Oops! I just realised that I left the entry hanging. Victoria and the rest of us chatted like through midnight til about 01:30 hours the next day.
Back to Mr. Roelens, I had to ask what his story is with hotels and he told us his very inspiring story about how he decided on hotels when he was 14 (I decided when I was 12 but somehow it strayed) and he signed up for an apprentice school which trained him in kitchen through his sister's boyfriend or he thought he was. And it was school after school, and hotels after hotels that he rose through the ranks and prove worthy and today he is in the Four Seasons. And very much similar to him, I personally have a strong conviction of the company's values and the Golden Rule.
He also shared with us some funny anecdotes about his time here, like how his photograph of him in trunks, together with a travel journalist was posted in Germany on the journalist's articles. About how the resort was restored from post-tsunami and also about some accolades and interesting facts about the resort. Oh and you cannot imagine the kind of celebrities and dignitaries we receive. ;)
Anyway, I think by now all of you should have seen my UGLY picture with our president, on The Straits Times on 27 October 2007. That was the day after our meeting with Mr. Roelens so I finished work at about 16:30 and got some rest and we Singaporeans gathered to meet his Excellency in the late evening before his dinner.
It was as Singaporean as it can be I tell you what with all of us there, Singlish came flying out of our mouths and we talked about how we miss Singapore char kway teow, laksa, chai tao kway and you guys know better. >.< But also, it's not that bad that we forget to appreciate the beautiful nature we have here. The president's security team also mentioned how they would like to stay here if they could. What an adventure those guys lead travelling wherever the president goes. His photographer as well who proved to be quite a chatterbox. LoL.
We had a quick conversation with our president, Mr. Khaw, Minister of Health, and Dr. Lily Neo, MP, it was like a meet-the-peoples session in Maldives. And before you know it, we are on the news. Came as quite a shock actually and on that day everyone was asking us if we saw ourselves in the news. I think the shot was taken when he asked me if I done NS. >.<
Anyway, today's my off day and I woke up at 14:00 hours for lunch and I have been here in Cafe Faru using the internet for the whole day. Tomorrow I start my day at 06:30 hours cleaning public areas which I am looking forward to, I'm quite the closet housekeeper. :p
It has never been clearer to me what I want in life and right now I know, that once I return to Singapore, to pick up a foreign language, Japanese or Spanish, work and earn wages for TRAVEL. Meeting all the people who work here has been an added boost of confidence and certainty as many of them have never been home in the last decade other than once or twice to see the family but we all have one thing in common, a desire to see the world and experience different cultures. :) It's the same thing I enjoy in my work as a concierge, diversity.
After NS, I intend to work overseas and until I've seen enough, I will not return to Singapore other than once or twice annually to see the family and catch up with friends.
And this quest of mine has never felt more right than before. :) Coming to Maldives has been the greatest and most wonderful decision I ever made.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Orientation dive+Tonsillitis=Crap
Friday
23:33 hours Maldivian time
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kuda Huraa
Café Faru
I am sitting here inside Café Faru again hoping that the Internet connection will work or that Chika-san will be done with the Ethernet wire soon.
It has been an awfully long day as I started my day early in the morning at about 08:00 hours? I was to do my orientation dive at 09:30 and as usual everyday I have to wake up even before I want to. Ha!
Went for breakfast and I met Ben, who’s the Dive Shop manager and fortunately he had good news for me, the insurance I bought for Maldives covers my scuba diving! But I had to wait about an hour longer to do my orientation dive which was fine by me since I start work at 13:00 hours. I just hung around in Café Faru once again, my favourite spot, and while waiting for my dive, I caught a bit of anime.
I went to the dive shop shortly after and was introduced to Rameez, who would be buddying me. So very quickly I chose my gear and Four Seasons being Four Seasons, the dive gear are a lot newer than what I used back in Tioman for my course. We set up our equipment, got geared up and left for the lagoon by the pool as waters were too choppy for a boat ride out to the house reef.
The view of the pool is as magnificent as it sounds, an infinity pool. I’d try to get a landscape shot of it. So we went walking about the resort fully suited up and kids went, “The divers are here!”
Did a quick check in the waters and off I went to do a refresher. Visibility was poor and there was nothing much to be seen at the lagoon, just for me to practise my skills and get acquainted with Maldivian waters. I was up and going in less than half an hour, will try again tomorrow.
Lunch was fab, fab, fab! We had noodles, ramli kinda burgers, fish maw soup(in the Maldives dammit!)
So today I was told I would be doing guest laundry, which means picking their laundry up from their villas, sorting them out and finally washing, drying and pressing them. And surprisingly, it’s by far my most loved activity in the laundry!
I always enjoyed pressing my own clothes back home and it feels really good to look presentable. So today I learnt how to handle clothes Four Seasons style and boy was I blown away!
Stay at any Four Seasons, ask them to do your laundry and you’d know what I mean. You would never have imagined your clothes could look that way. And just to give you a rough idea, they spend half an hour on your shirts!
Anyway, I’ve learnt to do it proper and basically I really enjoy it and would love to do more.
The shocker came when our house doctor diagnosed my throat, which has been feeling sore since yesterday, as tonsillitis! Geez! But it’s not serious enough to require surgery. Amazing, all these while I’m bugging at people to have theirs removed when I got it too! I got my wisdom tooth looked at as well and it’s growing well according to him! Convenient though, all he did was look at something, diagnose, and give tablets. >.<
Anyway, after consulting the doctor, it was dinner and work. Even though we have my mp3 playing today, still, it got boring when it was back to folding towels, and towels, and towels again.
I’m tired, worn out and ready to end my evening! Goodnight peeps!
23:33 hours Maldivian time
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kuda Huraa
Café Faru
I am sitting here inside Café Faru again hoping that the Internet connection will work or that Chika-san will be done with the Ethernet wire soon.
It has been an awfully long day as I started my day early in the morning at about 08:00 hours? I was to do my orientation dive at 09:30 and as usual everyday I have to wake up even before I want to. Ha!
Went for breakfast and I met Ben, who’s the Dive Shop manager and fortunately he had good news for me, the insurance I bought for Maldives covers my scuba diving! But I had to wait about an hour longer to do my orientation dive which was fine by me since I start work at 13:00 hours. I just hung around in Café Faru once again, my favourite spot, and while waiting for my dive, I caught a bit of anime.
I went to the dive shop shortly after and was introduced to Rameez, who would be buddying me. So very quickly I chose my gear and Four Seasons being Four Seasons, the dive gear are a lot newer than what I used back in Tioman for my course. We set up our equipment, got geared up and left for the lagoon by the pool as waters were too choppy for a boat ride out to the house reef.
The view of the pool is as magnificent as it sounds, an infinity pool. I’d try to get a landscape shot of it. So we went walking about the resort fully suited up and kids went, “The divers are here!”
Did a quick check in the waters and off I went to do a refresher. Visibility was poor and there was nothing much to be seen at the lagoon, just for me to practise my skills and get acquainted with Maldivian waters. I was up and going in less than half an hour, will try again tomorrow.
Lunch was fab, fab, fab! We had noodles, ramli kinda burgers, fish maw soup(in the Maldives dammit!)
So today I was told I would be doing guest laundry, which means picking their laundry up from their villas, sorting them out and finally washing, drying and pressing them. And surprisingly, it’s by far my most loved activity in the laundry!
I always enjoyed pressing my own clothes back home and it feels really good to look presentable. So today I learnt how to handle clothes Four Seasons style and boy was I blown away!
Stay at any Four Seasons, ask them to do your laundry and you’d know what I mean. You would never have imagined your clothes could look that way. And just to give you a rough idea, they spend half an hour on your shirts!
Anyway, I’ve learnt to do it proper and basically I really enjoy it and would love to do more.
The shocker came when our house doctor diagnosed my throat, which has been feeling sore since yesterday, as tonsillitis! Geez! But it’s not serious enough to require surgery. Amazing, all these while I’m bugging at people to have theirs removed when I got it too! I got my wisdom tooth looked at as well and it’s growing well according to him! Convenient though, all he did was look at something, diagnose, and give tablets. >.<
Anyway, after consulting the doctor, it was dinner and work. Even though we have my mp3 playing today, still, it got boring when it was back to folding towels, and towels, and towels again.
I’m tired, worn out and ready to end my evening! Goodnight peeps!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Events, events, events..
Thursday
20:58 hours
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kuda Huraa
C-17
I am sitting here on the floor of the ladies’ room, C-17, with Sarah and just years ago, this very room housed the guests who were in-house when the tsunami hit and as the Director of HR said, it felt like the island was sinking with all the sea water. If you would refer to my pictures of the living quarters, you would realise it is two-storeys tall and this is the second storey.
Funny how eventful my past two days were and I was just caught up with my social activity in Café Faru, which is our staff cyber café/chill-out area. I made tons of friends in one night and somehow it overshadowed the events that are worth a lot more. What can I say, I’m a people person! ☺ Met Ana, Mexican cook, Chika-san, Japanese dive instructor, Sushant, Indian finance trainee, Wilson, Philippino chef,
Oh well I’d get on to it. Yesterday, Wednesday, was work as usual but it was different because we were meeting the GM of the resort, Mr. Tom Roelens, at about 16:00 hours.
I mean well it’s a day after it happened but meeting the GM’s always exciting for me! He’s like the one guy responsible for anything and everything that goes on here. Just a matter of personal opinion but I think that people on top of the hierarchy are responsible for what goes wrong rather than what they do right, it’s like being the goalkeeper, who cares how many saves you make as long as you don’t lose one?! A toast to them!
It has always been a dream for me to go on a vacation at a really nice hotel like the Four Seasons and my request for the concierge, which would be a rather awkward one, would be for me to just accompany the GM for the day, to see what he does, to have him introduce the hotel to me and basically understand what a day is like in the shoes of a hotel GM.
Okay sidetracking, digression as we say it back home. LoL. Work is usual, except everyday I handle new linens, uniforms, machines and yeah, basically anything new interests me. ☺ Because it is all repetition, if you have something to be done differently I welcome it!
Well having the perspective of a concierge makes work in the laundry a lot tougher, not as fast, not as different, not as exciting and above all mundane.
But something Randy See said has stuck to me like superglue, “I don’t count my hours, I make them count.”
And by applying that philosophy to my work in the laundry, it is to not wear a watch (which rusted in one day due to the heat and moisture, fake cK la. :p) and just look forward to carts of linens and cloths to fold and press. It helps tremendously because I think in one day I can fold up to thousands and if you count the hours, you’d die.
How long does it take to fold a towel? And if you multiply that by the thousands, time creeps. But if you focus on the carts of towels, before you know it, it is lunch, before you know it, there is tea and then you’re done. ☺ Voila! Bravissimo!
Oh and right now I’m picking up Dhivehi, which is the local language and according to the locals I’m BARAABARU, excellent! Ha! But I’m only doing basic one to two words, not entire phrases. It sounds Hindi but it isn’t and half the time it sounds like they’re just chattering nonsense. LoL. So it keeps work fun when they teach me because they get so entertained! And I get to pick up a piece of local culture.
Okay, now I’m sorry I’m such a mess in the head, especially when it’s after work my mind’s just everywhere and not organised, which is why this blog’s supposed to help. ☺
We were told we were supposed to meet him, but guess what, we were going to HAVE TEA in BARAABARU RESTAURANT (Yes if you’re sharp enough Baraabaru means Excellent in Dhivehi) with him!
The view.. The view is absolutely breathtaking, amazing, gorgeous, and stunning so take my word for it, beautiful girl or that view, that view, ANYTIME! Can you imagine a restaurant with no walls and ‘wallpaper’ of the horizon, greenery, and different shades of cascading blue! I have pictures which I will post up soon I hope, the Internet here’s not working so well and I should be lucky to get this up.
It was my first time in a guest area and I understand why Four Seasons cost. Another note, that Four Seasons Kuda Huraa was previously Concorde Hotel, bought over by Four Seasons and HPL Singapore, and only after the tsunami, did it look like a Four Seasons product. In a matter of one and a half year we were up and running again and winning accolades in Gallivanter’s and Conde Nast as best resort and the likes of it.
Oh and I finally met Abdul Rahim, who’s our Director of HR. So we had beautiful Belgian truffles, cookies, gula (fishball looking curry puff with tuna in there) and tuna sandwiches. Really, excessive tuna I tell you. Also on the menu were Earl Grey, English Breakfast and coffee.
So we were introduced very quickly and we settled in very nicely with the beautiful ambience and wonderful refreshments. Tom quickly asked us what were our reasons for choosing the Maldives and Four Seasons and we gladly told him.
To be real honest, I didn’t know what to expect and it is really better than what I could imagine. I didn’t expect air-conditioned rooms with dressing area, shower and toilet. I did not imagine diving for FREE and learning diving at US$35 when I freaking paid SG$500 in Tioman, I did not imagine that I will be doing my advance open water here for like what US$75? I did not imagine we will be able to do Four Seasons spa from US$50 for an hour’s massage, I did not imagine free water sports.
OUT OF THE WORLD ISN’T IT? I’m seriously contemplating coming back for a year.
Okay now a crazy Victoria just came in hopping up and down distracting me from the blog..
20:58 hours
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Kuda Huraa
C-17
I am sitting here on the floor of the ladies’ room, C-17, with Sarah and just years ago, this very room housed the guests who were in-house when the tsunami hit and as the Director of HR said, it felt like the island was sinking with all the sea water. If you would refer to my pictures of the living quarters, you would realise it is two-storeys tall and this is the second storey.
Funny how eventful my past two days were and I was just caught up with my social activity in Café Faru, which is our staff cyber café/chill-out area. I made tons of friends in one night and somehow it overshadowed the events that are worth a lot more. What can I say, I’m a people person! ☺ Met Ana, Mexican cook, Chika-san, Japanese dive instructor, Sushant, Indian finance trainee, Wilson, Philippino chef,
Oh well I’d get on to it. Yesterday, Wednesday, was work as usual but it was different because we were meeting the GM of the resort, Mr. Tom Roelens, at about 16:00 hours.
I mean well it’s a day after it happened but meeting the GM’s always exciting for me! He’s like the one guy responsible for anything and everything that goes on here. Just a matter of personal opinion but I think that people on top of the hierarchy are responsible for what goes wrong rather than what they do right, it’s like being the goalkeeper, who cares how many saves you make as long as you don’t lose one?! A toast to them!
It has always been a dream for me to go on a vacation at a really nice hotel like the Four Seasons and my request for the concierge, which would be a rather awkward one, would be for me to just accompany the GM for the day, to see what he does, to have him introduce the hotel to me and basically understand what a day is like in the shoes of a hotel GM.
Okay sidetracking, digression as we say it back home. LoL. Work is usual, except everyday I handle new linens, uniforms, machines and yeah, basically anything new interests me. ☺ Because it is all repetition, if you have something to be done differently I welcome it!
Well having the perspective of a concierge makes work in the laundry a lot tougher, not as fast, not as different, not as exciting and above all mundane.
But something Randy See said has stuck to me like superglue, “I don’t count my hours, I make them count.”
And by applying that philosophy to my work in the laundry, it is to not wear a watch (which rusted in one day due to the heat and moisture, fake cK la. :p) and just look forward to carts of linens and cloths to fold and press. It helps tremendously because I think in one day I can fold up to thousands and if you count the hours, you’d die.
How long does it take to fold a towel? And if you multiply that by the thousands, time creeps. But if you focus on the carts of towels, before you know it, it is lunch, before you know it, there is tea and then you’re done. ☺ Voila! Bravissimo!
Oh and right now I’m picking up Dhivehi, which is the local language and according to the locals I’m BARAABARU, excellent! Ha! But I’m only doing basic one to two words, not entire phrases. It sounds Hindi but it isn’t and half the time it sounds like they’re just chattering nonsense. LoL. So it keeps work fun when they teach me because they get so entertained! And I get to pick up a piece of local culture.
Okay, now I’m sorry I’m such a mess in the head, especially when it’s after work my mind’s just everywhere and not organised, which is why this blog’s supposed to help. ☺
We were told we were supposed to meet him, but guess what, we were going to HAVE TEA in BARAABARU RESTAURANT (Yes if you’re sharp enough Baraabaru means Excellent in Dhivehi) with him!
The view.. The view is absolutely breathtaking, amazing, gorgeous, and stunning so take my word for it, beautiful girl or that view, that view, ANYTIME! Can you imagine a restaurant with no walls and ‘wallpaper’ of the horizon, greenery, and different shades of cascading blue! I have pictures which I will post up soon I hope, the Internet here’s not working so well and I should be lucky to get this up.
It was my first time in a guest area and I understand why Four Seasons cost. Another note, that Four Seasons Kuda Huraa was previously Concorde Hotel, bought over by Four Seasons and HPL Singapore, and only after the tsunami, did it look like a Four Seasons product. In a matter of one and a half year we were up and running again and winning accolades in Gallivanter’s and Conde Nast as best resort and the likes of it.
Oh and I finally met Abdul Rahim, who’s our Director of HR. So we had beautiful Belgian truffles, cookies, gula (fishball looking curry puff with tuna in there) and tuna sandwiches. Really, excessive tuna I tell you. Also on the menu were Earl Grey, English Breakfast and coffee.
So we were introduced very quickly and we settled in very nicely with the beautiful ambience and wonderful refreshments. Tom quickly asked us what were our reasons for choosing the Maldives and Four Seasons and we gladly told him.
To be real honest, I didn’t know what to expect and it is really better than what I could imagine. I didn’t expect air-conditioned rooms with dressing area, shower and toilet. I did not imagine diving for FREE and learning diving at US$35 when I freaking paid SG$500 in Tioman, I did not imagine that I will be doing my advance open water here for like what US$75? I did not imagine we will be able to do Four Seasons spa from US$50 for an hour’s massage, I did not imagine free water sports.
OUT OF THE WORLD ISN’T IT? I’m seriously contemplating coming back for a year.
Okay now a crazy Victoria just came in hopping up and down distracting me from the blog..
Monday, October 22, 2007
Never look at Laundry the same again
Monday
22 October 2007
18:09 hours
Four Seasons Resort Maldives
I’m sitting in the staff cyber cafe right now and pondering about the day’s event. I haven’t sat down in the last eight hours and right now I can’t think straight when only hours ago I had so much to say about the day’s event.
I turned in real early last night, probably at about eight p.m. the night before and woke up in the middle of the night at about two a.m. and forced myself to go back to bed and before I knew it, it was about 07:30 hours and I decided enough sleep, get your ass out of bed and do some strength exercises.
It’s been a while that my body has been going through inactivity, needs a lot of discipline to keep your body in shape when you’re working full-time in the industry but I’m quite sure it’ll be easy to since the gym’s at my doorstep right now. I decided against working out as my hamstrings were still killing me and I finally worked out why they are, I played basketball like I used to when I haven’t in two years. Dumb.
And I had to read about how inactivity affects your daily tasks:
“European researchers studied the effects of five weeks of bed rest on muscle size and functional strength in 10 healthy males. What they found was that the inactivity decreased muscle strength by 20 percent, reduced muscle size in the lower body by up
to 12 percent, and even decreased bone density by 2 percent.
So if you are tempted to "take it easy" because you have a problem with your knees, you have to start exercising as soon as you can or face severe consequences, such as weaker bones and, eventually, the inability to do normal daily tasks.”
So people, move your asses!
After a light breakfast, I went back to the cyber café and watched some anime. It was about 09:30 hours and I went to the uniform area to draw my uniform and went back for a shower.
Out of the blue, Marion, our Asst Learning Manager, knocked on my door and said that Chee Mung, Executive Housekeeper, said for us to be there at 09:00 hours! I quickly sprayed on some sunscreen and went to get Melanie. Martin, Front Office Manager and Asst Exec Housekeeper sent me to the Laundry, which was where I was due to start my first week.
I met Ayaz, Asst Laundry Manager, and he introduced me to my colleagues. I was to be attached to Nazmeem for the day. I started off folding hand towels, then face towels, then body towels, and just towels and more towels.
It sounds mundane but quickly you learn how an ordinary sounding department like Laundry is a worthy profession.
From a short chat with Ayaz, you learn that with only 10 staff (one resigned recently and one was terminated), they are responsible for all the linens in the villas on the resort, providing clean towels of all sizes for guests, staff uniforms, restaurant linens, our neighbouring spa island linens and towels, public area linens such as pillow cases, staff beds and linens, anything that you can possibly wash on the island and not only washing but delivering ON TIME!
And for Ayaz, he’s responsible of managing all his staff as well. Now that’s a challenge and we stand 10 hours a day each shift.
I was folding towels forever it seemed and not only folding, we had to dispose of those that did not meet standards, stains the size of Singapore on the map do not make the cut either. I also got to work with industrial irons that were huge and looked like a pasta maker, you just insert linens and it rolls them out neatly ironed.
Working at a F&B and working with napkins and table cloths also helped me today in the Laundry, I understand how annoying it is to dispose of napkins when you expect the laundering company to do a good job. So as tired as I was, as hot as it was, oh yes, I forgot that the temperatures in there could match a decent sauna.
Since forever, they were working with conventional fans installed and only recently installed six huge air-conditioners that will be in operation starting November. Can you imagine how hard these people work here? I am humbled working with them. If they were to go on strike, you can only imagine what the resort will look and feel like without the assistance of these ten dedicated staff.
I think I’m gonna end here today, Sarah and Jean just dropped by to call me for dinner.
Tomorrow my day will start at 09:00 hours and end at 19:00 hours. If I learn anything new, I’d put it up. ☺
*P.S. I'm definitely folding my linens and towels FS style now. :p
22 October 2007
18:09 hours
Four Seasons Resort Maldives
I’m sitting in the staff cyber cafe right now and pondering about the day’s event. I haven’t sat down in the last eight hours and right now I can’t think straight when only hours ago I had so much to say about the day’s event.
I turned in real early last night, probably at about eight p.m. the night before and woke up in the middle of the night at about two a.m. and forced myself to go back to bed and before I knew it, it was about 07:30 hours and I decided enough sleep, get your ass out of bed and do some strength exercises.
It’s been a while that my body has been going through inactivity, needs a lot of discipline to keep your body in shape when you’re working full-time in the industry but I’m quite sure it’ll be easy to since the gym’s at my doorstep right now. I decided against working out as my hamstrings were still killing me and I finally worked out why they are, I played basketball like I used to when I haven’t in two years. Dumb.
And I had to read about how inactivity affects your daily tasks:
“European researchers studied the effects of five weeks of bed rest on muscle size and functional strength in 10 healthy males. What they found was that the inactivity decreased muscle strength by 20 percent, reduced muscle size in the lower body by up
to 12 percent, and even decreased bone density by 2 percent.
So if you are tempted to "take it easy" because you have a problem with your knees, you have to start exercising as soon as you can or face severe consequences, such as weaker bones and, eventually, the inability to do normal daily tasks.”
So people, move your asses!
After a light breakfast, I went back to the cyber café and watched some anime. It was about 09:30 hours and I went to the uniform area to draw my uniform and went back for a shower.
Out of the blue, Marion, our Asst Learning Manager, knocked on my door and said that Chee Mung, Executive Housekeeper, said for us to be there at 09:00 hours! I quickly sprayed on some sunscreen and went to get Melanie. Martin, Front Office Manager and Asst Exec Housekeeper sent me to the Laundry, which was where I was due to start my first week.
I met Ayaz, Asst Laundry Manager, and he introduced me to my colleagues. I was to be attached to Nazmeem for the day. I started off folding hand towels, then face towels, then body towels, and just towels and more towels.
It sounds mundane but quickly you learn how an ordinary sounding department like Laundry is a worthy profession.
From a short chat with Ayaz, you learn that with only 10 staff (one resigned recently and one was terminated), they are responsible for all the linens in the villas on the resort, providing clean towels of all sizes for guests, staff uniforms, restaurant linens, our neighbouring spa island linens and towels, public area linens such as pillow cases, staff beds and linens, anything that you can possibly wash on the island and not only washing but delivering ON TIME!
And for Ayaz, he’s responsible of managing all his staff as well. Now that’s a challenge and we stand 10 hours a day each shift.
I was folding towels forever it seemed and not only folding, we had to dispose of those that did not meet standards, stains the size of Singapore on the map do not make the cut either. I also got to work with industrial irons that were huge and looked like a pasta maker, you just insert linens and it rolls them out neatly ironed.
Working at a F&B and working with napkins and table cloths also helped me today in the Laundry, I understand how annoying it is to dispose of napkins when you expect the laundering company to do a good job. So as tired as I was, as hot as it was, oh yes, I forgot that the temperatures in there could match a decent sauna.
Since forever, they were working with conventional fans installed and only recently installed six huge air-conditioners that will be in operation starting November. Can you imagine how hard these people work here? I am humbled working with them. If they were to go on strike, you can only imagine what the resort will look and feel like without the assistance of these ten dedicated staff.
I think I’m gonna end here today, Sarah and Jean just dropped by to call me for dinner.
Tomorrow my day will start at 09:00 hours and end at 19:00 hours. If I learn anything new, I’d put it up. ☺
*P.S. I'm definitely folding my linens and towels FS style now. :p
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Onboard SQ452
Saturday
20 October
11:20 hours
SQ452
I’m sitting aboard a Boeing 777 aircraft right now, on flight SQ452 heading to Male, capital of Maldives.
Quite a refreshing experience, considering the only Singapore Airline flight I remember, my mum still decided on my ridiculous wardrobe. And boy am I wrong about the Singapore Girl not meeting the mark, the first one I encountered onboard is absolutely stunning.
It’s my first time leaving home, Singapore, for a distant land for a period longer than a week and emotionally it wasn’t the easiest of tasks. I think we are all built to resist change in a way, and until I had to pack, I wasn’t about ready to plan and put together a checklist of to-brings.
It was a strange feeling… Something new… Something I can’t put a word to because it is my very first experience. I’m still trying to figure out what it is I’m feeling.
When I did my clearance on Thursday at Four Seasons, it took me a while to put together what I was feeling, I felt like a stranger in my own home. Returning to a place I call home and feeling so foreign, not being in my suit, returning my keys, and feeling so distant from my colleagues whom are my alternate family because I am no longer a staff, they will treat me as a guest, simply because we are the Four Seasons.
I met a couple of friends the night before and I wasn’t myself, I knew. It was just as if a very odd wave took over me, it felt uncomfortable no doubt and I knew it was because I was leaving today. But yet, I was also busy trying to figure out what I was feeling, emotions are always fun to discover.
When I finally started packing this morning, I actually Googled how to go about it. The innate spirit of not wanting to fail, my perfectionist instinct set in. Ha! Coming to think about it it is actually quite funny that I caught this very trait that I was so defensive about.
It was a sigh of relief when I was finally done. Been busy saying my “goodbyes” to people who care and whom I care about. I wonder if I wasn’t leaving would all these have happen. As my brother said, “Man if leaving for 3 months lands you 3 hot ladies in one night I’d like to leave to!”
On the journey to the airport, I would say that my mind was pretty much blank and it didn’t hit me that I was going there until Aunt Joyce needed some help with directions. I’ve been going to the airport a fair bit in my work as a concierge, am smiling just thinking about it.
Maybe that’s why it’s odd that I am jetting off myself this evening. When we actually made our way to checking me in, I felt myself again, free. I could have been giving myself too much pressure.
It felt nice getting ready to check-in and before soon S joined me too and it felt surprisingly heart-warming to see someone familiar. It’s all too new an experience, flying alone but I think it’s something I can totally get used to, having stunning Singapore Girls would be a great bonus. I’m looking forward to planning a trip of my own and preparing everything on my own, do the research and all.
Oh I didn’t get the emergency door seats but what I did get was wonderful company next to me, Sean from Sydney, Australia and Lisa from Surrey, England. What a surprise that he shares my name (though it’s a different spelling) and he’s in Mercure Sydney doing F&B. Talked quite a bit about travelling, moving and it largely depends on what you want.
I think they’ve had quite a fair bit of adventure, moving and starting a new in Ireland, England, New Zealand, and now Sydney. And hearing from their personal experience, it’s not easy and it takes quite a fair bit of money.
As much as it sounds fantastic to do, I’m not too sure I’m ready to pack my bags and leave every now and then. But then again right now, I am packing my bags and leaving home for a good three months.
Okay then, time to close this awfully messy entry.
I’m gonna try my best to be friends and colleagues to everyone, I am here to learn and I will be a sponge and absorb all I can, I will expect nothing more than a lousy boss and colleagues because everything else then will be a bonus. Remember my loved ones who are possibly pinning for me and have repeatedly reminded me to write, write, write. And keep my fingers crossed that I’d dive in crystal Maldivian waters!
20 October
11:20 hours
SQ452
I’m sitting aboard a Boeing 777 aircraft right now, on flight SQ452 heading to Male, capital of Maldives.
Quite a refreshing experience, considering the only Singapore Airline flight I remember, my mum still decided on my ridiculous wardrobe. And boy am I wrong about the Singapore Girl not meeting the mark, the first one I encountered onboard is absolutely stunning.
It’s my first time leaving home, Singapore, for a distant land for a period longer than a week and emotionally it wasn’t the easiest of tasks. I think we are all built to resist change in a way, and until I had to pack, I wasn’t about ready to plan and put together a checklist of to-brings.
It was a strange feeling… Something new… Something I can’t put a word to because it is my very first experience. I’m still trying to figure out what it is I’m feeling.
When I did my clearance on Thursday at Four Seasons, it took me a while to put together what I was feeling, I felt like a stranger in my own home. Returning to a place I call home and feeling so foreign, not being in my suit, returning my keys, and feeling so distant from my colleagues whom are my alternate family because I am no longer a staff, they will treat me as a guest, simply because we are the Four Seasons.
I met a couple of friends the night before and I wasn’t myself, I knew. It was just as if a very odd wave took over me, it felt uncomfortable no doubt and I knew it was because I was leaving today. But yet, I was also busy trying to figure out what I was feeling, emotions are always fun to discover.
When I finally started packing this morning, I actually Googled how to go about it. The innate spirit of not wanting to fail, my perfectionist instinct set in. Ha! Coming to think about it it is actually quite funny that I caught this very trait that I was so defensive about.
It was a sigh of relief when I was finally done. Been busy saying my “goodbyes” to people who care and whom I care about. I wonder if I wasn’t leaving would all these have happen. As my brother said, “Man if leaving for 3 months lands you 3 hot ladies in one night I’d like to leave to!”
On the journey to the airport, I would say that my mind was pretty much blank and it didn’t hit me that I was going there until Aunt Joyce needed some help with directions. I’ve been going to the airport a fair bit in my work as a concierge, am smiling just thinking about it.
Maybe that’s why it’s odd that I am jetting off myself this evening. When we actually made our way to checking me in, I felt myself again, free. I could have been giving myself too much pressure.
It felt nice getting ready to check-in and before soon S joined me too and it felt surprisingly heart-warming to see someone familiar. It’s all too new an experience, flying alone but I think it’s something I can totally get used to, having stunning Singapore Girls would be a great bonus. I’m looking forward to planning a trip of my own and preparing everything on my own, do the research and all.
Oh I didn’t get the emergency door seats but what I did get was wonderful company next to me, Sean from Sydney, Australia and Lisa from Surrey, England. What a surprise that he shares my name (though it’s a different spelling) and he’s in Mercure Sydney doing F&B. Talked quite a bit about travelling, moving and it largely depends on what you want.
I think they’ve had quite a fair bit of adventure, moving and starting a new in Ireland, England, New Zealand, and now Sydney. And hearing from their personal experience, it’s not easy and it takes quite a fair bit of money.
As much as it sounds fantastic to do, I’m not too sure I’m ready to pack my bags and leave every now and then. But then again right now, I am packing my bags and leaving home for a good three months.
Okay then, time to close this awfully messy entry.
I’m gonna try my best to be friends and colleagues to everyone, I am here to learn and I will be a sponge and absorb all I can, I will expect nothing more than a lousy boss and colleagues because everything else then will be a bonus. Remember my loved ones who are possibly pinning for me and have repeatedly reminded me to write, write, write. And keep my fingers crossed that I’d dive in crystal Maldivian waters!
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