Travel Tips: All Around UAE (Phase 2)

So here we go again with some of the places I personally recommend. 

4. Jebel Hafeet - Al Ain
A mountain located in Al Ain. Part of the mountain straddles the border with Oman, while the summit is located wholly within United Arab Emirates (wikipedia). Considered to be the second to the highest mountain of UAE. If you would like to try a new level of adventure, you can bring your bicycle with you and ride your bicycle until you reach the summit. Just make sure that you have enough strength and lots of water to hydrate you. On the other hand, common mode of transportation is by car. Just make sure that you have enough petrol before you climb the mountain.

On the Way to the top of the Mountain

Scenery from the top of the mountain

Rock Formation on top of the Mountain

 5. Jabal Jais - Ras Al Khaimah
Considered as the tallest mountain of UAE located in Ras Al Khaimah. This is the only place in UAE that has snow during winter. Unlike Jebel Hafeet, the road going to the top doesn't have street lights at all. So if you would like to go on camping, make sure to climb before sundown. In order for you to reach the summit of Jabal Jais, you have to climb it manually so make sure you will wear the most comfortable clothes & footwear. Piece of advise, if you are planning to climb the summit, bring lots of water.

At the summit

View at the camping area

The rock formations

Rock formations 

The view on top

Road going Up

6. Lulu Island - Abu Dhabi
A man-made island off the coast of Abu Dhabi Island. This island is already closed long time ago. However, this area is still good for fishing, grilling and swimming. The boats are available at Mina Port for 250 AED (boats operated by Blue Shark) with the capacity of 13-15 persons. If you would like to go on grilling, you can buy all types of sea food at Mina Fish Market for very affordable price. Just make sure to bring all the grilling materials with you. There's no store inside the island, so make sure to buy ice, disposable utensils, etc. at the nearest supermarket. 

On the way to Lulu Island

The Quadbike is not mine. ^_^

 

With the Gang

The Last Parking of Lulu Island

Groupie :)

Stay tuned for more...

Travel Tips: All around UAE

Are you and employee who's stuck in a busy week with only one day off to enjoy? With limited budget but want to experience a relaxing weekend? Or a tourist for a couple of days? Are you sick and tired of shopping malls and want to try some adventurous activities? Why don't you try the travel locations below?

1. Al Maya Island - Abu Dhabi (An island near to Emirates Palace and 10 mins ride by boat)
Opens during summer and closed during winter for obvious reason. Entrance fee, boat transfer and facility is ABSOLUTELY FREE from 11am to 1:00PM daily. For those who are coming from a far, entrance fee is at cost of 100AED (inclusive of boat transfer and facilities) per person if you arrived late. Most of the time they are giving coupon that are redeemable for in house beverages (beer, juices etc.) Food are very affordable from 45AED to 200AED and there's a lot of beverages to choice from. From juices to beer, to rum, whisky and a lot more. There are some exciting themed party happening every Friday. Shisha is available here as well. And you will get to enjoy your shisha at the pool too. For those of you that's interested to visit this place, leave a comment below. 

Al Maya Island Pool with Bar

Selfie ^_^

Themed Party Every Friday

The Boat Transfer

Bucket of 6 Mixed Beer for 175AED

Al Maya Island Beach

2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street 5th St)
House of worship for our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. Entrance fee is absolutely free. You will get to see the largest carpet in the world. Get stunned in the amazing interior design. Piece of advise to those who are planning to visit this holy place, all must observe a proper attire. No shorts allowed for both men and women. However, if it happens that you are wearing one, traditional dresses are available for free but should be returned after the visit. Food are not allowed to be carried inside, so as cigarettes, lighters, perfume and alike. As this is a house of worship, posing in unusual way while taking pictures are strictly prohibited. Lastly, bring your identification cards.

Sunset

At the entrance

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at Night

"Chandelier"

Cring Standing at the middle of it

Before entering the mosque

3. Khorfakkan Beach - Fujairah (Near Khor Fakkan Port | Between Fujairah and Dibba, Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates)
Absolutely entrance is free! You will get to enjoy some water activities like parasailing and boat tour. Parasailing starts from 75AED per person and boat tour is at a cost of 250AED for 10 persons. If you happen to visit this place, there is a good coffeeshop right across the road. They are serving the most awesome Arabic coffee that I've ever tasted. I highly recommend you the island near the Khorfakkan Beach which they called "Shark Island". It's an island very near to Khorfakkan beach. Trick is, instead of doing the boat tour, you can ask them to drop you at the island and ask them to pick you up after couple of hours. You will get to enjoy clear water and very good rock formations. There are some preserve corals there as well.

Marbella Cafe with it's awesome Arabic Coffee

They have cakes and ice cream too

Parasailing at 75AED per person

Be a Castaway at Shark Island

Boat Tours/Transfer at 250AED for 10persons max

Natural Rock formations at Shark Island

There's much more.... Will publish a new post soon. :) Stay tuned!

Nasan Ka?

Bakit ang daya mo? Sabi mo noon Di mo ako iiwan. Nasan ka na ngayon at bakit puro sakit ang nararanasan? Di ba sabi mo "andiyan ka Lang"? Bakit ngayon di kita matagpuan. Sabi mo kapag hinanap kita, andon kita matatagpuan. Bakit Wala ka? Nasaan ka ba? Hinanap kita sa ilalim ng ulap. Inungkat ang mga alaala ng dating tagpuan. Ngunit Wala ka. Ang alaalang kupas na parang niluray ng kahapon ay pilit na pinagtatagpi ng ngayon para masilip ng malabong alaala kung nasaan ka ba talaga. Sinisigaw ang pangalan mo. Nagbabakasakaling marinig mo ako. Umaasang lilingapin mo ang ligaw kong puso. Igagawi sa tamang daan papalapit sayo. Sa landas na ang puso ko at puso mo ay muling magtatagpo. Ngunit bingi ka. Hindi mo marinig ang pabulong kong sigaw. Nasaan ka ba talaga? Bigla kang naglaho at sa akin ay nagtago. Babalik ka pa ba? O tuluyan mo na akong lilisanin? Kagaya ka din ba ng ibang lumagda sa pangakong Hindi ako iiwan at ngayon ni anino ay Di masilayan? Babalik ka pa ba? Kung Oo, sana malapit na, dahil Hindi ko na Kaya ang Wala ka.

Ikaw

Walang ako kung walang Ikaw.
Ikaw ang bumubuo ng buo kong araw.
Araw na sa umaga'y pumapanglaw.
Pumapanglaw sa bawat gabi ng aking buhay.

Buhay ko ay ikaw.
Ikaw ang dahilan ng ngiting sumisilay.
Ngiting ang kahulugan ay buhay.
Buhay na gustong Ikaw ang kaagapay.

Ikaw ang kahulugan ng ako.
Ako na Ikaw ang mundo.
Mundong imiikot ay sayo.
Sayo na iaalay ang mundo.

Tips on Applying for Job in UAE

As someone who is responsible from recruitment in our organization, daily, I’m receiving thousands of emails for thousands of job seekers who are hoping to find the suitable job here in UAE. So for those who are looking for job, here are some helpful tips from me.

1. Make sure that your cv’s or resume is updated. Make sure that your objective is on top, followed by job experiences. Make sure that your job experiences are updated. After your job experiences, arrange your educational background in this manner: University (on top), Secondary (middle), primary (last). The highest education should be on top. 

2. Create a concise and short cover letter. Again short and concise.

3. Make sure that your photo is recent and professional. Not like the photo from ice age or the photo which was grabbed from social networking sites. Here in UAE, majority of the employers gives at least 30% score on pleasing personality.

4. When forwarding your cv or resume, make sure that you are not forwarding the message over and over again. I bet you know what I mean with this “FW:“. It’s a big NO! It gives the impression that you are just applying randomly and with no intent of knowing the company.

5. If you finally received a call or email for interview, ask the following details: company name, location/address, date and time of interview, contact person and the vacant position. It’s very important to know the aforementioned details in order for you to locate the place easily.

6. Study the company and job opportunity, conduct some research. This will create a good impression on your interviewer because it will leave an impression that you are interested in the company.

7. Think of common interview question and prepare the appropriate answers. Practice in front of the mirror. Do it over and over again so you will be comfortable to speak.

8. Dress professionally. Fix your hair. Men should wear tie. Ladies should keep their accessories to the minimum. Brush your teeth, take shower and wear some perfume.

9. Be on time or arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the set appointment. DO NOT BE LATE!

10. Put your phone on silent mode. 

11. Whatever the circumstances are, try to smile often and be polite.

12. Greet your interviewer with smile, offer handshake (for men, not particularly to women if the interviewer is men), and make an eye contact.

13. Be yourself. Focus on your interviewer. Answer the questions with all honesty. Relax. Don’t be nervous. Think before you answer.

14. After the interview, don’t be shy to ask regarding the next procedure and when can you expect the update regarding your application.

15. Pray earnestly to God because God knows best. :)

For anyone who wants to apply, you can send your cv or resume at hr.ds.ae@gmail.com or hr.dc.ae@gmail.com

The Rabbit and the Turtle - New Version

The Rabbit and the Turtle - New Version

Once upon a time a tortoise and a rabbit had an argument about who was faster? They decided to settle the argument with a race.They agreed on a route and started off the race.The rabbit dashed almost out of sight at once.But soon stopped.To show his contempt for tortoise, He lay down to have a nap.The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race. Emerging as the undisputed champ.
The rabbit woke up and realized that he’d lost the race.The moral of the story is:Slow and steady wins the race.

This is the version of the story that we’ve all grown up with.But then recently, someone told me a more interesting version ofthis story.It continues...

The Rabbit was disappointed at losing the race.And he did some Defect Prevention.He realized that he’d lost the race only because: He had been overconfident,careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there’s no way the tortoise could have beaten him.So he challenged the tortoise to another race.The tortoise agreed.
This time the Rabbit went all out and ran without stoppingfrom start to finish. He won by several miles.The moral of the story:Fast and consistent will always BeatThe slow and steady.

But the story doesn’t end here:The tortoise thought for a while and then challenged the Rabbit to another race,but on a slightly different route.The rabbit agreed, They startedoff.In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistentlyfast.The rabbit took off and ran attop speed.Until he came to a broad river.The finishing line was a couple of kilometers on the other side of the river.The rabbit sat there wondering what to do? In the meantime the tortoise traveled along.Get into the river.Swam to the opposite back,continued walking and finishing the race.The moral of the story:First identify your corecompetency And then Change the playing field to suit your core competency.

The story still hasn’t ended.The rabbit and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends.And they did something together.They decided to do the last raceagain.But to run as TEAM this time.They started off, and this timethe rabbit carried the tortoise till the river bank.Then the tortoise took over and swam across with the rabbit on his back.They reached the finishing line together.They felt a greater sense of satisfaction then they’d felt earlier. The moral of the story is:“When we stop competing against a rival and instead competing against the situation we perform far better.”

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." --Henry Ford

The Scientist Lyrics - Cold Play

This song exactly narrates what I'm feeling right now.

Nobody said it was easy
It’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start.

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Don’t speak as loud as my heart
And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing our tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I’m going back to the start

>COLDPLAY

If You Love, Be Ready to Get Hurt.

Discernment is the ability to see and understand people, things, or situations clearly and intelligently. It is also the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. It is commonly known as an act of perceiving. I have a friend who has this kind of gift from childhood. He was able to discern the threats, danger, untrustworthy people and the feelings of others. It enables him to connect well to a lot of people. Though he has this gift, he’s weak in exercising sound judgement, especially in dealing with people who are special and close to his heart. The compassionate “him” is always there to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. With this, he became vulnerable to heartaches. Just like yesterday. There is this person who is so dear to his. He supporting her with all his might and all the resources that he have. He promised that he’ll do everything just for her to be okay. Out of nowhere, he had decided to take a peek on her yahoo account. After couple of trial for her password, he was able to open her account. Then, he remembers that it is link on her Facebook account that’s why he decided to open it as well. He reset the password without logging out the Facebook account to other devices (clever him). To his surprise, this f*ck*ng lady is sh*tting on him. His girlfriend has boyfriend in the Philippines as well. (They are in LDR relationship after the lady decided to finish her studies. It’s the plan to establish their future anyway.) It’s not the first time that the lady lied and cheated on him. It happened before. Apologies accepted. She has been forgiven with a condition that she will not do it again. He was able to take screenshots of his girlfriend and the new boyfriend’s conversation. He takes a smart move of sending it to her. This is how it goes “Hi babe, *screenshots* I guess you already know what’s next. Take care. I had enough”. Exchanging of words happened, with no intention of hurting her back though he is raging in anger. He wants her to feel that she lose a lot. He sacrificed a lot here in overseas. He is sending her 70-90% of his salary just for her to feel a bit of comfort while studying. He is walking every day from home to office and office to home just to save taxi fare. He is not eating breakfast and dinner, smoking cheap cigarette, shifted from room to bedspace and barely buying clothes just to save money. He disconnected his other mobile plan to save 100dirhams every month. All of this, just for her. Last month, his girlfriend ask her about the tour (mandatory for her course) amounting to 30,000 pesos. He’s generous enough or maybe stupid enough to send her the whole money for the tour plus the monthly allowance, only to find out that the tour got cancelled but missed or intended not to inform him. Him slapped with the truth; found out that the tour which she is talking about was a private tour with her and her boyfriend. Good job! Two thumbs-up! She cheated on him big time! She not only broke his heart but crushed it into pieces. I admire his courage though. He said that he already forgave her. He told me that those who carry hatred are prisoner of hatred. He said that he suffered enough and he’s not planning to punish himself more. He told me that if he releases forgiveness, it will not mean you are weak, it’s the contrary. If you were able to release forgiveness, you are freeing yourself from pain. Not instantly but surely. Time heals all wounds, he mentioned. As I look at him today, I can see that he’s still not ok. Judging from the looks on his eyes, he is deeply hurting. But I know he will be fine. He only needs time to heal and time to forget.

For all that is hurting right now, don’t think that you are alone. Every trial is enough for us to bear and it will give us lesson that will make us stronger and better person.

Life is Beautiful!

It's a very beautiful day. Took a cab from my home to Al Fallah Street to grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks but decided not to take one as it's a pain in the ass to carry for 30 minutes walk. While walking, I've decided to play my favorite song, "Like I'm Gonna Lose You". This is how it goes:

Apologies for the video and audio quality. Bit windy on that day.

While walking, I noticed a lot of things. I saw the sky, it was full of clouds, which is a rare occasion in UAE.

I noticed the No. 56 bus which I guess was delay on his schedule.

The Life Line Hospital's Golden Building never fails to amaze me. I always wonder how they make it gold.

And Oh, before I forget, the Mawaqif guy who's an early bird in catching who did not place their parking tickets. 

The Pakistani man who is crossing the street. He is old and he is having a hard time walking.

Few blocks away and I saw this guy who is down the gutter at the pedestrian. He came from the Hospital and like the old Pakistani guy, he as well has a difficulty in walking.

I'm at the Hamdan Center, and I took a photo of my Kickers shoes. Of course, how I would miss that? Caught this while walking.

Arrived at the office exactly 9:17:53am. Haha. Still have time to prepare a cup of coffee. :) Awesome.

Life is beautiful. There's a lot of things that we can be thankful of. For me, I can sing, talk, some of them can't. I can walk, run, some of them can't. I have job, some of them, don't have. If we would only appreciate what we have and what we can do, then, we will appreciate life itself.

How my Day Went

It's Friday here in UAE. It's my favorite day of the week. I was able to rest, relax, watch movie, read books, procrastinate and a lot more. So here's how my day goes, I woke up 8:30am. Went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of coffee. My flatmate joined me and we talked a lot. I came to know that she's a martyr to her ex-husband. It was not an issue of a third party at first. A typical problem of Filipino who got hooked into vices "gambling of any forms and drugs". She told me that she gave a lot of chances to her husband and keep on accepting him over and over again. But he keeps on doing it. Until it reaches to a point that they cannot pay their debts no more. They finally decided to go overseas to pay off all their debts. But every time the husband is going back to Philippines, he's leaving them with tons of debts again. It became a normal cycle of apologies and forgiveness. Until her heart started to get tired. Her turning point is the third party which she come to know 3 months ago. The Woman is pregnant and she knows that it's the end of it. We finished talking at 10:30am. Cooked breakfast, ate and I decided to watch movie at 1pm. I watched mocking jay. It's not that bad but not that good as well. Slept again, took shower at 4pm and decided to go to my assistant's home to get my planner. Took a photo while on our way home.

Walked for a bit and hang out at The Bagel Bar Coffee Shop. Don't be mislead though, it's 100% coffee shop and never a bar of some sort. We stayed there for few hours. Ordered irish coffee, called my friend "Royen" to come over. When he arrived we talked about ways on how we will earn extra money. As you know, life here in abroad is never easy. Room rent is very expensive. It's equivalent to 3 bedroom house in Manila. After I finished my coffee, I ordered another cup of tea. Left at the coffee shop 2 minutes before 10pm. We're lucky enough to find taxi easily. The driver started the meter 9:59pm. Just for everybody's information, taxi fare's minimum rate after 10pm is 10aed. Arrived home at 10:15pm. Started to do the agenda for tomorrow's meeting *crap* and process flow for hiring, pre-employment, termination and resignation. Finished the whole thing at 1:00am.

Hiring Process/Workflow:

Pre-employment Process/Workflow:

Termination and Resignation Process/Workflow: