My First Month as a Saudi Govt Official

When, halfway through a company anti-bribery/corruption talk, the presenter comments that we are all Saudi arabian govt officials, I thought to myself, 'Shit just got serious'. Haha just kidding.

It's my first month in the ITEC program, and i'm getting into the heat of things, taking on project roles e,g, in a Bangalore project (going next month!), knowing the people and culture, and basically learning and growing every single day. I have been really lucky that the progam really delivers on what it promised, with investment in training, meaningful work experiences and more importantly, connecting me to a mentor, a program supervisor, and a assignment leader, all valuable ties to kickstart my developmental journey. Not forgetting, of course, that I had one-to-one chats with managers from IT, Finance, HR, even the ex-CIO.

It turned out that the program was inherited from GE, and I had Rich (from the US and program alumni) share with me about his journey and tips on moving forward. We talked about everything under the sun, from his experiences and advice to Singaporean culture. I like that he's so open about sharing, and manages to communicate everything in a crystal-clear way, be it a tutorial or an opinion - something I'd really need to learn! Right now he's probably lounging on a dreamlike beach resort somewhere with his friends in Phuket, enjoying a well-deserved break :)

Best Bud @ work!!

Work has been fun and stimulating so far, with varied projects across processes, IT infrastructure and project mgmt. I do a lot of self-initiating and planning, thinking about what resources and information I need, who to get it from, and how to leverage my connections... with generous hints from my mentor of course :) Oh and I've already started stressing about making a presentation to a bunch of IT managers next week! Haha.

On a lighter side, I thoroughly enjoy the myriad of org activities we've had, from lunch treats and townhalls down to our paintball teambuilding event today :) It really gets people bonded together and enjoying their work much, much more.

Once I've gotten a better grasp of the company culture, I'll write about it, and share about some of the most interesting moments i've had.

Meanwhile, it looks like being a Saudi govt official... ain't that bad after all :)

Philin' Good about e Philippines 2

It got too comfortable.

Us in Manila, lounging around in the house, eating family dinners, entertaining lil Sachi, watching the strangest reality tv shows.

Too cute!! No wonder we can't leave xD

And that's when you know it's time to go. So we went.

We took the night bus up to Tuguegarao, and crashed Uncle Freddy's place (and life). We went spelunking up at Callao Caves, then drove up to the northern coastal town of Aparri to catch the sunset along the sea. There we bunked in at Uncle Freddy's friend's home (who in the great fashion of filipino hospitality vacated his entire house for us to stay), bought fish from the local market and cooked it for a nice beer-and-dinner.

Midway we dropped by Aunt Naknak et al's farms, and had tons of fun in the 'shoes', i.e. barefeet of a wet rice farmer. We bathed naked in a passing river, planted a disarray of rice seedlings knee-deep in mud, harvested coconuts from a bat colony, ploughed through maize plantations, and, of course, i got thrown off a carabao. So what else is new?

This is a carabao...in case you were wondering.

The lowlands didn't satisfy our appetite for adventure. We bus-ed up and up long winding roads, across undulating hills and into the deep mountains. Banaue, a little village tucked neatly on a mountain where rows of rice terraces grew, with native bridges running across the river valley, tin-crusted houses hanging for dear life onto cliffsides, and a slow peaceful atmosphere to soothe our hearts.

It reminded me of Sapa, perhaps just without the ubiquitous ethnic tribal costumes. But you still fall in love with the town easily, and I regret not having the luxury to explore every nook and cranny of this rustic hamlet.

Ever had an entire town black out for the whole night, with a candle to keep us company? All it takes is to rain, and Banaue cuts off all electricity, blanketing the village in complete darkness while the moon hides behind mountain peaks.

Yet that was the most refreshing sleep I had for awhile, possibly due to the fresh air and quiet night.

When morning came, it was accompanied by the cacophony of a gazillion dogs, pigs and cockerels, ringing loud through the valley. We washed up and rode over to a nearby mountain, where we'd embark hours on foot, up into the clouds and then down towards the greatest of the UNESCO rice terraces, Batad.

No mean feat, btw. I'd advise good shoes, light baggage and a healthy heart. But it was well worth the hike.

A hidden emerald in the valley

Walking along the rice terraces, feeling the beads of richly yellow wheat, you can't help but feel that you don't love rice as much as it really deserves. Eons of carving steps and building mud foundations, just to grow little strips of rice and corn - food truly is the essence of life. Some of these villagers really have been living the same way their ancestors lived, with nary a modern comfort but the sole immersion in a life within a mountain valley...

We climbed across the terraces, for we searched for another famous hotspot - the Tappia Waterfall. Honestly, I never thought much of waterfalls. Seen a couple here and there in my travels, meh. But, no. This one really stunned me. It was so beautifully carved, right snuck above a field of rocks, and it begged to be swam to. Which is really dangerous due to the undercurrents, of course. Still, when we saw it roaring above our heads, we promptly stripped down and dived into the racing river, till we stood right in front of it, a torrential stream of water. A stream of beauty, actually.

Will post pics up from Karl. But we lounged lazily on the rocky riverbed before the time creeped on us - we had to get back to our initial hiking point in 2-3 hours to catch the tricycle back! And I acutely realized my lack of fitness as we did a more exhausting climb back to Batad, and then across the mountains again. Whew! 6-7 full hours of rough hiking got us really, really bushed by the end of the day. We retreated into a coach for a long overnight haul back down towards Manila.

I thought I'd really miss the serenity, the halcyon calm of these hidden hamlets. And I still do, badly, but two weeks had flown by, and we drew close to the end of our trip.

Though much of Luzon still remained unexplored, I think I'd satisfied my wanderlust for now! It has been a thoroughly refreshing trip of brand new experiences, and makes me count the Philippines as one of my fav in Southeast Asia now, alongside Vietnam. I'd love to come back again and enjoy the blend of nature and civilization, the rich culture, the great hospitability of the people...

What do you know? It's more fun in the Philippines! :)

Philin' Good about e Philippines

Back from the Philippines!!

Enjoying the hospitality of many Filipino families? Check.
Knees deep in mud planting rice in the fields? Check.
Getting thrown off a carabao onto the riverbed? Check.
Hiking hours across rice terraces and rocky rivers to swim to a waterfall? Check.
All in two weeks with $250, a backpack and an open heart!

I have to say, it has been a very, very unique backpacking trip this time round. Throughout the trip, i have been deeply immersed into local culture and hospitality, perhaps more than any other trip so far. I feel less like a passing visitor, and more like a guest family member. Recounting the trip, there has been a fair share of adventure and excitement, relaxation and fun. Enough memories to last me till the next time i visit Aunt Biki's side of the family in Davao, Mindanao!

After a couple of years traipsing through mostly developed terrain - Europe and U.S., and the rising economic powerhouse China, I had almost forgotten the chaos, the confusion of the developing world. Enter Manila, and it floods your senses with nostalgic turmoil. Your eyes, muddled from the dizzying crowds of people and traffic. Your ears, incessantly disturbed by noise, pure noise. Your nose, choked up from wisps of pollution and street food. Your skin, steadily irritated by the sun, the dirt, the anarchy.

Welcome back, I thought to myself with a smile.

But first, I pray I will not be kidnapped. Because now I wait at the airport exit, hour upon hour, for a man I have not met before in my life, nor barely know from the meager testimonials he has on CS. A man with whom I have planned to travel two weeks in the Philippines, and will be staying with tonight. No address, no contact number, not even a face! All I know is that he'll be wearing a white shirt and blue berms, and carrying a blue 60litre haversack.

Why, dear God, why must I do this to myself, as my head ached from my recent fever. Eleven pm in Manila and without a definite place to stay. 'Thrilla in Manila' indeed! Nothing but a risky plan and a hope, as always. Always the same hope, the same faith... in the magic of serendipitous encounters, the wondrous chaos of Life.

It paid off. I met Karl, his cousin Naknak picked us up to her house, where her whole family showed us great hospitality... and the rest, as they say, is history.

Our days in Manila, mired by the rain, still found us touring around the walled old ruins of Intramuros, shuffling between a dizzying array of public transport from jeepneys to MRT, and learning its rich history and culture through museums like Ayala and Rizal memorial.

My favourite part, our family excursions to Taal Volcano (a lake within a volcano within a lake - quite a mouthful I know) and Laguna's famous hot springs! Definitely must-visits for the entire family.

If there is one way to truly experience what's unique in an Asian culture, I now know it to be a live-in with a family, and engage fully in day-to-day activities and the occasional weekend excursion. I love the karaoke culture, the lovely spreads of picnic food, the thick extended family relations, the love for reality tv, etc etc...

And I suddenly remember my parents saying, 'Why don't you go with a tour group? You'll see all there is to see". They never get it haha. I don't travel to see. I don't travel to do. I only travel to feel, to learn... to live.

And finally i feel so much alive again.