A Christmas Promise

Okay. So I have celebrated my Christmas away from home. It's not the first time actually. I have spent my last two Christmases at Manila but being thousands of miles away at a two separate continents plus being in a country where Christmas is not celebrated is an entirely different thing. While I was at Manila, I was able to  be with my uncles and cousins, but here, I am with people I only knew for months.

I'm not throwing a big fuss in celebrating the holidays here. I mean, I was busy on the wards taking care of my patients and there is not much time to muse with the fact that I am not with my family. Besides, my family here are my colleagues. And my patients.

As long as I was able to call my family and boyfriend and greet them a Merry Christmas is enough for me. As long as I know that they are safe and they know that I love them and as long as they knew that the reason that I am not with them is because I want them to live a comfortable life will suffice my desire to be with them.

And I will fulfill my promise to be with them next Christmas and New Year.

New Female Medical Ward's X-Mas Party

From the time we started as floaters, we barely see each other. And today was the second time we were completed. Not really complete because the three of us is currently on duty and one is on her annual vacation, enjoying the Christmas season with her family. The first time was when we had our meeting regarding this Christmas party.

My Manita's wish. Red Nine West wallet. (I was not able to take a photo of the gift itself :(.. )

I prepared gifts not only for my "manita" but also for all the New Female Medical Ward Staff. It was just a simple gift but they were surprised! Of course, my preceptor, ate Karen's gift is special, my way of saying thank you for teaching me well during my first few months here.

Simple gifts for all NFM Girls..

Narcissistic. My attire during the party. As if they will be able to see it. Urgh.

TGIF. The Venue.

The yummy foods. Nom nom! 

The "Girls"

Ate Ave's gift. Tiffany and Co.'s 92.5 necklace and anklet!

The entire party consisted of picture taking, which will never be lost in any parties, and catching up with each other's lives since we barely see each other at the hospital.

We really missed the laughters before the renovation projects even if we're very busy. I think only us can laugh with the cleaning of the patient's perineum after passing stool.

Hoping to see you all again in our own ward, guys!

Author's Note: More photos here: Christmas Party

Korean at KSA

After the extreme hotness of the long summer weather, winter drastically replaced the hot temperature, without much warning that he is coming. And to prepare myself for the new season, tadaaaah!

Prepped-up for the early morning walking at Corniche.

Faces for the Winter Season

I don't know if you would agree but a few have asked me if I am a Filipina or a Koreana. And my flatmate said I really looked like a Korean when she saw me wearing this.

What do you think?

The Disgusting Kiss

It was during those days where I am not with my usual careful self. My flatmate and I are walking from Jarir Bookstore to Tamimi Market, a distance with a mere 50 meters or less.

I was talking to Ate Wilma while we were walking side by side, exchanging funny stories at work. I have seen the black *****  man, maybe in his late teenage years or in his early twenties, tall for his age, walking towards us while we were also walking towards the entrance of the market. I didn’t notice anything unusual about him. I mean, he’s alone and he seems to be walking only just to go somewhere else. He was already in front of us and in a blink of an eye, he grabbed my head with his big two hands and forced his lips to kiss me. My adrenaline might have worked hard so I was able to put my face away from him. Good thing I didn't tied my short hair so he was only able to kiss my hair. I put on all my strength to fight him while in the back of my eyes, I can see my flatmate punching him in the back. He ran away as fast as he grabbed my head.

We were not able to do anything. I want to run after him to get my revenge but my foot have planted itself on the road. I was trembling with fear. So is my companion. We entered the market while I was still shaking.

When we left the market, I was hoping to see him again and punch him in his ass but I didn’t see even his shadow.

I rubbed my face very hard when we got home, hoping to remove any trace of that yucky kiss. Everytime I remember the details, I tremble with fear and anger.

If with just a mere unwanted kiss and only on my face covered with my hair, I felt very dirty, how much more will be the feelings of rape victims?

What’s worse, we are in a country where even if you are the victim, with just a single lie of the perpetrator, you will be the one who will be jailed.

I fear for my life. And for the life of my fellow OFWs.

Ghost Stories

Halloween season may be over, but I am going to post this nonetheless.

Nine months ago when I first stepped into this building. Great, I said, I will be living in this place for my whole stay in the hospital I will be working. What I only thought during that time is who I will be living with and how am I going to live my life with them. To make the story short, I didn't welcome any negative thoughts regarding how the building looks and whatsoever.

When I met my room mate and had a short chat with her after she had shown me my room and introduced ourselves to each other, I was welcomed by the long-awaiting comfort of my single-bedded room and I enveloped myself under the warmth of the new comforter that was provided by the hospital. I slept the whole day, experiencing the so-called jet lag, feeling nothing but apprehension regarding my new environment and being thousands of miles away from my loved ones.

Then comes my first day at work. I met some of my ward colleagues. One of them asked me which flat I am staying. When I answered "7-C" (7th floor, room C), she nods her head while saying, "Oh, you're on that flat. Are you not feeling anything there?" Of course, my curiosity was triggered, and I asked what kind of feeling she's talking about. And she told me the story of a young woman in her early twenties who previously lives in our flat a long time ago who committed suicide by jumping from our flat to the ground floor after she was raped by a ***** man when she mistakenly pressed 12th floor instead of 7th floor on the elevator after washing her clothes at the basement in the middle of the night. (Before, according to them, our building is an accommodation of both singles, men and women, and on the upper floors are families.) It was said that she was silent when she arrived in her room but was found the next morning lying on the groud, dead, with her hands holding a rosary tightly.

I cringed with pity to the young woman and said to myself that it will never happen to me. I wondered where among the two rooms in our flat that woman stayed. When I come back to our flat, I became silent and went outside the sliding door, looked down and imagined how the young woman must have looked like when she was found lying on the road. I murmured a silent prayer for her soul and then entered my room.

That was the end of it. I forgot all about that young woman, and I didn't feel anything inside my room after that. I learned though, after a few days that she stayed at the room next to mine.

Anybody could guess where my room is? :)

Then recently, I experienced something. I woke up at past 5 o'clock in the morning but I didn't get out of bed because it is my off duty. I forced myself to go to sleep again. Then at about six, I can feel that I am being dragged to sleep again. I am half awake and half asleep. I know that I am awake because I can feel my flatmate working in our kitchen which is just adjacent to my room as she prepares for her duty at the hospital we are working. I felt that someone knelt at the foot part of my bed, just near my feet, then seconds after that, I felt three blows on my right ear (I was lying on my left). I tried to open my eyes to see who is it. I even thought that it was my flatmate, trying to wake me up. It took me a hard time to open my eyes, and when I did, I saw nothing but the emptiness of my room.

Before that happened to me, I have heard different scary stories in our building. One said that she had seen a white lady standing on her door when she woke up. Another said that she had seen a red blot of hand in her legs as if somebody hold her legs tightly and for a long time. Some said they heard weird sounds, and some hearing doorbells and when they check who is outside, they see none. It happened to me too. Not just once or twice, but many times. I am alone in our flat (as I always is) and I heard our doorbell rang. Of course, I went out of my room and peeped on the peephole on our main door, but seen nobody. I opened the door and checked outside, but nobody is there.

But I always believe that everywhere, ghost stories do happen. Even in our own house, my sister reported that she had seen big hairy feet tied with chains. From the previous hospital where I worked, my colleagues claimed to have heared unusual voices. One of them heared a baby's cry where in fact there in no child admitted in the ward and no baby from the watchers either. One time, while I was taking the vital signs of my sixteen-year old patient, she and her mother simultaneously looked towards the comfort room inside the ward. When I asked them what it is, they said they've seen somebody, but faded in the air. One patient claimed she had seen a white lady and he even thought that it was a nurse. A watcher on one of my shifts claimed she had seen one also, inside the vacant ward, which door is half-glass and wood on the lower half.

I am always thankful that I've never seen one, but I am not praying that they will show themselves to me either. In my point of view, the reason I have that experience is that because I slept without praying first. I was installing something on my computer and I didn't knew that I slept while waiting for the installation to be completed.

It is just a matter of faith to Him. Praying sincerely will help prevent those things from happening. And let's pray for their souls also, that they may find peace so that they will not be loitering around.

Please bow your heads and say a little prayer.

It's Rainin' in KSA!

This may seem exaggerated, but I really felt extremely excited when I have seen the group of dark clouds forming in the vast blue sky. For a first-timer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia like me, it can't be helped but be happy when the rain falls. It is almost a year now that I have been living here but I haven't experienced rain here yet.

I was supposed to sleep because I came from my graveyard shift, but I waited for the rain to fall. I didn't even lied down on my bed even if my body is urging me to do so. Unfortunately, darkness has enveloped the whole city but no drops of rain fell. Until it was time for me to go out to meet my bestfriend ate May who works two cities away from me. I left home with the hope that I will be able to see the rain fall. 

And there, while we were waiting for a taxi when we're about to go home, the first drop of rain hit me in my face. I cannot help but put on a big smile. For a while, I hesitated to ride the taxi that stopped in front of us and just play in the rain just like before when I was still in our province. I was already in college then but I still played in the rain with my little sisters and brothers. It feels so good to feel the rain dropping on your face and feel the cold water dripping off your clothes. If not for the taxi waiting for us to ride and my companion's eagerness to go home so that she can still iron her uniform for tomorrow's work, I might be able to feel even just a little more raindrop on my face.

The first rain I have experienced since I arrived nine months ago.. :)

We were already inside the car when the rain poured itself uncontrollably, and I cannot help but take some photos.

I hope I can be able to bathe in the rain again, just like the good old days.

Crossed fingers.

And crossed toes.

XP

Happy Birthday, Mama!

In a lifetime, I will never find another woman, who would love me unconditionally as you have. Me and my siblings are truly blessed for having you in our lives. The one who can see beyond our smiles and tears, and the one who cares about us more than anybody else. The one whose prayers kept us safe always and the one whose strength could carry a ship...

I may be thousands of miles away from you, but my heart will always be with you. 

My Mama dearest.. :D

Have a super awesome birthday, Mama! I love you!

Floated

For an overflow ward like our ward (read: overflow ward means we are handling some patients who are not accepted by female medical ward, female surgical ward, and paediatric wards due to high census and other reasons approved by the administration), we are expected that we can handle any type of patients, be it a surgical case, a medical case, and paediatric cases. Due to this reason, everytime our census is low, and sometimes, even if it is high, when one of the other wards would need extra staff, the nursing supervisor on duty will ask one from us to be "floated" to that ward.

The nursing supervisors would say that the New Female Medical Ward (our ward) staff are the only staff from among the different wards who are capable of handling all types of patients that is why they would always get the floater from our ward. It is very seldom that our ward would have a floater from other wards. Yes, we feel honored because it means they can see our hardships, but we also feel that we are being abused especially when our census is high, and they will leave only two staff because "you can manage" even if you're only two, but in fact, we are only trying to survive the 12-hour shift running from one patient to another, giving patient care and answering every call bells.

Indeed, it is a a very challenging experience being in the ward not my own--from working with staff I only knew that day and have never worked with before to handling cases which are alien to me--makes me feel like I am "new" in our hospital. I have to learn their routine works and the different procedures that we never perform in our ward. And to top it all, I have to be extra careful with everything I am doing. Not that I am not being one. I just have to spend a little time making sure I am doing the correct thing so that they will not say anything against me. Well, some people believes first impression lasts, so I have to leave a good one, haha.

But being a floater has its own advantages also. First, I handle new cases, which means new learnings. I wouldn't just be confined on the usual cases at our ward. Next, I meet new people, which means new friends. That's not all. I meet fellow Bicolanas and Bicolanos and even speak our own dialect! And the last thing is, they will consider that you're only a floater, and they would give you easy cases, not all the time though. Once I was floated to the busiest of all wards, Female Surgical Ward and I was given easy cases only, but at the end of the day, I had the most number of patients because of my three admissions! When I was also floated to Male Surgical Ward, they gave me a day 3 post tonsillectomy patient (an easy one and one of the cases in our "home" ward) but in the middle of our shift, he developed active bleeding and we have had emergency OR to cauterize the bleeder. That was the first time I was assigned to MSW so you can imagine how hard it was.

Now, Male Surgical Ward is under complete renovation and they are closed. They transferred to our ward. Of course, MSW staff are more used to handling surgical cases that is why they transferred to our ward also. The result? We are being floated for more than a month now. It is quite hard. We don't know where we will be floated unless we will see our assignment sheet upon arrival at the hospital. And at the ward where you were floated, you never met the patient before, so you have to read his/her chart from his medical history up to present.

At Newborn Nursery. He's adorable, yes?

Now I am getting used to it. If before the MSW renovation, we were dreading every expected duties where we will be floated, now we are getting excited to seeing where we will be assigned. That is the only thing we can do anyway.

Wondering which ward I will be tomorrow.

Sand, Sun, and Fun

When I was invited by my colleagues to join them to go to the desert and do motorbiking, I didn't even blinked an eye and I agreed. For a fun and adventure-lover like me, who wouldn't join? Anyway, it rarely happens, and for my almost seven months here in this desert country, I've never really seen real sand dunes and real desert. I mean, the vast sea-like desert because I am living in the city.

We were fetched by our "drivers" at past eight in the morning, but we were able to leave Silver Tower thirty minutes after because our companions just came from 7pm-7am duty. From Silver Tower, we went to Gulf Centre to fetch our other colleagues, so we were able to leave Al-Khobar at around past nine.

On the way, we were amazed by the cleanliness of the ocean, just a few feet from the road. The ride is long. It seemed that we are passing endless beaches and sands. We arrived at the place (I don't know the name) at around ten. The sand is scorchingly hot. 

As we are approaching, we saw some cars "playing" in the sand. Some are even moving backwards, making the sand fly into the air.

At first, we cannot see any motorbike so we thought we were lost. The long terrain of sand made us all feel giddy excitement. This is it. We will be experiencing the fun under the sun!

Upon arrival, we bargained with the owner of the motorbikes with the price and the number of hour we are going to use. Since one motorbike can hold two person, and we are six, we decided to rent three bikes and agreed who our partners will be. We agreed to rent only the bikes for thirty minutes because of the intense hotness.

Green, eh?

Baba (as we call old men), the owner poses with mommy Joanne after the payment.

The partners ready for the "practice":  Ate Bebe Roxy and me, Ate Karen and Mommy Joanne, Ate April and Ate Gladys (the one who took this photo)

Before we were allowed to go to the sand dunes, we were asked first to try it out in the cemented practice area. Baba taught us how to operate the bikes. Kind of easy, but I didn't tried. I never tried to drive motorbikes alone. When I was at Bicol, one of my friends taught me the basics, but I never really tried. When we thought we are ready for the sand, we asked if we can remove our abayas since it is difficult to drive the bike wearing abaya, and he said we can. So, there, we removed our abaya and exposed ourselves under the ten o'clock sun. Of course, we put on first our SPF 50 sun block lotion, courtesy of the hospital, haha!

Unfortunately though, sand storm started. But that sand storm didn't stopped us from having fun. We put on our caps and shades and battled against the "zero visibility" as Ate Bebe Roxy calls it.

Sand! Excited much!

Me and Ate Bebe Roxy

Ate Karen and Mommy Joanne

Ate April and Ate Gladys

We had so much fun while going up and down the sea of sand. We didn't mind the heat. The heat seems to have weaken while we were enjoying, but I can feel that the metal rim of my shades is becoming hot, too. We were all shouting at the top of our lungs, tasting the saltiness of the sand. Because I'm not driving, I'm holding the camera and taking pictures. Even the camera has gotten warm.

Supposedly a jump shot but ate Bebe Roxy cannot capture me while jumping. Fail!

There were times when we were stuck at the sand dunes, and the owner's assistant, who always follows us (for security and safety purposes, I think) is always ready to the rescue. Once, while we were going up, we really had difficulty removing the bike when it was stucked, and brother-whatever-his-name-is readily helped us. We were riding the bike while he is pushing us, but still, we cannot move the bike. I volunteered to get out of the bike because ate Bebe Roxy is the one driving but brother-whatever-his-name is said in Arabic that I stay in the bike, and ate Bebe Roxy will get out because she is big. Ate Bebe Roxy laughed while getting out of the bike, so I was left alone, trying to manipulate while brother is pushing, but to no avail. As a result, I get out of the bike and leave brother alone. So, here he is:

Ready to the rescue! Thanks so much, brother!

Thirty minutes passed fast. We didn't noticed the time. When we were going back to the flat area, Ate Bebe Roxy said that I try too, and I agreed. During that time, three or more male Arabs has started to come and they were going in circles towards us as if they were playing with us. We were trying our best to avoid them. I am the one driving then. Me and ate Bebe Roxy are the only ones left in the sand because our companions are already returning the bikes to it's places, so I'm driving fast. Then, in a blink of an eye, one Arab man riding his bike is approaching us. I tried to avoid him and in a spur of a moment, I felt that we are going upside down. All we can do was shout in terror. I found ourselves lying on the sand, with our bodies aching especially on our foot. I looked on my foot and noticed that the bike is above our feet. Petrified,I asked ate Bebe Roxy if she is okay and she answered yes. And I didn't know we are thinking the same thing. The bike might cut our feet so we did was we kicked the bike so that it will be away from us. While doing so, the Arab men removed the bike from us and assisted us to get up. Our companions have heard us shouting so they came towards us.

I did tried to drive. The last photo taken before the accident.

I felt dizzy when I get up and my right foot is aching. Ate Bebe Roxy assisted me walking. She keeps on asking if I am okay and I said I was just dizzy. We are walking already when our companions arrived in our place and asked in concerned manner if we were okay. They assisted me together while walking. Then  I heard a chorused scream. I didn't know what happened next. When I woke up, I even thought "what time is it? I still have a duty. I think I'm late!" When I opened my eyes, saw that brother-whatever-his-name-is is holding my feet. Only then I realized that I am floating from the ground and my colleagues are carrying me. When they saw that I am awake, they put me to the ground and assisted me walking. While walking, I asked, "did I faint?", making my colleagues laugh at me because I didn't really knew what happened, although at the back of my mind, I knew that I did. Mommy Joanne answered "yes". Ate Gladys advised that I be assisted to the car. They put me on the front sit. I asked again, "how many minutes did I fainted?" Ate April jokingly answered, "one month". And we are all laughing. Just like that. Except for the slight pain on my legs and a shallow abrasion on my right elbow, it's as if nothing had happened. Oh, the sand all over my clothes and hair also. :)

Ouchess!!!

Look at the smile. Seems like nothing happened, eh?

We enjoyed our "brunch" at Ikea Restaurant after. A mere 45-minute-drive from the dessert.

Mommy Joanne, me, and Ate April

Our food.. Yum! Yum!

A pose after enjoying the meal

Her second plate. Guess who! :D

And the Queen of Text goes to..... tantadaaaan! Me! lol. This was my reaction upon receiving the concerned text from my bestfriend's mom when she learned what happened. I never told my own mom that I have had an accident, but my Mama Salve knows! Blame Baian for immediately reporting it to her mom.. Tss!

After eating, we strolled around Ikea and bought some stuff.

Ate Gladys to Ate Karen: Congratulations on your graduation! (referring to our "togas") :D

Bunch of laughters. See? Do I look like I was injured? :)

After a while, we decided to go home because I will still be having my night duty. And I am longing to take a dive on my own bed.

Dead tired, but was able to sleep with a smile on my face even if there is a band-aid on my right arm. :)
Till next adventure... :D

Brick Red

I have a three-day consecutive off-duties this week. And my way of enjoying it is applying bright red nail polish!

The first nail polish I have applied since I arrived in the Kingdom.

Getting ready for our Al-Shatea Mall trip at Dammam later.. :)

Eid Holiday

Several days ago, me and ate May agreed to meet at Al Khobar during their Eid holiday vacation. Of course, I was elated. After six months, we will be seing each other again. Ate May has become the eldest sister I never had. And of course, the gang wouldn't be complete if Baian is not around since he is also just a text away.

Meeting place and time was set, and to my exasperation, ate May misunderstood one place to another. Well, I cannot blame her. She is still naive to places here in Al Khobar considering that she works at Jubail.

We met at Al-Issa Mall then went to Al-Ramaniyah through an overpass under the intense heat of the 10 o'clock dessert sun. She is with her new friends, ate Carla and Ate Ria while I am alone. Baian, who agreed previously that he will go with us so that he can also buy accessories for his newly-bought laptop said he cannot join us anymore due to an unexpected event. Jollibee filled our empty stomachs while exchanging thoughts about our jobs.

Jolly-Bee!

Surprise! Surprise! Ate May's pasalubong straight from 'Pinas. :)

Kuya gamingly posed with us with the Jollibee sign. But, hey, why sleeping, huh?

Ate Carla, Ate Ria, Ate May, and Me

We needed to catch up lots of things because communication though exchange of text messages is not enough so we stayed longer inside Jollibee. Then I received a text message from Baian that he will be joining us. We left Jobee right before prayer time so that we won't be trapped inside. We roamed the stores of Al-Ramaniyah while waiting for Baian. 

Nice, yes? I did't plan to buy another watch but the design tempted me to.. :) The unthrifty me strikes again.. :( 

At last, Baian arrived, and we did our very best to talk to each other while we were apart. While talking, we noticed a man, also a Filipino who keeps looking at us. We didn't mind him, but I thought maybe he's just amused with the way we talk because we are talking in our own dialect, and we are talking apart. After a moment, Baian is already talking to the man, then he informed us that the man is also from our home town. The man said Ate May's face is familiar, and asked her where she lives at Bicol. He knows ate May's cousins so we are not suspicious of anything. Then he asked my name. I told him my surname and he said he's related to Bergantins.

So there, we talked about our jobs, etc. He asked us to eat, but because we had just finished eating, we refused. Baian, who has not taken his lunch yet agreed. We went to the family section of the food court and chatted while they were eating.

Baian. He isn't that hungry.. :)

After eating, we chatted a little more and wait for the weather to cool down a bit, although it's nearly impossible to happen. Baian reminded me that he will be buying the accessories for his laptop. We went out of Ramaniyah at around past 2PM but the stores outside Ramaniyah are closed, so we decided to go to Lulu Hypermarket. Kuya Mario, the man we just met volunteered to drive us there. We spent almost one hour at Lulu, mostly at electronics section. I didn't buy anything. Baian was able to buy wireless mouse and keyboard, while ate May, Ate Ria, and ate Carla bought some toiletries.

While at Lulu, we decided to go to Jarir Bookstore since we have our service anyway (Kuya Mario's Mercedez). But before going to Jarir, Kuya Mario toured first the other three girls to Al Khobar. We passed by Silver Tower, our housing area, and entered Saad Specialist Hospital where Baian works.  We didn't get out of the car though. After we entered through the parking lot at basement, Kuya Mario drove his car out to one of the exits. Baian pointed us some of the buildings and its names, including what is inside the building. We were amazed on how big Saad is.

We didn't bought anything, just surveyed for the prizes of some stuff, things which are worthwhile to be bought in the near future. After Jarir, we went to Citimax--which at first I thought is a movie theatre--and just did window shopping. While at Citimax, Kuya Mario urged us to go to Chrystal Resort. At first, I hesitated because I have previously agreed with my hospital colleagues to go to Dammam but Kuya Mario said we will be back before our scheduled time to leave Al-Khobar, so I agreed. No, we didn't go swimming. Chrystal Resort is a hanging restaurant at Corniche. We just took photos. 

Me, Baian, and Ate May. At the background is the Chrystal Resort above the clear Saudi sea.

See Bahrain Causeway out there? :)

 While admiring the beauty of the place and taking pictures, I noticed a very long bridge. It was the first time that I saw it but I knew that it is the King Fahd Causeway (alternately called as Bahrain Bridge or Bahrain Causeway). I exclaimed to my companions, "that's Bahrain Causeway, right?" Ate Ria and Ate Carla, upon hearing me looked on the direction I am pointing. And right away, they said "let's go there!" Kuya Mario couldn't disagree more, but I hesitated because it is almost time for me to go to Gulf Centre and meet my colleagues. I told them that if they are going, I cannot join them, but Ate May urged me. I said it's only very rare that we go to Dammam but ate May asked me, "which is rare, going to Dammam or going to Bahrain Causeway with us, your bestfriends?" When she told me that, I decided right away that I will go with them to the causeway. I called my colleagues and told them that I will not be able to join them. Then we rode Kuya Mario's car and admired once again the beauty of the scenery.

Long, isn't it?

Welcome to the Kingdom of Bahrain!

Upon seeing the signage, we all feel like, "wow! Bahrain, here we come!" But that was short lived because we all know we cannot really enter the country without our passports and visas. We can only be able to stay at the park, according to Kuya Mario.

The Bahrain Tower's magnificent transition.

Seeing the Bahrain Tower, we all chorused into "ohs and ahs". We cannot help it. It really is beautiful. Who would dare disagree and I will give you a kick. Joke!

Feeling like a real tourist. Well, I am a tourist.. :D

Posing in front of the tower.

The girls

Baian poses with his "tarha" too, haha!

We didn't want to leave yet and enjoy the moment, but Baian wants to go home early, and Ate May and her friends also have to buy something and needs to be on their meeting place at Al-rashid mall before their bus' departure, so even though our hearts are heavy with leaving such a beautiful place, we cannot stay.

Last pose before we left.

Supposedly reads: Departure to Kingdom of Bahrain, but I failed to capture on time. Me and my camera's slow reflex.. :D

Even as we left, the scenery is quite nice.

I was sent home first as insisted by Baian because Kuya Mario is saying I will be sent home last because I am not in a hurry to go home as compared to my companions. Me and Baian is having a bad instinct on how Kuya Mario approaches me. I just don't know if the other girls noticed also. After I was sent home, Baian texted me, "we succeeded against Kuya Mario, haha!". Anyway, I am happy I am safe, and never would I have any contact with him again.

But the bottomline is, I did enjoyed the day minus the bad thoughts we had against how Kuya Mario treats me. Being with your bestfriends in a foreign land lessens the stress against work and homesickness. It feels like home.

Feeling euphoric!