Kish Island, Iran
I have experienced my first exit at Kish Island. It was in December 2006. Honestly, all I can think of that time was for my new visit visa to come right away. I didn’t want to stay long in Kish. And I was worried that I might have not enough money… I was paying my own visa and didn’t have much. (: I haven’t found a stable job then.
Still, my experience in Kish have made me realize that I'm still very much luckier compared to some of our kababayans who are left there without anybody to help them in Dubai to get a new visa or purposely left by their sponsors. No wonder there are so much stories about Pinoys’ sad plight in Kish to the point that some would even resort to taking their lives. Yes, it’s true…sad but true.
Anyhow, after two days I got back to Dubai.
‘Looking back…I wish I should have just enjoyed my stay there. Should have taken some local tours and took more pictures. Sayang!
Sabi nga nila, Dubai life is never complete ‘til you experience your exit to Kish. (:
But that wasn’t my last exit…'kala mo. ):
Muscat, Oman
One should also exit not only when a visit visa expires but also to change from a visit visa to a working visa. The only difference is usually, you get to go back right away. And this “exit” is what we call a “transit”.
A transit happens when a person from UAE goes for an exit (so just for the immigration's record to simply show that you have exited! you may also pay...but that's another story for another time) and come back with an employment visa. Often, you got your visa already with you.
This is what usually happens…
Go to the airport.
Check in.
Line up for Passport Control for “Exit Stamp”.
Wait for your flight.
Board the plane.
Upon reaching your destination;
Go down the plane.
Get in to arrival.
(Here you may insert, go to the restroom – that is, if you have time - as sometimes you even don’t have the luxury of a 5-minute-smell-the-air-of-a-new-place as the attendant is already shouting “Boarding Flight No. ####!”)
And back to departure.
Board the very same plane.
And voila, before you could start snoring (pun intended! (: )…you’re back in UAE!
Bahrain
Welcome to the Land of F1!
This time I have gone to exit as I have just cancelled my Residence Visa with my previous employer. So, I’m back to being a Visitor of UAE! Duh.
I have smelled the air of Bahrain! Yes, smelled as I didn’t even have the chance of going to the rest room! I have to take my “pee” with me back to the very same plane we took in coming here and back. Another duh!
Transit –
So fast
Almost running
5 minutes or even less
So short of time
So much to miss
Transit
No time
for anything…
- Bahrain International Airport (written while inside the shuttle that brings us back to our plane)
Oman
Hay naku! Yes, another exit.
You see, going to an “exit” is not that all exciting especially if you’re paying for all your expenses PLUS the fact that you’re basically waiting for just a new visa and there’s a possibility that it may be rejected. ):
BUT the difference on this exit was I basically enjoyed it! The ONLY thing stopping me to truly enjoy the whole trip was my being away from my “Tatay”! (Patay luyag ako sa bana ko so, sue me!)
And my first time to exit on land… meaning nag-bus lang kami!!! Exciting!
From this I have experienced a totally different process of “exit” again. I know all about “borders” between countries but I still found it “amazing” (?) that just as we’re passing the Al Ain Highway, just on the other side of a fence is already Oman! (: Buki gid ah!
Got some bonding also with my travel mates from the agency - Darlene and Kuya Iggy. I think it was Darlene’s adobo that made us instant buddies! (: Almost four days of just sleeping…watching-whatever-is-on-the-“cable”…ligid!...eating…and more ligid and sleeping!
EXIT can bring out different emotions out of different people that depends on their situations while on a foreign nearby countries of UAE.
Friend, Nikki is right…it’s an opportunity to see new places…new people…new culture. So, one should also take advantage of it and kahit pano try to enjoy (ah…eh…easy to say! Believe me, hindi talaga ganun kadali para sa iba! Promise!)
And yes, of course, should your new visa comes - BE THANKFUL – that you're given another chance of a month-long-thanks-to-the-new-rule-of-hope again that somehow you’ll get lucky this time in finding a good job in the UAE.
Ika nga naming nagkasabay-sabay sa exit – “nawa’y magkita-kita na lang tayo sa Spinneys, Choithram at de Belchior…’wag na dito sa Oman!”
PS lang po: Pasensiya at ako'y walang camera kung kaya't halos puro ticket at brochure lang ang aking ebidensiya. (: Kung may picture man, salamat sa mobile na nahiram. ;)
PS #2: Ah...eh...'yong picture ng hotel po pala...we didn't stay there. (: Kundi sa parang katabing "sister-building" lang po nila. ;)
