Starting Over Again

Day 1

The city lights filled the entire view and the traffic was overwhelming. Mom and I were chasing time as we hurriedly went outside of this famous mall to secure ourselves a safe ride towards the dormitory. As I tried to catch up with my breathing, I saw a profound number of people falling in line (which, at first glance, I thought was an outdoor concert by some band). It was as if I was seeing numerous fans of a soon-to-be blockbuster hit movie in its premiere night, or a multitude of people present for a much-awaited fireworks display.

I was almost convinced by any of these theories when my mother muttered out, “ug sa dihang dapat jud ta mag-taxi ani Bii kay taas kaau ang linya sa jip!”

“As in miiii?! Para na sa jip? OMG…”

“Welcome sa Manila.”

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Day 4

It was three quarters past six in the morning , and I found myself inside a cab, sitting beside my mom, reminiscing what just happened a day ago and at the same time daydreaming about what is yet to come. Yesterday was just so perfect. We, the 225 SM scholar graduates of 2013 just had our fair share of being “Felicified” and experience Henrification”. I could still imagine myself sitting right next to Mr. Henry Sy and Mrs. Felicidad Sy looking straight into the camera my mom was holding to make sure I get the best shot of my life for that unbelievable opportunity to sit beside them. My tears began to flood my eyes when I looked back and recalled how I struggled my way towards graduating in high school, and how God blessed me to fortunately get a scholarship to send myself to college. Aaaahh. The feels. -_- As I was almost triumphant in distracting myself from the reality of going to the airport to finally leave Manila, I came across the sight of murals below an overpass. It was sort of a paint advertisement, a series of artistic portrayal of what virtue there is in every kind of occupation; may it be a teacher, construction worker, jeepney driver, etc., and what moved me most were the words “I am a construction worker. And I am proud of it.”(in Filipino of course) My heart sank as I was beginning to realize that I’m actually going back to Cagayan de Oro City, soon, my review classes will begin and the greatest test as a CPA aspirant is yet to unfold. I realized that it doesn't really matter whatever kind of employment I’ll end up with. What matters most is my passion, my love for what I do everyday and the kind of contribution I make for this country. Sounds like patriotism, but hear me, I cannot fully imagine how hard these ordinary laborers work every day, without even a sick leave, vacation leave, death benefit (at large), or any 13^th month pay, and yet, these individuals, with their humble contribution, has actually helped in shaping the quality of civilization that my country is enjoying right now. Then, I began quizzing myself on what are the possible things I could contribute if ever I end up as a CPA. And just before I could even think of a single reason, I fell asleep. Wow. :3

It was around 8am when my mom and I finally got to board for our flight back home. I will never forget the longest line I’ve ever seen outside NAIA 3 (perhaps that was actually normal, so pardon a super-seldom traveler like me). Man, it was a long straight line bending like a huge snake (that actually looked like the curves you make when you play the snake game in a Nokia 3210 phone model).

Anyway, as I was enjoying the window view from the airplane, I felt a sudden longing deep within my heart. A part of me literally wanted to stay and get lost in the craziest city of the Philippines. And so, to appease myself, I made a promise that someday, not too long a time, I will be back in Manila. I will go through the same process of going pass the guards (because I honestly didn’t know which way to go for an MRT ride, left or right), the literal SARDINES-IN-A-CAN situation inside the MRT during rush hour, and how you actually have to respect the rules on when and where you cross the street (I didn’t even feel jay-walking was a life-and-death situation in CDO, why should I bother here in MNL?). Someday, I’m gonna make the world see how independent I can be, and how I am capable of surviving this chaos every single day. I closed my eyes and dozed off once more.

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Day 110

The journey towards becoming a CPA was tough and it can only get even tougher when faced with mutually exclusive choices. I received a text message from the SM Supermalls HR officer while I was delving into complex calculations for my review. She was offering a job vacancy in the Accounting Department and would be very willing to process my application right away since I already had an interview session months ago.  It was not really super hard to decide on it, because from the very start, I really wanted to pass the board exam first before I preoccupy myself with workload inside the corporate office. I had to decline the offer and the HR officer wished me good luck and looked forward to working with me soon. (HAHAHAHA my lungs were like ASDFGHJKL) OKAY, so much for that SM drama, a few days later, I received a phone call from some HR officer again from an unknown company (because I wasn’t able to hear what he was saying as he began the convo) and was somehow assuring me that he’d be calling me back after the board exam to discuss some job offer. ASDFGHJJKL again and my lungs are now oversized HAHAHAHAHA well, my point is, the pressure was too much for me during those days. It felt as if I just have to pass the boards and there won’t be a single problem as to getting hired whatsoever. OR SO I THOUGHT.

Day 156

It was 7 days after the board exam results were announced and I felt like panicking already because no company actually contacted me for hiring. (ROTZBAKI PLS EXCUSE THIS SUPER FEELING GIRL OVER HERE) and so I started ransacking every link Google would offer and I freely displayed my resume to just get hired ASAP because my friends were so into audit firms already AND I’M SO NOT BECAUSE I’LL NEVER BE IN AN AUDIT FIRM OVER MY DEAD GORGEOUS FROG-IN-A-BLENDER BODY!!!! So I had to make sure some bank or corporation out there would be open to hire me at the eve of their month end paper-chase and soon-to-be 13^th month pay release. YEA, LIKE THAT’S GONNA HAPPEN.

-----but my friends, there's a solemn confession I must make. Actually, there WAS a willing company to hire me at the eve of this year-end chaos. I underwent FIVE interviews. It was a combination of actual and phone interviews. ‘twas a BPO so the only problem I had was dealing with the graveyard shift EVERY month-end, quarter-end and year-end. That’s all. HOHOHO! I even had to ask for signs from daddy Lord (which I rarely do) because I was only given a week to decide HAHAHAHA and yes, He gave me two signs already and, the ending was, I declined the offer. FACEPALM-----

Day 168

Today was the testimonial dinner day and I was so in red. Everything was very classic tonight except that I ruined my unblemished reputation in front of the SBM faculty with the previous dean and the current dean and with instructors from the business ad and accountancy department alike. This guy CPA Justine Pablico gave me a promise (OMGEEE JUSTINE WHERE IS THE PACKAGE?! Grrrrrrr) just so I’d speak for the night instead of him. I somehow uttered something weird, and the audience (together with the parents btw) where laughing already. IDK, maybe it was just my face lol Okay, that wasn’t so bad. -_- geeeezzz, and what’s more? I saw my friends who were hired already! >.< okay. Next pleeeaase.

Day 190

Nothing happened big time today. Like really. Today lang naman was my Oath-Taking Day!!! aheeeeeem. ;) HAHAHA srsly, it was really cool seeing my fellow PICPANs SEEEEEYY! And the warm welcome was pretty much evident (oh, the food was great too!) let alone the fact that the fee was thrice as much as the PRC registration fee. K. SMILES everyone! >.<

Day 198

Today was my first interview with this “multinational banking company A.K.A. Blue Bank) through a landline call. I was actually able to survive a 15-minute/ambush/AGAD2X/lol interview with their Senior Recruitment Manager days before. OHLALA. I was expecting the call around 10 am and waited for 20 freakin’-crazy-horrifying minutes for the phone to ring. I was expecting only one interviewer but lo and behold!!!!! There were two intimidating gentlemen waiting on the  line. One was a senior manager (I suppose, since I google-d his name and found out he ‘was sort’ of from an Indian ancestry plus, he sounded like one and he had a senior-ranking position in the company) and the other one was completely unknown for me, except that his voice reminded me of Ken in that Barbie-kiddo movie! HAHA okay so, they asked me so many questions and the interview lasted for almost an hour and THEN AGAIN I uttered something crazy that the next thing I knew, both men were already laughing on the line. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME???!!!! K. Move on. They told me to standby for any progress in my application and the HR personnel will just call me afterwards IF EVER I QUALIFY. Kaaaaaaay. My heart was thumping so fast minutes later and I just drowned myself with movies for the rest of the day UNTIL I found out in my email (in the afternoon) that I actually passed the second interview and WILL BE scheduled for the 3^rd and final interview. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Daddy Lord is just sooooo awesome! :’)

Day 202

Did I ever mention that I had 20+ applications (near 30’s) in jobstreet and that I have a notification subscription EVERY DAY so I’d be able to apply for a nice opening EVERY DAY as well?! Now, today was my first interview through Skype. And yes, it’s another bank, and let’s call it “the Red Bank”. The interview lasted for around 18 minutes and there were really basic background questions. I had to wear make-up (eeeww) and business attire BUT OF COURSE I’m never gonna run out of brilliant-crazy ideas so I looked like a freak wearing a formal blouse topped by a blazer and just pajamas underneath. SAY WHAAAAT??!!

Day 231

Just when the long wait for Interview #3 schedule for Blue Bank was about to make me give up for good, today was DOOMSday. So I was actually prepared for two people because the HR Senior Manager told me this time that there’d be two, but heck, when will there be an end to these surprises? There were actually THREE people waiting on the other line (two female bosses, and the other, a male executive) AND because I was OVER-CONFIDENT I didn't bother stalking the two female names given ‘cause I was pretty much confident that females will least likely tend to be “unfeeling” for their fellow femmes BUT TO MY HORROR, THEY WERE JUST OKAY except that female boss #1 was so CHINESE that all I can hear over the phone were vacuumed words and WITH ALL HONESTY I WAS SO IN STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO SAY OR ASK FROM ME that I eventually ended up doing the ultimate NO-NO in interview 101 which is to say; “OH, PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION/I BEG YOUR PARDON MAAM.” To make matters worse, that was how I opened the interview OMGEEEEE. I was already thinking; THIS WOULD BE THE END OF MY CAREER POSSIBLITY IN THIS MULTINATIONAL BANK. >.< But then, I hope you know how I seem in times like this: even though I’m so loud deep inside and panic has already been accelerated to the highest magnitude, my outer appearance/impression will still be like Maria Clara dating Crisostomo Ibarra in one cool Sunday afternoon HAHAHAHA. I think it all went smoothly, especially that these bosses were so willing to listen to my ka-echosan and that ONCE MORE THE GRUESOME AND HORRENDOUS SORCERY HAPPENED: I made them laugh again OMGEEEEE!! Well, there would have been an interview in Cebu weeks after, but they told me that if I passed that interview, I’ll already be eligible for a job offer and be hired soon. HAHA LOTS OF HOPE for the leading lady! :’( The call ended after 45 minutes and I retired to sleep afterwards.

Day 232

My dad tried to wake me up around 6:30am today. I hesitated and went back to sleep. He made another attempt around 7 am but still I dozed off. Around 8am, my phone rang and an HR officer from Red Bank “sort of” obliged me for an interview in two hours at a nearby branch on this cold rainy day!!!! I jumped off the bed and swiftly took my bfast and went to clean my messy self in the bathroom. In an hour I was ready but I took time coloring my face HAHAHA so I was just in time when I arrived at the bank. This would be for an AWESOME Management Trainee application my friends! Six months of stay-in all-expense paid training in Manila and if I will survive that, a cool bank position awaits right after the training! :D oh yeaaaa!!! So I had my hands on this list of awards this bank received (for almost two centuries now) for me to memorize as I was waiting inside their office in a 23 degrees Celsius temperature. That lasted for 30 minutes . Little did I know that I would be willing to endure a whole-day’s wait in that office than to enjoy a 25-minute cruelty inside the manager’s boardroom. >.< HE.WAS.DEAD.SCARY.SERIOUS.ABOUT-TO-KILL.ME when he got inside the room holding my resume. It was the first time for me to encounter an interviewer that was so COLD that he immediately started with the first question when he got inside the room. I will not go into details as to how he tried to KILL ME SOFTLY during those 25 minutes of my poor unfortunate life! :’( it ended when he said; “okay. That’s all.” And he left the room. And so did I. GOOD BYE RED BANK. GOOD BYE AWESOME MANAGEMENT TRAINING. THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

Day 245

Yesterday was my birthday I must say, and the wait for the outcome for Blue Bank seemed like forever until the HR Senior Manager called me today and gave me the job offer!!! My heart sank and it seemed like the world was right in front of me. Perfect birthday present daddy Lord, ikaw naaaa!!! OH BY THE WAY, I forgot to tell you that Blue Bank’s job offer was for a Makati vacancy and I’d have to stay in Makati for good. My salary is not so big but not so small. It seemed quite enough for a starting CPA in MAKATI (expensive place you must know that!!!! GUDLAK TO ME) she also enumerated the benefits that reminded me of Accounting 101 and Tax 101! HAHAHAHA!! When she finally asked if I’ll accept the offer or still think about it, I had a slip of hesitation in my head and told her I’d wish for some time to think very well for it. She gave me 4 days to decide and the call ended like it took forever to absorb it actually happened.

Day 249

I talked to my parents about the job offer and really, they were so open to the possibility of me---moving to Makati for my first job. I consulted my guru friends and majority were so supportive, IN FACT so excited for me! lol most importantly, I really prayed to Daddy Lord that if ever this isn’t for me, He’d make another company call within the week so I’ll refuse Blue Bank’s offer. But then, nothing happened. Around 1am today, I called the HR Senior Manager and gave my affirmation for the job offer. I don’t know. Maybe she was just super happy that day, but she was like OVERJOYED when I accepted the offer. She uttered “YEHEEEYY!” around twice or thrice, that I was just so overwhelmed! HAHA anyhow, she gave me the details and it was finally confirmed that I’d be starting to stress myself and sleep late and cry like crazy for missing CdeO by the 3^rd of March. :’)

The long wait for my first job was finally over. It was not easy for me because I had so many questions in mind and I was hurt so many times after knowing that some other applicants were already hired for the many position(s) I applied for. It's very important to take note that everything happens in its own time. God will always be faithful with His promises and He will really guide you all through the way. Who would have thought that the CURFEW GIRL will end up having her first job in Makati and who would have thought it would be one of the most challenging jobs around? Well, it would matter to take note that the initials of my job title is just CPA in some other order HAHAHAHA! Seeee?! :') The girl who NEEDS to sleep at least 8hrs/day will now be working for the company with the tagline: the C_ _ _ never sleeps. WHAT A COINCIDENCE HOHOHO!!! Pray for me. PLEEEEAAASE?!

Oh well, bye for now. I have to secure a good place to stay at Makati and all the other requirements to be accomplished. You better read this entry well because I'd be dead-busy a month from now and you'll be missing my entries! SEEEEYY! ^.^ Iloveyouall! :*

Next stop: FINALLY. It's now the right guy. :') And this time, I'm serious. Dude, you're next in line. Teheeeee :']

"Everything worth having is definitely worth waiting."

To Him be all glory!