thirtytwo

January passed by in a whirl…my social calendar was filled with either “shopping for stuff to bring to dubai“ or “despedida/send off - party, overnight, lunch, dinner, merienda”…..you name it.. we had it…not to mention the non-social stuff …which nevertheless has to be done before I leave for dubi.....like…

• Write a resignation and talk to my boss 1x1 about it…. I have never been good at heart to heart talk….so im definitely not looking forward to this…
• Turnover my work load to whoever is replacing me… which literally means squeezing what ive learned in 3 years to 3 days (coz my replacement arrived only a few days before my last day)
• Last minute meetings and AR (for your info that’s Action Required) closure
• Approve all pending shopping baskets, change orders, RFA, billing…in my queue …
• Re-assign all my computer system access …yipee! Im so glad I wont have to see the “my contingent workforce” and “PIT” (which literally is the pits!) program for the rest of my life!
• Start the clearance process…sign some confidential stuff…answer some surveys to the tune of “why are you leaving? …blah blah blah…”
• Return all my work provided equipment…like laptop…cellphone…pldt weroam (my precious !!)…. ill miss IBM…weve been together for more than 3 years…huhuhu… 
• Inform my landlord that im moving out …and my housemate ofcourse..
• Move stuff from cavite to manila …and some manila stuff to nueva ecija….that was hard…I didn’t knew I acquired so much junk over the years…and its hard to segregate which is which and then throw the junk away…painful ..hmmm…just like breaking up…lol…I admit that’s a bit exaggee!
• Get a body scrub, a massage, a facial…foot spa pedicure… a series of happy hair and scalp treatment, a haircut…and a mild hair straight….phew!
• Set up bank accounts…joint accounts with my sister…supplementary cards....
• Finish all the dvd’s I haven’t watched…last 2 episode of heroes … sweet relationship …and why why love….havent even advanced on my grey’s anatomy..i wonder if I can bring this dvds? Naah…
• Get the results of my ultra sound …thank God ….the suspicious thing in my uterus or was it in my ovary?… turned out to be nothing…I think it was washed away when I got my period.
• Get an all out medical for my POEA documentation…dental..physical…blood…eye..chest x-ray…urine…stool…aids…herpes…hepatitis... pregnancy…and psychological …tests… my second in 2 months…since I have just finished my annual physical exam at the company a few weeks ago…
• Have my picture taken…printed in different sizes 1x1s, 2x2s, passport size…
• Attend orientations …pre documentation orientation….pre departure orientation…etc etc
• Submit all requirements for the visa.. e.g. transcript..diploma…
• Replace the PC at home and check out internet access providers
• Book the singapore vacation with my family

Tian Na! .. I was so stressed out with the hundred and one things to do and the limited time I had to do it...just like when you hop on a treadmill that goes on and on and on and you just keep on walking and walking and walking….thats what it was like for me back then…now..looking back ..i realized it was actually a good thing….because I never had the chance to feel a wee bit lonely that im going….. 


Despedida lunch with Project Controls Group (PCG-our group) at Josephine’s,Tagaytay.

Me and Matt (my boss)….it has been a pleasure working for you matt……


Me, Mae and Ate Beng …the girls of PCG…




Surprise Despedida …from Construction Functional Group (CFG) ..on my last day of work , Feb 7, 2008.
It wasn’t really a surprise because I knew they were cooking something…I just didn’t know it was this big….thank you guys…. At that time.. I just coudn’t find the words to say how thankful I was for making my last day memorable…maybe because I was choking with my own tears…lol…why am I such a crybaby????

My cake…awww…chocolate with caramel dip…yummy….love you too guys!


A mini presentation….oopss..where on earth did you get my picture on a 2 piece bathing suit…??? Hahaha



CFG..or whats left of it because so many people left already….they call it “the exodus”…




My QS buddies….james and Anthony…ill see you in dubai…


Florence good luck on your new role as me…( as I write this entry…Florence already resigned and left the company …sad )


My sisters thien and ate beng..


Gifts… Notes…





The Structural Team at work, also gave me a sendoff lunch…at Kukbo, Korean Restaurant in Manggahan….unfortunately we forgot to take pictures…we were too engrossed with the food…specially the samgyupsal topped with bean paste…wrapped in lettuce ….AAAAAHHHHHH! (open wide!) yummy!

Ditse’s Dinner treat at Conti’s, Trinoma
We always like to try different restaurants….yup were pretty adventurous when it comes to food….this was one of the last one we visited ...before I left … I love Contis..the food is good and the price is reasonable….i forgot what I ate …but I remember that everything was delicious..





Farewell Lunch for me and Welcome back lunch for Ana …with my college friends at Gerry’s Grill, Araneta Center, Gateway

i do have pictures but I coudn’t find them anywhere….not in my flash drive…not on my external hd…hmmm…

It was my first time to see Ana again after…maybe almost 10 years…and that made it special… Leng, Mean and Janice meet each other often enough…like once a year?? Lol.. but seriously we were always there for each other if one needed a friend…

since we met back in third year college, way back in 1990 .. until we graduated and took our board exam…through every step in our career…through marriage ..and separations … we even became Godmothers of each others kids (well im just a Godmother coz I don’t have kids…yet!?!?) ....our friendship have endured so much … fights…jealousies…distance….but weve managed to get through them and remain close friends through the years.

TEC’s despedida overnight

Don’t ask me what TEC means….that 3 letter acronym has a story worthy of a 300page paperback.....from egroups…to boy bands…idol drama…..to Chinese garters…to travels …and movies….to wedding gowns , morning sickness and breastfeeding….???? Suffice it to say that these are my dearest dearest friends that I met through the net…I don’t know how I could have survived the last 4 years of my life without them…they have seen me at my lowest..last March 11, 2004 (see I still remember the date…)….and I am so thankful that it was them…I was with at that time…

Anyway…I had an overnight despedida with my TEC friends at the Penthouse of Makati Prime Tower near Kalayaan ave in Makati.….the event have many highlights …including the “out of order sign” at the bedroom toilet......why me????? (You know like there was a list of scenarios in life that you don’t want to happen to you.. but it ends up happening to you anyway…lol!)







We ordered food …buddy’s pansit lucban ( wow I miss this now that im in dubai) with crispy pork and vinegar…..Amber’s pork barbeque ( given the opportunity..i can eat a dozen or so) and pichi pichi….im not sure if it was this time when bambie cooked toboki (spicy rice cakes)…and beef with asparagus or was it broccoli? …. Later that night we also went to “dontellmama ju-sarang Karaoke”….to sing some Korean songs (waah another thing I miss in dubai….i wonder if they have it here? But who will I sing it with?? ), I sang my favorite namjadabja (like a man by “fly to the sky”)……we also visited a korean bookstore along the way….cutee Korean stuff on display…but Korean priced also…ha ha ha…



We exchanged gift (Christmas gifts…yup it was late..)….played some videos (Korean, japanese, Chinese) and talked till morning….most of the people have to go home…so they did at around 12 or so..…except me, bambie, Camille, eve and tina.



The next day we went to a Korean restaurant for some lunch….ate some stir friend beef and a huge plate of jajamyong….(Korean black bean noodle…yum yum…miss this as well ) before we went home to our own home.





Although we talk to each other on the net everyday …. I miss you guys the most…more than jajamyong…more than buddys pansit lucban…. and even more than “dontellmama” lol!