Cebu 2007

March 29, 2007

This is my first time to write inside a plane. Today is March 29, 2007; Cebu Pacific flight 5J436 bound for Cebu departed Zamboanga late for more or less 15 minutes. I am finally leaving to take a break and to look for a career in other place. As I am here alone, my heart and my mind longs for somebody to be beside me. I miss him dearly as how I miss everyone else close to me, whom I left behind in Zamboanga. Well, till next time. I finally arrived at Mactan, Cebu.

March 30, 2007

Today is the opening of the 3rd Annual JobStreet.com Career Expo in Cebu; venue is at Ayala Activity Center from 10 am to 9pm. Since, I was one of the early birds; I was rewarded with a free CD from JobStreet. I submitted my resumes to several IT companies; some gave souvenir items and company fliers [wehehe]. Immediately some of these companies called me up to take their exams [how fast!]. Companies were: Fujitsu Ten, Exist, Safeway, BitMicro, and Accenture. Accenture brought us to Waterfront hotel at 11am, only then was I informed that the screening was for the position of Call Center Agent (CCA); they promised that my application would be forwarded to the concerned recruiting team [hopefully]. Nevertheless, I took the exam for CCA, I failed the 2nd test [daaahh, I don’t see myself as cca anyway]. I’ll be taking exam with EXIST tomorrow 9 am and FUJITSU TEN at 8 am on April1.

I saw the casts of Aalog-alog a while ago at 4pm. Timing their mall tour is right at the venue of the job fair. Present were:  Zanjoe Marudo, John Pratts, Randy Santiago, Ai ai de las Alas. The crowd was so eager, so I left the venue; there might be more of them that I wasn’t able to see.

March 31, 2007

Before I was to take the EXIST programming exam, Safeway texted me to be at Golden Peak Hotel to take their exam.  Wooohhhh!

EXIST is located at Asiatown IT Park, at Lahug, Cebu. The exam lasted for 3 ½ hours and it wasn’t enumeration!!! I dream of passing the exam, so that I could join the code camp. The goal of this code camp is to develop teamwork and to expose the participants to the newest tools that are used in the industry. Expenses and materials that are to be used in the code camp will be shouldered by the company. Teams will be competing with each other. There would be eliminations based on certain criteria. And the champion would win a trip to HongKong and a yr contract to work with EXIST.

I chose to take the 2^nd batch exam; the exam was 3 pm. Safeway exam went fine. But I was so drained during this time. I just hope I did well though. After the exam my Ahya Michael showed me the venue of tomorrow’s exam. Before the day ended, we were kinda adjusted with each other that we no longer were so shy to converse with each other. Thanks to Ahya Michael for driving me around.

April 1, 2007

Wooohhh… I have an exam at 8 am; it will last for 4 hours… Later then!

My brain will spill out of my skull! I just finished the exam; the test with FUJITSU TEN was extremely difficult. It was so technical and questions were ambiguously asked. For now, it seems impossible to enter this outstanding company. I suddenly was reminded of the Philnits exam in Zamboanga, it’s scheduled today! FUJITSU exam is much more difficult though!

I just arrived home. Today is my 3^rd day in Cebu and my first time to roam around the malls. There are lots of foreigners in the malls and streets- most of them Korean. There are lots of goods at Cebu’s shopping malls but prices are scary…what more in Manila! It is a lonely being in another place with no one to talk with. A simple walk with someone special would be memorable. Anyway, I bought Bluetooth USB, and it costs only P395. By the way, I was mistaken to be a HS student for several times this day. I feel so young! [Hahaha]

April 2, 2007

I went to AsiaTown IT Park; I passed my application to NEC. Then, we went to Mambaling and visited my Sa-e. She invited me to be with them Wednesday night and sleep in their house, so that Thursday we can leave early for San Fernando—picnic daw. Well, nothing to lose, I want to see what is San Fernando like, but I won’t be swimming. My skin is just starting to peel from the sunburn I got from our outing at jeers. I miss my friends and my little boss.

I spent the whole afternoon surfing the net, grabbing pictures, uploading pictures in my friendster and my photo blog. Check out my photo blog!  Then I received a phone call from NEC asking me to take their exam on Wednesday at 2 pm. Hayyy…another exam. I hope I’ll do it right! 

April 3, 2007

I need to stay home the whole day and wait for BitMicro Network Inc. to call me up for a phone interview…

While waiting for the phone interview, I read and reviewed my C programming. Tomorrow will be the NEC qualifying exam. I believe they will be asking about C stuffs, so I better get prepared.

Alas! Phone interview is done! They called me up three times, asked about my interests and language preference. They were very interested with BlueVoice, to the point I thought of the possibility of me being assigned in software development using JAVA. But then, the conversation shifted to me as firmware developer. If ever, I'll be using C and Assembly. Well, I'm up for this challenge! I'll still have to undergo one interview and it is scheduled on April 17 with the CEO. I dream to be employed here…good luck to me!

April 4, 2007

NEC exam went fine. I want to believe I pass the technical exam, but I think I'll not be accepted because I wasn't able to finish the IQ exam. NEC employees are serious people, they value absolute silence!!! Guards actually requested us to put our cps to silent mode before entering the office.

I am staying in Balagtas now in the apartment of my Sa-e and her family. I'm comfortable in here, elders here speak more Chinese than Bisaya, and I could now relate and join their conversation.

I should say Cebu is improving in a fast pace. New establishments, resorts, and buildings might be ready to be visited next year. My E-tiu showed me CROWN REGENCY, the tallest building in Cebu with 38 floors, this is owned by Jesus King.

April 5, 2007

I woke up early because I was excited to see Tubod Flowing Water Resort, that's in San Fernando. We visited two churches before heading there, Pitalo and Simala. Simala is at Lambongan, Sibonga, Cebu City. Accordingly, this place does not run out of pilgrimmers. Simala is a sacred and miraculous place- wishes are granted, people are healed, etc. History mentioned that in the year 1998, the Mama Mary image shed tears and killed the Epidemic mosquitoes. She also healed the people who are sick brought by these mosquitoes and drought.

Today is a memorable day. I had Swimming 101 with Sa-e for 2 hrs. I learned how to float and swim short distances. After our outing, we dropped by Circa La Playa, badminton resort, just to see the place. It is located at Barangay Tungkil near Tubod.

April 6, 2007

We visited the Church by Danao, and headed to Hadsan Cove resort afterwards. Two days in a row, I got tempted to join them swimming [Morena ya yo ara! ].

April 7, 2007

Just went window shopping at SM…

April 8, 2007

We visited Queen City cemetery, where my Gua-ma and Gua-kong were buried. Fire by the factory caused their death. That incident happened when I was still young and I was living in Zamboanga already, so I didn't spend time with them and could not actually remember how they look. From their pictures; all I can say is that my sister Stephanie looks very similar with my Gua-ma.

We prayed for their souls at Pu-San temple. Then prayed also at Taoist Temple…

I bought two books today at National Book Store - The Intel Microprocessors: Architecture, Programming, and Interfacing 7th ed. by Barry B. Brey and IBM PC Assembly Language and Programming 5th ed. by Peter Abel.

April 9, 2007

I've stayed with my Sa-e and her family for 6 days. I did enjoy my stay here. I'm grateful with their warm hospitality even if I am not related to them. I'll be missing the talks with the elders whose Chinese speaking level is deep. I'll be missing the naughty kids. But I need to be back in Mabolo, since tomorrow they will be busy with work.