The journey continues...
I have been in Shanghai as a trailing spouse for the past one year. One year isn't very long BUT it isn't very short either. Has it been good? It all depends on how you want to look at it. It is good because it has been a training ground, it is good because it has been an eye opener, widening of one's horizon. Learning to appreciate that I have been indeed blessed to have so much, the list could go on if I count my blessings.
By the 11th month, my cyber friends became real. Yes, this mama forum which I have joined 10 years ago, those cyber friends which I have made became real. Life is strange isn't it? We have been in Singapore for so long, we have never met but once we are out of Singapore, we got to see each other and I thank God for them.
It has been bad because, there were no friends for a good 11 months, no extended families. Water and air are bad, the harsh weather, people can be rude and even violent. Just the other day, I was with the kids at a supermarket and we witnessed a real physical fight between two big men. Traffic jams are bad, the 'breaking-down' house on no-man street. Food scare is a handful and I still miss sorely, the fresh produce that were aplenty and cheap in US of A. The worst of course was when aloneness crept in.
But God has always been there, when times become unbearable, this song never failed to lift me up.
You Are My Refuge (Words & music by Shannon Wexelberg PSALM 91)
I have found a place
I can call my own
Here in Your embrace
Where Your mercy overflows
It's here that all my doubts and fears
Just melt away
I lay my burdens down
And I look upon Your face
You are my refuge
You are my sanctuary
When I feel afraid
You're my hiding place
You are my refuge
And when the storm is raging
Underneath Your wings
I rejoice and sing
For You are my refuge
He who dwells in the secret place
Of the most high God
Shall abide underneath the shadow
The shadow of Your wings
A Singaporean friend told me. First year is tough, the second year become better by the third year, you don't want to go home. Well, dh's ex-colleague stayed here for a good four years. At the end of the assignment, it was champagne popping and rejoicing her way home and after which she took one year of no pay leave. A time of recuperating and regaining her sanity?
A new year has begun, we have moved out of the crappy house to a much better constructed one. I do not know what else awaits me or the family but life goes on and my journey continues... as a mum.
I have just been sent by my blog report that I have hit 10,000 views. I am not a figure person and have never been too keen with numbers but in this instance, the numbers tell me that there are people reading what I write and therefore, I must write with responsibility, with integrity and I must write to encourage, to edify.
I am no award-winning, bestseller. Just a mum sharing her thoughts. Thank you very much for taking time to read. Thank you and thank you.
The new school term begins
Yes, it has been one year since we arrived at Shanghai. This will be the kids' second year in school and today marks their first day of their second year in SSIS. It has been a great past one year for the kids and as a mum, I pray that they will have a wonderful second year too.
The night before, little Ann packing up her books into her school bag. It's like starting all over again for me. Yes, she starts grade 1 or primary 1. A big step for a small little girl. A big transition from pre-school to primary school. I must be there once again, to guide her through this transition. Just as I have been there for Kai, nine years ago. Gosh, how time flies.
She feels very proud now that she will be attending the same assembly with her brother and sharing the same lunch time with her brother.
See how far you have come, my little miracles.
Yes, it has been one year since we arrived at Shanghai. This will be the kids' second year in school and today marks their first day of their second year in SSIS. It has been a great past one year for the kids and as a mum, I pray that they will have a wonderful second year too.
The night before, little Ann packing up her books into her school bag. It's like starting all over again for me. Yes, she starts grade 1 or primary 1. A big step for a small little girl. A big transition from pre-school to primary school. I must be there once again, to guide her through this transition. Just as I have been there for Kai, nine years ago. Gosh, how time flies.
She feels very proud now that she will be attending the same assembly with her brother and sharing the same lunch time with her brother.
See how far you have come, my little miracles.
Summer vacation has come and almost gone...
Five weeks of home leave is almost coming to an end. We return home today. How did the five weeks pass so quickly? There are still a number of friends which I have not met up...so much to do, so little time.
Of course, the best part is meeting all the relations and friends and eating all the yummy food...
The kids eating Old Chang Kee, fried squid
My favourites - tulang (stewed chilli lamb's bone marrow) and mee kuah...slurp, slurp
The king of all fruits, smell like poo but taste heavenly - durians!
More of the durians, that's how you should eat them, along the road side!
What's little Ann staring at....
Her favourite paper prata...
Chopping it down
Ngor Hiang (fritters of all sorts)
Kai slurping down his ramen, one of the best outside Japan
Road side stall outside lau pa sha.
A feast of road side food - satay, fired kuay teow, sambal stingray.....
Places we have been
Having fun with their favourite cousins at the pool
The children must visit the library
ION , one of the newest shopping mall in Singapore....
Universal Studio, Singapore. Impressive!
It was our National Day...
Having fun while waiting for the tankers to pass by....
Last but not least, home coming is never complete without meeting up with friends and families....
It's back to the routine life in Shanghai once again, thanks to all for the fun time. I truly regret that I am unable to meet up with all of my friends. Please do accept my sincere apologies. Sigh...so much to do in such a short time. Till we meet again....
Five weeks of home leave is almost coming to an end. We return home today. How did the five weeks pass so quickly? There are still a number of friends which I have not met up...so much to do, so little time.
Of course, the best part is meeting all the relations and friends and eating all the yummy food...
The kids eating Old Chang Kee, fried squid
My favourites - tulang (stewed chilli lamb's bone marrow) and mee kuah...slurp, slurp
The king of all fruits, smell like poo but taste heavenly - durians!
More of the durians, that's how you should eat them, along the road side!
What's little Ann staring at....
Her favourite paper prata...
Chopping it down
Ngor Hiang (fritters of all sorts)
Kai slurping down his ramen, one of the best outside Japan
Road side stall outside lau pa sha.
A feast of road side food - satay, fired kuay teow, sambal stingray.....
Places we have been
Having fun with their favourite cousins at the pool
The children must visit the library
ION , one of the newest shopping mall in Singapore....
Universal Studio, Singapore. Impressive!
It was our National Day...
Having fun while waiting for the tankers to pass by....
Last but not least, home coming is never complete without meeting up with friends and families....
It's back to the routine life in Shanghai once again, thanks to all for the fun time. I truly regret that I am unable to meet up with all of my friends. Please do accept my sincere apologies. Sigh...so much to do in such a short time. Till we meet again....
This is so Singaporean...(bwahahaha)
During lunchtime and when there is a huge crowd, finding seats is a difficult task, so once you find them, what do you do to 'secure' your seats while you go and order your food....
Use umbrella and tissue packs to 'choop' the seats. Very funny but very effective ok.
During lunchtime and when there is a huge crowd, finding seats is a difficult task, so once you find them, what do you do to 'secure' your seats while you go and order your food....
Use umbrella and tissue packs to 'choop' the seats. Very funny but very effective ok.
Friendship
There are all kinds of friends. Casual friends, good friends, old friends, best friends and list goes one. I love Facebook (FB) for the fact that it could help me to find "long-lost" friends. In fact, when it first started, I wasn't very interested in it. I am not a computer person. To me, no big deal about it. But then, being a mum to two kids, sooner or later they will reach the stage where, like all teenagers do, spend time on the computer yakking with friends. It is wise to be in the know.
When I was in the US of A, I started an account on FB and just left it. I didn't go into it, totally forgotten all about it until I started receiving notifications about so and so want to be my friend, so and so made a request...I started getting excited over it because, there were many secondary school friends who have found me.
Beginning of this year, my former Red Cross member and also my ex-SCGS schoolmate found me. It was exciting, like finding treasure in the sunken Titantic. Last month, she was in Shanghai with her family for the World Expo. She called me and we met up for dinner. It was our first meet up after 30 years!. That's a L-O-N-G time.
When I came back to SG, she was back from her SH vacation and we met up one more time. The wonderful thing about this friendship of ours is that there are no barriers. Although, we have not been in touch for so many years, even in FB, we don't chat. Seeing face to face, we could continue from where we last left off. It was such a joy.
When in SG, she invited me and the two kids to her club for lunch. When I heard that we were going to a club, I shrunk. I never love going to clubs, I always felt intimitated. I am never comfortable because people in clubs are so "high and mighty" and have no respect for non-members. That's my perception. This perception came about when I was invited for a work lunch, many moons ago at a club near the old Elizabeth Walk. I was dressed well (afterall, it's work lunch) with proper shoes and all. But I wasn't allowed into the restaurant (read...NOT fine-dinning) because my attire was collarless! I wanted to give the guy at the door a good thrashing and stomped out! If not for my respect for my kind boss, I probably would have made headline then. Then again, he was just doing his job...I should have given the "rulers" a piece of my mind.
If you are a faithful reader of the Straits Times, I am sure you have read of many incidents of clubs not allowing maids in, not welcoming guests etc....
Come, come, why do people pay so much for a club membership to have themselves and their guests suffocated by silly attires. To me, a club is for you to rest and relax. To let your hair down and not be squeezed into a mould of rules...
But this club which my friend belongs to is so comfortable. Ok, good things must share right? It is the Hollandse Club, opened since 1908. Very rich in history. This isn't your "ikan bilis" club. Members are locals, foreigners and expats...with over 40 nationalities! The moment we entered, we were cheerfully greeted by the staff. Listen up, the members there are all in t-shirts, bermudas and flip-fops. Ladies were dressed in sun-dresses and open-toe platform shoes (hello, this is hot, sunny, tropical island of Singapore). Restaurants are opened to all "dressers". I was completely at ease! It was a great Sunday afternoon catching up with each other.
Lunch with the family
Linus and Kai became good friends almost immediately. Born on the same year and same month.
The kids having s fun time at the bowling alley
This is one very special moment of this summer vacation.
There are all kinds of friends. Casual friends, good friends, old friends, best friends and list goes one. I love Facebook (FB) for the fact that it could help me to find "long-lost" friends. In fact, when it first started, I wasn't very interested in it. I am not a computer person. To me, no big deal about it. But then, being a mum to two kids, sooner or later they will reach the stage where, like all teenagers do, spend time on the computer yakking with friends. It is wise to be in the know.
When I was in the US of A, I started an account on FB and just left it. I didn't go into it, totally forgotten all about it until I started receiving notifications about so and so want to be my friend, so and so made a request...I started getting excited over it because, there were many secondary school friends who have found me.
Beginning of this year, my former Red Cross member and also my ex-SCGS schoolmate found me. It was exciting, like finding treasure in the sunken Titantic. Last month, she was in Shanghai with her family for the World Expo. She called me and we met up for dinner. It was our first meet up after 30 years!. That's a L-O-N-G time.
When I came back to SG, she was back from her SH vacation and we met up one more time. The wonderful thing about this friendship of ours is that there are no barriers. Although, we have not been in touch for so many years, even in FB, we don't chat. Seeing face to face, we could continue from where we last left off. It was such a joy.
When in SG, she invited me and the two kids to her club for lunch. When I heard that we were going to a club, I shrunk. I never love going to clubs, I always felt intimitated. I am never comfortable because people in clubs are so "high and mighty" and have no respect for non-members. That's my perception. This perception came about when I was invited for a work lunch, many moons ago at a club near the old Elizabeth Walk. I was dressed well (afterall, it's work lunch) with proper shoes and all. But I wasn't allowed into the restaurant (read...NOT fine-dinning) because my attire was collarless! I wanted to give the guy at the door a good thrashing and stomped out! If not for my respect for my kind boss, I probably would have made headline then. Then again, he was just doing his job...I should have given the "rulers" a piece of my mind.
If you are a faithful reader of the Straits Times, I am sure you have read of many incidents of clubs not allowing maids in, not welcoming guests etc....
Come, come, why do people pay so much for a club membership to have themselves and their guests suffocated by silly attires. To me, a club is for you to rest and relax. To let your hair down and not be squeezed into a mould of rules...
But this club which my friend belongs to is so comfortable. Ok, good things must share right? It is the Hollandse Club, opened since 1908. Very rich in history. This isn't your "ikan bilis" club. Members are locals, foreigners and expats...with over 40 nationalities! The moment we entered, we were cheerfully greeted by the staff. Listen up, the members there are all in t-shirts, bermudas and flip-fops. Ladies were dressed in sun-dresses and open-toe platform shoes (hello, this is hot, sunny, tropical island of Singapore). Restaurants are opened to all "dressers". I was completely at ease! It was a great Sunday afternoon catching up with each other.
Lunch with the family
Linus and Kai became good friends almost immediately. Born on the same year and same month.
The kids having s fun time at the bowling alley
This is one very special moment of this summer vacation.
Home...where the family is
The wonderful thing about being home is when family and extended families gather. So, I really cannot comprehen why some relations are so afraid to meet up. Really, at the end of the day, nothing else matters... not your house, not your car, not your successful career but your families. People that matter to you.
We were home at the right time. Two of our cousins (brothers) were celebrating their birthdays and the joy of being with the families just made the day!
Uncles, aunties, cousins. cousins' children etc, etc, etc.....
Birthday boys. The bigger one giving a recital and the smaller one chompping down a strawberry!
这就是所谓的，天伦之乐吧！
The wonderful thing about being home is when family and extended families gather. So, I really cannot comprehen why some relations are so afraid to meet up. Really, at the end of the day, nothing else matters... not your house, not your car, not your successful career but your families. People that matter to you.
We were home at the right time. Two of our cousins (brothers) were celebrating their birthdays and the joy of being with the families just made the day!
Uncles, aunties, cousins. cousins' children etc, etc, etc.....
Birthday boys. The bigger one giving a recital and the smaller one chompping down a strawberry!
这就是所谓的，天伦之乐吧！
My second home...where the church is
I grew up in this church. Believe it or not, I only spend the first 13 years of my life NOT going to this church. It is indeed sad to know that these days, there are many church-hoppers. Really, Christianity is a relationship with the One above. There is nothing to do with how mega or how advance is the church building. How modern is the worship leader or how flashy is the pastor. HE is the same yesterday, today and forever.
After all these years, some people are still sitting in the same seat. Comfort zone?
I grew up in this church. Believe it or not, I only spend the first 13 years of my life NOT going to this church. It is indeed sad to know that these days, there are many church-hoppers. Really, Christianity is a relationship with the One above. There is nothing to do with how mega or how advance is the church building. How modern is the worship leader or how flashy is the pastor. HE is the same yesterday, today and forever.
After all these years, some people are still sitting in the same seat. Comfort zone?
He gave up!
Kai was actually very excited about going back to his SG school. He was looking forward to meeting his friends and even contributing what he has learned to the class. He had packed all his worksheets and workbooks to bring back with him.
School term is kind of different in both countries. In SH, school term starts from August to June while in SG, it is from January to November.
That meant, Kai has already finished his P4 when he went back to his SG school. I knew he would be bored to 'redo' everything again and have, many times, asked him if he really wanted to go back to school and again and again, he said a very firm 'yes'.
Finally, the day came and he was back at school. Very excited and anxious to meet his friends and teachers again but after one week, he gave up.
He was bored listening to everything he has already done and soon, became restless. Started fiddling with his pens and pencils. His teacher told him he was a disturbance to the class. Haiz....
By the fourth day, his excitment turned into boredom and he told me, he didn't want to go back to school anymore.
Apart from having knowledge, a little wisdom could have made Kai and the class more interesting. I would have involved him by getting him to teach the class, to share his knowledge with the class...it would have been fun. Sometimes, EQ is just as important.
Kai was actually very excited about going back to his SG school. He was looking forward to meeting his friends and even contributing what he has learned to the class. He had packed all his worksheets and workbooks to bring back with him.
School term is kind of different in both countries. In SH, school term starts from August to June while in SG, it is from January to November.
That meant, Kai has already finished his P4 when he went back to his SG school. I knew he would be bored to 'redo' everything again and have, many times, asked him if he really wanted to go back to school and again and again, he said a very firm 'yes'.
Finally, the day came and he was back at school. Very excited and anxious to meet his friends and teachers again but after one week, he gave up.
He was bored listening to everything he has already done and soon, became restless. Started fiddling with his pens and pencils. His teacher told him he was a disturbance to the class. Haiz....
By the fourth day, his excitment turned into boredom and he told me, he didn't want to go back to school anymore.
Apart from having knowledge, a little wisdom could have made Kai and the class more interesting. I would have involved him by getting him to teach the class, to share his knowledge with the class...it would have been fun. Sometimes, EQ is just as important.
Did someone say, I'm on "vacation"?
When I first became a mum, a good friend of ours gave me a book, titled - Motherhood is not for the wimps. Very funny comic book but spoke volumes of truth.
I have flew home with two kids in tow. Kids that are neither toddlers nor teenagers. Kids that are at the age where they will bicker, not able to help much and full of energy. Constantly, asking, "what are we going to do?" On top of that, moving in to stay in an almost empty house meant, setting up a home so that we all could at least, live simply for the next five weeks. Oh, by the way, dh isn't with us as he has work to do.
Then, there were schools to attend. With such hyper kids, don't expect them to laze around and do nothing for five weeks, either they will be driven to madness or I will be driven six feet underground. That meant, waking up early in the morning, getting no.1 to school then follow by no.2. I am stressed, like what Buzz Lightyear said, "to infinity and beyond."
I think I just found a new meaning to "summer vacation".
When I first became a mum, a good friend of ours gave me a book, titled - Motherhood is not for the wimps. Very funny comic book but spoke volumes of truth.
I have flew home with two kids in tow. Kids that are neither toddlers nor teenagers. Kids that are at the age where they will bicker, not able to help much and full of energy. Constantly, asking, "what are we going to do?" On top of that, moving in to stay in an almost empty house meant, setting up a home so that we all could at least, live simply for the next five weeks. Oh, by the way, dh isn't with us as he has work to do.
Then, there were schools to attend. With such hyper kids, don't expect them to laze around and do nothing for five weeks, either they will be driven to madness or I will be driven six feet underground. That meant, waking up early in the morning, getting no.1 to school then follow by no.2. I am stressed, like what Buzz Lightyear said, "to infinity and beyond."
I think I just found a new meaning to "summer vacation".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)