iThinkday

Have shortlisted 5 schools... 3 of them international schools.. 2 of them local schools with international streams.

Found this description of one of the schools on wiki: "...when they graduate at fifteen or sixteen, these students are excellent in that they are well developed in mindless working skills and the ability to obey their superiors without questions. They are ready to go to the army where they are sure to further exercise their obedience..."

It was probably edited by someone who has a grudge against the school. But it does hit the nail on the spot. This is exactly what you don't want school to do to your child - turn him into a mindless and unquestioning being.

Sheeze... why is it so difficult to make a decision on what kind of education you want your child to have? Everyone is telling me that I'd regret it if I don't put him in the Singapore International School... that he won't fit in when he comes back.

Ok, so we mould him into a nice piece of jigsaw? Train him to succeed THE Singapore way? I commented before. This is the easy choice. Because it's also THE mindless one.

iFooday

Breakfast: 1 roll popiah, 1 cup milk tea
Lunch: Laska, 1 glass of ice coffee, 1 medium cup of yogurt from Redmango
Tea: Lo mai kai, 1 cup barley
Dinner: 6" Chicken & bacon sub
Drink: 1 lychee martini

>>> Is this normal?

A good specimen I am.

Went to SGH for a health screening so that I can get the work permit. What did they do? They collected pee, drew blood, measured, weighed, tested the eyes for both vision and color blindness, poked the belly, tapped the knee, tickled the feet, x-rayed the lungs and did an electrocardiogram (ECG). Felt very brave today so looked while they put in the needle. Saw the nurse take a tube, then 2...and then the 3rd and then I had to burt out...  "How many do you need?" She said, "4"... I asked, "Why?!?" and she said... "Yah, in SGH is like this. Everybody do their own thing. So each lab can only test for 1 thing."

*faint*

I think we call this "working in silos"

We are What We Choose - Remarks by Jeff Bezos, as delivered to the Class of 2010 Baccalaureate

Princeton News: 2010 Baccalaureate remarks

Fast & Furious...

When things happen, they usually happen all at once! Very strange phenomenon isn't it?

Things are happening at work... and constantly shifting, even more so exacerbated by me leaving for Shanghai and in the not too distant future too.

My boy is as he is, even with the knowledge that he is going to leave Singapore for Shanghai. The move is inconsequential to him.

For me, I worry if we'd get him into the 'right' school in Shanghai... meaning one that best prepares him for the future. I've also been told that there are NO properly qualified and experienced suzuki violin music teachers in Shanghai and they don't subscribe to the ABRSM standard. He's great with swimming, loves his blading lessons and those are areas I've not even looked into.

And then there are all these other personal challenges lining up to welcome me when I get there....

All these are as exciting as they are frightening but I'm starting to really see that change is really the only constant in this world and so I'm determined to 'participate in life' and weather through them all the best I can.

We are moving to Shanghai....

Yes... we are.

Q&A:
For how long? 3 years
Are you selling you house? No.
Are you renting it out? Most probably.
Is he going to an International School? We haven't really decided yet. It would be easy peasy lemon squeezy to put him in 'Shanghai Singapore International Scool' but there are also other interesting options.
Can we visit you? Of course! We love visitors.
Why? Why not?
When do you leave? Before September.

Easy....

I say, "Easy."
He says, "Don't just say 'Easy'. Say Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!"

To JB and back on a Sunday

Took a train from Tanjong Pagar to Johore Bahru and back on Sunday.
KTM train schedule: http://www.ktmb.com.my/
Left Tanjong Pagar on the 1:30 train (sgd5) and back from JB on the 7:27 train. (myr3)
Shopped at City Square: http://www.city-square.com/
Was the first train ride for the boy and his Ah Gong too!

Making Roti Prata

The big one was all excited today - btw, he's the dough boy who has made fresh noodles, pizza ( the dough), dumplings (the skin), bao/bun ...and yes, even not-quite-right roti prata before! He finally learnt how to make prata from a very successful Singaporean blogger http://www.ieatishootipost.sg/

All smiles and flippin happy!

.... he's probably going to try making a whole lot soon...
...but I don't know who's going to cook the curry!