Once again, I'm in..........Singapore

September 10, 2012

Once again, I'm in..........Singapore

I was getting bored in the office and was dreaming of a holiday somewhere, then I thought of why not take a job-related workshop which will double up as a holiday also? In that way, I can rationalize that I am not really on a holiday in the middle of a hotel pre-opening but I am on my quest for professional development. Hahaha

The answer is Singapore!

I have always admired how efficient the whole country is. When the entire Western hemisphere has collapsed economies and everyone is scrambling to find jobs, the Singaporeans have managed to weather the storm as efficiently as always. It is worlds apart from its ASEAN neighbors. Don’t get me started with how eons ago the Singaporeans are lagging behind the Philippines and now we are nowhere to be found! Ugghhh!

We can definitely learn a lot of things from them ---- and that is what I intended to do. I think my 02 workshops (Talent Management & Succession Planning / Systems, Policies & Practices in HRM) sounds serious enough. J

H&M became my second home (lol) after seeing a huge SALE sign on its massive store in Orchard Road. I need to have a different wardrobe, my usual t-shirt and shorts ensemble in the Maldives will not do. I don’t want to embarrass myself. Charot!

I love the energy in Singapore. Everyone seems to be hurrying everywhere. People walk fast, talk fast, as if they are trying to always finish on time. Luv it! Luv it!

In keeping with my “feelingera na estudyante” mode, I stayed in a backpacker’s hostel located in Arab Street and is very close to Bugis Junction (another shopping mecca, hehehe). I stayed at the Sleepy Kiwi backpackers hostel and what an eventful stay it was!

If I was not so consumed by my reading materials in the workshop I would have been upset by the things happening in that hostel. There were some "controversial" residents (transvestites, i heard) in the hostel and they bring back their "customers" around 12mn to about 2am and render "services" within the hostel area. I don't know why the management is being blind and deaf about these things, it gives their place a bad name. I like the hostel though, it is very organized and has a very tasty breakfast for free.

Sleepy Kiwi hostel

Bussorah Street at night.....lots of restos & shops opens from 6pm onwards

Masjid Sultan Mosque at night...

Bussorah Street during the day....

Just next to Bussorah Street.........nakakatuwa! :)

The colorful shop windows around Bussorah - Kandahar streets...

Although I was kept busy with my workshops the whole day, it felt nice to be able to call up friends and hang out with them at night. I think that is what I missed about working in the big city.