Friday, January 27, 2006
The Parisian lifestyle
So finally got to experience some French style of dining, when my department had a farewell lunch for one of the trainees-Nicolas. We had a fancy lunch at the cafe of museum Jacquemart-andre. It used to be a resident of two private citizens who were collectors of amazing art collection. They later on donated all their property to the French government for art lovers to just go and visit.
Then we had interesting dicsussions as well about how you can be affected by another country’s culture as you get exposed to it, then possibly faced challenges yourself when you get back home. This in AIESEC terms are what we would call re-integration issues. Some shared they associate more with the western traditions than to the Chinese cultures, or simply seeing the religious practices you had as more traditions than real ideology you connect with. A whole lot of things probably add on to your own list, which was even true to the movie I just watched before I left, entitled Spanish Apartment. I would recommend this to anyone who is on an international experience, as I heard most of the returnees relate well to the movie.
So yeah, the place was really fancy and inspiring enough for this kind of discussions. With a big serving of salad, yummy dessert and rich and strong cafe, the discussions can only get better. Unfortunately that little experience had to end, but was really great to have a great meal and great conversations combined.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Bonjour!
Travel and arrival in Paris
20 hour flight with 3 hour transit in Malaysia, wasn’t at bad at all. I was lucky to have 3 seats just for myself since it wasn’t a full flight. Now being small was a privilege since for the 14 hour flight from Malaysia I was able to lie down with the 3 seats and just wake up for the meals.
That probably led to me having a better mood once I stepped in to the Paris airport and faced some challenges on actually being picked up at the airport. Well, yeah we get prepared for these things, so I did some troubleshooting on my own. So in the end I managed to go to the city and meet my relatives there instead, and enjoy the day in Paris rather than waiting endlessly.
Living standards
So they say Paris is very expensive and thus finding housing would be part of the main challenges. I have started looking at nice apartments, which also has nice prices attached to it. Well, I have to make sure that my visitors would have enough space to sleep over for a weekend otherwise you end up sleeping on the corridor. A bit more patience probably so hopefully in the coming weeks, I would find my permanent space.
For the mean time it was great to be reconnected to the Filipinos here. Met some of distant relatives, of whom I haven't met my whole life. It does feel great to be able to connect with them not just because they are Filipinos but they happen to speak the same dialect I have back home. (though I am not sure how funny I sound with my accent when speaking with them).
Working with Alcatel
More photos to show on the weekend, but the workplace is just amazing and good environment to work in. There are still so many things I am starting to learn, and quite interesting for me to be always creating some parallelism to what we do in AIESEC. I guess to some extent it’s making me more comfortable with the kind of responsibility I would be handling, to be able to adopt to this organization immediately. My first few days has definitely been empowering me as my boss has just been lovely as well in giving me the autonomy of learning things my way and supporting me in the ideas and key steps that I would be taking within the department.
So before I promote further for people to be joining me in this company, you might as well just plan out in visiting me in Paris and I would love to tour you around, if not host you given the right time.
Ciao!
Monday, January 16, 2006
The Sweet Escape
I have initially planned to just leave in silence, just for everyone else to miss me again in a year's time until my return. Yet, in a culture of having large gatherings and get togethers, it was just impossible to do so. It brings injustice to some friends, whom I failed to say goodbye the first time I was leaving for Netherlands.
So yeah, the past week has been meeting up friends again one after the other. Even if for most of them I have just met during my birthday celebration or a Christmas party, this was something they thought as a different celebration since it's for sending me off to a great journey ahead. I couldn't have been more happy to see even my elementary classmates of whom I haven't probably met most of them the past 12 years!
I am set to embark on a journey, of which people think I may not return. Yet I believe I am set for a mission to share the most of who I am as an individual, who we are as a Filipino and what Asians can truly be proud of. In this mission includes having to go back again, and again have another series of celebration for a great adventure.
For now, I am just preparing myself with the few days left I have in the Philippines. I am set for a 3 day escape to the islands of the north, to just relax and really freshen up before I leave for my journey. To those I won't be able to meet anymore, you know that you can always email me or visit me in Paris.
Just as what McArthur said....
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Certainly Unsure
So the next week is a mix of both certainty and unassurance. A few of the things that's certain: I am definitely going to Paris in 9 days; have my visa, bought my tickets, preparing my luggage(yeah just 20kg) in this cold cold winter season.
Yet some things/feelings would always be uncertain of which I hope I'll get used to being asked but not necessarily with an answer. What will be happening after a year? Where will I stay in France(still have to sort my housing)? How will I fair in my new work and new environment? Will I miss being away from family this time?
So as I am off to a totally different adventure this time, I am but excited to anything that awaits me in Paris. :)
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Failing Forward
When we give ourselves permission to fail, we at the same time give ourselves permission to excel
-Eloise Ristad
True enough, the real successful people are those who were able to survive several failures in experiments or suffered numerous business deals. It wasn’t just their excellent skills that put them up the pedestal, but was more of a positive attitude to move ahead.
So I am trying to survive, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I’ve managed it in the past, so it’s not impossible to do it again. Back when I thought I won't be able to travel abroad at all for being denied a passport(for lack of requirements), thought losing an LCP election would end my AIESEC career, thought couldn't complete my @XP after series of interviews.
Now it all seems so little when it felt like a big failure at that time. I guess failing forward proves to be not just an event, but a process of which I think I am willing learn from, each time I fall again.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Guide to a Filipino Christmas Party/Reunion
A few observations about my own culture and tradition, things I definitely have missed the past year.
Karaoke
It’s not just my family who has to have that, but in every Christmas party that I’ve attended the past month wouldn't miss to have it after all the festive eating's over.
A bit of history, Karaoke was a Filipino invention, with just any tape player and lyrics to guide the person singing through it. It later on advanced into a Japanese technology called Videoke, where you can follow through the lyrics played on video. As ofcourse Filipinos are everywhere, and would want to be close to this madness no matter what, there came the Korean technology called Magic Mic, where all the songs and videos are all contained in a chip inside the microphone. I have had my own set the past 3 years, where I truly share to the rest of the world the craziness of singing.
So wheter it's your way or My Way, the songs that you can sing are endless until the night becomes morning, or until you score a 100!
Dance Contest
How many of you were asked to perform a dance number whenever there were family reunions? Well, it must have been a long time since this tradition every happened in my family, since the kids were starting to grow up and preferred drinking over some games. Yet, this year the circle of life comes in as we have 2 babies in the clan. Whenever the Pinoy Big Brother theme song would be played, not only are the parents there to cheer these kids to dance, but also the stage grandmothers who are pretty proud to see their grandchildren go with the groove.
I guess the popularity of the Pinoy Big Brother has led not only kids to be dancing with the groove, but also different groups who would always have this as a first choice when asked to perform a dance number.
Lunch/Dinner Buffet with Lechon
A party won’t be complete without making you really full until your limit. It’s very popular here to have a buffet during these kinds of gatherings. The buffet would consist of different dishes, definitely much more than you can eat but you would definitely want to try a little of each.
Not to miss would be the lechon or the roasted pig. As long as you’re still young and healthy, then go for the best: the crispy skin! :)
Raffle Prizes/Exchange Gifts
In the spirit of giving and receiving, you would always have the chance to go home with something to put under your Christmas tree. Raffles would be a matter of chance if you get the grand prize or not, while exchanging gifts would be more of a concept of sharing with your loved ones.
This year, my family had a twist on the concept of exchanging gifts. Each of us were asked to have 3 gifts, unwrapped, and all set in the table. It was almost having a Christmas shopping just right in front of you, except that the deck of cards would tell you if you get to pick one, two, three or none! :p Each of us had their turn, and it goes on until the deck of cards are finished. What makes it even more exciting is that you can choose to get the ones that others already had gotten. In the end, it was a matter of sharing what you have, since some of us eventually just gave what we got to those who seem to really like it.
Never ending sets of questions
In every family gathering would be a series of questions that some people would usually want to avoid. What are you studying? When are you finishing? Where are you working? Then goes to more personal lines of questions. Do you have a boyfriend? When are you getting married? And as if the question would actually end there… When are you having a baby? When are you having a second baby? And if you only have a set of girls/boys, when are you having a boy/girl?
So I guess for me I stopped worrying about the answers to these questions. I wouldn't miss it for anything else, and might as well just hear out other people's answers too! :)
