destination: singapore

i'm still working at mead johnson. my contract's supposed to end 31 may but i'm going to singapore tomorrow so i might extend for another week. the job's okay. lately, i've been screening resumes, scheduling and conducting interviews. the first time i did interviews, i was terrified, mortified, mentally-strained. i'm the first stage of the hiring process. if an applicant passes my "standards," then i pass him on to the next level of interviews. so, i was kind of struggling as to how to judge a person. i took into consideration the communication skills, leadership capabilities, eye contact, and enthusiasm. i had to trust my gut instinct. sometimes, it'd be hard to decide. now, i've gotten the hang of it. i'm more comfortable "grilling" people ^o^ hehe. but it's not really something i'd want to do in the long run. the people are nice though. i like listening to ma'am irene and ma'am mj's conversations. they chat with me at times and they're just bubbly people.

in fact, i'm supposed to tell them how my trip to singapore goes, which incredibly is just in time for the great singapore sale!! the last time i went to singapore was i think in 2000 or 2001. i've been wanting to go to singapore since the seminar on japan, coz some of the speakers were from the national university of singapore. and before, i didn't really get to see the local sites. we went around the tourist sites like sentosa, the night safari, jurong bird park, chinatown. so this time, i'm hoping to get acquainted to the city from a native's perspective.

the seminar on japan was cool. got to learn about oda and trade and arts & culture (ganguro girls, movies, banana yoshimoto). the talk on japanese market culture was especially interesting as it offered an in-depth view into japanese culture (tatemae and honne and other quirky japanese customs). from that seminar, i thought that hey, it'd be cool to give talks like this. so i am now considering being a professor ^0^ hehe. i have no idea when i will make up my mind as to what my career will be. argh! but now, i'm comforting myself by convincing myself that i still have time. more or less, i do have an inkling. read an email today about a (rotary world peace scholarship. i might try that out. sounds like a UN project. something i'd like to get involved in). I guess i'm veering more towards international relations and world peace advocacy. i wonder if i'm getting ahead of myself...

enrolled for module 11, french class. new book! a bit more difficult though. teacher's going to be xavier banes. french guy, seems nice. hope his lectures are structured well, especially in the grammar portions. i'm nearing my goal of being able to speak french fluently. yey!

dropped by tower records earlier today (after breakfast at pancake house). listened to jack johnson, rob thomas, and hale. awesome albums ^o^ and speaking of music, carrie underwood won!! i like country music =)

the interpreter

at this stage in life, i want to be an interpreter. i want to work for the UN and make a difference through diplomatic means. after watching the interpreter, it made me closer to that goal. seeing the General Assembly - all those seats, all the different languages needed to communicate, the cacophony and blend of all the accents - to me, it was the ideal environment. of course, it'd be better if there wasn't that much suspense and thrill. it's amazing how important it is to get the correct message across. being able to digest and think in another language that fast. the importance of word choice and phrasing, the way you interpret idioms and contextual words. it's hard, fascinating, and strange enough - very doable. cool.

i loved the film. the plot kept me riveted and there was just enough drama. the themes tackled were very relevant given nepal and sudan. do other countries really have the power to challenge the authority of the head of another country? in the case of genocide, it would only be proper if other countries intervened but would it even work? it didn't quite work in the case of sudan...so how does the UN stop violence and create peace? it's hard to believe how violent people have become, how willing they are to kill for a cause. people are divided by race, beliefs, religion. and it's getting harder and harder to crack close-minded egos.

The UN might not make much of a difference but it is trying to. It is the epitome of peace (although concepts of peace may differ as well). I'm not that ambitious as to think that i can save the world and foster harmonious relationships yet i would like to be part of that hub where the "trying to" takes place. i'd like to fight for peace if only by diplomatic means of communication. i think it's about time that gaps were bridged. i don't want to continue to live in a terror-filled world which makes me question the humaneness of humanity.

...nothing to do...

Your Birthdate: October 20

Your birth on the 20th day of the month adds a degree of emotion, sensitivity, and intuition to your reading. The 2 energy provided here is very social, allowing you to make friends easily and quickly. Yet you are apt to have a rather nervous air in the company of a large group. You have a warmhearted nature and emotional understanding that constantly seeks affection. You are very prone to become depressed and moody, as emotions can turn inward and cause anxiety and mental turmoil. It can be hard for you to bounce back to reality when depression sets in. When things are going well, you can go just as far the other way and become extremely affectionate.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?