MZ in LaLaLand

Art & Craft

2010-07-28T15:26:00.002+03:00

Came across this fabulous website/blog today called Skip to my Lou.

I followed a link from the Guardian website on a story on how to make a zippered pouch. I'm also inspired by Skip to my Lou's one hour bag.

I love pouches of all sorts of shapes and sizes. Actually I am one of those girls who love to sew. I used to make tissue covers, cushion covers, and I can't remember what else. I couldn't keep all of them so I gave them away as gifts.

I love shopping for bags and pouches. I like the Japanese ones, then I found that the ones in Finland are wonderful too. People spend so much effort sewing each piece of lace or felt ornament. But €10 or more (up to €25 sometimes) for a little pouch is too much.

It's been a while since I used the sewing machine. When we left Singapore, I decided to leave it at my aunt's. The sewing machine is over 50 years old and it belonged to my grandmother. It was a present from my grandfather who had either won money at the lottery or horses or got his annual bonus. The original receipt showed 1 Jan 1955 or something. Apparently this was one of those few times my grandfather showed love to his wife.

When I was a little girl, I'd watch my grandma turn the handle with one hand while holding to the fabric with the other. She would place the machine on a table next to the window. With that machine she sewed clothes, pillow cases and blankets for the family. I was often called to put the thread through the eye of the needle and like that, I learnt to set up the thread network and work the machine.

During my grandma's final days, I asked for the sewing machine which was kept at an aunt's home at the time. I figured it was easier then than after she passed and we had to "divide the assets". I didn't care for the money - I just wanted the sewing machine.

I haven't opened the machine since we left Singapore the first time. It's now at another aunt's place for safekeeping. She reminded me just a couple of weeks ago to go get it and work on it in case it got rusty.

So, after looking at the interesting crafts on Skip to my Lou, I think I might bring the sewing machine home soon.

If you receive a pouch sometime soon, you'll know why.

Speed reading

2010-07-19T18:47:00.005+03:00

Met an old friend at Great World City for lunch today and was browsing at Harris bookshop.

I scanned the bookshelves quickly and didn't realise that I mis-read the title of this book until 5 seconds later.

I read The Idiot's Accent: American.

Oops

Toilet, loo, bathroom...

2010-05-18T19:09:00.005+03:00

One of my favourite authors Bill Bryson has a new book out. This one is called At Home: A short history of private life.

I'm guessing it's a record of the evolution of modern home life as we know it. There is a short excerpt in The Guardian newspaper where he revealed a little about the history about toilets, stairs and the lawn. I especially like the part about Thomas Crapper.

Amazon lists this book for pre-order. It will be launched only in October. It probably won't be as hot as Harry Potter or the iPad, where one has to queue up overnight or even 48 hours in advance to get hold of the goods. As for me, I will probably wait until next year when some bookstore out there offers 20% off.

I've read two of Bill Bryson's books so far: A Brief History of Nearly Everything, then Shakespeare. The first book is like reading a science textbook, but also like a history text packed with trivia. Also, it's not brief at all. As someone who has spent more than a decade of my life studying science, the book was filled with familiar information yet I feel like I'm re-discovering science all over again.

Same for Shakespeare. It's a book about a famous figure and Bryson weaves in Shakespeare's life history with some little-known facts. Even the name Shakespeare is apparently a consensual name because the guy had signed off with different spellings on different occasions.

Bryson delved into libraries and history records, as well as visited the sites and conducted interviews with experts. The books are based on real research but they are also extremely funny because he has a really great sense of humour. He is subtle though so if you get his joke, it's really funny. I laughed and giggled when I read Brief History.*

Bryson also enjoyed travelling. He has written several books based on his travels. I'll buy one of them next time it goes on sale.

* HG has said it's a matter of perspective when it comes to humour. What's funny to me may not be funny to you. Hahaha

The end of an era

2010-05-16T18:10:00.004+03:00

An empty shell, that's all there is left now.

This was Blessed Hope, a place where I spent many hours of my youth. This was a little shop at Coronation Plaza that sells Christian music and literature.

I used to work here during the school holidays during my late-teens. Initially I was roped in during November and December to help out during the months leading up to Christmas. The shop would be really busy and I became good at wrapping presents of all shapes and sizes.

One year, the proprietors asked me if I wanted to work there full-time during the school holidays. Vacation could last up to 3 months at the university and this was the time to top up my bank account. But pay was pretty miserable. Since it was a long time along, I can now reveal that I was paid a mere S$25 a day. I could have earned twice as much had I taken on a data entry job. In those days, data entry jobs were highly coveted; pay was good but one could get cross-eyed at the end of the day.

But the non-ambitious me decided this job was what I wanted. Work started at 10 am, there was no supervisor, there was a direct bus to work and I could invite friends over. I spent my days playing the racks of CDs (customers came in asking for the complete Praise 15 cassette collection), reading the shelves of books (like Stick a Geranium in your Hat and Laugh - about coping with grief) and crocheting little pouches (I stuck in M&S eclairs for my friends). There were interesting - sometimes strange - customers. At least it was an interactive job.

I can't remember exactly who came over to relieve my boredom. The shop was tiny so sometimes, I had to relieve my visitors' boredom by sending them to the supermarket downstairs.

The owners knew I wouldn't stay long. This was definitely not my career of choice. The lady in the picture is Auntie Maureen, who would succeed me and stayed on for the next 10 years or so. At that time, she had just been laid off from her factory job, anyway she was the aunt of one of the owners.

We spent one month together so that I could "show her the ropes". I couldn't see why she was chosen. She had no interest in music and didn't read very much. She wasn't even a Christian. Okay, she was Catholic. Then how do I reject her when she tried to invite me to send my petitions to Mary?

Auntie Maureen is nice. She bought me drinks in the afternoon. She liked to know who was coming to have lunch with me. I was safe if a girl turned up, but I would get probed if it was a boy. How many ways are there to ask about a friendship without mentioning the word "boyfriend"? I was often teased by the owners about my interrogations. But she was really harmless.

Over the years, business at the shop waned. Blame it on the location. Or blame it on the stock. One of the partners wanted to give up a long time ago. It wasn't profitable and was a hassle keeping it going. Business carried on because it was a form of ministry. They wanted to meet fellow Christians' spiritual needs.

29 April was Blessed Hope's last day. I came to witness the hacking and removal of shelves. The smell that was so familiar was gone on that day. There were stacks of magazines in boxes that I thought looked familiar. 1992 said the date. Gosh, those had been hiding under the counter all these years.

CDs are out of date; the internet is the main supplier of music nowadays. Christians apparently aren't reading so much now. Gone were the little cards of encouraging words and scriptures. SMS or Facebook fulfill this function now. The shop was filling up with stationary and knick-knacks.

Ultimately, Blessed Hope was bought out by a bank. I was told the bank, one of the largest in Singapore, sought out the landlords of 3 adjacent shops and offered twice the rental. a neighbour moved across the aisle and 2 others folded.

There goes another piece of memory. I don't really go there much anymore but just felt comfortable seeing it every time I pass by. It was selfish of me to want things unchanged.

Life has to go on.

As for Auntie Maureen, she is going on a long holiday and is choosing between a choice of jobs.

Growing seeds

2010-05-08T18:02:00.003+03:00

It's been a while (yet again) since my last post. I could put up a image to enhance this story but you will see that it won't be appropriate.

As Estelle was getting ready for her shower today, she picked at her chest and asked, "What are these?"

"They are called nipples," I answered.

"I know, they are seeds," she offered.

"Because they will grow big. And for boys, they will grow hair. Lots of long hair."

Then she went on to name several members of the family as evidence.

So you see, I have no such pictures.

5 more hours

2010-04-14T19:55:00.003+03:00

Five more hours before I have to wake up from sleepy stupor to start my trip to Shanghai. The cab has been booked for 6 am and hopefully with light traffic in the early morning, I can get to Changi Airport by 6.30 am.

I won't be able to access blogspot in China. So my friends living in China tell me. Thus before this blog lapses into obscurity again, I'd better update it before next week.

Although I've been to Shanghai many times, this is probably the first time I'll get (substantial) off time to do some sightseeing. My colleague and I will arrive in Shanghai around lunch time and we'll have the rest of the day to walk around. This weekend is free too because I can't fix any appointments on the weekend. I'd thought the Chinese work on Saturdays. Maybe the VIPs I am hoping to meet would rather take the time off. Being able to spend quality time matters to those striving in the Chinese economy too.

The last time I was in Shanghai was around 3 years ago but the itinerary was managed by the PR company who shuttled us around in a chartered bus. My hotel was next to Plaza 66, a swanking mall with big brands - a top shopping centre in Shanghai and I went there only 3 years ago. Such a frog in my little well, I thought.

The famous Bund has been renovated and recently reopened, just in time for the World Expo 2 weeks from now. The iconic Peace Hotel has also been refurbished. The pictures I will take this time will be different from the ones I took before.

Perhaps change, drastic change, is a necessity of the new Asia. Change signifies that the city is moving forward and willing to let go of the past.

Some trees along Bukit Timah Road (in Singapore) outside Chinese High and what-was Hwa Chong JC have been chopped off. The avenue is bare as the road, cars and passers-by are exposed to bright sunshine. It looks like a different road to me. The majestic trees are making way for a new MRT station which will bring convenience to the students and residents in the area. An improvement in the quality of life, the chopped trees will bring.

Good night. Going to zzz... Less than 5 hours til the alarm rings.

Busy at work

2010-03-31T07:41:00.002+03:00

It has been a long time since I blogged. So long that I forgot my password and how to navigate my way around the settings.

In a way, nothing much has happened the last couple of months. Time passed while I watched TV, roamed the streets, run errands and took naps. With such little excitement, my interest to do anything dwindled.

That's me. When I am idle, my days just... idle... away.

As I am writing this, I'm actually crunched for time. I have less than 7 days to finish producing the magazine. Yes, I'm back to my old job and had just taken over an emergency, trying to squeeze 1 month's work in 1 week. 2 weeks later I'm off to Shanghai.

The multi-tasking mode is turned on as the Standby light goes out. Thus I blog.

HG is in Finland this week. It is still snowing even though it's April tomorrow. When it rains, I like to imagine the drops are lighter and whiter. Then the stickiness on my exposed arms and shoulders remind me that this is hot and humid Singapore.

Where is the camera? I've got photos to upload.

Money problem

2010-01-21T04:36:00.005+02:00

Now that Estelle is in primary school, she has access to the school canteen where she can buy food.

Estelle feels grown-up when she can buy something for herself without an adult's help. She prefers buying to bringing food from home. Her pocket money was withdrawn for one day last week when I found that she had been buying sweet drinks and jelly instead of food. By the time she was dismissed from class, she was famished. We have come to an understanding that she has to spend the money on food and she can decide what to do with the balance.

She has done pretty well this couple of weeks. For days she had fishball noodle during recess. Finally, on Tuesday, she ventured to a new territory called chicken rice and yesterday (Wednesday), she conquered another frontier, duck rice.

I suspect she is still not sure how much her food cost. For days she told me her food cost $1.00 but she got money back. Nevertheless, she has come up with a clever way to pay.

Apparently, she gives the stall owner $1.00 and waits for change.

She is figuring her way around the economics of buying and selling.

I have used this trick myself during my travels. Whether in Bangkok, Tokyo or Finland, I will try to speak the local language to assume the role of a local expatriate. In other words, I'm faking familiarity with the market place. Usually in the first couple of days, my ears are still not tuned and I can't make out the price quoted, so I'll give a sufficiently large note and wait for change. Throw in a smile and a word of thanks in their language always makes the shopping trip a pleasant one.

Frustrations of renovation

2010-01-19T14:44:00.005+02:00

Last Friday, we officially moved back home. It feels great to come back to where we started. For 5 years, this apartment was someone else's home. Finally, we reclaim it as our own again.

Early last year, we decided completely renovate our apartment. We'd thought we would take this chance to give it an overhaul and have it done up the way we want it.

That was the ideal. Reality sometimes sucks.

Boxes waiting to be unpacked

By the time the movers came last Wednesday with our belongings (all 80 boxes of them), renovations were still incomplete. The kitchen wasn't ready, the children's wardrobe hadn't been fully installed and our bookshelves were also left undone.

Storage aside, other fittings like the kitchen countertop was not ready - without which we couldn't use the taps. Simple washing like mugs or hands and even brushing our teeth were done under a shower head.

As of today, we still lack a gate and to make matters worse, the lock on the main door is faulty.

"When are you coming to fix it?" I asked. "We are rushing it," was the answer: a response I've heard many times this past month.

Last month, there was an article in the Straits Times entitled "Dream house, renovation nightmare". Ours isn't exactly a nightmare but it's certainly no sweet dream.

As days go by, we detected more and more defects. Chips in the kitchen, a hole on the wooden laminate floor, scratches on the bathroom doors... There were some gooey patches on the kitchen floor and other parts of the kitchen. When we pointed this out to our designer/contractor, he suggested that we buy some Jif because Jif would clean it silicon binders. What a turnaround in attitude compared to the start of the project when they would take care of everything. A month ago, we'd probably get "don't worry, I'll take care of this" and they would sort the problem out.

Now that 90% of the costs have been paid - we felt we were hunted down by loansharks for the last 30%, perhaps less forthcoming help should be expected.

Today, a couple of men came to install locks on our kitchen windows and change the panelling on the bathroom doors. Not only did I have to clean up the mess they left behind, I noticed they also left hard-to-remove stains on the doors and wash basin.

How long does it take to fit in 5 wooden planks for my shelves? The carpenters take at least 6 days, and counting. The same guys are responsible for changing the hinge on one of the kitchen cabinets. I'm still waiting.

I have 20 more boxes to unload. A OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) seems to be developing as I sweep the floor 5 times a day, each time cleaning up more debris and dust. Frustration continues to build up.

So I wouldn't recommend Cartel Design if you are considering renovation works in Singapore. We chose the company through the reference of a friend. Renovation is a dodgy industry, at least in Singapore, so we had expected delays and shoddy workmanship. Other friends we asked say they would recommend their contractors only to their enemies.

While other aspects of our life seem to be getting on fine, this on-going renovations, especially the dribs and drabs in these last phases, is clouding up my nice outlook.

The patriot

2010-01-18T16:27:00.003+02:00

Third week into Primary 1, Estelle still thinks school is fun.

Tomorrow will be her first spelling test. She has never had spelling tests before so when she got the list of words to be tested, she told me those were for a "spelling contest". There is a programme on Singapore TV called Spell Cast, which is basically like the Spelling Bee in the US. She thinks she is like one of the contestants on TV.

She has learnt a favourite song at school. It's called Majulah Singapura, which is our National Anthem. For 2 weeks now, this is the only song she's been humming. Last week, she thought she was learning a Malay song - our national anthem is in the Malay language, not English. Today, she sang it at the top of her voice, much to her parents' amusement. She was a little shy so she closed the door and sang passionately. She didn't realise the walls have ears.

We call her our little patriot.

At Estelle's school, each class has a class blog where the teachers update parents on the topics covered in class or inform us of administrative matters.

In today's entry, her form teacher wrote: "The children sang the national anthem loudly and with pride at the end of the lesson, which I thought was great."

That explains the loud singing we got at home today.

When Jules came home later in the afternoon, she tried to teach him the song and bring him through the procedures during morning assembly, when the children start the day with the singing of the national anthem, the school song and reciting the pledge.

So far, Estelle seems to be fitting in well into the new system. School continues to be a fun experience.

Getting ahead of the pack

2010-01-12T16:18:00.003+02:00

After 7 days of formal schooling in Singapore, I'm getting a little worried.

Today, Estelle brought her English language worksheets home. She not only learnt about pronouns (like female = she, male = he) but had completed a cloze passage: this is when she had to read a short story and fill up the blanks with helping words. Looking through the list of new words she will be learning, one of them is 'exasperation'. I am exasperated she is learning this word at Grade 1.

I'm happy to say that she had all the answers right. At this point, she can quite easily cope with the English exercises. Many thanks to her teachers at ICEC who have helped her so much!

So what am I worried about?

Do all 6 or 7 year-olds in Grade 1 already know how to read? If they can't read - and I don't mean simple words like cat or dog but stories - they can't do their English worksheets at all. Pitching the level this high, it is little wonder Singaporean parents send their children to prep schools months before they start Grade 1.

How much flexibility are the school and teachers giving to students who are not up to mark to catch up with the syllabus? I'm furiously resisting tuition. But if Estelle can't cope in time to come, I may have to change my mind. I hope and pray I don't have to.

Since we came back to Singapore 2 months ago, we caught up with old friends and long-lost friends whom we have not seen for a decade (or more). For those with children, when they learnt the school Estelle is going to, their responses range from "Wow, congratulations, that school is really hard to get into" or "Well, good luck!" The school does not achieve glowing results through fun and games.

Our friends ask which school she is in and how we gain entry. For the record, we submitted the necessary forms online and were chosen in a balloting exercise. We learnt that our friends sacrificed to get their children into the school of choice. We heard real-life examples of parents who spent tens of hours "volunteering" to serve the school, some paid premium real estate prices to live near the school, and others paid (one told me he spent S$1,000) to join the school association. The highest "donation" I've heard of was... S$200k.

I am thankful we got things easy. If we were living in Singapore and didn't get in the school, we'd probably blame ourselves for not trying harder. I am grateful we didn't have to think about Plan B. Truly grateful.

In Finland, and in other Scandinavian countries, children are not expected to have learnt to read, count or write when they start Grade 1. Children play all day before 6 years old. Some children are obviously ahead of their peers, but the rest are given ample time and opportunities to catch up.

In Singapore, we pride ourselves as a meritocratic society where the ability and talent gets one ahead of the game. Egalitarian Finland, on the other hand, believes that everyone is equal regardless of economic, social or political status.

The Singaporean system exalts the educated and wealthy; the Finnish society helps the less abled, sometimes at the expense of the better-off.

People living in Singapore are urged to excel in the rat race; the incentives to move ahead are limited in Finland.

Merciless meritocracy vs forgiving egalitarianism.

The complete argument should be multi-faceted and would reveal that each society has its pros and cons.

I wish for my children to shine in their strengths and allowed to grow where there are weaknesses. Where is my perfect world?

A new start

2010-01-09T10:12:00.004+02:00

I'm back!

Sweeping aside layers of electronic cobwebs, I realised that only one miserable entry was posted for the month of December.

Here is a brief account of what I accomplished - a word that makes me feel good about how I used the time that has passed me by - in the last one month.

Renovations of our home is almost complete. Almost every morning last month, we visited furniture stores and shops for kitchen equipment, bathroom fittings, lighting, tiles... Sometimes we would meet with our designer to discuss colours and progress of the project.

I'm happy to announce that we are nearing the end of this project. Just in time since the lease of our temporary accommodation expires next week. The movers will come middle of next week and we will move ourselves in by the end of the week.

Next week, we bid farewell to regular housekeeping service, the swimming pool and the convenience of a shopping mall under our feet. We will then say hello to our "new" home and stability as we finally settle into normal life in Singapore.

Estelle started primary school last Monday. I've been meaning to post her progress since Monday but the routine has been pretty tiring.

For the past week, we woke up at 6 am so as to get ready to leave for school before 7 pm. We noticed the kids move in slow motion in the mornings. Nevertheless, time proceeds at its regular speed. Thus one whole hour just to wash up, change and have breakfast.

As for me, what I had been feeling this week is somewhat close to jet lag. My time zone shifted 3 hours ahead since Monday. I much prefer the old schedule of waking up at 9 am.

Estelle seems to be taking to Primary 1 (Grade 1) pretty well... better than we had expected. She has made new friends, found her way around the school and learning new cultures, like singing the national anthem, school song, putting on the school uniform or bowing to greet teachers.

On day 1, Estelle conscientiously finished the bread I packed for her during recess.

By the second day, she bought food herself in the school canteen. She bought a bun and a bottle of Yakult - the latter a treat for herself since it is restricted goods at home.

How much money do you have left? I asked her when I picked her up after school.

Three coins, she replied.

So how much is that, like 10 cents or 20 cents, I queried.

Oh, 30 cents, I think, she said.

On the third day, she bought a bowl of fishball noodles and a bottle of flavoured water.

The noodles cost $1 and the drinks $1,20, she proudly announced.

Where did you get the money from? I asked. Her daily allowance is $1.50.

A teacher had "lent" her money, apparently. I don't know who this good Samaritan is or if she is keeping track of her "loans".

By the fourth day, my little girl lost her purse.

Thus is Chapter 1 of the chronicles of Estelle's adventures at school.

I am a chicken

2009-12-02T07:47:00.005+02:00

You probably won't know it but I am the worrisome type.

I am scared of heights. Living now in a 16th-floor apartment, I worry about accidentally slipping from the balcony while I'm hanging out the laundry. Or the windows giving way if I or either of my kids lean against them.

I imagine being involved in an air traffic accident. Free fall is a horrible way to die. Do you know vacuum pockets exist in the atmosphere and if an airplane flies into it, there is no air pressure to support the weight of the plane and it will simply drop? There is at least one documented example of this and many passengers suffered broken limps. So my kids and I are always buckled when we are seated.

When I was a teenager, I'm fearful of ghosts and all things paranormal. I blame multiple viewings of The Exorcist and Nightmare on Elm Street I, II, III; but I thought the Hong Kong-produced movies were more eerie. During late nights studying for exams, I waited for a green-faced zombie to fly across my window.

When I took up my first editorial job, I would wake up suddenly in the middle of the night, thinking: did i put a full-stop at the end of the sentence? Oh no, it's already gone to print!

I'm not a gambler because the likelihood of winning is near zero. I've tried blackjack, slot machines, poker, roulette, Toto... usually lost it all in the end, so seldom keen to try again.

I am a bystander of the stock market. My heart can't take the stress of the price of shares going down. Once, I watched the indices of my mom's shares and broke out in cold sweat as the numbers fell. I walked away, thanking my lucky stars it wasn't my money.

Low appetite for risk, that's what I have. No pain, no gain, my husband advises.

Am I an eagle thinking I'm a chicken?

I've taken hundreds of flights. There were some harrowing experiences that finished with a bag full of puke but I'm still here.

I've been to the top of the Petronas Towers. Not just the Skybridge on the 43th floor - yes, I clung on to the side railings in case the glass floor gave way - but a privileged ride all the way to the 86th. Just 2 floors away from Dr M's office, I'm told. The clouds were floating before my eyes and the tower was swaying in the wind. Motion sickness threatened my recent buffet lunch but thankfully the contents stayed in.

There hasn't been any sightings of headless horsemen or powdered Qing-dynasty zombies. I haven't had much trouble sleeping alone in a strange room for several years now. As long as the 24-hour news channel is on.

I'm in the midst of a transformation, I believe. There's more than meets the eye.

Balls of Old

2009-11-23T18:55:00.006+02:00

We planned for breakfast together this morning. Then breakfast became brunch.

Our choices for an in-between meal were wide at Tiong Bahru market. This is our first visit since it was renovated thus it was familiar and strange at the same time.

The old stalls seem to be still around: chicken rice, wanton noodles, roasted pork and duck, zhui kueh... Some others didn't ring a bell but they might have been there before.

HG had zhui kueh, which are rice cakes topped with fried turnips. They were the famous Jian Bo variety.

My food of choice was Teochew fishball noodles. Should I have mee pok (flat yellow noodles) or kway teow mee (flat rice noodles mixed with round yellow noodles)? Decisions, decisions...

This yummy bowl of mee pok ta (dry flat yellow noodles) comes with 3 fishballs and slices of fish cakes, in white and orange. It's been years since I had orange-coloured fish cakes. When I was a child, I used to love a little stall at the Toa Payoh Lor 8 market that sold Teochew noodles. That stall changed hands almost 2 decades ago.

This noodle stall at Tiong Bahru has an unassuming sign. All it says was "Teochew Noodles Dry/Soup". It doesn't have stickers proclaiming endorsements by food programmes or foodie gurus. The ingredients were simple too: no minced pork or liver or dumplings. The noodles were lovely because they were simple.

As I gave my orders to the stall assistant, I noticed that there was a man working at the back. He was making fishballs!

The little fishballs this stall dished out were odd-shaped, unsymmetrical and slightly gray. Not the large, round and white ones that my mother-in-law buys for my children. They had a different sort of bounce as I chewed on them. They were hand-made, that's why. Made by mixing fish meat, flour, salt, sugar and water until they reach the right texture, to be squeezed by hand and scooped up with a Chinese soup spoon. Piece by piece, he made those buckets of fishballs.

When I finished my bowl, I went back to the stall and asked if I could take a picture. They asked where I was from - as if I was a curious tourist. In a way I am, I guess.

Seemed that nobody noticed the man at the back. The man, whose queue I interrupted to take a picture, immediately took out his camera from his pocket when he realised what happened and snapped too.

The man making the fishballs was the boss, I was informed. So he is a "crouching tiger, hidden dragon".

My friend M said how funny it is our emotions are tied to a place. Today, I realised that my memories are tied to the food I eat. Isn't this funny too?

Sinful indulgence

2009-11-19T17:57:00.003+02:00

Today marks our 4th day in Singapore. We've had 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners and 3 suppers. I'm not counting snacks and coffee breaks.

On display here is tonight's supper, char kway teow. For S$4 (or a mere €2), we got a medium-sized portion of yummy and greasy fried noodles. This is from an apparently famous stall at Zion Road hawker centre. In between mouthfuls of moist noodles, I picked out a tablespoonful of lard pieces. Lard - yes, cholesterol-laden porky fat - is the secret ingredient to a delicious serving of char kway teow.

You might notice lots of beansprouts and chives in there. They make up the recommended serving of vegetables, you see.

We've been treating ourselves to tasty hawker fare in Singapore. I have yet to cook this week...

HG took a walk to Zion Road just now to buy supper. We are more excited by the possibility of ready-prepared food at odd hours of the night than the actual ingestion. Nevertheless, my "spare tyre" got a little more plumped compared to last week.

He said this as he scooped a mouthful of kway teow: we should have come back earlier.

Wait til we attend the Primary 1 registration this Saturday. Not sure if he will feel the same way about our education system.

Moving out and moving on

2009-11-13T22:13:00.004+02:00

Tonight is our last night in Finland. By tomorrow this time, we'll be on a flight to Singapore via Frankfurt.

Yesterday, I watched as the movers pack our belongings into cardboard boxes. Clothes, bed linen, toiletries, kitchenware, books... Our worldly belongings were then loaded into a large Evergreen container, bound for the Helsinki port.

We took pictures of the nice guys who helped us move. I'm too drained to pull out the wire from my luggage to connect the camera to the computer. You'll see them another day.

The house we called home the last one-and-a-half years was cleaned and back to its original condition. There is no longer trace that we were ever present. The refrigerator looks strange without the children's drawings and little magnets. Our bedrooms are bare and devoid of our presence, our smell.

Snow fell softly as the container and the trucks drove off.

Although we have moved several times already, this time is especially poignant. We made many friends during our time here and we feel so welcome. A part of me wants to come back, actually a part of me can't believe we are really leaving. We made some good friends late into our time here but real relationships take time to build.

So heippa Suomi. We will miss you.

Comes and goes

2009-11-09T23:32:00.005+02:00

Snow came early this year.

Last Wednesday, we woke up to a scene of white. Temperatures had been near zero for a while now so the kids are already wearing winter gear. On this day, they switched from rubber galoshes to snow boots.

We love the snow. On the way to school, they talked about making snow balls, snow men, snow angels and hopefully some sledding too.

More snow fell that day but temperatures were rather warm. By warm, I meant 2 or 3ºC. The snow soon melted and we didn't have much left by Saturday.

It didn't matter anyway because the kids fell ill last weekend. Estelle started with a fever on Friday evening and then Jules on Sunday morning. The daycare centre has 3 confirmed cases of H1N1 by today, I'm told.

We went to the clinic this morning. My request to be tested was declined because apparently there is only one laboratory serving the Greater Capital region (meaning Helsinki and its nearby suburbs). It was expected to be swarmed with samples anyway so it seemed that only more severe cases will be tested.

Do we or do we not have the swine flu? Doesn't matter as long as we recover, the doctor advised.

We have 5 days left in Finland. The meteorological station has forecasted at least 10cm of snow by tomorrow morning. We still have a chance!

Spot on

2009-10-27T00:08:00.003+02:00

Every evening, my kids would have a selection of yoghurt, fruit and some biscuits for dessert. I think they have as much fun trying out different foods as I have buying them.

Tonight, I bought a new Paula yoghurt (as shown above). Two new flavours are introduced this week: strawberry or peach in milk yoghurt. The kids were really excited.

Jules: Mummy, do you know why the yoghurt has a picture of a cow?

Me (thinking): Because yoghurt is made from milk which comes from cows?

Jules (answering anyway): Because cows have spots.

By the way, Estelle loves the strawberry Paula but Jules had some trouble finishing it. He prefers the chocolate flavoured ones... What colour do you think are the cows?

Bracing for change

2009-10-22T21:40:00.013+03:00

I just read an interesting article in the New York Times about the increasing influence of Mandarin on the Chinese population in New York.

According to NYT, the first Chinese, who migrated to North America in the first half of the 1900s, can be traced to a region in the Pearl River Delta. Over there, the key languages are Cantonese and Taishanese. (To those who might know the history and geography better, do you think the author is referring to Tangshan?)

Over the turn of this century, Cantonese is increasingly being replaced by Mandarin as NY Chinatown's de-facto Chinese language, said the NYT story. With China rising as an economic power, more Chinese thought that their children would benefit more from learning the "official" language, which is Mandarin. In recent years, more Mandarin-speaking immigrants are arriving in NY and they would, most certainly, want their children to learn Mandarin rather than, say, Cantonese.

In fact, a new "Chinatown" is rising in another part of NY in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and Flushing, Queens. I'm not familiar with NY at all, so I can't tell where the two areas are relative to each other.

As I read this story, I find cold comfort in the similarities faced by Singapore and NY.

G, who used to be a Chinese teacher in Singapore, was lamenting that the teachers Singapore's education ministry imported from the mainland tried to correct the terms used by Singaporean Chinese. They were apparently brought in to "raise the Chinese standard". Singapore, as a society has developed together with our Malay and Indian compatriots, an amalgamation of Chinese dialects as well as the strong influence of English. It shouldn't be surprising that we use Mandarin differently.

I've also read that Geylang is the new Chinatown in Singapore. If one is looking for "authentic" Chinese cuisine - food prepared like it would be done on the mainland - then Geylang is the place to go. Internet cafes, which had mostly died out in the late 1980s except for some gaming centres, are thriving in Geylang. Known affectionately as wangba 网吧 , they are a common sight in many Chinese cities.

For at least a generation now, many Singaporean Chinese are using less and less of their families' dialects. The likelihood that the children of my generation will learn to speak our dialects fluently is, sadly and realistically, not very high. From the academic point of view, we will be overjoyed if they can score As in English and Chinese taught in Mandarin.

The fault is not China's. It's not the immigrants' either.

China is the world's most populous nation. She is gaining strength and her people are easing away from its bursting seams to seek their fortunes elsewhere. For the same reason, we are seeing more and more Indians living overseas.

As we prepare ourselves for the move back to Singapore, I wonder what changes to expect in our home country. Now it seems that my concerns aren't so different from New Yorkers'. Looking at the comments left on this story, Chinese in Seattle, LA and other parts of the world are thinking the same thoughts.

PS I think it was last week when I read a story on NYT about Chinese in NY debating whether traditional or simplified Chinese should be taught in schools.

PPS This summer, a South American classmate D asked if Singapore is a part of China. I explained that Singapore is mid-way between China and Australia. That's how far away the two places are from each other.

Conking those conkers

2009-10-20T23:42:00.007+03:00

Yesterday, after I've taken out the cleaned laundry from the washing machine, I can still hear noisy clonking against the metal wheel. I looked in and found two brown seeds.

They looked like chestnuts. I wonder if they are edible.

In many parts of Asia, including Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and China, one can find street vendors roasting large cauldrons of chestnuts. The smell of warm chestnuts swimming in, apparently, coal pebbles is heavenly. The coal may explain why my fingers turn brown as I peel open the shell to get at the sweet fruit inside. During my time in Beijing, the warmth of the chestnut in late autumn was very comforting.

I left the two chestnuts on the washing machine and Jules spotted them as he was taking his shower.

Mummy, those are mine, he laid his claim.

What are they? I asked.

They are conkers, he replied.

Ah, yes. My "Westernised" son knows these things as conkers. He explained they are the seeds of horse chestnuts.

I'm not sure what he does with them but I found another one in his pocket today.

That's my conker, he said as he added it to his stash.

Meanwhile, his old man is thinking: kao lat.

3 years old and smoking

2009-10-15T21:13:00.004+03:00

I just read this crazy story on The Guardian of a man who was sentenced to 18 months jail for allowing a 3-year-old girl to smoke. Here is a report by the BBC.

This irresponsible act is absolutely appalling.

According to the report, the man thought it was funny that the 3-year-old girl left under his care smoked. The video showed the little girl inhale, then exhale, and asked for more. The girl, apparently, already knew how to smoke by the time she was filmed. She had had three sticks that day already!

Both stories did not mention the relationship between the man and the child. Who is he? Where are the parents?

My father is a smoker; he has been since he was a teenager so he says he can't quit. He says he had tried but thought it is better for his overall health if he doesn't. Everyone in the family, and now his grandchildren too, chides him for smoking. I don't like the smell of tobacco smoke. I pray for his good health and long life because he's a beloved member of my family.

I can't remember what he did when I was young but I recall ash trays in our home. But in the last few years, he would step outside to take his smoke. He doesn't share his smoking habit with his family, so to speak. I've noticed that when my kids go outdoors to chat with him, he would wave them off.

It's bad enough to subject children to second-hand smoke. Some time ago, I read that the Finnish government is mulling a law to ban smoking in cars (and maybe at residences too) if a child is present.

The choice to smoke belongs to the individual. Please don't read this and think that I dislike you because you smoke.

Two years ago, I met an old friend from college and we chatted about our families. His wife had just delivered their second child and I asked if they were having any more. He replied they would consider this if his wife would stop smoking. She'd probably stopped when she was pregnant but she could start again after she had given birth.

I hope more people can be like my father or my friend and his wife. Smoking is their prerogative but caring for their loved ones is also a top priority.

What???

2009-10-09T18:54:00.007+03:00

And the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize goes to...

Barack Obama.

Unbelievable.

I think Obama is over-rated. I had thought so back in January and I hold on to this view now.

Ironically, Saturday Night Live made a skit of Obama last weekend and US news channels, like CNN and Fox, had been running commentaries on it. I came across this story on CNN yesterday although it was first published 5 October.

I guess the Nobel committee don't watch SNL or follow what's happening in the US.

Yes, we can. No, we haven't.

What do you think?

In and out of control

2009-10-08T12:57:00.006+03:00

Two summers ago in Helsinki, I found my Estelle biting her nails. In the quietness of her bed, she would nibble at her fingers.

Over two years later, my Estelle is still an incessant nail-biter. She's had her nails (fingers AND toes) trimmed less than 10 times during this period.

We talked about it many times. I tried to appeal to her physical self, mental faculties, vain alter ego - yelling, encouraging, affirming, bribing, caning, rewarding, explaining, praying... I am exasperated. My emotions swing from anger to helplessness and back.

Estelle's fingers started to bleed because she had been getting at the skin on her finger tips now that nails are pretty short. You HAVE to stop this, I warned her.

"Why don't you let me do what I want, Mummy?" my little girl pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "Why don't you let me be?"

"Because I love you."

I am now having a discussion about nail-biting with my 5-year-old. In a few years time, we might be talking about boys, tattoos, smoking, ear rings, navel rings, nose rings... and goodness knows what else.

Earlier this week, I caught up with the school manager Nannu and asked for her help. Perhaps the teachers could look out for Estelle and remind her not to bite her nails.

Nannu confessed that she is a nail-biter herself and she had only recently stopped because her older son Joonas has started the habit. She hadn't been able to prevent herself from continuing this habit and she couldn't stop Joonas either. And mind you, Joonas is in Estelle's class and right under his mother's nose all day long.

Estelle joined us as we talked and she listened intently. Joonas and Estelle can remind each other to stop, Nannu suggested.

At least I can be consoled that in this aspect, the school manager, the supposed child expert, is as out of control as I am. This is also about letting go and loving Estelle more than ever.

I hope she will overcome this habit soon. Estelle's struggles to curb her urges are as difficult as my efforts to leave her alone.

It is important we can talk and bare our emotions to each other. I still want to do this when she is a teenager.

As we finished our conversation with Nannu and getting ready to go home, Jules hopped to his locker to show me a treat his friend had given the class. It was Julia's birthday and she gave her classmates a little chocolate bar each.

One of Jules' friend H had also come into the cloak room to show his dad the treat. Half a minute later, H was howling and raising a ruckus. According to my kids who witnessed the incident, H's little brother had snatched the treat away and refused to give it back.

H's father was persuading him to let his little brother have it. If H was as excited as Jules was, he was not giving in without a fight. H somehow knew he could not get it back by force so he begged his father to "get it back for him". The father then asked the younger boy to give it back until the older one put on his clothes to go home. The father went between the two boys like a headless chicken.

The little one may be the smarter one: he held on to his treasure and stood quietly in a corner while his older brother wailed and stormed.

Nannu came out for a look and pacified the commotion by offering the younger boy a lollipop.

While I tried not to gawk, my kids watched the events unfold and seemed to take in every detail.

This incident reminded me of my not-so-distant past. I was often told to give in to my brother because he was younger. You should love your brother because you only have one, they kept saying. My brother was a harmless chap (still is!) but perhaps my mother especially, felt that he needed help to get more in life. She may not be thinking about favouritism but it sure came across as being terribly unfair for me.

My heart went out to H that day but I was in no position to interfere.

I try my best to be fair with my kids. They know their entitlements are not affected by age or gender. They also know that some things can't be helped: like Jules can't put on a dress or skirt. Otherwise, they get equal portions of dessert or they get a new T-shirt each when I go shopping. Because they have been given 'freedom of speech', they can speak up for themselves if they think they are being 'discriminated against'.

Sometimes I wish I can simply reply "because I say so" when they ask a question. But I am also constantly kept on my toes because I know that my kids don't accept ambiguity.

What do you get...

2009-10-01T21:24:00.006+03:00

... when you put together snow and a couple of cars?

Loads of fun.

But seriously, any of these situations are possible in winter and it's no laughing matter.

We met with an accident last winter when our car spun out of control one morning on our way to school. The car slid and spun 180º and before we knew it, we had hit a lamp post.

Thank God we were all alright. The window on the passenger side (my side) was shattered and the door dented. My heart leapt to my mouth, not daring to scream lest I scare the kids. We were all quiet for seconds afterwards.

Then Jules broke the silence. "Mummy, your window is broken," he announced, as a matter of fact.

I don't like accidents. One can never be too prepared for an accident. That's why the term 'accident'. Still don't like them.

PS Woke up to -1ºC this morning and HG had to scrap ice off the car. The Farmer's Almanac predicts a cold winter (for the US) this year, contradicting global warming warnings. We'll see.

Watch out, autumn is here

2009-09-24T14:02:00.010+03:00

You don't want to crash into one of these.

This is a taxidermal specimen of a moose. Also known as an elk, there are about 150,000 of them living in the forests in Finland. Apparently, just about 30km away from home, we might be able to encounter one of these.

Here in Finland, between six months and two years after passing the driving test, one has to take what-is-called Phase II driving lessons. Phase II consists of an approximately half-hour drive with an instructor so he/she can point out areas that need improvement, and a 6-hour course at the slippery tracks.

Three weeks ago, I spent 6 hours at the slippery track driving centre. After an hour of briefing on the day's programme, the class of 6 took turns slipping and sloshing on oiled roads. One by one, we drove our cars around strategically-placed obstacles. Instructor-of-the-day Merja reminded us many times over the walkie-talkie: "Winter is coming very soon. The roads are going to be slippery."

After the driving session, Merja brought us to the "Safety House". More like house of driving horrors. We went through a maze of exhibits relating to traffic accidents. Mr Moose here and a badly-crumpled car was the first scene to greet us.

Mr Moose and his friends like to venture out of the forest when the day turns dark. This week, the sun rises at around 7 am and sets at 6.30 pm. They don't realise that at 7 pm Human Time, the night is still young and the highways are buzzing with vehicles. Statistically, the highest rate of accidents takes place between 6 pm - 7 pm during winter months.

The specimen in the Safety House stands at over 1.8m and weighs more than 250kg. According to Merja (a well-built lady who referred to me as "the small girl"), this was a young moose - it's just about 4 years old. A typical moose can grow taller than 2m and adds bulk on its body as it ages.

Should a car crash into a moose, the bonnet will hit its legs, thus smashing its huge body against the windscreen. The force of impact will easily cause lethal injuries to those in the front seats.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This morning, we woke up to 4ºC. The highest day time temperature reached today was around 9ºC. Looks like we are bidding the teens goodbye. First snow fell in the north of Finland yesterday and we are expecting sub-zero nights later this week.

I haven't update the blog for 2 weeks because I've been nursing a bad flu. I showed symptoms like headache, high fever, muscle aches, fatigue... Is it, dare I say it, swine flu? I didn't see the doctor or got tested. Thank goodness I've recovered after plenty of rest and some analgesics. This couple of weeks felt so long, but I was floating in and out of sleep so time flew by in a blur.

The good news is: I'm back!

Before I close this entry, I want to share with you another exhibit from the Safety House.

An axel turns this car 360º on its side to simulate an accident situation. The students, including myself, experienced the importance of safety belts as the car turns and we also learnt to climb out as the car is upside-down. I'm thankful I'm agile enough to climb out easily and pray that I will never have to do it in real-life.

I commented that it's a good thing I'm not pregnant, otherwise this would manoeuvre would have been very difficult. Another student, Kevin's eyes grew large. I noticed a child seat in his car so he probably has a family he's concerned about.

Autumn is here and the roads may be icy and slippery before winter arrives. Got to drive carefully.

Paris in motion

2009-09-15T18:56:00.003+03:00

Ripe for harvest

2009-09-07T20:21:00.005+03:00

Autumn has arrived.

Temperatures this week barely scratched 20ºC and goes to about 12ºC in the night time. Skies were overcast and showers come down every other day. My potted plants are practically flooded.

The most significant difference is the daylight hours - the sun rises after 6 am and sets at around 8 pm. This timetable feels like the regular routine in the tropics where there are even amounts of day and night. Very soon, the balance will be tipping (more like lunging) towards darkness.

Now that rainy season has come, it's the time to pick mushrooms. Yellow chanterelles are apparently tasty and expensive, and easy to identify. Others look similar to familiar ones like button mushrooms (champignons) but are actually deadly. In this tough economic climate, it seems that more people are foraging in the woods to look for food. Tragically, some lives are paid in exchange for free food.

Our landlord is a gardener so we have a wide variety of plants in our little garden. We've had some tiny but sweet strawberries. Over the past weeks, the apples on our trees have turned red and today, we harvested some more.

Yummy apples from our own backyard. Gorgeous.

Learn by playing

2009-09-01T20:52:00.005+03:00

This week marks the beginning of Helsinki Design Week where all things related to Design are presented.

Last year, I found out about the Design Week pretty late so the only event I attended was the Design Market. Designers and companies from around Finland took part in a "warehouse sale" where they sell off overstocks or items from previous collections. The event was held at the Cable Factory in Helsinki, which used to be an abandoned factory which has since been turned into offices and working space for hip companies.

I guess this is kind of like the 798 Dashanzi arts district in Beijing or downtown Waterloo Street in Singapore. Maybe the urban planners thought artists may be inspired by the past. Or maybe, they just can't find other less premium property to give away. Anyhow, old buildings are now "in".

So I was looking though the programme to see what other events I can take part in. There seems to be lots more organised this year, and the range is much wider too. When I checked the website over a month ago, many events were still not unconfirmed. Todays' programme looks very comprehensive.

There are several events I am interested in. The Design Market this Saturday has already been marked on the calendar and I am determined to buy something this year. I'm not sure about the furniture - they look really cool but I'm not so hot about the prices. I'm hoping to attend at least one of the conferences.

Then I came across this seminar on architecture and design education Kulttuuruareena Gloria. It sounds a lot like my Interdisciplinary Product Design workshop, until I clicked on the web link and found out about Arkki, the School of Architecture for Children and Youth. In keeping with the Finnish culture, children are taught architecture through play. Looking at the video presentations, it's amazing that kids in their pre-teens are working with architecture plans and building pretty complex models. Above all, they are having lots of fun.

Here is a video of a Hut Building Camp held during summer time.

Hut Building Camp for Kids from Misty Friday Films on Vimeo.

Classes start for children as young as 4 years old. This would have a really good course for my kids and I am sure their lives will be very much enriched. Whether they will finally become architects is besides the point.

Unfortunately, we can't commit to their attendance until they are 18 years old. Secondly, I suspect the classes are conducted only in Finnish, which puts us at a great disadvantage. If we want to live in Finland in the long term, we really should be learning the language. But we only have short term plans here, which excludes us from fully benefitting from what Finland can offer.

The kids' kampong father thinks building those tree houses are chicken feet, while their mom reminisces those happy RR days building teepees and other structures. We hope our kids will develop a love for nature, and find their place out of this sanitised and air-conditioned world.

Small car good, big car bad

2009-08-31T14:55:00.004+03:00

This is true at least in busy European cities like Paris.

In Helsinki, like in Paris, when a strip of road on the side is designated for parking, it's just that, a strip of road. Quite unlike in Singapore where each parking lot is marked clearly on the ground. This means that as long as your car fits in the lot, go ahead and park.

In this case, as long as the car fit and it did not disrupt traffic flow, park it.

Thus, small cars like the 2-person Smart or Mini are very popular. Large or long MPVs tend to be quite rare but I suspect finding lots in suburban or rural areas are less difficult. We also spotted a large Humvee with a Middle Eastern/Arabic licence plate parked outside a luxury hotel.

My mother-in-law saw the Smart car when she visited us this summer. She thought that this model wouldn't sell in Singapore where cars are a status symbol - the bigger the better.

But some families need an MPV since grandparents and children (and sometimes maids too) are huddled into one car.

We have a Mini - a seat for each of us. Just nice.

I wuz here

2009-08-28T23:13:00.004+03:00

Jules and his family joined the rest of the over 32 million tourists to Paris each year. According to Econovista, Paris' promotion department, the city is the world's most popular tourist destination.

We visited many sights in Paris over the past 6 days. We checked in at the necessary attractions: the Eiffel Tower, Lourve museum and palace, Pompidou Centre, Panthéon, Notre-Dame, Jardin des Tuileries. We also went shopping at the famous Galeries Lafayette and admired its beautiful stained glass ceiling. As we strolled through the city, we also saw countless wonderful churches, opera houses, museums and other buildings whose names were too insignificant to feature on our tourist map.

We rested our tired feet at cosy cafés and munched on delectable sandwiches and pastries. There was the organic market where we snacked on fig and nut bread, muffins and even a piece of freshly rotisserie chicken. We headed to Paris' specialty street for crepes and apple cider. Our children savoured steaming bowls of wakame udon. Japanese was one of their favourite cuisine and the last time they had it professionally done was back in March.

I made time for a haircut, having had 6 inches snipped off. Ala Audrey Hepburn in the Roman Holiday, my friend tells me. Why go all the way to Paris? Because it is cheaper in Paris than Helsinki...

HG also had his hair trimmed. I noticed the hairdresser didn't speak English although her colleague helped to translate his requests. What do you think is the result?

Although we had more time this round, there are still sights I wish I could have visited. Like the Musee d'Orsay, the Bastille, Montmartre district and Little Vietnam where another friend has sourced a list of good restaurants. Do you know you can get the nicest baguettes outside France in Vietnam? I can imagine the reverse is true: one can get very good Viet food outside Vietnam in France.

Our lives and resources are too limited. I can't get enough of Paris. I'm thinking of going back already but I also want to visit other parts of France, Sweden, Britain, Japan, Korea... and the list goes on!

Can't wait to go to the next destination to stamp my mark "MZ wuz here".

D'amour Paris

2009-08-28T01:04:00.004+03:00

Paris is lovely.

There is Disneyland in Paris so that's the excuse to make a trip with the kids. This is also a holiday for the adults where we can see, eat and shop.

Paris is best explored on foot so we walked, and walked, and walked. By Day 1, we had walked along Avenue Charles de Gaulle, all the way from La Defense to the Arc du Triomphe. That's a spectacular 4 km. I'm so proud of my kids.

In an interesting twist, we spent 2 days in Paris with two Japanese classmates of mine from the Helsinki Summer School.

Memi is partly based in Paris where she is taking a year off work to tour Europe. Yuta is taking a 3-day break in Paris before going home to Sendai in Japan.

Many Asians visit Paris for the luxury shops. Louis Vuitton along Champs-Élysee feels more like a market than a high-end boutique. Conversations in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean were exchanged along crowded counters. Handbags filled the display shelves and counters on the ground floor of the boutique, which basically means that these are the cash cows of the brand.

Looking at the H12009 results of LVMH, Louis Vuitton's parent company, revenue fell across all categories (wines and spirits, perfumes and cosmetics, watches and jewellery, and others) except fashion and leather goods. Thus, the outlook for this sector is brightly positive. Double-digit revenue growth was registered for the first half of the year, with strong momentum in Asia, Europe and Middle East. LV thanks its Japanese clients who have been purchasing abroad (like Paris) due to the strengthening yen and not to mention, what it calls "exceptional" support from its Chinese clientele.

As for us, we thank LV for letting us use their washrooms.

I resisted buying a designer bag. Since this is my second visit to Paris, the temptation has weakened.

The most fashionable item I bought from Paris is the French edition of Vogue. The delicious jambon (ham) baguettes have been digested. The beautiful sights are captured in our minds and camera.

More show-and-tell will come in the next few days.

Live to eat

2009-08-21T23:35:00.007+03:00

Estelle and Mommy at dinner

People have varied ideas about whether children should be seen or heard, or both or neither.

We bring our kids wherever we go. This is especially so in Finland where we live by ourselves and don't have any babysitters. Domestic helpers are not common in Finland, and even if families have nannies, they usually work during office hours or they will call it a day soon after their wards have had their dinners.

Perhaps this is why there are many children-friendly restaurants in Finland. People have to bring their children along if they want to go out. High chairs are readily available as well as microwave ovens to warm up ready-to-eat foods.

Besides places that serve Asian food where we could order some dishes to go with rice or noodles, we patronise family restaurants like La Famiglia in Helsinki or Rosso. They have children's menus, offer options like spaghetti bolognese or pizzas in smaller portions as well as a children's corner where the kids could play. Since eating out in Finland is quite expensive, we go out less often than in Singapore or Beijing. So our kids appreciate the times we give them a treat.

Thus, I found this story on "The restaurant-friendly child" on The Guardian pretty interesting.

I agree with the author that it is the parents' responsibility to teach their children to behave at restaurants. I'll extend this responsibility to include other settings, like shopping malls or parks. Children, and adults too, need to respect other people's personal space.

On the other hand, it is frustrating when public places are not accommodating towards children. I'm not referring to fine-dining restaurants where even the slightest chink from cutlery is thought of as causing a ruckus.

Which way should it be: a restaurant-friendly child or a child-friendly restaurant?

How about tackling the question in another context: a child-friendly home or a home-friendly child?

HG and I are of the opinion that instead of child-proofing our home, like installing locks on the fridge or cupboards, it's better to teach the child boundaries and not to step over them. Nevertheless, wisdom has to prevail over principles. When our kids were younger we covered our power sockets with plastics covers but we stopped when we moved to a new city. Over time, they learn to play with their own stuff, not to touch things that do not belong to them, and to ask for permission if unsure.

Note: they don't follow protocol ALL the time, in case you are thinking I have a pair of angels.

Tomorrow we leave for a short holiday to Paris. Although HG and I were just there last year, we didn't notice if Parisian restaurants are child-friendly. This time, we go as a family of four. So I hope our kids are restaurant-friendly so we will be welcomed every where we go.

Working for a living

2009-08-19T23:59:00.007+03:00

Yesterday, I chanced upon this article on the Finnish broadcaster YLE's website. It features a fresh graduate Liu Tianyan in the tough job market.

I met Tianyan last autumn while covering a university-linked event. He was the President of International Student Organisation (Tsemppi) at the University of Helsinki and at that time, was pursuing a Masters degree in IT. He seemed like the sort who excels academically and busied himself with student activities and part-time work at a software company. He was good-looking and presented himself well.

Tianyan is Chinese. His family came to Finland some years ago. I remember his father was a diplomat and his family left when the posting came to an end. He chose to stay on in Finland partly for the free education and also because he wanted to be with his girlfriend, who was Finnish.

In Singapore, students with this kind of record seldom have trouble getting a job. Most times, they would have received offers even before graduation, sometimes even several to choose from.

Last autumn, Tsemppi arranged a get-together for students concerned about life after graduation. At that time, the economy had not plummeted so the students' anxiety seemed, to me, just normal for people preparing to enter a new phase of life. Things took a turn for the worse by Q4 and as time went by, joblessness of young people below the age of 25 became a social problem for governments worldwide.

Soon after that Tsemppi event, I dropped an e-mail to a professor from NUS who had helped me land my first job. Hearing those students made me realise I got things easy, so I'm grateful.

All these years, I have also kept in touch with my boss from my first job, who had been a great mentor, continually offering sound advice. As I come to the end of my summer course and we talked about intellectual property protection, I'm reminded that my ex-boss tried to persuade me to take up a second degree in law since the IP law is a lucrative, not to mention respected, profession. I turned down her best of intentions because I didn't really want to go back to school. Did I regret my decision? Not exactly because it wasn't what I want to do, but in view of job opportunities, I am probably more employable as a patent lawyer than as a writer.

At this point in my life, I am blessed that my family and I can lead a good life even though I am not contributing to our household income. I am happy I can spend time with the children and do things I like. Many other families out there can't have this luxury.

But I won't likely remain like this. My team mate from the summer course could tell that I won't be staying at home long, even though we've only known each other for 2 weeks.

I am in transition. The past 5 years feel like a long transition. Now that the summer course is coming to an end (tomorrow!), I wonder where life brings me next.

Back to nature

2009-08-17T23:33:00.007+03:00

Last weekend was a hectic one.

The family woke up at around 8.30 am and we rushed through breakfast and attire changes so that we could reach the centre of Helsinki by 10 am. We arrived at the pick-up point at 10.15 and thankfully, the bus hadn't left yet.

About 40 minutes later, we arrived at Finland's Nuuksio National Park. No more sounds of traffic, just lapping waves on the shores of the lake and bantering of students.

I began the day with canoeing. My partner was a software developer from Switzerland and he related funny stories of his visit to Malaysia's Taman Negara. One night, he and his friends heard a loud crash on their zinc roof and everyone went rushing out. They'd thought a bomb had gone off but it was actually just a durian. He said he wouldn't have minded durian if it wasn't so pungent.

We canoed along one end of the lake, taking in the greenery and quaint summer cottages situated along the coast. Such peace and serenity.

After working out the arms, it was time to stretch the legs. We took a hike along rocky paths, which our guide said were formed as the glaciers receded after the Ice Ages. We climbed several hundred feet to look down at the pristine lake, 7 km across, beautiful.

This is my first time hiking in a coniferous forest, which I find a different experience from a tropical one. Humidity was low so I hardly perspired and we didn't encounter pests like mosquitoes or leeches. Instead of damp dead twigs and leaves, the forest floors at Nuuksio were carpeted by blueberry shrubs. There were blueberries everywhere. We didn't have lunch before the hike so many of us were kind of hungry. The berries provided some relief.

I guess I have some experience with berry picking this summer so I munched on them as I walked. Some of the other students were hesitant to eat the berries. We also spotted mushrooms along the way - mushroom season is on the way. Our guides said they were edible, if you were looking for special effects. Ah ha...

We finished the day with sauna and BBQ. The lake was open for swimming. It must have been exhilarating but I'm not a good swimmer, so I won't risk my life.

HG brought the kids to join me later in the afternoon. I saved some sausages and tortilla for them; I think they have gotten the hang of Finnish BBQ.

At some point, I want to bring our kids camping. We bought a tent from Ikea and placed it in the garden. They played in there for a while, but they moved out when the bugs moved in. Oh well, we tried.

Opening the door of knowledge...

2009-08-15T00:04:00.004+03:00

... is tiring.

Today ends the second week of Helsinki Summer School. If we had thought the pace of last week's course was "just right", it picked up speed from Monday. We've had workshops and hands-on projects almost every day.

The students didn't really know what to expect as we begun the course, each given a broad outline. According to the programme, each day was described by a one-liner. Yesterday (Thursday), for example, was to be a two-worder: PD6 workshop.

It turned out to be the most intensive project we had to undertake, thus far. After a 1-hour introduction-cum-briefing, we spent the next few hours working on our assignment, finishing off with a prototype and presentation. Man, most of us were totally exhausted by the end of the day. We were rewarded with a BBQ, sauna and pool afterwards, for whoever cared to stay behind.

Again, I'd say that I learnt lots in the past 2 weeks. I met with many experts who were so willing to share their knowledge and threw myself into the assignments and learning from my team mates and classmates.

I have a very good team - enthusiastic, serious, knowledgeable and fun. We have built up excellent team spirit over the past few days, playing and working together.

The Summer School has organised an outing to the Nuuksio national park tomorrow. I tried to offload my place since I'm pooped and would have preferred a lazy day at home. It turned out that several of my classmates have signed up for tomorrow, meaning that those who are interested to go are going. Went to the supermarket after class today so I'm equipped with makarras, tortillas and possibly marshmallows.

I'm praying the rain will hold tomorrow. Daddy HG will be spending quality time to bond with the kids while I'm off to the wilderness. Should be fun.

What's the big idea?

2009-08-10T22:18:00.003+03:00

Today is Day 4 of my Summer School course and the topic covered was idea generation.

How does one develop a good product? First of all, we start with a good idea. Or rather a whole lot of good ideas and pick the best one, or two, among them.

The class went through some drawing and idea generation exercises. I found the two workshops particularly intense because each team had to generate as many novel ideas as it can within short periods of time.

I enjoyed today's class very much since we spent less time listening and more time working out our cognitive faculties. I'm also happy that I can power up and get into the flow very quickly.

Thus, I am happy to announce that my team came up tops with the most number of ideas. Not bad for an official stay-at-home mom! Sshh... nobody in my class knows.

Yesterday, I went on a dragon boat safari on the seas around Helsinki. Enough participants from the Summer School came to fill up 3 dragon boats. We took about an hour to go from the Canoeing Centre around Seurasaari and back again. I've had guy friends (one of them is my dear husband) complain that their female friends tend to sit back to enjoy the "wonderful sea view and breeze" while they paddle like crazy during canoeing trips. Well, I really enjoyed rowing!

Nearly a week after I've started school, I realised that the competitive streak in me never went away - it was just latent. It's been a while since I've felt so challenged, so motivation levels are running at all time high.

Still, I have to remind myself that my classmates come from different backgrounds and live in various circumstances. Being over-zealous will, quite definitely, backfire on me. Besides gaining some hard-core knowledge, this course is also about learning to get along and work with others.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Moon, class and Jules

2009-08-06T00:14:00.004+03:00

We kinda know that the season is changing because the sun finishes its shift around 10.30 pm this week. I chanced upon a full moon tonight at 11.30 pm.

Today is officially my first lesson at my course. I think I have learnt a lot already, on the first day, about product development.

I was late because I couldn't find the venue - Aalto Design Factory, and was driving around Otaniemi (one of Helsinki's high tech region, quite like Silicon Valley) for over half an hour.

After a tour of the facilities, each student took turns to introduce themselves, their background, what they think are good and bad qualities of product developer, and companies or products they appreciate.

Again, it's fun to hear from everyone. Apple was an oft-quoted company and looks like it has many admirers.

After lunch, our lecturer Mr Kalevi Ekman gave an introduction to the process of product development. I came to the course thinking we'll be taught how to design new and innovative products. Then I learned (but really, it should be obvious) that there is much more involved and a lot more factors to consider before simply saying "I want to design a new product".

Besides getting lost in Otaniemi, today is also a challenging day because Jules has fallen ill. He awoke this morning to a slight fever (37.5ºC) so we decide to keep him at home. When I called during lunch, HG told me he had puked several times and not eating or drinking much. He couldn't retain any inputs.

Times like these really make me think about giving up pursuing what I enjoy and instead stay at home to fulfill my maternal responsibilities.

But I have a supportive husband, whom I have to learn to trust to take care of the household while I am away.

Jules hasn't rejected any food since dinner. He didn't eat much either but better than nothing. His fever is now hovering between 38.4 and 38.8, unfortunately.

I have a long day tomorrow. The class will meet at 8 am for a couple of industry visits and scheduled to end 5.30 pm. Just now, I read some pages from my textbook - rare! I'm looking forward to tomorrow and pray that Jules will be better when he awake.

Back to school

2009-08-04T19:44:00.004+03:00

Summer holiday is over. The children started school this week. Their daycare centre was closed for one week and we missed 3 days before that when we took a cruise to Sweden.

The kids were very excited to go back to school. Finland starts the academic year in autumn so the kids went back to new classes. They are excited to see their friends again, and seem keen to make new ones.

But I am also referring to myself. Today is the first day of Helsinki Summer School where I have enrolled in a course.

Back to school after more than a decade. I'd thought I'll be the oldest student but it seems that I have a companion in Esther, a girl from The Netherlands. I may have dwelt on my agedness too much because she had to tell me that both of us are actually still young!

During the welcome ceremony today, the course coordinator announced that 60 countries are represented among the 360 participants, starting from Albania to Zambia. The largest representation came from China (40), followed by Germany (37) and a wide array of students from all continents (except Antartica). Seems that Finland has just around 10 students. Only 1 from Singapore... moi.

My course held a briefing today so I had a glimpse of my classmates. There's a German, an Italian, a Venezuelan, a Japanese, a Finn, a Swedish Finn... I didn't catch all their names and nationalities.

It's always fun to meet people from other countries and cultures. Everyone is different... unique.

I have a Chinese classmate who spoke fluent Finnish. Initially I'd thought he is studying in Finland and has taken Finnish lessons. It turned out that he is from Beijing but had lived in Finland when he was a young boy. His primary (elementary) education was carried out in Finland and he returned to China 8 or 9 years ago. He didn't use Finnish afterwards until he arrived in Helsinki 2 or 3 days ago. Amazingly, he spoke Finnish and to me, he spoke like a native. He claimed that he isn't very good but I believe that he just needs some time to "warm up". It's like someone had turned on a switch in his brain and he speaks Finnish all over again.

I'm sure I'll meet more fascinating people the next 3 weeks. Besides meeting new people, I also hope I can follow the course and learn something useful.

Celebrating family ties

2009-07-28T21:04:00.009+03:00

The last couple of weeks felt like a whirlwind holiday. Together with our parents, we covered three countries - Finland, Sweden and Estonia - in 13 days. Whew!

Using Finland as our base, we took a 3-day cruise to Stockholm and a day-trip to Tallinn. Compared to holiday tours boasting 8 countries in 14 days, we travelled at a more relaxed pace. We spent more time shopping, going back to points of interest if needed and rest when we were tired.

Stockholm is a great shopping destination although we only had time for Gamla Stan and the area around T-Centralen. Shopping in Finland gets a little boring after a while because there are only a handful of brands and they are duplicated around town. In the homeland of H&M, I am re-acquainted with some favourite high-street names. I tried on a TopShop denim skirt which proclaimed my size but I couldn't pull them beyond my knees. Blame it on the good food my mother-in-law had been preparing over here.

I sailed away from Stockholm with only a book bought at a second-hand store - The Accidental by Ali Smith. Too bad we didn't have time for the Ostermalm district where there are many hip boutiques and cafes.

Tallinn Old Town from a high vantage point

Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia is about 2 hours by ship from Helsinki and is a popular destination among Finns, especially during summer time.

Tallinn's Old Town, a UNESCO heritage site, is a beautiful medieval city fortified by thick stone walls. According to this history brief, only 20 of the original 66 towers are left. Good enough because they are wonderful samples of ancient architecture that have withstood the test of time. Nearly 800 years after they have been built, the city walls and towers are still as tough as ever. Outside of the Old Town, remnants of Russian architecture stand starkly.

HG and I visited Tallinn about 8 or 9 years ago. This trip brought back many memories for us as we revisited the various locations. There's the Flower Street, McDonald's restaurant, Fat Margaret Tower, and the Artist Path where local artists display their works on old city walls. As I looked at the painted scenes of Tallinn, I'm reminded of the ones that still hang in our matrimonial home in Singapore.

One of these towers is nicknamed Fat Margaret. Guess which?

Tallinn's Old Town is very much a tourist haven. Almost every lane is lined with souvenir shops selling fridge magnets, old-styled Estonian apparel, pottery and amber accessories. It was only in our last hour in Tallinn that I stumbled upon a little shop selling hand-made clothes and jewelry. Sigrid Valgma studied industrial design and made jewelry as a hobby. Earlier this year, she turned her hobby into a business. She didn't abandon her major because she told me she built the furniture in her shop herself. You can click on her name to view her gallery of products. The work of her partner, Kadri Siirman, can be viewed here.

I bought a ring made of white jade, freshwater pearls and glass beads designed by Sigrid. I am very pleased with my purchase because I'd really wanted to buy a unique piece of local art.

Our visitors left today. I think they enjoyed their first trip to Europe very much, experiencing new environments, seeing different people and lifestyles, walking on cobblestones, trying out new foods... and of course, spending precious time with their grandchildren.

We are back to our usual routine... starting with a major clean-up tomorrow.

Change is the only constant

2009-07-26T22:23:00.005+03:00

The children's grandparents are here to visit, so we have been busy sightseeing, including places we seldom/never visit.

Last week, I brought them for a nature walk around Villa Elfik. The folks enjoyed the fresh air, tranquility and greenery. We spotted many species of birds and even a fox. We also noticed some large piles of poo - according to the information board, a species of hairy cattle live in the area. Unfortunately, other than their trails, we didn't see any specimens that day.

Over the weekend, we went to Market Square to browse the stalls. On Sunday, we visited the Botanical Gardens near Hakaniemi. The last time the kids and I visited the Gardens was 2 years ago when we were staying in an apartment nearby. Some plants looked familiar while others were new and fascinating. It was really refreshing to come again.

Last Wednesday, we took a 3-day cruise to Stockholm. This is our second trip in 2 years. With our parents, we revisited Stockholm's Old Town Gamla Stan. They were impressed by the strong and sturdy walls, the gates and even doors. My mom thought the palace guards (especially the one watching the front gate) were very handsome. These fair-haired, blue-eyed Scandinavians are rather good-looking.

Although we were in Stockholm just 2 years ago, Gamla Stan feels kind of different. This time, I noticed more glitzy brand shops, like The Body Shop. There's also a Ben and Jerry's, but it might be already there the last time since the whiffs of freshly-made waffles smelled familiar.

I mentioned my observations of Gamla Stan to my neighbours and they seemed pretty surprised. At the same time, we weren't too taken aback either. The invasion of large shop fronts is part and parcel of global branding. Starbucks at the Forbidden City in Beijing, McDonald's in Tokyo, and endless examples in modern cities like Singapore and Shanghai.

Here in Helsinki, Wayne's Coffee shop used to be our favourite little coffee joint when we first visited 9 years ago. In those days, we used to love to pop in for their hearty soups or soft muffins and a hot cuppa. It was cool place to hang out.

Today, Wayne's Coffee is all over the place. There are now outlets at shopping complexes in the suburbs. Not so thrilled with Wayne's nowadays. Maybe it's time to throw out that blue mug we bought yonks ago.

We'll be visiting Tallin in neighbouring Estonia tomorrow. I wonder what changes await us after our last visit 8 years ago.

Look out for the next instalment of MZinLalaland.

PS Everyone please give a round of applause to welcome my new follower, ~Sal~. Also join me in congratulating her on successfully re-embarking the journey to parenthood. Need some maternity clothes from H&M?

When you wish upon a star

2009-07-17T22:18:00.003+03:00

Estelle had just finished her shower and I was drying her up when I heard a noise.

Poot... poot... poot...

Me: (covering my nose with the towel) Estelle! What's that sound?

Estelle: (laughing) What sound, mummy?

Me: (nose still covered) Oh my goodness, what was that?

Estelle: It's just a shooting star, mummy.

The kids are really happy these couple of days because their grandparents are here to visit. HG and I were initially worried about putting them up in the living room. It turned out that the kids moved downstairs to join them. Our living room has become a camp site. A very happy one.

Strawberry fields

2009-07-10T23:15:00.008+03:00

Strawberry fields don't last forever; strawberries are fruits of summer.

I received an sms just after 6 pm today from one of Estelle's classmate, Holly's mom.

"Hi, today seems good to pick strawberry. Would you like to around 6.30-7pm?" she asked.

I replied: "My husband is not in. I don't have GPS..."

Since we live rather close by, we arranged to meet somewhere (actually, it's the Nokia office since my knowledge of Espoo is limited), then their car led ours.

I've picked apples, pears and peaches on the outskirts of Beijing. This is my first time picking strawberries.

At farms like these, visitors are typically allowed to eat all they can on-location. Visitors can bring their own baskets or containers and are charged according to the weight of fruit collected.

The farm is just less than 10 km from our home. We are thankful for friends with local knowledge! We arrived after 7.30 pm and had only half an hour because the farm closes at 8 pm.

Nevertheless, the kids had lots of fun running around the large field. We ate as we picked and had a pretty good harvest. The strawberries were very sweet.

During the 5-minute walk from the field to the weighing station, our yield dropped 20% as the kids munched along. Good thing anyway, since we pay 80% less than what we would have.

In the next 5 minutes between the farm and our car, our stock had nearly halved. We had some more for dessert tonight...

So we now have a good reason to go down to the strawberry field again next week. Summer is short in this part of the world - we have to enjoy while it lasts.

PS Do you realise it's really bright for past 8 pm? These two pics were taken on the way out.

Goodbye, James Reynolds

2009-07-07T11:04:00.006+03:00

James Reynolds is the BBC's Beijing correspondent. I've followed his blog on a fairly regular basis and kept up with his work in China.

Today, as I was reading BBC's coverage of the Xinjiang riots, I clicked on the link to his blog and found out that he is coming to the end of his posting in China.

James has many fans. From the comments left on his blog, his ardent followers can be categorised broadly into 1) China Chinese who are now living overseas, 2) China Chinese still living in China, 3) ethnic Chinese who are living or have lived in China, 4) non-Chinese who have spent time in China, and 5) non-Chinese who are interested in what's happening in China.

Poor James gets plenty of flak particularly from categories 1 and 2. Many accuse him of attacking China and the Chinese people. No matter what he was saying, these readers think he does not know China at all or is looking at events as a bigoted Westerner. I wonder how they will react to his departure.

Categories 3 and 4 are much more sympathetic. I belong to this group.

I got to know a friend from Beijing and whenever we discuss China, I think my friend can't help but put up a defense. "Why are you foreigners criticising China all the time?" she must be thinking. "Isn't there anything good to talk about?"

A number of Beijing taxi drivers had welcomed me back to Motherland but I had given up explaining Singapore is my home. Perhaps my Beijing friend viewed me as "Chinese" except my Mandarin is not as fluent. So she is still somewhat tolerant of my views, even though they may be quite different from hers. But if I had been of another colour, the same views and thoughts would have prevented us from becoming friends. The Chinese, in general, are wary of foreigners.

Since I myself have done some journalistic snooping around during my time in Beijing, I can empathise with the obstacles James faced.

It's almost impossible to interview someone from government agencies. I am consoled that even a BBC journalist is often rejected, let alone a freelancer like me. I didn't even have a fax machine. My e-mail requests for interviews - government and private companies alike - were often lost in cyberspace. The other party never seemed to receive my mails and I kept sending. Or the boss' schedule was so packed he was only available 30 February.

Even when I was standing right in front of the official, he couldn't answer my questions because his flight was about to take off.

I had felt really guilty towards the publication I was working for because I wasn't able to submit many stories. Although there were relevant reports in the local papers, I couldn't write my own story because none of the facts can be checked and substantiated. I didn't tell them I had actually made dozens of calls and sent loads of e-mails. Just lame excuses for incompetence, my employers might think.

My colleague N was pretty sympathetic. She's a Chinese who had spent many years in the US so she is well aware of the workings of her home country.

Aside from the frustrations of working in China, I am awfully touched my James' stories of the people he met.

Many times, we think of China as a economic powerhouse, we are wowed by the skyscrapers of Shanghai or the glitzy movie industry. The fact of the matter is that not all Chinese are benefiting from the economic progress. For every new car added to the road, there is someone out there who is still living poorly.

I am tearful when I came to the part about siblings Li Tangmo and Qingyi whose parents died during the Sichuan earthquake. What will happen to my kids when we pass on? At least they have grandparents who will love them and look after them, and they will be well-taken care of by insurance payouts.

Not the Lis. Their future is in peril, like numerous other children who have lost their families. But what can we do to help them? Or how about the families who have lost their children? How can we heal the hurt?

Nothing much, unfortunately, within our power. I hope, however, to live my own life differently knowing that we are in a much more privileged position than many others in this world.

So thank you, James Reynolds, for revealing the lives of real people in China. I wish I had a chance to meet you to draw from the depths of your experiences. All the best on your future endeavours.

A cloudy night

2009-07-04T23:41:00.004+03:00

We woke up to a bright and cool morning. I opened the back door to be greeted by a light 16ºC breeze. Nice.

The clouds built up after lunch. We had planned a picnic at Kaivopuisto this afternoon but had to settle for some drinks and snacks at Carousel Cafe because the sky was displaying dark shades of gray.

Rain drizzled down around 7 pm. In spite of the heavy clouds, there was no downpour. Maybe later tonight; I hope so because my garden desperately needs some watering.

Today's picture was taken just before 11 pm. Darkness has not yet fallen. Compared to previous summer nights, it looks as if the dimmer is on.

Even as the sight of lit street lamps remind me of the normalcy of day and night, I also remember that this level of brightness comes on as early as 3 pm during winter days.

From the equator where the sun rises at (about) 6.30 am every morning and sets at (about) 6.30 pm every evening, pole living proves that the world is different to different people.

Quite like the story of the blind men trying to describe an elephant, isn't it?

I am mother, hear me roar

2009-06-29T01:03:00.005+03:00

I think it's a mother's natural instinct to care and protect her cubs. Other family members included.

I have reached the age where friends around me 1) have children, 2) are adding children, 3) are planning to have/add children, or 4) made up their minds not to have any.

This time back in Singapore, I met an old friend at Bukit Timah Plaza on a Sunday afternoon. The elder of his two girls was taking ballet lessons. We went there with our friends whose boys were taking music lessons. Being out of Singapore for several years now, HG and I didn't know that Bukit Timah Plaza is actually a popular site for children's enrichment classes.

Pulled along by the tides of time, we bump into friends these days at places like Bukit Timah Plaza, and no longer at yuppie coffee joints or pubs at Holland V or Mohamed Sultan.

I don't know about other moms out there but I often think about what kind of mother I want to be.

Is staying at home full time the best decision a mother can make?

I enjoy the autonomy to decide how I want to bring up our kids. It's also fun planning the menu and whipping up delicious and nutritious meals for the family. I am thankful I am there whenever my kids need me, like when they fall ill and need to stay at home, or when the teacher calls that they'd run into trouble at school.

However, I think this routine is dulling my senses. I miss meeting deadlines, socialising with colleagues, dressing up for work, traveling and most of all, the satisfaction of a job well done. I don't wish to be enslaved to my family, not now or in the future. I want to live my own life!

I was rather pleased to strike a balance in Singapore and Beijing, where I could work from home and still travel occasionally for press events and conferences. Work has dwindled since I come to Finland. I'd bet the cashiers at the local supermarket recognise this Asian woman who comes in nearly every day, sometimes to buy something, sometimes nothing.

Besides personal satisfaction, a full-time job would certainly boost our family income. More money is helpful, not to mention, gives me the power to pamper myself with material things. I'm far from noble so I must confess that I wish I can splurge liberally on designer clothes, jewellery, shoes, holidays... the list grows the more I mull over it.

These days, I can't help but feel resigned to my state of affairs. Then last night, I read an article by NYT columnist, Judith Warner. Warner is a stay-at-home mom and an author. This week, she wrote about her run-in with working moms.

On the other end of the spectrum is Lucy Kellaway of the FT. Back in February, she wrote about her guilt as a selfish working mother.

I can identify with both women. At some point, I was one or the other, and my status may change again when we move to a new country where career opportunities and childcare arrangements are more readily available.

"I am woman, hear me roar." Do you know this feminist anthem by Helen Reddy?

Stay at home versus full time work. I'm still searching for the point of equilibrium.

Daylight in the night time

2009-06-22T23:57:00.001+03:00

I captured a beautiful sunset from our bathroom window tonight.

Can you guess what time it is?

The weather was great today. The clouds moved away to show off the sun in all its glory.

When we picked the kids up school today, they were playing outdoors and had shed their jackets. Seemed that the teachers brought out benches, colouring materials, mats and books outside and all the kids have been out after lunch. Temperature was hovering above 20ºC and warmer at places where the sun shone.

After dinner, we went out (again) to play with the neighbours. Our neighbour's boy (the one with the thick earthworm) was running around in singlet and shorts. Our kids had some sleeves to protect their shoulders, if this helped.

These days, the kids sleep after 9 pm while we usually go to bed around 1 am, after we've caught a few minutes of Wolf Blitzer. What's the diff - like the hours preceding him, it's all about Iran anyway...

I took an early shower today. 11.30 pm. That's the time I caught today's sunset.

Catching the sunset

2009-06-18T00:32:00.003+03:00

Do you know what time it was when this picture was taken?

Make a guess.

Midsummer is the longest day of the year, also known as the summer solstice. Astronomically, the summer solstice falls on 24 June. In Finland, Juhannus is a national holiday that is celebrated on the Saturday that falls between 20 and 26 June.

On Friday (19 June), shops will open at 8 am and close at 1 pm, and remain close on Saturday. Long queues at the supermarket can be expected on Thursday evening and Friday morning. I have already prepared my battle plan to conquer the supermarkets Thursday.

Finns celebrate Juhannus by lighting bonfires. Seurasaari, an island in Helsinki, is the annual site for bonfires, dances and traditional costumes. We hope to catch a Juhannus celebration this year, whether at Seurasaari or elsewhere.

During summer in the upper northern latitudes, like in Helsinki, the sun sets at around 10 pm and is up 3 am. Some people have trouble sleeping and their body clocks go topsy-turvy. I've read suggestions like installing thick dark-coloured curtains and sticking those black garbage bags to windows to block out the sun.

The Toh family just sleeps. ZZZ... zzz... ZZZ... zzz...

The kids go to bed at around 9 pm and wake up at 8 am the next day. If the little ones cooperate on weekends, which they usually do nowadays, we all get up at 9.30 am. A real treat for parents with young kids! Estelle looks forward to weekends because "I can sleep for as long as I want".

So, have you guessed what time it is?

12.30 am. Serious.

This is the midnight sun. Further up north, the phenomenon is more obvious where day light is turned on even at midnight.

I'll be taking more picture over the next few days. Stay tuned.

Helsinki Samba Festival

2009-06-16T01:38:00.006+03:00

Last Saturday was Helsinki's Samba Festival, part of the Helsinki Day celebrations.

We were treated to beautiful costumes, loud music and a great atmosphere of fun. The parade lasted around an hour and half - some people left halfway thinking all floats had passed. The last item was the Sambic band and supported by a troupe of dancers, who looked like they were members of a fitness club.

The weather on Saturday was excellent. We were greeted with chilly winds and later bathed in warm sunshine. I think we got a suntan!

Our kids enjoyed a great, unblocked view of the parade on top of a electrical mains box.

Helsinki is really wonderful in summer.

Where is your photo now?

2009-06-11T13:56:00.002+03:00

Following my blog entry last week about the possible mis-use of personal information on the internet, I read a story on the BBC today that backs my claims.

The Smiths from the US were shocked to find that their family photo had been flashed across a billboard in Prague, the Czech Republic advertising delivery services offered by a grocery store. The Smiths had used that picture on their Christmas card and it was also on their family blog.

The owner of the store thought the picture was "computer generated". Somehow, it didn't matter to him/her that the people in the picture were unknown to him. It didn't matter if they were not Czechoslovakians. They were a good-looking family.

Being in the publishing business has taught me to be careful about copyright infringements. I remembered having to pay US$800 for a picture of a girl holding a brightly-coloured balloon for a cover picture. The picture library charge differently according to the use, like for a magazine cover or for a story in one of the pages, for instance.

Some people think that content on the Internet is free for all. Copyright protection is one thing; intrusion of privacy is another.

So if anyone sees me or any member of my family on any newspaper, magazine, website or darn it, anywhere else other than here, please please, let me know.

Working those muscles

2009-06-10T23:43:00.006+03:00

For a week now, I've been working out after putting the kids to bed. My little routine includes skipping, toning using free weights and some stretching.

I haven't worked out since winter. Okay, this may not be a good excuse because I see Finns jogging in the snow... Anyhow, a little exercise is better than none.

Just yesterday, Estelle announced happily that we are having another baby because her mummy's tummy is big. She's not convinced there isn't a baby inside. This just reinforces my will to work out more regularly.

Tonight, we watched a second episode of Family Fat Surgeons on Discovery channel. This reality series follows the father-and-son team of bariatric surgeons and their patients. One of the main categories of bariatric surgery is the reduction of stomach size so that the patient eats less and feels full more quickly.

Our first time watching this series some days ago, patient Alan was so big he could not move. He laid in bed, couldn't go to the bathroom and his mom wiped him down if he needed a bath. Drs Davis hoped to reduce half his body weight (150 lbs!) after the surgery.

While I was in the shower, HG told me they featured a patient who had undergone the surgery some time ago and had lost a lot of weight. So much so that as the fat receded, her skin began to sag. What used to be her tummy was now folded over and hanging around her knees. She needed cosmetics surgery because she had difficulty cleaning areas between the skin and infection set in. While her bariatric surgery was covered by insurance, the now much-needed cosmetics procedures would not be.

As for me, I just want to carry on wearing the clothes in my wardrobe. I am happy simply to fit in pre-pregnancy outfits. Well, only those that don't look like they are already 8 years old... I had to throw some clothes out since fashion has moved on.

This week, I feel less lethargic and skip my afternoon naps. The muffin top looks like it lacks baking soda. Summer is almost here - it's still spring in Finland - and I think it's a good idea to get ready to show some skin.

But I love my food. I'm munching on strawberry filled chocolate as I type. I don't need to be thin. Fitting into my usual clothes is good enough.

How safe is the Internet?

2009-06-07T00:55:00.003+03:00

In one word: not.

You may recall that I made an entry some months ago about our sauna experience. That was the first time the kids tried out the hot and steamy sauna.

I have removed the pictures from that blog entry. Several days ago, I noticed a referral to my blog from a photo library website. The key word search was for "family" and "sauna". Pictures shown from these words ranged from posed pictures by tourist-related websites to portable saunas. There were also pictures of naked women.

A couple of weeks ago, a search for the words "naked", "kids" and "sauna" ended at my blog. The IP address is one of those phantom ones where you can't tell which country or computer the user is at. I cringed.

Any and all information posted on the Internet is available for all to see. There is really little one can do to stop people getting to know you better without you knowing.

For instance, some time ago, I was reading a popular Singapore blogger's blog and saw a picture of a cute girl. I clicked on it, thinking it might be the blogger's daughter, or it might be someone from his family. The click led me to a Flickr account of someone I know, someone who is probably not related to the blogger.

I'd basically clicked on a Flickr advertisement, gave Flickr some hits, brought the blogger some income and viewed my friends' photo album. My friends probably don't know I had seen their pics, or for that matter, anyone else who had intruded into their privacy.

Maybe someone can let Adrian and Jasmine know I think Cherise is pretty cute...

The sanctity of my privacy is the main reason I am not on Facebook or MySpace or other social networking sites. Thus, I hesitated to blog, and now that I do, I find myself thinking through sensitive issues and content that are appropriate for broadcast.

I often worry about identity fraud. I am careful about where and how I throw paper trash, making an effort to shred bank statements or personal documents. A credit card statement, for example, contains my name, address, card number and how much I had spent. A thief with intent can easily gather information from my trash. Combine these with information available on, for example, Facebook, and birth dates, spouses, family or work add on to the profile.

You might think I am paranoid but there are already cases of people who have lost their ID cards or passport and subsequently found themselves with empty bank accounts or changes to security systems linked to their ID numbers. In this age where personal information is easily available on the Internet, building a personal profile from scratch is not difficult.

So please be careful about what you post on the internet. This is advice I give myself.

Cheap accommodation in Singapore?

2009-06-03T19:40:00.008+03:00

In today's Straits Times, there was a report of unauthorised sub-division of housing units at Grangeford Condo in Singapore.

The proposal is a simple one: each housing unit is divided into more units to increase rental yield. For instance, a 3-bedroom unit may fetch S$3,000 a month. But if the same unit is partitioned into 2 1-bedroom units, or more, and each is then rented at, say, S$1,800, viola! The landlord can now earn more with the same resources.

What has this got to do with me, you might ask.

When we were in Singapore in March, we needed an apartment for the 4 of us. Serviced apartments, like Somerset or Frasers, were out of the question since monthly rates start at S$4000, not including taxes. I also wanted a kitchen to prepare meals for the kids.

As we trawled the internet, we came across advertisements for "cheap apartments in prime locations". A friend shortlisted some for us.

Starting at S$1,500 a month, we could choose from an assortment of 1-bedroom apartments near Orchard Road and Holland Village. Some came with kitchens and/or attached bathrooms. Our friend explained that some condominium estates had gone for en-bloc sales and residents have moved out but they were not torn down and rebuilt due to poor economic prospects. The units were then sub-divided and rented out on a short-term basis.

We opted for a 1-bedroom apartment at Holland Hill equipped with a kitchen. Each apartment is fully furnished with a sofa set, TV, internet connection and a queen-sized bed. We were told that the washing machine, refrigerator and microwave oven were brand new. At S$1,800 a month, it was a bargain in expensive Singapore.

When we arrived in Singapore, we found that we had checked into a house of horrors.

Our "apartment" was one of two in the original unit. Upon entering the main door, we shared a common corridor with our "neighbour", a family who essentially lived in another bedroom. The apartment was musty and dirty. It did not have a window, except for a balcony in the bedroom which was kept closed to keep out insects.

Our bathroom was a tiny toilet and a shower which was recently installed. We asked for cooking utensils since we couldn't be stuffing these into our luggage and the estate management agreed to provide these. Alas, on arrival we got a kitchen without gas nor utensils and cutlery.

Despite dust balls rolling on the floor, the estate management (Ideal Accommodation, the same company managing Grangeford) insisted that the apartment was cleaned. My poor Estelle had horrible insect bites on her legs. I couldn't tell if they were by bed bugs.

After I kicked a huge fuss, the manager agreed to have my unit cleaned. Imagine my surprise when the manager herself turned up in the evening with cleaning equipment! So she and her friend cleaned up the place in under 15 minutes - this was after arriving 1 hour later than we had scheduled.

The estate had a security guard whose working hours were 6 pm to 6 am, but he went home (or to sleep) early on certain nights. I believe only one cleaner was hired for the whole estate, whose responsibilities were to empty the garbage bins every day. The estate, in general, was hardly kept.

After spending many years travelling, I'd hardly had to deal with jet lag. This time, I had trouble sleeping at night and getting up in the mornings. My family could hardly believe the hell hole we got ourselves into.

Three weeks later, I was just glad to get our S$1,000 deposit back. The manager glanced around the room and that was the end of the "inspection". I guess the apartment was deemed clean and ready for the next tenant.

When my friends in Finland asked, "How was your trip to Singapore?" I could not bring myself to say it was great. We enjoyed catching up with our friends and family but Holland Hill cast a long and dark shadow over us.

I had a draft of this experience in April but it was deleted afterwards. I'd thought I leave the past behind instead of shaming the housing company, which I had every intention of doing during those sleepless nights. Three months on, I can put aside emotions to report and comment on a current issue.

A resident living in Chinatown wrote to the Straits Times that his block had many apartments converted into multiple units or dormitories. The lifts break down often, bringing inconvenience and possible danger in case of emergencies or fires. Overcrowding poses a clear and present danger should Singapore have a pandemic, like the H1N1 flu.

Although S$1,800 a month is not a small sum for a 1-bedroom apartment, it was the most viable option for us. We weren't hoping for a luxurious temporary home, just somewhere neat and clean where we could rest.

We wouldn't try this sub-divided apartments again, if this arrangement is still available. The police is coming down hard after complaints from the public.

Where, then, can we stay next time we go to Singapore? Room rates are too high, sometimes even higher than parts of Europe. We had considered going for a one-week holiday in Thailand because the costs, including airfare, came up to around the same if we stayed in Singapore.

What options are there for reasonably-priced short-term accommodation in Singapore?

Spring Gardening

2009-06-01T15:29:00.004+03:00

It's really hot in southern Finland this week. For the past few days, we've been having 25ºC afternoons but standing in the bright sunshine, it sure feels hotter than 25.

Two weeks ago, we received a notice about an event on 28 May. Since it was in Finnish, my limited vocabulary tells me it's something to do with spring and gardening. Maybe an expert is coming in to share experiences with us at 6 pm.

Ten minutes to six on 28 May, I noticed some neighbours gathering in our backyard. In autumn/winter last year, some residents got to together to tidy up fallen leaves and dead plants. I reckoned they must be getting the yard ready for spring/summer.

I brought the kids out around 6.40 pm, after we've had our dinner. The neighbours were clearing weeds, mowing grass, mulching, pruning trees and bushes. Guessing that I'm a novice, I was assigned a pair of scissors to trim dead branches.

In between playing with other children at the playground, our kids helped to rake the leaves. Our neighbour's boy, Santari, found a long and thick earthworm.

We finished work at 7.30 and got together for some BBQ sausages and drinks. This is really the typical way Finnish people celebrate the warm weather.

I created this clip using iMovie '09. My previous movies were made using iMovie HD but this time, I wanted to add subtitles and ran into difficulties. As usual, the internet is a great resource to trouble-shooting. This was when I realised that I should have the new iMovie '09. I haven't used it because the iMovie HD logo was on my Dock. My techie hubby guided me to the latest version which has been hiding in Applications : )

The new iMovie is soooo easy to use. I'd spent more than 3 days working on the project but finished it in 30 minutes on '09.

This means you'll be watching more movies on this channel! I love Mac!

If we didn't have kids

2009-05-26T11:10:00.005+03:00

If we didn't have kids

We'd be DINKs with lots of chink

What can we buy with double the income

Lots of stuff for ourselves

And plenty other events to go to

Then we had kids

One of us bade our job goodbye

Four fellows now share the spoils

Still we saved more

Than when there were only two

If we didn't have kids

My wardrobe gets new additions

Every time I hit the shops

Suits, bags and shoes

Money buys some satisfaction

Then we had kids

Their wardrobe gets new additions

Every time I hit the shops

Pink dresses or Spidey Ts

Giggles brings instant gratification

If we didn't have kids

We'd live in the city

In a cosy apartment by the sea

Fiddling with fancy gadgets

Lounging on the balcony

Then we had kids

Chose a house in the country

Flanked by flowers and trees

Cycling on gravel tracks

Running in the forestry

If we didn't have kids

We'd choose a fancy restaurant

Every evening, a new menu

We'll hang out late into the night

Maybe some friends over for a chat

Then we had kids

I whip up yummy-licious stews

Every day, a fresh menu

We exchange hugs and kisses before bed

They get more when sound asleep

If we didn't have kids

We'd take off for hols this week

Get on a plane with some clothes

Shopping, coffee and dinners

In Barcelona, Paris or Rome

Then we had kids

Packing for hols take a week

Extra large suitcase with more on board

Shopping, food and rides

Disneyland, the beach or the zoo

If we didn't have kids

We'd have more time

And money too

We can go wherever we want

And eat whatever we want

Then we had kids

We share all that we have

Time and money too

Love and joy multiplied

There's nothing else we want

Happiest Place in the World

2009-05-10T20:09:00.006+03:00

Feeling blue?

Walt Disney's dream to create the Happiest Place on Earth gave birth to the theme park of theme parks - Disneyland. Here, children and adults indulge their fantasies in oversized stuffed animals, wild rides and make-believe kingdoms.

But I am not talking about short-term escapism but real life.

The OECD has found the happiest places in the world: Denmark is tops, followed by Finland and the Netherlands.

Yes! Finland is one of the happiest places in the world.

Finland is a nice place to be in. I continue with gripes about high cost of living but otherwise, life here is great.

Finns generally aren't particular about wealth, brands and other status symbols that many Asians are mad about. They enjoy sports, music, spending time with their families and friends. Children in Finland are encouraged to play. Not to conform to parents' or society's template of who they should be but to grow into a person who is ready to make friends and enjoy life.

While North European countries are some of the happiest (others on the top 10 list include Denmark, Sweden and Norway), someone left a comment on the Forbes article that these are also countries with some of the highest suicide rates. Maybe it's because the people here tend to be introverts or they may be troubled by long dark nights during the winter months. Finland has two tragic cases of school shootings, just 1 year apart from each other.

Nevertheless, Finns take any indication that their people are not happy quite seriously. There were local news reports that Finnish children are stressed... please, they haven't compared themselves to kids in Asia yet. Or studies that show children who exhibit disorderly behaviour tend to have trouble integrating with society later on.

No place in the world is perfect.

Thankfully, we and the people around us belong to the happy group.

Nothing to do - how blissful

2009-05-05T19:18:00.009+03:00

In Finland, May 1 is called Vappu Paiva. The Finns celebrate Vappu with colourful balloons, preferably filled with helium, pom-poms, streamers and lots of drinks. The kids had a party in school and had their faces painted. You will see Jules' Spiderman/Optimus Prime Transformer-inspired art in the video and Estelle had her hair coloured purple too.

Over the long weekend last week, we took a short trip to Hanko. Hanko is a seaside town west of Helsinki, over 120 km by road.

We see the name "Hanko" almost every day because we travel on the highway that leads to this little town whenever we send the kids to school. It didn't occur to us to find out more about this place until our friends suggested our families do something together.

We set off from our home in Espoo at around 4 pm and arrived in Hanko at 6. Our apartment at Villa Lundmark was great - neat, equipped and tastefully furnished.

Hanko used to be a spa town and many large villas were built in the 1800s. In later days, rooms in the villas were segregated into smaller apartments, much like the one we stayed in. As such, we could enjoy the experience of living in a villa with modern facilities like electricity, shower/toilet and kitchen - some things we take for granted in modern life.

We arrived on Thursday evening and set out to paint the town red on Friday. We wondered if we chose a wrong time to come. The streets were empty and shops were closed. Our friends from China thought that Hangzhou was tranquil but Hanko took "quiet little town" to the extreme. Not surprising, since the population of even a third-tier Chinese city often exceeds that of Finland's.

There are several restaurants along the coast but only a handful are open. One of the activities recommended by the Hanko tourist guide is "check out the new menus of the restaurants as they open their doors again". More will open as the crowds check in. HG thinks the town will probably be quite busy in summer when Finns raid the beach in search of a spot to worship the sun.

We walked along the sandy beaches and climbed little granite mounts. Since there is little else to do, we simply walked around town and took in the sights. Besides interesting buildings, like lighthouses and villas, statues and monuments are scattered around town, many of which are testaments to Hanko's military past.

Villa Orman has a cafe serving drinks and pastries as well as a second hand bookshop, something I'd very much looked forward to. The small section of English books had some obscure titles. The gem I unearthed is the Good Housekeeping Electric Casserole Cook Book. It has a collection of recipes, from soups to stews to desserts, for slow cookers, also known as crock pots.

"Cooking with an electric casserole has all sorts of advantages but there's no doubt it's a new technique to master," goes the foreword. Funny because crock pots aren't fashionable nowadays. Published in 1978, this book is truly a sign of the times. I bought it because I want to try out new recipes on my own little crock pot, a wedding gift that I've now found extremely useful.

Hanko welcomes visitors to do nothing - how blissful. A simple life, indeed.

Me and my faith

2009-04-27T23:52:00.005+03:00

I am inspired to log in this entry after reading some news and blogs on the goings-on of the Aware saga.

I'm not going to say who is right or who is wrong because I don't know. None of the materials paint the whole picture and many writers have already made up their minds about the mechanics of the affair. At this point, it seems that the issue has become a Christianity versus LGBT tussle.

Whenever there is any mention of Aware, the inevitable joke is whether to enrol our men in Amare. Who knows this NGO could whip up such a storm.

Would there be any response from the general public if the new ex-co is made up of LGBT? If Christians react, we are labelled as bigoted fundamentalists. If we keep mum, it shows we condone/accept their lifestyle. Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

The Straits Times asked in a headline, "Will new ex-co impose personal beliefs?" What kind of question is this? Everyone has beliefs. If one joins an organisation which runs counter to his/her belief, this person would 1. protest, 2. leave, or 3. do nothing because it doesn't matter anyway. If options (1) or (2) are taken, this person is named a trouble-maker.

I remember catching the Singapore debut of Broadway show Rent many years ago. I'd looked forward to it after reading the excellent critiques and listening to one of its hit songs, the one that goes "525 600 minutes..."

DBS had withdrawn its sponsorship due to the show's thorny issues (HIV, drugs, etc) just a week before opening night. Perhaps the troupe wanted to prove their point, their performance wasn't just good technically, their passion and vigour shone through.

However, I finished the show feeling somewhat disgruntled.

The HIV+ guy, drug addict and bohemian dancer discovered the meaning of life. The normal guy - the one who has a regular job and doesn't dabble in drugs or other unsavoury practices - was still lost, hanging in the air.

The performance ended to a standing ovation. I walked away wondering what's wrong with living life "normally". Does one have to live an alternate lifestyle to truly find oneself?

Outside of my Christian circle, I seldom refer to my "religious beliefs". In my work, I'm a professional journalist; in my home, I'm a loving and responsible mom; socially, I'm a forthcoming and helpful friend. I am not ashamed to tell people I'm Christian, however, I'd like them to like me, the qualities I possess and the values I hold close to my heart. I would like people to ask why I am what I am and hopefully, they will be impressed that Jesus is my God.

I had engaged in long conversations with friends about Christianity, about God. Many times, these talks turned combative, especially when my friend(s) posed questions like "Can God create a rock so big it will kill himself?" By then, I would be terribly frustrated, angry and emotional. I was fed up with my friend and myself because the conversation wasn't constructive, it wasn't leading anywhere and I couldn't express myself adequately to reach a conclusion that satisfied both parties.

Then again, even CS Lewis had to think really long and deep to find answers to such questions.

Age has caught up with me. I have mellowed. Thus a change in strategy (is this an appropriate description?) to share my faith.

Meanwhile, I think it is important for Christians to make friends from all walks of life. Some Christians are really naive about the real world. Did the new AWARE people consider the recoil when they took on the "old guard"? The leaked e-mails leads me to think otherwise.

There is a Chinese saying, "Know yourself and the enemy, and you will win a hundred battles out of hundred." From Sun Tzi, no?

My place in this world

2009-04-22T23:07:00.008+03:00

Relocation is not a straightforward choice for many people, especially those with families. To move or not to move?

As the world goes global, so do the people who work in it. Unless one serves only the local market, it is not uncommon to see "some travel required" on a job ad. Some travel more than others. In certain cases, the family goes travelling too.

The Tohs seem to fit in anywhere they go, don't we? Outside Singapore, we have lived in China and now, Finland.

China is a common place for foreigners to work in, especially in large cities like Shanghai or Beijing. It is often assumed that since we are ethnic Chinese and speak Mandarin, we would have little trouble fitting in to Beijing.

Finland is a different story. It has an extreme climate - up to six months of winter compared to a whole year of heat and humidity in Singapore. We don't speak the language and have little variety with regards to food.

I am thankful that I had spent many years prior to relocating travelling all over the world. As a journalist, I ventured to far-out places to meet people of different countries and cultures in varied forms of transport. I remember visiting a small city is southern China where my colleague and I were so relieved to see McDonald's; here, we knew exactly what we were eating.

This is probably why our family transit smoothly when we relocate. I, the general manager and logistics head of this family, had already clocked experience in a previous job.

I know and have also heard of families, particular the moms, who are struggling in a new country.

A friend shared with me a mom from Malaysia isn't happy in Singapore. More than one Chinese (from PRC) in Finland have told me they would approach total strangers who looked Asian to ask if they were Chinese too.

I'd say that the moms are usually bear the brunt of "relocation anxiety". The husbands are busy at work anyway and moms will always try their best to help their kids settle in. Then who will help the moms?

Many moms become disengaged and are left to their own devices.

The first step is the align our expectations with reality. We have to face the challenges bravely and positively. I try not to compare what is lacking but rather look for solutions, for there will always be one. It may not be the best-case scenario but it's likely to be better than the worst.

I also think it is important to make friends. My profile is not one of an extrovert but I try to meet new people and learn more about their lives. I found that everyone has an interesting tale to tell and it's fun to discuss our similarities and differences.

Last weekend, we finally connected to our neighbours, after nearly one year. We've so far only greeted each other briefly and on Sunday, we met them outside our home after the kids went cycling. We could have gone home straightaway but we lingered to chat and our kids played together.

On Monday evening, our neighbour knocked on our door and his son came in to play. Today, our kids rang their bell and all the kids played together outside. What a breakthrough!

There are days when I'm alone and have no one to talk to. Blogging is one of my outlets. Now that it's spring time, I can work in my garden again. Or I'll look up new recipes and try them out on my 3 guinea pigs.

Our stay in Finland may come to a close end of this year. I hope to carry on for a few more years. Why? That's another story. We are also ready to move to a new country or city. At this point, we don't have a destination. I'm confident our family is well taken care of, so we are awaiting further instructions.

To this end, I would like to share one of my favourite songs. Michael W Smith recently sang this with the Jonas Brothers (you can find it on YouTube) but the screaming girls in the background spoilt it for me. I'm not even going to provide you the link.

Anyway, here is the song.

The wind is moving

But I am standing still

A life of pages

Waiting to be filled

A heart thats hopeful

A head that's full of dreams

But this becoming Is harder than it seems

Feels like I'm

Chorus:

Looking for a reason

Roaming through the night to find

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

If there are millions

Down on their knees

Among the many

Can you still hear me

Hear me asking

Where do I belong

Is there a vision

That I can call my own

Show me I'm

International flavours at IKEA

2009-04-19T23:34:00.006+03:00

I like Ikea.

I like its cheap and cheerful home furnishings. I love the smell of pine that greets me as I step into the store. I enjoy Swedish meatballs swimming in salty gravy served with a dollop of berry jam and potatoes.

Last month, I had lunch at Ikea in Singapore. I've been there many times before but this time feels strange.

Having visited Ikea stores in Singapore, Beijing and Finland, I found that Ikea has a very strong brand identity. The stores smell and look the same and stock similar merchandise. One can buy the same Ikea sofa or flower pot anywhere in the world.

Ikea is like being in a dream where the location doesn't change but scenarios are altered 3 times.

In the Singapore restaurant, besides the ubiquitous meatballs and salmon, laksa or nasi lemak can also be found on the menu. In Finland, the special dish of the day may be Indian tandoori chicken or herbed chicken - something non-Finnish.

In Finland, diners commonly clean up after their meal. Not in Singapore, even though there are clear signs informing diners to do so. After spending a number of years away from Singapore, I couldn't accept what I saw last month. On my second visit, it occurred to me that this is the Singapore way of life. Perhaps I was the odd one.

In Beijing, I saw the Chinese eat their spaghetti bolognase using chopsticks. Some added lots of extra ketchup to make their noodles more saucy. Strange to me but perfectly normal to the Chinese: chopsticks are their cutlery of choice whether to eat rice or spaghetti. It's not unusual for people to add condiments to their noodles too.

Our Chinese friends in Finland choose chopsticks if they have a choice. Since we look Chinese and speak Mandarin, we are given chopsticks at Chinese restaurants even though food is served in plates and Finns are given forks and spoons/knives.

Sometimes I wonder if I actually know who I am or do I change according to where I go. Other times, I feel like I'm living in a dream.

Wild ride

2009-04-17T00:09:00.008+03:00

We saw this sign post during one of our long walks around our neighbourhood.

HippoSport. What kind of sport can one do with a hippo?

We can, perhaps, ride on one as it strides from land to the swamp.

Or we can swim in the swamp and see who can catch the most worms whenever it opens its mouth. Limit to three tries.

But HippoSport has nothing to do with hippos but everything equestrian. Those of you who are sharp may have spotted the little horse's face on the sign.

The store was closed the day we visited. If you visit the website, it apparently sells anything you need for your horse and horse-riding. Things you need to wear - from hats to boots, saddles, cuffs, horse food and supplements, cleaning equipment. As well as stuff whose use I don't recognise.

We saw horses in stables nearby. There is a large field a short distance away and that may be where the horses go for their gallop.

I wonder if HippoSport offers horse-riding classes. I'd meant to try riding last summer but didn't know where to start. Hopefully I can take lessons here.

Time for ice-cream!

2009-04-15T20:20:00.005+03:00

We took a walk along Helsinki's southern coast last Saturday and noticed that ice-cream stands are open for business. As you can see, business is quite brisk.

Ice cream is a summer staple in Finland. We have just started spring and the temperature last Saturday was just around 5ºC. Apparently, this is warm enough to enjoy some ice-cream. Never mind that gloves, scarves and beanies are still the order of the day.

Actually, the Finns love ice-cream anytime. Even in winter, we still see people (children too) licking away. In summer, ice-cream can be enjoyed outdoors.

We would have had a earful from our elders if they see our kids having ice-cream now. In Singapore, a rainy day would see ice-cream sales stall (haha, pun intended) because people generally think it's too "cold".

Our kids had ice-cream many times when they were in Singapore last month so we said they couldn't have any. Jules was thrilled when he realised what the crowd at the stand was queuing up for. I don't think I can continue to reject him much longer.

Maybe next week. And I want one too. Double scoops.

Why we don't need a lot of money

2009-04-13T20:16:00.006+03:00

"Because if our wallet has lots of money, it will break and have many holes."

This is the logic of Estelle, my five-year-old little girl. Her deduction is not incorrect, although receipts, vouchers and cards (credit, discount, membership, etc) may be the actual contributors to a bloated wallet.

She came to her conclusion as we sat down for a snack at the petrol station after a car wash. HG and I were discussing how expensive car washes are in Finland: we paid €17.50 for a full wash (comes with soap compared to €14.50 for just water) and another €2 to use the vacuum cleaner (our interiors probably yielded a cup worth of gravel). Estelle was confirming the meaning of the word "expensive".

We try to teach our kids the value of money. They can't buy everything they see or want. They can't visit the pay-per-entry playground every day, or even every week. At €9 per hour per child, I bring them only when I really need to let off some steam.

My aunt thought it's shameful that we don't buy toys for our kids. How could they walk out of a toy store or department store empty-handed? We were heartless to deny them their childhood joys. Since it's not a matter of affordability, are we being stingy?

But we think our kids have many toys already. And we do buy them new toys, just not ALL the time.

We also want to teach our kids patience and decision-making. Since our holiday in Lapland last year, we established this practice where our kids could buy one item at the end of the trip. They would look wherever we went (aka window shopping) and make their final decision the day before we leave.

This means that if our holiday lasts 5 days, the kids have to wait for 3 days to make the actual purchase. Besides patience, they also learn to prioritise their wants. We think they will ultimately be happier with their buy than we having to argue about why we aren't buying a second (or third, fourth...) item or having them regret their initial choice if they buy the first thing they see.

Like other kids, they periodically receive gifts from friends and relatives, which all add up to their trove.

I didn't grow up having everything we wanted. I remember going out with parents and leaving the shopping centre empty-handed most of the time. Sometimes, I could buy a bottle of teddy bear-shaped juice, which left me rather satisfied.

Fast-forward to present day, I'd say that I don't crave for an IT bag or shoes. It's ok not to carry a branded bag or be spotted in red-soled Christian Louboutin heels.

Would I like to have them? Sure. Can I live without them? Sure. And not feel like I'm missing out? Most of the time.

All about food

2009-04-10T23:20:00.010+03:00

During the last 3 weeks in Singapore, I didn't have to cook. Rather, I couldn't.

I chose an apartment with an attached kitchen because the management promised to provide us with pots and pans, as well as gas. Upon arrival, we were told that there was "miscommunication" about the cost and installation of the gas cylinder and the manager could not find pots or pans. Whatever...

Food is everywhere in Singapore. The range and availability of food rank top on the list of things we miss of our homeland. We ate at our parents' homes, hawker centres or restaurants.

If we were hungry at 11 pm, HG would walk down to the Commonwealth market to buy fried beehoon. Cheap, yummy and frankly, too much just before bed.

The night before we leave for Finland, our kids stayed with my parents. So we spent some quality time at Holland V. Supper was sambal stingray, sambal sotong (squid) and fried rice at the coffeeshop. More ticks for our to-eat list. Very tasty and not at a king's ransom - we spent around S$30, including drinks.

Now in Finland, I am happy to have my kitchen back. HG invited a colleague, a Finn now living in Singapore, home for dinner yesterday. I cooked lor bak 鲁肉, a Chinese cabbage dish and baked chicken wings from the supermarket. My kids enjoy stews because the meat is tender and the dish has lots of other ingredients like mushrooms, beancurd and egg.

Living away from Singapore, the internet is an excellent resource for home-cooked food. I discovered so many food blogs. Most are amateurs who love cooking or baking, or moms who, like me, seek out new recipes to keep their families interested in food. The food they cook and their blogs are products of their love.

I discovered love and nostalgia overflowing in Nice Recipes blog.

The blogger dedicates the blog to her grandmother's cherished cookbook. Besides sharing recipes with readers, she explains the background of each recipe and/or ingredient. Each entry is like a history lesson, a glimpse at what went into mouths in ages past.

If you are thinking of trying out any of the recipes, cut/paste functions would not work here. This blogger scans the recipe direct from her grandmother's cookbook. To copy the recipe, you have to:

1) decipher the handwriting

2) write down/type the recipe

3) interpret the ingredient list and instructions

4) apply the recipe.

You see, the cookbook was compiled by hand starting in the 1950s. Nice's recipes remind me of old cookbooks I referred to circa 1980s and earlier. Some units of measurements have changed, some abbreviations are hardly used now, and new equipment and shortcuts have since been invented.

I've heard that many established cooks, whether professional chefs or cooks confined to their humble kitchens, seldom pass down their recipes. No two persons cook the same way. Certain ingredients they add or technique or extra step would make their food stand out from the ordinary. Their secrets leave with them, so it is said.

Thanks to Niceties, we can still taste bits of the past. Even if you don't cook, you will appreciate her labour of love.

PS Reading this entry again, it occurred to me that perhaps Niceties is not female. I had started by adding "his/" before every mention to "her". I apologise if it's actually Mr Niceties.

Spring cleaning

2009-04-08T23:11:00.004+03:00

It's officially spring in Finland.

We returned home yesterday to less white and more green/brown. This morning, we wondered how to dress the kids as we prepared them for school. The usual winter gear, we guessed, since it was around 1ºC outside - much like when we left 3 weeks ago.

By the afternoon, temperatures climbed up to 6ºC. Today was a bright and beautiful day.

As I cleaned out our luggages, I took the chance to throw some stuff out.

In Finland, wastes should be sorted. The bags you see contained paper, metal, glass, plastics or biological wastes. The cardboard boxes on the left went to the children's school, which will be used for junk modelling. Whatever that is.

I enjoy sorting out garbage. Sometimes, I get confused. Like the time I threw out a tub of unfinished yoghurt into the "Bio-Waste" bin and my Finnish neighbour tried to tell me I should have put it in the "Plastics" bin. But the tub was over half full, I was throwing out the yoghurt inside the tub.

Later, I read that I should have poured the yoghurt out first - either down the drain or into a plastics bag for bio-waste - then the tub could go into "Plastics". A quick rinse of the container is recommended.

Is all this effort that goes in recycling worth it? Many people wouldn't go through the trouble.

I learnt about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle way back in secondary school but never really got a chance to put my knowledge into practice. I've lived in Europe for almost a year. How much long can I keep this practice going?

Don't know. Remember to ask me when you next see or e-mail me.

Making the news

2009-04-02T18:19:00.009+03:00

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I've just had my story published in Helsinki Times.

Sometime into my first year of university reading Chemistry, I thought about pursuing a career in publishing or something related to the creative line. The inspiration came suddenly, like a lightbulb whose switch was turned on.

I've liked science and my favourite TV programmes while growing up include Eureka! or Beyond 2000. In between Nancy Drew, I read Discover and New Scientist magazines, and science fiction by Edgar Allan Poe or Isaac Asimov. Mills & Boon wasn't really my thing.

After all that input, some output was inevitable.

The very first time I had a story published was in Lianhe Zaobao when I was twelve years old. I submitted a composition story I'd written in class and it was published in the children's section. My mom probably still has that newspaper cutting somewhere.

The next few years could be described as my "wilderness". Many of my classmates had a much better grasp of the English language and they could express themselves most vividly. My sentences seemed awkward and cold. Much as I tried, my teachers were not impressed.

In university, perhaps because I was in Science faculty, many of my classmates were copying seniors' notes and didn't spend much time preparing their lab reports. It was then I realised perhaps I have an edge in this field.

So, more than 12 years after that first published story, I was back to writing and publishing, this time for a biotech magazine. My second publishing job took me around the world. And now, as I dedicate more time to my family, I can still do what I love.

Although I've had hundreds of stories published, I'm sharing this latest one on a mainstream medium. It has been a long, 20+year journey - one whose path was not clear at times.

Where do I go from here? Occasionally, I thought I would plan for my future but nothing comes out of it. Other times, when I was not purposeful in what I do, I seem to be taking baby steps towards my destiny. Like this article.

I walk on. Every stroke of the pen (rather, tap of the keyboard) takes me closer to my finishing line.

Tale of two cities

2009-03-29T18:19:00.003+03:00

Blogging activity was suspended for about two weeks because I am now in Singapore.

We arrived two weeks ago and are living in a en-bloc development that has been put on hold. The developer re-organises the units and rents them out on a short-term basis. In this way, the company can still bring in income while it awaits better times to build the new condo.

Our first week was spent on organising "home", cleaning up the rooms and establishing a regular routine with the kids. By the time we had settled down, we got ready for my brother's wedding last Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, I brought the kids to Vivo City and Ikea at Alexandra to enjoy the children's facilities.

Perhaps we have been away for a long time - nine months this time, and a total of three years since we left for our first posting - Singapore feels different.

I noticed more foreigners and maybe we lived in China for two years, we can spot them rather easily. Many food stalls have Chinese helpers. Even the cleaners at church are partly staffed by Chinese.

We took the kids on a cable car ride, starting at Cable Car Tower (now called HarbourFront Tower 2), passing Mt Faber, then Sentosa and back. Seems that several workers at the Mt Faber point are Indians.

Angmohs are no longer confined to the city area. They look like they fit in the heartlands in T-shirts, bermudas and flip-flops. Very Singaporean, except for skin colour.

Singapore has become an international city. People are drawn to this little island near the equator by its clean environment, keen education system, safe food supply, among other things.

Helsinki and the surrounding capital region has also seen a rise in its foreign population. My family and I contribute to the statistics. As I sense a change in the demographic make-up of Singapore, I am part of the same change in Finland.

Cool winter outing

2009-03-08T00:47:00.013+02:00

This is our final weekend before we leave for Singapore next Friday. Will Finland still be in winter mode when return in April? We've heard that spring comes in May...

We decided to make the best of this weekend by definitely not staying indoors.

Since our visit to Uunisaari last Sunday, we began searching for our next outing.

Uunisaari is a little island off Helsinki. In summer, it has a popular beach and one has to take a boat to get across, even though it is just about 100 m from the mainland. Unless you are Michael Phelps (and don't mind getting wet), you are less than a minute splash away.

On the website, we read that a suspension bridge is set up in winter. When we arrived, we realised that all we had to do was hop onto the sea. Yes, we walked on the sea again. Everyone else was doing it. Men, women, children, babies in prams, dogs...

We walked to Uunisaari, around it and on it. We also walked to the island next to it. Some parts of the sea just next to the coast was slightly wet so we had to be careful choosing our next step.

Today (Saturday), we visited Ooittaa. It has a camping site and a recreation centre where we can rent skis and other necessary equipment. There is also the quintessential Finnish sauna.

I asked a family from the children's school to join us. We had visited their home some months back and hadn't had a chance to invite them to ours.

Ooittaa is a nature site just next to a large lake called Bodominjärvi. The lake is frozen and a skiing track has been made out on the ice and leads onto land. Our friends told us that the area is actually a beach in summer and popular with Finns who come to tan. Today, we could not tell where the coast starts and where it ends. And even in summer, temperatures in southern Finland hover around 20ºC and don't forget sea breeze. Bbrrr...

The kids found a slope and sledded. A lump of snow which had somehow become a slide and had a hole at the base became a playground. They also had great fun playing on the slide and swings. Children need so little to be happy.

The highlight of this trip was our BBQ. The simple menu of sausages, marshmallows and hot Milo was really fun. The pit was open to all visitors and the centre provided free firewood. People just sat around the fire and placed their food on the grill. We may look like we are enjoying ourselves, but in reality, we were actually freezing.

Sausages were the most popular food. The other kids looked enviously at our marshmallows so we shared our large pack with them. The Tohs seemed to be the only ones who know what to do with marshmallows at a BBQ. We are happy to transfer some technology.

The pit was tiny yet everyone was happy to share some space on the grill and seats on the benches. The area was generally clean because users tidied up after themselves. Very nice.

I told you Finland is a nice place.

Can she teach your kid(s)?

2009-02-24T21:55:00.007+02:00

I came across an interesting story in the Guardian newspaper today.

Can you spot anything interesting about the picture? I didn't notice the girl's arm (or lack of) until I read further into the story.

Is prejudice a "skill" we acquire? Our world view is shaped by the people close to us - be they parents, family, friends, society or country - or by what we read, hear or watch in the mass media. What an individual view to be acceptable behavior may be taboo to another.

The disabled in Singapore may not feel embraced by society but I think we aren't doing too badly.

Dr William Tan is a great example of a disabled person who does not bow to his disabilities. He has a PhD in medicine from Harvard and completed 10 ultra-marathons over 7 continents in 70 days. As for me, I am satisfied completing 2.4 km. Some years ago, I saw Dr Tan at Ikea Alexandra (Singapore) shopping in the store and then again, in the car park. His car was parked in the disabled lot (of course) and HE was the driver.

Some people think that disabled people can't find work or take care of themselves without help. Some buskers are visually-handicapped and members of the public associate them with beggars. William Tan Wei Lian started his singing career as a busker and went on to win Singapore's first Superstar contest. While his win has been attributed to sympathy votes, most would agree that he is one of the best singers of the lot.

Andrew Bocelli, the Italian tenor, is also visually-handicapped but his songs are so moving. I watched a recent rendition of The Prayer he performed with Katherine McPhee. After the first couple of lines, I had to close my eyes and tears just fell. I am incredibly touched by the simplicity and tenderness of his voice. As the song peaked, he didn't need to scream or make wild gestures or even break a sweat. He's had several partners to this song but he's the real star, isn't it?

We often see disabled people in Finland. Wheelchairs are motorised and they move around with ease, going about their lives such as shopping at the supermarket or admin at the bank. Braille can be found on elevator buttons as well as medicine packaging.

Last Saturday, Estelle pointed to a man walking with crutches and asked me what they were and why he needed them. I replied that he had trouble walking and needed help, so he used crutches. One of his shoes was custom-made while the other was a running shoe.

Beijing hosted the Olympic Games in August last year, followed by the Para-Olympics. In the almost 2 years I lived in Beijing, I've never seen a disabled person in public. Walking paths may be lined with metal platelets to guide the visually handicapped but I've not seen one use them. Subways stations are not equipped with lifts or ramps so there is no way a wheelchair can get in. Maybe the new lines are facilitated but the city is too crowded anyway, so a disabled person is safer if he/she stays away.

Children with cleft lips are often abandoned in China. When each Chinese family can only have one child, some decide that they want a "perfect" one and try again. An American family in our church fosters and adopts such children and raises funds so they can be operated on. Another family runs a home for children with cerebral palsy so the aisles were sometimes jammed by tiny wheelchairs.

Singapore is in between. We are not totally embracing, neither do we ostracise the disabled.

It boils down to us as individuals how we view and treat the disabled. Responsibility falls on us as parents to teach our children to respect them.

I haven't seen Cerrie Burnell on TV but if she's good, she can teach my kids.

Another Fun Sunday

2009-02-22T22:25:00.007+02:00

After that great outing last week, we decided to find another place we haven't been to, to do something we haven't done before.

Scouring the internet, we found Paloheinän maki. The website says it's a good place for outdoor activities. So again, find the address, program the GPS and off we go.

Paloheinän maki was crowded. The car park was full and the hills were alive with the sound of sleds.

Are you dizzy after watching the movie? Some of the slopes were really steep and slippery so we went rather fast. Some parts are so icy and slippery that you can't help yourself but slide downhill.

We saw kids as young as a few months old sledding. Their parents chose gentle slopes and they either go down with them or put them in baby sleds - kind of like a potty, except with ski bottoms.

Sledding is a great work-out. We climbed up-slope numerous times and sometimes, we slipped a few steps and crawled upwards. And every time we go down-slope, there's the rush of adrenaline. This went on for over an hour.

The outdoor temperature this afternoon was around -3ºC. We felt a little cold when we arrived but some rounds of sledding later, we warmed up. Throughout the outing, we didn't perspire nor felt hot and sticky.

As much as the kids look forward to sunny Singapore and putting on shorts and sundresses again, I suspect humidity might be an issue.

Not so good news

2009-02-18T13:02:00.008+02:00

What's cute, multiplies quickly and extremely dangerous?

If you are thinking about the Gremlins, you are wrong.

The correct answer is: wild rabbits.

I found out the proper term for our "pet" rabbit.

It is what the Finns call an urban rabbit. According to this story by national broadcaster YLE, these so-called urban rabbits are descendants of pets that escaped their owners, either intentionally or unintentionally. The report said that the city of Helsinki had problems with rabbits as early as the 1970s.

Through the years, the rabbits learn to survive in the wild. They multiply and their presence has spread beyond the city to suburbs like Vantaa and Espoo, where we live. The rabbits don't have natural predators. Here, the most dangerous thing that can happen to them is to be run down by a speeding vehicle.

Large parts of Finland are covered by forests and lakes. Paper and forestry are important industries here, particularly in the north. The authorities are worried that if left uncontrolled, rabbits can wreck havoc on the natural environment as well as gardens. If they can determine quickly the perimeter where rabbits live and breed, the easier it is to administer solutions.

Finland is not alone. The UK, France, parts of the US and Australia had reports of rabbit trouble. Typing in rabbit + wild + havoc on Google Search turns up a long list of examples.

Many articles go like "The rabbits may look cute and harmless but..." One website even has a "Click here to report a rabbit sighting" link.

"Long and cold winters are the best means of controlling the population," said Tapani Veistola of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation of the Finnish approach.

Winter may be the best time to tackle the rabbit problem. When spring comes, the rabbits would be more mobile and expand their territory further.

Our "pet" didn't come back last week and tonight, it's gone again. Judging from the deeper prints it leaves on the snow, there's a high possibility it is pregnant. Nothing worth celebrating from the eco-environment perspective.

Jamie Oliver has a recipe for rabbit stew. He wrote that once you get over the thought of eating a cute animal, rabbits are really very tasty.

If Jesus can walk on water, so can we

2009-02-16T21:25:00.011+02:00

Last Sunday, we decided to go somewhere we haven't been to before and do something we've never done before.

We've noticed a nice park along a highway towards Helsinki. On Saturday night, HG looked up Google Earth, found the stretch of water and identified a landmark. Sunday afternoon after Estelle's dance class, we followed directions given by the GPS and made our way to Laajalahti.

We walked along the coast and crossed a couple of wooden bridges that linked a couple of little islands. We thought we were going for a stroll in a park but little did we realise that we were going to embark on an amazing adventure.

From afar, we noticed people walking on the frozen water. Then we took the "plunge".

The water had frozen over so you could walk, ski, skate or even para-glide on it!

Estelle realised that she was going to walk on water and was hesitant about stepping in. After 2 brave steps holding my hands, she was moving on her own. What an exhilarating experience it was to walk on water! OK, technically, we were walking on the crystallised form of H2O but you've really got to try it for yourself.

Mandated by law, shops in Finland are closed on Sundays. Small proprietors can open on Sundays but supermarkets and department stores, including whole shopping complexes, are shut. Some shops in Helsinki open to cater to tourists but the city is quiet after 6 pm.

Since we arrived in June last year, we were at a loss what to do on Sundays. In Singapore or Beijing, we would spend Sunday mornings in church, followed by lunch, maybe walk the mall and finished with dinner. We would have spent the whole day out.

In Finland, we are kind of under house arrest on Sundays. Since shops close at 6 pm on Saturdays, we would have stocked up on food to last us until Monday morning, at least. This means planning our menus in advance and racking my brains on activities to occupy the kids.

If we go out for a walk around our home, the roads are quiet and we hardly see other living beings. Worse in November and December when the sun set at 3.30 pm. Not fun to go out when it's dark AND cold.

Last month, we met up with a family from school and went to visit a local skating rink. The outdoor grounds were filled with people of all ages, skating at various skill levels. We saw a little girl about 4 years old holding her daddy's hand as well as adults sparring with their hockey sticks. All having a good time.

Yesterday, Laajalahti was like a giant playground where anyone can play. I'm estimating the area is around 4 sq km. Lots of space for everyone to do their thing. People came in their skates or skis or like us, just a pair of walking boots.

In my movie, you might have noticed the skating track where we took a break. There was a long skating track made out in the middle of the frozen sea! I don't know who or how they did it but the sea is turned into a free sporting facility.

Did you realise we were on the "wrong" side of the jetty? I was wondering why they kept a small circle of water fluid and placed barriers around it to warn people against dropping in. We never noticed the hut up the slope, which is actually a sauna. The sea is kept liquid so bathers can dip in. This certainly gives my entry on our own sauna experience a genuine Finnish perspective.

The walk on the sea is our most awesome experience in Finland so far. The icing on the cake is that it was totally free. F-R-E-E.

We indulged in the wonders of nature, worked out our muscles and spent quality time with the family at no cost. The rewards: priceless.

To enjoy life in Finland requires a change in mindset. We were bored because we couldn't shop or eat out. Now, we discover that some of the best things in life are for free.

Great Balls of Fire - Part II

2009-02-09T22:49:00.010+02:00

Today is the 15th day of the Lunar New Year 元宵, an important date on the Chinese calendar. The family would gather together for dinner and celebrate the new year by lighting lanterns and fireworks.

Beijing has become a bad example of where you should hold a fireworks celebration.

Soon after 8 pm (local time), the new Mandarin Oriental Hotel caught fire as a result of fireworks let off in the vicinity. According to a China Daily report, the hotel was occupied during the Olympics but has since been vacant and is scheduled to officially open in mid-2009. This likely means that the rooms are furnished but there weren't any guests. The authorities are finding out if any construction workers or staff may be trapped in there. They are also reported to be investigating the cause of the fire.

In a video shot by a CNN viewer, you can still hear fireworks popping as the building burns.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel is part of the CCTV grand project. The main building is made up of two blocks that were built separately and made to meet midway, looking like what the Chinese called "The Pants". Based on estimation on Google Earth, the hotel and Pants are just about 70m apart.

How's this for a pyrotechnics extravaganza?

Some of you may have seen my entry on New Year's Day where we had fun with fireworks in Finland. Whether city organisers or individuals, the Finns chose open spaces that are not close to buildings or trees.

Beijing is such a congested city. The CCTV towers are situated in a densely populated area near the East Third Ring Road, surrounded by residential estates and offices. People should NOT be playing with fireworks in this part of town. Maybe sparklers, but not firecrackers that shoot up into the sky and where trajectories sometimes fly out of control.

The fire brigade took about 20 minutes to get to the scene. CCTV reported 54 fire engines and troops from the Army rushed to put out the fire. However, water jets could not reach above 14 stories. The building would just have to be left to burn.

The new CCTV project is very close to where we lived in Beijing. We passed the buildings every day on the way to school or to work. We watched the scaffolding go up and when it was time for us to leave, the two buildings finally "kissed". One more successful milestone to glory.

Together with the Olympics venues Bird's Nest and Aqua Cube, these are symbols of a new Beijing - a modern and avant-garde city at the cutting edge of technology and lifestyle. Often the focus of TV documentaries, architecture and lifestyle magazines, they are China's pride and joy.

Despite the magnitude of the event, CCTV News dedicated just 20 seconds to it. The report centred on which VIPs, such as the mayors and CCTV chiefs, came quickly to the scene and by then, the fire had died down.

Tonight, we are reminded of the World Trade Centre Towers in NY. Thankfully, human casualties will be low. On the other hand, we see how recklessness can spark the swift and magnificent destruction of years of hard work.

* Pictures from www.xinhua.org.

Getting all hot and steamy

2009-02-08T23:29:00.011+02:00

Today, we had our first family sauna.

Earlier this week, we watched a children's TV programme where a little girl tried the sauna with her grandfather. So we decided it's time to introduce our kids to this wonderful Finnish tradition.

The sauna is attached to the bathroom but our kids aren't allowed to go into the darkened room by themselves. They were really excited when we opened the door today and they could go in.

The sauna is the most under-utilised room in our home. Yes, we have our very own sauna. We've not used it since we moved in in June last year and it was tempting to use it as a store room. But this would mean that we will never ever use the sauna the way it should be - moving all that junk out, then in again, would be too much of a hassle.

This evening, our sauna fulfilled its purpose.

We got the kids to strip down to their underwear while I had a towel wrapped around me. Finnish tradition would have had everyone stark naked because they view the sauna as a gender-free zone. We thought it might be better to keep some level of modesty.

The kids started off sitting happily on the wooden seats and watching Daddy pour water onto the hot stones. Then the steam came and it got a little uncomfortable. Jules enjoyed the experience and had fun drying himself (and others) with the little hanky I gave him. Estelle found the steam suffocating and wanted out quickly. Mommy and Daddy hadn't had enough so we chatted with them until we finished the pail of water.

Traditionally, the Finns would jump into icy waters (either lake or river) or roll in the snow after about 30 minutes of sauna. We just took a cool shower and dried off. It's a simple introduction for the kids.

My first sauna experience was some 8 years ago at a hotel in Helsinki. Another guest, a Finnish lady who had lived abroad for many years, taught me the correct way to enjoy Finnish sauna. It should be very hot and very steamy. I followed with a cold shower and was jumping and squealing. This hot-then-cold treatment combined with aerobic activity really got my heart pumping.

Spending some time in the sauna is beneficial to health. Pores on the skin are opened, toxins are excreted though perspiration and skin is moisturised. Our cheeks were flushed like we had just worked out at the gym. I also felt warmer, which is a great feeling because we are almost always in long sleeves the last 3 months, sometimes more than one layer.

Wikipedia seems to have a balanced description of the Finnish sauna and its benefits. Health claims on some of the other websites seem a little far-fetched.

The sauna is an important aspect of Finnish life. Many homes, except maybe apartments, have their own saunas. Ours is powered by electricity. The Finns go to the sauna together as a social activity and is as common as, for example, having a meal together.

HG has a T-shirt that reads: "Where's the sauna? I have a meeting."

Even Finnish offices have saunas. According to HG, there are saunas at the Nokia office in Singapore, mid-level in one of the blocks at Alexandra Technopark. The Finns sometimes hold casual corporate meetings in saunas. I can't imagine what serious issues a bunch of naked and sweaty men (not sure if women attend, not withstanding the gender-neutral stance) can be discussing. But I'm told that the relaxing and open setting is a breeding ground for innovative ideas. The secret of Nokia's success, perhaps?

So PS, you can now tell Ethan that Estelle is indeed having a good time at the sauna in Finland.

Rabbit update: Our wild rabbit didn't come home one night. It might have been hampered by a heavy snowfall and stayed over at a friend's place. This morning, we had two rabbits in our patch. I wonder if we'll have a brood by spring...

A bunny on the left and another under the tree.

High on Coke

2009-02-05T20:42:00.007+02:00

HG isn't feeling well these couple of days - probably caught the flu bug from Estelle - and wants some comfortable food. I bought him a bottle of olives yesterday and today, he decided he wants some Coca-Cola.

We trotted into K-Market and bought two 1.5l bottles of Coke. Then we spotted the 12-pack Vanilla Coke. Would you believe that these purchases came up to €21.35? That's nearly S$43.00 worth of Coca-Cola!!

I'm not kidding. Two 1.5l bottles at €2.59 + €0.80 bottle deposit (you get the money back when you bring the empty bottles back to the recycling centre) + €17.95 for 12 cans = €21.34.

The supermarket does not take 1 cents so we pay €21.35. I clarify that this amount doesn't include the bag of groceries on the left...

The cost of living in Finland is exorbitantly high. People commonly use the "Big Mac" index to determine the cost of living in a city or country. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I suggest the Coke index can be a useful indicator too.

After being here for nearly 8 months, we have grown numb to paying €2.50 for a cup of coffee (just kopi-o, not cappuccino or latte, ok?) or €3.60 for a muffin or €9.90 for fried noodles. Even a slab of humble tofu (uncooked, mind you) costs €2.50. Remember our dinner at Ravintola Singapore?

Other than everything being expensive, I can't really find many things to complain. People are nice, drivers give way, clean environment, cool weather...

Some mornings, I'll go for a simple breakfast of pastry and tea at our nearby mall and take time to catch up on my reading. Today, I was at K-Market Leipomo reading a Chinese book on the Finnish education system. It was written by a Taiwanese mother whose family lived in Finland for several years and she has two girls who attended primary school here.

As I was reading, three old men came to share my table. They exclaimed surprise that the words in my book ran vertically instead of horizontally. In my halting Finnish and some sign language, I explained the content of the book, that it is written in Chinese and besides reading up to down, the words and pages also ran right to left.

I carried on reading and when I looked up after a chapter, we "chatted" again. Our conversation went around the same topic because that's as far as my Finnish took us. One of them noticed that I wasn't wearing any rings and helpfully pointed out that his friend sitting opposite was single. These chaps are older than my dad, hahaha. I declined his kind offer and carried on reading.

After several more chapters, I was ready to leave. At most cafes and fast-food restaurants in Finland, one is expected to tidy up and clear the table before leaving. As I stood up to go, one of the old men offered to take my tray. All he had was a cup of coffee while my tray had an empty plate, a cup, tea bag, tissue paper and sugar wrapper. But no, it's okay, he would clear up for me.

Maybe he was trying to impress me, thinking I might need a visa to migrate. Some people, men and women, marry Finnish citizens to take advantage of the well-endowed welfare system. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll recognise any one of them if I see them again. Still, they left a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart the whole day.

If I ever notice an old Finnish man smiling at me at the supermarket, I think I'd better smile back. It's nice to smile anyway. : )

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-02-02T21:04:00.009+02:00

You might have heard by now that London and its surrounding areas have ground to a halt in the midst of a heavy snow storm.

As we look at pictures and videos of London snowed in, HG remarked: "哎呀，家常便饭嘛." Regular dishes for dinner.

Southern Finland had our first snow as early as December. Imagine a salt shaker turned upside down - that first week of December saw snow fall continually for more than 48 hours. That weekend, we rode a train to Helsinki, took a walk around town and had dinner. The snow-covered train platform in the BBC slideshow looked just like the one in Helsinki.

The snow came and went, no thanks to climate change. Our latest round of snow has stayed with us for a couple of weeks now and we've had lots of fun. Like what you saw in the slideshow, cars were covered, people ski instead of walk, kids (and adults) have lots of fun with snow fights and sleighs. People taking their dogs for walks in the snow are a common sight.

The Finns come outdoors no matter the weather. Our families in Singapore think that we are cooped up at home all day because it's too cold. Little do they know that school kids come out to play twice a day for at least an hour each, rain or shine or snow. As long as they are properly dressed, the kids are unstoppable!

The kids and I tried to build a snowman last week. We were overly ambitious. Our second snow ball was so heavy we couldn't lift it up so we ended up with a pair of boobs instead. Estelle thought they look like a dumb bell. (They are on the left of the benches in the pic above.)

Driving in winter can be perilous. The vehicle might slip on icy surfaces or worse, swerve and spin. My friend Sunshine commented that I may be better at driving in winter since I obtained my license in Finland. I'm glad to say that my skills haven't been tested although an hour of practice on a slippery surface track was a compulsory module here.

The Finnish authorities also make it mandatory for vehicles to change to winter tyres between 1 December to 28 February. Winter tyres are usually spiked with metal studs or have grooves of at least 3 mm. Snow trucks start as early as 5.30 am to clear the roads and workers shovel to clear walking paths.

So you see, the Finns - and I was told Scandinavians in general - are well-prepared for winter. Life goes on.

HG is wishing for a national broadcast that schools and offices will be closed. He can go on dreaming.

Do you know that the speed limit on highways here is 100 km/h? Other major roads may be 70 or 80 km/h. Even exceeding 110 km/h, I don't feel I'm driving very fast, probably because the roads are longer, wider and have lesser traffic.

The past 3 days have been wonderful. The sun shone beautifully and I almost forgot we are still in winter. It's now -9ºC and white everywhere. The gloomy months of November and December are over and spring is coming. Finland is "liveable" again.

Bonus: A wild rabbit has set up its nest under a tree outside our home! Just 5 feet from our window, isn't it amazing? I worry about the cold temperature (was down to -18ºC one night) and if it can find food. It's leaving a trail of poo-poo so I guess it's doing ok. I am also resisting the urge to feed it because it is, afterall, wild and should be able to survive on its own.

Singapore kampung boy reaches new heights

2009-01-24T00:13:00.010+02:00

There can be miracles, if you believe.

Lyrics from the soundtrack of "Prince of Egypt" movie rings true for Mr Toh Hong Giep.

Last week, Mr Toh graduated from the inaugural class of Tsinghua-INSEAD EMBA Programme. It was a proud moment for his family as he finally received his postgraduate certificates from two of the world's most prestigious schools.

"I still can't believe I graduated with EMBA," Mr Toh said. "It's quite unbelievable."

Indeed, Mr Toh had neither the family pedigree nor high-flying academic record to even give him any advantage to getting enrolled in the course.

Childhood was largely spent building tree houses using loose wooden planks left around by his father, who ran a small construction company. He recalls fond memories of being chased by dogs - of which scars still remain, climbing and falling down from trees and picking durians in the backyard.

He claims that he took his primary school leaving examinations (PSLE) without realising that it was a national-level examination that would determine the standard of secondary school he would go to. His parents apparently did not know which schools to choose and he filled up the decision forms after a chat with his best friend.

Mr Toh scored well enough to secure a place at the Chinese High School, a premium secondary school in Singapore. Much of his four years were spent at the courts playing a myriad of ball games, like basketball, volleyball and badminton. Academic success continued not to be a priority.

Those formative years were also spent honing his mahjong skills. Mr Toh recounted a memorable day:

"It was during our 'O' levels exams and we met at a friend's place to play mahjong after school. We played the whole night through 通宵, as is usual for mahjong games.

"As dawn breaks, one of the guys said, 'Don't we have a paper today? I think it's chemistry.'

"Good thing we were still in our school uniforms so we ate our breakfast and went to school together. I got an A," he grins.

Again, Mr Toh scored good grades and spent the next two years at Hwa Chong Junior College, another top school in Singapore. He aced his 'A' level examinations and went on to read Computer Science at the National University of Singapore.

After the passing of his father in his late-teens, Mr Toh supported himself through university. While his uncle provided for his tuition fees, Mr Toh took on odd jobs to earn pocket money. He exercised physical strength by moving electronic equipment or exhibition panels, cultivated his negotiation skills hawking vegetables and improved interpersonal skills giving private tuition.

Mr Toh began his professional career with a government ministry. Although his performance was regularly ranked at the top, he was not satisfied with his prospects. He thought it was not fruitful to bond himself to the organisation just to attend an overseas conference, neither was it fair since colleagues who had obtained government scholarships did not have their bonds correspondingly extended.

Since joining Nokia in 2001, Mr Toh has had his fair share of travelling. At the last count, he has visited over 40 cities in more than 20 countries. To be fair, not all were for business. He enjoys travelling and exploring new places with his wife of 10 years, Ms Han MZ.

"The kids and I are rather glad now that the company imposed a travel freeze in view of the economic crisis," says Ms Han.

"We hope to travel together more often but let's see."

Despite spending much time on the road, Mr Toh continues to develop strong and long-lasting friendships. He is affable and cares about his friends without making judgments. People who have not seen or heard from him for some time would come up to him to shake his hand, pat his back or go for a coffee or a meal.

To friends familiar with Mr Toh, he is really a laid-back kind of guy who just wants to relax over a cup of cappucino. He would like to blend in with the crowd but he catches the attention of his bosses and is often thrust into leadership roles.

In 2000, Mr Toh took a break from work to attend a three-month development course at his church Trinity Christian Centre. Called the Alpha Track, participants learn to study the Bible and put some principles into practice.

"Yeah, he went out every morning and sometimes come home with assignments," Ms Han recalls. "He doesn't seem very busy or stressed."

He was awarded the Best Tracker of his class. He joked that the organisers just couldn't pinpoint any exceptional attributes so they presented a generic title.

Mr Toh makes achieving look effortless. Even while putting long hours and plenty of hard work he does not forget to spend time with his family and keep his humour.

The love for adventure took Mr Toh on his first expedition to Inner Mongolia, China in 1999. In those days, getting there took almost 2 days, starting with a flight from Changi Airport to Beijing, followed by train and finally bus. Stacking bricks to build a school using bare hands and basic tools and living in backward conditions (toilet was a huge pit dug and shared by all 20 team members) was a memorable experience.

Mr Toh seeks adventure although this takes on a different form nowadays. In 2005, he took on his first overseas posting in Beijing and now lives and works in Finland. His family - wife and two young children Estelle and Jules - are faithful members of his exploration team.

Authors of bestselling Freakonomics Stephen J Dubner and Steven D Levitt offer an alternative perspective to economics and statistics. If the chapter on a child's development track holds any truth, Mr Toh would not have made it to perhaps, university. By the grace and favour of God, he remains the first and only graduate in his family and has now taken another step further.

Miracles do happen.

We have a new President!

2009-01-21T00:10:00.006+02:00

If the news networks will have it, they want us to believe that we all are celebrating the installation of our new president.

In CNN's world, nothing else is more important than covering Obama, his campaign and now, his inauguration. CNN tends to put everything else on hold while it covers a single event. The lead-up to the inauguration and the event itself has occupied airwaves for the past 48 hours. I find that BBC gives a more balanced view of news occurring around the world but the channel has disappeared from our TV. It will come back somehow.

I'm suffering from Obama fatigue. So please allow me to let off some steam.

I first heard of Obama 4 years ago soon after Bush was elected to his second term. Bush is often the butt of jokes on late-night comedy shows and I think this one came from Jay Leno.

"You know when Bush came to the office this week, he went through the list of senators elected this year. He was shocked and asked: 'How did Osama get elected into our Senate?' To which his staff replied: ' Eh, no sir. It's Obama, not Osama.' "

Mr Obama rose to prominence from a junior senator to the first African-American running for presidential candidacy (beating Grand Dame Clinton) to the first African-American president of the USA.

It's amazing whichever way you look at it.

Unlike other bigwigs in politics, many of whom were groomed for their positions, Obama is very much an ordinary man. He didn't have a father or mother with a famous surname, he and his wife took walks in their neighbourhood, went out to their favourite restaurants for dates, sends his own e-mails... Quite like us.

Now he has to give up his Blackberry because US Presidents can be asked to make their e-mail correspondences public under a Privacy Act. . Can you imagine not being able to send/receive SMSes anymore? Or stay in touch with your family, friends or colleagues personally? Obama's life changed totally after his election win. For many past presidents, it's more like moving to a new home in a new state.

Obama's presidency is a major triumph for the civil rights movement in the US. Some weeks before the election, a Finnish MP wrote in the Helsinki Times that although Obama was immensely popular, he didn't believe that Americans could overcome their prejudices to actually vote for a black president.

Voter turn-out of African-Americans was much higher than previous years and their participation made a deep difference to the results. This time, it was worth their effort to exercise their right to vote. Many young people also voted for Obama.

I observed that many of those who come to Washington DC to attend the inauguration celebrations are African-Americans. Or maybe the cameras picked them up more. They were truly exhilarated - many were emotional, streaming with tears - when Obama was sworn in. After decades of suppression, Obama brought them new respect. And new hope.

Said Obama in his inauguration speech: "The time has come... to carry forward... the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

Here I am watching the inauguration parade play in front of me as I type.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer seems to have run out of words. It's hard to keep a live commentary going all day long.

"President Obama and Michelle Obama have arrived at the White House. They will be viewing the parade later on. For now they can return to their residence or go to the Oval Office, or wherever. He is the president and he can do whatever he wants."

I'm guessing Michelle Obama headed for the nearest loo and drank a large glass of ice water. She'd been standing and walking in those gummy green stilettos for a long time. Towards the end, she looked kinda tired and thirsty, licking her lips many times.

Joe Biden looked like he is seriously enjoying the attention. When Obama and his wife got out of the "tank" and walked along Pennsylvania Avenue, Biden and his family came out to wave to the crowds too. Every 5 steps, he pointed to someone in the crowd, gave them a big smile and mouthed something like "you look great" or "hey, you are here too", many times with two thumbs up. As if he really knew the guy/gal and could spot a familiar faces among the tens of thousands.

Even after Obama got back into the car and finally reached the White House, Mr Biden was still waving, crossing from one side of the street to the other. Quite like a hyperactive child. Doesn't he know that the crowds came for Obama? He's the Veep.

We know that names are important and they can make a man or woman. It's great to cheer to O-ba-ma. O-ba-ma. Not easy with Bu-shee, or Buy-den or Mak-Kain.

I'm a cynic when it comes to politics. One can never fully trust what a politician say or do. I tend to think that they say or do is best for the situation and not from their hearts. Their words are carefully weighed according to the audience. Apparently, Obama's speech was written by a 27-year-old spending much time at Starbucks. No, I don't think age is the issue here. I just think that speeches and policies are intensely calculated to yield the best results.

As the dust from the parade settles, we await Obama's policies and the results expected of him.

A Shot of Tequila

2009-01-19T15:20:00.006+02:00

Tequila is a popular drink at pubs, either on its own (straight) or mixed (Tequila Sunrise, anyone?). It is made of agava, a cactus-like plant that looks like aloe vera, and is produced mainly in a region in Mexico called Tequila.

No, no, I'm not going to write about appreciation of tequila. I'm going to tell you about Tila Tequila, an MTV celebrity.

I've heard of the name in some US magazines but the first time I learnt more about her was on an MTV reality series called "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila".

I was trying to figure out what the show was about. Imagine with me "The Bachelorette" aka Miss TT and in this episode, five contestants remained. Four men and one woman are vying for her love. Wait, it's actually three men and two women. I've mistaken - one of the "men" is actually a firefighter and she has such a good physique, she'll put some of my guy friends to shame.

So Miss TT had to choose a mate among these contestants. This time, the challenge was to jump into a pool of chocolate and see who could transfer the most chocolate into their respective pails. The winner would secure a single date with Miss TT while the others had to share a "double" date.

Mr Bobby won a sweet date where they shared canapes beside a fireplace. Inevitably, they made out.

Time's up. Miss TT changed an outfit and moved on to the next date. With one of the other guys guy and one of the girls. After some small talk, she kissed one of them while the other one watched. Then switched over.

After another outfit change, Ms TT went to her next date with the last remaining guy and a girl. In the jacuzzi, they chatted and made out again in similar fashion. That lucky girrrrl.

Only when I came to Finland do I realise what MTV really is. It's no longer just music videos like they had when I was a teenager. I've read parents complain their little girls gyrate like Fergie and it is only lately do I understand what the fuss was about. What do you think if your daughter dance with an umbrella like Rihanna?

My kids love Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers. Their music videos are wholesome so far. What will they be like when they turn 18 or 19? Britney Spears made a turning point around that age.

Like much of Europe, Finland is a liberal country that believes that adults are mature enough to decide what they want or don't want to watch, read or listen. Gone are the barriers nanny states like Singapore and China put up to "protect" its people. In Finland, programmes with adult content are usually screened after 10 pm, assuming that kids should be in bed by then.

Channel surfing one evening, I thought I was watching a home improvement programme. A pretty girl was moving furniture into a new home and had to decide where to place each item. The next thing I know, the girl was frolicking naked in bed. Oops, I had unsuspectingly stumbled onto Playboy of the Month.

I choose which TV programmes Estelle and Jules can watch. For example,Little I Spy is ok but not Wizards of Waverly Place. My kids will grow up and choose what kind of TV they like, ask for their own computers and have full access to the Net. Are parent-filters effective? They will somehow find out about The Hills or Tila Tequila, won't they?

I wish these years spent with them will build up a strong relationship to weather storms in the future. I pray they will turn out to be grounded kids with all the best qualities in the world. Many of us go through a phase in our lives where we snuck peeks at Playboy or some "blue film". When that time comes, I pray I'll react calmly, even if I'm actually freaking out. Hopefully, the phase comes and goes.

We can't always shelter our kids under a sanitised biosphere. Some of these are rites of passage we go through growing up. I think I'll be more worried if my kids are kept squeaky clean all their lives. They may not survive bigger challenges or temptations later on in their lives.

We turned out OK, didn't we? We become tougher and stronger because of what we went through.

PS Tila Tequila's parents are Vietnamese and lived in Singapore before moving to the US. She is Singapore-born. Woah... Singapore can claim another famous personality.

Burnt my fingers

2009-01-16T23:32:00.005+02:00

Can you tell they were fish fingers? My first food disaster.

They've been pan-fried already but taste kind of cold. The packaging recommended 10-12 minutes in the microwave oven and I set it to 9.

Good thing we don't have a smoke detector at home. We would have been drenched and colder than those fish fingers before they entered the oven.

Tonight, the thermometer outside the kitchen window says -11ºC. Don't worry, Finnish houses are well-insulated. We'll snuggle in at a comfortable 22ºC indoors. Cool...

Taking the driver's seat

2009-01-14T22:28:00.009+02:00

All this while, Mr Toh has been driving me. I can now drive Mr Toh.

I passed my driving test in Finland last month and picked up my official licence today.

The journey to the attainment of my driving licence has been long and sometimes, treacherous.

It started when I was 18. I gave up after I failed the basic theory test and ran out of money.

Then I met a smart woman who refused to learn to drive so that her husband can't say: "Go, take the car and kids out to the supermarket." When I met HG, I'd thought this was a really great way to engage him in family life.

My scheme worked. It worked well : D

We bought our first car as we planned to start a family. During my pregnancy(ies), he sent me to/from work, went shopping together, went on outings together, fetched the kids together... you get the idea. Because he was the only one who could drive.

With two kids in tow, moving around without a car is definitely inconvenient. Thank God for the kindness and graciousness of friends who went out of their way to ferry and spend time with us.

Now Finland is not a little island city like Singapore. Public transport does not cover all parts of the country. The nearest bus-stop from our home is 10-minute walk away. Consider this:

Distance = length of legs x number of paces

If the distance stays constant, our two little kiddos need to take many more steps to arrive at our destination. Three of us can take twice as long.

The journey to school/day care centre takes 1 hour by bus (walk-bus-bus-walk) or 10-15 minutes by car. After dropping them off at school, I take as long to come back home. So that's effectively 4 hours on the road. Being able to drive, particularly when HG is out-stationed, is imperative.

I took lessons at Bukit Batok Driving School last year. As I had only 6 months, I had to write letters to the Traffic Police so that I could jump the queue and book early test dates. Ironically, I found out I could accelerate the process from an old friend from JC who had his driving licence suspended because of drunk driving.

Sadly, I failed my practical test. I was doomed to fail, it seemed, even before the test began.

I was allocated the first slot of the day and had to reach the driving school for a warm-up session at 7.30 am. Since HG was not in Singapore at that time, I had to leave the kids with my parents the night before. Estelle had been running one of her high fevers for a few days so I was feeling very unsettled not taking care of her myself. I didn't call her that morning because she might not have woken up yet.

During the test, I mounted a curb on the obstacle course. As I was driving on the road, my mobile phone rang, and rang, and rang. Three times the phone sang and my mind completely blanked out. At that time of the day, it was probably one of my parents calling about Estelle. True enough, it was my dad calling that Estelle's temperature was very high.

When I walked out of the school, I was still in a daze. It didn't cross my mind to appeal for a re-test or for another date before I leave Singapore. Estelle turned out to be better than the day before and she was playing when I saw her after the test.

Therefore, I arrived in Finland with this issue hanging on the line. Should I pursue a driving licence here or should I wait until I go back to Singapore?

The driving authority in Finland are open-minded yet are careful to ensure they put safe drivers on the road. Ajovarma actually went through all my driving manuals from Singapore before deciding that I should take a theory test and a couple of lessons on night driving and slippery surfaces, after which I could take the practical test.

Driving on slippery surfaces was an amazing experience. Roads on the driving circuit are oiled and I had to drive straight or curved and at different speeds to learn how the car would behave. The car slipped, swung and swerved. I learnt to brake and hold the wheel. Very importantly, I learnt what to expect and how to react if I should slip on ice.

Deja vu. Did you know our car spun in early December and crashed against a lamp post?

From now on, I'll be driving Mr Toh and the family. For starters, I know how to drive to and from school and Iso Omena*. Driving in winter still makes me jittery but I expect to drive more come spring/summer.

* Iso Omena is a large shopping centre near the children's school. It has a Singapore link - Capitaland has a 40% stake in it.

When I failed my test in Singapore, I knew there has to be other lessons I need to learn. Comforting myself this way seems self-deprecating and making God a scapegoat. When Christians hit a rough patch, they like to say "God has other plans, God is putting me through a test," etc.

When I told my story to friends after I failed the test, it seemed like a lame excuse. Why didn't I admit I was a poor driver? But I wasn't a bad driver. I believed there was more I had to do as much as I believed that Jesus is God.

This experience has taught me patience, perseverance and putting down my pride. I learnt that it's ok to doubt and to hold on to faith when I don't fully understand my circumstances or my thoughts. I also had the chance to learn more about Finland, how this country works and what wonderful people it has.

It's not too late to learn a new skill. I'm happy to be in my mid-thirties and a new driver.

DIY Hair Cut - Easy as ABC

2009-01-12T00:21:00.008+02:00

Well, almost.

This blog entry chronicles my first major DIY haircut. I'm not talking about the mere trimming of the fringe. This is chicken feet which I accomplished at tender age of 4.

The service sector in Finland tends to charge exorbitantly. The cheapest haircut I can find in Helsinki/Espoo costs €30. At this price, one can get a nice haircut at a salon in the Orchard/CBD area, along with a hair wash, head massage and some styling. In Helsinki, the fellow gave me a few snips here and there, and sent me on my way.

My last haircut was in September and my hair is starting to feel long and thick. Do you know that YouTube is an excellent resource for anything under the sun. When I wanted to find out how to use a dishwasher, I looked up YouTube. Now that I want to cut my own hair, YouTube must have something relevant.

My inspiration comes from this video where Italian actress Elisa Bagordo (I thought they were speaking Spanish) had her lustrous long hair chopped off. Hong Giep called it "Nightmare on Elm Street" for beautiful women. But wait. The effect was surprising chic.

I've had a similar experience many years ago at a salon located at the Hyatt Hotel in Singapore. Imagine my shock when the hairdresser told me to bend over - dripping wet locks and all - and all she did was cut bluntly across. After I sat up and hair dried, my hair was nicely layered and textured. This salon experience took place such a long time ago, I don't remember the details.

But now, I have a reason to try out something new.

What you saw in the video was actually the second cut, which explains why you saw me cut off short lengths but I showed you a long bunch of hair.

The results aren't too bad, don't you think?

The first chop was quite scary, then the second and third chops (yes, there was even a third time) became an obsessive urge to achieve the best effect.

You can tell the cut was conservative. In case it turns out to be a disaster, I can run to the nearest hairdresser tomorrow and there's room for salvation. The Daddy was supposed to do the cutting but we realised he has to commit himself to the camera.

A tip for ladies out there brave enough to try this. The higher you tie the pony tail, the more layers you will get. So I tied my hair at 3 different heights and snipped off the ends.

Take courage. You can do this stunt at home.

Sick and tired

2009-01-08T19:33:00.008+02:00

The flu bug bit me on Christmas Day and til today, I'm still coughing and sniffing, especially at night.

The little bug found a new host in my little Estelle yesterday. She came down with a high fever in the early hours and had been coughing and sniffing just like her mom. While I'm nursing my own illness, I have to take care Estelle too. I need a break!

As we discussed whether to take our first step out of Singapore, a major concern was the kids' health. In Beijing, we chose an apartment near an international clinic. Chinese hospitals are almost always crowded and we weren't sure about the quality of care and medication they disburse. Although we speak Mandarin, the terms we and the Beijing doctors use might be different and we didn't want to risk communicating the symptoms incorrectly.

Before we left, we visited our GP and discussed the list of medications we should take with us. We stocked bottles of paracetamol (for fevers), cough mixtures, smecta (for diarrhoea), rehydration salts, among others. When we left for Beijing early 2006, Estelle was 3 and Jules 8 months old. Hey, we have already had a combined total of 4 years of experience.

Estelle tends to develop very high fevers whenever she is ill. Perhaps her immune system is fighting extremely hard but it's very scary when she peaks at 39ºC. During these times, no amount of paracetamol or sponging seems to work. If her temperature only falls down to 38ºC, it's time for me to take a break. For other kids, 38 is when parents panic.

Nevertheless, it is helpful to always have familiar medications at hand and I like to bring some basic ones even when we are just taking a short holiday. Pharmacies in other countries may not have the same medicines we have at home: they may come in different brands or different dosage or a completely different formula altogether.

In Singapore, paracetamol is often prescribed for fevers. Although ibuprofen seems to work better, it is more caustic and should be taken after food. In Finland, I was prescribed ibuprofen to bring down my fever and also for my inflamed throat. Today, Estelle was prescribed Naproxen for fever and inflammation.

Paracetamol (or other analgesics) is good to have to temporarily lower the temperature or relieve pain. Fevers usually mean that the patient is fighting an infection so if the fever persists for more than 2 days, it's time to see a doctor.

I find it complicated to self-medicate coughs, especially for children. There are some medications our GP wouldn't recommend for children under 3 years old, like codeine. Then we have to see if it comes with running nose, or phlegm, or wheezing, or how long it has gone on for... During these times, it is best to leave them in the hands of professionals.

Good and affordable healthcare is an aspect Singaporeans take for granted. Fees at government polyclinics is around S$10 or less and private GPs start at S$20 or so for consultation. In Beijing, consultation at the international clinics typically start at around S$80. When Estelle needed antibiotics and other medications, the bill came up to S$200. This was when we realised the importance of health insurance. During our first year in Beijing, we could only claim up to 30% of total bill. Now, our total expenditure is reimbursed. It makes a great difference to how we approach healthcare concerns.

We are thankful that our health insurance now covers all that we are charged. In Finland, consultations start at around €30 at private clinics and practically free at public clinics and hospitals, I'm told. The welfare system here takes good care of every one although some medications are still expensive. Like Jules' cough mixture which comes at around €30 per bottle, furthermore it is not subsidised by KELA, the social welfare department. Today, we spent €14 on two types of medicines.

In terms of healthcare - comparing the level of service and quality of medicines - Finland is actually more affordable than China.

The cost of a medicine is largely tied to its branding. A generic drug costs just a fraction of a similar one from a big-name pharmaceutical company. In Singapore and Finland, the quality of generic drugs can be trusted and generic drugs are commonly used by public healthcare services.

International clinics in China only use medicines made by branded pharma companies. I think this is to allay foreigners' fears about the authenticity and quality of the medicines. Not only do patients pay more for the brand, the clinics further mark up the prices since foreigners thought them to be "trustworthy" sources. They also know that expatriates are usually insured by their companies and cost is not an issue. My friends and I complain about the prices and competence of some doctors but where else can we go?

At Beijing's Vista Clinic (Kerry Centre), I find Dr Pauline the most attentive paediatrician. She tries to connect with the child and find out all symptoms. I think she's from the Philippines so it's easy to communicate with her in English.

When Jules had hand-foot-and-mouth and I showed similar symptoms, another doctor told me I was "heaty" and should take some Chinese medicines to "cool down". Adults don't get this disease, he laughed. It turned out that adults CAN be infected and I WAS ill. I've never had so many ulcers in my mouth all at once and it was really painful to eat or drink. I could fully empathise with my son, whose usual hearty appetite was curbed for over a week.

Many Finnish people speak English and the doctors I've seen so far were happy to discuss the condition of the patient and discuss the medicines they prescribe. Their open attitude is certainly very assuring for patients and parents like me.

Estelle took the medications before she slept and she has not coughed since. She is perspiring as she sleeps, which is a good sign because this means her fever is subsiding.

Hopefully, I can have a good rest tonight.

Drinking milk in China

2009-01-05T23:36:00.014+02:00

China inspects melamine tableware

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the top quality regulator, told Xinhua on Tuesday it was organizing tests of melamine tableware, following reports that some products contained poisonous ingredients.

"The administration has always put great stress on food and tableware product safety. We are keeping a close eye on this issue and conducting product safety testing," it said.

There have been media reports in the past week that some melamine tableware sold in domestic supermarkets and wholesale markets had ingredients that were poisonous when heated.

(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2008)

Melamine is actually a common plastics raw material that can be made into familiar tableware, like bowls, cups, plates or utensils. It is cheap and durable so melamine products are popular in Asia. Many children's tableware are made from melamine.

This common manufacturing material is now dubiously linked to milk after it was used as an additive for milk formula in China. As the Chinese government and other health and safety agencies around the world widened their search, they found that melamine has contaminated a broad range of food products. It looks like anyone could have been exposed to melamine poisoning.

Last week, Xinhua, China's official news agency, announced that even tableware (the rightful use of melamine) might have some problems.

The pink spoon on the left was manufactured in Thailand and bought at Takashimaya Shopping Centre in Singapore. The green spoon on the right was produced in China and bought from a Carrefour store in Beijing. Both were used equally regularly for the past 6 months and have been washed in the dishwasher.

I've noticed that the Chinese spoon cracked a while ago but last week, the distinct split appeared. You can imagine how shocked and appalled I am.

This incident is making me think very hard about products manufactured in China. I have been warned by local Chinese about making purchases from mom-and-pop shops thus we've always shopped, whether for food or daily necessities like shampoos or utensils, at major supermarkets like Carrefour or Wal-Mart.

Now even foreign-owned supermarkets can't be trusted? I don't think the fault lies with the retailers. The manufacturers need to take responsibility for what they put in, or leave out.

Back to milk.

During a recent conversation with my aunt, she said: "Wah, lucky you didn't let the children drink milk from China."

It wasn't about luck. When we lived in Beijing, we would regularly bring cartons of milk formula for the children from Singapore. Firstly, my dad works at a wholesaler for a certain brand of milk formula so we got them cheaper. Secondly, most expats (at least the Singaporean and Malaysian ones) suspect there is something wrong with Chinese milk, although no one could say exactly what. Well, now we know.

When I first went to Beijing, I would try fresh milk from the local brands like Sanyuan or Mengniu. A Singapore friend chose Sanyuan because the carton said its milk was used for the Great People's Banquet. Another tried Mengniu since the source was cows that lived on the Mongolian pastures. (Sanyuan, by the way, was about the only major brand that was not implicated.)

I didn't like either because I thought they smelled odd and I found that the milk turned sour 3 days after the carton was opened. The problem could lie with the transportation or storage process and not necessarily with the milk. For me as the consumer, I chose not to buy the Chinese brands and settled for UHT milk from France.

My children liked cheese sticks from Yili because they came in cute cartoon characters. Even then, I'll buy a pack once every fortnight. To spread the risk, I'd thought.

Don't forget that I was a chemist and I view hygiene and food science seriously.

My decision was further justified when I watched a documentary about the plight of milk farmers produced by a Beijing TV station. In the second half of 2007, prices of agricultural produce were skyrocketing. The programme documented a farmer who lived on the outskirts of Beijing struggling to earn a living with his cows.

His 2 miserable cows lived in a dirty shed and had hardly enough to eat. The farmer milked the cows by hand and milk cans were driven from his farm to the milk collection centre on an animal-driven barrow. I say animal because I can't recall if he had a horse or one of the cows was used. All these was done without sterilisation or refrigeration.

At the milk collection centre, the so-called middlemen would weigh the milk and pay the farmer accordingly. It is likely at this stage that melamine is added to prop up the protein (nitrogen) readings before they are sold to milk companies.

The farmer wanted to give up because the price of feeds were rising beyond what he could fetch for the milk.

Although the documentary aimed to show how high feed prices were adversely affecting the livelihood of farmers, I realised that the milk industry in China was actually segregated and the quality of the milk can't be good if the animals weren't eating well enough. At least from what I see on TV, cows in the West or Australasia lived on large farms and they are milked by a network of machines where the milk is collected at centralised venues.

When the news broke, many Chinese reacted vigorously. On the internet, many Chinese directed their anger at the milk companies and the middlemen. They blamed the milk companies for setting unrealistically high standards which led the middlemen to "dope" the milk.

A comment I saw on sina.com summed up my emotions.

欧洲的奶牛过得比中国的奶农好，中国的奶牛怎么可能生产跟欧洲一样品质的牛奶呢？

This means: "Europe's cows live in better conditions than China's farmers. How can it be possible for the quality of Chinese milk be the same as those from Europe?"

Despite reports that many Chinese are snapping up luxury goods and eating more sharks' fins, the ordinary Chinese is still actually struggling to make a living. My heart goes out to these ordinary people I meet every day in Beijing.

How do you spell - cosy or cozy?

2009-01-03T01:14:00.006+02:00

Depends on which side of the Atlantic Ocean you live on, really.

Cosy if you spell it the British way or cozy if you are American. Or Americanized.

My personal preference is the British way of spelling although I've been told by some "experts" that the American way is the modern way to go. Anyhow, I was glad to have spent some years working on a plastics magazine that was owned by a British company so I could go on

spelling 'licence', 'authorise', 'armour', 'lorry' and so on.

Early December, I wanted to order some books from amazon.com. Prices of English-language books in Finland are generally expensive, it's almost like the same price here and on amazon except you change the euro sign to a dollar sign.

The orders didn't go through even though I had finalised the book list because shipping came up to almost 40% of the cost of the books. It wasn't so economical afterall and I'd thought we could wait until we visit Borders or Kinokuniya in Singapore.

Last week, I visited amazon.co.uk to check out the prices since the pound has lost almost 50% of its value against the euro. The two currencies are now almost 1:1!

The point of this blog entry is not merely to announce that I spent almost €80 on 10 books (for the kids and myself), including postage and UK VAT.

Do you know that the books recommended by both websites are markedly different. Has anyone read "Harold and the Purple Crayon"? It's apparently a popular children's book in the US written by Crockett Johnson and celebrates its 50th anniversary.

I've never heard about this book.

At the UK site, I was happy to find Enid Blyton, having ordered two books from the Faraway Tree series for Estelle. She's too young to read them now but I hope she will enjoy them as much as I did. At Amazon.com, one can hardly find Enid Blyton unless you do an author search.

When I'm shopping for books, I don't make choices based on whether it is written in the US or in the UK. Living in Singapore, most of us are comfortable and versatile to switch between variety in spellings or style. While the British may have a strong literary history (Shakespeare, Dickens), the Americans literary scene dominate in later times (like the NY Times bestsellers list).

Have you read Frank McCourt's Angela Ashes? McCourt now lives in New York while the book is based on his childhood in Ireland. I had to stop many times to laugh at the funny and quirky things that happened in his hard and tough life.

I don't recall if he wrote British or American English - most likely American since that was where the book published. But it doesn't matter. It was an excellent book and I enjoyed it.

Great balls of fire

2009-01-01T00:15:00.005+02:00

Happy New Year!

The Finns welcome the new year with plenty of fireworks.

Since last week, we've noticed special stands at the supermarkets that sold firecrackers and sparklers. We were wondering what they were but didn't think they were relevant to us.

Today, while the stands were probably at their busiest, we bought a box of butterfly crackers and a bunch of sparklers. We also headed to a fireworks display at a nearby sports field at 6 pm. Yes, at 6 pm because the sun had long ago set at 3.30 pm.

The four of us arrived at 5.45 pm and the kids were wondering why we and hundreds other people were standing around a hill, freezing in the cold. The kids were complaining about being very cold and had nothing to do, going on for 10 minutes - which is a long time when one hears the same whining over and over again.

And then the show began. We were standing less than 100 m from the launch site so the fireworks came out close and strong. Fireworks is one of those expensive public goods that bring high levels of satisfaction to those who participate.

This is when we realised that those long sticks of rockets we saw at the supermarket stands were actually fireworks. Anyone can buy and launch them. It is now 12. 25 am as I pen this entry, fireworks have been going up all around me for the past 1 hour and still popping away.

So far, I have found the Finns to be responsible and filled with common sense. They play on empty fields and direct their rockets away from buildings or trees.

Christmas in Finland was quiet. But New Year celebration is a blast.

Spending € in Europe

2008-12-28T22:36:00.010+02:00

Finland is one of the most expensive places in the world. Consumption tax is a whopping 22%.

In this past Christmas weekend, I was really ill but still couldn't take a break from cooking. First the shops were closed and second, there's little culinary choice.

Today, I'm well enough to go out for a ride so we took a drive to Helsinki. Dinner was at one of our favourite restaurants called "Singapore". It's opened by a Malaysian couple who have been here for almost 20 years. According to HG, when they first came to Finland, they called their restaurant "Malaysia" but business wasn't great. Customers flow improved when the name is changed.

This is the closest we get to home food. We often meet other Singaporeans and Asians here, whether residents in Finland or people on business. Food here is generally better than what is served at Chinese restaurants. Even our Chinese friends complain about Finland's Chinese restaurants so we have yet to try one.

Dinner tonight was ginger chicken, chilli prawns and tofu/caixin. Rice is provided free of charge.

I remember the first time we came to this restaurant some 8 years ago, HG was so excited we found a Singapore restaurant, he tucked into the food straightaway. Rice was served in a large bowl (like the kind we use for soup at home) and he helped himself. To the whole bowl. It was only later we realised the portion of rice in that bowl was for sharing.

He finished all the rice in his bowl nevertheless. Either he was very hungry or he misses home food very much. Nowadays, the restaurant serves rice in a metal bowl with a handle. Maybe in case customers mistake the rice bowls.

Our humble tze-char food ensemble you see here cost us €43 tonight. That's almost S$90!

As much as we would like to come often, we give ourselves a treat here once a month. Or twice a month at most. The Tohs get to enjoy MZ restaurant the rest of the time.

In Beijing, we could stuff ourselves with Japanese food, delivered to our door, for less than RMB200 (S$40). Or we might have Italian pasta and risotto, also hand-delivered, for around RMB100.

Home delivery in Singapore is mostly restricted to Pizza Hut and the like. But it's easy to hop to the nearest coffee shop or hawker centre. Or CJ or Hoshigaoka or etc etc etc. I really miss Xiao Ming at Farrer Road Market.

After dinner, we brought our car to the car wash. We haven't seen anyone here wash their cars themselves. Anyway, in winter, you wonder which would freeze first - the water or your hands.

We read that cars should be kept clean in winter so that liquids and gravel don't freeze between crevices. If two moving parts are frozen together, they might tear apart when the car starts moving.

A summer wash starts €10. A winter wash costs... €17.

The last time I went for an automised car wash was in my friend Desmond's car at the now-demolished Shell station along Farrer Road. You might remember it was at the junction with Holland Road but has since made way for an widened road and a new condo.

After the car is positioned corrected, the machine starts its routine with water spray, then soap solution and the brushes roll over the car (two at the sides and one at the top). Water is sprayed gently and the car is dried by gusts of air.

And that's it! The experience was pretty much the way I remembered it. But 4 times more expensive. Oh yeah, the brushes here are probably made from TPE which would not scratch the car. In Singapore, people prefer hand washing because the thin plastics bristles leave unsightly marks.

Well, over here, there's not a human being in sight during this whole process. Except the cashier. In some petrol stations, there aren't even cashiers - they are totally self-automated.

Otherwise, the petrol station is where you can have lunch, take a shower or take a roll on the jackpot machine. www.abcasemat.fi/en/

Take the poll!

2008-12-26T20:54:00.003+02:00

While sorting through our stash of photos, we found this one taken at Killiney Road coffee shop. The data on the photo shows it was taken one morning in 2002.

Compare with the recent pic we took during our holiday in Prague this summer.

What do you think?

Run, run, as fast as you can

2008-12-26T20:15:00.009+02:00

You can't catch me, cos I'm the Gingerbread Man.

On the second day of my illness, I mustered enough energy to let the kids do some baking.

We got these pre-prepared gingerbread dough from the supermarket. At €1.09 per pack, it comes in 2 slabs. All we had to do was roll out the dough and let the kids cut them with cookie-cutters.

The cookies go into the oven and are ready in merely 5 minutes. In another 5 minutes, we can eat them!

I used to love baking. My aunt's home has lots of baking equipment and an oven so I'm over there often to try out new recipes. I remembered baking a cake for a good friend's birthday and since I was at it, I'd thought I'd bake chocolate chocolate-chip cookies too.

That experience left me thoroughly tired out. The utensils needed to be cleaned and dried for the next batch, so that's double cleaning within 2 hours. Then the cake and cookies need to be decorated and/or wrapped.

That was the last time I did any major baking. Any thoughts about "starting my own bakery when I grow up" were banished henceforth. I enjoy baking and I think I'm pretty good at it but I won't do it as a hobby anymore.

I might bake again when any of my children develops an interest. It may be Jules, you know, because he is the one who loves eating and looking at me cook.

Celebrating Christmas

2008-12-26T17:12:00.000+02:00

This is our first year celebrating away from home.

It's really quiet during public holidays in Finland because all the shops will be closed and people will normally spend time with their families.

So on 23 Dec, we raided the supermarket and stocked up enough food for the next 4 days because shops don't operate at their usual opening hours until 27 Dec.

Christmas seems odd not being in church or meeting up with friends. We miss singing Christmas carols and enjoying the festivities, and of course, the sharing of the Christmas message.

We didn't do any shopping this year. Because we didn't have any one to give presents to. The only gifts we prepared were some chocolates for our neighbours.

Many of the shops are already having sales. At H&M, some items are even on 70%. Somehow, I'm not lured. I worry about the length of the financial crisis. Given that we are on a single-income, money should be spent on necessities.

To top up the gloom, I'm ill. Much of Christmas Day was spent in bed. I dragged myself out of bed at regular hours because my family depends on me for their meals. There was no fever but I just felt so cold... brr... Couldn't eat much so drank lots of honey water, which made me go the loo often. I so wish we had the Japanese-style warmed toilet seat.

We visited Santa Claus

2008-12-23T22:41:00.000+02:00

We really did. In Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

Rovaniemi is part of Lapland, which is an area at the Arctic Circle that is shared by Finland, Sweden and Norway. Santa Claus "lives" in Santa Claus Village and this is where letters and parcels addressed to the Man in Red will end up.

There is the Santa Claus Post Office where mail gets a special Santa's head stamp.

There is also the Santa Claus Office where one can seek an audience with the Man himself. At the entrance, an Elf showed us a catalogue containing a list of gifts we can purchase for Santa to present to the kids. We should be careful not to let the kids see us give orders.

Hmm... we ain't gonna pay €18 for a stranger to give a stuffed reindeer to our kids.

We then went through some exhibits and finally reached the Upper Room where the Old Man sat. After some small talk, we took a photo and said bye-bye.

Photography indoors not allowed. So we gave in to an 11R snapshot complete with Santa certificate at €25. No thanks though to €36 video footage.

Our kids were quite excited to see Santa Claus but they weren't so thrilled that they went speechless. We didn't bring any drawings or letters and the kids didn't have special requests. It was more like a "been there, done that" episode.

Estelle and Jules enjoyed Rovaniemi for 2 reasons.

Top of the list is the snow. They loved the snow slides. Jules started and ended each try with "Woo-hoo". Each of them went again and again.

They made snowballs and carried one each wherever we go. HG called them 七龙珠. They swept snow off fences and benches. They observed their footprints in the snow. Estelle sat on fresh snow and laughed at her bum print. We had a snowball fight while waiting for the bus.

The next best thing that we tried was the husky sleigh ride. It was a mere 500m but the speed and turns around corners were exciting.

We stepped into the sleigh with hesitation but the kids asked for more when we were done. Unfortunately, we ran out of money (cash only and €70 per ride for all of us) and the 2km route was inaccessible because snow was melting. It was 1ºC that day - too warm for the North Pole.

The kids loved the husky ride so much they chose husky stuffed toys as their souvenirs. Not elfish hats or Santa magnets, just huskies named Mini and Husky.