So far, nobody asked me the question I’ve been thinking. So, I’m going to ask it myself and try to answer it myself then.
The question is: why Bangkok?
Or, in the expanded form: Why do you want to work in Bangkok?
And being me, my immediate impulse is shrugging my shoulders and smile.
But this time, let me answer some question in a non vague manner.
As a young graduate, I chose to enter the advertising world instead of the graphic design field where I was graduated from. I thought it was such an interesting way to make a living where I am allowed to idealist and get encouraged to be creative. So, I could do whatever I wanted. I could think of anything crazy and people would gladly buy it.
I was, of course, wrong. Advertising is a slavery hiding in the name of creativity. I am not much different than a sales person. The paradox that advertising pretend to live up to is that we can be idealist IF we follow the rules. If you dream to be an artist, don't come to advertising. They will eat you alive, you'd die of unhappiness because you've lost your sight.
How can I be creative if I have to come up with ideas within less than a day? How can I create something simple and powerful if there are so many messages cramped into a brief? How can I come up with an inspiring work if I am forced to sell something crappy? And how can I learn if I never have the chance to work under someone who has a nurturing nature? At the end, it comes to a vicious circle, I started wrong then I set a wrong example, and so on.
But then, I remembered that there are so many powerful commercials and ads from other countries that inspire me to create ones. And some of those commercials and ads came from our neighbor countries Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Thai commercials don't look like commercials, they are like short movies that make me laugh, cry or laugh till I cry. So, I realized that maybe I just happened to encounter with the bad companies.
I'm still young and my future lies ahead of me. I can do whatever I want actually, I luckily have no reasons to stop moving. It's just down to a question "would I dare to take the chances?"
So, it's a game. I dare myself and I dare my luck.
And like everything else in the world, nothing good comes easy. I had to go through a lot before finally I reached this place.
I started with Singapore, a place where hard work pays off. I didn't dare to think about Thailand for many reasons, one is language and second is I think they are beyond hard work. The work they produced, reflect their genius talent. This I believe because only when you are genuinely smart, you can be funny, universally.
But through the work Singapore produced, I can trace diligence. I think I want to be trained in that kind of place.
I quit my job, I spent my saving to apply jobs in Singapore. It was tiring and cost me both financially and mentally. There was hope growing every time I got an interview and the hope died right after the interview's done. Singapore was not in a good economy, I've been told.
Then when there was no more romanticism of a young woman pursuing her dream left, I gave up. Maybe there was no way for me to go abroad. Maybe there was something that I needed to learn in Jakarta. And you know that funny thing about giving up? The moment you think you had enough trying, then you succeed. I got a phone call offering me a job in Bangkok.
Do I even think? No. I said yes immediately. I got more than what I expected, more than I dared to dream. I couldn't help feeling so overwhelmed.
I guess, when you have a dream, I can suggest you to sell your certainty, get out of your comfort zone, face your fear, because there are so many bewilderment out there for you to buy. And it's worth your certainty. Hardships make compelling stories.
So, why Bangkok? Because I have to go somewhere, I have to unfold the stories of my life, I've sold my certainty and I want to buy some bewilderment.
The question is: why Bangkok?
Or, in the expanded form: Why do you want to work in Bangkok?
And being me, my immediate impulse is shrugging my shoulders and smile.
But this time, let me answer some question in a non vague manner.
As a young graduate, I chose to enter the advertising world instead of the graphic design field where I was graduated from. I thought it was such an interesting way to make a living where I am allowed to idealist and get encouraged to be creative. So, I could do whatever I wanted. I could think of anything crazy and people would gladly buy it.
I was, of course, wrong. Advertising is a slavery hiding in the name of creativity. I am not much different than a sales person. The paradox that advertising pretend to live up to is that we can be idealist IF we follow the rules. If you dream to be an artist, don't come to advertising. They will eat you alive, you'd die of unhappiness because you've lost your sight.
How can I be creative if I have to come up with ideas within less than a day? How can I create something simple and powerful if there are so many messages cramped into a brief? How can I come up with an inspiring work if I am forced to sell something crappy? And how can I learn if I never have the chance to work under someone who has a nurturing nature? At the end, it comes to a vicious circle, I started wrong then I set a wrong example, and so on.
But then, I remembered that there are so many powerful commercials and ads from other countries that inspire me to create ones. And some of those commercials and ads came from our neighbor countries Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Thai commercials don't look like commercials, they are like short movies that make me laugh, cry or laugh till I cry. So, I realized that maybe I just happened to encounter with the bad companies.
I'm still young and my future lies ahead of me. I can do whatever I want actually, I luckily have no reasons to stop moving. It's just down to a question "would I dare to take the chances?"
So, it's a game. I dare myself and I dare my luck.
And like everything else in the world, nothing good comes easy. I had to go through a lot before finally I reached this place.
I started with Singapore, a place where hard work pays off. I didn't dare to think about Thailand for many reasons, one is language and second is I think they are beyond hard work. The work they produced, reflect their genius talent. This I believe because only when you are genuinely smart, you can be funny, universally.
But through the work Singapore produced, I can trace diligence. I think I want to be trained in that kind of place.
I quit my job, I spent my saving to apply jobs in Singapore. It was tiring and cost me both financially and mentally. There was hope growing every time I got an interview and the hope died right after the interview's done. Singapore was not in a good economy, I've been told.
Then when there was no more romanticism of a young woman pursuing her dream left, I gave up. Maybe there was no way for me to go abroad. Maybe there was something that I needed to learn in Jakarta. And you know that funny thing about giving up? The moment you think you had enough trying, then you succeed. I got a phone call offering me a job in Bangkok.
Do I even think? No. I said yes immediately. I got more than what I expected, more than I dared to dream. I couldn't help feeling so overwhelmed.
I guess, when you have a dream, I can suggest you to sell your certainty, get out of your comfort zone, face your fear, because there are so many bewilderment out there for you to buy. And it's worth your certainty. Hardships make compelling stories.
So, why Bangkok? Because I have to go somewhere, I have to unfold the stories of my life, I've sold my certainty and I want to buy some bewilderment.
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