updates

I noticed that the last time I updated this blog was more than a week ago, which for me is bad because I don't want to neglect blogging anymore and even if my thoughts aren't diamonds, I think blogging is such an essential tool for your mind to function critically even if you're away from the workplace or from school.

So I've been busy applying for work the past week, submitting applications and portfolios to numerous offices and agencies in the metro. Also passed résumés to a couple of embassies, which are in line to what I've studied in college. The nature of the embassy jobs are really not much my very cup of tea (they were more of a public relations thing), but because I've never had any decent job experience yet, and because I believe I am qualified for the job, I took the risk to apply. Both haven't made any contact since I passed them my applications, which I believe would happen maybe some time next week because the deadline for sending applications is by Friday, but the other applications that I have passed other than the embassies, a few have responded and I'm already booked for job interviews this coming week.

But come to think of it again, I would really like to work inside an embassy. I've been told that embassies here do give a lot of benefits, and as being someone who has interned in one as well, my boss even reimburses the taxes I pay when I go shop at the grocer or even at food -- or just whatever receipt that clearly says I was taxed.

When I was still in Brunei, my friends who were kids of diplomats would never forget to invite me if they would have a diplomatic reception. My ex of course never forgot to invite me. And yes, he was some embassy's attache's kid. And I loved everything I experienced while being at one. So some three weeks ago, I was invited by my Latin American chief-of-mission's daughter friend to her country's national day's celebration in one of the swankiest hotels in the metro. So I went and invited this guy over, and acted as he was my date, even if he doesn't know what my thoughts were. LOL

alright so you know what country already
(but still I have to edit the photo to protect the identities of the 3)

And while I was there, rubbing elbows with Manila's elite and Manila's diplomatic bosses, I had this deep sense of belonging. While I was chugging myself with canapes like arepas, choripans, and Merlot, I was so in the zone having small talk and engaging in deep conversations with other diplomats. It was kind of like, I was seeing my future.

Of course I know the reality that my career does not limit to attending diplomatic parties. I know how it happens inside an embassy. To tell you the truth, in my internship in that one embassy, it took me only a month to get so stressed out to decide to leave their office and search for other internships around. I felt incompetent, especially that the embassy I was in was small, and I had direct contact to the ambassador and a couple of attaches. I think, other than the receptionist, I was the only one who does not have a graduate degree in the office that was in charge of major tasks. Also, I came in at the most stressful time, from my understanding. The tour of duty of the ambassador was about to end in one month, and of course he had to deal with a lot of responsibilities he had started before saying adios Philippines. But yes, I'm giving it another try. I'll join the national foreign service when I have the full-confidence and esteem to be part of it. I'm not rushing anyway. I'm still young, and I still have a life ahead of me.