Monday, November 26, 2007
Thank You all for the sweet birthday wishes
Thank You all for the sweet phone calls
Thank You all for the sweet surprises
Thank You all for the sweet birthday songs
Thank You all for the sweet presents
Lunch treat at Fish n Co' yesterday
Catching a movie was an impromtu decision
"Enchanted"
A super duper sweet sweet show with sweet sweet happily ever after-s and, sweet sweet forever and ever-s
After that of walking around talking craps and reminiscing about our secondary school days
I'm going for a getaway after SIP and it is in the process of planning!
Yippeee!
I'm sooooo looking forward to it lah!
3rd e-Journal!
24th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting and 13th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting was held on 29 November to 2 November at Raffles City Convention Centre. I was given the role of the Secretariat. Being the first time onsite, I was very excited and nervous at the same time. To be able to go onsite was what I had always been looking forward for since MP accepted me as intern. However, being the representative of MP and also being the only intern that was involved in this project, I was under a lot of pressure.
I had to take care of the Liaison Officers and make sure that everything in the Secretariat Room is neat and tidy. It ended up that everyone were coming to look for me for welcome packages for their delegations, for printing of placards for their delegations, for booking of meeting rooms, for issuing of walkie-talkies, for assistance in the photocopy machine, for answering the fax machine when it was a fax machine, for answering questions like, “why is this printer working so slow?”…etc… I was also the “Chief Usher”, as Angeline had put it. Thus, I got to be very familiar with the programme and be on standby to direct the delegations whenever they are moving from venue to venue. The bad thing was that I had to run around the Secretariat Room, LOs Rest Room, Delegates Internet Access Room and the different parts of RCCC. I was running around so much that the policemen at the checkpoints closed one eye and allowed me to run through the metal detectors and scanners. On the other hand, the good thing was that I got to know and meet a lot of people and soon, everyone knows me and I know everyone. I got to talk with different people from different backgrounds and organizations too.
From this on-site operation, I realized that even when there were proper planning with briefing, run down schedule, and administrative programmes, there will bound to be last minute changes during on-site. So, a lot of times we had to be very responsive to different situations that cropped up. That was when I learnt that in whatever situations that we faced, we as the event manager should be the last to get panic.
I had learnt that teamwork played an important role. Angeline being out of the box and Connie being in the box, Max (part-timer) and I were the only ones on par level and can only count on each other when something cropped up. There was this instant when Max had to take care of the reception, I came out to help look after the meeting rooms, and there was a situation over at the Registration Desk I could only count on him to cover for me while I run over to attend to the problem at the Registration Desk.
I also learnt that communication was especially important because we cannot conclude things based on our own assumptions. It’s only through communication then people can connect, and when people connect, ideas will flow, and when ideas flow, we are able to get things right and going and not dwelling at the problem.
After this long and tiring 5-day event, I was being put into another project, 2007 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, held on 16 November to 18 November at Suntec SIngapore, which I was also involved in during the first three weeks until I was too heavily involved in STOM. I played a smaller role this time round. During the one week of preparation for the ASEAN-BIS, I was helping out with RSVP and the consolidation of security badges that will be sent for printing.
With the little experience I gained in STOM, I had a clearer picture of what to expect and what is expected from me. Of course, I was well prepared to be running around again. One consoling thing was that we get to stay in Marina Mandarin, which was just a few minutes walk to Suntec. Thus this meant that I need not wake up at 4am from home like what I did during the on-site for STOM. With Thida as my room-mate and the two of us as the only interns involved in ASEAN-BIS, we kept a look out for each other.
On Day 2, Connie had a personal emergency and had to rush off immediately. All of a sudden, I was left to handle a lot of issues by myself. Once again, putting on the “Event Manager” Badge, I will be representing MP and I had to be extremely careful when dealing with any sticky situations, which put me under pressure again. A lot of people were directed to me as I was the only one around the Organizer’s Office. People will come to tell me that the background was too loud, the lan connection was not working, they want to use the storeroom at the registration outside the hall etc…and my handphone number was always given to people and I will always receive phone calls for collection of orders from suppliers such as gifts, laptops, state rostrum…etc…By the end of Day 2, I was so physically drained already.
During ASEAN-BIS, I also had the opportunities to talk to a lot of people. It was nice sharing about what each other were doing and a little of each other’s background. I was given a lot of name cards during these two events and these contacts had increased my network of people around me and I am sure that these would help me a lot in future.
I had worked with different colleagues in the office and had a better idea of how they work and behave. I had also learnt how to manage situations where by I was sandwiched between two of my supervisors, which happened quite very often. It wasn’t easy but I learnt to be immune to the being-scolded-for-no-reason.
Through this internship, I realized that I am a person who likes a lot of interaction between people and value the bonds between people. When I first started in MP, everyone seemed to be only looking into their computer screens the whole day. I could not get used to sitting in front of the computer for 9 hours without talking to people. As days goes by, when I got closer to my working colleagues, I found out that there is “life” in the office. Through the two projects I was involved in, we went through a lot of late nights and hard work together, and bonds between us got closer. Now, we always go out for lunch and dinner as a group and there are more topics that we can talk about with one another. I also got closer with my own schoolmates, supporting one another when we are down mentally or physically or both, especially Thida, whom I seldom talk with back in school then, who sat beside me in the office and was also my room-mate during ASEAN-BIS.
I achieved my mid-term goals of meeting adults in real working situations and gaining experience in coping with the demands of work. I had also met my long term goals of developing good working relationships with my colleagues and understand my own needs in my workplace.
♥
11:55 PM
Saturday, November 24, 2007
So right after 24th STOM and 13th ATM, i was plonked into another event...
2007 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit
16 - 18 November 2007
Suntec Singapore
Was doing what Carrine was doing before she came until i was too heavily involved in STOM...i passed everything to Carrine when she came board with MP...got disconnected with ASEAN-BIS and i'm back with it again
This time round...there's more tears...more sweat...more blood...So many things had happened...
Suntec was way WAYYY so much bigger than RCCC la...running from Level 4 to Level 1 and back to Level 4 and then again to Level 1 is not easy man...AND Angeline really made good full use of me...drain all my energy dry dry...i was majiam her personal personal assistant...or in short...maid...
Connie had a personal emergency and had to leave so suddenly...and it was that small contact list behind my badge that helped me survive the rest of the 3-day summit...now that i think back...it's amazing how i did it...HAHA...met alot of people as a result...no shit to clean this time round but i had to tahan a flower vase that was not even pretty at all...*BOO
Once again...the whole world seemed to know my handphone number lah...my handphone battery died within a day...
Walkie-talkies are so so SO much smaller and lighter this time round and had reminded me how we used to stuff the ear-piece in our ears for more than 12 hours for 6 days...till my ear got bruise...Connie got the after side-effect...Max's ear got pimple...haha
It's nice seeing Jimmy again...and his "小妹！"...all thanks to Connie...badges are faster and easier to print...which also reminded me about the panicky situation back then...and in turn reminded me of Alex and his scary bunch of crew badges
It's also nice seeing some of the staff back in RCCC
Sounds nice staying in Marina Mandarin...i was still pretty excited as that was the first time staying in a hotel in Singapore...but eventually...it was merely just a bed, a roof, a bathroom and 4 walls that were just 5 minutes walk from Suntec...no bubble-bath...no watch-TV-till-i-fall-asleep...Thanks to Max, who morning-called me at 5am every morning...talk talk with me for a while to make sure i'm really awake...haha...everyone knows how difficult it is to wake me up...HAHA
Except for the rush but hearty breakfast...i did not had a proper meal for three days...all i had was the lup-zup-zup food that was brought in to the Organiser's Office by the service staff...
June and Yen was my gossip kakee...HAHA...there was an instance where June and I had to excott an Ah Pek to Pan Pacific Hotel and back to Suntec again...i concluded that ALL Ah Peks are dirty old uncles...
I had also kept a lookout for the handsome policemen i met in STOM...haha...because they told me that they will be involved in ASEAN-BIS as well...but unfortunately i see none of them..!
ICTM registration counter was juz right beside ASEAN-BIS registration...the whole row of registration counter belonged to MP...so zai3 can! It's nice seeing Janice and Vivienne even though we were doing different projects...HOHO
Something happened back in the office...which makes me realised the importance of networking...the importance of knowing alot of people...and i'm LOVING the network i got from working with MOT, MPA, LTA, CAAS, PICO, SBF and all the different different suppliers! One email from Yann Lin from MPA saying, "...it's lucky i know u gals", totally makes my day!
My room-mate - THIDA! With me around to entertain her how can she be bored? HAHAhaha
♥
1:29 AM
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Mr Tham, this is for you:
ONG LYEEE SHEEEEE STILL LOVES MR THAM
AND SHE ALWAYS WILL
Don't be sad anymore ok...haha
24th ASEAN Senior Transport Ministers Meeting and
13th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting
29 October 2007 - 2 November 2007
Raffles City Convention Centre
I have so much so much to tell about my experience during onsite operations can!
How i have to clean his shit and how he scolded me and how i complained to Connie to Angeline to Max and how Angeline scolded him back and how Angeline called to tell me about it after that...
How he flirted with anuties...
How i got so sian when people asked me about this and that just because i'm the Secretariat and how i did jiapalang stuff...
How i froze in the Secretariat Room...
How i ran in my heels all round RCCC...
How everyone get to know me and how i get to know everyone...
How the policemen closed one eye and let me through the scanning of security pass and metal detectors and hand-scans...
How things cropped up and everyone got so panic and worried...
How things were solved...
How Max and I cover for each other...
How the handsome policemans and securities talked to me and gave me their namecards and how i talked to them...
How i had to crawl out of bed at 4am every morning...
How the relationship between Angeline, Connie, Max and I got closer...
How we had our meals and how we forgot about eating...
How everyone walkie-talkie everyone...
How i got my chaffeur...
How everyone shoke hands with everyone...
How they wished me good luck in my future endeavours...
How we kept in touch after that...
So many how-s that i will never forget...
2nd e-Journal:
After getting a taste of being a PA of CEO for a week, I was back to my small work area at the back of the office. They had employed an experienced lady to be her PA who could really take good care of her needs. In addition, I was heavily involved in 24th STOM and 13th ATM, I couldn’t really do a lot for her.
I was brought along to the meetings together with Angeline, Connie and Jason, the Project Director. I was put to be in charge of recording minutes during minutes, which was the most difficult part at the end of the meeting back in the office because the first meeting I attended was MP and the committee’s fifth meeting and I was trying to understand and keeping up with the issues that are going on. I was recalling back when we were still having Communication Skills 2, when we have a session of meeting role play. Everything is the same, from preparing the agenda, powerpoint slides and printing out copies for the committee members. The difference is that there was no “script” where interruptions, off-tracks, augments etc were purposely being put into the role play. It was a real meeting where I see big professionals at work. As this event involves Ministers from ASEAN countries, a few of different organizations, mostly working for the government service sector, come together to work on this project. Apart from Ministry of Transport (MOT), there are also organizations such as Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Maritime Port Authority (MPA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), working hand in hand. There was a meeting where they were discussing about ensuring that the formation of out-raiders was not disrupted when the Ministers and other delegates were being transported to ONE°15 for Welcome Dinner, LTA suggested that they are able to make it a way such that the traffic light is always green for them to drive all the way from Swissotel The Stamford Lobby to Sentosa. I was really pretty impressed at how they can actually do that. There was also a time where the Security Command were doing a presentation on they are going to set up the metal detectors and how they are going to carry out inspections, again, I was in awed of the things that they were able to do. Even though there are stress-out and tense moments during meetings, there were also times where they crack jokes with their sense of humour, which helped to lighten up the atmosphere. The meetings I went to were eye-openers to me.
From my last entry, my supervisors seemed to be very nice. However, things weren’t the way it is anymore. Angeline’s expectation of my work becomes higher. It became very stressful doing work for her. Soon, her presence created a sense of pressure in me. I had been also very miserable due to Connie’s mood swings. I would say that it is quite serious because her mood swings were so drastic. One moment she could be calling me to ask if I need to get anything while on her way back to the office from meeting, the next moment her mood just change and give me that kind of frustrated look. I understand if it is due to work stress. I knew that she had been working on a few different projects consecutively for about 2 years without any break. However I do not understand why she could still laugh with other colleagues the very next moment after she gave me that frustrated look. It felt like as though she was letting out her frustrations on me. If I had done something wrong she could just tell me about it. I would not even complain if it was really my wrong. After all, we are interns, we are there to learn, isn’t it?
Sometimes I was sandwiched between the two supervisors when both supervisors gave my different task to be done at the same time, which left me in a difficult position. With all this issues I faced, I started to drag my feet to work, which I knew it wasn’t a good sign. I kept this to myself until I could not take it anymore and broke down over the phone while talking to my friend. And I think Connie sensed it. From then on, her attitude towards me got better.
I stayed back everyday to work OT including my pretty Saturday and as the event date was drawing nearer, I stayed back with Connie till the wee hours of the morning, doing production work, such as photocopying hundreds sets of copies of letters, booklets, documents which has about 80 plus pages per set. This was the time where I began to feel that I killed so many trees. Those people might not even read the booklets that we prepared and will be thrown away after the event. Then we will go on into sorting them out, filing them, stapling together, putting into the respective envelopes etc. I was jokingly telling Connie that we could change and go into production line. By then, I was mentally tired.
One thing that I feel proud of myself was that I managed to scout for a cheaper corporate gift compared with the one that the other company was offering, within a few hours. It was a last minute decision to drop the quotation given by the first company and it was only about 1 week plus before the start of the event. It was difficult because factors such as sampling time and lead time had to be taken consideration. I was so excited when I found another company that has exactly the same product at a cheaper price and at the same time, able to send the final product to the client’s office for the final packing.
I had to manage a lot on my emotions this time round. I had learnt not to take things so hard. We are just working there as interns and we will not learn without making any mistakes. If we were to always attach to nice supervisors, there would not be any challenges to face of difficulties to overcome and we would not be able to learn and develop as much. I feel that being able to multi-task is good because then we are able to do a few things at a same time. However, too much of multi-tasking will end up in a state of mess. That was where I learnt to prioritize my work. I will continue to like what I am doing and continue to learn as much as I can during the remaining weeks that I have with MP.
The moment when i see her for the one last time was still deeply etched in my mind...
♥
11:54 PM
