Wrong start

I think I am having a bad and wrong start this semester... I just had a bad insulting experience the other day and now I had to deal with something else.

Last month, I reserved for a Dental Check & Scaling in a Foreign Migrant's Center in Seoul, called Seongbuk Global Migrant's Center (성북외국인글러자센터). Unfortunately, we had to move out during those days and they cannot accommodate my 2 other friends who wanted to avail of their service as well so we moved our reservation to this month. They called me the other day that we can go there today by 1:30pm. I told the guy who called me that we may arrive late because I have other commitments and classes just before the schedule so the guy told me that it's fine because there are other patients that would be treated anyway. I asked him how to go to their place and he instructed me to take the subway and transfer and get off at Dongmyo Station. I was running late for my meeting with my thesis adviser and was about to take the elevator so I asked him to send me SMS instead. He said, no problem. Unfortunately, I received no SMS from the Center.

Today was the schedule. I called in the morning to ask directions on how to go there but no one answered. I called several times, again and again. Nothing changed. So I decided to look it up in the internet and found their blog site. I saw a scanned brochure which has low resolution and sent it to myself. It says get off at Miasamgeori Station (미아삼거리역) and take a bus going to Bam Na Moo Gol Si Jang (밤나무골시장). I am on my way there and I just realized that Dongmyo and Miasamgeori is not closed to each other; thus, I may not have the right information with me, one of the 2. I decided to call again and finally somebody answered. She taught me to take the Miasamgeori route.

When we arrived there around 2:20pm, we were directed by a guy to a certain room where the dental service is being done. A lady approached us that it is not possible for us to have dental service today because there are a lot of people waiting. This is starting to piss me off again.

In the first place, why would you have reservation system and why would you call people to go when there are too many people? Then she said we're late. But in the first place, I have told the man over the phone that we would be late but he just said, no problem. How dare do they treat people like that? Then, giving us few pieces of snacks and Yakult? Sorry to say, but this won't buy us to come back and do publicity for your Center.

After an hour, the same guy who called me the other day called me and asked if I went to the Center. I said yes but somebody shoo-ed us out because of too much people. He was asking me if I would want to reserve for next month --- WHY SHOULD I GIVE MYSELF A HARD TIME AGAIN with the level of service they have in their Center... Never mind.

Enough is enough

It's been hard and terrible experiences to me to always be blamed because I am in position. But come to think about it, being in position does not equate to being responsible for everything that is why there are certain limitations and that is why JD was made into presence but unfortunately, I don't think JD (job description) is really being followed where I am now. What is being followed here is race and age!

The last time I remembered I was blamed wrong because somebody forgot something and now I am being blamed because I did not inform someone with something I am not aware of. Can somebody please explain what is going on in this world?!

Okay, we are nothing for you so do not entrust anything to us. Do it on your own! If you can't manage how you feel, learn how to, first before talking to me. Its time to be professional!

Blaming others without the right to do so...

If you can't follow instructions, please do not blame other people for your own mistakes.



지시 사항을 따르십 수 없다면, 다른 사람을 탓하지 마라!





如果你不能 （或是没有那个能力）按照说明或是指示做事 ，千万不要把自己的错误归咎于其他人。你没有哪个资格！

Comprehensive Exam - WHAT?!

17 March 2011

Comprehensive Exam:

Last semester, we were surprised that there is such thing and it is required for us to graduate. Now, where should the announcement come from?! Who knows?

Anyhow, yes, we have comprehensive exams and a Foreign Language Test which I do not know what it is all about. This semester, we need to take the exams already as this is our 3rd Semester and we only have 1 more semester left after this semester.

In total, we need to take 3 comprehensive exams and a foreign language test. There is an academic calendar isn't it? How come everyone is just used to announcing that there will be something scheduled when there is only 1 or 2 weeks left. Okay, I asked for the Academic Calendar even before the semester started but only the 2010 Academic Calendar is being sent to me. Are we still living within the past?

Anyway, apparently, they do not have the English Version of the Academic Calendar. So here we go again, I have to try and figure out what is the Korean for Comprehensive Exam. It is supposed to be during 7-25 March 2011. I asked and asked, no one can answer.

Finally, our TA sent us an email that we will be having the Foreign Language Test. So I asked:

Me: What will the exam be about? When will the exam be?

TA: I do not know.

Okay, I thought Assistants should know everything because they are the ones assisting us in this institution. How come it seems like they are mere messengers? Won't it be very much productive if they can process the information given to them and ask whoever in-charge whatever missing information was given to them? Can we just have this common sense working?

I followed up again, Monday, 14 March 2011, when will our comprehensive exams be? And that was the only time they thought of advising us. I received an email 15 March that our exam will be on 22 March morning wherein we have a class. Yet the TA still insisted that we have to take it because there is no room available on our desired date and time. (Isn't it ridiculous?) Anyhow, a miracle happened in the afternoon, we have a workable schedule but then its just less then a week left and we do not know where to start.

Today - 17 March 2011 - We received an email saying that we cannot take the other comprehensive exam because the professor who taught that subject was not a professor in this institution. Where again is this rule coming from? Will the professor teach us if he/she was not hired by this institution? What is the purpose of the comprehensive exam for OUR MAJOR if we are not going to take the exam for our MAJOR subjects? whew.

Anyhow, one of my friends is trying to calm me down with this: "Its okay, he/she is just an assistant". My answer was: If you are a manager and another department's assistant gave you an instruction or statement for a project that your company/ organization is working on and when you asked for details, he/she just answered back with "I do not know", how will you feel?

Well, it may not be fully the fault of the assistant but then the process also has something to do with it that the management has implemented.

But still, even if it is hard, I thank these bad experiences and processes that I get to see, realize and understand that I will never be like them. Still - its a learning experience. the hard way.

I wonder why I at all have came here for the degree. But then I learned a lot from my extra curricular activities which I hope is more than enough in return..... I hope..

3:50pm Korean Time

Tiring life in Korea...

In connection to my recent post.... this is what I do or rather who am I...


I am a..

Full-time GEO FTA Coordinator.
Part-time researcher.
Majoring in Korean Tourism.
Double major in Korean Language.
Minor in Korean Social Welfare.
Seminar in Media.
Extra Curricular in Korean MBA.


I am almost drained... but have to move on and push through this difficult and challenging life I decided to face.

Comprehensive Exams

We are expecting to have comprehensive exams soooooon. Unfortunately, no one knows what we need to take and when. Isn't it so ridiculous?

We started the semester without the Academic Calendar. Can that happen? ugh!

1st Year Anniversary in Korea

25 February 2011 marks our 1st year anniversary of our arrival in Korea. Since I arrived here, this is a constant question lingering in my mind. Did I made the right decision to grab this scholarship opportunity?

Well, everyone who are seeing my Facebook will say yes! Because I seem to be enjoying my time here with all of my activities happening here and there, receiving awards here and there. But is it really like that? Well, yea, I do have a lot of activities outside and most often than not, I am outside because I get more from the outside.

I get to meet people with genuine hearts and intention. I get to meet Seoul City Mayor, Pohang City Mayor and even the President of this country because of the activities I am into. In addition, Philippine Embassy to Korea is also very supportive with our needs. Aside from the Korean big politicians I have met, I was able to meet Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Senator Angara, of course Ambassador Luis Cruz, Apostolic Nuncio to Korea Osvaldo Padilla, Dr. Emely Dicolen-Abagat, and etc. That is how grand and important my outside activities are. But after all, my existence here is for me to get something from the inside. Where is it? Well, yea, I do get something out of it - headache, white hair, and probably to become a professor? but its just not me to be one. Okay, it is my fault because I was the one who decided to be here. So what am I saying...? Not all good opportunities are indeed good and one may not get the good directly from it but rather from indirect ways.

After all, I am able to realize tons of things with my decision to come here. More on how to be human! a real one. Life lessons are here and there. That is what I learned and through these I get to know and understand people more. How a mind with certain motives can think and with what things can make situations ridiculous and complicated! =) How all of the cultural, social, emotional and spiritual aspects, whether similarities and differences can still be a difference after all.

Its a mind game. Its a matter of you accepting it or not that makes it a difference. Its a matter of you being genuine with what you do or not.

Of course, I have also met some people without high positions who are just a regular worker whether foreigner or from the Philippines, they taught me a lot and these are the things that I learned indirectly!

So I guess I still have to thank the original purpose for having me in this place! :)

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see the real world! :)