Haven't blogged in a while... A lot has happened in the past month or so (both good and bad)...
Had my heart broken, Got into a traumatizing car accident, Reunited with my high school friends, Initiated coverage on a stock, Went to Sydney for free Met new people
I broke up with my boyfriend of 2.5 years. Prolly my lowest point this year. For a pseudo writer, it's difficult to put your feelings into words when you're not encouraged to do so. Hence, I resorted to partying, drinking, constantly bugging my friends, and working like a dog to "heal" myself... I'm better now but still haven't achieved what I want to think and feel. I must say, I'm lucky to have my family, friends, and co-workers to comfort me whenever I feel weak and helpless. They helped me through the first stage (not contacting him) and I'm now working on the second (not thinking about him). It's tough but I just have to suck it up.
Going to Sydney was probably the highlight of my year. Had a lot of fun there and it was a good distraction from my miserable life in Manila. Met a lot of cool people and I'm now looking forward to meeting them again in Bangkok in less than 2 weeks for the off-site.
Ok, Sydney... When we (me, Ria, and Gabbie) arrived at our hotel Sunday morning, we were knackered from the 11-hour flight (It was originally an 8-hour flight but Qantas had to refuel the plane so we had to make a stop at Cairns). Nonetheless, we decided to make the most of our trip so we immediately went to Bondi beach. When I got there, I immediately saw the waves and badly wanted to surf with the locals. Unfortunately, the water was ice cold and for a tiny Filipina girl, it was intolerable. So we just sunbathed and cam whored. It was also the beginning of spring so flies were all over the place. Fun, nonetheless.
The rest of the week was crazy! We attended morning meetings at 8am everyday, had training the rest of the day, and still managed to party every night. Loved, loved, loved it! :)
Here's the Philippine team at one of the bars in King Street Wharf
With Billy from Taiwan and Ria
The Macquarie group
With Yuki (Japan). He has the most hilarious British accent I've heard in a long time.
With Jerry from Taiwan
Susan (Taiwan) and I getting an uncomfortable hug from Martin (South Africa)
Posing @ Martin's Place, Sydney CBD
Dinner with the Hong Kong guys and Soojin (Korea)
Somewhere in Sydney...haha!
Admiring the Sydney bridge at night
@ Establishment with Gabbie, Soojin, and Ria
with Huei
with Martin @ the Argyle
I want more of Australia! Thinking about migrating there actually... the weather's a lot better than the UK; it's cheaper than Europe; close proximity to the beach; and has lots of cool and nice people.
You scored as Mathematics/Statistics, You should strongly consider majoring (or minoring) in Mathematics, Statistics, or related majors (e.g., Accounting, Actuarial Science, Astronomy, Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems (CIS), Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Management Information Systems (MIS), Operations Management, Physics, Risk Management).
It is possible that the best major for you is your 2nd, 3rd, or even 5th listed category, so be sure to consider ALL majors in your OTHER high scoring categories (below). You may score high in a category you didnt think you would--it is possible that a great major for you is something you once dismissed as not for you. The right major for you will be something 1) you love and enjoy and 2) are really great at it.
Consider adding a minor or double majoring to make yourself standout and to combine your interests. Please post your results in your myspace/blog/journal.
Help me Lord!!!!! I'm having difficulty understanding option markets and contracts! long put, long call, short call, european long put, american short call... blah blah blah... derivatives semantics make my head ache!!!! Shit, shit, shit!!!!
Finally got the chance to import photos. The week after my last day in Macquarie was first manic then leisurely. No review whatsoever done though...
24/Mar Picked up Mabelle and Sepp from Terminal 1. They brought me truffes (truffles for non-Swiss). Of course, I ate all of them already. Now, I'm already left with 4 bars of truffes.
25/Mar JR, Tracy, Mabelle, Sepp, and I had brunch in Sentro, Greenbelt 3. Went to a spa after for a full body massage, then Mabelle and Sepp drove off to Laguna.
26/Mar Don't remember, but I think I just stayed in this day. Bought a couple of DVDs and watched them. Also watched one of my favourite TV shows, West Wing. Season 7's Episode 7 is one of my favourite episodes - Loved how Alan Alda's character (Republican) kicked Democrat Mike Santos' ass on that debate. I've always declared my conservative liberalism position ever since. Anyhoo....
27/Mar Stayed in but this time, reviewed all day...so pretty boring
28/Mar Had a hair cut and treatment. Also leg wax and nail treatments.
29/Mar Tracy's prom in Makati Shang and my birthday so we stayed at the executive suite for the night.
Compliments of the Shang - Happy Birthday to me!
My friends came over and we celebrated my 24th birthday with Sbarro baked zittis, pizza, and Asti Martini. Sweet!
Of course, no birthday would be complete without JR. He deserves to be complemented because he gave me the most incredible gift... a Bond-eye bikini!!! Thank you! You're the best!
30/Mar Drove Mabelle and Sepp to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Mabelle's brother has a very nice house. I liked the fact that he lived in that huge place alone and managed to keep it tidy. Would have loved to stay longer and explore Pagsanjan falls but traffic was horrible so I had to leave by 4pm to not get lost. Got home at around 9pm.... :(
31/Mar 10AM SEAir flight to Caticlan! Stayed in Waling-Waling during our first night since Nami was fully booked. The room and service were subpar but their cabanas were the treats. Tracy and I walked around and swam a bit while mum stayed in and slept the whole afternoon and evening (15hours of sleep...mad!).
Guess who I'm imitating
Night out. Ok, not really. We just sat at Jony's and "observed" the beach. Too much brown people...eek!
1/Apr Transferred to Nami. Whew! Great relief! Much, much, better room. Cleaner and softer duvets. Had our own butler, Nami Joseph, and the food was also divine.
Amazing view from our room
Ate crepes (I don't remember the name of the place anymore but I remember eating two in one sitting)
2/Apr
Fun in the sun, sun, sun
3/Apr
Went for the complimentary Paraw (sailing) at 11 am and walked 5km back to Nami. FYI, boats in Bora can only pick up and drop off passengers in certain areas. The fine is P35,000.
Departed Caticlan at 4:50pm...
Promise, I'll stay longer next time. I'm already planning to return right after the exam. Midge said that June is the best time to enjoy Boracay - not much seaweeds and people. Cheaper hotel rates too.
My boss invited me to eat lunch (prolly because it's my last day tomorrow) and I declined his invitation. It's only now that I realized how stupid that was - refusing free lunch?!?! What's wrong with me?
I also had a lame excuse: "I want to eat nearby since I still have loads to do before I leave"
When the truth was that I was just not comfortable with the idea of having lunch with the boss, especially after refusing to accept his arguments convincing me to stay. In one bit, he's right. The exam I'm taking in June is usually taken by people who wish to get into the investment banking industry. In my case, he reckoned that I will no longer need it since I am already inside the industry.
In my defense, I don't want to work in this industry. Or am I just rationalizing?
My sister, trasoooooy posted her conversation with our dad about computers last night. Worth noting that he is completely nonadaptive when it comes to technology so this is again too funny to pass up. If it's not obvious, phrases that start with a dash (-) are my sister's.
"Buksan mo nga yung Microsoft." -"Aling program?" "Yung Windows." -"Eh, Mac ito eh. Walang Windows dito. Kasi MAC."
"Wala ba sa laptop mo?" -"Wala. Bago lang ito eh. Wala pang document mo." "Sure ka? Malay mo napunta diyan dahil sa internet." -"Hindi ganun nag-wowork and internet." "Eh bakit dati nalipat niyo?" -"Kasi sinend namin. Via E-MAIL."
"I-delete mo nga yung word na 'to." (Points toward the screen) -"Ikaw nalang. May gagawin pa ako eh." "Hindi ko alam ang computer na ito." -"Hindi ka ba marunong gumamit ng KEYBOARD?" "Iba ang computer mo eh." -"Parang typewriter lang. May ganun na ba nung panahon niyo?" (Sarcastically) "Aba! Oo."
-"Gumawa ka na kaya ng sarili mong e-mail. Stop mooching on other people's inbox space." "Ano yun?" -"Sa internet." "May internet naman sa computer mo eh." -"So, gagmitin mo pa ang computer ko at laptop ko? Eh pano kung wala ako?" "Oo nga noh, sige. Pero ayoko ng internet at e-mail." -"Hindi mo maintindihan ang punto ko eh." "I-print mo na yung document." -"Alin?" "Yung dalawa." -"Malapit nang maubos ang ink ko eh." "Meron ako sa taas." -"Iba printer ko eh." "Ah, talaga?" -"Oo. Hindi siya yung ink ribbon ng TYPEWRITER."
FILIPINO SIGNS OF WIT Nury Vittachi - THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
This week, we shall take a "reading tour" of one of the most spirited communities in Asia . The Philippines is full of word play. The local accent among many Filipinos, in which English words with "F" are spelled and pronounced with the sound of "P" and V is pronounced as "B" (because the Philippine alphabet has no letters F or V), is often used very cleverly, such as, the sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.
Much of the word play in the Philippines is deliberate with retailers and various businesses favouring a play on names of Western establishments and celebrities (Americans, in particular---movie stars and entertainment personalities, especially). For example, there is a bread shop in Manila called Anita Bakery, a 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day and Night, a garment shop called Elizabeth Tailoring, and a barber shop called Felix the Cut.
Reader Robert Harland also spotted a bakery named Bread Pitt, and a Makati fast-food place selling "maruya" (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey. Then, there are Christopher Plumbing, and a boutique called The Way We Wear ; a video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental; a restaurant in the Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken, a local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's, a doughnut shop called MacDonuts , a shop selling "lumpia" (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll, and two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.
Smart travellers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the "Taglish" (the Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino accent), such as, at a restaurant menu in Cebu : "We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle]. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces].
There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words, but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to "correct" them. A reader named Antonio "Tonyboy" Ramon T. Ongsiako, (now there's a truly Filipino name), contributed the following interesting Philippine signs and advertisements:
In a restaurant in Baguio City (the "summer capital" of the Philippines ): "Wanted: Boy Waitress"; on a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture;" on the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan : "We Shoot You While You Wait;" and on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila : "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier."
Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression, such as, a shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the "sneakiest" sneakers); and a rental property sign in Jaro, Iloilo reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (it must really be hot inside)!
Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique--if not altogether odd. Reader Gunilla Edlund submitted a sign that she saw at the ticket booth in the ferry pier in Davao City in southern Philippines , which said: "Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation."
European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia, which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively--(believe it or not)!
According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit in the Philippines because ". . .we are a country where a good sense of humour is needed to survive. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and retiring actors.
It's been a while. I've pretty much drowned myself with work and CFA-related materials for the past month. Now I'm knackered and mulling over resignation, even though my boss already offered me a permanent position.
I should have listened to my friends when they advised me not to enter investment banking. "You will not have a life, Klyne", they said. As it turned out, they were right. In the past month, I had spent 80% of my time in front of the computer, making my already poor vision worse. I have not had time to eat out with friends or even watch a decent movie. I am always cranky and have shouted at JR a lot of times for not doing things the way I want them to be done. For weeks, I have been way behind the review. This bothers me the most because I'd really like to learn more about finance.
It now boils down to priorities and my long-term goal. Macquarie is a good eye-opener to the corporate world. Despite everything, I have enjoyed my time here. I wouldn't have thought that I could actually shake hands with business tycoons in a short period of time. Or learn how to use bloomberg. Or liaise with Macquarie's Chief economist or other economists.
At any rate, I reckon passing level 1 is more important for me. In essence, if I want to be an expert in financial development someday, I should know the basics by heart.
I will finally get to see Boracay after 2 years!!! I am soooo excited. My family's staying in Nami and we've already booked our spas in Mandala Spa & Villas. I want to relax and finally finish Mishkin's new book.
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Oh! My swiss friends are visiting Manila in March. It'll be great to spend my 24th birthday with them. Likewise, it's great to think Swiss once in a while.
Celebrating Chinese new year makes me reminisce my good 'ol Putonghua days (Putonghua is Mandarin). It is by far the most difficult language I've ever learned and I'm determined to learn more of it when time permits. China, after all, is the future. :)
Ahora, mi amiga en Thomson es encargado del equipo. Alegrábamos muy felices oír las noticias tan comimos la cena en la alameda de Asia. Comimos paella de mariscos y helado de yogure.
Guete!!!!
A mi no me gusta nada mas pero estar con mis amigos.
Aufruf zu einer Aktion in Sachen Klimawechsel: Am 01.02.07, von 19.55-20.00 Uhr soll aller Strom abgeschaltet werden.
Donnerstag 1.2. 19.55 Uhr: 5 Minuten Pause für den Planeten! Jede und jeder sollen mitmachen.
Text in 3 Sprachen folgt – Deutsch,English, Francais Allesausschalten – turn everything off - On éteint tout Am1.Februar 07 von 19h55 bis 20h00 - On February 1st between 7:55 p.m. until 8 p.m. - le 1er février de 19h55 à 20h00 dringend: Aktiongegen den Klimawechsel – urgent: actionagainst climate change - Urgent : Action contrele changement climatique Am 1.Feb 2007: nehmen Sie an der weltweit größten Bewegung gegen den Klimawechsel teil!!! Verschiedene Naturschutz-Organisationen senden eine Aufforderung an alle Bewohner unseres Planeten, die 5 "Schweigeminuten": jeder soll Licht, Strom und sonstiges ausschalten, zwischen 19h55 und 20h00. FünfMinuten, nicht nur um Energie zu sparen, sondern besonders, um die Bevölkerung, die Medien und Politiker auf die tägliche Energieverschwendung aufmerksamzu machen. Ein Akt, der nur 5 Minuten dauert, der nichts kostet, der aber der Regierung zeigt, dass die Klimakatastrophe ein schwerwiegendes Thema der Weltpolitik sein sollte. Warum dieses Datum? : Am ersten Februar veröffentlicht die UNO die neuesten Erkenntnisse zum Thema Klimawechsel! ALSO......DREHEN SIE AB!!!!!
Turn everything off OnFebruary 1st between 7:45 p.m. until 8 p.m. Urgent:action against climate change On February 1st you can participate in the worldwide greatest actionagainst climate change!!! Various environmental organizations are asking the peoples of this planet to hold 5minutes of silence: Everyone should turn off all lights, electricity etc. between 7:45 until 8 p.m. Five minutes to bring attention to other inhabitants, the media and politicians about the daily waste of energy. An act which takes only 5 minutes, which costs nothing, but shows the governments that climate change should be on the top agenda of world politics. Why this date? On February 1st the United Nations is publicizing the newest results and knowledge base on climate change. SO TURN OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Faitespasser… Onéteint tout le 1erfévrier de 19h55 à 20h00 Urgent: Action contre le changement climatique Le 1erfévrier 2007: Participez à la plus grande mobilisation des citoyens contre leChangement climatique ! L'Alliancepour la Planète (groupement d'associations environnementales) lance un appel simple à tous les citoyens, 5minutes de répit pour la planète : tout le monde éteint ses veilles etlumières le 1er février 2007 entre 19h55 et 20h00. Il ne s'agit pas d'économiser 5 minutes d'électricitéuniquement ce jour-là, mais d'attirer l'attention des citoyens, des médias etdes décideurs sur le gaspillage d'énergie et l'urgence de passer à l'action ! 5 minutes de répit pour la planète : ça neprend pas longtemps, ça ne coûte rien, et ça montrera aux candidats auxélections législatives de juin 2007 que le changement climatique est un sujetqui doit peser dans le débat politique. Pourquoile 1er février ? Ce jour là sortira, à Paris, le nouveau rapport du grouped'experts climatiques des Nations unies. Il nefaut pas laisser passer cette occasion de braquer les projecteurs* sur l'urgencede la situationclimatique mondiale. *Est-ce vraiment le meilleur terme ? (CVE)
My parents' behaviour boggles me. How come that they willingly support me in internships abroad but refuse to do the same here?!?!?! They can trust me enough to send me to grad school in the UK but they can't trust me to move to Makati?!?! How can such irrationality run in my family?
I have accepted a 2-3 month internship at Macquarie Securities. I'll be working in their research division and some of my responsibilities include, but are not limited to, financial modeling and research. The head of Manila office also told me that I may be able get a chance to meet with institutional investors, famous businessmen, and politicians. (Actors, perhaps? hihi)
I'm feeling more anxious than excited. I have been waiting for this opportunity since October. The job description and time frame fit well with my future plans so I've decided to postpone Spain 'till after the CFA exam.
But the idea of going corporate (or trying to, in my case) consumes me every minute. Can I muster enough courage to perform well on this job? Will I be able to talk intelligently to investors? Can I adapt to commuting from QC to Makati, everyday?!?!?!
I guess the last concern is bugging me the most. Work hours are from 7am-7pm. I think I'll die by the end of my first week.
So, if anyone knows anyone in Makati who can accommodate me and my shoes for 2-3 months, text me: 09178234816.
My friend recently went to Berlin and discovered this wonderful pub, where beer is traded, similar to a stock market. An electronic real-time board is mounted and it illustrates how, depending on the demand for beer, prices move up or down.
WOW!
Just imagine, if there's excess supply of beer, prices go down, which makes people demand more of it; and vice versa. How cool can that go?! You can even move to elasticities after! This just makes me giddy! My friend told me she'll take me there...haha! I can't wait!
Oh, and this was really funny but disappointing to Americans who voted for him. I would like to see similar screw-ups from our own politicians...anyone willing to share?
1. If you were given the chance to change anything from your past, what would it be?
I regret not having transferred to Diliman when I had the chance before. I could have joined orgs and could have seen my high school friends more often. I stayed in LB because of a boy. Stupid!
2. Do you regret ever hooking up with the men in your life? (hahahaha)
Yes!!! I guess I regret hooking up with Ryan. That was daft and I didn't really learn anything from it, considering I went out with Ruel after!!!! EEEEWWWWW!!!! *nahihiya ako!!!!*
3. Do you consider yourself nationalistic? Why or why not?
Strange that I feel nationalistic only when I'm outside the Philippines. So, I guess I'm quasi-nationalistic? I always play ambassador to my friends abroad. That was always fun and exciting.
4. If you saw ate Michelle now, what would you say to her?
I like your hair (hahahaha!!!!).
Seriously... I'd say sorry and fervently wish that she accepts my apology. I will also ask her about her life in the US. She always talked to me before about her plans. I guess she's one of the people who inspired me to dream big and not settle for anything less.
5. Do you find yourself working in the Philippines, or do you prefer working abroad?
At this stage in my career, I feel that it's more advantageous for me to gain experience abroad first and maybe save up money for when I decide to work here. The Philippines is not a good place to live in when you're not rich. When I'm financially stable, I'd really like to work here, maybe in the government.
THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING: 1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
I'm looking forward to Spain. I have never been there. I heard from my little sister that Spaniards are somewhat like Filipinos - hospitable, fun, and lazy (hehe). I'm excited to see my host family. I hope they'll understand the muy pequeño Spanish I know and that we can minimize hand signals. I AM SOOOO EXCITED! And it will be winter when I go there...I can go skiing!!!! Weeeee!!!!
Haha! Excitation to the nth power!!!!!!
On a different note, I went to several job interviews this month, just for practice (and for kicks). I got job offers too, which I declined, because I figured I want to prioritise Spanish and the CFA exam in June first.
Most people ask me why I'm so fussy on choosing a job. Well, that's because I want a job that's challenging and would open doors for me. It's not too much to ask. I just want a job that will get me to think and help me develop my career. Until I find those qualities (and I hope soon), I reckon the job search will carry on.
And no, it's not because I think I want a manager-level job (like what some idiots think - you know who you are). I don't mind starting at the bottom since I know we have to start somewhere. Comments like those are just daft ...so quit it!
Once again, I will not be attending graduation. The UP graduation was unfortunate; it was scheduled after I booked my ticket to the UK. Now, the UoB graduation (or degree congregations, as they say) is as unfortunate since it's scheduled on a holiday and when flight tickets are sky high. Seeing that I was planning to stay 'till February/March and do the Madrid thing early next year, I cannot see the point of having to go back after graduation to spend Christmas and New Year's with the fam (because, by God, I don't want to be alone for the holidays!), and then return to the UK for the internship and Madrid.
Until now I am unsure whether I made the right decision. I've amended my flight so I now leave early January. So sorry to my UoB mates. I know in my heart that I'll see you guys very soon.
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On other news, I graduated from level 2 of Spanish yesterday! Yay! Sobresaliente! I may really have a flare for languages. I can't wait to go to Spain and speak the language veinte cuatro horas.
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Contrary to what Malacañang overstates, the Philippine economy is not in a better state than before. We have a severe unemployment problem due mostly to a low level of investment, brought by political uncertainties. Do not be deceived by the low inflation since it is mostly driven by the seasonality of oil prices. Owing to the fact that oil prices have gone down after the summer season and since the Philippines is a big importer of petroleum, we will expect inflation to go up once the OPEC cartel decides on increasing the price of an oil barrel. Moreover, the appreciation of the peso against the dollar is partly attributable to the oil price decrease and the American economic slowdown. It will, once again, be a murky Christmas and New Year. But we will persevere.
My favourite doughnuts are finally here!!!! They even have a website! I can't wait to get my hands into a dozen original glazed doughnuts....and those cute KK hats!!!!
I reckon that the treadmill will be exhausted when this health-conscious (or vain) family starts on a doughnut fixation by the 30th of November.
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cklyne's journal
cranky
restless
sick
