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I am having a problem.
I actually don't know what to feel when HR told me I need to exit to the Philippines. Part of me felt happy and excited as I will have this chance to be with my family AND I will be home on Xioms' 3rd birthday. On the contrary, I don't want to go home. Aside from the fact that I don't have any return ticket, which is by the way will be shouldered by moi, I am thinking of the expenses and the process in POEA. Fuck our government!
HR told me that they don't want me to stay in a near country because they don't actually know when will my papers from the Ministry of Higher Education be released. They just estimated 7 to 8 weeks max, including the processing of my employment/residence visa. This is the reason why they always advice their employees to exit to their home countries. Also, the reason why I needed to exit is that I have used up my 2 months stay in UAE as a tourist. Having no employment visa yet and as what their law states, I need to be out of sandpit for at least 30 days before I could enter their country again unless otherwise the company have issued me an employment visa.
The thing is, our HR is not aware of our POEA's stupid processing. I've been reading the POEA website all day everyday and as to what I learned, I am called - Name Hired. It means that I've never been into any agencies and I am hired directly by the company. Stating this, when I come home to the Philippines and then go back to UAE, I will be needing some important documents for the Immigration to let me pass. Aside from that, I need to go to POEA to be a member and pay some a lot of cash and attend to the so called PDOS before our government could actually permit me to work abroad. Full of BS, right? This is the main reason why I don't want to go home!
But what else can I do? I don't want to go to Iran or Oman and stay there for like a month or so. I was thinking I have no choice but to go home. Besides, the university will shoulder my air ticket going back here in sandpit. Now, the only thing I would ask HR is to give me all those requirements that I will present to Philippine Immigration then I'll book my flight home. Fuck, I only got 7 days left!
I just came home from work and I thought of sharing what happened on my second day at work.
For the record, this day's the best day of my life (so far) here in Abu Dhabi. First day sucks to tell you honestly but this day made me feel am back in the game. The very early wake up call and looooong drive from and to work was all worth it. Here, I feel so belong. They made me feel I am NOW part of the family even though we're like united colors of benetton. =)
I had the chance to meet most of the faculty members. From big bosses to professors to staff. They are all very friendly and nice. I happen to have the nicest boss in all departments -- well, that's what everybody's saying. So all the tedious and literally hard filing of paperwork became chicken shit. Haha.
Anyway, have I told you about my daily routine? I guess I'd better create a new blog for that. I don't want to ruin the bliss am feeling right now.
Am out!
x
A week has already passed and I still haven't received any phone calls from the job am waiting for. I'm getting paranoid each day though am still attending some job interviews from other companies. I can't waste my time you know, I only have 3 weeks left before my visa expires! This is where the saying time is precious comes in, oh sooo precious!
My friends keep on telling me that all I needed to do is to be patient and wait but it feels like I'm waiting for nothing. The only thing that I'm holding on to that freaking job is that lady's words. And what's really funny is that those words are just verbal and came out from a phone. Ridiculous!
After the long wait, a week and four days to be exact, they finally called. They wanted me to start immediately, meaning I need to report for work though am still holding a tourist visa. For me, that's totally fine since I've been bored to death for almost two months AND of course, as long as they're gonna process my papers legally fast! The universe is on my side that day. Everything turned out to be almost perfect. I received and signed the offer letter, had a little chat with HR regarding all the stuff that we need to accomplish and met with some of my new united colors of benetton colleagues. Haha!
I think
TBC.
I thought that that was just an ordinary boring day but it turned out to be "THE DAY".
I was in a grocery store when my mobile rang. T'was a call from a company which I applied a month ago. I was asked if he can interview me right then and there. I was skeptical at first but hey, what am I thinking? In the end I was interviewed. There was this question about the company that I thought I messed up but I was surprised when he called again the other day inviting me for a panel interview in Abu Dhabi the day after tomorrow. I asked if he can give me the exact location of their office and he said that he'll email it to me after we're done talking.
The day has passed, still no email received from this company. The very next day, I checked on my mailbox and found zero again. I begin to think they've changed their minds so I just accepted the fact that the job wasn't really for me.
The interview date came and am still lying on the bed doing nothing when suddenly my mobile rang. It was somebody else from that same company and was asking me if I have plans on going for an interview. I was like confused and told the lady that I haven't received any email from them. She quickly asked if I'm still interested and if I can come within the day. T'was almost lunch time and my scheduled interview is 10am. I told her that I'm still in Dubai and she responded that they're open until 6pm. So I just said yes to finish the convo. I checked my mail again and that's when I found out how stupid I am. The instructions and location map was in my spam folder. Fuck! Why the heck I never thought of that?! Anyway, I rush to the bathroom and took a bath. I was thinking I can make it by 3pm or 4pm. For your info, Abu Dhabi is a 2-hour drive from Dubai. Fuck me!
I finally arrived after 2 or 3 hours. Imagine a hungry bitch (I haven't taken any breakfast or lunch) with raddled face -- yep, that was me! Finally, the receptionist called my attention and asked me to follow her. As I entered the room, there were 3 persons waiting. They're my interviewers I suppose? An Arab, maybe a Malaysian and a Filipino. Lots of questions were thrown and I think I've been inside that room for 30 minutes. After, the Filipino told me to wait for a while as I'll be having one more round of interview. Gawd, my stomach was really in a revolution! I could eat up a whole chicken in 10 seconds!
When we got to another room, the Filipino girl informally interviewed me. She told me every little thing to expect on this job and of course, just to impress her, I kept on saying "I can do the job." You know, I have this new motto when I arrived UAE. Always intellectually say yes and never say no. I do believe that everything in this world can be learned. Don't you think?
After some time, I finally met my last interviewer. It was the Dean of the department that I'll be in IF in case I got hired. He was so warm and nice. The interview wasn't an interview at all. He just told me stuff that they're doing within their department. He actually praised my CV. Then it all ended there. Would you believe if I told you that I got lost on my way out? I didn't know that I was inside the actual university not a company! I just thought it was an office where they recruit employees. Boy, it was really a big confusing school! I suddenly recalled my college days.
Anyhoo, as my tummy's rumbling, all am thinking at that very moment is where to eat. I am sooo tired when I got to this Al Wahda Mall near the bus station. I immediately looked for a food chain and saw Popeye's. I had 3 big fried chickens, a muffin, some fries and a coke. YUMMM! While eating, my mobile rang. It was the Filipino girl from the company where I just had my interview. The first lines were like, "So, are you really ready for a challenge?" I was like, "Uhm, yes?" Then she told me that it was me that they want, she mentioned the salary package plus benefits and so many things that I could not remember anymore. Damn! That was so fat! Tears just came out of my eyes when I heard that. I just can't believe this is happening plus all the mistakes and hassles I've been through that day. I think "Okay" was the only word I have said. She made sure that the HR will call me the following week. So I went home feeling happy with full of hope. My dreams are becoming clearer now... I guess.
One thing I've learned from this journey: Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.
Until my next senseless episode. Am out!
x
I can definitely say that these past days and weeks are the most boring days and weeks of my life. Sure am going here and there to have some fun but you see, this is my first time of being a huge ass bum since I graduated from college. I'm not into it and this is sooo not me! I always thought that this would be easy, just a piece of cake. Well, reality check, it's not! Fucking depressing!
There was this huge construction company that I really like to work for, problem is, they can't raise the salary. Come on, I shouldn't have left my previous job if this is the only thing here! Deadline's until next week for me to decide and it's a no-brainer. I mean, HELL NO!
Anyway, have I told you that I'm like a ping pong ball? Been travelling Dubai and Abu Dhabi back and forth for some interviews. I personally love Abu Dhabi. Why? Because I think there's less temptation there. It's more of a relaxed and laid back type of place to live in. Dubai has loads of beautiful places to go and hangout to, no doubt about that, but if you think about it, it's more of an outflow of money. Not good.
Hayyyy... life in UAE. I wish to have some more action rather than just sitting here at home gaining weight and doing nothing. Ugh! Speaking of weight, got to go to the gym and do some cardio. So, toodles!
x
