Goodbye Ortigas

Dear Readers,

I apologize for being lazy posting any update on my blog. I have been very busy since June and I didn’t have time to post something interesting.

Last year, I made a big decision regarding my career. You see, I have been teaching online for Korean students for seven years. Although this job has been my bread and butter for the past years and for some, this job is as easy as ABC, spending seven years has also been a burden for me with regards to stability, salary, fringe benefits and ample consideration. That’s why I have decided, together with my husband and my family, to go back teaching.

Last year was not a good year for me, health-wise and career-wise. It started last March when I was diagnosed with laryngitis. We only had five-day Service Incentive Leave plus one sick leave per year of stay and since I had worked for two years, I had two additional days for sick leave and I used two days to take a rest and use my health card to go to Saint Luke’s Medical Center in Global City. Came April, I originally planned to use only two days of my SIL for my not-so-good vacation in Cagayan de Oro City as I had to file a petition to correct the errors on my birth certificate. However, I was not able to talk to the Municipal Civil Registrar right away so I prolonged my stay for four more days (weekend, Monday and Tuesday), hence, I had to use another two days leave credits. Then, I was absent again for two days because of stomach problems due to stress and stomach acids. I did my best not to consume my seven-day leave credits as my colleagues and I had been saving these for rainy days (we come to work rain or shine) but to no avail. When rainy days due to “Habagat” came, the water rose and I was not able to go to work again. I’d lost all my incentives. Not only that; I’d lost my motivation to go to work. At that time, my husband had been busy with his papers because he had received his “regular-permanent” appointment; hence, we agreed that after he had settled everything, then it would be my time to try applying in public school.

To prepare for the big plan, I had my internet connection installed, and found a home-based online teaching job. He had everything settled in November, and I filed my resignation in December. My last day at work was last January 29^th of this year. It was a big gamble on my part because I wasn’t sure if I would be hired because I had no teaching experience except my on-the-job training experience and seven-year online teaching experience. But thank God, I was able to do it!

I’m grateful and I will be missing my friends who I met on my journey.