Behind the Happy Smile

I have not written for quite a long time except for some photos I had been posting in my blog. Now, let me write what I had been doing offline in those days I slackened from posting or updating my blog. The year 2011 was a great challenge to me. I wanted to post stories that connote positive ideas. I thought I should keep to myself the real issues. I had silence for a while. I want everything to pass before I blog about it.

As early as Feb 2011 I had work related issues. We were advised the account we were working is to close the Manila, Philippines call center. It was announced 1^st week of Feb 2011 the account is to close by the 15^th of Feb 2011. All my plans for 2011 were done as early as Oct 2010. My plan was to look for an apartment comes 2011 to invite the daughter of my sister to stay with me to look for a job. The announcement of the closure made me adjust every plan I started.

My niece was set to come to Manila, March 2011. I did not have difficulty getting an apartment for at least three people. My nephew, cousin of my niece as requested by my sister in law is to stay with us. Last week of Jan 2011, I bought the much needed fixtures and appliances in cash. I do not have a credit card. I refused to have one anyway.

In view of the possibility of losing my job I had to rearrange my budget. Luckily the call center I am working has several captive accounts.  I was endorsed to at least two accounts. One is a tech support for gaming account, a U.S. based account. The other job is as tech support to a telephone company in Canada. I was trained as customer service for sales and billing. How am I to handle technical accounts?

It was not an easy transition. I have to pass the exam and interview to count me in, despite my five years of stay with the same call center. I did not make it to the gaming account. The exam was almost all computer and internet related. I do not have formal education in computer. I became computer literate through self study. I was advised I could retake the exam comes April 2011. How am I to eat and pay for my house rental between Feb and April? I grabbed the phone tech support upon passing the interview.

The training was not at all smooth sailing. Some of my co trainees quit before we hit the phone lab. Reason was info overload. No quitting, I thought to myself. I needed a job. I made it to the floor. I guess my good performance with the other account had paved a favorable result. It was barely a week with training, handling phone tech support calls when I had issues with my landlord. 

The landlord would collect the rental fees in advance. One day my landlord with his family went into hiding. Some people were knocking at their door for some unpaid utility bills. Until one day, my neighbor and I lost our water and electricity services. Apparently our landlord was collecting our payments for utility bills without remitting our payments to the service providers. Worst, when my neighbor and I moved out from that apartment we were not refunded back our one month advance deposit.

When I moved to the apartment where I am now, I had very tight budget. I had to take salary loan from our Social Security System. This is a government owned agency that takes care of retirement for employees who work with private companies. I used the money to pay my one month advance and two months deposit to move to the new apartment. To make plans is too tiring. How much more if money is involved?

My perseverance finally was rewarded. Despite a little hassle on my training I passed it. I have a new place I would say I am happier compared to the previous apartment. I have a plus or should I say a bonus when I got accepted as a tech support agent. I got tech premium added to my monthly salary. I am likewise getting cash incentives. I just have to pass all metrics. Passing the metrics is not easy, but the reward that goes with passing it, is worth working for.

Folks, this is my side 0f the story. I have my ups and downs in life too, like most of you. It is a matter of not giving up. We cannot have everything in life... it is a matter of making the most of what we have. Life is too, short. Be nice to yourself. Be happy, why worry? :)