Birthday Girl

Well we didn't make it to the McRitchie Park walk, I was still suffering a nasty head cold on Monday so that 'long weekend' was pretty much wasted. We did manage to test out the walk from home to work; 20 mins at a leisurely pace.  And the positive thing was about halfway along we found a very acceptable looking wine bar for Sunday evening work sessions.  Being the branch social rep we thought it was my responsibility to undertake that research.  John and Yve arrived as expected on the Tuesday night and we spent the next morning acquainting them with our local area before heading off to work.  In the evening we met up at Kovan for dinner and came home together.

Since it had now become my birthday in Aust we opened the French Champagne they had brought with them, it seemed no time at all before it was also my birthday local time so then we opened the Rose. Next morning we all went to Chinatown and then had lunch in the Arab St area before once again Eric and I headed for work. Y and J should have been flying out by that evening but unfortunately Jetstar had had to make diversionary plans due to bad weather in Darwin over the previous 24hr period so they got to stay an extra night.  It was great to see them so relaxed after their holiday and share a little of our settling in period and my birthday.

As a birthday treat I shouted myself a foot therapy where you plunge your feet into a tank of water and the fish feed on all the dead skin.  Might sound disgusting but it is actually quite ticklish.  I also took the plunge and had a haircut, they still do the shampooing at the mirror and just rinse off at the sink.  I love it.

4 weeks of work done and dusted already.  Along with almost all the other teachers we tried out the Grapevine Cafe and Wine Bar on Sunday evening and although the service wasn't that flash we found they have a Yering Station Sauv Blanc on the wine list for less than $60.  This week we administer the system-wide tests.  Each session (other than the Nursery classes) complete the tests, we are not allowed to help in any way.  Apparently the best way to get through the 2 hr session is to mark the test from the previous session, that way you don't have to take any work home.  Doesn't sound too difficult.
The walkers club arranged an East Coast bike ride this week which we had every intention of joining, but I just couldn't get out of bed on Monday morning.  We did eventually get to the starting point at Bedok but what with my sleeping in and us badly underestimating how long it would take us to train, bus and then walk to get there, we well and truly missed the group.  We figured we might catch them on the return leg so we took off on bikes which you can hire for 3 hrs for just $8 ea.  We headed towards the airport on bike trails following the coast passing by jetties with people fishing, skate parks, ponds and gardens, water ski tow facility, sailing and water sports club, the Laguna National Golf Club, Outward Bound etc.

This is a very popular spot on the weekends but fortunately for us, very quiet during the weekday. We continued on, since we hadn't seen the group returning,  on a Park Connector trail through quite dense jungle and sometimes Casuarina forest,  right alongside the airport and on to the Changi Ferry Terminal.  By this time we had been cycling for an hour and we were hungry, not to mention saddle-sore.  With no food outlets anywhere near us we headed all the way back to our starting point and collapsed into the air-conditioned comfort of a McCafe to demolish a foccacia and cappuccino.  We figured the group must have been having lunch somewhere as we rode out.  Not to worry we certainly got our $8 worth.  It was a great way to enjoy the open spaces and see and hear a few local birds too. After all that exercise we felt not the least bit guilty munching on the fabulous chocolate chip cookies Y and J gave me.  Had a quiet night in then, watching a video borrowed from the local library and began some research about travel to Laos for our 1st term break.   Just 6 weeks away.  Hope all our colleagues returning to work this week don't find it too stressful.

First Public Holiday

At about 9:30 this morning we heard the unmistakable sound of beating drums in the street. Looking out the window we saw the Lion Dancers arriving in a truck at our condo's front gate. We made our way downstairs and assembled with many other residents in the courtyard. It was a great opportunity to meet a few neighbours. Vincent lives right next door and is Treasurer of the Body Corporate so will be able to keep us up to date with goings on. He mentioned the whole complex is due for a repaint which will begin after CNY. Coincidentally we had met his wife Christina earlier when we blew a fuse one evening and didn't know where to begin looking for a fuse box. Anyway in due course the Lion Dancers performed their ritual which was colorful, noisy and very 'up close and personal'.

The lion actually came up to each and every person and nibbled us. There were 2 actually. When one took the offerings the head appeared to swallow the tray and then it moved forward and sat on it. Just a few minutes later the tray was revealed with peeled mandarins and devoured cake. It then managed to throw half-eaten leafy greens out to us while it batted it's eyelids, tweaked its ears and wiggled its tail. All very comical. 

After it had finished, the Mandarin shared lollies with the crowd and we were urged to join in. We thought it was all over then but next came on the Dragon Dancers (same dancers, different props). These were amazingly energetic and their movements captivating. How privileged were we to have this all in our own backyard so to speak? 

We got talking to another resident, Angela who has lived in the complex for all 14 yrs since it was built. Coincidently she has one daughter born in '86 and another in '88. One in the Year of the Tiger, another in the Year of the Dragon - just like our boys.  Tigers always land on their feet and like to stand out in the crowd, ready for their next act, pursuing their passion with unyeilding energy. We're talking about you Adrian. On the other hand Dragon babies are said to possess great strength and leadership qualities. Go Luke! An auspicious year for a wedding to.
To celebrate CNY we were granted a half day holiday! Unheard of in Aust but it did also come with a pay bonus. The problem with the half day holiday is that many of the students reschedule the classes they would miss so we have been having extra students and running separate lessons in the one session. A bit tricky. I attended a Social Reps mtg on Thursday at one of the other branches. It was good to get to see another facility, this one at Bishan is in a Community Centre rather than a shopping mall like ours. We have a Community Centre at Serangoon too and I intend to visit it tomorrow if it is open, also the library but they might both be closed due to CNY.  Community Centres usually offer meeting rooms and recreation halls for public use so I am interested to see if there are classes on offer I could join on my mornings off.
We have both endured colds this week.  Eric got it first and now he is on the mend and I am hoping to be feeling better tomorrow.  Not really surprising when you look back over the last month or so and note all the changes and constant decision-making etc.  Now we have an opportunity to relax and typically the first thing that happens is you get sick. At least it is only a cold. We were planning a 2 hr walk in MacRichie Reservoir Park with other MAE teachers tomorrow, which includes a treetop swing bridge section, but will have to wait and see how I am feeling in the morning.
Our first visitors arrive tomorrow night.  Yve and John are on their way back to Darwin after a cycling holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia, they have 2 nights with us.  We have been out buying sheets and towels this week, just like every other family on the island it would seem.  CNY is the time to renew, refresh, repaint..... We are looking forward to their company and hope they will be comfortable on mattresses on the lounge room floor.  We do have a second bedroom and bathroom but both small, only a trundle bed in there and not able to spread them both down.  They will be the guinea pigs for the rest of you!

Chinese New Year

We finished the week on Sunday evening at 6pm and workmate Trish was determined we should be able to find a local wine bar to call our own.  After much fossicking on the Go There website (equivalent to Aust Where is) we found ourselves at a bar and given lots of attention because we were the only patrons.  A bottle of white wine $70.  Eric and I will do more local reconnoitres before next Sunday. After a morning swim in the condo pool we spent yesterday at the local mall. Three trips back and forth, with things like ironing boards under the arm.  I now tote a shopping cart and Eric walks in front or well behind disowning me.  Mind you, he doesn't mind if I fill my trolley with his beer or new wok etc! I can cope, although today I was suffering shopping-cart envy as I noticed a woman whose shopping cart had stair climbing wheels, why didn't I get one of those? This festive season is now in full swing. The locals seem to have thrown themselves into Christmas (their decorations were amazing when we first arrived) then the calendar New Year and now there is a fever about the place regarding CNY.   The street decorations are amazing, not to mention the shops.

Today being Tuesday, one of our 'weekend' days, the company organised for all employees to go to Chinatown for a meal to observe CNY and share the traditional Yu Sheng dish. First we were greeted by the wait staff wishing us 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' (congratulations, may wealth come your way) and then 'may everything go smoothly' as the special salad dish was placed on the tables. As the lime juice is added it was 'good luck and blessing', with the addition of smoked salmon it was 'abundant wealth' and then 'good health'. With the addition of 5 spice powder we were wished 'good luck at your doorstep' and with the peanut oil they offered 'wealth and prosperity'. A 'flourishing business' is bestowed with the addition of sesame powder and plum sauce. Lastly, it is 'gold at your feet' and then everyone at the table stands and using chop sticks tosses the salad high and calls 'lo hei' meaning toss higher and higher for a prosperous new year. Lets hope it all comes true.   Keep putting in those Tattslotto tickets Bob. And 'Lo Hei' to all of you.
After the salad we all shared a steamboat, the broth is boiled on the table and you add the meat and vegetables as you please.  Mum you might remember one that we had in Malaysia which Ah Bouy served, I know Sandy remembers them well.  By the time we left the restaurant I didn't think I could eat another thing today, but then dinner time came around and Eric got into his new kitchen and cooked up a simple and lovely pasta dish - the first home cooked meal we have had in how long?  Was great with a Spanish red.

Our address is:
21 Lorong Lew Lian
#05-03
Singapore 536467

Our mobiles are:
Eric: +6594200408
Libby: +6594200417
We also have a land line which is 065 66673960

We almost got to the bottom of the shopping list yesterday but after a gym session this morning and then that special lunch we managed a side trip to Ikea to get the last of the necessities like bedside lights and a shelf unit which Eric has spent the evening constructing.  Where is Adrian when you need him? He was always so quick at putting things together. Our apartment is almost set and we are very happy-nesters with lots of windows that open onto a vista with treetops, a pool and gym we have already made use of (and a squash court and tennis court I don't imagine we will use) and very pleasant bbq area.

What a difference a week makes!

Well, the kids all came back, so apparently the new teachers weren't as scary as they first appeared.  I guess that means we passed the first MAE test, it wouldn't have looked good if our classes were empty. And instead of the planned lessons dictating the pace and delivery of the lessons we already feel we are able to take some control.  A much better feeling.  We each have about 60 students who come once a week after school and between the Chinese or Music or Dance or Maths classes etc they also do.  It is a lot of new names to learn when they are so unfamiliar to us, eg Jian Ming, Xin Wei and Yu Jun.  The Chinese have the surname first so the name is really something like Tan Yu Jun.  And then there are the Indian and Sri Lankan names too eg Nidharshaan.  Some use western names which is a bonus because at least you have a chance of pronouncing them correctly. Just as well we like a challenge! All the kids are lovely, though some perhaps a little spoilt.
It was a very full week though because we also moved twice. We had to vacate the hotel on the 11th but our apartment wasn't to be available until the 15th.  We moved to Peter's place at Lorong Chuan midweek only to find our place would now be available on the 13th, in 2 days time.  The win for us was that Peter had a spare computer table he was happy for us to lend long term and a contact for a courier.  So on the Friday before work we found ourselves in a Hiace van scooting across town with me in the front with Bala and Eric squatting in the back with our suitcases, boxes and the computer table.

Oh it was so good to move into our own home! We had seen this place as the 3rd of 3 on the only foray we did into the world of real estate agent visits in Singapore.  Our agent is great and we have no complaints but there is so much to consider and so many options - we just agreed to keep it simple and this one suited our purposes so we signed up.  When we actually returned to complete the hand over we were feeling a little unsure of what we had committed to but we were very happy with what we found.  It has everything we need and the location is great: 500m from the newest and biggest shopping mall in Singapore and the MRT which is only one stop from our work.  Across the road is an HDB (Govt high density housing) which has local green grocer, mini mart, makan stall etc. All so convenient, clean and feeling very safe.

End of week one

Monday at last! Everyone warned us that week 1 was the hardest week you will do at MAE so it is good to now have our "weekend" to enjoy. It was a challenge, no denying, but I think we faired better than some of the other new recruits. We kept bumping into them at the hotel buffet breakfast or dinner on the nearby streets and there were many stories of traumatized young students (and teachers) or older students that refused to interact for the whole 2 hours. My worst class was a room full of 4 yr olds with a number of distressed students and others sitting with their hands over their ears because they couldn't cope with all the noise and I'm supposed to be dispensing library books and collating book tickets, marking work and sending it home with students, recording which language skills we have covered on ever more bits of paper, making sure students are enjoying themselves and want to come back next week....... but all I wanted to do was put my hands over my ears too! With the help of another staff member we got through the first 15 mins and then things settled into some form of order.
The other staff at the branch are all very helpful and good fun. There are 5 other Aust or NZ teachers and 2 local staff at the front reception. It is great to have so much experience to call on. They also seem a pretty social bunch, our branch set the bar by arranging drinks for all the branches at the end of week 1. It actually wasn't a good roll up but our branch was well represented.
Our workplace is on the fourth floor of the shopping centre at Kovan. To access it you must take a lift from the ground floor right beside the durian stall. If you have never experienced the smell of durian then you may not appreciate this, but all week the durians seemed to be getting riper and the smell stronger. But then on Sunday I didn't smell them at all. Is this because I am acclimatising or was I just so dog tired I didn't notice?

So today is Monday, the first day of our weekend. We went for a morning walk around Fort Canning Park again and along the river then this afternoon we went to see the American version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo". Loved it but the theatre was freezing! We had been warned that they have the temp way down in the theatres but even with a cardigan I was freezing. Wished I had worn socks and a beanie. It certainly put us in the context of the north of Sweden. We headed straight to Zam Zam then (right by the Golden Landmark)for the best murtabak in Singapore and were not disappointed. We both agree we love this Arab St area of Singapore with the trees, old style buildings and colorful traders.

Tonight we are signing the final papers for the lease on our apartment and handing over the balance of down-payment. We have already paid one month's rent as a holding deposit. Now we need to pay the equivalent of another 2 months rent for a bond and a further month's rent plus 7% as the agent's fee. It puts quite a dent in the bank balance when we are paying S$700 a week! And ours is considered quite a bargain. We get paid at the end of the month so some way off yet. We have to vacate the hotel on Wednesday, will be moving in with Peter who interviewed us for the jobs until our apartment is available the following Monday. Can't wait! It will be so nice not to be shuffling around in suitcases for clothes though we should sound more grateful for these 2 weeks, being put up in a very comfortable and well located hotel. The other good thing was being together with all the other new recruits and sharing experiences - good and bad. As of this week we will all be moving off to new addresses.

Foyer is Peninsula Excelsior Hotel

First day of classes

After all the lead-up, Wednesday came at last, the day we get to meet the students. Went for a morning walk around Fort Canning Park and then sorted some money from Australia for rent, bond and agent fees. About 1pm we took the train to our branch and had lunch at the makan stall right at the mall where the study centre is located. Began with a staff mtg, Libby is now the branch Social Secretary.

Her first class was Nursery, 1.5 hrs with one 3 year old boy, Jian Ming. He just wanted to play with the truck and blocks but I convinced him to 'work'. He liked singing and dancing to Hokey Pokey but after 3 repetitions I had had enough. He cannot hold a pencil but knows all his colors, can stack and sort. Can count to 10 with 1 to 1 correlation, even count on from 6. Amazing. I was just glad he didn't wet himself or throw-up which is what I had been warned was most likely to happen.

2nd class much better. 4 lovely Primary 4 kids all told me what I should be doing all lesson as they were with Morris Allen English (MAE) last year as well. Very bright and keen. I learnt a lot! Managed to get all the right papers filled in and in the right places by the end of the session but only because the lovely Prawinda was keeping her eye on the clock for me. And we only managed to finish half the planned lesson because I didn't listen closely to the lisening activity so we had to repeat it. No completed and corrected work sent home. Oops! That's a big no, no.

3rd class 2 great Primary 2 kids. I actually got the hang of it by this stage and even got some work pinned up on the corridor wall.  Both Ang Zane and the young girl are very competitive so this should be interesting. The classes all work on 5 week themes and all the lessons are planned, we just have to photocopy enough of everything so students each have their copies, we have a master to work from and the business auditors can see exactly what has been covered and what hasn't in every session(read lots of paper shuffling and filing). Resources in the centers seem pretty lean. I need to go and look for an alphabet frieze etc for my own junior classroom, book resources not looking very fresh and up to date compared with the schools I've been working in recently. There seems to be heaps of paperwork to keep track of for every session but I'm sure we'll get the hang of it quickly. Brave enough to go back for more tomorrow.

Eric had only one student in the first class and he wouldn't talk.  Again only 1 in the next class but his numbers doubled in the last session. Class numbers are expected to rise by the end of the week as this is just the first week bach for schools too. All staff departed the building not more than 15 mins after the last session.  16 mins train ride to Clarke Quay to the hotel we are still staying in. After a quick meal at the local makan stall we're ready for bed. This will continue to be our daily routine until we can access the apartment at Serangoon. Will be collecting our unaccompanied freight boxes at the end of the week, but who knows where we will store them.

Eric in the foyer of the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, home until the 11th Jan.