I have never dreaded going to school until the last two years. I asked my nieces if they were happy to be in school. Both the older nieces shook their heads and the two younger ones are excited. Good for the young ones. They are excited about meeting their friends and going out of the house for a couple of hours.
My two nephews are taking school as part of living. I have taken school to be my bread and butter. I don't wish to merely exist but I think I have to just be this way until I get back into the swing of things.
The rest during the June holidays has been good. I am also sure that my students in the international school I am working in are happy to be back and ready to work harder than last term. Apparently my class did amazingly well. Thanks to the hard work of all the teachers in my class and the strong signal we all sent about working hard pays off.
Perhaps the reason for not getting excited about work is because there is already a lot of work piling up without me getting to school. I do love the work with the students. My colleagues are good. Many of whom I have gotten to know and to work with are really fun people. At least we eat together more often and watch out for each other's health and we have fun working together. So they are not a problem. I know that the problem is with me.
What do I want? I told my situation to the 5 counsellors that went to the eathquake area with me. Abigail told me to let God speak. Not me but GOD. So I ask God what should I do? Where should I go? No answers. Because I am not still enough?
I have asked people to pray for me because I really don't want to get into something I will regret. Should I opt for a life with many uncertainties and let GOD in? Should I embrace the certain future and let GOD in? I mean stability is good, in fact excellent. But to live in a limbo may stretch me further and I will thirst for more action. I don't really know what is best. So I will let GOD show me the path.
So Lord, make my path straight that I may follow you. Help me listen and find my way out of this uncertainty.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My day out with the elderly
Yesterday I drove three elderly to the Changi Airport for lunch. The day before, my car battery went flat and dead. Dad helped me with getting a new battery. I was fortunate that the car died right in my car park on the day after I came back from the airport where I dropped Geoff off. So now I know how to fix the car battery too. Thanks to my father.
We had a good time at the airport. It was the first time that two elderly ladies ever saw the Changi airport. It was too far for them to travel. So I am glad that I did make a little difference for them yesterday. We didn't eat dim sum this time. We ate some usual Chinese food. Then I was given a voucher for lucky draw. I went to the counter on my way to the car park and I was rudely told by the temp staff that I was not eligible because it was written. I was not informed that I have to show a receipt so I clarified that I ate at which restaurant and that I can remember the amount. To which the young man held up the voucher and told me it was written in bold. Well, I was pissed. It was not bold. It was in fine print. And with my long and short sightedness, I could not have read it at all. I told him to his face that I will complain and he told me I could because he was only a temp staff. I was furious!!!
Off I went to the counter, located the organizer and phoned...three times. The organizer got back to me very quickly and took care of the matter. I wanted to know the name of the temp staff and what actions were to be taken. Changi Airport staff is really professional. I got the name of the temp staff. He was given a verbal warning and then will be issued a written warning. The issue is not that I cannot get my mystery gift. The issue is his rude behaviour at the very important and international facility in Singapore. I cannot tolerate such young arrogance. Well, it may be a temp job. But he is an ambassador for Singapore and he should be better trained to serve customers at the airport. He is lucky I am a Singaporean and he gets educated. He should thank me because if he doesn't know it now, he will assume his behaviour is acceptable. Airport staff was really good. She tracked my receipt down, will give me my gifts and because I am also a Changi airport friend, I have another mystery gift. And I have 5 chances to a lucky draw.
Sometimes we need to fight for our rights. We cannot just sit and wait for things to happen. Passion is one thing. Grabbing the opportunity when the time comes is also important. I believe my case was strong because I cannot tolerate young foolishness and arrogance.
Young people today must learn that our country will be in their hands. They will handle people who are not going to tolerate such absurd arrogance. Whether it is a temp job or not, the important thing is that it is a job and it needs to be done well.
Give of your best and you will be richly rewarded. Don't take a job as a job. Take it like it matters. If I teach like it is a job, I won't last this long. In whatever we do, we must give it the best shot and not short of the best. Perhaps that is my motto. And of course school is starting. I will give some of my shots...ahahhaha. I hate to go back to school. But I know right now I need the money...hahahaha.
We had a good time at the airport. It was the first time that two elderly ladies ever saw the Changi airport. It was too far for them to travel. So I am glad that I did make a little difference for them yesterday. We didn't eat dim sum this time. We ate some usual Chinese food. Then I was given a voucher for lucky draw. I went to the counter on my way to the car park and I was rudely told by the temp staff that I was not eligible because it was written. I was not informed that I have to show a receipt so I clarified that I ate at which restaurant and that I can remember the amount. To which the young man held up the voucher and told me it was written in bold. Well, I was pissed. It was not bold. It was in fine print. And with my long and short sightedness, I could not have read it at all. I told him to his face that I will complain and he told me I could because he was only a temp staff. I was furious!!!
Off I went to the counter, located the organizer and phoned...three times. The organizer got back to me very quickly and took care of the matter. I wanted to know the name of the temp staff and what actions were to be taken. Changi Airport staff is really professional. I got the name of the temp staff. He was given a verbal warning and then will be issued a written warning. The issue is not that I cannot get my mystery gift. The issue is his rude behaviour at the very important and international facility in Singapore. I cannot tolerate such young arrogance. Well, it may be a temp job. But he is an ambassador for Singapore and he should be better trained to serve customers at the airport. He is lucky I am a Singaporean and he gets educated. He should thank me because if he doesn't know it now, he will assume his behaviour is acceptable. Airport staff was really good. She tracked my receipt down, will give me my gifts and because I am also a Changi airport friend, I have another mystery gift. And I have 5 chances to a lucky draw.
Sometimes we need to fight for our rights. We cannot just sit and wait for things to happen. Passion is one thing. Grabbing the opportunity when the time comes is also important. I believe my case was strong because I cannot tolerate young foolishness and arrogance.
Young people today must learn that our country will be in their hands. They will handle people who are not going to tolerate such absurd arrogance. Whether it is a temp job or not, the important thing is that it is a job and it needs to be done well.
Give of your best and you will be richly rewarded. Don't take a job as a job. Take it like it matters. If I teach like it is a job, I won't last this long. In whatever we do, we must give it the best shot and not short of the best. Perhaps that is my motto. And of course school is starting. I will give some of my shots...ahahhaha. I hate to go back to school. But I know right now I need the money...hahahaha.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The visit from Geoff
Geoff's visit opened my eyes, not just his. I was with him in Little India yesterday and just realized that there are many things I really don't know about Little India. I didn't know that more than 50% of all the Indians who go to Little India are mainly from Chennai (formerly known as Madras) and at least 20% are from Kerala. The rest of the Indians are from around India. All the Indians who frequent Little India speak Tamil and if they don't, they can at least understand a bit of Hindi. A man came into a shop which I stopped by so I could ask for directions to go to Arab Street and this man was very knowledgeable. He asked me where I was from because he could tell Geoff was not Chinese. So I told him I am a local and to that he was shocked that I don't know the place. Yah, I don't go to Little India very often and much less to anywhere near to Arab Street. I only go there when I had to bring students. May be my world is kind of sheltered but there is really nothing to do there!
After taking Geoff to Arab Street, we took a bus to Clifford Pier and we got quite a few good shots of the newest Casino to be up. The Marina Sands were lovely from far. I heard that not many people have won any games from this newest addition. Hahaha. Perhaps the fengshui there is just too powerful. We then took the train to Somerset where we walked down Orchard. Geoff was busy clicking all the buildings, the designs, the crowded pedestrian pathway and we finally went to a buffet. At first there was no tables but then we were given 90 minutes to finish our dinner. We did. By the time we finished, it was only an hour later. We took a taxi home and I was dead beat by the time I hit the bed.
This morning, I picked Geoff up at the hotel, yup I drove all the way to Middle Road towards Sophia Road for the Hangout hotel at Emily Hill. And then without a GPS or a map, I took him to see our Industrial Estate at Tuas. He was just telling me how Canada has to learn to build their urban landscapes with better plan. Apparently in the west where he lives, that is Calgary, there were so very poor planning. Transport is really not built in some of the areas.
One of the things I find most difficult as a student in Calgary was having to travel in the bus and walking out so far to the bus stops in the winter to go to school. Some days are so cold, I just didn't want to go to school. I remember how one morning, my final paper before I took my Masters of Arts course, I didn't want to report for exams because the air was so cold. I was literally walking into a thin sheet of ice. Everywhere around me that early morning at 630 was shimmering ice crystals dancing against the yellow street lights. It was lovely to walk that early morning and it was also that morning I knew I would ace the course. I did. The sight was just so unforgettable.
I also remember how on some very cold winter mornings, Shin Miin and Leng would join me to go to superstore down Ranchland to shop for our grocery. Although it was cheaper but the time travelling there was really tiring. Especially so in the cold winter. We wanted to get some really chinese stuff and we could do that when we got to superstore. Of course we could go Chinatown and even then we have to get off the bus and walk in the cold for at least 30 minutes. It was easier with friends to go with but it became difficult when they all left to go home. I remember after my friends left for home, I locked myself in my own room and sobbed my heart out. This they never knew until now. I worked really hard during that last year so I could finish early to come home but it was decided last minute that I could pursue my MA and they waited another 3 years for me.
So travelling in Calgary is tough without a car. I am very thankful that Bonita has a car and on many days, she would give me a ride out to buy groceries. Many Saturdays, she would drive me to Cosco, a hypermarket to shop. We would have food tasting and sometimes there was so much to eat that it was practically a good snack time before lunch.
Things are rather spread out in Calgary because there is space. In Singapore, everything is compacted together. One thing I do notice is the mall sell the same things. So boring! If you go to one mall, you see all the malls. It is becoming more difficult to find malls that are unique. I get really tired looking at all the malls. They are all the same. It is true also for Vancouver. I was at this huge mall in 1995 and I remember that I saw the same shop with the same name spread out throughout the mall. This shop has more than 4 other branches within the same mall. Another place is Edmonton's big mall. This mall has a hotel and a huge chinese junk as a central display. The funny incident was Leng and I were with two other guys who wanted to take us to Edmonton Mall. Well the guys drove up there for at least 3hours. By the time we got there, I was tired. I told Leng that we should go the other way and the guys took off the other side. I was heading in that direction to find a place to sit and sleep. And Leng was tired too. So we found a place and sat down. To our horrors, the guys too were looking for a place to sit and sleep. So we decided to go for lunch and having seen all malls we headed home...ahahhaha. It was stupid. We were just not the shopping kind. I was more interested to look at the U of Alberta because I wanted to go and buy some books. No such luck. The guys refused to drive us there.
Geoff was very impressed in how neatly things were arranged for Singaporeans. He wished they could learn to put aside individual rights and go for the common good. He said that more and more people who are poor are not taken care of and he was sad about this. I told him we are also becoming like this. We don't seem to see the poor around us but they are there.
Come Sunday, I will take Geoff to Pipit Road and then to my house to see. It is really beyond many westerners that our government took care of our housing so well. They just could not fathom that public housing can be beautiful and good. Because in the eyes of a westerner, any public housing is of low quality and really little government input. But not the case with us. We are well provided for. Hurray for Singapore.
The students who came just couldn't understand why we have to be so careful with our racial balance within the blocks of flats. I told them that if there is a racial riot, the impact will be diffused very quickly because of our small size country. But for Canada, the impact will be diffused rather slowly because of its huge country. I kept emphasizing that because when we think about the speed at which good or bad things can be diffused in my little country, we will understand why we have to be so careful with what we do. So the next time we don't like this and that, we better think if that will cause a major tsunami from where we generate our beliefs.
After taking Geoff to Arab Street, we took a bus to Clifford Pier and we got quite a few good shots of the newest Casino to be up. The Marina Sands were lovely from far. I heard that not many people have won any games from this newest addition. Hahaha. Perhaps the fengshui there is just too powerful. We then took the train to Somerset where we walked down Orchard. Geoff was busy clicking all the buildings, the designs, the crowded pedestrian pathway and we finally went to a buffet. At first there was no tables but then we were given 90 minutes to finish our dinner. We did. By the time we finished, it was only an hour later. We took a taxi home and I was dead beat by the time I hit the bed.
This morning, I picked Geoff up at the hotel, yup I drove all the way to Middle Road towards Sophia Road for the Hangout hotel at Emily Hill. And then without a GPS or a map, I took him to see our Industrial Estate at Tuas. He was just telling me how Canada has to learn to build their urban landscapes with better plan. Apparently in the west where he lives, that is Calgary, there were so very poor planning. Transport is really not built in some of the areas.
One of the things I find most difficult as a student in Calgary was having to travel in the bus and walking out so far to the bus stops in the winter to go to school. Some days are so cold, I just didn't want to go to school. I remember how one morning, my final paper before I took my Masters of Arts course, I didn't want to report for exams because the air was so cold. I was literally walking into a thin sheet of ice. Everywhere around me that early morning at 630 was shimmering ice crystals dancing against the yellow street lights. It was lovely to walk that early morning and it was also that morning I knew I would ace the course. I did. The sight was just so unforgettable.
I also remember how on some very cold winter mornings, Shin Miin and Leng would join me to go to superstore down Ranchland to shop for our grocery. Although it was cheaper but the time travelling there was really tiring. Especially so in the cold winter. We wanted to get some really chinese stuff and we could do that when we got to superstore. Of course we could go Chinatown and even then we have to get off the bus and walk in the cold for at least 30 minutes. It was easier with friends to go with but it became difficult when they all left to go home. I remember after my friends left for home, I locked myself in my own room and sobbed my heart out. This they never knew until now. I worked really hard during that last year so I could finish early to come home but it was decided last minute that I could pursue my MA and they waited another 3 years for me.
So travelling in Calgary is tough without a car. I am very thankful that Bonita has a car and on many days, she would give me a ride out to buy groceries. Many Saturdays, she would drive me to Cosco, a hypermarket to shop. We would have food tasting and sometimes there was so much to eat that it was practically a good snack time before lunch.
Things are rather spread out in Calgary because there is space. In Singapore, everything is compacted together. One thing I do notice is the mall sell the same things. So boring! If you go to one mall, you see all the malls. It is becoming more difficult to find malls that are unique. I get really tired looking at all the malls. They are all the same. It is true also for Vancouver. I was at this huge mall in 1995 and I remember that I saw the same shop with the same name spread out throughout the mall. This shop has more than 4 other branches within the same mall. Another place is Edmonton's big mall. This mall has a hotel and a huge chinese junk as a central display. The funny incident was Leng and I were with two other guys who wanted to take us to Edmonton Mall. Well the guys drove up there for at least 3hours. By the time we got there, I was tired. I told Leng that we should go the other way and the guys took off the other side. I was heading in that direction to find a place to sit and sleep. And Leng was tired too. So we found a place and sat down. To our horrors, the guys too were looking for a place to sit and sleep. So we decided to go for lunch and having seen all malls we headed home...ahahhaha. It was stupid. We were just not the shopping kind. I was more interested to look at the U of Alberta because I wanted to go and buy some books. No such luck. The guys refused to drive us there.
Geoff was very impressed in how neatly things were arranged for Singaporeans. He wished they could learn to put aside individual rights and go for the common good. He said that more and more people who are poor are not taken care of and he was sad about this. I told him we are also becoming like this. We don't seem to see the poor around us but they are there.
Come Sunday, I will take Geoff to Pipit Road and then to my house to see. It is really beyond many westerners that our government took care of our housing so well. They just could not fathom that public housing can be beautiful and good. Because in the eyes of a westerner, any public housing is of low quality and really little government input. But not the case with us. We are well provided for. Hurray for Singapore.
The students who came just couldn't understand why we have to be so careful with our racial balance within the blocks of flats. I told them that if there is a racial riot, the impact will be diffused very quickly because of our small size country. But for Canada, the impact will be diffused rather slowly because of its huge country. I kept emphasizing that because when we think about the speed at which good or bad things can be diffused in my little country, we will understand why we have to be so careful with what we do. So the next time we don't like this and that, we better think if that will cause a major tsunami from where we generate our beliefs.
Monday, June 14, 2010
A visit from university students from the University of Calgary
Yes these 26 students are coming. They have made Singapore the last stop. My friend Geoff Ghitter managed to look for me on the internet and got in touch with me. He told me he will be coming in June with his students. I should call him Dr Ghitter when I see him tomorrow. I have volunteered to lecture on Globalizing Singapore and a look at how we urbanize to meet the needs of globalizing. I gave him some pdfs readings I found and set about getting on with my life. That was sometime in April when he wrote. I didn't hear much until my stay in Beijing when he told me he was for sure coming. In fact while I was in Beijing, he was already in Shanghai working on global cities and the urbanization of Shanghai.
I would be more than prepared except that last minute, a couple of days ago, another friend required my urgent help to draft his curriculum for him. We didn't manage to do much and I was frantically trying to burn both ends of the candle. On the one end looking for content to lecture and on the other researching on what to add to the curriculum my friend has in mind. Not only that, I have to write a referral for someone else. Phew...I was really glad that I could finish what I was to do for the curriculum by the afternoon today. This was because my research was thorough and I had good notes to paraphrase from.
Tomorrow will be most exciting. Besides making lasagne in the morning and rushing to meet Goeff in the afternoon, then dash to Toa Payoh Hub for its gallery, finally ending in Tampines New Town for dinner, I certainly need to pop a couple of USANA pills. They do me some good when my schedules are this tight.
On the following day, I will bring them to URA where they will be there to enjoy the gallery and look intently on the government's intention behind urban planning. In one of the researches I came across, the researcher describes our country's globalization as structured. Even in the liberalization of cultures so we look more globalized is orchestrated. An overseas university was invited by the Singapore's government to set up their faculties here but this university, the university of Warwick rejected on the grounds that our country limits the scope and hinders the integrity of the researches that are conducted here. I wonder if such foreign institutions realized the size of our country and the impact chaos and irresponsible liberty can cause should such liberties be taken unmindedly.
I am all for free press. But I am not prochoice. I choose to stand on the side of responsible choices because I know for a fact that was is popular is not necessarily all good. What is cool is not necessarily all hip and happening. What is condone doesn't mean I will support. This is because I choose to be guided by the GOD I believe in. I honour His commands and will continue to work at living out this faith.
So I hope any foreign entity that chooses to come in must also respect what we don't want in our country.
As I watched the open declaration and acceptance of some social practices, I cannot help but agree that the days of the Lord are drawing nearer. Man's (homosapiens) hearts are deceiving above all things and man's hearts are desparately wicked, choosing to do the wrong thing and make it right.
Will report how I will do another day. Now off to write a letter to end a relationship.
I would be more than prepared except that last minute, a couple of days ago, another friend required my urgent help to draft his curriculum for him. We didn't manage to do much and I was frantically trying to burn both ends of the candle. On the one end looking for content to lecture and on the other researching on what to add to the curriculum my friend has in mind. Not only that, I have to write a referral for someone else. Phew...I was really glad that I could finish what I was to do for the curriculum by the afternoon today. This was because my research was thorough and I had good notes to paraphrase from.
Tomorrow will be most exciting. Besides making lasagne in the morning and rushing to meet Goeff in the afternoon, then dash to Toa Payoh Hub for its gallery, finally ending in Tampines New Town for dinner, I certainly need to pop a couple of USANA pills. They do me some good when my schedules are this tight.
On the following day, I will bring them to URA where they will be there to enjoy the gallery and look intently on the government's intention behind urban planning. In one of the researches I came across, the researcher describes our country's globalization as structured. Even in the liberalization of cultures so we look more globalized is orchestrated. An overseas university was invited by the Singapore's government to set up their faculties here but this university, the university of Warwick rejected on the grounds that our country limits the scope and hinders the integrity of the researches that are conducted here. I wonder if such foreign institutions realized the size of our country and the impact chaos and irresponsible liberty can cause should such liberties be taken unmindedly.
I am all for free press. But I am not prochoice. I choose to stand on the side of responsible choices because I know for a fact that was is popular is not necessarily all good. What is cool is not necessarily all hip and happening. What is condone doesn't mean I will support. This is because I choose to be guided by the GOD I believe in. I honour His commands and will continue to work at living out this faith.
So I hope any foreign entity that chooses to come in must also respect what we don't want in our country.
As I watched the open declaration and acceptance of some social practices, I cannot help but agree that the days of the Lord are drawing nearer. Man's (homosapiens) hearts are deceiving above all things and man's hearts are desparately wicked, choosing to do the wrong thing and make it right.
Will report how I will do another day. Now off to write a letter to end a relationship.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A well rested holiday and still resting...
I had an interesting visit with my friends in China. Beijing is still as busy. The flight to Beijing was very tiring this time round. I did think that I would get rested before beginning to visit some places I wanted to go. My friend didn't waste anytime and we headed straight for the Yanshan mountain ranges. We were lost at some point and when we got back to Beijing it was already 1030 in the night. It was a good thing that a restaurant for steam boat opened 24 hours and so we had a good dinner before I headed for the room for the night. For 4 nights I was to stay and helped look after a dog.
It was quite an experience for me. The first night, I told my friend to please take the dog and I would walk the dog the next morning. Well, we got a long very fine. The dog is actually a very quiet and obedient dog who only wanted a few basic needs met...eat, sleep and pooh. I also made some interesting observations which I will share another time. What struck me was that the people who walked their dogs in the neighbourhood knew the dog but never once questioned why I was walking the dog. My friend never appeared for the 4 days I was given the dog except one day when I pleaded that perhaps there was a need to take a look at the dog. The dog was way too quiet. I thought that giving him hot dogs might have caused the dog to be a little upset.
4 nights later, I was on a plane to Chengdu to be with a group of counsellors from Singapore. I decided to join them because they are going to visit a pastor at the earthquake zone. I was unwell after a visit to a school. The places I visited in Wenchuan was really unhygienic. People were really poor and even then they shared their resources with us generously. I was watchful about the food I was eating but then I caught the bug. After 3 nights, I travelled back to Chengdu on a bus while the rest of the team stayed in Yilong for the morning sunday worship service. I checked into a hotel that was bearable and as soon as day breaks, I checked out. I couldn't wait to get back to Beijing and into the clean environment. But my diarrhoea persisted. Until my friend gave me the wonder pill one day before I was to fly home to Singapore.
I will write more about my visit to the earthquake area. And my visit with the chinese physician who took care of my knee pain that I had before I flew to China. He was really interesting.
The good thing about the trip was I rested. I slept. I didn't go very far. And the only time I had a lot of work to do was when I was in the earthquake zone. Even then, it was light work. I am grateful for the rest because I didn't think I was that tired. But my body just couldn't take it anymore.
So I hope to rest up again because my friend from Calgary will be visiting with his students and I am to give a lecture on the urbanization of Singapore and urban planning in Singapore.
It was quite an experience for me. The first night, I told my friend to please take the dog and I would walk the dog the next morning. Well, we got a long very fine. The dog is actually a very quiet and obedient dog who only wanted a few basic needs met...eat, sleep and pooh. I also made some interesting observations which I will share another time. What struck me was that the people who walked their dogs in the neighbourhood knew the dog but never once questioned why I was walking the dog. My friend never appeared for the 4 days I was given the dog except one day when I pleaded that perhaps there was a need to take a look at the dog. The dog was way too quiet. I thought that giving him hot dogs might have caused the dog to be a little upset.
4 nights later, I was on a plane to Chengdu to be with a group of counsellors from Singapore. I decided to join them because they are going to visit a pastor at the earthquake zone. I was unwell after a visit to a school. The places I visited in Wenchuan was really unhygienic. People were really poor and even then they shared their resources with us generously. I was watchful about the food I was eating but then I caught the bug. After 3 nights, I travelled back to Chengdu on a bus while the rest of the team stayed in Yilong for the morning sunday worship service. I checked into a hotel that was bearable and as soon as day breaks, I checked out. I couldn't wait to get back to Beijing and into the clean environment. But my diarrhoea persisted. Until my friend gave me the wonder pill one day before I was to fly home to Singapore.
I will write more about my visit to the earthquake area. And my visit with the chinese physician who took care of my knee pain that I had before I flew to China. He was really interesting.
The good thing about the trip was I rested. I slept. I didn't go very far. And the only time I had a lot of work to do was when I was in the earthquake zone. Even then, it was light work. I am grateful for the rest because I didn't think I was that tired. But my body just couldn't take it anymore.
So I hope to rest up again because my friend from Calgary will be visiting with his students and I am to give a lecture on the urbanization of Singapore and urban planning in Singapore.
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