Me and my glasses!

One morning recently, while still working at Punggol, I woke up and my eyes hurt. I'm not sure what was the reason but I decided to wear my glasses to work that day. It was quite interesting as my colleagues and a few customers commented that I looked like a teacher and started calling me "laoshi" or "老师", Chinese for teacher. I'm not sure I should take that as a compliment or not... as I am not sure how teachers are viewed in Singapore by the general public. Some friends tell me that the impression of teachers are that they are the nerdy type.

Certainly not in China though... teachers are a well respected profession there... maybe a view that has trickled down, since the days of Communism and Chairman Mao!

Wouldn't it have been nice if I was really a teacher? Then maybe I don't have to struggle that hard just to make ends meed! Actually about one year ago, while working at Chai Chee, a customer approached me and asked if I would like to tutor his primary four daughter in Chinese. I had to turn him down as I was not familiar with the local syllables and I will be doing gross injustice to her to take up the job and not be able to do it well, especially if her results does not improve! 

Now thinking back, maybe I should have accepted it. Chinese tutor for hire... anyone?

Someone made my day!

I got up really early on my third day in Singapore, just to make sure I was not late and I did not have to wait in line for the bathrooms. My colleague got up at about the same time and were both ready by about 5.30am. I understand the bus journey will take about an hour, so we made our way to work early.

I was hard at work as usual... the first thing I had to do every morning was make coffee and then cut fruits. Customers normally start to stream in just after 8am for their breakfast. However, I was to busy concentrating on learning new phrases my colleague taught me that I did not really noticed what was happening around me!

Singaporeans are a friendly lot, aren't they? They will always make some small talk like, "Oh you are new here today?" or even a simple "你好！". It's such a refreshing change from my hometown. Sure people are nice when you know them at home but not when you are a stranger. They normally ignore you... or maybe they are just busy making ends meet?

So what made my day today? Well, someone came by and said I looked like "Gong Li"! Ha ha... how I wish! But nevertheless, I appreciated the nice gesture and it certainly made my day a little brighter!

When you are that far from home, it does not take much to make your day. Every little nice gesture counts, even when it's just pure flattery! Otherwise, returning home to room packed with eight people and having to queue to use the bathroom isn't much fun anymore. Thank you... whoever you are... for making my day!

Here is a picture of me and one of Gong Li... guess who's who? Ha Ha, I won't even dare to compare myself to a Diva, but what's stopping me from having some fun, right? The picture on the top left was taken when some friends and I visited the Hard Rock Cafe. We could not even afford to eat there but I could not resist putting on this nice top hat, just in the name of vanity!

My new job!

Right after the doctor's appointment and after the necessary documentations were settled, he told me he will send me to my new workplace and I will have to start working that same day. It was almost 3pm!

After about 20mins of driving, we arrived at Raeburn Park, Tanjong Pagar. We drove past a rather run down train station and straight into a modern industrial building. My first impression was that Singapore is very nice and clean. That was a positive start!

Once we arrived, he parked his van and took me to the canteen to meet my "colleagues" which comprised 3 Singaporean workers and 2 Chinese Workers.... I was introduced to them and my boss, who was a Singaporean. He sat me down and explained to me my job. My job was to take care of the drinks while one of my Chinese colleagues will handle the fruits. Another Chinese colleague was attending to what I was later to learn as a "Niang Dou Fu" stall, although I have no idea what that was.

Working hours was 7am to 7pm with half days on Saturday and off on Sunday! Wow, off on Sunday. In China, we work seven days a week! Or at least I worked seven days a week in a boutique!

I was handed two company "T-shirts" and an apron and will have to wear these every day, starting from now. I immediately went to change and started work. We have to wash these and keep these clean on our own. One of my Chinese colleagues taught me how to make the different coffee and I learnt some local terms like "Teh O" and "Teh O Kosong".... rather confusing at first but my colleague was rather patient and reassured me that I will get the hang of it in a few days. I was glad she was patient and nice to me and especially happy that the first few people I met were all nice.

"... I even had time to read a little newspaper!"

While I was absorbing all these new terms, time flew and before I knew it, it was time 6.30pm and time to start getting ready to go home. My first day was quite a nice experience, I even had time to read a little newspaper! This colleague was staying in the same place as me (although I did not see her the night before) and offered to take me home.

On the way home, she gave me more tips on working in Singapore. She told me that later in the evening, she will take me to buy a phone card and settle other issues like change money etc... So sweet of her! While I felt like a fish out of water in Singapore, little nice gestures like these go a long way to making me feel at home!

A familar sign...

After 2 hours, I was so dead tired, hungry and frightened that I actually fell asleep until someone came right in front of me holding a piece of paper with my name on it. He tapped me on my shoulders and asked me, "Are you Li Jing?".

"Yes", I answered, still a bit teary eyed
"OK Good, follow me!". No emotions, no apology for being 2+hours late...

I wanted to ask him why he was late but I felt this wasn't the most appropriate moment. Afterall, I was also glad that someone finally came. I'd rather he be late than I be stranded.

"Are you my Agent?"
"No, I work for them". He was obviously in no mood to talk as it was already close to midnight. I bet he was longing for home too.

"Where are you taking me to?"
"To your accomodation"
"Where is this?"
"Joo Chiat" although I haven't the faintest idea where that was.

After about 15 mins in the car, I dozed off again... until I heard the car stopped and nudge me.
"Follow me"

He opened the car boot and unloaded my suitcase and handcarry bag... but did not help me with them. I had to pull them across the rocky path. My room was on the third floor and there were no elevator, so I had to pull up my luggage. With my tummy grumbling and growling, I stopped at the second flight of steps and finally gave in.

"Can you help me with this?"

He reluctantly walked the few steps down to help me with my luggage.
When we reached the third storey, he opened it with a key. There were still 3 bare bodied men playing cards and drinking beer in hall. Peanut shells were strewn all over the floor. They looked up but did not speak a word. The place looked kind of untidy but he motioned me to the second room where he again turned on the lights. Someone stirred and I could see that there were 4 double decker beds (capable of sleeping eight people), and 5 girls were already asleep. She showed me to my bunk which was the lower one (thank goodness, I did not think that I had the strength to climb to the higher one!). But I almost cried... we are poor and our accommodations are not that clean in China but I've never slept in a room with 8 others! Anyway, all I wanted was to get some sleep.

Once we were done with the bunk, he showed me where the toilets and kitchen were. The floor was rather filthy and sticky on my bare feet.

He told me that he will be back to get me the next morning and pass the set of keys he used to me. I had to go for a medical check-up and finalize some other documents. That night was the worst night of my life. I was completely lost. I did not even dare to shower and went to rest after changing to a T-shirt. I sobbed myself to sleep that night!

Finally... my passport... Singapore I'm coming!

The first thing I did after getting the necessary documents from the Agent was to go apply for my passport. It's the only document standing between me and Singapore... in fact, with it, I could go anywhere I want. Wow! Not that I have the money to do it, but the thought that I can, just because I have this little book, amazes me!

About 2 weeks after my application, I received a letter to say that my passport is ready and I can go ahead to collect it. I had to take a 2 hour bus to collect but then, I don't even care. Now I just want my passport! My ticket to freedom! The 2 hour bus journey to Shenyang felt like 2 days... the more excited I got, the slower time seemed to pass. Well, there isn't much I could do other than sleep the 2 hours to Shenyang. I closed my eyes, but my mind wasn't ready to settle down. Every "gear" in my body was running full speed... sleeping was just not possible. I decided to look out the window to enjoy the scenery as the green of the countryside slowly turned to a more grayish concrete jungle as we approached Shenyang.

It took me a while to be in the queue to get my passport but it was worth it. Once I got it, I kept flipping the pages, expecting to see lots of important notes and documents but all I see were empty pages. The only page that makes me sure I got the correct document was the one with my picture on it.

I rushed home to show off my new passport. Unsure as I am, I was still happy that I now have the document necessary to take me to almost any country I want (I did not realize back then that I needed a visa for most countries).

I called the agent to tell him that I got my passport and he then told me to be ready to leave in about 2 weeks once he gets the air tickets and other travel documents settled.

The next day, I went out an bought a nice looking pink trolley case... at a reasonable 100RMB. This is going to be my travel companion. I started writing down a list of items I have to pack. The agent gave me one as well but I was quite sure mine will be more complete. Medicine, shoes, clothes, make-up....

Singapore, here I come!

Finally, the call....

I had been waiting for almost 2 weeks now and not a call from the agent. That little voice in me keeps telling me I had been taken for a ride. I already paid a big sum of money and looks like this time, I'm getting nothing out of it. My friends and relatives where not much help either. They told me to learn my lesson and move on.

Then when I have just about given up hope, the phone rang. When I saw the agents number, my heart almost skipped a few beats. The agent had good news for me. He said that much of the arrangements is confirmed and I need to go and pay my other 50% payment before they arrange for tickets and the rest.

Quite frankly, after all this wait and the humiliation I got from my friends and relatives, I was about to say yes to anything, just to prove them wrong!

That afternoon, I literally "flew" over to the agents office again. The agent had explained the procedure over the phone. I had to bring down the rest of my payment together with all the necessary documentation. I told the agent I do not have a passport and they said they will give me the necessary documentation to apply for one. It'll take a few weeks but that should be ok as I'm not expected to fly out till about a month later.

When I got home, I broke the good news to my parents. My dad was his usual doubtful self but my mother was rather supportive. I did sense a little sorrow troubling her that evening, as we had dinner. Despite her show of joy, she was saddened by the fact that in just over a month, I will be off to a distant country. She wondered how life will be like without her eldest daughter around. Even though I'm not always at home when I work in Shenyang, I'm still easily contactable by phone and I'm just about a 2 hours ride from home. But now... I don't even know how far away I will be! All I do know is that it is very very far and I am a little apprehensive myself.! In my whole 26 years, I've never been that far away from home, I've never taken a plane or a train. In fact, I've never been to Beijing, our capital city and I've never seen the Great Wall of China, one of the seven man made wonders of the world!