Today, a friend of mine handed this gift to me, telling me that it was from the manager of their team. I was actually surprised at how random this gift was, but at the same time it made me really happy.

Before leaving for work later, I went to the manager's desk to thank him for the gift. He told me that the reason for this is that in Japan, March 3 is the day for the Hinamatsuri, also called Doll's Day or Girl's Day. 

This was nothing grand or extravagant, but it was enough to make me happy and love Japan and my work even more. 

Actually, just last month (January 31), while I was changing in the women's dressing room, one co-worker of mine noticed that my feet were small and she gave me her shoes saying she "only used it once" and it doesn't fit her so I can have it.

I really love how thoughtful the Japanese people are and I just can't help but admire them more and more as these little acts of kindness take place. Japan's captivating landscapes and architecture are not the only reason it's so damn beautiful, but its people contribute to it the most after all. 

Choosing Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering (BS ECE) as my course in college, I have always thought I'd just stick with the norm - get the five (or more) years over with, graduate in June, solely study for four more months until the designated date on October, take the board examinations (only to make my parents proud), find a job, wait for n more months for a company to notice my resume, finally get a job, work and work and work, and occasionally take a break to unwind. But that, my friends, did not happen but I am proud to say that I have no regrets, really.

Having only a few months left on my last semester in college, I was given the chance to work for a company in Japan. I have never had any major arguments with my parents my entire life but this one - they wanted me to take board examinations first before getting myself employed.  But I knew, deep in my heart, that this employment opportunity is an opportunity too good to pass up and until now, I know - truly, definitely know - that it is. Fortunately and unfortunately, they let me do what I wanted, but still insist I take time off from work to take it someday.

With the month of April (board exam seasons) just around the corner, people are again starting to ask me questions like 'When's the date of the exam?' 'When are you going to take the exam' etc etc. But the thing is, I don't mind not having the board exam license anymore and I can't, honestly, find and understand (even though I try) its weight and worth on my career as an engineer.

It's for your employment, they say. But, I am already employed with no plans of leaving any time soon. I even asked a bunch of my friends about how the license helped them in acquiring their work, but almost everyone told me "none". With or without license, you can get a job. There are other engineering fields, like Computer Engineering, which doesn't require getting a license, but people graduating from that field acquire jobs they want and like just fine.

It makes your initial salary higher, they say. But I know a lot of people, with or without license, getting the same amount of salary. I'm wrong? Okay then, give me examples and I'll listen.

It's for the future, they say. But the license is only valid for three years and one has to go through several seminars among other things to renew it, and the professionals I know in the field don't even have the time to go to these seminars and do the requirements just to renew theirs. So, I, most specially already working and not working in the Philippines at the moment, have no use for it. After three years,  mine would be invalid and I don't think I can go to these seminars and fulfill my requirements in time for renewal when I get back to the country. Besides, my work now as a Research and Development Engineer accounts for work experience, and isn't that of any value to employers out there?

I don't need the license to prove my worth as an engineer. To me, sentimentality aside, it is just another valid ID - one that you can post on social media and attract number of likes, one that can make your parents more proud of you (along with all your other achievements in life), and one that your relatives can boast about to their amigas and amigos during gatherings, school batch reunions or family reunions.

Now, I am not saying my arguments are valid and applicable for everyone. Don't get me wrong. Sure, you can go ahead take the exam for all your reasons and I won't question you, judge you or make fun of you. I fully and sincerely respect your decision. I am just trying to make some people understand my side and those who are in the same shoes as me. 

I just hope that parents out there are not pressuring their children to take career paths that they don't really want, don't find any satisfaction in or are not passionate with. Yes, you can give your advices. Yes, you can question their choices. But at the end of the day, I hope you let them decide for themselves. You have raised them to have minds of their own to know what's best for them, not for you to control them.