More First Things

This past week, I'm happy to report that I have done 3 more First Things. Er, note that I'm not really proud of most of these, but at least my First Things list is getting longer hehe.

First Thing #15 - See a male stripper in a bridal shower.
Scratch that. I think he was more of a male dancer than a stripper. He was merely gyrating to dance music in his tighty-whities. And he was even texting while dancing. Talk about multi-tasking! He had a well-toned body (of course), was tall, dark but not at all handsome. No amount of booze made him any more good-looking in my drunken eyes. I also don't get why he had to wear sunglasses at night ('80s babies, does the song sound familiar? Hehe.) My theory is, either he's cross-eyed or he's just ashamed of what he's doing. I'm so mean. In short, it's not what I expected of a stripper. (Do I hear a tone of disappointment there?)

How I got to this age without even seeing a male stripper is beyond me. I mean I've had lots of friends who already got married but I guess the shower parties I've been to were always wholesome. And I think I've also somehow avoided going to the parties where they hired strippers. I've always been somehow prudish in that sense. But after this, I realized it really was no big deal. If you know what I mean.. *wink wink*

First Thing #16 - Get puking drunk.
Ugh. It's disgusting, I know. I will never drink tequila again. EVER.
I mean I was doing fine during the party. I drank my usual tolerable amount of alcohol- 7 shots (at least) of tequila, and 8 or more shots of that gin/vodka combo. The actual count is still vague. I didn't have dinner, just some finger food, and I was also tired from the house-hunting during the day. I guess that did it for me.
When I got home, I was still able to change clothes, watch a bit of TV and then I decided to go to bed. After a few minutes of lying down, it felt like the room started to spin and that's when it happened. I was able to reach the kitchen sink though, so I didn't really make a mess. When I woke up the next morning, my stomach still felt queasy and it happened again a couple more times.
That really was a first for me and I promise that that would be the last. But it's just so embarrassing that I can't even maintain my drinking average now. Another downside to getting old.

First Thing #17- Work in Manila
Finally, something very mature! As mentioned in my previous posts, I have already moved here in Manila for work. I've lived here before but after staying in Cebu for quite some time, I'm finding it a bit hard getting back to the ultra fast-paced life here. Aside from being away from my parents and friends, I also had to let go of the comfortable lifestyle that I was used to. No more househelp, no more home-cooked meal, no more car, no more Wifi. I'm proud to say though that in one week, I've learned to commute to and from work by riding a jeepney, cooked breakfast for myself (just bacon and eggs, hehe), did my laundry, and did some house-hunting. That's a big feat for someone like me.

I hope to be making more First Things in the next few months, given that I'm in a new environment and surrounded by new people. Hopefully these will be more grown-up things and more age-appropriate. I'm certain too, that I'll have other (mis)adventures here in Manila, and for sure I'll share them all with you.

The Harrowing Experience That Was The FSO Exams

It's been more than three weeks since I took the panel interview and written exam portions of the FSO exam in Manila. Just goes to show how nerve-wracking and stressful the whole experience was, that I needed lots of time to rest and recuperate. I also needed time to look for my brain and regain the IQ points I lost in a span of one week, so I can come up with coherent sentences to tell you all about it. (That, and I was also busy preparing for my move to Manila.)

Since I passed the preliminary exam I took on my birthday, I was qualified to move on to the next stage, which was the panel interview. I was really anxious about this given that my last interview was for the UP LAE, which was very traumatic (not an exaggeration, but that's another story). Although, I was kinda hoping it's just for formalities' sake where they would only ask questions about what I do and why I wanted to become a foreign service officer. But what I was about to face was nothing short of paralyzing (yes, still not an exaggeration).

I was called in to a room (looked like a classroom) and was asked to sit in front of the panel- composed of an ambassador and two foreign service officers. I was like the new teacher facing my bad-ass students. For my work, I was asked these questions:

- What are the good ROP bonds right now?
- How about corporate bonds? (I was made to enumerate specific bonds for the first 2 questions)
- What's the difference between a UITF and a Common Trust Fund?
- If you were to invest the funds of the Foreign Service, will you invest them here in the Phils. or abroad?

Intense questions, but manageable. I mean, I'm supposed to know these things because they're part of my job. But the next phase of the interview was the piece de resistance of that wonderful day. I can't even remember how we got to this type of questioning:

- Do you think the presence of American troops in Iraq is justified? Do you think the war is justified?
- Do you think the war in Afghanistan is justified?
- How about the Ampatuans? Can the Americans just come in our country and fight them?
- In Saudi Arabia, you can go to mosques. In Abu Dhabi (Pardon me, but I can't recall if I'm naming the correct country) you can't go to church. Is that fair?

Sheeesh. I mean I expected the interview to be hard. But not this hard! Here's some of our memorable exchanges:

Amb: "If you file a complaint to the UN against Saudi Arabia, what do you think will happen?"
Me: "Sir, me personally?" (Hahaha! Dumb blonde moment happens to me when I'm stressed out)
Amb: "I mean the Philippines. What will happen if the Phils. files a complaint?"
Me: "Sir, there would be a strained relationship between the 2 countries"
Amb: "What do you think will be the immediate effect?"
Me: "Armed conflict?" (Hahaha, you gotta laugh at yourself sometimes!)
Amb: "Not yet. What do you think will be the effect?"
Me: "Safety of our OFWs in Saudi..."
Amb: "Correct. A Foreign Service officer must always think about his fellow Filipinos first and foremost. That's what you call prudence. What is prudence?"
Me: (jaw drops) "Um, right judgment?"
Amb: "Foresight, blah blah blah" (He was rattling off the synonyms of Prudence.)

Amb: "Compare the reign of Charlemagne with the current European Union."
Me: (I'm thinking Can I just die now?) "I'm sorry Sir, I'm not that familiar with Charlemagne."
Amb: "You mean you don't know who Charlemagne is?? Where'd you go to high school?"
Me: "At the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Sir."
Amb: "CIC. You mean the Daughters of Charity didn't teach you about Charlemagne?"
Me: "I'm sure they did, Sir. But I just can't recall right now."

FSO: "How much do you earn?"
Me: "Gross?" (Hahaha! I'm such a comedian.)
FSO: "Sure."
Me: "Blah blah a month, Sir." (To this they all looked at one another and sort of gestured that it's a good figure. I totally disagree, BTW.
FSO: "Are you aware that you'll be earning less than that if you become an FSO? Are you ok with that?"
Me: "I believe, Sir, that if you really like what you do then the monetary benefits are not that important."
To this, they all gave me a standing ovation and presented me with the Hero of the Year award. Joke.
Amb: "I'm touched by what you said..." (Char!)

Anyway, that's basically the 'highlights' of the interview. I'm really not sure how I survived, or even passed. It was such an out-of-body experience, and I remember I just kept smiling the whole time but in my mind I was praying for the ability to Apparate. Even my co-examinees told me that my questions were really harder than theirs.

For the written exams, let's just say it was the most stressful 3 days I've had in a long time. My mind turned to mush after all that essay-writing. Every time I read my test paper, I mentally kick myself and bang my head for subjecting myself to this kind of torture. I won't be writing the questions here because this entry's getting really long. But if any one out there plans to take the FSO exams soon, let me know and I'll share them with you.

Alright, so that's about it. The results for the written exams are supposed to be out by October or November, but I'm really not banking on passing. However, miracles do happen and they might happen to me again :) By the way, this is my First Thing #14- Taking the FSO exams.

This Is It!

The time has come. By tomorrow, I will be living (again) and working in Manila. I'm excited as hell, but I am also (if not more) scared as hell.

It has been 8 years since I've lived in Manila last and I'm getting really anxious just thinking about how I'll manage living in all that chaos again. The traffic, pollution, stress, high cost of living -- are all giving me lots of sleepless nights.

I know that in the first few years I've stayed here in Cebu after school, I have always wished of going back to the hustle and bustle of the capital. I've felt that the Cebu lifestyle's too laid-back (read: slow and boring) and that I needed to get out.

But now, looking back, I've realized that being here in Cebu did me lots of good. Aside from being able to spend more time with my family, I was able to do things here that I never thought I would, and I have also met some of the most wonderful people I now call friends. I have become a true-blue Bisdak and Cebu has definitely become home.

And now that I'm leaving home, I'm saddened by the fact that I'm leaving lots of people and memories behind. I'm fearful of the unknown challenges ahead of me, but I am also hopeful of the new chapter in my life. As they say, no success or reward is achieved without any risk. But I know that He'll always be with me and will guide me to where I ought to be.