How I Spent 2 months Of My life As An Intern

Hello. Just got home from my dad's companion's party and I enjoyed it because I had the chance to sing with the band. They asked me to join and jam with them some other time when I'm free. Well, I'd love to.

Well, I'm finally free from my internship program today! I finished 300 hours of duty in the company where I applied my skills that I obtained in the last three years of college, and that is The Central Bank of the Philippines which is commonly known as "Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)". I just want to write all the things that I experienced in the whole internship duration.

Before the internship period started, I was pretty worried where to be intern. A certain company in Ayala who promised a sure slot for me as an intern had a personnel problem that's why the slot is cancelled. Another company along EDSA which first planned to get interns as testers changed its mind and decided to call off the need for interns. Good thing, BSP contacted me through my resume that I passed to them on our campus' jobfair.

I started April 16 and was assigned to the IT department of the institution (I will no longer detail the company's structure because it's somehow confidential). In there I met some of the outgoing interns of the department. One of them is Kuya Kevin who appeared to be a famous guy over social networking sites because of an inspiring photo of him. Another one is Kuya Jelome, who is a good-looking guy but somehow lousy but funny to hang out with, and of course, the one I hanged out the most, Ate Joann. She is lively, fascinating to talk with and she is the one who guided me and my other co-interns the most in some policies and experiences that previous interns followed and remembered.

If there are outgoing interns, there are new ones. First to mention is Aaron and Diane. They started 2 days after I started reporting. They are in the same room as mine though the two of them are together in one development group and I was separated. We bonded together during lunch as Diane accompanies Aaron and I in the cafeteria after she ate with her Mom.

Next who arrived is Claudine. She's also from UP but from a different system, Los Banos, that's why I'm pressured. At first I thought maybe I will be compared to her especially when she finishes the assigned tasks immediately while I spend a lot time to accomplish it. But after I talked to her casually, I realized that I'm just pressuring myself. She's nice, really. :)

Next is line is Jomar. He started almost a week after my start day so let's say I'm one lesson ahead. He was assigned on the same group as I and we had the same supervisor. Well, I really wonder why but he is really fond of bullying me. Also, he deserve the early bird award for being most of the time the first one to log on the daily time record.

Some other new interns came namely Sarah, Bryan, NJ and "The Three Weirdos (Bernard, Daniel and I forgot the name of the other one)" because that's how Bryan addresses them. Well, Jomar appears to be having some hard time with the three weirdos because of that CR incident with Daniel. *GROSS*

Sometimes we went to the COOP (it's like a mini grocery) in the morning after we logged in to buy some food that we will consume until lunchtime. Recently, Jomar, Diane and I discovered a coffee vending machine in the 7th floor and a beverage vending machine in the Dept of Finance building. We also set out for Harrison Plaza, a mall in front of BSP, to print deliverables, to eat lunch, or  to spend time to avoid boredom. I really had fun with them. They made my circle of friends wider. We may have different personalities but when someone opens a topic, at least two persons will talk and share.

Internship will not be completed if there is an intern but there is no one who supervises him/her. That's when a supervisor come in place. I was assigned to Sir Erwin, who is a UP grad of Computer Engineering. He's good in Java and well-informed in JasperReports. He doesn't distant himself from his interns. He has this approachable aura that if you have a questions, feel free to ask me. But Sir Erwin, as much as possible, will not teach you how to accomplish the code. Search how to do it on Google then if you still can't do it, that's when the time he will help, because he believes that in real work, you higher ups will not teach you anything. You just have to learn and practice them on your own. Some other staffs that I know are Ma'am Heidi and Sir Bernie from the same development group. There was a time when one high-positioned employee will retire, the department prepared a special number based on Camp Rock. It's a good thing to see my supervisors and other staffs dance while wearing black rock outfits.

Before I left my workspace earlier, I looked at it around and saw many things that reminded me of my experiences in there - the contact number of the SITD ID Division for my most awaited Non-BSP ID, Sir Erwin's mineral water bottle that he left when he was checking my progress on Java servlets, scratch papers that I use to compute Aaron's total working hours, and the extra mouse that I use when I carry my laptop for database purposes. I found it hard to leave the desk and computer that I always use for two months already.

I really had fun in BSP and surprisingly, I found it to be my dream workplace someday. All I have to do now is to focus on the present so that I will be better for the future - someone suitable to work in the company who manufactures and regulates Philippine currency. :)

Well, it's time for SP(Special Problems) since it's a requirement for completion of my course. Must focus on it starting today. Till next time :)

To the Proudest Tatang Of All

Well, it’s been a while since I posted here, so maybe there is a reason why I posted this article. Actually, I have been keeping this thing for almost a week now. This is a sad story so I may not be good in conveying my grief and sorrow over this matter.

My grandfather Ruben, Mom’s “Tatang” (father), passed away last Wednesday, May 8, 2013. He died because of cardiac arrest. Today is his funeral service and my eyes are still aching after shedding all the tears that I can still shed.

His real name is Servillano Sampang Dela Cruz, or more commonly known as “Ka Ruben” because that’s how he was addressed by our neighbors and relatives. He was a farmer and it is really visible in his appearance. Well, he is industrious because he managed to make three out of his six children – three girls and three boys, finish their studies by just farming alone despite of hardships in life. One of them is my Tita Luisa, who suffered from polio when she is small. My mom’s cousins told me that when my Tita Luisa is attending her classes, my Lolo Ruben always carry her to and from school each and every day.

Well, I did not cry because of his kindness in my uncles and aunts, but with how he spent his life with me as his first grandchild. (I started crying again). It started May 8 in the morning. It was Wednesday so I have to leave 5:30 in the morning to enter to the office where I’m on duty as an intern. When I’m with my father riding in our motorcycle on our way to the terminal, I saw him beside the street. I smiled at him, but since our motorcycle passed swiftly, I did not even have the chance to see what his reaction is.

My day in the office started and ended normally so I logged out early. What surprised me is that travel time from office to the bus terminal is really short (because normally I’m stuck in the traffic) and an airconditioned bus is not that loaded with passengers when I arrived at the terminal (normally it would take me one hour to fall in line and wait for an airconditioned bus to arrive).  I was really happy that time because I will arrive in our house early. I even managed to sleep in the bus. One more kilometre left on where I will drop off, I was surprised because my dad is calling me using his Sun Cellular number eventhough I am using a Touch Mobile number so somehow I had an idea that this is something important. When I picked up my phone, he first asked my location and I told him that I’m almost in my drop off place. Then his tone changed followed by a phrase that I made sense that something really went wrong, “Nak, huwag kang mabibigla ha. Patay na ang tatang. (Child, do not be shocked. Your grandfather passed away already.)” Then I was suddenly speechless. In the morning he was standing firmly, without any previous disease he may suffer for, then he was dead by the night? When I got home, a jeepney is waiting for me. There loaded are my uncles and aunts, my mom and dad, my brother and cousins and my grandmother. All of them are teary-eyed except for my grandma who was bursting in tears. We all headed to the funeral service first to get an ambulance then went to the hospital to fetch his cadaver.

According to the doctors, he died of heat stroke due to severe heat that day. What broke my heart the most is seeing his body before he is going to be embalmed. I started calling him. I called his name again again. I called him thrice already. No answer. He’s no longer answering. My aunt Luisa kept waking him up, but he didn’t. My grandma burst in tears again.  He’s gone, yet I want to say a lot of things to him.

His funeral wake lasted for five days and that is how I witnessed how people loved my “Tatang”. Some people came that even my uncles and aunts do not even recognize at all. They all said that my grandfather was really a happy person because he always tells jokes to those people. Also, my grandfather is good in “pakikisama (social adaptation)”, that’s why many people knew him. He was always a simple guy. He’s just fine with t-shirt and shorts. He just dresses up when there is an occasion.

But I am something that my brother and cousins are not to him – I am his favorite grandchild. I started noticing it when I was in high school. Whenever he saw my brother and my cousins, he always tell them to stop what they are doing and instead do this particular thing, but when it comes to me, he always compliments what I’m doing, even I’m playing in the computer he thought that I was studying. He was always proud of me. He tells my achievement and what he calls as “my bright future” to our relatives. When he is having coffee in the morning, he always tells me jokes and inspirational stories that he picked up from the television. We even watch Face-to-face when I do not have classes during weekdays. I always wanted him to share meals with us because sometimes he dines late when grandma went to sell goods in the market.

I want him to be present in my graduation day. I want to celebrate with him as I being first in our family to graduate in UP. I wanted to treat him and my grandma and dine in restaurants when I get a stable job someday. I want him to ride in my dream car once I’ll be able to buy it. I want him to meet my future husband and my future kids. I want them to know that I have an amazing “Tatang”.

I know he is in a better and safer place now. He did not suffer from any tests or operation. I think this is a better way for my “Tatang”.  I know someday I’ll be able to meet him again. By this time, I just have to swear that I’ll bear his surname as my middle name longer than the usual and I will do my best to achieve my dreams.

I love you Tatang. We’ll miss you.

Panagbenga 2013

It all started when our Humanities II professor announced in the class that we are having a fieldtrip in Baguio in day of the celebration of Panagbenga Festival. I am actually excited because the last time I've been to Baguio was when I was just a little kid and it'll be my fist time witnessing the said event. Actually I was worried back then because departure time is late night of the Friday before the event and my friend and I have Saturday classes. Good thing we are excused. I also think that I'll be a good time to relax and enjoy while final exams are not yet in our way. :)

It was February 23, 12 AM when we head from UP Manila to Baguio. Of course we used that time to have the best sleep that we can have because our day will be filled by different activities. We are still somewhere in Pangasinan when I woke up and I had the chance to took some pictures of the road up to Baguio. It made  me thrilled to see those sharp curves and deep cliffs (as if I'm looking at the the scenery in Ipo Dam. Only this was a lot better.)

 

Road to Baguio

After we arrived in our hotel,  fixed our things and ate lunch, we set off to our first destination - the Tam-awan Village: Garden in the Sky in Barangay Pinsao Proper on the same city. According to the pamphlet guide, Chanum Foundation, Inc., founded in 1998, began to reconstruct Ifugao houses in Baguio with the view of making a model village accessible to people who have not had the chance to travel to the Cordillera interior. On a land near an abundant spring, the foundation started out with three knocked-down huts transported from Bangaan, Ifugao. Tam-awan village now has seven Ifugao huts and two Kalinga houses. Using the original materials and adding only new cogon roofs, traditional artisans reconstructed the houses and laid them out resembling the design of a traditional Cordillera Village. For me, the recreation of the village preserves the art and culture of the natives before despite the changing phase of the city because of commercialization. 

cloths under "binayon"

Various art forms are found in the Tam-awan Village. The most visible, of course, is the architecture of the structures found in the park. Wide-space nipa huts, which they classify as Ifugao houses, served as shelters for different art exhibits and shades for the visitors. I observed one unique type of house which they call “binayon”. This type is a Kalinga nipa hut which is orthogonal or eight-sided and it is raised above the ground by different wooden pillars. Through those pillars, strings are arranged together while strips of cloths with intricate designs hang between those strings. According to the signage below the house, the strings and cloths woven together are meant to trap bad spirits looming around the house. 

Some huts are four sided. One of those huts do not have walls because it serves to be storage for “talahib” or wild grass and wood for fire. Houses are linked together by bamboo bridges while blocks of marble are used as steps through the deep downhill. 

Huts inside Tam-awan Village

Second thing I noticed is the music in the park. We arrived just in time for the traditional dance of the Ifugaos. Using small gongs made of brass, the males hit them using wood with its head wrapped in rubber thus creating different musical rhythms while accompanied by the females who were dancing in accordance to the rhythm. Sometimes along the performance, a dancing male chant then the girls will sing some lines after. The men wore red “bahag” or the native male dress of the Ifugaos with flock of feathers attached on their heads or around their arms and limbs. The females wore red “ampuyou”, the wrap-around skirt of Ifugao women. All of them are barefoot while performing. 

Next art forms that I noticed are the paintings. In front of the space where the dancers performed is a nipa hut where you can find a group of artists painting or sketching. They offer sketch of those visitors who want to have their portraits done. Some ready-made paintings are also displayed and for sale in the walls of the nipa hut. Alongside the nipa hut is Bugnay Gallery which is situated inside another nipa hut. It is a gallery of more artistic forms of painting. Some of those painting are made from acrylic, charcoal and other art media. The artwork that I remembered the most is a landmark painting. Its intricate details amazed me and to think it is etched using the sun’s reflection. Like the paintings made by the artists outside, most of the paintings in the gallery are price tagged. Outside the village are murals of inanimate but fancy creatures which are painted using different using lively colors. 

Some 2D artforms

Some sculptures are also displayed around the park. There are free standing sculptures like the “bulul” or a mimic of person sitting, while a sunken relief depicting a nude woman sitting on leaves of a tree while being surrounded by thorns was found on the entrance of the village. 

"Bulul" and a sunken relief

Seeing the village up close made me appreciate the art and craftsmanship in even simple materials found in its structures. I also enjoyed the colorful flowers and the strawberry "taho".

Pretty flowers :)

The EPIC Strawberry Taho

With my friends.
(I hope they will not kill me after posting this here.)

We were given free time to have a tour around some of places in the city and buy the goods that we want to buy. On our way to Good Shepherd where they say that the jams are the best, we first stopped by at Mine's View Park. :)

Some shots from MVP

We walked through the city because of the heavy traffic our bus experienced on our way back to the hotel. Well, it's our first time to stay overnight together, I mean the four of us so for me it's definitely special. :) Though our roommates are sort of noisy because they're perfecting the melody of That's the Way You Are, I just thought maybe it's their way of spending the night together. :))

We woke up early in the morning because it's February 24 and it's the festival day, but before proceeding to the parade, we first checked out to the hotel then went to La Trinidad to visit the strawberry farm and bought some goods.

After 30 minutes of shopping, we then proceeded to the Panagbenga Parade of Floats. According to GoBaguio.com, the Panagbenga started with just an idea that Baguio City should, like other towns and cities in the Philippines, have its own "fiesta" or festival celebration. Having been created a city by the Americans during their occupation of the Philippines, Baguio did not start as a town during the Spanish colonial period that had a patron saint with a feast day. It was made to be celebrated by February so that tourists who would like to witness the event would not be bothered because Christmas and Holy week will not be celebrated on close dates. Panagbenga had been one of the most famous festivals in our country so it became a must-see event for tourists from all over the world. It promotes the culture of Baguio and flourishes the trade and industry in the city. Moreover, the artistic designs and layouts of the floats are unique forms of art which are distinct from different art forms that other places are famous for.

The floats are created using flowers of different types, colors, shades and sizes. They have different themes: most of them are inspired by the culture of Baguio, some are fantasy-based, while some of them showcased the industry that made them. Some of the culture-inspired floats are the float with a nipa hut in its center, and the float of La Trinidad which is ornamented by Amarillo of different colors. 

These two days I spent in Baguio was full of new experiences. I'll be delighted to come again if there's no traffic though it's impossible :))

Learning to give way

Hello. Two months have passed since my last blog. Due to my hectic academic schedule this past few months, I have been inactive in here. Oh well. I am writing this thing right now because I have something I think I like to share here in my space. Well, I think it's my first time to write about my lovelife :-p

Actually, I just got home from school because Lenten season has already started and we have to say goodbye for exams for a while. Travelling has been very hard because LRT and buses are crowded, and roads are full of vacationists out to explore and homecomers who will spending the rest of the week in their hometowns, like me. Even Balintawak Toll Gates of NLEX are busy handling the quantity of travellers.

Continuing, actually, I fell asleep while I was on my way home and I had a dream. Well, I'm in my CS124 class and my prof is Sir S. (Let's just call him this way because I don't want any of my professors to be directly addressed in my blogs.) Let's have a background first of my CS124 class. (I think is going to be a long story.)

My CS124 class happens every Friday this semester. Well, it is a normal class for most of us, but not for me. I am always to teased by Sir S to a certain blockmate (let's call him J), and I'm always irritated by it. Sometimes, even out of nowhere he will suddenly relate a certain concept to love, then love to me and then the teasing will follow next. I really do not know the whole story why Sir S relates me to J but I can only treat him as a friend, nothing more.

Continuing from my dream, like I said, I am in my CS124 class, and the whole class is there, and Sir S is there. He started teasing me again to the same person. Then he suddenly asked me, "E Nicole, ano ba talaga ang status mo? Wala ka bang crush? (Translation: But Nicole, what is your real status right now? Don't you have any crushes?)" Then I suddenly ask myself. Do I really have one? I do not know what to say at all. (Another substory. Sorry)

Well, two weeks ago, I had a crush on blockmate of mine, but not the same blockmate that Sir S is talking about  (let's call him M). I feel guilty for it because I told J that I will never like a blockmate ever. I think I had been unfair to him and he may think that what I just said was just an alibi for me to reject him. I really don't expect myself to fall for M. Actually, it started when we had an overnight for our student council election because we are the ones who will manage the website that will be used. I had bonding with the other members of the team, including him, and it was fun! And since semester is ending, machine problems are needed to be coded again. I was amazed of his skills because he created his own algorithm even there is one available in the internet. Then he and his friends danced to the tune of "Harlem Shake" and uploaded the video to YouTube. :)) I had my bestfriend watch the video and she said that the guy (pertaining to M) is somehow attractive. That's when I started to think about him and found myself having a crush on him the day after. Well, we had a funny chat about random things one night but I will not detail it here because the next part will be a sad one. :(

Let's say there's a close friend of mine in the block (let's call her E). I call E as "Nay" (means Mommy) because we had a family tree when we were first years and she turned out to be my mom. I share to her some of my kilig moments because some of my crushes are from our college and she knows them and then she will tell me some facts about them. She's always close to me and I thought of something about her recently. Maybe she likes M but more than the like that I feel. Well, she's clingy and they are always together but recently, I noticed that they are coming to class together, and going home together, and the like. Now, E addresses M as "Boss". She is also tweeting sweet text messages about Boss. Well, I think that's enough for you to understand my current situation.

So, back to my dream. Sir S asked me and finally I came up with an answer, "Sir, wala po. Dati meron pero napag-isipan kong i-give up nalang kasi nakikita ko naman na yung kaibigan ko at saka siya ay nagpprogress naman. Kung masaya naman sila sa isa't-isa bakit ko pa sila pipigilan. Ako lang yung magmumukhang masama. (Translation: Sir, I do not have any. I used to have one but I decided to give up because I can see progress between my friend and him. If they are happy with each other, why would I stop them? I will just turn out to be the bad one.). Then Sir S smiled like he wanted to say that I made the right choice. After the class my closest friends hugged me (because they know what has been bothering me since) and I was really happy that I finally let go of this unrequited feelings.

Then I woke up to the tune of SHINee's Dazzling Girl playing in my iPod, and it gave me this happy feeling. Well, I think I want to thank M for making me experience butterflies in my stomach :) and to E, well, I valued our friendship more so let's just stay friends forever :))

Til my next post. Happy Easter to everyone :)

What I want to do this 2013

Hello! Happy New Year to you. I remembered myself writing my new year's resolution a year ago and fortunately, I managed to turn some of them to reality. Here's my list last year and what happened to them before the previous year ended.

1. 1. Have someone who will read and appreciate this blog of mine..(though I think it's impossible, for now) - Yey! I have 57 views (coz I repeated my blog) and 2 followers. Thanks Liezls and Maris :)
2. Good health - Yes yes. Thank you Lord for the healthy body.
3. Plenty of resources - Again. Thank you. 
4. Maintain my DOST scholarship. - So far, I still have it :)
5. Be a College Scholar.. :) - Finally. 1.67
6. Have friendship with everyone.. - I had new friends. Yey! :)
7. Be active in choir activities. - Yes. I finally adjusted my schedule so that I'm free on Friday nights and Monday mornings. :)
8. Gain height. (waaah) - Oh yeah. I gained 5 cms! I'm now 150 cm >:D
9. Lose weight.. :) - Yeah. I just lost 2 kls. :)
10. Have a 500 GB HDD - Hahah. I already have one, yet in less than a year. I almost consumed all of its free space. 10 GB left :(
11. Have a Galaxy Y phone.. - got a better one. Love love Sony Xperia J :)
12. Celebrate my 18th Birthday the way I like it to be.. (it's just once in a lifetime) :) - This one made this set of resolutions ALMOST true. I don't want to talk about it. However, my loving blockmates preferred something that made me cry. Thanks a lot!
13. Of course, stay alive on 12.21.2012 - yeah. I just sang & slept on doomsday :D

12/13! :D 2012 is a good year after all. Now, for my 2013 New Year's resolution,

1. Have more people who will read and appreciate this blog of mine.. 
2. Good health 
3. Plenty of resources. 
4. Maintain my DOST scholarship. 
5. Still be a College Scholar or better 
6. Take my OJT in good computer company. 
7. Have more friends :) 
8. Still be active in choir activities, even I will be doing my SP. 
9. Gain height. 
10. Make my face free from pimples. 
11. Have a new white/pink earphones with good bass quality. 
12. Print a customized shirt. (either Naruto- or SHINee-themed) 
13. Upload songs on my soundCloud account and get some followers :) 
14. Be alive for another good year coming. 

Fortune tellers forecast 2013 as a lucky year for those who were born on the year of the dog. I just hope it will turn like one. Til next time :)