Jingping's Site

UNBELIEVABLE

Our God Transcends Electronics!

Blessed be your name Lord!!! I give you the highest glory and praise, for your are to be praised!

When I came back from Turkey, I forgot to take out my MP3 (player) and it went into the washing machine with my jeans as a result. =( Bad news after my christmas celebration, since my mum realised the next day. I thought it wasn't such a serious case, but after trying many many times, I was convinced it was dead. Also from the point of science and electronics, after immersing a circuit (with a battery intact) in a washing machine for four hours plus, you can only expect it to short-circuit. So much for $99 (+$28 for the G-wrap).

Well, naturally i dug out my warranty card, hoping they might have a clause that allowed soaked MP3 players to be replaced. However, they don't take accidents. I suggested to some of my friends, and they suggested that I fake my player's problem as a defect. Hmm, God prompted me to have integrity and be honest. Well, I shall try other means. My father said that letting it dry might help. I  let it dry and I tried almost everyday, hoping it might work, until i was finally convinced that it was dead. Zzz... -.-

As a last resort, I prayed that God will restore my player, and 'repair' it. Well, I was thinking, I brought it upon myself, since I was careless. I prayed at the start, but I soon forgot about it.

This year, if you remembered, one of my new year resolutions was to find out God's idea of music. As elucidated from my previous post, I repented to God, after he revealed to me that certain things were not pleasing to him. From then, I decided that I will only listen to godly music, and use it for God's glory. Anyway that's what God created music for at the start ^^ From then on, I've been seeking the Holy Spirit, and for him to fill me, to rekindle my gift of tongues that has lain dormant the past year. Hence, for the past weeks, I've prayed, and sought for God, that he'll reveal his heavenly music to me, that he'll baptise me with his spirit, that I'll emerge as an overcomer, healed and a testimony to his name. However, as I soon realised, it's very very difficult for me to pray without music, not only because I depended on it when I do my QT or when I pray. Well if you feel the same, it's nothing wrong, just that music brings God's presence and his anointing. My sis has an iPod, but I can't always borrow it as she uses it also. So I try to play the guitar while singing and praying. That's quite a feat seriously. I can't concentrate on praying, as there's always some part of my brain that interrupts my prayer to tell me to change chord, so it's difficult to pray this way. Sincerely, I longed to worship freely without worrying about playing an instrument, be it during my hour-long bus-rides, my free periods, my QT, my down times, or anytime basically.

So today, I prayed to God. In tongues and in words. "Lord, you transcent the laws of our world. you understand the difficulty I have trying to come into your presence. Please Lord, because you love me. Please Lord, I will only use it for your purposes. Please Lord, that the world will know that you are the creator, that you govern these laws." I took out a cable by faith and left it to charge. Meanwhile, I went to do my stuff. After awhile, I returned, and tried to switch it on.

AND IT WORKED!

Why, I burst out to my parents in pure ecstasy!!! This has yet to be the closest experience I've ever had of God's power... Wow... This is one of the defining moments of this year! Indeed, God, you transcend the physical laws, because you are God!

Thinking back now, I realised that God allowed my MP3 player to disfunction, so that I could have a period of break where I would seek him, and his will for my life. After repenting and leaving my past behind, I'm now a new creation, ready to experience the fullness of God's power!!! Hallelujah! You give and take away, but blessed be your name, LORD!

Unexpected? haha i bet most of you reading my entry would have thought "Jing Ping's gonna get busy and the entries are gonna terminate and *sighs...* what happened to him in France?"

Well the good news is that I'm determined to finish the rest of my journal in France. Yeah, like it or not you got to finish it JP.

Very Eventful Morning in Paris

Anyway that day was the first morning in Paris. I woke up late. Coz I didn't figure out how to use the alarm. Mdm Pautard (the host) was not yet awake, and I washed up myself and figured how to prepared my breakfast. Well, she didn't really know what I wanted to eat, and when she asked me what I ate previously, I said yoghurt with cereal. So she got this gigantic box of cereal for breakfast. Sorry, getting trivial.

Ok, I tried to find the exit of her house. Last night we arrived through the private carpark. So it was just a direct lift to outside her appartment. Now I had to learn to walk out through the main entrance. Sounds ridiculous, but I must figure where the exit was, especially when you walk out of the building, you see many other buildings surrounding you.

But that was easy I guess. Then I took the metro. For the first time in my entire life. sorry drama. Btw metro is like LRT in whole of Paris. Point is, I got lost -.- Don't laugh >< 

I alighted one station short at Gare de l'Est, and I couldn't find the exit. Since that station was a larger one with more lines passing through it and the train station beside it, there were certain paths that were one-way exits or one-way entrances. Well, I ended up at a one-way entrance. I tried to find an exit, but it really stumped me that there were no exits there. I asked around, but the people didn't know better. I mustered up some courage to like push some doors that looked like exits, but they didn't budge an inch. Finally some lady suggested that I go out through some hole between the machine for validating the tickets. Anyway I'm exiting, so by right, not illegal. Just a matter of doing it properly. Desperate liao, I just crawl through that hole. Wow, and I got out just to realise 5 minutes later that I got out at the wrong station. Even so I was a little lost when trying to get my bearings. Marvellous start JP.

I got back, this time I got out at Poissonière. Finally the right station. But I went to the wrong side of the road. Imagine a T-junction, where the 2 straight roads have the same name. I got the wrong side. Anyway I was terribly late to sum up. half an hour.

Lessons + Lunch

First day, we had Ismaël, as our teacher, who did some oral exercises with us. For lunch, we could get our meals from a nearby café called café pistache. Run by a lady in her mid-years, who was very friendly. Seems like a very efficient cook. Anyway I tried the panini and it was fabulous! I tell you, when you eat HOT, crispy, tasty food in COLD weather, you'll appreciate it. And you'll very much look forward to it... There was also pasta, salads and quiches that we could order, up to a formula of 8 euros. Not bad, considering we also get a drink and a dessert and free slices of fresh baguette. Hope I'm not making you hungry ^^,

Visit to Montmartre

Ismaël brought us there by foot. In Paris you walk ALOT. Well it was sunny and in France, when it's sunny, it's often a clear blue sky that's totally beautiful when contrasted by the architecture and the plants. In Paris, no building's allowed to be taller than 3 or 4 storeys i think. some law. Anyway Montmartre can be split into 2 words, mont and martre. The first word suggests a climb, while the second means martyr. Since the area was a hill, there was some legend that some saint was beheaded there, but he took his head, walked a certain distance before dying. Hmm. As we walked, we saw a wall with tiles written "I love you" in all the languages in the world. Cool =) At the top of the hill, rests the famous Sacre-coeur, a very famous church. From up there, the view of Paris is beautiful, as we saw the early sunset (since it was winter), and a little of the skyline of Paris. Paris is really beautiful =]

Moulin Rouge

In the evening/night, we went to a place called the Moulin Rouge, the most famous cabaret show in Paris. Well, we didn't watch the cabaret show, but we were scheduled to participate in a TV program (as audience to clap and cheer) called "On ne tout pas dit". It was a lively variety show that had alot of satire and required a strong command of french culture and understanding of its contexts to appreciate. At first, we (the students) didn't understand anything. I mean it. We just laughed when everybody did and yah, you get the idea. They speak really fast and they interrupt here and there and it's very hard to comprehend. I would like to highlight something interesting that I saw during the transmission of this show. The host and certain personalities were together talking, and there was Christine Albanel, the minister of culture. The way the 'personalities' conversed, it was like they've knowned each other since Kindergarten. It's not that they know each other very well, but they are so open and they can really talk and argue their opinions very objectively. And being a french minister is very stressful. Much more a president. haha! At the end of a debating segment, (one of) the hosts concluded firmly to the french minister (jokingly) that she was against Sarkcozy's government. You never hear that on TV in Singapore. Even in a joke =X

That evening concluded well, but I reached home a little late, explaining to Mdm Pautard that we assisted in a TV program. To her dismay, I told her that it was a live broadcast, and that she probably missed it... pity*

Dinner

Then we watched some TV while eating dinner, and this time, I had like alot of veg, as she eats alot of them, and I eat alot of them. There is some semblance between Parisien home-food and Singaporean home-cooked food. For one, we spend little time. The veg I ate was boiled, and she got some spice box which she showered generously on the vegs. There was like cucumber, carrots, celery, leeks and stuff. Not bad, but I can imagine alot of people not able to swallow down these stuff...

Ok that's about it. phew, what a long entry.

 

Well, this is a little late.

Well, but they say better late than never... *shrugs*

Well, here is my evaluation of my past year and my expectations of my coming year.

Firstly i want to apologise for not updating the rest of my life on multiply, esp my trip in france, mindef internship program and turkey. right now i gotta put up this stuff first so yah, when i'm freer ^.- and my photos..sighs, i'll never finish uploading them -.- zzz

Anyway it's a new year! Don't be so disappointed jp... btw does this look familiar?

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Haha! have fun this year, Jing ping!

"

that was last year. I guess I was not consistent all the time, and there were ups and downs along the way. Overcome computer gaming addiction: I guess i did to some extent. Anyway you gotta hear my story later. Finally I realised that I can never know girls too much... I need a teacher haha...

So this year, I made the following resolutions:

1. To understand God's will for music, and apply it in ministry, through prayer and reading up
2. To integrate the two new china friends which I led to Christ during christmas last year into church
3. To stop computer gaming one month before prelims all the way till A levels

This year, my family decided on a family fast on tuesday nights. so just this tues, we were praying and sharing, and they were telling me that the music i was listening to wasn't very good. Well I objected at first, but I realised that the music i listened to wasn't that good either. I have also started reading a book called the rebirth of music, and it spoke to me as well. Music was created to worship God. That's so simple, but i just was confused by the world. Anyway that night of fasting, as my parents prayed for me, I just gave myself up to the Lord. I told him I'll just submit to your will, which you have told me through my parents. Even though I may not fully understand now, I'll obey first anyway.

That night I threw away my Guns 'N Roses appetite for destruction, AC/DC live compilation (which had some obscene album art), and deleted the songs on my computer that were not pleasing to God. In fact I also uninstalled The Frozen Throne on my computer, threw away the disc(today) and yah can say i killed two birds with a stone. I immediately went to pasir ris community library to return some guitar magazines i had which featured certain "famous" guitarists and rather disturbing comments quoted. Thank God for my parents, who prayed for me all this while and never gave up that God will change me. Thank God for their perseverance and love =)

Talking about music, as i read on and through my QT these few days, I've been reaffirmed by God time and time again. I've been inspired by God to seek 'his music from heaven', which i believe is far more beautiful than any ear has ever heard.

God says,

 "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." proverbs 3:5-6

Well, I guess as I want to serve God, with my musical talent, I don't want to just present an act of the soul, to only stir up feelings, but rather of the spirit, and not mine but the Holy Spirit who will anoint me, that the music will change the lives of those who hear it...

From this simple act of dedication and obedience, I'm like halfway through fulfilling my new year resolutions! May God's grace guide me and to God be the glory!

Museum visit

In the morning, we went for a visit at the museum which displayed the different arms and weapons that the swiss used throughout swiss history. From chain mail to artillery, it was a glorious display, especially for a guy like me. The history was all the more interesting, as I could relate them to their ability to be manipulated. There was one painting which showed the protestants fighting against the catholics, and the mayor or some big guy stepped infront of the protestants' canon and said something like 'why are we killing our brothers? If you want, kill me first.' Sad that alot of this happened throughout the history of Europe.

Lunch

We went to a restaurant again, but the meal was a less pompous one. Again I must say that their good food might not be good food to us... I tried the risotto (which is rice with cheese) and the taste was very heavy, very creamy and i just couldn't stomach it all. and I don't know why they eat baked pork with oranges. Weird =X

Journey to Paris - Snow! *

So after we eating, we took the coach from Soleure to Besancon. Along the way, the country side scenery was really breath-taking, but it was hard to capture the true beauty of it from the coach. As we were moving from Switzerland to France, we took a different route from the previous trip. This time, we went through the mountains, and we saw snow!!! Yes snow!

Fortunately enough, they stopped for about 5 mins for us to go down and play with the snow and take some pictures. Even though there was just abit of snow, and the snow didn't exactly cover everywhere, but we had alot of fun throwing snow at each other X) As the french family was helping us to film our fun, one of them suggested that Heidi take her snowball and put it on her head for a photo pose. And she did exactly. Well, I couldn't help but smash that snowball on her head, and how funny that was! Couldn't believe she fell for it xP

Well we couldn't stay out in the snow very long, hence by the time we came back, our fingers were so numb that they almost lost all feeling...  I didn't use my gloves by the way =X

Later when we made a stop for toilet break, it snowed! but the snow melted the moment it fell on the ground, and it only lasted a short while. but it was still a great experience =D

Finally we reached the train station, and we said our goodbyes, and it was an emo moment.

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Yong qian cried. Yeah you get the idea; we really missed them alot. And even more when we get to Paris. So we took the TGV, and by the time we reached Paris it was night. Over there our families met us and brought us home. Mine wasn't exactly a family, but a single mother with a 16 yr old son who was away for his studies. Mdme Pautard.

My new lodging was a small room in a 70m^2 apartment on the fifth storey with a cage of assorted birds at the end of my queen-sized bed. A cage of gerbils at another corner as well (which will disappear in a few days time). Small, but decent. The apartment was messy, typical of the French city people. It was so messy that Mdme Pautard had to stop me from taking pictures in her apartment. LOL. So you all can only imagine how messy it really was.

Well we had dinner in front of the TV (very different culture here in Paris) and our meal was relatively close to that in Singapore. boiled vege, rice and chicken. the rice tasted a slight bit like chicken rice and that allowed me to finish it very fast. Finally I took a bath and slept. That's all.

Erm alot to say...

Got to wake up damn early... at 5.30 am. Got prepared very fast, since I didn't bathe >< Anyway I had more time to do my QT. Finally before leaving, I managed to pray with the father for the family. Then he drove me to the school, where he left shortly. I miss the family =(

The ride

So we left for switzerland. It was quite a grey ride, and me and yong qian listened mostly to our MP3. Yong qian' favourite song was "What goes around" by Justin Timberlake, and I can't believe he actually listened to the same song all the while on the bus. Weird =X Then another thing that I can't believe is that almost all the teachers smoke. Each tile we had a toilet break, they would go down the bus and smoke... When they return, they really stink of smoke *.*

Like Malaysia

When we arrived at Switzerland, I couldn't believe my eyes. No, don't mistake me. The place in the city really looks like Malaysia. Multiple construction sites, repair works half-done, square cement blocks around and bricks and stuff lying in the open, graffiti, and stuff... I tok a few photos, and I must say that it really looks like malaysia. Except that malaysia is 20° hotter. However, Switzerland is not that bad lah. At least at the countryside. The countryside and the scenery is very beautiful, but I wouldn't want to stay there for long, as it's quite deserted. Beautiful rural, i would put it.

Soleure

It's a small town in the german swiss region, and we made a little visit during the afternoon. However while walking around, we found someone who played the accordion VERY WELL. He could played fugues and classical pieces on the accordion and it really suprised me. Such a guy could be a great celebrity if he was in Singapore, but I guess it really depends on the opportunities available. However he wasn't just begging, but he sold his own CDs as well. Wow. Talent. Respect *

Finally after the guided visit ended, me, Su Jun and Yong Qian bought ourselves each a gigantic sausage each. The kind that was grilled on the spot at the street-side. It was very big, something like what the Germans have, but grilled tender, juicy, hot, oh là là...

IMBA

NOTHING. Nothing is better than a big fat sausage dipped in doux mustard with sesame bread, in the blustery, vitality-sapping cold of Soleure. Let me describe with a bit more detail. the exterior (skin), though thoroughly grilled, blistered and a little burnt sometimes, but when you bite, it's like an explosion in your mouth. The thick boudiné skin of the sausage gave way totally to the soft and steaming flesh inside. Sweet sausage juice bursts from beneath the skin to swim with the tender meat in your mouth. I'm salivating now. In an instant, the sky doesn't seem so grey, and you'll come to appreciate the cold that made this sensation all the more fantastic! Anyway I munched away ferociously, till I realised that I needed another. Great stuff. Sehr Gut (very good in german). Costs 6.50 swiss francs.

Right after that, we saw a stall in the middle of the junction that had quite a long queue. As a Singaporean truly, me and Yong Qian queued up for the chestnuts. Not bad, they were already half-cracked, and they didn't have the hairy stuff we find on the chestnuts in Singapore, so they were easier to eat. Anyway it tastes the same, just that in the cold it feels much better; so warm, so fragrant! $2.80 swiss francs for 100 grams.

We walked abit after that, but the shops closed very early, around 4-5pm. And they really close on the dot. after the second hand passes, no one is allowed into the shops anymore. And everybody's closed on Sunday (the day after ie day 8). Gave me an impression of a very slow and laid-back society. Su Jun said they're quite lazy. I agree to a certain extent.

So in the evening, we met at the bus to collect our luggages, and we made our way to the youth hostel. It's like a dormitory where 6-8 people stay in a big room with double-deckered beds. Once we reached, we got ready for the dinner that night, and we changed into our formal shirts and dress. I was quite suprised that the girls actually brought stockings. Look nice, but you shiver like mad outside haha.

The dinner served there was restaurant style, where there was an entree, a soup, a main course, and a desert. I must say the food might look good to the French people, but the taste didn't suit us Asians. For example their soup had a strong wine smell, and most of us just had a mouth or two before we gave it back to the waiters. Anyway, there was a live duo playing and singing at the restaurant, making the atmosphere to be very lively. Halfway through the dinner, Mr Brochard (the principal) came out to make a speech, thanking and acknowledging the various contributions to the Swiss school by the various people at the venue. There were about 100+ in total, comprising the families, the teachers, the directors and committee members, organisers, etc... It sort of ended with some of them dancing away. Slow dances and lively dances, but all in good spirit.

Finally when our dinner ended, we students made our way back to the hostel first. However, the guys (les trois hommes d'or) couldn't enter as we didn't have the key to our room. As a result we had to wait past midnight for a teacher to return and open the door for us. I just fell asleep right away without bathing. What a long... day... zzz

Today was a day well spent... But so sad, it's my last night here in Dijion...

In the morning we prepared our questions for a street interview in Dijon. At first I was abit apprehensive and fearful when approaching others, but I soon overcame the fear. It's abit like flag day, and asking for donations when busking. As Sylvie grouped me, Heidi and Weiying together, we went out together. My questions were more about immigration in France, while Weiying's were about discrimination, and Heidi's about Islam in France. It went well at first, but soon after we interviewed a muslim, and when Heidi asked the question about extremists in France, he wasn't too happy. Before we left, he told us not to give that question to everybody, as some may not be as nice as them ^^. Hmm. Anyway we appreciated their response. The apprehension is so prevalent, that when one receives such response, it's really very rare and precious. especially from a muslim. After that, we interviewed a french store assistant who worked for an immigrant boss, a black french, a chinese cambodian who owned a chinese eatery, an old french lady who spoke chinese, and others...

Then for lunch we had a fondue! We dipped pieces of baguette, nachos, grissinis, and potato chips into the thick bubbling mixture and scooped them out, deliciously wrapped in cheese... Oh la la...(the french's favourite phrase) Lol. After lunch we shared our findings, and had a briefing about our next move, which is to Switzerland for the week-end, to celebrate the swiss school's anniversary I think. Oh man, and I gotta wake up at 5.30am tomorrow morning -.-

But back to my day, I went to la Toison d'or, which is a big shopping center with yongqian and su jun, but we bought nothing =\ But on the way back, they kindly showed me a place where I could buy prepared escargots and bring them back home to taste. Wow. Escargots à la bouguignon. Nice... A little different from Jack's place, less garlic, greener sauce and more herbs, but still very GOOD... Apart from that, we had gougères with tomato purée, green salad, and cheese. Then for desserts, we had crêpes!!! It was most interesting making them with the pan, and I took videos of how succesful we were at making the crêpes =] Finally I took pictures with the family, and we sort of said some goodbyes, as tomorrow morning their children will not be seeing me off. Sniff sniff... But never mind, I feel freer without people following me haha...

So time to rest and conserve my energy for the long journey tomorrow... It will be at least 2 days before I reach Paris and get to update my posts again...

Oh no, where did day 4 go to?!?!! I thought I posted it succesfully... Sighz -.- *zzz*

Anyway I'll try to recount the events that took place yesterday (wednesday). Firstly we had some lessons about the press in France. Then at noon we had a raclette, where you'd melt some cheese and fold it in with potatoes and ham or sausage. Tastes ok, but the cheese smells abit *yux* to me =S Afternoon we visited the musée des Beaux Arts. The one I visited on Sunday afternoon. Then free time (shopping) after that. I bought 2 CDs, and then kaikai for awhile before going back. Sorry abit not detailed cow I lazy to write out everything.

So today. In the morning I woke up much earlier, and after breakfast I went promptly to school. On the way I took a longer path and took some photos of the town in the morning. After colelcting our picnic from the school, we took a coach to go for an excursion. yeah, I love excursions. In the morning we visited a château and the surrounding vineyards. We  (or rather I) happily plucked the remaining grapes left on the branches after the harvest, and tasted the grapes. The scenery was nice, but due to the heavy fog, the distant photos weren't clear enough to appreciate. Then we visited a frouirage. It's a farm essentially which specialises in fruits, especially blackcurrants. Over there they produce all kinds of blackcurrant related stuff, like la crème du cassis (a liquor of blackcurrant), jam, vodka, and even ketchup! Btw they have a distinction here for 2 main types of jam. There is the gélé, without fruit, just made from juice, and la confiture, the jam with fruit and pulp inside. The farm is really intent on bringing out the flavour of blackcurrant in different products, but keeping it purely blackcurrant. For the liquor production, the sugar they add is from beets, as it is the only type of sugar with no flavour. This is done to preserve the entirety of the black currant taste and none other. Finally I bought alot of stuff. 69.99€ to be exact.

After that, we went to Beaune, and we had our picnic lunch at Alexandra's (the teacher from the school) mother's house. It was a nice cosy room like the arabians. some carpets and low beds and tables. Having finished our lunch, we visited the once Hospice de Beaune, now converted into a museum. The place used to be Hospice from the Middle-Ages, and it contained alot of religious references. However; the symbolism was not always accurate, and I think it can be misleading. For example there was a big painting of Judgement day, where Jesus would judge all mankind. It was usually explained that those with good deeds would go to heaven, while those that did not, would go to hell. Wrong. Fact is we'll go to heaven so long as we accept Jesus Christ as our saviour. And the architecture and the paintings are usually auite morbid and goth, having a prevalent theme of death and fear in it. It only seems ironic to me that christians who believe in Christ, having conquered death and destroyed it's power and fear of death through his love and ressurection, would fear judgement after their death, and preach the law when grace has restored us. Thank God I live in such an enlightened era. That's what I told Suj and yong qian.

After Beaune, we had a visit to a very modern 'workshop' which was involved in making some wine like champagne but called crémant. Very interesting, and it was a surprise to see so much machinery used to produce the wine. But the wine was VERY cheap. 5€ per bottle. A real steal =P But as I've already bought alot of stuff at the frouirage, I couldn't buy more than a bottle, so sad...

So that's all for today, day 5, thursday, 22 November 2007. Sleep time yeah! oh shucks the parents are waiting for me...

Continuing from yesterday's account, I accidentally flung away my gloves during the night, and my hands felt a little cold during the night. Trivial yeah. I woke up abit earlier when it was still dark, then I went back to sleep as I was not as adventurous as to test the cold night air. Then morning came, finally, and I finally got to see the sun again! I guess it's the moment when my spirit is the highest, as I'm reminded of God's renewed mercies and the rays of hope from the sun.

I woked up myself, and I woked up earlier today. Did my quiet time during breakfast (which is what I've been doing), then I had a slow walk to school. However I think I was abit too slow hence I was a little late for school again =( Never mind I shall wake up earlier yet tomorrow.

At school we had some listening practice, then we had some sort of a game like the Amazing Race, where we had to walk around certain significant places in the town of Dijon and answer some trivia. It was quite fun; my group not only answered the questions, but we also managed to find time for a little bit of shopping and photos! My favourite photo taken today was one whereby I kissed a polar bear sculpture in a garden. Lol, I'll try to upload it asap.

Anyway my group heard the instructions wrongly, and we were a little late for lunch. For lunch we had hot soup with sausages and bread, and I was so hungry and it was so good as well, that I took 3 and a half bowl of soup. Together with bread. Felt damn bloated, but it really feels good to be full and warm during winter...
*Thanksgiving* xp

We had some more lessons in the afternoon, but they weren't boring. We had to create a tour agency and a tour for Singaporeans who would go to Dijon. At first I couldn't help but think that it was unsuitable for us to create a tour of Dijon, and as we were still unfamiliar with the town, but at the end of it we did have fun I guess :^] Halfway during the lessons, we went to la Place de la LIbération to witness a demonstration. I'm not too sure as there were a few agendas for the demonstration, but mainly it's regarding the working years required before retirement for the people working in the larger government companies like SNCF and the oil and gas companies. The second was the disatisfaction among students, regarding the greater autonomy the State would grant to the universities, to partner with outside companies to develop their niches, or for scholarships etc... I tried taking a video but I think I didn't capture the sound. Don't know how to use the camera fully yet...

Anyway after school I went to les Galleries Lafayette, a big store like carrefour but which sells mostly clothes. I bought a pack of truffles. YEAH :))) I simply love chocolate truffles!!!

Then I went with the guys and our teacher to a bookstore and I searched for books about French music with regard to Jazz and rock, but it mostly gave the history and events and pictures in those books, not much of the theory which I was hoping to find... I also looked for a good dicitonary, a very comprehensive one which I would need if I were to continue my studies in French. I think it would be better to buy one in Paris. Probably there'll be bookshops and I could get a better price =]

Finally I made my way back to the host family's house, and on the way I took some night shots. However it was abit dark, and as I was taking mostly photos of large buildings and façades, flash did not help at all. In the end most of the pictures became quite dark. Anybody got any advice?

Anyway it became warmer this evening, I think at least 10°C, as I could walk around without my big jacket without feeling cold... Great, and I can go and sleep now in my soft cosy bed... So tired at the end of every day ^^

*short prayer*

zzz...

To continue from yesterday night, I tried to stay warm while sleeping, and I realised that it would be better a little warmer than cold, so I slept with my big jacket (aka anorak). bulky but warmer. At first I accidentally flung away the outermost cover as I couldn't feel the blanket through my gloves, then I got abit cold in the night. When I found out and covered myself, I felt so much warmer and only then I realised the pleasure of hibernating. I guess animals that hybernate are really damn shiok but I guess as humans we can never afford 2 months of time to sleep away...

Anyway I felt much warmer and I still canùt believe I took a BATH. yeah. I conquered the cold. Thank God =) Anyway I was a little late (abt 4 mins) when I arrived at the school. The lessons were really fun and engaging. we got to do alot of oral practice, and even a little role-play of a scene in a restaurant. After that we had our lunch at the school, which Madame Brochard (the principal's wife) prepared. We had some mixed rice (got brown rice and some black thing) with some fowl stew (I think it was chicken). We had apple tart and some cheese and that was lunch.

After lunch we went for a short walk around the city centre to see the architecture, then we went to visit a museum about the life of the bouguignons (the people which stay in Dijon) during the 19 century. That's all! Anyway i'm going to hibernate. great, 9.10 still. got about 11 hours of sleep waiting for me =)

Hey everybody!

Firstly I want to thank God for this opportunity to go to France for this school trip. Though there's really alot to adapt to, like the Cooo...OOO...oll...olddd....Brr... (0°c) I treasure these experiences alot. Anyway here's from my boarding to the plane onwards...

    After boarding the plane, we were told not to sleep so fast as we had to slow our bio clock about 8 hours back. So I watched 2 movies; Stardust and Fantastic Four-Rise of the Silver Surfer. Not bad. At least I could catch up on my movies' list. And I must say SQ's in-flight entertainment owns all other airlines (so does their price). For example I had some sort of a beef steak(or what would call a slab of tender juicy beef?) with some lasagna-like stuff for dinner. after that was lights-out  and  I happily tried to get some sleep . I  always have problems sleeping outside of home (esp without a proper bed) and this time was no exception. I kept turning left and right and tossing but i somehow just couldn't find the perfect posture. Finally I just leaned forward to sleep, just like I do in the LTs (shh!) and slept for awhile. There were many periods in between my sleep where I woke up to go toilet and drink water. The air up there is drier anyway. after 6hrs of sleep or around there, I decided to wake up and I watched high school musical 2. Then played so,e cool tic-tac-toe game with yong qian (where you can use the power-ups to win) then we landed. Try to keep awake JP.
    After collecting our baggage, we took a van to la Gare Lyon (the train station). Took our first photo in France =) then we warmed ourselves at a café called the Exprès bleu with hot chocolate and coffee (at 3.90€). Never mind, our teacher treated us hehe... Then we took the TGV for 2 hours and it was almost 2 hours of GREAT scenery. I tried taking some photos but the reflection from the train window ruined it all. Having arrived at Dijon finally (phew!) we were brought for a walk around the small city. As small as it was, it was really rich in its cultural heritage. Like many of their churches have few hundred years of history or have been converted into museums. After being picked up by my host family, we went back home for their simple lunch of potatoes and baked chicken, with some baguette and wine to go with the food. As usual they had cheese after, and fruits last. Really take your own sweet time man...
    To Introduce my host family, the parents are Madame and Monsieur Chassey (pronounced shar-say), and they have a son who's 20+ and daughter that's 18. Catholic family so ok. Mum works at the museum, dad helps in the management of some buildings (might have heard wrongly) both kids in uni. So the mum decided to bring me to the museum to visit. Although we've been scheduled to visit that museum on wednesday, but I guess I could start covering some territory first. As I walked along the museum, I couldn't help but feel sad that these churches that used to be places filled with God's presence would become an empty monument. One of the churches was even changed into some financial centre... I pray that France religious heritage would be restored, and that people would repent and turn back to God. Since Catholicism has been very strong in France for quite some time, they had alot of symbolic arts, be it reflected in their sculptures, paintings or their tombs even. Anyway the museum was big enough. I still got places to see even on Wednesday ^^.
    Finally do pray for me, that I'll be strong for God, witness for him, and that i'll stay warm and healthy and get used to the climate here. Brr I'm freezing, and guess what? I'm not going to bathe today... will really freeze =S

Hey sorry Chris if your phone is still abit screwed up. Didn't mean to.

Haha lol. Accidents happen. I was changing in the toilet with my friend (christopher) after PE and as he forgot to take his uniform, he asked me to look after his trousers. So I went in a cubicle and started changing out.

Shortly later, he came back and shouted for his pants, not knowing which cubicle I was in. As the cubicle on my right had somebody shitting, i thought he could be at the cubicle on my right. So I flung his trousers over the partition and expected that he'll catch it. But then just as I flung it over, I heard a loud "Plonk!" and then silence. My friend then said, "Oh i heard something. I think someone's phone dropped into the toilet bowl." I stun at first. I was thinking of his phone. Maybe it dropped from his trousers? But before I could change finish and come out, he went into the cubicle on the right and saw to his horror his noob nokia phone in the delicious looking toilet-bowl. Yeah.

Then i must help him take out the phone lor. i reached into the relatively clean toilet bowl and picked it up and suprisingly it wasn't dead yet. *Phews* Then i did somehting quite stupid. Thinking the phone might be quite dirty I went to wash it. Lol. My friend thought i really want to help him upgrade his phone, but anyway, he took i apart then i helped him to dry his phone using the hand-dryer. Before chem lecture I managed to get his phone to switch on. hehes.

=)

He's a very pro public speaker. And i think that's why our club members voted him as club chairman. Not bad. During elections as he just arrived from PE, he just started his imba speech on his visions of the club and even included a segment on french. Looks really hardcore. He looks quite hardworking and quite ok with his studies. Has the French Connection as his only CCA. Shouldn't be much of a problem.

But WTH!!! He doesn't take initiative, slacks, pushes responsibility, backdoors his EXCO, and really doesn't communicate. Just today I asked him to make the announcement for the French Awareness Week tomorrow. As I smsed him, I waited and waited for a reply. Then call him. Never pick up. ok, i just took it that he agreed with it. After all inside the script had some french greetings (he also studies french) and he should be the one announcing and not the council people who do the announcements every morning. He also has a very good oratory gift.
Then i just heard tonight from my other vice-chair(who's hardcoring with me) that the chairman sent a mail to council asking them to read the mail. damn solo and damn irresponsible. Didn't even tell us. Didn't consult us. The only tasks he did for the WHOLE preparation is the assigning of members to committees and being in-charge of one board (which i admit is quite tastefully done). By golly he's a chairman and NEVER delegates work to be done. Teacher in-charge sends out mail with list of requests and what happened? If not for me and my other vice-chairman delegating and coordinating the work(su jun), I think our whole club would have been screwed. Yeah as screwed as our chairman.
And don't know why my teacher in-charge always kaobei me one. like last friday I was supposed to start on the building of a structure in the shape of the Arc de Triomphe using the wooden spars that Scouts usually build their tents with. I had a friend who knew a scout who was group master of RI scouts and though a student of RJC, he had access to the wooden poles that we needed. These wooden poles were kept outisde of RI opposite RJC at bradell westlake sec compound and the scout guy had the keys. Great. I thought it was just going fine.
But first there was some God-knows-whether-he-is-a-security-guard. Half-naked and a towel slung across his chest like some foreign worker. No tag no nothing. Then come and ask us what we doing. I said taking poles and he said cannot take anything. Then want to speak to my teacher. I still gong=gong then i call my teacher, and she like damn scared coz she don't want to go through any external organisation to get the poles. And the security guard still say he's what organisation and under MOE and blahblahblah all the crap. So damn bureaucratic. In the end the teacher almost asked me to abandon the idea but I ARGUED back and manipulated my way through to convince her to that it's ok to take the poles. Even asked the security guard to talk to his boss. My gosh, the poles belong to RI in a pole shed where my friend has the keys and you don't allow me to take them out? How ridiculous is that. And later going back to sch my teacher (ms ooi) ask me go staff room and talk. I knew got something wrong and she's really gonna attitude. Yah and she show me handbook how any contact with external organisation needs to be approved by principal blablahblah, and while I tried to interrupt and clarify that we're not going through any external organisation she just kao bei and asked me not to interrupt her. And all these while kept giving me that attitude, the shrugs and her shit. In the end want me to get letter from RI scouts teacher to approve our usage of the poles. I'm sure lah, wooden poles also need to ask permission letter from a school beside you? I told my friend(a scout) and he just laughed it off and i guess there's no point doing things her way and so I just heckcare her in the meantime.
And she's so attitude that when we send emails around the exco regarding updates and stuff on the French Awareness Week and we cc to her, she replied" I don't find being 'cc'ed at quite acceptable" Ask her to screw off man. Like got diff like that.

Things are really screwed up now, though the boards and the structures are up and well designed. I got a club to run and the chairman is some tai-chi-master and the teacher just perma spam her attitude around us. And the sad thing is that i'm the vice-chairman without empowerment to effect change. Never mind, we'll thrash things out at the next exco meeting.

It's just so tough to work with people who don't cooperate.

Being a vice-chairman of the French Connection (french cultural club in RJC), I had the responsibility of organising the French Awareness Week (FAW) with my other 5 exco members and certain committed members who headed certain committees. However, things get extremely difficult to handle when your exco is not very supportive of what you all are doing.

For example, our chairperson is so laid-back and doesn't take the initiative to call for meetings nor does he assign work to be done. Instead me and my other co-vice-chair have to reply and delegate everything. And if last minute stuff are not done we have to chiong it out. You tell me stress or not...

And today i met with the teacher in-charge and she was quite unhappy that we didn't inform her about the changes (in duration). Shits. And our chairman seems quite oblivious to the fact. He doesn't use MSN, sleeps at 9+pm, seldom switches on his phone; in other words, very uncontactable. Means his work become my work if I can't tell him in time. Shits man, i finish lessons on tuesday and thursday at 7+pm and by the time I reach home wash dishes eat dinner bathe and QT already 10+. Tell me how I correspond anything by to him. This is totally ridiculous.

And for those sympathetic hearts out there who's been through all those management and communication breakdowns, do pray for me and give me advice on what to do. I'm really quite sick of my chairman.

Thank God I got LES!!!

I was soooo happy when i received it! I had been praying about it, and I even prayed that I'd give  $1k for the building fund if he gave me the scholarship! Thank God, he's a good and great God who provides in un expected ways!

Btw for the building fund I was thinking that i could give the scholarship money if I got it. And so i prayed about it and God answered my prayers last last thursday! It's also great coz I get to go to France again, but this time to Dijon and Paris and maybe even switzerland!

Praise the Lord, he's a great God!

It's so damn itchy.

Damn itchy.

So damn-bloody-God-knows-how-itchy!

Oh man chicken pox is really terrible. I can't lie down, sleep sit down or whatever. I'm itching as if a gazillion fleas are trying to eat me up. And they're gnawing on me slowly. Arghh!!!!!

Never mind. I shall be happy. "A joyful heart is good medicine." Yeah. I feel less itchy now lols.

Jing Ping

I had this experience with my chemistry tutor. At the first lecture he gave us, he was damn boring and he kept droning on and on about character importance, giving us acronyms in the hope to inspire us, and overall he was rather strict which gave me the impression that he was really like Mr Andrew Lim, and the worse thing was that he was our tutor. I formed a rather bad imipression of him the first day, thinking he would the type of no life and scold scold scold kind of teacher, but as suggested by the title, I was proven wrong.

He was actually a devoted teacher who had seen too many a student fail because of their character flaws, therefore wanting his future batches not to make the same mistakes, he is always quick to emphasize on the basic values and expectations of each of his students, He also proved himself to be a very endearing and patient teacher who scolds students for their benefit rather than out of anger. He attempts to joke with us occasionally and by the end of 1 lab lesson and a tutorial, our class felt the ice melted and invited him for a class lunch.

So, remember not to be so quick to judge others; the Bible says that if we judge someone else, we are judging the law and no longer one who obeys the law (James 4:x) Always ask God for patience when dealing with difficult people, and who knows, they may even turn out to be your best friend or favorite teacher one day!

This is one of the most important entries in this blog. I'm serious. It's about my past love, my past craze, my past folly.

I started playing computer games since I was about 6 years old, and ever since I've gone from the simple mario and packman games to the challenging and highly addictive games like Runescape, Red Alert II, and DotA just to name a few. These games have been a source of motivation for me, be it completing my work faster so I can play my games more, or even just a source of thrill from winning and employing strategies.

To share abit, I started with hercules, the sort of one player action games which one walks through a map killing bad guys and collecting coins and points. Then I moved on to Starcraft, because I picked up the game from my computer when the repair man installed it in together when he reformatted our computer. RTS games really caught my heart and I couldn't resist the temptation to play longer. Next was Red Alert II and runescape. runescape lasted will sec2 thenI abandoned it as I had learnt all there was to be learnt about the game, and I was tired of the hard-core training to up levels which is very pointless I realised. Thank God I skipped Maplestory and Gunbound. If not God knows how much more time I'd have spent on computer games. Then came CS and DotA at sec3. It was the kind of game that I really liked. Lots of fast-paced action in CS, and so much tactical strategies in DotA. I played till JC and till today. As for CS I didn't have the disc and so I didn't play it that much and of course I sucked at it so I didn't play much except when LANing.

However good and innocent these games might be, these games have taken a strong grip on my life, causing me to hold on to it more tightly than I do to the other things around me, like God (though not my school work because i need to do well to be able to play). I realized it a few years back, but I didn't really do anything about it, but just let it continue and pray occasionally about it. Anyway, I thought to myself, these games aren't harmful. They're just harmful when played in excess.

When I was in France last year, I had the liberty of using or playing the computer however long I wanted. I played alot of Cultures (a RTS game I've downloaded on my MP3 player) when I was at my correspondent's house, and I didn't stop until it was late. I also had the liberty to go to the LAN shops in france more often than in Singapore. Therefore I jumped at every opportunity during the outings to suggest LANing so I could play more DotA.

Things have intensified. When I was working at carrefour last year during the end year hols, I had a tight schedule as I was working full-time. Hence apart from sleeping and doing my quiet time, I didn't have much time to do anything else. BUT during that time I still chose to play DotA whenever I had the time, choosing to squeeze out an hour for a game instead of resting more and praying more. The grip on me had increased significantly.

But during the past few days and even weeks, I had been spiritually low and attacked frequently. I did my QT on and off, choosing whenever I wanted, with little or almost no discipline. My prayer life declined significantly too, as when I squeezed out time to play computer, I gave up my prayer time and thus without prayer, my spiritual life withered like a plant without sunlight. It really got worse. Satan didn't get enough of me and he wanted to break me, and attack my thinking. I started having very negative thoughts of my parents, scolding vulgarities like f*** and swearing alot, living a rebellious and self-centered life. I thought I could still make it, but deep down in me, I knew that there was a struggle. It was either I obey God or disobey him. no neutral, because neutral=let Satan take control. Today after basketball with my G12 and ruth, I went with my church friends to play LAN. Of course, I thought, why miss such a rare opportunity? My parents unwillingly allowed me to go, but on the condition that I come back before 6pm. I played only one game, but halfway through, i asked for the time, and realized that it was 6.14pm. I couldn't leave without finishing the game. Therefore I just hurried my friends along. I would have continued till 7+ if not for the glitch in the computer and when it suddenly started to shut down. I just left hurriedly, knowing that I was in deep trouble with my parents. When I arrived home at around 7, I was expecting a scolding, and a very heavy punishment, but my parents just talked to me. They said that they didn't need to scold me or punish me anymore. They expected me to be mature enough to make the necessary changes. As they talked to me, they not let me see once again that I was really addicted to my computer games, but also the important fact that Satan was using these games to draw me away from God. These are end times and Satan wants to prevent us at all costs and by ALL means from winning people to God and to trap our souls in his bondages. They also told me about the problems that other parents have with their youth's addiction to computer games and the terrible attitudes and behaviours they displayed

Thankfully, I really woke up. I told God that I didn't want to be bondaged in such mindless and reckless routine. I saw that God also wanted me to be the watchman for the youths in our church, by warning them about the dangers of computer gaming. Most of all, I thank God for helping me to put down my games and serve him, giving up my usual routine gaming time for praying and serving others, or even more time for myself that I've deprived myself in the past for a little more gaming pleasure from the extra time.

Now my challenge is for you reading. Whether you're facing this temptation or not, or whether you've overcome it or not, your job is to HEED THIS WARNING! God gave me this experience together with his message that many more may be set free from this bondage and be mobilised to serve God. Just as Ezekiel was appointed as a watchman for God, you and me are watchmen (okok, watchwomen if you want) for those around us who are bonded in these games. Perhaps not games. Maybe something as subtle. You have to root it out, or else it's always a struggle, and the status quo means Satan's winning. Remember, Satan's your enemy, not the game.

1. To live a consistent christian life, shining for christ (like candles)
2. Overcome computer gaming addiction
3. Get to know girls better

Haha! have fun this year, Jing ping!

Was having one of my down times last saturday (16dec). I didn't really want to talk to God, and was having problems all around me. I was questioning about God's love and I seriously didn't fully understand what it all means, so I was telling myself "If I don't experience this love from God, then what's the point of sharing it with others when I don't even know it myself?" At that time I was thinking that being a christian was too tough a road, coz Satan was always there to disable you when you want to grow, or when God uses you for his kingdom. So in the sense I had a "wanted" on my head whenever I was trying to grow or fight spiritually. Moreover I felt that God's love wasn't that fantastic after all. I think that love that comes from reading some "dug-out-ancient-texts" that you can even question its validity was not really love, but I was getting the same feeling as my unbelieving friends that it's just a hoax for people to have a sort of spiritual reliance and support in times of their trouble.

So that day on the way to work in the MRT train, I was telling myself, "I wanna flee from God. God leave me alone, and don't bnother me. Maybe Satan will stop harassing me. Let me go to Tarsus like Jonah." I was very frustrated, and I kept having alot of insulting words in my mind.

When I got to work, I realised I forgot to bring my staff pass along, and my locker key, so I realised I was really in knee-deep-shit. Without a pass i thought I couldn't work, and without my locker key, I couldn't access my float bag that contained the money that was used to open my counter. I couldn't be bothered to talk to God even then, so I just when to my supervisor to ask for a solution, expecting to be like KO+GGNORE (good game; no rematch)on the spot.

Instead I got straight simple directions to solve my problem. Get a temporary pass from the security desk. Get the CC to open my locker with a duplicate key. Oh my. Really. I wanted to thank, but who? At that moment I was like Saul, when the "fish-scales" fell off his eyes, I realised that it was the Lord who had been leading me and making a way for me, even though i tried to run away from him. Also I remembered a verse that jasper shared during one of the worship,

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

.....

Where can i go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand wilil hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

-Psalms 139:1-3, 7-12

To those who might have experienced running away from God, I believe this sharing will help you, and even strengthen those who have gone or are still going through these times of difficulty.

I guess this is a little late in coming, coz I actually started working last monday (27/11/06)... Anyway I'll be talking about a few parts, mainly how I found my job, how is the job like, and some experiences I took away (be it good or bad). Hope you'll get something meaningful from me (though i think most of you who'd read my blog have more exp than me...)

Finding Job

Well I can really say now that finding a job you like to do with a good working environment and a good salary is really TOUGH and unless you have connections it's really hard to find one. I was looking around, and every morning I would dutifully pick up the newspaper and the first thing I'd look for is the classified section for jobs. I got to know alot about job finding, like recruitment agencies. I went searching around alot of recruitment agencies (won't name them though) but they often do not reply, or if they do, I would always happen to be the last person on their mind. Why? because I'm only 16, no prior working experience and only can temp till year end. I also went around asking some F&B chain-stores like Swensens and stuff, asking if they needed waiters or kitchen assistants or whatever, but I realised that despite having the minimum age of 16, I can't fulfill the standard minimum 3 months' contract. I also checked out those general production jobs. I called them up, and those advertisements posted are usually posted by manpower agencies that work for various factories. And they would ask you to go down to some MRT interchange or sth, and there you'd find a mass of people equally as eager as you in finding a job. Sadly as with the recruitment agencies, I guess I wasn't even on their mind, and have only wasted my time filling up forms that only expands their database. I also tried searching for admin jobs, but I realised that those jobs also required experience and also a minimum contract for a few months.

However I managed to call up somebody who posted an advertisement regarding filling survey forms. At that time I was sort of desperate, and I really didn't want to waste my holiday time by stoning at home and playing so much computer so I just went down to VIVOCITY. Ahh, what promising prospects it seemed. But it was a different story when I went down there. There was this lady who was putting up airs and giving us instructions on our job, and as I realised then, those surveys were actually SCAM. She was sort of saying, "The most important aspects of it was actually if the person was married, above 28, owns a major credit card and has a combined income of $5,000. Then if you managed to get one contact like this, it's paid $3. Then our telemarketers will call them down for a talkshow and if they come and attend you get $15. Sorry no hourly pay. And don't get caught by security." Wah. I really stunned man. damn low pay. anyway just try first lah. my and friend yiding (who was with me) happily went around asking. Not a single qualified form. SO we decided to quit and leave this whole affair behind us. But even shaking those people away was not so easy. They were most persistent about us doing it THEIR way (which came across to me and my friend as rather slutty). So in the end we gave it straight to them that we wanted to go, and they still insisted that we finish up a qualified form, and then we could go. Decided that we would not waste our time not betray any more poor shoppers at VIVOCITY, we just faked a form and left. What a horrible and terrible and vegetable experience! Grrr!

Well thank God I managed to find one in the end with Carrefour. I happened to walk with my friend yiding after that afternoon in carrefour whilst searching for some hairspray when I decided to ask the carrefour workers if they had any vacancies. I also had this idea that they might need people to help them as one of the previous recruitment agencies told me that they might have a vacancy and would check it out. Well a kind retail assistant at the vegetables area told me to go to tower 3, 4th floor. I found it after some searching, and at the office, I just asked "I"m here for a job application. do you know who should I look for?" Immediately i was given the application form, and later the interview. I applied for retail assistant and cashier, but they asked me to be gift wrapper. I was quite ok with that. but the only thing is that I would need to work shifts and even on Saturday and Sunday. Never mind, I'd still like to try it. I made a few arrangements regarding my children camp arrangement and later the night cycling, then off I went to the second interview straight away. I was accepted immediately, and I started work the next monday, which is the 27th of November, 2006. My post issued was cashier in the end.

Orientation and work training

Well on Monday I had a orientation session with some other people. We had a store visit, then various administrative procedures (like uniform size...). We had an early lunch break, then later we had a talk about the compnay's rules and regulations, the history and information on Carrefour, how many hypermarkets they had, their values and so on... Almost slept. But then after it I was brought down to the cashier counter, and there I got to know the supervisor, and shortly was allowed to go home. The people there were really friendly and kind also, be it even the normal cashiers or the supervisors or even the department head. I guess it had to do most of them being female... haha. Anyway it was a nice and slack first day at work.

For the next two days I was attached to the cashiers at their counters, learing the PLUs (which are the codes for some of the fruits and vegetables), and learning to count and handle money. Finally last thursday I was allowed to open counter. Since then I've been enjoying cashiering, except for a few horribly fussy and ngiao customers. Just that the long hours was a little taxing on me, especially for the days when I have to do the afternoon shift, which was from 2.45pm till 11+.

Some experiences with serving customers

We had this lucky charm card, a lucky draw card that allows you one chance for each time you spent a dollar. The thing was that we had to ask customers if they had it, and we would help them to apply for it if they wanted, all BEFORE payment. There was one time my friend was serving a customer and asked if they had a lucky charm card and whether they wanted to apply for it. They just said no, so my friend collected their payment, and when returning back to them, the customer asked,"What is the lucky charm card?" My friend would explain to them, and then they'd say,"I want to apply for it. And count my purchase in as well." "Sorry sir/mdm, you have to produce your card before you make the purchase."

"I want to re-scan everything"

So next time if you happen to be the customer, plz give the person serving you some face and don't screw him up like that customer did to my friend.

Also there was once when I received a voucher I didn't see before, so I asked supervisor to come and check it. However the customer was most insistent about his voucher being valid and the manager not wanting to change for him as it was the same. As I was new I didn't want to assumme things (because I would be responsible if it was fake) so i called the supervisor. I waited quite long for the supervisor and meanwhile my ear was getting tired of the customer's complains so I asked one of the more experienced cashiers quite far away from my counter, and I then knew it was accepted. So I returned only to find the customer ranting about our incompetent service,  despite him knowing that I was new and didn't want to make mistakes. But it didn't end here. He went on to our gift wrapping counter and he produced a rather large item that required alot of wrapping paper or sth as I heard and our gift wrappers rejected him, so he was quite pissed off. Then I think the supervisor went to sort out the situation (of course by letting him have his stuff wrapped), and later brought him back to my counter, to re-do some transaction or give him a larger plastic bag or sth. Then he was there complaining that we were giving him bad attitude and all those crap, I was nearly off my limits, but as supervisor was there, he just praise the supervisor for helping him out and solving his problem, and how helpless he was... wth...

But there were really nice customers whom I got to know by their frequent visits and their encouraging attitude. There was one person who was very helpful and understanding,knowing that I was still schooling he was very encouraging about my initiative to find work, and he even asked me which school I was from. I said RI, and he damn very enthu man. As it was only late morning where there still rather few customers, I could still talk to him for awhile. He said go for it, and at the end he still wished me good luck and all the best in my endeavours and stuff. I was really thankful for such a customer that made my day.

It has really been a rewarding and meaningful experience here at Carrefour, though the pay might be low, the customers slightly quirky and even horrible at times, I find that I still gained quite a good experience here, be it about working or finding jobs or even getting to know new people during the chats during lunch breaks.So for those who haven't worked before, I hope that my experience had been insightful for you, and I would encourage you to try out. As for those already working out there, maybe my experience could bring back some memories of your early working days...lolz