30 July 2011

Interview Week and Exploration

30.July.2011

I had a rolling week this time! I mean, I have something to do everyday to the point of becoming tired of doing so. I went to Taguig, Makati, Cubao, and Libis. It's making me tired but I get to see different places. So it's quite fun.


On Monday, I went to Taguig because I have an interview with Trueventus at 16:30hrs. I was able to find out how to get there easily since I searched it in the net. But I'm still surprise to know that there is a bus station and I even have to buy tickets from a booth. It's so Singapore-like, even the bus. It's so cool! Then the bus took a route that I've never seen before. I think it passes by Dasmarinas Village and I'm amazed to see the houses. I mean, the houses in New Manila is shocking already, but The houses in Dasmarinas Village is way more shocking. Just imagine a village where houses are like mansions?! Such filthy rich people!

Oh well, we finally arrived at Bonifacio Global City and it's so like Singapore! Well, it's still under development but the ambiance it gives off is really like Singapore. I drop off at Net Cube Station since I feel like it and it sounded like the station the lady in the ticket booth told me. I really have this feeling of being in Singapore and I feel like floating since It's my first time going there. However, I feel like something is off when I see a parking lot. I realized that it's quite difficult to get a car in Singapore so there's not much private cars driving around the country. I saw a parking lot in The Fort just in front of Net Cube and it's full of cars. That's probably why I feel something's off from looking at the parking lot.

Fort Legend Towers is just beside the Net Cube so I did not get lost in going there. It's way too early for my interview so I decided to cross the road and stay somewhere I can eat. I stayed in Starbucks and kill time. Even though it's still a bit early I decided to head to the office where I am invited for the interview. I, once again, felt lost. The office was still under renovation meaning it's a new office in the Philippines. Well, the company is based in Manila anyway. I think I screwed up for the interview since I can barely understand what Mr. John Karras, my interviewer, is saying. It's probably his accent and the way he talks too fast. I was told to expect a call on Friday morning for the results whether I pass or not. However, I got a call from another person named Ruben on Thursday, saying that I pass the interview and I will receive an email and I need to sign it and send it back to them. I was so surprised. Well, I'm feeling lost and undecided since I also passed another interview on Thursday morning.





For Tuesday, I went to Max's Office in the Morning in Chino Roces Avenue and to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the afternoon in Libis. It was raining really hard when I was on my way to the Max's office so I need to buy an umbrella. I took and exam and left. As usual, I was told that I will be contacted if I pass the exam. I'm not expecting it though. I can't set my expectations too high for I will eventually be disappointed. I ate at Chef D'Angelo for lunch. I tried their buffet. It was cheap so I thought I'd give it a try. I love the cheese pizza but the pasta in not to my liking. I think I forced myself to eat too much. I actually think that I'm not going to eat pasta for quite a while.


I, then, went to Cubao to find a jeepney going to Brgy. Bagumbayan. It took me a long time just to catch one. It's so rare to see a jeepney going to that route. I managed to get there somehow. I once again got lost after alighting the MRT at Cubao-Araneta station. I entered Farmer's Plaza and can't find my way out. It's always been like that for me every time I go there. However, getting lost this time is quite surprising since I get to see a shop that sells crochet yarn and sewing stuff. I managed to get my hands on grey colored yarns at last! Oh, going back to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I safely arrived in the area and it's not like a high-rise office building. It's like a factory building divided into units. The office is nice inside so it doesn't really matter. It was only for initial interview so it was quick. I also read news articles while waiting. I'm not so aware of the current events right now. So I read how the melting glaciers affects the crops and about how small time fishermen are being taken advantage of by the huge fishing companies, and about law implementation. Err, that was my first news article for a really long time!


On Wednesday, I'm supposed to have interview with Topserve Manpower Services and I plan to visit Cityland Office for interview. But I decided to just sleep all the way through the day and I'll be having date with Fred and Faith in the evening. We're eating dinner together.

We plan to meet at Ayala but then decided to meet at SM Megamall instead. I went to Ayala early so I need to take two trips. Err, it's a waste of money effort and time. I forced them to eat at Papa John's Pizza even though they totally refused my request. We visited Teriyaki Boy's and then they decided to just go to Papa John's. I think they find the price too expensive and eating at Papa John's is about the same. We ended up dining at Papa John's. It was my first time eating at Papa John's in SM Megamall branch. I still like the one in Robinson Galleria more. The Super Papa pizza is not the same as Robinson's branch. I mean I can taste the green bell pepper of the pizza. It's not the same taste I remember when I had it in Robinson's. We ordered Super Papa's Pizza (medium), Spaghetti Bolognaise, Penne Marinara, and Potato Wedges. It costs us a little over a thousand. I paid for half of it and they shared the rest. That was my condition that made them agree to dine there in the first place. We ate and talked, mostly about the new life we're having. Well, I'm still considered as a bum though, err.

Faith calls our dinner as 'Our First Adult Dinner Together'. Well, it's not bad to call it that way even though it was not my first time eating in that kind of place. I mean, I used to eat to places with Clarisse, and Tender Bob's even more expensive than that.


Then, Thursday came and I attended my interview for Corporate Inn Hotel Manila in Kalaw and Mrs. Fields office in Chino Roces Avenue. Today was more like an adventure to me.

The Corporate Inn Hotel is a small hotel in Kalaw and I don't really know if they were earning enough to pay for their expenses. I mean I go to Three to five star hotels for school stuff and I'm more aware of what is going on with those hotels. However, being in a small time hotel feels different. It's quite nice in the inside. Well, I only managed to get to the lobby. The interview was conducted on the dining area which is actually part of the lobby too. It really is a budget hotel. They even asked me about beverage mixing when I'm actually applying for Guest Services Specialist a.k.a. Front Desk Receptionist. Of all the people who talked to me or interviewed me rather is the marketing person. She's pretty, frank and talks nicely. She even told me that it's okay if I am only getting experience and she told me a number of people who came from their hotel who are now successfully earning money at other hotels. She's being practical. I like her for real.

I actually have an interview and exam scheduled for John Clements but I just decided not to go there. I ate lunch at McDonald's along Chino Roces and Gil Puyat and walked all the way until I find the Mrs. Fields' Office. I was made to wait for very long and they basically asked me questions to clarify what was written on my application form. I doubt that they will call me for another interview. On my way back to the dorm, I was called by Trueventus telling me that I passed and stuff. I now became totally undecided. Well, I got interview for Singapore the next day which will help me decide.




So, I attended the interview as a Guest Services Officer for Fairmont Hotel Singapore. The interviewers were from the hotel. I was interviewed by a German(?) and a Singaporean. Practically, I already failed the interview even before I got into the interview room. I was actually told by the German(?) lady that if I was passionate for the food and beverage department she will tell her friend who is the director of F&B department of their hotel. Since they were actually looking for staff for F&B. I was told that I did not passed by the agency staff and so I go home. I kind of regretted that I tried applying for the FO despite the fact that I don't really qualify for it. I should have asked if I could attend the interview for F&B as well. Anyway, I will try another time.

I called the Corporate Inn Hotel and tell them that the problem with the agency is okay and they told me to come in Monday at 6AM wearing formal attire with a blazer. My clothes were already in the laundry so I should be able to get it on Sunday night.

Why I decided to take the offer from Corporate Inn Hotel when The Trueventus seems promising? Well, I don't want to let go of my Marriott Part-time job as of now. So, it will be better if I can find time for Marriott job while I work at Corporate Inn Hotel. It was closer to the place I stay so I will be able to get some rest. I already plan how I will make things to work out. So I hope everything goes well. As for my Singapore employment, I think I will go back there after some months. I'd like to get experience as much I a can from Philippines for now. And having local employment record seems a good thing too. I really hope everything goes well.

After the interview, I went back to the dorm to change and I took a bus to Makati. Why Makati? I want to ride a bus there going to Alabang for convenience's sake. It was actually fun. The travel was quite long but I managed to get to Makati somehow. I found out about photography classes in The Library and it was my first time going there. I actually inquired about it. It'll be on August 1 and so on, Mondays and Wednesdays of the first two weeks and a Photoshoot on August 6. I wish I have known about it sooner. It'll cost me about Php5000, but so what? I've been wanting to go to a photography workshop since long ago. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to try it. Makati is pretty nice if I look around it. I only always remember the busy part of Makati. I didn't think there would a a quite peaceful park there, I mean the Ayala Triangle Garden. I should try going there sometimes.

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