The longest six months of my life

April 2007. I just graduated from college with a degree on Mass Communication and got lots of free time in  my hands. I was still in denial (that it's time for Real World, baby) so I did not apply for any jobs yet. Instead, I managed an online shop selling clothes and accessories (which did pretty well, if I may say so). Two weeks into it, I got bored and went with my Sinister Sister Jinna to a Job Fair at St. Francis Square in Pasig City. Thursday, we fell in line for three(!) long hours, dropped off our resumés, and scheduled an interview with HSBC for the next day. Friday, we went to HSBC's office in Discovery Suites and scored a job offer before the day is through. Saturday, I went to Healthway for my pre-employment medical exam. Monday, on April 23, 2007, I started working. So now you see why I always say this job just fell on my lap?

May 18, 2007

Tranche 5's graduation from CORE training

Backstory: A batch of trainees is called a tranche. We were Tranche 5. After two months of training, we were separated into three different teams. A majority of my tranchemates became Team Jimmy while I became part of my Team Arjay. Two years ago, I rejoined my original tranchemates and became a part of Team Jimmy.

A hundred thousand memories after...

April 2010. When we signed our contract, Jinna and I joked that we will just stay here for six months tops as we didn't really intend to work in call center. (Scratch that, I do not work in a call center, I work in a financial service provider, as we were told.) Three years on, some of our tranchemates have either left the company already or have transfered to another company and Jinna is now working for another company. As for me, I am still here. What gives? Well,  it is not the only factor, but working with the most awesome people to have as first officemates certainly helped.

To celebrate our third anniversary with the company, my tranchemates and I had a mini party in my apartment last Friday, April 23, 2010. 

We would have wanted everyone from our tranche to come but that's an impossible feat (as even some who are still working with us were not able to attend). We still had a good time though, just reminiscing about the old times, bonding over food, and playing a mean and oldie-but-goodie game of Spin the Bottle: Truth or Consequence (but everyone got Truth anyway lol). Mich brought pancit while Dane brought native kakanin. And yeah, they drank a little alcohol :D

Watcher, Asther, Mich, me, Dane

As per Daria, "I love being the hostess. It's so easy to get home at the end of the night."

Frank and Sasha also came at around 7PM. As they say, better late than late-r :D

I prepared a mini-tribute for them that contains a slideshow of our pictures through the years. This was not an easy task, man! I started with 776 photos, trimmed it down to 180, suffered setbacks and kinks, but through the help of my brother was able to burn it into a CD so we can watch it through my DVD player. They said they liked it :)

Except for the hair, I don't think I changed at all in those three years! :D

Mich's best friends Jonas and Apreal also came. All in all, it was a fun night even if not everyone was able to come. I am hoping for more bonding moments like these. I have said this before and I will say this again: they are the best people a girl fresh out of college can ever wish to have as her first officemates. 

Smile! :)

(this photo was taken on November 2008)

For me, they make HSBC the Best Place to Work and together, we make HSBC the Best Place to Bank. :)