Dear 2017

Dear 2017,

It was a year filled with various activities, excitement and new beginnings. Although there were times that I was very vexed with the ongoing flurry of activities, it was all worth it in the end.

2017 is indeed a very special year for me. In 2017, these happened:

• set up an online greeting card store with my friend
• got the keys to our very own HDB flat
• renovation for our flat
• got married with the love of my life in June
• honeymoon in Italy after the wedding
• learning how to cook delicious meals for my husband (though some turned out not as soon)
• decided to stop working with the current tuition centre and had a one month break
• travel to Tokyo with my husband and parents-in-law
• starting to teach part-time with another tuition centre only to find out my ex-colleague is there too!
• and a little surprise coming our way

That really seems like a very long list to me. Thank you for such a wonderful 2017. May 2018 be even better too!

Cheers to 2017! Hello 2018 soon!

Career Change in 2015

Having done relief teaching for a Primary 2 class as a form teacher in 2006 was actually a dream come true. However, a pass in A Levels did not guarantee me a spot in NIE then. Even a First Class Honours degree didn't grant me a chance to be selected for interview with NIE.

Seriously.

Majoring in accounts was an easy way out for me in 2006, when there seemed to be no other options for me. I didn't regret taking accounts. I learnt new things, met new friends and colleagues throughout the years. However, job satisfaction just wasn't there. Even though I had a stable job, I was still unhappy.

I didn't know why I had the courage to brave a career change at the age of 28 but I'm glad I did it. I quit my job in June to enjoy my Hokkaido trip in peace and then applied for NIE for the nth time. Four months later, I had my answer again.

Negative.

Negative.

Negative.

Freaking negative again.

I've had it. Is it so difficult for me just to teach? Something which I know for sure I will enjoy doing?

Then, an idea hit me. 

I applied for teaching position with several tuition centres and I'm officially going to start work as a full-time tutor tomorrow. I'm so excited! Been brushing up on my syllabus for the past few weeks even since my interview. I know, I know--I should have started earlier but I was just too engrossed enjoying my long break. It isn't too late to start, is it?

I'm so blessed to have the support of my loving mum, my doting boyfriend and my encouraging bff. Things will definitely work out well. I'll have my well deserved work-life balance.

My dear students, here I come~

Sweet Sweet Darling Bear of Mine

Seeing this every morning before I go to work never fail to put a smile on my face. This lovely set came as a surprise to me coz I don't think I mentioned about wanting to get this limited edition set at all. My darling Bear is so sweet and doting and I'll never take it/him for granted.

Ladies like gifts and surprises for sure. To me, those are bonuses because meeting him, getting to know him and spending quality time with him is already the biggest gift in my life.

Thank you for your precious gift. :)

I'll always treasure our time together.

Over the moon and fly away

To the friendly polar bear that I'm so lucky to have met...

Thank you for sending the first message.

Thank you for making me smile everyday.

Thank you for making me feel the way I feel.

Thank you for being you.

大好きだよ~

What I've been doing so far (2013 to Mid 2014 edition)

Year 2013

2013 is a year of work and work. Joined a small company in August 2012 and had fun working with a small team of colleagues in a cozy environment we all know as Duxton Hill. I was transferred to its parent company in November and it was a tiring period for me but I learnt a lot of new things there. However, my body couldn't take the sleepless nights and I chose to leave mid Feb 2014.

April 2014

My dream came true!

Japan (Tottori & Osaka) 1-10 April

Went on a carefree free & easy trip to Japan with Pei-chan! It is also sort of our 10 year friendship celebration (even though we didn't realize it at that time). 

BFF forever!!!

I'll not forget how fun our trip was and how shocking our experiences there are! The weather was super cold and the hot spring was super hot! We got to take the Shinkansen as well and see a lot of interesting things. 

Why blog again?

You're asking me? Seriously? I don't know. I just realized that I have a blog which I didn't touch for 2 whole years (give and take a few months). I was reading my past blog posts and smiled at some of the silly and funny posts that I wrote a long time ago. Blogging is a fun process of writing a diary, except that it can be read by everyone and anyone. Perhaps that's the reason why some people actually stopped blogging--because it's just too public. 

What I recalled when I read through all my posts:

• Exams
• My cute niece Kimi who's already in Primary 2 now
• Uni projects
• Uni classmates
• Some fun time at work
• My students
• Mysterious person by the name of Taz/Shy Taz (omg, those were the days). If only...

Going Forward

I've got a job at Raffles Place so I foresee that I'll be pretty busy for the following months... years... decades... you know what I mean. I've actually sent in an application to take up a course in teaching with NIE but I don't think I'll be hearing anything from them. The web says they'll call me up by mid July if I'm selected for the interview but then... Anyway, I won't be putting too much hope on tthat since my relief teaching application was only successful when I applied for the lower position. That's the problem of getting a foreign degree. Shall make do with what I have.

Blogging wise... It'll be an on and off thing. We shall see how.

Adieu!