Bayanihan Dance at the Dubai Global Village

Global Village in the outskirts of Dubai was a festival of cultures and merchandise.  It was February 2007, and I sought to see the Bayanihan - The Philippine National Folk Dance Company - perform.  A Filipina friend had encouraged me to do so.  

You see, I left the Philippines as a young boy, and the schooling I had had wasn't enough to teach me about its history, culture and language.  So my friend thought the Bayanihan would be another lesson of sorts for me.  

There was a mix-up on which stage the troupe was to perform.  I walked around back-and-forth, and no one could give a clear answer.  Another Filipina friend said "There" in Tagalog.  I asked "Where?"  She repeated "There."  Pointing with her chin, which is something typical and endearing of Filipinos.  "Where, there?" I asked again.  "There."  

She was right, the new stage was in the direction she was pointing.  But I had to snake around other stages to get there, and I wasn't sure at first when I reached there, because it said "Pakistan."  It was the right stage.