Flexible Work Arrangement

Who would have thought that my blog entries "Benefits of WFH" and "Cons of Working from Home" will eventually lead to an invitation as a guest speaker in CAMFEBA's 3rd HR Symposium. Can anyone guess which topic below was assigned to me? :-)

Anyway, here are some pictures taken during that event.

When I was invited to share my experience FWA, it seems that the issue of flexibility is becoming everybody's interest and needs which is actually good. Although based on my observation, basing it from the questions I got from the audience, most companies here may not be ready for it yet. But one has to start somewhere, right? So, it's good that they asked, it's good that others shared their experience, 

My interest in FWA is simple, "Being able to worm flexibly makes me happy, makes me enjoy the work that I do and therefore it helps make a difference. 

Passionate about Passion Spa

I talked about how much I like and am enjoying their services  in this post.  So, let's take a peek on what's inside...




The big facade with their name of course. So you won't miss it. 

For swedish and aromatherepy massages, you will be asked to choose your preferred oil scent

For facial services, the products they use depend on your skin type,  (imported & known brands)

 

Towels everywhere and I can see where they are stacked. so, I am assured that they are clean and if I request for one, they have a supply 

 

They have so many rooms, depending on the service. This one is for the traditional Thai massage. 

 

And after a relaxing massage (body or facial), here's fresh salabat for you

Rainy Days are here again

I am just thankful that we moved to a different apartment. In the old one, everytime it rains continuously for 2 hours, expect knee-deep floodwater outside which extends up to 50 meters. I am so scared everytime I need to go out or when I am out. Just the thought of the car not suddenly moving and that I have to go down to push it really scares me lol.

Anyway, I am thinking of having this set-up near our front door. I think it will be helpful to prevent mud sticking on the floor. But it also made me ask ... so who is going to clean the container or the stones after? Like can I just leave it unwashed? because what is the difference if I place a mat instead? but that's just it...mats look very ordinary and with these, it adds some design/character to the house. Oh well, let me think more on this...hmmmmm....

Updates

My sis told me to update my blog so here it goes...

I was not able to update my blog, and I just can't find the time to do it, when we went to the PHL Compared to Phnom Penh, Manila is not yet wired. There are still few establishments that offer free wifi. Even in Starbucks, you need to buy a prepaid card to be able to connect. That said, I seldom bring with me gadgets when i step out of the house. When I am home, I am multi tasking with work and time with family. 

A week before my departure, unfortunately the hard drive of my laptop crashed! I wasn't prepared for it so the last back up was some time in April of 2012. One year of files were gone, just like that. I was in a week of denial, hoping that our IT folks can still recover my files. Two weeks before my deadline for a BIG project under my NEW boss awakened me from that denial. Two months worth of research I have to do it in two weeks but this time it should include my analysis and recommendations. I was literally in a Do Not Disturb mode. To make it short, I was successful in my deliverable. If the content makes sense, let's see next week when the legal team gives their feedback. 

It was just really last week when I felt I was back to normal. My boss was on leave the entire week so it allowed me to catch up with work -- respond to backlog emails and recover lost files. Oh, and I also got sick the past two weeks. Although it was just dry cough but still, it made me feel weak. Add that to the work pressure. But what is life without these adventures. Sometimes we need it to add spice to our lives! 

Passion Spa

I am a sucker for massages. During my singlehood days, I would normally go 2x a week for a massage. I feel so relieved after as if I gained new energy. Even when I travel I make it a point to have one. After a day of walking and walking and walking....ooohhhh, what a relief to have your whole body being pampered.

Here in Cambodia, spa/massage places are everywhere. Prices range for as low as $2 to as high as $100. It all depends on which place you go to and the kind of service you want. But on the average, it will cost you $25 for a full body massage if you go to a "modern/western"-looking spa. It is very unfortunate though that my experience are NOT good. Sometimes I even feel tired as soon as I step out. I prefer hard massage and I guess their interpretation of "hard" is "bugbugin ang katawan."  It totally defeats the purpose of why I'd go there. I've tried a few of those recommended by friends but still no good. Then I read in Phnom Penh post (a newsletter type) a physical therapist talking about most of his clients complaining about the massage here. He even shared that it's because most of the masseuse are not really trained the proper way. Owners ask if they have 'experience' and they're hired.

From then on, I stopped exploring. Anyway, I go to Manila almost every now and then so I's rather wait than spend money on useless things.  Until one night, I met the owner of Passion Spa and Salon and gave me a discount coupon.  I always pass by the place as I live in the area but I've never tried as it looked expensive hahaha. One long weekend we tried going and lo and behold. The service reminded me of my experience at The Spa (in Manila) except the big hot jazzucci pool. But the way they knead your body....exactly the way I want it. The facilities are very modern/western. It's very clean as they use white carpet so one would easily notice dirt. I even liked their salabat and pandan water :-)

I am very happy with this discovery. Just a few meters away from the house, price is reasonable, salon services are cheaper than where I usually go to. 

Shopping in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh may not be your city of tourist spots but compred to Vietnam and Bangkok, I am proud to say that shopping is way better. Like example with North Face bags, people buy them at Vietnam but really the original but cheaper ones are in Cambodia. A price of a Class A there, you can get an original one here. Same story in Bangkok. I ask friends the cost of a Class A branded shirt and yes, it's the same story.

I guess it's because more tourists visit those countries I mentioned so naturally word of mouth is what makes it more popular. And I have no problems with that. In fact, I like it that way. When people around the world start to flock this city, then these items will not be cheap anymore....

Just to show you a sample how our visitors go gaga once we bring them to these stores....

Happy Easter!!!

I just want to say Peace be with You all and may the season remind us of God's love to mankind.

It's something to celebrate so off we go to hear mass officiated by Bishop Olivier. It is my 1st time to see him. I thought he is old but for a bishop, he looks young. After which we headed to Sofitel to try their Sunday 'Brunch' buffet and Easter Egg Hunt. The selections are way better than their dinner buffet. And their dessert section...ahhhh...to die for! It was complete as they have japanese, italian, chinese and other western food. 

My friend Nicky wanted to bring home the mushroom decors while I want to take home the giant easter egg chocolates. My husband told me it's only for decoration until I saw two tables taking home those gigantic chocolates...hmph! 

Burger King!!!

Finally, another American fastfood in town! Although I still prefer Mike's Burger (local burger) but still, a good very good option to have. I luuuv Burger King especially their Whopper which is what I ate :-)

Burger King is located in airport, immediately outside the arrival area. It's in front of Cafe Fresco. I just arrived here last January but in 3 months time there are like 2-3 new restos I think in the airport. Going back to Burger King, inside there are high stool bars or chairs...in case you are a single traveler  and wants to mingle with others. 

There are also comfy seats inside and outside

Good thing this is located not within walking distance or else.... say goodbye to diet! 

Cons of Work From Home (WFH)

The last time I posted the pros of a WFH arrangement. So this time let me share what I think are the disadvantages. I can only think of 3 things:

1) Social Network - in the professional environment will be limited. You won't be able to attend company parties, events. You're not part of the day-to-day pantry chit-chats (hopefully you are not the topic). And usually during big events, that's the time you can get to talk to other co-workers maybe on a more personal level thus building relationships.

2) Visibility - to top management is a challenge. So when they talk of promotions or other career opportunities, top of mind are people that they see everyday. Because they get to literally see the challenges and hard work that an office person goes through. Like being able to present in front of management, staying late at work to meet deadlines, if person is not in his/her desk you can assume that s/he is in a meeting therefore 'busy', harassment look in their faces when piled with a lot of work and when they are able to get through then it creates a very good impression. As opposed to WFH,  what they see is only the output - -finished product. The key here is to have a very good relationship with your manager who can really represent you and talk about how you;ve done all of these things.

3) Airconditioning - hahaha. I live in Cambodia so this time of the year it's really not cool to WFH. Electricity bills will go high for sure.

WFH is not simple as you think. One has to ask the question, what type of work environment would I thrive in?

Happy Valentine's

Valentine's day is an event we celebrate as a family. That is why I really don't associate this day to just "romantic" love but love in general. I remember always haing dinner outside with my parents and sister even if it's traffic. Yes, traffic is horrible and at its worst during this day. Yeah....like 1 hour from Ayala Ave to The Fort area which on a normal day may take you just 15-20 minutes. 

Last year, aside from being away from my family, my husband was also in a business trip. But of course he did not forget to send me flowers. This was unforgettable because the flowers were in a vase that doesn't match its colors and it was raining that day so I almost cannot read what was written in the card. But this year was great! I love the flowers, I love the buffet dinner and just the fact that he is here with me....I am so happy! Here are some pictures of our valentine's date with our friends at Regency Cafe, Intercontinental Hotel.

Fitness

After 3 months of no exercise, I'm back! This pool is 25 meters, I think. So let's see if I can make it to the end or how many laps I can make....ulk, good luck to me!

Airlines in Cambodia

April is the first long holiday here in Cambodia so we're taking the opportunity to travel and where else but where it's more fun (haha...just using the country's tourism tagline)...in the Philippines. Come to think of it, we can explore other places, visit other countires and yet we still choose to go home. That's simply because our parents are already old. As much as possible we want to spend every minute of our time with them. So it's a balancing act for us.

I started scouting for airfares. Unfortunately there are still no directflights from Phnom Penh to Manila. There are 4 major airlines and very recent 1 budget airline that allows you to book RT tickets  from PP-MNL-PP. Thai Airways via Bangkok, Tiger Airways and Singapore Airlines via SG, Cathay Pacific via HK and Malaysia Airlines via ....yes you're right. Now you're getting it. There are other airlines via the routes I mentioned and sometimes it can be cheaper taking different airlines. Like example PP-Ho Chi Minh via Angkor Air then PAL or CebuPac from HCM-MNL. There's Air Asia from PP-KL and Bangkok and also Bangkok Airways going to BK. And from Bangkok there's PAL and CebuPac.  If you want a budget airline via SG, there's JetStar and also Silk Air (which ain't a budget airline). Another route can be via Siem Reap as there is CebuPac that flies directly to MNL from SR. So many options to choose from and I have 3 major considerations: 1- convenient/relaxing experience 2-reasonable price 3-will match our preferred travel dates.

I am quite surprised that Thai Airways is cheaper than Malaysia Airlines. Like a difference of $100 and that will be huge savings for us because that means $200. I have shortened my list of options to two. So let's see where I end up later. For now, off to hear mass....

Pay It Forward

When I go on vacation outside the PHL I ask friends or relatives if I can stay in their place. This is huge savings in accommodation cost. So now that I am in a position where I can do the same, I never hesitate to say yes or even offer my place esp. to folks who welcomed me wholeheartedly in their homes.  Last year, here are friends and relatives who visited me in the Kingdom of Wonder  ....

Sweet Tooth

Even if there is a lot (like 5-6 of them in one street) of coffee shops here in Phnom Penh, I haven't found one that serves the kind of cake I like -- rich chocholate, moist cake. Until Secret Recipe opened I think some time in Sept-Oct. 

My friend from SG who went to visit me early this year observed that it's because local coffee shops use cake flour. Well, I am not into baking so I'll stop here... haha....

So even if Secret Recipe is quite far from my place, I really frequent the resto just because of their cakes. I already ate almost each kind except for the usual flavors -- black forest, tiramisu. Talk of calories and fat gained! 

Here's one of my favorites -- chocolate moist cake!

Benefits of WFH

I am very grateful that the company I am working for allowed me to work remotely 100%. When I accepted this role, it was virtual in the 1st place. Since we have an office in the PHL I physically report to work 2-3x a week dependng on my schedule. If I have several calls, especially if I need to use a virtual room to share presentations, then I would usually take it in the office. Network connections are not 100% reliable at home. 

When the opportunity came that my husband got an offer to work here, me being able to work from Cambodia is a major consideration. So now after 14 months, let me share with you the advantages of this set-up:

1. no need to wake up very early in the morning just to prepare breakfast,  cook lunch (which you take to work) & prepare for work (yes, choosing clothes and putting on make-up takes up so much time)

2. you work in your PJs ...or whatever clothing you want, as comfortable as can be

3. multi task with household chores

4. if you feel you need to take some break, you can just lay down in the sofa and check on what's brewing on TV

5.  if you don't feel like responding to an irritating client, I can just click "away" status in chat...yeah, they won't be able to ask anyone to validate if I am around

6. you save on gas, parking fees :-)

Next time I will blog about the challenges I face. Of course it can't be a perfect world out there...so whatch out for it before you make your decision :-)

TFC

When we moved to Cambodia, more than a year ago, the first thing I looked for was TFC - The Filipino Channel. We had more than a hundred channels but no TFC. I found out it's an additional subscription, not to mention other costs (router, connection fees, etc.). 

So now I've been contemplating if we still need one. I would like to believe I got used to not watching Pinoy soaps, showbiz talkshows  and variety shows.

You see, my typical day starts with work then I take a break to have breakfast with my husband. Lunch break I cook food for us then right after eating it's back to work until 4:30- 5pm (5:30 in SG). I use the rest of the time to prepare food for dinner, fix the house, do errands etc. The only time I can watch TV is during night time. But hey, there's HBO, Fox Movies and my favorite AXN.

But there are days like last weekend when there's nothing nice to watch in these channels. That is when I start thinking of subsribing to TFC. But then again, there's ipad for games and video streaming!!!

So I don't know....

Unusual Holiday

As mentioned in my previous entry, I do WFH. Still, I follow Philippine holidays and today & tom are no work days for me. But how come I'm still responding to some emails?!?!? (loser LOL)

It's actually difficult for me & my husband having different set of holidays. We can't go on vacation. Either one of us will need to file a leave & most of the time it has to be me so that hubby can use his during Christmas time. Yeep, it's not celebrated here therefore not a public holiday. 

So times like this, I take the opportunity to do errands and spend more time doing things I like. Today, aside from answering emails (to clarify, i dont like it but I have a deadline), I spent 2 hours in the gym (wahoo!!!), went to market, had a foot & hand massage and finally I was able to clean the house! The last thing I said has it's own story which I cannot write in my blog. So, just PM me if you wanna know ;-)

Have a Blessed Day, everyone especially to my kababayans visiting their departed loved ones. 

Roaming

I use a prepaid card everytime I am back home. I don't like the hassle of informing friends every now and then of a new contact # so I am maintaining this #.  Based on what I've researched, a Globe prepaid SIM can last with zero balance for up to 4 months. Luckily, I get the opportunity to  travel back home every 3 months so maintaining the SIM has never been a problem. Except that my last travel was July and the next one will already be in Dec. That will exceed the 4 months requirement so I asked a friend who went home during the Penchumben (All Souls Day celebration in Cambodia) to load my card. 

I got it this morning and not really excited because I didn't activate imternational roaming. So I said, what the heck I wont't be able to use it anyway. But at least I got to 'activate'  it before it reaches it's 5th month. I went to Globe's webpage and saw this feature "talk2globe" chat. Hmmmmm..... curious enough, I clicked on it and in 5 minutes I was already chatting with their customer service. Eloisa, name of the CS Rep.,  assisted me and she activated international roaming. What really exceeded my expectations was that after the chat, the system will ask you how do you want  a copy of the conversation transcript --- via email, print or download a copy. 

This is cool, right?! At least in case the request will not work out right, the customer has a saved copy of the chat. 

A happy & satisfied customer -- that's me!

Organize It!

I need help here!!! I have boxes that are left unopened as I don't have space for them. In the old apartment we used to have a storage room so that was never a concern. Right now, the boxes are kept in the guest room. But still, I find it an eye sore seeing recycled boxes piling in one corner. I am thinking of buying a small cabinet which I plan to place in the dining area as I have an empty space/wall. I went around and check out some of the furniture stores here and my gad!!!! It costs like USD1,000 for this kind of cabinet (minus the TV). I am not permanently staying here so I don't want to invest in expensive furnitures. 

Another option I'm thinking of is to buy this DIY boxes. It's made of canvass material plus it's something I can dismantle and bring with me anywhere I decide to live in the future. 

Maybe buy 5 of this kind and stack it all away. The only downside if I choose this is I can't place this in the dining area/hallway. It will not match the other furnitures plus it doesn't look like a living room/hallway 'display' material. 

New Home

Finally! We've moved to a new apartment last week (that is why I was not able to post anything here) which is near to my husband's office. Cost-wise I don't think there's much difference. The closer you are to the city center, the more expensive it is (rent-wise). But what we are seeing as an advantage is the use of time. Now, my husband can go home during lunch. Goodbye to cold 'baons'. Just to give context, here in Cambodia lunch time is for 2 hours. So people usually go home during lunch. That is also why they do not have microwaves in their offices.

Aside from being able to eat lunch that is freshly cooked, he also has siesta time :-) For my part, it saves me the effort to wake up very early in the morning to cook/prepare for his baon.  Noticed that I didn't say 'it saves me time'. My work arrangement is work from home (WFH) given that we do not have an office here in Cambodia.Since I am a regional resource, I follow Singapore time (hub in Asia). I still have to wake up early considering the time difference but at least now, I am not toggling between laptop and stove. 

Another advantage I noticed is that it made life more convenient. If I need something (i.e. crave for a coke, coffee), I just need to step out and voila..it's all there. The downside ---- if I get used to this kind of living, aha! it will be challenging to go back to a fast-paced life.