Worried about where he would work after graduating in June from BYU–Hawaii, Jango Bazar said he dedicated many nights and one whole week of long hours searching online for job opportunities. He found a job he wanted to apply for at Amazon, even though he said he thought it was too high of a position for a recent college graduate.
However, after practicing interviewing every day with his wife, on his own and with others, he said he passed the interview and was offered a job as an area manager.
Bazar shared he has two mottos in life that inspire him. “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no,” he said. “The second motto is, ‘If you don’t move forward, you will always be in the same place,’ which means if you don’t work, act and do something, you’re not going to grow, improve and become better.”
If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.
Offer to work at Amazon
Bazar is a senior from Taguig City, Philippines, majoring in business management with two concentrations in supply chain and human resources. In March, he said he and his wife went skydiving. The experience reminded him of what graduating college will be like because he is not sure what the future holds, so moving forward will require trust and faith.
Emmalee Bazar, an alumna from Virginia and Jango Bazar’s wife, said her husband has been preparing for life after graduation by job hunting. “He was on it so much. He would get up at 6 a.m. and start applying for jobs until late at night.” She said it would be 11 p.m. or after midnight before he finished.
Jango Bazar said his wife was at his side all throughout the process and she practiced interviewing him every day. “She helped me to become better with my answers,” he explained.
Emmalee Bazar shared, “He is super hard working when he feels like he needs to get something done. So, it really wasn’t me, but he wanted my help with interviewing.” She said he was drawn to the job at Amazon so he prepared a sheet of questions and asked her to help him practice. He also asked her to come up with her own questions she felt would be helpful.
A father’s advice
Jango Bazar said he credits his friends, leaders and his parents for helping him reach the milestone of getting admitted to BYUH. He said his father, Fernando Bazar, and late mother, Angelita Bazar, are his inspiration to work towards achieving his dreams.
Before Bazar left for BYUH, he said he and his father were able to spend a week together. Even though his father is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he still supports his son. He said when he served a two-year mission and then came to a Church school his father was saddened.
“He felt like the Church was keeping his son away from him. But he never stopped supporting me, and he’s always there loving me unconditionally. … I’m very grateful for him.”
Even though his father is a man of few words, Bazar said one piece of advice his father gave him has always stuck with him: “Whatever can make you happy, do it.”
Bazar said he applied his father’s advice in every major decision he has made in his life. Following that motto helped him decide to marry his wife because he said he knew it would make him happy despite not knowing what the future may bring.
“It’s a tough decision because you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I know my father told me as long as I’m happy, I should do it.”
Whatever can make you happy, do it.
Emmalee Bazar said her husband is supportive of everything she wants to do. “In fact, he’s the one who is always telling me I need to go do my master’s and do more in life.”
She said she appreciates his support because she values her career. “I am really passionate about my career, and that’s something that’s important to me.” She said she didn’t want to get stuck in a position where she gave up her career completely to stay at home and her husband has supported her in those goals.
Friends turned into family
Jango Bazar said he will treasure the memories of meeting special people at BYUH. His advice to other Seasiders is to take advantage of making good friends. “It’s just great because in this place you will find a family,” he said.
Banjoe Calma is Bazar’s best friend and a senior from Pampanga, Philippines, studying psychology and human resources. Since his friend is graduating soon, Calma said he feels like he is losing a family member. “When Jango graduates, I feel I will lose a brother. … I don’t think it will be the same when [Jango and Emmalee] are gone.”
Calma said Bazar is a brother to him because Bazar cares about others so much and is easy to love. “He’s just an amazing guy,” he shared.
When Calma went through a difficult breakup, he said Jango and Emmalee Bazar helped him move on by giving him advice and helping him be more prepared when it comes to dating. “When I have problems, I actually run to Jango’s house and talk to him.”
Calma said he will always remember when Jango and Emmalee got married. He helped Jango prepare to propose to Emmalee and was also Bazar’s best man and helped with the wedding preparations. “Being a best friend and good friend of his, it is a satisfying and fulfilling experience to witness him get married in the temple to the love of his life. … Inside of me, I’m so happy for them that they met each other and they got married,” he commented.
Calma said Bazar is adventurous and loves hiking. He explained Bazar is the leader because he has been on the most hikes on Oahu.
The journey to BYUH
When Bazar was around 18 years old, he said Ara Meha, who is currently the manager of the Office of Honor, visited the Philippines. “He visited one stake in Makati, and I attended with my friend. It was the first time I heard about BYUH.”
He said he listened to Ara Meha explain BYUH’s program and found out later one of his Filipino friends was accepted to BYUH. Still, he said he did not develop a strong interest in BYUH until after his mission.
When he served his mission at age 19, his friends and companions from the mission field applied to BYUH. Bazar decided to work and go to school at home in the Philippines.
After being home for two years, Bazar said he prayed and fasted about attending BYUH. He also said he went to the temple and opened up to his Father in Heaven about studying in Hawaii.
“While I was inside the temple, the answer was very clear,” he said, explaining how he knew he should apply to BYUH. “So, I did it, and then I applied and took the Michigan Test. I thought I wasn’t going to pass the exam, but then I made it.”
He said although he was happy to be accepted, he realized it would be a financial challenge to attend BYUH. “It’s not cheap to come here,” he commented.
However, Bazar said God miraculously helped him obtain everything he needed to attend BYUH, including the means, resources and right people.
He said he felt privileged to attend BYUH. There is large population of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines who desire to attend a Church school, but there are a limited number of spots for Filipino applicants, he explained, which makes it difficult to get in.
“I’m very blessed, I would say, because I’ve been part of the very few people who got here and had the privilege to study here.”
As his time at BYUH comes to a close, he said, “I’m very excited I’m moving into the next chapter of my life. But at the same time, I’m also sad because I’ve learned to love this beautiful place, people and community.”