Am actually writing this in my return journey from USA. This plane I am taking is the 2nd of the 3 planes I need to take in order to get home. 12 hr flight for this one... Gosh...
Initial Plans
J & I meant to go Australia for our anniversary celebration. We made a point to go honeymoon each year during our wedding anniversary period, no matter how trying the day to day financial situation may be; after all, life is too short to be slogging for tomorrow and missing out on enjoying today.
Our Australia trip was changed to US due to friends who recently relocated to US extending their invitation for us to visit. Cost was a significant hindrance but we thought there probably won't be a better time than now to go. After all, you don't get free accommodation offered at US very often :p
"You serious about going?"
Have received a few comments from those who have visited US, that it is not value for money enough, considering the air ticket cost. $2800 for 2 persons' return tickets. With my new job's commencement date being brought forward, it ended up only a short period we could stay there. 10 days perhaps. Minus all the travelling and time/days lost.
And there was the part about winter. "It will be very cold..."; "There were snow storm there earlier...". Well, we enjoyed experiencing snow 1st hand. Yes, it was very chillling cold at times but for one who has been under the tormenting heat of my tropical country, snow was refreshing different, extreme nevertheless. Like I said, it was an experience each time before going out, having to put on snow cap, wool shawrl, jackets, gloves, blah blah blah... But after a while, I must admit it became quite a chore!
Another reason we 'detour' is to explore future opportunities. I have always wanted to further my psychology learning in the States. Hubby on the other hand has dreams of staying and working overseas. After speaking to our host, we realise the opportunities here are better than we have imagined.
Things that are different here...
Food. Am not talking about the portion you get at restaurants but certain food packaging you see at supermarts. Ok, it's portion, still. Sugar and flour were packed like huge rice packs back home; mayo is stored like those huge Dynamo liquid detergent containers; even the size of muffins here can match up with the size of a baby's face!
It costs about the same whether you eat out or DIY cook at home, say for just a few persons. Ingredients, along with basic neccessities here, are more expensive.
"Take away" vs "To go". Here, we hardly receive any response when we stated the former. Only speaking the latter yield acknowledgement.
Here, some branded goods at certain places are much cheaper. A fraction of local prices. Same goes for most magazines. Reader's Digest here costs less than $5 whereas it costs you more than double back home. Yes, I am comparing both amount in home currency.
Final Verdict
We enjoyed this trip. Unlike other trips where it was free and easy where we shopped and ate all the time, here we got to experience some American life by staying in a house and doing grocery shopping, etc. Not to be excluded is that hubby got to shovel snow off the car pouch!
We have also enjoyed catching up with our host and his family. It was great learning from him as well as we chatted on some nights, apart from watching videos!
So, after 'conquering' Bali, KL and Bangkok, is Australia or/and Hong Kong next?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Moving On
(This is one of the two posts done before my new job started; was actually 'penned' in my PDA while in the skies...)
Finally, I am able to return to direct work in thc social service sector. Having worked in a family service centre (FSC) for 3 yrs, it made me appreciate direct work more as I last worked at a social service statutory body doing admin & marketing support work. Back at the FSC, I miss the clinical sessions most. Never quite get to do such work in a fuller capacity then. I thank God that the new job will allow me to do just that! And of course thank God especially that the daily travelling distance to and fro work now is not as long as my former workplace.
I look forward to 2007.
Finally, I am able to return to direct work in thc social service sector. Having worked in a family service centre (FSC) for 3 yrs, it made me appreciate direct work more as I last worked at a social service statutory body doing admin & marketing support work. Back at the FSC, I miss the clinical sessions most. Never quite get to do such work in a fuller capacity then. I thank God that the new job will allow me to do just that! And of course thank God especially that the daily travelling distance to and fro work now is not as long as my former workplace.
I look forward to 2007.
Greener Pastures...
Have been 'absent' for a while due to my 'low-tech' expertise in handling some technical mandatory enhancements. Thank God for a kind and helpful who showed me the way to restoring my assess to blogspot :)
As of Feb 5th, I have stepped into the 'greener pastures'. For those who do not know, I am into social work. Finally, I am able to take on the kind of work I have always wanted... after 5 yrs of waiting, apprenticing and preparing. This job is, among the 3 job options I have sought earlier, most challenging, and also the one I foresee I will enjoy most.
Colleagues have been wonderful, though a bit siao at times. But it's ok, as I am also guilty of such behaviour at times :p I thank God for a supportive and friendly environment. One senior called it dynamic. Just last Fri over lunch, another senior colleague commented in mockery that I 'learnt fast', after hearing the way I, urm, conversed with him in their 'usual lingo'. Oops! Hope that didn't hurt :P
Apart from the work nature that is one-to-one nature and provides a reasonable degree of flexibility and autonomy, the other thing I am also thankful for is my work posting being at a place where I need to adjust the least, in terms of conforming to the rigidility but necessary regulations of my employer. Ok, some of you may be lost at sea by now; just know that I am thankful :) and share my joy! Otherwise, like some of you have done, feel free to email to me personally to chat upclose if you are too shy to leave comments. (sorry that I have done some amendments to allow only bloggers to leave comments. anti-spam measures lar..)
Can't believe so soon it's been a month! Doesn't feel like yet. I no longer dread going to work but look forward! Looking forward to taking on my work full scale as time goes by. I also appreciate the availability of some peer colleagues whom we have started meeting up now and then to support and learn from one another. One of us called it "Newbie Support Group". Ha... come to think of it, perhaps it could help in alleviating another 'casuality' among new staff... One peer who joined on the same day has decided to call it quits after a week. Tragic. Was quite taken aback by the reaction of my boss, whom after learning about that probably in her email, shouted out of her office for the rest of the colleagues to really take good care of me, lest I suffer the same fate... hmm... wonder if that was done in panic or jest? Anyway, I recently learnt from a colleague that we are still short of 2 staff.
Stay tuned... cos' I will soon be retrieving some earlier previous mths' updates... like my holiday trip before I embark on this new job.
As of Feb 5th, I have stepped into the 'greener pastures'. For those who do not know, I am into social work. Finally, I am able to take on the kind of work I have always wanted... after 5 yrs of waiting, apprenticing and preparing. This job is, among the 3 job options I have sought earlier, most challenging, and also the one I foresee I will enjoy most.
Colleagues have been wonderful, though a bit siao at times. But it's ok, as I am also guilty of such behaviour at times :p I thank God for a supportive and friendly environment. One senior called it dynamic. Just last Fri over lunch, another senior colleague commented in mockery that I 'learnt fast', after hearing the way I, urm, conversed with him in their 'usual lingo'. Oops! Hope that didn't hurt :P
Apart from the work nature that is one-to-one nature and provides a reasonable degree of flexibility and autonomy, the other thing I am also thankful for is my work posting being at a place where I need to adjust the least, in terms of conforming to the rigidility but necessary regulations of my employer. Ok, some of you may be lost at sea by now; just know that I am thankful :) and share my joy! Otherwise, like some of you have done, feel free to email to me personally to chat upclose if you are too shy to leave comments. (sorry that I have done some amendments to allow only bloggers to leave comments. anti-spam measures lar..)
Can't believe so soon it's been a month! Doesn't feel like yet. I no longer dread going to work but look forward! Looking forward to taking on my work full scale as time goes by. I also appreciate the availability of some peer colleagues whom we have started meeting up now and then to support and learn from one another. One of us called it "Newbie Support Group". Ha... come to think of it, perhaps it could help in alleviating another 'casuality' among new staff... One peer who joined on the same day has decided to call it quits after a week. Tragic. Was quite taken aback by the reaction of my boss, whom after learning about that probably in her email, shouted out of her office for the rest of the colleagues to really take good care of me, lest I suffer the same fate... hmm... wonder if that was done in panic or jest? Anyway, I recently learnt from a colleague that we are still short of 2 staff.
Stay tuned... cos' I will soon be retrieving some earlier previous mths' updates... like my holiday trip before I embark on this new job.
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