 |
Welcome to the UAE friends
network!
Filipinos make up the third largest ethnic group in the United Arab Emirates filling in a variety of posts from a lowly domestic helper, to a bar & lounge singer, dancer, waitress, bartender, to hotel staff, hospital nurses and aides, engineers and teachers. If you want to know more about the United Arab Emirates, click here. |
Gulf Hotel & Jazira Hotel
Oliver came to the UAE in August 1993 as a bellboy for the Gulf Hotel. He arrived with his cousin Jimboy who then will work for the Duty Free as store hand. Obey made close friends in Gulf Hotel including: Louie, Edgar & Mike. For a few months, he got assigned at the Jazira Hotel where he met first wife, Clarivin Amador (Kyle's mom).
Beach Hotel
I came to the UAE as a Sales & PR secretary of the Beach Hotel in February 1994. I was 22 years old. Jovalaine Eda P. Apua, a colleague at Business Relations International (BRI) the PR company I've worked for in Manila left for Abu Dhabi in October 1992. She took my CV with her and gave it to some hotels. Beach Hotel has just opened and was hiring. I worked under Mostafa Tantawi, Ellen Mercado, Rajah Mosleh and Sarah Harvey. Later on, Sarah left for France having just married Luc and was replaced by Amanda Davies as PR Manager. The Sales Team also added Hashem and Mohamed Soussan into the growing group of staff who are to go and promote/sell the Beach Hotel.
I was immediately close to Ellen who has two sons Dennis and Jojo who became like older brothers to me. Marley Chua was the F&B Secretary and was UP Diliman alumnus of 1984. Melinda Bernabe Nogoy was the Front Office secretary and was UP Diliman alumnus of 1988. We got on very well and got so close, even up to wearing similar clothes and shoes and went everywhere together. Our 'tatay-tatayan' was Theodore Dormitorio or Tatay Teddy who would cooked us food that reminded us of home.
I was also close to my flat mates who were: Cari-Ann Severino, Io Mae Rivera, Anna Villaverde (my roommate), Emma Flores, Jela Joy Limbo, Christina Deuna, Angie and Mirriam Faith Mabaquiao. Other staff who still evoke memories in my head include: Armand, Clariza Juanites, Jessie (Bell Desk), Jessie (Housekeeping), Gina, Yolly, Teresa, Salve, Josie, Robert...
Atlas Telecommunications
I joined Atlas Telecoms in March 1996. Ahmed Seddiq Samea is the owner and our 'big' boss. A very amicable yet astute businessman, he has been a very supportive boss and a good person. I'm always thankful for all the opportunities he has given me and for letting me go to pursue greener pastures. My direct boss was Halima Abdullah who was firm yet fair and was the hardest working staff in the company. I also worked with Meneka, Jovy, Hamza, Khunji, Pierre, Malvinder Singh (Dubai) among others.
Abu Dhabi Men's College, HCT
In July 1997, I became an Administrative Assistant at the Abu Dhabi Men's College (ADMC). I worked for three different administrative areas - Personnel, Finance & Facilities and Student Services while occasionally helping out at the Community Relations and Director's offices. My direct bosses then were: Karen Duffy (Personnel), Dorothy Smit (Finance & Facilities) and Val Karpinsky (Student Services). I also worked closely and naturally became close with most of the admin staff to include: Elsa Beirnat, Pamela Hodges, Sabina Madeira, Alice Andrade, Prabha Fernandes, Layla Krouma, Nisreen Ahmed, T. K. Radhakrishnan (Krishna) among others. Karen was replaced by Pamela Read whose husband, Colin Read became Head of Personnel at Central Services for over a year. They now reside in Spain and travel or sail occasionally.
In 1999, I applied for a higher position in the College's Library and joined Richard Baer (Library Supervisor) and his team: Michael Cross (Independent Learning Coordinator), Susan Fleming (Librarian), Vincent Rego (ILC Technician), and Library assistants Bonita Vieyra, Patricia Nassar and Ronnie Almeida.
In 2000 we had a new Library Supervisor, Lynne Russell and a new Librarian Roger Finigan who was joined by Kat McGrath. A year later, Mike Cross and wife Sherry, who was teaching English to higher diploma students, decided to live in France and was replaced by Peter Waters as ILC Coordinator.
There were several Filipino staff at ADMC who became lunch buddies and friends: Raffy Presnilla, Raul Barcenas, Alex Tejada and Jake Olano.
Duty Free
Oliver joined the Beach Hotel in January 1996, just as I was looking for a better-paying job. When I worked in Atlas Telecoms, he was in Beach Hotel and resigned in March 1997 to try his luck back in Manila. Eight months later, he returned to Abu Dhabi and was job hunting when he got a job as Sales Staff with the Duty Free. He got on well with a few colleagues like Jacqueline, Shirley and Babylyn. He got promoted to Consultant after a year and was now into finding "angels" from among the female staff. He found Laarni, Jenny and Annaleth. The next batch were: Helena Endaya (B), Ruth Gutierrez (Roger, Beke, now Hazel), Myla Guerrero (Goku), Shiela Jacinto (Guidaben), Miles (Us-le), Emilette Sabareza, Emilita Bagon (Nguso) and Skyline (Lumen).
Al Ain Men's College, HCT
Al Ain rescued me from being a jobless new-mom as I joined their Library Team with Ken Scott at the helm with an all-male member: Gary Evans (ILC Coordinator), Curtis Watson (Research Skills Specialist), Barry Frayer (Library Technician) and Iftikhar Hussein (Library Admin Staff). We also have a part-time Library Assistant, Cecilia Waugh who is originally from Brunei and married Richard Waugh, Al Ain Men's Finance Supervisor who is from the UK. Filipino staff here at AAMC immediately became close friends - Jeanne Alameda, Nick Garcia and Bong Lulu. At the Women's College, we have kababayans in the persons of Leovina Canete and Rogelio Sobrido. Leovina is married to Dennis Long, a Canadian and both have since then moved back to Canada with their children.
Just Friends
Aside from friends we've made at work, we also have so many wonderful friends outside. Here are some of the places or activities that gave us good friends.
Mercado Home in Al Calily Building
Being away from home, we were often at the Mercado's flat in Al Calily Building, Hamdan Street. Ate Ellen, whom we lovingly called 'Mamu', would cook delicious meals and we'd either watch TV or play mahjong. Sometimes, her sons Dennis and Jojo would bring some barkadas home for a bit of a drinking do. Since we weren't allowed to smoke in the house, the only place that is legal is in the kitchen and the balcony. We'd all crowd those places for a puff. Other friends we've made in their home are:
Ate Mimi - came weekly to iron clothes for the Mercados. She was able to find employment with the Brazilian Ambassador and is probably cruising the world at this very moment.
Tita Candy - she's come cook or sometimes just amuse us with her tales of the Gulf. A diabetic but a food lover, we shared fond moments in the kitchen.
Salvador Brines - more popularly known as Jun Negro he is the barkada's clown and kuya to us girls. He was my drinking buddy and was the only guy who would allow me to tag along with him in his search for cheaper and entertaining sources of alcohol.
Alvin Espinas - Binoe is a family man who has a lovely wife, Lisa and three equally beautiful daughters - Angela, Christine and Patricia. He is also the undisputed 'masiba' guy of the lot who has built-in air conditioners and condiments inside his mouth.
Raul Inoferio - The big man who plays basketball and coaches an Abu Dhabi team, most are members of the regular bunch of hooligans that meet regularly either at Ate Ellen's, La Bodega or Casa Maria.
Oda Pilapil - The big woman who is Raul's wife so, for her size, is a total nutcase - terrified of ghosts and would rush out of her house the minute you call her about a food that's cooking in Ate Ellen's home.
Benhur Ganaban - Benhur's wife played mahjong regularly with Ate Ellen. He's a comedian who can throw a mean bowling ball. He is also one of Joey Marcos' oldest friends.
Jose Domingo Marcos - is Benhur's sidekick in comedy skits and Dennis' soul musical mate. Together, the first pair had us in stiches while the second serenaded us with their own compositions. He is our designated 'emperor' and will eventually rule his horizontal subjects in La Loma.
Victor and Bernadette Mahinay - the Mr and Mrs Bean of the majongeros! This Ilonggo couple is really fun to be with...be it wadi bashing, desert camp outs, beach picnics or just simply playing joker eye at Mamu's home.
Homes, Sweet Homes!
Aside from working at different places, we've also lived in different places. Here's a list of our rented rooms, flats, homes all over the Emirates. I may have inherited my gypsy-like nomadic lifestyle from my adopted parents.
Old TV Building - When I first arrived in Abu Dhabi, all the staff of the Beach Hotel lived in this dorm-like building that is located in Hamdan Street, at exactly where the Liwa Centre now stands today. The actual words you say to the taxi driver is, "back side, old TV building". So Marley, May and Tatay Teddy and I get dropped off at the back nearer the entrance that at the front where so many textile shops and people buying/window shopping abound.
Old Mazda Showroom - The taxi word is "Mazda khadim" and this entire building, all nine stories belong to Beach Hotel staff. My flatmates were: Cari-Ann Severino, Io Mae Rivera, Anna Anita Villaverde, Melinda Bernabe Nogoy, Marley Chua, Emma Flores, Angie, Jela Joy Limbo, Christina Deuna, Mirriam Faith Mabaquiao. We also flat-hopped to where there is Filipino food or a drinking session going on, often to Teddy Dormitorio, Grace Uy, Jack, Clarissa Juanites, Gina, Dominador or Loudina Magnaye's rooms.
Madinat Zayed - Oliver and I "played house" at this place to which Jovy Apua, Willy Apolinar and Joanne Parenas strongly objected to! They weren't very happy when we got serious into our relationship and totally broke off the friendship with me. I am now reunited with JP yet Jovy continues to no longer have ties with me.
Navy Gate with Mr. Saleh - shunning the world as it has shunned us, Oliver and I lived in secret at one of the smaller buildings near the Navy Gate. Looking back, those were the happiest months of my life. That experience strengthened our bond as a couple and one we look back to now and then and reminisce with a kind of sigh that signifies..."oh yeah, we made it, we proved them wrong." Mr. Saleh was a naval officer and he rented out his rooms to a couple of Sudanese ladies, and another to Filipino sisters - Grace and Ruby who were also Ilonggas and were very nice to Oliver and I. At this point in my life, I found new friendships is the persons on Charito or Cha, Lea Madrideo, Lacnor or Tita Lac, and Danilo Hilao as well as brother in law, John Panuelos. When Dan's and two boys joined him in Abu Dhabi, we decided to move in together in a bigger flat.
Majid Sahaba - Mr. Suni owned the flat but rented it out to us. We had Sudanese flatmates but most of the rooms were occupied by us. Esperanza Hilao or Espie and Dan with their kids Dave and Gelo occupied the master's bedroom with its own bathroom. Amy Talao, Espie's best friend and Jon-jon Panuelos, Espie's brother occupied another room and shared a bathroom with Oliver and I. There was another room rented by a Filipino couple who worked in Al Ain. These were happy times. We had friends again and were going to bars or discos and having extra money to splurge.
Zayani - We wanted a newer flat so Dan and his family, Amy and Jon-jon and Oliver and myself left the older building and moved to Zayani. Everything was walking distance to this home including our favorite watering hole, Casa Maria. This time too we made more friends, Bebot and John, Grace or Pekang (Amy's sister), Apol, Mr. Fouad and his son Wissam, Joey Ramos with now wife, Gemma, Kuya Boy, Boy Tisoy and the lipat-bahay gang...
Al Mulla - I got promoted and was entitled to a flat, we moved to a one bedroom posh home still in Hamdan that had a pool, a gym, sauna and squash courts at the penthouse for tenants to use. I had the Summit Grocery at the ground floor which had plenty of Asian food selections, mostly Japanese. Still near Zayani, the Hilaos were frequent guests.
Liwa - J, Oliver's brother is coming so we needed a 2-bedroom flat. With the help of Ate Carms (Carmelyn Pena) and Mr. Edward (former Manager of Maintenance at the Beach Hotel) we were able to secure a penthouse flat at the Liwa Centre and moved in. This was also the flat that K arrived in. I've always said that in this flat, my homes in Abu Dhabi has gone full circle and this is where I originally lived/arrived - the Old TV building.
Hamdan City Centre - We needed a bigger flat with more rooms as now, both J and K are with us and I was pregnant so we moved to a three bedroom flat in Hamdan City Centre. The ground floor was an Emirates General Market supermart and behind us is a beautiful park and we even had a bit of a sea view that so it was perfect. Amber was born in this house and my mom came and visited us when we were living here.
Al Jahli, Al Ain - circumstances beyond my power to change/stop/control brought me to Al Ain. For the first time, I am living in a house....a villa as they call it here in these parts. No lifts, no upper or lower floors, just one floor, 2 bedrooms with large open spaces and a garden at the back for a bit of planting and BBQs.
The "Tower"
There is this building in Abu Dhabi, considered a tower, 9 stories high, annexed to a hotel that looks like what people would consider a motel elsewhere that you must experience because it truly is surreal. Each floor of this building, in its heyday contains a bar of some sort and eat one is unique from the other. The Zakher Tower and Hotel is really a hub for those who love the pint and meet some interesting, sometimes even dodgy characters in the city. Ever been to a Tanzanian, Russia, Arabia and Manila in just the press of an elevator button? Once you enter a bar, you are literally in that country at that time! Amazing but doing this every night leaves you with a huge hangover as well as a strain in your purse. Circa 1990's up to early 2000.
Aawitan Kita Bistro - also known as AK Bistro was home to Raul and a Saulog musician who lead a band playing popular 70's and 80's music with a bit of 90's by request. Think TOTO or Earth, Wind and Fire with some Lionel Ritchie and Billy Joel on the side. It was fun despite the very minute size of the place.
Casa Maria - Used to be our favourite bar, thanks to a lovely and friendly Mexican bar hostess named after the place itself. Everyone who came to this place knew everyone else and it was such a cosy atmosphere. The food is not bad as well. Jiejo took the helm at the bar after Maria left but things weren't the same after that.
Sampaguita - Used to be on the third floor with a disco and Filipino band. They transfered it to the second floor and removed the bad. Instead a KVJ was hired and billiards and darts became the name of the game while the adventurous and brave can sing to their hearts desire.
La Bodega - Another favourite spot on Filipinos when Boy Mondragon was the lead act. Mama Girl, as we fondly called her ruled the place l ike a queen. With her pretty back up singers who are divas in their own right, the place was pack and jumping till the wee hours of the morning. The place went downhill after hiring a series of so-so bands which didn't quite meet the expectations of the crowd. It has not been converted to a bar sans band but with loud music.
Churchills - Our fave after the decline of Casa Maria. Used to be snotty-members-only place for Brits and Caucasain expats but they realized it was not fun without the Pinoy crowd so they allowed everyone in. Mostly Caucassians with a few Filipinos and Arabians who meet regularly to play darts. About this time, all the bars in Abu Dhabi formed an inter-bar darts tournament and venue each game is hosted by a different bar. It was fun while it lasted.
Other Bars Of Note
We obviously love a pint or two. Here are other places you may want to check whenever you will be in Abu Dhabi. Although some may no longer be in existence. Bars are connected to hotels because they need to have license to sell alcohol. So it may be worth to mention the hotels and the bars that go with them. There are themed nights like Ladies Night where ladies get free drinks or get a chance to win raffle prizes and Hotelier's Night where staff of different hotels get free drinks upon presenting their IDs.
Beach Hotel - used to have an underground bar called 5th Avenue but that closed down. Trader Vic's is more for dining out. The coffee shop, also serves beverages but the best one is the German bar, Brauhaus. They serve popular beer brands but they have Varsteiner beer and your own personalised mug (only for regular cusomters) which you can take home with you if you decide to leave the country for good. Great pork sausages too!
Le Meridien - Waka Taua is an al fresco restaurant with a live band and serves nice pica-pica satays and grills with your pint of beer. Gauloise is their disco joint and Chi-chi's is a Tex-Mex restaurant also offering alcohol beverages. Ladies night used to be Wednesday at Chi-chi's where you get two margaritas, free.
(This part needs to be finished yet! Please re-visit this page in the future.)
Back
to Friend's Page
Go
To Obey, Anne & Amber's Home Page
Back to the top