Always good to look up

When I look around me sometimes, I feel frustrated. The crowd, the squeeze, the life-less people who just pass me by. One place always give me comfort. The space above me.

 
I will never get these in SH. When I look up, I know my kids are breathing good air. When I look up, I know there is hope in HIM.

Handmade is always good

Mother’s Day gifts…

A treasure map to find my gifts…(even on Mother’s Day, I have to work!)


…they are found! Cute right? All handmade. I have a little basket full of handmade gifts from my kids.

Back to school (updated with new pixs)

Never imagine myself to be good with limbs co-ordination. Somehow, they just don’t co-operate. I have always been known to be musically not inclined. Imagine two ‘cannots’  do not make a ‘can’.
I took up Zumba when I was in Shanghai. Some Singapore Shanghai mamas were looking for some form of exercise. One of them found a place teaching and gave us the information. I went and loved. It turned out, I was the only regular one. Yes, I hate getting fat. I like to remain fit and trim. (Realise, it is not slim) *Wink*

Came back home and continue with it. Seriously, I have never imagined myself to be at where I am. There is so much truth in this…you will never know till you try.

My plan was to look at the possibility of setting up a cafe. But when home, everything was only going upwards. Food was expensive, properties were expensive. Everything was just not within reach. To dabble with it means throwing myself into the furnace. Perhaps, teaching Zumba was a good idea. Classes are in the mornings, (kids in school) and by noon, I would be done and could still spend time with them. Sounds ideal.

So, off I went back to school. By the way, the oldest student for this course is a 85 year old lady (not from SG). So, move your butt. *Grin*

A peek into the class…



The group of us. Nice people.

 
It is not just about dancing.

 
Performing in front of the class. Was nerve-wrecking at first but once settled, it was pure fun.

 
Can’t tell the difference between the lecturer and the students.

 
Finally, after two days of sweat. With this, I can now learn Zumba for kids, Zumba for older folks and Zumba to tone so that there will be no chicken wings under my arms!

Let me share with you an irony. The person who taught me Zumba in SH was not suppose to teach but somehow, she managed to conduct a class. When I was looking for the instructor’s course, I asked a certified instructor in SG how do I go about doing it. She told me, you must first be a personal trainer. My jaws dropped. It seems almost impossible. Anyway, I emailed my instructor in SH and she said just go to Zumba.com. I went into the site and lo and behold…there are no requirements. Strange right? Some people are just so afraid of sharing information. But you know what? Beto, the founder of Zumba, revealed all the secrets of conducting Zumba classes in the website once you become a certified instructor!  

The final pictures…just came in from the lecturer.


 

Love is TIME

Really, this is so true. To children and perhaps even adults, LOVE is spelt with T-I-M-E. If you love someone, you would be spending time with them. During the May Day holiday, we brought the kids out to West Coast again. They really enjoyed themselves. At the end of the day, they both thank us for bringing them there to play. It wasn’t for very long, about two hours and they already found so much fun.

If only all parents will know that it is not about buying them the latest gadgets, giving them lots of allowance, bringing them to posh restaurants or even fast food joints, it all about giving them time to be themselves, to be children.

Bt the way, the next day was their mid-year examinations.

 

Kids will always be kids
    

Trying to flip each other!


mum just want to have fun!

Little Ann is sad

Ann was feeling sad. She said that there is this girl (Miss M) in her class who is very bossy and mean. On a few occasions, she has asked Ann to go away when she tried to join them to do homework while waiting for their CCA to start. Yesterday, it happened again. She was asked to go away. You know what, this girl is the class monitor. Sometimes, I wonder how teachers make choices? (Do they start the “tripod” training since young?)

Ann is someone who is very expressive. She loves having friends and loves being with them and having fun, doing things together. When such things happen, she becomes really sad. Mama ain’t happy either.

How can you ever outsource child-rearing? The best maid, the best childcare, the best grands will only provide the best for the child physically but how many actually impart right values and morals?
Yes, I know and I understand that these girls were probably friends since they were P1. After being together for 2 1/2 years, they have already build a strong friendship but do you have to be mean to a girl who has just join you?

Anyway, I have told Ann to ignore her. She will just be a fair-weather friend or acquaintance. There are many other nice girls in class. Like one girl (Miss E) who actually wrote Ann a thank-you note, telling her how much she appreciates her friendship. Yes, that’s what I call feeding the soul and imparting the right values to a child. Told Ann that this is the kind of friend she should keep for the rest of her life!

Told her that she should never behave like Miss M but should always follow the example of Miss E.
I am going to print these pictures and paste them in her room. Little things she must learn to make her a tougher person when she grows up.

人生无常

星期六看新闻，知道艺人，黄文永逝世。星期天晚上, 收到短信，中学同学也死了，得了血癌。感叹人生真的是如此短暂。

会演戏的人很多。可是，会演好戏的，有人要看的，已经不多了！朋友也一样。有很多朋友,不难， 有好的朋友是不多的。

人生是一场旅程, 有许多站，但每个人都会到达终点站。名人，伟人，艺人，平凡人。。。都会有一天来到终站。我想，这就是人人所说的。。。老天是公平的。

Talking about you, dude!

I want to write about this for the longest time but I have to get my thoughts organised.

You know I am a returning Singaporean. Someone who has been away for a considerable amount of years and now back in her homeland. I have said that in my previous blog, living a “relocated” life isn’t easy. I must say that the mothers face the toughest challenge. The husbands go back to office, he works and gets busy. He doesn’t really have to make new friends, there are “instant” friends aka colleagues. The kids carry on with going to school and having fun with new friends. Mums are the ones who have to go find her way around.

Recently, a friend was relocated to China. When she was here, she was a full time working mum, a professional. That made her relocation twice as difficult as mine. Firstly, she has to adjust to life as a stay-at-home mum, then she has to adjust to life in a new environment. Remember, China isn’t a fully developed country yet. It has been in the news lately…dead pigs in Huang Pu Jiang, bird flu – H7N9 and of course, the never-ending pollution. The first tier cities already have their problems, imagine the second and third tier cities.

The last I heard from her was “everyday is a struggle”. Of course I know. Been there, done that.
But you know, life in a foreign land can be made easier for mums when the husbands show some form of care. Yes, I am talking about you, dude! Don’t make comments like “you are in a new place, you suppose to go and explore.” No friends, no families, no nuts about where to go…explore what, where with who?

Hello, you think it is that easy? Why not do a swap. You stay home, send the kids to school and go and explore. That isn’t US of A or Australia or NZ or some sane place. She made the sacrifice of giving up her job, follow you overseas so that you can up a notch in your career. At least, show some love.

In fact, there are so many real-life stories of the struggles of mums who have relocated with their husbands. Some of these are really tough cookies but do not take them for granted. Appreciate them, love them, give them your time…Imagine, when the assignment is over and when she goes home, she has lost her job, she may have lost some friends.  For her, it is all over again from day one. For you, it may be the promotion, the recognition, the status. Remember, without her, you won’t be where you are. (Incidentally, I also know of wives who refused to move and the husbands missed that promotion). Behind every successful man, is a very long-suffering wife.

You won’t get brain damage to be a little more sensitive towards her.