I will survive...

"First I was afraid, I was petrified..." it's that part of Gloria Gaynor's song that reverberated in my mind when I took the first step and applied for work at Ramada. When I got that first call from the hotel asking me if I was interested in applying for an HR assistant post, although I said "Yes", in my mind, I asked myself over and over again if it is something that I am prepared to do. I have no background in HR only friends employed in the HR department in my previous work. And you can't even put that in your resume' right? :)  But that's all water under the bridge...

Now I can finally say "I will survive...", the job although tedious, is something I look forward to doing everyday. I am an "organising freak", a certified OC... and it's a good thing that my boss likes the way I work. For me that is enough, at least I know that I am in the right direction. But I got to one realisation the other day, when my boss told me that he needs another staff who can help me in our department. He said I changed his mind and he wants to hire another Filipina. For me that is such a big word, because it is not only an acknowledgement of a job well done but something else. I realised that the kind of work I give will not only benefit me and my family but Filipinos as well. As long as I give them my 100% I know there would be more job opportunities for my kababayans. My boss gave me the upperhand to hire and choose among those I feel would contribute to the company, and among the 5 phone calls I made. One made a difference. I felt a tug at my heartstrings she was the only candidate who did not ask me about the salary offer. She was more concerned about company expectation and about the work she will be handling. For me she is a good candidate for the post. I want someone who can work with the same deep understanding and compassion. I know I made the right decision because my heart tells me so. Sometimes the heart can give you strong emotions that lead you to the right answer... So to my new colleague goodluck and see you tomorrow! 

"Transfor-mom"

It's wishful thinking but in the near future I do look forward to working 5 1/2 days in a week... I wish we are able to go home earlier during Thursdays as weekends are important to our family. It's our time for bonding, for reviewing, for cleaning, and doing the laundry among other things. It's the only time I get to cook goodies for the kids and my husband or make warm merienda (afternoon snack) for them. So, from office work, for them I am "transformom" :) who transforms from career mom to just plain mom. 

Today I will cook pancakes for merienda... my youngest son has been hankering me to cook pancakes for them I hope the ones we bought from the grocery turn out all nice and fluffy.

Walking the distance

It would have been a lot cheaper if I can only walk from our flat to the hotel but since my husband's work schedule is 30 minutes earlier he can't walk with me going to work besides they have a shuttle service that takes him to his office so that's 10 riyal less as compared to taking the cab. My first week of work was a big sacrifice for him, as he had to drop me off work while his attendance is often sacrificed. So what my husband did was to look for someone who can drop me off at the office. We pay 100 riyal one way per month for the service whilst going home is not a problem as what my husband do is pick me up and we just walk home together. I find this good!  It's our form of exercise and our quality time together. Too bad we can't be seen holding hands in public or else we would have walked that way. :)

Yesterday on our way home, my husband began to dream again... now he dreams of getting a car. My husband is a good dreamer so I believe he will begin making that into reality. Inshallah... In the meantime, we'll just have to walk the distance while we weave dreams for our family.

from career woman to domesticity

It's Friday and sad to say the last day of our weekend huhuhu tomorrow is another working day. So I am going to make sure that I savor every second with my husband and kids. I am currently washing while blogging on the side, the second batch of our laundry (while they are asleep) which, would include heavy jeans, bed covers and blankets. We have limited space for hanging clothes so I have to do the laundry this way. Good thing my eldest daughter was such a big help yesterday, while I was at work, she made sure that the first batch has gone through the first laundry process. So when my husband and I came back from work, all i needed to do was rinse the clothes. :) 

I wish our big boss changes his mind and have both Thursdays and Fridays off or make Thursday a half day even, so that we can spend enough quality time with our family. I think I may need to introduce the concept of having a "Work-Life balance" in the next couple of months...  :)

11,000,001th OFW

I am now officially among the 11 million Filipino Overseas workers abroad. Yep! I made it through that interview almost 2 weeks ago. I accepted the job as I wanted to have the kind of work experience that the hotel is offering, it was near my husband's work place and it's a plus that the hotel is a 10-minute walk from our flat.  During the first 3 days I did nothing but observe, look through the files, and see what process needed improvement and whatnot. After the "initiation" I was then asked to do real work... everything was a haze. Having no HR experience added pressure; it's a good thing though that my boss encourages me to ask him anything about the work that will be entrusted to me process by process in due time. 

I've been jobless since June of last year and if you read my previous blogs you'd know why. It is also the first time that I would have to juggle in between domestic chores and  work. As most of you know I had a nanny back home who took over most of the domestic chores including tutoring my kids. I realised now, how hard it must have been for my mom when we were younger. She was a teacher and a mother at the same time, and having no maid, I remember clearly now how she would, coming home from work, go and tend to our laundries and cook at the same time while making sure my sisters and I do our homework. It's the same scenario for me :) and it's doubly hard because we only get 1 day off from work. Thursday (which is our last day of the work week) becomes laundry day and normally we get to finish late in the evening. So that leaves only the whole of Friday to take our much needed breather. 

So far, the work is fine...my boss is very supportive when it comes to my ideas. He encourages me to be creative and to think out of the box. I hope each day I work is an opportunity to do better...to learn more...and to know more about the people I will be working with and the company I am working for. Oh and by the way, there are only 2 Filipinas working in the hotel  (there's our GM's Executive Secretary and myself) then if am not mistaken, 3 Filipinos (2 of them works in the kitchen while the other Filipino works as a gym instructor at the same hotel.

Well, so far...so good! Let this be the start of a rewarding career... While yesterday was the "World's local bank"...  today it's, "Leave the rest to us!" 

Job interview

Am on my way to my second interview at one of the 5-star hotels here quite excited but at the same time a bit apprehensive as the last time I was interviewed was almost 5 years ago. I hope I still remember how to answer questions hehe. I guess the reason why I feel a tad uneasy is because this will be the first time I will be interviewed by a non-Filipino employer. I got a phone call from a Villa Resort as well for a job interview tomorrow... pretty good way to start my New Year :). 

Well, I ought to go... will just update you later...

New Year with Donny & Marie

I woke up New Year's morning with a song in my head from Donny and Marie Osmond's show back in the...never mind... hahaha  I just so love that song which they always rendered before they say goodnight to their audience and televiewers. Let me share with you the lyrics and a video I found on You Tube :)

May tomorrow be a perfect day

May you find love and laughter along the way

May God keep you in His tender care

Till He brings us together again.

May the sun shine deep within your heart

When sorrows bring sadness and tears would start

May the memory of the love we share

Reassure you that someday, somewhere.

We'll walk hand in hand, the time is very near

The moments we long for are almost here

I'll be with you, you'll be with me

Together we'll love once again.

Sigh...I can sing this song over and over and would never ever tire of it! 

Media Noche

As promised, am posting pictures of the food I prepared for last night's Media Noche (thanks to my husband who volunteered to take pictures of them). We also had Carbonara, puto (rice cake), Maja Blanca, papaitan and bopis which our flatmates shared with us. 

Media Noche meal :)

Paella

Chow Mein (Pancit Canton)

Plum cake which tasted so much like fruit cake without the dark rum

our Lucky 13 fruits (bananas, apricot, peaches, kiwi, grapes, red pear, yellow pear, McIntosh apple, green apple, Valencia orange, grapefruit, nectarine, and plum)

For dessert we had Plum cake (their version of Fruit cake without the rum) and we paired this with blue and edam cheese. We also had fruit salad while my husband prepared gelatin.