Going to NATAS fair

I had been toying with the idea of going back home to visit my family this coming Chinese New Year (2012). It's still a long way off (4 months+ away) but I learned from my colleagues that it is better to book my ticket early to get a better price. Ticketing agencies and airlines bump up their prices towards the festive season knowing that hordes of Chinese will go home to visit their families.

2012 Chinese New Year falls on a Monday and Tuesday, so I could leave on Friday evening and spend Saturday, Sunday and Monday with my family before coming back on Tuesday. It's going to cost but I had already started putting aside SGD80 every month since the beginning of this year to see if I can make this trip back. I expect the ticket to cost about SGD700 and that will leave me some money to buy some gifts for my parents and brothers.

Two weekends ago, I visited the NATAS fair. My colleagues told me that you can get cheap air tickets back to China. The place was really, really crowded and I had trouble just knowing where to go or moving around. Singaporeans must be a lucky lot... having enough to go on holidays every now and then!

Unfortunately, after spending 2 hours there and despite paying SGD4 for the entry ticket, I did not get a good deal! Most of the companies were selling tour packages and did not even want to entertain me when I asked them about ticket back home. A few more friendly ones told me to go to their offices in the city to check out ticket prices and gave me a card of their address in town. They advised me to book when it is closer to the dates as they were not able to tell me ticket prices at the moment. This is contrary to what I hear from my friends and colleagues who told me to book early. Can any readers advise?

Why is my ticket so costly? That's because I live at the far north of China. I have to fly to Shenyang and then take a 2 hr taxi ride or train home. There is normally one stop in between... so altogether, it could take me as much as 8 hours to get home.

Cooking at home on Chinese New Year!

On the first day of Chinese New Year, we decided not to go out for dinner but instead cook something at home to eat. We both still remembered our experience on Chinese New Year's eve and we decided to play it safe this time around. This is nothing new, as we often cook noodles (instant type especially) or some meat and vegetables. However, for this occasion, we decided to make some dumplings. Afterall, it is Chinese New Year.

In the afternoon, I bought some ingredients from the Supermarket downstairs for the dumplings. Both my sister and I love dumplings, so we decided to try our dumpling making and cooking skills. I had helped my mum make dumplings at home often, but this will be the first time I am doing all this by myself! Wonder if it will turn out good? This will be the real test of our skills, not when mum is by our side!

In the late afternoon, we both prepared the ingredients and wrap the dumplings. It was finger-breaking task, especially when you had not had such practice for such a long time. We could have steamed dumplings, boiled dumplings or fried dumplings. For this time, we decided we wanted fried dumplings. When dinner time came, my sister did the cooking (or frying) while I cooked some rice to go along with the dumplings.

The truth is that the dumplings did not turn out as well as those I am used to at home... physically as well as taste wise. Firstly, they do not look as good... all crumpled and dried out instead of full, fluffy and crunchy. Then the taste... hmm... not so easy to describe but it definitely does not taste like how my mother made them. The meat was too hard and chewy, and not as juicy as I would have liked them. I still felt they were ok but my sister said I failed miserably.

Look at her face below!

Back to the drawing board!

Celebrating Chinese New Year with my sister!

Huge crowd in Chinatown!

This must be the best Chinese New Year I've had in the last three years since coming to Singapore. The last three years, I spent Chinese New Year mostly at home alone with some of my room mates. Some of them have become friends, although many are just acquaintances and some even total strangers. Chinese New Year is rowdy at home due to the gambling that my landlord is so fond of... not to mention the drinking and eating. Also the last two Chinese New Year, I was really down on cash (not that I have a lot now) as I had taken a big loan to come out to Singapore and was working really hard, saving every penny to pay-off the debt.

My vain pot sister!

This year, the pressure is much less. No debt to pay, so I am just saving to start a small business and to buy a small house when I do go back to China. It is such a blessing that my sister found a good job here... and I have her by my side this Chinese New Year!

So instead of just going out to eat with my room-mates, I went out with my sister on the eve of Chinese New Year. I don't know many places to go, so we decided to have a good meal in Chinatown. This is a place at least I am more familiar with in my days working in Tanjung Pagar as well as coming here to remit money home.

We took a train to Chinatown and when we alighted, we were shocked by the number of people out celebrating the Chinese New Year. We had expected a quieter night as most people will be home with their families, eating their reunion dinner. Chinatown was so full of people, there were long queues in just about every eating place.

All tired out!

After about an hour of roaming around, we were really really tired... and hungry. We had expected a big meal, maybe steamboat or something but ended up eating nothing till about 9pm. Finally, we decided to give up and just go home to cook something light to eat.

Nevertheless, it was a wonderful night! This is the first night I had been really out with my sister since she came to Singapore. I work from 6am to 6pm while she works from 10.30am to 10.30pm. My off days are Saturday and Sunday while her's is on Monday. As such, there are hardly any time where we could go out.

We both got home really, really tired and hungry!

My first Hongbaos!

I'm so excited!

Yesterday, a customer came by and gave me a Hongbao (red packet). Not that I have not received Hongbao's before on Chinese New Year, but it's always nice to receive the first one. Isn't it funny how we do the same thing every year and yet we get excited over it. And being so far away from home, and not being able to go home (like my Malaysians colleague), receiving a Hongbao in Singapore makes it all the more special.

Today I got two more, even though it is just half a days work. I really love working here. The people are all wonderful, colleagues and customers alike. Today was a super busy day even though it's only half a day. Somehow, everyone wants to drink coffee and I had to make more than 500 cups of coffee this morning. My hands are sore, my arms are sore... but it was still loads of fun!

Hmm..., I wonder if my boss will be giving us any Hongbao's this year. He did give us in the first year but in the second, he did not. Maybe it was 2010 and after going through a rough and tough 2009, he must also be feeling the pinch. Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

早早向你拜个年
新春到来又一年
食物丰富吃得甜
身体健康是本钱
幸福家庭好团圆
爱情顺利桃花园
欢欢乐乐迎新年
祝你兔年赚大钱

Happy Lunar New Year!

Time really flies and now it is Chinese New Year all over again! I have not been home for the last 3 Chinese New Year and I really miss all the fun, rowdiness, celebrations and visitors that Chinese New Year brings each year in China. However, this year, it will be a lot better as I have my sister with me instead of being all alone among strangers, semi-strangers and acquaintances! My sister will have two full days off on Thursday and Friday and she will resume work on Saturday while I have a super long weekend ahead... half day on Wednesday and off all the way till Monday! The only thing missing right now are my parents and brother!

I also want to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year! I wish you Good Health, Happiness and Wealth in this coming year and I continue to look forward to seeing you here (at my blog)!

May the Year of the Rabbit brings you closer to your desired destiny!Have a wonderful Chinese New Year holiday!

Merry Christmas

Christmas is here again... and New Year... and then Chinese New Year... how nice! I want to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

While this is certainly the season to be jolly, I was kind of wondering what might it be had I been working at Bread Junction? Would I have been working over the holidays non-stop? I'm not sure if my sister will be working over the holidays yet... I'll have to check with her later!

While the holidays are fun, sometimes I wish we could be home for such holidays to see our family again. I had not been home for Christmas, New Year or Chinese New Year for three years now. While Christmas and New Year are not such big events in rural China, Chinese New Year is definitely a big, big thing... and all I can do (and all the other migrant workers too) is to call home and have a nice chat with my parents!

"Merry Christmas Everyone!"

While I have no regrets coming out to earn money, I feel sorry for my parents who are getting older every year. My only wish is that they will stay safe and sound for the next few years while I am out here earning money and then I will go back and buy a home and start a small business and be with them!