08 March 2011

My First Quarter in Singapore – Job hunting, misfortunes and homesickness


Staying in a foreign country is a big dare, and I had confirmed it right, you must adjust on a lot of things especially on foodstuff and communication.
Just like other Filipino, I primarily came here to seek a greener Pasteur. I had been working for six years straight and the sole investment I got is my son. That is why we decide to join the wagon of engineers who manage to squeeze in the S'pore and so I'm here mingling with Chinese, Malaysians, Indians, Bangladeshi other races.
I came here as a tourist, it's my first time to leave Pinas and travel alone. Manila to Singapore is a three hours and 30 minutes air travel. I get out of immigration a little cold because of crazy honesty or stupidity whatever you want to call it, when the officer ask me if how much cash I got, I told him I only got ATM and Credit cards since my I am visiting my husband and he is the one in-charge of my stay, in that very instance I want to kick myself. Good thing the officer is in good mood and told me that if I intend to visit my husband again after this trip I must bring at least S$300 or he would not let in next time.
My first four weeks here is spent in job hunting and some side trips on here and there. My daily companion is our housemates' laptop (we still don't have a laptop then) and google is the one who uncomplainingly search and search for me, for the whole day I will open all job search sites, edit my resume hundreds of times. I was that desperate especially on my third week and still I have no job interviews yet, it came to a point that yahoo mail suspected me as a spammer because I send 20 to 60 application emails daily, I need to enter a capcha before sending mail hee hee!
Fourth week and I got tons of phone calls, for the whole week days I go see a 2-3 job interviews per day in different area, north to south, east to west. Good thing Singapore got a very systematize public transportation and almost all building and street was known to google map.
After several interviews, I landed a QS job and processed my working visa or Pass that is after some hard luck, $60 taxi fare and two very kind lady officers in MOM. Since I am working with construction company I need to attend a two Work Health and Safety courses and that was a few days before Christmas day.
My first day of work came and I was agitated though the Boss and Admin lady (they are married) is very kind, co-workers are a little snooty and very unfriendly. Bosses must have noticed it and decide to transfer me to another office where people are a lot nicer and not too nosey on eying my every moves.
Chinese New year is a big festivity here, overflowing mandarin oranges, lucky charms, red envelope orampao, food and wines. I luckily won in the raffle during our annual dinner, a fat red envelope yeeha!
That sums up my first quarter here, but I miss a lot at home, Christmas day, New Years Eve and my Levi's second birthday. I am coming home this weekend, but only for three days just to hug my angel again. I am hoping he still knows me.

7 comments:

Lainy on March 8, 2011 at 6:27 PM said...

Ang hirap talaga maghanap ng trabaho ngayon pero mas malala pag dito ka sa Pinas maghahanap. There aren't that much opportunity. Buti nalang at kasama mo rin ang husband mo.

Wala ng mas lulungkot pa sa isang ina na mapalayo sa anak. At nasa crucial age pa naman si Levi mo. But anyways, para rin naman sa future nya yong mga sacrifices nyong mag-asawa. Good thing you'll be coming home kahit ilang araw lang. For sure, he will get to recognize you.

BTW Kayth, my co- worker and I are planning of having a side trip to Singapore come June. Would be great if I could meet you in the flesh :-)

Kasai on March 8, 2011 at 9:10 PM said...

Hay Lainy sinabi mo pa, sureness dear, I hardly meet bloggers, mahiyain kasi ako :)

Naku dapat na talaga ako magpapayat before june, ang sexy mo p naman nakita sa facebook :)

lee on March 9, 2011 at 9:27 AM said...

mahirap ba talaga? balak ko pa naman mag-abroad after college...hirap maghanap ng trabaho dito sa 'pinas eh...

Kasai on March 9, 2011 at 1:25 PM said...

@ Lee, Dear hindi naman sa mahirap, swertihan lang din kasi, its a big factor that you have enough money on your pocker so incase it takes you awhile before landing a job e hindi ka naman kapusin.

What is your course ba? gather k muna ng konting work experience dyan sa atin then after 1 or 2 yun.

Star-chuu on March 10, 2011 at 9:13 AM said...

Hi Kasai, congratulation for your new job. Atleast magkasama kayo nang hubby mo na nagtatrabaho dyan. Later on baka pwede nyo na makuha si Levi. Mas importante din na malapit sya sa inyo dahil the best thing in everything is the presence of the parents. God bless to you and to your family.

Kasai on March 10, 2011 at 10:51 AM said...

Thanks Star! Sana ng in the near future makuha namain cya :)

lee on March 11, 2011 at 8:50 AM said...

my course is Clinical Psychology...

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