After a really good weekend spent, now I'm back to business, although work is a little bit light these past two days. We only had few discussions in class and the rest were just knowledge check activities. We had games earlier too (product-related, of course) and it's safe to say, which means I'm bragging a little, that we buried our opponents alive, TWICE! We were the underdog at first but we still won in the end. And for me, that is the sweetest kind of victory.
After work, I was supposed to go with my friends and eat out somewhere but they changed their mind the last minute and so I ended up getting a take-out dinner which I ate at home. Speaking of dinner, I haven't been practising good eating habits the past few days so I decided to revert back to the usual eating pattern that's considered healthy. From now on, I'll try to eat breakfast everyday and cut down carbs from my diet (one rice per day only). I'm not too sure how long I could go on with this but it's worth a try.
In a few days, we'll be taking calls again so I'm just relishing the light workload for the moment. Let's just hope I do good on the floor to prevent any forms of discouragement and negative vibes. Crossing fingers x
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Day 53 & 54: Weekend at home
I'm now back to the real world! Although my week was ordinarily spent, it always becomes extraordinary when I'm with my favorite people.
I just arrived here in Cebu earlier this morning and still, it wad so hard to snap out of rest day mood. From the airport, I went home to deposit my things and then went straight to the office. I was technically 2 hours late from work which my trainor displayed annoyance by not responding to my morning greeting. I just bribed him with a pastel delicacy I brought from CDO afterward which he and my teammates enjoyed a lot.
After work, I had to take care of some bills for my mom and I had to wait for almost two hours for their customer service to cater me. Thank God an elderly woman gave me a much better priority number so I gave mine to someone else in return. It never hurts to pay it forward as they say. After endless waiting, I was able to settle the bill and then went home to retire. Since my roommate was still not home, I ordered pizza and gobbled it all on my own for dinner. So much for stupid diet!
Also, I would like to apologize for skipping a post yesterday. I was so tired and I had to sleep early because of my early flight in the morning as well. Actually I got a boat ticket for last night's 7pm trip however I decided not to avail of it since I needed more time with my family. I just spent Sunday with my sister going to the grocery and stopping by a jewelry maker who was referred by a family friend since my sister needed a replacement for her lost wedding ring. I think I'm gonna go to her too once I decide to alter the ring my mom gave me.
Aside from that, we also visited my sister's house since I haven't been there before. The house is just perfect for families who are just starting out. I was able to sneak a peek of their model house as well and I was really impressed with the interior design to the point that I wanted to buy a house for my own. I've been looking for houses online that would be able to cater to my budget and taste. I know it sounds ridiculous but I really want to buy a house for my own. Why are houses so darn expensive?!
I just arrived here in Cebu earlier this morning and still, it wad so hard to snap out of rest day mood. From the airport, I went home to deposit my things and then went straight to the office. I was technically 2 hours late from work which my trainor displayed annoyance by not responding to my morning greeting. I just bribed him with a pastel delicacy I brought from CDO afterward which he and my teammates enjoyed a lot.
After work, I had to take care of some bills for my mom and I had to wait for almost two hours for their customer service to cater me. Thank God an elderly woman gave me a much better priority number so I gave mine to someone else in return. It never hurts to pay it forward as they say. After endless waiting, I was able to settle the bill and then went home to retire. Since my roommate was still not home, I ordered pizza and gobbled it all on my own for dinner. So much for stupid diet!
Also, I would like to apologize for skipping a post yesterday. I was so tired and I had to sleep early because of my early flight in the morning as well. Actually I got a boat ticket for last night's 7pm trip however I decided not to avail of it since I needed more time with my family. I just spent Sunday with my sister going to the grocery and stopping by a jewelry maker who was referred by a family friend since my sister needed a replacement for her lost wedding ring. I think I'm gonna go to her too once I decide to alter the ring my mom gave me.
Aside from that, we also visited my sister's house since I haven't been there before. The house is just perfect for families who are just starting out. I was able to sneak a peek of their model house as well and I was really impressed with the interior design to the point that I wanted to buy a house for my own. I've been looking for houses online that would be able to cater to my budget and taste. I know it sounds ridiculous but I really want to buy a house for my own. Why are houses so darn expensive?!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Day 52: My Superhero
“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin.” -Mitch Albom
This post will be dedicated to my mom who's celebrating her birthday today. To the strongest and most hardworking person I have ever known that even today, was still the very first person who got out of bed to go to work. It's always business as usual for her and it's sad how most of the time, she's never able to take care of herself in lieu of taking care of us. To the person who sacrificed a lot just for her kids to experience a good life even if it meant staying awake until the wee hours of the morning. And to the one person I owe the stories of my life to.
I'm not the best daughter there is, to that I admit. I've probably done a lot of things to my parents that I will never be proud of. But my mom has always been fair and forgiving to me. She never made me feel that my mistakes made me less of a person and that I should always learn to forgive myself first. Even if I'm away most of the time, I can never imagine a life without my mom. She's always been my superhero.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Day 51: Overwhelming is an understement
Blogging to you straight from CDO! Woot! I just arrived earlier this afternoon and I never get tired of saying this: It's good to be back! Although only for a few days but still, nothing beats home.
Going back earlier today when I was still in Cebu, I attended my training for the first half where we took calls for the third time. It was supposed to be my partner's turn in the morning and I was scheduled in the afternoon but I begged him for me to take calls first. In the end, we both took calls at the same time. I could say that it was definitely not my best performance because I was too excited for my trip home that I never really took some of the calls seriously. My mind was too preoccupied and it was running a mile a minute I don't even know where to start.
After taking calls, I asked permission from my trainor that I will miss half of the day because of my flight. Fortunately, he said yes (but even if he said no, nothing can stop me from going home. haha). I was out by 11am and my flight wasn't until 1:30pm so I still had spare time. I went home to get the printer I bought for my sister. I had to wait for my roommate to bring the printer over and she arrived an hour after and my golly was the printer huge! And not to mention, super heavy!
I hailed a cab to take me to the airport and when I got there, I asked if I could just hand-carry the printer but the lady at the check-in counter told me I can't so I will have to check it in. Now here's the fun part: I didn't have the sufficient amount of money to pay for checking it in. It was already an hour before my flight and they were having the last call for checking in of baggages. I immediately called my sister to have money deposited on my ATM so that I could just withdrew it.
Thirty minutes before my scheduled flight, my sister called and told me the money was there already. I had to go back out and withdrew the money but when I came back in, they already closed the check-in for baggages, I almost wanted to cry and I seriously considered leaving the printer behind. I asked the security if I could just leave it at the airport and I'll just have my roommate fetch it but then she directed me back to my airline. 15 minutes until the plane leaves when I went to a crew from my airline and asked if I could just leave the printer to them and then she said she could still have it checked in. God knows how many thank you's I could have uttered when I heard that. I immediately paid for it and got me and my printer checked in just in the nick of time!
I was literally breathing heavily until I reached my designated seat at the plane. I swear to God I've never felt such adrenaline in my whole life. An hour later, I was already waiting to fetch my printer at the check-out area of Lumbia Airport in CDO. My sister picked me up and bought me lunch to relieve my stress. Aaand, my sister has a new car already! Double woot!
When I arrived, my favorite nephew was already waiting outside for me. God, I missed him! He's one of the reasons why I'm always excited whenever I come home. He was so astonished looking at me and his mom trying to color our hair earlier tonight. Yes, my sister bought a hair color solution at Etude House and we decided to try it out. Mine's not that evident yet but since my sister already has color in hers, it was so much more evident on her. I'm thinking of cutting my hair too but I'm not too sure what look would work for me. I need to do some research first.
P.S. I'm sorry this is too long. It was just a very overwhelming day for me. And tomorrow is Mom's birthday! I'm too excited!
Going back earlier today when I was still in Cebu, I attended my training for the first half where we took calls for the third time. It was supposed to be my partner's turn in the morning and I was scheduled in the afternoon but I begged him for me to take calls first. In the end, we both took calls at the same time. I could say that it was definitely not my best performance because I was too excited for my trip home that I never really took some of the calls seriously. My mind was too preoccupied and it was running a mile a minute I don't even know where to start.
After taking calls, I asked permission from my trainor that I will miss half of the day because of my flight. Fortunately, he said yes (but even if he said no, nothing can stop me from going home. haha). I was out by 11am and my flight wasn't until 1:30pm so I still had spare time. I went home to get the printer I bought for my sister. I had to wait for my roommate to bring the printer over and she arrived an hour after and my golly was the printer huge! And not to mention, super heavy!
I hailed a cab to take me to the airport and when I got there, I asked if I could just hand-carry the printer but the lady at the check-in counter told me I can't so I will have to check it in. Now here's the fun part: I didn't have the sufficient amount of money to pay for checking it in. It was already an hour before my flight and they were having the last call for checking in of baggages. I immediately called my sister to have money deposited on my ATM so that I could just withdrew it.
Thirty minutes before my scheduled flight, my sister called and told me the money was there already. I had to go back out and withdrew the money but when I came back in, they already closed the check-in for baggages, I almost wanted to cry and I seriously considered leaving the printer behind. I asked the security if I could just leave it at the airport and I'll just have my roommate fetch it but then she directed me back to my airline. 15 minutes until the plane leaves when I went to a crew from my airline and asked if I could just leave the printer to them and then she said she could still have it checked in. God knows how many thank you's I could have uttered when I heard that. I immediately paid for it and got me and my printer checked in just in the nick of time!
I was literally breathing heavily until I reached my designated seat at the plane. I swear to God I've never felt such adrenaline in my whole life. An hour later, I was already waiting to fetch my printer at the check-out area of Lumbia Airport in CDO. My sister picked me up and bought me lunch to relieve my stress. Aaand, my sister has a new car already! Double woot!
When I arrived, my favorite nephew was already waiting outside for me. God, I missed him! He's one of the reasons why I'm always excited whenever I come home. He was so astonished looking at me and his mom trying to color our hair earlier tonight. Yes, my sister bought a hair color solution at Etude House and we decided to try it out. Mine's not that evident yet but since my sister already has color in hers, it was so much more evident on her. I'm thinking of cutting my hair too but I'm not too sure what look would work for me. I need to do some research first.
P.S. I'm sorry this is too long. It was just a very overwhelming day for me. And tomorrow is Mom's birthday! I'm too excited!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Day 50: Are you competitive?
There are two things I learned today that I'd like to share with you. One, I'm weirdly competitive. Two, some people talk about abortion like it's as normal as taking a shower. These things have been consciously on my subconscious but I never really gave a thought about it. And since nothing spectacular really happened today, let me babble about the two things that I learned.
I never really saw, let alone labeled myself as competitive before. True, I never wanted to fail at what I do but everyone does, right? Also, way back in college, I always compared my test results with my friends and smiling victoriously in my head when I get the highest score. But all my friends are doing it as well so it was never a big deal. In my workplace before, I would always be too hard on myself whenever I don't meet the standards and that's just because I hate failing as much as I hate being a failure.
Today, I finally realized my boss was right, I am downright competitive. While we were doing an activity earlier at work, I was palpitating and sweating unconsciously while I tried to finish the activity on a limited time. I loved the thrill of knowing that I can be good at what I do and that I can be the best amongst my peers. People would tell me that I take things seriously and now I understand why. I know somwtimes it's not a good thing but I also know that I can use this to my advantage, don't you think so?
Also, earlier today, a friend was browsing through Facebook while I watched along. And then someone messaged her worried because she didn't have her period yet. The first thing that came to my mind was that she might be pregnant, until my friend told me that she got her baby aborted just a month ago and she haven't had her period yet since then. And the reason for the abortion was the fear of being terminated from work. I mean, how lame is that reason? So, she'd rather kill her own child than risk losing her job? I know I don't have the right to judge but still, what she did not justify the means at all.
So anyway, that's about enough ranting. I'm going to sleep in a while so I'll write to you straight from CDO tomorrow then! Woot!
I never really saw, let alone labeled myself as competitive before. True, I never wanted to fail at what I do but everyone does, right? Also, way back in college, I always compared my test results with my friends and smiling victoriously in my head when I get the highest score. But all my friends are doing it as well so it was never a big deal. In my workplace before, I would always be too hard on myself whenever I don't meet the standards and that's just because I hate failing as much as I hate being a failure.
Today, I finally realized my boss was right, I am downright competitive. While we were doing an activity earlier at work, I was palpitating and sweating unconsciously while I tried to finish the activity on a limited time. I loved the thrill of knowing that I can be good at what I do and that I can be the best amongst my peers. People would tell me that I take things seriously and now I understand why. I know somwtimes it's not a good thing but I also know that I can use this to my advantage, don't you think so?
Also, earlier today, a friend was browsing through Facebook while I watched along. And then someone messaged her worried because she didn't have her period yet. The first thing that came to my mind was that she might be pregnant, until my friend told me that she got her baby aborted just a month ago and she haven't had her period yet since then. And the reason for the abortion was the fear of being terminated from work. I mean, how lame is that reason? So, she'd rather kill her own child than risk losing her job? I know I don't have the right to judge but still, what she did not justify the means at all.
So anyway, that's about enough ranting. I'm going to sleep in a while so I'll write to you straight from CDO tomorrow then! Woot!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Day 48 and 49: Some days
One particular thing that happened today that really got into my nerves is the insensitivity of some people. At work, since I'm still a newbie, we are not allowed to go on duties during holidays so we have to make up for it on a Saturday. May 1 is considered a holiday here in the Philippines so we were given the option to choose between two Saturdays (April 27 and May 4) for the make up class. Since I had to go home by the 27th and some other people also had prior commitments due to short notice, we wanted to have the class on the 4th. However, some inconsiderate people were forcing others to go for the 27th just because they want to without having any valid reason at all. And to think, they were the ones I considered really close with ever since the start of training.
In the end, our trainor decided to have a class on the said holiday with a permission from his boss. I was relieved but still I got pissed with what happened. So anyway, I finally got my ticket printed and I'm all set for Friday. I'll be bringing home a printer I bought for my sister. Although I'm a little bit short for my expenses, my friends have been kind enough to help out.
Yesterday I wasn't able to post anything because I came home late and I got too tired. After the class ended, my friends called me since they were in the area. I met up with them and one even volunteered to treat us pizza. Another friend also dropped by so it was like a mini reunion. It's always a good time when I spend it with my favorite people even if they're also the reason why my diet got ruined and I wasn't able to go jogging. Ah, the things you do for your friends!
Earlier that morning though, we had our second embedding and I was supposed to go first while my partner will listen and help me out. But, my partner was such an arse that he wanted to take calls too, leaving me all by myself. But I was not mad at him, I know that somehow I'll be on my own when taking calls, I just got so scared. But fortunately, it all turned out well and I could say it was better than my first embedding. I even got to meet a cute guy who was assigned to help us out. Okay fine, I have a tiny teeny crush on him. Let's hope he's still single. teehee :)
Monday, April 22, 2013
Day 47: Change in routine
I can't believe my two days off is already over! Ugh, Monday. I seriously wish there was a day between Sunday and Monday. That would be epic awesome, don't you think?
So anyway, work was the same for me today, although time was a bit in a hurry. It was slightly draining and of course, almost everyone were still on RD mode. There were a lot of discussions that it was hard to find a place in our brains to fit all the information given. The only good thing was the free food I took advantage of today. Our trainor gave us food during our first break and also one of my friends brought food for everybody as a celebration for her passing the teacher's board examination, which was what we ate on lunch. Thank God for generous people!
After work, I immediately went home because I was not in the mood to go with my friends. A couple of hours later, my roommate arrived and I suddenly had the urge to go jogging. She was surprised with my suggestion but still agreed. Well technically, we only walked. But hey, it's a good start right? I mean we gotta start small first. And it's a change from my usual routine of laziness so it's a good change. After walking, we had dinner and went home.
We'll be taking calls again tomorrow for billing which I'm not really confident about. I'm still gonna be with my partner but since he was the one who went first last time, I had to be the first one tomorrow. I'm a little scared and worried but my excitement is winning over. I'm going home on Friday for my mom's birthday and I can't wait to see my family! And also, I'm more excited for my trip to Hongkong on July. I know it's still months away but whatever, I'm still excited anyway.
So anyway, work was the same for me today, although time was a bit in a hurry. It was slightly draining and of course, almost everyone were still on RD mode. There were a lot of discussions that it was hard to find a place in our brains to fit all the information given. The only good thing was the free food I took advantage of today. Our trainor gave us food during our first break and also one of my friends brought food for everybody as a celebration for her passing the teacher's board examination, which was what we ate on lunch. Thank God for generous people!
After work, I immediately went home because I was not in the mood to go with my friends. A couple of hours later, my roommate arrived and I suddenly had the urge to go jogging. She was surprised with my suggestion but still agreed. Well technically, we only walked. But hey, it's a good start right? I mean we gotta start small first. And it's a change from my usual routine of laziness so it's a good change. After walking, we had dinner and went home.
We'll be taking calls again tomorrow for billing which I'm not really confident about. I'm still gonna be with my partner but since he was the one who went first last time, I had to be the first one tomorrow. I'm a little scared and worried but my excitement is winning over. I'm going home on Friday for my mom's birthday and I can't wait to see my family! And also, I'm more excited for my trip to Hongkong on July. I know it's still months away but whatever, I'm still excited anyway.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Day 46: Books or Movies?
I'm the kind of person who, by a mile, prefers books over movies. And a lot of people judge me for that. Once I give out that certain information to someone I just met, I could already see their precious little mouths forming the word boooring. I don't really care. As long as they mind their own business, I'll stick with my books.
So anyway, that introduction was just me talking gibberish. Well, today is one of those days where movies appealed to me more than my books. Now don't get too excited. I'm still going back to them, I just needed a little detour this time. And since my roommate downloaded a lot of movies, I had a hard time choosing so I ended up watching not one, not two, but three movies today. There was Tangled which reminded me of my childhood days where I thought I was secretly a princess. After finding out Santa Claus was faux, my princess dreams also went down the drain easily. As with all once-upon-a-time stories, it was pretty predictable. But the journey to that happy ending was worth watching.
I also watched Wreck It Ralph. Now this one has a good moral to it and it borders between a normal feel-good animated movie and a conscience-inducing one. The third one was The Lucky One which was an adaptation of Nicholas Spark's book, which I haven't read yet. It stars Zac Efron who looked like an epitome of perfection (half of the movie was spent marvelling at him) and some other girl who looks like Katy Perry but not quite. Sex and intimate scenes were reaaallly good. I mean Efron and sex is probably a match made in heaven.
Okay, I'm sorry for getting a little wanton there. I guess that's the thing about movies. Everything is so predictable and everything is being spoonfed to the viewers, whereas in the magic of literature, you are given your own freedom of imagination. And you become alive with each and every character, and you feel, and eventually, you become them. Now don't go on arguing you movie fanatics out there. That's merely an observation. A biases one that is.haha
So anyway, that introduction was just me talking gibberish. Well, today is one of those days where movies appealed to me more than my books. Now don't get too excited. I'm still going back to them, I just needed a little detour this time. And since my roommate downloaded a lot of movies, I had a hard time choosing so I ended up watching not one, not two, but three movies today. There was Tangled which reminded me of my childhood days where I thought I was secretly a princess. After finding out Santa Claus was faux, my princess dreams also went down the drain easily. As with all once-upon-a-time stories, it was pretty predictable. But the journey to that happy ending was worth watching.
I also watched Wreck It Ralph. Now this one has a good moral to it and it borders between a normal feel-good animated movie and a conscience-inducing one. The third one was The Lucky One which was an adaptation of Nicholas Spark's book, which I haven't read yet. It stars Zac Efron who looked like an epitome of perfection (half of the movie was spent marvelling at him) and some other girl who looks like Katy Perry but not quite. Sex and intimate scenes were reaaallly good. I mean Efron and sex is probably a match made in heaven.
Okay, I'm sorry for getting a little wanton there. I guess that's the thing about movies. Everything is so predictable and everything is being spoonfed to the viewers, whereas in the magic of literature, you are given your own freedom of imagination. And you become alive with each and every character, and you feel, and eventually, you become them. Now don't go on arguing you movie fanatics out there. That's merely an observation. A biases one that is.haha
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Day 45: New Discoveries
Thank God for weekends! The week has been such a roller coaster that I badly needed this two-day off.
Since I was short on cash, I decided to just stay at home. I spent most of my morning with Ellen (I swear her videos are addicting!) and other social networking sites. After I got bored, I got rid of a whole week's worth of clutter and paperworks. I also arranged my clothes and shoes which were all over the place due to my constant outfit changes. Basically, I did my weekly cleaning plus my favorite chore of doing the laundry (insert sarcasm here*).
I finished everything by noon and my stomach was already clamoring for food when my roommate woke up. We bought a whole piece of grilled chicken to share with each other. Even if the chicken was too big for the both of us, the rest was saved for dinner. I've never been really close to this particular roommate of mine but ever since everyone left for the summer vacation, we started bonding like sisters.
I also learned a whole lot about technology today. My friend who left for Vietnam buzzed me in Facebook telling me to download Viber. This application has been on the mainstream for a while already but I never really bothered checking it out since I never saw the need of it. After I downloaded the application, I was able to text and call for free even if me and my friend were miles away. Also, another friend introduced me to a radio application which plays really good music. I tried it out and I couldn't be happier! Looks like these applications are bound to be abused in the next couple of weeks.
P.S. I had to rewrite my original post because my internet was acting up and the first one I made was not saved at all. Not that it's anything relevant, I'm just sayin'!haha
Since I was short on cash, I decided to just stay at home. I spent most of my morning with Ellen (I swear her videos are addicting!) and other social networking sites. After I got bored, I got rid of a whole week's worth of clutter and paperworks. I also arranged my clothes and shoes which were all over the place due to my constant outfit changes. Basically, I did my weekly cleaning plus my favorite chore of doing the laundry (insert sarcasm here*).
I finished everything by noon and my stomach was already clamoring for food when my roommate woke up. We bought a whole piece of grilled chicken to share with each other. Even if the chicken was too big for the both of us, the rest was saved for dinner. I've never been really close to this particular roommate of mine but ever since everyone left for the summer vacation, we started bonding like sisters.
I also learned a whole lot about technology today. My friend who left for Vietnam buzzed me in Facebook telling me to download Viber. This application has been on the mainstream for a while already but I never really bothered checking it out since I never saw the need of it. After I downloaded the application, I was able to text and call for free even if me and my friend were miles away. Also, another friend introduced me to a radio application which plays really good music. I tried it out and I couldn't be happier! Looks like these applications are bound to be abused in the next couple of weeks.
P.S. I had to rewrite my original post because my internet was acting up and the first one I made was not saved at all. Not that it's anything relevant, I'm just sayin'!haha
Friday, April 19, 2013
Day 43 and 44: Long days ahead
I'm sorry I'm doing this two-day update again, I got too tired yesterday I slept like a baby. Plus, the internet was really acting up so I slept early.
Yesterday was really challenging for me. We did a lot of practice navigating the tools so we could be ready for today's embedding session. We were given an activity for fifteen minutes to check how fast we could do the navigating. Unfortunately, the computer I was using was even slower than a turtle that I was only able to finish one task. I had to transfer stations just for me to be able to catch up. We also did a group mock call wherein I totally embarrassed myself by giving out an incorrect answer to my trainor. Two hours before our shift ended, we listened to some calls again and when I tried logging in, it just wouldn't work. My bad luck was on a roll yesterday that I felt really drained when I went home.
Today was fairly tolerable though. And when I use that description, it simply means, it's not good but also not as bad. For our embedding session, we were paired up because of the lack of computer stations. My buddy was the one who took in calls first which I think was a good thing because I was able to get some hints on how to go about taking calls. On the downside, it was actually prolonging my agony. When it was my turn, I did not have a problem with the navigation of the tools but I struggled with communicating to my customers. I don't think I did that well on my calls compared before. I just hope I get to learn more to push me to become better.
After a long day, I went out with some of my wavemates and I would say it was really awkward. There were times when I couldn't relate to them and one of them even commented that I was too silent. I dunno, I felt like the friendship is still too immature that I can't be open to them just yet. When I'm with my friends, I'm usually the loudest and I never run out of things to say but when I've only known people for less than a month, I don't get comfortable easily. But don't get me wrong, they're a lot of fun to be with, it's just that I need to get a feel of their personality first before I go ahead and introduce mine. Does that even make sense?
On another note, I received a text from my sister yesterday and it's official, I'm going to Hongkong on the first week of July. I'm really excited since it's the first time I'm going out of the country and I know it's weird but I just can't stop thinking about it. I just hope everything will go according to plan. It has to! I know I will have a lot of long and difficult days ahead so this trip is definitely a good motivation for me. Can't wait!
Yesterday was really challenging for me. We did a lot of practice navigating the tools so we could be ready for today's embedding session. We were given an activity for fifteen minutes to check how fast we could do the navigating. Unfortunately, the computer I was using was even slower than a turtle that I was only able to finish one task. I had to transfer stations just for me to be able to catch up. We also did a group mock call wherein I totally embarrassed myself by giving out an incorrect answer to my trainor. Two hours before our shift ended, we listened to some calls again and when I tried logging in, it just wouldn't work. My bad luck was on a roll yesterday that I felt really drained when I went home.
Today was fairly tolerable though. And when I use that description, it simply means, it's not good but also not as bad. For our embedding session, we were paired up because of the lack of computer stations. My buddy was the one who took in calls first which I think was a good thing because I was able to get some hints on how to go about taking calls. On the downside, it was actually prolonging my agony. When it was my turn, I did not have a problem with the navigation of the tools but I struggled with communicating to my customers. I don't think I did that well on my calls compared before. I just hope I get to learn more to push me to become better.
After a long day, I went out with some of my wavemates and I would say it was really awkward. There were times when I couldn't relate to them and one of them even commented that I was too silent. I dunno, I felt like the friendship is still too immature that I can't be open to them just yet. When I'm with my friends, I'm usually the loudest and I never run out of things to say but when I've only known people for less than a month, I don't get comfortable easily. But don't get me wrong, they're a lot of fun to be with, it's just that I need to get a feel of their personality first before I go ahead and introduce mine. Does that even make sense?
On another note, I received a text from my sister yesterday and it's official, I'm going to Hongkong on the first week of July. I'm really excited since it's the first time I'm going out of the country and I know it's weird but I just can't stop thinking about it. I just hope everything will go according to plan. It has to! I know I will have a lot of long and difficult days ahead so this trip is definitely a good motivation for me. Can't wait!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Day 42: Newbie Again
I'm already getting the hang of getting up early and going to work everyday. Although it still takes a while before I'm separated from my bed, at least now I don't curse as much as before.haha. kidding!
I take back what I said yesterday that it was one of the most productive day I've had in training. Truth be told, today was one helluva day! First, our seating arrangement was changed so I was forced to sit beside someone I was not really comfortable with. And then when we started practicing the navigation of tools, my PC would not cooperate and it just keeps on loading so I got way behind others. And then I felt really guilty because the new seat mates that I had were the one who helped me all throughout. Reminder to self: Be friendly and be more open to changes.
After the first half, we were sent to lunch and surprisingly, I saw one of my teammates before. She sat next to me and we updated each other on what happened when she left. I also met her new boyfriend and we kept laughing about the previous relationships that she had(sans the boyfie of course). I even had to stay for a while just to chat with her. After lunch, we did more practice and then we barged again to listen to some of the calls by tenured agents.
While I was listening to some of the calls, I remembered when I was the tenured agent before and trainees would barge in on my call just like what I'm doing now. I felt so good then having to teach newbies and guiding them on their calls. I just hope I get to learn faster this time and I hope I do well with my metrics. I've already set up a goal for myself by the end of the year and I pray I get to meet those goals.
I take back what I said yesterday that it was one of the most productive day I've had in training. Truth be told, today was one helluva day! First, our seating arrangement was changed so I was forced to sit beside someone I was not really comfortable with. And then when we started practicing the navigation of tools, my PC would not cooperate and it just keeps on loading so I got way behind others. And then I felt really guilty because the new seat mates that I had were the one who helped me all throughout. Reminder to self: Be friendly and be more open to changes.
After the first half, we were sent to lunch and surprisingly, I saw one of my teammates before. She sat next to me and we updated each other on what happened when she left. I also met her new boyfriend and we kept laughing about the previous relationships that she had(sans the boyfie of course). I even had to stay for a while just to chat with her. After lunch, we did more practice and then we barged again to listen to some of the calls by tenured agents.
While I was listening to some of the calls, I remembered when I was the tenured agent before and trainees would barge in on my call just like what I'm doing now. I felt so good then having to teach newbies and guiding them on their calls. I just hope I get to learn faster this time and I hope I do well with my metrics. I've already set up a goal for myself by the end of the year and I pray I get to meet those goals.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Day 41: New Friends
Practice makes perfect.
Today was probably one of the most productive days I've ever haf since our training started. The main tools to be used when we'll be taking calls were already introduced to us and we were given the chance to do everything hands on. For me, the best method for learning is practice. At first, everything seemed so blurry and confusing but after tons of practice, I began to realize it's not as hard as it seems.
Also, we were able to observe tenuted agents taking calls on the floor for us to have a feel of how they go about taking calls. I was even able to meet my batchmate before who was already working in the company for quite some time and was already trained for higher position. We were able to chat for a while and it always feels good to see a familiar face among lots of strangers. Looking at her excelling at what she does makes me want to be like her. I also hope I get to be as good as she is.
After class, I also went out with some of my new friends. Figuring I cannot always live in the past, I have the option to be lonely or make new friends. And I decided I'm better off with the latter. Yey to new friends!
Today was probably one of the most productive days I've ever haf since our training started. The main tools to be used when we'll be taking calls were already introduced to us and we were given the chance to do everything hands on. For me, the best method for learning is practice. At first, everything seemed so blurry and confusing but after tons of practice, I began to realize it's not as hard as it seems.
Also, we were able to observe tenuted agents taking calls on the floor for us to have a feel of how they go about taking calls. I was even able to meet my batchmate before who was already working in the company for quite some time and was already trained for higher position. We were able to chat for a while and it always feels good to see a familiar face among lots of strangers. Looking at her excelling at what she does makes me want to be like her. I also hope I get to be as good as she is.
After class, I also went out with some of my new friends. Figuring I cannot always live in the past, I have the option to be lonely or make new friends. And I decided I'm better off with the latter. Yey to new friends!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Day 40: Alone and Lonely
Today, I felt so alone.
I came to work on time as usual and the day started out like it always does. However,the person I was always with decided to sit somewhere else leaving me sitting all by myself with no one to talk to. Just so you know, I'm usually really loud especially when I'm with my friends or with someone I'm comfortable with. But if I haven't known anyone that much yet, I am the total opposite. I barely even talk. I just close in on myself and can go on without talking unless I really need to. I'm not snob or anything. I just sometimes feel awkward and I don't know what to say so I just keep mum.
But today, I felt alone more than ever. I missed my friends and I keep thinking how much fun I could be having being with them. I missed my family especially my sister who I always to talk to. I just miss everyone. I don't mean to be overly dramatic but sometimes,I really can't help it. I am the type of person who always have a hard time letting go of people and moving on. Plus, a friend is leaving for Vietnam today and I'm feeling a little nostalgic about everything.
I just pray tomorrow will be better.
I came to work on time as usual and the day started out like it always does. However,the person I was always with decided to sit somewhere else leaving me sitting all by myself with no one to talk to. Just so you know, I'm usually really loud especially when I'm with my friends or with someone I'm comfortable with. But if I haven't known anyone that much yet, I am the total opposite. I barely even talk. I just close in on myself and can go on without talking unless I really need to. I'm not snob or anything. I just sometimes feel awkward and I don't know what to say so I just keep mum.
But today, I felt alone more than ever. I missed my friends and I keep thinking how much fun I could be having being with them. I missed my family especially my sister who I always to talk to. I just miss everyone. I don't mean to be overly dramatic but sometimes,I really can't help it. I am the type of person who always have a hard time letting go of people and moving on. Plus, a friend is leaving for Vietnam today and I'm feeling a little nostalgic about everything.
I just pray tomorrow will be better.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Day 39: Distracted
I felt like an invalid today. I woke up really late and when I did, I just stayed in bed like a boss. No breakfast and no lunch at all. Again, I know it's not healthy but getting up to scout for food would take up all of my energy. Oh you know I'm just making excuses!haha. If I didn't have to go to mass, I wouldn't have bothered getting up at all.
I finally got up at around 3 in the afternoon to go to mass. I was there on time but as the celebration went on, my mind was all over the place that I felt really guilty. I wasn't even able to listen to the homily because I was thinking about a lot of other things. I was so distracted and I was having my own homily inside my head. I know that's not very fair to Him that he's only asking for an hour of my time amd yet I couldn't even give it to him. What is wrong with me??
After the mass, I got really hungry so I decided to have an early dinner. I have work again tomorrow so I would have to go home and hit the sack early. Until tomorrow!
I finally got up at around 3 in the afternoon to go to mass. I was there on time but as the celebration went on, my mind was all over the place that I felt really guilty. I wasn't even able to listen to the homily because I was thinking about a lot of other things. I was so distracted and I was having my own homily inside my head. I know that's not very fair to Him that he's only asking for an hour of my time amd yet I couldn't even give it to him. What is wrong with me??
After the mass, I got really hungry so I decided to have an early dinner. I have work again tomorrow so I would have to go home and hit the sack early. Until tomorrow!
Day 38: Not Invited
As early as my day started, so was how late it ended.
I came to work all excited knowing it would be the last day of the week for me and then I would be having my day off. Although my off would only be for a day but at least I get to have one so I don't have the right to complain. There were only even a few people in the building because it's a weekend and most of the people are having their days off. Work was dragging but fairly tolerable.
After work, I immediately went home to rest. I found out some of my workmates before went out without me and I was a little jealous and sad that I didn't get an invite but I understood that I was not part of the team anymore and we had different schedules so it would be hard for them to go out of their way and include me. It was like telling me to just move on with my new environment and even if it's hard for me, I have no other choice.
At around 7, me and my roommate went out to dinner. There's this famous place that I haven't been to even if I've been here in Cebu for more than a year already so we decided to go there. The place is called Larsian and they sell different kinds of barbecued and grilled meat and seafood. The place was packed when we got there but the food was really delish that I ate more than I planned. But definitely, no regrets!
Again, as I mentioned, I slept really late knowing I wouldn't have to wake up too early tomorrow. I watched endless youtube videos of Russell Peters, the famous stand-up comedian, just to ease my stress away, and he did't fail. I stayed up until midnight when finally my eyes can't keep themselves open anymore and so I decided to give them a rest.
I came to work all excited knowing it would be the last day of the week for me and then I would be having my day off. Although my off would only be for a day but at least I get to have one so I don't have the right to complain. There were only even a few people in the building because it's a weekend and most of the people are having their days off. Work was dragging but fairly tolerable.
After work, I immediately went home to rest. I found out some of my workmates before went out without me and I was a little jealous and sad that I didn't get an invite but I understood that I was not part of the team anymore and we had different schedules so it would be hard for them to go out of their way and include me. It was like telling me to just move on with my new environment and even if it's hard for me, I have no other choice.
At around 7, me and my roommate went out to dinner. There's this famous place that I haven't been to even if I've been here in Cebu for more than a year already so we decided to go there. The place is called Larsian and they sell different kinds of barbecued and grilled meat and seafood. The place was packed when we got there but the food was really delish that I ate more than I planned. But definitely, no regrets!
Again, as I mentioned, I slept really late knowing I wouldn't have to wake up too early tomorrow. I watched endless youtube videos of Russell Peters, the famous stand-up comedian, just to ease my stress away, and he did't fail. I stayed up until midnight when finally my eyes can't keep themselves open anymore and so I decided to give them a rest.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Day 37: Tell me your secret
TGIF! Although I still have work tomorrow (I know, total bummer!), I can't help but feel relieved. Training today was also less bloody than yesterday and I had to share a secret to a lot of people I barely I even know. More on that later!
As per usual, I had to fight the urge to stay in bed all day and it took me almost 30 minutes just to drag myself to the shower. But I still arrived a little too early for work. The discussion was fairly familiar to me especially on the first half of the day, it was just like having a review on how we usually handle calls. The second discussion was again about billing but it was something that I've already experienced in the past so it was not that hard for me to follow.
Before we took our lunch though, some of the managers and supervisor from our account paid us a visit. We did a meet and greet and they had us introduce ourselves. But the catch was, we had to spill out one of our deepest darkest secrets after the introduction. There were 23 of us in the class and some of my wavemates' revelation really shocked me. Of course, I wouldn't tell you anything about it but just when I thought I've already well adapted myself with other people's lifestyle and preferences, they still never failed to astound me.
If there's one thing that I've learned today, it is to be open about the realities in this world. As cliche as it sounds, we really have to expect the unexpected especially when it comes to dealing with other people.
As per usual, I had to fight the urge to stay in bed all day and it took me almost 30 minutes just to drag myself to the shower. But I still arrived a little too early for work. The discussion was fairly familiar to me especially on the first half of the day, it was just like having a review on how we usually handle calls. The second discussion was again about billing but it was something that I've already experienced in the past so it was not that hard for me to follow.
Before we took our lunch though, some of the managers and supervisor from our account paid us a visit. We did a meet and greet and they had us introduce ourselves. But the catch was, we had to spill out one of our deepest darkest secrets after the introduction. There were 23 of us in the class and some of my wavemates' revelation really shocked me. Of course, I wouldn't tell you anything about it but just when I thought I've already well adapted myself with other people's lifestyle and preferences, they still never failed to astound me.
If there's one thing that I've learned today, it is to be open about the realities in this world. As cliche as it sounds, we really have to expect the unexpected especially when it comes to dealing with other people.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Day 36: Learning about the Land Down Under
What a very stressful day! I'm still on my second day of training for my new job but it already feels like months has passed. Our pacing is really fast and sometimes I have a hard time catching up especially when we discuss complicated topics. I've also been dragging myself to work everyday just because I don't feel like working. I am so demotivated to learn and I don't want to feel this way. I have to find ways to motivate myself or else I will not last here for long. Thank God, TV series have been invented. It's been the perfect stress reliever for me for the past two days.
Going back, again, my day started really early. For the first half of the day, we just familiarized ourselves with the lifestyle and culture of Australia and I really learned a lot of things during the discussion. Did you know that Australia is considered a country, a continent and an island too? Well, if you knew that, I didn't so I was really amazed. After that topic, I wanted to go to Australia right then and there.
As light as the first half was, the second half was as bloody. We already started discussing about the different products and more so about billing, which really gave me a migraine. Everything was so different and more complicated than the previous billing experience that I had. It was so traumatic I think I'll be seeing numbers in my dreams tonight.
Anyway, I gotta go study now. We might have a pop quiz tomorrow morning. Good night, mate! (in Aussie accent.haha)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Day 35: Unlearn and Relearn
First day of work today and I didn't get enough sleep. I planned on going to sleep early but the moment I got in bed, I just stared at the upper bunk of my bed and stayed like that for almost an hour. And then when sleep finally came, I woke up almost every hour and then had a hard time sleeping again. I almost killed the alarm when it finally buzzed and I had to hit the snooze button a gazillion times.
So anyway, I got to work early as usual and I finally met my trainor and my new wavemates. It was really awkward because I didn't know anyone and I was silent most of the time, which is a total opposite to my ever loud self. We did GTKY for the first half and one of the activity was to pair up and we are gonna be the ones to introduce our pair. As I listened to everyone, I got really initimidated because most of them have experience in the call center industry for 3-5 years compared to the meager 1 year that I have.
I can't help but compare myself to them and feel a little underqualified. I revisited old feelings of dread and wanting to prove myself when I was just starting out last year. I now get what my old colleague said before that it's easier to learn new things when you are still a blank slate compared to having an experience where you have to unlearn what you know and relearn again.
I have yet to know these new faces I'm going to see everyday and it's hard. But I'm gonna try to look at it positively and hopefully things will get better as the days go by. After the training, I met up with some of my friends and we hung out for a while before I went home. It's always a blast when I'm with them and as cliche as it sounds, I can't ask for anything better.
So anyway, I got to work early as usual and I finally met my trainor and my new wavemates. It was really awkward because I didn't know anyone and I was silent most of the time, which is a total opposite to my ever loud self. We did GTKY for the first half and one of the activity was to pair up and we are gonna be the ones to introduce our pair. As I listened to everyone, I got really initimidated because most of them have experience in the call center industry for 3-5 years compared to the meager 1 year that I have.
I can't help but compare myself to them and feel a little underqualified. I revisited old feelings of dread and wanting to prove myself when I was just starting out last year. I now get what my old colleague said before that it's easier to learn new things when you are still a blank slate compared to having an experience where you have to unlearn what you know and relearn again.
I have yet to know these new faces I'm going to see everyday and it's hard. But I'm gonna try to look at it positively and hopefully things will get better as the days go by. After the training, I met up with some of my friends and we hung out for a while before I went home. It's always a blast when I'm with them and as cliche as it sounds, I can't ask for anything better.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Day 34: Left behind
I have to make this short since 1. I'm already sleepy and it's still seven in the evening, 2. I need to wake up early tomorrow for the training so I have to hit the sack, 3. I really don't have much to say since nothing worth mentioning happened today.
I woke up really late and I spent more than half of the day on the web. It's a holiday today so even if I wanted to work on my requirements, most of the government offices are close. I have a good excuse to be lazy. At around 3 in the afternoon, I took a shower and went to the office to pass some of the papers I'm already done with and to sign my contract as well. After everything, I grabbed some dinner, went home and faced the web again.
I did want to talk about what happened this morning which really broke my heart. A really good friend called to tell me he's gonna be leaving for Vietnam next week. He had some family problems which really pushed him to sever the ties with them for the meantime until everyone involved will be okay. I never thought he'd go as far as out of the country and I really cried while talking with him on the phone because it's gonna be a very big change for him and it's not gonna be easy.
Leaving is hard, both for the one who's going away and those who will be left behind. And as I much as I would love for him to stay, he had already made his decision. As a friend, I have to support him and hope everything will turn it fine.
I woke up really late and I spent more than half of the day on the web. It's a holiday today so even if I wanted to work on my requirements, most of the government offices are close. I have a good excuse to be lazy. At around 3 in the afternoon, I took a shower and went to the office to pass some of the papers I'm already done with and to sign my contract as well. After everything, I grabbed some dinner, went home and faced the web again.
I did want to talk about what happened this morning which really broke my heart. A really good friend called to tell me he's gonna be leaving for Vietnam next week. He had some family problems which really pushed him to sever the ties with them for the meantime until everyone involved will be okay. I never thought he'd go as far as out of the country and I really cried while talking with him on the phone because it's gonna be a very big change for him and it's not gonna be easy.
Leaving is hard, both for the one who's going away and those who will be left behind. And as I much as I would love for him to stay, he had already made his decision. As a friend, I have to support him and hope everything will turn it fine.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Day 33: Awkward
Today was one of those days again where fun is synonymous to waking up early and being productive (and I had to say that convincingly over and over again without sounding sarcastic). You know, Monday.
I had a couple of things to do today which means I have to start my day as early as possible to accomplish everything. And you know how much I hate waking up early, but I have no choice. After getting ready, I went straight to the lab to complete my medical examination. It turns out, they're not gonna open until 8 in the morning so I was more than an hour early. Good thing, a co-applicant I came to be friends with also came early so I had someone to talk with while waiting.
After completing my medical exam, I went straight to settle my application and some other requirements needed before I start my employment. The first place I went to had a very long line but I was done within an hour. The second one was just quick but still remains unchecked on my to-do list since I have yet to follow-up on that every now and then. The places I went to were just within the vicinity that I decided to just walk from one place to another and I don't know how I came to that decision because it was so fugging hot and sweat was dripping all over me in places I didn't even know had sweat glands (ew, I'm sorry, that was gross).
So anyway, I finally went home and since I didn't receive any call yet regarding the orientation, I decided to call them instead. I was to have my orientation at one in the afternoon so I had to get ready. After taking my lunch (yes, I ate this time), I went straight to the office and I was one of the few people who came early. I saw some familiar faces who were with me during the interview however when I asked them what account they were profiled to, every single one of them answered the same but not the account I was in. And then I thought, 'Oh, this is awkward.'
When the orientation started, I finally got my answer. They were all profiled in the same account and they were all gonna be classmates except me but I needed to attend the orientation with them since there was no other schedule before my training. I was a little out of place at first and I got really shy because they had to made special mention of me from time to time while they were discussing the contract since there were slight differences. But after a while, I made friends and the class turned out to be fun.
The orientation was done by seven 'coz we still needed to have our pictures taken but I didn't sign the contract yet. There were some things I needed to consider before signing so I figured I'll just come back tomorrow. So I went home, had dinner with my roommate and called it a day.
I had a couple of things to do today which means I have to start my day as early as possible to accomplish everything. And you know how much I hate waking up early, but I have no choice. After getting ready, I went straight to the lab to complete my medical examination. It turns out, they're not gonna open until 8 in the morning so I was more than an hour early. Good thing, a co-applicant I came to be friends with also came early so I had someone to talk with while waiting.
After completing my medical exam, I went straight to settle my application and some other requirements needed before I start my employment. The first place I went to had a very long line but I was done within an hour. The second one was just quick but still remains unchecked on my to-do list since I have yet to follow-up on that every now and then. The places I went to were just within the vicinity that I decided to just walk from one place to another and I don't know how I came to that decision because it was so fugging hot and sweat was dripping all over me in places I didn't even know had sweat glands (ew, I'm sorry, that was gross).
So anyway, I finally went home and since I didn't receive any call yet regarding the orientation, I decided to call them instead. I was to have my orientation at one in the afternoon so I had to get ready. After taking my lunch (yes, I ate this time), I went straight to the office and I was one of the few people who came early. I saw some familiar faces who were with me during the interview however when I asked them what account they were profiled to, every single one of them answered the same but not the account I was in. And then I thought, 'Oh, this is awkward.'
When the orientation started, I finally got my answer. They were all profiled in the same account and they were all gonna be classmates except me but I needed to attend the orientation with them since there was no other schedule before my training. I was a little out of place at first and I got really shy because they had to made special mention of me from time to time while they were discussing the contract since there were slight differences. But after a while, I made friends and the class turned out to be fun.
The orientation was done by seven 'coz we still needed to have our pictures taken but I didn't sign the contract yet. There were some things I needed to consider before signing so I figured I'll just come back tomorrow. So I went home, had dinner with my roommate and called it a day.
Day 32: A date with John Green
I woke up to the sound of heavy downpour early this morning, which was unusual considering it's officially the start of summer here in the Philippines and the sun has been PMSing the past couple of days. I mean, really, really bad case of PMS. And what's worse, I'm stuck here at home while others are enjoying their summer vacation all over and out of the country. Double bummer.
But since it was Sunday today and the only thing on my itinerary was to go to mass, I went back to bed to enjoy the wonder that is laziness. I slept really late last night reading John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson that even eight hours of undisturbed sleep wasn't enough. But after almost an hour of tossing and turning and staring blankly at the top bunk of my double deck bed, I resolved to finish the book. There were just a few pages more to go so it wouldn't take me that long to finish it.
After a little over an hour, I closed the book to end my journey with Will Grayson. I'm not really in the position to say that it deserved a nobel prize or anything but the book was good while it lasted. It was probably the only literature that made me laugh like a hyena. After reading the book, I looked at the right side of my bed and a humungous pile of dirty clothes were hungry of my attention. And so it was decided. Laundry it is!
Probably one of the most tiring and least favorite errand for me is doing the laundry which is why, I can only do house clothes and underwear. Anything else heavier than that will be taken cared of by the laundry house. After such tedious work, I waited for my friends to call me for a lunch out again but I realized they weren't out until roughly around two in the afternoon so I decided to browse over my ebooks and found another one of John Green's entitled Paper Towns.
I read the book to pass the time while nervously looking at my cellphone every now and then to check if I had an invite from my friends. But I didn't receive any. So I decided to go to mass at around 4 so that I can have an early dinner (which will be my first meal of the day, again). After the mass, I went straight to dinner and then home again. I wanted to finish the whole book by the end of the day and I did. But I ended up crying afterwards. I found the book really disturbing in a way that it discusses different facets of human life that you can't help but think about all of it before going to sleep. Which is what happened to me. Damn them good books!
But since it was Sunday today and the only thing on my itinerary was to go to mass, I went back to bed to enjoy the wonder that is laziness. I slept really late last night reading John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson that even eight hours of undisturbed sleep wasn't enough. But after almost an hour of tossing and turning and staring blankly at the top bunk of my double deck bed, I resolved to finish the book. There were just a few pages more to go so it wouldn't take me that long to finish it.
After a little over an hour, I closed the book to end my journey with Will Grayson. I'm not really in the position to say that it deserved a nobel prize or anything but the book was good while it lasted. It was probably the only literature that made me laugh like a hyena. After reading the book, I looked at the right side of my bed and a humungous pile of dirty clothes were hungry of my attention. And so it was decided. Laundry it is!
Probably one of the most tiring and least favorite errand for me is doing the laundry which is why, I can only do house clothes and underwear. Anything else heavier than that will be taken cared of by the laundry house. After such tedious work, I waited for my friends to call me for a lunch out again but I realized they weren't out until roughly around two in the afternoon so I decided to browse over my ebooks and found another one of John Green's entitled Paper Towns.
I read the book to pass the time while nervously looking at my cellphone every now and then to check if I had an invite from my friends. But I didn't receive any. So I decided to go to mass at around 4 so that I can have an early dinner (which will be my first meal of the day, again). After the mass, I went straight to dinner and then home again. I wanted to finish the whole book by the end of the day and I did. But I ended up crying afterwards. I found the book really disturbing in a way that it discusses different facets of human life that you can't help but think about all of it before going to sleep. Which is what happened to me. Damn them good books!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Day 31: The streak goes on
Today was less toxic but I wouldn't say my unlucky streak has come to an end.
I just spent the entire morning on the Internet which is what all single, 20ish female would do on a Saturday morning. Really, I'm just making an excuse to make my day sound normal. In my defense, it was sweltering hot outside that even of I had something better to do, I'd still stay indoors. The perks of having to live in a country near the equator. Yes, I still know my Science and Geography, apparently.
I was thinking I could just maybe go out for lunch with my friends but unfortunately, they had their rest day today, which means, they're also lounging indoors too lazy to go out. So I skipped lunch. And breakfast earlier too. No, I'm not on a diet or on a slow painful process of killing myself, I'm just too lazy to go out and eat on my own. Okay, I'm trying to cut on my expenses too. You know, jobless and all.
After endless Ellen youtube videos and an hour of talking my friend out of suicide (I'm gonna make a separate post on that), I finally took a shower and ran through all things I needed to do on an imaginary checklist in my head. The first thing on my checklist was to get my photos recopied. So I went to the mall where my roommate told me and to my luck, their printer broke so they can't possibly mass produce a meager picture of me. So I figured I will just move on to the next to-do task on hand. I went to my former employer to get my Certificate of Employment, which I filed last Wednesday. And to my luck again, it wasn't gonna be out until next Wednesday (which is partly my fault because I didn't ask in the first place).
So I decided to just find another store who has all their tools up and running and can possibly recopy my photos. When I found one, instead of having my photo taken, I just gave them my copy to scan, which turned out to be the worst idea ever because the picture turned out all distorted (at least that's how I see it). But I can't afford to pay anything more so it would have to do. At least one box on my checklist is done. Next thing to do was to have some of my documents photocopied, which thankfully, I didn't have a problem with. So I went home with one box unchecked on my checklist. Not bad.
P.S. I'm probably gonna be sleeping late tonight. I have a date with John Green and his fictional character, Will Grayson.
I just spent the entire morning on the Internet which is what all single, 20ish female would do on a Saturday morning. Really, I'm just making an excuse to make my day sound normal. In my defense, it was sweltering hot outside that even of I had something better to do, I'd still stay indoors. The perks of having to live in a country near the equator. Yes, I still know my Science and Geography, apparently.
I was thinking I could just maybe go out for lunch with my friends but unfortunately, they had their rest day today, which means, they're also lounging indoors too lazy to go out. So I skipped lunch. And breakfast earlier too. No, I'm not on a diet or on a slow painful process of killing myself, I'm just too lazy to go out and eat on my own. Okay, I'm trying to cut on my expenses too. You know, jobless and all.
After endless Ellen youtube videos and an hour of talking my friend out of suicide (I'm gonna make a separate post on that), I finally took a shower and ran through all things I needed to do on an imaginary checklist in my head. The first thing on my checklist was to get my photos recopied. So I went to the mall where my roommate told me and to my luck, their printer broke so they can't possibly mass produce a meager picture of me. So I figured I will just move on to the next to-do task on hand. I went to my former employer to get my Certificate of Employment, which I filed last Wednesday. And to my luck again, it wasn't gonna be out until next Wednesday (which is partly my fault because I didn't ask in the first place).
So I decided to just find another store who has all their tools up and running and can possibly recopy my photos. When I found one, instead of having my photo taken, I just gave them my copy to scan, which turned out to be the worst idea ever because the picture turned out all distorted (at least that's how I see it). But I can't afford to pay anything more so it would have to do. At least one box on my checklist is done. Next thing to do was to have some of my documents photocopied, which thankfully, I didn't have a problem with. So I went home with one box unchecked on my checklist. Not bad.
P.S. I'm probably gonna be sleeping late tonight. I have a date with John Green and his fictional character, Will Grayson.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Day 30: Ran out of Luck
Well, today was, for the lack of better term, painful.
I started the day lazily. I preferred to stay in bed instead of finishing my requirements. My scheduled orientation was to be this afternoon but it was clearly stipulated that no one will be allowed in the orientation if they haven't finished their medical exams yet and as you all know, I haven't finished mine because of physiological reasons. I had to wait until 10 in the morning and called the recruiting office to ask if I could still get in with lacking requirements. They told me it's fine, I just have to attend it since it was a prerequisite before I can join the training. So I decided to just stay at home and wait until 1 in the afternoon.
I was already back in my bed checking social networking sites when my former teammates called me again and asked me if I could join them for lunch. I wanted to but again, I was feeling too lazy so I politely told them no. And you wanna guess what they replied? One of them threatened that if I don't go with them, they would block and unfriend me on Facebook. Of course, I know they wouldn't do that but it definitely changed my mind. They told me I had 20 min to be there so I hurriedly dressed, fixed myself and went straight out of the house. Ugh, the things you do for your friends!
They were already waiting for me when I arrived and they just laughed at me. Can you believe them? So anyway, we had lunch at this place I've never been to. While waiting for the food, I was deciding whether I should go to the orientation or I could try my luck at another company which, my friends told me, offered the same account but with bigger compensation. In the end, I decided to test my luck. I went to the said company and processed my application. I had to take a very long and migraine-inducing exam for them to know which account I would be profiled to. After the exam, they told me I passed however I would not be profiled to the account that I wanted. I had to hold back my frustration until I was out of the building.
I immediately racked my brains for any other possible options and the first thing that came to my mind was to go to the recruitment office of the company who hired me and ask if they could reschedule my orientation. When I went there, I had to make an alibi that I had an emergency that's why I wasn't able to come to the orientation. They told me I have to wait for their call on Monday to check if the class wasn't full yet and if they could still squeeze me in. If not, they had to push me to the next wave. I just hope I could still make it to the class, I can't afford to wait another week.
I went home and called it a day. My roommate and I had dinner and I usually bring my phone anywhere just in case someone important would call but since it ran out of battery, I had to leave it at home to recharge. When we came back, there was a text message from the publishing company where I applied as a copy editor informing me that I didn't get the job. I had to stop for a while and heave a sigh. It seems that my luck was not on a roll today.
It always hurts when you experience failure and being the person that I am, it's not easy to face failure head on. I guess some things are just not meant for you no matter how hard you try. But at least I can say that I tried and I wouldn't have to live on the what-ifs if I didn't. I just had to convince myself that it's just a bad day, not a bad life. I hope you're having a better day than I am.
I started the day lazily. I preferred to stay in bed instead of finishing my requirements. My scheduled orientation was to be this afternoon but it was clearly stipulated that no one will be allowed in the orientation if they haven't finished their medical exams yet and as you all know, I haven't finished mine because of physiological reasons. I had to wait until 10 in the morning and called the recruiting office to ask if I could still get in with lacking requirements. They told me it's fine, I just have to attend it since it was a prerequisite before I can join the training. So I decided to just stay at home and wait until 1 in the afternoon.
I was already back in my bed checking social networking sites when my former teammates called me again and asked me if I could join them for lunch. I wanted to but again, I was feeling too lazy so I politely told them no. And you wanna guess what they replied? One of them threatened that if I don't go with them, they would block and unfriend me on Facebook. Of course, I know they wouldn't do that but it definitely changed my mind. They told me I had 20 min to be there so I hurriedly dressed, fixed myself and went straight out of the house. Ugh, the things you do for your friends!
They were already waiting for me when I arrived and they just laughed at me. Can you believe them? So anyway, we had lunch at this place I've never been to. While waiting for the food, I was deciding whether I should go to the orientation or I could try my luck at another company which, my friends told me, offered the same account but with bigger compensation. In the end, I decided to test my luck. I went to the said company and processed my application. I had to take a very long and migraine-inducing exam for them to know which account I would be profiled to. After the exam, they told me I passed however I would not be profiled to the account that I wanted. I had to hold back my frustration until I was out of the building.
I immediately racked my brains for any other possible options and the first thing that came to my mind was to go to the recruitment office of the company who hired me and ask if they could reschedule my orientation. When I went there, I had to make an alibi that I had an emergency that's why I wasn't able to come to the orientation. They told me I have to wait for their call on Monday to check if the class wasn't full yet and if they could still squeeze me in. If not, they had to push me to the next wave. I just hope I could still make it to the class, I can't afford to wait another week.
I went home and called it a day. My roommate and I had dinner and I usually bring my phone anywhere just in case someone important would call but since it ran out of battery, I had to leave it at home to recharge. When we came back, there was a text message from the publishing company where I applied as a copy editor informing me that I didn't get the job. I had to stop for a while and heave a sigh. It seems that my luck was not on a roll today.
It always hurts when you experience failure and being the person that I am, it's not easy to face failure head on. I guess some things are just not meant for you no matter how hard you try. But at least I can say that I tried and I wouldn't have to live on the what-ifs if I didn't. I just had to convince myself that it's just a bad day, not a bad life. I hope you're having a better day than I am.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Day 29: Friends worth keeping
As expected, today was exhausting beyond words.
I had my alarm set up at 5 in the morning since I need to have my medical examinations done early to prevent long queues. My alarm did it's job however I kept snoozing it until it reached 30 minutes past 5 and still I was not ready to get out of bed. And then my phone rang and I wondered who could be calling me at the wee hours of the morning. Of course, there was no other culprit than my teammates before who's inviting me for a lunch out. And so it was set.
Because of the unexpected phone call, I was now up in bed and I had no choice but to start my day. The medical laboratory where I'll be doing my tests was not familiar to me but the address sketch was pretty easy to follow. However, when I got there, I got lost. I had to check the sketch again and eventually, I found my way there. I was able to finish most of the required exams but since I'm having my menstruation, I need to come back three days after for the drug test and urinalysis. Even if I finished early, I had to wait for the doctor for my medical check-up. I was done by 10:30, which was also the time my teammates were getting out of work.
I rushed home to leave my Xray film and headed to where they were. I had to wait more than 30 minutes for them to finish but it was worth it. Being with them made me want to come back to the team badly but of course, I can't. I'm just very touched that even if I was not part of the team anymore, they still remembered to invite me. And it's always fun being with them. I could safely say they are the most honest friends I've ever had and I can't ask for anything more.
After lunch, I was still thinking about applying to that publishing company I mentioned in my previous posts and figuring I didn't have anything to lose, I went for it. I only had one interview but I needed to write an essay and complete a vey difficult test. I thought I was good in English grammar and literature but when I took the test, I have to conclude I am not even halfway there. I still have a lot to learn. They told me they needed time to review my answers so I'll just have to wait for their phone call. I just pray to God they call me as soon as possible.
I then went to BIR to get my TIN number. It was pretty fast however I had to walk under the scorching heat of the sun. I almost thought I was gonna have a heat stroke that even if it was still mid-afternoon, I had to go home and rest. Again, it was a long day but I was able accomplish a lot and I was able to spend time with my friends so it was all worth it.
I had my alarm set up at 5 in the morning since I need to have my medical examinations done early to prevent long queues. My alarm did it's job however I kept snoozing it until it reached 30 minutes past 5 and still I was not ready to get out of bed. And then my phone rang and I wondered who could be calling me at the wee hours of the morning. Of course, there was no other culprit than my teammates before who's inviting me for a lunch out. And so it was set.
Because of the unexpected phone call, I was now up in bed and I had no choice but to start my day. The medical laboratory where I'll be doing my tests was not familiar to me but the address sketch was pretty easy to follow. However, when I got there, I got lost. I had to check the sketch again and eventually, I found my way there. I was able to finish most of the required exams but since I'm having my menstruation, I need to come back three days after for the drug test and urinalysis. Even if I finished early, I had to wait for the doctor for my medical check-up. I was done by 10:30, which was also the time my teammates were getting out of work.
I rushed home to leave my Xray film and headed to where they were. I had to wait more than 30 minutes for them to finish but it was worth it. Being with them made me want to come back to the team badly but of course, I can't. I'm just very touched that even if I was not part of the team anymore, they still remembered to invite me. And it's always fun being with them. I could safely say they are the most honest friends I've ever had and I can't ask for anything more.
After lunch, I was still thinking about applying to that publishing company I mentioned in my previous posts and figuring I didn't have anything to lose, I went for it. I only had one interview but I needed to write an essay and complete a vey difficult test. I thought I was good in English grammar and literature but when I took the test, I have to conclude I am not even halfway there. I still have a lot to learn. They told me they needed time to review my answers so I'll just have to wait for their phone call. I just pray to God they call me as soon as possible.
I then went to BIR to get my TIN number. It was pretty fast however I had to walk under the scorching heat of the sun. I almost thought I was gonna have a heat stroke that even if it was still mid-afternoon, I had to go home and rest. Again, it was a long day but I was able accomplish a lot and I was able to spend time with my friends so it was all worth it.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Day 28: You're hired!
If yesterday was a long day, today was even longer. I can't even think about tomorrow yet.
I had to wake up early to process my clearance with my previous employer. They only allowed processing of clearance from 7-9 in the morning, which meant I had to wake up at around 6 to prepare. To tell you the truth, I hate waking up early in the morning. I can do dawn (like around 2-4 am but after that, I'm figuratively glued to my bed and it would take a considerable amount of strength to wake me up. I had to snooze my alarm a couple of times before I was able to convince myself I had to do it or else I would have to wait another week. So I reluctantly separated myself from my my bed and took a shower.
I thought it would just be a very short process but apparently, it was not. I had to go through a lot of departments which meant going from one building to another. Point in case, I didn't finish it by 9. I had to come back in the afternoon since one department was not available until then. So I decided to head home while waiting for my scheduled ops validation and then I figured I could just drop off at the department before going to my interview. Around one in the afternoon, the recruitment office called to cancel the validation, which totally ruined my whole plan. So I had to go back to the HR dept for my clearance and the one who is supposed to sign it was not gonna be available until tomorrow. Great. Just Great.
I figured I'll just print out my application letter for another company and head back home. When I arrived, I checked my phone and I had a lot of missed calls and a couple of messages. One was from the recruitment office telling me that the ops validation would push through and I have to be there by 3:30. I looked at the time and it was fuggin 3:15 already. WTF. I had to get dressed and leave as soon as possible. It's a good thing that the office is just a ten minute ride from my house. But still, you know how much I hate last minute changes.
Well,the good news is, I got there just in time and I was able to see my friend who referred me there. Another good news was that the scenario given to us was pretty much basic to me so it would be safe to say that I did well with the ops validation. And I got hired! We had to go back by 6:30 for the papers we need to accomplish before the orientation proper. Honestly, I'm not so sure if I'd take the offer. Contract signing is gonna be on Friday so I still have time to think about it. I'm really eyeing that corrections coordinator position in the publishing company I was planning to apply to. I just hope I make the right decision this time.
I had to wake up early to process my clearance with my previous employer. They only allowed processing of clearance from 7-9 in the morning, which meant I had to wake up at around 6 to prepare. To tell you the truth, I hate waking up early in the morning. I can do dawn (like around 2-4 am but after that, I'm figuratively glued to my bed and it would take a considerable amount of strength to wake me up. I had to snooze my alarm a couple of times before I was able to convince myself I had to do it or else I would have to wait another week. So I reluctantly separated myself from my my bed and took a shower.
I thought it would just be a very short process but apparently, it was not. I had to go through a lot of departments which meant going from one building to another. Point in case, I didn't finish it by 9. I had to come back in the afternoon since one department was not available until then. So I decided to head home while waiting for my scheduled ops validation and then I figured I could just drop off at the department before going to my interview. Around one in the afternoon, the recruitment office called to cancel the validation, which totally ruined my whole plan. So I had to go back to the HR dept for my clearance and the one who is supposed to sign it was not gonna be available until tomorrow. Great. Just Great.
I figured I'll just print out my application letter for another company and head back home. When I arrived, I checked my phone and I had a lot of missed calls and a couple of messages. One was from the recruitment office telling me that the ops validation would push through and I have to be there by 3:30. I looked at the time and it was fuggin 3:15 already. WTF. I had to get dressed and leave as soon as possible. It's a good thing that the office is just a ten minute ride from my house. But still, you know how much I hate last minute changes.
Well,the good news is, I got there just in time and I was able to see my friend who referred me there. Another good news was that the scenario given to us was pretty much basic to me so it would be safe to say that I did well with the ops validation. And I got hired! We had to go back by 6:30 for the papers we need to accomplish before the orientation proper. Honestly, I'm not so sure if I'd take the offer. Contract signing is gonna be on Friday so I still have time to think about it. I'm really eyeing that corrections coordinator position in the publishing company I was planning to apply to. I just hope I make the right decision this time.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Day 27: No easy feat
Okay, I confess. I didn't jog today. I got too lazy again. Tomorrow, I promise!
Since my bed didn't wanna let go of me, I decided to finish John Green's An Abundance of Katherines. This is my third book of John's and I'm enjoying the journey so far. I think I still have one book waiting for me though before I move on to another author. After I finished reading it, I prepared to meet my friends. I gave them food which I brought straight from CDO and we had lunch together. We hadn't seen each other in almost a month and I really missed them a lot.
After lunch, I showed up for my interview but not to the company I originally planned. I went for my second option just for me to have a feel of having to go through the process of examinations and interviews again. I even hesitated to come inside the building because I'm not really familiar with it but I just can't chicken out anymore. It was a very long afternoon which started with an examination. I was pretty confident with the exam because I had general knowledge of the questions being asked. We also had a typing test and not to brag but I also kinda' aced that one too.
After the exam, we had to go through the first or initial interview. It was quick, just a couple of questions about my education and work experience, which I already had an answer prepared. Then came the final interview which took more time. A lot more questions were asked and I kept saying 'mostly', I had no idea why. The interviewer was also a little intimidating, I wasn't quite comfortable talking to her. But I passed, surprisingly. I thought I was already done but we had to take another exam which I really had a hard time with. They call it Versant and it was a series of tests to check one's English proficiency. I got really nervous that I mumbled and wasn't able to answer some of the questions right. God must have really pitied me because I passed the exam, again surprisingly.
Since it was already late in the afternoon and the queueu for the ops validation was too long, I was scheduled to come back by 3pm the next day. Ops validation is like the finale of all interviews wherein the applicant would have to go through a simulation of how they would handle a certain call and then the supervisor would validate if they are fit for the said program or account. I'm a little worried about that part because it would really suck if I failed it. That's just one more step before someone gets hired. I just hope I don't screw it up.
Since my bed didn't wanna let go of me, I decided to finish John Green's An Abundance of Katherines. This is my third book of John's and I'm enjoying the journey so far. I think I still have one book waiting for me though before I move on to another author. After I finished reading it, I prepared to meet my friends. I gave them food which I brought straight from CDO and we had lunch together. We hadn't seen each other in almost a month and I really missed them a lot.
After lunch, I showed up for my interview but not to the company I originally planned. I went for my second option just for me to have a feel of having to go through the process of examinations and interviews again. I even hesitated to come inside the building because I'm not really familiar with it but I just can't chicken out anymore. It was a very long afternoon which started with an examination. I was pretty confident with the exam because I had general knowledge of the questions being asked. We also had a typing test and not to brag but I also kinda' aced that one too.
After the exam, we had to go through the first or initial interview. It was quick, just a couple of questions about my education and work experience, which I already had an answer prepared. Then came the final interview which took more time. A lot more questions were asked and I kept saying 'mostly', I had no idea why. The interviewer was also a little intimidating, I wasn't quite comfortable talking to her. But I passed, surprisingly. I thought I was already done but we had to take another exam which I really had a hard time with. They call it Versant and it was a series of tests to check one's English proficiency. I got really nervous that I mumbled and wasn't able to answer some of the questions right. God must have really pitied me because I passed the exam, again surprisingly.
Since it was already late in the afternoon and the queueu for the ops validation was too long, I was scheduled to come back by 3pm the next day. Ops validation is like the finale of all interviews wherein the applicant would have to go through a simulation of how they would handle a certain call and then the supervisor would validate if they are fit for the said program or account. I'm a little worried about that part because it would really suck if I failed it. That's just one more step before someone gets hired. I just hope I don't screw it up.
Day 26: Series of Unfortunate Events
Touchdown Cebu! The boat arrived really early today (around 4 in th morning, by usual is around 6), which is good since it departed an hour late. Yes, usually a boat ride from CDO to Cebu takes around 8 hours so a plane ride would be much more convenient since it's only less than half an hour but I'm in no hurry. Plus it's more expensive and the airport in Cebu is a little far away from my home that I would have to ride a cab and I can't afford to spend any more of my meager savings for that. So a boat ride for me was a no brainer.
My trip last night was a series of unfortunate events and it comes in three, they always say. And boy were they right. First, my carry-on bag malfunctioned while I was checking myself in. The handle which made it easier for me to carry snapped so I had to hug it with two arms for me to be able to carry it. How convenient! Second, when I reached my assigned bed which was in the lower deck (the way I liked it), someone already occupied it with complete beddings like they own it. And the worst part is, the occupant was not there so I had to settle my things in the upper deck. I waited for a while just in case they'd come back but no one came until I've already made up my bed. And the sad part was, she was an old lady and she can't possibly get up and down in the upper deck so I had to give up my bed for her. The third one happened when I woke up to brush my teeth. Just when I was about to finish, the water from the faucet stopped running. How am i supposed to wash all the foam in my mouth and toothbrush without any water?! I had to fugging spit everything out and wipe myself with a paper towel. And after I was done and the person next to me opened the faucet, the water was running back again. i was like, 'really?! really now'.
When I arrived at the house, I still had a lot of time to unpack and fix my things before I shower and go for a walk-in interview, which was my initial plan. But i moved it early in the afternoon since I got too lazy. So after I took my lunch, I printed my resume and went to the building where I was supposed to get interviewed. But guess what? I just walked right past it. Yes, you read it right. I got too scared and apprehensive that I just walked right past it without even getting inside. And then I went home. I got so frustrated and disappointed with myself, I think i'm getting depressed by the minute.
I just read through the rest of the afternoon and decided to become unproductive. I promised myself I would try again tomorrow morning. I even set up my alarm so that I can have an early jog before I go to my interview. Let's just hope I won't chicken out this time.
My trip last night was a series of unfortunate events and it comes in three, they always say. And boy were they right. First, my carry-on bag malfunctioned while I was checking myself in. The handle which made it easier for me to carry snapped so I had to hug it with two arms for me to be able to carry it. How convenient! Second, when I reached my assigned bed which was in the lower deck (the way I liked it), someone already occupied it with complete beddings like they own it. And the worst part is, the occupant was not there so I had to settle my things in the upper deck. I waited for a while just in case they'd come back but no one came until I've already made up my bed. And the sad part was, she was an old lady and she can't possibly get up and down in the upper deck so I had to give up my bed for her. The third one happened when I woke up to brush my teeth. Just when I was about to finish, the water from the faucet stopped running. How am i supposed to wash all the foam in my mouth and toothbrush without any water?! I had to fugging spit everything out and wipe myself with a paper towel. And after I was done and the person next to me opened the faucet, the water was running back again. i was like, 'really?! really now'.
When I arrived at the house, I still had a lot of time to unpack and fix my things before I shower and go for a walk-in interview, which was my initial plan. But i moved it early in the afternoon since I got too lazy. So after I took my lunch, I printed my resume and went to the building where I was supposed to get interviewed. But guess what? I just walked right past it. Yes, you read it right. I got too scared and apprehensive that I just walked right past it without even getting inside. And then I went home. I got so frustrated and disappointed with myself, I think i'm getting depressed by the minute.
I just read through the rest of the afternoon and decided to become unproductive. I promised myself I would try again tomorrow morning. I even set up my alarm so that I can have an early jog before I go to my interview. Let's just hope I won't chicken out this time.
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