Four months in Changi

How time flies and I have been working in Changi for almost 4 months. Human beings are interesting as they are highly adaptable. I am quite used to the long hours of travelling on MRT, doing office work immediately after dinner.

P has kept her word and since I moved over, I hardly step into the routine shift duty. I have been doing office hours most of the days. However due to NDP and YOG, more officers are needed and thus I have to work during the weekends. But I get my days off during the weekdays accordingly, which may be good news since I can arrange them when Isa is at home.

My main responsibility is to conduct briefings and lectures for both local and foreign participants.

For each lecture, there is so much preparation to be done. First, the training institute or HR will discuss on the possible dates for a specific lecture. Once the date is confirmed, the details of the lecture will be worked out accordingly. I will have to start preparing the lecture materials, while HR will takes care of the registration of participants. Sometimes, a test is required and I will have to set the test. After the test, marking of scripts and then tabulation of marks will be required. Evaluation on feedback gathered from the participants will be analysed to identify weaker areas and areas for improvement. Before the first run of lecture ends, the second run of another lecture starts.

Some companies will require the lecturer to conduct the lecture at their venue. This means incurring extra travelling cost and time.

Some customers will visit our office. I have take the opportunity to know more about the requirements of our customers to serve them better.

For briefings, visitors from other government bodies also visit our office and I will have to bring them around the office for a short tour.

All in all, I find myself NOT doing an excellent job especially on the teaching. I may have the knowledge but to impart or teach requires a skill which I lack of.

Where can I get training to learn how to teach?

Two Days at Home

PSLE 2010 Oral will be conducted today and tomorrow. So the whole school is out of bound except the p6 pupils.

Despite the Audit going on in the office, I managed to take 2 days' leave to stay at home to look after Isa.

Although there is no school in the morning, she has to return to school in the afternoon (out of bound only in the morning) for project-work. This project-work will continues into the Sep school holidays.

With this super long weekend, she has tons of homework to do.

After sending her to school, I have about 3 hours to spare. I went to Jurong Point for window shopping. I have been wanting to get myself a simple handbag for daily usage. The saleslady at John Little provided excellent service by showing her patience to me. I like a design A but not its colour. I like the colur of B but not its design. I was confused with so many choices and I really wish I could grab all. In the end, I settled down with a simple but nice-looking maroon bag with a price tag less than $50!

There goes my 3 hours of ME time and time to return to the school to pick Isa up.

National Day Preview

Beautiful Clouds

Took a snap on the beautiful clouds using my mobile on my way to work.

Photos taken during Standard First Aid Course

Life can be such simple!

I was scheduled to work on some weekends during the past couple of months. To compensate the extra work, I get day off during the weekdays.

Today I stayed at home.

Initially I was unsure what to do at home. This is kind of sad! I am so used to going to work early in the morning and return only when the sun sets. Today on a weekday, J and Isa already left early in the morning. I tried to sleep but could not. I was tossing around but decided to wake up.

I have to run some errands before picking Isa up. Before leaving, I turned on the radio, replied some emails, read news online and did some household chores.

I reached the school about an hour earlier than the dismissal time. I sat at the waiting area. Some maids and mums were chatting happily. The weather turned hot and I felt asleep! I could even sleep while sitting. Am I too tired from work?

Isa saw me and was similing. We went to have our hair-cut and bought our lunch.

Mum and girl held hands returned home.

Life can be such simple!

I should take some time off from work to appreciate what's around me.

August has arrived

I was greeted by heavy thunderstorms with gusty winds on the first day of August. The rain must be very heavy that my main door was all wet.

August is always a hectic month. Besides the National Day, this year, Singapore will be hosting Youth Olympic Games (YOG) between 14th and 26th. The venue for NDP will be at Padang, and Marina Floating Platform for YOG.

As usual, our office will be sending an experienced officer to provide on-site support. This higlyh-pressurized job is always handled down to Jonathan. I have done once at Padang. Although I got free food/drinks in the committee room and could watch the whole parade FOC, the pressure on me was too much and I simply did not know what was going on on the parade ground except hearing updates from various sections in the organising committee.

The Preview was held on the last day of July. Mum, together with Isa and J, went to watch. It must have been quite some years since mum went to watch the parade live instead from the tv.

Yoshi's niece has arrived Singapore to continue her further education in Singapore. I can expect her email or call anytime. Although she has stayed in America for some years and speak English fluently, I can understand her parents' worries for sending their precious alone from Japan to study here.

There is an internal job offer within the organisation. I am waiting for signs for me to take a bold step to move out of this department but still within the same organisation.