Housemates

The other day I told you about my schedule with Company I. Remember that ? The day that I forgot to zip up? The ending was, I got a scheduled interview with the client next week.

Today though I have no appointment so I stayed home and cooked a deelicious Shrimp Sinigang for my housemates. . I think its time I tell you about them. We are sharing house for the next 30 days, and after that me and shanta, will transfer to another unit. Our place has 3 rooms, a spacious living room, dining area, kitchen and 2 bathrooms. In it lives 5 guys and 3 ladies.

The closest to me among them is Neil. Twelve years of friendship (and counting!!) . He likes everything that’s good enough to eat. (except eggs that is) hehhe Peace! v(“;)v One of the nicest guy I know. naks! gibawi haha

Then there’s the Kiatch batch: Alfon, Janz, Mark and Lex. We didn’t really had the chance to talk that much when we we’re still at our previous company. And now here we are under one roof, and it’s amazing how much you can get to know people when you spend a little more time with them. Can’t ask for a better housemates 🙂

And of course … the girls! There’s Shanta, Yvonne and Me. Shanta’s my roomie, And sometimes we find ourselves talking until it’s already very very late at night (or morning!).

It’s a big ball of fun staying with these peeps. Makes coping up with homesickness a little better. We play guitar while we sing our hearts out, watch TV, play charades, do the household chores, grocery, eat, cook, play volleyball and netball together. 🙂

Thanks guys for letting me stay with you even for awhile. 🙂 *sniff sniff*

Company S and Company I

Just this morning, I had a scheduled interview with a large telecom company here in Singapore. Let’s call it Company S. I emphasize on the word scheduled, because usually the correct order of doing things here is to apply online, submit your resume, wait for a call, wait for the confirmation of your interview schedule trough another phone call or through email.

I had a first hand experience with this because I received a confirmation through the phone, but didn’t get any confirmation through email. I thought in my mind that it was enough, but as what I found out, that’s not the case for some.

I got there a few minutes late because I got lost along the way , and the bus going there takes forever to arrive. The front-desk girl asked me to wait by the lobby and had me fill-up a form. When the person who I’m supposed to meet finally came down, he told me that he wasn’t told of any scheduled interviews. I apologized for the inconvenience and said that there must have been a miscommunication between the agent, me and them. Ah perfect… no interview after all, well, at least I wasn’t late cause there was no appointment in the first place. LOL.

But he told me that it’s ok for him to go ahead with the interview.

For Company S, I was told that they use VC++ which is ok for me cause majority of my past experience is with it. But the next thing that happened must have been the most technical job “interview” I’ve had in my entire career. He led me to his workstation. Load up a blank visual c++ page, gave me a piece of paper then asked me to program from scratch, and to make another class to test that class. Panic Attack mode! LOL. I mean, i do know how to program. I’ve been asked for code snippets or SDLC design flow, but it was the first time I was asked to program from scratch for an interview. And the requirements he gave me are those which I don’t have any experience on. Going through the “interview” I know that I will just be wasting both of our time. So I smiled and told him that I don’t have enough experience on that area and thank him for his time. LOL. So basically, for the first time, it was me who ended an interview. Haaay now you know my bloopers 🙂

But surprisingly I didn’t feel sayang (regrets) over what happened.

After my uneventful exchange with Company S, I went straight to Company I where my next interview is scheduled. Their office was so hard to find! And for a girl whose still in her second day in her exploring Singapore course, their office was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. Good thing Mark offered to meet me up at the nearest train station and accompany me there.

(rest of the post has been deleted by the author.) 

Company R

** These series of posts regarding my job hunting in Singapore are for my friends who are also planning the same thing. Hehehe. 🙂 I know you guys are waiting for this. LOL. If not in SG then perhaps in Australia, Canada or somewhere else. 🙂

First thing I did as soon as i got settled in my new place was update my online resume. Trust me, the format and outline of your resume does matter. Try browsing through a few examples on the net. I updated my resume with my new address and contact number in the morning, and sure enough by afternoon I received a few calls already.

The first company who scheduled me for interview is among those which I really want to be a part of even way back in Cebu. Let’s call it Company R. I have no prior experience with the industry that it’s handling, but I really wanted to learn. It’s in line with Financial and real time data like the Stock Market. And my idea of stocks ranges between that which pertains to panty hoses (stockings) and with chicken (chicken stock). (haha dee, nice try) Yeah I know not funny, but just to show you how inexperienced I am with the field. But hey, what do we say during interviews? “I’m willing to learn”. LOL. And of course, having Company R’s name as part of my resume wouldn’t hurt also. Then my agent told me that there’s only one position open and there are really quite a few candidates. WAAAAT!

So come Tuesday afternoon, i went there half an hour earlier than my schedule. I anticipated a very technical interview, and sure enough it’s what I got. The project manager who interviewed me is obviously a man who likes his job and is good with it. Don’t we all have that first impression about some people. Well, i hope I gave him a good first impression though, cause i really really really need a job. Unlike some people who have money to spare, I don’t have that kind of baon (allowance) with me.

The interview went well (i think so, LOL). I was able o answer the questions, and then he told about the position i was applying for and what’s expected of me. When I heard the position title, a loud “what?!?!” flashed through my mind. I though I was just applying for a software engineer position. (Cause when we do apply online, as soon as we see the requirements matching out qualification, we immediately send our resume without really taking note of what position is available… right? 🙂 ) But no need to fret cause job titles are just that– titles, if you think you can do the job, then go for it. You won’t lose anything when you give it a try.

Then they had me take a brainbench exam on visual c++/mfc/networking/OOP Concepts/Design Patterns. And oh, it’s a right minus wrong exam. So unless you are sure of your answer, don’t press the submit button. Guessing is a no no. There are one to three possible answers, but you’re not told as to how many answers are expected per question. Some questions were basic, especially on the OOP part, but some networking questions made me want to storm out of the building.

I finish the test not feeling too confident about how well I did. But oh well, no need to cry over it, at least I tried. 🙂

Set Off

I hurried back home from the hospital to do some last minute packing. But in my case, it was a last minute unpacking. I was unloading my stuff from my luggage which is way past the check-in limit. My heart cries out as I take out each item from my stash. I know boys can’t relate to this, but girls know what I mean when I say that some outfits just fits together so perfectly. LOL. Lik this top with that pants, or this skirt with that shirt. Right? I don’t have that much of clothes collection really. I just know how to take care of my stuff that even if it’s been years in my cabinet, they still look new and in fashion. I’ve already given quiet a few of my stuffs away, if only i could bring all of it. LOL. After awhile I’ve given up and stopped unloading from my neatly folded pile even if I’m still a few kilos in excess. I resolved to leave them inside my luggage where they rightfully belong. LOL

So off we went to the airport. Not a teary goodbye, thank God. I know once things start getting melodramatic, I’ll find it hard to stop from crying. My family and J knows how weak I am in missing people, but I felt their support on this decision. It was a bit of a risk really. Resigning from my job, with my financial responsibilities in tow. Try to look for a job in another country, and leave everything that I hold dear temporarily. It was such a risk. A especially emotional one. I’m grateful that I have the support for people who matters much to me.

Anyway, moving to a lighter note. When I checked-in my luggage, it was a few extra kilos in excess. The guy who was weighing it in looked at me, and I managed a pa-cute smile, and off goes my bag inside the check-in counter without another word from him. Shanta’s with me on this trip, and it feels good to have somebody familiar to share the new things that I’m gonna be taking part of.

When I hand over my papers to the immigration officer, he asked for the purpose of my visit seeing the 1 month round trip ticket i bought. “I’m going there to see if I can land myself a job that would fit my field.” would have been an honest answer. “I’m going there for vacation. Been awhile since I’ve had one, and I think this should do the trick.“, I found myself saying.

With my passport in his hand he asked me , “So never been kissed, never been touched?“. I took it as his idea of a joke so I answered, “Depends where.” 🙂 He gave a hearty laugh and gave the much needed stamp of approval in my passport.

Our flight was delayed for two hours, so Shanta and me spent most of our time talking, watching 1vs 100 on the TV, sending sms and calling our families and friends. Good thing they served us Chowking Chao Fan so my food deprived stomach have something else to munch on.

We arrived at almost 2 am and there on the other side of the airport awaits Neil and Mark to welcome us into our home for the next 30 days. It pays to have good friends, hehehe. 🙂 LOL

More of my job hunting escapade later… 🙂

Malu Fernandez: The final Quote

The controversial Malu Fernandez (see previous post) who single-handedly raised quite a lot of eyebrows resigned from Manila Standard and People Asia. Below is her last statement:

I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled ‘From Boracay to Greece!’ which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )

I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.

Some lessons are better learned the hard way. 🙂 I hope though that she is really sorry for what she did not because of the consequences of her actions, but because she behaved in such a way that was uncalled for and caused a lot of people pain and insult. Being sorry because you’ve caused hurt, not because you’re not liking how things turned out due to what you did. I do hope she’s really sorry.

For whatever its worth, all i hope is that we all learned a lesson out of this , not just Ms.Malu (though, IMHO she had it coming). That no one has the right to discriminate anyone (passing judgment base on face value) is just one of those lessons. I think one way or another we have been guilty of this. Maybe not as blunt as her, but we have our own tendencies to become bitches and assholes.

But what I liked from what happened is that, it shows how Filipinos (or any race for that matter) would try to protect each other, playing territorial when it comes to one of our own. And how passionately people expressed their disgust in behalf of those who can’t.

Mabuhay to all OFWs…. and i am proud to say I am now one of them.

On Freedom, Heroes and Ungratefulness

At last my inet at home is back! (hello Globe broadband!!!!!! Grrrr!!). There were a few entries i would love to share here in my blog like my last day at the office, my despidida get together with the Aprilfools, with my UP friends, and with other close friends, all about J, and some mussing that’s been in my head recently…. but this entry I’m about to write right now i guess would have to be posted first.

The Filipino blogosphere has been shaken (more like irked) with a write-up by People Asia and Manila Standard Today columnist Malu Fernandez. In her article she summed up her jet setter summer lifestyle; traveling from the hot steamy Boracay to the classic beauty of Greece. Her entry would have been rated ok (meaning: just some other mag article you can read, wit and humor not at par with some other filipino writers), except that she filled it with rants about the OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) she encountered during her flight. She has this habit of name dropping brandnames left and right, but she couldn’t get her bitchiness in line when it comes to belittling her fellow Filipino.

Excerpt from her article :

To save on my ticket, I bravely took an economy class seat on Emirates. Ron excitedly told me to go for it – Emirates had won best economy class and some award. However, I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of the OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.

While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “HOY! Kumusta ka na? At taga saan ka? Domestic helper a rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there! Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I thought I had died and God sent me to my very own hell.

On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling AXE and Charlie cologne while my Jo Malogne evaporated into thin air.”

Yesterday, August 21, was Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino’s 24th death anniversary. One of our country’s well loved hero. Whose words “The Filipino is worth dying for” remains immortal. I’m sure Ms. Fernandez is familiar with him. But I hope too that she is also familiar with all the nameless and faceless, very much alive heroes she had the privilege of traveling with. The OFWs are considered as the modern day heroes, and the thought of some people belittling them just makes you want to make a war cry!

I love how one blogger put it :

“I think you are one big major poser. And as for the perfumed bit, I think you should think twice before saying something afoul about our OFW’s, first the reason why they wanted to smell so fine and dandy is because they didn’t want their relatives back home to smell them of the sweat and tears which they have incurred in trying to make sure that their family has a future to look forward to. You have no idea what hardships these people have to deal with. You, Madam, strike me as someone who has never heard of the word TOIL.”

The Manila Standard and People Asia received a few complaint emails regarding Ms. Fernandez column, and here is her response:

“As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading.”

“Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other. Although I could mention that it is easier to understand someone who has a lower socioeconomic background that would entail a whole other page and frankly I don’t want to be someone to bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. I leave that to the politicians in my family who believe they can actually help. Now I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? Perhaps it’s a little of both!”

Her response only shows narrow mindedness, bigotry and discrimination (to her own countrymen). Just because she’s able to enjoy some luxury that only exists in the far off dreams of some Filipino people, doesn’t make her any better than the rest of us. Just because she can write good (?) english and have a wide audience for her works, doesn’t give her the right lambast the name of her people so carelessly. What she finds funny is offensive. What she finds wit is hurtful. I find her matapobre , sorry can’t find a good translation on that one. Do tell me if you happen to know. 🙂

The pen is a powerful tool, use it wisely.

Viva Pilipinas!

Viva Pilipas!

Congratulations to the Filipino Boxers who made the country proud by winning 5 out of 6 fights in the World Boxing Cup 2007 – Philippines vs Mexico.

Go go go Filipino!

Unwelcomed Acquaintance

i was at the mall the other day cause I was looking for something… something. I entered this shop which sells locally made shirts, cebuano humor printed over your tee which you can strut around for people to see read.

Anyway, i was enjoying my solitude then, walking around by my own, mentally going over my list of things-i-need-to-buy in my head. I was in my very comfortable slippers, which made all the walking even more comfortable. Mura ra ko ug naa sa sala. 🙂

The moment i stepped in the shop, this very irritating voice just boomed out of nowhere, “Diiiiaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

Now who the heck was that?! I thought.

Then he came near me, arms wide open in a gesture of a hug.

In my shock (and reflex!) i took a step back and almost duck just to prevent being enclosed in an impending doom!

I am a friendly person. I am a people person (unless you make me talk in front of a crowd, then that’s another story). I don’t categorized people or rank them or label them. But not at that moment! I have to summon every ounce of willpower not to scurry my way out of the shop.

I really don’t like this guy. I’ve met him a few years ago when I helped out a friend on some articles for one of Cebu’s local sites. I’ve never been comfortable around him. There’s just something off about him.

Then for the life of me, he started joining the church where I am a part of. And even if I am not really that giddy around him, I don’t show it off that obvious. I don’t snob at him. I am civil to him when we talk, or rather when he talk. I even smile! I nod my head as a sign of respect, as he rattles on how his day went, or what he’s been up to, or when the time his relatives came for a visit! God knows how many times he told me every time he moves to a new place or updates his number, (and he really sees to it that i update his number on my contact list!).

Once before, we happened to ride the same Jeepney, and he immediately looked for something inside his wallet. I thought he was just gonna get some money and offer to pay for my fare, but no, he took a 1×1 photo of himself and give it to me! Waaaaah! Other passengers started looking at me!

Okay, now back to the shop…

He must have noticed that i inched away from him, but that didn’t erased that sleazy smirk off his face.

I don’t mean to demean anybody, but please, brushing your teeth is really a GOOD sign of proper hygiene! (Writing about it now makes me remember that thick yellowish deposits so visible in between his teeth! Good Lord help!)

He asked what I’ve been up to lately, I just answered a very lame “same old, same old”.

He tried to pass on a joke saying I’m such a shopping freak, mentioning the stuff I was holding in my hand, and continued talking while i was just counting seconds in my head before I dash out of there! Oh why do I have to cross path with him again after all these years.

He asked for the mobile number of a common friend, and I immediately lied that I changed my phone and lost all my contacts. Hah! He then asked if he can have my number instead, I looked at him and said “No” and went out of the shop, and pray to God that I won’t see him again, and if possible for the rest of my life.

~Life is Short …

courtesy of PravsTalk 

Photo Hunt:> Funky

PhotoHunter

PhotoHunt theme for the week is Funky.

Answers.com defines it as characterized by originality; unconventional.

Do you know what this is?

Hmmm… No?

Then How about this?

Give up? Ok… Let’s see the whole picture… 🙂

 

 

If you’re craning your neck trying to figure out what that is, let me save you some trouble. It’s actually a Water Dispenser cover. 🙂 J gave me this one a few months ago, I was laughing so hard when I got it coz I couldn’t figure out what the heck it was! It was really original and unconventional, fits being “funky” to a T. 🙂