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Love Story – Dubai or Manila

by L.A.

When Mona announced that she is getting married, it appeared to me like a joke. After all, this woman whom I spent years of unwavering friendship with has always said she isn’t tailored for the marriage-family thing. Whoever told me that people who say they won’t get married will in fact get married someday (it just would not be with the persons they are with right now).

Successful relationships – in my opinion, is just timing. Okay, squeeze in the finding the right person and being the right person cliché. But really, it’s all about perfect timing. In Mona’s case, it probably was.

She met Ariel during her first job as a customer care representative in one of Manila’s telecommunications giant and became really good friends. They hang out with their small group in the office, taking lunch together and going out whenever. I never predicted a love story would bloom from this wacky pair as both of them were seeing someone else. As a matter of fact, Ariel’s girlfriend also works in the same company. And when the two broke up, it was Mona who gave him a steady line up for dates. One of which ended up in another relationship for Ariel.

If you happened to watch Faye Wong in the Wong Kar-Wai classic Chungking Express, you would easily get an idea of how adventurous this woman is. She likes to try new things and explore new places. Hence, it wasn’t surprising that after five years of a stable, corporate job, she flew to the UAE to try her luck.

She got accepted in one of Dubai’s production houses. She started as a receptionist and climbed her way to be a junior producer. I could not really tell if Ariel missed her or he wanted to see if working overseas would be good for him. Whatever it is, Mona was kind enough to show him around when Ariel reached Dubai.

Ariel then got a job and lived with Mona and a couple of fellow Filipinos in a rented house. On weekends, they both go to a computer shop to chat with their loved ones. As months went by, Mona found her relationship with her boyfriend turning sour. Maybe it was the guy’s lack of plans to follow her to Dubai (their agreement before she even hit the plane) or the guy’s total lack of plan for his life at all.

On the other side, Ariel is gradually letting go of his girlfriend. He found himself inventing reasons not to be present when the regular chat time comes.

Whatever their lame excuses really are, I bet Mona and Ariel simply fell in love in far off Dubai. And yes, one day they had to admit it and honestly tell themselves. It wasn’t something their respective boyfriend and girlfriend took easily, especially Mona’s boyfriend who wasn’t ready to accept the fact too soon.

And while Mona and Ariel’s relationship was just starting, Ariel decided to go back to Manila. Working in Dubai was not for him. Success and money seemed to evade him in such foreign land. On the other hand, Mona enjoyed a stream of promotion and salary increase.

Love, again, proved its power. I never thought Mona would give up her dream job. That was what she wanted. But she did. A few months after Ariel went home, she decided to resign and follow him.

It wasn’t an easy decision for a woman who wanted to see more of the world and is in fact just beginning to realize her dreams. What if their relationship just happened because they were too far from their loved ones? What if Manila changes everything Dubai made them feel?

Mona took the risk and needless to say, it paid off. Their love was meant to be whether they are in Dubai or in Manila. The UAE city just provided the perfect setting for them to fall in love but Manila is where they are destined to continue their happy togetherness.


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