I'm Going to QUIT

Well I'm not going to quit at my job at Tim Hortons anytime soon. But I am sure tempted to do so. There are so many reasons for me to quit but there are only a few reasons for me to stay (how melodramatic hehehe).

Ok here are my reasons to leave:

• I was placed at night shift (11 pm to 7 am) and the pay is bad (no premiums for me) and I'm the only one at the storefront and I do everything from sweeping, mopping, throwing away the garbage, dishes, restocking, and for again a bad pay. Why do I say bad? Well I used to work at 3-11 pm and I'm only assigned one task and there are more of us on the job so I could afford to goof off during my breaks.
• Morning is hell! There are so many nasty, cold-hearted, cocky, and hard-to-please customers! I honestly broke down and cried (but I hid of course).
• There's a job for me that's nearer to where I live with a higher pay and the job is less stressful.

Reasons for me to stay:

• I was "highly recommended" by a Filipino supervisor that's why I landed the job immediately.
• I love my co-workers during my 3-11 pm shift.
• I need to last longer so that this could serve as a good "Canadian Experience" for me.

But I have weighed things around and I have decided that if they still will place me on night shift next week even after my several talks with my manager showing my extreme discontent and unhappy self then I will quit.

I know that I should persever more and all but I love my self to much to go insane from working to hard! Imagine, whenever I fall asleep all my dreams includes working at Tim Hortons and serving customers. I have to remind my self several times that this is just a dream and there is no Tim Hortons at our house...

Sleep Deprived

Oh my... I swear, if I continue to be on night shift (11 pm to 7 am) I will go insane! I am so sleep deprived and I feel like quitting. But since our money is still frozen and still in the process of being cleared by the Philippine bank (which will take very long as usual) I have to work so that our basic needs will be met. My parents do have jobs already but my brother and I have started working earlier so therefore we get our paychecks first. Oh we did already get our paychecks and it was because of my paycheck that we already got our magnetic key cards using my debit card (my first transaction too).

Oh well. I love working to earn money but I have to ask my manager if I get a premium or a higher pay during my night shift. If not then I'll request that my time slot be transferred to a 3 pm to 11 pm. If they don't let me then I'll just gracefully quit. Working alone in the wee hours of the day is no fun at all especially when grouchy newly-awakened customers start stampeding in.

My First Canada Day

Last July 1, 2008, I experienced my first Canada Day. Canada Day is Canada's Birthday as this was the day when Great Britain allowed the parts of Canada to join together and form one government.

At that time there were only four provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick). Today there are 10 provinces and 3 territories.

Canada Day was sure very busy as people were out watching the fireworks and guess where I was? I was at Tim Hortons working! And boy was it busy!

Anyway I'm starting to love Canada already and so as to pay tribute to my new home here is the Canada National Anthem:

Official Lyrics of O Canada!

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

If you want to listen to the mp3 of the song you can visit the page of the Government of Canada here.

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Picture Credit to WikiPedia

Working: The Graveyard Shift

Today I worked at Tim Hortons at 11 pm to 7 am. I have to say that this shift is more stressful even if there are less people. Why? Well this may be because of the following reasons:

> I'm the only one at the Till (Cashier). Meaning there is more room for error since I'm all alone and I can't ask anyone for my help.

> It's So BORING! Yup, time passes so slow when you are bored and doing nothing too. There are no people so I have nothing to do for 80% of the time during my shift. I had to look for something to do like sweep the floors to preserve my sanity.

> If there are people... then it's busy! On the contrary of doing absolutely nothing when no customers are around. If there are customers well your life could be a living hell. I don't know why but customers come at groups. And I have to do everything from making the coffee and the sandwiches (I hate making sandwiches).

But working at night is ok. But I don't want to work at night for a whole week or I'll go insane. Anyway, I was really shocked when the baker told me to throw away all the donuts and baked goods because she said they weren't fresh anymore. I have to say that I may have the Filipino mentality in me where I don't want to waste anything especially food. I was really reluctant to throw away the donuts because if I was back in the Philippines, these donuts could feed hungry children and to think that the donuts were still edible.

Saying NO to Safeway

What made me want to work was the fact that there are several job opportunities here in Canada and are high paying. With my current job I could afford to live decently and pay the household bills. I wanted to experience working and I wanted to earn money for myself.

I currently work at Tim Hortons as I have shared and I feel that I am doing well. I feel more comfortable going to work and I go home with a smile on my face, a light and happy chest, and some free donuts and coffee from work (hehehe).

Safeway Canada called me and asked me for an interview. I have faith and trust in my self that I could be accepted. But I thought and decided to refuse the offer because even though I want to earn my self money I also needed rest days and that's Thursday and Friday.

I was struggling because I was thinking what if Safeway had a higher pay and all? But I thought that I can't just leave my current job because a fellow Filipino, Ate Virgie, recommended us to the store owner so we can't just turn our backs on her.

So I'm currently happy with my job (it has free donuts!) and the pay is good so thank you safeway but I'm staying at Tim Hortons. And as my Tita told me, I don't want to kill myself by overworking.

Life as a Worker

Ok I was never the perfect worker. I sort of screw things up at the till (cash register) and I still don't know all the products at Tim Hortons. Oh well it was still my second day as a trainee (that was sent straight into the fire with out any manuals or references at all). I sure wished that they gave me a manual so that I could study it.

I feel like I'm always on duty in the hospital because the shift is 8 hours and I have to deal with different kind of people, I'm stressed, and the work is not for the lazy and for the weak at heart at mind (like me hehehe).

But life is made easier with fellow co-workers who help you on the way, customers who are friendly and understanding, and a fellow Filipino that makes you feel in place.

Working sure is difficult but I'll give it my best shot.