Civil Servant Mentality

An email sent to Jaymes' principal on 19th July 2006.

Dear Mdm XXX ,

This is the 5th time in 2 years! Jaymes rushed home all the way from school yesterday. Why?
He had a bad tummy ache, and there is NO toilet paper in the boys' toilets. He had brought his own toilet paper but he gave to his friends who were in need & when he had an emergency yesterday, he ran out of it.

According to Jaymes, the school stopped supplying toilet paper because some mischievous boys played with it, causing some problems?

I think this is not right. Aren't the school supposed to provide toilet paper? And to think the school penalised all the boys for that small group of pranksters? Isn't the school supposed to teach its students what is acceptable & what is not?

This is not a small matter. Jaymes almost shit in his pants in the few occasions. His classmates can vouch for that. D shitted in his pants once & Jaymes had to call his Dad down to bring him for a change.

How can you stop a bad tummy upset? Especially when you had the runs.

Please discuss with your staff how to solve this problem.

Thanks.

__________________________________________________________

The reply on 21st July 2006 at 7.16 am.

Hi Mrs Tan,

There is really no need for Jaymes to rush home to use the toilets. There are provision for toilet paper so long as there are request. General Office do issue toilet paper. Book shop sells tissues. Staff and students also have with them extra packets of tissue and would be most willing to give them to Jaymes under such emergencies.

__________________________________________________________

Immediately after the email to me, Jaymes was chided this morning for 'being immature of you to go home to use the toilet'.

'You post me a big problem, why can't you buy a packet of tissue from the bookshop?'

'You give me a solution for this big problem,' she told Jaymes. Jaymes said to put toilet paper in the Boys' toilet.

'Once a roll of toilet paper goes in, it's going to be a big mess.'

She bought him two packets of tissue paper at the bookshop.

__________________________________________________________

Right. (smacks my forehead.) I forget that if the peasants were to criticise the civil servants, we must provide solution.

Anyone ever tried wiping your ass with filmsy tissue paper? Oh, I forgot to mention the school toilets have energy saving lights. If you stay too long in the toilets, the light automatically switches off. Leaving you in darkness, to try to clean your ass.

I asked Jaymes why didn't he tell the principal he had no more money left for tissue paper? He said he wasn't supposed to answer because if he did, he would be accused of talking back.

Jaymes is not aware of the 'provision of toilet paper so long as there are request' in the school. A few quick phone calls to several of his classmates also confirm, none of them is aware of this. hmmmm....

To call Jaymes immature for rushing home to shit. Jaymes is expected to shit in the bushes & wiped his ass with leaves? I told Jaymes, the next time you discover you have no toilet paper, tear your textbooks up & use them to wipe your ass. You have my permission. And I also put a torchlight in his school bag.

Isn't the school supposed to teach the kids about vandalism? Two bloddy years & they haven't found a solution! I have kept silent for more than 2 years & tolerated the shit in this school. This is a small matter? The boys have no time to shit so early in the morning. And they wouldn't want to do it in school because there is the inconvenience of toilet paper not being easily available. Storing the waste in their body, isn't it harmful to health?

If the boys have to do their 'big business', too bad. Save it for home or the shopping malls.

I suggest the staff of the school have their toilet paper removed from their staff toilets for the next two years & then they can really be in the shoes of the boys.

NEA does spot checks on the public toilets. This is what I found in their legislation & regulations.

ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH ACT

(CHAPTER 95, SECTION 113)

ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH (PUBLIC CLEANSING) REGULATIONS

Public toilet
16A. Every owner or occupier of a building shall ensure that the toilets therein to which the public has access are at all times provided with adequate toilet paper, soap or liquid detergent, litter bins, and clean towels or hand dryers.

Penalty

30. Any person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction -

(a) for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and to a further fine not exceeding $100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction;

(b) for a second offence, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 and to a further fine not exceeding $200 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction; and

(c) for a third or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $5,000 and to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.

And oh, the China students on an exchange programme will be here from 21st July to 10th August. I hope the school has reminded the boys to bring their own toilet paper to school. It would be embarrassing if the guests were to shit in their pants.

Wanted : Native Speakers of English

MOE has done it!!!!! They say it, they did it!

What is going to happen to our Singaporean teachers? Expect them to eat grass?

The Singaporean Chinese language teachers get replaced by native speakers of Chinese. Now the Singaporean English language teachers are going to be replaced by native speakers of English! So what if English is your 1st language? So what if you have a degree in both English & Literature?

I have many ex-colleagues & teacher friends who have been teaching in local schools for years, are getting worried. For the English Language teachers, many of them speak very good Queen's English.

Look at the benefits offered to the FT.

One by one, Singapore jobs are going to be given to foreign talents. Isn't it scary?




The ad in The Guardian's classifieds:


Organisation: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SINGAPORE

Location: Asia & Australasia

Salary:

Date posted: 15 May 2006
Closing date: 15 Jun 2006

Ministry of Education Moulding the Future of Our Nation

Be Different.Teach in Singapore.

The Ministry of Education (Singapore) is looking for experienced, qualified native speakers of English to teach English as a first language, English Literature, Geography, History, Knowledge and Inquiry

We are looking for teachers who:
- Hold a relevant degree in English Language or Humanities (e.g. English Literature, Geography, History, etc.)

- Have a recognised Teaching Certificate in teaching English (e.g. PGCE, TESOL, TEFL, etc.) or relevant teaching subject (e.g. Geography, History, etc.)

Newly qualified teachers are encouraged to apply but they MUST have completed the induction year.

You can look forward to:-
- An attractive remuneration package (including medical and dental benefits, and bonus upon successful completion of contract), depending on qualifications and verifiable working experience

- Relocation allowance (one-time baggage and lodging allowance, free economy air passage for candidate, spouse and 2 children below the age of 18 to Singapore on first appointment)

- Return air passage upon successful completion of contract

- Interest-free settling-in loan

You can view the video recording of our online career seminar held on 23 April 2006 on the website.

All terms and conditions are subject to review and change from time to time without prior notification. The Ministry of Education (Singapore) reserves the right to decide on the terms and conditions to be offered. No reasons will be provided for selection and non-selection of candidates.


This ad was also placed in newspapers in US, Australia & New Zealand (!?).

Save your daughter or my son?

Whooooaaa!!!! On the day I went to Fushun, my blog counter numbered only 72. Today when I checked, it went past 400. The students who got wind of it are checking it out too.

I made this food blog so I could communicate with food bloggers round the world, little did I expect it to turned into a mini talking point after my Fushun trip.

Friends & readers said the words I used on Mrs Er were too strong.

In the early part of the trip, the teachers kept repeating to the students that this is a learning trip not a holiday tour. Mrs Er should know better. She is supposed to be a leader. HOD.

I am an employer. I wouldn't like it if my employees bring along their kids to work. It is not professional, especially for a leader. Work quality will definitely dropped if the kids are around. How can you do your work when you have to keep an eye on your kid as well?

Furthermore, 28 children, 4000 km away from their parents - the teachers have to give their full concentration to this group, the responsibilities are tremendous. I don't know what Mrs Er was thinking when she decided to bring her young daughter. She must have tremendous confidence that she could handle 28 teenagers & a young daughter.

As a parent, you would instinctively save your own child if there is danger, right? Honest answer, ok? I am the mother of an only boy. If my son died because a teacher decided to save her own daughter who in the first place, shouldn't be there? I should not take action? I should forgive her? She may save her child, but she would feel guilty for the rest of her life. To avoid this dilemma, don't bring your child!

Ms Poh has two younger kids, she has a better excuse to bring them. She might also have this thought, there are so many older kids to take care & play with my kids, why not? Dangerous thought.

The students couldn't even take care of themselves, how could anyone expect them to take care of a 7-year old kid?

Mr Tan has two daughters. What if he decides to bring them next year?

A couple of Chinese Fushun teachers commented that the Singapore teachers were so burdened with responsibilities. They have to ask the kids EVERY DAY who was sick, who has constipation, who has sore throat, who has .......... & gave them the necessary remedy. And the greatest joke of all is that these students continued with their crispy snacks, oily food, cold beverages...... How to get well? You yourself get to suffer when you don't listen.

Mrs Er's daughter is a sweet & adorable girl. Actually, she was supposed to attend a local kindergarten in Fushun, but due to the city's regulation, she was not allowed to attend. With her young daughter by her side, can you expect Mrs Er to give 100% attention to the students? Obviously not! Shouldn't parents have the right to feel angry? I trust you with my child for 18 days & you bring your daughter. Not only does my child gets less attention from you, my child may have to take care of your daughter or play with her.

Mrs Er is putting her own daughter in danger too by letting the kids babysit her. On the boat, she was running around & playing with the kids. Do the kids know 'danger' as the adults do? All they care about is to play, to have fun.

Climbing up the slippery & steep mountain steps, how cautious could they be? As they climb, they played, they chatted, they joked, they hit at one another...... They don't know the dangers.

I admit my words are strong. I'm sure she would not make the mistake again. Thank God, everyone came back safely. I could have spoken to her. Even if I did, I would still write how I feel in my blog.

Mrs Er & the other teachers did come to know about what I said in my blog. I can sense her moodiness the past few days.

The school was informed of my blog. The teachers in Fushun were aware & they tried to keep things from me. The big-mouthed students couldn't keep their mouths shut. I don't have to snoop around for news too.

I bet the next trip, parents would be banned from joining the educational trip. ha ha ha....... Or the parents would be selected & screen to see if they write blogs.... ha ha ha ............. Typical reaction from civil servants lah!

For the students who misbehave, you owe the school, the principal & the teachers an apology. If your parents are understanding & reasonable, they would go with you to apologise to them.

For the teachers who went on the Fushun Educational Trip, I salute you, especially Ms Poh for her commitment & dedication, her abundant energy. There were minor hiccups but this trip was a success. I'm amazed how much the teachers were willing to do for the school & its students. I learnt a lot on this trip. I made many friends. It was a wonderful experience!

Mr Yao was the key man for this trip. Fushun was his hometown. Without him, we would not have such a safe & successful trip. The other Mandarin teachers took turns to come to Fushun to take care of the kids. Mr Yao was there the whole 18 days, working very hard.

He had the toughest time. He had to answer to the schools & parents & be responsible for the kids. He gets bullied most of the time.




I was not the one who notified the media. My blog is not interesting, I agree. I write what I see.

Before I left for Fushun, my blog was read by only 6 people. And they are foreigners, not residing in Singapore. 4 people (Singaporean) were given my blog address before I left. They were 3 PSG members - Cecilia D'Mellos, Cynthia and Kelly & Mr Shamsul, all related to the school.

I had wanted to give an update of the trip in Fushun. I saw that the teachers were not able to handle some of the kids, they were practically 'shitting on the teachers' heads'. Am I supposed to paint a rosy picture? Am I supposed to keep quiet?

Many teachers are suffering in silence. Kids nowadays are so wild & uncontrollable. They answer back, they even dare to hit you! I'm sure these teachers, when they go back, are going to present a good report, minus the kids' behaviour. And let history repeat itself again next year?

I alone am responsible for my blog. Say whatever you want about me. People are leaving nasty messages & calling names. I have people leaving comments, threatening to beat up my son or do him harm. This is a serious matter. What has my son got to do with my blog?

I have remove my tag-board. Yes, it's not for bitches & bastards to shoot their mouths off. Go shoot in your mothers' mouths. I have told my friends to stop defending me on my blog. Some of those who seemed to speak up for me were not from people I know. You just want to have fun.

If I am wrong or I lied, I am willing to be punished.

I don't intend to hide in tiny Singapore. My family & I have been exposed to the world. You can come & hit me. People purposely hide behind false names to make personal attacks. It's not hard to guess who they are. Add more oil into the fire, I want to see how far it can spread.

Those students who are writing blogs on me. Good try. You want revenge. You are entitled to your own views.

You think you are damn smart. Calling your boyfriends, choir members, Chinese orchestra members, classmates & gang to make personal attacks & threats! Feeling so great, right? Students of Bedok South Secondary School?

Laugh all you want. I will have the last laugh. You forget there are many witnesses.

Back to Singapore

Jaymes was very tired & fell asleep almost immediately we board the plane. I tried to get some sleep.

Past 12 midnight, the crew served supper. Jaymes was asleep, I was too full to have any more food.

I was awakened at 2.05am by some turbulence. I tried to get back to sleep. It was so uncomfortable sleeping in an upright position. The flight was full so there was no way I could get to lie down.

I twisted & turned my body, every possible angle was tried. It was also cold in the cabin. Arrgh, my back is killing me.....

I was again awakened at 4.12 am. Most of the passengers was alseep. Jaymes was awake. Like me, he couldn't sleep well.

At 5am, as I looked out the window, I saw numerous tiny orange lights from below. I knew I was getting closer to home. Shortly, there was an announcement that the plane would land in 15 minutes' time.

When the plane landed, I couldn't wait to get my luggage & run out. I called Chris who was already at the waiting area. Alvin approached me & asked how I was going home. I said Jaymes' Dad is fetching us & offered him a lift which he accepted.

Jaymes told me Alvin was afraid to face his parents. I'm sure they would forgive him. He knows he made a mistake & he is ready to face the principal. Alvin is not shy nor afraid to admit his mistakes & apologise. That's a true man. Alvin is very likeable & adorable. Many people who come into contact with him, like him. I grew to like him over these two weeks & I would encourage Jaymes to learn from him.

As we came out of the arrival lounge, Cynthia came over to greet me. Alvin came over to say his parents were here to pick him up. I nodded to his mother in acknowledgement. Alvin looked so much like his Dad.

I was so glad to see Chris. I jumped onto him. He almost buckled under my weight. Weak knees?! hmmmm..... either I had grown fatter or he had been naughty in my absence. ha ha ha....

We reached home & I started to unpack some of the luggage. Jaymes went straight to bed. I took a bath before going to bed.

When I woke up at 10am, Chris had gone to work. I slept like a log, I didn't even know when he left. He had even filled up my water bottle & brought out my keys.

I watched the repeat of Superband while Jaymes went to buy brunch. I had Pork porridge while he bought Mee Rebus. I enjoyed my cup of teh si while catching up on the news.

When I went into my office, there were 2 huge piles of mail & documents waiting for me. sigh......time to get down to work

Day 18 - Farewell

I didn't go to the school this morning as I know it is going to be a gloomy day for the kids. I bet there's going to be a huge crying farewell. I don't want to witness that.

I spent a good part of the morning packing. My original 3 pieces of luggage swelled to 5. I didn't shop for clothes nor food. I had an entire luggage of Chinese books and the coal sculpture that an acquaintance gave.

It started raining at 9am, the Fushun sky seemed to be crying at our departure.

Mr Yao called me at 12.10 pm to vacate my room. He came up to help me move my luggage to Mr Tan's room. I told him about the tremor last night. He laughed & said it might be haunted because Mr Tan & he didn't feel anything.

(Later Jaymes told me his Chinese classmates told him there was an earthquake on that night. They felt their houses shook too.)

He & Mrs Er then went to school to check on the dance costumes.

I played with Mrs Er's daughter & chatted with Mr Tan while waiting for the kids to return. The rain became heavier. Funny, that was the time ( around 1pm) the kids were bading their Chinese friends good-bye.

I was later told by a Chinese teacher that it was an emotional scene. Mr Guan, the music teacher played his guitar & sang 'Song & Smile' as he came down the stairs. Some children were bawling their eyes out. Those who didn't cry were called 'cold-blooded animals'. ha ha ha......

The kids came back slightly after 2pm. Most of them with red puffy eyes. They started packing their luggage.

Chinese teachers Mr Zhang, Mr Guan, Ms Tang..... & VP Xuan came to help. They helped to bring down the heavy luggage. They even accompanied us to Shenyang airport.

The children & I waited in the bus for about half an hour while our teachers settled the hotel bills. Later when the teachers returned, Mr Yao announced that the delay was due to their differences in settling the damages of property with the hotel. The school compensated the hotel 411 rmb (S$82.20) for the damage of cups, hangers & electric jug.

We arrived at Shenyang Taoxian Airport at 5pm. Our flight is at 5.50pm. We quickly checked in.

I was asked to open my checked-in luggage because of the knife. I was told it was a controlled item & it would be confiscated. If I had any objection, I would be detained for 5 days & the knife would still be confiscated. Obviously, I had no choice. I let him have the knife. Mr Guan was indignant & attempted to call his friend in order to help me. I told him to let it go. Even if I could have the knife back, I might have it confiscated in Beijing or Singapore.

Mr Guan still made the call & we managed to have the knife back. Mr Guan will return it to Tong Ling. She might be disappointed but Jaymes would let her know it is a beautiful knife & her gift was greatly appreciated.

It was time to say good-bye to the teachers & VP Xuan. Jaymes & I gave them hugs before we went through immigration counters. Once everyone was inside the departure lounge, the Chinese teachers waved a final good-bye & left.

We hurried to gate 2 to board our plane. We waited & waited & our flight wasn't called yet. Then Mr Tan found out we had to go to another gate. Our flight was delayed. The plane from Beijing had just arrived in Shenyang at 5.50pm. At 6pm, we queued up in front of the boarding gate. We waited for 20 minutes. At 6.20pm, the ground staff announced that there was an oil leak & they were fixing it.

While waiting for the call to board, Jaymes and I were seated at a row of seats with Simon. I placed my charcoal statue in front of Jaymes' seat. When Jaymes got up to throw some rubbish, Vivienne came over to chat with Simon. She stepped on my precious box. I told her to be careful because my statue is fragile. She glared at me, rolled her eyes and continued to chat with Simon. This time digging her right knee into the box. I was so mad, I pushed her leg away and scolded her. She just glared at me and walked off. Bloody undisciplined bitch.

At 6.30pm, the passengers were called to board the plane. When all the pasengers were all seated, the plane took off immediately.

So cartoon! The plane flew for one & a quarter hour from Beijing & even before it had sufficient time to cool off, it has to head back to Beijing again. They spent only 10 minutes to fix an oil leak! Oh my God! Our lives are so worthless. I was worried during the entire flight. Only when the plane landed in Beijing did I heave a sigh of relief.

We had to do a transfer at Beijing airport. While Mrs Er & Mr Tan were busy checking in the luggage, the kids started zooming around the huge hall with the trolleys, pushing one another on them. Screaming & yelling. They pushed Mrs Er's daughter around the hall too. Mrs Er just watched on and did nothing to stop them. The Chinese airport staff watched these boisterous Singapore kids with disdain.

We were to buy dinner on our own. Jaymes & I went down to the basement floor for some Chinese restaurant food. The restaurants were closed. They closed at 9pm. We met Ying Zhi & Lan Keam. We decided to go to KFC where most of the kids went.

I spotted a Japanese restaurant next to KFC, so Jaymes & I went in for dinner. Jaymes ordered a Unagi set (46 rmb, S$9.20) & a iced lemon tea (20 rmb, S$4). I ordered a Roasted Pork Ramen set (36rmb, S$7.20) & a Jasmine Tea (28 rmb, S$5.60). Jaymes went to asked Ying Zhi if she wanted to have Japanese food. She came over with Lan Keam. She also ordered a Unagi set but Lan Keam didn't want to eat.

After our dinner, we went up to the departure hall to wait for the teachers. We checked in at 10.40pm. Our flight back to Singapore was 11.3opm. We went to gate 9 but before I could reach there, there was an announcement for us to go to gate 21. It was a mad rush as it was from one end of the terminal to the other end.

Finally, we were going home! As the plane took off from Beijing airport, I bade my 18 days in China good-bye. I might be heading back to a storm..........

Day 17 - Bi-cultural Celebration Show

I went to school at 8.3o am this morning, thinking the Bi-cultural joint celebration was at 9 o'clock. It was scheduled at 1.30pm, so I went back to the hotel to wash Jaymes' uniform.

When I returned to the school at 12.30pm, I was mad to see Jaymes eating an ice-cream. He had been having a bad chesty cough since the first week he arrived, & I had warned him to keep off crispies, cold drinks & food. He saw me from afar & threw away his ice-cream. I gave him a good scolding in front of his classmates.

This has been happening among the kids. They ate lots of crispy snacks, drink cold beverages, refuse to eat vegetables - then they have constipation, developed sorethroats & coughs. They asked for Strepsils, cough syrup, prunes..... but they never stop eating their snacks nor cold food.

The kids went up to the multi-purpose hall to rehearse their songs for the show.

There would be reporters & camera crew from the local newspapers & TV station at the performance. The kids were told to behave & give their best.

The celebration opened with Principal Chen Baohua giving a welcome speech. The MCs for the show was our very own Alvin Lim & Chinese student, Fu Ying.

Our students, in their BDSS uniform, sang 'Jia' (Home) a song by Singaporean singer Chen Jieying. The lyrics touched the hearts of the Chinese teachers, who promptly asked for the song.
The Chinese students were dressed in their costumes & gaily made-up. They were well-prepared compared to our hastily put together performances.

Some of the dances by the Chinese were of professional standard. One girl, Tong Ling, performed an awesome Korean dance. Every movement was so graceful & beautiful. Another girl, Du Yifan, performed a Dragonfly dance. She was so flexible. After seeing these two girls perform, I suddenly wanted to have a daughter, and let her learn dancing & play musical instruments. The Chinese parents should be very proud of their talented kids.

The Chinese put up a very good show. From the dances to the musical instrument performances. They were very absorbed in it, they clearly enjoyed performing for their guests. You see the brightest & the most sincere smiles on the faces of these children.

A dance performance by our Singapore girls Karen, Isabelle & Jia Pei added a sparkle to my eyes. They performed a dance to the tune of Supermodel. They are the uncovered gems. They received a flood of screams & wolf whistles. ha ha....I was truly entertained.




Alvin Lim had many girls screaming their hearts out for him when he performed. The Singapore students gave him a standing ovation, more in jest than credit for his performance. Alvin was very shy & he had stage fright, so he was like a wooden puppet. If he had been less restrain, he would have the whole house down.

The reporters requested an impromptu performance of the Manzhu dance the girls had learnt. The Singapore teachers were taken aback by this request. But we were not disappointed, it was well done & the Singapore teachers heaved a sigh of relief.

Towards the end of our program, both National Anthems were sang. Then came the school song of Fushun Fu Zhong. Our kids had learnt the song last week, so they were able to sing together with their Chinese counterparts. It was one touching moment. A coming together of the children of two countries, building ever-lasting friendships.









Our children received many gifts from their Chinese friends. One even received a special edition set of Chinese Literary books worth more than 800 rmb (S$160). Jaymes received a beautifully carved knife from Tong Ling, the girl who performed the Korean dance. It looked expensive too. I told Jaymes to return it but he said Tong Ling would find him rude if he were to return the gift. I'm also worried it would not pass the checks of Singapore Custom.

The homestay guardians of the kids came to pick them up at 5.30pm. After the kids had left, Vice principal Xuan again asked us out to dinner. This time it was to a Korean BBQ restaurant. I had noticed there are numerous steamboat & bbq restaurants in Fushun. You see them on every street & corner.

The one we went to was Handeguo Korean BBQ restaurant. It looks pretty expensive. VP Xuan ordered a 'whole-cow' set. It consists of the various parts of a cow. We had to mix our own special dip for the meats. It was a combination of sesame sauce, minced garlic, scallions, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce .......





I was having a slight soreness in my throat, plus I had been having too much meats for the past few days, I didn't dare to eat much. The whole table was covered with plates of food. Not enough space to place them? Stack them on top of others. It was the Chinese way of feeding their guests. They have to make sure you have too much to eat. Personally I felt heartached because to me that means waste. The hosts ensured that they would pack the leftovers back home if we couldn't finish it. Before, it would be embarassing to the host to bring back leftover food, but now some people have come to realised the wastage they have created. Also since they are among friends, they dared to bring it home.




I would have to treat them the same way when they come to Singapore. Our dainty portions & few dishes would be an insult to them. And liquor & beer, it is a necessity.

I remembered a Chinese student once remarked that when his father & uncle were invited to dinner in Singapore, they had to eat bread when they went back to the hotel. The Singapore friends had invited them to an expensive restaurant in a 5-star hotel. There were braised abalone & sharksfin soup & the bill came up to almost S$1000. But the Chinese businessmen still felt hungry. Different country, different custom.

At 7.30pm, the Chinese teachers called the Chinese guardians to check on the kids. They were fine. We ended dinner at 9.30pm & VP Xuan made a detour, he wanted to bring Mrs Er & Mr Tan to watch the folk dance, but the dancers have dispersed. So we went back to the hotel.


.............cold Korean noodles..............

At 10.36pm, as I was watching TV, I heard a loud 'boom' & the room shook for a few seconds. The windows were rattling hard. Having experienced a horrifying tremor, I jumped out of bed & rushed out of the door. No one was outside the corridor. I went back into my room & looked out the window. There was not a soul outside. I went back to bed. I wanted to call Mr Yao but gave up the idea. They could be asleep.

What had just happened? Was it my imagination? hmmmmm.......

Day 15 - Dinner at Friendship Hotel

I went to Shenyang on my own this morning, on a business trip.

I returned late in the afternoon & was very tired. There is a Chinese bath house, sort of like a spa, on the ground level of our hotel. Everyday I had to pass by this sign which lists the services offered by the bath house.



I was extremely amused by the 'da nai' service (whack your breasts) offered by it. I had asked Mr Yao what was that. It is actually 'a massage with a moisturising lotion'. lol..........

Anyway I went into the bath house to enquire about its bath & massage package. I was startled when the receptionist yelled at me not to enter. She curtly told me to take off my shoes before stepping on their carpet. Ok.......

When I asked her about the prices of the bath packages, she was impatient & rude. Arrrggh, forget it! I walked out of the bath house.

In the evening, Jaymes & I had dinner with a couple of friends at the local Friendship hotel. It was a grand hotel, frequented by heads of states & Chinese leaders. Ex-Premier Zhu Rongji was photographed during his stay here.

We were treated to the local dishes which frankly did not appeal to us. Jaymes didn't eat much, he was coughing badly throughout the entire dinner. I was talking too much to be eating. There was a huge amount of food left.

Jaymes had forgotten to inform the teachers he was going out for dinner. So when we came back at 10.20pm, we met Mr Tan & Mr Yao, who were worried & had come down to search for us.

I received a gift by an acquaintance. It was heavy & fragile. It was a coal sculpture. I would have to hand carry this back to Singapore. Gosh, the thought of the long return journey scares me.

Day 14 - At a Chinese Hair Salon

Jaymes was awoken at 6 am to do his project. I had told the group off on Friday for not completing their work before playing computer games. They had to do the presentation on Monday & since their weekends were spent touring, they had only Friday to complete their work.

Now they had to rush through their work. Poor time management & organisation skill. I didn't want to see their presentation, I chose not to go to school.

I was told Ying Zhi was sick again. I went next door to look at her. She vomitted & had diarrhoea. sigh.....

I went to the market to buy some fruits. The stall holders recognised me & stopped to chat. I bought some more fragrant melons & donut peaches. I bought 6 donut peaches for 7.20 rmb (S$1.44).



Some hawkers were wary when they saw me taking photos. They asked what was I doing. When I told them I am from Singapore, smiles broke out & they offered me food & drinks. I didn't dare eat or drink. Mr Yao has warned us against eating cooked food from roadside stalls. Even their customers stopped to chat & the crowd grew bigger.




Every Chinese I came into contact has heard of Singapore & they have very good impressions of the country. They are very envious of us & many asked for help to work or emigrate here.

The erhu teacher, Mr Shao invited me to his house & offered to teach Jaymes to play the erhu for free for the next few nights. Mr Shao is a 76-year old retiree. I told him I would have to ask the teachers if they could release Jaymes in the evenings.

A lady was selling magical dried plants for 1rmb a bunch. A group of people gathered around her. She said if I immersed the bunch of dried plant in water for 5 hours, they would live & 20 days later, they would flower. There were several colours to choose from. The diagrams on her flyer showed different colours of roses. She displayed different coloured carnations inserted in a bunch of fresh green leaves. I was skeptical but bought 5 to experiment.




A concerned old man stopped me as I was leaving & said I was cheated. 'They wouldn't flower,' he said. 'It's a scam.' I just smiled & thanked him.

As I returned to the hotel, Vice Principal Xuan had just arrived to bring Widi, Rebecca & Ying Zhi to the doctor. Mrs Er & Mr Yao followed.

I came out again to the internet cafe to do my work.

I had wanted to buy some cooked food at the supermarket for lunch. There was a wide selection of Chinese food & snacks but it didn't seem appetising to me. I saw an employee making Chinese sausages. I stayed to watch. I was horrified when he opened the cover of the mixing machine. It was so rusty & black. Gosh, they don't clean the machine! I had lunch at KFC again.

Jaymes came back at 5.45pm. The teachers had brought the rest of the kids to the supermarket.

After Jaymes had taken his bath, we went out for dinner at the Feiyang Steamboat restaurant. Jaymes had his favourite sliced lamb. The dinner cost 61 rmb (S$12).





We went for a haircut at a nearby hair salon. The hairdressers were mostly young guys, very friendly & professional. The shop was quite presentable. I felt uncomfortable though because the towels they used were dirty.

I had my hair cut & coloured, it cost 90 rmb (S$18). Jaymes' haircut cost 10 rmb (S$2). I gave the poor hair washer a 10 rmb tip. She refused to take the money & looked scared, looking towards the counter where her boss was sitting. I crumpled the note & stuffed it into her hand.

She had been working since 8am this morning. Her hands were all red & puffy. She's only 15 years old, same age as Jaymes. She has to work for more than 10 hours every day, no rest day. Although a sign in front of the shop says it closes at 10pm, as long as there's customers, they have to stay open, until the last customer leaves, sometimes past 1 am.

There was already a young Chinese woman, who was dying her hair orangey, before me. Earlier she had told the hairdressers she is from Singapore. My hairdresser introduced me to her. When I asked her if she is a Singapore PR, she claimed to be a recent Singapore Polytechnic graduate. She is back for a holiday & would be returning to Singapore on the 7th June to work.

I tried speaking to her in English. I asked her how much did she pay for dying her hair? I repeated twice. I spoke slowly. She couldn't answer me, either she didn't understand or she can't speak the language. She pretended to ignore me by speaking to her hairdresser.

Ha! Beautiful, young woman who completed poly education in Singapore but couldn't understand simple English, more like the type you find in karaoke lounges.

Day 13 - Dahuofang Fishery

We had an early breakfast & set off for Dahuofang Fishery. We were taking a boat out to the middle of the Lake to see the early catch of the day.





It was freezing cold. I had on three jackets & I was still feeling cold. Jaymes was dressed only in T-shirt & shorts & he was clearly enjoying it. bbbrrr.......

We had to tread carefully around the rocky shore to board the boat. A slip & you could sprain your foot. Or you could fall & cut yourself on the sharp edges of the rocks. A fisherman helped us onto the boat.

No life jackets was given to us. We had to spread out evenly so that the boat will not be lop-sided & toppled.

Some kids leaned against the railings. The kids were told to stay away from the gate which is held by a little hook.

It is a humongous man-made lake. If someone falls in, where do you start looking?

It took us 40 minutes to reach the fishermen.

It was exhilarating to see the fishermen drew in the net & see the fishes jumping up. The fishes were so big. The fishermen had to sort the fishes.
























We went back to the fishery to pick up a couple of passengers & then set off again. It was getting warmer now.

We then went to a small island called Heerhu. It took us another 40 minutes. I witnessed so much drama onboard. Alvin was the star. He was very popular with the girls. He was their Prince Charming. Some were openly fighting over him. Jealousy, betrayal, bitching, quarrels, crying...... wow, plots for a drama. I was shocked at the strong words used by the girls. Kids....sigh......

Han Long was so sweet. He kept the weeping girl company, comforting her, cheering her & trying to bring the two friends back together again.



The kids needed to go to the loo the moment we reached land. The toilet was set in the middle of the woods. You could hear loud shrieks ringing through the woods. ha ha ha.......

Alvin made things worse by warning us that as the toilet is right in the middle of trees, there could be snakes lurking around. I didn't want to go to the loo. I made up my mind to hold my bladder for as long as I could. Let's see if I could make it to the Guiness World of Records. I have to remind myself not to laugh, or else the dam would be broken....ha ha ha......

There was a little hut selling drinks & titbits & in front of it, a cute little toddler in his cute pants.





A mini club offering entertainment in this wilderness.

We had to do some climbing. The steps to the top were high, steep & slippery. There was no railings for you to hold. One slip, the others behind you could fall like dominoes & you could have a broken head or limbs. I had to grab the branches of trees. Ms Gu stood midway to give us a helping hand.

At the top, we saw a pagoda in the distance. The kids wanted to climb that. The pagoda looked so far from where I was.

As we were going down the scary slippery steps again, Alvin graciously offered his help to the girls & lastly, held my right hand & helped me all the way to the bottom of the steps. So sweet. I was so touched. My own son ran off with the other girls.

My left knee was hurting so I asked to wait for them in the boat. Three other kids didn't want to go too. Mrs Er was to stayed behind as well but I told her to go ahead. There is another tour guide, Ms Gu Feng to keep us company.

.........the pagoda from the top of the hill where this picture was taken.......

As we waited in the boat, some Chinese tourists boarded it to take a rest. I was a little worried.

After an hour, the group came back & we set off for the shore. The kids were tired & they slept. We arrived at the restaurant run by the Fishery. There were 3 different types of fish for lunch. They were fresh & the meat tastes so fine.

After lunch Mr Yao bought 37 bottles of chilled mineral water for everyone. He was lugging one heavy carton of drinks while the stallowner carried another carton. I

After lunch, it was to another place of interest called Yuanshuai Lin (General's Woods). I have no interest in it because it was built by a general after the demise of the Qing Dynasty, for his father. He had the stone sculptures brought from Beijing. This woods was supposed to be a good fengshui plot. By burying his father here, he hoped to become an emperor. Chay! This smacks of corruption, anarchy, nepotism, abuse of authority.......

After all the walking, the kids were promised a shopping trip. They got very excited & their spirits rose. We came to puxingjie, a shopping belt & we were given 40 minutes to shop.






Jaymes & I walked through a departmental store & bought only a checker set. We bought a Chicken Roll at the food court & Jaymes found it tasted awful. We went early to meet the others but were later told about the extended shopping time of another 40 minutes. So Jaymes & I sat at a fast food restaurant to wait for them.

I had an orange juice while Jaymes had a Cappucino which tasted & looked like Chinese medicine. Jaymes took a sip & left it alone. One hour of waiting for us, so did Mr Yao. He was standing outside the restaurant all the time, watching out for any of the kids.

Alvin & Zhi Hao came to join us. Followed by Ying Zhi & Lan Keam.

When everyone had arrived, we dashed through busy roads to reach our bus. We went for dinner at a Steamboat Restaurant opposite the school. Jaymes was feeling very sick by now & he didn't touch his food.






I had a quick bite & we went back to the hotel first with Ying Zhi.

Jaymes threw up the moment we reached the room. I made Jaymes moved to my room so that I could look after him. Later in the evening, Lan Keam was sick & had to see a doctor. Ying Zhi & Mr Yao went with her.

Jaymes was fine after he threw up. He had some egg tarts for dinner. Chris called later & I spoke briefly to him. Jaymes was tired & slept early.