NOCTURNAL
Ariel Allosada Allera
What a journey this has been!
From running errands in and out of College Assurance
Plan, through mixing drinks at A Taste of Mandarin
Chinese Restaurant, to studying Journalism at the
University of the Visayas whilst editing its student
publication... thank God I've finally found my
way here.
I thought landing a job at a call center would be illusive for
someone whose soft spot for the written word was imminent and whose
fear of talking intense. Isolated as a killjoy who
neither drank nor smoked, I always figured that maybe, I
didn't belong in this industry. Listening to friends
who yapped about their early adjustments in the
floor and their post-shift escapades, I couldn't help
but cringe at the thought of going with the flow, let
alone starting to say my opening spiel---that is, if I
should consider numbering myself amongst them. I had
qualms: What if I couldn't get rid of the butterflies in
my stomach? How could I ever survive in an environment where
everyone had no other option than to succumb to the
so-called social life?
Speaking would be the last thing that I could've possibly
imagined myself doing. Growing up gay within a realm where
almost always I was deprived of my right to voice my choices
and opinions and say my piece on a certain platform, I'd
virtually locked my system from any kind of undertaking that
would require talking or rubbing elbows with others. My
insecurities were sickening, and my shyness to be around a speaking
work environment paralyzed me to the bones. What with
the hearsays that call center agents are impeccable
in spoken English and the adage that
says, "Be a Roman when
you're in Rome." So it goes without saying that
if your colleagues are on Aux 2, you had better take
the lift with them and join them as they smoke or
have a chit-chat over a cuppa coffee---otherwise,
you're out!
It was not until my Japanese boyfriend thrilled me with his visit
that I was caught with no choice but to say
goodbye to my previous job and hug my irresistible
beau hello. Too long a story to tell, I was eventually
lost in limbo, downtrodden and distraught, broke and
broken-hearted, without a penny to my name.
The nocturnal nuns at Saint Joseph Church in Mabolo were
witnesses to my late-night visits in their Adoration
Chapel, where I'd be seen crying my eyes out to the Blessed
Sacrament. My dire starvation for food
and money, not to mention my determination to
move on against all odds, prompted me to consider
flirting with the thought of applying in a call center at all
costs. Because I didn't want to shortchange Mr. Sykes
with my internal system that was just undergoing
its recuperation, I gave myself a break or two.
My being a missologist afforded me a good six months to enjoy
travelling, crossing over from the Metropolis to the
mystical island of Mindanao. As regional coordinator (and
scriptwriter), I chaperoned our very own bet to Miss
Philippines-Earth in Manila and took care of Sarah Katrina
Miñoza until the coronation night, where she would
be crowned Miss Philippines-Fire 2007. Back in Cebu, fashion
director Dexter Alazas was awaiting me to write the script for
the annual Region 7 Search for Miss Teen Philippines
International. Then there's Cagayan, where a modeling
workshop was to be conducted by friend Marlon Wafer who got
me to teach makeup to model wannabes. Anyhow, I had
the time of my life in Zamboanga del Sur where I've been
writing the script for Miss Pagadian beauty pageant.
I didn't have second thoughts wiring my resume to Sykes
upon coming back home to Cebu. I was
carrying butterflies in my stomach en route to the series of
exams, interviews and whatnot, which I was
to pass. Despite fears that I was going to bluff, I
was downright bent on making it to the floor.
Sykes welcomed me with open arms. At first, familiar
jitters came visiting this nervous wreck. But thanks to
Wave 66-A for sharing the tension in the room, our
competitive trainers for their indisputably effective
method in bringing out the best in each one of us. It
didn't take long for my jitters to go away, for me to
have the guts to talk like Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta,
the icon of eloquence amongst all beauty queens. Honestly,
there had been times when I Lydia de Vegaed to the comfort
room as though it were for call of nature, when I
was actually whimpering inside one of the cubicles, praying to God
for more guts to take more calls, to be an icon of confidence for
those who were in the same shoes I'd been.
I have nothing but good experiences being in a call center,
although I could no longer travel to out-of-town pageants
or weddings as often as I'd love to. Because call
centers are dreaded for stress issues, I sure don't
feel the least bit of it all. I guess it's because I
make sure I sleep tight before I come to work---thanks to my
earplugs, eye mask, cereal, not to mention Melatonin
for helping me fall in deep slumber. Likewise, I see to
it that I gulp in lots of water as much as I engorge
veggies when it's mealtime for me at the
pantry.
I take it that the nature of job in the call center
is both fun and educational. Not only are we well
compensated but also we're given the opportunity to learn
about American culture and lifestyle. Personally, I believe
that since the advent of call centers in the Philippines,
more of us Filipinos are able to practice English as our
second language, thus becoming more confident in our
communication skills.
In a nutshell, I take pride in the fact that I've not just
talked the talk and walked the walk but most importantly,
I've stayed put and am keeping up the good work after 15
months of chanting "Thank you for
choosing AT&T Internet Services..." amidst the
night, whilst at the same time enjoying the company of my
colleagues who have stood by me high and low,
despite the coldness of the night in my
journey alongside the Real People in Sykes
that offer no less than Real Solutions.
