To a New City
Been re-reading my entries here. Boy o boy! I was transported in time.
There is also a chunk of time that I have not written about here yet. Sometime in December, I left that big company I was with and took a government job at the City of Redondo Beach. After all, what's living in California without the experience of a beach city?
I've been commuting (yeah you read that right!) to work everyday throught the trecherous 101 and 405, only two of the country's worst freeways. The hours are long but I get to take every other Fridays off. I joined a gym (yeah you read that right, again!) to let traffic pass at night. I learned to wake up early to beat traffic.
Redondo Beach is nice place to live in ($1 million for a house, anyone?). The beach is a block away from City Hall. Heaven! The weather is always mild and cool, something I'm getting used to. So different from the valley's dry desert-like weather.
I work at the City's Engineering and Building Services Department, where I've learned is where all the action is. Anything that is being built in the City requires a permit from our Department. So we get a LOT of people traffic. I enjoy helping people out.
More than this, I'm getting a fantastic view of how a City is managed and run. I was oblivious to the fact that a City needs to be governed to thrive. It takes a group of people to plan for a City's future. The sense of community is more evident now that I am on the other side of a city.
Growing up in Manila and experiencing the Barangay system is the closest government experience I can attest to. My parents were active in our local Barangay. I would see projects to fruition but I also saw the politics that ran the system. Togther with rampant graft and corruption in Manila, a govenment job is not desireable.
I'm quite blessed to obtain this job. It was a long process. After submitting my application, I had to undergo a written test that took all of 2 hours. I had to go back to my basic math! A month after, I got called in for a panel oral interview. The panel consisted of two interviewees from other cities. They had a set of standard questions strictly about the job they were firing off me. Another blessing came when, a month later, I was called in for an interview with the Department Head. Two weeks passed when I received an offer, although not for the position I applied for but for the next level below. Even if it wasn't what I applied for, I took it.
As I was oriented on the job, it dawned on me that I have so much good benefits. The City really takes care of its people. From the health insurance that I can choose from and not pay a single penny, to the days off! Whoo! I was dizzy. A lot of people were cheering me on with this job, saying getting a city job is great. So far, it is true.
There is also a chunk of time that I have not written about here yet. Sometime in December, I left that big company I was with and took a government job at the City of Redondo Beach. After all, what's living in California without the experience of a beach city?
I've been commuting (yeah you read that right!) to work everyday throught the trecherous 101 and 405, only two of the country's worst freeways. The hours are long but I get to take every other Fridays off. I joined a gym (yeah you read that right, again!) to let traffic pass at night. I learned to wake up early to beat traffic.
Redondo Beach is nice place to live in ($1 million for a house, anyone?). The beach is a block away from City Hall. Heaven! The weather is always mild and cool, something I'm getting used to. So different from the valley's dry desert-like weather.
I work at the City's Engineering and Building Services Department, where I've learned is where all the action is. Anything that is being built in the City requires a permit from our Department. So we get a LOT of people traffic. I enjoy helping people out.
More than this, I'm getting a fantastic view of how a City is managed and run. I was oblivious to the fact that a City needs to be governed to thrive. It takes a group of people to plan for a City's future. The sense of community is more evident now that I am on the other side of a city.
Growing up in Manila and experiencing the Barangay system is the closest government experience I can attest to. My parents were active in our local Barangay. I would see projects to fruition but I also saw the politics that ran the system. Togther with rampant graft and corruption in Manila, a govenment job is not desireable.
I'm quite blessed to obtain this job. It was a long process. After submitting my application, I had to undergo a written test that took all of 2 hours. I had to go back to my basic math! A month after, I got called in for a panel oral interview. The panel consisted of two interviewees from other cities. They had a set of standard questions strictly about the job they were firing off me. Another blessing came when, a month later, I was called in for an interview with the Department Head. Two weeks passed when I received an offer, although not for the position I applied for but for the next level below. Even if it wasn't what I applied for, I took it.
As I was oriented on the job, it dawned on me that I have so much good benefits. The City really takes care of its people. From the health insurance that I can choose from and not pay a single penny, to the days off! Whoo! I was dizzy. A lot of people were cheering me on with this job, saying getting a city job is great. So far, it is true.
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