Happy Days; Almost Over

Counting the remaining days of our vacation makes me feel a bit sad. Since we only have 2 more weeks left here in Singapore, I promised to make the most out of it. Thus, we never let a single minute pass without visiting its famous places. These include malls, which are known for their unique architectural designs such as the Esplanade, Iluma, Wisma, and Vivo City Malls. You simply can't get enough of it because these are not created solely for adult's gratification. Children's sake is also their utmost concern; thus, you can always find specific areas intended for the kids like the splash park, public library, and kid's spa. It is so amazing since we seldom see one in our country of residence. What caught my attention most is the latter since cute babies are the major bulk of their clients. They have complete facilities, which include Jacuzzi, massage plinth, play area, and sleeping haven. Accessories like White noise machine and musical mobile are incorporated for a more dramatic impact. Hence, this is the reason why parents are not hesitant to entrust their precious ones because their maximum well-being is highly regarded.

Importance of Money

Although money is not everything; but it means a lot to everybody. If you all have the money in the world then you can do anything you want at any time. This is what I felt when we were strolling in one of the malls in Singapore. Every time you turn your head, you can really see striking bits and pieces everywhere. You can't help but feel desirous of those things because these are simply enticing. If only I have more than enough bread with me, then it would be more fun to travel. The goods are priced fairly; just do not attempt to convert it into pesos or else you'll get shocked. The best time to go shop is during their mall-wide sale, which is usually on the month of June. Marked-down items are overflowing here and there; thus, a lot of tourists find this month the best time to travel since they can avail of great discounts. So if you have something special to celebrate such as birthdays or anniversaries, start saving in advance. For sure you will never run out of birthday bash presents or 50th wedding anniversary gift ideas either for oneself or for a loved one. This is your opportunity not only to tour around the place, but to indulge in a shopping splurge as well.

Getting Vain and Beautiful

I'm always vain when it comes to personal care. It's been eight months already since I had my hair re-bonded in one of the beauty salons in Singapore. But due to environmental factors such as wind, sun, and pollution; it has ripped off its natural oil leaving my hair dull and dry. Unlike before where I don't have to comb it to remove tangles, now I can't live without using conditioner everyday just to make it manageable. But since hair treatments and procedures are now very costly, my crowning glory is being deprived of pampering. How I wish I have all the luxury to go to the spa and indulge in extravagance. But let's face it; most of us are having difficulty in meeting every day's needs. On the other hand, it is not appropriate to completely neglect personal happiness. So I decided to buy argan oil for my hair to at least give it a glow despite economic crisis.

Second Time Around

This is my second time to do job hunting. Because my main objective for coming to Singapore is to find a job, I make it a point to come up with perfectly organized curriculum vitae. With my vast experience for more than twelve years in various fields, I am qualified to apply for quite a number of posts. Thus, from time to time I always make revisions just to make it suitable for a particular position I am applying for. Take note, this means a lot of printing jobs. Hence it's so disappointing to know that nearby shop only offers document shredding service and photocopying, so I have to ride a bus just to have my resume printed. However it charges too much, which is around twenty pesos per page in its equivalent. To address my concern, my brother decided to purchase a personal printer at home. Now I can print all I want anytime with less hassle and expenditure.

Hitting Two Birds with One Stone

This is like hitting two birds with one stone. While we are in Singapore, I managed to do some sort of job hunting to maximize our stay. Who knows, I might be lucky enough to land a good opportunity while on vacation. Of course, to make it possible I have to leave a contact number where they can keep in touch with me in case I get shortlisted. Since we've been here for almost two months already, it is not unusual to receive numerous calls in a day for job interview. Some of which are directly from employers, while others are from employment agencies who ask for certain amount just to get an appointment from contracting companies. But to my surprise, I was confused when somebody called up one day and referred me as one of their Health Insurance Leads. I forgot that this number used to be that of my sister-in-law's; thus, it is not a remote possibility to receive phone calls that are not mine. Now, all I wish is to get a job before our stay expires. If not, we will be left with no choice but to go back to the Philippines and face the reality.

Adventures in Singapore Zoo

We've been to Singapore zoo and everything inside is spectacular. The nature speaks for itself with all the green bushes and foliage covering the entire place. For sure you'll be at awe by simply looking at it; not to mention the countless species of animals widely dispersed in every corner. Because the place is so huge, one whole day of walking can make your feet tired and numb. Thus by the time we reached home, we didn't have time to chit chat at the couch anymore. What I did was checked my mail first before sleeping. But to my surprise, I have more than 50 unread messages in just a span of one day. These don't include bulk messages in the spam folders. The worst part of it is that most are just marketing announcements like product launching, discount vouchers, and Internet Insurance Leads. So after I get rid of unwanted emails, I went straight to bed to relax and eventually sleep. I just love the experience and I can't wait for the next day's adventure.

Pleasure of Watching Television

While taking a sip of red wine, I watched my favorite entertainment show about celebrities of today and yesterday. Revival movies are being launched just like Charlie's Angels with its new casts. Journalists can't help but compare fresh personalities with the iconic figures because let's face it they really left some kind of marks to the memories of the viewers. But let's give chance to the new artists by letting them prove their talents. What caught my attention most was to see the face behind the original wonder woman character - Lynda Carter. Though it is pretty much obvious that she has matured a bit, but you can still see the beauty and grace in her. Technology has played an important role in keeping the youthfulness of a person. Good thing there is Cosmetic Surgery in San Diego to help maintain ones vanity. I just wish that when my time to get old comes, I too can avail of some kind of "Thank You Doctor" procedures, so that I wouldn't have to bid to my freshness that soon.

Culture Acclimatization

It is a must to learn other's cultures in advance, so as to avoid culture shock. This is what I noticed after having stayed in a foreign land for almost 2 months. Unlike in the Philippines where our parents have inculcated in our young minds the word conservativeness; teenagers here are very much liberated. They don't show even a little sign of hesitation at all when it comes to expressing their feelings. They just love public display of affection whether on trains, buses, or malls. I can't imagine seeing my daughter doing things that are certainly regarded as taboo in the society. Although I find it convenient to live and work here, but definitely I am against the idea of living here for good. I just pity women in general because it is their reputation that is at stake. Thus, I highly appreciate television shows giving relationship advice for women because these greatly help boost esteem and confidence in them. I just wish that the concerned individuals will also give a little consideration to their parents. Bearing in mind that they will become parents too in the future, so why not be sensitive enough.

Giving Second Chance to Used Items

After doing some mall strolling one afternoon, I hurriedly went to school to fetch my niece. Since it was raining cats and dogs that day, I made sure to pass under the hallway of several buildings for protection. While walking, I can't help but notice a pile of used clothing and appliances scattered along the passageway. At first, I thought somebody is moving to another place but I was amazed when a lot of people tried to flock together and search for some useful items. I asked my brother about it and said it is a common practice for Singaporeans to throw away old things especially when Chinese New Year comes. This is their way of instantly getting rid of timeworn pieces rather than resorting to online silent auction ideas, which is of course more helpful and profitable. The big difference is that they do not sell these things; instead they just want to dispose of the goods without expecting any profit at all.

Brushing Elbows During Peak Hours

This is my routine almost every day. While I was riding a train going home, I noticed it was kind of a busy hour. A lot of people were rushing in and out of the station. People from all walks of life including children and senior citizens are all rubbing elbows with each other just to get inside before the train door closes. Since our place is quite far, you can still do a lot of things while waiting for your destination. You may choose to sleep all you want at the same time dream anything you want. Every person has its own life story; therefore, there is no reason for you to get bored while inside. Just allow your imagination to wander; for sure various thoughts will come into play. By simply looking at them, it takes away a little of your stress. You really can't help but smile at people who also smile back at you knowing that you are in a place where everybody is a stranger.