Doink.

After weeks of torture waiting for the results of my work permit application, I got the not so good answer. I got the big D. Yep, I got denied. The headhunter told me the news that I got denied from the Home Office, the UK's immigration agency. Reasons? They don't see a reason why the company should hire me and that I'm not capable for that programming/consulting job. Hmmm... Since when can they deliberate the technical qualifications of a person if they are not into that level of the field? They also say that the company should exert an effort searching for a resident or an EU national whilst running a job ad for 6 months. What really went wrong? Gia and I are still bewildered.

Whatever the reasons are, Gia and I know that God has a good reason behind it. We just thought that maybe it's not yet the time and God has something better in his bag for me.

In another bright side, I was able to see how the market demands for the area of expertise I'm in. That could only mean one thing, I'm in the right track. Gia knows that too and her support is unfathomable (Thanks ga!).

I also recently got my multiple entry visa, hence our original plan to spend Christmas together is right on target. Not even my denial is going to be a showstopper in our much awaited date of the year. ;)

Turks' Handicraft.

Last week, we went to Kuwait's Friday Market to buy some carpets for our house in Philippines. This market offers all kinds of items, old or new, from pipes used for plumbing to hand down garments to LCD tvs at affordable prices. What we were looking for were carpets, Turkish in handicraft to be exact. I've heard that those kinds of carpets are extremely expensive in Philippines. Turkish I believe are next to Persian in terms of quality. Fortunately, there's an oversupply of these types of carpets in Kuwait hence the low price. It was a haven for our us and our fellow kababayans. Below are the shots I took while executing the Pinoy's ultimate way of buying, haggling. :)

Three - Sweet October.

In the concluding part of the saga, I made sure that this blog will be more extra special than the previous two. It's now exactly a year when we made a promise to each other and to go this far and how we made it was a milestone for us.

Days after the remarkable dinner we had, I got her stuck in my head all the time (kahit nag-dodota kami ng brother ko sa r@pt). So i did what a guy has to do, I invited her for more dates wherein we really got to know each other more. Dates that doesn't only include romantic dinners, movies galore, lovely coffee sessions but also includes breakfast at Jollibee, Chowking and McDonald's since it lasted until dawn, hence mega-dates. :) We schedule our dates after 8:00 pm every day @ Forty Winks (somehow this has brought me charm with its logo is made up of stars). It continued until on this exact date last year, I confessed and yep she said 'yes'. It was a whirlwind thing for us. Like a leaf flown away by a gust of wind, it knocked me off my feet. She came into my life without any signs unexpectedly and I was caught off-guard.

To celebrate it, here's our pic of our ever first date right after the dinner @ Fuzion Greenbelt. (ain't she stunningly gorgeous?).

After a few days of being together, I took my flight back to Kuwait where I currently work at with 2 modes of face, a bit sad but that succumbed to the happiness I felt. At this exact date and time (don't know if she already read this), she is at a flight bound to UK for a project assignment. Our anniversary date is delayed nevertheless we will be celebrating this anniversary soon together.

Hello UK.

Months after my birthday gift of being interviewed last July, I finally got a job offer from the company I'm applying for in the UK. They've finally decided to assign me in their head office. This surprise was a good one after all and my patience really paid off. I thought it was just a joke but when I received the offer via email, it was a serious matter after all. My very helpful and kind head hunter really nailed his job and I owe him this one. In fact he was the only person who contacted me via phone ever since I posted my CV in the internet. Cheers to that guy and cheers to Monster.co.uk (it really works. :) The first step is done, the offer letter. I still have 3 more steps to tackle, the work permit, the visa or entry clearance and the resignation letter to my current employer. It would take me at most two months before I see pangga in London and spend the yuletide season and in welcoming the new year with her. How exciting. God really blessed us. :) Anyway, the job is quite a challenge and I'm really up to it especially that pangga will be around. We really hope that this UK opportunity for the both of us would really push through. If she is itching to see the queen, I'm itching to eat halo-halo made of snow... :p

Life's Surprises.

I've been waiting for my interview results for a long time until now. A week after the interview with the company's senior manager, the head hunter regularly called me to give me the updates and actions done. The first call after the interview gave me a positive feedback, he said that the work permit was already at the UK's home office and it's currently being processed. I was excited of course since UK is our dream work place for pangga and I. I fell in love with the country since I set foot on it when I was on a training course last year. A week after on a Thursday afternoon, I got an international call. It was the head hunter and this was our conversation, well kinda a bit of a conversation. :p

-ACT I-

Hunter: Hey there Harley. How are you?
Harley: Hey... blah blah blah.
Hunter: I got updates. I've spoken to blah blah blah. They are really interested in employing you blah blah... 3 people highly recommended you... blah blah blah. (all of a sudden) Do you want to work in a regional office of the company in the gulf particularly Bahrain?
Harley: What? Why is that? (a bit upset and shocked)
Hunter: The company's VP blocked your application. Terrorist blah blah blah.... it would eventually denied by the home office. And he wanted to hire a British or an EU national... blah blah.
Harley: But the original plan is UK. (Noooooo!!!!!!!!!)(How could someone like me look like a terrorist? this is discrimination! Grrr...)
Hunter: Yep I know that, UK has gotten strict in issuing work permits. It's a different world now as you see what's going on. (obviously doing his best to eradicate my disappointment). Since you have the right skills, if they cannot get you into the UK, they would like to utilize you in Bahrain for their upcoming projects. It's difficult to find someone like you with the right skills. (hunter style talaga oo.)

.. and the conversation went into an infinite loop of questions for 10 minutes...

Harley: blah blah blah.
Hunter: blah? blah blah.
Harley: blah blah blah. blah?
.
.
-Call ended-

Eventually I said yes. I told to myself if it's the first step to get me into the UK, I will take it. Besides it would still be considered as a good career move if all will turn out well. Patience is a virtue.

-Act II-

I received a call recently in the office so I hide myself in room away from my manager's site. (hehehe.) It was the head hunter and here was our conversation.

Hunter: Hey Harley. How are you? blah blah blah.
Harley: Good morning. blah blah blah.
Hunter: I was told that they are going to talk about it thru a meeting soon. (haaay ang labo nila.) and it would take more time as we expected probably end of this month. blah blah.
Harley: Really? blah blah blah. Just keep me updated. blah blah.
Hunter: I would definitely do that. blah blah.
Harley: Thanks. Cheers!
.
.
-Call ended-

Life is full of surprises and they come when you least expected them. Opportunities like these are some of these. A surprise though may lead to different surprises. Some outcome are good and some aren't. Hey, it wouldn't be surprise if you already know the outcome right? Who knows, those aren't good ones may be blessings in disguise and those types are the life's greatest surprises. I will leave you a quote about patience and its accomplice, perseverance. When pangga came into my life (she's my life's biggest surprise), this quote says it all since I had them.

Patience and perseverance have a magical affect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. - John Quincy Adams

Birthday Boy.

Yesterday, I had a complete package of events that made my birthday special. First of all, I had a chat with pangga before my birthday until 12 am of 20th. She's such a dear sweetie plus the desk smiley box I received from her had our pictures in it attached with a great note. What more can I ask for? (uhm lower mo ga iyung budget pls. :p alam mo na iyun. hehehe.) Ga you are the greatest gift ever. ;) Mama, Hershey, bro and manang also called from the Philippines to greet me. It's a wonderful feeling being greeted by the special people in my life. My dad and his kumpares prepared a mouthful of dishes served as lunch. That day, I also had an interview with a possible job offer to work in UK. It turned out positive since the British told me that I have the right criteria. I hope I'm their choice for that position. The head hunter keeps on following up everything and said that they've already started the ball rolling. I guess I have to wait next week whatever the outcome may be. Around 5 p.m., my gaming friends came for my treat to them, a large pizza from Domino's as I promised them. Then we played a couple of games as we each savour our own slices. This day was made special because of them and I thank God for having them as my blessings. Indeed a happy birthday it is.

Travel Bug Rate.

My Lakbayan grade is C-!

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Created by Eugene Villar.

Getaway Fever. - Northern Release.

Yep I'm back... back in the writing mode again or mood whatever suits you. It's been months since my last 'real post' and had a couple of fillers prior to this post. It's been months alright but the summer getaway was so well spent and so memorable that it didn't even sink in up to this very moment. I promised ga to give her an unforgettable birthday and I sure did. Our plans, the northern and southern itineraries were indeed followed. These were the experiences neither I nor ga could ever forget.

• Eating galore @ La Union - ga had her first taste of the native Ilocos dishes along with the traditional Filipino cuisine. The dinakdakan (pig's ears), pinapaitan, egado, pinakbet, sinigang na malaga and baboy made her drool all prepared by dad himself, manang and her associates (Hehehe). Sobrang dami na ang magluluto kung sisingit pa ako. Even one of my brother's friends who is in a discipline (no second plates) can't resist the famous egado of manang eventually breaking his rule.

• Pangga's Mahjong Experience - ga actually played mahjong against my uncles, aunts and cousins. I taught her the basics and she easily grasped it. Later, she's already screaming 'pong', 'chow', 'kang' and the 'todas' cry. Promil user ata si pangga e. Did I mention that there are pusta and money pot here? Claire beware! :)
  

• Trip to Baguio - we went up to Baguio to drive dad's friends and at the same time visit the city of pines on its peak season of summer. We strolled to Camp John Hay and had a great lunch @ Dencio's. Everything's great except the traffic though, tough luck since the president was @ Baguio that time for the Holy week season. Ga and I explored the haunted mansion where the caretaker narrated eerie stories and even showed us pictures of the spiritual world to his heart's content. He was really into it until the crowd began to pull away from him. The flower garden was next as the sun sets happily.
• Vigan Trip - the historical place of Vigan puts me back in time when I was @ London. Cobbled stones and gothic architecture that withstood time. You'll feel the reverberation of history around these magnificent architecture as we did. Ga loved the friendly atmosphere offered by the town's folks, the food (empaynada and longganisa) and the historical city's entirety.
• Manaoag Shrine - this place is known in the north as a famous place of worship for Catholics. It's been our family practice to visit the shrine whenever we go home for a vacation. We attended the mass and got ourselves sprinkled with the holy water afterwards. It was a week after the holy week, we do need spiritual healing from time to time not just our physical being. On our way home, ga experienced the buying of bangus (milkfish) @ the stands of Bonuan, Pangasinan highway road adjacent to the fish ponds The prices are good that lives up to the freshness of the fishes being sold @ these stands.

• Food trip @ Manila - ga introduced me to Kopi Roti, UCC, Country Style and Italliani's. I call these restaurants and cafes the Big Four. Kopi Roti offers the best combination of the local pandesal-coffee 1-2 combo, commercialized version. UCC offers my favorite mango crepe. It's comparable to Pancake House's but it really beats up the later in the creamy and mango taste meters. Country Style offers the best sausages and hotdogs I've ever savoured, from Hungarian to German franks. And Italliani's? It became my instant favorite fine dining restaurant the first time I've tried their dishes. No wonder ga always insists on the salad being served there. Loved the salad, salmon and the steak!

• Ga's Bankai - bro's graduation celebration @ La Union was never complete without the tossing of shot glasses. We had the usual drinks, tequila, bailey's and alfonso trese. Laughter was everywhere that it blends well to the videoke. After a few shots, ga and I sung songs and play billiards like there's no tomorrow. It was one heck of a night. That night, I've seen ga screaming 'bankai' (nasobrahan ata ng inom). The battle cry of Bleach anime's Ichigo that means 'second stage' of his sword's power. I was a bit surprised... but it's never a surprise that whatever she does, it always makes me smile with that feeling.
  

Harley The Easy Rider (not the motorcycle this time).

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Nash Attack.

Summer Getaway.

In two weeks, I will see gia again for a summer vacation I-would-never-forget in the making. The lady once that I had crush on is now the lady who's going to fetch me at the airport with my brother. Yup we are together and for the readers out there (if there are) if you are wondering how and when, just wait for the concluding part of my special saga (ala Peter Jackson). I'm serious here. :)

Pangga (it's what we call each other, it means 'love or sweet heart' in Visayan language) already planned the itinerary we're going to have. We had an agreement of her taking on the planning for the Visayas region whereas for me, I will be handling the Luzon region. Hmm.... There is no such thing as boundary when that mysterious entity called 'love' comes into picture. Being Ilocano and her being a Cebuana, we are geographically separated but that didn't stop us in being together.

Okay, enough of that mushy stuff and let's go back to the itinerary that we've planned. I personally wanted to visit Cebu again and the islands around it and Bohol being the closest is in it. Besides most of her relatives are residents of that beautiful island and might as well visit them for the reason that she wanted me to meet them together with her mom and lil sister sugar. I do have gut feeling that all eyes will be set on me (gosh!), the same way we set our eyes on the Alona Kew resort in Panglao. Hence, pangga already made a reservation on that resort for the snorkeling activity and probably dolphin watching too. Hehehehe.

But before embarking for that fun filled trip to the Visayas which is the 2nd week of April, was holy week. I promised her to take her to La Union and Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. And oh boy, Baguio during the holy week is heavily crowded. Foreigners, low landers especially people from Manila wanted to experience the cool climate (European summer weather). Aside from that, I will be taking her to places of interest. She mentioned the last time she was in Baguio was a stormy day, messed up their excursion plans. So this time, I will be her tourist guide. I stayed there for 4 years and since it's an hour and 45 minute away drive from our place in La Union, I was exposed to what Baguio has to offer. And of course, pangga will meet my dad who's also coming home, get to meet my relatives, will have the chance of playing billiards against me and sing her heart out to videoke to-sawa and of course, savor the lutong-bahay cuisine of manang, dad including myself in La Union. ;)

I'm wishing that everything will go according to what we've planned, and if it does, it would be the best summer yet for the both of us, a great gift for my beloved pangga who is celebrating her birthday this April for her to remember.

Two - Sweet October.

The smile she gave me exhilirated me for a moment and she looked stunningly beautiful in a red blouse. I thought she's going to give me a sarcastic smile for being late but it wasn't, it was a cheerful smile and I exchange her with one too as we approach each other but deep down inside saying to myself, busted na ito dahil late sa unang date but I was carefully eyeing her reactions. I had perfectionist gfs in the past relationships and I don't want to be in the same seat again. So I told her that I was late due to traffic and she just nodded without any hesitation. That's a good sign because I'm the type of person who don't put the best foot forward first at all costs. But that day, being late was unintentional, and clearly she understood that. Lucky me.

I invited her in a Vietnamese restaurant called Hue. The ambience is romantically good and so far the best fine dining restaurant in its cuisine lane I've ever been to. The waiter handed us the menu. While she's carefully making her choice, I stole glimpses of her. 3 to 5 second glimpses to be exact before surrendering my flag and decide what I have to eat. I can't take my eyes off her. I wanted to impress her pretty badly that I ordered 2 glasses of red wine filled with one of their house specialties. That time, I said to myself I have to make it up to her being late in the first date. :) And besides, red wine is good for the heart although, she already captivated me. So then we had a lovely dinner. Really glad she enjoyed it. We decided to take a walk around greenbelt area.

We talked about a lot of things, we shared a lot of stories, talked about our own views in life, families and other things. Talking with her is so light and easy. She's the type of person that encourages you to be the real you to impress her. No pretensions. No masks. No goody goody-two-shoes acts... I felt that I found my bliss in her. Whatever we do and wherever we go, how many times we eat, went in and out of convenience stores, mcdo, jollibee and chowking that night until dawn, I had fun... we both had fun.

It was already 6 am when we call it a date. I walked her home until we get to her place. As we get there, I thanked her for the marvelous time and the pleasure of her company. She smiled and uttered the same line. We agreed to go together for a mass that afternoon and I clandestinely have my own intentions about what I feel for her. I smiled.

Time to go back from Makati to Quezon City where I momentarily stay with my brother. MRT is not crowded since it was a Sunday. I know it's a long journey but short in my world... like the time I've just spent with her, barely noticed the time, I was in a bliss.

to be continued.