Eve of 2011

I extremely apologize for the hiatus. I haven't been blogging for the past few months due to a lot of random shenanigans. I'll definitely be back next year.

For now, let's all keep in mind that sometimes it's best to let go to make space for better things to come.

Happy 2011!

DJ

Alcohol and Charm

August 13 2035H
At the hotel I work for in Manila.

What transpired earlier was such a hilarious yet flattering experience.

Whilst I was standing on the desk, updating random profiles, a guest walks up to my direction; I look up, give him my metal-mouth smile and welcome him to the hotel as I notice him carrying a huge bag while dragging his huge luggage.

DJ: Good evening, checking-in?

Guest: Oh yes, I'll be checking-in.

DJ: May I have your passport or any type of ID with your photo on it?

The guest then grabs his passport from his bag and hands it to me -- I assumed he was Australian but his passport indicated that he's a British citizen.

DJ: Mr. B******, you'll be staying with us for a night?

Guest: That's correct.

I then go and register him whilst doing my redundant "check-in spiel" and all that jazz. After he filled up the form and after explaining every detail of his package, I then ask..

DJ: May I have your estimated time of departure tomorrow?

Guest: I'll be checking out real early; perhaps around 0500H.

DJ: That is pretty early sir. I'm afraid you won't be able to avail of the buffet breakfast since it begins by 0630H; care for a packed breakfast instead?

Guest: What? you guys do that? that's awesome! YES PLEASE!

DJ: What would you prefer sir? We have a choice of American, Continental or Filipino.

The guest goes for American and I can see from his smile that he was really impressed.

DJ: Also, since you'll be leaving quite early, would you like to have a wake up call?

Guest: Absolutely! You're a star, DJ! -- accompanied by a huge grin that could go for miles.

At this point, I took the advantage of "indirectly" asking for a recommendation from him. So.. I grab this comment card from one of the random dockets of my desk whilst looking at him and saying..

DJ: Perhaps you'd like to fill this up for us; we would love to read your thoughts about your initial experience at the hotel.

He hurriedly grabbed the form and asked for a pen and then he jumped the gun by asking "Where do I recommend you?".

In the back of my head, I was chanting HALLELUJAH!! My plan actually worked! haha.

The funny thing is, I could smell the alcohol from his breath so I sorta used that to my advantage because he wasn't in his sober state. I also noticed that he was literally scribbling on the comment card and he couldn't even spell some of the words correctly. I then jokingly asked him..

DJ: Sir, you're still sober, ya?

He then gives me another grin but I was pretty sure that he was already intoxicated with more than a slight buzz.

Attached below -- I'm not so sure if I can post this here since it's quite confidential; but yeah, who cares? haha -- is the actual comment he wrote down:



Don't you find it quite hilarious? I've learned that you seriously need to use your cards well in any given situation.

After that silly experience, I've re-used this new-found-skill i've learned and I actually received more recommendations from guests! Garnering me a prize of Php 200.00 since I received the highest recommendations for the month of August in the front office department. Well, yeah, Php 200.00 isn't really much but what's important is that guests actually appreciate what I do and it really inspires me to do even better in my craft. The monetary benefit is great but it's the pride that's really rewarding.

Below are the other commendations i've received:







































So yeah, it's just a random story I chose to share and I hope you use this as an example to do well on your own perspective fields.

'til then..

See you guys at the skies!

The agent who's Php 200.00 richer,
DJ

Hello Patience, are you there?

I have always fathomed myself as an individual who is highly skilled in the art of diplomacy whilst being equipped with an abundance of patience; however, recently, i've noticed a slight change that threatens to abolish these "gifts" of mine.

Patience and diplomacy as we all know are two very essential qualities to have if you opt to develop a career in the hospitality industry. You need these qualities whenever you deal with irate, slow or just anyone who knows how to push your buttons -- both colleagues and guests alike.

Having been officially a part of this industry -- as an employee and not an intern -- for 2 whole months now, I catch myself often cussing for numerous reasons whilst being on the front desk. As a frontliner, you come face to face with different personalities from a diverse range of nationalities; some good, some bad and some just plain nasty! I've encountered most of these personalities and I must say, some instances definitely test your patience and professionalism.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have always believed that I can firmly categorize myself as "someone who rarely gets pissed off" hence, having a great deal of control towards annoyance. After a short span of time in this industry though, I begin to question myself if I really have the ability to act like everything's all right with a sweet smile but I just wanna scream my lungs out with words that definitely will not make my momma proud.

I think it's just the stress that's getting to me; all the complaints, the arguments, the joiners that have bitch-fits, the workload, the change of shifts and the PAY. I swear, what I'm earning right now isn't upto par with the amount of stress this job entails. Most people celebrate every payday but in my case, I just get depressed everytime I face the screen of the ATM machine. Sigh.

Okay, I realized I'm just ranting now. Haha but isn't blogging all about freedom to express one's thoughts?

I'm just baffled by the fact that I easily get irritated lately with the simplest of things and it's definitely a huge shocker for me; this job is morphing me into an irate, atrocious person who lacks sleep! Damn! Okay, atrocious might be too much of an adjective to describe myself haha but I sorta feel that I'm starting to turn into one.

I guess having to work 6 days a week without even having time to go unwind can really bring out the grouchy side of a person. This is all just a phase i'm assuming and I sure hope this fades soon.

So.. Patience, are you there? Hello? It's all right to come back home to Papa.

'til then,

Patiently waiting for patience,
DJ

Time is a luxury

0219H - Manila

I've been on an extreme hiatus in terms of updating my site lately and it's all due to my job that has turned me into a creature who is relentlessly in desperate need of time. Six days a week man! YES, six EFFIN days on that desk per week. SHEESH! I don't really want to complain or what not but after a month at work, i've realized that my new job has been taking its toll on my personal life. Don't get me wrong though since I'm learning a hella lot of stuff but I just can't seem to find adequate time to fit in my personal life in my schedule.

So.. how has work been like, you ask? It's been great! like I said, i've been learning a lot and i've finally mastered the technique of tearing the tiny piece of paper coming out of the credit card device. Checking-in and checking-out guests (literally and figuratively on the checking-out part) is now second nature to me. I've just been late for work once; t'was when I had a party to attend because I was in dire need of booze and I was supposed to report to work at 0600H -- I mean who leaves a party so early right? -- but I ended up tucking in myself to bed at a half an hour past 0300H. 0630H and someone was banging on my door like there was a robber in the house, I opened it and voila! it was my maid informing me that there was a phone call for me from someone at the hotel I work in, I pick up the phone in my groggy state and I catch myself starting to speak in gibberish -- I think the booze finally started to kick in at that point -- but I just coughed it out. After registering the voice of the caller, I realized that it was my supervisor! She advised me to report for work immediately because I was already 30 minutes late -- waaay past the grace period -- I said that i'll be there as soon as I can and by the time I hanged up the phone, I looked at the clock and I started cussing inappropriate words to myself! I just grabbed my uniform from my closet without even bathing and hurriedly asked my dad if he could drop me to the hotel. When I reached the back office, they questioned me as to why I was tardy so I just came clean and told them that I partied last night; they warned me to not repeat this behavior again because it would reflect on my evaluation since I was still on a probationary status. Lesson learned: Party EARLIER and try to fill in your system with as much booze as possible so that you'd have an excuse to leave the party. HAHA

It's currently 0230H and I catch myself eating left-over pizza after slumbering for 12 hours STRAIGHT! I have to report to work at 0600H and i'm glad that I have some time for myself regardless if it's in an odd time of night, err.. morning. Having been on the graveyard shift the past week, I find myself experiencing "jetlag" without even being on a plane -- How ironic is that? It already makes me feel like a flight attendant since FA's don't have regular sleeping patterns and most often than not, they experience jetlag. In my case, I'm experiencing it whilst my toes are on solid ground. After working against my body-clock, i've grown a certain level of sympathy towards individuals who wound up in a call center -- kudos to you guys!

This entry doesn't even seem to make sense anymore! Let's just say i'm happy to be back and that i've finally found time to actually do something else aside from hibernating or serving people whilst at the front desk.

To end this, let me remind you that TIME is a LUXURY and it's best to not waste it on random shenanigans that fail to benefit you in any way.

Cheers!

In frantic need of time,
DJ

Rekindling my passion

Ahh.. that feeling of rapture and delight! Such a great feeling indeed. I'm finally reacquainted again with the first love of mine -- the hotel front desk. I know, I know, it's quite silly of me to say this, but yeah, I'm totally nuts over the reception! Do you ever have this sentiment of ecstacy towards someone or something but you can't really point out what it is? It's that je ne sais quoi! That thing you just can't grasp! -- that's what I felt when I was back in Dubai, training at the front desk of an Arabian resort.

I haven't mentioned this yet, but yes, I have lived in Dubai for almost half a year for my internship. I was working for the Jumeirah Group wherein I was deployed at Madinat Jumeirah (The Arabian Resort of Dubai) and I was based at the Front Desk/Reception as a Guest Services Executive. I had a blast! The people I worked with were some crazy, outgoing and very VERY spontaneous individuals! -- when I say spontaneous, expect the worst haha. That was approximately a year ago and I was never given a chance to be placed at the front desk again ever since I came back to Manila -- not until NOW!

So yeah, I've been on a hiatus lately from the blog world because I had to focus on my "career". I had a series of interviews for a couple of companies this week and I was pretty much preoccupied with that. I was interviewed for a Passenger Service Agent position at PAGS and I passed all the interviews but the salary is terrible -- oh yes! you won't be able to survive! Trust. Me. -- and I'm supposed to commence my training tomorrow; luckily though, I didn't sign the contract therefore there's nothing binding me with PAGS. A while ago, I had my final interview with the Operations Manager and the General Manager of a boutique hotel in Makati and I also got the results on the same day -- I PASSED! -- and I'm completely on a high right now.

My orientation will begin on the 14'th (Friday) and i'm sooo excited for it. Also, I believe that this shall be a very good credential for me on my CV when I meet up with airline recruiters because this position allows me to directly deal with guests and handle their complaints, queries and what not. Again, it's an investment! I don't see myself with the company for long though; I just plan to stay with them for a year or so -- just until my braces come off -- and then i'll go and try my luck with the airline industry again.

My dream has always been to fly over the rainbow so high but I guess it's all right to side track a bit. hahaha

Just an update on my end, I hope you're doing great on your end as well!

Until then.

Your new Front Office Agent,
DJ

Flight Attendant dream status: On hold.

You got that right, I'm officially putting my FA dream on hold due to some issues I have to deal with.

Yes my dear readers -- if I have any. haha -- I went to the dentist a while ago to have my braces attached. Braces as we all know is a major NO-NO in the FA industry -- well, for most airlines -- due to some safety issues not only during training but also in the actual aircraft itself.

So yeah, you guys might think i'm bonkers to have them on especially right now wherein there are OD's for some multi-national airlines but i'm actually seeing this as an investment; in due time, my slightly crooked teeth will be aligned and the problem with my jaw -- which I only found out today -- will be resolved.

Honestly, I've always believed I had a great smile -- all modesty aside -- and that my teeth were OK. Since I started browsing through different FA forums and blogs, i've noticed that most aspirants tend to put their dreams on hold as well for the sake of having their teeth fixed. Also, i've read that most of them experienced rejection from different airlines due to how their teeth look like. In my case, I only started to notice the misalignment of my teeth after reading those stories.

Fellow FA wannabes, i'm not insisting that your teeth has to be perfect in order for you to actually make it in the airline company of your choice but it sure is a factor. Take note of EK, they value the smiles of their employees and i'm pretty certain that it's part of their criteria -- along with your personality and how you present yourself of course -- in selecting their cabin crew. If you personally feel like you need to have your teeth fixed, by all means, go ahead and do it; we have all the time in the world and this is definitely going to be a lifelong investment.

It's best to keep in mind though that our smile can only lead us to some extent, the verdict will still depend on how you exude yourself to the recruiters and how you manage to make them suckers for your charm.

I swear, I look like a geek! haha all that's missing is a pair of nerdy glasses and i'm good to go. These canker sores are such a drag as well! I just had my braces attached today, 24 hours hasn't even gone by yet and my gums are already begging for me to save them. Oh well, like I said earlier.. it's an investment and no matter how overused this next line is, it really DOES make sense: No pain, No gain.

So.. what's in store for me now, you ask? I still have noooo idea whatsoever. Let's see where my path leads me and then i'll just play it by ear.

Don't worry though, I won't be on a hiatus and I promise to still keep on updating this blog of mine.

See you guys at the skies in 2011!

With metal in my mouth,
DJ

Cebu Pacific screening turned OD

A while ago, I woke up just before the break of dawn in order to make it to the 5J screening. I don't even recall the last time I awoke at such an early time in the morning just to get myself all dressed up for an interview. The reason why I had a sudden change in my sleep pattern is because of the cut-off that I had to reach; yes, there's a cut-off for male applicants and they are going to interview the first 50 applicants who arrive at the training and development center along the domestic road.

So yeah, due to the cut-off; I had to disrupt my dad in his slumbering state as well because I couldn't use my car due to the coding (my plate number ends in 1 that's why I don't have access to my car every Monday). We left at around 0515 to avoid traffic and the reddish-orange shade of the sky was so serene to look at; it really helped in calming my nerves whilst my dad was driving me to a place where I was soon to be judged -- yes, my nerves always get the best of me if I fail to control it.

We arrived at the venue at approximately 0530 but while I was in the car, I checked my stuff and I realized that I left my photos at home -- I began to cuss inappropriate words to myself in my head -- and I recalled that they were in the bag which I used for the QR OD in Cebu. I brushed things off and as I got down of the car, I headed to the guard and gave him my CV; he stamped it and I logged in on a sheet of paper -- there were around 15 guys in the room at that point -- and I asked the guard if I could just come back later, he nodded and I was off to the car again. While heading to my dad's car, I was already generating an excuse in the back of my head -- my dad would get FURIOUS if he found out the truth that I accidentally left my photos at home -- so that I won't screw up my dad's morning. When I entered the car, I told him that I forgot to cut my nails and that my hands were really dry and I assured him that they would check my hands whilst being interviewed -- such a lame excuse, I know haha but I had to think of something FAST -- by one of the HR personnel. Yes, he was slightly mad but he didn't go berserk so he drove me all the way back home again -- my dad's such a star haha -- amidst the slight build up of cars in the city.

It was around 0630 when we reached home and I hurriedly went to my room to get my stuff; my dad was downstairs having his daily dose of tea -- nothing, and i mean NOTHING can separate my dad and his "tea time" -- and biscuits so I just grabbed a piece of toasted pandesal and munched it down to atleast keep my empty tummy not-so-empty-anymore. Once done, we left 10 minutes before 0700 but luckily, traffic wasn't that crazy yet so I made it back to the 5J training center within 20 minutes. Upon entering, the place was already packed! I was quite startled because I wasn't expecting a lot of guys to be there due to the cut-off but I soon found out that the HR decided to call off the cut-off to accommodate the others who were there -- grrreeat! -- at the venue. I approached the lady guard who was there and she handed me this:



The moment I saw what was on the ID, I was like "What the hell??" -- how could I be applicant 119 when I arrived in so early that there were hardly 20 people in the room! -- So I advised the lady guard that this might be a mistake because I submitted my CV at 0530. The male guard then recognized me then he said "sir, your resume is already in the first group that will be interviewed, the ID is just a number but it doesn't mean anything" -- he said it in Tagalog of course -- I then just smiled and said my thanks and I was standing for about 20 minutes until I was able to occupy a seat.

After 15 minutes or so, a male HR personnel introduced himself as Mr. R and he said that he would start the screening shortly -- it was around 0730 that time -- since there were a lot of applicants to be screened. He then started to call out names while the rest of us were just waiting for our turn to be called. After an hour, and after constantly yawning and checking my watch, some lady finally called out a familiar name but she hardly was able to pronounce it -- yes, most people butcher my name all the time that's why I prefer to be called DJ instead -- so I stood up amongst the seated crowd and I said my name aloud; she smiled, I responded back with a smile and I headed to the interview room whilst a dozen eyes were staring at me.

Upon entering the room, she instructed me to take a seat and she tried to pronounce my name once again -- she did get it right the second time around -- but I requested for her to address me by DJ instead. She just smiled and the interview began. She failed to introduce herself so I just took a glance at her ID and her name was Ms. R. She started by asking how old I was so I responded by stating, "Ms. R, I'm 21." she gave out a surprised look and then smiled -- I think it was because I said her name without her saying it to me -- and she followed up by asking how I found out about the vacancy. She then kept on firing numerous, easy questions and I answered them one at a time but suddenly, she asked if I had mixed blood; I said, "No ma'am, I'm not Filipino at all but I was born and raised here" she then followed up by asking "How about your citizenship? do you hold a Filipino passport?" I answered back by saying "I don't, but I'm legite to work here since I have a permanent resident status" She then wrote a couple of lines on my CV but her next set of questions were still focused on my nationality and citizenship. I noticed that there was something wrong so I asked her "Ms. R, should I be concerned with my status?" She was pretty transparent and she admitted, "Yes, I'm sorry to say but you should be concerned with your status; we had the same case before wherein there was a Chinese girl who was accepted for the next round but we had to let her go due to her citizenship; you see, she wasn't bearing a Filipino passport." We had the same situation and in the back of my head I was like oh shoot! So I responded by saying, "Will I undergo the same fate?" she said, "I'm afraid so, but I'll try to check on your status with my colleagues and we'll let you know thru text if you're qualified for the panel interview or not.". After she said that, I just thanked her for her time and headed out to the reception to claim my ID.

I then was outside, basking in the ambience of the summer heat -- it was scorching earlier! -- whilst waiting for a cab. Lo and behold, all the cabs were full! It took me 20 minutes of sweating just to get a cab -- I swear my feet were about to burn inside my leather shoes -- and I finally was reacquainted with cool air from the air-conditioning.

When I reached home, I told mum my story and she told me to just keep my hopes up but I could see from her face that she was disappointed due to my "citizenship issue". Honestly, I sort of saw it coming that I wouldn't make it to the next round -- not because I didn't do well in the interview but because I was helpless due to my citizenship -- Nevertheless, I was still trying my best to look at the positive side of things -- my interview lasted about 5-7 minutes and comparing to other applicants, she interviewed me longer -- and I was hoping that they could find a way to get me in through the next round regardless of what passport I hold.

I logged on to a forum online and there were a couple of posts about the screening; it was around 1500 that time and the contents of the posts were negative news. The applicants who shared their experiences earlier said that they weren't even verbally interviewed, they were just asked to stand up and smile. They then received the SMS stating that they didn't qualify for the next round.

Upon reading their posts, I still had a spark of hope deep inside and I was really hoping to get the congratulatory SMS. After a couple of minutes, a friend then sent me a message stating that he didn't qualify as well. I then started to feel anxious since my phone was just idle on the table for hours! It was approximately 1834 when my phone vibrated and once the message was fully loaded, I read the first line and it said, "We regret to inform you.. blah blah..". I wasn't shocked at all; I really felt it coming. What bothers me the most is that I knew I had a chance but I felt so helpless because the odds were against me; I'm a foreigner, I don't bear Filipino citizenship -- regardless if I was born and raised here and I speak Tagalog fluently -- and there was nothing I could do to change that fact.

It was such a disappointing day but yeah, there's nothing I can do really. If it's not in my luck, it's not. It's just really misleading that they posted on their advertisement that it's okay to apply as long as you have relevant residence status -- which I have -- and then they would turn it into a problem once you're being interviewed.

So yeah, that was my experience with Cebu Pacific. It's all right though, I'm not sad whatsoever but I can't really describe this feeling right now; it's weird!

Anyway, I hope to see you guys at the skies SOON -- without encountering further problems regarding my citizenship --

Cheers,
DJ

Back to reality

Two hours ago, I woke up with a sigh since my mini vaca in Cebu has been put to a halt. It's back to the same old lifestyle and daily routines for me here in MNL.

Do you ever get the feeling of nostalgia after you travel? -- after, in this case, means the NEXT day upon arriving at your real abode -- I get that feeling everytime I come back home the day AFTER I arrive; strange eh? It's like, your body is still somewhat trapped in time and you're trying to detach yourself from that period of reminiscing in order to remind your brain that the trip's officially over.

Yes, I do admit, I'm a sucker for nostalgia and I'm experiencing it now.

Two hours later, I catch myself still giving out a sigh. I feel that up to now, my mind's still ensnared in Cebu; no more waking up in a different room each day, overindulging myself with my aunt's cooking, 4pm coffee and biscuits with my cousin whilst being harassed by my 2 year old niece -- yes, she's only 2 but she already knows how to put on a poker face and at a very young age, she has the ability of manipulation -- in the living area.

And yes, call me silly or what not but i'm sulking myself in the ambience of sentimental music. gaaaah.

This feeling will SOON fade, i'm pretty sure of it. Everything just happened in such haste and my brain cells need some time to absorb the fact that I'm back in MY world.

So yeah, my Cebu shindig was quite a blast. I haven't been there in 11 years so my cousins brought me out to numerous places such as tops, different malls, we tried out the edge coaster at the Crowne and I even had the chance to meet up with a friend that I haven't seen in a year.

It's funny to realize that time DOES go by so fast; most of us already have college degrees and I already have a niece on my dad's side. My first ever niece! can you believe that? haha I feel old.. though the truth is, i'm only 21. We rekindled old memories by allowing ourselves to make fun of our geeky/nerdy childhood days; it was hilarious to see the bulges on our tummies and watching home made videos of our squeaky voices. I sure would like to be a kid again regardless of how I appeared back then.

Ahhh.. childhood. Runnning around without direction nor worry, pigging out on high calorie items, always -- if not most times -- obtaining what your tiny heart desires; how carefree! Makes me realize though that soon, the time will come when i'll be having my own kids. That's such a scary thought for now, so I guess it's safe to say that i'll cross the bridge when I get there (in 10 years!).

Please excuse me for this entry, it's all due to my nostalgic state.

So yeah, going back to my Cebu trip, there was a funny incident that transpired. I accompanied my cousin and her daughter at the day care center and while I was waiting outside, the random yayas and mums of the toddlers in the day care were talking to my cousin; and guess what the topic was? yeah yeah, it's predictable; ME! hahaha they all were asking if I was the dad of my niece -- of course my cousin said NO -- and she answered back by stating, "he's actually just here for a vacation, he's a flight attendant for Emirates" -- and all of them actually bought it! -- She then followed by saying, "he'll be flying back to Dubai in a couple of days". Deep inside, my cousin was trying not to laugh whilst I was outside, standing and cluelessly waiting on what was happening on the other end of the glass window. When she came out with my niece, I looked behind and they were still staring at me. So out of curiousity, I asked my cousin on what occurred inside. She told me what happened and we were laughing our derrieres off! She even said "they think you look good and that you're tall and they actually said you look like a flight attendant" -- honestly, that made my day -- with a wink after finishing her sentence. We were still giggling whilst inside the cab. Sometimes though, at clubs or parties, when random strangers ask me what I do, I just respond back by saying that I'm a flight attendant for a multi-national airline -- yes, I know it's just a lie but why not fake it 'til you make it, yeah? -- and they actually believe me. hahaha it's just something I do for laughs.

Talking about Cebu, there's going to be a cabin crew screening for Cebu Pacific on the 26'th (Monday) of this month. I'm gonna get myself really prepared for that and I have only one goal in mind; eyes on the prize dheej, eyes on the prize!

I'm gonna be there really early since they'll only be entertaining the first 50 applicants; beyond the cut off, you won't have the chance to be interviewed.

So yeah, wish me luck!

See you guys at the skies,
DJ

QR OD (Cebu)

Just a while back, I had my first glimpse of how an OD is actually like. And damn! When I say there were a lot of people, it's an understatement; the place was insanely packed!

I arrived 15 minutes before 0900 hours and upon entering the hall that was already filled by more than half of the applicants, I noticed the two lovely and quite stunning female recruiters that were poisely seated at the front. Luckily, I managed to find an aisle seat at the right side of the hall.

When the clock struck at approximately 0900, the lady from the right stood up and elegantly made her way to the mid-front area of the hall then she was shortly followed by the recruiter who was seated on the other end. They both commanded heed just by their presence alone; they didn't even say a word yet but they still managed to grab everyone's attention just by standing up. The lady from the right side of the hall then introduced herself - I believe her name started with an A - I couldn't really hear them much since I was sitting way at the back but she said that she's a Singaporean. The lady from the left then said that her name's L but I wasn't able to hear her anymore - she appeared to be South American though - because the tone of her voice wasn't that audible.

So finally, the 30-second-brief-interviews began. They started to call on the applicants who were on the first row and screened one person at a time.

I noticed that L (lady on the left) was much more lively and upbeat compared to A who was really reserved and she rarely gave out a grin. Since I was already seated at the right side of the hall, I didn't bother transferring anymore because the room was already filled up and most of the seats were already occupied - my gut feel was signaling me to transfer to the left but my body just froze onto my seat - so I just decided to go with the flow and let fate decide for me.

Whilst nearing my turn with the recruiter, I got my photos ready and took a really deep breath since I was beginning to feel the exhaustion from all the waiting. When it was my turn to be called, I stood up and smiled my way to the Singaporean lady - her skin was flawless and she had a great set of pearly whites - she then asked me to say my name since she couldn't pronounce it well but I told her to address me by DJ instead. She then asked how old I was and she hurriedly scanned through my CV. She noticed that I look foreign so she asked me where my roots were from and she then followed by asking if I could speak in Hindi; I said yes, she smiled and then she wrote down something on a piece of paper. She had quite an impressive poker face though; I really couldn't read it! One thing that transpired in my time with her was that there was a lot of dead-air - not on my part but on hers - I was concerned that she didn't find me interesting since she wasn't asking much so what I did was I just initiated some small talk to fill in the lulls - oh the dreaded lulls! Ugh. - since I'm not really a huge fan of silence. After scanning through my CV, she just said thanks - without shaking my hands - and then I was off to get my stuff and I headed out the hall. It was around 1030 that time and the hall was still packed!

The waiting game then officially began.

1300 - had lunch; no phone call.
1400 - looking at old baby pictures; no phone call.
1500 - watching old home made videos; 2 sms', no phone call.
1600 - still watching the videos; no phone call.
1700 - I was hoping they would start calling by this time but yet again, no phone call.
1800 - headed to the ayala mall with my Cebu based relatives; still no phone call.
1900 - grocery shopping; 1 SMS, no phone call.
2000 - the night was still young but I was starting to lose hope; still no phone call.
2100 - got back home; 5 sms', no phone call.
2200 - writing this blog; still no phone call.

This waiting game is such a drag! I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get the call anymore and I'm actually okay about it. Haha weird eh? Honestly though, my heart's really with Emirates and I'm still waiting for the invitational email from IPAMS.

I'm just going to charge this to experience; it was a pretty tiring day but atleast I finally have a first hand idea of how an OD for an international airline is actually like. All hope still isn't lost for this month yet since I'm planning to attend the Cebu Pacific screening on the 26th. Also, there has been word that QR might have another OD in Manila; hopefully it would be open for males again.

It's already 2230 and I'm sleepy; guess it's time for me to proceed to la-la-land.


---------------------

Before I go to bed though, allow me to let you in on some personal "theories" of mine.

1. I've noticed that they really prefer tall individuals (based from observing the South American lady because she always shook hands with people who are vertically gifted and even after the interview, she was scanning their CV with a smile on her face).

2. Always, ALWAYS be at your best and be sure to look it. The first impression alone can make or break you and this not only includes what you have on your back but also your posture and your speech (I've seen some people who were not in business attire and most aspirants who are being interviewed tend to fidget a lot. Remember people, appearance is everything; specially in the F.A world).

3. Based on my interview, don't try to fill in the lulls unless deemed necessary. I did a lot of small talk but then I later realized that it wasn't a good thing on my behalf since I should've let her quietly think and absorb what was on my CV before dumping it on the pile.

4. Be patient, very VERY patient in waiting. The queue can be super-duper-uber long. Oh! And yes, do breathe! It's okay to do so. Haha

5. If you don't get the call on the same day, don't fret. Everytime you get a NO, a YES will surely come your way in due time. Just remember to charge everything to experience and take the time to better yourself until the next open day.

For now, I'll just enjoy my time in Cebu.

'till the next OD!

See you guys at the skies,
DJ

21

Backtracking..

4 days prior to today, I officially was considered a legal (adult) citizen of this planet. I JUST TURNED 21 BABY! woot. FINALLY. No need to carry a fake piece of identification anymore in order to paaarty (although we don't need one here in Manila). When I was back in Dubai, I had to create a fake copy of my passport just to have a decent nightlife - take note, doing ANYTHING illegal in DXB regardless if it's something petty or what not, can end you up in a prison cell - So yeah, pathetic eh? but I believe you'd do anything crazy enough as to keep you happy and sane; oh! and yes, normal.

Anyway, yesterday was a blast! I ended up treating my drunkard buddies in Distillery at the Fort. Fun, fun night indeed! I came in early though as to reserve a table but lo and behold.. I should've figured that the place would be packed by early birds. I was there before 8 and I left my place at 6 - yes, Manila's traffic can be such a drag at times; no, MOST times - but I still managed to get a table, though it was the smallest round table there. Also, I was finally reconciled with the first love of mine (absolut kurant) since we last parted ways 2 weeks ago or so. It was such a good feeling to relish its taste once again. mm-hmm.

The night was young, quite young actually; but the place started to be really packed by people and I was glad that our tiny table could put up with all the booze and junk and other paraphernalia on top of it. It's funny that people could still remember their glasses on the table when everything looks the same due to the same contents in it. Oh well, I think I must've spit-swapped at a point because I couldn't distinguish my glass from the rest.

It's also hilarious that people can still get hyped up over a Lady GaGa song that was a big BIG hit last year (Poker Face - muh muh muh muh). I sure was one of 'em, and yes, I was under the influence but I still knew what I was doing. t'was CRAAAZY. It was a fun song to shake your body to though - err, not body, just the face and shoulders rather with some hand movements; slight, hand movements - but yeah, good, good times; embarrassing though, but still good.

Nonetheless, I had F-U-N and was overly satisfied with how the night ended up. And oh yes, I was relieved that my wallet survived my 21'st.

After only 5 hours of sleep, I have a terrible hangover - one that I don't usually get but I was glad to experience it again after the looongest time - and my voice is sorta squeaky. Hangover + Voice problems the next day = an INSAAAANE night.

So the normal routine when I wake up, before even using the loo, I turn my laptop on and lie down on my bed and venture off to cyberland. Whilst lying down and being comfortable and yes, still groggy; My bed decided to give me a surprise - when I say surprise, It's meant to be a shocker - and it actually scared the shit right out of me due to my groggy state by giving me a big BOOM! - literally - It gave up on me, my bed gave up on me! I know i've been gaining unwanted weight for the past few days due to my diet that's composed entirely of junk and protein shakes but I only weigh 140 lbs! C'mon man! Guess i'll be sleeping on the floor tonight. Thanks bed, you've been really comfy to sleep in but now I must go look for a new one; i'm gonna miss you though.

I'll end this blog right now, I don't think i'm making much sense anymore. I'm just randomly typing stuff that's on my head. Oh well..


note to self: Dheej, your life OFFICIALLY starts now.

Farewell.

A legal adult of this world,
DJ

Flight Confirmed

I was able to book it three days ago. Luckily, they still had available seats for the flight.

View the image for the details.



I have a strange feeling that this flight's already full. For you guys who haven't booked your flight yet, better do it ASAP since most of the OD attendees are planning to leave on the 17'th as well.

See you guys in Cebu!

Qatar Airways require men

Okay, it's confirmed.

The Qatar Airways OD in Cebu on the 18th is also open for individuals from the MALE species. Hell yeah baby! Hahaha

I just read in a forum that a Filipino cabin crew member who's based in Doha, contacted the recruitment office and inquired if the OD in CEB is just for females or not. The recruitment officer confirmed that the OD can also be attended by men.

He also elaborated that back in 2008, there was an OD for the said airline in Manila and it was posted on the QR site that only females are advised to attend the screening. IPAMS then advertised that men could also try their luck in the open day but when the day finally arrived and the recruiters noticed male applicants, they apologetically insisted for them to leave since they only requested for females.

Lesson learned that it's still best to contact the company and inquire rather than following the agency since their info might be out of date. So.. Following my previous post -- was it a prank? Haha let's not assume anything for now. It's best to just make use of our time to prepare for the OD on the 18th.

Book your flights now people!

See you guys at the Marriott.

Confused no more,
DJ

April fools prank? I hope so..

Yeah yeah.. it's the time of year again wherein people can play pranks on others and get away with it. Though i'm hoping that what i'll be telling you right now is truly just a joke.

If you've been updated with the aviation world, Qatar Airways has scheduled open days throughout numerous cities for the month of April. They'll be in CEB on the 18'th and as we all know, this airline hasn't had an open day for males here in the Philippines for the past few years. They only require females to attend the assessment in Manila, Cebu and as well as other chosen countries (mostly third world) and they actually let potential candidates know if they're only going to assess females in that area or not thru their website.

A perfect example would be the snapshot below wherein they've indicated that they only need females to attend the screening in Mumbai, India.



For the OD in CEB on the 18'th, this was indicated on the QR site



Do you see the difference? For the OD in Mumbai, they only require females but for the Cebu Assessment, there's nothing specified. The biggest shocker here is that on the website of IPAMS they have the same Qatar Ad with a slight twist



As per the above image from the IPAMS website, they require females to attend the OD. Confusing yeah?

I've been reading a couple of forums online regarding the same issue and some people have even contacted the agency in Manila to inquire. Apparently, IPAMS confirmed that the recruiters will only assess female applicants. The issue here is.. which site are we going to follow? The official Qatar airways website or the appointed agency?

I wish this is just a prank by the agency and i'm hoping that they would re-post an ad saying "GOTCHA!" since IT IS April fools and they might have just wanted to push our anxiety buttons a bit but I doubt that will happen. It won't transpire even in my wildest dreams!

I mean, i'm more than willing enough to shell out cash and attend the OD in CEB but i'm concerned that everything might just go to waste if they inform me then and there that i'm not eligible due to my gender.

Oh well.. let's wait and see if anything changes. We still have much time before the OD but I hope that everything will be clarified as soon as possible as to not cause much trouble to others.

See you guys at the skies!

Confused truly,
DJ

The return of 5J

You read that right! Cebu Pacific's back in business (in terms of OD's).

Equipped with a cinnamon roll and a bottle of soy milk for breakfast, I venture off to cyberland to start my day. The reason why i'm munching on this as i'm typing is because I just woke up and I need the sugar to energize me a bit. Though, I don't think I need the extra kick anymore. Why you ask? Well, I was browsing thru the web hunting for jobs (roarr) and then I came across a 5J link in jobstreet.com. I clicked on the link and waited for the page to load up whilst gulping down my soy milk. To my surprise, after seeing the page, I find myself officially awake after reading the word MALE! The mere fact that they're re-hiring MALE flight attendants got me all giddy and hyped up already. They haven't had an opening for male cabin crew in years!

Another bite of the roll and I don't think i'm feeling the effect of the sugar anymore; it's overpowered by the news my brain just absorbed.

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT. Seriously.

I'm pretty sure though that the venue for the assessment is gonna be packed up with testosterone-filled-individuals because 5J has been depriving us guys (men) for so long that the tension has finally built up and it's ready to burst!
"uh-oh" is the only term I can use to verbalize this mayhem i'm fore-seeing. 5J employees, brace yourselves!

So yeah, go ahead and get yourselves ready for the assessment day and spread the news if you wish.

Here's the link by the way.
http://ph.jobstreet.com/jobs/2010/3/j/80/2334403.htm?fr=J

CNN Business Traveller

I was able to catch the flight attendant episode of this show hosted by Richard Quest wherein he had a crash course on how to be a cabin crew and he even took the challenge to actually act as a flight attendant in a Gulf Air flight headed to DXB -- that lucky bloke!

Initially, you can see him in the training academy wherein he was with other cabin crew trainees whilst undergoing training. They were trained on service, safety and how to properly yet professionally present yourself. Quite interesting really specially when they were role playing different potential situations that may arise in flight; such as: turbulence, ditching, etc.

Next, you would see him in a real GF flight departing from Bahrain and he was actually participating in the service whilst being judged by a senior cabin crew member/trainor. He was actually sorta shaking a bit while he was serving bread to the Arabs haha he still remained his professionalism though which is quite excellent on his part.

It was great to actually get a glimpse of what I'll be doing in the future. Training seemed fun yet challenging and they seriously train you to be at your best. Also, the mere fact that we will act as a beacon of safety and comfort for the passengers makes it really exciting yet it also entails that flight attendants really carry a lot of weight on their shoulders and not everything is glamorous. Nevertheless, I'm ready for it! All I need to do now is to manage to land a job for an airline (hopefully EK).

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for that day to come.

'til then, see you guys at the skies!

Peek-a-boo

I've been peeking at my email account yet I was unexpectedly booed in the end.

If only the refresh button on my browser was alive, i'm sure it would have butchered me by now since I've been "pushing its button" every 5 minutes for the past 2 days. I've been doing this because we were advised by IPAMS that we would be receiving the invites for the AD within the week if qualified or not.

I guess my initial attempt was uneventful.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to receive one. I'm guessing it's because I lied about my age and they must've found out that I'm really 20; another theory could be that they have decided to place me in the April assessment since the slots might be full for the March AD. I would definitely go for the latter if ever my presumptions are accurate. I'm not sure though, those are just theories of mine.

Oh well.. I still don't know where I went wrong. The interview with Miss R went really well. Hmm... was it because I still don't have any work experience? Or because they noticed my scar? WTF I don't wanna think about it anymore! haha my time will come soon.

Oh yeah, I'm still going to end this post with the final line below since I still have high hopes of getting that cabin crew slot in Emirates!

See you guys at the skies! (soon of course).

Dream, do come true

I had a wonderful dream last night! Guess what? I dreamt that I qualified for the Emirates assessment and I actually made it to the final interview! I was all excited, hyper and I had goosebumps all over. We were only 3 applicants who were scheduled for the final interview; 2 dudes and 1 gal.

So yeah, a day before the finale, my tooth chipped off (I don't really remember how it happened, it just did. haha). I'm not kidding! Then I became so paranoid because a smile is very important for Emirates and having a missing tooth could possibly lead to rejection! So.. I called up my dentist if it was possible for him to meet me on the same day to have my teeth fixed. He agreed to it and he had it done. hahaha

Then all I remember is that I was being interviewed by 2 female Emirates recruiters (I can't recall their nationalities anymore) and I could see smiles coming from their faces. Then on the same day itself, they gave me CD's of Emirates and advised me to go have my medicals done (The process isn't really like this since you'd have to wait a couple of weeks after the interview to find out if you're in or not but I have no idea why this was the scene in my dream). Which means I passed! HAHAHA and then, all of a sudden, I woke up.. ugh. Couldn't I cherish that moment a couple of minutes more?

But yeah, like I said.. it was only a dream. Strange eh? Well I sure hope it would come true. NO, allow me to rephrase that.. It WILL come true and I soon will be flying proudly with Emirates. woohoo!

----

My personal interpretation of this dream and why it happened:

Perhaps i'm just excited for the Emirates assessment day that's fast approaching. Though I still haven't received the email yet, I firmly believe that i'll be a cabin crew for Emirates. Maybe my sub-conscious mind feels the same way that's why it allowed me to dream of a fantastic dream last night which will soon become reality! hahaha

Also, It's been a loooong time since I was able to vividly remember a dream. Could this actually mean something? hmmm.. we'll soon find out.

I sure can't wait to finally live that dream!

See you guys at the skies!

Pacific Jet

Okay, backtracking again..

Last week (04 March, 2010)


I had an assessment for Pacific Jet (it's a domestic carrier in the Philippines). The day before the assessment, I had to prep up all the documents needed and i was hella excited since this would be my first ever assessment for a cabin crew position. So yeah, on the day of the assessment itself, I arrived earlier than expected (as usual) since it's best to make a good first impression. I was actually surprised that I was the only applicant in the waiting area. So.. I grabbed a newspaper from the desk and started brushing up on the current events. You never know if the interviewer would ask you a random economic question or what not so it's always a better option to be prepared.

After 15 minutes or so, I was called by the HR personnel (Miss G) and she lead me to another room wherein they checked my height, weight, skin and teeth. I have a tiny scar on my face but luckily it's not that visible unless you carefully stare at it. Fortunately, the person who was assessing me (Miss B) wasn't able to see the scar. phew! They then asked me if I had any tattoos or birthmarks; I said no. She then handed me a questionnaire because I had to take the exam. The exam was quite simple yet tricky. It was composed of situational stuff on-board the aircraft and they were testing your decision making skills. After the exam, I had to write an essay with the topic "Who am I?". It took me around 15-20 minutes to finish the entire thing because I was starving like hell!

After the assessment, I asked Miss G if I would still be interviewed today. She said that she would still check my documents and my essay and if successful, they would schedule me for an interview the week after. I nodded, said my thanks and proceeded to the nearest food stand. I was seriously hungry. haha

09 March, 2010

I finally received an email notifying me that I passed the assessment and that I was scheduled for an interview at 0100 hours the next day. They also advised me to bring a swimming certificate and a photocopy of my passport. (I found it strange that they're asking for all these documents wherein i'm still in the interview phase. weird, yeah?)

10 March, 2010

I was in the office at 1230, equipped with a satisfied tummy and a swagger of confidence and charm. haha I was ready for the interviews. bring 'em on!

I was lead to the same room where I took the exam and then I was introduced to the HR Director (Miss E). She was nice but she was the type of interviewer who's poker faced. I swear! I tried cracking jokes and I tried to enchant her with my captivating charisma (HAHA you guys might think i'm too full of myself now) but I don't think it worked. She hardly shattered that stern facade of hers. Anyway.. the interview went well. I noticed though that she was checking and verifying my intentions in joining the company. Also, she asked numerous questions related to loyalty and she wanted to really see if I would be committed to them or not. I liked the fact that the interview was very personalized because she specially made a sheet of paper for the questions she was going to ask me (which means she was prepared, VERY prepared) with my name on the top of the sheet. There were around 4-5 questions in a bullet format and she would base the questions there and then scribble stuff on it whenever I would open my mouth to speak. So yeah, the interview lasted for 30-40 minutes and she told me to wait outside.

After waiting again for another 10 minutes or so, Miss G lead me to another room (It was like a maze!) wherein I was going to have my final interview. She wished me luck before she knocked on the door and I wasn't expecting to see three middle-aged men waiting for me. It was a panel interview with the top executives of the company.

I would like to believe that the final interview with the executives went well. The interview lasted for almost one hour and they asked tons of questions! (when I say TONS, expect the unexpected. Seriously) After the interview, they made me read a sample in-flight announcement (both English and Tagalog) and then they made me walk from one side of the room to the other.

Everything went smoothly until they finally talked about the training. They're asking for Php 40k as a guarantee that I would be loyal to the company for 2 years. (No wonder Miss E was checking on my loyalty too!) Since they would be shelling out cash for the training (which apparently is gonna be somewhere in South East Asia) which will last for approximately 40 days. They would return the Php 40k upon completion of the 2 year contract. When I asked where the location of the training will be held, they rebuffed me by saying "We will give you an allotted time to ask questions later". So I jokingly said "Sorry to have jumped the gun then sir".

What's baffling is that they aren't really operational yet. Whenever I would inquire about their business plan in regards to the target launch date, they just respond back by saying "We can't discuss this information to you". Also, whenever I would try to ask something else regarding the company they would answer back with the same sentence.

Finally it was my turn to ask questions. I had a lot to ask because I was starting to get really confused and concerned with the offer being handed to me. When I was about to ask my first question, Mr. A rebuffed me again and he said "We're only going to allow you to ask a maximum of 2 questions because we're running out of time". In the back of my head I was like okaaaay, that's quite odd. So the first question I asked was "Based on your business plan, when is your target launch date?" Mr. A then said "soon". I personally didn't like the sound of that because it was very vague so I then followed up by asking "Sir, could you please give me a specific timeline?". He then said "We can't disclose this information to you yet". I was starting to smell something fishy already because they kept on evading my questions; specifically that one. That was my third time to ask the same question (the first 2 times he rebuffed me) and now, when it was finally my turn to ask.. he just evaded it. So I was like "very well then, where will Pacific Jet fly to? What are the destinations?" I knew it was a domestic airline but I wanted to know more details because I tried to google about it though nothing came up about their destinations. He then answered by saying "Well, it's a domestic airline but it is also the company's dream to be a part of the international scene; perhaps in two to three years". Atleast he answered this briefly. I still wanted to ask more but he said "Thank you, We would need your decision by next week". I was like damn! he was dead serious by just letting me ask 2 questions. So yeah, I thanked them for their time and I headed to the reception to claim my I.D.

On the way home, I was really mulling things over. I didn't know what to do. My intuition was telling me NO because they were really vague and I honestly wasn't satisfied with what transpired in the interview (the part where they were evading my queries).

Well the thing is, I don't really want to commit to something that's uncertain. I might end up just wasting my time and other potential opportunities whilst waiting on them. Also, I understand that they would require a guarantee; i'm fine with that since it is quite logical on their part to ask for that because they're still starting out and what not but I personally wouldn't want to invest in something wherein i'm not 100% sure of what the outcome will be. Well, I clearly am aware that there's a bond but I don't think that it's right for them to charge me 40k right away and then they would return it 2 years after. For me, it's going to be more professional on their part if they would allow me to train with them first and then just charge me if ever I don't complete the 2 year contract.

My dilemma now is that there's a chance that I could be invited for the EK AD but there still is no assurance with what the outcome of that assessment will be (If ever I get chosen to attend it). Whilst i'm being presented a guaranteed offer for a domestic carrier right now but i'd have to shell out 40k and give them my verdict by next week. I'm stuck in a crossroad and I have no idea what to do.

Anyway, for Pacific Jet aspirants, this is what I experienced earlier. If you guys still want to push through after reading my story, by all means go ahead and try it out. Goodluck!

IPAMS at 20

I'ma back track a bit..

Yesterday (09 March, 2010)

I went to IPAMS for the Emirates Pre-screening. I was there at around 1:30pm and I was the first applicant who was there after lunch. Someone then approached me (Ms. F -- for future reference, i'll be using the first letter of the first name of the individuals who i'll be meeting during OD [Open Days]. I'll be doing this for confidential reasons). and then she asked for my CV and my photos. Upon giving it to her, I waited for a couple of minutes more and then I was called in.

Miss B then introduced herself, she told me to sit down and then she started to assess me. She was asking basic questions such as "Why are you applying for this position? How'd you find out about the opening? Why Emirates?". So I gave her my answers and she followed up with another set of questions.
Can you keep a secret? I lied! I seriously did. I was hoping that she won't ask how old I was because I'm only 20; BUT! i'll be turning 21 a week after the EK (Emirates) assessment. I was hoping they would still consider me but I called the office last week and they strongly implemented that i needed to be 21 UPON application and not upon joining. So yeah, I swear I was sweating like crazy underneath my shirt when she asked "how old are you" so I was like "twenty..uhhh..ONE" hahaha this may sound funny now but I was nervous as hell while uttering those words! At the back of my head I was wishing that she wouldn't check my birthdate. Luckily she didn't! And oh yeah, i was fortunate enough that my sweat didn't visibly show up and say "HELLO Ms. B, do notice me too!" hahaha so yeah.. then she checked my hands and my teeth then she made me stand and asked me to twirl (this was awkward but in a silly way haha) then she asked me to remove my shoes in order for her to check my height and weight. After we were done, she advised me to wait outside so that Miss R would assess me.

When I went back outside in the waiting area.. there were other applicants already (around 7) but I was a bit flabbergasted when I saw more men than women. I was expecting more females to arrive (more eye candy for me of course haha and NO I ain't a pervert! hahaha). So yeah, I was called back in after 2 minutes or so and then Miss R started to browse thru my CV. She asked numerous questions but she was very kind and professional in doing so. Most of her questions were quite basic though but it's still best to keep yourself up to date with what's happening in our world right now. There was one question where she asked "What can you say about the recession?" I wasn't really expecting that question but of course you'd have to think fast and share your thoughts. I think she did this because more or less these might be the type of questions that the recruiters would be asking during the Assessment Day. She also gave me tips of what to expect during the said day. She made it clear that the results of the pre-screening will be out before the 24'th of March.

I loved the fact that Miss R was very generous with her tips and ideas. You could really feel that she wants you to be a flight attendant and that she was more than willing enough to sincerely help you out. So guys who have plans in going to IPAMS to be assessed, Don't ever be terrified of Miss R. Hahaha.

So yeah, i've got my fingers crossed for this. I sure am hoping to be a part of the assessment. The waiting game officially begins!

To the skies!

I decided to create a blog out of boredom and for me to make better use of my "valuable time" haha. But seriously, I was inspired to do this so that my dreams of being a Purser would hopefully come true since i'm believing that it would happen, I'm acting upon it and soon my thoughts would manifest (this, my dear readers, is the Secret) hahaha. So yeah, it's also for my mum to be able to keep track on which part of the world i'm currently in or have been to if ever i DO become a Purser. So yeah..

This is dedicated to all FA aspirants. No matter what part of the world you reside in, we are somewhat connected since we share the same ambition. Woot woot!

March 10, 2010 baby! haha see you guys at the skies!