• Toronto Day 2: Royal Ontario Museum and Eaton Centre

    Toronto Day 2: Royal Ontario Museum and Eaton Centre

    Today’s itinerary is more relaxed than Day 1. I had initially planned for a busy day, but we decided to take it easy. As usual, we ordered Jollibee for breakfast and headed straight to the first on our list — the Royal Ontario Museum. It is easy to commute here since the museum is just right as you exit the University Line – Museum Station. To get to the subway, we took a bus. It was raining and extra cold – but nothing could stop us! The Royal Ontario Museum is so huge. I can’t remember the last time I went to a museum, so I am amazed by their art collection. Apart from Canadian pieces, they also have European, Asian, Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern, and…

  • Toronto Day 1: Arrival, Jollibee, Kimโ€™s Convenience, and CN Tower

    Toronto Day 1: Arrival, Jollibee, Kimโ€™s Convenience, and CN Tower

    Please read until the end, as I will summarize all the tips I have for you if you plan to travel to Toronto for the first time! We arrived in Toronto at midnight, and it was freezing even though it wasn’t winter yet. We flew with United Airlines, and the flight was good. I was surprised that the airport was more relaxed at that hour. I expected shops to be open and people coming and going, but it had some downtime. Because of the time of year, it was less busy than other airports I’ve been to in the past couple of years. If you’re a first-time visitor to Toronto, choose a hotel downtown like we did. Similar to most big cities, everything is accessible…

  • Passing my exams and trip to Toronto

    Passing my exams and trip to Toronto

    I am thrilled to announce that I have successfully completed my Canadian Securities Course and Conduct and Practices Handbook! It was an incredible journey. As part of my job, I have to process trades, so taking these courses was mandatory. It is a major milestone for my career, and I have gained so much knowledge. I am grateful for the support from my workplace in pursuing further education. It took me a total of six months to finish both courses. Although some people manage to complete everything in less time, I wanted to ensure I truly understood the concepts instead of just memorizing for the exams. And let me tell you, it was absolutely worth it! If you are planning to take the exams, here…

  • It’s Halloween again!

    It’s Halloween again!

    It’s currently 9:39 PM. I’m alone in my apartment, enjoying a cup of coffee. It’s nice to relax and have some me-time after a busy month. I recently read our company policy and learned that we should be careful about putting our names out on the internet and avoid associating the company’s name with personal matters. However, since I plan to write about my daily life, and since most of my day is spent at work, it’s difficult to avoid mentioning the company. Therefore, I’ll use a pseudonym in this blog. It is a great relief to finally finish the two exams that I have been dreading for the past six months. I have come to realize that I am not as efficient in studying…

  • Life update (finally!)

    Life update (finally!)

    Hi friends! It’s been a while. So many things has happened since I last checked in. First and foremost, congratulations to me – I passed CSC Vol. 1 Exam! I started studying for Vol. 2 immediately after though. I know, boo! It feels like its never going to end bubu!! but I’m giving myself until next year before my wedding to complete my certifications. To be quite honest,  there has been a lot of instances where I question myself…is this really the career I want? It is too late to switch? Don’t get me wrong, the moolah is good…  but it is very exhausting. Sometimes I straight up feel like I’m wasting my life with this. I don’t feel any sense of fulfilment. It’s not…

  • CayMas among other things

    CayMas among other things

    I’m so terrible at keeping my blog active, na tru? A lot has been going on quite recently. Apart from still learning about my current role in my new workplace, I am also studying for 4 upcoming exams: CSC 1, CSC 2, CPH, and Options/Derivatives. I’ve mentioned this numerous times in the past and I know I sound like a broken record because that’s about the only thing I ever talk about! But really — I work from 8:30am-4:30pm, study on lunch breaks, attend study group session from 4:30PM to 7PM, every single day. I only have a window of time on Saturdays to sleep, do house chores, run some errands, date night with hubby-to-be, or watch netflix! Then on Sundays I go meet up…