What the hell?

2008-12-12T11:05:00.000+08:00

Is it really worth it
Recently my English students and I have decided to get certified for our Vietnamese; however this process has been extremely frustrating...

Last week we had to fire our Vietnamese teacher (and I only had 3 classes with her). The situation was that one the first lesson we were promised that we could take the certification test after completing 60hrs of study.

On the second lesson she came to tell us that there was a new policy and that students had to study a minimum of 120 hours (and at $4 per hour that’s $480 as opposed to $240) and we voiced our opinions and she said that she’ll check again and bring us a price list.

On the third lesson, she waltzed into my student’s house with a smug look on her face and presented the price list to us. She said ‘Here is the list, everything is here…I don’t know anything, I’m only the teacher’

The list showed that we had to study a minimum of 15 hours a week for 6 months (360 hours X $4 = $1440)…for a basic certification and the advanced certification required 15 hours a week for 1½-2 years ($4320 or $5760)... A 4 year bachelor’s course costs $5140…

So I had a discussion with my students and talked about the price saying that it’s ridiculous that a Certificate would cost more than a Degree… My Vietnamese teacher then interrupted ‘But of course…that is normal’

How the hell is it normal that a bloody certificate is more expensive than a bloody degree???

So I calmly told her that we were having a conversation and that it would be better that she not involve herself in it as she had already claimed to ‘not know anything’… so after a few minutes on her part she started yelling ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen’ *note the use of worse and not worst, and seen compared to met* ‘everything was ok until you came’ *referring to yours truly*

I then pointed my finger at her and calmly said ‘Are you shouting at me?’

She yells back, ‘No, I am not!’

‘Then why are you raising your voice at me?’

She kept quiet for a couple of minutes and called her supervisor… The teacher passed the phone to me and the supervisor yelled over the phone ‘I don’t want to hear anything! I don’t want to hear anything! I don’t care… you come down to the office…I don’t want to hear anything’

Anyways after I handed the phone back to the teacher, she started screaming again ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen…’ I got irritated and yelled back ‘Woman… please be professional… If you really are a teacher then you shouldn’t be talking to your students like that… and if I am the worse student you have ever seen then your are the worst teacher I have ever met’

*teacher continues to yell and stuff*

‘Look just go… we are not interested in studying with you and you have been fired… Just go… your voice irritates the hell out of me…’

She stands up and walks towards the door, ‘you are the worse student I have ever seen’ *one would expect more intellectual banter from an educated person…guess I was wrong on the ‘educated’ part*

‘Goodbye forever!’ *dramatically raising her arm in the manner of which a Nazi would when saluting Hitler* ‘I hope I never see you again’

‘Look… you’re out of a job… just go… Oh and you better drive carefully…because if you die, you will NEVER see us again’ Ok that wasn’t the most mature thing to say but man… I was extremely frustrated

Learning Vietnamese
I don’t see why learning the local language is so expensive, it just doesn’t make sense… Many organizations provide affordable language courses with the objective to provide an opportunity for the Vietnamese to make progressive choices to improve their own lives.

English language centers charge anything from US$20-US$70 for a course. The Gothe Institut charges a total of US$300 ( I think) for their complete German course.

These courses are well planned and have a curriculum which students and teachers are required to follow… However when learning Vietnamese…none of the teachers I approached are able to show me the curriculum and lesson plans… They simply assume that 120hours of study will make you proficient in Vietnamese… Absolutely ridiculous…

It seems that profit has priority over education… Shouldn’t a language course in the native country be cheaper than that of a foreign language?...What the hell…

2008-03-25T12:40:00.001+08:00

Isn't Wu Yue Tian the coolest?

2008-03-21T10:20:00.002+08:00

Wow It's been ages since Ive lat put in an entry....well since im back in vietnam now... i ll try to do it again....let start with this entry....

When I was at my friend's place, he had a wild tabacco plant growing on his front yard.... I thought it was the coolest thing...Ive asked him for the seeds and i suppose I ll get on a later date.... but here are some really cool uses for Tabacco

Tobacco water
Tobacco water is a traditional organic insecticide used in domestic gardening. Tobacco dust can be used similarly.
It is produced by boiling strong tobacco in water, or by steeping the tobacco in water for a longer period. When cooled the mixture can be applied as a spray, or 'painted' on to the leaves of garden plants, where it will prove deadly to insects.
Basque angulero fishermen kill immature eels (elvers) in an infusion of tobacco leaves before parboiling them in salty water for transportation to market as angulas, a seasonal delicacy.[11]

Tobacco paste treatment for stinging insects
Topical tobacco paste is sometimes recommended as a treatment for wasp, hornet, fire ant, scorpion, and bee stings.[12] An amount equivalent to the contents of a cigarette is mashed in a cup with about a 0.5 to 1 teaspoon of water to make a paste that is then applied to the affected area. Paste has a diameter of 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 inches) and may need to be moistened in dry weather. If made and applied immediately, complete remission is common within 20–30 minutes, at which point the paste can be removed. The next day there may be a some residual itching, but virtually no swelling or redness. There seems to be no scientific evidence, as yet, that this common home remedy works to relieve pain.[13] For about 2 percent of people, allergic reactions can be life-threatening and require emergency treatment. For more on this, see bee stings.

2007-10-07T08:56:00.000+08:00

Hey everyone,

Thank you all for your sms's and letters, you guys wouldnt know how encouraging it was for me to hear from you. Its been a really bleak 6 months here in bangkok and with the accident....sigh..... more is to come......But yes your letters have been very encouraging and every word was like a pat on my head telling me that i was going to be alright and a pat on my shoulder encouraging me to go on. Khop Khun Maa Krup, Xin Cam On, Terima Kasih, Naandiri, Gam Siah, Dor Zheah, Xie Xie, and thank you all so much... I miss you all greatly and i hope to meet up with all of you soon...

What did you say?
Its been a month since my accident and i thank you for your prayers. Everything is fine except that the inner ear on the left received a direct blow when i fell and the doctor said that it would take perhaps another 3 months before it is fully healed. My hearing is slightly muffled and pressure always builds up... my balance is good if i keep upright but if i were to tilt my head in any downward direction, i ll start to get dizzy but ive learnt to balance myself pretty well when this happens.

Life for now will be interesting... I was teaching part time at the school and was also writing for the magazine. I quit my job at the school a week ago as I couldnt handle the stress from dealing with the children, previously when i was healthy it wasnt a problem however after the accident I would get really bad headaches if im stressed and the headaches were constantly crippling me. I miss teaching the kids but I just wasnt in any state to carry on.

As for the magazine, it was enjoyable and i was getting along pretty well with my collegues and i liked the work. But on tuesday i was sent home because there was no work, the boss had also told me to no follow the set schedule and that he would call me if there was work. The magazine apparently is in a pretty bad shape as 3 staff have either left or quit and other staff are awaiting their pay check before they go...Everyone was disgruntled but it doesnt really affect me as im only the part timer.....but ive not been paid yet...so that does call for some concern.

Strangely Im not really concerned about the financial situation im in right now... Im not anxious neither am i afraid... its rather liberating actually...

The Investigator, the Insurance Agent and the Student
I do need prayer in a particular area though... on monday the 8th, at 3pm, i will be meeting the police investigator and insurance company which represents the bus company which was involved in my accident... I would like to ask for prayer that there be no corruption or under table money which will be exchanged as the bus company may pay the investigator to have the case put in their favor. its very difficult in a country like this when corruption of the law is a norm.

Do fishes drink?
My dad came to bangkok this week and spent 3 days indulging in life with his friends, I spent 2 evenings with them and it was nice to know that my father was worried when i had drinks through the dinner. He didnt know that i could hold my liquor well...extrememly well...not that i drink all the time though... but it was nice to be able to drink with him and his friends, and it was on the first evening that on our way home, i told him that i was sorry for leaving the restaurant and that it was a misunderstanding as i thought he had fired me... He didnt want to talk about it but i told him that if i didnt do so, who knows if i ll be able to tell him in the future in light of this accident. and so he listened

the following night....(drinks and all....they keep making me drink and it was good to not let my father lose face...hahahahaha....i was really sober dispite the amount i consumed) my dad made me send him back to the hotel and on the cab ride back he kept talking about gangs and stuff... but what really shocked me was that as he left the cab, he gave me a pat on my shoulder and said ' take care my son'......He's always introduced me as his son to his friends...but he has never acknowledged me as his son. This was the first time... I am crying thinking about this but i can only give the honour and glory of this to God... He has made the impossible possible. Amen.

Chainging the climate
Im going to Chaing Mai on the 19th till the 28th of this month... perhaps not the wisest move as i have little finances but guess what.... I bought a free ticket this afternoon...the ticket was free but the taxes and all cost 600bht about S$25.... I might have to buy a train ticket as well which would cost about the same price as the plane ticket... Im going up to minister to an old friend who's really down right now...and yes...God has provided me with the means to get there Amen! Woo Hoo!

2007-10-07T08:55:00.000+08:00

Hello all,

Thank you for your prayers and sms's. I'm fine now and Im back at the university and class will start in 1/2 hour.

Being Bashed By Buses
I was on my way to uni as usual and i got onto a rickety green thai bus. The thing is, here in thailand...and in vietnam....the buses dont actually stop, they slow down and a swarm of people have to get off and on at the same time.

So I got on the bus....as i have been doing for the past 4 months and the thing was, my laptop bag was caught at the door (which didnt close for some strange reason) and as i took a step up onto the standing platform, I was yanked back by my laptop bag and was sent tumbling out of the bus... I blacked out....

KluayNamThai (banana water thai) Hospital
The name of the hospital isnt translated very well, but its the best i can do with my limited thai... I awoke with the nurses and doctors inserting a urine bag into my body... I was surprised as i had no idea how this procedure was conducted....it was better that I had not known....a tube was inserted into the erm... the erm...organic tube where urine's suppose to come out from....it was this pain which woke me up.....

I was then sent for a CAT scan and a couple of x-rays, then I was observed in the ICU for a day. I sustained a concusion to the back of my skull and i was bleeding from my left ear. The doctors suspected that i had fractured the base of my skull and would be the reason to the bleeding form the ear. But after all the tests, it was shown the the bleeding was caused by an injury sustained by my left jaw (which is now slightly misaligned, and i cant really close my mouth or chew very well). I have a really large bumb on the back of my head and my balance is really wonky, but things are getting better.

Miracles
During the 'black out', i was told by my boss that i continually called her telling her that i was bleeding from my ear and that i was really tired....

This was extremly surprising as my phone was smashed and half of the screen could not be read...I thank God for allowing me to contact someone during this dire situation dispite not having any recollection of this or the consiciousness to make these decisions.

The doctors and nurses were extremely surprised at the minor injuries i had sustained...i suppose they expected more serious injuries from situations as this.... God really protected me... as no other buses, car or motorbikes hit me after i fell...it was rush hour...

My laptop, phone and MP3 player is totally smushed....everything is gone, but i thank God for allowing me to save all my photos a week prior to the accident.

I was robbed while i was unconcious, i had 9000bhat in my bag and i pray that the person who took the money would use it as God had intended...

A police officer was there at the scene of the accident and the bus company was held responsible for the entire situation...my hospital bills were fully covered by them.

My father and brother came to visit me

well lecture is starting... i ll send photos soon

Agape
Toby

PS
I miss all of you

2007-07-21T08:53:00.000+08:00

Evan Almighty
I had just reluctantly watched the movie and here's what i need to say... In the scene where Evan's wife abandoned him, she was having a breakfast at a diner and everyone there were laughing at how foolish Evan was building the ark. She then talks to Morgan Freeman who plays God and here was their conversation.

Wife:

But my husband says God told him to do it. W-what do you do with that?

God:

Sounds like an opportunity... Let me ask you something... If someone prays for patience, you think God will give'em patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?

If they pray for courage does God give them courage or does he give them opportunities to be courages?

If someone prayed for the family to be closer? Do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opprotunities to love each other?

Wife:

(grunts in disbelief of the wisdom)

God:

well I gotta run, got alot of people to serve enjoy

I had never (neither did I intend to) watch the movie thinking it was absolutely stupid....it was actually...but this is God's truth...it was his character to have said what was reflected in the conversation above.This is the simple truth we tend to misundestand...all the time... we totally limit God with the way we think he can work and answer our prayers...

Today, Im in thailand, a missionary working among the thais, and a student at the university. These three prayers made 5 years ago were fufilled 5 months ago... God is good, all the time... Now for my family...

2007-07-11T12:27:00.000+08:00

I ll write about this soon, just needed to put the site on my blog first

http://yah.blogis.sg/shisha/

2007-06-06T22:40:00.000+08:00

Falling Snow?
I was reading xiaxue's blog...sigh...its gotten so trashy...poor girl... she probably has nothing to talk about anymore and she's now taking cheap shots at maids and prostitutes... That is totally classless...anyways i shant eloborate... im pretty disturbed at how someone can be so naive about life... perhaps ive gotten older then i should.... good night...

2007-06-05T22:46:00.000+08:00

Chili Cha Cha

I was at the gourmet supermarket and they sell the coolest stuff and i saw a packet of chilies which I couldnt resist buying... Im not planning to eat them but theyre a feast for the eyes... Im gonna dry the seeds and plant them and hopefully they'll grow....im not very good at growing things...although i like to very much... sigh...the only things that grow well under my care are mould....and fungus of course...

2007-05-31T09:51:00.000+08:00

Another thing before i forget
I cannot view the c-box on the right toolbar because...
ขออภัย
เว็บไซต์นี้เป็นเว็บไซต์ที่ไม่เหมาะสม
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โดยได้รับความร่วมมือจากผู้ให้บริการอินเทอร์เน็ต
และบริษัท กสท โทรคมนาคม จำกัด (มหาชน)
จำเป็นต้องปิดกั้นเว็บไซต์นี้
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โปรดแจ้งผ่านดวงตาข้างบนหรือ
ict.cyberclean.org
( Sorry! the web site you are accessing has been blocked by ministry of information and communication technology )

Yes the Thai Ministry of information and communication technology has blocked it off so kindly post your comments at the comments located at the end of every post.

2007-05-31T08:57:00.000+08:00

Vesak Day
I woke up this morning in pain as Im plagued with tonsilitis... Intrestingly tonsilitis was something i had problems with in singapore, then I had no infection during my time in Vietnam, and now that im in Thailand..its back again...and the conclusion is... STRESS.... Im under a mountainload of stress... Oh and Ive quit my job...

So anyways as I was marking books this morning (see...see....so much work and the parents expect this of teachers....what the hell...im only doing this to keep you off my tail...with so much marking i can't supplment your child's education with more interactive activities...and thats your own fault) sigh...anyways

as i was marking my books, someone appreared on the msn and next to the person's nick was this 'Vesak day, the day the lord buddah attained enlightenment over the law of all things'

I was a buddhist and this caused to me to wonder... It is wonderful that the lord buddah had attained enlightment over the law of all things.. in other words he understood the law over life and death and the things to come.... and interestingly...there is a law to everything.....

My question is....who wrote the law...who decided what right or wrong...who decided where everything began and where everything would end... Dont get me wrong im not buddhist bashing...but i think its an important question to address....

This is an important revelation to me that the lord buddah understood that there was a law to everything... however its more important to know who wrote the law...

So with that, the lord buddah recgonises that he's not soverign over all... that he is under the law of everything and his objectve was to free himself from the law... In order for you to free oneself from the jursidiction of the law, one has to be outside the jurisdiction of the law.

If one is born under the law, one can only be free from the law if the law allows one to be free from the law... and once and if one is free from the law, one would need to be in the jurisdiction of a power outside the law...

and if the law is all encompassing then the only thing outside the law is the person the law allowed to be free from the law....and if a person is free from the law and everything else is under the law, wouldn't that mean that the person would have to create a new jurisdiction outside the law...

and what creation powers does a man have?

Furthermore if the law is all encompassing, then anything outside the law is nothing...and what is the purpose of that? To be free from suffering and pain? Or to be free from emotions of happiness and love? Nothingness is nothing however we were put under the law for something, why are we running away from our purpose and desiring to disappear into nothing?

Anyways, Vesak day is the day the lord buddah attained enlightnement of the law of all things...which only means that he understands the law...but one can only be free from the law if the law allows it... and who has to power to do this? No one except the one who conceived and enforces the law... and who would that be? The lord buddah only understood the law, he did not create the law...so how now brown cow? ;)

2007-05-23T21:28:00.000+08:00

My Mornings

Ive been in Bangkok for a month now and Ive over stayed for 4 days already...the visa issue has been trying... if i get a student visa, i wont be able to work at teh school as both schedules clash, without a bachelor degree, i wont be eligible for a work permit...well the problems are endless...

Teaching in a school only means that I have the opportunity to wake up early and because my apartment looks out relatively undisturbed, here are some of the sky scenes I see... God is Great!

Korrecting the Koreans

Ive had Korean parents petition against me because they refuse to have a chinese teach their children english... They were concerned about my accent...that I would have a strong Singlish accent and that their children will pick it up....I mean please lah! What sing gar pore reeun assent har? where got? These people hor...must be dreaming hor!

I have no qualms about speaking singlish, its somethign that im proud of! it's singaporean english...somthing thats unique to me...its a form of english that has evolved over a century and has successfully incoporated 3 languages into english... its Asian English...words like Tau Hu, Roti Prata, Alamak, Loti (bread), buay tahan...and so on...words that we're so comfortable and familiar with...

Anyways... I choose not to speak it for professional reasons, and these parents hear from other parents, who heard from other parents, who met with people who ate a cafe, who worked for people, who had business partners, who had daughters with girlfriends, who had maids, whom during their gossip sessions, heard from the security guard, who met the 7-11 counter staff who heard me use broken english to buy a packet of cigerettes and a bottle of black cat whiskey...

I mean what the hell! baseless, brainless comments...and now a petition...

the parents are actually confused with what's happening, one parent says something, but the children give a totally opposite comment...the kids love coming to school but the parents hate me...Im trying my best to give my all to the kids, but the children are echoing their parent's words and their speech... I had a boy come up to me and questioned why i had not marked his friend's book and threw the book on my table and told me to mark it... I try very hard not to blame the child for i know that that's his mother speaking...not him...

but God's been faithful with providing comfort... same as when he provided the fairy bread in vietnam during my low period... ive received a card from my student thanking me for teaching her and she put loads of crosses in the card with the message 'God loves you'...and she gave me a crucifix as well...

and today as i was praying (in extreme and total fustration) for God to provide the Korean parents with more love and that he reveals himself to them... there was a knock on the door, and the korean children of the parents whom I had been praying for came in with a plate of korean snacks and chocolates for me...God is great... he knows when his children are hurting and how best to comfort them

2007-05-10T17:01:00.000+08:00

Sickening Home Sickness
I MISS VIETNAM!!! I’ve been in Bangkok for 2 weeks now and I deeply yearn to be home in Hanoi. Bangkok’s a nice place but I seem to have fewer hours in my day compared to Hanoi, and of course I miss all of you dearly!!!

I also miss the traffic, I miss the sweet smelling exhaust, the way the ladies would ask if im married, I miss the plain bland food, I miss the flowers and greenery, I miss the familiar pot-holed roads, I miss being able to understand (some) Vietnamese. I MISS MY COFFEE!!! It was tragic that I had no space to pack any coffee into my bags as I had already been carrying 30kgs worth of luggage. Oh my coffee! How thou hast forsaken me!

It’s interesting that I’ve never felt homesick before…till now that is… I guess Vietnam’s my home... I didn’t feel that way about Singapore… so I guess I ll have to redefine what home means

Kumustaka (im sorry if ive spelt it wrongly)
I have 5 Filipino colleagues and they’re a pretty cool bunch, Lois is a Christian and I joined her at her bible study last Friday night and guess what…BS ended at 12 midnight. So what would one do at a Filipino bible study?

1. Bible Study
2. Sharing
3. EAT
4. PLAY GAMES

Oh my goodness! GAMES!!! I was totally stunned but I got out of it pretty quickly (hey, I lived in Vietnam for a year…one learns to give up sanity easily) So I joined in, I would usually find it hard to laugh at the things the Filipinos laugh at but I found it easier to laugh at them then with them…(sorry kuyas and ates) They were similar to our BS in Hanoi except that they were louder…much, much louder…

And we had TONS of food, we ate before the bible study, during the bible study and after the bible study. One Ate made this unbelievable upside-down pineapple cake…it was the yummiest piece of cake that Ive had. The only problem was it oozed sugar and butter when I bit it…But its soooo good (I ll find out how to bake it ok)

As for church, Im attending the Evangelical Church of Bangkok and strangely enough I have been there before…perhaps 3 years ago and it was Kien Ann who brought me there. The service and worship was wonderful, I can see myself growing further with this church. As for further preparation… I will follow as He deems fit…so for now I have no plans…only a heart ready to obey…

Studio Apartment Siah!
Ive moved in 3 nights ago into my ‘studio apartment’ (quite a nice name for a one room flat hor…) Well it’s actually bigger then my room back in Singapore and I like it very much…very basic but I’ll do it up as the months progress… I’ve housed myself on the 5th floor so that I get to see out and that’s a really nice thing to have…
Oh and my priority is to setup the kitchen…and there’s not much space to do so….Thai food is nice but I would just die from the liberal amount of sugar they put into their food. Oh and I need a fridge too…one of those tiny fridges that would fit under the desk…

My building manager is a tigeress! She’s ultra fierce but she get’s things done, and compared to all the other apartments I’ve looked at, her’s was the cleanest and was maintained well. I guess its also a plus point that she likes me too :)

Go Web!
David, Steph and I watched Spiderman 3 and here’s something interesting. In one scene, peter parker was talking to his landlord and we noticed that the landlord lived in room 502. David then said ‘hey Toby, wouldn’t that make spiderman’s landlord you neighbour?” I then replied “who knows spiderman and I may even have the same apartment number.” As the movie progressed David and I looked for every opportunity to discover peter parker’s apartment number…and I am proud to say, spiderman and I do share the same apartment number…room number 501….muahahahaha

Speaking of which, here’s my address (but its not completely accurate let me check again)

Sukhumvit 71, Phra Kanong Soi 37, Unitec Apartments, Room 501,
Klong Toey, Watana,
Bangkok, Thailand

And my handphone number is +66846643348

Ko Samed
David and Steph are here in Thailand now on a week’s long holiday. We are now on our last day in Ko Samed. It’s a really good trip, Ko Samed isn’t as touristy as most other islands in Thailand however it’s developed enough for you to be comfortable. Food and drinks are everywhere and you could come here with nothing and will still be able to buy all the things you would need for a holiday here…and the prices are high but not extremely high. It’s more like a beach resort for Thais.

There is however an entrance fee of 400bht/$16sgd/$11usd for foreigners, whilst the thais only pay 40bht/$1.6sgd/$1.1usd, so when the ticket guy approached us and asked me how many tickets I needed. I replied ‘3 please’ in Thai and we only paid 120bht muahahahahahah!, a thai friend whom we met on the ferry was utterly surprised at how clear my diction was and I replied to him in thai ‘I speak thai well don’t I?

And on another note, I yelled ‘Em Oi’ at a waitress once, people turned and looked in my direction…realizing that I had forgotten that I was no longer in Vietnam and to salvage the embarrassing moment…I turned and looked in the direction which everyone was looking at…hoping to find another scapegoat for this embarrassing scene. So much for quick thinking…

2007-04-27T14:20:00.000+08:00

Die ah Diarrhea
It is sad to leave one’s home but who’s to say that this world is not my home eh… Well home is where the heart is and I want to say that my heart is heaven…sigh…

Well its been the second day of teaching and I have fears… for the past year in Vietnam, I’ve been totally working in a circus where the acrobats double up as the lion tamers and the clean up crew… and a clown for a ring master (ringmasters are the ones who own the circus yes???) …and now Im in a proper school with structure and a proper setup… and my job… lion tamer…

And now that im here it’s a refreshing change, my bosses have invited me to stay with them till I find a place of my own and are even having me at the dinner table… and that’s really nice of them…

Well speaking about dinner, Vietnam has given me a wonderfully unforgettable parting present… I got food poisoning from my final meal on Thursday night (note that Thursday was the night of my final meal…everything between Thursday and Monday went down the toilet whether through the front or back entrance) but hey that’s ‘Detox’ isn’t it?

2007-04-19T17:08:00.000+08:00

2 days to go
It's 4 'clock on a Thursday and Im sitting at a cafe with Leon and Ben, all of us at our laptops...it's interesting that instead of talking and chilling, we're all doing some form of work...the vietnamese patrons around us are all chatting, having a nice relaxing time....

Not that I like being lazy/idle but i kinda like the way the vietnamese are... dispite being bogged down with work, they would just leave everything aside and chill out....work doesnt get done and stuff but wow... its quite a balanced life... they can make time for relaxing at the expense of work...

Well anyways, Ive only got 2 days to go and Ive not even started packing and my rooms a total mess... a minefield actually

And im not sad to leave vietnam, nor am I excited to be in thailand...everything is just ....normal....

2007-04-19T17:00:00.000+08:00

I need a quiet place
For the past 2 weeks, depression had slowly seeped back into my life and this was from feeling insignificant in my company… I guess it’s normal that since im leaving, people would pay less attention to me but it just seems that as I leave everything is taking a turn for the better. Staff are given more holidays, pay raises, better working conditions… and I had to endure being treated like crap throughout the past year…

My boss once said to me… if you look for shit you will find shit…true…true… and if you are given shit do you eat it?

I mean I agree that if you keep being negative about a situation, everything becomes negative… However there is also the problem of being optimistic beyond sensibility

If a piece of shit lies before you on the ground would you go closer to examine if it were shit? Would you put your nose to it and take a smell? Would you put your mouth to it to take a bite? Would you roll it in your tongue to taste it? Hello…..denial doesn’t help in progress…it hinders…

Anyways, I was bogged down beyond what I could bear and I prayed… Then God told me to go to a quiet place and so I did...

I went to a high place and just gazed across the west lake, the sound of the traffic slowly disappeared as I focused on the clouds and the tranqulity of the water... I was expecting God to say something to me but during the entire time he was silent...and I knew that that was what he had wanted for me....a time of quietness..

I was at peace... and it was nice... so after lunch I rode back to the kindergarten and then the thoughts about how everyone hated me came seeping back into my head... My peace was disrupted and I stopped my bike.... I rebuked the devil and told him to get lost and I prayed in Jesus' name for that...then the voices stopped... Oh how faithful he is...

2007-04-02T19:35:00.000+08:00

Good Friday's coming!
Here's a wallpaper for you...designed by me of course

2007-03-29T20:52:00.000+08:00

I am all powerful! Fear my wrath!
Ok here's what happened... An irreasponsible teacher of mine has given birth on monday...she's a month premature and its my fault...

Well just a brief intro, before i took up the managemant job, this teacher was calling all the shots... she bullied the other teachers and kept stirring shit.... So he's so firece with the children that I had 2 kids pull out of the school because of her...she yells at the kids and well i shant eloborate

anyways, 2 weeks ago she traumatised and neglected a child to the point where the child could not breathe from her crying and had rubbed off the skin under her eye... My assistanat and I walked into the class shocked and for the entire week I was deciding what to do with her.

Last week I brought her into my office with my assistant and investigated the matter...problem was, this teacher kept lying and kept covering her lies with other lies... so all i had to do was repeat her lies until she was all tangled up in them... then she could lie no more... I gave her a verbal warning and told her that this was to be her last warning and that she should not treat me like an idiot (which I have allowed... because i believe that people should be given the benifit of the doubt...but of course theres a limit...for those who have known me for a long time would also know about my temper...) and I was pretty nice about it, we ended on a good note and all

So after she gave birth on monday, my HR lady called her and her response was that I stressed her so much that she had given birth.... Man am i powerful....

Lesson of the day
Don't mess with me...

2007-03-29T20:45:00.000+08:00

Tieng Viet Oder Pasaat Thai?
29 days to go before I leave Vietnam for Thailand... a very interesting turn of events... well I guess its not of a grave concern where I go coz I'll still have to be used by God in whatever way He deems fit. But it'll be interesting to have to try to speak thai again...my last trip back to thailand was disasterous as I spoke broken thai with broken vietnamese....

(blues' for thai, red's for vietnamese, greens for the english) Phom Ten La Toby...My name is Toby

Xin cho phom kuey teow heng khong ot, Please give me Kuey Teow/Pho...dry...no chilies

Khong Chai, khong chai!, No! No!

Headache headache headache....anyways I was initially reluctant to go to Bangkok and I asked God why He wanted me there...and his reply was....' I want you to eat amongst the prostitutes and tax collectors at my dinner banquet'.... I seeeeeeeeee.......sigh..... wah biang eh.....can die leh....

Please pray for me regarding this... if you don't know what to pray for please consider this hint

Bangkok aka 'Sodom and Gomorrah of Asia' + Toby aka 'single and lonely 26 year old' = ???

Dreaming of Donald Duck
Ok now here's a weird dream I had this week....Donald Duck (Donald) has always been my favourite childhood cartoon character....but anyways....In my dream, I dreamt that I was given a magic plastic duck beak (similar to the ones they sell at the 'duck tours' only larger)...I had no idea what magical powers it had but I went to visit Donald.... We met in this field which was an elavated plain and below it was the CBD (Central business district) of Singapore... I told Donald that I was given a magic beak and I had no idea what it could do..then Donald got really desperate and wanted to look at the Beak... but instead of giving it to him...I put it in my mouth..and at that moment I became invisible to Donald...he scampered to find me and I would remove the beak from my mouth to reveal myself for a moment...and when he saw me and ran towards me I would put the beak back on and avoid me...

It was a great feeling to see Donald helpless and desperate.....I then took off the beak and he was calling for me to give it to him because he desperately needed it....so instead of giving it to him, I found a hole in the grass... I lifted him up and forced him into the hole... he was helpless and i ran down the hill to catch a bus....it was an exilirating experience....

Then I woke up and yes...it was a really disturbing dream...So i prayed for wisdom and at that moment it came upon me....The thing was...Donald and I are best friends and when I had something he wanted...something that I didnt need... I had an advantage and it was a great feeling to deprive someone of their needs... It felt good to have power over someone... That a physical object would mean so little to me but so much to my best friend and I would crush his spirit just for the sake of enjoying another person's agony...

A friend's child once said to me 'Satan tells us...to make yourself a great person, you make yourself bigger and others smaller....God says to us....to make yourself a great person...humble yourself....make others greater....that is true greatness' I guess this is the same idea which ran through my head as I was evaluating my dream....

Have we put an object before a human relationship? objects like money, our pride, other relationships...ourselves...I guess we can reflect on this..... interesting dream...interesting dream.....

Back to the Bangkok issue
Well I only see my period in Thailand to be for preparation to return to Vietnam....however the evil one has been making my departure very difficult...for he doesnt want me back....pray for this....

Im planning to take up a Tesol certification in Chiangmai and if its possible...i could source for a university course to attend while im there...and well i ll make my way back to Vietnam after that... Things are not finished here...not yet

Agape
Toby

2007-03-14T21:31:00.000+08:00

21st April
Yup yup yup...bought my tickets and I'm heading down to Bangkok to start the next phase of my life... The cool thing is that Brian will be joining me on the flight as he's heading to Bangkok to meet a friend for a holiday and he's gonna help me carry my stuff over...cool siah...

Anyways Ive started on my farewell video and it's really sad that I have to go through all of my old pictures and recollect the emotions I had whilst taking them...Im gonna miss this place...but i ll be back

The student
Today I started teaching a new class of students and it was good as I could finally prepare my lessons and not just head in to teach a 'conversation' class......well anyways...the students were delighted to hear my name....apparently my reputation supercedes me muahahahaha

anyways...they were all new faces except for one, whom was just lost in the midst of the entire class...he's a student who's been in my class several times...he speaks excellent english and is always interested in discussing politics with me

But he always would be able to translate for me in class but he's always quiet and avoids participating in class... he would have been such an asset...dont even know his name...oh well...

2007-03-10T21:04:00.000+08:00

Confirm, guarantee and chop!!!
Ok I have accepted the job with the international school in Bangkok... Initially they offered me us$800 but I turned it down... I had originally asked for us$1500, which i strongly felt was a fair wage...then I told them that I would only settle for $XXXX, which was only a miserable amount on top of what I was getting....and they agreed to the amount...+ living expense which was good... well the contract for 3 months untill we can confirm that I can get a work permit... well its a good thing as we can still negotiate the salary at the end of 3 months and stuff...

The thing is... I like the bosses and well I guess its a step down but I can see myself having a good time of learning there...well we ll see how things go... But now my time of eating Pho Bo Tai Chin is over and now Ive gotta start eating my Pad Thai and Kuey Teow Heng Mai Ped

Pai Tee Gong Zhor (Pray to the God of Heaven)
For my birthday, interestingly enough God gave me a little present....It was a little flame which he re-kindled in my heart for missions... On tuesday I visited Thanh at the hotel and then as we were arm wrestling....... erm yes I arm wrestle...this middle aged couple stepped in and said in chinese 'i wonder how cold it is' and so i promptly replied in mandarin that it was 13 degrees...they were surprised and thats how everything started....

They were from singapore and the lady was originally from Taiwan...then as we were talking, for some strange reason, I told them that I was a christian and we started this really weird conversation on missions teaching used on the chinese people from missionaries from over a hundred years ago. The things I told them about were mainly from Don Richardson's 'Eternity in their hearts' who talks about how God as the creator has left reminiscences of himself in all creation...and the Chinese people have know him ever since the beginning of our civilisation...fyi Shang Di, the name which we modern Christians use for God has been a name that has been used in the Chinese culture for thousands of years... Western Missionaries adopted the name because they recognised that this was indeed the Creator God/ God of heaven and earth...

Well anyways we talked about this for 1 1/2 hours and the wife was very interguied with what i had shared as she had never heard of it before, but the interesting thing was that her husband was supporting everything I had said...they were seeking and were considering becoming christians but they felt that they could not agree with what the pastor was telling them but hearing my perspective on the matter they were ready to begin seeking... I have no theology of my own, but its simply an understanding which I have received from my mission's training and reading... well many would disagree, but hey...if im wrong...pray for me...and teach me....Agape

2007-03-05T20:16:00.000+08:00

Lao Liao (old already)
26.....26! can you believe it? Im now officially past the mid-twenties.....*shudder*....well I wanted a quiet birthday and have it pass as quickly as possible...but it was nice that people came to wish me a happy birthday...I mean I like that much more then presents...but I like cards the most...

The Tele-Filipina
Uncle Bob called and gave me his birthday greetings as well and I told him how puzzled I was at how so many people at church knew that it was my birthday... he then told me that it was probably the Filipinos who spread the word... he then told me that in this world there's the telefax, the telephone and the tele-filipina...and the fastest moethod of communication was the tele-filipina....and how true he was....thanks Nings/Malou/ Neph hahahahahaha

Hole-in-the-middle
We had lunch at the cafe by the lake near the zoo (and yes thats how i describe it), and Victoria bought my a cake...then Christina told my to make a hole in the centre and distribute the cake from there...apparently in south america its a habit to leave the centre circle for the birthday person...its was a cool idea dont you think! its much more meaningful that way :)

Alpha....
My Alpha group also gave me a mini-surprise birthday party as well...Mark and Celia put up decorations....could you believe it decorations!!!

Well I don't usually like birthdays but last night was special....at the end when we sat down after dinner...I read a passage from the 'back to jerusalem' book and i felt whole again...as if the testimonies in the book had been missing in my life for a while now...God rekindled my heart for missions again...thats the greatest present I received...Khup Khun Pra Chao!!!

2007-02-27T20:15:00.000+08:00

Crossroads...Again
Well things have changed again... I mean I still love Vietnam and I still wanna be here..however it may be time for me to just step away for a while... Jobwise, I've been stood-up by the RV Centre and its the third time that this has happened and well I guess thats the end of my job hunt in Vietnam....

Going home for the chinese new year was a blast.... literally....Just 2 days and nights, well the higlight of my trip was the long chat I had with David through the night... We found out that we had faced similar difficulties as christians and well...its good to know that Im not alone....

Thailand was great, I had a good rest at the village. I slept in the attic and it was beautiful, hardwood floors, woven ceilings and a tiny wooden window which gazed upon the forest. The smells were wonderful..the wood, fresh mountain air, the aroma of the forest and the tea store in the next room... smells that just put me to sleep...

Then I was off to bangkok, wonderful city...as always... had a dinner with my potential employers and things were going great, I was willing to come over and they were very willing to hire me...but we had problems with the work permits....well its ok if things don't work out in bangkok....I can still embark on a project in Chiang Mai...the head registrar of the province wants someone to teach him english for a few months on a volunteer basis...food and lodging provided....hey why not....

I guess the most cool thing about all of the things that's happened/happening/will happen, is that Im resolved to give it all to God and well....Im not worried about whats to happen... Im chilled....

2007-02-15T10:43:00.000+08:00

Photographing Hanoi
That's all I plan to do today... Woke up at 8...awaiting 10..having brunch by the lake, reading 'the hitch-hikers guide to the galaxy' and travelling all over Hanoi today to take photos... really excited

Teh Bao
Here's a little project Ive been working on....thinking back...I should have spent more time thinking the idea through

2007-02-14T20:09:00.000+08:00

Ve Nha Nhe
Im coming home for the new year but just for 2 days..then Im heading up to Chiang Mai to visit Bruce and Dia whom I miss dearly... I guess its a good time to just go home especially after having so many dramas at work especially with my staff... The constant lying and deception really gets to me... I mean if you want to lie and cheat...don't get caught...and since youre dealing with me...you ll have to try REALLLLLLY hard not to get caught...

Today my staff asked if they could go home early because it's the eve of our holidays and I said ok and I told them that they could leave at 430 (which would be half an hour earlier) then they started to sulk and I said to myself that this is a privillage and privillages can be taken away at any time. Then they started telling me that so and so has to leave at 4 because she has to catch the bus home to the province and I said 'ok then she can leave at 4' ....Bo way kong (no words to say) so they 'lan lan' have to stay....

so after that, once the girls were alone the 'ringleader' then said 'nevermind, at 4 I will leave, don't need to bother about Toby'....wah daring siah....and so at 4 the 'ring leader' then popped her head in and asked 'so how's your mother?'....'Oh thats not good...' 'Hope she feels better soon'....'ok...bye....'

'OK BYE????" now wait a minute...she's not suppose to leave till 430... (duh... *raises eyebrow*) and how dare you use such a tactic of exploiting one's weakness to achieve your own interest?..... well I just let her leave and then at 430 I said to the remaining staff that it was time to go and I asked...'oh where's the 'ringleader?'' so one of the girls replied 'oh she left at 420....nevermind its Tet( lunar new year)...nevermind...'

So I replied ' I saw her leave earlier....Don't lie to me' and they were shocked... I guess no one has confronted them about their lies before...and it was a learning experience for me....and one for them too i guess....well the girls were worried big time 'coz its the first time my anger has reared it's ugly head...for the past week they have really taken advantage of the fact that I had given them freedom...But I guess different situations call for different management styles....so here comes the iron fist (...in the velvet glove?)

Of course I will maintain my policy to treating humans like humans... But my integrity towards myself and my work has to stand firm... sorry gals you were given an inch and you took a mile...

As the blossom blooms so will your bottom
Monday I bought a Narsissics flower because the girls at work have been pestering me to buy a peach blossom using the petty cash...and well...that would not be appropriate....So I braved the traffic and bought this beautiful plant and when I brought it to work the first thing which came out of their mouths were 'why didnt you buy the glass vase? Its prettier with the glass vase...'

Well I dont see you putting money into this?.....Anyways everyone complained about how ugly the flower was without the vase and I got really irritated and now its on my bike and Im bringing it home... I mean, what's up with the vase? If you think you can find a better one...just buy one for me then....wah lao eh... If I wanted a pretty vase I would have bought one....But I wanted a pretty flower right?

Thanks for sharin'
Yup David..thanks...

2007-02-10T11:56:00.000+08:00

Eye Queue?
I have just received an email from www.tickle.com reminding me that it's been a year since Ive last done an IQ test with them....so here are their results

Congratulations, Lim!Your IQ score is 126 (same as last year)

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others. Your Intellectual Type is Word Warrior. This means you have exceptional verbal skills. You can easily make sense of complex issues and take an unusually creative approach to solving problems. Your strengths also make you a visionary. Even without trying you're able to come up with lots of new and creative ideas. And that's just a small part of what we know about you from your test results.

Phew.....luckily Ive not gotten any stupider...I think....

2007-02-07T21:04:00.000+08:00

What the hell are you saying????
Woah! Today I the worse lesson ever...teaching at the night class is something I look forward to all the time...this time however things were very different...I only had 7 students of which only 1 spoke english....usually I would be teaching a class of students who are competent enough to understand basic english and that helps.......But Wah...today was a horror....

The students got very bored very quickly and very soon things took a turn for the worse... They didn't want to participate and soon were drawing and scribbling.....

The thing that demoralised me the most was having one of my students tell me that one of her other teachers told her that I don't speak english well and I have poor pronouncation.....WHAT THE HELL!!!! Wah...damn vindictive... ... but its very normal here to have jealous people to do things like this....so its totally irritating...wah can die......

Kill me.....

2007-01-31T16:30:00.000+08:00

Which random phallic object are you?
Quiz by Andrea.

2007-01-25T20:29:00.000+08:00

Not again
Well more news about the job situation... Today my current company is offering me a position as a management trainee however I will have to sign a 2 year contract with them... There's also the position open at church for the adminstrator....

I know that it's an easy decision to work for the church...and a more difficult one if I would stay with the company... So I don't know... AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...yes im totally stressed out!!!

Tam Biet Lomonosov
Today's also my last day teaching at Lomonosov, I had a full day with the kids and it was nice... We ended class with a small party that I coooked Beer Stew for....well basically the kids wiped it clean....the greatest compliment was

"Mr Toby, you cook better then my mother....and my grandmother"

I told the kids that cooking is an expression of love..and the better the food tastes..the more love....

The boys however were not pleased, I had the girls eat first knowing the boys would eat everything...however I did not count on the girls finishing everything for themselves first....Oh well so much for the lesson I gave on sharing....hey they're Vietnamese....hahahahaha...I'll miss my kids...

2007-01-19T15:20:00.000+08:00

Up and down and up and down
Well yesterday I was given a few options by my manager with regards to my future in the company.

1) Teach in the Kindergarten in Hanoi
2) Teach prep class/primary 1 in Ho Chi Min City
3) End my contract and I'll get the full benefits of the contract.

And the best part was that I would have to give them a reply the following day... My singaporean bosses would have given me more time I guess if I had asked but the message was relayed to me by the Vietnamese manager. Therefore meeting their goals were more important then me (the vietnamese I mean)

So I had a hard time deciding what to do especially because I would have to say goodbye to my students at Lomonosov... But God really knows when and how to comfort his kids when they're in pain...

A little girl then appeared (as i was sulking) and brought me a sandwich. Spread with butter and doused with sprinkles... It really made my day... Well now the problem is still to what my future holds... I guess I'm not to worry and that whatever I want to hold onto....I may have to give up... well we'll see...

2007-01-16T20:35:00.000+08:00

Order me a Singapore Fling
The past 2 weeks at home has been a blast and its a poor feeling to be leaving so soon. Well Singapore's constant development simply meant that nothing was familiar to me anymore and its quite a shame to not have many things that you can feel familiar with. I guess its the same 'ol Singapore...nothing but consistent change...

People have asked what I had missed in Singapore and the first thing that would immediately come out of my mouth would be my friends... and there were 2 other things which I missed dearly, the angsana trees and the yellow/black Mynah birds.. Things which we take for granted

Happily Housed in Hanoi
Coming back to Vietnam however has been wonderful, its hard to imagine that it was Vietnam who made me appreciate Singapore so much more, but it's also my renewed love of Singapore that has given me a even greater love for Vietnam. Strange eh? Well I've been trying to get back into the swing of things however its been slow, and by the end of the week I had realised that greater trials are to come in relation to work... What can I say? I can only be thankful that I'm loving Vietnam more then ever...

ahh here's something thats been a minor problem...the neighbours living behind us has recently gotten themselves a puppy, an irritating, yelping puppy...mmmmn wonderful... It'll fit perfectly into the oven without much hassle, there'll be no need to carve it up too much... I l only need to empty it's chest cavity and gut it before i stuff it with breadcrumbs, cheese and onion stuffing....mmmmmmm.....yum....

Oh and my students were utterly delighted to have me back, and they amazed me with the way they were able to think creatively and work together as a group...not something that theyre good at but things are changing... Even Tuan (who at the beginning doesnt even speak a word of english) is now reading and speaking english and is even initiated to respond and give me answers... I am so encouraged...Well these are my blessings that keep me going especially when things get sticky and trying...

Lapping up my laptop
Yeah its pretty wonderful to have a laptop, its such a conivience...Im now at once of my fav hangouts, its a cafe located besides a lake thats near my place and its called Tien Dang cafe...beautiful ambience, free wireless internet, its a haven from the relentless traffic of hanoi with my hot lemon and warm tuna salad..sigh...so nice...

2007-01-10T10:46:00.000+08:00

Scroll down theres a post on the opera

2007-01-06T15:05:00.000+08:00

New Year's Re-solution
With normal resolutions not being enough, new year's the time to commit oneself to making good (or not so good to some) changes to one's life. In 2004 I had resolved to not 'suan' (tease) people... Initially it was a dream come true, however as the weeks progressed it turned into a nightmare for most. I guess suaning was what inspired me and helped my creative juices 'overflow' I could remember having everyone's attention and ending up leaving them clueless as I concluded my boring stories and statements
I had David to thank for the awkward predicament I remembered that once due to my continuous suaning, he turned around and snapped at me telling me to stop suaning him...well the message was pretty clear...I had to resolve this issue....and re-solve the issue... Once my boring stories got soo bad that everyone just sat there mouth gapped and wide eyed as if they had witness something die.. well I guess something did die...
So anyways David then came up to me and begged me to suan him......I guess the lesson here is when you play with fire..you get burnt

Drumroll please
So anyways here are my 12 resolutions for this year....hopefully one a month

I hereby resolve to
1) Be less angry at injustices done to me and others (for justice is God's and burning sulphur to me seems to be the prefered means of taking revenge)
2) Read at least 6 books (books with more then 30 pages...hey its tough for me k)
3) Advance my Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, Vietnamese and German
4) Continue with my gym regime
5) Work on more design projects
6) Not be so nice to arse'o's
7) Update my blog once a week
8) Plant and grow something
9) Eat more fruits
10) Eat only boiled foods during the 40 day fast
11) Be a good host and invite friends over for dinner once a month
12) Spend more time reflecting (as if I don't look at the mirror long enough...)

2006-12-23T11:11:00.000+08:00

Ok Go
Oh oh oh....here's a damn cool video which Jason has just introduced me to from a band called 'Ok go' utterly wicked! Oh and I'm back in Singapore now...I ll try to post more updates when I get my new laptop

2006-12-19T15:55:00.000+08:00

Guiling Shan Shui ...something something...Tian Xia
(Guiling's scenery preceeds all under heaven)
I've been in Guiling for a day now and wow I am impressed, I was ferried around by Mr Guo and brought to many places which would be difficult if I had done it alone.

Limestone caves, ancient palaces, Liu San Jie's Show, Ancient Town and my favourite location was the mountains which I spent nearly 3 hours trekking in... It was beautiful to see the maple trees from the rope bridge...The scenery is indeed breath-taking and unbelivable but I was not able to see the scenery in Yangshou (the place where most of Guiling's scenic pictures are from)

To cover most of the sights in Guiling requires at least 6 days, so I guess I ll be back again next year. and with more people...

I'm now killing some time at the internet cafe as I am leaving at 5pm and I ll be on a 13hr long bus ride heading to Guangzhou....I just know that Im going to die on this trip...urg...Well I'm gonna bye some food and water for the trip now...

Hopefully I can find really good 'replica' items in guangzhou...see you guys in 3 days

2006-12-17T09:44:00.000+08:00

Zhong Guo Hao! Zhong Guo Hao!

I'm now at an internet cafe along ChaoYang Road in Nanning, GuangXi, China....The bus ride yesterday lasted almost 9 hours but its well worth the butt pains and slightly ruptured bladder. IM NOW IN CHINA WOO HOO!

Booked into the Chao Yang Hotel and paid 38rmb (sgd$8) yeah im pretty cheap...its just a bed tv and fan with beraly enough room for my bags, but its cool..oh and shared toilets....

I went down to Bao Lian's resturant and had dinner with them and she's pregnant! Wow just 2 weeks...its the funniest thing, everytime I visit her something happens, first I find out that she's getting married, then now she's pregnant, then the next time Im here I guess I ll see her with her baby...hahaha

Well Ive booked my ticket to Guiling tomorrow, I heard that they usually rip people off there...I pray that I'll be able to survive the trip.... Ok then I ll post updates soon

2006-12-08T12:39:00.000+08:00

The Magic Flute

This was of the Magic Flute opera Sara and I went to...It was quite a while back...anyways...It's Mozart's 300 or 400th birthday and so the entire city of Hanoi was celebrating it with many concerts and operas by the dead dude...

Well this being my first opera, I was pretty excited and I was all dressed up with my shirt and tie...Sara was reluctant to dress up because she knew that the Vietnamese who went to the opera would wear shorts and t-shirts...But she dressed up anyways...

The opera house was beautiful...but cramped... very very vietnamese

They even had a little screen on the yop right, with vietnamese subtitles coz the opera was in German...and the dialogue was in Vietnamese

Little Shop of Horrors!!!

Well anyways, the opera was good however the costumes.....cripes!!! S&M leather clad women with spears and golden spiral breast guards, a man in a green-dyed chicken suit, paper mache animal head wearing people in tights ( the actors had to hold on the the head while they moved around coz they were too big and would fall of if they had not done so) Argon (from LOTR), 3 mozarts in a hot air balloon, and a whole bunch of cult like people...rather disturbing.... but very vietnamese....I LOVE Vietnam!!!

2006-12-06T09:40:00.000+08:00

Vietnamese Rock!!!
I was invited to a Vietnamese Rock concert...knowing that I would be totally clueless of what was going to happen, I invited Naomi to join me... I wasn't going to go through this alone...It was the final concert of (maybe the only rock band in Vietnam) The HURs, and the concert was called the 'Last Saturday' tickets at 50,000dong (sg$5.00)

It was an interesting day as I had to travel through most of Hanoi to find an extra concert ticket...my search finally led me to the Giang Vo exhibition centre where the concert was taking place that same evening... Not speaking any vietnamese, I had managed to tell the security guard that I wanted tickets and he gestured for me to go around the compound....strangely enough I ended up at the stage area of the concert...then I saw a couple of vietnamese and I approached them to find out where I could get tickets... amazingly one of them was the organiser and said to me that he could sell me the ticket on the spot...he then whipped out a ticket from his inner coat jacket and that was the end of my hunt...Cool eh...

So we met My (mi) and her Brother outside the lakeside hotel and walked to the concert and wow...it was totally mad....The streets were jammed with people and motorbikes and I was honestly afraid...

And so it begins
As we were making our way towards the concert area, the jam had already begun...Thousands of people were squeezing, pushing and shoving their way so that they could gain entry into the show. Believe me...it was a potentially dangerous stampeed situation... People were pushing, policemen were barraccading, women were screaming....what a rush....After I managed to get through the gate...it was all peaceful....everyone slowly walked towards the stage and it made me wonder...what was all the pushing about anyways?

So when the music began, we could feel the earth beneath our feet shake..and WOW!!! that was scary! Naomi commented 'isn't concrete not suppose to move' I just shrugged my shoulders...

So after a few minutes of experienceing the 'man-made' earthquake...I was distracted by another sight....an idiot had taken off his jacket and lit it....and the idiot was swinging it round and round and I could see a couple of people being traumatised by it...and believe me so was I.....

Idiocy
Things that made me cringe...

1) People setting fire to their clothes and swinging it overhead
2) People setting fire to newspapers and swinging it overhead
3) People setting fire to tissue paper and swinging it overhead (what's with the fires?)
4) People throwing (filled) bottles of water into the air (which would land on a random person's head)
5) People taking off their clothes and walking about bare bodied dispite the very apparent cold winds.
6) The endless head-bobbing
7) The endless 'air-guitaring'
8) The endless running about and ramming into random people...What the Hell?

Can I borrow your hat?
It's normal for Vietnamese to come up to you to practise their english on you...especially so if youre blond haired blue eyed (or after they find out that you are an english teacher)... Naomi had this guy come up to her to borrow her hat because he wanted to sneak his friend in and later he wanted to know if she had a spare ticket which he could buy off her so that he could get his friend in... Well that was how he started the conversation which led to a 1/2 hour long conversation with her and well he knew pretty much everything about Naomi.....Sehr Interrestant...

The Fan
It was pretty nice to see that everyone was getting into the mood of the entire thing and there was even a guy who had drawn the lead singer's tattoo on his jacket... Speaking of which I have seen many guys who actually use liquid paper and permernant markers to customise their jackets...What the hell?...Still....Toi Yeu Viet Nam

2006-12-06T09:38:00.000+08:00

All hail the king!
2 mondays ago it started to rain and it hasn't rained for quite a while...the clouds were huge and the lightning flashes were unbelivable. So in a normal Vietnamese fashion, i donned my lime green poncho, took off my shoes and put them in a plastic bag, rolled up my jeans till they were at my knees and off i went.

Then as I was riding through the rain, I noticed that the rain was exceptionally heavy and cold. I continued on my journey home and then it felt as if branches and pieces of tree kept falling on me...and after awhile it began to hurt quite badly I was actually yelling and feeling quite stupid...then I drove into knee deep rain water which was so cold that it hurt. Arriving home, I shivered as I went into the bathroom for a hot shower....

Its wasn't until the next day that I found out that I had driven through a hailstorm...WOW WEE!!! The hailstones were as large as golfballs it seems and several elderly people inthe outlaying areas were killed due to head injuries as they were not in sheltered areas during the storm...

2006-12-04T09:33:00.000+08:00

Lets see what happens
Here's something my kids sent to me

2006-11-22T11:53:00.000+08:00

My brother Timothy
Lesson to learn...Never Drink and pose

2006-11-20T14:45:00.000+08:00

Ok here's my $0.02 worth
I am well aganist the idea of having casinos (oops what I meant to say was erm.. Integrated Resorts...and while I'm on this topic...giving something a nicer name doesnt make it any better...pls refer to post on Singapore Toilet Association) A gambling den is a gambling den...

I mean... whats the point of building casinos and telling the citizens that measures and policies have been put in place to help gamblers cope with gambling addiction...Duh...and after I had read this article about Singapore's first international poker tournament, I was totally inspired to go get myself a deck of cards...I mean wow...people my age gambling to possibilly win the USD$451,000 grand prize...Wow Wee!

WHATS THE POINT OF PUTTING UP POLICIES AND MEASURES WHEN YOU BLATENTLY TEMPT PEOPLE WITH THE MEDIA....Oh and wouldn't it be cool to appear on the 'reality tv show'....

Ok Im not really stimulated to talk about this topic...does anyone have any views?

Friday November 17, 10:17 PM
Two Singaporeans in last 10 playing for poker tournament top prize

SINGAPORE: At 4pm on Friday, two Singaporeans will be among the final 10 players sitting down to play for the grand prize of US$451,000 ($702,000) at the inaugural Betfair Asian Poker Tour - Singapore's first international poker tournament.
Even before the first cards are dealt, each player is already guaranteed at least US$17,500 for having made it thus far.
Mr Neil Yong, a contractor, and Mr Joshua Ang Pang Leng, a day trader, were among 11 local hopefuls who started out in the tournament on Wednesday.
Two days of gruelling elimination play at the poker tables saw the field of 313 players whittled down to just 10 at 11pm Thursday.
Those who fell by the wayside after the first day included big-name players such as Singapore-born Willie Tann, Dane Gus Hansen - the only player to win three World Poker Tour open tournaments - and Australian professional poker player Mel Judah.
Mr Yong, Mr Ang and the other eight surviving players will battle it out from 4pm today for the right to be crowned tournament champion.
The international tournament - the largest in Asia ever - attracted over 700 players from 32 countries. They each earned the right to take part in the main event by winning online tournaments, forking out a US$5,000 "direct entry" fee, or via the qualifying rounds.
To earn even the smallest slice of the total prize pool of more than US$1.5 million, a player has to finish in at least 36th place, which pays out US$5,830.
For one of the ousted Singaporeans, Mr Tan Wee Yee, who works in the finance department of a hedge fund, it was a case of "so near yet so far" as he was emptied of all his chips on Wednesday night.
"It was a pity. I was probably half an hour away from qualifying for day two. I didn't have much luck and the cards didn't go my way at the end. But it was a good experience, and I plan to fly to Melbourne to take part in another major tournament in January," the 29-year-old told Today.
The Singapore competition is being filmed reality TV-style, with cameras watching the move of all the top players.
Friday's grand final will be recorded and broadcast to a worldwide audience next year. - TODAY

2006-11-20T11:27:00.000+08:00

NTU Survey
Well I'm more appalled at the fact that some Uni students cant spell

2006-11-17T17:39:00.000+08:00

Someone's gonna DIE!!!
I just drove back from teaching and because Bush in is Vietnam, most of the roads are closed and stuff...Well I was travelling on a street and a fat policeman came onto the road and gestured for everyone to keep right....then he came straight into my path and I couldn't keep right because there were bikes so to avoid him I had to swerve left behind him... The fella then took 2 steps back and stopped my bike and slapped me across my arm...What the HELL???Wah I am pissed!

2006-11-15T18:08:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (6)

I like Vietnam because...

'Nap Time' is great!

2006-11-06T17:43:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (5)
I like Vietnam because...
It has beautiful scenery...when the smog settles

2006-11-06T14:14:00.000+08:00

Foodies....(Tea Time Trinkets)
It's nice to be in a country where you get great food presentation and the prices are affordable...there have been so many wonderful things to try and experience...The Chill factor in Vietnam (out of 10....15) Nice!

2006-10-31T21:09:00.000+08:00

Watch what you eat
Today as Chai Fong and I were heading up to class... an empty packaging laid on the floor, it looked strange for it had a vaugely familiar koren woman on the cover.

Upon closer observation, we gasped in horror as we saw.... The 'Da Chang Jing' Beef bean curd skin... It was utterly unbelivable... I mean celebrity endorsements were one thing but a drama serial endorsement? What the hell?

2006-10-27T09:48:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (4)
I like Vietnam because...
I learnt to ride the motorbike here

2006-10-26T13:03:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (3)
I like Vietnam because...
We are like minded people
They also believe that if something is in abundence...
EAT IT!

2006-10-26T12:17:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (2)
I like Vietnam because...
French influence rocks!

2006-10-24T12:19:00.000+08:00

Things I like about Vietnam (1)
I like Vietnam because...
It is full of ironies

2006-10-24T10:53:00.000+08:00

Vietnamese Wedding Photos
Imagine this... you have your wedding photos taken on an island of grass in the middle of the street during rush hour... You take your bride's hand and kiss it....in the background, hundreds of vietnamese motorbike riders slow down to catch a glimspe of the action (and also in the background is a singaporean man taking photos of the entire scene)..... The shot is taken..... when you look at the picture again all you see are hundreds of faces staring into the camera lens (with a singaporean pointing his camera at you)

In the 'tacky! tacky!' picture, ask yourself whcih is scarier...... The pose the couple is in...or the man who's riding with one hand turning to see the commotion (not keeping his eyes on the road)... ... ... ...

2006-10-23T11:01:00.000+08:00

And the situation is?
6 MONTHS!!! I have been in Vietnam for 6 months now and things have still been wonderful… Last month was perhaps the hardest month for me, I had many many problems at the work place

Feeling insignificant and being taken advantage of, I felt crappy and going to work was a chore to me. However God was faithful, He always provides for my every physical and spiritual need. He continues to dig up the really deep and troubling issues of my life and works it out with me and well how this is done cannot be described with mere words but know that the joy which comes with this is unbearable! Woo Hoo!

The big ‘O’
Last Sunday’s sermon was shared by a pastor of the international church in Indonesia and it was on the topic of Outreach. His message was from the book of Acts chapter 13:1, and he showed us how the church was made up of the most peculiar group of people ( namely a former blind murderer, a businessman, a potentially scary dude who was affiliated with king herod and I can’t remember the last person…but go find out)

But anyways… There came a point in time when the pastor challenged us by asking (and asking us to stand) who will INTENTIONALLY make an effort to OUTREACH and in my heart I knew that I wanted to jump up and down from my seat, but when he called for us to stand (eyes closed)… I did it with a very heavy heart

Many years ago a couple of us from church went to Wesley for a talk/sermon on missions and the hall was filled up with maybe 250-300 people and at the end of the sermon we were challenged to make a commitment to God and His mission by standing…So when they called for us to stand, I stood up (with our eyes closed) and when I opened my eyes barely a handful of people stood. Then the seated people around me fervently prayed for me deep in conviction and very genuine…the entire congregation was praying as one… but it felt very lonely standing there by myself….

Well back to last week… I was afraid that I would be standing with another handful of people… But when I opened my eyes 90% of the church was standing together with me making the commitment to intentionally perform an outreach to someone whom God has called us to. It was unbelievably beautiful and that moment I knew I was in the right place. A church where people from every tribe and tongue came together to worship the living God, working together to carry out the will of He who has called us.

The 40 year prayer
I can't remember if I had written about this before but I remembered that I wanted to share this testimony with you guys.

In July, Sharon a singaporean lady after hearing the sermon on sunday felt the need to simply just go to the airport and meet someone and give them a welcome...and she did...at the airport she met an elderly malaysian couple from Penang and she greeted them and invited them to stay in her home as they had no plans...

They came to Hanoi because they got free tickets....and because it was such a sudden thing, they didnt book a hotel or anything....and when Sharon approached them...they eargerly went with her...(not something that i would do...but hey who knows) So in their conversations Sharon found out that the wife was a believer however her husband was not and she had been praying for him during the last 40years (or 30...) That sunday he came to church and I met him and he eyes were brightly lit and he was excited to meet everyone...

During the course of the week the older singaporeans and malaysians brought them around and what impressed this man most was how happy everyone was....as he had always been a skeptic towards christians....however Godworked his way into this man's heart and he accepted Jesus into his life during his week's stay here in vn...

Yesterday during service, Sharon stood up and told the chruch that the man passed away last month... I cried so hard and I thanked God for allowing me to witness him fufilling a 40 (or 30) year prayer... I know where he is today and at times we feel that our prayers are not heard but God answers them in His time (40 maybe 30 years)...that has been a lesson that he has been constantly teaching me here in vn....

Agape
Tobias

2006-10-16T11:02:00.000+08:00

O $ PAY $
Its a sad state when you can't trust your own company to reimburse you for the things you've paid for... I now make photocopies of everything and pin them on my wall......

And as for the issuse of the medical expenses claim... I am not allowed to do so as it wasn't stated in my written contract...

(however during the verbal discussion of the terms of my contract, my understanding was that as long as I had seen a doctor at the approved clinics and produced a valid receipt, I could be reimbursed the amount I had spent)

Well I know my fate... here in this company... Its ironic that the have no qualms about sending people on these redundent flights all across vietnam costing them $usd300 each time... (they flew a teacher in from Danang to teach for 3 days until a new teacher came in and they would then fly her back....like DUH!)

2006-10-06T09:41:00.000+08:00

I'm amused
Yesterday we had a mini-celebration for the mid-autum festival and the school hired a troupe to perform for the kids. It was 'interesting'...i suppose...

The event started off with a 'raffia-string' Lion dance and it was nice to see a semi-mouldy/faded lion costume (that had obviously been kept in the store room for too long) But it did move very well...

Then there were the animal acts
I was utterly disturbed when they made the monkeys do tricks. There was a chain and collar around the monkey's neck, and the monkey-man would just yank the chain to get the monkets to move wherever he needed them to be. So as he lifted the monkeys up, they would grab on the the chain with their dear life so as prevent themselves from being choked and strangled....The kids were utterly estacticly amused (am i allowed to use a sentence like that?) and well all the expats were throughly disturbed....myself included

There were also the dog acts but those were more erm...humane? dancing dogs, spinning dogs, flipping dogs, rolling dogs, balancing dogs... I mean as long as they're not being prepared for dinner I suppose its ok that they get to entertain children...

As you can tell all the animals featured in today's post are edible :)

2006-10-04T10:09:00.000+08:00

Just another day in Paradise
Well Mom's come and gone, and Ive got to say it was a good trip (dispite all the arguements and normal family stuff) I now face to horrors of work and frankly im getting a wee bit tired of everything thats going on here.

Last minute changes and constant unnecessary stress make it more difficult for me to teach and I could see this from yesterday's class. I was prepared for the class but i couldnt execute it well.... Ich habe viel stress....

Ich learnen Deutsch und habe viel stress
And heres the thing that i found appalling in Vietnam...They fine (adult)students for not doing their homework. I was absent for 4 german classes coz mom was in town and I was made to pay a SGD$4 fine......What the hell!

White make-up and red lipstick
Here are pictures taken during the week mom was here

2006-09-21T17:41:00.000+08:00

Bloody Hell Blood Cakes
ok if youre wondering what this is...its something the Vietnamese eat and its called Thiec, it's simply coagulated pigs blood with liver and lime leaves mixed in. Thiec is RAW!

2006-09-19T18:17:00.000+08:00

Me Doi Den Ha Hoi
My Mom's coming on friday!!!

2006-09-18T10:14:00.000+08:00

Die Lampe
We had dinner at the Pane e Vino along Hang Trong and everyone posed for a picture with this lamp and here's my pic. Yes we do tons of 'Bo Liao' Stuff but hey how are we to cope with the stresses of vietnam?

2006-09-18T09:58:00.000+08:00

Oh so high
It’s been a hectic month and so many things have been happening in my life, many of which would really just suck every ounce of spirit out of me.

On the 14th of August I got really sick with an intestinal infection and whilst I was traveling to work (all bloated and ready to explode across the street) a wonderfully cool breeze blew through me and at that moment an overwhelming love for Vietnam came pouring into me. It is a difficult description however I shall say that it felt like a deep, rich golden honey slowly oozing out of my heart and it was such a wonderful feeling. I knew that gud had placed this in me, for only he has such power to change one’s heart and wow it was beautiful.

And so I couldn’t keep this feeling inside me and I had to tell everyone about it. The Vietnamese were overwhelmed that I suddenly loved Vietnam and they could see that I was genuinely happy. Thanh was especially ecstatic.

Thung Thanh (Cheung Thang)
Last November when I was here backpacking(I didn’t write much about it but you could still read a little about it in my Nov blog post), I met Thanh who was working at the reception of the guesthouse I was living in. He’s a really friendly guy and we just hit it off chatting for hours, but on the last day of my trip I told him that I hated the country and that I would never return and I bade him farewell thinking that I would never meet him again.

When I came in here in April and met up with Thanh again, he was rubbing the ‘I hate Vietnam and would never come back again’ statement in my face but it was ok, and now when he heard that I loved Vietnam he couldn’t stop laughing ( I told him this when I went with him back to his village and he went about telling everyone in his household and they were laughing too, sigh what’s this fat city boy to do?)

And there were the phone calls home
I called a couple of close friends and told them that I loved this place and a couple of them were really surprised coz the words ‘love’ seldom parted my lips. I mean those who knew how I was back in Singapore would also know that I was a pretty miserable soul, always living by a thread, parents who continually break my heart, hating the job situation and failing to meet my objective of getting my university degree.

But Vietnam has been really kind to me over the past months ive been here and that could only happen through the grace of gud. And its true ive never been happier, I no longer worry about not having money, neither would I have to worry about the problems my family would give me, the stress level here is really low and I can appreciate the wonders of this world a lot more. The air seems sweeter (dispite the pollution…but that’s probably what made the air sweeter in the first place), the skies are always filled with stars, falling raindrops feel like kisses, the sounds of the blaring traffic seem to fade into nothing as you take it all in.

Ah Mah
I called home 3 weeks ago and my Ah Mah told me that she had a lump in her left breast and that they needed to perform a mastectomy (cut the breast off) and I called my aunt, but what she told me was that it was only a minor operation to see if the lump was cancerous. I could hear from my grandmother’s voice that she was afraid and I was worried for her to. I then fasted food for the last 9 days of the 40 day fast, for I asked gud to revel himself to her. One night I suddenly awoke and started writing a letter to my grandmother,

Dear Ah Mah,
From the phone call I could tell that you are very afraid, please don’t be. I remembered that when I was young you would always give me joss sticks and ask me to pray to ‘Tee Gong Zhor’ (which literally mean Heaven’s Lord) Ah Mah, do understand that ‘Tee Gong Zhor’ is the creator of heaven and earth and that his name has never changed in the history of the Chinese people for thousands of years. Ah Mah ‘Tee Gong Zhor’ is “Shang di” (shangdi is another name for the creator, it is also the name that cris’ians use for gud) and we know of his holiness, his power and his sovereignty but we don’t know of his love for us, Ah Mah Jesus is ‘Shang Di’ and he was revealed to us through the jews. Je’sus wants to build a relationship with us so that we can understand gud’s love for us and he wants to reconcile us with gud. But we as men have sin and the price for sin is death but because gud loves us so, he has allowed his own son to redeem us from the price of sin. Ah Mah know that I love you very much and that you are very important to me, I ve been very afraid to say these things to you but this fear has been taken away because I love you so much so please let Je’sus take your sin from you so that you can be reconciled with gud. Ah Mah don’t worry because many people in Hanoi and in Singapore are praying for you. And don’t worry about me because gud has always taken care of me and im in good hands with the people from church. Love you lots Toby

Dear brothers and sisters who are reading know that my Chinese is terrible but the holy spirit has given me the grace to write all this out in chinese and I was overwhelmed....

Styrafoam Bubbles
Poverty is still around but the pe ple here are much simpler and contented. As I was riding home for teaching, my heart ached to see 3 street children (a boy and 2 girls of which one was probably 4) all dirty and tattered. But they were laughing gleefully as they let handfuls of Styrofoam bubbles into the wind which carried them into the river off the bridge they were on. Believe me it was so beautiful… for that I know that I have a purpose here and that I am to fulfill it. The lord of hea’ven and earth has a plan for the salvation of all man and we are a part of it. He has no desire to see anyone perish and I know that this is where I am to carry out his will. So continue to pr’ay for me and yourself that we’ll all be obedient to him when he calls and that we will not doubt or worry for he will provide…I am a witness to these things.

2006-09-09T09:54:00.000+08:00

Yes I am a Singaporean
Hello! Its been a really long while since I've blogged and I feel terrible cause Ive got loads to share. Its been a roller-coaster ride with my Grandma's cancer, work related stresses and my trip to China. But before I share on that....

Yesterday at 4.40pm, a 40-page report was literally dumped on me and I was told to vet it... I had to submit it this morning... I looked at the clock and told the chief accountant that I had less then 14 hours to do it... She then replied, 'this is a singaporean company and you are a singaporean and you should be used to it...'

I stared at her saying that whatever it is it is no excuse to give anyone such last minute work and as I was telling her about how disgruntled I was, she replied by saying...'i don't know, i was only asked to hand this to you' YEAH IM SURE!

Anyways im now at the empty office sitting here waiting for people to come in... I've not had any sleep but at least the report has been completely vetted. The problem was, the english translations the vietnamese use makes no utter sense...english sentences are written with vietnamese grammer and the words used are utterly bombastic. (the vetted pages are RED with ink)

I really love Vietnam, but this company is making it really difficult for me to work well here. Everyone is disgruntled, im treated like dirt and am constantly being bossed around by really uncaring people.

My only relief is when I spend time with my church mates, and bible study last night was wonderful. God really took my mind off all the crap that was being thrown at me and it was wonderful to be in fellowship. Although Im not too thrilled with the unjust treatment im getting right now, i am only comforted with the knowledge that God has a plan for me here in Vietnam and I have to live it out in obedience to Him.

I ll share more soon...
Agape
Tobes

2006-07-19T16:54:00.000+08:00

Ka-La-OK! Hoi! Hoi!

Ive been dragged to a couple of KTV's here in Vietnam and well its difficult to describe the horrors I face... So here's a sample

The song selection they have...Oi! Unbelivable! EVERY Boyband imaginable! Luckily I had the oldies to keep me going...Well anyways most KTV's are like that... They look like night clubs and brothels...with their red lamps and flashing fairy lights....

2006-07-14T14:53:00.000+08:00

It's Raining....Man....

Vietnam never ceases to amaze me... It simply unbelivable how things manage to function in utter chaos...

Last night I was invited to a friend's house for dinner and well it started to drizzle, then it began to rain, then it started to pour... then a thunderstorm...then a hurricane... In a matter of 15 minutes... roads began to flood and it was amazing that people (myself included) would still continue to ride in the knee deep water... I mean I was already wet and so it didnt bother me and for once Hanoi's air was fresh, the traffic was good and the weather was cool... Wow Wee!

Well the afternoon was scorching and it was so bad no one would expect the weather to change so drastically but it did... and well during dinner a familar smell began making its way into the living room (the living room is simply next to the flooded alley...one could dive in for a swim) and before long I remembered it to be the smell of rat's urine... Ahh what a wonderful way to spend the evening...

2006-07-10T16:32:00.000+08:00

Look Mommy Pretty Colours

I went with the girls from church to this shop to look at bags... I was stunned... The colours... Oh man... could just die... anyways the sale's on from now till the 21st..

2006-07-03T14:54:00.000+08:00

Ngia Guay (Country Bumpkin)

Bloody useless vietnamese riders.... I met my first accident today..the break peddle got twisted all the way back and i escaped with a couple of bumps and scratches....Thank God

I was riding along the rode and then this guy made a u-turn and instead of moving off he stayed put.... imagine this...his bike was perpendicular to mine...which idiot would stop in the middle of the street like that.....idiot.....

Flat Liner

Oh and here's me and my bike just 2 days before the accident... I just turned the corner with my friend Mary, and there was a flat coz the patch job came off... But lo and behold a man was there with and pump and inner tube was there to help me change the entire thing...it cost S$4 quite cheap but what was nicer was that as we were leaving he kept blessing Mary and I....then Mary asked if he was a believer and he said he was....Wow it was just God's timing for everything....Thank God that it happened when Mary was around coz I still dont speak a word of vietnamese.... and that it happened at that exact corner this man was on...

2006-06-22T13:04:00.000+08:00

Piss Off!

(the words in italics are quotes from an article regarding Singapore's efforts on training toilet cleaners)

Don't get me wrong, I am not slamming the fact that we are sending toilet cleaners for training. I mean it's a good thing that we are providing more opportunities for our cleaners to 'advance' themselves in their careers *hint of sarcasm*… But I mean come on… Why can't we just provide them with more pay? Why can't we educate our citizens to be considerate for others? Why can't we teach our people to piss? I mean if the excuse is that the urinals and toilet bowls are too small then just stand closer to them…Its not as if something will jump out and bite your 'wee wee' off…

Forgive my ignorance…the fact that we have a restroom association.....scares me, but getting information off their website has given me a greater appreciation for them…http://www.toilet.org.sg *they have a pretty swanky website*

Singapore's toilet cleanliness is lagging behind Japanese standards by 15 years, and the Singapore Restroom Association, Workforce Development Agency and National Trades Union Congress hopes to change that by getting toilet cleaners to go professional.

I suppose the solution to the problem doesn’t simply lie on training the cleaners to clean the toilets, but it should be alson on keeping the toilets clean (on the part of the user). I know of a friend who competed in a piss competition… This involves the competitors to stand at the urinals and when the 'race' starts, they will move away from the urinal to see who can piss the furthest. Hey when you do things like that… piss is bound to get everywhere… idiots…

Going Professional!

Cleaners must identify urine crystals hidden in hard to reach places and learn how to get rid of it using different chemicals and equipment.

Cleaner A : I say, this indeed is an interesting specimen.

Cleaner B : Yes, yes I do so agree, the crystallisation process of this particular person's urine is indeed spectacular.

Cleaner A : Oh I cannot agree more, the molecular structure is fairly complex and is a fine specimen indeed.

Don't feel that way...even though thats how things are

"Most Singaporeans look down on cleaners, but I think after I attend this course, I will appreciate myself and will be proud a cleaner," said S.C., a Restroom Specialist.

Yeah I suppose Singaporeans aren't the nicest bunch of people around but I doubt that attending courses will allow you to appreciate yourself or be proud as a cleaner... Our people need to be reminded about our humble beginning and how this country was built... The rich didn't build it, the poor did... and hey honestly if I was given a stupid title like 'restroom specialist' crap... I'll flip! Giving people 'nicer' sounding job titles simply avoids the main issue to uplifting their spirits. Anyone would feel good about themselves if they are treated with care and respect...

The pot knows that it's as black as the kettle

Currently, the public does not like the state of toilets that they have, but they are not vocal. In the future, we need to be like the Japanese, who's demand for toilet cleanliness is very, very high. The increase in demand will drive the owner of the building to put their act together, and then these cleaners are there to fit the demand," said Jack Sim, founder of the Singapore Restroom Association, World Toilet College.

The public doesn't like the state of the toilets and won't say anything about it because they were the one who made it that way...duh....Oh and I gotta get me one of those toilet degrees from the World Toilet College...

2006-05-31T12:09:00.000+08:00

The Birds and the Bees

A couple of weeks ago I brought kids to the Botanic Gardens... It was pretty crappy!, only a couple of trees and flowers... nothing like the ones we have in Singapore. It was more like a park...but then again our parks prob have a better array of flora and fauna.

But the kids were really great and it was interesting to see soldiers in CV falling in along the footpaths. Oh and they laid their bare arms (the kind that shoot bullets ya) on the ground and it was pretty scary to see. I wanted to take a picture but I was afraid that they may just start letting off rounds at us...

But the highlight of the excursion was the fishermen fishing at the pond...hurhurhur its just so interesting that they would just walk into the pond, put up nets and start catching fish... these dudes were prob hired by the govt to do so but still it was an interesting sight. They had set up the nets in a rectangular formation and divided themselves into 3 groups. One of the large fish, one for the small fish and one to scoop out the dead fish (quite a pathetic job, but at least he seemed pretty relaxed about it) and there was an old lady on the bank collecting the Ikan Bilis which the 'dead fish man' threw onto the grass.

Back in the 60's...

Hanoi's a pretty place, and would prob be the same as Singapore back in the 60's or 70's. But everything is just moving so quickly and there's a disparity between the technology and the people's mindset.

Buildings are being demolished, skyscrapers are coming up, changing the peaceful skyline that we would love to have in Singapore.

2006-05-26T11:35:00.000+08:00

One down one to go

My housemate Stanley received news on monday that they were gonna send him to Ho Chi Min City, and it was difficult for him as he had to adapt to a new enviroment. I can totally understand, but he'll prob. like it over there as its WAAAAAY more mordern then Hanoi.

Hanoi Oi!

Here in Vietnam, to call to someone you must go 'Toby Oi' its pretty similar to how we would go ' Oi! Toby Ah!' And its not a harsh 'Oi! what the hell are you doing?!'

I've gotten use to the Xe Om (motorbike taxis) and its a pretty quick way to get around but its not as cheap as one would expect, a ride could cost between SGD$1 - SGD$5, well at least its cheaper then the cab. Its pretty liberating to ride around without the helmet with the wind blowing in your hair with the dust and exhaust getting into your lungs, one can get a high simply from breathing the freshly produced fumes. Oh and since the speed which they travel's slow too, bike accidents are rarely fatal and when they are, its usually for really stupid reasons like some young teen hell rider trying to reach 60km/h when everyones doing 20-30km/h.

So Xe May (motorbikes) are essential for the Vietnamese as their livelyhoods depend on it. From transporting goods, to carrying 3-4 passengers. I recently saw a man transporting 5 live pigs on this motorbike, the pigs looked sedated but were also tied up... so imagine this, one on each side, two on the back and one where his feet would have to be.

The people also make out on their motorbikes, the couple would just park by the lake and tongue wrestle. This could take up to 20 minutes and during this time they would not speprate their faces from each other...talk about a kissing contest...it seems that all the Vietnamese are acrobats training for it.

However to me the most sought after skill would be the 'nap 'n ride', after lunch, it is usual for the people to take an hour's nap, the most amazing form of acrobatics would be when the riders rest their feet on the handles and sleep on the seat with their arms crossed. They would be motionless and if you walk close enough, you can hear them snore.

I ll try to add the photos soon!

Friends! Singaporeans! Countrymen! lend me your ears!

Ive been meeting up with many Singaporean here in Vietnam, however Ive always been the youngest in the crowd...wait... well at least Im older then their kids (usually abt 2-6yrs). Everyone's in their 30's & 40's, and everyone's really surprised that I'm here on my own teaching.

Thus far the people have tried to help me settle in, but well im doing fine on my own and things are pretty good except for the bosses who have made things...challenging for me...*sob sob* can die ah!!!

2006-05-24T17:59:00.000+08:00

AAAHHH! FINALLY!!!

Well it's been a really really really long time since I've been able to update my blog. It has been insanely hectic the last couple of weeks and its only now that I can take a short breather before I start again.

Ever since Ive returned from China, Ive been bogged down with projects, teaching, examinations, marking and reports. My colleagues were surprised that I could actually do that much work (simply because culturally, the Vietnamese don't work this hard or much. Believe me it's not because they're lazy, it's just that the culture here is to not work more then what you're paid to do)

I told them that the work's not difficult, however the load is very heavy and tedious, to make things worse the deadlines are always so tight (that’s because im always informed about them at the last minute…it’s a Vietnamese thing).

Well at least the exams and markings are over, and the kids are on a 2 week summer holiday, before they start their intensive holiday program (which I'm in-charge of) and that leaves me with time to build on the curriculum and work on the Singapore tour. Urg!

And So How Have Things Been?

I'm immersing myself in Vietnamese culture, quite pleasant. The people aren't exactly polite (especially service staff, they're quite a bunch of arses) but the friends ive made here are totally nice.

Ive met up with Thanh from last year's visit and he brought me down to meet his friend who owns a café-bar near the lake. He's asking me for advice on his business and Ive got a couple of ideas for them. Its great coz I have an outlet for creativity and hey theres no obligation involved. So this sunday we're gonna try a couple of recipes for coffee, its gonna be great.

Ka Fae Sua Dac (Kar Fay Su'ur Dac)

This is an iced honey-rich coffee with condensed milk. It’s the only thing I can order correctly in Vietnam and there's a café that I go to near my work place that makes it the way I like it. Full bodied mildly sweet with a lingering scent of the Arabica bean.

Coffee was introduced as a cash crop in Vietnam, however it's reputation has apparently not taken off. Perhaps its because of the overwhelming supply of coffee from south America and other parts of the world. But hey, that only means that this wonderful product can only be found here in Vietnam! Woo Hoo!

2006-05-05T12:57:00.000+08:00

Urg... I know Ive been really busy and havent updated anything yet... I ll try to do so soon...Work is killing me

Agape

2006-04-25T17:17:00.000+08:00

Beef Beer Stew

Now here's a really 'Man' dish. It takes a while to prepare but its really worth it ...If you do get down to preparing it do make large quantities of it otherwise its not worth the trouble...its a pretty labour intensive piece of work but WOO HOO is it good....

Beef is really cheap here in Vietnam...I just bought 1kg of beef for about $10...WOO HOO!!! so anyways...no measurements are required just add enough of what you like...

Marinate the beef overnight and use a light beer..preferably bottled...dont use tiger, or any stouts...anchor was good but a light beer is always the best...I used Bia Ha Noi..a local beer..light and sweet it was really good....

cut up onions into little bits and marinate with the beef (also cut up into nice big chunks), use enough beer to cover the meat, add soya sauce and a tsp of sugar....

the following day fry the pieces of beef over a high flame until they turn brown...the inside doesnt need to be cooked....boil the beer and onion mixture then add the beef...

Gross foamy things will so appear...just skim it off as you see it...its the residue from the beer and beef's blood.

Bring heat down and boil for about an hour, then add tomatoes and carrots....another hour later, add the potatoes...use yellow or red skinned ones....not the white one...coz if u cook them for too long they will turn powdery.... add tomato paste to thicken the mixture and cook for 45 mins to an hour.

Season the stew with pepper and salt only at the end...

Mood Music

Lifehouse is a really good band and here's a clip featuring a song called 'Spin'

2006-04-18T17:44:00.000+08:00

Budget Terminal Illness

Well I had chosen to take Tigerair to Hanoi as it was the cheapest means of getting there. But since March, Tigerair now runs its operations in the *deng deng deng* BUDGET TERMINAL!!!

I was appalled at the initial idea for the budget terminal..I mean WHY??? Whats wrong with T1&T2.. Why do you have to segragate the Budgeters (budget airline patrons) from the normal ones? Why do you put them in what seems like a warehouse? Why isn't there aircon (well there was air conditioning...but for the longest time I had the impression that there wouldnt be) WHY? WHY? WHY?

So my grandad drove me to the terminal and well when I arrived in the Merc, the people sitting outside Han's kept pointing and whispering to themselves....It was pretty obvious that they were talking about the 'rich' kid who was taking a budget flight...I could just imagine their conversation..

Man: Wah! this budget terminal not bad hor? Got Han's somemore..I wonder when Airasia is moving over?

Woman: Yah Lor! So nice right just like a warehouse! and so cheap somemore! Wah I tell you ar! I bought my tickets to vietnam at $8 leh!

Man: Wah so cheap ar? But got tax right! Aiyo stupid tax..luckliy got budget terminal otherwise must pay more hor..I cannot imagining paying another extra $10 just to take the plane from T1 or T2... $10 leh..can buy cirgrettes...

Woman: Yah lor, yah lor! ay! what brand you smoke ah?

Man: The cheapest one lor...Pan Mall...although cigerettes are bad for me but with the savings from the $10, I have enough left over to go see a doctor.

Woman: Yah lor, yah lor! Good hor, lucklily got budget terminal

At that moment Toby pulls up and arrives in his grandad's Merc

Man: Wah Lao eh! look at that! wah got money to drive merc but no money to fly SQ hor...

Woman: Aiyoh Yah lor..So rich still come to budget terminal...So buay pai seh

Man: Yah yah...stupid rich people..dont they know budget terninal is only for people like us?

Anyways... So it was nice to be sent off...

My new home

It was a pleasent flight except that the stewardess had a constant frown on her face. The upon leaving the immigration, Stanley was there with a sign to pick me up (wah so glam..first time leh) and we were off to my new place...Ciputra International City

Yes It was very much a city by itself....It was HUGE! and I lived in their apartments, it's a condo and I live next to the clubhouse...So i had a room to myself and yeah Stanley is also my housemate... It was utterly impressive..I was initially hoping to be staying in a 5 storey shophouse (the type the vietnamese live in) where I can go to the roof and look at the cityscape in the morning and evenings...But well a fully furnished condo with an attached toilet will do too....Oh and theres a good kitchen too!!

2006-04-14T13:58:00.000+08:00

Well I'm almost ready!

I've pretty much tried to meet up with everyone possible, and well last night FM and I had dinner at Lerk Thai (wasn't very good but have to lie to myself, because FM had already warned me)...Anyways I have just past my 25th Birthday and I kept really low key cause it was a pretty shitty period (whats new) in my life and I just wanted to have a quite dinner with my closest friends. During the dinner FM suddenly popped a black envelope into my hand and said 'Happy Birthday'

I totally crumbled, I mean I didnt want to make it a big deal and didnt want any presents either...FM however went and got me a voucher from ZARA! I REALLY LOVE ZARA, just that their clothes arent actually affordable. But well this was something I really wanted (not needed yah), so last night we decided to go get me something from there...

I originally wanted a jacket but the damn thing cost $500...well so i decided to settle on a beautiful tie...Woo Hoo! it took a while but the 2 of us managed to agree upon a gold tie...after much disagreement may I add...

Corrine Bailey Rae

With her first very limited edition EP 'Like A Star' entering the UK Top 40 in November 2005 and the first single proper 'Put Your Records On' becoming a Europe-wide smash, the world is at her feet. Added to that a mountain of incredible press articles singing her many praises, magazine front covers, topping the BBC poll of Sound Of 2006, sold-out tour dates and the kind of radio and TV play that established artists can only dream of, there seems to be no stopping Corinne. The release of her debut album at the end of February 2006 will cement the fact that here is a brand new superstar, one whose voice will be heard for many years to come.

(info taken off http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/)

She'll pretty chill and this is something I really like...heres the live version of her song 'put your records on' Enjoy!!!

2006-04-14T12:59:00.000+08:00

Levure Seche de Boulanger: Dry Baker's Yeast

I would usually make bread and roll them out into discs and freeze them. They are pretty useful for BBQ's I mean aren't you tired of the usual loaf of bread bought at the supermarket? This is a pretty impressive feat if you manage to pull it off, grill the bread discs after you have BBQ'd for a while so that there's some oil on the grill.

(oh and I got this recipie off the back of the yeast packet muahahaha)
- 250g Plain Flour
- 1 sachet yeast (11g)
- 1tsp salt
- 6tsp sugar
- 7tsp milk
- 2 eggs
- 50g butter
(all ingredients are to be at room temp)

mix everything together (butter add gradually) and knead until you get a smooth dough...takes a while and some strength...add flour/milk if necessary

Pappadums & Honey

After the BBQ I started packing things back into the cupboards and cripes I forgot to cook the Pappadums and make the crysentemun (cant speel ok) honey drink...Man they totally slipped my mind....

2006-04-12T23:50:00.000+08:00

Chicks & Ducks & All my Choir Buddies (to tune of 'The surrey with the fringe on top')

Tonight we had a gathering for some really good friends from the Choir, and well we had a really good time chatting and eating...Hiyah...Really sad to say goodbye leh... But it has been great knowing all of you over the past 2 years. Thanks for providing me with the essentials and don't worry I won't change the 'peach' shirt... You guys really did put effort into picking it out... And thanks Shu Hui...I will use your providence wisely :)

So when it comes to BBQs I usually can single handedly perpare and cook everything...however an area I usually neglect is the fire starting and Joey was giving me a lesson on Arson 101... Ok so just to review what we had for dinner...

- Chicken Wings
- Chicken Breast Fillet
- Grilled Egg Plants
- Garlic Bread
- Garlic pasta with sundried tomato sauce (from the bottle)
- Grilled Veges
- Potato Salad
- Duck with Hua Jiao and Black Pepper
- Dory
- Whole Tuna
- Salad
- Nam Prik Phao (the chili I made)

Hmm..come to think of it..we did have ALOT of food

Ok I shall share about the 4 most popular dishes, the marinade for the wings, garlic butter, potato salad and the chili

Wings

The chicken wings.. well has a really sad story behind it and I only make on occasions when I have friends over...I ll never make it for my own consumption... My grandfather used to fry chicken wings for me and my brother whenever we visited him on the weekends and it was the most memoriable thing about him because he would always take time to prepare it and it was something he cooked solely for my Brother and I...When he died...I remembered saying to myself that I would never have him cook it for me again...So whenever I prepare the marinade, I remember him. He put all his heart into it and I do the same for my friends..so there you go guys...I know it was a little salty but it was something done whole-heartedly...

There's no fixed quantity to the ingredients, however it is important to remember that 'balance' is the key word to it. Don't let any ingredient overpower the marinade, however for this marinade ginger has to have a greater role... I shall leave out 3 ingredients and well keep it secret...because I will personally duplicate it for friends, but this one works pretty well too

- Soya Sauce
- Black Sauce (this acts as a colouring agent, and shows how well marinated the chicken is...its probably has little effect on the taste)
- Young Ginger Juice
- White Pepper
- Hua Tiao Jiu
- Sesame Oil
- 5 spice
- cornstarch (this tenderises the meat however if you add too much it was give the meat a floury texture)
salt
- Pince of salt and sugar

Simple right...but its ultra delicious....

Potato Salad

Use only the following ingredients

- Red skinned young potatoes (nothing else should be used)
- "Best" mayonaise
- toasted blackpepper (read about this in the 'garlic butter' write-up)
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- salt

whats important here is the texture...The potatoes are cooked and MUST be cooled before making the salad... they must be cut into small pieces...I cut a potato in half, then sliced it lon its breadth about 7-8 slices, and I cut it in half and then slice it 4-5 times lengthwise. Honestly it may be troublesome but it makes a difference... ok first put the Mayo, pepper, salt and juice together and mix well, add the potatos one at a time mixing well after each new potato is added (this ensures an even distribution), just after the mixture stiffens...drizzle olive oil and mix it...it should be smooth...

Prik

Prik is thai for chili... this is actually a thai style roasted chili paste.. I didnt have any fish sauce however soya sauce is a good substitute.

- Oil for frying
- 3 parts Chopped garlic
- 3 parts Chopped shallots
- 3 parts roughly chopped Dried thai (birds eye) red chilies
- 1 part belahchan
- 1/2 - 1 part fish sauce/soya sauce
- 1/2 part sugar

first follow the order it is important

- fry garlic and shallots till golden brown (like the crispy shallots on porriage)
- Clean up the oil..leftover residue will burn and affect the chili
- fry the chili till golden brown
- pound everything with belahchan till it becomes a paste...use leftover oil to work it into the paste
- fry everything over a low flame with sauce and sugar until a ring of oil forms around the chili...its done....remember to use back the same oil from the garlic and shallots to fry chili..this helps to harmonise the flavours

Garlic Butter

the easiest of the lot..

- toast black peppercorns till the pan smokes and a sweet aroma comes out from the peppers...use only the round corns...crushed or powdered pepper can never work...
- Ground pepper with garlic and a pince of salt...
- Beat mixture into a cake of soft butter (SCS Butter only)

thats it... I believe everyone can vouch that these are tried..tested.. and have been given the stamp of approval... Don't panic Adeline...at least you know how to make the garlic butter now woo hoo!!!

2006-04-08T23:58:00.000+08:00

Gross-a-ree shopping!!!

The day started at Parkway's Giant Hypermart as the boys wanted me to cook a dinner for them. So its been a while since Ive seen the boys and well they've all grown quite a bit (quite a bit of an idiot actually) and so there was Wei Tat, Sherwin, Shawn, Jackson and James.. Ee Chen came later but its was nice to see them all after such a long time...

So I spent an hour educating them about fruits and vegatables. Man these boys were hopeless (guys I know youre reading this)... I pointed at a round eggplant (auburgine) and the first thing Sherwin said was... 'Oh I know what that is' I raised an eyebrow..surprised and impressed that Sherwin knew what and auburgine was... 'It is the purple thing in the Chicken Fan-Tastic Burger' he replied gleefully... ... ...Just kill me...

Boys! As much as you would like to live in your own little world... They do not put auburgines in hamburgers... Neither is Yam a Water Chestnut...and Neither is Water Chestnut a Chestnut... and neither is Dang Chye related Dang Hoon... *sigh*... Oh and I had Shawn go get a Wong Bok(long chinese cabbage)..He replied...'Who's Wong Bok?'...Wah can die! Then ask them to get young ginger, and before they went I told them that there were 4 types of ginger on sale..Blue Ginger, Yellow Ginger, Old Ginger and Young Ginger... 'Eh Got sign right? got sign right...'

Serves 7

It didnt end there.. In the kitchen I asked the boys to slice shallots...Shawn replied 'Oh I heard of a shallot before...' I mean who has never heard of a shallot? Even I, this Shang4 Deng3 Ren2 (upper class person *chey..*) also know what a shallot is...wah liew....These fellas probably have never helped their mothers at all.. But it was fun having 7 people crammed up in a tiny kitchen and we managed to cook the following dishes...Rice Pot Chicken Rice, Steamed Wong Bok layered with minced pork, Calamari Flowers seasoned with Hua Jiao and Cinnamon, Thai Style Ikan Bilis, Special Centuary Egg Tofu and Kiam Huer (salted fish)...Everything went down really well and it was delicious...however the boys cannot hold their liquor...not a sip...*sigh* they became utterly stupid after tiny sips of Southern Comfort...

The Bed

So after a shot of whiskey, Sherwin was how do I put this...DRUNK! *unbelivable* So the boys decided to take advantage of the situation and strip him on my bed...Things were going well till Jackson jumped on the bed and it broke... Dented right in the centre the boys tried to comfort me by saying that at least now I have a more comfortable sleeping posture...what the hell...bunch of idiots...

My Ah Ma wants you guys to come over and dump the bed frame into the bulky refuse area, you guys have no choice...If you don't move it I will tell your parents....muahahahaha

But I have seen these boys since they were little idiotic 13 year olds, now they are full-fledged 17 year old idiots... So i suppose another idiotic stunt like that is to be expected...sigh...

2006-04-01T08:50:00.000+08:00

The 13 Demons

Reading XiaXue's blog about mahjong was quite funny, the person refered to as 'Tim' is actually my brother. But what was more apalling was a comment which was made on the matter.. ive copied it and here it is

liews.. tim also quite dumb to throw the bird when you ting pai already lor.. should have throw all those cards in the begining already. but congrats and good luck in future mahjong games .. hehe..Kai 03.28.06 - 12:17 pm #

Now this Kai person is a total idiot... I mean the 1 & 9 tiles are not useful nearing the end of a mahjong game.. but what the hell type of comment was that? I mean calling my brother dumb is well.. .. .. acceptable.. .. But it seems that in every mahjong game which Kai plays, his kaki's always await the final tile for the '13 demons' and thus throwing the 'one swallow' tile was risky. Wow!!! all hail the Mahjong gods!!!

This other person had something to say to Kai, much more pleasent but I couldnt give a damn to hold my words back for an idiot like Kai

for those who say why xiaxue can win wif 14 tiles in a 13 yao... please go n ask those people around u who knows mahjong... 13 yao is not u win wif 13 cards... all winning tiles are 14.. >_<> it's not dumb throwing bird when xiaxue ting bai also.. maybe bird was thrown b4 and xiaxue cant win it coz she dun have the other tiles for 13 yao?? *shake head*go xiaxue go~Gene 03.28.06 - 9:13 pm #

Well apparently after getting the 13 demons, XiaXue didnt take any money from my brother or their friends. She had apparently already won $50 and my brother lost $10 (I think)...Well gambling is a vice and dont ever think you can get rich from it... it may work for someone else but live your life honestly and humbly...and work hard for the things you need

2006-03-30T11:47:00.000+08:00

The Job (Interview)

Notice how many horror movies have single word titles like The Eye, The Ring, The Maid, The Fog, The Grudge, The Dorm, (and horror of all horrors) The Wig. I now have the priviliage of sharing with you a horror movie called the *deng deng deng!* (mind you its the heart thumping 'deng deng deng' sound) The Job (Interview).

The things you would read on the back of the DVD cover

The Job (interview) the first of a three part horror movie franchise. The Job (interview) is a prequel to The Job (contractual terms), and The Job (the firing). The Job movies follows the epic and tragic story of Tobias, very handsome young man (Played by the multi-talented, award winning Toby) who stumbles upon a job advert for a teaching position in Vietnam. Eagerly motivated by the chance to start on a clean slate after his horrible life experiences in Singapore, Tobias takes up the job offer.

The Story

The movie begins with Tobias working at his father's restaurant. However being the heir of his father's empire, Tobias is met with great jealously from his evil and insecure stepmother. She plots and finally after months of intense brainwashing, finally convinces Tobias' father that Tobias is totally screwed up, ambitious, selfish, useless and disobedient. This led to Tobias' firing and his 'job hunting'

Being scarred by the fact that his father had chosen his wife over his own son, Tobias continues to hold fast to his faith and searches the internet for work. This is when he stumbles on the advert for a teacher position in Vietnam. A few days after his application, he gets news and is called in for an interview.

After the interview, an offer of USD$1050 was offered but it seemed too little for Tobias and he asks for another offer. Several days later (and a pathetic begging email later) he gets a second interview with the Director. Being estactic about the chance to redeem himself Tobias has no idea what's instore for him during the 2nd INTERVIEW!!!!!

At the 2nd interview Tobias meets the director and thats when the spine chilling tale begins...*deng deng deng* The Director is a very eloquent young woman, and Tobias knew that his own eloquency was of no value when used upon (shudder)...THE DIRECTOR!!!... The interview began with the Director lashing at Tobias about his original rejection letter and 'begging' letter which followed. The lashing and the humble explaination took up a good 20mins of the hour long interview.

Tobias was throughly exhausted at the experience and knew his end had come. For once he felt helpless for he was always able to reason his way out of difficult situations but the array of arrows kept piercing him through and through. However the plot changes just as Tobias was about to breathe his last, a glimmer of hope came when the Director made a comment about how the Singaporeans would look Vietnamese. Tobias replied by saying that it was not true and that Singaporean would stick out easily due to their 'robust' figures...(he then looks at his own body)

Laughter filled the room, YES! his fat joke about himself broke the intense atmosphere which was about the overwhelm him. He was saved. The interview then was ressurected and now Tobias has hope for his move to Vietnam.

Some words in closing

This was the most difficult interview I have ever been through, and things didn't look good. However a prayer always helps to keep me focused on why I'm taking up this job in the first place. Im not sure about you..but Ive always kept true to my beliefs and would never lie during an interivew. It hasn't landed me with many jobs, but those who hire me they know that I am as such and will be responsible to them, for I am responsible to myself and I am always very happy working at these places.

2006-03-26T02:31:00.001+08:00

OK! Do me a favour!

I just want to know who actually reads my blog. One reason I don't blog often is because it seems that no one reads it, but from conversations with my friends apparently they do and it is surprising sometimes... so just click on the 'comments' link and put down your name, thanks guys!

2006-03-26T01:56:00.000+08:00

Another Sleepless Night

It seems that I've had a couple of sleepless nights this week. I keep thinking about Vietnam and whether its possible to salvage the opportunity Ive turned down...

I'm not one who does things solely for its monetary value, but the USD$1,100 offer to teach seemed little and .. i dont know.. Im not sure whether I can help support my mom with that amount.

Ive been searching for reasons to take up the job offer, although I have many reasons why I should NOT take it up from the people around me. One thing for certain is that I want to go, and im not sure if thats reason enough...

Perhaps a good thing about writing is that I can straighten out my thoughts and it dawned upon me that I've never gave a damn about the things people have said about me and the way I live my life. I used to live by Proverbs 3:5-6 and somehow it's been faded into the background of everything thats happened. From my father's rejection to my last cent, its being in the pits again... To trust the Lord with all my heart... seems easy enough and yet I can't do it.

Reflecting upon everything that has happened, things in my life have gone downhill. It all started back when I was 19... After being threatened by my dad with a knife and the constant verbal abuse, I left home... My mom almost died from meliodosis, living off each week with a loaf of bread, having no money, the politics with my hateful classmates, the period of depression, the arguements with my step-mother, being fired by my dad, being jobless for the past 6 weeks, and I'm now in the pits again with my final $50... It seems that there's no end to the troubles

But it all started when I was 19. This was when I became a Christian... and I must say at times I wish I could just die, but I've never reached that point to actually do it. And its true that the Lord will not test me beyond what I can bear. I have grown spiritually and it is Christ who preserves me. This is hope, many are searching for it, and many have believed that they found it.

There are many ways for man to find hope, but theres has only been one way in which hope has found man. In our journey of hope we have gained wisdom, but to me, wisdom is the knowledge of truth. Wisdom through the knowledge of what is not true will lead one away from hope, the truth will set us free.

2006-03-14T23:19:00.000+08:00

Dang-nabbit-ingrateful-young'n

Its been a while since I've taken the bus or train during the afternoon congestion period. Usually the bus would be full of students coming home from school. There was an incident where this kid kept shoving and pushing me... sigh I'm not too sure how to describe this but could you remember smelling ...'dusty and musty' from a day's school activities? It's pretty normal but oh man this kid stunk...

Stink Boy

Ever notice how on a scorching hot day you could see the heat rising off the roads... Well i saw something rising off this kid's head and it ain't heat... but thinking back IT IS pretty interesting to able to see 'stink waves'...But it aint pretty, I being 5"11 was towering over this kid and 'stink waves' like 'heat' travel upwards....

Anyways this kid was very rude... and stinky... and musty...and dusty... and oily...yes VERY OILY... And so, as Jason and I were approaching our stop, this kid kept trying to squeeze his way to the door (well I was next to the door) and damnit the bus was crowded...this kid couldn't wait a couple of seconds for the bus to come to a stop...

He then said to me 'Ooi excuse me ah, I want to get off'
I then turned to him (blocking his way) and snapped 'I'm getting off too! So just wait!'

He was surprised! Piece of crud!

Keeping the seats warm: Just for you!

So that was the journey to lunch, on the way back to Jason's place, the bus was packed again and well it was sickening to see that most of the seats were occupied by students. There were a couple of grannys holding their grandkids standing along the aisle but no one gave up their seats to them.

The sight was irksome, if I had a seat I would give it up... whats wrong with these kids?

But what am I saying? How could I be so myopic about the entire situation? Alas a revelation has been presented to me... These kids were doing a public service, protecting the old and weak from the harmful effects of anally transmitted Piles...

I suppose these kids knew that the (bacteria infested) moisture given off from an infected person's anus would possibily be absorbed into the upholstery of the bus seats. And so they have selflessly exposed themselves to Piles to protect the elderly as they sit tirelessly on the precariously moving bus.

The power of positive thinking ROCKS!

The situation looks bleak

The same thing happened on MRT today, it totally sucks that the younger one's arent considerate at all...There were like 8 boys from Anderson, hogging seats when it was obvious that someone else needed it. I mean its ok to take a seat but would it (physically) hurt, to let an elder or pregnant lady have your seat when the situation calls for it?

But then again

When I commute late at night... on the last bus or train... There will be Ah Ma's and Ah Gong's still roaming about.. What the hell?

2006-03-11T10:36:00.000+08:00

Fair is foul, and foul is fair

Well its been 25 years and a week since I've conceived... Pretty much like MacDuff in Macbeth, I too was 'not of woman born'... Ok, for those who know Shakesphere, Macbeth was told by the witches that he only needed to fear a man who was not of woman born. To Macbeth's delight that would not have been possible for all man would have to eh..'come out' from a woman...

So here's the twist, as Macduff is about to decapitate Macbeth, he tells him that he was brutally torn out of his dying mother's 'sword opened' womb and thus fits the criteria of the 'not of woman born' thingy...needless to say, that caused Macbeth to run about like a headless chicken *get it? get it?*

And no... I was not brutally torn out of my mother's sword opened womb, my mom had a c-section...

Oh yes! Im a sentimental 'ol bastard

Anyways ever since Ive got a hand phone, I would always journal down the birthday sms's I get and so here's those from this year...

Fengmin 04/03/06, 9.28pm
Oh hey toby!!!! I almost forgot! Happy birthday!! May this special day brings u good health and much happiness through out the year! And all the best with ur job hunting!

Roderick 04/03/06 12.32pm
hey,happy birthday!

Alex 04/03/06 12.13am
happy bdae bro! I still rmb ur bdae k? hee.. so so swt rite?

Leon 03/03/06 11.06pm
Happy Birthday tob. And many more. Later

and the msn greetings

Lorraine:
Happy bday Toby! Continue to walk faithfully in ways Pleasing to God & may u walk closer to him as u u grow a yr older..blessed b'day

Jaques
happy belated birthday

Gao
happy birthday

Nifal
well..HAPPY belated BDAE ~!!!all the best on ur future endeavours

Shao
belateed happy bday on the 4th march

So thanks everyone, thanks for the coffee David, and thanks for the voucher FM, its been a tough couple of months and well thanks!

And I pray that God will continue to guide you in truth and wisdom...

Agape

2006-02-25T22:47:00.000+08:00

Blogs... Why read them?

Well for the longest time I've always wondered if my friends were 'bo liao' enough to read my blog, and to my surprise they do. I mean I personally wouldn't spend the time to read about another person's life and thoughts cause they dont really matter to me (lest they be my friends)

But anyways, today being the longest day in my life gives me tons to write about and well I kinda get why people read blogs... sometimes its just damn funny so lets begin.

The SQ Idel

After being bugged by my aunt (and bribed with a free meal) I shamefully applied for a position as an air steward with SIA. As it was an walk in, I thought that if I went early I would miss the crowd, but oh stupid stupid me... kiasu singaporeans were already queuing from 830 (the interviews started at 9) and the entire ballroom was already full as I stepped out of the lift. There were easily 300 applicants before me and man it looked like the queue from the singapore idle competition.

3.5 hours and 4 books of the bible later, it was my turn to enter the interview room. 12 of us were in there and were given the opportunity to give a short introduction and I was perhaps one of the most eloquent speakers but well to keep the story short... I didnt get the job... damn I must lose more weight... damn you fats!

Well it wasn't a total loss... I did have a good laugh...During the interview a guy had this to say about himself...
' I like water sports, thats why I'm so tan, and sporty....(he later goes on by saying) I should be a steward because I used to be an engineer and T3 was my big project .. ya thats why I should be a steward'... That really made my day, oh and I laughed out loud...bad move

The Brokeback mountain

Since Feng Min was at work, I met up with her and we spent the whole day together, so on impulse we decided to watch the critically acclaimed Borkeback mountain...sigh... it was critical alright...

During the entire movie the 2 china girls next to me were talking as the movie played...Feng Min (FM) suggested that it was because one of the girls needed a translation, only thing......it had chinese subtitles... Well anyways the movie was really slow but the cinematography was really good, story was weak and poorly played out (ooh damn i'm a critic)

There were many moments when I went *ahh..ah..ah..ahh...ahrgh...what the hell...* mainly the sudden 'drop your pants lets have sex in the tent' scene and the 'violent kissing witnessed by wife' scene...man was i traumatised...

So after the movie as FM and I were decending the escalator, 2 men (very affeminate men) were talking about Heath Ledger being an Auzzie and that being Australian was why he sounded like Crocodile Dundee... What the hell....

Green Socks and Leopard print shoes

We had dinner at Long Johns and FM pointed out that her 12 o'clock had a couple that didnt talk or meet eye to eye, so as I turned, I saw a pair of greensocks (with heart motiffs) and leopard print shoes and man they were ugly and thats not all.. they belonged to the dude... What the hell...

We then went up to Sembawang Music to look for a CD by the Perishers, well the sales person wasnt helpful at all...FM was looking at a jazz CD and he was trying to sell it and here was what he said... 'yah this compilation has 2 volumes, but volume 2 is better because..ah it is better....' what the hell?

Scissors, paper, stoned! (SPS)

This was a situation I faced on my hour long bus journey home... A family boards the bus and so there was the dad, mom, brother, sister and maid. The father decided to play scissors, paper, stone with his kids and everytime his daughter wins, she screams with delight.. for the first 5 minutes, it was cute, 10mins later irritating and 5 minutes after that I wanted to break their fingers... I mean how can an adult and a child play SPS for over 20mins, the bus ride became insanely unbearable.

The other passengers were equally irritated but held their tongues (prob because we were all young) but then an uncle from infront came to the back and asked the father to keep quiet...

'Mister ah, can you please keep quiet please?'

The SPS playing piece of shit then replies 'Hah what har? can you speak up? I cant hear you'

'Mister please keep quiet la, you are disturbing everyone on the bus. If your childeren are playing and making noise then I have nothing to say. But you are an adult and you are making so much noise...'

The SPS playing piece of shit then replies 'Sorry har... I can't hear you can you speak up har?'

Wah it was damn irritating, his mannerisms and voice were ultra irritating! man...some people are just born pieces of shit... I pity the kids cause they're gonna grow up in their father's image...the poor little pieces of shit....

2006-02-23T17:49:00.000+08:00

Fish & Co sucks!

I mean you may disagree but honestly the dinner we had was terrible, it smelled worse then a wet market. Hmm actually I like the wet market smell, it is the smell of fresh produce with a hint of blood... whereas FAC just smelled of putrid fish.

Billy who sat next to me ordered oysters and WOOOO did it smell bad, judging from the colour and firmness of the dead molluscs, Billy's gonna have a bad case of the runs. Well it wasn't a total bummer... well not totally... It was quite a surprise to meet Olivia and Gazali, they were going to sing. After Kelvin came and had his dinner, we headed down to the Lot Stop and Barrel for drinks.

As Man Whore was flying off the next morning, he left Nana behind to do the packing (Kunye, if youre reading this know that youre not a man) ahahahaha! So this being the only time we've all been together in over a year, we had our annual 'family portrait'

2006-02-09T14:50:00.001+08:00

IQ Tests

I was reading the comics of Dilbert.com when suddenly a pop-up from tickle.com came up and well being jobless and all I decided to humilate myself by taking an IQ test and here were the results...

Congratulations, Toby!
Your IQ score is 126

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others. Your Intellectual Type is Precision Processor. This means you're exceptionally good at discovering quick solutions to problems, especially ones that involve math or logic. You're also resourceful and able to think on your feet.

Ok the being able to solve logical problems I buy but not the math bit... Hmm but honestly its not an accurate test, Eh Han once told me that the average score for the IQ test is 100 and most people hover about that number, any higher and you would be a genius... Therefore since I've scored a 126, this test is bogus!

2006-02-08T10:31:00.000+08:00

Something old

I found an old blog which I had originally used when I first started writing. The posts were very upsetting as they were things I wrote about during my depression. None of which is worth mentioning but heres a post which meant alot. Idris wrote it and now that his blog site has been deleted here's something for us to remember Alfie by...

Thursday, April 14th, 2005
10:33 pm
Unsaid words: Words of Idris on Alfie's passing

Seems like yesterday we were brought into the Academy..I couldn't resist the sterotype look of a typical beng that you had and thought you were just one of 'those' people. But alas, my judgement was proved wrong. You were nothing close to that. In fact, you were an intelligent young man. A promising one at that.

I still remember all the good and bad times we had. I also remember you ranting about not being in OCT everytime you see their squad march by. Yeah.. you also proved alot of people wrong when you became the best trainee both academically and physically. Heh.. Those were days. Remember the time we wrestled? Yeah it was sheer barbaric fun but you fell and got pissed and then came charging at me.. haha! It was funny how we found comfort in these cheap thrills during our 6 months of torture in the Academy.

We went through thick and thin during those days in Tracom. We shared everything from toiletries to memories. We created plenty of those too..I hate myself for not remembering and cherishing our days together. Yeah we did not share much about our private lives but there was indeed a bond between all of us the "Holland Village" guys. We were more than squadmates.. We are brothers.

It was only recently that we had our renunion dinner. I dont usually remember dates but I'll never forget, 18th March. And I certainly wont forget today, April 14th. As usual, only 5 of us, the "Holland Village" guys, out of the whole squad turned up for the renunion dinner. You guys talked and crapped as I sat there laughing and listening to all your conversations. We all thought that it was just another renunion dinner and there was more to come.. I remember us discussing about bringing our kids and wives along next time but...Little did we know that another renunion was close by and it would be our last with you...

I dont know why, but I was emotionless when I saw you lying there. Not moving.. or breathing.. I waited for the moment when you would open your eyes, sit up, scare the shit out of everyone, laugh and tell us that it was all just a sadistic belated April Fool's joke. heh..

Needless to say, that never happened. What was I thinking..!You were really gone... !! But you're only 20.. !!How could this be!!?? Why you?!! I couldnt cry.. Honestly, I wanted to.. so bad that it hurts inside..

But I just couldnt let it out. Not even when you were being burried.. I dont know why.. I cant explain it..To go like that.. Not even a goodbye..Why now? Why do the tears come now as I write this?! Its been a long time since i cried.. I know you wont be reading this but I just want you to know that I regret not telling you how much of a friend, and a brother you have been to all of us during our last renunion.

It was a painful experience for all of us.. God loves you alot I guess..Rest in peace my dear friend, Alfie..

2006-02-02T11:22:00.000+08:00

Zam Zam Zam Zam

The guys and I had an impromptu (is that how I spell it?) dinner appointment, I guess the joblessness was getting to me. So the evening started with Fattah, D'cruz and I having milkshakes at Mos Burger, Fattah had his shirt on inside out for a really long time till i noticed it...damn embarassing hahahaha..... After Idris' arrival we headed off to ZamZam for dinner.

ZamZam has been around for a really long time and it's pretty well known for its food, so we had a large order of chicken murtabak and mutton bryani...honestly its was no big deal...the man who served us on the other hand was extremely rude but hey it was nice of him to only charge us $16 for the entire meal which would have probably cost $20++ (and yes there is a typo on the picture)

So after our late dinner, we headed back to Bugis junction for CS... I've not played CS for 5 years and it all seemed so foreign to me but it didn't matter, I still sucked... Then again it was good fun, being with my NS buds. Reminicing the great times we had at the Police Academy really brought tears into our eyes especially now that Alfian is no longer around. Life has to go on...

2006-01-24T23:24:00.000+08:00

Eh What?
Yes yes, as some of you may know, my dad fired me today! Why? one word...STEPMOM! Wendy has been complaining behind my back for the longest time now and last night she has finally succeded in kicking me out of the restuarant.

The Conversation
This afternoon Mr Lim (note: came up to me and said "you must listen to Aunty Wendy"
So I replied "When did I not listen to her?"
"Last night"
"Last night? What did she tell me to do that I didn't do?"
"I don't know...She didn't tell me"
"You don't know? And so how did you know that I didn't listen to her?"
"You don't keep talking back"
"I am not talking back! I am trying to find out whats wrong so that I can explain myself"
"You by talking back is already wrong!"
"Look dad, you never give me a chance to explain. How can you say that I'm wrong even when I'm right?"
"There's no need to explain because you are always wrong!"
"I'm always wrong? OK FINE!"

My dad ponders...
"I know what to do, this is the end!"
"The end? Just like that huh? Let me tell you something! I am only here because I want to be an obedient son to you! I had to give up my plans to study at the uni, I had to give up the jobs that I liked all because I wanted to know who my father is, but you have never treated me like your son and all you listen to is your wife, you never listen to me"
"You think you're so great don't you? Let's see how you survive outside"
" I was survivng fine and I loved my life outside, I had to quit a job I liked! But I gave it all up for you! I never wanted to take over the business I never wanted your money"

Ok what am I to do now?
I was very very very sad at the fact that my father had decided to ask me to leave. For months I have contemplated leaving but I knew that God's timing is not up. The only criteria which has to be fufilled for my departure would be that if my own father would tell me to leave. Today was such a day. Saddened but not greiving, I have completed the task at hand and I feel no regrets with the choices and actions I have made in my 3 months at the restaurant. God was the inspiration and guide through this phase in my life, I praise Him for leading me through it. I have tried to honour my father, it is he who has rejected it. Now I shall continue on but giving honour to God.

I shall now first enjoy me Chinese New Year, and then the job hunt begins. And I will take serious consideration with the option to study in QUT as another offer letter has just come in

2006-01-10T09:55:00.000+08:00

Something you guys didn't know...
Well... as like the past 4 years, I've spent my New Year's at home... Yup! (neither was I deployed for a New Year's duty) anyways whilst I was watching tv, the stroke of midnight rung and gone was 2005. Kids at the playground were screaming 'Happy New Year!' swinging on the swings *swinging on the swings..sounds wrong...but it's right* people were yelling from their balconies and I was trying to watch MTV but that didn't stop me from peeking out of the window to see all the excitement.

When I peered out I saw something which jolted my memories, and apparently this event happens every New Year's... The ships at sea will set off flares and blow their horns, the entire sight is magnificant .... So here are some pictures

2006-01-08T12:40:00.000+08:00

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned

Aiyaiyai... What words of wisdom, my stepmom is pissed at me...again... ... well God has continued to remind me that my purpose here is to serve Him and that through all the problems, we will work things out to His Glory... anyways heres a conversation I had with Wendy the other day..

Wendy: Toby, bring the food back for Ah-mah

Toby: Ok, can I bring 2 coconuts back for Ah-mah too?

Wendy: This type of thing don't need to ask what, just take!

Toby: No, it's not like that I just wanted to ask for your permission...

Wendy: (Yelling) What is your problem Toby? Ever since you started work here you have been giving me attitude! You keep talking back and you disrespect me!

Toby thinks to himself: What the HELL?

The Tough Cookie

Anyways this woman has definately got a problem... She's totally insecure with everything and she wants everyone to like her... Too bad for her I'm some what a challenge, honestly I have nothing against her...I've let bygones be bygones, but she's been proving her tryranic ways through the way she treats her workers (and me)...

I'm just gonna be a tough cookie...one that you wouldnt even try to chew...A tough cookie with a soft inside... A tough cookie that God baked

2005-12-29T00:34:00.000+08:00

The Theraphy of Mutilating Vegetables
I've resolved to be a little positive in my outlook of life...Theres too much to love and too much to hate for me to expand my energies on simply gloating on the latter so Woo Hoo!

I've been preparing vegetables for the kitchen and its been wonderful, getting myself immersed in the joy of killing/mutilitating a living entity. There's something hypnotic about peeling off the skin that would have clung onto a sweet potato leaf stem, I feel peace at the thought of pulling off the umbilical cord (which is the stem) to a fetal chili padi. There is satisfication from knowing that all the kang kong has been plucked to a uniform length and that the garlic is now naked and is ready for crushing...

Oh the beauty that has been born from the sacrifices of an original form!

Oh and if you were wondering... The restaurant no longer has any vegetables for me to prepare

2005-12-14T01:08:00.000+08:00

ARG! I hate it here!
Its been 3 weeks since I've started work at the restaurant and I must say, things between my dad and I have gotten much better. The workers are also having a better time with me as a buffer between them and my dad... The only problem I face now is my step-mother...

I have a great dislike for her work ethics and the manner of which she speaks to her workers (myself included).

The other day we went into a senseless arguement over a chinese word which I had mis-read. She started to kick up a fuss about how she had wasted all that money on my chinese tution when I was a kid, I replied 'well at least I speak good english' She then continued to justify her point on my 'money-wasting' ways as a child and that I spoke good english because of the enviroment I was brought up in...Well it did occur to me that it was a waste of money to have chinese tution..I mean come on, which parent wouldn't spend time teaching their own child..OH OPPS...DEAR ME... I DIDN'T HAVE A MOTHER AS I WAS GROWING UP BECAUSE SOME BITCH WAS THE THIRD PARTY IN MY PARENT'S MARRIAGE! WHICH LED ME TO LIVE MY CHILDHOOD ALONE AS A CHILD, FENDING AND GROWING UP BY WHICHEVER MEANS I WAS EXPOSED TO. AND NOW I DISPITE MY OUTWARD NATURE, HAVE A YEARNING FOR PEOPLE'S RECGONITION AS I GOT NONE FROM MY PARENTS AS THEY WERE TOO BUSY PICKING UP THE PIECES OF THEIR OWN LIVES TO CARE ABOUT MY BROTHER AND ME! THATS RIGHT! I DID WASTE ALL THAT MONEY HAVING CHINESE TUTION! Ok it wasnt as if I yelled that at her but i did come from a dysfunctional family..and well it is apparent that this woman has relinquished all her responsibilities as a 'my' parent to cater to her own family...I was now the third party in her family...

Oh and Yeah!
My dad actually got me a namecard ( which totally shocked me) but anyways only me name apperared on it and when i asked where my mobile number was he only replied 'You want your number there, then you write la' ......What the hell? Anyways I took it a step further and designed a new one and here it is! Do call me if you need someone to design namecards for ya!

2005-11-29T11:19:00.000+08:00

Why aren't you yellow too?

Yesterday a Taiwanese lady came to the restaurant yelling about how her crab from the previous day wasn't meaty and one claw was small and she was cheated (honestly if you think about it, the crabs are sold by weight, so if 1 claw was small then it would have been lighter thus the price would have been lower anyway, thus no cheating...stupid cow). She demanded to see my father (who wasn't around) and so I stepped up to the plate, the moment she saw me her first words were "you are such a beautiful boy"...

I was like *WHAT THE HELL?*...

Anyways, she was pretty happy that I was serving her and she selected a couple of crabs and weighed them. I had put the crabs in the basket before putting them on the scale and she asked what the weight was and asked if I was going to deduct the weight of the basket and well I told her the basket didn't weigh much and asked if it was ok if i just charged her 2kg for the crabs..she said ok...

3 minutes later, she came for the bill and asked how heavy the crabs were and I told her 2kg... She started becoming estastic and yelled "2kg? what about the basket"...

"Well mdm, I thought I told you the basket wouldn't weigh too much and you said 2kg was ok" I replied...

"No! you cannot charge me for the basket, you are so DISHONEST just like your father!"

'SNAP' something in my brain went off...This bitch had the audacity to call me a dishonest person! I was PISSED! VERY VERY PISSED! WAH! Woman you have no idea who you are speaking to!

But I withheld my anger and went on my normal business..so for the entire time the bitch was there she kept complaining about everything...'What the hell? If you always have bad experiences eating here then why the hell do you keep coming back?'

The only thing that kept me going was the pharse Yung used 'Aiyah They're just too cheap to pay more' ...O words of wisdom I thank thee! Yes the appropriate word in this situation is indeed CHEAP! I mean just to let you know...the cost price for the crabs are $24 and we sell them at $30, our profit margin is only 6 dollars so if I charge you 100g more for the basket ($3 more) just 'suck thumb' and be a generous person...Coz the restuarant doesn't charge the 10% service and 5%gst...perhaps due to the trauma my staff are put through I should implement a 10% service charge...

Well anyways, to relieve the situation I offered the taiwanese lady a small dish of preserved chili, black bean and green papaya. I told her it was something I had just brought back from China...She looked at the dish and said 'take it back, we don't eat things from China'

What the hell? bloody snob!...You reject my kindness and insult the people of my ancestors?...I couldn't take another moment of taiwanese shit this bitch was dishing out of her mouth...

Throughout the entire time she was there she had called my father stupid, scholded all my workers, insulted me...wah can die!

Oh the shame!

That evening I told my step-mom about the 'si gui san ba' (dead ghost 38) and all she said to me was..dont say that about other people..she has been eating here for years, she brings business... What the hell! She insulted my father and me! I would'nt stoop that low to earn that kind of money, we are dignified people and I will never grovel at the feet of others...especially not for money that I can earn honestly! I am very disappointed...

2005-11-27T15:33:00.000+08:00

Wedding Bells

Today's Yu Jin & Ivy's wedding! Attending another church wedding is kinda drag, not that I've got anything against it but I already have some problems with attending church (pretending that everything is good and being smiley to everyone)... A church wedding definitely amplifies the already stressful weekly church attendance.

Well furthermore this is my second church wedding this year and well...I'm getting tired of sitting alone on the pew whilst everyone is declaring and/or reminancing(remembering) their love for each other...not knowing if I'll ever be married!

I suck...

2005-11-23T08:02:00.000+08:00

It's almost over!

Ahhh (sigh of relief)... My 2 week vacation shall draw to a close today and man I can't wait to head home... Vietnam has killed me...twice...Well before I came to Vietnam I had my fears and uneasy thoughts but now I'm plain 'o pissed scared...

I doubt I'll ever return to Vietnam for a holiday, the people at Thuy Lam Hotel have been nice, but everywhere else has been a wicked experience...Well being cheated at every corner from the 70,000 vnd taxi ride into the town from You Yi Guan, to the Mango lady with her overpriced mangoes... I knew I needed a good sense of humour to get by, but after a while things can't seem funny anymore.

It was a daily struggle to cross the street and put off the motorbike touters... I naively thought that since it was Vietnam (a country which fought for what it believed in and stood aganist oppressors) the people would be dignified, humble and honest... sigh.. oh well I suppose its the same everywhere huh? (although China was fantastic)

The People I've Met (Credits)

Well this trip wouldn't have been the same if I've not met the following people

Mr Mahn (Mike) the Cab Driver from the airport
Theng (tank)
Moon
Tihn
Tao
Bao Lian
Sheng Jie
Gui Ying
Chui Ling
Hui Hong
The Lady Boss of Long Chuan
The 2 girls at the 9th floor of Long Chuan
Kim
Angela
Jia Ling

These are all blessings that God has provided and I am thankful for His providence.

2005-11-08T04:03:00.000+08:00

I'm flying off at 1610hrs

Hurhurhur...people still ask why I'm going to Vietnam dispite the Bird flu... I aint got a good answer... but wish me well. Oh if i do die on this trip, do remember that I would like to have a christian funeral and whatever money i have goes to my mom...

Yeah I say this everytime I go overseas... but i don't see how it could be more different..I mean the chances to die in singapore compared to overseas is the same i suppose...

Ahh but it doesnt matter to me if i die, i know where im going...

well guys see you when i get back on the 22nd Nov 05

Agape
Tobias

2005-11-07T10:31:00.000+08:00

Land of a Million dead Chickens (and ducks)

It's utterly amazing that I am still going to Vietnam after all thats happened with the bird flu epedemic. But hey a $4.89 ticket is a $4.89 ticket...

Well at least my family was supportive of the idea...(having give me some money for the trip) and some sound advice 'Don't eat chicken' NOW what more do I need? ahh yes more money I suppose...*sigh...money*

This being my 5th trip abroad (alone) I have honed my skills of being an 'ameture cheepo', advancing to the 'novice cheepo' status.

Do note that the 'grandmaster cheepo' status is reserved soley for singaporean uncles and aunties who queue up (and camp) the night before a grand-opening sale, or travel all the way into JB just to buy soft drinks (for the soft drink prices in singapore are unbelivable).

Anyways...yes I'm a 'novice cheepo' a sign of such is that I can say the phrase 'This is too expensive, can I have it cheaper" in Thai, Vietnamese, French, German and Swede...(you'll never know when you'll need it). So i'll be staying in the usual guesthouses and travelling by public transport, namely the bus and man it can get very cheap.

Yeah... A phrase book, a buide book, some money and a bible...I'm all set...

2005-11-06T16:30:00.000+08:00

Well here's something you guys should know about me... I'm pretty naive. I'm also very clueless about the society we live in...

Ponder...ponder...ponder
Ask yourself this simple question... What is the first thought that runs through your mind when this statement is made... 'At 21, no one is a virgin'

Some would say...'21? I thought it should be 18?'
Others...'21? Hhmmn I did IT when I was in secondary 3'
A minority (sadly) would say...'Fur-jean? Hah? Fur-jean is what har? Aawww have sex har? Have sex then say have sex lah! What Fur-jean?

I would say...'What the hell? Shouldn't everyone only have sex after one gets married?
*Cheng, cheng, cheng* (dramatic sounds)

My view on things?
I believe in the sacred institution of marriage and remaining chaste for your soulmate. Well as old fashioned as it may seem, remaining faithful to your future spouse may sound stupid to some but I know that it's alright...

Having mutiple partners or engaging in numerous sexual activites cheapens the intamacy value of sex, and thus would weaken the already fragile institution of marriage.

Strangely enough, the talk of not having pre-maritial sex has become an echo to the call for safe sex. Therefore the message now is no longer abstainence from sex but rather the control of sexually transmitted dieseases.

MTV Generation
This is a message MTV likes to publicisise with it's 'use a condom' campagin... It's the glorification of a cause which I personally find not worth fighting for... from the advertisments it depicts students talking about their relationships and how 'If he loves me enough he will use it'...oh please kids... ..."If he really loves you he will marry you then you two can go about it like bunnies for all I care"

Remember to use your own yardstick!
I had 3 christian friends who were having a conversation about pre-maritial sex (which they have all engaged in). 2 of them had broken up with their sex partners and had revelations about their past actions, they were guilty about it and had regrets. The third friend said 'yes, i've had sex with my girlfriend. But I know that I'm gonna marry her! Unlike you 2 sinners'... ... ... Duh!
How stupid can you be? Bloody fool!

*BTW this dude always claims that I'm self-righteous and that I always judge him...after being made to feel guilty for my actions, I have been taught that it was not I who judged him, but rather it was his guilt of being lacking in his own comparision to my moral standards that led him to believe that I was judging his actions...Hmmmn*

Oh Chinese values! Where art thou?
Where are our chinese values? Our ancestors treasured their chasity for each other...hmmnn wait a minute... In the past if a couple was found to be sexually intimate before they were married, the couple would have been locked inside 'pig cages' and thrown into the sea and drowned...erm... where are our chinese values?

Eh so how now brown cow?
I don't know... This is my blog and I can pretty much write about anything I want, so its up to you to reflect on the things I have given thought to...Remember its all up to you...I am not accountable for the way you live your life...But do remember that as much as it is your life...I (and many others who care about you) am involved in it as well...So what you do to yourself affects those who care for you... And you cannot stop people from caring...