As they say, its great to be back home.
Ah yes, the humid air, scents of fried hawker food and sounds of familiar Singlish. I'm definitely back in Singapore.
Have spent the last two weeks preparing for my upcoming wedding to Syl. We have been blessed so far, from being to get a booking for the hotel we wanted with just a month's notice to being supported by friends and family. Things cant start any better.
Well...almost.
Damping the joy of being back is the world finanical crisis... well... mainly the western world so far, but the spill on effects have come over here. With the sub prime situation finally bearing forth all its poison onto the US economy, things dun look too good in the good ol west.
Who's to blame? Bad regulation? Greedy CEOs? Or naive investors? Did we all really thought that living on debt was gonna be sustainable? That's another story for another time.
Back here in Singapore, we're technically into a recession as we've consecutively slowed down growth in two quarters, so everyone's a little jittery. I sure hope my job search is not too affected by this. I sure wish someone could fix all of this. In the amzingly complex world economy, money fly around all over the world literally at the speed of light. Makes you wonder doesnt it? When a whole bunch of people lose a whole bunch of money, where does that bunch of money go to? Someone's definitely getting richer from all of this. Can someone makes sense of this and show us all the light?
Two persons have raise their hands, Sen John McCain and Sen Barack Obama. Both claiming to have plans to put jobs back in America, cut taxes and basically get the country back on track. I sure hope these guys are smart and have a team of guys who are smarter. Cos we sure need the world's biggest economy doing well again soon.
But I don't think things are all that bad. I have a feeling that bad news sells and that's why it reported so much. I think things aren't that bad and that we will be growing soon again. Times like this that I wish I knew more about all this economic stuff so that I can more convincingly illustrate to people that these ups and downs come in cycles and pretty soon everything will be ok again.
Good things happen to positive people.
Joa
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Made In China
The term made in China will forever mean something different to me. No longer will it mean tainted milk products and plastic toys that contain high level of toxins. No longer will it mean shirts that stretch after a single wash or the collar loosens out of shape after a few wears.
Since two Thursdays ago, it will mean a child conceived between me and my dear Syl in Beijing. Yes my faithful readers (not sure if there are many of you as it must be a turn off to read a blog that is rarely updated) , I am going to be a Dad in May 2009.
After discussions between ourselves and with our parents, after a lot of soul searching and guidiance asking from God, we have decided to have this child. In many ways this child is a blessing; as I am losing my direction and motivation to move forward in life generally, I found myseld floating around with so many choices and so many priorities, I felt lost. This child is a like an anchor to me, a compass that allows me to reset my priorities.
Sylvia sees this child as a restoration of the things she should have, her life that should have been hers but was snatched away. It is also a physical healing of her body (pregnancy cures a condition she has) and a emotional healing of strained ties in her family. This child also is a that to my family. My father is so excited, so is my mom (but she doesnt show it as much). I do hope this child brings them closer together- my brothers too.
Its times like this that I see the master stroke of God, using one child to bring to balance so many circumstances. The only ingredient is whether Syl and I are up to the task... ... with each other, loving family and God, I believe it is very possible.
Not just this child is made in China, I believe, the Syl and Joa that is now was also made in China. Like a vase strengthened in fire, our relationship has been reinforced through the trials and tribulations we faced in China, where our personalities, strenghts and flaws are revealed. I believe we have found the partner that we always need and always meant to be. It funny to think back on our ten year friendship and 8 month relationship and see how everything has been building up for a time like this. Call it fate, providence or God, its funny how life pans out.
Made in China- yes we made it in China.
Cheers
Joa
Since two Thursdays ago, it will mean a child conceived between me and my dear Syl in Beijing. Yes my faithful readers (not sure if there are many of you as it must be a turn off to read a blog that is rarely updated) , I am going to be a Dad in May 2009.
After discussions between ourselves and with our parents, after a lot of soul searching and guidiance asking from God, we have decided to have this child. In many ways this child is a blessing; as I am losing my direction and motivation to move forward in life generally, I found myseld floating around with so many choices and so many priorities, I felt lost. This child is a like an anchor to me, a compass that allows me to reset my priorities.
Sylvia sees this child as a restoration of the things she should have, her life that should have been hers but was snatched away. It is also a physical healing of her body (pregnancy cures a condition she has) and a emotional healing of strained ties in her family. This child also is a that to my family. My father is so excited, so is my mom (but she doesnt show it as much). I do hope this child brings them closer together- my brothers too.
Its times like this that I see the master stroke of God, using one child to bring to balance so many circumstances. The only ingredient is whether Syl and I are up to the task... ... with each other, loving family and God, I believe it is very possible.
Not just this child is made in China, I believe, the Syl and Joa that is now was also made in China. Like a vase strengthened in fire, our relationship has been reinforced through the trials and tribulations we faced in China, where our personalities, strenghts and flaws are revealed. I believe we have found the partner that we always need and always meant to be. It funny to think back on our ten year friendship and 8 month relationship and see how everything has been building up for a time like this. Call it fate, providence or God, its funny how life pans out.
Made in China- yes we made it in China.
Cheers
Joa
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
9 days
Day 9 of my ankle sprain. Does look it here, but when this was taken, the left ankle was literally the size of my calf. Now the swelling is gone and I can actually see the shape of my ankle bones.
9 days, takes 9 days to walk without crutches. 9 days to go to the gym once again (no running for me though). 9 days to stand without having to cringe cos the it hurts like hell when the blood flows down the veins.
Poor me.
: (
Back to Reality
Remember when you were in uni/ high school and you were thinking you're hot shit and that you can do anything you want?
I do.
Nowadays I don't though. I realise that I'm a number in society, and this society is looking for workers so that it can extract as much value as it can from it and then discard them. Looking for new workers to extract value from. People don't really care about other people, its about what's in it for me first. And if I have left over, maybe I'd consider you. I think successful people all adopt this mindset. The more philantropic ones give what they can spare, but at the end of the day, its me first, the rest of the world later.
Sounds pessimistic yeah? Or, maybe its just the way it is and we (I) just need to get off my high horse and play the game. Be plastic and fake if it gets me what I want. Pretend that I am too busy to help cos its just too inconvenient. Say No more! Work smart, not smart. Relax lah, no
need to stress so much.
This is the real world and to do well, one has to play by the real world rules.
hmmm....
I do.
Nowadays I don't though. I realise that I'm a number in society, and this society is looking for workers so that it can extract as much value as it can from it and then discard them. Looking for new workers to extract value from. People don't really care about other people, its about what's in it for me first. And if I have left over, maybe I'd consider you. I think successful people all adopt this mindset. The more philantropic ones give what they can spare, but at the end of the day, its me first, the rest of the world later.
Sounds pessimistic yeah? Or, maybe its just the way it is and we (I) just need to get off my high horse and play the game. Be plastic and fake if it gets me what I want. Pretend that I am too busy to help cos its just too inconvenient. Say No more! Work smart, not smart. Relax lah, no
need to stress so much.
This is the real world and to do well, one has to play by the real world rules.
hmmm....
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Messy Revaluation (thoughts in my mind-excuse the mess)
I am sitting here in a room, looking out to a Shanghai view. A view of residential buildings and smoggy sky.
Gone is the romanticism of travel, laid to rest is the adventure of exploration. New faces and new lands no longer draw me like sugar to ants. In its place, the need to grow up and become a contributing and responsible adult has slowly spreaded to my being. My current path seems to be detracting from this need. I look back and consider the foolishness of my ways, alas, time does not turn back.
So far, its not what i have expected, feelings of guilt, anger and saddness flash by ever so often. I am ashamed to find that my initial reaction to this hardship is flight, I've been told that I try to hide behind the need for Family, Familiarity and Foundation as an excuse to flee my current disatisfied state... ... I think that is partly true.
Escape- to movies, to books, to God, to my love and to Singapore. I wonder why the fear? Feeling of shackles holding me back to be myself? Is it the job? Or will i react like this even if I was home? Hmmm... overcome this shit and i can be ok anywhere i go. That's a thought! : )
Why should I be scared now? I have the largest margin of error now than I will ever have again.
Gone is the romanticism of travel, laid to rest is the adventure of exploration. New faces and new lands no longer draw me like sugar to ants. In its place, the need to grow up and become a contributing and responsible adult has slowly spreaded to my being. My current path seems to be detracting from this need. I look back and consider the foolishness of my ways, alas, time does not turn back.
So far, its not what i have expected, feelings of guilt, anger and saddness flash by ever so often. I am ashamed to find that my initial reaction to this hardship is flight, I've been told that I try to hide behind the need for Family, Familiarity and Foundation as an excuse to flee my current disatisfied state... ... I think that is partly true.
Escape- to movies, to books, to God, to my love and to Singapore. I wonder why the fear? Feeling of shackles holding me back to be myself? Is it the job? Or will i react like this even if I was home? Hmmm... overcome this shit and i can be ok anywhere i go. That's a thought! : )
Why should I be scared now? I have the largest margin of error now than I will ever have again.
Jia You Joa
Joa
Thursday, May 29, 2008
One for the Melbourne Makan Maniacs
To the Melbourne Makan Maniacs (the name I came up for the foodies that I had the pleasure of spending time eating out with) : this post is for you!
Yes, I have decided when I was having a shower one day that I will randomly drop you posts of the cusine I get here in Beijing. Today's introduction is the Middle 8th Yunan Restaurant! Not too expensive, above average service and great and traditional Yunan food. This is becoming a regular makan spot for Syl and I. Located in the trendy Sanlitun Area, this popular restaurant promises a good fare with good ambience.
On your leftest is a chicken stew- with sichuan peppers, wild mushrooms, potatos and chicken. Ok dish.
Middle Dish- the staple of our every visit- Wild Yunan Mushroom and stir fried veggies. These mushrooms are out of this world! Very unique taste, hot stir fried with black pepper sauce. Yum!
Rightest Dish- Wild Yunan Veggies with small does of Sichuan Peppers. Gelat too!
Drink- Lime+Pineapple+ weird ass ferns = great and cooling tea. Very nice.
Joa
Touristy Thing
One for the tourists! yes, its the famous Bird Nest and Water Cube for the Beijing 2008 Games! AustCham gave Syl and I free tickets to a test event held at the stadium. It was like China's national athelete's meet where state reps compete against one another.
Bird Nest: Frankly, up close, its like any other stadium, big, bulky and a bit stuffy. The bird's nest gave me a lego-ly kinda feeling, very blocky and with toilet signs like the above, one cant help but feel caught up in an architect's world of lego.
But you can really feel the grandeur of the stadium from the angle where we have our arms stuck out. Thats where you really can appreciate the scale and effort into building the iconic stadium.
Water Cube: Didn't go in, the outside looks normal though. But apparently, the inside is awesome!
Joa
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Getting out of culture shock
Its weird, been down lately. I wonder why? Better now, happier now : )
I wonder though~~ is it the natural cycle of culture shock that I felt. I was so frustrated, with the bad manners here, the bad admin, the slow government, the lack of smiles, the bad air, the bad weather, the relatively low pay, the lack of belonging to a team, the lack of really contributing, the pollution, too expensive gyms, haven't gone running in months, lack of controlled spending, no open parks, bad back, no KoKo Black, no gelato, far from family. Whew!
What do I have?
Supportive and lovely girlfriend, nice boss, great colleagues, welcoming incoming MC, cool apartment, relatively cheap food, great office to work in, relatively high pay compared to the locals, supportive parents, unexplored kinks of a ancient city, friends who wish me well, friends who are a delight to hang out with and my health! Hee...
So put a smile on your face Joa! La la la la....
J
I wonder though~~ is it the natural cycle of culture shock that I felt. I was so frustrated, with the bad manners here, the bad admin, the slow government, the lack of smiles, the bad air, the bad weather, the relatively low pay, the lack of belonging to a team, the lack of really contributing, the pollution, too expensive gyms, haven't gone running in months, lack of controlled spending, no open parks, bad back, no KoKo Black, no gelato, far from family. Whew!
What do I have?
Supportive and lovely girlfriend, nice boss, great colleagues, welcoming incoming MC, cool apartment, relatively cheap food, great office to work in, relatively high pay compared to the locals, supportive parents, unexplored kinks of a ancient city, friends who wish me well, friends who are a delight to hang out with and my health! Hee...
So put a smile on your face Joa! La la la la....
J
Sunday, March 09, 2008
How weird things have turned out.. ....
How weird things have turned out.. ....
Last year, when I was applying for the ACYLP coordinator role, never did I expect that things would turn out this way.
Dun get me wrong, its nothing life or death. Its just that I never thought I'd start a new life with S. Yes, as some of you know, I'm with someone, and she's actually been a close friend of mine for the last ten years. There's a bit of history between us that got us to where we are now, but thats another story for another time.
I was in the shower today and I realised that uni's over (duh...) and I'm actually setting up my life now. And I'm setting up my life w S. It feels exciting as I realise I can make this life with her whatever I want to be. I realised also that uni doesn't have to be the best part of one's life (as I've been told by many well meaning friends), but painting whatever stroke with any brush that I choose is scary, exciting, maturing and humbling all at the same time.
It has been interesting spending the month with S, we've done mushy couply stuff like buying bed sheets and pots, having desserts (awesome desserts btw) at French cafes; done toursity things like visiting the Forbidden City, exploring different food places and getting lost in different parts of the CBD; we've also found ourselves taking over a lease to a new flat together, me neogtiating with her parents to 'allow' her to stay in Beijing and both of us desperately trying to find a job for her. We've had ups and downs, laughs and cries, jokes and quarrels. And next week, we're starting to interview tenants for 'our' new flat.
How did it out this way? I dun mean it in a bad way, its just weird how life just takes over and things happen without you planning. I mean you make decisions and all, but your decisions kinda are like reactions to a bigger plan by the universe than original actions created by you.
I like where we are now, I feel I am moving out of a self-centred mindset to one where I am part of a unit w S. Its strange how every mistake you made in past relationships becomes another streetlight in on the path you are taking now with your loved one. Hopefully, the end of the road is still far away and the destination leaves us both happy and content.
Hee... its a bit of a messy post with many thoughts blaring on the screen. But I feel thoughtful...
Hope you who is reading this are well and really, i miss you alot.
Cheers
Joa
Last year, when I was applying for the ACYLP coordinator role, never did I expect that things would turn out this way.
Dun get me wrong, its nothing life or death. Its just that I never thought I'd start a new life with S. Yes, as some of you know, I'm with someone, and she's actually been a close friend of mine for the last ten years. There's a bit of history between us that got us to where we are now, but thats another story for another time.
I was in the shower today and I realised that uni's over (duh...) and I'm actually setting up my life now. And I'm setting up my life w S. It feels exciting as I realise I can make this life with her whatever I want to be. I realised also that uni doesn't have to be the best part of one's life (as I've been told by many well meaning friends), but painting whatever stroke with any brush that I choose is scary, exciting, maturing and humbling all at the same time.
It has been interesting spending the month with S, we've done mushy couply stuff like buying bed sheets and pots, having desserts (awesome desserts btw) at French cafes; done toursity things like visiting the Forbidden City, exploring different food places and getting lost in different parts of the CBD; we've also found ourselves taking over a lease to a new flat together, me neogtiating with her parents to 'allow' her to stay in Beijing and both of us desperately trying to find a job for her. We've had ups and downs, laughs and cries, jokes and quarrels. And next week, we're starting to interview tenants for 'our' new flat.
How did it out this way? I dun mean it in a bad way, its just weird how life just takes over and things happen without you planning. I mean you make decisions and all, but your decisions kinda are like reactions to a bigger plan by the universe than original actions created by you.
I like where we are now, I feel I am moving out of a self-centred mindset to one where I am part of a unit w S. Its strange how every mistake you made in past relationships becomes another streetlight in on the path you are taking now with your loved one. Hopefully, the end of the road is still far away and the destination leaves us both happy and content.
Hee... its a bit of a messy post with many thoughts blaring on the screen. But I feel thoughtful...
Hope you who is reading this are well and really, i miss you alot.
Cheers
Joa
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Cold Cold Beijing
Hi peeps
I am in Beijing!!!
Yes, I am in winter Beijing where the temperatures range from -2 to -10 degrees. Having said that though, I apperantly have been blessed with very sunny days so far. The welcoming sky has been a picture perfect blue with the sun smiling out at me. I might start to mistake this to be the norm. Anywayz, Beijing is HUGE! I am still trying to get my bearings as all the large 8 lane roads look the same. Everything here is huge, from roads to skyscrapers to food servings. It is a shame I have not been actively taking pics of the many places, sights and sounds of Beijing as I have been focusing on getting the transition for the ACYLP coordinator role as the skyscrapers, the food and many other parts of the city are rather breathtaking.
I am currently not too sure how much a Chinese experience I have been having as I have been hanging out with AIESECers and expats who live the 'high' life that the normal Beijingers dun get to experience (China has one of the world's largets rich-poor gaps), e.g. movies here cost 100 yuan (AUD $18) which is ridiculous for the poorer Beijingers. On the other hand, due to western influences, Beijing has become a very cosmopolitan city, with the best of all kinds of cusine that would rival the home originals. But I believe I will be living as a one of the poor Beijingers over the next yr as the cost of living here is actually a tad similar to Singapore. Instances where is is cheaper are like taxi fares cost 10 yuan (SGD $2)! Moral of the story, become and expat with a fat pay package and you can spend to your heart's content! Hee... ...
Ok, more updates soon, just wanted to get started. Miss ya all who I am not seeing now, pls take care of yourself and may the year of the rat be a great one for you!
Joa
I am in Beijing!!!
Yes, I am in winter Beijing where the temperatures range from -2 to -10 degrees. Having said that though, I apperantly have been blessed with very sunny days so far. The welcoming sky has been a picture perfect blue with the sun smiling out at me. I might start to mistake this to be the norm. Anywayz, Beijing is HUGE! I am still trying to get my bearings as all the large 8 lane roads look the same. Everything here is huge, from roads to skyscrapers to food servings. It is a shame I have not been actively taking pics of the many places, sights and sounds of Beijing as I have been focusing on getting the transition for the ACYLP coordinator role as the skyscrapers, the food and many other parts of the city are rather breathtaking.
I am currently not too sure how much a Chinese experience I have been having as I have been hanging out with AIESECers and expats who live the 'high' life that the normal Beijingers dun get to experience (China has one of the world's largets rich-poor gaps), e.g. movies here cost 100 yuan (AUD $18) which is ridiculous for the poorer Beijingers. On the other hand, due to western influences, Beijing has become a very cosmopolitan city, with the best of all kinds of cusine that would rival the home originals. But I believe I will be living as a one of the poor Beijingers over the next yr as the cost of living here is actually a tad similar to Singapore. Instances where is is cheaper are like taxi fares cost 10 yuan (SGD $2)! Moral of the story, become and expat with a fat pay package and you can spend to your heart's content! Hee... ...
Ok, more updates soon, just wanted to get started. Miss ya all who I am not seeing now, pls take care of yourself and may the year of the rat be a great one for you!
Joa
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