— Plan is always just a plan, there is unpredictable changes and challenges from the start to the end or it might never reach until the end —
Officially graduated my double degree in ICHM Adelaide on last year September, and having a casual employment with a stable shift and income in one of the 5-star hotel in Melbourne since December 2018. In between a year and two months working in Melbourne, I would say Melbourne will be one of my comfort zone as I had all my industrial placement in Melbourne. I personally prefer working in city life instead of rural or remote area.
I travel domestically and internationally sometime when getting sick of my job and travel motivated me. Every single vacation or trips inspired me that I need to step out of my current comfort zone for a better growth. I start thinking that I should move out of Melbourne to some rural or regional area that benefit me in term of visa and growth. I decide to look into regional area and reached out with one of my friend that currently working in different state in Australia. Both of us end up decide to move to Adelaide and get a job. Also, we decide to move to the same place just because we can split our rental and at least having accompany in a new place. Another reason of moving to Adelaide just because two of my close friends that currently staying in Adelaide for work and further study (We know each other from Bachelor degree in ICHM Adelaide, Australia), it would be great if we all could gather at the same place so we can catch up at sometimes. After the decision has make, we all are excited and couldn’t wait to make this happen so we could meet each others. We create a group and named as ‘Best Life Coming’.
I start requested an internal transfer through my workplace to Adelaide (when there is vacancy available in the same company in Adelaide) a month before my next vacation to visit my family in Malaysia. During the vacation, I follow up with my talent & culture department (Also known as Human Resources Department) via email regarding the application and I got approved from my Front Office Manager(FOM) and General Manager. Moreover, I try to reach out the HR department in Adelaide just to let them know my interest of internal transfer to their hotel. But unfortunately, I received reply back from them saying they will delayed all the vacancy until further notice. I was really upset while my vacation come to the end along with the email I received. I flew back to Melbourne and considering to hand in the resignation letter just because I thought that I might be able to fly to Adelaide and apply directly instead of going through all this. But end up I decide to continue working in my current workplace (just to maintain my income and give it another try) while start talking to my FOM to see weather there is any other opportunities for me.
— When opportunities come, take it and never gave up —
I never gave up and keep an eye on the vacancy through the website, similar job in one of the hotel in Adelaide just published an available vacancy. Of course, I contacted my manager and HR on the next day while I am on shift. On the day after, I received a phone call that is from the hotel in Adelaide for a phone interview as well as quick chat on the reason why I wanted to move out from Melbourne. At the same day, I received an email of ‘ Congratulations! We are excited to have you join our team as Casual Front Office Receptionist’. I am excited and start looking into flight ticket as well as hand in resignation and clearance on my last day shift on my workplace in Melbourne.
— New year, New life, New place, New start —
While moving in to Adelaide, take time for me to get into Adelaide lifestyle compare to a busy Melbourne city. Everything take time, I started my work and crash at one of my friend place as temporary accommodation. I started looking into a lease while at the same time started my new casual job in one of the Adelaide hotel as Guest Service Agent (GSA). I been force to move out on the second week because of the term and condition of the lease agreement, I couldn’t get any lease yet while I decide to move in to the hotel where I work as manager is good enough for me to stay in with cheaper rate until I get my lease of a property. It is difficult for me to manage work and the lease at the same time as well as I stressed out in term of financial (it is more expensive to stay in hotel). At this period, the COVID-19 still under control and border still open for visitor and traveller.
Luckily, I get my lease at the end of second weeks in Adelaide ! 3 of us signed our new lease contract and both of us moved in together (one of them still in Malaysia, awaiting travel into Adelaide in two weeks). We started our furniture and grocery shopping just to set up our new place to settle down while waiting our friend fly in to Adelaide and move in. While, COVID-19 outbreak happen after a couples week of our lease agreement.
— Plan and life changed after the outbreak —
Malaysia government closing the border one day before my friend depart, she unable to fly in to Adelaide. Australia started closing international border after few day and it still didn’t impact on our job at this point. During the week, Australia closing down the interstate travel and all domestic traveller require self-quarantine for 14 days. At this moment, my shifts got cut off from 5 to 3, 3 to 1 (due to hotel low occupancy and many cancellations) and same goes to my friend (housemate). Both of us received a memo from workplace regarding the outbreak that all casual employee will not getting shift until further notice. I talked to my manager and stood down after my last shift, it was a disappointment for me as I am just get into the full operation of the hotel but didn’t expect this would be the end of my employment.
Plan changed after both of us losing out income and shift at the same time, we start considering and discussing either we should either stay in Australia or flew back to our country. Firstly, we start looking into flight ticket where there is none of flight available at all. Secondly, we give it a try by heading to airport just to seek for an international flight ticket where none of them available and limited domestic flight a day. Thirdly, we call to travel centre just to seek for latest information and flight ticket. At the end of the day, we manage to get an international flight ticket from Sydney to Malaysia in less than 48 hours and a domestic flight from Adelaide to Sydney in less than 36 hours. It took us few days to make the decision of taking the risk of the virus just to go back to our home country and at least we are with family after the 14 days self-quarantine. This is the win-win situation we can think of this point as we could save up a lot of unnecessary expenses when we flew back and we could spend time with family. (Every Hotelier will know how difficult it could be just to be with family especially in long distance).
We start utilise every single minute after buying the flight ticket, we start returning all the stuff we bought (some item is free return within 14 days from the day of purchased) and cleaning up our property while uploaded to social media for lease transfer. At first, we planning to break our lease but it would cost us more just to break the lease so at the end we decide to continue paying rental and tried out luck to find someone for lease transfer. This golden 36 hours it goes really quick and we don’t even have spare time sat down or take a rest. It was a last minute plan just to flew back to Malaysia, we busy with packing our stuff and cleaning the whole property because we would never know when we would be able to fly back until they reopen the international border. We well prepare with all the protection such as face mask, sanitiser and ready to take off.
A total up to 12 hours flight with few hours layover in Sydney airport, we safely landed in Malaysia and started our self-quarantine for 14 days. Our group named as ‘Best Life Coming’ has changed to ‘Best Life ended’ due to the outbreak and the disappointment that we did not make the plan happen. We all think positive that we lose on something small and we might achieved something big at the end. After the 14 days quarantine, we are glad that both of us has no symptom of COVID-19 and we are safe.
With all the plan change and decision making, I finally get a chance to tried something different and finishing up all my draft on my personal blog. Take a chance to slow down and re-think on what my next plan, I currently seeking and applied for few jobs that are out of hotel industry just to give it a go on something new and fresh such as influencer, blogger or perhaps modelling. At the same time, creating more content and share through via Medium and my personal blog.
In overall, it was a disappointed in term of new job but at least right now at this moment and this situation I am utilise my time everyday by learning something new and self-improvement that might helps be useful in my future career. Fulfilling my time by sharing my personal thought, experience, place, photo and motivate people around me ! #StayHome #ThinkPositive
— Be Positive, Think Positive, Life will get better and Happier —
@michaellimlsy interested as Story teller| Travel | Lifestyle|Modelling | Photoshoot | Hotelier | Blogger
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