When things don't go as plan

Two years since my last blog, I know! I don't have any readers anyway. Well here I am again, thoughts flowing in my brain... Strong emotions indeed messes with your brain, you are not you when you are not on your calm self. Im a generally a calm person, always thinks on the lighter side of things but sometimes I get fed up too. I had been trying to plan my life for the past years but it seems that I don't get to accomplish anything. Anybody feels the same way too? It's like you know what to do with your life, you are sure on what you want to see in the future. Then things starting to get on shape, like you can already see the small step you are making, it feels like few more struggles and sooner or later you can already smell success. BUT.. POOOFFF. You hear the BIG God says WAIT, this is not for your. This is not what I plan for you. This is not you should do. CRAP! This is what I want. You try to fight, you wrestle, even that you know you won't win.

You end up losing, you end up clueless again. I know what I want but why things aren't go as plan????!!!! I always try to do things carefully, considering everything, making sure it will lead me to the purpose I want to be. BUT maybe the purpose I am thinking is the wrong one...  Maybe .. What if this is just a challenge? If you really want it, you should pursue it, you will not stop, you will not be DISCOURAGE!

I don't know, I really don't know where to place my self right now. I'm tired.. I've been waiting for years for that breakthrough but it looks like I need more years, more struggles, more pains to reach there, to the place I don't even know where. I don't event know if I have to fight for.


Life is tough I know, life is...

What to do when your BPI Express online got locked and you're not in the Philippines.

I don't keep a record of my password, I just trust my not too sharp memory to remind me what my passwords are. But it betrayed me!!!

I have a BPI express online account, though I don't use this as a savings account I maintain this account to pay bills in the Philippines and use the card whenever I am in the Philippines. I haven't open my online account for months and one day I just felt to check it the after three attempts to get the password right, TADA!!! My account got locked!

It says that I may reset the password through BPI express teller ATM machine. But how?! I'm in UAE. I called the BPI Dubai office on what to do and I was advised to call the toll free number which is 800 06300017. You can only call this with your Etisalat number or landline number, Du won't be able to connect, I called the number using a landline, but it took me several calls and about 10 minutes waiting time with no avail.

I searched BPI website on other contact number and found the number +63 2 8910000. I was able to speak with a representative with the use of my Du number (Yes, you can call with your Du number) I called around 11:00 pm, UAE time, it's early morning in the Philippines, so I think there were less calls so I got connected easily.

I was instructed that I may reset my password through phone but have to nominate a password first on the website (I know I should have read this on the website prior to calling but I'm too lazy to read.) So I had to hung up, nominate a password through BPI website and call them again. After the BPI representative verify some of my details, she forwarded my call to a phone banker, tougher questions was asked, but if you know your accounts and your details, you will surely answer her. And right there, may password had was reset. They were friendly and helpful too.

Here's the photo of the window where you can nominate a new password;

Hope I was able to help you. :)

How I started working in Dubai

Dubai is a popular location for Pinoy OFWs. Aside from a tax free salary, Pinoys have more liberty to practice their religion, wear their usual clothes and communicate with the opposite sex compare to other Middle East countries. Perhaps these are few of the reason why many Filipinos are attempting to work in Dubai. And I am one of them.

I was offered with a job as a Marketing Assistant in an Amusement Park in Sharjah, UAE last 2013. I was still working in Manila that time; however I declined the job offer because the salary being offered is just the same as my present job salary. The recruitment officer even told me that working in Dubai will be more beneficial since the salary is tax free and they’ll be providing accommodation and transportation. But I decline, I believe I’ll get better offers in the future (sometimes I am so optimistic that I forget to be realistic). 

Getting a visa

Still considering to work in Dubai to help my family (as we all do), I was able to get a visit visa with the help of my cousin who sponsors me. The sponsorship is like a guarantee letter from your immediate relative in UAE that s/he will sponsor your stay (accommodation, food, etc.) in the emirate. The original copy of this sponsorship letter was sent to me. This is required in order to pass through immigration. 

Getting pass the immigration

The day of my flight came, I felt really nervous for I have read a lot of stories on how difficult to get through the immigration. My flight is around 1am, so there are less people in the airport. I was attended by a young female immigration officer; she doesn’t look scary nor strict. I smile, gave her my visa, passport and sponsorship letter. She asks the birth certificate of my father, my aunt, and by grandfather as proof that me and my cousin are really related (make sure that all your documents are authentic to avoid problems, better to attached receipt from NSO too). She examines the papers, she seems please and ask me questions like; where do you work? How long will you stay in Dubai? When will you return? What will you do there. Do you have a credit card? How much cash do you have? Some question seems irrelevant but I answered confidently even I know for myself that I will not visit Dubai for pleasure but to look for a job. She also ask for my company ID. I gave her a fake ID for I already resigned from my job (sorry for lying). She then ask me about my job, what do I do, etc., she seem like giving me a job interview (so if you’re faking your ID, make sure that you can answer any question that can arise from the ID infos.) Finally, the Q&A is over, I was relieved. Fear, excitement, sadness, I can’t explain how I really feel. I just know that I am embarking to a new journey.

Job hunting

What welcomed me in Dubai is not what I had hoped for. Job hunting is not as easy as ABC, despite that I already had an experience in the  Philippines in PR/Marketing field for 4 years, they still considered me a fresher, can’t blame the employers because I know nothing in Dubai. Interview after interview, my visa got expired so I need to renew for another month. This means I have to pay another 900 AED. My funds are getting over, and I’m afraid I end up going back to Philippines as a failure. There are many Filipinos in the UAE, aside from that there are other nationalities like Indians, Russians, Europeans etc. This means, competition is tough, and the salary offer is too low (for Asians, I don’t know why) some only offers 2000 AED a month, or worse 1800 AED. I heard some receive even less. With this kind of salary, it will be difficult to start living in Dubai where a bedspace may cost 700-1200AED/month depending on location. As desperate as I am, I even applied for jobs irrelevant from my experience, I applied as a hotel receptionist (I was offered a very low salary that the interviewer, which is a Filipino advised me to look other options elsewhere), secretary (which I decline a day after I accept the offer because I’ll be working with all male employees with different nationalities), office girl (like a tea boy, even includes cleaning the owners home). I am not against with any of these jobs, I’ll be happy to work even as cleaner, but this is not the reason why I am here. I want to build a career and save, and in order to do that I have to focus on the path I want to take. Gratefully, before my extended visa end, I got an offer as an Event Coordinator in an Events Company, the salary is mediocre, very low that I can’t event send money regularly and had left me without decent savings. Sometimes I even think that it might had been better if I accepted the job offer I had in the Philippine where I get to have a free accommodation.  But I trust God that wherever I am now, it will lead me to where I had dreamed to go. 

A dream without action is just a wish.

Commute from Sharjah to Dubai

Traveling can be very hectic when you don’t have a car. If you are staying in Sharjah and looking for a convenient way to reach Dubai, this blog may be helpful for you. 

Via Al Jubai Bus Station

Al Jubail bus station

You may travel from the Al Jubail Station in Sharjah and take RTA buses to Dubai. Below are the route details; 

E303 - Union MS

E303A - Al Sabkha

E304 -  Al Satwa

E306 - Al Ghubaiba

E307- Deira City Center

E307A- Abu Hail

The fastest route would be going to Abu Hail, here you will encounter less traffic since it is the nearest place to Sharjah. You may then take a metro in Abu hail and go to your destination. Note that RTA buses going to Dubai only pick passengers from the terminal only.  You need to have a nol card in order to ride RTA bus, and make sure you have at minimum 7.50 AED balance(for silver card holder). Nol card is essential in using public transport in Dubai

Via Rolla Bus Station

 Rolla bus station

If Dubai has RTA, Shajah has KGL (Mowasalat). The terminal can be found in Rolla. Here you may take bus no. 8 going to Sahara. This bus also picks passengers along Kaled Al Qasimi St., Al Wahda St., and Al Nahda. The bus will then take you at the back of Sahara Mall.  You then have to cross the Sharjah-Dubai border, and voila! RTA buses will be waiting to take you on destinations as follows;

 Sahara back side

F22 – Al Qusais Industrial Area Terminus

22 – Deira Terminal (near Deira City Center Metro Station)

F23 – Stadium metro station

Other KGL buses that will take you to Dubai are;

308 – From Rolla Bus Station to Al Quoz and Jebel Ali

113 – From Rolla Bus Station  to Al Qusais Rashidiya

111 – From Sharjah Airport to Rashidiya Metro Station

You can pay cash directly to the driver  or used a Sayer card to board KGL buses.

Via Taxi

And of course! Who will forget taxis? This is the most convenient yet most expensive.  Flat down rate is 3 AED, and additional 20.00 AED on top of the bill for Dubai travel,  4.00 AED Salik fee will also be added every time you pass through a toll gate.

Below some sites you may visit for more details on bus routes and schedule. 

1.      https://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/wps/portal/rta

2.      http://www.mowasalat.ae/route8.php

Happy travel :)