Work-a-day World

I just started work today. It's very exciting (I mean, after a month off) and I can't say enough good things about it. So let me start listing them down.

First of all, the commute to work is great (for a month at least, until they kick me off the apartment). About five minutes walk to the bus stop, and the bus isn't crowded. Did I mention my work hours are 9-to-5? No, I did not stutter (not in a written sense, of course). So I take one of around 4 or 5 buses that stop there and then I hop on and then around 10-15 minutes later, I'm right in front of the office. Sweet! Pretty soon, when I move out and find my own place. I just need to get to an MRT station and I can ride my way to the station right in front of the office (Dhoby Ghaut Station).

I had to drop off my passport and embarkation card (they gave me 30 days on social visit pass/visa at immigrations) for the guy who takes care of my employment pass to pick up. Later today, I found out that my temporary employment pass got approved, and that I'm legally part of the work force. The pass is valid for a month. If anything, that means I get paid for this month. Wahoo! The real employment pass, should it pass without a hitch, should be ready in late June.

I attended the induction for new employees, also known as corporate orientation. Lots of
very strict policies, especially regarding the business we're in. In fact, the guy that gave the lecture segment, looked dead serious. Kind of what I thought people were like here.

I get my access cards and handbooks, got to know a few people (who works for other teams, unfortunately) get introduced to my line manager and some team members (very diverse, uhm, looking, and [one other of the five senses]). I also got introduced to the one that referred me here. Turns out we have a referral program. I wonder if this could work out for me.

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Anyway, lunch was up and we ate Fish and Chips (fish fillet and fries) in one of the restaurants at the mall beside the office, the Plaza Singapura. I found out that the weather gets hotter than this (which I initially thought wasn't so bad). Yikes. Also, I have to say Singapore is far from being a garrison state. Jaywalkers abound. There's still litter in the streets. And such.

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The office is this room with glass windows from floor to ceiling (maybe not floor, but pretty tall). And, get this: LCD TVs up on the ceiling, 4 corners, and 4 walls (eight per floor). Muted, of course. The TV nearest me, is tuned in to CNN, which is good enough for employees not to get distracted. I got my HP PC, with a 17-something inch LCD monitor, and my very own phone right at my wide desk.

Unfortunately, somebody's been using the drawers assigned to me and it's a real mess inside. Please don't make me describe what's in it. But I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of the mess there. Euww.

For my first day, I went home at around seven o' clock for two reasons: One, nobody told me I can go home already, and my team and my line manager are still working. And two, I had to talk to someone in London (-7 hours difference). Coño!

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Plaza Singapura mall was really cool, and had a grocery too, in case I need to buy something from there. One thing I can't seem to find is a tabo! Naknampucha! Anyway, other than that, it's pretty complete. I wanted to stop looking around the shops because the list of things I want to buy, keep adding up. I ate at MOS Burger, which I think, is this Japanese fastfood burger chain. So-so burger, nothing special for me.

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So here I am on the way home, going online at some Internet cafe, which I may be doing for a while. It's at least until I buy myself a laptop (on my first paycheck, thank you, thank you). But then again, maybe the second paycheck. Old buddy, Nestor, is coming in and guess what his new toy is. Maybe I'll hold off buying. Instead, once my employment pass is finalized, I can get a ticket back home for my trip in July. Yeah, and get myself a tabo.