It's raining, I got in touched with my missionary partner after 14 years, and it's my 3rd wedding anniversary!

Whew!  So much excitement.  I can't believe I've been married for three years!  You just never know when life brings you nice surprises and it's even better when you don't expect it at all.

Sometimes the internet can be a blessing or a curse.  Lately, it's been such a blessing for me.  Out of the blue, I got in touched with my missionary partner, Won Young, through a surprise incidence on Facebook.  When I called her, we were both surprised and we couldn't believe our ears.  When I hang up the phone, my heart was beating fast.

This past few days I had been trying to mentally retrace my steps.  What if I didn't marry and move here in England.  I've been feeling a bit lost. After experiencing a depressing winter, I suddenly realized that hot and sunny Thailand, my home for 6 years and 7mos before moving in the UK, was actually paradisical.

Life is full of discontent.  And it is this discontent that blinds my eyes to the beauty that surrounds me.  I always think that I want something better and that I'd be happier if I got this and that and so on and so forth.  Perhaps I need to change my paradigm.  I have to learn to make the best out of what I have got in my hands.  Then perhaps I will start to enjoy life in the real sense.

Happy for being married

Yes, I remember how sad and lonely I was in Thailand.  And I don't want to go back to being lonely again.  I have to make this decision.  It's only me who can get me out of my misery. So what are the things that I should be thankful for? Ah, let me count them one by one....

Celebrating Philippine Independence Day

Sitting on my bed, laptop on my lap, I'm celebrating Philippine Independence Day! How? By uploading my photo donning a Filipiniana on Facebook. That's the best way I can do it. Few days ago, I called my good friend, Fely, to ask if there was going to be a Pinoy celebration here in Norwich but alas there is none. It's a lovely day outside, I wonder why the Filipinos in Norwich didn't organize one. I'm sure there is a big number of Filipinos in this city but there seems to have no organized group except for Pinoy in Norwich Aksyon Samahan (PINAS) and I think they are mostly nurses, of which I don't belong.

Anyway, as part of my celebration, I'm going to fry daing from the Philippines, of course, and make pinakbet to make my day complete. If I had my Filipiniana I would also put it on but I left it at home. Nevertheless, these are just outward manifestation of my passionate patriotism. My country needs more than these.

In my Facebook status on this day last year I posted this message: kung iluluha ko lahat ng hinagpis ko para sa aking mahal na Inang Bayan baka sya ay malunod :'(
Parang awa nyo na mga halimaw na pulitiko palayain nyo na sya

It is sad to note that although the Philippines has acquired her independence from the colonizers (Spaniards and Americans) and the destroyers (Japanese) more evil spirits has taken over, namely, the politicians and their appointees in different government sectors. It hurts even more! I remember an article I read a long time ago where a former president was quoted saying, "I'd rather see the Philippines run like hell by the Filipinos than it run like heaven by the Americans!" Well, he got exactly what he wished for, didn't he?

I could ramble on forever but I'd rather save you from a boring read. :D

Credits:

Quote from Answers.com

Image from: http://www.pinoy-ofw.com

Interview blunder

Finally, after months of trying to work at home, I went out for a job-hunting yesterday. There was a job fair at the Forum and I thought it best to turn up well-dressed. I prepared and ironed my smart attire but in the end decided to put on a casual shirt with a smart jacket on top. I thought it was going to be a warm sunny day but it was forecast to be raining. The smart attire I had prepared didn't look warm enough, hence, the change. Anyway, I also took with me some updated resumés and photos as I was also planning to disseminate my profile to employment agencies around the city.

Everytime I go for an interview I always seem to forget to prepare my answers. I'm such a lousy communicator in person and it's one of my weakest points. Knowing and using more than one language at any time, I get the disadvantage of not mastering any of them. I love to write, this is my passion. But even in writing, I sometimes have to mentally rehearse the sentence before scribbling it down. Similarly, when I go for interviews, cognition gets in the way and I'd get panicky and unable to focus.

I had never been to any job fair so I didn't know what to expect. When I got there, there was a long table on one side with people filling in their application form. I sat on on one of the chairs opposite a staff to fill in mine before handing it to the staff for checking just in case I missed some parts. There was an initial interrogation then she directed me to sit next to the other applicants and wait for my name to be called. Feeling a bit surprised that there was an interview on site, I felt fidgety. A young-looking guy, probably in his late teens was dressed up like a lawyer and I blamed myself for not dressing up like I had planned  but I tried really hard to look confident. Throughout the Q&A portion, I struggled many times to form my thoughts in words. The last question was, "We've seen many people today. How will I remember you?" I grappled for words to best describe my answer and after some explanation with gesticulation I finally came to an awkward end. I shook hand with my interviewer and left.

As I walked away, I was mulled over the answers I provided especially for the last question and was thinking of alternative answers I could have given like, "Can I leave a photo? Pause. Crap! Why didn't I remember it?" I wanted to run back and say, "Hey, I was supposed to leave my photo!" :D

Anyway, I may not be chosen for any of the jobs they were offering but at  least I got my butt out there and tried.

Photo credit: http://www.tutorials.com/tutorial_images/09/0957/09571bg.gif