My sister, who wo
rks in a hospital was working late shift one time when she received a call from her 3 year old son.
Nephew: Mama where are you?
Sister: At work.
Nephew: Mama you dont have to work anymore. The patients are all better now. Come home to me now!
I’m not a party animal at all (heck I don’t even drink), but I love Khao San Road, a backpacker’s haven, for a number of reasons:
1. Cheap accommodation is available for as low as 100 baht in a dormitory type guesthouse. Just don’t expect it to be in tip-top shape.
2. Cheap street foods are all over the place with chocolate banana pancakes as my favorite of them all for only 20 baht. Uhm, fried spicy cockroach? No thanks
3. Markets for shopping cheap goodies. I have tons of families and friends who EXPECT pasalubong (gifts) back home.
I know. What could you ask for more right? So every night before I go to sleep after walking about the city of Bangkok, I’d walk up and down this road to enjoy the scenery when a guy suddenly came up to me and asked: Ping Pong show Ma’am?
Ping Pong what? And then the guy proceeded to show me this list of variety shows available for people’s disturbing pleasures.
Sorry sir. Not interested at all to watch pussy write a letter, cut bananas, open the bottle and any other stunts. Unless perhaps it’s a FREE SHOW? 
I got a call from our company nurse requesting my presence because according to her, I needed to fill out some forms. I just finished eating my breakfast so I went to the clinic wondering if there’s a promo going on and that I won something. As it turned out, it was a trap.
Nurse told me that they got names randomly and that I’m one of the lucky winners for FREE DRUG TEST. At least I don’t have to get one when I renew my driver’s license later this year. Yes, drug test is a prerequisite in getting a license in Philippines which expires every 3 years so that our corrupt government has a constant income.
I wasn’t allowed to get out of the clinic because nurses feared that I will warn the others so I was forced to drink 5 glasses of water just so I could fill up their test bottle. Talk about Pee Pressure.
Nurses sure take this test seriously because a female nurse went with me inside the bathroom to make sure I will not cheat. Right! Like I would dare hold a bottle of other people’s urine.
The result? Negative. Wheeww!
So what will happen if found positive?
You will not be fired from work yet of course but will be advised to undergo rehabilitation treatment at your own expense. Good luck!
Do you get tested randomly for drugs at work too?
Embassy interview is a scary thing for most Filipinos. When I confessed to mom that I was a bit scared, she said: “Don’t be an idiot. You’ve gone through panel interview by 3 PhD holders when you had your scientific thesis and you aced it. The embassy will just be a walk in the park for you”. Leave it to mom to insult and praise me at the same time.
So what happened at the Embassy of Belgium in Manila?
I left my backpack with the security guard except for my papers and pen. There were about 50 of us in a tiny room when two Filipino women arrived and started calling names. It was a bit unnerving to be answering questions with 50ish people eavesdropping but as I have no choice with the matter and everyone had to go through the same experience anyway, I tried to quell the butterflies in my stomach and answer the questions thrown at me as truthfully as possible.
The questions:
Who are you visiting in Belgium? sister
How did your sister got to Belgium? Spousal Visa
She got married in Belgium? No, she got married in Philippines
What’s your sister’s name? Richenda
What do you do? I’m an Engineer
How much is your Salary? It is stated in my employment certificate
And have you got an approved leave from your work? Yes, it’s attached in my employment certificate as well
Is your leave with pay or without pay? Both.
How many siblings you’ve got? Two
What do your parents do? Mom is a marketing supervisor in an insurance company.
And your father? He doesn’t work anymore
Are you married? I’m still single.
And have you got kids? I have no kids
Where do you live? With my Parents
What are you going to do in Belgium? Visit my sister and sightseeing
Is this your first passport? No ma’am
Have you traveled before? Yes
Where? In Asia only
Which countries? Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau
Did you travel for business? For tourism only
In what language do you want the results in, French, Dutch or German? Dutch please
Then I was given a slip of paper with Visa Number 12345 (Dont throw this paper away until you return to the embassy to claim your passport) in case I want to make follow-up but that they will contact me for the result as soon as available.
The bad thing is that if I got rejected, I’d have to buy a plane ticket again bound for Manila to retrieve my passport. At least, if I get approved, I’d be HAPPY while I buy another plane ticket bound for Manila to get my passport with visa.
My interview tip: Avoid flowery words. Answer the question directly as possible.
Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise
Mom called me and asked if she should start buying pasalubong (gifts) already and I said, NOOOOO don’t buy one yet!!
How long to suffer before the result was given?
I got interviewed last May 20 and received an email on June 16 informing me that my visa application has been approved and that I need to email my e-ticket and travel insurance to the embassy . Yippee!
One of the things I love is to walk along a road with trees lining up the sides and its branches stretching so wide that it reaches the other side.
My version of canopy of trees
My model, taken in Olango Island
