Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Of Noodles, Papers and Rooftop Daydreaming
May 11, 2010
2:21 AM, Doha Time...
I am still up and no sign of sleepiness just yet.
It's the first time that I do have good Wi-Fi reception in my room since I moved (from the 5th to the 6th Floor of our building).
Mabrouk! (Congratulations in Arabic).
I was reading some blogs, Thanks again to the good Wi-Fi signal, and finally, I had gotten back my mood in writing.
I am a frustrated writer; I must admit.
When I was in High School, I would get the old newspapers, cut out articles and file them in a folder.
I specifically followed Young Blood wherein the articles featured are by twenty-something for the twenty-something (from which I had derived my blog’s title).
Most of the contributors are college students, yuppies (slang for “Young Urban Professionals”), single moms, single dads, men and women alike.
I had drafted several stories and write ups of which I did not have courage to submit that time.
When I was in college, I still have this spirit in me but I did not get a chance to hone it in a creative or an artistic way.
Communication Arts was my first choice as a Degree in College, and Chemistry was the second one (no, I am not that good in Math but it runs in the family, some of my cousins had taken this major therefore I should give it a shot).
I got in with a Major in Social Sciences.
I would love to shift to Comm Arts, but was very unfortunate as I did not get a chance to.
Every semester after my Freshman Year, I would try to shift to the said course.
The first attempt was a very good one: I tried my best to get good grades (I am not boasting but I was part of the Honor Roll that time) but I was declined as I did not know that there was a deadline for the papers to be submitted.
Ok. I will try again next semester. I said to myself.
Come next semester and Thanks to my “Terror” Professor who had flunked me despite the enormous efforts that I had put in (I am not bitter: my dreams of graduating in 3and half years with Honors crumbled).
No more second attempt.
Come to think of it, it was not bad after all.
God has a plan and I am very thankful.
Even if I did not get into the Writing Major, I was happy too.
College Years was one of the best years of my life.
I used envy my classmates who would bring their laptops in school while I have to make reservations in a computer shop near my flat or worst stay up until evening in the Library’s Computer Room.
I studied in a State University wherein the underprivileged but with potentials study.
I would normally walk to and fro the campus carrying a big umbrella and a folder plastic case as I live near the campus.
I don’t like reading that much that’s why I normally have the 2nd Library Card as the first one is already full.
I learned to be independent.
I learned how to cook. I had spent my first month eating canned goods and noodles. My mom would normally cook food that would last a week. In our flat, we have a schedule of “Cooks and Cleaners” posted on the ref’s door.
I learned how to wash my clothes. I remembered that I would bring all my dirty clothes home and let my mom wash them.
I learned how to commute, to take public transportation. My cousin would drop me to campus before and thanks God I learned to take the Jeepney, a mode of transportation in the Philippines.
I learned to depend only on myself. I was such a loner that time and don’t have much friends but I enjoyed my life still. I do have Blockmates (supposedly your classmates until the end of the semester) but unfortunately there are only around 5 that I get to see most of the time.
I learned how to set my priorities and manage my time. There was a semester where I have to submit 21 papers before the Final Exams. Many thanks to Nescafe 3-in-1 and I was able to cope up.
I learned that it doesn’t matter how many friends you have now, what matters is, how many of them will stay with you until the end, until you do have separate lives, those who will pop every once in a while to say “Hi!” and ask how you are doing.
We were eight girls living in a flat with 2 rooms owned by a retired Professor.
Most of them are my schoolmates from High School.
We would normally bring a mat and pillows on the rooftop, daydreaming while eating chips and wondering where we will be in 5 years.
And I can proudly say that we had been successful: all of us had graduated from college.
They are Chemists, Vets, Engineers and Bank Officers now.
I would see them sometimes; leave messages on the wall and Ping! them.
I am glad that I met them. I had spent almost 4 years of my life with people who had been of good influence personally and academically (wink wink).
College Life may have been simple but again, it’s also one of those that I treasure the most.
The best lesson I’ve learned in College: You can survive in a sea of newbies and the harsh world out there: You just have to make the right choices.
2:21 AM, Doha Time...
I am still up and no sign of sleepiness just yet.
It's the first time that I do have good Wi-Fi reception in my room since I moved (from the 5th to the 6th Floor of our building).
Mabrouk! (Congratulations in Arabic).
I was reading some blogs, Thanks again to the good Wi-Fi signal, and finally, I had gotten back my mood in writing.
I am a frustrated writer; I must admit.
When I was in High School, I would get the old newspapers, cut out articles and file them in a folder.
I specifically followed Young Blood wherein the articles featured are by twenty-something for the twenty-something (from which I had derived my blog’s title).
Most of the contributors are college students, yuppies (slang for “Young Urban Professionals”), single moms, single dads, men and women alike.
I had drafted several stories and write ups of which I did not have courage to submit that time.
When I was in college, I still have this spirit in me but I did not get a chance to hone it in a creative or an artistic way.
Communication Arts was my first choice as a Degree in College, and Chemistry was the second one (no, I am not that good in Math but it runs in the family, some of my cousins had taken this major therefore I should give it a shot).
I got in with a Major in Social Sciences.
I would love to shift to Comm Arts, but was very unfortunate as I did not get a chance to.
Every semester after my Freshman Year, I would try to shift to the said course.
The first attempt was a very good one: I tried my best to get good grades (I am not boasting but I was part of the Honor Roll that time) but I was declined as I did not know that there was a deadline for the papers to be submitted.
Ok. I will try again next semester. I said to myself.
Come next semester and Thanks to my “Terror” Professor who had flunked me despite the enormous efforts that I had put in (I am not bitter: my dreams of graduating in 3and half years with Honors crumbled).
No more second attempt.
Come to think of it, it was not bad after all.
God has a plan and I am very thankful.
Even if I did not get into the Writing Major, I was happy too.
College Years was one of the best years of my life.
I used envy my classmates who would bring their laptops in school while I have to make reservations in a computer shop near my flat or worst stay up until evening in the Library’s Computer Room.
I studied in a State University wherein the underprivileged but with potentials study.
I would normally walk to and fro the campus carrying a big umbrella and a folder plastic case as I live near the campus.
I don’t like reading that much that’s why I normally have the 2nd Library Card as the first one is already full.
I learned to be independent.
I learned how to cook. I had spent my first month eating canned goods and noodles. My mom would normally cook food that would last a week. In our flat, we have a schedule of “Cooks and Cleaners” posted on the ref’s door.
I learned how to wash my clothes. I remembered that I would bring all my dirty clothes home and let my mom wash them.
I learned how to commute, to take public transportation. My cousin would drop me to campus before and thanks God I learned to take the Jeepney, a mode of transportation in the Philippines.
I learned to depend only on myself. I was such a loner that time and don’t have much friends but I enjoyed my life still. I do have Blockmates (supposedly your classmates until the end of the semester) but unfortunately there are only around 5 that I get to see most of the time.
I learned how to set my priorities and manage my time. There was a semester where I have to submit 21 papers before the Final Exams. Many thanks to Nescafe 3-in-1 and I was able to cope up.
I learned that it doesn’t matter how many friends you have now, what matters is, how many of them will stay with you until the end, until you do have separate lives, those who will pop every once in a while to say “Hi!” and ask how you are doing.
We were eight girls living in a flat with 2 rooms owned by a retired Professor.
Most of them are my schoolmates from High School.
We would normally bring a mat and pillows on the rooftop, daydreaming while eating chips and wondering where we will be in 5 years.
And I can proudly say that we had been successful: all of us had graduated from college.
They are Chemists, Vets, Engineers and Bank Officers now.
I would see them sometimes; leave messages on the wall and Ping! them.
I am glad that I met them. I had spent almost 4 years of my life with people who had been of good influence personally and academically (wink wink).
College Life may have been simple but again, it’s also one of those that I treasure the most.
The best lesson I’ve learned in College: You can survive in a sea of newbies and the harsh world out there: You just have to make the right choices.
Sterling??! Nope…It is STARLINK!
I am working in Telecoms and Media Distribution Company in Qatar as a Customer Care Supervisor.
I had been with the Call Centre Industry for almost seven years.
Globe Telecom, a telco in the Philippines, was my first employer where I had served more than three years before I moved to Qatar.
Dealing with customers is always challenging.
You’ll never know what kind of customer you’ll get on the other line.
I had met almost all types of customers, those who are from different “walks of life”, different levels of education and cultures as well.
Before, I dreamed of working in the normal 8am to 5pm job but now I can’t even see myself doing admin and papers works and the like.
I love the action.
I love the excited feeling and the blood rush that you get in the Call Centre.
Wink…Wink…
My company now may not be big like the one that I was with before, but as I always say, it is the “company” of friends that keeps you hanging on.
The joy of working with your friends is incomparable.
There maybe “Hell Days” wherein there are too much calls and difficult customers but we still manage to smile and find something funny to laugh at/about.
We would always do every time there’s a customer who had dialed the wrong number.
They are always calling us for Hamburger deliveries, French Fries and the like.
Why?
There is a chain of restaurants under the company name Sterling.
Whew!
Earlier, I was speaking to a very irate customer.
I had introduced myself as the Supervisor and he said he does not want to deal with me as he wants the Manager.
He wants to have an appointment to say all his dissatisfaction.
I was asking him politely (even if he was shouting on top of his voice) on what seems to be the problem and how can I help him.
He does not want to discuss any. He just said that he has a complaint in our branch in Al Markhiya.
I told him that we don’t have a branch in Al Markhiya.
When I had asked him if it’s regarding the Pay-TV subscription or Blackberry, he suddenly calmed down as if cold water was spilled on his face.
Finally, I got my chance to speak, “Am sorry Sir, you had called Starlink and not Sterling Restaurant”.
All his 5 minutes of blabbing and shouting was wasted as unfortunately, he got and dialled the wrong number.
I had been with the Call Centre Industry for almost seven years.
Globe Telecom, a telco in the Philippines, was my first employer where I had served more than three years before I moved to Qatar.
Dealing with customers is always challenging.
You’ll never know what kind of customer you’ll get on the other line.
I had met almost all types of customers, those who are from different “walks of life”, different levels of education and cultures as well.
Before, I dreamed of working in the normal 8am to 5pm job but now I can’t even see myself doing admin and papers works and the like.
I love the action.
I love the excited feeling and the blood rush that you get in the Call Centre.
Wink…Wink…
My company now may not be big like the one that I was with before, but as I always say, it is the “company” of friends that keeps you hanging on.
The joy of working with your friends is incomparable.
There maybe “Hell Days” wherein there are too much calls and difficult customers but we still manage to smile and find something funny to laugh at/about.
We would always do every time there’s a customer who had dialed the wrong number.
They are always calling us for Hamburger deliveries, French Fries and the like.
Why?
There is a chain of restaurants under the company name Sterling.
Whew!
Earlier, I was speaking to a very irate customer.
I had introduced myself as the Supervisor and he said he does not want to deal with me as he wants the Manager.
He wants to have an appointment to say all his dissatisfaction.
I was asking him politely (even if he was shouting on top of his voice) on what seems to be the problem and how can I help him.
He does not want to discuss any. He just said that he has a complaint in our branch in Al Markhiya.
I told him that we don’t have a branch in Al Markhiya.
When I had asked him if it’s regarding the Pay-TV subscription or Blackberry, he suddenly calmed down as if cold water was spilled on his face.
Finally, I got my chance to speak, “Am sorry Sir, you had called Starlink and not Sterling Restaurant”.
All his 5 minutes of blabbing and shouting was wasted as unfortunately, he got and dialled the wrong number.
Blackberry Says…
I was feeling a little down because of the flu; was also sad as Mohammed is struggling with lots of pressure at work.
While browsing the photos in my iPhone, I stumbled on this picture that I had taken last week.
Hmmm… Very well said…
While browsing the photos in my iPhone, I stumbled on this picture that I had taken last week.
Hmmm… Very well said…
Teddy Bear Museum
Aneong Haseyo? (“How are you?” in Korean)
I had seen an old friend who visited Korea recently.
Way back, I used to watch Korean Series dubbed in Filipino and was very interested to go there.
A housemate used to teach English to Korean kids.
In my old company, me and my friends would eat in the Korean Restaurant.
The food: the spicy noodles.
With all the scenery and foods, who would not like to visit the place?
Princess Hours, a Korean Series featuring an ordinary girl who was made to marry the Crown Prince, was one of my favorites.
They had featured the Teddy Bear Museum.
The museum had shown different Teddy Bears from all over the world.
It is located in Jeju Island, Korea and the funny thing about it is that they do have replicas of famous artworks like “The Last Supper” and “Monalisa”.
Can you imagine the Teddy Bears now?
I would love to visit the place soon!
Inshallah! (In God’s Will)
I had seen an old friend who visited Korea recently.
Way back, I used to watch Korean Series dubbed in Filipino and was very interested to go there.
A housemate used to teach English to Korean kids.
In my old company, me and my friends would eat in the Korean Restaurant.
The food: the spicy noodles.
With all the scenery and foods, who would not like to visit the place?
Princess Hours, a Korean Series featuring an ordinary girl who was made to marry the Crown Prince, was one of my favorites.
They had featured the Teddy Bear Museum.
The museum had shown different Teddy Bears from all over the world.
It is located in Jeju Island, Korea and the funny thing about it is that they do have replicas of famous artworks like “The Last Supper” and “Monalisa”.
Can you imagine the Teddy Bears now?
I would love to visit the place soon!
Inshallah! (In God’s Will)
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