Liv's latest adventure around the globe

ATM, Train discount, Frequent Flyer, ISIC/IYIC, Credit Card, Residence card

There's just too many cards to manage, sometimes I forget which ones I should always be bringing with me. Yet, in one way or another, it's always handy to bring them and get the privilege when you are able to use them.

The recent adition to my collection is my residence card and credit card. Yes, I am finally a legal alien in Netherlands. I no longer need to explain that I am allowed to work here as long as you look at the sticker that's included in my passport while I am waiting for the actual residence card. Easier as well for immigration checks where they ask what I'm doing, and a flash of the residence card will keep interrogations shorter. Better late than never, this would still be handy on my next round of visits around Asia.

The other one of course is my credit card. I never thought I would be needing one until this came in as part of the package when opening a bank account. I always believed as well that credit cards just gives you that false pretense that you are able to purchase as much as you want. Although that's not the case when it comes to online purchasing and machine purchases. I remember always having to borrow someone else's card to be able to book cheap online flights, or buy tickets at 0.50 euro cheaper if it's machine generated.

In the end, it's all about control. The perks/benefits of whatever card you hold, you would need to purchase or spend something to be able to maximize the most of it. Life still goes one without them, but it's with proper usage of these cards that it can really provide the maximum benefit.

It's convenience when it's used for necessity and annoyance when it's used for desires. At the end of the day, I would want these collection of cards to be bringing me convenience rather than further stress to what is already a complicated life.

The answer seem quite obvious or at lesat that's what I thought what made sense. It shouldn't be even something you compromise over the other since it should be actually complementing each other. So I thought.

There goes my idealism then, not knowing how cruel the real "world" really is. Despite having the whole "world" present at one conference, it's different to the outside world where AIESEC as a global association was being compromised just because they think of us just as a bunch of students to whom they won't have business deals as much as the banking industry.

This case I'm referring to the last conference in Romania, whereby we stayed in Confort Hotel which is very conveniently located 10 minutes from the airport. Day 3 of the conference the hotel shifts 60 people, 30 rooms from a 2-person/room to a 3-person/room. Day 6 of the conference, we lose right to the main plenary hall and just use the dining area as an alternative for the day. You ask why? It's all because of another parallel series of seminars held by a leading bank who needs more rooms and facilities. Not only did they have more money but they are definitely more "loyal" customers that would be providing long term profitability.

So little they know about AIESEC, so little they understood about 150 representatives of over 85 countries meeting in one venue. Just because our event is a one time event that probably even asked for the lowest possible rate. What they didn't probably realize is that these people are indeed what would shape the world, and can also easily destroy whatever reputable image they have. It's not so hard to talk about the bad experiences one can have. Multiply that to the number of people who were there and where they are coming from and kaboom!

It's surprising how easy money can eradicate one's business practices for something that looks more interesting. We may not directly be doing more business with them, yet we are a group of people with that wide scope of involvement to the external business environment. We are talking about students who are the future leaders, agents of change-the first thing we'll have to change would have to be these kind of companies who only thinks of money.

In the end, AIESEC got its contacts of talking to the higher ranks of the bank and indeed providing whatever we should be needing. Yet a damaged image will have a harder way to retract for such deep wounds. Confort Hotel didn't just ruin their company image, but also left a perception of what their industry's focus can be in the end.

How much really would you sacrifice your business ethics for something that looks more profitable? How much would you forget about signed contracts and deals when you see a better deal that you "think" can keep your business running for the long term? It's just like in a relationship whereby you can easily be swayed by a better looking guy/girl that you meet. It may be good to start with, but definitely it would be easier to look for another one after the other. So is my question with this hotel, I wonder if they'll ever get such long term profitability if they keep swinging from one end to the other.

"We cannot accept this, your passport is torn, see? How are we sure that you did not put a different photo than what is here?"

That's exactly what I hear on a Monday morning from the Japanese embassy. This may just be one of the many examples of how an embassy can make your life really interesting and just feel bad the whole day. To think that I just got it from the Taiwan embassy a few minutes ago to get my Taiwan visa, I felt so weird why suddenly my passport is not "in good condition".

1115am: I have to catch the closing time of the Philippine embassy for me to apply for another passport

1201: I arrived at the Philippine embassy just in time for their lunch break at 12-1, so waste another hour waiting.

1300: Apply for Philippine passport, then asked me to take another photo because what I had were not identical ones(I wasn't expecting to be needing extra passport photos anyway). The passport place was just 10 minutes anyway, I have been walking around for hours what difference does 10 minutes make?

1400:Got approved for a new passport and I could get it at 1630, however Japanese embassy closes at 1600.

So my adventure shall continue tomorrow, abangan!(watch out for it!)

It was great to be back home in Netherlands.... after 3 long weeks in Romania, it was great to be back home. But wait, this doesn't look like home, for the run way was all white with snow. We even got stuck in the plane for an hour just because the road was too slippery for the connection to get through from the plane to the airport.

Being home for 2 weeks at least before I go to my other "home" again in Asia, was really a great opportunity for me to reflect on what the past months' experience has indeed brought me. I have realized that time can indeed fly so fast, yet be able to enjoy each moment when you're with what you would already consider your family. From my real family back home, where my mom would always call me wherever I was to my adopted family around the world-be it friends, or friends' parents it's always a good feeling to be back to where you belong.