When you Dream

Dreaming doesn't cost you anything,you can dream anything under the sun. However, making it real is not free anymore.

Take it from me, I made my dream into reality and it cost me all possible resources. Nevertheless, it also paid me more than a hundred fold.

It's always nice to dream...

Especially for U

I keep messing up the lives of these people by sending them my blogs almost everyday. And I am so glad to realize that despite of their hectic days they always try to find time to view my blog,leave comments and messages.












Hope ur happy with ur faces here, kinda blurry though. ( leave a comment f u want another pic to post hehe)

Thank you so much guys and yes more blogs to come (wink)

MWAH!

Welcome to Japan

My journey was long and with various ordeals yet because of prayers, perseverance and optimism I had finally reached my destination.

December 6, 2006 I stepped out from the plane with mixed emotions: excited for my dream has come true, tensed for what is ahead of me in this new and diverse world and of course wretchedness for being thousand miles away from the significant people of my life.

“Welcome to Japan.” My brother Leo whom I haven't met for so long and my sis-in-law along with their beautiful kids met me at Narita Airport.






Narita Airport

Ryuunuski,Naori,Ate Yumiko & Kuya Leo

A day after I arrived in Ibaraki (was winter I got colds rigth away)

Lunch time

I Believed I Can FLY coz I Believe n YOU

Albeit I heard many comments that the internet has lots of hoax, I still continued searching and applying in there. Aside from the reason that millions of job are posted in the internet, it’s also quick and easy. You just need few clicks and there your resume and application letters are already around the world. True, you just have to be very chary with the responses.

My journey went on at a snail’s pace but I tried my best not to be twitchy anymore. My prayers became my weapon to trounce fears when it started to attack me.

Another call came and I was astounded to realize that it was the lady again with the British accent. She asked me if I already had the visa. My answer was quick “Hard for me to get a tourist visa” She said that I should get a working holiday visa. Although, I wasn’t sure but I told her we don’t have that kind of visa. “I don’t have much time right now, Pls. ask the Japanese Embassy what u need for a working visa. Here’s my phone number.” And she said goodbye. Thank God that I have a brother in Japan so I let him called the number. My brother told me that it’s a kindergarten school in Yamanashi, Japan quite far from their place. But still my brother warned me not to trust right away.

In the evening, I received 2- pages email from the lady. She said that it seemed that I was doubtful with their school because I let my brother checked them. So she included their school profile and plus the description of the prefecture they are located. She added that they were impressed by my resume and wanted to hire me immediately. Wow! It was still so unbelievable that I was hired base on my resume alone but of course my heart was pounding fast with excitement.

Two months of communication and processing, I got the working visa!!!

And my prayers “ God , I am so sorry that I didn’t trust you enough before. I didn’t realize ‘til now that you are always with me all the way. I was so dumb not to recognize that everything I’ve been through was a sign. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift.”

“…I believe I can fly because I believe in You.”

Beware

Each day wasn’t complete without spending approximately 4 hours in the internet. I didn’t care to apply through agencies because in the first place I didn’t have the money and second ESL teacher hiring is rare in agencies.

I was in the middle of the road riding on a tricycle when my mobile rang. “Hello, Could I possibly speak to Ms. Estrellita Mayonila?” the voice with a British accent asked. “Yes this is Estrellita.” I answered kinda shouting to overpower the noises from the tricycle and the other vehicles around. “Wow! Are you outside? The noise’s a bit hurting my ears.” She said she will call me back after 5 minutes. The driver got mad at me because I told him to stop right away while we were still in the middle of the road. Before he realized I was already out from his tricycle and ran myself to the nearby pavement. (Thanks that I paid him ahead.) Five minutes after the lady called back. In a hurried voice she asked me how soon I can get a visa for Japan because they wanted to hire me as a teacher. She added that she will call back again after 2 days. I was bowled over; it was mind-boggling that I was hired without any interview or exams. Of course, I didn’t believe what she said.

I told Rodnie and my brother in Japan about the call both of them have the same answered it was fraud. Two days had passed the lady didn’t call back. However, I received another call but it wasn’t from Japan but from China saying they’re also interested to hire me but at least this time there was a kind of interview. She advised me to apply for a tourist visa first to make everything fast and easy and we’ll process the working visa later. She sounded convincing to me yet I told her that I might need their school profile during my visa application. She said she will email me but she never did.
Those guys were rather unlucky to choose me as a prey.

The force was with me

My dream that I was flying happened at least 3 times a week and I was already so exasperated. I wanted to disregard everything: the mental, physical and emotional weariness that I incurred and of course I wanted to forget my dream, my desire to work abroad.

For a week of not asking anything from God, this time I yielded. “God could you pls. give me peace of mind?” I humbly asked. Well, God didn’t answer me because there was I again up above flying in my dreams. Then I finally realize that no one can ever solve my predicament except me. So I recalled again the 2 likely reasons why I had this dream: first because of my strong yearning to really work abroad and second this is another sign that God is giving me. I can’t deny myself that the first reason was utterly right and what if the second reason is also right? Suddenly my Aquarian personality hit me and these words were seemingly glowing what was once a dark road “Every Cloud has a Silver Lining” I went back to the church and there I walked again with my knees from the entrance to the altar, teary-eyed I said my prayers again and again.

Guided by optimism and faith I started sending resumes and applications in the internet for ESL teacher to all non-english speaking countries. (maximum of 12 applications a day) I did this for a year. 50% did not reply and 50% acknowledged my applications with 2 common reasons: they don’t have vacancy or they need a native-english speaking teacher.

But this time,there was no room for giving up. I felt like I was a Jedi in Starwars ( lol) “the force was with me”

What Dreams May Come

Part 7

I went on with my tutorial classes for over a year but wasn’t in high spirits because I failed to provide full financial support to my nieces with their education.

Then came an offer from a friend to work in the US, it wasn’t a teaching job but I was dancing in glee as it was related to my previous work (sales) and I thought that God had finally answered me . However in one snap of a finger it was gone ( I was denied by the embassy). I was staring blankly as tears rolled down from my eyes. “If this is a game, I’m not playing this anymore.” I said to myself.
I wanted to ask God again but it seemed everything was futile. So I decided to keep quiet; no complains and no questions.

My life went on as I tried to forget my dream to work abroad. And though I chose myself to stay quiet, I still gave Him thanks for giving me another life each day yet I didn’t heed to pray for signs and for directions.

I was in the middle of enjoying myself flying as I watched the sunrise clasped the earth while the breeze kissed the leaves when I heard the phone rang. I woke up stunned that I was just on my bed lying not flying. The phone rang again, it was my brother asking me “why won’t you try applying as ESL tutor abroad?” I was still kinda groggy from my flying dream so I just said “ok” right away.
Applying for a tutorial abroad did not make sense to me so I didn’t care to apply.
My “technical dream that I was flying” went on and it almost happened every night although I didn’t think about it prior to sleep. I shared it with Rodnie and we came up with 2 likely reasons: perhaps because of my strong yearning to work abroad and perhaps it’s an indication that I do really have a chance to work abroad. I told Rodnie not to talk about signs as it will just give me headaches.

So I just smiled and said “What dreams may come”