10 Things I love about UAE

10 Things I love about UAE

Posted on by JM Kayne

Ten (10) Things I love about UAE 🇦🇪

10 things i love about the uae - iamjmkayne.com

As a continuation of my 10th year anniversary of being an expat in the UAE for the past decade, I am sharing ten (10) things that I love most in the Emirates. I could give more than 10 but this are the ones that comes first.

 

1. Accessibility

Everything is accessible. I mean transportation is efficient and bus timing are on time. Of course not perfect but surely you can depend on it. Access to schools, hospitals, parks, malls are easy.

2. Baqala

This is a mini-store (sari-sari store) version of Abu Dhabi. So far I haven’t seen this in Dubai. But this baqala is a mini-store usually on the ground floor of a building, residential building. A store that you can just call and they will deliver it in your flat! In fact I have heard a few expats having an experience that they are even allowed to do a credit! 😀 How cool is that!? hehe

3. Openness to Christianity

Hats off to the rulers of this nation. Yes it is a muslim country, but they are open to other religions. In fact Catholics (and other Christian denomination) have been able to build our own churches. That is why all over the Emirates have a Roman Catholic church in their city (or even 2 & more).

4. Security & Safety

For the longest time, I praise God for the safety and security I feel whenever I go around the city. I have been able to roam around the streets (in Abu Dhabi) at 2 or 3 am and yet feel safe. With and without police presence within the city have built that secure environment and feeling to the residents.

5. Nationality Diversity

Yeah right! Aside from Indians and Filipinos – UAE has almost all nationalities around. Citizens all around the world have gathered in this nation as a melting pot to all of Arab nations, Africa and even Europe. And because of that diversity – you’ll be able to expose yourself to different cultures, language, religions and more. An opportunity to learn and get to know other people too.

6. Dubai Metro

Well, it’s only half a year that we moved here in Dubai but I have to say that Dubai metro and I have just went from complicated to “in a relationship!” hahaha … yep – my story a few months has it all. 🙂 I would say that my 2-hour metro ride almost every Friday has made me feel at home. Read: My Love Affair with Dubai Metro.

7. Filipino shops

Opppsss, it’s not only shops but to be specific Filipino restaurants. It makes you feel like you’re home. Products from home are all around the supermarkets, baqala and other shops. It also gives me a little pride and happiness whenever I see foreign people buying our products. Bananas, pineapples, chips, shrimps, crackers, tuna, noodles and more! How lucky are we! 😀 So whenever I miss home, I take a walk and get into these places!

8. Fun and Adventures

Legoland, Ferari World, Warner brothers and more and more themed parks. Water parks, Desert Safari, Zip lines, Sky Dubai. If you’re not as busy as we are, these parks and fun adventurous activities will really give you a treat. So far I have ticked off a camel ride and also hopping into the world’s fastest roller coaster! 😀 Of course there are still more to work on. Let’s see how it goes soon…

9. It’s natural beauty

Before heading to Abu Dhabi, my picture of this place is the “desert”. To be honest in 2008, there’s already Google and I wonder why I didn’t check out the photos. Haha but here’s a story: I was packing my stuffs as I head off here in the UAE and was so worried if I should bring my high-heels shoes… I was worried it might go down with the sand… peace… I was so innocent and gullible then.. lol 😀 sorry about that! Only to realize that the place where I lived was all buildings and were all cemented. Poor me! ^^ Anyway – my favorite activity is the desert camping. Such a lovely view to see the serenity of the desert. An amazing gift from God to the Emiratis. Here in the UAE we can have both worlds of the buzzing city and the serenity of the desert. Such a grace!

10. CFFL community life

I know now (or at least 5-6 years ago) that I am destined to be here in the UAE. Because I am destined to be a part of CFC-FFL community, where I have been an active member and servant for almost a decade now. As an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker), having a community life such as CFC-FFL/CFFL is a blessing. A true test of being a Christian. A true training ground of the reality of His teachings in loving our neighbors and a great reminder to prepare and be ready for the real life ahead.

 

These are just  ten (10) of the many things I love about this nation. What are you favorites here in UAE? (Abu Dhabi/Dubai/Sharjah/Ajman/Umm Al Quwain/ Ras Al Khaimah) Comment them below…

 

God bless,

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com

 

 

 

 

#UAE10

HomeCycle Dubai – RECYCLING plastic bottles made easy!

Posted on by JM Kayne

homecycle dubai - iamjmkayne.com

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I recently saw a Facebook post regarding plastic bottles being collected by HomeCycle. This kabayan shared her little way of helping the environment and it has inspired me. So instead of simply throwing our empty plastic bottled water I started collecting them and have dedicated a space at home where I could store them until I reach the minimum quota for collection.

* * *

As for me and Kokobear, we are (unfortunately) using bottled water in 1.5 liters because this is an easier option for us due to accessibility of our location. And yes, some may say that we can opt for a better option which we already considered… but for now we are into this. So to share a little bit of responsibility, I have convinced Kokobear to keep these empty bottle for HomeCycle to collect. It took me almost 2 months to reach the minimum 30 bottles and I have reached more than that. I end up with a big garbage bag full packed of pressed bottles and an extra bag.

Once it was ready, I contacted them (via Facebook) and they’ve instructed me to log-in into their website or download the app. The next day, they have collected it! Friendly staff and easy to deal with. The above picture is Mr. Naveed, the collecting officer and was kind enough for me to take a picture as I have asked permission if I could share it here.

By the way, they don’t only collect water bottles but also some other recyclable materials such as: 

  • Cloth hangers
  • Glass bottles
  • Old Electronics/Mobile phone or other gadgets
  • Coffee Capsules
  • Detergent bottles
  • Paper
  • Aluminum drinking cans/soda cans
And hey! It’s FREE!
I have created a short video about this experience and you can check it on my Youtube Channel. (Link below)

Recycle with HomeCycle Dubai - iamjmkayne.com

[HOMECYCLE DUBAI VIDEO]

 

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Who/What is HOMECYCLE:

HomeCycle is social enterprise that aims to inspire and motivate individuals and offices to recycle making it convenient & easy.

They collect it at your doorstep and ensure that the items you give them are properly recycled. They have some charities and collaboration with some brands/companies that take responsibilities with these items. With HomeCycle you also get rewarded by collecting points that you can use for vouchers, charity donation or even cash!

Contact Details:

Website: www.homecycle.org | Tel. No.: +971 4 282 93 91  | Email: info@homecycle.org | Facebook: Homecycle Dubai

 

So, do you have these items at home?

Why not give a little back to the environment by endorsing these things to the people who could properly recycle and give them a new purpose! 🙂

 

 

God bless,

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com

 

 

 

 

 

Passion Project Series: Pursue your Creative Curiosity

Posted on by JM Kayne

Read: Five (5) Reasons to Start a Passion Project

No Passion? No Problem!

How to Start Your Passion Project

by exploring your “Creative Curiosity”?

Passion Project Series - No Passion No Problem - iamjmkayne.com

“Passion”, most of the time seemed to be a daunting word – a “BIG word”. I met a friend back in college who says, she thinks she doesn’t have a talent… back then I don’t have the right words to say – that actually everyone does. So I just answered her that maybe she hasn’t discovered it yet. Indeed now, I realized we all have – we just need to take the time and effort to discover it and learn more about it.

These steps are simple, doable action steps that you can start brainstorming now.

Here’s my take on how to get started:

 

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Step 1 – Brainstorm/Dumping Ideas

Whenever asked, what are you most passionate about – our mind wander and we start to have this long list of things we want to do. In fact, you are not alone. Many creatives would love to do this and that or maybe this or this or that or that… sounds pretty “a lot” right?

Let me be specific: I love teaching, I also love hosting/emceeing, I enjoy writing, I find drawing/painting relaxing. I also think that I would love to explore cooking and baking… well – the truth is there are more.

So what I did, I took my specific notebook for ideas and started dumping them all. When I say dumping – I mean writing them all.

CALL TO ACTION: Get a pen and a paper or dedicate a specific notebook for your creative pursuit and use a page or two to do brain dump. Meaning use this page to write all the things that you are interested in. Let’s say you want to paint, write a song, start a blog/vlog, exercise, prepare healthy food, create a poem/haiku, draw, sew etc. Just let them flow. Write as many as you think you are interested and curious about. No judgment here.

 

 

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Step 2 – Trim Down/Pick at least 3

Now this is step is a bit difficult. If you find it too soon to cut into your top 3, I suggest you do (from 10 to 5 then final 3).

Hey, I just want to say – there is no rush.

Take your time to weigh them in. Don’t be pressured to finish them right then and there. 

 

 

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Step 3 – Evaluate

Now from three, here comes the more specific and judgment moment. For your top 3, evaluate how-well do you actually know the ins and out of this project. There could be 2 possible options on this.

First, you know and you are well verse on this matter – so it is easy for your to proceed with step 4. Second, if you may find that you are truly curious about this but not so sure on where to start or probably you think you need a more specific skill/s to learn it. Then, in this event I’d like to suggest:

CALL TO ACTION:
3a. Find someone who could help you, let’s say a friend that you think who has more experience in this field.
3b. If you want to dig deeper and really take on the higher road, maybe you can buy a book about it.
3c. Finally, enrolling into a short course would also help. For example you want to pursue baking, and books/ Youtube isn’t your preferred way of learning. Then a short course would work. Hop on to Google and look for a nearby training center in your city.

 

 

 

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Step 4 – Plan/ Choose “the ONE”

From the many ideas, you now have to narrow them down and choose ONE that you are most passionate/curious about.

This doesn’t mean that you will forget all the other list of curiosity you have on step 1. It only means that for a certain duration of time, you get to focus on one thing. Pour out love, passion, effort, time and more on it. Which hopefully you’d finally find your gem! A talent or passion you long to cater and nourish.

CALL TO ACTION: Once you’re ready to go. Start your 3 months plan on how are you going to proceed and explore this passion project. I have created a free 3-month planner for you to help this. Download here. (The Creative Passport 90-Day Planner)
In this planner and step, you will then take into consideration the duration of your passion project. If you’d like it to be continuous and sustainable then you have to incorporate it in your day-to-day schedule or on which timeline best suited.
It’s been tested and proven that doing passion project requires time. You don’t look for time, you create it. In our busy & sometimes chaotic schedule plus the fact that scrolling social media and watching videos online; our time is consumed out of the blue. Therefore, scheduling passion project time and intentionally adding it to our daily routine matters.

 

 

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Finally, Step 5 – START.ACT.ENJOY

Writing a plan of action with a timeline helps you get a better result. For example, you would want to explore blogging. 

SAMPLE:

First, I will set a timeline on the things I’d like to accomplish:

  1. Learn how to make a blog – Read articles and guide for 1-2 months (Jan-Feb 2019)
  2. Browse Ideas and research sample blogs that I would want how my blog would look like. (march-Apr)
  3. Create my blog, start to write down topics/posts – May
  4. Publish & Launch Blog (June)
  5. When should I publish new posts? (Weekly? Monthly? Daily? etc.)

 

CALL TO ACTION: START. So many times, we get this idea and we keep on thinking about it. Wrote it on our diary/notebook or somewhere but still daunted in actually starting it. In fact, even this workbook took a lot of time for me. Procrastinating, overthinking and just simply taking my time without clear reason why. The big leap of faith is when you actually DO IT. Sit down, dive in, and release the first draft of whatever you want to create. One of my favorite author Elizabeth Gilbert always injects this important lesson: “Above all, most importantly BEGIN!”

Also, enjoy and take it easy. The main reason of having a passion project is to mainly enjoy the process and take away your time from the busy and stressful life at work and of all other lemons that life throws to us. Therefore, enjoy the process. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

 

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If you wonder why I mostly use “Creative Curiosity” instead of simply dropping the word Passion, it’s because one of my favorite author & creative – Liz Gilbert’s  on Oprah’s Soulful Sunday mentioned her encounter with the huge load “passion” may bring to some people – so this is her take on it – hope it may enlighten you further. Check out her talk here.

 

Ready to start your Creative Curiosity pursuit? Go ahead, take that note and pen and START!

creativtity at iamjmkayne.com

Care to share how it went? I’d love to hear from you!
Email me at hello@iamjmkayne.com or just drop me a message on my blog’s Facebook Page! In My Heart – JM Kayne’s Blog.

 

Be blessed & be God’s blessings,

 

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Influenster Box : Kat Vond Dagger Tattoo Eyeliner

Posted on by JM Kayne

Kat Vond Liners from Influenster - iamjmkayne.com

It’s been almost a year since I joined Influenster – a website and app for influencers/bloggers/vloggers that gets the opportunity to try out the latest products of various brands in the fashion industry, travel, home, appliances, entertainment and more. My luck wasn’t up until to my surprised, last month I received my first influenster box! I received a Kat Vond Tatoo Dagger Eye Liner and Lash Liner! 🙂

 

With excitement I unboxed it right after signing in the receipt and thrilled to have them. 😍

I shared a review on this on Sephora.ae and it goes like this:

quote green - iamjmkayne.com

★★★★ FLEXIBLE AND EASY TO USE

I’ve received this goodies as a complimentary for testing purposes. I was hesitant at first and felt overwhelmed due to the box packaging and model. I’m not that bold when it comes to make up or let alone eyeliner. But when I used it, it went pretty well. It’s flexible and easy to use. I also love that it is a “tattoo” type of ink as it lasts longer than the usual. 🙂

quotation-marks

 

On a more personal note, I have tried it on and here’s my look. Sorry I am not well-versed with the ways and strategies on how to use a liquid eyeliner, so I applied it the way I know… guess that’s the best that I can. 😅

Kat Vond Liners -Influenster JMApplication- iamjmkayne.com

Disclaimer: I’m not the everyday make up type – I am so okay with going out even without make up, which probably means 90-95% of my life…😂 unless needed for work or events. But on regular days, a face cream will do and a splash of blush on will be my own prep. In fact this is just my second blog post that talks about make-up… haha the first one was about Kayne Series : What’s inside my make-up kit. And, please excuse the super obvious filter.. haha 😀 lol 😂

 

Over-all experience:

– The box arrived fast. Waiting time took around 3-5 days. Delivery with Aramex was efficient and easy.
– The product is easy to use and follow.
– Didn’t have a hard time following the instructions because it is concise and clear.
– Using it thrilled me, took a while though because I’ve been tied up with some stuffs. Both liners were smooth and soft.

I have to mention though that the “dagger photo and rock-n-roll image” made me feel a little bit intimated, made me think, I can’t come-up with such look. But still managed to make it simple.

Nevertheless I had fun putting them on.

 

Will I recommend this dagger tattoo eye liner?
Ohhh yes!

 

 

 

Stay beautiful and God bless,

 

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com

 

 

 

 

Products used: Kat Vond Liners: Dagger Tattoo Liner and Lash Liner

This Blog in #s

Posted on by JM Kayne

#InMyHeartJMKaynesBlog in numbers . . .

 

In My Heart JM Kayne cover - iamjmkayne.com

In My Heart – JM Kayne’s Blog (www.iamjmkayne.com) is now . . .

 

  • 8 years old today
  • 6.5 years in the Blogger/Blogspot platform and 1.5 in WordPress

 

  • 225 posts/stories (as of today)

 

  • 18,000++ WordPress visitors  (moved from Blogger to WordPress)
  • 50,000 ++ visitors (from old Blogger platform, before moving to WP)
  • Approximately 80K++ views/visitors

 

  • 100 – 1100 approximate –  Page views/visitors per day

 

  • 105 countries (and counting)

 

 

 

Social Accounts (As of August 2018):

  • 1450+ Facebook Page likes & follows
  • 1400+ – LinkedIn Contacts
  • 500+ – Instagram Followers
  • 280+ – Twitter Followers
  • 120 – Pinterest Followers
  • 74 – Bloglovin Followers
  • 55 – Google+ Followers
  • 50 – WordPress Bloggers followers
  • 14 – Youtube channel subscriber

 

Thank you very much for helping me to grow this passion project. I appreciate every single page view. I love you all! ♡

 

 

God bless,

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Bad Wolf Books UAE – VIP Pass

Posted on by JM Kayne

BigBadWolfBooks UAE - iamjmkayne VIP Day pass

Hey there book lovers!

The wolf has arrived in the UAE! Bringing us 3 million books to devour on. 🙂 On Oct 18 to 28,  Big Bad Wolf Books visits Dubai (UAE) at Dubai Studio City – Sound Stage Venue inside MBC building!

Sounds exciting right? Well, that excitement leveled up when I found myself winning a VIP Day pass giveaway! 😀

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Now, let me share a few pros and cons in this experience:

JM Kayne in BigBadWoldBooks UAE - iamjmkayne.com
PROS
  • Open 24 hours!!!
  • Entrance is FREE!
  • We’re the first of the many people who could  get the first dibs of these amazing books. I guess they’ve given 1000 VIP Pass. But the place wasn’t full packed when we arrived, we were there around 8:30/9 PM.
  • They have an offer to share your blessings by donating on site. More details can be taken on the site itself. This caught my attention, because every time someone shares his/her blessing the whole crew claps their hands.
  • Membership booth is available, where in you can get further discounts on some of the books.
  • 50-80% Off on all book! Made me excited to see a Paulo Coelho book pack of 8 is only at 165 AED!!! OMG!!!
  • Accepts Cash, Debit & Credit card!
CONS
  • Books looked less than 3M. Or maybe because it’s just a pre-opening… The customer service said that more books are still on the way.
  • The books I wished to get were not on the list. But at least I get one that is really on my priority – that’s Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project
  • Personally, I don’t find the rows and arrangement properly set-up. I had a hard time navigating one stall to the other because it seemed un properly arranged.  Well, I’m giving them benefit of the doubt since it’s just the pre-opening. Hope they’ll manage to make it better.
  • Venue is a bit far, the good news is, you can still reach by metro, then taxi or bus. 😀 Stop @ Mall of Emirates metro – Ride Bus F30.

 

Anyway, I still have 10 days to check the book haven more. Let me update this post by then! 🙂

THE-KOKOBEARS-I-NBIGBADWOLD-BOOKS-UAE-IAMJMKAYNE.COM_.jpg

So, once again, grab the courage to do book hauls from:

location_mappin_turquoise - iamjmkayne.comSound Stage Venue, Dubai Studio City 

  • The Big Bad Wolf Books UAE
  • 18 – 28 October 2018
  • Prices  from 10 AED – 200+ for book packs

Have your comfy shoes to go around the area, bring your water, cash and lots of Ohhhh,, Ahhhs, wow! hehe because this is indeed a Book Adventure!!!

 

 

Enjoy & God bless!

JM SIGNATURE-black - iamjmkayne.com