the Arabic coffee and tea. We also tried the Arab traditional costumes. For the first time, I was able to ride a camel and I found it very peaceful and relaxing. We watched the Belly Dancing Show and Tanura Show. Included in the package was a dinner buffet with a delicious barbeque and unlimited softdrinks.

The entire experience was a great way to discover Arab culture and cuisine in just 150 Dirhams per head. The tour also included a drop- off back to the hotel at 9:00PM.

marriage

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? 

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her! 

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. 

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. 

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. 

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. 

I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. 

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. 

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. 

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. 

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. 

Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. 

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. 

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office…. jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. 

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart. 

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband…. 

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

- Unknown

fire starter

 

For one last and quick stay in Auckland, I treated myself a small Fire Starter pizza for a discounted price of 12.50AUD from 16. The pizza has a house smoked ham, Dutch salami, Canadian bacon, pepperoni, Spanish chorizo, red onion, olives, mushrooms, sweet chili and paprika sour cream. It was one of the best pizzas I ever had. =)

take flight

Source: Cleo Magazine (September 2011)

Let Janet Chew, a former flight attendant, tell you what it really takes to be a cabin crew.

What is the selection criteria for a flight attendant?

- How you look in the uniform matters because you're the representative of the airline. But your personality and sincerity are the determining factors. Being naturally vocal and cheerful helps but a quiet girl who is sensible could be a good fit, too.

What training does a newbie go through?

- The first four months of basic training covers the safety procedures. You'll also go through makeup and etiquette classes to correct the way you stand and serve and to build up your confidence. 

What are the misconceptions about the job?

- We just don't serve drinks and look pretty. The job isn't as easy and glamorous as it seems- we do everything on board like cleaning the toilets.

What are the other challenges of the job?

- Besides the loneliness and homesickness overseas, offensive or rude passengers can be a handful. Some people will touch you inappropriately to get your attention and it can be quite uncomfortable. 

LEVEL UP! If there's one thing flight attendants are experts at, it's how to handle difficult people. Here are Janet's top three tips.

1. Tell yourself you can't afford to offend anyone: You might be tempted to tell the other person off but the world is very small and you don't want to find yourself in a situation in the future where the guy you snapped at is your interviewer. Take every new encounter as a chance to build contacts, and don't burn any bridges along the way.

2. Make sure you learn from each experience: If you choose to mull in angst, you'll never make progress. Chew says, "Make it a point to do things differently the next time the same situation arises. Not only will this keep the job interesting, you'll gain knowledge and pick up new methods to deal with different people." With time, you'll build the confidence to manage any situation.

3. Don't lose your temper: It's only basic courtesy to treat other people with respect. "You don't have to put up with rude behavior and have every right to be angry", Chew adds. Don't lose your cool though - you'll only create a dent in your image and the last thing you want is to let your boss know you're someone who can't handle stress. If things are getting too heated up, tell the other person calmly that you'll look into the matter and get back to him. Allow yourself time to calm down and then get back to it.

devonport

Unlike my first stay in Auckland, the second was not much of a story to tell. On our first day, I thought I was going out with Paula since we already agreed on going out together that morning. We agreed that I'd ring her to wake her up. So I did. When I called here again expecting that she was ready to go down, she told me she went back to sleep and didn't want to go out yet. So, I decided to leave alone and went straight to the Tourist Information part of the hotel. As I was looking on the different pages for a nice place to go to, two men approached me and asked where I was planning to go. When they found out that I was going to the city, they invited me to come with them since they called a taxi. While waiting for the ride, they suggested Waiheke Island, famous for its beautiful beaches, beach houses and wineries. The two men were from Melbourne and they were in Auckland for the Rugby World Cup. George gave me a calling card in case I wanted to have a drink that night. I only accepted it and now, I don't know where it is. From where the taxi dropped us, I walked all the way to the Ferry Building and decided to go to Devonport. Devonport is a village renowned for its diversity of restaurants and cafe's, antique, art and craft boutiques. I paid 11AUD for a ferry return ticket.

a view of the sandy Village Waterfront at Devonport

I went to the Village Waterfront and saw the unique variety of cottages and bungalows. I also went to the Village Shopping area and explored the village streets. When I went back to the city, I spent most of my time shopping. I got myself 3 pairs of shoes, a skirt, and 2 shirts. It was already past 9 in the evening when I decided to go home. After a dinner at Mcdonalds, I took the Southern Line from Britomart Station and took off at Middlemore station. I took a taxi back to the hotel. 

The second day, I finally went out with Paula. After drinking a cup of tea near the Outdoor Swimming Pool, we took few photos of the hotel's garden area. When we went to the lobby, we saw the rest of the male crew. They were also heading to the city so we joined them. We took a cab and shared the fare. Paula and I had lunch at a Sushi Factory. After that, we spent the rest of the afternoon looking for some things to buy. That time, I got myself a cap. We went inside Starbucks to have coffee and went out again to walk along the boutiques and shopping stores lined in High Street. There were a lot of street performers. The city was full of sights and entertainment. It was filled with thousands of Rugby supporters, flags, noises and fun.

That day was also the Semi Finals game between the Wallabies (Australia) and All Blacks (New Zealand). It was awesome for All Blacks to have won over Australia at Eden Park. The moment the game was finished, fans were seen all over the city cheering for their favorite All Blacks team.

That my was second and last flight to the city of Auckland and I wasn't even able to discover more of its sightseeing attractions and other scenic offshore islands. But that doesn't matter. Setting foot on Auckland is still better than not being able to go there at all. There's no place like it in the world.