May 8, 2006
APRIL 21, FRIDAY ---- I woke up feeling a bit queasy coz that day was my scheduled interview for the OFW Journalism Consortium. By 10am, I was already dressed and had eaten my breakfast and rode the tricycle to the FX terminal.
Listening to Natalie's "Where is She" in the mp3 of my phone, it was then that I realized that I was already in Vito Cruz from where I took the orange multicab to Taft Ave.
By exactly 12, I was there by the Rizal Sports Auditorium. I realized that I still got a couple of hours, so I decided to pass the time by getting my usual mocha frappuccino at Starbucks. I chose to sit outside to do some "people-watching".
Puffing my usual Marlboro Lights stick, I saw many kids my age dressed formally and carrying a "toga" which they had on a hanger. I then concluded that it was either La Salle or St. Scholastica's graduation.
By 1:30, I took the last puff from my cigarette and walked towards Kassel Condominium. Since my bestfriend used to live in one of the units there where we usually hang-out and have some sleepover parties, I didn't bother to leave my ID and just headed straight to the elevator. Pushing the button with the number "6", my heart returned to its usual nervous thump as the elevator ascended.
As the lift stopped and the door opened, I stepped out feeling more jittery than ever. I looked for the door with the number 602, and when I found it, I took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. Someone from inside said "Sino yan?!", but having been incapable of any physcial movement at that moment, I wasn't able to answer back, much less turn the doorknob and just waited for Sir Villy to open the door.
When Sir Villy peeked behind the half-opened door and said "Yes?". And I asked if this was the office of the Consortium, and that I'm here to report for the interview as a hopeful intern. With that, he let me in.
He asked me to sit down and offered me a drink: coffee, water or tea. To which I politely declined since I'm still pretty brain-freezed from having just finished a grande-sized Starbucks frap. After while, Sir Dennis came in and so it all began.
I was expecting a stern, formally-dressed middle-aged man. Well, he was dressed a little semi-formally (which I later learned is because he will be having an interview that day), but the man himself was another different story. He was all smiles and was cracking jokes, but the biggest surprise of all was when he allowed us to smoke inside the office!
Then the rest of the Consortium staff came in: Mam Julie, Sir Leo and Sir Jere. By that time I was there with my classmates from UST. There were 5 of us: Sandy, Meinard, Kristy, MJ and me.
Everyone was so accomodating, making the intimidation factor lessen. As they briefed us on what was expected of us as interns and in turn, was asked what we expect to get from the internship, time just seem to fly by. It was about 5 when the merienda arrived (courtesy of Siry Villy) --- Jollibee YumBurger: Score!
Around 6, we finally noticed it was getting dark and we were finally dismissed. As I rode that orange multicab back to the FX Terminal to Naic in front of McDonals's in Harrison, I felt that feeling that for once, I'm gonna do something that I really want on the topic that I can totally relate to, as I am an OFW child myself...It just feels right somehow.
Yeah, it was one eventful Friday. And it proved to be worth more than just my usual Starbucks frap. (^_^)
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