Miles Away Birthday Celebrations

Wish I could fly myself to you on your special day...

This coming July 22 is Dodong's birthday (20 days away!!! Waaaaaaaaa!!!!). I'm actually thinking of what to give AGAIN since he is thousands of miles away. It's his 2nd birthday out of the country…which is a bit sad. But then again, it's a reality we have to deal with.

Which makes me reminisce on what I did for his 1st Miles Away Birthday celebration…what nga ba?

Give it your personal loving touch

Make your mark.

I enjoy receiving THOUGHTFUL gifts that is why I always make it an effort (especially for really, really, really special people) to conceptualize something for them. Something tailor fit to the personality of the receiver. I'm not into giving material stuff. Well, of course, I still give stuff stuff but I'd rather it be more experiential. Not just some thing that would be used and forgotten but really an experience that would make an impact on the memory (oh yes, the life) of the person…and of course, in the hope of him/her remembering me. Hahaha!

Given the situation, I really want to work out (literally part blood, part sweat and lots of tears…separation anxiety e!) that he would appreciate a thousands of miles away from Manila.

I thought long and hard on the question: Ano ang pwede kong karirin project na super duper mamahalin niya ako? I have done quite a number of projects and I really don't want it to be a replica of a past one…Pressure!

Give him a taste of home.

There's no place like HOME

A-ha! A brilliant insight came to me in a dream. I've realized that OFWs like him long for a taste of home. I've noticed that they request for the most preposterous things from home that you'd think "Whaaaa?!?". Like Lucky Me pancit canton or Purefoods Blue Corned Beef or Tuyo or Pampanga's Best Tocino or suman and the list goes on.

I know that sending over food was just plain ridiculous (although much appreciated, of course). So I wanted to send him a taste of home that wouldn't get caught up in customs (Read: Tocino, Tapa, Tuyo, Chicharon, Longganiza, etc) especially if I would be sending it through the kindness of his fellow Kabayans (its the term they call fellow Filipinos in the desert)

I know that a big part of his life (aside from family and myself…syempre naman!) that he misses in Dubai would be his friends. And so what better way to bring his friends to Dubai is through video greetings! I messaged all his friends (via email, YM, text and Friendster and other Social Networking sites) to record and send their birthday greetings, while I collect and then lovingly send via email.

Though response rate was low (I guess videos are harder versus just typing your birthday greeting…I still compiled email greetings anyway), Dodong still super appreciated the gift. I really thank those who made an effort to record the videos via phone, digicam or maybe webcam.  Admittedly, his birthday was quite lonely that time, but the videos definitely made him feel closer to home. Awwwww! I was super happy to have made him happy on his special day…even if I couldn't fly myself to Dubai (but how i really wished I could!).

How about you: what have you done for your better half's birthdays across the miles?

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay

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