If I could be anywhere without hesitation and doing anything except think about the world's dilemma, I'd be resting under one of the makeshift cottages in Pebbles Beach, Santander basking in the colors of sunset and watching the royal blue waves turn from light aquamarine to a darker stronger hue. With nothing but the sun's tiny pecks on my skin or the wind's teasing on my hair, I'd be where I had been the first time I set foot on the small jewel of a paradise subtly tucked in the southern tip of Cebu.
My affair with the town of Santander began as an alternative. It was never planned and was never more than a spontaneous trip arranged by a group of college friends from Silliman University celebrating the end of a grueling midterm week. It was the perfect day for a swim, an ultimate excuse for a picnic, and just the right reason for an out of town escapade. At that time the beaches of Dumaguete seemed a bit trite so my friends and I hopped aboard the next pump boat bound for neighboring Cebu - to Pebbles Beach, a hidden beach resort we've never even heard of.
My affair with the town of Santander began as an alternative. It was never planned and was never more than a spontaneous trip arranged by a group of college friends from Silliman University celebrating the end of a grueling midterm week. It was the perfect day for a swim, an ultimate excuse for a picnic, and just the right reason for an out of town escapade. At that time the beaches of Dumaguete seemed a bit trite so my friends and I hopped aboard the next pump boat bound for neighboring Cebu - to Pebbles Beach, a hidden beach resort we've never even heard of.
Fast forward to Santander's port - probably the only one that collects terminal fees to new arrivals: we were awed and captivated by the pristine beaches and makeshift coconut sheds, by the restless currents and the beckoning waves lapping against the shoreline.
Walking along the small road that served as access road for buses plying the Cebu-Oslob route gave us a sense of what life in this sleepy yet tourist-friendly town was like. Strategically located in an island blessed with world-class beaches, Santander was never one to back down on showing off its God-given gifts and using them to attract quite a number of guests, all coming for a dive, a wade, or a dip in one of the bigger resorts' pools. On the way to our destination, we passed by several dive shops and resorts, bought our picnic staples from the small eateries and videoke stalls, and checked out the small cottages situated right across Pebbles Beach where nature's beauty was manifested in its long stretch of white sand beach adorned by shells and pebbles ours for the taking.
We were sun-baking in bliss, swimming against the strong currents that only got stronger as the sun set, and exploring the nearby boulders that could've passed for small caves. I thought I'd never enjoy watching boats pass along the horizon, but I did especially when I had the breathtaking view of the Tañon Strait, backdropped by the looming mountains of Negros, all to myself. That afternoon at Pebbles Beach, we experienced freedom and nothing was more important than perfecting the sand sculptures that were eventually laid unfinished by the shore or filling our empty Gatorade bottles with the rarest shells.
Truly beautiful without the fancy embellishments of luxury resort hotels, Pebbles Beach is Nature stripped down to its core, sharing its unspoiled richness to those who are only too willing to experience it. To those who want to spend an enchanting afternoon in a world-class wonder without stressing over budget and expenses, a casual trip down the seaside town of around 13,000 residents should do the trick. For city slickers kicking off their escapade at Cebu City's South Bus Terminal, travel time takes 3 hours, whereas a shorter 30-minute ferry ride is all it takes a water baby jumping off from the Dumaguete-Sibulan port.
I've experienced paradise.
And I got to enjoy all it had to offer for a mere P20-entrance fee. No kidding.
As much as I don't want to write about work too much I could not resist describing these new faces who have contributed so much to my useful one month on the job. I wasn't going to dare mention my boss for fear of getting kicked out before I had the chance to utter "regularization" but then I realized how incomplete an office profile would be without a few praises *coughs* for the one who heads us all.
Kidding.
The praises are actually intended for my office mates: marketing powerhouses Sue and Ellaine who, these past few weeks, have been nothing but supportive and CRAZY (yep, that's why we get along superbly).
Sue's the hardworking office girl who, when she gets focused on the task at hand, is simply absorbed in a little jobworld of her own. But then her jokes are classic and so laugh-worthy her seemingly shy personality becomes just the prelude to a funnier, more interesting Sue. Her Maria Clara allure takes on a new light the moment you've shared a meal, a cup of coffee, or a simple coke-and-pandesal moment with her. So far, I've never succeeded at NOT laughing at her subtle yet uber funny punchlines.
Then there's Ellaine, the bouncy HyperEllaine, whose boisterous laugh reverberates in our small toasty office like church bells on rainy days. Except on really depressing days (caused by none other than the one who heads us all), I've never seen her sulk in the corner or stay quite. Period. Her many adoring fans - brokers and agents included -speak for her amiable personality and jovial disposition. Funny how I thought otherwise the first day we met.
In a job with top management problems and disorganized professional environment, who do I call? Who do I cling to and bare my soul but to my new found friends with whom I share the same sentiments? I have yet to receive my first verbal punch and I'm looking forward to it, if only to prove I'm not losing anything.
UPDATE: February 26, 2009
Six months on the job...
* I've shed tears out of sheer frustration. She-wh0-must-not-be-mentioned is just as evil as her stinkin' reputation.
* Sue is resigning.
* And Ellaine is sure to follow suit.
* We have a new office mate named Joel, and seeing him retort is enough to make us happy.
* I'm happy with my job except that there are factors involved (one of which is the Queen Mother) that are way too important to ignore.
* I'm resigning too, only not in a few months. Too bad...
Night falls. Young boys of 20 holler. Hungry little girls beg for dinner. Feisty corporate women drive to yet another rendezvous. Restaurants begin to fill. Girls in skimpy skirts saunter down the sidewalk. While fat bearded wife-beaters eye their bosoms. Uniformed heroes of the future share inside jokes. Sweat-slicked vendors exchange merchandise. Cons of their own philosophies dine in solitude. Practiced salesmen polish their speeches. Shopaholics indulge in yet another sweet misadventure.
Lights glimmer. Wide lanes shrink in smoke. Gritty gutters widen. Billboards flash their stories. While buildings keep writing theirs. Trash comes back for an encore. Stalls cradle their goods. Shirts parade in a suffocating blur. Tires run in tireless commotion. Echoes ask and answer questions.
In this endless hurl of city confusion...
*God I'm definitely not settling down in Cebu*
Lights glimmer. Wide lanes shrink in smoke. Gritty gutters widen. Billboards flash their stories. While buildings keep writing theirs. Trash comes back for an encore. Stalls cradle their goods. Shirts parade in a suffocating blur. Tires run in tireless commotion. Echoes ask and answer questions.
In this endless hurl of city confusion...
*God I'm definitely not settling down in Cebu*
I see a lot of people pass by the newly constructed overpass not noticing the gleaming blue of the sky as it peeks from the rust-eaten hole on the roof. I see a lot of them come and go, never pausing for coffee or even the smell of it. I pass by different groups and varied races, indifferent yet unanimously repulsed by beggars and their loads. Perhaps the sight of dirty feet and tattered dirt bags remind them of a haunting past; Or maybe of rotting attitudes and hidden weaknesses.
I see recurring expressions and hear a multitude of laughter. I notice friendly inviting masks conveniently hiding grievances from the world. As the morning mist thickens into the afternoon heat, I see everyone lost in their own transactions busily monitoring someone else's lives but their own. I see it everyday, even when I look in the mirror at night as I prepare to end the day's work.
I am finally happy with my job - not officially my first but my first love nonetheless - and is decidedly settling down into where I hope to establish an area of expertise and a coven of concentration. I've finally made it to the corporate world after 5 grueling months of bumming and job hunting, flirting with the possibility of a promising career and disregarding the countless emotional bruises along the way.
A week shy of receiving my first salary, I feel like a volleyball bouncing from side to side but never settling for any. Working at Robinsons Land Corporation felt like a dream, an imagination topped with more imagination. I sometimes feel giddy til reality kicks in and hands over a picture of a demanding boss (one that is virtually disliked by everybody), an unimpressive colorless office, and a confusing job description. But then again not everything about reality bites as at the back of each picture reveals a portrait of approachable office mates, happy lunch hours, and priceless bonding.
And then there's the job... the one thing that keeps me looking forward to another confusing work day. (*_*)v
A week shy of receiving my first salary, I feel like a volleyball bouncing from side to side but never settling for any. Working at Robinsons Land Corporation felt like a dream, an imagination topped with more imagination. I sometimes feel giddy til reality kicks in and hands over a picture of a demanding boss (one that is virtually disliked by everybody), an unimpressive colorless office, and a confusing job description. But then again not everything about reality bites as at the back of each picture reveals a portrait of approachable office mates, happy lunch hours, and priceless bonding.
And then there's the job... the one thing that keeps me looking forward to another confusing work day. (*_*)v
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