annie-thejourney.com

 I got inspired with all your comments and had time to upgrade THE JOURNEY. Not that much has change except the skin and header.

The header is the sunset of NLEX – North Luzon Express Way, Phils. I am a sunset lover. It was taken last July 18, 2007, when Rey & I are on the way home to Bataan.

I never mention this before, but its one in my wild dreams to become a photographer. I’m trying to take as many pictures as I can thru my Sony DigiCam. This may not give me pictures as beautiful as the other pictures taken by aspiring photographers, though I was able to catch the beauty of nature.

Here are some of my pictures.

Bataan Sunset July 18,2007 

Bataan Highway July 24,2007

Subic July 23,2007

Beers in Bahrain   June 22,2007

Bahrain Sea1    June 22,2007

Bahrain Sea2    June 22,2007

Bahrain Sea3    June 22,2007

Bahrain Sunset   June 15,2007

Bahrain Sunset 2   June 15,2007

Hawar Island- Bahrain   June 2,2006

Dubai Sunset   May 19,2007

Jumeira Road, Dubai   May 19,2007

Diplomatic Area, Bahrain   April 15,2007

 Remember the recent swimming activity of Yoanna with kids of my old friends in Subic Yacht Club? Well, I forgot to include in that post that I had a very relaxing full body message on that night. Riz let us stayed in their beach for the night. When the kids we’re already asleep, we decided to have a full body message. For once, we were able to have our girl-talk about our own “not-so-controversial” love life and forget the diaper thing for more than an hour.

We both realized how lucky we are of having our partners right now. Considering the past that we have, it’s imaginable that we finally found the right one. I, myself, never think that I will be involved in this great relationship with my fiancé. When I met him, I wasn’t expecting that we will end up in a serious commitment of working on things & promised to spend the rest our lives together. I have to admit that what they say is true – “When it’s him, you can’t control it. It’s definitely going to work out“.

What I’m thankful with my relationship now is that, it’s not just founded with love but also understanding. When my fiancé & I started dating, we weren’t looking forward for big “things”, that’s why there wasn’t pressure for both of us. What’s in our mind was just to enjoy what life dishes out and try to learn from other people. Then, we caught ourselves having this different fun & satisfaction of just being together. When we felt the existence of love in our relationship then we had a serious talk. As day goes by, our love & passion for this relationship grows. Like other couples out there, we we’re so motivated & inspired with this relationship. When we’re together, we cuddle a lot as if there’s no tomorrow. We do make fancy celebrations from monthsary to anniversary. We dream of our future together. We exchange sweet nothings a lot. We communicate every hour. The world was so colorful because of this thing called Love. 

Riz is also one of those girls who love to surprise her special someone. She knows how I admire her of having a balance life – mother, wife, career woman, responsible sister & a fabulous friend. I once told her that I want to build her a monument for such a wonderful job. Just balancing her work (as a finance manager) and a mother on the night is such awesome. One time, she really had this very hectic week because of work load, at the same time her daughter Fran is not feeling well, she told me that her body was about to give up but it’s the Paracetamol who kept her moving.

When we’re reminiscing the past, we can’t help it but to smile on those wonderful memories – the years of our single hood (not being seriously involved with anyone). We’re four girls who used to hang out most of the times during those years. Those years when all the 4 of us we’re not “seriously” involved with someone, we truly enjoyed the life of single hood in the city! This is the reason, when I posted that the recent update of the very famous series “Sex & the City“; I mentioned there that it has a big influence in my life. Not that we literally enjoyed our lives as what Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha & Miranda did in that very sexy series. We believe that in our own way, we were able to live our life in a “fabulous” manner too!

 During those single years, we met a lot of guys. We witnessed different types of relationship. We have this regular weekend lunch together too. On this lunch date, we discussed the incidents of the previous week. We discussed party, work, dreams, boys & relationship issues. I owe a lot to these three girls why I survived those dark days of my life.

Anyway, we (Riz & I) admit that we truly missed that life. Our lives now are far different from those years and we adjusted naturally, simply because we do love our current significant other. But you know there are times that I feel some emptiness in this relationship & I want to go back in my old system. It seems weird but when Riz told me that she experienced it too, then we knew that it’s normal. Especially to us who have been in a roller coaster life before and now seems everything is normal. Don’t get us wrong, we’re happy of what we have now. It’s not that were getting bored of it but we’re just woman.

I learned from John Gray, a woman is like a wave. When she feels loved her self-esteem rises and falls in a wave motion. When she is feeling really good, she reach a peak, but suddenly her mood change and her wave crashes down. This crash is temporary. After she reaches bottom suddenly her mood will shift & she will again feel good about herself. Automatically her wave begins to rise back up.

When a woman’s wave rises she feels she has an abundance of love to give, but when it falls her emptiness and needs to be filled up with love. This time of bottoming out is a time for emotional cleaning. On this stage, men tend to fix it, which is should not be! When woman moves into her well, he needs to learn that this is when she needs him the most and it is not a problem to be solve or fixed, but an opportunity to support her with unconditional love. As she feels more and more supported at these difficult times, she begins to trust the relationship and is able to journey in and out of her well without conflict in her relationship or struggle in her life.

This tendency to be like a wave increases when a woman is in an intimate relationship. It is essential that she feel safe to go through this cycle. Otherwise she works hard at pretending that everything is always all right and suppresses her negative feelings. Even a strong, confident and successful woman will need to visit her well from time to time. Men commonly make mistake of thinking that if their female partner is successful in the work world, then she will not experience these times of emotional cleaning. The opposite is true.

This time of emotional cleaning, couples should be responsible enough on how to deal with it. Couples mistakenly that time like this love is already fading away in the relationship. I realized that if its just love that we’re going to depend on, the relationship most probably fails. It also requires responsibility. Committing on the responsibility of being together, especially on the woman’s well.

THE JOURNEY hits 2,290 in a month!

I didn’t expect that my “little” blog will hit the interest of those 2,290 readers for a month.

Your comments are highly appreciated!

I would like to acknowledge the members of PPRUNE, for considering MGA’s EK experience as guide to their own journey. Thank you very much Ahamed & EmiratesCCMad for referring THE JOURNEY to the PPRUNE Forum. Together with MGA’s input, we will try to keep you posted with any unusual incidents/experience with EK. You’ll see updates as long as MGA is motivated to keep me posted with his EK Career. How I wish I’m there in Dubai too, so I can give you more detailed information like the EK Selection Day & Application Procedures.

MGA arrived in Dubai Airport last July 27, 2007. There’s an EK van service waited outside the airport to drop them in the accommodation. I received an SMS message from him that he was overwhelmed with his flat. It’s a 2-bedroom furnished flat, spacious and new. EK provides some essential things  & food (starter pack) as well. Although it is advisable that new comers should bring some money so they can buy the food they like.

MGA was lucky to have his first 2 days rest before his actual training. Unlike others, their training begins the next day upon arrival in Dubai. Once the training starts, it’s the start of a very hectic schedule as well. MGA used to complain in the email, his 5-hours sleep during the training period. There’s a lot of readings & memorizing modules. It is important how you going to manage your time with the very overwhelming information. Modules/new lesson will be discussed in the morning session. On the latter part of the training day, the class will be on the simulator (aircraft’s replica) and practice what they’ve learn in the morning session. As per MGA, you don’t need to worry about the overloading information because the lecturers are good.

For the first two days of the training, you need to wear your own clothes. So, you better bring your own formal/business attires. EK Aviation Training School has restrictions with clothes too. Uniforms will be given after these two days together with the cash advance –  DHS 2,500.00. The DHS 500 is given by EK but the DHS 2,000 will be deducted to your salary – DHS 1,000 for 2 months. The first three months are your basic salary only, though the flying pay will be reflected on your 4th salary month. This amount varies depends on the Emirates salary offered to you.

* check “cat.5: Annie in Support: Dream to Fly” for more related links

HOMEPAGE

I woke up this morning with smile on my face. Yoanna spend the whole night with me in my bedroom. It’s the first time!

I’m so happy that my daughter finally slept with me in my bedroom. This time, she said “NO-NO” to my mother. I would say that those sleep over helps me. I’m so glad that I’m improving in my new career now – TO REGAIN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOANNA.

She was only 7 months old when I left her for a 2-year work contract in Bahrain (Middle East). It was really a hard decision but I need to deal with it. You know how hard it is to be a single mom nowadays. During those days that I’m in Bahrain, my existence to Yoanna were – picture of me all over our house, regular text/phone calls, beautiful toys/sweet chocolates & my mother’s regular story. Other than that, it’s my mother & her babysitter covers everything.

I had my first vacation last Oct 2006 with my fiancé and it was really painful to face the reality. Yoanna doesn’t even want to hug me. She was inseparable with my mom or to her babysitter. We stayed 14 days & among those 14 days, only the last 3 days she felt comfortable with me. I knew this will take time. That’s why when my contract ends, my fiancé & I decided not to renew it anymore & stay here in the Phils with Yoanna. Since I need to improve also my relationship with her & prepares her with our relocation. Now I’m here, a full time mother & a blog addict.

Before, I tried so many times to bring her upstairs & convinced her to spend the night me, but it never changed her mind. I want to put the blame to the people here in our house but I can’t. When Yoanna learned to walk by herself, she loves to play in the stairs & challenged herself of going upstairs. Well, the entire family tends to stop her by telling her that there’s a monster sleeping upstairs. Yes, A MONTSTER it is! They should have think some other reason instead of a sleeping monster. And just to clear this, my family wasnt implying to me as a monster (hehehehe). It’s just their way to stop Yoanna.

When I realized that I can’t convince Yoanna by simply talking to her, I did some “in-direct” messages.

• Re-decoration. I change it to kid’s friendly bedroom. Yoanna like flowers, so from pillow case to bed sheets, everything is cover with flowers.

• Entrusting favorite toys in the room. There are some toys Yoanna is very careful with. She doesn’t want her playmates to touch it neither. I told her to keep it upstairs & asked her to come with me, so I know where to put it exactly. Once in a while we go upstairs to take those toys. Then, go up again to return it.

• Yoanna’s space in the room. I set a space upstairs for Yoanna’s stuff, like new & old clothes. When we shop things for her, I’ll let Yoanna to watch me organizing her new things and keep on telling her that when she needs anything from there, we just need to go upstairs.

• Same Comfort. When I need to stay some time upstairs for some reason, I usually invite Yoanna to come with me and tell her she can watch any of her favorite DVD. So, while I’m doing my thing, I let her to watch cartoons. We will not go downstairs until she tells me so.

• Regular visit. I see to it that every other day, Yoanna comes with me upstairs. If I need to get some thing, I’ll tell Yoanna to come with me. If she doesn’t want to, I will not push her. I will just try the next day.

Until last night around 9pm Yoanna told me she wants to watch cartoons upstairs & sleep there too. It’s the sign that I waited for so long. I knew that somewhere in the middle of the night , Yoanna might ask me to bring her down again but I promise to myself to focus on my objective.

I let her to watch cartoons until by 10:30pm she fell asleep. I didn’t impose any bedroom rules yet because I’m still on process of gaining her trust.

*check more “cat.2: Annie in Motherhood”

HOMEPAGE

Yesterday, our house was like a Kiddie School. A lot of kids were here for the regular Sunday lunch. Usually by this day, Yoanna skips her one-hour afternoon nap, though yesterday my grandmother & the rest of the kids left our house earlier as the usual time. It was still raining hard yesterday & they want to go home early.

It was already pass 3pm when Yoanna got tired from whole day playing and slept beside me. It was already 4:45pm when we woke up. Because of that, Yoanna was still awake up to 9:00pm last night. I just let her roll over in bed until finally she fell asleep by 9:30pm.

Last night I had a nice TV experience. I waited for this special edocumentary pisode of Phils’ local channel 2 – ” KC, form Paris to Pinas (Phils.)“. I’ve been watching KC’s life, since the date that her mother & biological father got annulled. For others who don’t know her, MARIA KRISTINA CASSANDRA CONCEPCION is the daughter of the Phils’ famous singer/actress, Sharon Cuneta & former actor, Gabby Concepcion. Her parents got married during the peak of their showbiz career and at young age too. That relationship doesn’t last long & her mother tried to raise her inspite of the very intriguing life in Phils Showbiz World. Up to this moment, KC is considered a living princess, taking the account of their family wealth & her beauty too.

When I was working in Ortigas, Phils I usually saw KC hangs out with friends in Starbucks-Robinson. She’s as pretty as those print ads. And what I really like about her is that, you can’t feel any arrogance in her when you see her. Though she tried to hide herself in a corner of that coffee shop but I can see how she relates herself with her “not-so-popular” friends.

Last year, my friends saw her also in one bar in Timog, QC with Borgy( & other friends). This is another thing that I admire about her. She may have been active in nightlife but you can’t hear any bad issues like alcohol or drugs. When she’s about to enter college, her mother announced that KC will move in Paris to finish her bachelors degree. Four years past without pregnancy or live-in partner issue. Everybody here in the Phils waited for her experiences in Paris.

I learned a lot from that KC’s presentation. Not just about Paris but as well as some issues in life.

KC stayed in Paris as a normal college student – stayed in a small apartment, doesn’t have a car & does the household chores by herself. Living in Paris was a big challenge for her and she considered it as a gift from her parents – Sharon & current husband Senator Kiko Pangilinan. Sharon mentioned that letting KC alone in Paris was one of family’s big decision and it turned out the best family decision so far.

What moves me is that, Am I ready for this? When it’s about time Yoanna ask for certain freedom for herself, how are we going to deal with it?

Yoanna will turn 3 by next month. If we’re not going to have any more problems with our papers, we will be moving to Arizona by next month too. I’m already getting anxious with the adjustments that we’re going to deal with. Raising Yoanna, has been a regular topic in chat session with my fiancé. Concerns such as how we are going to raise her. Are we going to give her cellphone? What age are we going to have her own car? Stuffs like that.

This may sound too early but we love to discuss such issues. So we can set a better plan for her. She’s our treasure and like other parents out there we want best for our child.

What if Yoanna comes to us one day and ask to have her college miles away from us?

Honestly, just thinking that she needs to have a separate room by now keeps me wondering a lot.

*check more “cat.2: Annie in Motherhood”

HOMEPAGE

It was raining the whole day & Yoanna truly enjoy it. She was sleeping from 1:00pm until 4:30pm. The usual one-hour afternoon nap turned into 3 ½ hours today. Hurray! How I wish she’ll always have her afternoon nap like this. Well, I still have her babysitter here, but the long silence in the afternoon was quite relief for me. So, I took this opportunity to finish this post about the application procedure of Emirates Airline.

I know some of you are looking forward for this. I even received some email messages who were already asking for the application procedure of this airline. I’m very sorry for some delay because Yoanna hates it, whenever I’m in front of the laptop for that long. Otherwise, if I really insist there’s a second little finger enjoying my browser too.

Here’s the last part of the application procedure for the position of Cabin Crew of Emirates Airline.

Once you reached the final interview stage in the selection day, the Recruiter Staff will then mention that you will hear from them in 30 days. This means that you pass the final selection of the Recruitment Department. You need to prepare yourself for the other requirements. On the other hand, if you didn’t receive an email notice from them in 30 days, then don’t expect anymore.

For MGA’s case, he received this email notice last May 7, 2007 & the subject was “OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT – DOJ 27/7/07″.

Don’t be mistaken with this subject. First, it’s really an employment offer though you still need to undergo medical examination. Meaning, it is not advisable to resign on your current job until Emirates will say so. Second, DOJ 27/7/07, means that MGA’s joining date was on July 27,2007. This joining date is still be under final confirmation until you passed the medical examination too.

Anyway, the email includes your new CONFIDENTIAL JOINING NUMBER. You need to take note of this joining number since this will be your reference in the online application forms. This will be you reference too, in their Recruitment Department for any future follow-up. For any queries, you need to specify this joining number with your name & direct your email to CCjoiners@emirates.com

Numerous documents are attached on the said email to fully accomplish your final stage in this application. Such documents are;

•I. Offer Letter which the file name is your full name.

This file is a 10-pages letter that clearly specifies the Emirates’ offer. On page 8 of this file, there’s a Declaration part which requires your signature as acceptance to the discussed offer. This declaration page needs to be scan & send back to their Recruitment Department.

The page 9 is a Letter of confirmation of Resignation that you need to settle on your current employer. The last page is the complete checklist of the required documents – PRIOR TO JOINING & ON JOINING.

•II. Drug List for Cabin Crew

It’s the complete list of drugs prohibited in United Arab Emirates and need not to bring any of these into the country.

•III. New Checklist Handbook

It is a summary of the steps you have to follow or documents you have to submit to complete the joining formalities. The steps have been put in order of priority. You need to take note that your DATE OF JOINING THE COMPANY & HENCE THE DATE FROM WHICH YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT RELATED BENEFITS will be only after you complete steps mentioned in this list and your employment visa is endorse on your passport.

Since they specified your possible joining date, you need to confirm if you can travel on that date or if you need to change it. However, you may join in or before the date of contract.

This application is only valid for 6 months from your date of interview. If you do not join within this time you will go through the whole process again and your contract status will stand withdrawn.

The last document attached in the email is for the medical examination. You need to print this form & take it to your doctor. The doctor will fill-up the forms after doing the necessary tests.

•IV. New Overseas Cabin Crew PEM Forms

It is advisable to complete the medical tests as soon as possible, so you will not have delays for your joining in Emirates. These forms need to be complete and approved by a certified doctor and then sent to Emirates Recruitment Department within 2 weeks from the date you receive the email. You also need to ask your Doctor to provide you with the necessary reports for the following tests:

• 1. HIV test
• 2. Hemoglobin Count
• 3. A Detailed Chest X-ray report about heart & lungs
• 4. Audiogram report & graph (graph is very important for the approval)
• 5. Cervical smear test report for ladies applicants.
• 6. Dental certificate
• 7. Vaccination certificate with the initial course date.

Emirates requires a separate report for each test. It is also advisable to take your medical examination to the Emirates certified doctor/hospital.

Applicants need to take note pre-employment medical is preliminary medical. Applicants should pass the following stages;

• 1. EK Air Crew License Medical
• 2. Training
• 3. Probationary Period

Once your pre-employment medical and pre-joining formalities have been successfully completed, Emirates will call you to confirm your date of joining and will ask you to send notice period in your present employer.

Upon traveling to Dubai, you need to bring the following documents with you as well;

• 1. The original medical forms, reports & X-rays
• 2. 20 passport size pictures, not Polaroid & not digital
• 3. 4 pictures with the size 3 x 3.5 cm (either whole body or half body), not Polaroid & not digital.
• 4. Passport copies & birth certificates copy (for each of your immediate family members)
• 5. Original educational certificates (provide extra copy too)
• 6. 2 reference letters from your previous employers. Make sure it is stamped by them. It is a mandatory requirement before you join the Emirates group.

Finally, you are also required to complete the ON LINE JOINING FORM. The On-Line Joining Form can be found by clicking the Selected Candidates button in the main Website Menu. Once you have reached the “Selected Candidates” area, follow the prompt & click the On Line Joiners Form. Enter your Application Reference Number (confidential joiners number) & your email address to gain access to the restricted part of the website.

You guys must have been wondering, but MGA paid for his own Medical & Dental Examination.

Upon submission of those medical results, Emirates will call you within 30 days if you’re approved. Then they will send thru email your e-ticket & visa.

Related Posts

• Becoming a Cabin Crew
• Becoming EMIRATES Cabin Crew (Part I )
• Becoming EMIRATES Cabin Crew – Selection Day
• What Kind of Picture?
• From Stage to Aircraft
• It’s Been a While

This morning, Yoanna & I traveled 45 minutes in a bus just to have our 2×2 pictures. Well, that’s life here in province!

Instead of going home right away, we took the opportunity to have our lunch in a very famous Filipino Fastfood. I ordered one of their kiddie meals for Yoanna’s Bratz Pen and I ate my all-time favorite fried chicken. After that lunch, we visited the grocery store to buy milk & some bread. Finally, we took the bus again for us to go home.

In fairness, I enjoyed this morning short bus trip. I had a glanced on the natural green beauty of Bataan, and it reminds me how amazing these people enjoy their simple life. For others awareness, the usual scenario in provinces of the Phils like Bataan, people love to chat under a tree.  For most of the times, they may sound loud but they aren’t fighting. They’re just excited on expressing their point of views. These people wouldn’t matter on the clothes their wearing as long as they’re comfortable with it. Then, I remember my different life in Bahrain.

Kingdom of Bahrain is a Muslim country, though they’re already considered as an “open country” like United Arab Emirates. You’re not obliged to wear this black dress on the public places, like in Saudi Arabia. The night life there is also very active. Weekends there start at Thursday but as early as Wednesday, roads packed with regular tourists from neighbor countries such as Saudi Arabia  & Kuwait. I remember how I feel before I left Phils last July 2005. It’s a mix of fear & excitement. It’s far different after I fully adjusted in Bahrain’s environment. My 2-year life there really showed me the other part of the world.

I haven’t travel that much though I also had a chance to visit United Arab Emirates last May. I spend a couple of days there & I enjoyed it with the help of some friends.

I do love traveling. Honestly speaking, its one of my dream. I want to see the other part of the world. I want to witness another culture, other than here in the Phils. Hopefully that dream will come true. My future husband is looking forward to visit some other country too. In one of our “bedtime-chat”, we touched this matter & we decided to include it in one of our family goal, and I have this feeling it’s really attainable. Considering now the benefits of my brother as a flight attendant.

Speaking of my brother – MGA, I received an email from him that he has a flight in London. He was so excited. On the other hand, I feel so jealous about it. I even delayed my response to his email because I really don’t know how to reply. I should be excited for him but I can’t say it because of this jealousy thing. After some random checks from other sites, I then replied. The reply wasn’t that long and I only mention 2 sentences for this London trip. The rest was about family issues. I suddenly turned into a bad jealous sister.

Anyway, before Yoanna & I left this morning, I left a one-line comment in his Friendster account – How’s the London trip?

A while ago, we had a chance to chat. I can feel thru my monitor how excited he was with his London trip. He posted some pictures & he explained to me the story behind each picture. He made me laugh with those first-time-experience thing. After that long chat, I turn back again into a proud sister.

 It’s official people! Today begins the production for the movie “SEX & THE CITY”. They also made an announcement that the film’s release date will be on May 30, 2008.

According to HBO: “Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon are reprising their roles from the original HBO series. The men – Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler & Jason Lewis will return as the women’s love interests. There’s a new character that will be introduced in the film  – Carrie Bradshaw’s Assistant. This role will be taken over by former “Dreamgirls” actress, Jennifer Hudson.

I feel so excited when I saw this headline today. I may say that this -”Sex & The City” influenced me so much.  I truly miss the usual chat over a meal of these four fabulous girls. I am looking forward to see them in big screen!

According to the news , although unconfirmed, the film’s plot is that Big and Carrie are moving  in together and they are apartment-hunting in NYC. Some scenes are being shot near Rockefeller Center at an auction house. Are we expecting a wedding scene in this movie?

HBO released this first set of pictures from the set – Mr. Big & Carrie. Carrie is pictured holding an Eiffel Tower handbag, symbolic perhaps of the Paris setting where Big & Carrie last rekindled their relationship.

 If you’re checking this blog while enjoying a nice sandwich, you better finish that sandwich first before reading this post.  Its not that I am going to discuss some disgusting thing but I inserted one picture that I feel some of you wouldn’t be comfortable with.

Anyway, this incident happened last week. It’s just now that I finally decided to include this here in my blog. I feel like I almost lost one of my hands.

This is what happened. Last Wednesday morning, I woke up with full smile on my face & very much motivated to finish some on-line application forms. As soon as I finished my coffee, I open my laptop & printer. I printed out a two pages notes that I will be using as reference for filling-up this on-line forms. The two pages were printed nicely, until I smell like something is burning. I suddenly stop & check where that smell is coming from. The bad smell threw me on the direction of my printer. So, I hurriedly turn it off the printer & unplug it. After sometime the bad smell was gone. For me, it was a sign that I can check the printer safely. I checked what’s inside the printer & I almost fell in my chair when I saw a small rat inside of it.

Yes, I found a rat inside my printer!

I took my printer on the floor & tap it, so the rat will go out from the printer. When it’s out, I checked the printer again for any possibility of another rat. When it’s totally clear from alien visit, I put the printer again on the table & plug it. When I turned it on, all the lights on the left side were blinking and the letter E was shown. The letter clearly explains the word ERROR.

I was like, “What the sh!t!”.

A friend mentioned to me before that this kind of printer is considered as disposable. In any technical problem like this & you need a spare part, well, one – its hard to find here in the Phils & two- if you can find one its really expensive. Suppliers seldom avail such printer’s spare parts, because it’s very impractical to purchase it. Considering the price of the spare part is almost the same with the price of a brand new printer. She told me that somehow this is how HP business is. It’s the ink that really costs a lot – the consumable part of it.

Inspite of that fact, I still visited a computer shop for a possible chance of repair. You know what the technician told me? The rat knows what exactly to do & damage the printer!

My mother knew how upset I am. She knew that I’m just controlling my anger. Well, I can’t do anything but to accept it. I’m in province, incident like this DOES HAPPEN!

Now, I feel a little better with my “little” revenge. It just feels good seeing these two rats in the fly paper.

When we arrived in the hotel for the selection day of Emirates Airlines, there was already an average of 80 applicants. Though as time approaches, a lot of applicants arrived.

At first, all the applicants we’re called & submitted their resume with passport copy & 1-pc whole body picture. Then, they were asked to stay in the conference room for an orientation. In the orientation, there was an overview of Emirates Airlines & the recruitment procedures. Since that day, there’s a lot of applicants & can’t be accommodated in the conference room, so there were 2 batches of applicants who had orientation. Just imagine how many men & women are very eager for this fabulous job.

After the orientation, each applicant was given a corresponding application number & they we’re informed to form a line outside the conference room as the selection process will be started. There’s an important note you need to consider upon starting this selection process. If a certain applicant wasn’t able to pass the Stage One, then she/he can re-apply to Emirates after 6 months from the selection date process. If you fail from Stage Two onwards, then you can only re-apply after 2 years from that selection date.

On Stage One, each applicant was asked to reach this poster on the wall. The height is being measured in this stage. While reaching this poster, he/she will be asked by the interviewer some couple of questions regarding your work history. Questions such as;

• What are you doing in your current work?
• What’s your work before this?
• What’s your work prior to that?

Then after that, the applicant will be asked to wait outside the conference room & wait as all the applicants finished the Stage One. Once all applicants are done with the Stage One, the Emirates Staff will then call each applicant thru their corresponding application number and a piece of paper will be given to you. In that paper, they will inform you if you pass or fail the Stage One. If you pass, prepare yourself for the second stage, if not, you better go home & try some other time.

During MGA’s selection date, they were almost 200 applicants before the Stage One. After this paper where given they were reduced to 36 applicants. Yes, that much applicants failed on the Stage One.

Stage Two is a group activity. All applicants who pass Stage One will then be divided into 2 groups. Each group will be given a certain topic to discuss. Emirates staffs will observe who & how the applicants participate in this group discussion. On this stage, it’s not just important that you participate in the group discussion, but they’re also particular on how you deliver your own opinion.

You better balance being SMART & NOT ARROGANT when participating in this kind of activity. According to MGA, you should learn how to appreciate other’s opinion at the same time deliver your own opinion nicely – without offending others. Remember, it’s a time-pressure activity. So once you were given a chance to talk, deliver your opinion clearly but not that long.

Once your group is done with this activity, applicants will wait again outside the conference room for the result. They will give you another piece of paper that will show if you pass or fail Stage Two. Usually, from this stage only less than 10 applicants fail.

Stage Three and Stage Four are the same with Stage Two. From these two stages, usually 2-3 applicants fail. After this stage, successful applicants will be given 15-30 minutes break. It is advisable to take a quick bite, as preparation for the next stage.

On Stage Five all applicants who pass Stage Four will undergo a written exam. The exam composed of Psychological and Mathematical questions. There’s also an essay part on it. The exam is also time-pressured, though MGA & other applicants finished it earlier.

We stayed in the hotel lobby as we waited for the result of Stage Five. To give you an idea how long this selection day was – We arrived in the hotel around 8:00 AM & it was already 7:00 PM when we waited for the result of Stage Five. We were so anxious while waiting for this result.

It’s around 7:15 PM when they were called for the result. The Emirates staff gave them another piece of paper. We were so happy when MGA passed Stage Five. They were 15 applicants who took the exam & they were only 7 who passed it. All those 7 applicants, we’re asked to fill-up this Emirates Application form & we’re given some handouts about Emirates Cabin Crew. We weren’t able to scan the handouts but as I remember, this includes;

• Application procedure after the Selection Day
• List of other requirements
• Emirates Cabin Crew duties & responsibilities
• Salary & Allowances
• Other Benefits such as Insurance
• Free Accommodation and list of items provided

In that application form, successful applicants will choice time slot for final interview on the next 2 days. You will require to submit 7 passport pictures, 1 half-body picture & 2 whole body pictures (formal & casual). Again, you should select best pictures of yours, because these pictures will be attach to your application form and will roam around the Emirates’ Recruitment Department for the final selection. You will receive an email notification if you pass that final selection. That email also includes the list of requirements you need to accomplish.

Related Links

• Becoming a Cabin Crew
• Becoming Emirates Cabin Crew (Part I)
• Becoming Emirates Cabin Crew – Application Procedure
• Questions From You
• Questions From You (Part II)
• What Kind of Picture?
• Questions From You (Part III)
• Must Have Perfect Teeth To Fly?