I'll Be Here A While; Ain't Going Nowhere

You guys know how I'm such a worry-er, right? Always trying to prepare for the worst, taking into heart Murphy's Law, always jumpy and anxious? I know, it's a bad thing to be always worrying about things all the time. I'm learning to set aside some problems and face the music when they happen.

Yesterday, 23rd of June, 2006, and my father's 57th birthday, it was a day that I can conclusively describe to be one of my best days in recent memory. It's for the simple reason that a lot of the weight I'm putting on myself (figuratively), a lot of the thorns on my side, vanished in one fell swoop.

The first good news I received signalled what was to follow. June 23 would be a great day. The messenger brought me an envelope containing my first paycheck and a complimentary certificate of employment from human resources. It was the first also after a month off between jobs. After lunch, I would scoot over to Citibank, in the building right next to the office, the MacDonald House, and watch the teller bring out the big bills. Literally, that is. Singapore has crazy-sized currency, not unlike Hong Kong.

Yung susunod naman tatagalugin ko na muna kasi baka mabasa nung bosing ko na ka-bonding ko kahapon sa isang sikat na kapihan (hehe, ang cheap tuloy ng dating). Bale, yung mga kasama ko talaga, nasa London, at ako lang sa team yung nagde-develop dito sa Asia-Pacific (i.e. Singapore). Nandito yung team leader ng mga isa't-kalahating linggo para magbigay ng presentation at para na rin i-train ako tungkol sa trabaho. Hindi naman ako masyadong mahilig mag-kape, puro Milo nga ako eh. Kaso gusto ko na rin siya i-libre dahil nga natanggap ko yung unang sweldo ko. Doon, nag-usap kami tungkol sa trabaho, at sa buhay-buhay. Pinaringgan ko pa na gusto ko rin minsan makapunta sa London. At ayun, sabihin na natin mayroon na akong maaasahang isang biyahe papunta roon sa hinaharap kahit sinabi niyang nag-aayos pa lang sila ng ganung klaseng posibilidad. Masaya rin mangarap, lalo na kung malaki ang pagkakataon na magkatotoo. Sa wakas, makikita ko na rin si Mr. Bean at si Danger Mouse.

The third good news is that I'm getting a PC with 2GB of RAM, and add in an extra monitor for good measure. "What?!", you exclaim, "you can have more than one monitor?!" Apparently, I can, and I will. I promise to take a snap of my workspace once the request is done. Pretty exciting for a developer.

The fourth good news brought a ton of relief (I'm a Ton of relief! :P) . My employment pass, which I was worrying about for the longest time, finally got approved. I got this letter of approval-in-principle giving me the standard 24 months to legally work here under this fine company. An approval-in-principle, in effect, is like saying "if anybody asks, you can work here for two years". Anyway, this letter won't be useful for long. I'm getting the real pass on Monday stamped on my lovely Pinoy passport so I can show it to immigrations officers, bank officers, and whoever cares to see it for whatever reason. In Singapore, it's almost impossible to do banking without an employment pass if you're a foreigner. So as early as Monday, I can finally open a bank account in Citibank, and hopefully apply for a credit card too. That way, I won't be holding this lumpsum paycheck in my bag. So why didn't I just hold on to the check until I opened an account. Because it's weekend, and I'm going to do what Singaporeans do best...shop! (% Why don't you shop a-round, with your friends %)

The fifth good news also put an end to a long-term project. Nes and I finally found an apartment to stay in for at least a year with tenant option to renew. This wonderful place is in Astoria Park right beside Kembangan MRT (Green Line). It's around 20-30 mins to the office which itself sits on top of Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. This is in rush hour of course, when the trains travel more frequently. It's probably takes around the same time for Nes who'll work in Capital Square. I have to transfer to the red line to get to my destination. So this is a 3-bedroom unit with only a slightly new refrigerator and washer-dryer inside it. It's well-maintained, has a great view of the city, has excellent facilities, and as mentioned, sits right beside an MRT station. So this weekend, we expect to be looking around IKEA, Park Mall, and wherever else they sell house furnishings and bring out the interior designer and feng shui consultant within us. Crazy discounts on furniture also plaster the newspapers, we just have to look for them.

Why three bedroom, when there's only two of us? Because you (yes, YOU!) are welcome to come visit and stay with us. But, just don't drop in unexpected.

With the apartment available on Thursday night, I can move in the stuff I had shipped from Manila and also the clothes I'm planning on leaving here.

Ah, leaving Treetops already? You've been so good to me. Somehow, you make me feel welcome every time I go home to you. Then it turns out the maid cleans the mess I make everyday, so that explains that :P

Finally, I am 100% sure to go home on Friday afternoon, June 30. My boss was considerate enough to make an exception to the rule which says that I can't take holiday leave while on probation. Again, I have an employment pass already which gives me less problem going in and out of the city-state. What's left to do is to go to the Philippine embassy and apply for an exit pass and an application for Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA). Once I finish with that, they can waive the terminal fees and the departure taxes for me, which, obviously, saves me a lot of money and grief. I'll go back here, hopefully to our new apartment, on July 10, new furniture and all. Rackin' up the Mabuhay Miles...