Goodbye Academe

Yesterday was my last day in my job in a college school. Maia gave me the cute bear above for a farewell gift, she said it was like I have "graduated", hehehe. Though I did not cry (thank God!) on my last day as I thought I would, I did not have an easy time restraining myself from being sentimental. It is not my first time to be leaving a company but everytime it is not easy to say goodbye especially when you've made good friends there already. There is always my fear that my new found friendships will fade away when I leave my job, but then again it's something I have come to realize: that your true friends are those who will reach out back to you and continue to keep the friendship regardless of physical proximity. So with that I just hope and pray that to those I reach out, they reach back.

My farewell message to my collegues (some names were changed):


My dearest everyone,

Time flies so fast, it amazes me to think it has already been 9 months since I first stepped in to This School to become a part of This Department.

I believe that we have our free will which allows us to make our choices, however, I also do believe that my fate is led by destiny so I follow where it leads me to. Just like how it led me to work for This School last year. I already had a good feeling even just from learning I would be working for a school as I have this natural love for the Academe, perhaps because my parents are both college professors and are both working in government schools in the Philippines since even before I was born. This also reminds me of the University where I graduated from, with all the trees and nature within the campus.

So my decision to leave This School was indeed a tough choice as I have come to love This School and my collegues, including my new found non-human friends I have met (and maybe you'd like to meet too? :-) thru my daily 10-minute walk from the train station to our building -- the centipede, snail, humming bird and green snake at Bldg 14, the chameleon at Bldg 8, and the squirrel at Bldg 6. But just like how fate led me to This School, I also believe that fate calls me now to move on and continue with achieving my goals and fulfilling my destiny.

However, before I go, I would like to emphasize how grateful I am to This School for giving me the chance to work for this prestigious institution and for introducing me to a good life in Singapore. I would like to thank my team mates, most especially my manager, CTPK, for trusting and believing in me, I admire her so much for being such a good mentor and how she manages to handle both her work and home responsibilities and still maintain her grace. My thanks also to Ms. Asst. Deputy Director and to Mr. Deputy Director. On a side note, I also would like to thank Mr. Deputy Director for his patience with me because I have only tried to stay up late in office twice and for these two times that I needed to switch off the lights and lock up the 3rd flr, both times I have unintentionally switched the lights out on him as I thought I was the last one in office. :-)

As I leave This School today I will be keeping with me memories of everyone like

~Regina's farewell gift to me and her thoughtfulness (thank you so much, Regina)

~Mr YWH's farewell wishes to me (thank you Sir)

~Doris' homegrown banana and her motherly kindness

~Ai Choo's lunch out treat at a very nice restaurant

~YYH's daily words of wisdom and pronounciation of my name as 'Florence' :-)

~YXS' occasional visits to my desk and his sharing of his goofy "words of wisdom"

~NMS' turtle soup served in turtle shell

~TWY's good company when we attended an event in Raffles Hotel

~AC's warm greeting and smile and our occasional chats

~N's knowledge sharing during the times I have been mentoring him

~CTPK's coffee plus tea drink, the time she told me to not slouch when sitting and the time she helped me when I had a cut on my finger

~LKL's frequent appearance at my desk for his food dosage :-) and for a good chat about work, life and almost anything under the sun (thanks Man! you're one of the best mentors I've had )

~Damon's many attempts to surprise me from my back while walking around the campus (and one time with me almost spilling a mug full of hot coffee)

~Mhean's friendship -- for being so kind to me even before I came to Singapore, for being my 'big sister' (although I'm a year older than her :-)

My many thanks to each and everyone of you for making my stay in This School such an enjoyable and memorable one which I will truly treasure.

It has indeed been a privilege for me to have worked with you.

Keep in touch

(*Sigh*)

Anyway, I had a blast to end my day. My collegue treated me to a sumptous dinner at a very nice Mediterranean restaurant. Then I met up with Bes, Maia and Rey, my classmates from highschool who are also working here in Singapore to have some drinks to celebrate my last day and also Rey's birthday on Tuesday.

On Monday, I start on my new job.