I haven’t written in a while. Since the last post on 13th September 2022, here’s what’s changed:
1. I’m a first-time manager in a job that I enjoy.
I left my government job in 2022. My only regret was that I wish I had the courage to leave sooner. I’m currently a first-time manager in a private sector organization related to the Tourism industry. What I enjoy the most about this role is that I’m learning so much about the Tourism industry in Tonga. My role is specifically for HR, and I’m glad I can apply what I learned in my previous job, along with what I studied in my Masters in my current role. Most of my team are Gen Z, still in their early to mid-20s. The rest are Gen X, in their late 40s. As a millennial, I resonate with the youthful energy of my Gen Z team and the wisdom and sensibility of my Gen Xers. It’s a nice balance of perspectives.👌
After my years of experience in government, I know what good, bad, and ugly leadership looks like. I promised myself when I came into this role, that I’ll lead my team how I want to be led: with fairness, empathy, high standards and emphasis on work-life balance. While I’m confident in my technical skills and knowledge, I’m not a people person by nature. This is a stark contrast to the requirement within the Tourism Industry to be a people-person. 😅 I’m still learning and there are still many things I don’t know about. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’m in a space to make changes, make an impact, and still constantly learn and improve.
2. I’m a first-time mum with a super healthy and energetic baby.
After our miscarriage in June of 2022, we found out around mid-September 2022 that we were pregnant again. From our miscarriage experience, we were afraid to get too excited or to let anyone know in case something happened again. We carried on as usual and quietly hoped for the best. It was around October 2022 when the pregnancy symptoms started. The food aversion. The sensitivity to smell. And the worst part, was the Hyperemesis Gravidum, AKA, the non-stop vomiting. 🤮🤮Before pregnancy, I had a healthy appetite and was not a picky eater. However, around week 8 after our pregnancy was confirmed, I could not eat or drink at all. I did not stop vomiting all throughout my pregnancy. I was in and out of the hospital because I’d either need an IV drip, my blood pressure was too low or because my gestational diabetes was out of control. I lost so much weight and I was constantly anxious that I might miscarry again because I was throwing up so much. How much nutrients is the fetus receiving if I can’t eat or drink anything? 😰Up until the labour, I was still throwing up. I don’t remember much of the labour process, but apparently, I did really well (🤪lol). After the turmoil of the pregnancy process, we are very lucky to have a super healthy baby girl. She came out bigger than expected at 3.5 kg, which made me wonder how the heck can you come out this big when I couldn’t eat at all? 🤯As of 2024, our little Poko is now 9 months old, eats like a sumo wrestler, weighs 10kgs and learning how to walk.💪
3. I’m a small business owner.
The stereotype of the oldest sibling being a Type-A overachiever absolutely fits me well. Was it not enough to get a new and challenging job and to go through a traumatic pregnancy process? No, it was not. 🤣🤣In the middle of my already difficult pregnancy, Nela and I decided to add more to our plate, which was to start a bicycle rental business. 🚲🚲
We started ANT Bicycles Rental in January 2023, when I was about 5 months pregnant. We decided on the name ANT as an acronym of our names: ‘Alamoni N Taniela. While no one really calls us ‘Alamoni or Taniela (everyone calls us Moni or Nela), MNN or NNM just doesn’t click right, does it? ANT looks and sounds better than NAT or TNA too, so naturally, that’s what we agreed on.
In between vomits, I would be writing up the social media posts for ANT Bicycles, and managing the bookings and online queries. Nela would be up at 4:00 am to check and fix the bicycles for customers who booked in for a 5:00 am ride. ANT Bicycles was our “little baby” before our actual baby came around. We’ve been in operation for a year and a few months now, and we have met so many people from all over the world! We’ve also been interviewed by a local radio station 87.5 FM and have been featured on Islands Business, a Pacific regional news outlet. (Check out the article here: https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/ant-bicycles-tonga/)
Running a business and being a new parent really pushes buttons I never knew I had. It’s been a busy time, and even busier yet! Having to juggle different urgent priorities with family, our business and work has sharpened my sense of what’s important and what’s not. As someone passionate about always learning, I’m grateful that these experiences have shaped my perspective and mindset about life.
What new thing will I be learning, experiencing and sharing in 2024? Let’s find out! 💃