Progress

Five days since my arrival here in Iloilo and I'm learning a lot from the stuff I've been reading. I have also realized more goals that I want, reinforced most of the goals I already have in mind and have read a lot of people I can look up to.

One of them is Kidlat Tahimik. 

He turned his back on the lifestyle that a Wharton-educated boy could have to pursue his calling for the Filipino arts and culture. I am just really amazed of his strong principle. I wish that all of us would find our calling and that we'll have enough strength to pursue it. Kidlat now owns and runs Oh My Gulay Cafe (OMG Cafe) in  La Azotea Bldg. in Baguio City which he manages with his three sons. It also serves as a haven for artists to showcase their masterpiece- painting, sculptures, music, etc. Next time you're in Baguio, don't just be excited with all the ukay finds. Immerse yourself in some real Pinoy culture, and visit the cafe. :)

Who are your inspirations?

*photo from Google.

Super Week

 I am on a SUPER VACATION MODE right now. I'm super excited to go home and catch up with my high school friends.

* * *

I shall kwento my day. Today I went to another interview- this time with a clothing brand. I like the job I applied for. It's called District Manager- which includes responsibilities such as managing the operations of the assigned stores, checking on the store supervisors, addressing customer feedback and complains in the stores. You also have to know why certain products sell and some don't because the boss will ask you and best of all, you get to do visual merchandising in the store- a.k.a. work on their displays. To quote the interviewer... 'You also make bihis yung mga mannequins.' OH SAN KA PA DIBA? I am not exaggerating. She really said that.

Anyway, it's been a crazy week for me. I had two interviews and one company call. That's like the most number of companies I have accommodated in a week! Just when I stopped sending resumes because I don't want to be disturbed during my break, these companies started calling me. I think it's a blessing though so okay lang talaga. hehe

I also had dinner with some friends last night. I was with Punky, Emm, Nica, Jam, Leslie, Jaz, Pat and Tim. Punky and I were together to get our transcripts,  then I texted Emm, Punks texted Tim and Pat. We saw Leslie and Jaz saw us then Nica texted me, Jam also arrived then Emm. GRABE DIBA? haha It seemed like for a moment, we were still in school. Just a normal tambay day when we'd have chikahan sessions then spur of the moment fishballs snack. 

Tomorrow, I'll be eating at Red Kimono with Jom, Sarah and Julian. Finally, my craving for good Japanese food will end tomorrow. Whew.

And finally, here's another super treat for all life-loving people like me (haha)!

photo from enjoythebest.ph

Basically, ENJOY is a privilege card you can purchase at Php 1,495. It entitles you to so many perks, freebies and discounts in sooo many establishments in Manila, Cebu, Boracay and other places around the Philippines. One year nga lang sila valid and wala pa akong work so what are the chances naman na masusulit ko yang binayad ko sa card. The red color is so gorgeous though! So very sosh! I will get one soon. If I get a good paying job. HAHA It's available in Fully Booked and other partner merchants. :)

Soul Searching

Maybe I'll leave for a few weeks. Just to find myself. Just to see what I really want to do. I have too many dreams that I hope to fulfill. I know some would say I am still young and still have a lot of time to achieve my dreams. Yeah, I think so too. My problem is where do I start?

I want to help now. I want to touch lives now. But I want to work on my own life too. i want to be stable so that I can focus all my efforts in helping others. I want to teach in super poor areas. Be an inspiration to poor kids. I'll share a secret with you. I am secretly hoping that one day there will be a teaching program for non-education graduates. I believe non-Educ graduates like me can very well teach kids in pre-school and elementary. Not just some org outreach event or a college immersion thingy. I want something that involves people who share the same passion for teaching and giving back. Accoridng to the law, you can't teach (except in the college level) unless you are a graduate (and board passer) in Education. (Not the exact words of the law but gets?) There is so much scarcity of teachers- why not give others a chance to teach? I feel this way every time I watch documentaries about poor communities in the barrios. Sometimes they don't even have books. And there was one barrio which had only one teacher. I envision the program as something like a one year volunteer work where young people like me would be sent to chosen provinces to teach for a year. Every year, delegates are sent to these barrios. Each volunteer has the option to stay in the place to continue teaching (and be a mentor to everyone), move to a different assignment, or come back to the city and pursue his profession. 

My heart breaks to see people who want to study but are unable to do so. Haaay. 

When I was a kid, I was so sure I wanted to become a teacher. Then I changed my mind coz I knew I won't be rich by becoming a teacher. I have to admit I still cannot imagine living a non-lavish life. Maarte pa rin ako. I want my own car (with a driver pa nga sana), my dream house in a prime lot in Manila, a farm or beach house, pretty shoes and bags. I still dream of traveling around the world whenever I please. I still imagine being very rich. But I believe the very reason for wanting to be rich is not the dream house, nor the car, nor the pretty shoes. I believe it's about being able to help more people. Oh well, maybe childhood dreams are the most genuine dreams after all. 

P.S.

If God has WiFi and can read this right now, I hope he sends me answers. I hope he sends me opportunities that will lead me in achieving all these. And if you're close to God, please tell him about me.

Paranoia, confusion, and the random ideas in between

OK. HONESTLY? I don't know where my life is going right now. Quarter life crisis, is that you?!

First there's the employment (or lack of it). I planned on working in June but seems like I won't have a job in time for the start of June. I would start working before June if the job is something I really like OR if the pay is really good even if it's not my dream job. I'm afraid that everyone else has a job while I don't. As of today I turned down two interviews already. I feel bad about turning down the first one. The second one, I don't even remember the name. haha It's just that I don't see myself in that career.

I did make a few back up plans for the month of June.

1. Take kickboxing or the real boxing. At the very least jog around the village. But I want boxing more. 

2. Enroll in photography classes once get my slr. I recently found out my late grandfather Lolo Jaime has a manual SLR somewhere here. I'll search for it soon and buy some good ol' film. Can't wait to get my dslr too! yahoooey!

3. Work for my dad. I actually like this one. haha One, I don't need to wake up at 6 AM everyday to get to the office. Two, I can manage my own time. And three, I can travel to places where dad goes. haha He jokes about it often. He said 'mag unahan tayo. Pag natapos ko na yung mga kailangan ko tapos wala ka pang trabaho, dito ka na.'  I'm very thankful to have this offer. But of course I don't want him to think that I don't want to find a job anymore since he offered me one. Hay, I just know that the right job for me will come. Maybe it's this or maybe not.

I am currently watching Kara David on I-witness. She mentioned she's in the town of Rizal, Palawan. This is  where the tallest tree (Manguis) in Southeast Asia is rooted and where the beautiful birds of the Philippines flock. And then an idea came upon me- maybe I could be a nature photographer and environmentalist like Mr. Cede Prudente of Sabah, Malaysia. He was featured in Trip na Trip. His parents are from Iloilo City but migrated to Malaysia. He was born in Malaysia as well but mentioned that he is aware of his Filipino roots. (I actually believe he's a relative of one of my kabarkada in highschool- Kassy Prudente. I'll ask her nga when I visit Iloilo soon. haha)

So there. Such a random post. Oh, Isadora is back from Beijing! Can't wait to see what she got for me. haha We're planning to visit Corregidor (and hopefully Zambales) soon. NOT overnight in Corregidor though- I'm scared!!! haha

* * * 

Yesterday we went to SMX to check out the food fair. I saw Veejay Floresca. He was friendly-really. I was sitting at Travel Cafe when he passed by. I quickly recognized him (yeah, hello Project Runway) so I smiled. He smiled back probably thinking to himself I'm a Project Runway fan. hahaha nice one!

Two Decades and counting

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! I got 56 greetings via ym, text, facebook, and in person. You guys made me so happy today. 

We spent the whole day at home. Mom got me an Oreo cake from Red Ribbon, prepared bacon, pancit, turon and calamares just because it's my birthday. (Favorite ko yan lahat! Plus adobo haha) We'll celebrate tomorrow daw- Wolverine movie and lunch out. It seems like as I grow 'older', I tend to like quieter celebrations for myself. This of course does not apply to everyone. Take Aling Dionisia Pacquiao for example. She celebrated her 60th birthday in a debut-ish manner. good job! haha 

Lord, thank you for 20 amazing years. I pray that many good things will come at the right time. Thank you!

* * *

I'm so happy to catch up with my high school friends. I plan to visit them in June. We'll all hit Boracay siguro after their board exams. Probably stay there for a few days then fly back here to continue my job hunting. I want to be back in time for Todo Patintero and some other stuff.

Speaking of job hunting...I found this article on JobsDB. It's about WHAT YOU CAN DO WHILE WAITING EMPLOYMENT. Let's see what I've done so far.

1. Research (on your desired industry). CHECK!

2. Read. I have started reading on stuff. But will intensify reading soon.

3. Travel. True, it doesn't cost a fortune to travel around the Philippines or Asia. Ang problema ko ay SWINE FLU at COMPANION. Hindi ko pa kaya mag travel alone- wala akong taga-picture. haha 

4. Make an online resume. OH YES, I HAVE!

5. Visit exhibits, fairs and activities. Will do this when I get a chance.

Seems like I haven't done everything mentioned. So how did I spend my few weeks of joblessness?

1. Eating and sleeping. Lessening my guilt with L-Carnitine. haha

2. Malling. This is legwork for me. jeeez.

3. Got my cedula recently. Will get my NBI clearance, TIN number and driver's license next week. I'll be registering for the elections too. I wanna exercise my right to vote. LET US ALL TAKE A STAND AND VOTE! 

4. Staying at home and watching over Julian.

5. Job hunting online.

Oh, in fairness productive pero kulang pa. haha I wanna jog but there's too many dogs in the village to run after me. haaaay.

Another episode of...ANG TANONG!

Ahahaha natatawa naman ako sa title ko. Anyhooo, this time it's on a more serious note.

After reading a post from a college friend and fellow blogger Javidoods, I thought to myself talaga...WHY? So ang tanong ay...

Why do I want to get a great, high-paying and enjoyable job? Take note ha, not just high-paying...ENJOYABLE DAPAT. 

My reasons (superficial or otherwise) are as follows:

1. To finance my lifestyle. haha 

I like to describe my spending habit this way- I don't spend a lot all the time. I choose what to spend for. I'm more of a quality over quantity person when it comes to my things. But I have learned in my long shopping days to find cheap thrills and good buys as well. Most of my money goes to my family, friends and myself. I use my funds to 'build and strengthen relationships'.

I've been saving up for a DLSR since my Cybershot died months ago. Thank God I found sponsors for it. My mom's siblings in the States will be getting it for me since I won't be availing of their grad treat (trip to the USA haha parang raffle). It's coming in July. Mejo matagal pa pero kebs. Now my savings will be in tact. Hopefully it'll be enough to keep me afloat while I wait for THE job.

2. To be able to travel to the many places I want to visit. My top destination goals are Batanes (ang mahaaaal ng airfare via SEAIR haha), Villa Milagros in Cebu, and Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. Actually I want to visit a lot of places in the Philippines but these three are my top of mind destinations. Out of the country destinations include Paris, New York and Burobudur in Indonesia. hehe

3. To be able to give back more. 'Nuff said.

4. To retire early. hahaha How I wish I could 'live on interest' by age **. hahaha secreeeet! Baka ma jinx! 

5. To not feel like working at all. I want every working day something to look forward to. As many successful people say, do what you love and you won't be working at all.

Haaay, what's a girl to do? I just want to enjoy life. Can I get paid to do that? Please let me know. haha

Oh, which reminds me...someone already won the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. Good for you Mister Ben Southall sir. YAY! Ako rin sana ganyan, kahit somewhere in the Philippines lang. hehe

Happy rainy vacation, y'all!

Long Weekend Topic Dump

Long Weekend nanaman- AS IF I CARE. I don't even have a job. hahaha I just couldn't think of a better title.

Here's another topic dump of the nice things that crossed my mind recently.

1. Camella Homes Ad. It's about time someone uploaded this video. The ad has been out for probably three weeks now and I still love it! haha

"SIKIP"

2. I just got a pm from my college friend/ blockmate Vincent Matias. He's venturing into Wedding Photography and I'm here to support him. Wooot! Vincent took our photos during the 18th Year of ABAM and he did really great.

Here are some of our shots from the ABAM pictorial.

More sample shots here.

For the more discerning and mature markets (like your titos and titas or older cousins), a more experienced photographer is at your service in the name of Robert Lester Aliscad (Robert Lester Photography) - dad of our UP batchmate (kala mo tagal nang graduate eh haha) Roselle. Oh btw, Happy Birthday Roselle! I love you!

Check out their website here.

3. And for the exciting part naman...Tet invited Fa and I (open invitation to the batch actually haha) to visit Cagayan de Oro for vacation. Well, Fa and I haven't talked about this yet but I am sooo happy to have this chance. I've always wanted to go back to CDO (been there yeaaaars back when Dad was still assigned in Mindanao). I wanna try the 4WD, White water rafting and all that adrenaline rushing shizzo. Ghad I do hope I could go.

* * *

In other thoughts...I've been reconsidering my options. I am pretty sure I won't be working this May. Weeks back, I said I wanna start working in June. But life's tough, mahirap mag hanap ng work ha!!! And I'm still happy being a bum. So I kinda reconsidered my time line. Come June and I'm jobless, I will take up a class- whatever that is. If not naman, dun ko na seseryosohin ang pagiging job seeker. Maybe go home to Iloilo first for a few days/weeks. BAHALA NA TALAGA. I don't want to overthink about the future. I'm just really glad my parents aren't cutting the financial support until I get a job. DREAM JOB, PLEASE TAKE ME. 

Kayo? Who's got a job now? How's the vacation naman?

MY PAST FEW WEEKS IN A NUTSHELL.

fa-hay-na-lleeeeey had the time to write! hahaha

Just wanted to do a random recap of my past few weeks.

DRIVING. Yay to Tim G. for allowing me to drive the van!

TAMBAY THURSDAY. No Jeturian class. kakaloka. Oh well, we spent the whole morning tambay-ing at ABAM.

JOB FAIR. Damn recession. Ayan tuloy, freeze hiring lahat.

PI Debate last Wednesday. We lost by less than a point. But I'm happy the group won in the part which I made. haha After PI, Dianne and I ate at RoC (Restaurant of Choice) at the Bahay ng Alumni. Yumyum garlic chicken and banoffee pie! I got home and also found the remote control of the tv. Long story yung remote control but believe me- theory ko 'hiniram' ng other being. haha

ABAM TBS WAS SUPER FUN! HR lost though. But it doesn't matter coz everyone enjoyed!

HR Team

rats

TAKBONG MAY YABANG. Hurray to Claude for running with me!

 

LAE Results. Shout out to Raish yo! Pat Coloma too! GOOD LUCK!!!

ABAM WEEK. SUPER FUN, I LOVE IT!

orphanage visit

CulmiNight

Overseas. Shout out to Miggy! CONGRATULATIONS for the Korea Scholarship! 

Miggyyyyy!

JEDI FIELD TRIP.

Sir Nestle

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:

ABAM Elections.

Eraserheads Concert

Aux Event.

Travels.

Graduation.