JOB OFFER: Discounted Ticket to New Zealand...Part II

job·of·fer nn. ('jäb 'o-f&r, 'ä-) - this is an easy way, I'm sure most people would agree, a less painful (sa bulsa), and a faster way to fullfill someone's dream of migrating to New Zealand.

I call this a DISCOUNTED TICKET to New Zealand. Why? Compare the cost it would take you on your application for NZ immigration while you're in the Philippines with that when you're already in New Zealand. Lesser, I'm sure. No more bangkok interview anxiety. No more costly courier overseas services. No more worries that you might not find a job immediately when you get there. Faster processing. And all that jazz.

Luckily and with God's grace, I was chosen to avail a discounted ticket.

Just this morning, my future boss called me on my cellphone. His first word is, "Congratulations!". Yes, music to my ears! He said that an employment agreement (a.k.a job offer) is already on the way and that I should start completing the requirements for a talent visa. With much surprise, all I can say is "Thank you very much Sir!", "Yes, Sir." He'll be expecting me in Wellington in a month's time. Gosh! Honestly I don't know where to begin!

Sa totoo lang, unexpected talaga to. When my EOI was selected last June, I was expecting that the immigration process would take at least a year - provided na minimum ang hassle sa processing. So most probably, I'd be leaving for New Zealand mid next year, right? Hey, but it's only October -- roughly 4 months ago, I thought that 1 year processing is fast enough. Now I can leave? With free accomodation for 1 month? and with a guaranteed job? Shocks!

To all my friends, I just thought I must share this to all of you.

And to my daughter (who'll be left behind with my parents), take care, baby. I'll come back for you. That's a promise!

My IELTS Experience...

Hi everyone! Gusto ko lang po i-share ang experience ko sa IELTS exam ko last June 11.

Sabi nga nila, madali lang ang IELTS, time pressure lang ang kalaban mo, lalo na sa writing portion. Sa case ko, di ko natapos ang 2nd part ng writing ko. Kasi naubos na ang oras. Ang maling style ko kasi, gumawa pa ako ng draft sa exam booklet. Dapat pala, dineretso ko na agad sa answer sheet. Kinapos tuloy ako ng oras. Naka- 1 1/4 page lang tuloy ako, although natapos ko naman yung draft ko. Siguro umabot lang sa 150 words yung second part ko. Siguradong may penalty yun. Sayang nga e. Tuloy ngayon, medyo tagilid ako. I'm praying na lang na sana mag-OK ako sa ibang test. Like sa Listening and Reading, mukang OK naman. Kalaban mo lang sa Reading yung choice na ' NOT GIVEN'. Pasaway na sagot, di ba? Hehehe.

June 13 yung speaking test ko. 10:40 am sa MEZZANINE DAHLIA ng DUSIT HOTEL. Medyo napaaga pa nga dahil hindi dumating yung nauna sa akin sa sched (Si Bing pala ito from pinoyimmigrants.com! Hehehe). Buti na din para matapos na ang kaba.

Sa SPEAKING naman, I'm glad na medyo may alam ako sa TOPIC na pina-discuss niya: DISCUSS A BOOK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE (eg. novel), ETC. At yung mga follow-up questions, of course, related dun. Like, compare yung income ng writer sa engineer (dahil engineer ako). Since sabi ko I love to write novels, bakit di ko daw na-pursue yung ganung career instead of engineering.. .Stuff like that. Tama sila, di nga ngumingiti yung interviewer, pero nawala na ang kaba ko kasi PINOY din sya.

At first, medyo kinakabahan ako sa magiging result ng exam ko. Yung kasabay kong friend, mukhang OK naman ang exam niya. Nakangiti after nung written exam, tapos nag-thumbs up pa sa akin after ng speaking test niya.

THE RESULT:
Surely after two weeks eh, bumalik kami ng friend ko sa IDP to get our exam result - or what they call TRF (Test Result Form). Halos magtatalon kami sa tuwa nung makita namin ang result ng aming exam. 'Want a taste of it? Here goes!

LISTENING: 8.5
READING: 8
WRITING: 7
SPEAKING: 7

Friend ko --

LISTENING: 7.5
READING: 8.5
WRITING: 7
SPEAKING: 7

Pareho kaming nag-average ng 7.5! Grabe ang saya-saya di ba?

Well, that's about it! ' Hope me napulot naman kayo sa nai-share ko.

Hilaw na Drayber

Sheez! After 27 years of living my life in this world, I finally decided to get a driver's license -- as a preparation to my life in New Zealand.

I went to LTO - Sampaloc, Welcome Rotonda Branch this morning to apply for a driver's license. In one hour, nakuha ko na agad. It was just a Student Driver's License but has filled me with so much excitement -- considering that I have only driven a bicycle all my life (and that was, I guess, 10 years ago!). Yap, you're reading this right. Hindi po ako marunong mag-drive, not even a clue. Learning how to drive? Of course I have plans, and I'm so excited about it. Just the thought of me sitting on the driver's seat (and upon my arrival to New Zealand, buying my own car for the first time) has filled my heart with so much excitement! (EXCITE is very much exploited in this post!) Well, maybe because I'm just excited about the excitements that, I know, I will soon face. (There you go again - Excite!)

There you go, another adventure -- another step on my way to New Zealand. This, I may say, is an easy one. Kahit hilaw na drayber ako, proud pa rin ako nung mahawakan ko ang lisensya ko.



After a month, papalitan ko na to ng non-pro ha!

Discounted Ticket to New Zealand

Tuesday, last week of September, while I was in front of my pc - one of my supervisors sitting beside me (i was showing him a file on my pc) - my cellphone rang. Alas! on the other side of the line was a lady -- introduced herself and told me that she is from one of the leading telecom companies in New Zealand! I was shocked. I politely excused myself from my superior, took some steps away from him and continued the conversation with the lady.

Confirmed! Phone interview nga ito from one of the companies in NZ! Her accent is purely English. I can barely understand her. Hindi ko na-catch ang name niya, pati na rin kung anong position daw ang inapplyan ko. Yes lang ako ng yes. Bahala na. She asked some basic questions about my current job, my application status to NZ, etc. Di ko nga alam kung tama ba ang mga sagot ko. Basta kung ano na lang ang pagkakaintindi ko sa tanong niya. Bahala na ulit. Hehehe.

Last thing she asked me is if it's ok for me to attend a VIDEO CONFERENCE interview with my future boss (ehem!). I just told her yes, just email the details (para maintindihan ko naman! Hehehe).

Kinabukasan, nagemail nga! The email contains a confirmation letter that my interview sched is on October 6, nandun yung venue, etc. Attached also is the position description. Hindi ko inapplyan tong job na to! Luckily, the job description is somewhat related to my current job. Haaay. Sana makalusot ako.

Now, the long wait is over...My very first NZ job interview will be held tomorrow - Oct. 6. Video conference style pa. I never experienced being interviewed like this -- this adds to my nervousness. Sana lang talaga makalusot ako. This is my ticket to New Zealand.

Thanks for reading this!

Broken-hearted Momma...

One of my high school friends accompanied me to DSWD Malate this morning. We are to inquire on how to secure a DSWD travel clearance (and hopefully get one!) for my 3-year old daughter. After two years of planning to go there (and three months left for my ITA deadline), I finally managed to get my feet and go there, face the DSWD people, tell them about my marital problem, and hope that one of them might understand what I've been going through.

As a single parent (actually, married but separated three years ago) who is one of the thousands of Pinoys aspiring to migrate to New Zealand, I was required to secure this clearance for me to be able to take my daughter to NZ. Simple lang po ang mga requirements...Actually, they're already in my hands when I went there -- except for one -- my husbands signature (sa Parental Travel Permit form). Isang maliit na pirma lang po na katumbas ng kaligahayan naming mag-ina...katumbas ng kalayaan namin...katumbas ng isang chance na makapagsimulang muli ng bagong buhay...sa New Zealand.

While I was giving the docs to the DSWD lady that was assigned to me, I was already explaining to her my situation. Defensive kung baga. I told her, "Ah, Miss, wala kasi yang pirma ng father kasi di ko na siya mahanap. Three years na kasi kaming hiwalay eh. Isa pa, we're not in good terms na rin kasi ng husband ko as well as his family." The DSWD lady politely declined us, explaining that the signature is really a requirement to prove that the father is allowing me to take my child anywhere outside the country. "Miss, pag lumapit kasi ako sa father, siguradong di niya pipirmahan at siguradong pipigilan niya yung anak naming makaalis." I added, sounding desperate. But still, she refused to give us the clearance.

Di ko na maipinta ang mukha ko...I know that anytime, my tears would fall while I'm in front of my friend and the DSWD lady. Yumuko na lang ako and pretended that I was returning all the documents to my folder -- slowly, maybe still hoping that a miracle might just happen, but none at the moment. "Sige, Miss, thank you na lang. Balik na lang kami kung may developments. Sige po." She nodded.

I left the place broken hearted. Bagsak ang balikat. My friend kept on cheering me up and telling me not to give up. I have two options now, to exclude my daughter in my immigration application or to gamble with my husbands compassion (and pray that if he learns about our application to NZ, wag niya nang hadlangan). Sob! Sob! I remember my daughters face whenever we pray to God about going to New Zealand -- you can see all the hopes in her -- believing that her mommy can do everything...that her mommy can make our every dream come true. Now what shall I tell her?

I don't know how to end this...maybe with a prayer -- still, pleading to God that He give us a chance to start a new life...

Thanks for reading this!