Trade Fairs

As promised, here's the blog about the China Trade Fair.

Yun lang, that's it!

Hehehe... Just kidding... :-)

Let's see... Let's start when I was in Kinder (oohh... this is going to be loooonnng!). Back then, I thought I wanted to be nun. Yes, yes, I know! But it is true. I think girls (especially those who attended Catholic schools) go through such a phase in their lives. With the pristine aura of a woman in a white dress, a black (or white, depending on the rank) head gear (or whatever they call it), and a brown rosary "tied" to the belt, a nun is a role model for young girls.

However, this was only a short phase (less than a year, I think) in my young psyche. "Sister" was replaced by "Mrs. Evangelista", my Grade 1 teacher, in my role model list.

I was lucky to be the teacher's pet. I never experienced being scolded, or told to stand in the corner, or slapped with a stick by our teacher, although I was never the most behaved student in the class (back then, the "most behaved award" almost always went to the student who was always quiet, never raised his/her hand, but spoke softly when asked during recitation, and never rowdy in class, not even during recess time). Maybe that's why I wanted to be a teacher. Now, it makes sense, right?

But then, because of the "Little Miss Philippines" hype, I didn't want to be a teacher anymore. Can you guess "what I wanted to be when I grow up"?

Yes, that's right! Mama even gave me a toy physician's set. I remember the stethoscope (spell check please!) and the little red box-bag with the white cross in front which served as the doctor's bag.

As I grew up, I believed that it's what I really wanted --- until Biology. Ms. Quintana was a great Bio prof, no doubt about it, but I never enjoyed memorization work, especially if it involved the members of the Kingdom Animalia and the other Kingdom (see my point?). I was catching up quite well --- until Microscope Day!

My specimen (the letter "e" cut out from a newspaper) was already blurred from too much water because I cannot focus the lens of the microscope properly. Whereas my classmates registered an average 30 second time, and someone was able to do it in less than 15 seconds (if I remember it correctly, he was a delinquent --- always absent from class, and yet!), it took me a humiliating 20 seconds after a minute! I will never forget that!

So I didn't excel in Bio... but then came Chemistry and Physics. Modesty aside, I did pretty much better in Chem and Physics than I did in Bio. I thought, since I wasn't so helpless in Science, I regained hope of continuing my dream of being a doctor --- until Career Orientation Day.

This pretty lady talked to us about the corporate world. Right then and there, I was able to imagine myself in a pinstripe business suit (complete with manicure, make-up, hair and of course, the padded blazer!) inside a wood-paneled office overlooking the Makati business district. And I liked what I saw.

That's when I realized that 10 years of study would not fit me. It was too long! I might never be allowed to "legally" have a boyfriend until I'm nearly 27! That scared me... Haha! Babaw, noh? (By the way, I got married at age 22!)

But it's true. Very few high school students have deep convictions about their future careers. I was not one of them. I was very confused. Just take a look at my course choices:
In UP Diliman: BS-Bus. Admin & Accountancy and BS-Statistics.
In UP LB: Chem. Eng'g. and Agribusiness.
In Ateneo: Management Engineering, Management of Information Systems, and Management.
In DLSU: Marketing Management.

I ended up giving in to my parents' wishes... see future blog about this. But then, I shifted to Accountancy at the first instance that it was allowed. And that's how I ended up in an auditing firm. My first job! I met great friends there. And I enjoyed working in corporate Makati, going to and fro, snacking at Subway, hailing a taxi, laptop in tow, heels and all!... until I had to move back to the province when I was about to give birth.

For almost a year I worked in a university as Internal Auditor and part-time instructor. That's when I discovered I enjoyed teaching. I'm just not good in checking written assignments, projects and exams. It just takes up so much time!

But then, my family needed me in the business. So I had to resign from my job. I was sad, to tell you frankly. I got cut-off in the social circles, and it is so stressful to work with your family. There's just no escape --- even during dinners and Sundays, work always comes up.

Then comes along the pressures to put up my own business --- because my grandparents and my parents are businessmen and women. I tried. I put up an office/school supplies and home supplies store, but I was too busy with the family business that I never got to really manage the store hands-on. I ended up selling the merchandise to my storekeeper; she manages the store now (but business is not doing good). Then I accepted the offer to manage a water refilling station. So far, I'm still managing it, and I have many plans for it, but I can't manage it fully... again! Hopefully, I'd be able to rescue this business from its current slump.

I've also been planning to start a laundry shop. And a coffee shop. And an ice-cream parlor. And a store, again, but this time in a mall or tiangge.

That's why when I came across the Global Sources website, I impulsively signed up for a free admission badge in one of their trade fairs in China last April (for electronics and fashion accessories). However, Mama didn't want to accompany me, and I didn't have enough capital to place orders there anyway. Well, there's another trade fair this coming October 11-15 for fashion accessories and other items. Still, Mama doesn't want to go. And still, I don't have capital to start another store of my own.

Oftentimes, I get big ideas. But I lack the will and the passion to continue it. As John Lennon has said (though quite in another context), you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Sometimes I think I never really liked the idea of having a business of my own. Although our family has always been businessmen and women, I sometimes believe that I am not an entrepreneur. I keep looking back at my life in Makati. I keep thinking, perhaps if I hadn't resigned, I would still be in audit or financial services, and give or take 5 more years, I'd be an AVP or audit director or even audit partner!

You know, I'm really having a hard time concluding this piece. So I'll just leave you hanging and perhaps, tomorrow, I might have something more to say that's less abstract than this one. :-)

Travels

A while ago, Mama asked if IE can already appreciate a trip to Disneyland- Hongkong. I said probably yes, because he already recognizes the Disney Channel anyway, and he has good memory (one time, we were walking to the hospital's "parking lot" when he say this big pulley being used by the electric cooperative's men in transporting the logs to be used as electric posts... he pointed to it and asked what it is... so i told him it was a "pulley"... then a month later, we were walking the same street from the hospital's "parking lot" to the hospital, when he pointed to the electric cooperative's lot and said "poo-wie"... natandaan nya!)

Well, Mama asked if she can bring IE herself to Disney HK or if Johnny & I will be the ones to go. My sister and I immediately said we prefer to go to Tokyo Disney instead... because we wanted to go to Japan. Haha! As if we can come and go as we please... As if we had the money!

During our last trip to the US (of course, financed by our parents) in 2004, I was struck by the great difference in the US Dollar and the Philippine Peso. My $300 monthly salary is really miniscule compared to the US Minimum wage (at that time, it was US$10 per hour, I think)... And recently, I nearly threw a throwpillow (well, that's why they're called such) at our TV set while watching Oprah and her guests who were lobbying for an increase in the minimum wage. I was thinking, what were they complaining about?! If they think they're earning meager amounts, why don't they try living here in the Philippines where their minimum wage can go a long way... or try Cambodia, Bangladesh...

Then, I realize how much Americans are spending for their daily "needs": a bottle of Pepsi (2L or 1.5L) cost $1.60 in 2004, a bottle of purified water cost $2 - $2.50 in 2004, 2 bags of Lays cost $2.90 (promo only!), a liter of gasoline cost more than $1.74... or was it $17.40? I don't remember anymore but the point is, the whole debate about minimum wage and rising prices and mortgage costs is a paradox.

I guess the clamor of Oprah's guests for higher minimum wage is somewhat justified by the high costs of living. But it is a hopeless cycle! No matter where you are, in the US or in the Philippines (or in Dubai!), it is like a dog chasing after its own tail.

Increase the minimum wage because of higher prices. Increased minimum wage means higher labor cost. Higher labor cost entails increased prices to meet the desired profit. So the minimum wage has to be increased again. And so on and so forth...

So what's the solution? I tend to believe Robert Kiyosaki's "philosophy" (though not his original, he emphasized this in his "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" book) to LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS!

Okay, okay, okay! I know, I should practice what I preach. Johnny keeps telling me that every now and then. But what am I to do? I can audit, can do budgets, can account for financial information --- for other people. But I can't do it for our family. Maybe because my parents are generous (not that I'm complaining!), but it's my own fault that I am so complacent regarding our finances.

So how can I go to Japan, or China (for the trade fair --- see next blog), or the US or Europe? I don't know... But I'll figure it out...

The First Entry

This blog is a personal challenge, especially for someone who hasn't managed to keep a diary or journal for more than 2 weeks! Haha!

And this is probably where someone who dreams of writing a novel about the environment should start. Again, Haha! Environment?

And this, is really a challenge for someone who is a working mother of a very active 4 year old toddler who is also expected to cook dinner on time, prepare edible breakfast and packed lunch, and clean the bathroom sink, and who still lives with her husband in her parents' home.

However, I believe, that with determination, focus, and a little help of technology (just a little?), I CAN DO THIS!

So what's this all about? Er, I don't know... I just felt like I should start this right now. I was in the bottom third of our Advanced English class in high school anyway (but my inclusion in that class was probably because the school abolished the Advanced Math class)! But to be specific, my friends, I'll be writing my thoughts here about anything... about God, family, faith, friends, career, business, national/local issues, etc... because, I am THE SILENT JOURNALIST!