Random Thoughts🦋

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Sofia's 1st Birthday (Part 2): The Party!

There were so many visitors. I'm glad that Sofia enjoyed the party, playing with her childhood friends and neighbors.  She was delighted to open her presents. It was a relief that our guests loved the food that I cooked (though, I'm not good at cooking). 



Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Sofia's 1st Birthday Lunch

Today is our little princess Sofia's birthday, the 27th of April. It has been a year! This is Part 4 of our little darling's birthday pictorial. Just before we went to dine out and waited for daddy to get dressed, Sofia and I had fun picture-taking!

The NUMBER ONE shirt :)





Daddy took us out for a birthday lunch treat at Oishi Japanese Restaurant and good news... it's a BUFFET! so we all pigged out!

The Birthday Girl :)



Miso soup and Bacon and Mushroom soup

Varieties of my side dishes LOL

Hmm... yum, yum, yum!

Japanese snacks (I don't know the names! sorry... lol)

Sushi roll (I will make it like this at Saturday's birthday party)

Cakes (4 slices and I ate them all! :D )

Another set of desserts

I wasn't hungry for about 8 hours after we ate here 😅 so I was super hungry when I woke up the following day at 9am 🤗 Sofia ate a lot, too! 😍 She wanted the fruits and the Japanese rice cake. The taste was superb and the variety of food... excellent! We all had a great time!😍

Sofia's Birthday Pictorial (Part 3 Unedited Version) and Her Ice Cream Cake

Birthday pictorial of Sofia Part 3. These pics were taken in the supermarket while we were waiting for daddy to come up and pick us up LOL.








We have decided to buy an ice cream cake for Sofia's birthday. We were thinking about buying it at Swenssens but it is expensive. We found out that Dairy Queen (DQ) has cheaper but good-quality of ice cream cakes!

I chose the Disney princess design because it will match Sofia's theme on Saturday. It looks so deliciously good!😍

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Worst Job Offer For Me This Year


Finding a job here in Thailand is not very easy, especially for those non-education graduates. If you are, it is still a problem because you need to prove that you can teach students who couldn't understand, read, write, or speak any English. It is indeed a challenge for job hunters to prove that they can. During the interview, they will ask you to do demo teaching and you are expected to communicate with your students more effectively using your methods, tools, and teaching techniques/skills.

Some of my friends in the Philippines, they thought working here is easy... They are completely WRONG! Teaching careers here are in demand but, there is a huge population of competitors/applicants from other countries. Apparently, their priority is to choose English Native Speakers for any teaching positions, especially in some International Schools. Secondly, they also take into account the educational background (which is a BS Education graduate) with Masteral is an advantage.

List according to importance when applying for a job here:

1. English Native Speakers (US, UK, Canada, Australia,etc.)
2. Educational Background
3. Work Experience as a teacher in his Country + here in Thailand
4. Teaching Skills/Tools/Methods via demo teaching
5. Physical Attributes (Presentation)
6. Age Requirement

On the other hand, other nationalities from all over the globe are applying for the same position. And I am one of them! I worked as a Guidance Counselor cum Science teacher way back in SY 2000-2001 in Antipolo City. I have the experience to hold a Home-room adviser position for 4th Grade in one of the Christian schools in Penafrancia. But, my teaching skills aren't enough to teach in the classroom for foreign pupils/students. I admit that, because I know my strengths and weaknesses, as far as my career is concerned.


Last 2009, I started job hunting here in Bangkok. I came across a language center (which I don't wanna mention) online through Thaivisa.com & Ajarn.com. This language center phones me up for a job interview. I showed up so early before our scheduled time. But, I was shocked that they were very unorganized. I was expecting to have accommodated on time. Instead, the owner kept me waiting for an hour! Then, finally, after an hour had my job interview with her. She was a little rude and had high regard for herself. I felt uncomfortable but, I composed myself not to express what I was feeling at the moment. She said that I passed the job interview and told me to start the following week. I asserted to ask about the pay rate, and she told me that it was 13,000 baht only. That includes my housing allowance, ED visa (not a working visa), and meals while at work. All in all, it's only 8,000 baht in take-home pay. Plus, I've got to work on Saturdays and the hours of work is 7:30am-6:30pm (6 days of work!🙄 Whoa!🤯)


In the same year, I was also called for a job interview for a KG teacher in Pinklao, which is about 3 hours travel from my place, then. I was interviewed by the school principal and he said that I got the job and the salary was 15,000 baht and the rent for my apartment will be 1,500 baht a month (he owned it). I hesitated to accept the job offer because it was too far from our home, and I don't need to live in an apartment because I'm living with my husband. He also told me that I don't have to work because he will provide for all my needs. So, I stopped my job hunting. Until I got pregnant LOL.


This year, I've searched again, online for a part-time job during the weekends. I found a private learning and computer school that I thought would be great to start teaching in the classroom. They phone me for a job interview with the Headteacher (a British guy), a few weeks ago. Again... I passed the job interview and he turned me over to an office staff to discuss the pay rate, the whereabouts of the students, and the schedule. I don't understand why the head teacher couldn't be able to discuss it with me, openly. Probably because the system itself is unfavorable.

So, I was about to teach two students (a couple), 35 years old, 2 hours every Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, 280 baht per hour. I was startled by the rate! I was hoping to have 20.00 baht more so I negotiated with them. The lady told me that she would have to ask the Academy about my concern and that I had to wait on their phone call if they agreed or not, but I had to start the following week that we had agreed.

One day, somebody from that learning center called me up to tell me that the Management did not agree to the negotiation. In fact, they were offering me 180 baht (too LOW!), the lowest job offer in my life! I was a little upset, but still, I composed myself, as a professional. I thought I was hearing her incorrectly, so I made some clarifications on the pay rate that on the previous meeting, I was offered 280 baht per hour and not 180 baht. Then, she repeated that it was indeed 180 baht (what? goodness, gracious!!!) and her voice was serious. I believed her because I thought it was a joke at first! LOL.

I replied, "I am so sorry that I can't accept your job offer of 180 baht per hour on weekends because right now, I am earning 500 baht per hour for each student and I don't need to travel far because their houses are few walks from my home. Some of my students are learning English online.

The lady said, "But because you are not a native speaker and have no work experience in class here in Thailand, no education diploma (this was the exact message I got from her). Sorry about that....

I responded, "I don't have to be a native speaker to teach two students a basic conversation. My friends aren't native speakers, and they aren't education graduates either. But, they've earned their experience working here in Thailand because they were considered despite that. Yes, I don't have a teaching experience in the classroom and I have no education certificate... But, I can teach. Besides, you're only giving me 2 students so that means it is more of private teaching or tutorial. If I am an education graduate... will you give me a work permit in that given situation? I don't think so. I am rejecting your job offer, I'm sorry.

Charged to experience it again. I am not that desperate to grab any jobs that offer such pay rates. I may have to think about the traveling expenses and the distance. It matters a lot! If you need to travel, you will spend money and if it's far from your home, you will still spend time. Not smart enough to just accept without thinking many times of the pros and cons. That was the worst job offer that I had in my life here in Thailand! I hope it'll be the last (fingers crossed🙄).

It is very essential to know what you want in looking for a job. If you aren't assertive of your priorities and needs here... You will end up working stressful and not realizing your worth as a person. Sure they have the right to offer you a low pay rate but, it is up to you to accept it or not. They're doing that, hoping you would accept it anyhow and so the school/company will have a great deal having you as a teacher working full load or too many unrelated tasks given to you without paying you more about your efforts. This is Thailand, if you aren't that smart, sensible, prepared, resourceful, and skillful enough then, this is not your world. You've gotta learn to compete with other foreign people like you here (in a healthy, professional way).






borrowed images from google

Friday, April 01, 2011

Home Alone (Day 11): Busy As A Bee


I had a long day yesterday and I did what I have planned to do except for going to the gym and paying for the car amortization. I had too many activities from the morning, till night. Time indeed flies so fast and the days are shorter than nights.

I woke up at 8 and had breakfast at 9. I had a shower and went out to withdraw some money to pay for the electric bill and deposit money to my hubby's other ATM so he could spend on something that we need. I withdrew money from his other ATM that he left so I could be able to settle his car payment, and electric bill and send him some money from his salary this month. However, for whatever reason, I couldn't be able to get some more money higher than 15,000 baht. So, I paid the electric bill and send him the 10k and the car's monthly amortization tomorrow.

The weather was sunny and I loved it, unlike the other day when I got so lazy and tied up in bed, so bored.

Below herewith was the plan:

1. Withdraw money from SCB ATM and have these things settled
- car payment - NOT DONE
- electric bill
- sanitation fee
- deposit money for hubby's ATM account
- birthday gift
- miscellaneous


2. Gym Work-out
- NOT DONE

3. Visit my Thai friend to help me pick up our car from Toyota Ram Inthra because it was repaired (had a minor scratch).

4. Check out Apartments for rent
- how much is the monthly rent? how long is the contract?
- is it with air conditioning and furniture?
- how much is the deposit and advance payment?

5. Tutorial at 6:00-7:00pm

6. Shopping for my birthday gift for my friend's son who will just turn one this month.


Something came up which was unplanned. My Thai friend told me that his hubby would have to pick up our common friend at the Suvarnabhumi airport this afternoon, the guy came from England. I waited for more than an hour at my friend's house for her husband to come from school (he's a teacher, like my hubby) as we were going together. Since Toyota Ram Inthra is just along the way to our common friend's house, they might as well drop our friend at his house and then we go to pick up my hubby's car at Toyota.

So we had a U-turn and when we were there the Toyota asked me to pay 1,000 baht for excess at first, I wouldn't able to understand why the car insurance won't cover the expenses. In my mind, I just said, "what is the use of car insurance, if they won't insure the car when you need it or in a case like this..." For whatever stupid reason that is, which they couldn't be able to explain clearly to their customers, that really sounds too stupid to me. Why the left are you ripping me off for???!! My Thai friend just said it is just the way it is here in Thailand, that even Thais couldn't and wouldn't explain it clearly. They only said that the company changed the policy (as if, it is too easy to change such a policy without even considering/acknowledging the customers' welfare/rights. I was disappointed, but it was okay because our car was returned back home now, I missed it for 10 days🙄


I came home at 10pm, I was too exhausted. I had a cold shower to awaken myself somehow and because I felt so dusty and yucky from going out the whole day (almost, I'm counting my fingers now, lmao). I couldn't be able to sleep well if I haven't showered. Probably, I can hardly sleep, but if I did.. the whole night will be a nightmare because I'd just scratch myself because I stunk, 😂ewwww!


I love to end the night (oh! it's almost morning..) by saying... I had a long day, as busy as a bee, but I was happy. It's now 2:30 am. Good night/morning, bloggers and readers!!!😅

Labels

2023 Alone Angkor Wat baby bop Bangkok Bangkok Floods 2011 Bangkok stories about schools Bangkok Travel barney behind his success is a wife and a daughter better than yesterday Birth certificate and newborn passport Birthday blogger under maintenance blogging Bonus Reward working as Expat in Thailand Cambodia Tour Cambodia trip Cambodia trip to Angkor Wat Chinese New Year in Bangkok Christianity Christmas Christmas in Bangkok Christmas Party in Bangkok Christmas season Coffee World concert Cost of Living in Thailand cute babies Dairy Queen Ice cream cake epic practice exploring Thailand Family family date Father's Day Filipino food in Bangkok Filipino Restaurant in Bangkok first time blogging floods in Bangkok Food tripping Friday the 13th: Blogzilla Fever Friendship half sisters hindrance to blogging Holiday HP battery not charging HP notebook repair Important Tips During A Family Interview at US Embassy Applying for Citizenship in Thailand International School Library Week Journey Journey to Haven joy Kanchanaburi Kumpleto Restaurant in Bangkok Laos Life little big club Living in Thailand Love Malls in Bangkok Misa De Gallo in Bangkok Motivation movie date at Bangkok Movie house my favorite Thai food New Year in Bangkok new year's resolution Oishi Japanese Restaurant patience is a virtue personal blog Places in Bangkok Positive Attitude pretty daughters reasons why I couldn't blog Relationship self care self improvement self-care shopping galore in Bangkok Siam Park City Amusement Park Simbang Gabi Sizzler's Bangkok soul mate Sports Day staneemeehoi craziest bar hunkmen screaming Bangkok struggles Survivor Teaching in Bangkok Teaching Jobs Temple Thai food Thai Immigration Office Thailand Beach Resort Thailand shopping The Right One Theme and Water Parks Tips on VAT refund for tourist in Thailand TOEIC test Bangkok TOIEC Strategies/tips Tourist Visa Travel and Tour Travel Document's with Baby Trip to Laos true love Valentine's Day VAT refund for tourist in Bangkok Vientiane Visa Run welcome back

TRAFFIC UPDATES

Christmas Lunch Date at MK Restaurant Minburi Branch

Hello everyone! Welcome or welcome back to my website. It’s me again for another blog about our lunch date at MK Restaurant in Bangkok. So ...