How I survived OCTOBER (2012)

October, 10th month of the year, my favorite month being my birth-month.

But this year was different. I was worried about October's coming. I was so worried i wouldn't be able to survive this month financially. I was practically broke.

I just came from my annual leave in Philippines and as is normal for OFWs like me, we tend to spend all our hard-earned money, savings and all, on our family and friends. But I'm not regretting having done it so. I saw and felt how my family enjoyed our out-of-town excursions and adventures.

I went back to Saudi Arabia with only a few hundred riyals in my shallow pocket to last me a week.

But God must have heard my plea and he used my work and my friends to gracefully get through this month.

First week of October came and I was aboard a plane to Dubai for a 2-day training. That means free travel, accomodation, and food. And who said one needs to have personal money to enjoy the perks of a 5-star hotel in Dubai? You just need to be capable and trustworthy at work and add several dashes of good luck of course. Deligence and hardwork pays off.

And while i was in Dubai, my good friends and cousin took good care of me. They treated me to a Dhow cruise and gave me a taste of one of Dubai's best bars, Barasti where we had fun at an Oktoberfest party. I never spent a dime.

I went back to Jeddah with a couple of hundreds of riyals left in my pocket, I reckoned I gotta do something or starve my self to death.

When second week of October came, days away from my birthday, I received a call from a client requesting for my photography service. I earned enough to last me two months, Haha! God is great! But it wasnt until the end of the month that i was able to collect my paychecks. 6-month house rental paid in full ;)

At the onset of October's 3rd week, my company sent me out to Riyadh and Khobar to train our sales teams for 4 days. Again, this business travel saved me from spending my own personal money. A stay at 5-star hotels, needless to mention free breakfasts, is just way too much a treat for a broke guy like me.

Just five days before October bade goodbye, I found myself aboard a Cathay Pacific flight to a holiday destination in my own native land, courtesy of a generous and satisfied client, for a week-long all expense paid leisure trip. Our 9-day Hajj break came in perfect timing.

 

 

Looking back, October appeared like a bad nightmare looming in my horizon but it eventually turned into an almost unbelievably fantastic sweet dream.

I hope every month that follows will be just like this October.

So November, what do you have in store for me?