July 27, 2010
Well I guess this is good-bye, Singapore
On August 2nd, Art and I will be leaving Singapore to embark on a new journey.
It’s hard to believe that I have been living in Singapore for over 7 months. Though I have been in and out, I think I have gotten a pretty good feel for this small Asian country. It’s always hard to say good-bye, but I must admit, there aren’t many things that I am sad to leave behind. Thankfully, facebook and email will serve to help me maintain the friendships that I have made in Singapore.
Top 5 things I will miss about Singapore (other than the people):
1) Being able to wear shorts, tank tops and flip flops everyday: Growing up in cool Vancouver meant that I could only wear shorts and tank tops around 5-8 days a year. It’s also nice change to consistently see the sun more than 3-4 times a week.
2) Roomy kitchen: Art and I were blessed with a spacious +900 square feet apartment. It was nice to have kitchen space. I know we won’t have this luxury when we move to the UK.
3) Herbal drinks galore: Most people rave about Singaporean food. I honestly don’t enjoy it that much. I’m more of a canton food fan. What I AM a fan of is Chinese herbal drinks like luo han guo, barley water, water chestnut and the like. These drinks can be found in most restaurants and hawker centers. Things that make me healthy – I like!
4) Southeast Asia fruits: Mangosteen and durian, need I say more?
5) Cheap taxi fares: Public transit sometimes just cannot do the trick, so we have to take the taxi at times. Thankfully taxi fares are affordable in Singapore.
Top 5 Reasons why I am looking forward to our next adventure, away from Singapore:
1) Heat and humidity: I don’t remember a day when I did not sweat. It’s hot every day. I usually can’t stand 2 feet near Arthur because my dude just emits heat like an oven. This heat meant that playing badminton in our local community gym was like doing hot yoga with badminton poses.
2) Air Conditioning: Often, especially in the afternoon, the only way to stay cool was to hang out in air conditioned buildings. I don’t like recycled air and its also bad for my skin.
3) Thinking inside the box: Singaporeans always have a reason for doing something. That reason though does not have to be logical, efficient or beneficial. As ex-consultants, Art and I have been frustrated many times at restaurant service, administrative processes and the like. If you have read my blog about swimming in Singapore, you will understand some of my frustration.
4) Overpriced western food: Some food is cheap, but anything slightly expat is overpriced. I miss good non-asian bread and cheese. And also affordable alcohol.
5) Singlish: As much as I like Singaporeans as people, I have trouble liking Singlish. It’s a blend of Hokkien and English, with poor grammer. Phrases like “Can can la” and “See you den” just does not settle well with me – sorry to be blunt.
All in all though, I am really glad Art and I experienced Singapore. We’ve befriended really cool people and learned a lot about Asian culture, foods and history. It’s been a great time. We’ll see you later Singapore!
July 1, 2010
A trip to Cambodia
One of definite perks of not having a job is the freedom to travel. In April my mom, dad and FC came to visit my part of the world and we took a couple of short trips to Penang and Cambodia.
Penang met my expectations. There was not a lot to see or do. But the food was pretty good. Cambodia was much more interesting. This was the second time that Art and my family have vacationed together. The first time was sort of a ‘luxury’ vacation to Shantou. This time we were in my dad’s term’s “roughing it”. In other words, we weren’t staying in a 5 star hotel and Cambodia is still a developing country, which meant that air conditioning was not available everywhere. All said and done, we had a great time together, even when the heat and humidity got to us.
Some highlights from our trip:
1) Ankor Wat and Ankor Thom: You have to pick and choose your temples at Siem Reap because there are just too many to visit. Of all the temples, these two are the most spoken about and probably most well kept.
2) Food: Cambodian food is to me, a fusion of Vietnamese and Thai. But that is probably because I never had much Cambodian genre of food growing up. Regardless, I loved it. There is also a lot of foreign influence, in particular the French once ruled Cambodia, so there were plenty of cafes and western restaurants for when I was craving non-Cambodian food.
3) Local People: From all our travels, I think Cambodians are the friendliest. I’m not referring to just the taxi guy who wants my business, but the local stranger who smiles at you and says hi. Or the random child who doesn’t mind you taking photos of them. Maybe what’s so friendly about Cambodians is their openness to strangers.
I did not know much about Cambodia until this trip. This was once a thriving country that has been torn apart by civil war. It’s heart-breaking to know that this country has literally been blasted to the past. It’s good to know that efforts to reconstruct Cambodia seem to be working. Foreign aid in the form of money and education has brought tourism back to Cambodia. The textiles industry is booming due to cheap labor and tax incentives. Cambodia is resource rich in a world that is hungry for more.
Seeing the social injustice inflicted on Cambodians and seeing the role that the environment plays in the future of Cambodia has reinforced my decision to move into sustainable development. ‘Fixing the environment’ does not take away social injustice. But there is no doubt that the environment plays a large role in our society. Social injustice means that not everyone has the same access to resources. With global resources becoming more scarce, I think the social gap will get only bigger. So something needs to be done to create sustainable resources. Can we make a difference? YES, we can.
April 22, 2010
Where’s the semester gone?
I seemed to have taken a sabbatical from blog posting since Fong Yee and I went on our Africa trip last December. Since I came back in January, life has been like a whirlwind that only now has slowed down a bit. So what has the past four months entailed in Arthur’s life? Well for starters:
Africa : this was a trip that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and I’m really glad we got the chance to go and experienced so much of Tanzania. The trip was neatly segmented into three parts:
- Mount Kilimanjaro: we started off with the highlight of the whole trip (well at least for me anyway). Climbing this was a personal accomplishment, 5895m! I was also very impressed with how well Fong Yee handled the summit. She was tough as nail and kept pace for the entire eight days of trekking.
- Safari: this was just like a show out of the National Geographic channel, we went through the Serengeti and a few other national parks, and saw all the big game animals there.
- Zanzibar: we ended off with FY’s favourite part of the trip. This included a stay at a beach bungalow set up that was run by a Japanese lady. We had a great Christmas dinner there, in the dark no less (Zanzibar was without electricity from beginning of December, it didn’t get power back until early March).
CNY in HK: spending Chinese New Years in Hong Kong was quite special, I haven’t done it since every year in Canada I am either in school or working. This year however NUS gave us a break during this time of the year (yay for Asian schools). Fong Yee and I headed back to visit friends and families, other than that we ate and shopped a lot, as we do on every HK visit.
Venture Capital Competition: four of my classmates and I took part in the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC). We first went to Indian Business School (ISB) in Hyderabad, India, for the Asian round of competitions. We faced five other schools from Asia, and we came out on top! That got us into the final international round which was held at University of North Carolina. We travelled there early April to compete, and even though we did not win, we learned a lot during the entire process of preparing and practicing for the competition. This was one of the things that I did not push myself towards joining while I was an undergraduate. I’m sure glad I got the opportunity to do it here on my MBA program.
Hyderabad, India: while I was there for VCIC, the team and I took a day to visit Hyderabad. I’ve never been to India so it was a great eye-opening experience for me. The highlight of the day was the biryani that we had at this famous restaurant called Paradise. The biryani definitely lived up to the hype!
Job: well, while in December I secured myself a full-time job with Barclays. Fong Yee and I will be in London starting this September. I will be on an accelerated program to finish my MBA early, by the end of July. This means I will be doing courses straight through the summer, so no internships or exchange programs. It’s great that I don’t have to worry about looking for full-time work, I can just enjoy the rest of my time here in Singapore and with my MBA. However, I do miss the fact that I won’t be able to do an internship and exchange, two of the things that I believe are very important to an MBA (or any) program. Was it a right choice to be the first one out of the gate? We’ll see what’s in store for me in the next couple of years as I go on my executive rotation program with Barclays.
Ok, Fong Yee is going to ridicule me for chronicling my last four months in a single blog entry. All in all this has been a really good semester, most of which is helped by the fact that Fong Yee is here in Singapore now. We’re having a great time experiencing the Singaporean life, and we look forward to getting as much as possible out of our remaining time here.
Art
March 18, 2010
Swimming in Singapore
For a country with a panoply of rules and regulations, I am abhorred by the chaos that exists in my local community swimming pool. Usually I swim during off-peak hours when most people are at work. Yesterday, I made a big mistake and visited the pool during peak time. Let me enumerate my horror:
1) Back in my hometown of small Ladner, the swimming lanes for circuit swimming are marked with floating plastic barriers. Here in Clementi Swimming Pool, lanes are drawn on the bottom of the pool. So the lane boundaries all depend on the swimmer’s perception and eyesight. Needless to say, swimmers do not abide to any boundaries.
2) In Ladner, there is a swimming code of conduct. We swim on the right side of the lane so that swimmers do not swim into one another. In Clementi, there is no traffic control. People swim on the right side, on the left side, basically wherever there is free space. I had, on more than one occasion, nearly swam head first into a fellow swimmer. Luckily opposing water currents gave me early detection to quickly cut left (or right) to avoid a head on collision.
3) In Ladner, if you wanted to go to the other end of the pool, the code of conduct says that you should get out and walk to other side (unless the pool was near empty). Yesterday, I saw a man swim diagonally from one end of the pool to the other, in the middle of an already chaotic swimming pool.
Maybe I am just not local enough to understand the Singapore swimming code of conduct. Just like only local Chinese would know how to drive in China. Anyways, from now on, I vow to only swim during off-peak hours.
March 11, 2010
Memories of Japan
For most people, the suggestion of visiting Japan generates thoughts of excitement for the coolest gadgets, ambrosial food, urbane art and delicate culture. For the past 7 years, the idea of visiting Japan loomed over my head, an imminent event that I had to bring myself to plan and execute.
7 years ago, back when I could still answer to 陶喆 (David Tao)’s song – 22, I had an epic journey in Yokosuka, Japan. My Japan experience was the pinnacle of my youth. Needless to say, no other experience will ever quite be like Japan, even subsequent trips to Japan.
The purpose of my trip in February 2010 was a fairly significant one. On the simple side, I wanted to see old friends and places. One the more convoluted side, I needed to ‘let go’ of Japan, or rather ‘let go’ of my youth, in order to progress into the new stage in my life.
To make things all the more difficult, I have a great memory for things like people and events. As I age, I feel as if I am becoming borg-esque. My mind is becoming a mass hive of memories, not just my own, but a hard drive saving data passed from the people around me. My hard drive allows me to relive moments, frame by frame, making it hard for me to move on from the past and live in the present.
During my trip, I got to see many old sites, which surprisingly look the same as I left it. Even more surprisingly, I felt no sadness in seeing old times pass away, but felt a joy in understanding that the past remains the past. As if by serendipity, I came upon the following quote from Michael Pollan’s book ‘Botany of Desire’ discussing the art of forgetting which was especially germane to my trip – ‘For it is by forgetting that we ever drop the thread of time and approach the experience of living in the present moment, so elusive in ordinary hours’.
My biggest takeaway from Japan was not all the neat household items, but the realization that forgetting is just what I needed to move away from the shadows of the past, whether it be sad or joyful.
January 29, 2010
The Lion, the Homemaker and the Wardrobe
Fong Yee, a homemaker – Who would have thought? Not me at least.
Turning back the clock to a few years ago, I ‘desired’ to pursue the myriad of career opportunities in Asia and to live the fast paced, productive life not readily available in Vancouver. So here we are, in Singapore, a financial hub, a mosaic of culture and foods. And then there is me, a full-time declared homemaker. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great break from working; it’s just not what I had expected. It’s also a struggle explaining to people what my activities and interests are without their eyes glossing over and thinking, this lady is just another ‘tai tai’.
The Lion here represents Singapore, I am the Homemaker and well, wardrobe is self explanatory. Here I am, living in Singapore with a limited wardrobe because there is only one season in Singapore – summer. A limited summer wardrobe was great for moving from Vancouver to Singapore because I could pack more clothes in the 2 suitcases at my disposal. The bad news is that, there is not much variety and my outfits are uninteresting, to say the least. Anyways, I will leave my more comprehensive thoughts on fashion for another blog.
I’ve been making my way around Singapore, immersing myself as a local and also making friends with fellow expats. So far, I think I have been pretty successful at playing on both teams. As a local wannabe, I have joined community center courses (pilates and yoga), swam in my local swimming pool and will be volunteering with a local environmental group. On the expat side, I have joined a couple of expat groups where we attend weekly lectures on Southeast Asia culture and also meet up to participate in Singapore cultural activities like walking tours. I have also fully embraced my wifely duties to cook and clean, which I have surprisingly enjoyed so far. I have always had a passion for eating and cooking, and after having read Michael Pollan’s book, Ominvore’s Dilemma, I am even more encouraged to cook rather than eat out / eat processed foods. My love for cleaning has been latent until now where it has been fully revealed. There is also the traveling aspect. Without full time job, I can travel around as I please, as long our bank account can withhold it, and Arthur has enough school breaks. Already, we have trips to Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia in mind, on top of our Hong Kong trip for Chinese New Years.
All of this will sound very ‘tai tai’ or ‘see lai’ to the reader. Even at times, I feel as if I am experiencing life through the eyes of an individual who is 5+ years older than my true age. However, I take this all as a learning experience. Now that I have been on the career side of life, I am experiencing the homemaker side to learn about what my own interests how I can contribute to society and be a ‘good’ wife. I am going to enjoy as much of this ‘time out’ as I can. I still have to get over my self consciousness about being a homemaker, and the stereotype that comes with it. That should pass soon, I hope, as I become grounded in my new self.
November 7, 2009
November Rush
In case you get the wrong idea, I’m not talking about the November rush to the shopping malls during US Thanksgiving. This semester has been quite hectic to say the least. With the amount of course load and accompanying homework, group projects, presentations and exams, and tack on all the extracurricular activities, it’s been a handful to manage. However, November just kicked it up another notch: 6 final exams, 4 case reports, 3 presentations, all within the next 2.5 weeks.
However, it seems the busier things get, the more I strive to take time out to do my own things. I’ve started regularly going to the gym (I need to get my cardio back up otherwise I’ll never make it up that 6000m mountain) and try my hardest to play badminton on a regular basis. The timing is good as I just finished my last volunteering sessions with Junior Achievement, so I should have a bit more time on my hands.
Here’s to surviving the November rush so I can tackle higher mountains (pun intended) in December! :)
October 5, 2009
Another Year…
Another year has passed by, and chronologically even though I’ve gotten just a year older, the reality of that impending 3-0 seems to resonate so much more. I’ve still got two years to go, but somehow with moving away from Canada, going back to school, was quite a wake up call that I’m not getting any younger. I’m not feeling a huge sense of urgency (at least not yet), but all those quiet times studying in my room gives much time for self-reflection into why I’m here and whether I’ve made the right decisions in life.
On a positive note, going back to being a student has really made me feel younger. When I started working full-time and (minus the consulting travel schedule) started working ”9-5″ days, I got quite used to a routine sleeping schedule. I thought that my body could never handle those crazy student hours anymore. But now I’m proving myself wrong and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing. Each lifestyle has their advantages I suppose, will just have to enjoy this as much as possible before the corporate life sinks in again.
I’ve never been one to make a big deal out of my birthday, much less plan any celebration for it. But here my good friends and classmates got together and we celebrated by having good Chinese hotpot (with no AC, which in hindsight seems like a silly thing to do in S’pore). They even got me a cake! We ended off the night with some good solid Asian entertainment, KTV (they don’t call it karaoke here). We have videos of European classmates doing renditions of Britney Spears, but for everyone’s safety we’ll leave it in the archived vault. Good times.
September 29, 2009
School Spirit
Growing up in high school, I never developed much school spirit. How do you define school spirit? I’m not even sure. I never watched any school football or basketball games. Never joined student council, clubs, or did much school activities. The suburb I grew up in, and the schools I attended were certainly nothing to cheer or get excited about, but I think the issues were more with me rather than my environment. My two main activities through high school was playing badminton for the school team and a part-time job at McDonald’s, otherwise that was it. The trend sort of carried on until my last couple years of undergrad, when I got fairly involved with student clubs and volunteering. It was then I started to understand and take in more of the world around me.
Am I trying to ‘recover’ my lost years of student life? Not really… but when I decided to take a break from the corporate world and come back to academia, a part of me, perhaps subconsciously, longed to just ‘feel’ like a student again. When I arrived here, I quickly understood that MBA life is quite different from high school and undergrad. This may be for the simple reason that relatively, all MBA students are here for capitalistic reasons, and all are focused on very similar end goals.
On a brighter note: last weekend I played in the Inter-Faculty Games for the Business school team (Bizad) against other faculties in what else – badminton. Although I was probably one of the few ‘non-undergrads’ there, I had a great time and really enjoyed soaking in the atmosphere and camaraderie. The feelings that I got reminded me of my best years in undergrad. These small things are what make my life here really great, and I plan to seek them out as much as I can before throwing myself back to the realities of the corporate world.
September 27, 2009
First Post about Consulting
Wanting to write an elaborate first post about the Consulting industry and my past experiences, instead I came across this description of my former employer, Accenture:
“… Accenture’s model: hiring tech-savvy kids right out of college, making them work long days for large corporate clients, paying them $50 an hour, and then billing them out at $250 an hour. He thinks it is a good deal for the kids, the customers and, especially, Accenture.”
(http://online.barrons.com/article/SB125391748595942289.html?mod=BOL_hpp_dc)
Spoken like a script out of my 4 years with the company. Love it or hate it, their business model works and that’s why I still hold ACN shares.
