Continuously Forging A Solid Friendship — Through The Years

The last time I saw them was more than 5-8 years ago. I say 5-8 years because we all left the company (Yong Sung / Yu Jin) at different times.

I got hired in January 2003 as a Newsletter / Admin Staff for the now-defunct Yong Sung Electronic, Inc. I met Ate Gen, Ate Tess, Ate A, Ate Doinks and Ate Jas. All very welcoming, despite their already solid friendship.

Coming from a very physical nature of work in my previous company, plus the fact that I just ran away from home (from Davao to Manila to Cavite) and I don’t really know anyone in Cavite, finding them at this point of my life was like finding life savers in the middle of the ocean.

Ate Gen directly supervised me inside a small cubicle with Ate Jas. She’s one of the two executive secretaries to the President, who really struck me as strict. I would like to say she’s the best-dressed, too. She is bold in her decisions, and very protective of her friends. She also hates that fact that I’m, well, always late.

Ate Jas is just a year older than me, but I insisted on calling her ate, because I wanted to reiterate that I AM the YOUNGEST. My first ever starbucks experience was courtesy of her, when she brought me along to DFA to fix one of the expat’s papers. She shared my sadness when I wrote about my sister, whose death then, was still very fresh. Little did I know that her father also passed while working abroad. =(

Ate Tec, for me, is the friendliest and most accommodating. I’m sure everyone in the group would agree. She spearheaded the migration of our company’s timekeeping from time cards to bioscrypt, while also being the other Executive Secretary to the President. She is hardworking, and friendly. And she can fall really madly in love. Or should I say, insanely? =)

Ate A is our company nurse who is, as expected, the most protective, and I should say, the wisest. Being the eldest in the company,  she became the official group shrink. When we are plagued with indecision and tight situations, we go to her clinic and heed her advice.  Not to mention hungry moments when we rush to her side and ask for food. =) And when she has tough days on her own, we rally behind her back and give her the support she would not ask for, but that we readily provide.

Ate Doinks is the diva of the group. She can belt Through the Fire with ease and glamour. She is, though, alongside Ate Tin, the terror of HR. She took charge of the manual timekeeping of a company that peeked at 2000 employees. Imagine having to type up all the hours, everyday for 2000 people. I’m sure one wouldn’t wanna disturb anyone who has that much on her plate.

Ate Tin, from what I gathered, is a socialite, also a Diva, and very much in love to her then-boyfriend and now husband Miko. I never got to work with Ate Tin but even now, we remain to be friends despite the distance (she is now in Kuala Lumpur with Kuya Miko). She loves to cook, oh you should visit her facebook timeline to see for yourself. She loves to shop (them coach bags seem very affordable for her..haha)

Kate, who became the youngest when she got hired, is a working student who happens to be our receptionist. She is every bit kikay, and became instantly friends with Ate Jas. They’re both young, beautiful, and TALL. She remains to be the baby of the group even after we “disbanded”. Needless to say, when she came in, we were all very protective of her. Even with some bosses.

Ate Karen is one of our Accounting Staff who is not only hardworking, but also very much game in almost anything we do together. She worked the longest with Ate Gen.

Ate Edhen is the Konsehal of our group. She is very silent, and only those who know her very well would know exactly what’s going on in her mind since she doesn’t give away her reactions just like that. She is very hardworking both as an Engineering staff, and as a Konsehal in their barangay. Also a hard core drinker (oops). She doesn’t know the word tipsy, much less drunk.

Ate Shelay is the noisiest in the group. She is very feisty, palaban, and yet sweet in the inside. She is Ate Jas’ housemate, a place where we usually cook up Lucky Me Pancit Canton, have instant bonding moments, and meeting with the strong animal called red horse. She is the strong Engineering staff who scares away anyone who requests for extra finger cots, or buds, or connectors. Tough, I should say. But again, one of the sweetest persons I know.

And so we left Yong Sung, later acquired and renamed as Yu Jin, at different points in our lives. Some, for career moves. Some, got sick and tired. Some, because it’s the only sane thing to do, and some, for love life. I am going to be mum as to who decided based on which. =)

My current location (Pasig) made it very difficult for me to show up on our meetings (I hear them disagreeing right now). I have stood them a lot of times, and I’m lucky that when I asked for this get-together, almost everyone came. They still trust me, after all. And I was careful not to break their trust on me this time.

When we saw each other, despite the unbelievable Saturday night EDSA and coastal road traffic (I missed riding a cavitex bus), I felt like it wasn’t 5-8 years when I last saw them. I felt like it was just the weekend ago.

I had so much memories coming back to me when I was there. Late night-out drinks with our Korean expats (Ate Jas, do you remember Hard Rock Cafe and the tequila shots?), house sleep overs at their houses, Christmases (do you remember our 13th month pay mishap?), love lives, heartaches, misunderstandings, happy moments, and delicious food we share together.

I felt like we time warped together. I didn’t even know what to do first in that little videoke room in Island Cove, to eat, to sing, or to reminisce.

Well, in that short 2-hour get together (because Joy and I came late), I’m happy we were able to do all three.

Joy was a little silent that day, because that’s how she is when around new people. But deep inside her, I guessed it right. She was in awe at how much I missed them.

Till our next time-warping moment, YS girls =)