1st 10 days

May 20, 2006 Leave a comment


I started my 1st day of the week with lots of reading and catching up. Getting used to the way the local work, I found myself swimming in a fast moving river. There were lots for me to pick up and get on with the pace. I have so much research to read and I am just not used to it. Still the people that I have met are generally nice and friendly people… they are always there to help…
 
Before I knew it, it was already the end of the week… Time flies so fast here.. (A good sign, Meijie said) At least, I dun find it draggy and slow. There are enough errands to keep me occupied here during the weekdays. For the past 5 nights, I have been doing a lot of "house-visiting". Echo, Felicia and I would spent every evening searching for my ideal apartment. Till date, we have visited 11 houses… (We are seeing 2 more houses tomorrow).
 
Not an easy choice you know… cos’ we Singaporeans are looking for good & cheap… certainly dun apply here in Shanghai. When it is good, it is expensive. When it is cheap, you know the answer. I am trying to find a 2-room nice condo that is near their business and shopping district – with generally new furnishing and "clean" neighbours. Most condo look nice on the outside…but once you walked in…you see the most unsightful corridors.. The internal maintenance is bad.
 

We had dinner with Francis and Echo almost every night. It has been fine-dining every night..and it is kinda freaking me out. Imagine me eatng at Tok Lok or Jumbo Seafood every night…I am getting sick liao… No doubt it is cheap..but i miss the normal foodcourt and hawker food. One of my staff told me that "rich Singaporean like us" will not find their "normal food" appealing. In fact, I enjoyed their "cheapo lunch box" more than the expensive fine-dining. Too bad..even the office "auntie" dun want to recommend me their so called "cheap takeaway box".
 
Anyway, I got my wish granted today. Francis and Echo brought us to this place call "Bugis".. They serve really good Singaporean dishes… (not "Cross Road" certainly). In fact, i was kinda doubtful about the dishes..cos’ we have tried bad Singaporean dishes overseas… but I was wrong…the Hokkien Mee (RMB28), the Satay (RMB5/stick) and even the carrot cake (RMB20) tasted just as the real thing. What’s more, they have my favourite STRAITS TIMES! And yes, it is the latest edition!
 
As we are Singaporean… we automatically got 20% off our bill. So nice of the boss!
 
Movie is expensive here. Each ticket will cost you RMB80 (that is about SDG16). Francis has a special VIP Gold Card… we got our tickets for "The Da Vinci Code" at 50% off (which is RMB40). So, that is almost the same price we are paying back home. No wonder the local are all going for pirated DVD (RMB5).
 
Started missing my son, my home and my life…Thanks to my IP Phone, I can easily call back home and chat with some of you (so easily and no IDD). Been chatting with my mum, Elkan, Joanne and Tracy… Hearing their voices over the IP make me feel so much at home….
 
I know my "void" has caused some difficulties.. It is really a bad transition for many… Joanne has been working round the clock (still managed to keep her smile and positiveness for me)… Tracy is wandering somewhere in USA now… Meijie is going to miss a mahjong and Xbox buddy… my mum is going to miss "nagging" at me… And Elkan…he is going to have less interesting weekend outings.
 
How I wish I can move my whole kampong over…I wonder, how the hell my grandfather did that 60 years ago.
 

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