Hangzhou Trip

Well, it would be a daunting task to try and put all the pictures here after I have chosen 218 pictures out of 606 pictures to place in Facebook, so I guess I will just do a recall here.

I would say that I learnt less of China's history this time round compared to the trip in 2006. Simply because there were many occasions that the tour guide was at the front of the line quickly muttering away while I was behind translating bits and pieces and also adding my share of knowledge of history and culture. So by the time we caught up, the guide simply moved on to the next site to start muttering again. I wonder if those in front who heard understood what they heard and wrote them all down correctly. This is due to my prior experience of students and I listening to the tour guide, but I was the only one who could understand it all and catch it all down in my notebook correctly. There were also a few occasions that the locations were to small or narrow to house the entire group. Despite my advice, the usual people from the same groups crowded in front, leaving members of other groups behind and unaware of what was being introduced in front. I cannot blame the local tour guide entirely, only the regret that people habitually chose to remain where they were in the group. Well, I guess this time round, they have to rely on themselves.
When it comes to food, Singaporeans have shown to be a lot less adaptable to foreign context. It was a pity that some of the dishes during the various meals were relatively untouched, because they were unknown or uneaten before by those seated around the table. Eating cup noodles and potato chips more than 3000km from home says a great deal about us. China parents may be pampering their only child, but ours are not too far off either. The result of such diet and late nights (did I mention how active people still were near midnight?) was a cacophony of coughs, sore throats and flu en route back home. From past experience, I was sure that had the journey been longer or more travelling was involved, half the group would be feverish and vomitting daily already.
This trip was humbling to me where it came to language. Yes, I was the de-facto translator for many occasions, and I had discovered that translating from Mandarin to English was easier, whereas translating from English to Mandarin would be somewhat challenging. The frequent usage of English in Singapore's context, the time required to find a suitable (no, not 100% match) phrase to replace a particular English expression while matching the rules of Chinese grammar in front of a crowd that lived and breathed Mandarin meant that such translation was not an easy feat. Still, I had managed to survive with lots of patience, understanding and perhaps a decent dose of respect from the audience. Needless to say, the translators from both sides appreciated the help rendered by each other, and we both look forward to further assistance when the Chinese are due to visit us in July 2009.

Year End Gathering

The year end gathering was successfully held at my place on 20th Nov 2008 with about a dozen attending. I've originally planned for myself to cook about 5 dishes for 14 people, but the kind souls either chided me for being crazy and offering to get food rather than make me cook like crazy just 2 days before I fly to Hangzhou, China.

Anyway, here's my menu:
1) Cabbage with mixed vegetables (cabbage, tang hoon, dried prawn, mushroom, tau pok, carrot, fishcake, "golden needle fungus", black fungus)
2) Savoury black soy sauce chicken
3) Sweet and sour prawns with capsicum (a last min innovation coz I scared not enuff to eat)
4) Beancurd stir-fried with Chinese leek
5) Foochow fishball soup with yan pi (Foochow meat dumplings)

Then, there are contributions by the rest:
1) Spongecake
2) Raspberry Cheesecake
3) Brownie with ice-cream
4) Chinese desserts (tau suan, black glutinuous rice. chendol, etc.)

Participants included:
1) Mr L
2) Mr Q
3) Mrs J
4) Mrs P & husband
5) Ms C
6) Miss S
7) Mr P
8) Mr L
9) Miss N

Needless to say, we had quite a good time just simply eating and chatting and watching tv.

No one knew I was already having a cold then. :)

2008 Year End Updates

Time passes very fast, seemingly gushing past, and before you know it, a year is about to end.

Novemeber was packed with loads of stuff.

There was the usual meeting marathon to review everything in the year and planning for the next year.

Then there was the frantic preparation for the overseas Twinning Programme

Planning and cooking dishes and having a year-end gathering before the year closes.

Frantic packing stuff into 14 boxes to move back to a new school campus

Planning for the chalet that will happen the day after I touch down in Singapore from the overseas trip

The simply unmotivating unpacking of all 14 boxes.

The follow-up to all the preparation for 2009.

Then meeting marathon again.

Then the year ends.

Fun right?

In case some homosapiens still want to ask the same old question again of "Where did you go after you came back from your China working trip?" The answer is "nowhere".