Breaking News... a new opportunity?

My agent called me today and said that a new pub in Singapore is opening soon and will require 10 Chinese female workers and asked if my sister and I are interested. We are naturally interested in any jobs in Singapore but working in a pub? That's something new to me. In fact, the term pub may sound too good but in Mandarin, it's called a 酒吧 (jiǔbā) or closer to a "bar". Working hours is from 6pm to 4am which means that we have to make drastic changes to our sleeping habits and we both are really what you might call "early birds" ie we sleep early and wake up early!

I asked the agent if it is one of those "girlie bar" and he said he is not sure. I made it very clear that we are not interested in "PR" type jobs that require you to sit with the client, drink with them and indulge in small, meaningless talk to boost their ego etc... etc... He said that he is quite sure that this is not and it is more like a job selling and serving drinks to the clients. The requirements call for an age requirement of between 20 to 25 so actually I am over the age requirement but the agent told me that it should not be a problem.

In any case, the client want to see us in person (or at least over the internet). The appointment has been made for this Friday where my sister and I will be going on the internet for a QQ session with the client. We will also be able to ask questions to clarify any doubts we may have.

What's my fear? My main fear is that this is a new business venture and it is not guaranteed to succeed. If it does not, then we stand to lose the agent's fee of SGD8,000 and have to go back to square one ie back to China! Going back to China isn't the main issue... but losing SGD8,000 or twice of that (SGD8,000 per person) since my sister is the one who is more interested to come, will be a big big burden for us.

Well, it is too early to say anything yet but by this Friday, I will know if the client thinks we are suitable for the job. Who knows, they may not even want us after seeing or speaking to us. Or they may want my sister and not me, since I am over their age requirement. Anyway, my sister probably will not go alone... my mother had told her that,"...unless 大姐 (big sister) goes with you, you cannot go!" Ha ha, my parents really dote on her! And she is still just a little girl (like in the picture above) to them! My sister is really impatient to get started in life... and while that is good, hurrying into something is not always the best way to get started... as our judgement tend to be affected by our impatience and we could end up making more mistakes.

So, should we go or not?

Taking a night stroll...

About a week before I moved to Tanjung Pagar, we were watching TV while still at Joo Chiat when my room mate suddenly blurted out "I'm hungry, let's go for something to eat!". "I bought some instant noodle. I can make some for you!" I said, as I had just bought a pack of 10 at only SGD2.20 and I really did not want to go out and spend more money as I really don't have much left before my next paycheck! "I feel like something better. I think we need to reward ourselves! Give ourselves a better life and have some fun while we are here!" my room mate protested!

"Come on, be a sport! I'll take you to where lots of Chinese people hangout!". And so with this, the three of us casually dressed up and took a walk out of our apartment. It was a Saturday night and around 7.00pm as we passed by City Plaza and continued walking down towards Geylang road. This was my second time strolling out at night, the first was when my colleague took me to City Plaza to get a phone card and MRT card.. I wasn't expecting a long walk but friends insisted on crossing the wide junction as "... there are more food stalls over the other side!" they quipped.

The roads became more glitzy and glittered invitingly as we walked, the crowd became more rowdy and I could catch the accent of many local Chinese. Food stalls lined the streets. I could also see many Indians too. My friends told me most of them are also foreign workers... just like us. I could see that in front of me, the traffic were starting to slow down as more and more people walked the streets. I could see women sexily dressed and men gawking at them. While I've never seen anything like this in Singapore, my instinct tells me that this must be the red-light and night life entertainment district and my friends confirmed it. This is the first time I've seen the streets so crowded in Singapore, the bright lights, the good looking and well dressed up people... it's really quite a sight to behold! In fact, it felt a little bit like the more crowded cities near my hometown. I felt a little under-dressed in comparison! The number of Chinese Nationals here just amazes me!

We finally stopped by a porridge stall and ordered something to fill our growling tummy. We were already hungry when we left home but after the long walk, we were like a pack of hungry wolves. This was a night of excellent food (although rather costly as the three of us ate about SGD12 worth. My pack of $2.20 noodles could fill more tummies!), excellent scenery and certainly an educational tour of the nightlife of Singapore. As I did not have to work the next day, we walked all the way to the end and back again. By the time we were back home, it was close to 11pm... tired but an eye-opener and a night I truly enjoyed nonetheless!

I lost $200 while taking a shower!

It was a while after I moved into Tanjung Pagar and I was still a relatively "green horn" there. I had just had my pay day and I took the amount to People's Park complex where I quickly remitted SGD600 to my mother leaving SGD200 in SGD50 bills and some loose cash in my wallet for personal use. I made a quick call to my mother to tell her that I just remitted the money and to keep a lookout for it. With the satisfaction that my mother will get the money in a few days, I headed home. It was a long day and I was tired out!

When I got home, miraculously, the bathroom was not used and some of my house mates were either watching TV or playing cards. I took advantage of the situation by quickly putting my stuff on my bed and headed to take a quick shower. It's been a long hot day and the long hours of walking (to People's Park and back home) had made me feel really sticky. If a mosquito had landed on me, I am sure it would have stuck on to my skin.

"The thought of losing money never crossed my mind, not even for a second!"

You see, we do not have cupboards to lock our valuables and belongings and I always keep mine locked up in a my small pink suitcase if I have to leave them in the room. But this time, I was in a hurry, just to use the empty bathroom, just in case someone beat me to it, so I just dumped everything on my bed. I had not even thought about losing valuables, afterall, we all live together in "one big, happy family". The thought of losing money never crossed my mind, not even for a second!

The evening passed without incident until the next morning before I got to work that I realised that my SGD200 was missing. Did I misplaced it? Interestingly, the loose change were still there. It can't be a thief or he/she would have taken the loose change too! SGD200 is alot of money to me. It's more than a month's salary in China. I panicked and was about to walk home to check when my senses got the better of me. What's the point? If I had misplaced it, it's probably gone. If someone had stolen it, they are not going to admit it and I cannot search everyone. Even if I do, how will I know the notes I find are mine? Tears rolled down my cheeks as I walked the rest of the way to work. I had intended to buy a watch for my sister but looks like it's got to be another time!

That day, from whatever angle you looked at me, it was a sad look! However, I have decided to not let it bother me. I learnt my lesson...  and I am sure it is better to lose $200 now than $800. I should just count my blessings that I went to remit $600 first before I came home... otherwise, it would have been a much more costly lesson!

My Article on Lianhe Wanbao 19 July 2010

Thanks to two readers who responded to my appeal, I managed to get a copy of the actual article in the papers. Maybe the only correction I would like to make is that I did not actually say that "Singaporeans cannot take hardship" (if that is the correct translation for "新加坡人不能吃苦"？). I personally know many Singaporeans who work extremely hard and many have told me that times are indeed getting tougher, especially in 2009.

Here is the article for your reading pleasure. A few readers have told me they can understand Chinese but cannot read as well. Well here is the link to the MP3 version!

Was I really featured in the papers (Lianhe Wanbao 19 July 2010)?

Somebody sent me an email with this attachment but I could not figure if this was real or not. Did I really appear in the Lianhe Wanbao (联合晚报) on the 19 July 2010?

This is interesting and the papers really catch it fast if this is real. Unfortunately, none of my local friends saw it or kept a copy of the papers on 19 July. I would really like to see what was actually published. It will be quite interesting! Ha ha just making sure they don't misquote me and upset any of my Singaporean friends and readers!

If any of my readers have a copy of the Lianhe Wanbao (联合晚报) on 19 July, I would really appreciate if you could scan the article for me and send it to me at lijing64@yahoo.com. Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Is this good news?

Recently, there's been news that Singapore is going to need another 100,000 foreign workers in the coming future. Is this good news for me? Will the government decided to reduce the quota requirement for foreign workers again so that it becomes easier for us to come Singapore to work?

Recently I called my ex-boss about work opportunity and he had told me that he is still unable to hire any foreign worker. He's also having some difficulty hiring local workers who are willing to do the job that I used to do, at the salary and working hours that we were used to.

At the Chai Chee location, he's down to just one permanent worker from China with the rest all being local workers. While they are short handed, they have to fill in for each other. I can understand their difficulty as even when I was working there with 3 chinese workers, we were all still  loaded to the maximum with work.

Well, I am keeping my fingers crossed as I would still like to work in Chai Chee, so that I can see my old friends again. But on the other hand, I'd be happy to land any job as long as it is a decent job!

Is this an indecent proposal or what?

My readers would have known by now that I have been trying very hard to get a job in Singapore, even now as I write. I've had some readers who wrote to me to offer their help and for this, I am forever grateful, even if they don't turn out successful in the end. It's always the thought that counts, isn't it?

"...I need you to come to Bangkok with me..."

During my two years in Singapore, I have made many friends and "friends". Recently, I have called on some of them to see if they can help me land a job in Singapore. One of these "friends" was a person I met while working at Tanjung Pagar who "moonlights" as an agent for Chinese workers (or at least that what he claims). In my desperation, I called him a few weeks back asking if he has any jobs available and he said he will come back to me. Within 3 days, I received a call from him and this is how part of the conversation went.

Him : "Hey, Xiao Jing, I have a job for you!"
Me (really excited) : "Really, wow, you are good. Tell me about it"
Him : "When can you come to Singapore?"
Me : "I can come as soon as possible! As soon as you can arrange the WP Pass and other necessary documentation!"
Him : "OK, I can only arrange the pass when you are here. Do you have about SGD5,000?"
Me : "I can try to get it if necessary"
Him : "OK, my fees are SGD4,000. And you will need about SGD1,000 for your own expense. You can come to Singapore and I need you to come to Bangkok with me"
Me : "But I don't want to work in Bangkok, I want a job in Singapore!"
Him : "No it's not working in Thailand, but we need to go Thailand to see the employer"
Me : "But I don't want to go if the job is not confirmed"
Him : "It's as good as confirmed. I showed him your picture and he says he wants to hire you but need to see you in person first"

The conversation did not end there but my suspicion was aroused and I'm definitely not going to Singapore without a valid Work Permit. I was already SGD1,000 poorer when I got "played out" by the Hot Pot City company (I will post on this soon) in China Square and the money wasn't even mine. Now I have to work more than 6 months here in Tieling (near Shenyang) just to pay back the SGD1,000!

I called one of my ex-colleague in Chai Chee, a lady in her 60's who became a good friend and mentor. Without her, I might have given up long ago. She had been always encouraging, advising and mentoring me... almost like a mother to me. I am so blessed to have a colleague like her! I told her about this call and her immediate reaction was, "No, you better not go... if he's sincere, he'll get the permit for you first."

Anyway, I will let you readers decide. In any case, I turned him down and I have not heard from him since then.

Moving to a new Home!

Two months had passed by since I started work and while life is continues to be tough, it's all in a days work. I had decided to move closer to work so that I don't have to spend so much time travelling and save on bus fair too. I rented a bed space (Yes, bed space and not a room.... no typo here) at Tanjung Pagar for SGD220 a month. This is much neater than the Joo Chiat place as we only sleep 6 to a room and it's on a high floor, so I get a beautiful view of Singapore and part of the sea when I look out the window. It can get quite breezy on a windy day too. My only wish is that I had taken some pictures here, so that readers will get a chance to see this new "home".

"...you do at least get your own personal space!"

Maybe Singapore should consider having Capsule Apartments. In Beijing and many other cities, we have capsule apartments for migrant workers. They are very small single apartments with nothing more than maybe a bed and small table and a place to keep your clothes. All other amenities like washing machines, bathrooms etc... are shared. While it will certainly cost a little more than a renting a bed space like what we do in Singapore, you do at least get your own personal space. Here is a picture I took from the internet of a Capsule Apartment in Beijing.

Well, maybe a businessman or entrepreneur who reads this post will take this up as his personal project.It might be a highly profitable business venture... who knows?

"...I save almost 1hr and 30 minutes each day..."

In any case, it is now a 10-15 mins walk to work and instead of getting up at 5am, I can now get up at 6am and start taking a leisurely stroll to work at about 6.30am. My boss gave me SGD150 for accomodation and I save about SGD70 in bus fares, so I just about broke even when it comes to finance, but I save almost 1hr and 30 minutes each day (2 hours bus to and fro less 30 mins walk to and from work). The walking will be good for my health too so it's a good trade...

Getting used to it!

After a few weeks, I had my stuff all settled. I bought my phone card that cost met about SGD26, my MRT card topped up with SGD50. It's a good thing I brought my old Nokia handphone from China with me and it worked well in Singapore. I had worried that it might not work and was afraid that I had to go buy another phone. Where am I going to get money from when I have not even got my first month's pay? And even if I do, I had promised to send back at least SGD700 every month so that my mother can help me settle my huge debt. I promised to pay back at least SGD500 every month and including interest, that alone is going to take me almost 2 years to clear. The thought of whether I had made the right decision to borrow money to come work in Singapore often keeps me awake at night.

However, I know I had to work at least 4 to 6 years to save enough to go home and start a small business. My first 2 years will be just clearing my debt. Hmm....

"I even got used to sleeping in a room with 8 people"

Anyway, I was getting used to working in Singapore. In fact, I was quite surprised that I see so many people from China here. Whenever I take a stroll in the evening out of my apartment, Icould hear people speaking mandarin and from their accent, I could tell very distinctly that they were from China. Chinese people speak very loudly, especially the men! Welcome home... ha ha!

I even got used to sleeping in a room with 8 people. I got used to sleeping with the lights on when some of my room mates came back late.... and I got used to hanging clothes all over the house. I don't think anyone's to blame for this untidiness. Try cramming 14 people into a 2 bedroom HDB apartment and you will know what I mean. A picture tells a thousand words!

A 12 hour work day is tough?

Leaving home from Joo Chiat at 6am, arriving at work at 7am and working till 7pm in the evening will probably sound like hell to many Singaporeans. At least that's the reaction I get when when customers come by and had small talk with me. Their eyes widen in amazement as many stammered, "What? You work 12 hours a day!" And many readers will probably think that many of these customers who came by to "small talk" with me are mostly guys... and most probably, they are just showing some sympathy. Well not really true too... there are many nice office girls who enjoy the small talk as well.

"... so working 12 hours in Singapore is nothing ..."

Back in China, or at least where I came from, we work 8-9 hours a day and including transport time, it can work out to almost 12 hours just the same. What's more, there are no off days... it's seven days a week for us! And the pay is just 800RMB or about SGD170 per month. I recall my days working in a boutique (actually it's not that long ago, just a few months before I came to Singapore in May 2008) when I had to wake up at 5am every day and make my way to work at 6am. I get to work between 7.30am to 8am depending on traffic as my home in Benxi to Tieling is quite far. Working hours was from 8am to 4pm where I will have to wait till about 5pm to catch the bus home. By the time I get home, it will be close to 7pm... so working 12 hours in Singapore is nothing to me. I even get half of Saturday and the whole Sunday off in Singapore... how nice. This is luxury! No wonder, Chinese are flocking to Singapore to work!

I'm sure Singapore must have been the same many years ago when it was just starting out. Your forefathers would have worked 12 hour days or more without complain. Well, when times get better, lets not forget the days when our forefathers strive to give us a better life!

Our family gathering!

While writing about my journey to Singapore, I'll intersperse my writing with posting of my current life back in China. This is so that you can read about my current situation as well. My journey to Singapore was already 2 years back in history. I hope to be able to submit enough articles so that my blog will catch with my current life... There's alot of catching up to do... and I'll probably take quite a few months before I can catch up to my current situation. Bear with me...

Last weekend was a special weekend for us. It was one of those rare weekends where my whole family was together; my sister, my brother and I, together with our parents. Living in the country side, most of us have to stay in the city during the weekdays to be closer to our workplace and as such, we don't see much of each other often. If not for mobile phones, we may not even hear from each other for a long time. Thanks to technology, we're able to keep in contact on a regular basis.

I love dumplings (饺子)!

Dumplings(饺子) is a favorite food in China and it is our family's favorite food too! We always make it on special occassions like these. My mother is good at making dumplings. They are always delicious and since young, she had taught me the art of making good dumplings (饺子)! So this weekend, we bought the necessary ingredients such as pork, vegetables and flour to make dumplings (饺子). Since there are only 5 of us and most of us can only eat about 10 dumplings each or thereabouts, it does not make sense for us to just make 50. We normally make several hundred and either give some to our neighbours and relatives or keep them in the refrigerator for future consumption. In the village, we are a close knit community and normally share what we make with others... and they share theirs with us too. We share the joy with each other too... like if my neighbour's children do well in school, we will all congratulate them... but often, we keep the sorrows to ourselves!

My brother caught a big fish (carp) in the nearby lake and so we had a good meal of dumplings, fish and rice for dinner! It's not just the food, but also the camaraderie... that I really enjoy! I personally had not experience such a family gathering for such a long time as I had been a way for 2 years and did not even have enough money to make it back for two Chinese New Year celebrations in 2009 and 2010.

I had a really great time...

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 new beginning...

I woke up at 9am the next day. This was really late for me as I am used to waking up really early in the morning with the cockerels' crow in my front yard. However, I was really tired and I could really do with a few more hours rest. And I was hungry and there was no food anywhere. Just to be sure I don't break any house rules, I chatted with a house mate who was already hand washing her clothes. She gave me a few tips...  like not eating food on the table or refrigerator that is not yours, not spending too much time in the toilet etc... etc... while I made a mental note to remember all this. Then I did some unpacking so that I could get to my toothbrush for a quick wash and change of clothing. Only when I was fully awake did I realized that I slept without even putting on a bedsheet or pillow covers and there were stains all over the mattress... probably "left-overs" from all those who slept on it before I...

At 11am, the same guy who fetch me came and I was ready. He was a little more cheerful today as he told me what to bring along for my check-up. As we left the house, I had my first look at the location and neighborhood.

"This must be an apartment full of migrant workers... as I pondered the untidy state of the corridors..."

As we moved out of the main gate, he showed me the directions to the bus stop and told me that I have to take a bus from here to my assigned work place. I struggled to remember all the new instructions and routes... in my still groggy mind...

Along the way, I asked him several questions of my own, like, "How do I take a bus or MRT?", "Where do I buy a phone card?", "What type is the most economical for calling back to China?", "How much would I need to get all these in place?". Unfortunately, he was unable to help much and told me to ask my colleagues when I meet them during the later part of the day. I had a lot more questions than answers... but in the meantime, there was nothing I could do but let them rest! As he drove, I admired the new scenery... Singapore is certainly a beautiful country... beautiful people walking the streets, beautiful weather, orderly roads...

QQ Chat Session...

I just had a QQ session with some friends in Singapore. I know that most of my readers may not even have heard of QQ Chat as most use Microsoft MSN, especially in Singapore. However, in China, QQ Chat is the most popular and sometimes, the only chat program I can find in Internet cafes.

I am so glad to have made many good friends and I just had some comments from two friends whom I met while working at a Chai Chee Canteen in Singapore. Thank you James and Roland... I really miss Singapore and my friends and you really made my day! Thank you so much!

While talking to some of my ex-colleagues, they told me that many had come by to ask about me, even to this day. I am so very touched by this and I certainly hope to be able to come back to Singapore soon. Currently, I am trying my best with some Agents in China to secure another job in Singapore. It's now a lot tougher with the increased quota requirements but I am still hopeful. Not to mention that it's going to burn another hole in my pocket.

However, I certain hope to work at least 4 years this time and as such, I am a little more selective about the job I take. I have to ensure that it is a sufficiently big organization so that they won't face a quota problem like my last employer, when it comes time to renew my contract.

If any of my friends and readers knows of any employers who are looking for a hardworking Chinese national (actually 2 because my sister has been pestering me to come as well), I'd be really happy to hear from you. It will save me at least SGD7,000 in Agent Fees!

Here are two pictures of me sitting in an Internet Cafe chatting away with some friends in Singapore!

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 in Singapore!

After a long 8 hours on the plane including a one hour transit in Guangzhou, I was totally exhausted. It's my first time taking a plane and I wasn't sure what and what not to do. I was sitting by the window which offered me a fantastic view as we left Shenyang... and it was my first time seeing my homeland from such a high altitude. I immediately tried to recognize the various places and looked for my home but to no avail.

While having a window seat has its privileges, I felt totally boxed in as two other Chinese men sat next to me. They tried to make small conversation but I was just too confused, exhausted and depressed to entertain them. They were migrant workers too, back for a short break before heading back to Singapore to work. Sometime during the flight, I wanted to go to the toilet but was afraid to ask the men to excuse me as I was afraid of starting the small talk all over again. I just wanted to go to the lavatory and come back to sleep. I was dead tired.

When the plane landed in Singapore, a wave of fear suddenly spread through me and cold sweat started pouring down my forehead and neck. It's my first time in a foreign land and I'm not sure what to expect. Instinctively, I looked around for that lady in black who helped me and saw her some distance in front. As the seat belt sign went off, passengers started standing up and taking their hand luggage while I was still stuck at my window seat waiting for the two men to move. I was excited and worried that the "lady-in-black", whom I intend to follow will alight before I do... and I will lose sight of her. I squeezed my way out to the annoyance of some of the passengers. I also tried to recognize a few passengers so that I can follow them should I lose the "lady-in-black".

Finally, we got through customs and was at the luggage bay. My luggage was one of the last to come out which  made me even more nervous as I wondered what to do should I lose my luggage. As I followed some passengers out of the gate, I kept my eyes opened for the representative agent from Singapore who was suppose to pick me. I do not recognize them but was looking for a signboard... I saw none! More cold sweat! What next?

I hovered around the gate waiting to see a familiar sign, hopefully one with my name on it but there were none. I was tired, sleepy, hungry, sweaty... all rolled into one... and possibly smelly too after that long, sweaty flight. Finally I gave up and decided to take a seat near the gate. As I sat down, the first big tears began to roll down my cheeks... images of home flash through my mind... my chickens, my donkey, the beautiful sunrise and sunsets, my mother...

Singapore!

The agent called to say that everything has been settled about a week later and I have to leave the following week. These two weeks were the fastest two weeks of my life. Now I'm really unsure... unsure about leaving my parents, friends, my sister and brothers and a place I've grown to call home. Butterflies churned my little tummy and I could not eat and sleep. Anxiety got the better of me... afterall, I'd never taken a plane before. In fact, I've not even seen the airport at Shenyang.

The day finally came and I was to meet the agent at the Shenyang Airport early in the morning. My parents were as anxious as I was, and got up really early to prepare breakfast... my last for the next two years at home. I could sense the tension and anxiety as I noticed my mum's eyes were perpetually wet. My dad was particularly quiet. As we had breakfast of home made dumplings, my dad finally broke the silence with his wavering voice. He told me to take care and be particularly careful in a foreign country. My mum finally broke down and cried, even though she had supported my desire to work in Singapore. I ate barely two dumplings as my churning tummy did not seem to like any food in it.

Finally we walked together as a family outside as we had booked a local taxi to take us to the airport. My sister and brother will be coming with me and helping me with my luggage. My tummy was churning even harder. Tears filled my eyes and the first big drop fell like the rain, even though I had wanted to appear strong. I hugged my mum and my dad. My dad pressed something into my hand... some money he had saved up and told me to keep it with me just in case (I was later to find out that he had given me another 1,000RMB, his savings! What a dad!). He knew I did not have much. In fact, I was going to Singapore with barely 500RMB in my pocket.I had taken the agent's word that lodging will be provided and I will start work within a few days of arriving in Singapore. My pay will be SGD800 a month!

The one hour plus to the airport felt like an eternity as I engaged in small talk with my sister and brother to keep sad thoughts out of my mind. I loved my sister and I promised her I will look for a job for her when I am in Singapore.

We got to the airport on time but the agent was late. But he finally arrived without so much as an apology as we had waited almost half an hour... not a long time but considering that my flight was coming up, half an hour felt like ages. My agent brought us to the check-in counter.

Finally the moment came to leave my sister and brother behind. I had to board. This was when I could not take and it virtually broke down and cried. I'd never left home for more than 2 weeks even when working in Shenyang and now I'm going to be away for 2 years. The thought just overwhelmed me. For the first time in my life, I saw tears in my brother's adult eyes as well!

Finally my agent ushered me into the boarding gate and I was all alone. I was lost and all alone. I was scared. I asked around and met a girl who was taking the same plane so kept close to her. Thinking back, while she had been helpful, she must have thought I was quite annoying... keeping close to her, when I don't even know her. Once when she got up to go to the toilet, I just went with her... hmmm!

My home in China!

Ever wondered what a typical Chinese Migrant life is like in China? Most of us from the country side still farm crops as a main occupation. My parents are both farmers and we live on a piece of land where we built our home. Our homes are not modern in any way. It's made mostly of concrete and has basic amenities by most country's standards. Some areas, such as the toilets are still made from bricks. Here is a picture of the toilets. No modern flushing system for sure.... but it serves its intended purpose well enough.

We don't have hot water or tap water and we have to get our water by manually pumping them from the ground. Ha, you may think this is ancient but recently, I was back home and it is exactly the same as when I left. While China has progressed by leaps and bounds, this is only in the city. The country side is much the same. Can you imagine being without hot water in the winter... and I can assure  you that winter is very, very cold here in Benxi.

We do have a pump system run by a generator but this is only used when we need lots of water in a hurry such as when we need ground water for irrigation. Otherwise, for most day-to-day use, we have to resort to pumping manually.

Is the water clean enough for drinking? For us, yes... but I guess that's because we've been acclimatized to bacteria present in the ground water. We boil the water before drinking them of course and they do taste different from the clean tap water in many developed countries. In fact, they have a rather unpleasant smell sometimes.

Well, I will tell you more about home every now and then... but you can see, we're used to hard work and life can be tough at times.

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!