Happy New Year All!!!

Where's my salary?

Back when I was on my on-the-job training days I always hear the teachers saying: Kelan ba ang sweldo? Meron na ba tayong sweldo? Narinig mo ba kay ganiyan meron na daw tayong sweldo?

It always pissed me off. What the heck were they doing? Instead of thinking what's the next lesson, they were thinking about their salaries. Not fair.

I never did care about money.

But...

I started earning my own money. First, I don't talk about it much with people. And then there comes the spending, I spent money on books that I don't and may never read, fastfood galore, Starbucks galore and gadgets. I became money hungry.

Every fifteenth of the month I found myself rich. One week of richness, books here, books there, Starbucks there, Starbucks here....Jollibee, McDonalds, KFC. Then comes the week after that...no more money. Pancit Canton, Pancit Canton, instant noodles....would be my food for that week.

For the last 2 days of that week I will keep telling myself...goodness when's our salary gonna come?

And now as I waited for my salary (I've no more money and I owe my mom 500 pesos and will probably owe her more), I type this post.

Malas

The whole world and God is laughing at me and I know it!

For the past few weeks I'd been arranging my papers to go on training in the States. First I got my passport. I went to the Department of Faulty Affairs to get one. I arrived there early and as a first timer I asked a guy where I should go. The guy said, there...there and there. I didn't know what I was doing. And after I got the form, my picture taken, and my papers processed by some lady I wondered what just happen. And to think of it, the guy I asked who's holding some papers was not really going to DFA but he's getting customers for the studio's and photocopying center near DFA.

I was fooled. Yea!

To cut the long story short I arrived there at 5:15 am and finished at 11:00 am. And I was supposed to come back there after 7 days to get my passport.

After 7 working days I got to the releasing area:

Webster: (I wonder where I should put the receipt?)

Wanders like an idiot.

Lady: (irritated) Put the receipt in the box. And wait for your name to be called!

Webster: Oh, sorry I didn't know.

Puts the receipt on the box. Waited...and waited.

CashierDude: Webster!

Webster: Yes, that's me.

CashierDude: Unfortunately we don't have your passport yet. We have 5 messed up printers and your passport is still in PICC. Here's you receipt and here's a number you can call, look for this person to make sure we have your passport.

Webster: Okay.

I was not able to call the number but one of my colleagues volunteered to call it but she said there's no one answering and she already called the number 4 times.

Anyway, I did got my passport a day after that.

(Thanks to my boss who gave me a lift and to everyone who told me not to worry.)

So after the passport we moved on to the visa, i.e. the US visa.

...well, I was denied!

Here's the interview:

Consul: Good morning.

Webster: Good morning!

Consul: How are you?

Webster: Good! (happy) How are you?

Consul: G...o...o...d...

Consul looks at my papers...

Consul: How long have you been working with *company*?

Webster: Three months.

Consul looks at Webster.

Consul: 3 months?!

Webster: Yes, 3 months.

Consul: Is this your first job?

Webster: No, I was with *company* before.

Consul: Same job, I see.

Webster: Yes.

Consul: Why did you leave your first job?

Webster: Ah....because I found a better opportunity in *company.*

Consul looks at Webster.

Webster: Better pay (shit!), and because *company* takes care of their employees better. That's the most important.

Consul types in her computer and says yeah sarcastically. (She also smiled, I think)

Consul: So what's the purpose of your visit?

Webster: Systems and products training.

Consul: Why do you have to go to the States for training?

Webster: 'Coz our department is new and our trainers are in the States. The clients also wants us to see the actual products and also the processes and procedures on how they do customer service there.

Consul types...types. Gets my passport on her desk.

Consul: Unfortunately your visa has been denied.

Lights went off. Consul looks at Webster frigtheningly (?).

Lights.

Consul hands over Webster's passport to her.

Consul: It doesn't mean that you're not gonna be able to get another visa. It only means you need to improve something. You need to improve your socio-economic outlook. (something like that)

Webster: It's okay. (Then smiles).

So that's the story! I'm not going to the United States of FAilmerica for training. Although I was wondering how the heck am I gonna be trained and how the heck will I start working without training..it's all good now! 'Coz I'm still gonna be doing conference calls..!

It's all good!


And P.S.

PEOPLE I'M FINE SO PLEASE STOP ASKING ME IF I'M OVER IT!

P.S.S

There are 4 of us in our team. All 3 of them got their visa except me and they're going to the United States of FAilmerica...

Bon Voyage to them! Have a safe and happy trip!