p.s. Thanks for the memories everyone.

In exactly 7 hours i'm going to be on the plane, bound for Hangzhou again. Can't describe how that feeling is just thinking about it. Anxiety, excitement... mostly a sense of dread and loss.

I probably won't be back in singapore for a long time and HZ is going to be my new "home" for now.

I took a drive out alone tonight, just around my neighbourhood. My favourite radio station blasting out, the familiar roads and seemingly permanent roadworks, that comfortable feeling of knowing exactly where everything is, how things work and how i know i have to start all over again while i'm in China.

I wonder how everything and everyone will change a year from now. I wonder how I will change a year from now. Will i miss Hangzhou and feel like an "alien" back in singapore when its time to come back? Where will i go next? Everybody is moving on. Friends have found new jobs, some about to get hitched and others having kids. I won't be here for my granddad -a sweet but grumpy old man who is getting older and seemingly more fragile by the day. I won't be here for my pals to hear about their joys, sorrows or just indulge in some good old bitchin and whining. I won't be here to teach my mum how to use MS Excel.

Some of my closest friends are scattered all over the world and i was lucky to meet one back here this time. I'm going to quote her words because i can't find anything more apt.

is home where your family is? where your friends are? or just somewhere you feel comfortable in? maybe i'll feel the best in the air. like im supposed to be there. supposed to be heading somewhere. where? should i come or should i go?

Sunset over the South-China sea

The skies were clear this evening at 30,000 feet in the air. The flaming big band of orange and vermillion slowly disappeared into a thin red line before me as we flew over the south-china sea. Before long, the stars emerged from the pitch-black sky as i had my airplane dinner.

I wish... that i can see this scene before me everyday. . I would never get sick of the infinite and ever-changing shades of indigo, purple, orange and yellow. Not in my lifetime.

Farewell to the crazy Scotsman (and Scotswoman)

So this is goodbye ...

Yesterday, my ex-boss has left Singapore to take up his promotion in Florida. I felt like a part of me, and what was dear to me in Singapore is gone forever.

I'm not usually the soppy emotional type but i couldn't help but feel this incredible sadness when i heard the news, and a tear or two yesterday, which was his last day. Of course, it was great news that he got promoted but that meant he was going to leave.

I guess its hard to describe the strong emotional attachment. OK, so i left the company (and that was a hard decision too) and the country first but i've always imagined him as a permanent fixture in Singapore (figuratively speaking) and its different knowing he's not going to be there anymore when i'm back.

I didn't actually think i'd made it when he interviewed me 5 years back (Maybe it was my answer to his last question (Did you enjoy studying overseas?) that clinched it - my response to his question was "Extremely".

So i shall dedicate this post as a glowing tribute:

Gordon is more like a mentor/friend than a boss, and he always knew when to let us get on with our work, and when to step in to help us out or stick up for us. Most importantly, he taught me how to teach and how to learn. He's one of the rare leaders who truly posess leadership skills and a sense of humour. After working for him for almost 5 years, he'd watched me morph from fresh-young-enthusiastic graduate to bitter-jaded-cynic. Ah, you couldn't ask for more, really.

Whats more, he's fun to hang out with after-work for a few beers, some good chat and giving helpful pointers on diverse questions such as directions to the nearest bar with happy hours and "What should i do with my life?!"

Joyce is funner than Gordon during their house parties because she does dancing, whale-jumping and makes wicked drinks. Gordon just flashes his silent-toothy grins, even when he thinks something is really funny. I won't forget the time where we all did some crazy wrestling at the Padang way after the JP run had ended. That were plenty of "drunk but still silent and toothy" grins flashed that night!

So i thank him for so many things, many good memories, and some wonderful lessons learnt at work, and in life. I will miss all the laughter, fun times, that ridiculous reindeer do, and those feigned "what now?" roll in the eyes whenever i demanded an answer to my endless questions.

He thinks we'll never meet again but i really hope he's wrong about that one.

My HZ bacholorette pad, Version 1.0

As promised, here are some photos of the place i've rented. Its situated rather far from the main road so its nice and quiet! No traffic noise or screeching bike brakes. That really annoys me to no end, especially when masses of bikes screech to a halt at a traffic junction at the same time. It's a cacophony of nails on chalkboard. Shudder.

Living room -awesome sound system -all i'm missing is some strobe lights. TV - several chinese channels but only 1 English channel.

Lounge area -Airy and lots of sunlight although at the moment, those plants are wilting from my neglect - they haven't been sunned since i'm out working all week. Its my favourite part of the house though. On weekends and evenings, you can see lots of kids playing outside.







Guest bedroom - if you pop by, this is where you're going to sleep. (that soft toy isn't mine by the way). Some of you have indicated you are coming over to visit - i'm taking reservations now, and some black-out dates apply ;-) If you can cook and WILL cook, or bring me a bottle of duty-free liquor on the way, you will have priority.

Small kitchenette - no bar yet, haha

Bedroom upstairs

The view from my window - part of all the extra frills that i have to pay for!

So... Version 2.0 will include those darn curtains that my landlady has yet to put up. A sofa, rug, coffee table, DVD collection and mini-bar are also in the works. My life will be complete then.

Any suggestions on how to deck this up?

Mars Attack!

Its a battle to complete all that paperwork in order to work here. Endless form-filling, submission of multiple copies of certificates, passport photos, application letters, and permits-to-get-a-permit. Anyway, I'm proud to annouce i'm now an officially approved foreigner. It ain't over yet though, I still have to obtain my residence permit!

Not just ANY E.T., mind you. I'm a certified employable one.

Hangzhou survival 101

Arrived: 28 Jan 2007

~~Setting up house~~

So, i've survived a week here in Hangzhou. The first few days were rather stressful and hectic. Moved into my apartment in the western suburbs of the city and began a massive buying spree - bedding, electrical appliances, miscellaneous household items and then carting them home, queueing to open a bank account, cleaning the apartment etc. Fun stuff.

I can't total up the hours i've spent in electrical appliance shops, hypermarts comparing the prices and brands of various electrical appliances but it must be more than the amount of life that's cut off when you smoke 10 packs of cigarettes. And let me tell you, i probably HAVE shortened my life by that equivalent.

They must sell 50 varieties of rice-cookers here, i swear. Sales assistants here shadow you as you walk around the shop like ghosts. I can't seem to look at Anything without them trying to give me the pitch so i'm reduced to these furtive glances at the shelves and trying to shake them off my tail. no luck.

I picked up a rice-cooker to examine it closely and Persistent Assistant helpfully pointed out "This is a rice-cooker." Yeah thanks. She then proceeded to rattle off the virtues of it doubling as a porridge-maker, steamboat blah blah. Ditto the miracle water filter, heater, hair-dryer etc.

Its been awhile since i've lived on my own and it takes getting used to! I felt really grown up (meaning - it was a big pain in the a**) having to deal with workmen/ technicians who came to fix my washing machine, fridge and internet. Daddy i need you!!!!!

~~Always bargain!~~

When in China... do as the Chinese. ..

Yes, don't EVER pay the listed price here. I've learnt to ask "Is there a discount?" before buying anything and chances are, they'll shave off 10-20% off the marked price, even in a big store. If there aren't any discounts, you have to badger them for a freebie. Thats the way to go here. Its so competitive amongst the shops that they are bound to cave in. Muahahaha.

~~Layering does work~~

somewhat...

its about 5 deg here this week and according to locals, it is already a "warm" winter. I must pile on a few kilos with the amount of clothes i wear and it make me feel like a rather chunky penguin when i go out. Most Hangzhou houses also do not have central heating either! Brrrrr... i'm thankful for my trusty little heater that keeps me from hypothermia when i shower.

~~Mandarin is oozing out of my pores~~

My other daily struggles are more like "communication problems".

Everything is in Mandarin. .. I've always been bad at Mandarin anyway but its became painfully apparent here. I can get by with ordinary conversation but i'm stumped at technical and business vocab. My laptop language settings, emails, communications, employee handbook, discussions and instant messaging with colleagues are all in chinese.. Its like someone flipped a switch in my head to a foreign language mode and i have think, speak, write it all the time.

Takes me 3x as long to process everything!!

Work is going ok, its quiet for me since i'm new and the rest of the staff are busy wrapping up projects before Chinese new year. Besides i can't really catch 40% of what they are saying haha.

Just last friday, i had to call our IT helpdesk and he explained (of course in mandarin) how to configure my laptop. It doesn't help that Hangzhou people tend to speak very fast either. I was reduced to saying "huh?" at every sentence. (look- before i came, i didn't even know how to say "restart computer" and "double-click"!!) Finally he gave this big sigh and and walked over to help me. He probably was convinced i was a techno-idiot. Or maybe just idiot in general.

In any case, i'm glad that i CAN read at the very least and i've figured out the public transport here. Took buses everywhere over the weekend -woohoo!! There's loads of shops and local eateries around my area so i'll never starve even if i don't cook. Eating out is pretty affordable here especially after converting it into SGD.

So its 10 more days before i come back to Singapore for Chinese New Year - a brief respite from All Things Chinese. And I can't wait to see my family again!!

I'll post pictures of my apartment and write more this weekend - IF my internet doesn't mysteriously conk out again like it did last night.