Amelia's Nest

Monday, 20 May 2013

Health Check for My Son

I'm amazed how Singapore government works for the betterment and interest of it's citizens and residents. One thing that is so obvious to me is the way they monitor the health and wellness of each kids. Last year the Health Promotion Board went to my kids school for eye check-up and good thing they have perfect vision.

And now this year as my son is in Primary 1 got a letter from him informing about the schedule of heath checks which includes height, weight, vision and audio tests as well as vaccination. Yes, vaccination. They have this for the kids and I know they monitor this as they requested us to hand them the baby book that contains the vaccination-history of my son. This is a big relief to me, as a mum we want things for our kids especially the health and wellness of our children.

Kudos to Ministry of Education and Health Promotion Board for this initiative! Way to go!!

Saturday, 20 April 2013

12 Hours in Manila

I went to Manila last Saturday night, April 13 without any plans of going there. I went there because I was pushed by a circumstance. An event that was not within my control. After I received a not so good news last Saturday night I quickly booked a ticket without thinking how much it cost and of course the risk of flying without any plans or whatever. I just need to finish the task that I've started since I have invested on it. So 11PM off I head to the airport. And good thing flying in Changi airport was hassle and stress free. My flight got delayed for 30 minutes and so I waited finally we boarded by 1:30AM Sunday and the plane took off by 2AM. The flight duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes and thank God all was well. I arrived Manila via Terminal 3 at around 5:30AM. My mother and uncle picked me up at Terminal 3 as I took Cebu Pacific.

As usual and I was greeted by my ever supportive family. My aunt prepared breakfast and we had it together. I miss that to be honest. And it's good thing that I got the chance to go back even with that situation. Nonetheless I enjoyed it and is grateful. I did that things that I needed to do like two hours full body massage, manicure and pedicure and some shopping. This is just a sideline to the real reason why I went back home. After breakfast I immediately bought my return ticket and and geese it's way to expensive for a budget airline but it is what it is so I have to deal with that, close one eye and go on.

On my way back to Singapore I headed to Terminal 2, 3 hours before my scheduled flight in anticipation for all the queue and scrutiny of immigration officers. I took AirPhil - PAL Express, the low-cost airline of Philippine Airline. I guess I need to give commendation to the crew of PAL from the check-in counter down to the flight attendants. They are very nice and cheerful. It helps lessen the stress seeing those smiles and nice words uttered to passengers like me. Even though AirPhil is a budget airline they still provide complimentary drinks like water, tea or coffee plus nuts and biscuits. With Philippine Airlines printed on their tissues and cups, still holds the branding thing. Also the flight attendant's uniform are very nice and professional looking, with class I guess. I left Manila by 8:30PM and arrived Singapore pass 12AM Monday, 15th of April with a delighted heart.

This is one of the reasons why I love living in Singapore, the proximity to Manila is not that far-off compared to other cities and country that you need to travel for more than twelve hours or so. In any event we can just go back easily without any issues. So far this was the quickest stay in Manila that I ever did and I guess I can add this to my adventures. Flying in and out of Manila on the same day considering that this is seven hours flight in total. What an adventure!

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

I just love it

"But that's the glory of foreign travel, as far as I am concerned. I don't want to know what people are talking about. I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can't read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can't even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses.

...Is there anything, apart from a really good chocolate cream pie and receiving a large unexpected cheque in the post, to beat finding yourself at large in a foreign city on a fair spring evening, loafing along unfamiliar streets in the long shadows of a lazy sunset, pausing to gaze in shop windows or at some church or lovely square or tranquil stretch of quayside, hesitating at street corners to decide whether that cheerful and homy restaurant you will remember fondly for years is likely to lie down this street or that one? I just love it. I could spend my life arriving each evening in a new city"

― Bill Bryson, Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe, 1993

Saturday, 13 April 2013

Feeling Empty and Low

I've seen people come and go in all the companies that I have worked with. Be it due to voluntary or involuntary reasons. The closest people that I have worked with in my current company, that I have make friends with, half of them are all gone. Familiar names and voices were no longer heard or seen in mails, meetings and conference calls. I miss those people that I know in there capacity has made an impact in my career and perhaps in my personal life.

But I guess I still can't seem to get away with the feeling of emptiness when a close colleagues leave the organization or the company. Have you ever experience in your life that when you have started to trust and make friends and build the confidence in that relationship and all of a sudden they all gone, one by one? Have you ever felt the feeling of the usual people all left and you were the only one who remained? Have your ever felt the feeling of helplessness as you feel more confident surrounded by these awesome individuals? Maybe it is what it is and just need to accept the reality that people will just leave and need to move-on. But be thankful that once in your life you got the chance to know and worked with this awesome individual in your lifetime. Life is just like that, as they say don't expect too much and don't draw too close.

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

NBA in Action

It's my first time in the USA and of course I'll make the most out of the given privileged. Luckily I have relatives to the place where I was sent by my company. My aunt gave me a real-nice treat, she bought a ticket for NBA game. As she knows I look forward on that and it's on my list to do. I'm more than happy to be seated in a general seat but to my surprise she bought the court-side and what's even more nicer was that we were near to Sacramento's dug-out. Cool and sweet!

during the half-time

We watched at Sleep Train Arena at Down-Town Sacramento last December 07, 2012. And it's definitely and totally different when you're there on the site compared to just watching the game on television. The excitement, thrill and fun were all there. We watched the Kings vs. Magic and surprisingly Kings won the game! Even my aunt and uncle were surprised and they both say, "not bad at all, at least this time we won". And we are all laughing!