Eksena sa Colonade Supermarket (Supermarket here in Cebu)

Eksena sa Colonade Supermarket

Kanina sa grocery bibili kasi ako ng mga shampoo, toothpaste at sabon:

Habang papunta ako sa mga toiletries section, nadaanan ko yung isang babae na parang di mapakali…

She really caught my attention nung bigla niyang nilagay sa bag niya yung isang bote ng Vaseline lotion...

Syempre ako, nagkukunwaring hindi siya nakita. Patay-malisya lang.

Napansin ko din na tinitingnan din pala siya ng roving guard, na siyempre ay may hawak na radyo…

Paglingon ko, nakita ko na naman yung babae na may nilagay na 2 bottles ng shampoo.

Nagsimula siyang lumakad palabas...

Narinig ko naman yung guard na may niraradyo habang nakatingin sa babae...

Pasimpleng sinundan ko yung babaeng palapit sa exit ng Grocery...

Siyempre, hinarang siya ng guard at kinausap:

Guard: Miss, pakibalik na lang yung mga kinuha mo para walang problema

Babae: Ano pinagsasasabi mo?

Guard: Wag ka na magmaang-maangan. Ibalik mo na lang kasi...

Babae: Grabe ka na ha…

Nagtaas na ng boses yung babae. Napapatingin na mga tao sa kanila.

Babae: Sige, kulitin mo pa ko at magsisisigaw ako dito!

Guard: Sumigaw ka kung gusto mo. Ikaw naman mapapahiya.

Babae: Wag mo kong pipilitin! Sisigaw talaga ko!

Guard: Bahala ka.

At sumigaw nga ang babae.

Babae: DARNAAAA!!!

At lumipad siya papalabas ng Grocery. Gulantang kami. Nahulog ko yung Pepsodent.

Sumigaw din yung guard.

Guard: CAPTAIN BARBEEEEL!!!

Lumipad din siya at naghabulan sila.

Hanggang ngayon, wala pang balita kung ano nangyari.

01:11:55H

It may not be the "perfect" company to work for, but in terms of being able to communicate (read: TALK DIRECTLY TO THE CEO) with the owner and share ideas and insights right there and then, I can say I'm happy where I am right now. 

I still have reservations of other people knowing what I've gone through and though close friends knew about it, I'm still not comfortable for them to know what happened (September 2016 shenanigans). 

I'm editing one of my blogs for the company and oh my, my brain is not working for the last hour or so. I tried to pause and talked to my colleagues and still no ideas on how to edit the blog assignment I have for the CEO. 

I'm loving-hating this new work since I'm given a chance to showcase my talent to write/blog, at the same time, on my most active state- evening, plus I have with me colleagues who I love, less people on the evening too.

 

I'll release these ideas for now as a personal blog to at least to ease the tension in my brain. I'm not the only one who got culture shocked, because most of us came from the BPO industry and coincidentally from the same company, so experiencing these "changes" is literally a happy change for most of us. 

Although there were setbacks, there are still good points that I'd like to focus on. I'm now with the hundreds and thousands of Cebuanos experiencing real non-call center job, and with me are hundred more being a Virtual Assistant. 

One of the things I learned in life is don't expect too much and it was rather a good ammo to have whether in love life, work or life itself. My work title may seem a bit vague but being that someone that has superficial happiness, I'm just happy where I am right now. 

One of which is finally, having my own cubicle/table/station. Papers, notebooks, planners, diary, pens, food, tissue everywhere! My own personal computer that I call my own and no one else is using it. I can literally save files in it, but of course, I don't want to push my luck and take too much advantage of it. Most of the files I place now are work related. I leave my leather shoes at work, charge my phones at my desk, surf the net during my break, and my "other" boss (the CEO -Fiona) teaching me on how to write better. 

I'm thinking and I was like "so this is how real work works," as no more outrageously strict, (and sometimes stupid call center company policies). I work better with music and not just me, but most of the Virtual Assistants are able to work with headsets on playing their favorite music.  

I can post papers, post it notes, inspirational quotes, pictures at my desk which I can't with my previous work. All we can bring was our headset (for taking calls) and spill proof tumbler. I was dumbfounded when I learned we can't even bring blankets in! 

I'm on my first month of work and I'm trying my best to be optimistic/realistic as I can be, but all I can say right now is that, again, I'm not in a perfect company, I don't have a perfect work, and I'm not perfectly happy, but I am partly happy and that's all I care for now. 

In HIS time, when the Universe is ready, I'll be there where I can say, I'm happy again and I don't deserve all of these things. 

my messy station

-vondraye 0123H

02172017

VA’s are IN (in Cebu)

In the Philippines, Call Centers or BPOs have been bringing in money both for big companies abroad and Filipinos workers as well, however, globalization now introduces a better way for other companies and business to experience the savings that these big companies are getting – Virtual Assistants.


Virtual Assistants are, in a way, taken the employment further than Call Center agents, plus, adding the location of Cebu, it takes a couple of further distance apart from the people of Manila.


How do you feel if your employees look like they just came out of an episode of Walking Dead? The majority of them traveling to work during evenings with all the hundred other people, stuck in traffic, worse if it rains, worst during the holiday season (raining), eating unhealthy food, experiencing sleeping problems, the list seems endless. Many companies try their best to alleviate these by providing shuttle, discounted gym memberships, higher medical insurance, however, this doesn’t generally work, thus business still gets affected, and people nowadays are looking for new ways to earn and ways on how to work “normally” again, Virtual Assistants take it a notch higher for reasons.


One of the predicaments either customers or business owners face is that in call centers, there’s 1 in 1 million to none chance that you’ll be able to reach that person again. Telling the same story again and again and again and again. Since you’re only in touch with specific person or group, VAs have the idea of the whole history of your conversation, issues, problems, solutions that you both talked about.


Cebu may be on the Top 8 list however, many of those who already experienced living (the nightmare) in Manila found solitude and chose to stay in (or went back to)Cebu for a hundred reasons. Expats of big companies did share their stories of being at home and being fond of Cebu more than Manila, their experience on cultural diversity, being one with nature and less pollution makes them see more than what locals see.


Don’t fret the traffic since VA’s aren’t working on a usual 8-5 or 9-6 workforce so your employees are already sitting at their desk working while all the other people-students and other employees are still stuck in traffic. Our location is near, but not in the business district so traffic and pollution are less in our area as well. Opposite timezone? No Problem! We have opened our doors to US clients and while the majority are on their way home, GO-VA employees are passing by the long heavy traffic flow opposite theirs on their way to work. We still have those night owls that are more productive during the night and so we’re here to scout them for you! In addition, unlike the uncanny population in Manila, Cebu’s population is still far away from the busy 2-3 hour travel time to and from work, plus the pollution and smog they inhale every day.


There are call center companies that usually have erratic, if not weekly, monthly changing schedules. Virtual Assistants work as their clients and when they work with their clients real time and work on time sensitive matter.  In addition to that, we also believe in family time- weekends off and having the same schedule- permanently.  Important life events and holidays also play into place as Virtual Assistants spend holidays as their clients’ country. No more staring out the window watching fireworks during New Year or spending Christmas Eve at the office pantry (while your bosses are on leave for a week or two).


The emerging business of Virtual Assistants is on a road rage because people are just tired and stressed of call center work and Virtual Assistants give you the chance to work like a normal day job employee (except for those who still choose the nightshift), but on a global level, competitive tasks, and more than just a job, it’s also a chance to live a normal healthy, happy life as well.

#GOVALoveWeek

Husband, Mom, Dad, Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Friend, Best Friend, Schoolmate, Colleague.

You've been in one of these and I'm sure your connection may be different from each one, but everyone is connected and it's all the same-LOVE.

Fiona, our beloved CEO (boss, friend, sister,cool mom, our fairy godmother and everything in between) is a big fan of Vishen Lakhiani's work - "Code of Extraordinary Mind" and now, #LoveWeek.

 Vishen shares the science, the art, the business, the study, the experiment of #LoveWeek at work and I think everyone would agree when we say that we all want to share some LOVIN'!

#LoveWeek as explained by Karina Swenson, (director of content marketing) is Valentines meet Secret Santa (or we Pinoy fondly call Monito-Monita!) and here's how it works - Each person plays a "Secret Angel" and a "Human" to somebody. Before Loveweek starts, everyone draws a name of someone to be a "Secret Angel" to for Love week without actually revealing their identity. Throughout the entire week, every single day, (or if you are really that loving!) multiple times of the day, You as the angel, SECRETLY do something nice for your Human- post it notes with empowering quotes, cards, candy, food, paper crafts, origami, flowers from your garden, the list is endless. On the other hand, your duty as a Loveweek HUMAN is to receive all the love and care and be grateful and feel good at work all day!

Vishen believes in Modern Science that when people working are happy, they are much more productive- boosting happiness, we boost productivity. Harvard Study proved that Social Connections among staff at work helps to connect. We spend majority of our waking hours at work, why not fill it up with Connections? Joy? and Happiness?

GO-VA joins the world to celebrate #LoveWeek. One of our Company Values CARE fits perfectly with this and brings in the fun with the other four - DRIVE, LEARN, EXECUTE and FIND A WAY.

The secret is not with the gifts, based on the book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins, it mentions that in great companies, employees love their jobs because of who they do their jobs with. One Key ingredient is Friendships at Work that are formed. Gallup Study shows that if you have a best friend at work, you are 7x to be engaged at your job.

Fiona's doing #LoveWeek, rather make that #GOVALoveWeek and we invite everyone to join her as we celebrate a whole week of lots of lovin'!

Happy #LoveWeek!


#GOVALoveWeek
#LoveWeek