Openbaar Vervoer (Public Tranportation)

I've been here in Holland for one and half year already but it's my first time now to take an Openbaar Vervoer or Public Transportation... Normally, everytime we have to travel we are with the car so we don't really need to take a train or a bus to go somewhere... And of course, I have my bicycle to go with if i have to go to the center to buy something and if i have to go to school as well... But this summer vacation, I got a chance to have a Summer job, just for 3 weeks working in the Canteen in one of the Company in Nieuwe Pekela, that was about 10 km or more away from here in Winschoten, so going with bicycle is not possible for me that's a bit far...

I have no choice but to take bus going to work because my husband this week have early work and there's no chance for him to bring and get me from work.... Anyway, I'm thankful, it's not really so hard because there's a website here www.journeyplanner.9292.nl that could guide you if you want to take an openbaar vervoer or public transport.... Just fill in the address where you will leave then the address where you will arrive, then the time and date you want to leave from your place or fill in the target time you want to aarive in particular place.. then choose if you want to travel with the bus, train, tram or taxi then click the Admise me to get the result... It's easy, you will even be guided if you need to walk in some particular place and could even show the duration of your travel also the estimates of how much it would cost you the bus ticket. I think this website is even useful for foreigners as well... try it!

In Philippines, I began travelling with public jeepney when I'm just 11 yrs. old and together with my 2 younger brothers and younger sister. Oh! what a responsibility I have then, my parents were working that's why we travel alone... Anyway, that was a nice experience of us too, imagine 4 of us kids travelling together, that's fun! Travelling with public jeepney in Manila is not really a far drive maybe just about 4 to 10 km in distance...

But I began travelling with the bus when I started working because taking public jeepney is not enough anymore... That was so different with my experience here in Holland.. Here was so easy, not so loaded with passengers and you can only take and leave the bus only in bus stop station, and you have to look good with the schedule because if you miss the bus, the next will come after an hour... Unlike in Manila, hahaha! you have to be strong and firm during rush hour, you have to learn how to run tried hard to be in front of the door of the bus when it arrives so you can get in or else you will be left because it's fully loaded already with passengers as in jam pack, that was an experience!

Schoonmaken (Cleaning)

In the past two weeks i got the first job experience for me, here in Holland. And they call it here schoonmaken (cleaning work) in the office. In Manila it's popularly known as "janitorial service".

At first my brother (Jon) in Manila asked me if I can do it... I said "of course, it's only like cleaning your own house too... It's a simple job for me and so easy of course... just wiping the table, chairs, cabinets and windows, then cleaning the floor with the vacuum cleaner, emptying trash and cleaning the toilet as well.... It's not really loaded, just 1-1/2 hour a day (5:00-6:30pm), i worked as a reliever for someone who's on vacation and she'll be back next week. Still, I'm thankful for our neigbor named Renske, who helped me to have that job and it's nice because we clean together in one office...

I know everyone who knows me, will ask why did I accepted that cleaning job?...
Well, it's because for now, I'm not yet good in dutch language, especially here in the Province of Groningen, most of the job available needs dutch language, infact they even have their own dialect here (Gronings), so it's not easy to find a job with English language...
In other words, I have no choice... "I'm happy I don't need to talk dutch with tables and chairs while I'm cleaning them, or else i won't even have a chance to have this job :)"

By the way.... way back in Manila, I graduated "Bachelor of Science in Accountancy". I have 5 years experience of accounting work in private offices. Then the last 6 years I have, as Secretary of the Director in one of the Gov't Office in Philippines...

So... who would imagine that the next job I will have after those work experiences will be Cleaning job.... But for me, it doesn't matter, at least I would earn money even I'm not yet good in dutch language....

If someone would ask me how do you do with your job?
Well, I tried to clean and recall the time I'm working as Secretary before, then try to recall what do I expect from the janitor who's cleaning my table then.... just to make sure that I'm doing my job now.... "still at my best".