June School Holidays

It's June Holidays~!

Hurray shout the kids.

But with all the H1N1virus, some parents are postponing their holidays abroad.

What do we get our kids to do?

Well, we can make pretend that we are new entrants to Singapore and bring our kids to different part of our country and re- discover Singapore.

Here are some suggestions for those who are at a loss:

1) Plan wisely their daily schedule. This is the best time to catch up on those falling grades.

2) Set aside time for learning (half an hour for each subject and break it up by an hour each so it does not get toostifling for the kid).

3) There is a need to be a balance- time for play- be it a short trip to the playground downstairs, out have door activities or just playing with sibling at home.

4) You can allow them to play the internet or learn to write some e-mails (7 years and above) with your supervision (especially since internet is dangerous playground with paedophile lurking around).

5) Take some time off to bond with your kids- take them to the following places on different days:

A) zoo

B) science centre

C) swimming

D) picnic at the beach (East Coast, West Coast, Pasir Ris Park or Changi)

F) ice- skate

G) catch a show

H) sentosa

I) visit a Museum

J) borrow books from the library

K) learn a new skill- eg. cycling, roller blading, painting, cooking, play the violin etc.

There are actually lots of things to do in Singapore if you would give it some time to think through.

6) Teach them a new game- be it chess, monopoly, scrabble or any board games. there may be old games but it boast some work to those brains and encourage them to think and strategize.

Well, hope this helps you to enjoy your June month with your little broods~! :)

H1N1 Virus

Everyone is talking about it and those who are traveling have to exercise extra caution to prevent it at all cost. It is also known as the swine flu as it is a respiratory disease of pigs, caused by influenza type A virus and it has common outbreaks in pigs. The first outbreak was recorded in 1930s. Over the years, 4 main influenza types have been discovered and they are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1.

What are the early signs of A (H1N1) virus?

1) Flu- like symptoms, like running nose
2) Fever
3) Cough
4) Sore throat
5) Headache
6) Muscle and joint pain
7) Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea

As can be seen, they have very common and similar symptoms to flu. Hence it is better not to take things lightly and delay appointments to the doctors if you are sick during this period. Anti viral drugs called oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu ®) and zanamivir (Relenza ®) are prescribed to those who are identified of contracting it at the moment.

How do we minimize our chances of contracting it that if we really need to travel and meet people? People can be infected by merely breathing in contaminated air. There are plans to develop a vaccine but it would probably take 5- 6 months for that. Meanwhile, a lot f times, it boils down to maintaining high standards of personal hygiene. Below are my recommendations:

1) Wear a mask so contact are minimized
2) Wash your hands with soap after landing and after coming home
3) Best to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer
4) Try not to touch hand rails, press buttons or public objects unless necessary
5) Try not to rub eyes or nose with unclean hands or fingers


The scientist and health authority of this era have a lot of new strands of viruses to combat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 19 May, GMT 6:00, 40 countries have officially reported 9,830 cases of A (H1N1) infection, including 79 deaths. America, being the number 1 infected country with 5,123 (5 deaths), followed by Mexico of 3,648 (72 dead) and Canada being the third, with 496 cases (1 death). Japan, is the most effected Asian country with 159 cases.
For more details, check out the link below:

World Health Organization-
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_05_19/en/index.html

Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention-
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/key_facts.htm

Warning signs of children contracting the virus-
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

You tube, CDC, more information on swine flu-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85sD83aRUIQ&feature=channel

Ministry of Health (Singapore)-
http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/pressreleases.aspx?id=21780

Last of all, everyone has to strive to be socially responsible to our fellow human beings.
When we sneeze, cover our nose and mouth with a tissue. Minimize going out if we are ill and maintain high level of personal hygiene everyday. Only if we care enough and make personal efforts, can the virus be stopped and not spread worldwide to become an epidemic.

Life is a Journey itself

Well, Life is a Journey by itself.

I have a fridge magnet. It says "The World is not my home. I'm just passing through".
It's true, isn't it? Life is an experience. We are all travellers, in this life, at this century, this space, this country, with our co- travellers- families, relatives, friends, colleagues sharing this time. How we will evaluate our journey when it ends?

Life or this journey is how we make it to be.
We are living in borrowed time.
Before you know, it will be gone.
Treasure every second.

My sis's journey ended alittle early. None of her co- travellers expected it.
There are alot of things not done. I have alot of words not said to her.
There were lots of regret.

I had just opted out of a hectic "tour package".
I am going for a more "expensive" one. Not that I am going to live on a high life, but rather it will cost me since I mean I am not working and taking a break now. I am taking time to smell the roses and bond with my the 2 travellers I cloned. The price tag maybe alittle dear but I think it is worth it, cos life is short. I have want to make the best use of my journey and share my time with the people I love and treasure. Take a back seat and re-align my priorities in life.

I am thankful I have a tour- guide for this trip. He has many names, from Emmanuel, Hosannah, Jesus to God. He makes sure my journey is well taken care of. He is the captain of this journey and I am glad that I have Him to share the rest of my journey, so that I will not be lost.

How's your tour on earth so far? ;)

2 days in Vietnam

My company sent me to Vietnam for a business trip last year.
It was my 1st time to visit this country and I was looking forward to it.

My 1st impression- A little bare, not too many high rise buildings at all, but it sure looks very clean to me.

The road was filled with mostly motorcycles and that seems to be the main mode of transport. And goodness, they were wearing PLASTIC helmets??? How is that going to protect that 5- 6 year old child who was riding with her dad? And people were riding with even like 3 big bottles of mineral water- those that were used in offices (see picture above) without any safety precaution. When I asked the local host who picked us from the airport, she said the law does not restrict you on what kind of helmets you wear, so long as you wear one on your head. Some ladies even chose pretty ones for cosmetic reasons more than for safety reasons. They actually have shops that sell these plastic helmets for riders, which I saw, but really, do feel it will not save the lives of these riders. This is a bit of a "culture" shock to me.

The local host also told me, if you want to cross the street, just be confident, look ahead and cross in the midst of all the motorcycles. They will avoid you. You just cannot afford to be hesitant or you will never be able to cross the road, when there is no traffic lights to help you. Ok, hmm...

Not too many international fashion labels were in Ho Chi Minh City. I could only spot a big Louis Vuitton and Gucci shops. The host told me candidly that it is rumored that some of the Vietnamese kept- mistresses would go there by day to check out the products and get their men to buy the products at night. but whether it is true, is anyone's guesses.

The lady to my right wear a traditional Vietnamese costume. I spotted her in Ho Chi Minh City and asked to take a picture with her. She was very obliging. She was
actually giving brochures and promoting their company's array of beauty services from manicure, pedicure, make- up services to massages etc. The Vietnamese young ladies here are generally very friendly, polite and mostly quite soft- spoken.

However, if you go to Ben Than, one of their local market, not all would be gentle. I have encountered them being a little pushy, urging me to make a purchase from them, by surrounding me and not letting me go. I had to make an excuse saying that I have to find my friend who has gone the other lane, to seek her opinion, before she and her colleague "released" me.

If you like handicrafts, beaded bags, lanterns, pillowcases, kitchen wares or food, you can find these at Ben Than. It's always advisable to bargain as some of them knowing that you are tourist, can mark up the prices by quite a fair bit. Money changer is also within reach within the vicinity. I could not find any nice clothes as the quality was way below my expectation. But some of the pillowcases and beaded bags are fairly reasonable and would have cost at least 100% or more in Singapore. I bought a gorgeous beaded bag for only S$20 and a lovely pouch for S$5. What a steal!


This is the traditional Vietnam coffee cup. Their coffee is known to be very "potent" and strong. They use some kind of dripping method to drain the coffee from the crushed coffee beans. My colleague drank 1 cup and did not sleep well for 3 days. She claimed it gave her headaches. But I was fine though and quite enjoyed the aroma.

There is a lot of coffee joint springing up in Vietnam and they are popular and mainly patronized by young people.

I have been looking forward to the food in Vietnam, especially the Vietnamese rolls. It is crunchy with the vegetables in it and with that mint leaf in it, it always leave a fresh, grassy after- taste. Yum.

I have also tried their beef noodles with soup (pronounced as "Fur" in Vietnam) but still prefer our own Singapore's version. Guess there are certain food that my taste buds have been accustomed to. Or maybe, I still prefer mine to have lots of beansprouts with parsley and some tendons dipped in my chilli sauce mixed with garlic.

Well, it was a short business trip (just 2 days), so my colleague and I did not get to go to any museums or any interesting places. A big departmental store opposite the airport has just opened recently and we went there to take a look. It did not make me part much of my money except for a OPI nail polish which cost S$10, half price of what would cost you in Singapore.

On the whole, I still managed to bag a good trip with the help of my hospitable host. And there will always be the interesting memories and pictures of Vietnam to boot. ;)

Save Planet Earth- Global Warming

Friends,

We have to save Planet Earth!

Though we are not super heroes, each of us can contribute our little fair share to mininimize the effect of global warming.

Remember the star fish story of how a boy keeps throwing back the star fish back to the sea to save each one? Someone challenged him and told him that he can't save every star fish from drying up, so there is no point of throwing them back. But he replied that, at least, it makes a difference to that particular starfish he saves and prolong the lives of them disappearing from the face of the earth. It was well said and replied. What are you doing today to save the dwelling place which you live in?

I know some of you mentioned that you don't care, as you do not intend to have any off- springs. But it may be too late to care only when natural diaster fall upon our very lives and loved ones, to experience suffering then to adopt a change in attitude.

Time is passing by fast. We have to act fast too. There are reports of polar bears in the artic have been found drowning as some of them cannot find thick ice to stand on. They can't fish through the think ice as fishes senses danger through the thin ice and is dying of hunger. Temperature has been rising steadily as has been tracked according to Al Gore's lecturer, a strong believer and advocate for the green movement. Log to the link below find out more:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html

If humans do not react readily to change the ways we live, there may be more disasters like flood and famine around the world. This is due to the cause of temperature rising in the north and bringing the ice berg to melt and hence, the whole cycle of ecological temperature is messed up. It has thus caused some part of the earth to have flood while it's neighbouring country is having a drought. Maldives is predicted to drown in a few years time due to this reason as well and they are looking around for other island to purchase so that they can have another place to live in. Is that not a sad that the reputed island should disappear in our times? It does seems like we have reaped what we sow by not heeding its warning signs.

I urge all my fellow earthings, citizens (we are living so near the equator), friends and all parents to do our part to save our earth. Let's do our part to recycle, conserve energy, find new ways to reduce ways etc. We may not be heroes, but we are the custordians of our next generation's lives. Let's set a good example for them to follow and be proud of.