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| I just arrived in Kuala Lumpur! Selamat datang ke KL! |
Truly Asia. After my trip in Bangkok, I immediately flew to Kuala Lumpur for research consultancy and leisure of course!. From Novotel Siam via limousine ( I paid around 450 Baht) , I went to Don Muang Airport in Thailand at around 6:30 in the morning, too early for my 10 a.m. flight to KL. I had a cup of coffee at Starbucks Don Muang watching and listening to my fellow tourists who shared their experiences in Bangkok, as well as their personal lives. Oh, this is life! Malaysia, here I come!
When I landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I took AirBus to KL Sentral (as per instruction by Dr. Jubilado) where Dr. Francis Dumanig was waiting for me. In the bus, I sat with an Overseas Filipino Worker who has been working in Saudi Arabia for some years, and he is now touring Malaysia as part of pampering his self. He shared that he has travelled a lot of countries in Asia just like Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand. “Kailangan ko talagang magbakasyon. Di maganda na work lang ako ng work sa Saudi. Alam mo muntik pa akong di makapunta rito. Ayaw pumayag ng boss ko. Gusto ko na siyang patayin. Gusto siyang saksakin. ” He continued his story while I was slowly opening my snacks. “ Sir, no eating”, a Malaysian driver reminded me. “ Oh, so sorry , Sir.” My seatmate advised me , “ Wag ka lang pahalata. Sige na kumain ka na. Alam ko gutom ka.”
“Alam mo doon sa Saudi mahirap ang buhay. Kailangan mo talagang lumaban.”, an OFW continued his story. “ Ganoon po ba Sir? Ganyan talaga ang buhay ng OFW”, I responded.
My OFW seatmate shared also that he was a victim also of sexual harassment. “Balita ko Sir doon sa Saudi talamak yung mga manyakis na Arabo. Tinitira ka raw. “ The OFW replied, “ Naku, sinabi mo pa. Manyakis yung mga Arabo doon. Wala akong bigote so guwapong-guwapo ako sa tingin nila. Pagkatapos ko ng work, sabi sa akin kita daw kami. Magpapamasahe daw sila. Eh, marunong ako magmasahe. At first, takot ako pero ng tumagal, nasanay na rin ako. Normal na lang sa akin. Kumikita naman ako.” I wanted to sleep but my OFW seatmate was very eager to share his story. I just did not know why he was very open with his experience in Saudi. He shared also his love affair with a Filipino working in Dubai, and I did not ask him about it. “Naku, yung partner ko napaka-active sa sex. Akon a nga yung umaayaw. Bata pa kasi. Eh ako 40 plus na so madaling mapagod.”
“Ok..KL Sentral”, the Airbus driver announced. “Oh Sir, KL Sentral na tayo. Sa Starbucks ang punta ko Sir. Naghihintay doon si Dr. Francis.”. O siya ihatid na kita doon sa Starbucks.”
And I saw Dr. Francis sitting with his cup of signature chocolate. “Sir Francis!”. “Oh, Sajed! Musta ang biyahe mo? Maupo ka.” . And his students Rami, Ashraf, and Bakry arrived. And Dr. Francis introduced me to his students and we started to share our stories. It was just sad because Bakry was leaving for his scholarship in London. Bakry is my facebook friend. “Nice to meet you, Sajed. Wrong timing, Sajed. I am going to London. I will be back on the last week of June.” And I replied with a smile, “It is okay ,Bakry. I will be back in KL.”
And Dr. Dumanig and Ashraf, a Palestinian English teacher in KL, sent my OFW seatmate to the terminal where he could take a ride to Bukit Bintang. “Oh Sajed, who is that person?”, Rami asked. Rami is an Iraqi student of Dr. Dumanig who is taking up Master of English at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. “Rami, he is an OFW in Saudi.” , I responded. “Oh, really? I thought he is a friend of Dr. Francis.” Anyway, what brought you here in KL, Sajed? , Rami asked.
And we took a cab to Pantai Panorama Condo and this would be my place from June 2- 9, 2013.
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I chose "Malaysia: My new home (part 1)". At first, I thought that Sir Sajed would be settling to Malaysia for good but after I read the whole topic, I realized that my inference was wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt is an experience where you are proud to share because not all can have that experience as much as you do. Indeed, the traveler must be very grateful to his experiences during that time. He has met new persons and was able to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of Malaysia. The traveler must be very motivated on doing his task because he already felt the good aura.
The traveler's expectations are still high because his journey to Malaysia has just began....
BSME
ME 1-1
MATABANG, Giljan M.
Entrep I-B
ReplyDeleteAs I've read the title of the article 'Malaysia:My New Home', I thought he will be leaving Philippines and he will be staying in Malaysia for good. But it was not,he was just travelling in Malaysia and had the research consultancy in Kuala Lumpur. He shared all the events happened during his travel to Kuala Lumpur.
I have chosen this travelling experience of Sir Sajed entitled " Malaysia: My New Home " because i found it interesting & funny. And what more is that while reading sentence by sentence all his experience while going to places & meeting new people, i was like travelling with him.When an OFW in saudi shared his experience, i was touched & also carried away. In this topic, i was like travelling in different dimensions in people's lives & to say honestly, for me it was not just sharing an experience, it also qave lessons & served as an eye opener to the readers .
ReplyDeleteBs in Economics- A
Julianne Abrie B. Yap
Germaine S. Rapacon
ReplyDeleteBS ECONOMICS-1A
From the title it self"MY NEW HOME(PART ONE).I thought that sir will be leaving the Philippines and move in Malaysia for good.
But,i read the article it is not just like i thought that he will leave the Philippines for good and he will continue teaching in Malaysia. Sir Sajed admired the environment in Malaysia that's why he called Malaysia his new home , he meet Filipino worker that he shared his life and experience in Saudi and he is OFW. And Sir Sajed meet some friends and with Dr. Francis and some of his students. Sir Sajed enjoy his vacation of course he will be doing his research consultancy and leisure.
Vinxett Nicko B.Tan
ReplyDeleteBS EcE1; EN 1-3
I had inferred from the title, "Malaysia: My New Home (Part 1)", that the article would be all about the beauty of the said place- its tourist's spots and its nature and how the traveler enjoyed his long-awaited vacation. But I totally underestimated the tempting title...
As I go along with the article, the statements of the traveler's companion in Malaysia started to bring pity upon my innocence, or maybe not. I never imagined those gross outcomes when working with those Arabs (maybe, at some point from the statements of my father's co-workers about their uncontrollable sexual intimacy. My father is also an OFW, he worked there with his other fellow Filipinos. His companions would always complain about these maniacs, thrusting their rough yet powerful; hands upon their legs with eyes seducing their 'prey'. It really gross me but I realized, it was the reality. It is unavoidable. After hearing those confessions, I never wanted to go to abroad. Somehow, I was traumatized.
Moving on to the topic, I realized Filipinos engulf their pride and integrity to provide the needs of their family. But on the contrary, that OFW must have done any violent reaction. He deprived his own rights. It is unlawful, but he accepted the fact..and that saddens me most. We do not react, we just accept what will the world will feed us, even if that was their spit. We must know our value before entering a situation like this.