CHI-CHI and NAJAH

Joel Daradar is one of our proud alums, a 2001 BS Tourism graduate now based in Abu Dhabi. He works for the National Health Insurance agency of the UAE government and AVV Jr. (aka Dad) teases him always as being the highest paid PATTS Alum in the UAE (they met last February on a previous trip he had with MFV). He was the one tasked with organizing our graduates and what a great job he did!

With about 4 days notice, he was able to organize thirty one of our graduates for dinner at the Chi-chi's restaurant at the Le Meridien Hotel. Of the 31 who attended, 30 were men with only one lady braving the company of some very loud and boisterous young men. They had so much fun chatting and reminiscing about their college days in the old PATTS campus. While they were browsing through our business profile, they were surprised to see the transformation from the old campus at Domestic Road to the new campus at Paranaque City. They were all saying that with the little facilities they had at the PATTS campus, they were able to make it all the way to the Middle East. Now that our students have better facilities, there is no excuse na raw for them not to exceed what the graduates in the UAE have achieved. Ahhhh, may yabang din pala ang mga PATTSeans na 'to! Heehee.

What made the occassion extra special was that Joel even prepared a short program, a plaque of appreciation and an enormous bouquet of flowers for MFV. She was visibly touched and was at a loss for words ( a miracle for MFV! ) while surrounded by her 'children'. Nakakatuwa. The party ended at 10pm with everyone promising to keep the PATTS spirit alive in Abu Dhabi. Thank you to Joel and to the rest of the PATTS contingent there. You made us truly proud of PATTS!

We didn't have time to remain in our sentimental mode because as soon as we got into the hotel that evening, we had to pack na and prepare our luggages for check out at 9am the next day. We would check out of the hotel and just deposit our luggages at the concierge before heading off to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) for NAJAH at 10am.

As soon as we get into the cab headed for ADNEC, MFV protests because naiwan daw yung kanyang 'something precious' in the luggage and baka daw mawala sa storage. Grudgingly, we headed back to the hotel to recover her 'something precious'. Midway through the taxi ride, the driver tells us that we have to pay double the meter fare because we had to make 2 trips. We told him it didn't make a difference and that we should just follow the meter. Apparently irked, he left us on the roadside in the middle of nowhere where there were about two dozen questionable men 'hanging out'. Even if we were scared out of our wits, we continued to remain steadfast in our fight to get the right fare! In fact, we were refused by two other cabs (and even let down by 1 of them after just a few meters) because we refused to pay double the meter fare. I told nga MFV, can you just imagine the headline? And all because we refused to give a few more dirhams! Finally, after 10 minutes, our prayers were answered. Our 4th cab driver got us to NAJAH by 11:00am. FINALLY!!!!



The NAJAH is indeed very impressive and world-class. Most of the schools on exhibit there are big universities in the United States and Europe who have their satellite campuses in Abu Dhabi. There were also a few universities from Malaysia hoping to attract some locals to study in their country. There were none from the Philippines. Of course my number one apprehension was how on earth I could compete with these universities who already had their satellite campuses there. Another was even if studying in the Philippines would definitely cost half of what they would spend in their country, how can I convince them that our country was safe when Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both virtually crime-free. Oh well. These were some of the things to consider. But that would come much later. Should we decide to join the 2nd exhibit, our contingent would be back in this venue by Oct 19-21 of 2008. Something to consider....



By 5pm, we were on the road headed for Dubai to make our 10pm flight to Bangkok. We were so tired, our feet were aching and our heads were spinning from all the activities! But at the end of the day, we were grinning from ear to ear. What an adventure we had! I'm so thankful to have experienced the Middle East and I will cherish this always. I hope I can share it though with Reymond and the girls someday. Until then, Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be 'tattoed on my mind'......