My first time

I guess I am very fortunate that my first real job experience was with a Wall Street investment firm that tried (but eventually failed) to set up an office here more than a decade ago. (Yes, I hate to admit it but I am THAT old.)

I worked there as an Administrative Assistant, which is really another title for PA/expense report maker/weeknights ka-gimik of my bosses – 2 twenty-something Americans who wanted to make it big in Wall Street but for some reason ended up in third-world country P.I.

I couldn’t really remember much of the work I did there. But man, do I remember the frozen margaritas at Giraffe, the lunches at L’Opera, the dinners at Conway’s. I also remember my dark blue dresses and skirts, my blue suede high heels, and dark blue ballet slippers with cris-crossing garters. Everything I wore just had to have a touch of dark blue–one of my favorite colors, the other one being dark red. I used to be crazy like that.

I also remember the days I spent at the office in front of my ThinkPad playing solitaire and minesweeper to while away time. And the many hours I spent reading Fortune, Forbes, BusinessWeek and The Economist—I’ll never forget those times because they later fueled my passion for writing and personal finance. Yes, I used to be geeky like that. I still am, to some extent. Needless to say, I enjoyed my first job and my paycheck, which was about 3k more than the minimum wage—a big deal back then.

But then one day I had the bright idea of introducing my bosses, Mike & John, to a friend who is now one of the best business reporters of the Inquirer so she could write about the company. The interview went well. But I didn’t know back then that that meeting between her and my bosses would change my life forever.

After the interview I toured my friend around the office and though I worked in a nice Makati office and I was wearing really nice clothes my friend’s high-pitched reaction wasn’t what I expected: “Kadiri ka, anong ginagawa mo dito?” No, it wasn’t an insult. It changed my life because that statement made me realize that I am destined to be in a better place, in a better position.

My friend knew I had what it takes to be a newspaper reporter. She asked me to prepare my resume so she could give it to her editor. They had an opening for a Business Researcher at that time.

I got all worked up and excited because until then I didn’t have much confidence in my writing skills. And I just didn’t have enough confidence, period.

I eventually got the job. A few years after that I was already working with the best business editor one could possibly have, I was writing about stuff I was passionate about and I was sincerely enjoying the fact that I was doing something that didn’t only benefit me. But it was never easy. I’ve shed a lot of tears along the way.

But I’ve also met lot of interesting people since. I’ve been to a lot of beautiful places and yes, I’ve had some awesome experiences. Looking back now, I have no regrets. I don’t even regret the fact that I turned down an offer from a big foreign financial news agency during one of my non-lucid moments.

Because of the twists and turns I’ve taken in my professional life I’m still not as financially secure as I would have liked to be. But it’s all worth it, and I’ll get there soon.

Nothing ever happens by accident. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we get too scared and we try to stay in our comfort zones even when we know in our hearts there’s something more fulfilling out there, waiting for us. If I had chosen not to heed my friend’s advice I probably would still be stuck in an office somewhere feeling as out-of-place as a fish in the desert.

I remember many years ago, on my birthday, one of my favorite pastors prayed over me and told me that God is preparing a special place for me and in time I’ll know where that place is. He asked me not to try to open doors for myself, because I’ll only end up being disappointed, but to wait for God to open doors for me. I’m glad that I’ve entered most of the doors that God has opened for me. I’ve seen the place God’s been preparing for me all this time. But entering the place still scares the shit out of me.

I guess that’s the reason we need faith.