21 October, 2009

Relocating to Cebu

Wow. The past couple of months have been such busy months for me it felt as if my days were a blur. Proof of this is the fact that I haven’t posted anything in this blog for two months now

Leaving Manila

Undoubtedly, Manila had been my home for nine years. I first set foot on it when I was still a wide-eyed girl of fifteen on her way to earning her college education in the big city. My college and working days were one of the best phases of my life as it is on these stages that I became independent. Eventually though, the traffic, the noise, the hordes of people in most places and the really fast-paced urban lifestyle got to me. I grew weary and craved for something mellow. The opportunity to leave Manila came when my company offered me a post in our Cebu office.

An Important Career Move

I was on my way to my second year in my current company when the offer came. Despite my wish for a slightly less fast-paced life, I still did a double-take when the offer came as it entailed leaving my friends and my lovely colleagues who are like a family to me. Manila may have been chaotic but it is made tolerable by friends who brightened my days with our shared experiences.

Also, leaving my comfort zones scared me a bit. I never really had problems adjusting to anything as I was often described as a chameleon but this move was different as it was a major one. Considerations varied from little ones like how to pack and move all my accumulated stuff to questioning myself if I were up to the challenges that came with the new position. The latter proved to be the catalyst for I have always been drawn to challenges.

And so I packed my stuff and accepted the challenge, armed with just my zest for adventure, willfulness and optimism.

My stay in Cebu so far

I arrived in Cebu on August 29, 2009. A grueling month-long training ensued. It was a little tiring but ultimately fulfilling for I got to learn a lot of things. I also gained new friends. The only thing that I am grappling hard with is speaking Cebuano (the place’s dialect) but aside from that, I am enjoying my stay here. It is a thriving city but it lacks Manila’s chaos. The cost of living is also cheaper and the people are friendlier as in Manila, I lived in an apartment for three years but I never really knew who my neighbors were. Here, the people’s smiles are warmer and given without hesitation or calculation.

Cebu’s a really great place and I sure am going to make the most of my move here.