Friday, October 09, 2009
你有到大使馆办签证的经验吗？
如果你和我一样，是持新加坡护照的话，应该不会有几次这样的经验。那请你为自己是新加坡人感到庆幸，因为不但为你省了很多麻烦、金钱，也让你少受很多气。
在我的记忆当中，只有亲身到大使馆办过3次签证，结果两次是空手而归，就包括今天。要不是需要以记者身份到中国采访，我也不需要一大早在烈日地下排队，然后遇到一个态度极差的柜台人员（重点她还让我在错的柜台排队），结果我的申请不被受理，还叫我打一个一直被对方切掉的号码。到底是怎样。大使馆的宗旨就是要 make your life difficult?
这绝对不是一竹竿打翻一船人的说法。之前到过菲律宾大使馆，柜台人员的态度也是极差。听一些几乎不管到哪里旅行都需要办签证的海外朋友说，他们在好几个大使馆的经历也都如此。大使馆办公时间短，福利也应该不差，员工怎么都那么哀怨，那么臭脸啊？好歹也是前线服务人员，也应该有基本的服务态度吧？
今天去了一趟大使馆，没有办到签证还是其次（其实去之前就有预感会办不到），而是所见所闻让我有感而发。
排队的时候，就遇见一位auntie带她的女佣去办签证。看不懂所需填的表格，所以我拔刀相助。这位auntie 是幸运的，有能力带女佣一起去旅行，去帮她在中国的住所打扫、在她到处购物时也可以帮她提购物袋。
在柜台，看到一对年过60的夫妇办签证。他们在柜台弄了半天没弄好，柜台人员一直说他们要填这个，没填那个，弄了半天他们似乎还是弄不清楚状况，而他们明明就跟彼此讲华语。申请者把表格填错了，至少心平气和的跟他说哪里错，而不是一味叫他改啊，他怎么知道要怎么改？后来两人看来非常无助，也看得出他们觉得很不好意思，又不知道哪里出错，我又有机会再出马了。
后来，两组老人都跟我说，他们是因为子女在网上帮他们买机票，才需要亲自到大使馆办签证，以前都是托旅行社办的，所以才会觉得不知所措。子女不是住的很远，就是忙工作，也只能在买机票上帮忙，不能代为办签证这种事了。我们年轻人认为很方便，能在网上买机票这回事，却带给了他们困扰。代沟，也就是这回事吧？
10:40 PM
Friday, August 14, 2009
读了这期i-周刊关于败犬的主题专访，觉得我符合了几乎所有里面列下的败犬特征。
我=败犬？ OK 啦至少年龄还没到，但是觉得晃一晃就会过了。
看来我应该去看看《败犬女王》这部戏了。
1:49 PM
Thursday, August 13, 2009
我讨厌人家明明知道事非我意还要强加于我。
我讨厌没有被征求同意就对我的生活做出改变。
其实，我认为我是相当随便的人，大多时候，只要征求我的意见，我会不好意思拒绝而同意或答应。
但我也发现，我往往会因为这样而吃亏。可能不是什么大亏，但一点一点累积起来，心里可能就会出现不平衡。
我决定要学会说不，这是一种学问，一种艺术。但这会让我活得更像我自己。
当然，我还是会有任性的一面，对某些事情比较执着， 尤其对家人。请容许我的任性。
11:49 AM
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Would you say you love Singapore?
Somehow it seems like the uncool thing to do to say that you love your country in this country. What's wrong with being patriotic? It's not being PC or brainwashed by the country. Say it if you mean it.
Was having a conversation with a grp of frens and a fren said sth abt ppl in other countries seemed to feel so much more nationalistic than Singapore, wearing their flag wherever they go, proclaiming they are citizens of so-and-so country. We don't even bother flying it on National Day. Another fren drew conclusion that cos we are not as homogenous as some societies, it's harder to feel nationalistic. Is that so? What about America?
I must say I don't always feel this way, and my numerous trips overseas and spending time out of Singapore and interacting with ppl from various nationalities actually gives fresh perspective as to what it means to have Singapore as my home, and gives me new found respect for my country and be thankful that I am a Singaporean. Things we so take for granted like a roof over our heads, clean water and not having to apply for visas when we travel are things that ppl do not have access to.
Another fren working at an MNC says that when typhoon hits Taiwan or Hong Kong, when there's snowstorm in London, basically when something happens in some part of the world, the Singapore branch has to take over the operations and the staff have to work harder and she has to take weird shifts to cover the duties. It's undesirable to her, but it also means that Singapore is relatively safe from disaster right?
This is not a perfect place, I'd very much like to see many areas being improved, being changed, but everything is a work in progress right? It's so easy to just leave when you are not happy with a place in this day and age, but would you ever find the perfect place? I think there's no such thing as a perfect place anyway. Do let me know if you find it.
I'd still like to leave the country, to travel, to see the world, but it would be to remind myself of how fortunate and blessed I have been.
It's National Day and I'd be working to cover the National Day Parade. Yes we have it every year, and it is kinda propagandistic. But it's still a day worth celebrating. Many of my overseas friends wow at the kind of celebration we have (tho sometimes I do wonder if iwe're spending too much money on this). Their national days usually pass without fuss, with parades that nobody watches cos it's early in the day. I would say our NDP is quite one of a kind, and there is a reason why ppl yearn to get tickets to the parade every year. It really feels very different when you are with the crowd. It's addictive, you'd wanna be back. And you feel proud to be a Singaporean.
It's National Day and what better time to declare your love for your country.
PS I've had a sneak peak to this year's parade and I think it's actually quite good. The art direction is by Ivan Heng, someone with lots of theatre background so yeah, it's really of some standard.
1:11 AM
Friday, July 17, 2009
the Indonesian Presidential Elections is over. SBY won with landslide victory. yeah you know already from various news sources. a fren said my blog is too newsy, and i only blog when there's news. but i can't help that i work in news and that's what i'm in contact with day in day out. so yeah more news to come.
i must say it's been a most rewarding trip, a trip that provided me with new found confidence and zest in my job, a trip that came at the most opportune time i must say.
marking my first anniversary on my job in indonesia, covering the presidential elections and getting mostly positive feedback so far is indication for me that i've made the right choice despite the emo-ness i went thru. i can't think of a better way to mark my 1st anni.
it's also been an eye-opener, much in line with my resolution to explore and understand southeast asia more ever since my philippines trips. there is indeed so much to know and learn about SEA, and now i have better inkling of the political system in Indon as well as the problems they face. at least now i know SBY from Mega-pro and JK-Win and I can say that I've been to Yudhoyono's residence! (tho i've nv even been to Istana in Singapore ha!)
所谓初生之犊不怕虎，and i think this best described me when i was there, assuming that it's quite safe and unafraid of what was to come. luckily i only heard the horror stories of indon only AFTER i came back. haha. and lucky that nothing has happened to me there. ppl there seemed friendly and willing to talk to me while doing my voxpop. tho there are those weird and uneasy stares that i get from the people sometimes, i think my phil training did me some good. in many many ways actually, indon reminds me of phil: a language i do not understand, bad traffic, slums, shopping = malls, country with colonial history, vibrant political scene, generally friendly people.
it only been a week since i'm back, and somehow sharing my indon experience on air today seemed really surreal already. reflecting on the trip, i don't know how i did what i did, but i did it! i surprise myself all the time.
when will Singapore's political scene be half as exciting? when will Singaporeans be willing to talk openly about politics? i look forward to that day.
enough of words, now for some pictures (that are all up on FB already actually).
behind the scenes: setting up the camera for CNA correspondent to do live reporting.
voting over, start vote counting. :Lanjutkan! (that's the slogan for Yudhoyono's team)
SBY in the lead.
At SBY's residence. Media galore. All ready to get a shot of the President as he conducts a press conference (yes, in Bahasa Indonesian). I'm contented standing by the speaker.
Saying goodbye at the CNA office.
Doesn't this CNA cameraman look familiar? Think "don't worry, be happy."
The only touristy shot. In front of the main traffic circle, a favourite spot for protests. (ooops even my touristy shot has a news spin to it. ha)
12:31 AM
Monday, July 06, 2009
又要出国啦，而且是第一次去公干。
虽然是非常临近的国家，但还是一个不熟悉的环境、不熟悉的语言。
被问及是否要到印尼采访总统选举是，我的第一反应是：不要。
因为语言的障碍，加上本身不是很关注印尼政治，所以却步了。但是过后想想，老板会这样问我，就是认为我能胜任，给我一次宝贵的学习经验，那我又为什么要怀疑自己呢？
所以，最终还是答应了。决定的很匆忙，所以开始时觉得相当不安。但是又遇到非常愿意给予帮助的好人，觉得这次的行程应该会顺利。
我生命中总有一个接着一个的贵人，对此，我非常感激。
不过贵人不能帮我收拾行李，所以还是要自己做。回来再进一步分享。
2:27 AM
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
我会骑脚车了！
自転車乗れます！
I CAN BIKE!
I've CONQUERED the bicycle!!! I'm so proud of myself. haha. despite me having said that I wanna learn how to bike since 2006, I did not put it into action until about a month ago.
And in 4 sessions, I learnt to bike!!! Ok lah not very impressive results, cos my bro keep saying he learnt it in 1hr. But who cares, what matters is I can bike now! Wahahaha!
Tho I still can't turn corners.
Tho I will swerve from left to right uncontrollably sometimes.
Tho I rammed into a roller blader and almost made her fall.
Tho I still can't brake properly.
Tho I'll get stressed out when I see approaching bikers and people who are too close to me on the road.
At least I can bike now! And I'm confident I can overcome ALL that soon. Anyone who wants to bike pls jio me out. haha! soon I'll be able to do nite cycling and road trips on bikes. that sounds exciting! it's no longer a handicap. yeah!
***
anyway I've lapsed out of my emo-ness, and made my decision. I'll give it another year, I tell myself as I feel there's still so much to learn and it had been a really great experience so far. Maybe I tend to forget the unpleasant stuff, but I find this a positive trait of myself. Live and be happy right?
and on yet another note, congrats Diya for proving ur worth and getting the chance to go to Taiwan (yet again) to show the talents Singapore has! It was such a 百感交集 day, cos we were REALLY happy for Diya, but REALLY sad for Carrie at the same time. I nv tot I could have such a mix of emotions in myself.
12:03 AM
behind the scenes: setting up the camera for CNA correspondent to do live reporting.
voting over, start vote counting. :Lanjutkan! (that's the slogan for Yudhoyono's team)
SBY in the lead.
At SBY's residence. Media galore. All ready to get a shot of the President as he conducts a press conference (yes, in Bahasa Indonesian). I'm contented standing by the speaker.
Saying goodbye at the CNA office.
Doesn't this CNA cameraman look familiar? Think "don't worry, be happy."
The only touristy shot. In front of the main traffic circle, a favourite spot for protests. (ooops even my touristy shot has a news spin to it. ha) 
我会骑脚车了！