Hello my CHArmings!
Friends come and go, like the waves of the ocean, but the true ones stay, like an octopus on your face. – unknown
I’ve been in Dubai long enough to really establish my social network aka FRIENDS. Not just Facebook friends, Insta Friends, Twitter Friends (as what they call it nowadays) but “real”, lunch dates, Saturday hang outs, sleepover, dinner kinda friends. Lately, I’ve been thinking about friendship especially the friends back in Dubai. Oh those were one of my happiest and busiest days.
I recall the movie night sleepovers, the spontaneous dinners, the “Window Shocking” (we go inside very expensive shops and get shocked by the price) 🙂 , and the “Saturdates” (we roam around Dubai and do things we haven’t done) — all with different sets of friends. I was seldom alone or in fact I was never alone, I was always accompanied by amazing people.
About a year ago, I went through a big change in my life. I had to leave Dubai and be with the love of my life in New Zealand. I was torn, as I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave my job, the place I’m used to for over 12 years and specially the friends I made and considered my family. It was a tough year as I have to act soon and arrange everything for my move. The last few months were dreadful as I don’t want the happiness, the busy weekday/weekend schedules to end. I know that this is just a phase in my life that I have to accept and soldier on. The last few months seemed perfect through my Insta post and my Facebook feeds. As I posted all my Dubai escapades, my last out of the country trip with some of my friends, it made me stop and think that people who see these posts don’t really know what I’m going through. Those days were one of the difficult ones I have to go through but one of the happiest as well as I will be with my love. Difficult in a sense that I’m leaving behind a place I called home for more than 12 years and most especially the friendship I built through those years.
I will never forget the laughters, the heart to heart talks, the eating sessions, the drinking sessions that ended up with a lot of crying, the Saturdates that end like photoshoots with almost 500+ photos and so many good and even bad times. The bad times (the times I lost my job 2x, through breakups, my health issues, my mom’s passing…) don’t make it seem so bad as you have this amazing people to encourage and uplift your spirit. For that, I will never forget Dubai, not just because of the many opportunities it gave me but the people I met during my stay that helped me realize the meaning of True Friendship.
Now, that I am in my new chapter and creating a new life and making new friends, I will forever be grateful of all the people I’ve met on my journey leading me to where I am now. It wasn’t that easy but heck, if I’ll be given another chance to redo my life, without a doubt I’ll do it a hundred more times to meet the same people over and over again.
CHArmed Life 