(The writer is a native of Bacolod City. She was an editor of the student publication of the University of St. La Salle, where she earned her Mass Communications degree.)
QATAR – 2001. A friend phoned me from Manila asking if I want to try my luck in becoming a cabin crew for an international airline. The local agency for the airline had an open date for initial interview and I had about two days to prepare. Fearless me booked a flight, fully unprepared but armed with excitement and a que-sera-sera attitude, flew to Manila the very next day.
I didn’t have my resume updated nor had any pictures required for the interview. So, I took my chances with the five-minute photo offered in one of the stalls on the roadside at Roxas Boulevard. I was having the time of my life. It was an adventure!
The next day, I went to the agency and they did the preliminary interview. They checked my skin, my teeth, my hair, checked for any tattoos and asked basic questions regarding my background. “We will call you when you make the cut,” the agency lady told me. As I had to go back to work, I flew back in the afternoon of the same day.
A fairy tale would end so beautifully if I received the call a few days or at least a week later, but NAH! Nada, zilch! Phone silence. Never heard back from the agency. But that experience in Manila made me want more. I yearned to see more, so I resigned from my jo b and hopped on a plane back to the capital a few weeks later.
I applied to one job after another with no luck! I realized at that point, it was a different ballgame in the Big City. I applied in call centers – nope! Didn’t make it. They said I typed too slow. Two months in Manila and I was about to give up and packed my bags when I received a call from the agency. I got a spot to be interviewed for the airline job in a week’s time!
To cut a really interesting story short, I made it. Out of 259 applicants interviewed, 38 of us made it. We were scheduled to leave the Philippines in a month’s time. Our destination: Doha, Qatar.
I remember so well just days before leaving, my aunt asked me if I was sure with my decision, if being a flight attendant was what I wanted to pursue as I was extremely passionate about writing and journalism. “Six months lang ‘ta ah!” (I will go just for six months), I told her.
2021. I’m writing this piece in my garden, enjoying the cool weather that finally is easing its way into the region. Twenty years later and I’m still here. I left the airline job 10 years ago, and married a pilot. I am enjoying most of my time managing our home and being a mommy to our almost 5-year-old boy.
I have seen the country change so much in two decades that I’ve been here. The once quiet road is no bustling with cars and I am at awe at how much this place have changed over the years. A metro system is now in place and architecturally, this country is a must-see.
When I first set foot at the airport, it was small and extremely simple. Now, the country can boast of it being world-class. Currently, Qatar is gearing for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Never in my wildest dream did I ever imagine that the dunes would be my second home. When I was still working with the airline, I felt that Qatar was more like a hub – just a stopover, but 10 years being on ground, I fully embraced and experienced the culture, the food and the way of life.
There is no doubt that Filipinos ranking third with the most expats living in the country made my life in the sandpit easier. There is simply that familiarity and comfort when there will be an “ate” or a “kuya” in the grocery store, the bank, restaurants and, of course, clinics and hospitals. In every industry I would say, a Filipino would always be available. The greetings, “kumusta,” is definitely, music to my ears.
I’ve made friends here, some have become “family.” And if there is one thing I do not like about living abroad, it’s the fact that sooner or later, a “goodbye” is bound to happen.
Being our second home, Doha is also a transitional place. We may stay for as long as we want, but eventually most of us leave. Each see-you-soon hug, each goodluck kiss, reminds us that, indeed, this is not our forever home.
It is heartbreaking when it’s time to see a friend go because you will never know when you will see them again. That one last hug knocks on your inner consciousness, whispering gently, “what about you?”. “Would you like to go home, too?”
The feeling of missing home, never went away, from the day I left Philippines, till now, two decades later.
Before I get too emotional writing about missing Pinas, let me tell you about the colorful world of spices and souqs. One of the fantastic way to experience Qatar is through shopping! And no, I am not talking about the mall or IKEA. Though shopping in IKEA is seriously considered a family outing for us. I am talking about the souq. Nothing else like it.
Shops and stalls are all next to each other in an open space. Restaurants abound the area, too. You can buy tradition rugs and garments to diamond earrings and bangles, fridge magnets to Arabic paintings, spices and nuts– lots of them. Abundant, colorful and reasonable, too.
One of the best ways to experience the culture is through food and I must say, Arabic cuisine is diverse and rich in tradition. Each dish is influenced by climate and unique practices of the people in the region. You can spell YUM for spices and herbs because in this part of the world, one kitchen cabinet is allocated just for spices.
My favourite Qatari dish is, Machboos or as others call it, Kabsa. It comes with rice. As they say, you can take the Filipino out of the Philippines, but you can never take the Philippines out of the Filipino. The rice dish is cooked with delicious spices and any kind of meat – chicken, lamb, shrimp or fish.
Machboos is one of the first dishes I learned to make. Yes, I did learn a few things being away from my family in the Philippines. And the first thing was to feed myself and my family. (My Lola would be soooo proud!).
I miss home. I will be honest. I would love to speak my dialect all the time. I miss my family, my mom, my sister, my friends and the simplicity of having an amazing support system 24/7. But I also must say that amidst the modern city, the comfortable lifestyle, amazing cuisine and colorful culture and traditions, the one thing that made this my home away from home, is my family.
Nothing beats waiting for my husband to come back from a flight with our son running to open the door to welcome him back. The way they hug after not seeing each other for two days. Right here, right now is my home. Indeed, we can be anywhere, but with family we are home. – NWI
