Nov 27, 2007
Localizing
Actually figured out how to activate my hp's pinyin function! I have started to sms my Taiwanese colleagues in CHINESE!! I am indeed localizing. Don't worry, I have not mastered the art of being "teh". The day I master that skill - please punch me.
Nov 26, 2007
Casual Monday
I wore black jeans to work today. No one batted an eyelid (unless they did so behind my back...), not even the "fashion police". Think will try the mini skirt with stockings combo next.
Nov 25, 2007
Weekend in Taipei
Day 1 - Part i
Kelly, my colleague from SH needs a dress for our Aomen event. So with this mission on hand, we met Diana, Rosa & Lunchia for an afternoon of shopping in Taipei.
After hunting the entire afternoon, Kelly got her dress. She tried it on in the 1st shop we looked, but being women, we decided to KIV & looked in 10 more shops in the same area before concluding that the 1st dress was the best.
We made a brief stop at the 忠孝东路 （hope I got the Chinese characters correct) Starbucks & met up with my fellow SST-er, David. He was with a customer who is also happen to be his personal friend. The 2 of them kept us well entertained - listening to the 2 of them was like watching a Taiwanese variety show. Hilarious.
That afternoon, I bought NOTHING! None of the clothes I saw were really my style. The only shop that suited my taste was Mng & it's cheaper in Spore. Good!!!
We then met with some other colleagues (all guys - whom couldn't bear the thought of spending an afternoon shopping with 5 gals) for dinner at Shaoba, a jap bbq place. It's buffet style (with 6 flavours of Haagen Dazs!) & is apparently very popular. So popular that there are only 2 seatings for dinner: 6 or 8pm. The food is pretty good but you will have to love meat.. & be willing to smell of oil & smoke after dinner.
We took the 6pm sitting - check out the crowd waiting to go in for the 8pm slot.
From left: Lunchia (my team mate) & Rosa
My 小阿姨 & uncle
Taipei city in the background
On my way back to UCL, i shopped a bit at the shops around Taipei Train station . And I finally fulfilled my stockings fetish.
I have always had a thing for "textured" stockings - now I finally have the excuse to buy!
These are more like SOCK-kings - great for short skirts
No need to shave legs for the next few months liao :)
Kelly, my colleague from SH needs a dress for our Aomen event. So with this mission on hand, we met Diana, Rosa & Lunchia for an afternoon of shopping in Taipei.
After hunting the entire afternoon, Kelly got her dress. She tried it on in the 1st shop we looked, but being women, we decided to KIV & looked in 10 more shops in the same area before concluding that the 1st dress was the best.
We made a brief stop at the 忠孝东路 （hope I got the Chinese characters correct) Starbucks & met up with my fellow SST-er, David. He was with a customer who is also happen to be his personal friend. The 2 of them kept us well entertained - listening to the 2 of them was like watching a Taiwanese variety show. Hilarious.
That afternoon, I bought NOTHING! None of the clothes I saw were really my style. The only shop that suited my taste was Mng & it's cheaper in Spore. Good!!!
We then met with some other colleagues (all guys - whom couldn't bear the thought of spending an afternoon shopping with 5 gals) for dinner at Shaoba, a jap bbq place. It's buffet style (with 6 flavours of Haagen Dazs!) & is apparently very popular. So popular that there are only 2 seatings for dinner: 6 or 8pm. The food is pretty good but you will have to love meat.. & be willing to smell of oil & smoke after dinner.
We took the 6pm sitting - check out the crowd waiting to go in for the 8pm slot.
From left: Lunchia (my team mate) & Rosa
Me, Diana & Kelly
The guys that refused to go shopping with us
.
Got one more guy actually, but can only see part of his arm here...
To end the night, some of us decided to check out EZ5, a bar that is well know for it's live music
Here I must say: All the bands at Luna - go take a hike, fly kite or sign up for of 10 year of unpaid internship with any of the singers at EZ5.
"EZ5" is not exactly the hippest of names. It's an obscure looking bar tucked in the corner of... (I can't remember where. Will find out). It's cramp, smoky (no smoking in nightspots rule does not apply in Taiwan) & has a not so fantastic toliet (swatting ONLY. very unglam).
The bar's main attraction is the live band performance and I MUST rave about the QUALITY of the singers!!! This should how cheena bands should be!!! The 2 bands I saw both can sang AND have they have fantastic showmenship. They really really know how to rouse a crowd. It was like watching another Taiwanese variety show - this time with great singing thrown in.
Great way to end the night.
Day 2 - Healthy Living
I spend the night at my aunt's place as we intended to go hiking on Sun morning.
We ended setting off at 3pm (after a BUFFET lunch... I am surrounded by food-lovers... very bad...). It was a steep climb at the beginning & I think during this part, my aunt & uncle were totally regreting their decision to go hiking.
But we were rewarded by THIS at the top!!!
My 小阿姨 & uncle
Taipei city in the background
On my way back to UCL, i shopped a bit at the shops around Taipei Train station . And I finally fulfilled my stockings fetish.
I have always had a thing for "textured" stockings - now I finally have the excuse to buy!
These are more like SOCK-kings - great for short skirts
No need to shave legs for the next few months liao :)
Nov 20, 2007
My farewell gift from Very-Itchy
A long overdue post. Last month, in the midst of our usual crazy end-year activities, I got huge surprise & one of the best gifts I have ever received in my life - from my colleagues in Very-Itchy Singapore.
To summarize:
31 oct 9am - Audit Lead told me my order kena PWC audit & to meet at 2pm to discuss the order before she can submit the findings.
9am-930am: Fatcat panicked & checked her order. Approvals in & scanned. Should pass lah.
1145am: Happily went for farewell lunch with Avago/ Agilent ex-colleagues.
2pm: Strolled in from long lunch (oops)
205pm: Pooi Lin & gang hurried me to the boardroom. Apparently their order kenna audit too. Clueless fatcat even asked them which of their orders kenna the audit
215pm: Clueless fatcat went into boardroom & finally realized it was a "giving away ceremony" for me!!
215pm onwards: Great speech from bossie. Lousy speech from fatcat. Many many tears from fatcat.
My present!!!
Naughty & Nice - I love it!
Well wishes from colleagues: priceless
My favourite
YES! This masterpiece is almost worth leaving the company(or relocating to another entity) for!
To summarize:
31 oct 9am - Audit Lead told me my order kena PWC audit & to meet at 2pm to discuss the order before she can submit the findings.
9am-930am: Fatcat panicked & checked her order. Approvals in & scanned. Should pass lah.
1145am: Happily went for farewell lunch with Avago/ Agilent ex-colleagues.
2pm: Strolled in from long lunch (oops)
205pm: Pooi Lin & gang hurried me to the boardroom. Apparently their order kenna audit too. Clueless fatcat even asked them which of their orders kenna the audit
215pm: Clueless fatcat went into boardroom & finally realized it was a "giving away ceremony" for me!!
215pm onwards: Great speech from bossie. Lousy speech from fatcat. Many many tears from fatcat.
My present!!!
Naughty & Nice - I love it!
We gave a similar bracelet as a farewell/ wedding gift to a colleague whom got married to a Taiwanese & left us to join her hubby in Taiwan. I had jokingly demanded a similar gift should I ever get married & move to Taiwan.
Well I did not get married per say, but I did relocate to Taiwan...
Well I did not get married per say, but I did relocate to Taiwan...
BUT as much I love the bracelet, it wasn't the best part. This was:
An original creation by very own talented Qi'En Mama esp for me
Look how much we have changed over the years...
Details details, it's all about details
Well wishes from colleagues: priceless
My favourite
YES! This masterpiece is almost worth leaving the company(or relocating to another entity) for!
I have brought it over to Taiwan & placed in the most PROMINENT position in my apartment!
THANK YOU!
Nov 18, 2007
Back in Taiwan
Sun evening. Was in Singapore for a week. Now back in Taiwan. It was exactly a week ago that I wrote about my lousy week in Taiwan. Now I am back & ready to conquer.
After writing about all the bad things I encountered in Taiwan, I think I need to show the upside:
SOGO ANNIVERSARY SALE!!!!!!!
It was the ultimate skincare shopping experience, I swear never to buy skincare/ makeup in Singapore ever again:
Take this for instance: Shu Uemura Green Tea Cleansing Oil 450ml (helped Bobo buy)
Spore Price: SGD148
Taiwan Price before Sale: NTD2500 = SGD118
Taiwan Price DURING Sale: NTD2000 = SGD95 + Free Gift!!!!
Bobo do you love me or what??!!!
For Mahjong Mummy:
Phylo-blank anti-wrinke range - love the packaging.
Everything is 33% cheaper then Singapore plus they gave away really solid free gifts!
So I ended up buying 2 sets & got 2 sets of free gift. Look, I am NOT a sucker, just a wise spender that grabs a good deal when I see it ok?
Whitening range for my aunt:
I just paid for the whitening essence (the 2nd bottle from the left) & got everything else free, including a FULL SIZE whitening lotion.
And for myself:
To cover my flaws (and replace my smashed Chanel Compact):
The secret to beautiful skin - Mask, mask & more mask. The beauty advisor asked me to use everyday. And at these prices, I just might!
BUY 6 GET 6 FREE!!!!!!!
Damage: SGD76 for 12
hmmmmm they don't seem so cheap now.... maybe i'll stick to using them weekly... but it's still a 50% discount...
Words of wisdom from Nono: "WAH no wonder Taiwanese gals are all so pretty & have such nice skin. Their skincare so CHEAP!!"
It was not just the bargain that made the shopping so enjoyable. It was also the SERVICE. The cosmetics counter was flooded with people & yet the beauty advisor gave me top notch consultation. This I can never find in Singapore. Ok ok, maybe I should say, this is HARD to find in Singapore. I was afterall a beauty advisor once & I do think I gave pretty good service (when I'm in a good mood hahaha).
To end, I also need to say:
Thank you everyone for your encouraging words. They really really helped. You guys are great.
After writing about all the bad things I encountered in Taiwan, I think I need to show the upside:
SOGO ANNIVERSARY SALE!!!!!!!
It was the ultimate skincare shopping experience, I swear never to buy skincare/ makeup in Singapore ever again:
Take this for instance: Shu Uemura Green Tea Cleansing Oil 450ml (helped Bobo buy)
Spore Price: SGD148
Taiwan Price before Sale: NTD2500 = SGD118
Taiwan Price DURING Sale: NTD2000 = SGD95 + Free Gift!!!!
Bobo do you love me or what??!!!
For Mahjong Mummy:
Phylo-blank anti-wrinke range - love the packaging.
Everything is 33% cheaper then Singapore plus they gave away really solid free gifts!
So I ended up buying 2 sets & got 2 sets of free gift. Look, I am NOT a sucker, just a wise spender that grabs a good deal when I see it ok?
Whitening range for my aunt:
I just paid for the whitening essence (the 2nd bottle from the left) & got everything else free, including a FULL SIZE whitening lotion.
And for myself:
To cover my flaws (and replace my smashed Chanel Compact):
The secret to beautiful skin - Mask, mask & more mask. The beauty advisor asked me to use everyday. And at these prices, I just might!
BUY 6 GET 6 FREE!!!!!!!
Damage: SGD76 for 12
hmmmmm they don't seem so cheap now.... maybe i'll stick to using them weekly... but it's still a 50% discount...
Words of wisdom from Nono: "WAH no wonder Taiwanese gals are all so pretty & have such nice skin. Their skincare so CHEAP!!"
It was not just the bargain that made the shopping so enjoyable. It was also the SERVICE. The cosmetics counter was flooded with people & yet the beauty advisor gave me top notch consultation. This I can never find in Singapore. Ok ok, maybe I should say, this is HARD to find in Singapore. I was afterall a beauty advisor once & I do think I gave pretty good service (when I'm in a good mood hahaha).
To end, I also need to say:
Fatcat is NOT miserable in Taiwan. I just had a really
really lousy week. So lookout for many many happy posts to
come!
Nov 11, 2007
One week in Taiwan
Sun evening. Just finished laundry. So much for my glamourous swinging single lifestyle. Not much swinging one can do in Ulu Chungli. From now on, I shall refer to Ulu Chungli as UCL. Little Uncle dropped gave me a lift back from Taipei earlier. Was at their place for the weekend. My visit gave them the motivation to go for a morning workout. We checked out the hot springs of Beitou (walking distance from where they stay). If you ask me Lonely Planet made it sound better then it really is. Then again, it could be just that I am not a hot spring person.
Arrived in Taiwan a week ago. Will be going back to Spore tomorrow for a week. No special feeling about going back actually. A week is too short to really miss home.
I had fucking lousy start to my new life in Taiwan:
02 nov 10pm-03 nov 3am:
Farewell party with my dearest friends - More about that later.
03 nov 8am: Opened my eyes. Something didn't feel right. I see the morning sun. FUCK. My flight is at 830AM.
03 nov: 10PM. Changed flight. Arrived in UCL. In my new apartment. Cannot find my internet connection point. To me another 3 days to finally locate it. And another 2 days to set the IP address so that I can connect.
04 nov: clean, unpack, household goods shopping.
05 nov: Officially my 1st day of work Verigy Taiwan. Did my 1st presentation. Didn't go well at all. Luckily it wasn't with a live audience. It also finally dawned on me how unprepared I am to take up this new role.
06 nov: Notebook crashed. All data wiped out. Colleagues started engaging me. Again I realized how unprepared I am to take up this new role.
07 nov 9am: Went to open my NTD bank account using my work permit. I have 3 mths worth of salary not paid out to me because I dont have a NTD bank account. Was told that I need a Resident Permit to be ready before I can open a bank account in TWD. Hello its a bank account for me to put $$$$$ IN. Work permit cannot meh??!! What the hell?! I am CONTRIBUTING to the economy of Taiwan & I cannot open a BLEEDING bank account without a Resident Permit???!!! This plus the trauma of my crashed notebook was the final straw. I actually teared in front of the bank officer. She was really really sweet & was trying her best to help me out. But the stupid banking regulation in Taiwan didn't allow her to do that.
07 nov 10am: Got a call from HR. Photograph I submitted for Resident Visa cannot be used. The Taiwanese officials have like 888 criteria for passport, IC, Visa photographs. I had to go retake immediately or risk DELAYING the Resident Visa. Once again tears of frustration flowed out as I took the call.
08 nov 8am: Dropped my Chanel Compact. All the powder fell out. The mirror cracked. 7 more years of bad luck. Great.
08 nov 11am: Msn therapy session with bobo. Felt much better. I love my friends.
09 nov: Performance evaluation with new Boss. Conclusion: I got to work REALLY hard.
My lousy week ended on that note. Fantastic.
Arrived in Taiwan a week ago. Will be going back to Spore tomorrow for a week. No special feeling about going back actually. A week is too short to really miss home.
I had fucking lousy start to my new life in Taiwan:
02 nov 10pm-03 nov 3am:
Farewell party with my dearest friends - More about that later.
03 nov 8am: Opened my eyes. Something didn't feel right. I see the morning sun. FUCK. My flight is at 830AM.
03 nov: 10PM. Changed flight. Arrived in UCL. In my new apartment. Cannot find my internet connection point. To me another 3 days to finally locate it. And another 2 days to set the IP address so that I can connect.
04 nov: clean, unpack, household goods shopping.
05 nov: Officially my 1st day of work Verigy Taiwan. Did my 1st presentation. Didn't go well at all. Luckily it wasn't with a live audience. It also finally dawned on me how unprepared I am to take up this new role.
06 nov: Notebook crashed. All data wiped out. Colleagues started engaging me. Again I realized how unprepared I am to take up this new role.
07 nov 9am: Went to open my NTD bank account using my work permit. I have 3 mths worth of salary not paid out to me because I dont have a NTD bank account. Was told that I need a Resident Permit to be ready before I can open a bank account in TWD. Hello its a bank account for me to put $$$$$ IN. Work permit cannot meh??!! What the hell?! I am CONTRIBUTING to the economy of Taiwan & I cannot open a BLEEDING bank account without a Resident Permit???!!! This plus the trauma of my crashed notebook was the final straw. I actually teared in front of the bank officer. She was really really sweet & was trying her best to help me out. But the stupid banking regulation in Taiwan didn't allow her to do that.
07 nov 10am: Got a call from HR. Photograph I submitted for Resident Visa cannot be used. The Taiwanese officials have like 888 criteria for passport, IC, Visa photographs. I had to go retake immediately or risk DELAYING the Resident Visa. Once again tears of frustration flowed out as I took the call.
08 nov 8am: Dropped my Chanel Compact. All the powder fell out. The mirror cracked. 7 more years of bad luck. Great.
08 nov 11am: Msn therapy session with bobo. Felt much better. I love my friends.
09 nov: Performance evaluation with new Boss. Conclusion: I got to work REALLY hard.
My lousy week ended on that note. Fantastic.
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