The Distance

Shanghai, a city that is the tip of the spear of advancement of China, is one of the most advanced city around. Nice buildings, nice towers, crazy neon lighting, and bridges that spread throughout the whole city like blood vessels, are nothing but a representation of their status in the world. Amazing… I must say.

During the weekends, I managed to find time to explore the city. The streets are crazy. Its worse than grand theft auto. The middle divider is just a yellow line, painted on the road. So its not very rare to see busses traveling in the opp direction, and blasting their horns at those cyclists who just cycle and don give a damn to them. Its like they are the sheep and the bus is the sheep dog. Sat night when I first stepped inside the club “babyface”, I was shocked to find around 8 girls, standing in the row at the entrance greeting me. China really no lag of manpower. I sent my coat and bag for safekeeping before going in. There is the hip hop room and the normal clubbing music room. We got a table in the latter. The lights, music and the girls really blew me off my feet. We dance quite a bit. Cos that is the only exercise we can get. Entrance fee 80 yuan. 1 bottle of chivas 550 yuan. 6 bottles of green tea to mix with the whiskey 210 yuan. There are some pictures of the more famous buildings I took when I was more sober the other day. It’s the museum and the government building and also the science and tech park. Never really have the time to go in see see. Well down here, money is really no enough. My friend told me 250 a month u can live like a king. No lor. We eat at this restaurant, we had quite a few dishes and the stupid pekin duck. In the end cost us 50+ yuan each. That’s 1/5 of the king’s money… more of like saying can live like a king for 1 week and survive on air the other 3 weeks. Me now quite sian of Chinese food liao… I want to eat chicken chop and bryani….

Like any other famous city, not everyone can keep up with the pace and jump on the band wagon. As you walk thr the streets of the poor, they make a living by selling fake goods, cheap food and some resort to begging. Just imagine… a posh mrt station like this, during peak hour, that’s the amount of human traffic. And everyone push when the door open. They don leave a space for the people who wants to come out. So its kinda fierce battle between those want to come out and those want to go in. And once you go in, when the mrt is less full, you see "them". They will usually arm themselves with a mac drink cup. They will walk up to those sitting down, and kneel infront of them. Then they will “kou tou” once and ask for money. If the person sitting down ignores them, or pretends to sleep, they move 1 seat down and redo the whole process again. And to the other side and to the next cabin and so on… some may bring their little kids along. Its such a painful sight… so I always keep some coins on my coat… incase I see them then I give them.
As you walk down the streets of the poor, you will find that the homes of the poor is so dilapidated that they might crumble when the wind is too big. And all this is just like 2 streets away from the posh skyscrapers. Sometimes you can’t help but stop and wonder, life is really so unfair. Anyway, after eating at the posh restaurants and eating at the broken down road side stall, the food is not much of a diff… its not like the road side stall food taste like crap. They also not too bad. And they are dirt cheap. Like 2 yuan for one big bowl of 18 +- dumplings. Quite cheap for a city like this.

The definition of a rat race is that the rats are just running to beat each other in a never ending race. Some rats may be in the front, driving huge cars, eating good food, wearing nice clothes, some may be behind, living under the bridges, and burn wood for warmth… but the fact is they are all rats… why should anyone despise the poorer rats just because they have a bit more of stuffs then them? The best things in life more often than none are free… When you find yourself so caught up in the rat race, its good to take a break, enjoy a simple evening with the ones closest to you… because in doing so, you are actually enjoying the most precious things in the world…

Some where over the rainbow

Six months some people say is a long period of time. Some may say that 6 months come and go in a blink of an eye. The last six months when I stay in hall two… time really passes like a bullet train. Right now I am starting to get used to life here in the new city which I shall be calling my home for the next six months. The company I have been assigned to is Corning shanghai fiber optics. Life there is not very good. The job that was assigned to me sound so difficult its like asking me to climb a mountain wearing a pair of slippers. Hours of the days are spent going into the production area which I have to wear that stupid clean suit. If not, I will sit at my office spot reading some stupid stuffs which are all in Chinese. Yes this will be my life for at least a few weeks before my school starts and the working days will be cut to 4. Anyway, whenever there is free time, sure must enjoy.

The most recent decent place we went is Ikea. Its also comprises of two storey like Singapore. However its much more bigger. The food is quite cheap too. After a feast, we walking 1 round and bought some small stuff for my apartment.

But every time after work, after we go out, after all the fun and laugher, I will return home alone. Its like living on a mountain top(cos i stay at 17 floor). Quite sad... I sleep rather early because I have to wake up early for work. I also dread that morning bath… the stupid water right, when hot it will go hotter and hotter. But when I turn the tap to make it slightly cold, it will start to go colder and colder… but I am naked and its like 6 plus in the morning… I cannot imagine myself doing that in Singapore.
But one week has passed with me doing that every morning cos I know I will feel better after that.

I always believed that happiness tastes best when its been shared. And when sadness is shared, it is easier to bear. Just like when my mother cooks something she thinks is nice, she will always ask me to eat. Similarly, when I helped my mum mop the kitchen floor together, I know she will feel much better. Like a comedian on stage, to him its an enjoyment to make people laugh even though he has a make a fool of himself. If there is someone out there whom you want to share a good dish with, sit on the long bus trip with, be there to dry the tears, and share everything that is good and bad with, I believe, life is really an enjoyment.

Things can only get better

And so it does… I made friends. To be exact it’s a total of 11. All of us are working at the west side of Shanghai. I learned how to take taxi (its not exactly dirt cheap), so I also got myself a easylink card. The mrt here is different from Singapore. If you think those aunty in Singapore mrt is fierce, wait till you come here. First thing, the mrt door here will not care less about the passengers’ safety. Second, there are many many people here. (Its China after all) When this 2 problem combined together, a nightmare will result. People will push and shove their way without giving a damn about others. I learn the lesson the hard way. That time I saw this aunty shoved and squeeze to get out. So I thought I let her out first. Then to my horror, the stupid door shut after that. I had to go to the next stop and come back again to meet my friends. Nevertheless, we visited a few of the more famous places in Shanghai. Like 新天地, 南京路, and 人民广场.


Due to the fact that the sun here rises and sets early, people like us who woke up at 11+ 12 only have a few hours to walk before the sun sets.(the sun sets around 5 pm) And also because of the cold weather, we don usually like to go out and walk so much. We prefer to slack in coffee bean and chat.

Down here, one thing good is, you can go anywhere you like, shove as much food you want into you stomach and its not gonna cost you more then 10 bucks in Singapore. After a few meals my aunty brought me to eat, I encountered some dish which I never see before in my life. Imagine one fresh fish, killed and slice nicely, place in a big bowl. After which hot boiling oil is poured in, in addition, tons of chilli and pepper is added. Ofcause we only eat the fish... the pot of oil, pepper and chilli are jus to enhance the taste of the fish... now oil price rise they still waste so much. +.= Usually when I eat with my aunty, starting will come 6 or 7 starters, then come 2 or 3 main, then the soup, then come the desert… in the end, like eat buffet like that... that time my aunt treated my friends and I to Bejing roasted duck, we eat until want to explode... but 10 people only cost 400++ rmb. cheap like shit. Clothes here also not very ex. But with the exception of those branded goods. Electronic goods also not very ex. Ofcause I am refering to the fakes... haha like I bought a ipod charger for 80rmb... looks like the real thing, feels like the real thing. best...

Things can only get better, like the weather, the people which I am going to get used to, the many more places I will go, the many good food coming my way, and the many many more to come…

A New Everything

Looking at the golden words “Hall Two AARON” printed on my right sleeve, I know that I am not alone. I am playing this game for my hall, my squash team, my friends… It’s a wonderful thing to have oneself belonged to a group. We won hall 4 to defend our championship. Sieok…


Waking up the next day, things turned more then 180 degree for me. I threw away everything that I know and familiar with to come to Shanghai. Alone at the airport, I flew to a foreign land all by myself. When I reached, I met up with my aunty and she took me to my new home. It’s a service apartment at the junction of 古龙路 and古美路. It’s a small but cozy place. I seriously don’t understand those people who want to stay in single room in hall. Now that I have a single apartment all to myself, it’s nothing near great. For me, I would like to share the nice things in life with friends around me. So I have made up my mind to invite those people who are working in the same company as me to come over to my apartment to stay.

The first day here was hell. Its freaking cold.
My aunty have tried her best to make the apartment as cozy as she can by filling up the drawers with everything I need, including the carpet at the toilet bowl. When I got back at night to my apartment, I was greeted by the sudden cut of electricity. I called the technician in and he told me that I was using too much electricity. I cannot on 2 warmer at the same time. Wtf… the apartment has 2 room heater and one living room. How come cannot on 2 heaters at the same time? >.<

On the brighter side, my aunt’s driver drove me around and I found out that the university I am studying in has many shopping malls around it. The lights made everything looked so nice… Hope the weather turn warm soon. God is kind to me. He sent an angel who made me a little toothpick postcard. It’s sitting sluggishly on the side table of my bed. Dunno why, when its freaking cold, the look of it brings some warmth within the layers of cloth on my body.

2007 is here

Yes, now write date is --/--/07, not 06 anymore. Lucky I do not have alot of chance to write the date, saves me from quite a few embarrassments. It not hard to see everywhere they are removing the deco, the thousands of light bulbs hanging on the trees, the famous tree which has been the backdrop for countless photos. For every year, the man made Christmas gets better and better. More lights, More sale, More people singing along the streets, and of cause, much much more people squeezing in the train and cars on the road just to land themselves in the middle of "The Celebration". One thing I totally hate is to squeeze with all the bangla along orchard road. I was on the bus on my way to meet my friends in town. I was quite tired so I slept. But sleeping in the bus is not totally ko. Cos still have to keep track of the location in case I miss your stop. That's what I do too. I opened my eyes and saw Tangling mall, with all the ang moh and their kids dancing around the stupid tree. So I closed my eyes again and tell myself I can sleep for another 20 min or so before the bus reach city hall. But to my horror, around 15 min later I open my eyes, it was still at the thai embasy. Its been quite a while since I am stuck in a jam. West side no jam de. So I began to look out of the window, at those people inside the cars. Non of them smiling sia. But I thought its the festive season? I guess they are like me, and many many other people, all colliding into that small dot on the map of Singapore to meet their friends. The irritating Christmas songs played in departmental stores suddenly all become chinese new year songs, and its 10 million times more irritating. I think its slowly starting to sink in now... a new year has come, along with many challenges and opportunities. For me, its loading of good memories before I fly off to work in china. Dunno its me or the trip, I always have small little things to settle, like the atm card (cos i forgot the pin), singtel line suspension( cos I will not be using the line), apply for extension of luggage weight limit (cos student can have 20kg more) and ensuring that I have got all the things I need.



I still remember that time, I joined the queue outside singtel shop @westmall. The shop was about to open in 5 mins time. Then there was this bangla. First he place one of his foot in front of me (which is in the queue), but his body still outside. Then of cause he was damn close to me. Ofcause natural reaction is to step back, in case he touches me and I turn into charcoal. Then conveniently, he stepped in with his other foot ( now he is totally in the queue and infront of me). I was curious to find out how he is going to pull himself off after blatantly cutting the queue. He looked up at the hello sign on top of the entrance, then he let loose a frown, as if he was deep in thoughts, then after a while, his expression returned to normal and now he is officially part of the queue. Wah lao... first time I see this. I dunno want to laugh or ask him to get lost to the back of the queue. After some time I finally get to voice my request to the receptionist. I wanted to suspend my line because I will not be using it when in China. She asked for my mobile number and told mi no. I asked why, and she said I am still in contract. The only way is to pay 250 for the penalty of the contract and then she can suspend for me. If no contract, I will have to pay the normal monthly subscription and 8 bucks every month to suspend my line. WTF! I take the simcard give the bangla use I still save 8 bucks man. After this contract ends, dear singtel, you are gonna lose one customer.... and that customer is gonna make sure you lose more.



On the brighter side, imagine one big bowl of fried fish, with smooth thick beehoon, swimming in a big bowl of milky soup base. On top of that, you can smell the hint of XO inside. Located under a modest hdb block over at holland village, this little stall serves generous helpings of their famous XO fried fish beehoon. If I were to use one word to express the food, it would have to be "sieok". First mouth, the soup go inside, its a strange but nice sensation. Which will make you drink the second mouth, after which the "good" word is registered inside your brain giving signals to all parts of the body to express your happiness. Then you will try the fish and beehoon and the veg, only to know that they all add up to the sieokness of the soup. In the end, you will find yourself floating in the sky, submerged in the goodness of the food. If you had a bad day at work, you might want to try this place.

Well truely a new year has come... its started to sink in now. Some people may think its still life as usual, morning brush teeth, eat breakfast, go work, lunch, work, dinner, sleep and next day repeat again. Look in the mirror, be glad that you live to see the start of a new year, time is in your hands, approach everything with a positive attitude, and more often than none, success will come more easily. When they do come, do remember to share them with the first person that comes in your mind.

the month of the year...

December... a month which many people looked forward to. Not only it promises cool weather, no school, it also bring along christmas and sum itself up with another holiday which is the new year. Really a full package sia... well there are different ways to spend this special month, depending on which type of people you are.

For me, I am not those very adventurous type, partly because my pockets are not loaded with cash. As a results, I tend to try to enjoy the free treads in life. Cuddling in the cold bed, while rain splattering on the umbrallas of those shoppers in Orchard, having my eyes glued to that black box in the living room, and ofcause, playing games... Other than those, I also sometimes indulge in finding nice food and shoving them into that mouth of mine, for the old saying goes," You are.. what you eat." I am the type of people who strongly belive that a bad meal will screw up the entire day, and that a good meal will do otherwise.

I dunno about others, but sometimes when I was doing things that I am unsure of or I don like, moments before that I get this strange feeling. Its like the real you is numb and you are just like a walking corpse throwing yourself into doing the things you don like. Something like a car with a brick on the accelerator but the driver is sleeping. Like that time, when I was going to sign that acceptance form to go for China trip, six month of uncertainty awaits. I cannot make up my mind. But in the end, I just sign and walked up to the office with the feeling mentioned above and hand it up. And there was this time I called my friend to go gym with me, deep inside me, I was against the stupid idea. When I was running on the stupid treadmall I can almost hear this loud voice inside my head," aaron wtf are you doing? You are suffering.... Why do you put yourself in such a situation?" at the point I was already making decisions to stop running. However, this part is very important. There is this little voice inside me that tells me to carry on... and it promise to give me something that is worth the suffering in return. There are times which I trusted this little voice, and times which I listened to the loud one. But one thing for certain, when I choose the little voice and endured the suffering, the enjoyment that comes after that is really worth my suffering.

I guess the two voices are the little devil and the little angel sitting on my shoulder one shouting into my left ear and the other whispering into my right....... "shutup u little devil, stop telling me its a waste of time to blog and asking me to go sleep." btw its raining outside... i guess this time i compromise a bit... haha