writes:Editor Claire is shy by nature, and most of her work here is "behind the scenes," so I though it was time to interview her so more of you could get to know her.
- How long have you worked at TMP?
- You hired me as a full-time worker on October 1, 2013. It's been almost ten months now since I become an editor at TMP.
- You look so young. Is it true that you are "underage" as some say?
- Well, don't compare Asians to other people, because Asians always look young! I am 29 years old now and it's not young any more.
- What do you do at TMP?
- My main responsibilities are to process Hobby News stories which come in through RSS feeds, and to process graphics for Hobby News. I help with text-editing and formatting of Hobby News when needed. I have just started working on a complete update of the Manufacturers Directory, which has involved contacting every manufacturer for which we have an email address!
- What do you think of your job?
- This job is a big help for me and for my family. It has been such a blessing. I enjoy my job and am so proud of it, because it is very hard for us here in the Philippines to find a job like this.
- Since few of our readers have ever met me in person, can you tell folks what I am really like?
- You're the perfect boss for me, and for all the editors. You helped us with jobs when we were in need. You are like a father, an uncle, and a big brother. You are a very generous boss, and most of all, the most understanding person I've ever met. I am thankful for you, because you have given me the chance to have this kind of work.
- How well do you know your fellow editors?
- We all know each other well because we are allowed time to talk together and bond through videochat (using Skype). They are friendly and nice also.
- Over on another website, they say that you and the other editors are being "exploited." Is TMP taking advantage of you?
- I am not being exploited. In fact, TMP has brought me the chance to become part of this community, and motivates me to become successful and to become a better person. I have never felt manipulated or exploited here.
- They also say that TMP should pay you "at the same salary as you would an American doing the same job" - is it true you only make $150 USD per month?
- I'm not going to tell the world exactly how much I make, but I can assure you that I make much more than $150 USD a month. I could not stay this long at TMP if you did not pay us well. Because of this job, I'm able to help support the needs of my family. I've been able to buy so many nice things for our home. I'm able to pay our monthly bills and sustain my personal needs because of the money I receive monthly.
- They also claim that "...many of the editors on TMP can't speak, write, or edit English..." – how do you respond to that?
- Well, it is not true. You wouldn't hire us if we did not know how to speak, write or edit English. You hired us because of our skills and talents. We also study every day to improve our language skills.
- They also said that "Editor Claire will soon be aggressively raping defenceless, long-tailed macaques..." – do you feel that there is prejudice against Asians in the wargaming community?
- Yes, there is. Some of them are judging people because of the color of our skin. In this world, nobody's perfect. No matter what race or culture you are from, we are created equal by God. People who think like that have no right to judge me.
- They also called you a "hoe" (slang for "whore"). Is that more prejudice?
- I think they are jealous of anyone who has any kind of a relationship at all. The only relationship they seem to have is grouping together to pick on others.
- Before you became an editor, you wrote for a blog?
- I wrote several articles for a blog about my life, to encourage people, that each of us have our own destiny in life, that there is hope for every individual. I used a different name for privacy reasons.
- On another website, they say that if it is on the internet, then it is public knowledge. Do you agree?
- The reason I used a different name was to keep my personal life private, while sharing ideas or educating people to wake up and give them knowledge about dealing with life on the right path. I wanted to inspire other people from my life story. I wish those people would respect my privacy here on TMP, though.
- On that other website, some say that your blog articles were pornography. What do you say?
- I did talk about sex, but that does not make it pornography! I was sharing and educating the readers. What I wrote was for my Filipino community, not for Western men.
- Considering the harsh criticism you have received, would you recommend this job to others?
- All jobs come with problems. The ones I face here are no worse than at any other job. In fact, I have encouraged many of my friends to talk to you about working here.
- What do you enjoy most about working at TMP?
- I especially enjoy the time when I can work together online with my coworkers. It has been so interesting meeting people from other places. I also enjoy doing the graphics editing, and am very proud that you have trusted me to update the Manufacturers Directory.
- How long do you see yourself working for TMP?
- I see myself working here for a long, long time. That's why I always do my best work for you.