The Underdog

Before the work week ended, prematurely because of Holy Week - yahoo!!! (That yahoo is an expression of jubilation because Easter is coming and we'll commemorate our Lord's resurrection. It's not because there's no work. But that is of course an icing on the cake.) Ok as I was saying, before the week ended I was moved to another team. My first task was to create the design document. There's a section that should enumerate the persons in the team and their corresponding roles. While doing that I found out that I am the most junior, not only age-wise (my new colleagues seem 40ish and above), but also job-description-wise. I bet all of them have more than a decade of technical experience tucked under their belts. In our team of six, there's one delivery manager, four technical architects and there's me, the java developer and the only madame - oh you've got to say that the English way!

So you see, I am the underdog. The less experienced. The lowly developer. The only Asian. But in consolation I am absolutely - 100% sure, no doubt about it - the fairest of them all!

I have to admit I am a bit intimated. But I am also delighted. I welcome this opportunity to learn from the experts (teka, I think I have this same statement in my CV). I am ready to take on the challenge (yung challenge na magpapanggap na magaling?) I can't wait to blow their socks off! (why? i-fo-foot reflexology ko ba sila?)

Wow, no one is immune to my sarcasms - not even myself.

Or maybe they just need someone to serve them coffee or tea? Hmmm?

I just can't believe how fast time flies. The four months with my previous team, our application was released to system testing without any showstopper fault by the way, flew out of the window like a snap of a finger. Just like that.

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Australia, anyone?

I attended the 2nd day of Australia Needs Skills Expo this morning. The Expo featured Australian employers, each of them had a booth set up, looking for highly skilled workers to fill their shortages. You just have to visit those booths, submit your CVs to the employers that you like and wait for them to call you in weeks or months to come. Cross your fingers that they will shortlist you for a position. Because if an employer fancies you, they will sponsor your migration to Australia.

I noticed a lot of Pinoys there but most of them are nurses and caregivers. I was delighted when I heard the unmistakable two Bisaya talking in one corner that I couldn't help but say hi and introduce myself. In no time we were tossing around jokes in Bisaya. I savored hearing phrases like 'ah mao ba?', 'tarung ba' or 'wala ka kuyapi?'... Oh what a blast!

One Bisdak is named Mercy, a nurse who came from Bohol. She wants to migrate to Australia kasi sawa na daw sya sa London and she wants a higher salary because she's up to neck in loans. She said she bought too many beaches in Panglao than she could handle... ang taray!

The other Bisaya is named Jojo is a caregiver student in South England. On evenings and weekends he has rackets so he can send money home. One of his racket is walking the dog of an English woman in which he is paid 8 pounds per hour. Another racket is taking care of an elderly on evenings. All he has to do is assist an old lady to the toilet if nature calls in the middle of the night or accompany the old lady to Tesco (a 24 hour supermarket) if trip nya mag midnight shopping. With that he's paid 80 pounds per night - that's 6400 already in our currency!. He says dapat magaling ka lang daw dumiskarte and di daw dapat maarte maglinis ng popoo ng mga oldies. Hmmm I'll just go for walking the dog...

I am sharing what I learned from the expo... some tips that will increase your probability bagging an Australia migration sponsorhip. I'm afraid that these only apply for IT professionals. I didn't inquire about for nurses or other fields. Sorry.

1. Get an assessment from the Australian Computer Society (ACS). For those with Bachelors degree NOT related to IT, like moi, they told me in the expo that this assessment is a must!
   
2. Take the IELTS exam and aim to get AT LEAST 7.0 points (both listening and written).
   

Once you have those two submit an application to an Australia employer right away. How? Browse the internet! I tell you I heard many success stories in the Expo, so don't underestimate the power of the World Wide Web people! Pag may tiyaga, may nilaga! Or register to an Australian Needs Skills Expo so you can personally scout prospective employers. Just visit their site from time to time for schedules they might have in your country.

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Bb. Pilipinas bruhaha

Like most of girls, I had wished at one point in my life to be a beauty queen. But because of my genes, I didn't grow up to as tall, as statuesque and as pretty as any pageant contestant should be. So I just resigned to be a fan. But I am not a beauty pageant freak like my better than ice cream friend Mau. I just have a fascination of it and when our bets manages to bag the international titles - I am like every Filipino, jumping with pride. But alas this Bb. Pilipinas 2008 seemed to robbed me of what little respect and fascination I had for the institution. I was horrified watching this video Ria forwarded. It's like watching a Bubble Gang episode except that there were no Michael V. and Ogie making faces after the cue, and her statements were not meant to be punchlines at all. Makes me wonder how could the judges let her win?

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Needs saving? (Of course!)

This morning I was greeted by my colleague with pamphlet about their religion and a book explaining the differences between Baptist from the Catholic faith. My immediate reaction was, Awww he cares for my soul... No kidding, I was touched. But this is not the first time this happened to me though. Last last year, I received books about Jehovah's Witness from a good friend. And last year, I received a Mormon bible from another good friend. Oh well this can turn out to be a collection. In no time I will cover all religions.

Seriously people, is there a sign written all over my wide (yeah literally massive, pang Miss Universe) forehead saying "URGENT! NEEDS SAVING FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION."?!?

I am a Catholic because I had no choice to be baptized as one. Honestly, I do wonder if I remain this way because I wholeheartedly believe the teachings of the church or is it because I'm used to being Catholic, I just don't want to trouble myself learning a new faith? But what if I explore? Maybe there's another faith out there that might suit me, in which I can express more effectively my love for Him. Oh well who knows, I might be converted to a new religion someday. How about Born Again? Para bro and sis ko na sila Gary V., Donita... hihihi

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Yay I'm extended!

I am so happy. My boss informed me that they want to extend my assignment, probably until November. Yay I'm safe! But I am getting ahead of myself because the extension contract is not yet prepared. If there's no paper signed, it's not yet final. But whatever, it will be final. I will stay longer here in the land of the Queen for years, even for decades! Right now, I am concentrating that will come true. I'm owning the dream, grabbing hold of it in my mind. I am applying The Secret. (Oh yes, I am suffering from an Oprah overdose.)

Our team's technical architect told me he's leaving next week. "What?!? You're leaving the company?", I asked him, shocked. "No, I am leaving the team because my work is done here. But I may consider that because when you're married you would want to settle to one project. I'm tired of moving around a lot."

People in our company do move around a lot, from one project to another, from one office to another office in England. That kind of setup is fine by me. In fact it's one of the reason why I signed up - I can absolutely go project hopping, what a thrill! If my work is done for one project, I'll be assigned again to another project that needs my skills. The only disadvantage is that there's a possibility to be in bench for a long time. But that risk is worth taking (Duh hello? England?). For now, I don't mind moving around from one place to another. Well what can I say? I have an adventurous spirit, pula og lubot (red ass) or kiringking og tiil (itchy feet?). I'm a nomad at heart (oo, laagan since bata pa). I just pray more projects pour in so I can actually do this moving around thing.

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Tube rides

The tube ride from Waterloo on my way to another museum was crowded. Oh yeah, I love museums now, they somehow prod my dormant brain neurons to perk up a bit. Lots of people were out today, the weather's great. I glanced in a newspaper headline that winter is gone, which is abnormal because it's way too soon. It's the effect of global warming, I guess. Huhuhu what have we done to our Mother Earth?!?

Okay back to the tube ride. Like I said it was crowded. I was standing in the middle holding on a rail when I noticed that I was squeezed in the middle of 3 couples. Aside from feeling small and so Asian because they were so tall, I felt more lonely than ever. And what's even more deppressing was that all the three guys were uber handsome --- arrrgghhh! I even had difficulty deciding which among them was more eye-candyish among them. Cruel, cruel world! There I was all alone, in the midst of three eye-candies cuddling and so touchy-touchy with their gfs, while all I had was the rail to hold on to.

There are a lot of fine male specimens here in England. Those kind that you see in fashion magazines, promise you can see them here everywhere, anytime! Mostly nga lang mga bata that I can't help commenting whenever I see one, Sayang, una akong pinanganak sa 'yo...

You can feast the gorgeous English guys all you want with your eyes but I'm afraid they're not lifetime partner material. Oh most English guys are nice, kind and always behave gentlemanly. But they're also flirty... too flirty. I have this colleague that I sit next to in the office whom I had thought was a great guy. He always talked praises about his wife - he always goes "Lara this, Lara that". I had thought awww he's so sweet, that I didn't give malice when he started sending me IMs that he liked my wiggle (the way I walk daw) and my legs (which I don't believe). But that night we went to a pub, I was already at home when I received a text from him saying that he liked me a lot and that he's afraid that it wouldn't go away. I was aghast, I had thought he was a perfect husband! Oh it must be the effect of the beer but still I wouldn't want a partner who goes hitting on other women everytime he gets a drink... no way! Or that creep maybe just wanted to test if papatulan ko sya. Heller, okay lang sya?!? No wonder the divorce rate here is so high.

Therefore, I conclude sa Pinoy pa rin ako. Because of the influence of religion, the fear of eternal damnation if one commits mortal sin, most Pinoys are faithful to their wives... I guess. So yeah Pinoy pa rin ako.

The tube ride back to Waterloo was not an improvement, more deppressing actually because I was sandwiched by not one but two gay couples na nagdoodoodingan (flirting with each other). Oh well, what can I say? Happy Valentines to me...

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Worried

All by myself... don't wanna be.

All by myself, anymore!!!

This is my theme song since I've been here in London. I just stopped singing of it in my head during the holidays, when my poging boyfriend was here to entertain me. But after he went home, I immediately resumed to singing it again. And I'm sick and tired of hearing my wala-sa-tono na voice, yeah even if it's only in my head!

And now I'm getting worried. Because my colleagues who are suppposed to be here are still not here. Work permits? Yes they already have that since December. Visas? Oh yes already have too. What's wrong? Well, it's just the most important thing that's missing - the project! They don't have any clue where they're going to be assigned. It's not like there are no projects because I get alerts from our internal Job search engine that this or that project is looking for developers or testers. There are many positions to fill, actually. But what is happening is that the communication from London regarding their assignments have gone dead. No one seems to know over here what to do with them or worse, no one knows they exists.

Our company is going through a rough time. It's stock price is going downhill. It's just got a new CEO. And it's scheduled to be branded to a new name by end of this month. Although the new name will just be minus the last 3 letters of our current name, they're overhauling every nook and cranny of this company. From logo and domain names to who leads this or that department - it's like a one hell of a Rigodon de Honor (sorry if this is not the correct spelling). I hope this massive commotion doesn't result in having department scrapped out... 'wag naman sana.

I like working here. It's one of the best things that happened to me. I'm learning a lot working with foreigners, most especially with my French team leader who is so meticulous in reviewing codes. I am improving myself technically. Though if it's quite lonely being the only Filipino assigned here in our office, I welcome the challenge. Especially the challenge to tell jokes in English or to react in English - I'm now used to saying "Oh dear!" or "That's great! Fantastic!" or "Bloody hell" :p This is truly an experience of a lifetime. I'm really lucky I was able to fly before the Rigodon de Honor started. So lucky my work permit got approved relatively earlier than my colleagues back in Manila.

It's sad. I just can't imagine how frustrated they are now. I waited for 5 months to get here and I recall I was getting more and more frustrated as day of waiting passed by. Probably if I'm still with them now, still waiting, I am probably on the verge of committing suicide. It's unfair. I can't really blame the PH office because they're just following the orders from London. So yeah, I'm blaming the London office because they've stopped giving orders! When I go home tonight, I'll assemble a bomb to blow it up... (hehehe just kidding, don't deport me please.. I'm not a terrorist :D)

I hope, and I pray, this will be settled soon. It'll be a joy to have my colleagues here. They deserve to be here.

I hope our company can iron things out before my assignment ends in April. Because I don't want to be subjected again to the torture of waiting for my next assignment - once is more than enough, thank you. Perhaps I should think of a fallback? Mag-t-TNT ako!!! Wehehehe :p

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My most expensive lunch so far...

Today is momentous (dapat itaga sa bato) because I had the most expensive lunch in my entire life. How much was it? Well it was almost 30pounds! So that's times 81... oh no I vowed never ever to convert b-b-but I can't help myself because I paid for it with my own sweat and blood (my knight in rusty armor Harley, wasn't there to save me). And that amount could buy me a trendy shoes in Clarks!

You're probably wondering what kind of lunch would carry such exorbitant tag. Oh it's just a normal meal - rib-eye steak, mash potato and a glass of lemonade. But what gave it the extra pizzaz was the "where" we had lunch. You're asking where? Oh stuff, we simply had it at Harrod's...

Oh yesss, the one and the same Harrod's - the opulent department store owned by Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed, father of the late Princess Dianá's boyfriend who died with her in that accident, Dodi.

Oh no, we didn't dine at their exclusive restaurant - or the kind that makes you scratch your head in confusion how and when to use the forks and knives they provide. We just dined in one of their food bars, located in corners of the store. We had decided to grab a bite there since it looked affordable enough. But silly us, we should had thought that Harrod's glamour is due to the fact that nothing in it is affordable. We were already sitting down, the waitress taking our orders, when we realized our mistake as we scanned the menu. It was too late to run to the nearest exit, hehehe.

Well I felt a little excited to eat beside rich people who not only dined with champagne but they obviously didn't care about the price! We seemed to blend with them hihihi :p There was even a guy beside us who kept on chatting to us as if we were his casino buddies. As we waited for our food we noticed that the chef looked Filipino. When he saw us looking at him, he nodded that telltale Pinoy-style of greeting and smiled. Napa-wow ako, Pinoy na chef in London... sa Harrod's pa! Wow, diba? Jhune Bernabe was his name and he seemed like a very nice guy, still a grounded person inspite of his success because he accomodated us. He was very friendly.

The Pinoy chef at Harrod's (the pretty waitress grabbed him from his post to pose for a picture)

Teka lugi yata ako nun ah. I paid a hefty sum for a meal pero Pinoy rin naman nagluto... hahahaha just kidding. I'm always proud to see Pinoys doing well in their professions, kicking the asses of foreigners in their territories. It's money well spent... errr ahhh bola na yan, too much of a statement na :p

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