Back from Manila & Well fed from the trip
Time to train up for my Safra Bay Run and Cableski trip in 2 weeeeks! :O
Hello again ADB
I will be leaving on the 17:05 flight to Manila today.
Totally having one of those mixed feeling days – I realised that I do miss all my friends over there (AND the clients, who are mostly angels) and i cant wait to see them again! But yet, I also love all my friends here and I’d be bummed not to be in town when they call for lunchies and dinners.
Good thing its only gonna be a short 5 day stint this time around. :)
I’ll be back on Saturday, and will keep updating as and when I have time.
Love! :)
The dilemma
Thursday morning at work, my manager in charge for my manila job (lets call him alibaba :) came to talk to me about the year moving forward… To cut the long story short, we have to kinda plan for our next cycle of audit this coming august already. I didnt really know how to answer, so initially i was quite silent about it.. but subsequently i decided it was best to just be very frank about it. Afterall, alibaba wont do me any harm. :)
I really like travelling, but this engagement cant really be considered as one cos (1) we’re stationed there for way too long.. 6 months out of 12! and (2) we’re working most of the time we’re there, and are largely confined within the area due to working hours and/or safety reasons. An analogy will be that we’re living, eating and breathing in the CBD district 90% of the time. If my client’s place is at Raffles place, then we usually eat within a 500m radius all around (ie, within raffles place_, and we’re staying in a hotel thats at Shenton way. There’s a megamall in the area thats somewhat around the vicinity of Capital square, and thats the proximity to the nearest grocery store from Raffles place, which is my analogy of our humble abode in manila.
I’m pretty independent, but I’m not used to being alone very often. I love being around people. Around friends and family. Being the only girl on the team – I was staying by myself (in a great accomodation, no less)…but its starting to make me antisocial. Haha. What else can you do in a hotel room besides work, watch tv, and sleep? Its like being confined in a luxury suite within a bird cage.
That being said, the clients over there are the best i’ve ever met. I cant say they’re even clients, they’re like the kind-hearted aunties who help you pick up your apples voluntarily when you’ve accidentally dropped them. Quite unlike most singaporeans, who will most likely bo chap you. (no offence to the singaporeans who would actually help) Most of them would put our requests before they’re own responsibilities for the day if they can, just so both parties can proceed on with our work and our time would not be wasted waiting for documents. Quite unlike in singapore, where clients very often start furnishing you stuff requested only at the end of the day, very grumpy and unwillingly. (no offence to the singaporeans who does offer instantaneous assistance to us poor auditors)
Also, the manila colleagues are such a crazy fun bunch. They rock my socks! I love how they take it easy and treat the job as just another thing you have to do for the day.. and not get stressed out but crazy deadlines and nazi checklists instituted by managers and partners. Their charge out rates are really low, so that gives them quite abit of leeway to play around with their budget.. thus with the same amount of money that im booked for 1 week, the senior over there can be booked for maybe a month! That’s how overworked and squeezed we are here in singapore (haha no la, me still not too bad, but some of the others, like poor kimmy and ahpek)
So frankly, I’m quite stuck in a dilemma. Do I want to stay on and complete another cycle of this job, or not? I think there’s still much to learn, and I also think I might just be able to tahan another year of this given my pretty good portfolio this year… but I cant bear the thought of being separated from my family and friends here again for another 5 months straight. Just the thought itself is sufficient to keep me uneasily awake at night. Haha. Plus, i know that my fiance will be quite against it.
Alot of other things la – small small ones.
Like, being tired shuffling here and there every 2 weeks.
Like, my room being in a mess (and dusty) given my extended absence.
Like, growing fat from eating room service every night.
Like, staying in singapore may mean i will kena more sai gang.
And some other bigger things…
Like.. not being able to plan my wedding stuffies with the fiance while im there (aug-mar 2011)
Like.. more late nights… more health issues
So, how?
My last week in Manila
After 5 months of the regional audit, im really feeling an attachment to this place. Well… not exactly the place – but more of the people here. The pinoys are such wonderful people. My manila colleagues are sweet, cute and really fun to be with – a truly crazy bunch! My clients here are mostly helpful, and no matter how many times we go back to them for clarifications and documents, most of them will never give you the black face, or the cold shoulder – which is really new to me in this field. On the contrary, Singaporean clients are almost certainly the exact opposite, by virtue that they are always so stressed up and tight for time themselves.
Sometimes I wonder if it is because of their faith that they act the way they do. The clients here are mostly devout Catholics, who try to attend mass at least once a day (yes, its a daily ritual to them!). Many of my colleagues also go to church, and the craziest, sweetest ones are the ones who attend mass most often. One of them told me that they sometimes feel that going to mass once a day for 45mins isnt enough, and they tend to get complacent when they feel that they have already done the good deed for the day.
I felt pensive that night. I have brought my bible all the way here, and i barely spend 10 mins a day flipping through the pages – sometimes conveniently forgetting to do so altogether. I wonder how much of my quality time I actually leave to Mr. God everyday. And I wonder how long He has been sitting there waiting for me to talk to him. Come to think of it, I havent heard His voice for some time already…
Have I done Mr. God proud through my half-year stint here? I suppose I have been OKAY…but not anything to shout about. I don’t know if I have been a very good image of Christ during this period, or if I have made an impact to anyone’s life. I’ve had alot of fun with the local colleagues, and we’ve been through quite alot together… but I cant help wondering of there were moments where I left a bad impression on them, or anyone, or had been a bad testimony in terms of the way I work, or talk, or acted.
I recall this specific verse in the Bible:
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” – Matthew 6:24
Am I working for God’s glory? Or am I working for Money?
Sometimes being a good testimony means more than keeping out of trouble. Sometimes it means, going out of the way for people – friends or strangers alike. Sometimes it means sacrificing your time and your money to make a difference to someone’s life, or to help somebody in need. Sometimes it means making a choice, to benefit yourself, or to benefit others…
Maybe its against human nature to serve people instead of satisfying own our self-interest. Because after serving others you wont have the energy or the time to climb your way to the top. And so, very often its just me me me. I’m tired. I’m broke. I dont like this. I’ve done with my part, and I dont care if you’re overwhelmed with work I’m just gonna watch you drown haha. -shudders- That sounds very evil isnt it? But lets face it – we’re all fighting with our inner demons everyday. Our decisions are motivated by self-interest most of the time. Scary thought for the day.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” – 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
A great verse to reflect on.
Anyway, I think my spiritual life is at a low right now. I miss being guided by God’s words and being driven by His Will instead of mine. Havent been able to very successfully regulate my spiritual life since the beginning of peak period. But i’ll never stop trying.
He knows that. :)
Walnut & Pinenut
!!!
Its one of my favourite most commonly used cereal mask sheets from The Face Shop. :) According to the description, walnuts illuminates rough skin and pinenuts are apparently rich in Gamma Linolenic acids which soften the skin and improve elasticity.
Its really quite scary to feel tightness and dryness in my skin at this age… I thought i was still young – not! Sigh… I think i really have to begin some serious skin care regime now.
Anyways, when i was finally done with work today, I worked out at the gym, had salad and truffle mushroom soup for supper, and put on a mask to pamper myself while watching my favourite manga – Bleach.
If only everyday could be as leisurely.
Now i just need to try to get myself to bed as early as possible.
Goodnight!
Heart wrenching : Philippines Street Kids
Following my post on the impoverished street kids spotted after my excursion to intramuros , i found some really heart wrenching pics portraying their hard lives at such a young age… We are wayyy more fortunate in comparison.
Praying hard that God will have mercy and bless them with a life that’s full of joy & laughter despite all these… and that they will go against all odds to emerge stronger and more resilient through the hardship and the challenges faced. Don’t give up hope, kids! God loves you and will give you strength to overcome everything – we’re praying for you.
Picture Credits to Mio Cade.
Homeless boys – The elder brother hugs his lil bro & falls asleep in weariness.
Homeless boys – The elder brother is defensive & protective of his sleeping sibling – he woke up in a jolt when the photographer went in for a closer shot.
Little girl taking pleasure in the simplest things in life – no barbie dolls, no polly pockets, no television cartoons – just a piece of paper & a piece’a chalk.
Little boy works in a charcoal field to earn a meagre salary so that he can buy some food.. and maybe help to support his family.
Rummaging through scrap after scrap hoping to find some treasure.
Baby on the street side – feeding on scrap rice in unsanitized conditions.
Little boy in oversized clothing – most likely found from rummaging through rubbish on smoky mountain.
Happiness overflowing from these kids while they stuff the rice into their mouths.
Note to self:
1) Never take what I have for granted.
2) Never waste food.
3) Constantly pray for the impoverished street kids – not just in philippines, but all over the world.
4) Pray that the phils will alleviate its corruption problem – and use the money to bring its people out of the horrible poverty trap.
Back again – For 1.5 days
Its been 2.5 months.
I am starting to get really sian of this job.
Ok ok. It is actuallyenjoyable being able to commence the work at a manageable pace. So maybe I shouldnt complain so much. But the novelty has definitely (confirm plus chop) worn off. I am quite sick of the sheer boredom, loneliness, and distance i am away from everyone and everything…
*big sigh of helplessness*
Thank God there’s just 1 more 2-week stint to endure before i get to stay in singapore for the Christmas month.
Omg. Let this interims be over quick please.
Motivation vs Demoralisation
Yesterday, I felt indignant. A manager’s remark seemed to imply that I was having a good life over here… as i dont seem to be swamped with never-ending work as compared to the colleague. Seriously, what is wrong with being efficient and on time with tasks? I make a wholehearted attempt to finish my stuff and avoid procrastinating – so that i might go back on time and have a go at something unheard of in the audit world : work-life balance – and I get penalised on impression points. I acknowledge that at my level, I dont have as much shit on my hands to clear, but i do ask if anybody needs my help whenever I have abit of free time in between. This is realllyy maddening – it just doesnt seem fair. What for complete my work first then? I might as well take my own sweet time so that i can look busy and swamped just like the rest of them.
I didnt voice out my thoughts, but you can guess who might know my inner struggles best… Maybe God heard me complaining inside and wanted me to stay ahead, stay optimistic, stay sane.
Just today, I got an email from one of the most unlikely of managers – thanking me for my efforts of liaising with the client even while i’m over here in Manila. It was amazing how it felt inside. This very simple email of acknowledgement immediately made my 2am nights much more worth it – at least someone out there knows that i’m giving it my best shot. I might not be very good technically, or very strong in my knowledge of audit yet, but as long as I work hard at it & keep trying my best… I think I will be able to get there eventually. Just like my current ”upperstudy” Ali. :)
Thank you God for sending me this msg to encourage me. I suddenly feel more spurred on & motivated…when all else fails – at least i know i can still lean on You. :)
Come on you dreaded peak – hit me with your best shot.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNNEBUG
The 4 dude managers bought me a pair of ALDO heels for my birthday! IN MY SIZE. Wonder how they managed to do that… i probably divulged my shoe size unknowingly…but its a huge risk to buy a pair of shoes for someone!!! Anyway, how did they know i liked ALDO? Too many questions. Too little time. Therefore, i shall just act blur and be happy :)))
During the day, my Makati colleagues pakah with Ali and Bobby and sprung me a little surprise during tea time. So sweet of them! :) More updates when i get the pics from Sherly’s camera!
5.55pm
Im sitting in front of the mini laptop in my hotel room in Manila now
Away from my family and friends with a luggage in tow
Its back to reality for me after a lovely weekend.
Its back to work in the foreign land.
I know I shouldnt complain or feel too sad.
Afterall, I had a great birthday weekend.
Haha… quite poetic aye?
I think i still have abit of my literature genes somewhere la.
…
Do you think it’d help if I started to count my blessings?
For a start, at least i have with me a little bit of home in Manila.
A lunchbox, packed to the brim with my mother’s signature chow mien. :)
I wish i brought some of my birthday cake over too.
Those were imho… really good. :)
Yet ANOTHER Storm
Seriously…WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?!???
I’ve only been in the Philippines for what, 2 months? And within this short time period, the Phils has been hit by 4 tropical storms/typhoons already! Poor thing lor really. And yet again, we missed the direct impact of the storm by merely ONE day. Thank God for His mercy… but let’s pray hard that the storm will spare the pinoys and just float pass the luzon island with minimal devastation.
***
New typhoon to hit Philippines
MANILA: Storm-weary Filipinos were on Thursday told to prepare for another typhoon to hit the main island of Luzon during the upcoming long-weekend holiday, with rain forecast for flood-ravaged Manila. Typhoon Mirinae, already packing gusts of up to 185 kilometres (115 miles) an hour, was expected to become stronger before it slams into the Philippines on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.
“We should expect (Mirinae) to become a very intense typhoon in the next several hours or days,” weather bureau spokesman Nathaniel Cruz said on local television. Mirinae’s expected arrival comes as Luzon is still trying to recover from two devastating storms that claimed more than 1,000 lives.
Parts of Manila remain flooded after Tropical Storm Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on the nation’s capital on September 26. Typhoon Parma arrived exactly one week later, then hovered over northern Luzon as a tropical storm for nearly 10 days, causing massive flooding and triggering deadly landslides. Cruz warned that Manila was likely to get more rain, potentially exacerbating the woes for more than one million people still living in flooded districts.
“If and when (Mirinae) will cross northern or central Luzon, definitely metro Manila will be affected by strong winds and rains associated with it,” Cruz said. The rain also threatens to cause havoc for millions of Filipinos living in cities who are expected to return to their home provinces at the weekend to honour their dead during All Soul’s Day on Monday, which is a public holiday.
The government this week said it had already positioned relief supplies in northern Luzon in preparation for Mirinae, while the military and other rescue units were placed on alert.
12:00
Back in the Phils for another short stint at the bank.
Thank God for…
- My favourite people on the team this week.
- The nice view from my hotel window
- The cosy hotel room.
- My boyfriend’s itouch. :)
- The cute games the boy downloaded for me to play on itouch during breaks.
- The occasional smses from the boy to keep me company.
Cant wait to be home again this weekend. :)
Newsflash – The RP deficit Oct 2009
| RP budget deficit may range from P298 billion to P308 billion this year By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated October 08, 2009 12:00 AM |
MANILA, Philippines – The country’s budget deficit could range anywhere from P298.6 billion to P307.9 billion this year, much higher than the official deficit ceiling projection of P250 billion because of poor tax effort, a government think-tank said in its latest deficit projection.
The Pilipinas: Wealth gone; now health in Peril
By Babe Romualdez (The Philippine Star) Updated October 22, 2009 12:00 AM
After the devastation that washed away what little wealth people worked so hard for, now comes a number of health problems that seriously threaten even more lives. As of this writing, more than a hundred people have died of leptospirosis while the number of cases in Metro Manila and Rizal Province has spiked to 1,665 – more than twice the total number of cases monitored last year.
Manila blues
I wanna be back in Singapore for my birthday. :’(
Intramuros
Touristy Saturday – Junnebug and co met up with the manila team mates with the initial intention to go for spa, bowling, and a nice dinner out. But because the co were more adventurous and eager to explore the pilipinas, we ended up sightseeing instead. If i had known better, i would have worn my birkies instead of pumps cos my feet hurt with all that walking on cobbled/ uneven roads :(
Nonetheless, a good experience gained from the few hours of walking around. The realization of the state of poverty right on the streets of metro manila made me reflect all over again on how i’ve been taking what i have for granted – families staying on the pavement like it is perfectly normal, no roofs over their heads, kids barebodied/ in oversized shirts, toddlers begging for food and money whenever they see tourist looking people walking by… children rummaging through scrap to find things to use, eat, or play with (i saw a toddler picking up something dodgy on the ground and put it in his mouth!!)…
Its a pretty heart wrenching scene.
Will scour for some photos to share.
Inside intramuros, feris and i bought a banana cake and sprite during teatime to satisfy our hungry tummies. As we walked out of the casa manila, there were a few kids playing by themselves on the streets. 2 of them, upon seeing us, came running up and bashfully raised out their hands as if asking for money. i didnt wana encourage that, so i tried to ignore the one who’s tagging alongside me. But he was persistent, so i wanted to catch his eye and say no. Who knows he’s not actually looking at me, but was eyeing hungrily at my half-eaten banana cake…. my heart softened and i handed it over to him, which he very gratefully received and ran off – happiness overflowing from his face.
When kids in singapore are reluctant to finish up the food on their plates, these kids dont even have food on their plates to finish. When children back home demand for nintendos and the latest handphones, the filipino street kids live each day as it comes along… without ever knowing what it will bring, without knowing if they’ll have food to eat, or warm clothes to wear, or whethering they’ll be banged down by a car while asking for food/money, whether they’ll be sold to be child labour, or coaxed into the illegal sex industry, or bitten by a hungry stray dog, or contract some disease due to unsanitized conditions…
How can their lives be alleviated when poverty is so rampant?
Without money, they scrap by each day with uncertainties about the future. They wont be able to go to school… which will lead to difficulties getting good jobs to support their family, and ignorance about birth control will lead to the reproduction of too many babies who will suffer the same fate as themselves. A vicious cycle.
And yet, amidst starving toddlers and malnourished children, the street kids find simple pleasure in the most basic of all things in life – such as being together with family, and kicking around an empty aluminium can. They dont have much expectations, and are easily satisfied.
It seems like the more we are given, the more we want.
I do have much to learn from them.
junney & the empty stomach
Last meal : 12pm.
Havent eaten yet – as of 9.23pm.
Its rubbish. I did eat a cookie or 2 in the afternoon, but thats it. 9 hours without food! Its no wonder my stomach started acting up at 8pm.. when the big boss was debating about sampling methodology with the small boss. They were trying to reason out with each other but they were not getting each other at all. Thus, the debate went on for another 45 mins. I discreetly voiced out that my stomach was hurting already – first from hunger, then from gastric (and i rarely get gastric before this)… but that didnt stop them from carrying on…
The other boss didnt even squirm or speak up… even at 845pm, when im sure, everyone was already hungry.
At last i decided to stop swallowing in the pain and tormenting myself. I didnt care about image anymore. I spoke up amidst the break in their debate, excused myself, and told them i was coming back to the room to get some medication (and of cos, take in some food).
Big boss was nice and let me go. The other boss didnt even so much as LOOK at me and say anything while i left. Quite shocked at his indifferent attitude. what happened to employee welfare?
Whatever, really.
Thank God the suite is 5 mins away from the office, so i made my way back myself – walking on the streets of Philippines alone for the first time since im here.
What a way to end the day.
Safe and Sound!
Thanks for all your prayers :)
I just landed in singapore not long ago and am about to crash soon. Soooo tired!
We were very lucky to have siamed the brewing storm… En route to the airport we could see the storm clouds building up! And strange enough, the roads were pretty clear this evening… probably cos (1) lots of cars were washed up in a wreck by the floodwaters and (2) people were trying to avoid driving out due to the impending storm.
Anyways, i’m just so thankful to be safe and sound.
And able to see my loved ones again.
Goodnight people! :)
Next storm to hit Philis
I was surfing randomly for news of the storm that wrecked the phils over the weekend when i came across this stormtracker.
Apparently, (and corroborated this with my phils colleagues) there will be an upcoming storm to hit the country late thursday or friday morning this week!
Pray that the typhoon/storm will not strike and cause another devastating flood like what it did earlier.. My flight back to singapore is on thursday evening so if it starts to storm, the roads leading to the airports will be unpassable! It will also be dangerous for the plane to take off with a typhoon on the loose.
I might have to extend my stay til the storm tides over and the floodwaters clear, which may take a few days over another weekend. Noooooooo….!!!
Please pray for me k? :\
Another Storm report 29.9.09
Storm that flooded Philippines gathers strength, heads to Vietnam
Vietnam evacuated people and canceled flights as hurricane Ketsana neared. Meanwhile the Philippines braced for another storm. Already 240 people have died.
Leaving behind a path of destruction and 240 dead and climbing in the Philippines, hurricane Ketsana has now become a full-scale typhoon as it barrels down on central Vietnam, raising fears of another catastrophic downpour.
The storm is stronger now than when it ripped through the Philippines, with winds of more than 100 miles per hour. The eye of the storm, with even stronger winds of 126 miles per hour, was expected to touch down at 1 p.m. local time in Vietnam.
Storm report 29.9.09
Philippines struggles as flood deaths rise to 246.
Victims of floods in the Philippines trudged through ankle-deep sludge to crowded relief centres in search of scarce food and clean water today, as the government strained to distribute supplies, dig out the sprawling capital and prevent looting.
The toll from tropical storm Ketsana and the ensuing floods, the south-east Asian country’s worst in four decades, climbed to 246 dead, with 38 still missing.
Storm report 28.9.09
Philippines storm death toll rises
At least 140 people have been killed and scores are missing after tropical storm brings worst flooding for four decades
The Philippines called today for international help as it sought to deal with the aftermath of a tropical storm that triggered the deadliest flooding in the country for 40 years.
At least 140 people were confirmed dead and another 32 were missing after the weekend flooding in and around the capital, Manila. Officials fear further bad weather could compound the disaster.
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