Moving back to the East!

After a week working at Chai Chee Technopark, I kind of got used to it and kind of liked the new environment. However, the travel from Tanjung Pagar to Chai Chee was killing me... an hour and thirty minutes each way. I had to look for a new home... and fast too... otherwise, it was eating into my pocket too quickly.

I asked another Chinese colleague about where I could start looking for a new place and she suggested looking at bus stops. Many Chinese migrants working in Singapore put up notices at bus stops to look for room mates and that will be the cheapest way to go. So one evening, I decided to visit a few bus stops in Chai Chee and Bedok to pick up some numbers to call. In the next couple of days, I managed to find a place in Bedok Central charging SGD210 per month for bed space with 6 to a room... not too bad I thought. I immediately made an appointment to go take a look at it after work.

Well, the place was kind of a disappointment, dirty, cramp but the location was great! It's right next to the Bedok MRT and bus stop, there are two supermarkets nearby and a food center and a library too. I decided that I cannot ask for too much with the small budget I had, so it's either a nice place or a good location. I decided to go for it! Come to think of it, I even had a small TV in my room for all the room mates to watch... a little luxury helps alot!

"In a period of about 7 months, I have already moved 3 locations... "

Next day, I told my landlord from Tanjung Pagar that I was moving out and lugged my luggage to work. Thank goodness, I don't have many belongings or moving would have been a big headache. Sometimes it pays to travel light. So, in a period of about 7 months, I have already moved 3 locations... is there more to come??? Ha ha! After just more than half a year in Singapore, I am ready for anything that comes my way! Nothing is a surprise anymore!

My duck eggs hatched!

A few weeks just before I came back to Singapore in August 2010, our batch of duck eggs hatched and we had a bevy of beautiful little ducklings. I'm not sure any of my readers had actually experienced ducks hatching right in your own home but this is quite exciting to watch and experience. In fact, sometimes the anticipation can be quite an adrenalin rush. You're never sure what you are going to get... an ugly duckling perhaps?

In fact, sometimes it calls for celebration as it means that we are going to have more ducks, either to sell, eat, or keep for more eggs in the future. Regardless of how you look at it, when eggs hatch, it always means something good is coming along!

One of my Singapore colleagues used to tell me that a long, long time ago (she's about 55 now), she used to keep ducks and chickens at home when she was a kid. However, due to industrialization, the new generations of Singaporeans will not get many chances of such an experience as I just had ie a new batch of ducklings. Well, to the "less fortunate", I'm sharing this with you. Enjoy it!

Transfering to Chai Chee.

OK, now that I'm at work in Singapore and after 3 days, things are starting to get back to normal, I can start updating on my previous work experience in Singapore again.

5 months into my job while still at Tanjung Pagar, my boss told me that he needs me to help out in his Chai Chee foodcourt as somebody had just left and he was shorthanded. I was initially taken aback as I had just moved from Joo Chiat to Tanjung Pagar for barely 2 months to save on transport and time and now I have to go the other way.

"I'm almost as good as a nomad, or Gipsy... going where the wind blows!"

But I remembered someone once said to me, "When life throws you a lemon, make lemonade!" and so with this, I answer, "Sure, anything I can do to help, I will!" But at the back of my mind, it's the thought of having to make that long journey back to the East and this will easily cost me an additional $3-$4 per day.

Anyway, I had to go. I guess my boss was just being nice and courteous to ask me if I can help out. He could have just said, "You have to move to Chai Chee!". I appreciate the respect and courtesy anyway.

So the next morning, I started work at Chai Chee, and started learning the process all over again... meeting new colleagues and friends. Interestingly, I kind of liked Chai Chee after the first day. It was not as busy as Tanjung Pagar and somehow, the environment seems better. Hmmm.... I decided I was going to ask my boss if this was permanent so that I can find a place to stay in the East. I'm almost as good as a nomad, or Gipsy... going where the wind blows!

Here is a picture of my workplace in Chai Chee... taken with my handphone, so it's not so clear.

My first day at work in Singapore!

Today is my first day at work in Singapore and I am looking forward to it. My boss decided to put me up at their new Bread Junction branch in Punggol Drive. Yesterday, I decided to try to get there from my Bedok place and it took me almost 1.5 hours and about SGD3.15 in bus fare to get there. There are two shift of workers : 6.30am - 6.30pm and 10.30am -10.30pm and I am starting off taking the 10.30am shift. Punggol is a new housing estate, so it does not look as busy but I am sure it will become just like any busy housing estate with time to come. This morning, it was raining when I got up, so I decided to leave early so as not to be late for work. I arrived at 9am, one and a half hours before work, so I had time for a coffee and breakfast.

My boss had advised me to move to Punggol where they rented an apartment for some of the workers. This apartment is walking distance to work, so it will be more convenient. It will cost us SGD200 per month each for a room with 4 persons. Our lodging allowance is SGD100. I had originally thought it was SGD150 when I spoke to the girl over the phone but my boss said it had been reduced to SGD100. Well, I'm already here, so I will have to make do with it. "Beggars" cannot be choosers!

In any case, I will take a look at the place before I decide to take it. If not, I will have to look up my own place nearer to work. I've decided not to look at all the small negatives which can make us unhappy... instead I should focus on working hard and making some much needed money for the family! I've always had very good relationships with people be they customers, bosses, friends or just casual aquaintances so I am quite confident that it will all turn out well. I'll also try to look for a place of my own to see if I can find a better bargain. Who knows, Punggol is a new estate and I may be able to get a room for two for SGD400+ (or SGD200+ each)!

As I had mentioned earlier, events had moved so quickly recently I did not have time to update my work adventures from Tanjung Pagar and my move to Chai Chee etc... but I will continue updating these events as well as happenings at home in China once I settle down a little. Meanwhile, if you are ever in Punggol, come visit me!

I'm here!

Finally, after a long flight that lasted almost 12 hours including transit and delays, I am finally in Singapore. I started the day at 5am when my mum and I boarded a taxi to Shenyang airport. Got there at 7am and checked in before my mother left. It was hard for my mother to see that I have to leave again after a 2 months stay. And now, there is even a possibility my sister may come... which means she is going to miss both daughters! I could see the tears welling in her eyes as I consoled her and tell her that I have to earn some money for the family.

I finally boarded the plane at about 9.30am and got to Beijing at about noon. Following a 3hour transit which was further delayed another hour plus due to heavy rain, I finally boarded the plane at Beijing to Singapore at just past 4pm.

I finally arrived at 10.30pm at night and when I got out of the airport, it was 11.15pm. My agent who was suppose to pick me was again no where in sight. How is it that agents are always late? Or is this just part of the local culture?

I went to the local convenience store to get a phone card so that I can call him. It cost me RMB80+ or about SGD26. When I got through to him (the agent), all he can say was, "Oh you are here. I'll will come fetch you now". No apologies or remorse. Finally he arrived at about 30mins past midnight. By then, I almost collapse of starvation.

"Again he is late..."

Here is a picture of me taken at Bedok where I've decided to stay, just this morning while again waiting for the agent to come pick me up for a Medical check-up. Again, he is late...

I will update on my workplace once everything is firm...

I'm coming to Singapore again!

So many things have happened these recent few weeks, I've hardly have time to update my past working experience.

I've been wrting about finding a job in Singapore and I've had several miserable failures... but recently I had two good opportunities. One was from my agent who who called recently about a job at a bar/pub. I mentioned this earlier in one of my earlier posting.

I also made several calls to companies in Singapore and finally, one company was looking for a Chinese worker. It's a company manufacturing and selling bread and it has a few branches in Singapore. The job seems tough with working hours from 9am to 9pm with pay of SGD800 per mth plus SGD150 for lodging allowance. Also, it is seven days a week work except for 2 off-days a month. As I had made this contact on my own, I do not have to pay the hefty agent's fee but the company still require an agent's help to settle some papers. According to the company, the fee is SGD1,000 which I will have to bear as well as the airticket. This is of course much less than the SGD8,000 I have to pay if I had the agent help me find the job!

"I was so happy I went out to pick a nice water melon from the farm to share with my family!"

I've decided to take up this offer as I'm still a little skeptical about the "bar/pub" job. My feeling is that many pubs in Singapore will run for a couple of years and then either change location or close down. I really want a job that is long term in order that I can save some money to bring home some time in the future.

So, in taking up this offer, the company has said that they wanted me to start work as soon as possible. I've booked my ticket and will be in Singapore this coming Wednesday. I will update again once my job is firm and everything is running well. Hmm... I was so happy I went out to pick a nice water melon from the farm to share with my family!

My sister is still waiting for news on the bar/pub job and she should know in a few weeks if she will be able to come to Singapore as well. I certainly hope she is able to come as well. Somehow, having a close member of the family around helps alot in a foreign land (even though Singapore is now quite familiar to me after working here for 2 years already).

The beautiful scenery near my home!

Readers, I apologise for the long lapse between posting. Here is one about my home.

I live in the rural area of Benxi and there are definitely pros and cons to living here in the country side. While it is far from the city and difficult to get to work (unless you find a job nearby which is rare), it is a beautiful area to live in with lots of space, un-congested roads and beautiful sceneries.

Just a 10minutes walk from our door step, you will see big stretches of land, some of which are used for farming and other agricultural purpose. A small tributary of a larger river runs through our city and this feeds into a huge reservoir which provides drinking water for the whole region. It also provides food. My dad used to fish here every weekend so that we get fish in our diet as well. And to this day, whenever my brother is back from the city, he will come here to try and catch a fish for our family meal. Whenever someone asks me why I have such big eyes, I will always tell them, "I ate a lot of fish which my dad caught!" Ha ha!

Just a little further in the background, a mountain range provides a beautiful silhouette against the setting sun. This can be even more beautiful on a cloudy day when silver linings form along the edges of the cloud. Now I understand when my english speaking friends in Singapore says, "Every cloud has a silver lining!". A girlfriend I know from DBS just upstairs of where I work in Chai Chee (DBS has since moved out) once explained this phrase to me when I told her I was down and stressed with the huge debt I was responsible for (another post on this later).

The most beautiful time to see these mountains is in winter when they are topped with a fresh cap of snow. Sometimes I just love standing out in the open, breathing in the fresh country air and admiring the beautiful scenery. It clears my mind and has an excellent therapeutic effect on my whole being. I always feel lighter and with more energy after the exercise.

"People say women are hard to please..."

While I work in the city and sometimes I wish the city was nearer, I also sometimes wish my hometown to be the same as always. I would dread to see the day my hometown become fully developed and becomes a concrete city, like Shenyang. People say women are hard to please because they don't know what they want.... and sometimes I have to agree!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

I thought I should spend some time replying to some readers who had posted some queries to me. I may not be able to answer all questions at one time, but in order to keep my post short and sharp, I will answer a couple of questions each time. So here you go :

1. You said you come from the country side and do not have much money, but in some of your pictures, you are wearing ADIDAS wear? Are you lying?
• My family is definitely from the country side (I will show more pictures in my coming post but I've already showed you my "pet" cockerels. chickens and donkey. Some of the pictures have me in them, so they are definitely real! Here is another picture of the chickens at my house in China. Ha ha. And I wear ADIDAS because I like their design... also, in China, they are really cheap. My white ADIDAS top cost me about RMB20. Now I won't go so far as to tell you if they are the genuine stuff because I really don't know. I buy them because I think they are nice and cheap! 
2. I see that you are wearing black or white most of the time and hardly any other colors? Why?
• When you have a limited wardrobe, black or white is the best because they match everything and any color of handbags, shoes, hairstyle etc... etc... you choose to take with you! For this reason, my favorite colors remain black and/or white.
3. Your sister don't look like you. Is she really your sister?
• Of course she is my sister. But we are 5 years apart which means that we may not look as identical as sisters born closer together! I'm not sure if that is the reason for our difference... but she is definitely my lovely sister!

So there you go... hope those answer some of your queries! And as a parting shot, here is a picture of some oxen we use for ploughing the ground! Enjoy!