Whenever people ask me if I have plans to study, I always answer firmly with a 'No'. True. :p I always have this feeling like 'nalugi' or 'naka-quota na' for studying an extra year in college. And this extra year seems gruelling, that time my friends and my sisters got to enjoy all they want to do, while I might be somewhere else finishing theses. And studying this extra year didnt earn me anything nor did it give me a higher starting pay (and quite ironic - seems like whatever degree you take, 80% seems to end up in IT for practical reasons because IT provides a more decent pay in Manila)
Before I came to SG, people have been asking me if I plan to pursue MBA in SG. SG probably is the best country in Asia with well-known post-graduate schools. I still answered a firm 'No', I dont see myself studying. I know of several people who have flown to US or UK for MBA but still plans for long term settlement in Manila. My, i was thinking, how many local corporations can afford to shell out KK pesos to hire MBA holders back in Philippines? I remembered answering humorously, 'no i dont have plans to study, because practically speaking, if an MBA degree wont be able to add trailing zeroes (to the right of course) of my current salary, I won't bother anymore. I might as well use my time and money on other essential stuff'. :p
Few months ago, I attended a bible study session. We were asked to map our life's goals in the next 5 years. I dont know I just scribbled something spontaneuosly like 'acquiring new skills'. I was asked to explain afterwards, I said it's because I believe 'life is a continuous learning process, whether it's a business course, a sport or a music course, I still consider it as a skill that that is worth learning'. Then somebody commented 'hey I like what your wrote about life, it's encouraging'. Then I noticed the others were also smiling back at me. I suddenly had a nice feeling about myself, 'wow was it something great I just said'? hehehe
Right then I had some sort of flashbacks. I remembered in a Theology subject back in college, we were asked to create a blueprint of our whole life - it's like starting from childhood to education stage to career stage to marriage stage even up to death stage like what do you want to be written in your orbituary. I remembered I scribbled the same thing in marriage stage. I put there I want to be a housewife (which earned a few good laughs from my friends, haha who doesnt want to be a bum if given the chance dba :p) BUT I also added 'but not STAGNANT..' because I want to have this process of improving myself in different ways.
Funny that with those things in mind, I dont remember exerting any deliberate effort to learn something new after college. Apart from work and IT certification, I really havent acquired any extra skill. Well yeah I managed to enroll in a piano course and driving course, but I havent mastered or even learned on a decent level :p. To be honest, everyone seems to be always too busy in my previous company, and it's not exaggerated that you wont have time to pee in the busiest of days when project deadlines are piling up. My weekends were just devoted to REST, a rare (quarter or bi-annual frequency) out-of-town trip, perhaps some time to bond with family and close friends, and worst, sometimes on-call for work, loser me. :(
So what has strucked me in this long unawakend 'sleep'. After all the bungisngis encouragement from a few close friends, I finally started to have this passion for learning again. Most of it, I would have to give 'special credit' to a close friend who sent several 'disturbing' messages. Sinabihan ako ng 'sayang ang talino mo'. Goodness, I was like 'am I really wasting any talents, I dont remember being smart anymore, I feel that all my brain cells are not functioning already'. Seems like I was partly braindrained, I lost the enthusiasm. I was also inspired by a hausmate, a hot mama of 2 kids (hot mama because she taught me my first make-up skills hehe), a pharmacist by profession. She's so passionate about taking advanced studies related to micro-biotechnology abroad. I was like 'gosh this person is 14years older than me and yet she's more motivated to learn new stuff than anyone I know'.
Probably I really should make good use of my time in SG on worthwhile things, especially that I dont intend to stay long. Okay enough of the road trips and gimiks, let's learn something new. :)
But I STILL dont want to take up MBA hehe. I dont plan to kill myself studying and working at the same time. One of the reasons I went here is for work-life balance, and I dont plan to spoil that. :p I just want to take a few short courses that are purely of my INTEREST, regardless whether it does or does NOT add any value to my resume. Paradigm shift. Slight improvement. :)
This time I just want to learn, to follow where my heart tells me to. Striken by the learning bug. Gotta keep the fire burning while it still is. :)
Not everyone has the capacity to change a hardheaded person like me. In case you do, please dont exercise this brainwash thing on me, because I am vulnerable at times and will give in if you entice me to do so. :)
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