those the, you remember every thursday I wished to do, there's the there's the, black from my poppy parties graham bedrooms


it is religious religious reason lah, so ya, that's for one of it, and, !huh! sorry


actually you went to, ya, Grab driver


and maybe because it's social science then nobody takes social science on earth, man


!wow!, mood lah , ah this is so mood leh


I'll be like oh I'll just be like oh okay nice like ya ,


, shit, I want I want to go Lasalle like I just want to go there and just look around and then just sit there, you went there, no I know you want to study there but ha- have you like been there like look around


I want to go can we go, shit can we go, ya ya ya it's quite near rochor also


yes can, can can, okay so it's been like


K so meanwhile, the who me ah


I feel like I sound like a boy, I don't, I sound like a boy like because my voice is is because like eh voice <tamil>வந்து கொஞ்சோ:vanthu konjo</tamil> deep like is quite low it's not like high pitch no it's not like that


so I mean I I <tamil>எனக்கு:enakku</tamil> eh voice <tamil>புடிக்கும்:pudikum</tamil> I like to be like that I don't want to be, okay yours is say something, are you the <tamil>பொண்ணு:ponnu</tamil> are you the <tamil>பொண்ணு:ponnu</tamil> who don't like to hear that kind of voice


she will be like hello oh my god I'm just here like laughing, okay wait so meanwhile,


Naagini seven err select the three cross disciplinary module I have a assignment submission on saturday but


ah say what <tamil>புரில:purila</tamil> like


ya ya ya, I know, okay, so ya <tamil>அடுத்த முறை வந்து:adutha murai vanthu</tamil> err mobile element


!wow! enterprise you know, but I also want a break lah so, next ya I'm very busy with submissions and stuff like I got <tamil>நெறய இருக்கு எனக்கு:neraya irukku enakku</tamil> quiz <tamil>இருக்கு:irukku</tamil> proposal submission


december last two weeks, december, ya


one two eight but it's full, you also storage


die already ah, mine is like full, but


yes please, I really hope the Pasta shop is open, is it ah, , do


ya ya Bishan also have, ya, err ya err so how has you're acting career


how it been, are you still like ons


like, definitely,


yes yes but but what,


so is it like a file copy or is it like digital <tamil>தானே அழகா பண்லா அழகா பண்லா:thaanae alagaa panlaa alagaa panlaa</tamil> then some more, you got do photoshoots right you can even put up those photoshoots in internet website like show as an example okay


yes so you can have like contact us step and then <tamil>அதுக்கீழ வந்து:athukkeela vanthu</tamil> you put like your Facebook Instagram LinkedIn phone number everything if you need help I can help you you like you know web designing you can come to me like


(hmm), but, I am not sure like why though


but my my suggestion is like you can ah link like <tamil>ஒண்ட:onda</tamil> normal Instagram <tamil>அதுவ:athuva</tamil> link <tamil>பண்ணிட்டுட்டு:pannittu</tamil> and then when if you want to show your shoot pictures or <tamil>ஒன்னோட:onnoda</tamil> photoshoot


you just, ah just put it in the website itself, like that, or if not, ya I think you can just put in the website itself lah saying that so you can have a another tab saying that , my work


, familiar


oh my god


, oh, Divya lavigne


okay I never expect, but I want to know more I want to know more, is it <tamil>கவசம்:kavasam</tamil> shoot or something, are you the so what are you going to act as


can you like send me all the links that you've done acting before like I want to see just send


it's not a it's not a big thing, uh ya ya ya I watch the whole thing because I want to know the storyline I like to watch from the beginning and then I want to see like when you're entering why are entering and stuff like


but, is still like good period of time like <tamil>அந்த:antha</tamil> time <tamil>வந்து ஒனக்கு நல்லா இருந்துச்சு:vanthu onakku nallaa irunthuchu</tamil> like <tamil>ஒரு:oru</tamil> good fifteen minutes fifteen to twenty minutes it's like one whole episode is by you like, ya but can you like send me the links that like <tamil>நீ பண்ணது எல்லாமே எல்லாம்:nee pannathu ellamae ellaam</tamil> ya it's okay just send I want to see I'm very interested


kim, can anything isn't it, can can


so what about divya lavigne lah like


well, ya ya ya, oh ya ya ya, makeup artist worldwide


but even though it's like a small thing TV lah <tamil>பாக்கும் போது அவளோ:paakum pothu avalo</tamil> real ah <tamil>இருந்துச்சு அவளோ:irunthuchu avalo</tamil> natural ah <tamil>இருந்துச்சு:irunthuchu</tamil> like was like !wow!


show


ya <tamil>டீ:dee</tamil> like <tamil>ரெண்டு:rendu</tamil> not two like definitely more than two cameras they have like !wow!


so the vitsy video like did you memorise the whole thing


ah, okay


ya ya ya I get it get it


oh no oh , but it seemed great day take like


okay <tamil>அந்த:antha</tamil> video lah you seem very, from the vitsy, no the first impress the first thing that I see from you is like, you were natural you were bloody natural you there I never see any like


nervous actions or hiccups or anything like <tamil>அழகா போனுச்சு ரொம்ப அழகா இருந்துச்சு:alagaa ponuchu romba alagaa irunthuchu</tamil> is like I'm like oh


, ah, oh man


oh


so do you are you able to like say it out


oh man


like you Vijay Ajith they will like confirm say like <tamil>இது செய்யல இன்னொன்னு:ithu seiyala innonu</tamil> , I like that


!wow!


ya but, [dey] <tamil>அவங்களுக்கெல்லா இதுலா:avangalukellaa ithulaa</tamil> fashion eh <tamil>இல்ல:illa</tamil> lah for them is like those genetic things


man, it


the your Deepavali video


good that he realise good that if you want to realise


the Deepavali one, ah


, I heard you did TED talk


no wonder my mother was talking about it because she <tamil>அவங்க:avanga</tamil> she's quite dark right and then like she never ready was set up a I want to watch,


she should see it she should watch it


so in that video from whatever you watched did the family supported her, no family never never support her, then <tamil>அவங்க:avanga</tamil> family lah <tamil>வந்து:vanthu</tamil> there some people who do drama right like Vijay TV drama ya I think he's her brother or something and then


okay dude you go watch <tamil>நம்ம வீட்டு பிள்ளை:namma veetu pillai</tamil> or not, ah <tamil>அந்த அந்த படத்துல:antha antha padathula</tamil> she and another lady you know the pregnant lady in the she will go in the car one, she and her are actually kind of related I think is the brother's wife or something I don't know but usually when I see the story and stuff <tamil>அவங்க வந்து:avanga vanthu</tamil> like <tamil>ஒன்னா இருப்பாங்க:onnaa iruppaanga</tamil> photo <tamil>லலா எல்லாரும் ஒன்னா இருப்பாங்க:lalaa ellaarum onnaa irupaanga</tamil> like it's just a different thing vibe I feel


then, then I wonder when she do like, those err intimate scenes <tamil>அபோலா:apolaa</tamil> okay lah like okay ah like


I mean she got do in movies what not in that movie but, really leh


she did Fair & Lovely, advertisement advertisement


maybe she never realise that before when she was doing


so after she ya ya ya so after she was sccessful then she do the advertisement is it, after she was successful then only she did the advertisement is it


some people just forget where they came from


I clap ah, okay so ah so what did you serve in your NS which unit were you in


err for me same lah also ASA lah, err for me, ya, for me I'm a ASA at Kranji camp three at err, supply headquarters, ya in the manpower branch, same lah most of the stuff also very #bo liao# one lah the the superior sometime also very #bo liao#


ya, some of them <mandarin>真的是没有吃饱没有东西做:zhen de shi mei you chi bao mei you dong xi zuo</mandarin> lah so, they anyhow do they anyhow make you do things lah


you know sometimes the task they make you is they can actually do themselves lah but, I guess, some are lazy so they pass the work to you, ya, in my office there's certain regulars that are like that they really throw everything to the NSF to do


ya #sibei jialat# they really throw NSF the NSF sometime they have to OT until seven eight o'clock to finish the work


then the regular will leave on the dot at five thirty


from I heard from my friend, ya but they cannot claim they cannot get any off also they they very hard to get off, ya that's the worst unit in my manpower branch because my manpower branch is shared by three different units


so we, share the office ah ya you can see which regulars are the worst


that's quite good leh, but how come medical centre need to OT until ten PM


uh ya nagging is normal lah, so in your


ya what do you think is a headache ah, especially for ASA ah, my my side is you have to make sure that err files you know certain files should be kept properly at where it is ah, shouldn't be lying around, ya or make sure that


files are there lah they're not missing ah


ya I think other things they will nag is your ISAC card cannot leave lying around, if happen someone come in and check, ya if happen someone come in and check right really all will Kena


like, sharing a password also will Kena


, ya it happens ah your ISAC card takes quite long to process also, the G fifty form


ya a lot of things to fill up, very easy Tio, then err which actually which batch were you from which err BMT batch


I think uh, is it is your BMT in Kranji camp


ah interesting my I also enlisted in october, october nine, ya same year twenty eighteen also eh wait twenty seventeen sorry


ya twenty seventeen, ya one year earlier, what's your best experience best memories in BMT


, for medical reason ah, ya actually for me also same my last year of my BMT eh not my last year of my BMT my last year of my national service right


most of my time MC, uh, so early april I had some discomfort lah but I didn't take notice


uh until when symptoms got very bad right I went to see a doctor lah, so basically they did some blood tests and found out that I had some internal bleeding, ya then had to go operation to remove the tumour


the thing based on that surgery itself I went on a three months MC already, ya, then halfway through, ya very jialat then <mandarin>很:hen</mandarin> Suay lor halfway through my MC I broke my leg, ya I broke my leg extended all the way until I ORD lor almost ORD then I started clearing all my leave


ya, I guess they ask me to take care lah but at that point of time I already had my understudy my understudy came in quite early


so he already knows what I'm doing lah, so I just pass my stuff to him lah, ya he, I guess, my office culture is if can go MC go MC lor don't come to camp lor


because my office a bit toxic also lah the some of the regulars, they they have their good, ya


uh open close Keng lah ya, ya because the regulars they have their good points lah but certain regulars ah they do give a lot of issues lah, and we'll choose not to be in office ah, ya if possible


ya lah office culture is different lah, ya but I was lucky lah my major usually give us a lot of off lor, for for our branch itself so I would say our branch has the most off lah compared to other unit and our own unit branches also so they're quite jealous lah


sometimes also if there's no regulars in office right he say okay lah you all can leave at twelve o'clock, uh after lunch, ya so usually the other branches when we file out right they will know that our branch usually not there to file out because we very early Zao already


ya but of course there are days when our major require us to OT to do work we will stay back and do work lah, it's ah, it goes two ways lah


<mandarin>很好了:hen hao le</mandarin> as in how to say <mandarin>不错:bu cuo</mandarin> lah <mandarin>不用:bu yong</mandarin> #chiong sua# lah in the field, air-con office environment


ya lah it is true lah, I yes different unit have their different err how to say, different scope lor everyone, cover, ours is probably office stress lor


I guess most of the Enciks are like that lah the the combat one, maybe ah but I know most of my Encik in my


unit they're very nice one, they are very friendly one can can talk to them as though you're friend friend like that one, or some of them you know even call me brother one of my master sergeant call me brother, like no rank difference one


ya, quite cool sia, quite nice lah in a way it makes things better lah you know, got someone to talk to lah when you're bored


, ya there's this stigma about MOs that they are assholes what what do you think about it


oh


for me, I I know that from my camp itself the reservists MOs are usually tend to be nicer than the NSF MOs stationed there, there is one very notorious one that is well known throughout the camp lah everybody knows him lah


ya he's well known for being notorious, authoritatively, err, what to say he he doesn't give MC that easily lah even though if you are very sick Liao, ya it's kind of unfortunate to run into him lah


it it it was so bad that a lot of NSF went to complain about him that I think, he he change lah after that after a lot people complain about him, but err for my case I remember I had uh I I had my friend ah who went to see a doctor because


his vision was err he his black vision ah he couldn't see anything lah one of the eye black out lah, so he went to see a doctor lah, so actually the doctor was like oh it's nothing it's nothing but my friend was like I cannot see you know then, I think at that point of time you know it came to the realization that it was quite urgent lah so they had to the the then the MO then realise had to send him to the hospital lah A&E then when they diagnose it's actually


err the the blood vessel in the eye actually burst, ya so I think sometimes the MO they cannot you know they cannot like you know take it that everyone Keng you know not everyone will Keng lor, ya, sometime the the case can be very emergency and very serious


, ya


ya but I think the main problem in army is it's okay to serve but it's mainly the regulars that they make it very hard lor, like what you say lah they it revolves around them lah they serve too long already, they live in the bubble that they are very important


, another thing is some of the regulars like to play rank, so when they use rank in place ah then that's where things go haywire


, you know think there are better ways to do things already but they still stick to old fashion, there are many ways to do better to do things in a better way but they insisting on uh sticking on this path you know that


it already work before so they stick to it


ya I agree ah, okay I think you can also talk about school lah so how how do you find you are in year one right, how did you find your school so far


october right, oh oh ya two months already hor


usually august right,


and, NTU not every easy, err NUS ah, NTU have, NTU have


so I guess for like for my uni itself right it's err I'm studying under university of london, so in other SIM people study overseas uni lah but for my uni itself it's more unique in a way that err we only have one semester every year


and each year we took we take four modules compared to your compared to NTU different lah NTU seven eight modules right, a final


, so err for us we, we have four modules a year and we only have uh end of year exams so it's like O level like that the the kind of exam, one one exam that matters lah so, throughout our academic year we are given assignments ya


even I won't say you were given test ah but mostly assignment lah, it is not graded lah it's only that last paper that account, so, mainly is a lot of motivation work lah because each lesson a week is only three hours


four hours max, so it's really have to study by yourself and, for my uni we have to read a lot do a lot of reading other than the textbook and the suggested readings, ya so like recently I just finished my one of my assignment


the the question was on uh, how did european imperialism, , moulded the political, field in the the political scene you know in in the in the twentieth century lah how did it affect lah


so ya have to really go search online you know to to do to do my research and everything lah but that is a past year question lah, but because it's supposingly closed book lah if it's written paper, err but I heard


because of the COVID right it's online exam so it's open book so, might be easier might be harder right never know, is is your exam also online right


so you have been to online and physical class right which one do you prefer


clear, I think for me and my schoolmates ah because our modules are all theory lah, we we do agree in a sense that, a physical class is better lah because we are all very tired at home lah we don't go out much since


we received the email that said that our classes will be online for this year all the way until next year, so, no one's going back to school no one is meeting each other, and ya we didn't have our own mini telegram groups I guess ya but


we help each other from there lah but mainly we don't see face to face lah it's another issue lah, ya, ya lor, but for me I am quite lucky because of my army friend also doing the same degree so can you can help each other lah since you already have we know each other for a few years already


, ya, I I for my my stand on point is to that <mandarin>要好好做:yao hao hao zuo</mandarin> lor because it can really show you your your where you're standing at ya how where you're going to do it you know it shows how much you've absorbed already


so the the lecturers the professors were still mark the paper, uh then you will know how where you're doing lah, ya for our grading system is very different from other unis also so like NTU is based on your GPA right then err different modules different GPA then combine together right


for us uh to get first class right we need to get, a certain number of As, I think, twelve modules so, maybe about nine modules need to get A to get first class


ya then to get that grade A right you need to score seventy marks and above for your essay writing, for the paper itself, so it's really like the O level kind of paper lah the O level kind of marking scheme are


the ya the grading scheme are so, it's really need to work very hard lor, passing mark is forty


I'm not very sure leh I know for my uni itself it's seventy and above, I not sure about the other other overseas uni at SIM, ya, they never say ah


[orh] yours is bell curve right mine no bell curve, if you don't get better by bell curve you you get what you get lor


, ya I guess it's harder lah there's there's good and bad lah from the different systems


, so we go through the four modules, ya, but each modules right is very intensive so for example one of my module right uh political science right we cover


uh how voting system work how different country electoral system work, err the err idea behind voting what makes people vote in a certain pattern with certain behavior, uh, so each


each topic we'll we'll take one will take one one lesson or two listen to cover so about one or two weeks then, it's very intensive lah, or for my IR for my international relation module we learn about liberalism


we learn about realism we learn about marxism, we learn about their different ideologies we learn about how, err IR came about after, uh world war one those type of things lah so each module itself is


like a subject, compact together lah I would say, ya it's very intensive


, let me see ah, I'm from the I not very sure leh I know as I my batch started in october, I'm the october intake lessons should end around march, ya with only one week break in december


then from march to june will be the preparation for examination period, ya ten times a lot of thing


ya should be there lah,


then, are you staying in the school dorm are you staying at home, ah okay, I guess some people stay at school dorm they can meet new people lah meet new people make new friends


ya true, hall life, hall life itself also went very <mandarin>麻烦:ma fan</mandarin> need to take so many, err hall CCA correct or not, it's as long, and if like if <mandarin>我们忙不过了因为忙忙着要读书了还要去做:wo men mang bu guo le yin wei mang mang zhe yao du shu le hai yao qu zuo</mandarin> CCA <mandarin>没有时间:mei you shi jian</mandarin> leh


, I don't know like my friend studying in NUS right is staying in the hall he has like six seven CCAs leh then like how you manage your time you know don't need to sleep ah


ya I don't know how he does it lah, it's I think I cannot lah seventy CCAs is too much time already


ya, ya


ya, so tomorrow we have no class, oh


!wah! that's good lah then holiday right, it's quite hard to find a job now also lah if the economy


, ya, have you tried like some have you tried uh Jobstreet, or, the Jobstreet Monster jobs all these website


ah ya,


, ya,


ya, , true, but I hear I I read online forum lah they said that these people who went for the SG traineeship right


, , ya


think talking about uh companies and what not right I think a lot of companies right they have a lot of err, when where they're recruiting right they they have these issues that you know like oh you need five years experience before entering the job but


think ah it's nonsense ah, I feel really nonsense lah these people, very competitive


so actually the worst COVID period right so when you finish your NS in, july right what what were you doing for the for the two month period, or one month period


[orh] two week break ah, !wah! very shag leh, for me I debate one year


ya because for me actually after NS I went for a youth programme I came back in, december near end december, so, ya then I was looking for a job, I actually landed a job at the airport as the health screener


but by april, by april <mandarin>因为没有飞机进来嘛:yin wei mei you fei ji jin lai ma</mandarin> then <mandarin>他们又要装修:ta men you yao zhuang xiu</mandarin> terminal two, terminal four <mandarin>又没有飞机:you mei you fei ji</mandarin> terminal four, at that point of time right all the planes will just park outside the runway already when you look outside you can see all the planes parking there you know


so at the whole airport is very quiet lah the the people you can see only walking around is all the staff lor, ya then they decided to shut down two and four right then a lot of us got lost our job lah they terminated us lah


ya, very Jialat but the pay was good, to to be honest lah right to be honest lah when when we working there right when it was reaching around march april because not much flight already right there's nothing to do there's no there's no flight so you just sit and stare into the open space


ya, uh, I will say march still okay march, slowly drop, around early april we still have flights from err US UK


err australia these these a few countries lah but when when we have this US UK flight right we have to, err so called they they will go straight for quarantine lah to the to the isolation, place lah


there's designated facilities, so usually while we still need to go there and check lah we will go to the hanger there you know the hanger what you call that ah, the the aero bridge ah to check the temperature, ya if got any fever or what not we will flag out lah


but <mandarin>讲真正的:jiang zhen zheng de</mandarin> one thing is the thermometers all not working one, I have never seen a working thermometer there you know, all very inaccurate one so I don't know what's the point lah I don't know, why they still want to take temperature when none of it is working you know


ya that's a scary thing eh because I remember I I handled a brunei a brunei, brunei uh the plane came in from brunei so got this brunei guy right so he was looking at the screen lah it was quite red lah so we stopped him we took temperature we use the forehead one forehead was thirty seven


but when we did the ear right was thirty eight point something so it's, quite severe you know just how, ineffective it is you know, so, had to bring him down to do the swab right but the thing is at that point of time at the airport right


when they call the doctor to come right the doctor will take three four hours to reach the medical station I also don't know why take so long, so do the swab you know then that person can go lah but


to be done, before they can go, I remember after I (hmm), oh okay so I remember after I handled brunei guy I had symptoms of uh


respiratory symptoms lah so had to go do swab also lor, ya but lucky negative lah so can go back and work lah but I had a five day MC lah


, , I don't know lah it's lucky lah never get lah but I don't want to do the swab again lah


eh, ,


, I actually wanted to apply there but I know the everything is quite intense ah, and some of my friends are actually working there they say environment not very good ah, so I decided not to go do lah


ya, cause hm, ya, april have, it's circuit breaker but we have flights from US coming in like all the people coming back singaporeans coming back


ya singaporeans coming back, so ya, , no, don't have, so it's really during that period singaporeans lah but circuit breaker that time quite <mandarin>爽啊:shuang a</mandarin> cause can do shit you know then you're very happy can go and work you know got excuse to go and go out you know instead of staying at home


ya so that was the only good thing lah I guess and you're still earning money lah ya, but I guess it also you also will worried lah because you are working in a high risk, environment right, so <mandarin>要小心:yao xiao xin</mandarin> lor <mandarin>对吗:dui ma</mandarin> precaution lor


ya, have have quite a few lah, but you can see the the the drastic difference lah so maybe normal flight a normal day you have dozens of flights coming in right


when we reach circuit breaker right I think, the number of flights coming in right is less than hundred, sometime even less and fifty flights a day the whole day ah maybe only thirty flights I I seen before


it's it's quite Rabak lah it's <mandarin>真的:zhen de</mandarin> Jialat lah, we also have one come back, and I think those people who have work pass here lah


, but I think for army itself like my friend he was sharing that he went reservist right, so at that point of time I think just nice they announced right those who go for come back from malaysia need to, stay at home or get swabbed or what not right


so the army my friend was saying ah they he went to report right then they said that those who went to malaysia or just came back only right need to within two weeks right need to go home, and happened that reservist was designated the high key one you know, so because ah sixty percent of the people went home so left forty percent there then they


still contact as high key lah, ya but they do nothing lor because, they have not enough men to do the training, ya so he clear one high key without doing a high key I think !wah!


!huh!, !huh!, err no cannot clear take it that they miss the reservist, ya so I think <mandarin>很划算:hen hua suan</mandarin> leh <mandarin>没有出去:mei you chu qu</mandarin> then <mandarin>你没有出国你回来:ni mei you chu guo ni hui lai</mandarin> then <mandarin>你去:ni qu</mandarin> high key reservice <mandarin>不用做:bu yong zuo</mandarin> training


ya that's why you very lucky very happy you know, uh how how how has uh COVID affected your life in any way


is it,


, staggered ah


, , okay, interesting


I think my friend was sharing right so my junior lah so you are saying that err, he so our office right also staggering group A group B lah so they come in alternative days lah right, so he was going to ORD also so he used the days he need to go back to the office right to clear his leave at all


he managed to not go back to office the entire period when he ORD, ya quite nice ah


, ya ORD lor , wisdom tooth ah wisdom tooth you two weeks right


eight days ah !wah!, !wah! lucky sia where you do, [orh] I did at #khoo teck puat# so only got fourteen days


not bad already lah, I guess people want to know where to do their wisdom tooth, if you do in camp right I heard only ten days max


combined, ya lah, they and the thing is SAF right I don't know like when you have MC for more than five days right or more than three days ah need to go, I don't know what you still need to go verify the MC or something


, right, by right need right, I remember for me after my surgery MC I came back to camp for one or two days right I went to the MO right then I like give him the stack of the claim one MC you know like !aiya! then he like what is it [orh] I went for surgery so ya MC lor


I think he he he see the stack of paper he don't want to do work ah it's like it's okay you can go, because I'm not sure how they do the I'm not sure how they did the verification, are they supposed to key into the system or something


, [orh],


!wah! medical review ah maybe ah, or maybe see whether need to PES down you ah, , ya, I guess you're lucky you will not posted to CMPB I think CMPB a lot of #sai kang# one


as a AFA leh, the good thing about this kind of so called uh more high up office like CMPB MINDEF ah,


, ya true lah, interesting


could be nicer ya it's important to have uh good regulars ah for you to have a smooth journey, because if it's a nice regular it will really benefit both sides lah it's not only benefit one side, why not yet the


you will be more willing to do work right for the regular, so ya,


but must, I think must remember lah for ASA office right like there are some people who, they have issues one ah right then they will give each that if you are treated nicely they will take advantage lor correct, there are people who take advantage


, ya, I think one issues the craw food, I I was kind of forced to give a five star rating the auntie was staring at me, I I put one star before you know then the auntie keep asking me you know what is not nice then I'm like overall is not nice lor <mandarin>不好吃:bu hao chi</mandarin> lor what you want me to say


ya it's not them, ya lor, I don't know


(mm), I heard, have [lah] (ppl), I heard I heard though, the I don't know how true, they say that rating will affect their pay their <mandarin>薪水:xin shui</mandarin> and their bonus


okay ear piece put back on


[orh] I did ASA lor, so, err I was ASA at err medical centre in the camp at the west side ya, so I just help to, do some very err #bo liao# admin stuff lor ya how about you leh


ah I see


ah


!aiyo! then


(uh huh)


because we here ah we you know some knows ah OT until like ten PM ah the next day ah can come in a bit late lah you know like about ten AM or after lunch ah sometimes ah sometimes only lah


because sometimes you know got the audit ah then got those uh, err so audit so basically those DXO those madam ah I think other clinic manager or something lah


those you know the auntie auntie one ah they come and check ah then they will check everything and they will, nag and nag and nag non stop all this lor, uh


so leh so <mandarin>你要好好:ni yao hao hao</mandarin> check lah <mandarin>要:yao</mandarin> make sure


ya lor that's why my uh medical centre the madame always nag always nag at the medic always uh scold them like eh you this one ah don't any how put ah later after office hour ah the some security officer ah come and check ah I don't know ah I cannot save you all ah you all go and ownself explain ah so she always <mandarin>每次这样的:mei ci zhe yang de</mandarin> lah


yes, ya true true true


ya correct correct because I remember ah last time like some of the newer medic come in right, you know they don't have the ISAC card all these they don't have


the whatever whatever account all this lah, so what they do they share with the, uh newer medic eh they share with the older medic lor, so it for efficiency mah, but then hor the superior will say cannot lah not supposed to do that lah you all want to do


I pretend I, never hear anything, I I don't know anything ya,


oh ya I remember, that time I my, took about, like, one or two months then come in, and the G fifty form like, quite troublesome leh you must


must do I must collect must uh retrieve quite a lot a lot of info ah is it I think


BMT batch ah I think I enlisted around, twenty eighteen the, october


err no this one ah so at first ah I was combat fit one lah so was the PES A or B lah you know the #chiong sua# one lah you know


ya and so I went to Tekong, I went to Tekong for the normal BMT, then after that I, down PES lor then I down PES lor then after that then I become ASA lah so my BMT was the PES A and B BMT lah


[orh] so is like so you're like same, but like like same year as me


ah so you walk in year, ah I see I see I see


best memory in BMT ah !aiyo! I, BMT ah I was there for like


uh MC all the way, pass me out lah ha take it as I pass lah


err I was gone already lah basically, so yup that's my, BMT experience in fact for my NS experience I was like, gone for quite a bit I guess


ya, ya correct ya lor ya lor


!aiyo! so bad ah, ah


then how about your fellow NSF leh how did they react to this


but they never like, not happy or what say you like slack off ah whatever leh


ah so the, so the NSF together support each other to so called, so called Keng one lah


uh, so actually that's quite good leh, a bit, my side a bit different lah like I don't know ah the rest of the NSF all usually quite on one lah, then I don't know lah like even you genuinely MC ah some of them also will


think you Keng all these ah so on and so forth, so I guess I think, different, the different place so called, different culture lor


!whoa!, ah


like, uh wasted of course on <mandarin>那个:na ge</mandarin> F SAF site they will argue that oh


this for your it's for the pride of your country all this, but, on our side we also need to care for our own body what correct so, I don't know lah sometimes I look at these people


I am, ya I feel thankful for my, NS life but also feel, very, err sad at the same time lah for these people


ah lor ah lor and, ya and, I think the worst one ah it's not just the physical part leh, it's those combat unit ah, those err


Encik ah


ah, !whoa! not bad leh not bad too


, okay actually actually can relate also like that the medical centre got one MO got one doctor very nice he, okay lah like he don't know leh he like don't need us to call him sir all these lah even towards the end ah like camp ah I see him ah


he's like, eh bro how are you are you doing, okay, ya like that lor, so actually quite, thankful I guess that they are, really really nice people like that lor


err, so I think got two side lor to look at this one so you see ah yes lah there's one side of those that are very assholes lah I mean you they went through medical school it is


not easy so maybe on their side, they are used to you know having the high stress and then they, are constantly in the very task, focus mode lah and then because of that they


may not be able to show like you know care like you know they, err <mandarin>关心你:guan xin ni</mandarin> that kind, and on the other side maybe some, is affected by pride thinking that oh I went to I went through medical school I'm a doctor now


ya not many people can do this of course of course got many many other possible reason lah like maybe they're behaving, like that so that people will not take advantage and because if they put up a nice front then can you imagine or not people


take advantage of being oh this MO very nice one lah very easy to very friendly very easy to get MC one just then you can you imagine all #chao keng# one all go and find him, ya so I think that's one side to


look at it then the other side I mean being quite, educated individuals and plus NSFs, they bring quite a different, leadership experience into SAF as compared to like


you know the regular suck, like one of my MO say, I feel regulars they're in, SAF for too long ah, and in their they live in this bubble whereby everything revolves around


army they can't seem to think out of the box of this I think that is true lor so like you see the like based on my stories from my other friends also work, medical centre


I hear their experiences about, their MO so on and so forth, I see very uh unique leadership as compared to the, regular staff like example less micro management nowadays


so on and so forth lah like, more, I would say maybe a bit more corporate compared to, military, ya, so, my two cents lor about this issue


what about you leh what do you think


(uh huh) then


ya correct lor so, I don't want that's why when I, during NS I, did think a lot about all this, I'm like all these points to the fact of, conscription lor I mean


you, you want people to serve, this is you force you not you not you forced like okay ya like you force people to serve, this is what you get lor


in, business it's literally, ya if you want, to force people and then conscription then you lousy pay


lousy environment, this is what, will be the outcome lor of, people's motivational lor I guess


yes, ya I think ya lor if you know that in uni ah, cause business we study a bit here a bit there, there's some modules a bit more


uh there's it's is a bit psychological in nature I guess cause through these modules, I learn, about why SAF didn't suit me at that part of time lor


I mean, to be fair I thought of before before I enlisted I thought of, signing on also, but over time the experience worse and worse than just that when it comes to uni, ya what I learned I really see the theory bit come into play


in fact a thing it's a very, eh it's a very, err it's an issue that can be discussed, with academics topic lor I guess


ya I damn very Jialat leh so it's like see ah SAF


SAF like they are very rank based so you see they got the insubordination policy, so you see, if let's say your superior not nice and like to play rank


you're, very Jialat leh you are in other words doomed leh


anything to you in the end, within the, law and within the rules constraint lah but we know there are many ways to, play around it so <mandarin>讲真的你很惨的讲真的这个:jiang zhen de ni hen can de jiang zhen de zhe ge</mandarin> system


ya lor <mandarin>是不好:shi bu hao</mandarin> lor


!hannor! !hannor! correct lor so ya I think this one is not just SAF lah like, other


is <mandarin>真的在:zhen de zai</mandarin> affect


if it's not broken why fix it, ya so


with regards to change I guess, sometimes we are all, err scared


I guess it's a part of a human, being nature that we are, at least a bit risk at first ya


ah correct, err how do I find my school so far I guess the, time is quite fast one like, when did I finished okay I ORD ORD <mandarin>几时:ji shi</mandarin> ah <mandarin>我:wo</mandarin> ORD


thirtieth july, ah <mandarin> 因为:yin wei</mandarin> cause I enlist, PES A B mah err B one L one lah and I pass IPPT before enlisting so


so I am I also finished july thirtieth around there then I and I think I start school, I start school, when did I start school I start school like


err what I cannot even remember when I start school oh my god okay I, yes usually is august so around mid august around there I start so I think quite fast leh and like you see now


end of november already leh so it's been like, thirteen fourteen weeks like time really passes quite fast lor, like three months ago I'm just starting school only then now boom


like, so fast literally, ya I guess that's, uni lor and yup tomorrow eh no tomorrow tuesday, having one finals paper


and, I think next week around I think next monday or tuesday I having a final submission, and then, that's it lor that's the end of this semester, ah thank you thank you I guess


[orh] you got friends in NTU also, ah, so, what's the, comparison like between, private U like SIM versus NUS NTU what do you feel is the difference


one semester five modules and, one year two semester so about ten


no NTU okay so that's the very surprising about NTU so when I started school I thought I'll be like online classes a lot a lot but, !wah! I'm like going to school four days a week you know


it's like, a lot leh that compared to my friends in NUS SMU my friends in SMU is like, and my friends in and NUS also is like


ya lor ya lor like, most classes now online then quite shocking lah we it's like for the only one module online class the rest all, physical and ya lor so the exam


I only got one exam it's, physical then the rest of the module I think one or two other modules supposed to have exam, but because, cannot hold large scale exam they switched to


CA in the form of like test one test two test three you know lah and hold it online online test lah, instead of a finals


online and physical class I guess need to see the, subject so if it's those theory and very words words one ah I guess, online is good enough but if it's those, like example math or


programming or like example those IT one where I need to follow some instructions that kind then, ya, physical will be better lah


, ah


!aiyo! like a bit, awkward ah, ah I see


then, so you were saying, like, uh your school they only have the one final exam that counts right, then the rest of the projects still got assignment how since it's not graded then


anyhow do lah or


ah


correct


[orh], oh


oh so your uni is A is A is <mandarin>七十分:qi shi fen</mandarin> lah, is it all uni is <mandarin>七十:qi shi</mandarin> or


cause for NUS NTU they never say leh, but we all know is bell curve lah, NUS NUS NTU SMU always bell curve lah so the absolute doesn't really matter lah but I kind of interested also lah what's the absolute marks to get A


in these three school assuming no bell curve, , then you say you all one year only one semester


then one year, so four module then after the four module so like that by three years you all only clear twelve modules


!wow!, then one semester will have, how many teaching weeks


oh so I see why now the whole thing is quite intense lah, cause, one semester will


unlike the other local U this ya lah some may say what one semester six months but, actually it's about thirteen, fourteen fifteen sixteen weeks


uh staying at home, correct lah but okay lah not that I don't like to meet people but, I feel the hall life not for me lor


as I got my stuff to do also, ya ya that's that, ya correct that's also another thing


, ya lor <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> lor <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> lor


!whoa!, I guess it's just a local U thing leh don't know eh they come in then they like put quite high expectation on us lah


like the prof all these I don't know lah they like, say oh you all are here all this then, you know lah like how, our students in a better school or a better class, during secondary school that time is the literally the teachers talk to them


ya no class now it's just ya now all official class ended already now it's just, waiting to clear my exam lor tuesday


then, what else and one submission next, tuesday around there monday or tuesday, then I'll be, ya I'll be done with the semester


ya and holiday


okay lah granted hor, all the application you know like


like <mandarin>没有什么:mei you shen me</mandarin> offer then


I've tried everything lah but, I feel also because of the, you know the SG traineeship thing, so because, that one the <mandarin>政府:zheng fu</mandarin> they will subsidize mah


so <mandarin>因为这个: yin wei zhe ge</mandarin> traineeship


put under this traineeship <mandarin>好像:hao xiang</mandarin> I'm given a, lower pay for nothing leh


ya correct correct think the fresh grad one quite common then, even now internship, for undergrad they also like some, expect you to have like experience in the, this field ah that field ah so on and so forth lor


ya lor that's why, ya lor, I think also <mandarin>没有办法:mei you ban fa</mandarin> lah the job market competitiveness now lor


as in I finish, I finish end july leh <mandarin>三十号:san shi hao</mandarin> leh so, after half, ah <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> lor <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> lor two week break, two week break one whole trip


[orh] you wait one year !huh!


[orh]


, oh


!wah! so Jialat !aiyo!,


oh so


, [orh]


I guess to for show only lor,


uh, ya, ah then, ah we continue, [orh] <mandarin>不是不是:bu shi bu shi</mandarin> continue continue


!aiyo!, !wah!, lucky ah lucky


ah then


then, swab assistant hor uh basically someone someone with totally no nursing or medical experience just come in just to be trained to do the swab just like over time they increase the people that can do the swab lah so I think SAF also same leh like I remember first time only MO can do


then after that become they have the training for the medic, then after a certain perod you know the hostel ah the, the the foreign worker hostel the case come out then, the SAF also hire people to because for a period SAF was handlng the expo the quarantine there then they start to also <mandarin>请那些:qing nei xie</mandarin> like


ah I see, so that time, [orh] that time you say, also is so you were saying april still got people come in I thought april was circuit breaker


uh it's also it's singaporeans coming back lah, also no more tourists all those lah, okay


but still got flight coming in during circuit breaker have lah,


oh, so so it's those those like, bring those singaporeans come back lah


ah I see, I see interesting


ah, not bad leh, !huh! so so those people that <mandarin>回家的时候:hui jia de shi hou</mandarin> can clear or not can not


!aiyo!


ya, COVID, for me not much leh ya so, okay at that time because I ASA then they


determine me as non-essential then, I remember during circuit breaker that period I don't have to go camp lah, ya so was quite good, and


the rest of the medic I think also, they split so called what is that called the staggered staggered staggered work ya staggered work arrangement lor, so it's like one week eh the the medic I think is grouped in split into group A and group B or something along that line


then ah they, so basically one week is A one and the next week is B lor


(uh huh), (uh huh), oh ya good good so ya lor for me same same on my ORD package also come from there


then after that do the what's that the, what's that the wisdom tooth, all those stuff then, ORD oh ya


ya so eight days ah in effect so, one side eight day, then the other side another eight day lor, NUH


okay lah not bad already lah but ya lor if you want to recommend people to do NUH is a good place


ya lor so typical SAF lah what to do


ya correct but on my side, I don't have quite lucky ah this, my MO never really care ah he like, uh don't need don't need ya, that's why I like him ah, by right need lah by right by right


oh


from what I know on the medic side the medic need to scan your MC into the system lah, and I think that's about it, MO side I don't know need to do what lah, maybe need to medical review


ya correct


ya correct correct I heard but, I think generally the welfare nicer and be more, corporate as compared to military I guess that's my impression lah but


I don't know I may be wrong lah I never work there, based on what I hear from people this is what I feel lah, like the workload will be high lah but, generally you're treated


a bit nicer I guess,


ya lor ya lor so ya , ya correct so I don't know I don't get why they failed to see through this ah like, you treat people nicely


then, you get treated nicely in return, I don't get why they


ya correct but I think the state that, generally SAF treat people nice, not very good lor, ya correct


then <mandarin>就算他们是老板他们也不可以做什么因为这个:jiu suan ta men shi lao ban ta men ye bu ke yi zuo shen me yin wei zhe ge</mandarin> project <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> it's a tender from SAF so


S_A_F probably has a budget, so, [ah]


ya <mandarin>可以:ke yi</mandarin> ah can, okay ya <mandarin>刚才你讲什么:gang cai ni jiang shen me</mandarin> uh uncle sammy is it is it ya, and his, no ah nevermind it's okay ah we can just continue talking as per usual it's fine I mean


ya ya, ya but is he is he your age or a bit older <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> I mean adjunct, [orh] young oh then always been in teaching


oh, !wow!


ah, oh


oh, ah


oh so, , [orh]


oh, ya lah of course lah <mandarin>这种那个:zhe zhong na ge</mandarin> talent lies elsewhere right probably ya oh oh I didn't know adjunct teacher because usually I thought you know adjunct teachers they are of a certain age one ya then


, AED [orh], oh


uh, I think so something to do with a short term sort of basis thing I'm I'm also not that sure ya I mean <mandarin>很很多那种:hen hen duo na zhong</mandarin> definition you know that speaking of bahrain


ya ya no choice ah have to ya, ah no because my my my computer I don't know why lah just now <mandarin>我试试看的时候那个:wo shi shi kan de shi hou na ge</mandarin> internet connection <mandarin>有问题:you wen ti</mandarin> ah no I I don't know I tried using my hotspot tried using my


ah, I was I was no no no as in I I was using my you know the computer that's like gonna ya using that one I thought maybe know something, you it will be better but nah I just end up using #kor kor's#


oh I see I see I see, ya lah usually <mandarin>是这样:shi zhe yang</mandarin> lah no but it's quite amazing though I mean uh a few years ago when like when I was getting the phone or whatever <mandarin>没有这种没有这种:mei you zhe zhong mei you zhe zhong</mandarin> uh like delivery and porting ya sort of thing change a lot


oh is it oh no as as in


ah, ya ya, true true true true


, can lah can can !oi!, , !wow! but I cannot believe you took one hour plus to set up the thing just now


eh no no no I'm, no ah about six lah maybe five plus six ah it's okay lah ya because yes yes <mandarin>我们是去那个:wo men shi qu na ge</mandarin> orchard area we're going to see the we're going to uh I don't know cause uh it's my friend's eighteen birthday lah today you know one day after A level


ya ya so I mean he celebrated uh he he had a premature celebration after yesterday lah but today is the actual one ya so, I, uh smaller group lah I mean now COVID and all that still groups of five so we'll see how it goes but we're going to I I don't know what that restaurant is called but it's somewhere at orchard around there lah ya quite interesting then they said the food there is quite cheap so quite good ya


last paper everything, ya ya ya ya so, I good for him right ya I mean he's


ah, but, ya cause a lot of them are entering in january ya and those that are entering in


april, ya ya, no the earliest is january I think they only assign like either january you enter or february you enter or april you enter <mandarin>没有:mei you</mandarin> march <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> ya


ya so uh a lot of them they I mean they have this one month gap then they don't know what they're gonna do also because, ya actually though ya


ah


ya, no leh I had uh my classmate he he got his letter last week for fifth jan


so it's it's it's really a big blow eh because usually those who receive in january they receive it much earlier so, ya, ya so and he he had a lot of plans you know he wanted to work part time ah wanted to do internship and all that but now [orh] all gone because just one month ah ya


oh itself ah [orh] they offered they offered I remember there was one year or a few years ago they had, relief teaching ya for those interested in education lor then, they will ask some people eh do you want to come back and and teach and what not but actually what they do is more administrative than others lah other things ah ya usually they just tag along with one teacher then they err they conduct some I don't know some holistic quote unquote programme ya


ya, , ya <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> lor ya, library ah not really oh speaking of library my my teacher in-charge retired after


what thirty odd years ya, no no no the female female teacher the male the male ya ya ya, ya so quite interesting lah ya as in, this year I think a lot of teachers are retiring


, ah <mandarin>我现在现在那个:wo xian zai xian zai na ge</mandarin> structure <mandarin>不一样:bu yi yang</mandarin> lah they don't hire independently actually cause it's more expensive they hire through MOE


ya, ya, so those that are under sort of independent contract <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> they are of a certain age already ah ya like my math teacher is under an independent contract because she was she started working in nineteen eighty something lah anyway straight after A levels and her degree so now err she's just waiting for a few more years lor then (ppc) ya


mister Idris ah why


no lah he he he he took the A levels with us, ya as a private candidate he took the GP paper at the same time as us, ya, uh to to show that he is with us ya


no lah I I I really don't know lah but anyways he does it for a few reasons ya it's one is


ya <mandarin>一个:yi ge</mandarin> B then now he doesn't reveal lah but but I I think he no no he does it to also check his teaching method so that he can see whether it's still relevant or not ya so I think, every year ya every year or when he


ya or unless he is taking a a J one class then he doesn't he doesn't do it lah ya, ya, so <mandarin>算是不错了:suan shi bu cuo le</mandarin> lah I mean during COVID


takes the paper with the students, probably lah or maybe err because you


ya <mandarin>对对:dui dui</mandarin> no but he, no lah I mean ours A B only what so uh hopeful judging by his I mean he writes very fast one thing marks very fast also and he's uh very clear in his teaching I feel more clear than clearer than the


err <mandarin>去年那个那个:qu nian na ge na ge</mandarin> uh missus smith ya, ya so I think he's he's not bad lah really ya, no no no no


H H one so it's just A B C D E S U, ah GP is a H one


no no no, change already change already ya


, [orh]


ah, [orh], ya


uh way in advance because he told us at the start of the year he said I'm gonna sign up because I'm it shows that I'm it also invested so I have to teach you properly also ya that's what he said ya ya then then he said along the lines of ya he said along the lines of you know err I will give you my answers or I'll give you my question choice in real time ya and I'm on the same boat as you so don't need to worry lah ya so quite a nice gesture I would say


ya, ya but


, uh one


I I think, I think maybe I can think of two other teachers that come close lah ya, maths is one maths is definitely one cause I go to her a lot for consultations so I think she is not bad lah then err


and she's at the at this age where you know ya she she <mandarin>她她也:ta ta ye</mandarin> don't care about what the school say sometimes so sometimes she will just buy breakfast for us or like err or all all that kind of stuff lah ya so


, , ya true true true


ya ya , the other one is lit no no lit nah geography teacher no lit lit lit teacher ah, ya lah ya I mean the other one lit teacher she's a she's a national poet there the one I told


uh, she, I mean, ya , she she it she's interesting lah I would say and the fact that she's the most ah hands off but in a good way


ya then <mandarin>她的她的:ta de ta de</mandarin> lesson structure is you sit in a circle one it's not you sit in uh what what not so a lot of ideas bounce here and there back and forth so quite interesting ya like she doesn't have a phone


ya no phone <mandarin>好像你的那个:hao xiang ni de na ge</mandarin> uh <mandarin>你的:ni de</mandarin> colleague ya ya ya no like she she ya she doesn't have a phone so what she does is, [orh] <mandarin>真的:zhen de</mandarin> ah


oh no no no <mandarin>我我的我的老师是她给那个:wo wo de wo de lao shi shi ta gei na ge</mandarin> IT technician <mandarin>给她一个:gei ta yi ge</mandarin> ah portable wifi so that she can still communicate in class lah ya so but then I mean, err, it and she also called to check in


not only that lah also because she I think she just prefers not to use lifestyle reasons ah I mean, no no she's not IT I mean she uses a computer, and she knows how to do all the what not it's just that she doesn't email and everything she's very adept just that she doesn't just chooses not to use a phone lah ya


ya, testimonial I I saw the, I saw I saw the draft ya then err


ya <mandarin>对对:dui dui</mandarin> err, clean whip I guess ya, ya, then <mandarin>上次那个你的:shang ci na ge ni de</mandarin> testimonial then <mandarin>做完了:zuo wan le</mandarin> right


ya and I mean did they say anything when they look through the draft, !aiyo!


ah okay okay, , oh but <mandarin>很快而一年就这样过了:hen kuai er yi nian jiu zhe yang guo le</mandarin> can you I saw a post the other day COVID, is one year old eh, then I ya


ya first case COVID is one year old already that's that's, ya


so ya as in he didn't go back lah it's just that err err he is originally from there so you feel a bit lousy lah I mean, ya ya he's a singaporean ya it's just that he just felt a bit lousy lah because you know you are associated to the place in terms of birthplace then


oh <mandarin>真的真的:zhen de zhen de</mandarin> oh


ya <mandarin>中国很大:zhong guo hen da</mandarin> eh , ya <mandarin>也没有:ye mei you</mandarin> this year !aiya! very poor thing lah everything got cancelled ah


ya so in that sense they got lucky


ya, ya,


ya,


, I think some, ah, ah


, ah, oh oh okay


, ah ah


ah, uh


ah, oh, oh <mandarin>等:deng</mandarin> ah <mandarin>我我:wo wo</mandarin> I'm trying to


I'm trying to, no no no I I as in I'm not concerned about the timing it's just I cause my my this laptop has limited battery so we're gonna charge


quite quite a nice background


ya I mean it it's quite amazing though this virtual background thing you cannot do on a phone ah but it's it's there's a lot of choices


cannot I tried that time cannot ya,


ya ya true true true, , but this is quite amazing lor like you last time like I mean before they had this sort of technology they use you needed to buy a green screen, ya so it's quite expensive in the cost and all that


ah <mandarin>对对那种:dui dui na zhong</mandarin> ya so, , ya but I think now they have this err I don't know what they recognition of the surface or what not so it's not bad ya


ya but uh quite a lot of quite a lot of these err where was it these recording apps also so I'm I think this one I've used it before so it's not bad ya


ya this this particular app


quality, set up ya, ya ya that sort of thing


ya <mandarin>五个人:wu ge ren</mandarin> lor I mean maximise the maximise the number of people, ya ya err


me ah I I don't I don't feel much lah honestly just okay there's this there's this momentary momentary relief I would say ya no stress no nothing but then


over already ya six years just done like that so quite quite uh quite surreal lah I would say ya,


I think the, I there's how to say, ya I definitely lose out in some aspects like the fact that I don't get to sit for one of the national exams mah then I don't I would say maybe that also will affect your learning habits and your other habits but I would say the other things that are again just the exposure ah in terms of school culture I guess something along those lines ya it's something that you know you cannot replicate elsewhere


ya I, ya, ya I mean it's a risky thing lah but I I would say it uh we are well adequately prepared lah ya to be honest


maybe it was


oh uh some took err you know now there's this thing called gap year right like they, they they like to like err they just take a break halfway through I know of a friend who didn't go to JC, uh she she she stopped for one year


because stress ya, ya she stopped her JC one year ya so took a break lor I mean it's for mental health lah I guess ya, actually <mandarin>很多很多:hen duo hen duo</mandarin> cases of <mandarin>好像:hao xiang</mandarin> mental stress and everything I'm sure it like in in your school also there's more of these students I mean ya


ya, ya, ya


we don't even have a PA system so err, cancel usually no it's done in the this place called central plaza which is the place where all the flags are so err he will make some announcements and he will always be there every morning but because of COVID nineteen all the flag raising all cancelled mah so he can't really do much lah except


ah


, oh, no <mandarin>有有好像:you you hao xiang</mandarin> national day <mandarin>有一次:you yi ci</mandarin> lah national day err maybe I think uh project work PW results the other time ya <mandarin>也有讲过一次:ye you jiang guo yi ci</mandarin> lah <mandarin>就是:jiu shi</mandarin> then after that I I can't really recall lah ya but what he did was uh I guess to make the most out of his opportunity he went to play a song or something like that or learn guitar that sort of thing lah ya so I mean ya I would say oh okay lah I mean we we acknowledge the effort lor


possible possible possible, ya possible but I I didn't see it that way lah ya I mean <mandarin>你你只有一个机会:ni ni zhi you yi ge ji hui</mandarin> might as well make the most of it right so very I mean if I can remember


, ya, I mean there's a certain age where you start to just you know do things your way but I think he's at this age where it's at the awkward phase where like should I do this or should I not that's the thing so maybe that's why a bit bit hard to do things ah ya


no it's okay ah but I I can hear you lah it's okay err err, , but what about I mean anything you're gonna do during the holidays I mean you you said you gonna


ya, ya, true true true ya


[orh]


because of environment and all that going green, ya so maybe your shirt you can cut off I don't know some interesting pattern then make into a a bag or sling


, ya the other day I went to err what's that place called err, is it lucky plaza it's lucky plaza


ya lucky plaza ah ya ya ya then I saw the different because they would they had this uh thrifting section and all that so good I mean quite interesting to see ah I mean you can tell that the styles are from what the nineties two thousand then you see those uh people looking for like interesting materials <mandarin>他去剪他去:ta qu jian ta qu</mandarin> ya then come with measuring tape and everything ya and they don't sell by number of items they sell by KG


ah so, ya <mandarin>我看的时候:wo kan de shi hou</mandarin> is like [orh] okay like this is how they work lah how they repurpose and how they manage to get this type of, weird weird materials to do their stuff


, ya ya <mandarin>对对:dui dui</mandarin> and it's cheaper also ah because you buy by KG mah so thought it's quite interesting ya


link to what, JB [orh]


ah, [orh], ah


KG ah I mean it's, hundred gram [orh] that means they go they really they really, and received a lot of those clothes lah volume and volume to it ya


ya,


[orh], ya


ya, , oh, I I think I saw something similar but this one was in thailand some doc uh some youtuber <mandarin>他:ta</mandarin> you pay a certain price then you get a certain amount of food like


free uh free flow for up to a certain amount lah so I ya actually their concept is quite similar maybe the ingredients they use are of a certain quality maybe so they can afford to do this type of weighing weighing system ah, ya


ah ah ah, is it an indian restaurant, ah I think <mandarin>我:wo</mandarin> ah it I forgot the name ya but I know what you're talking about it's some it's some err what what's that, indian food right then they they then they said some concept like


ya, , ya, ya true true true


ya ya, ya maybe germany also or holland also, ya,


, ya true true true, , [orh]


err I think when I enlist it will be over or or when


oh no it extends though it extends automatically for students, ya so, also uh automatically extends I mean that time when I finished sec four


err, ya, ya,


, adult lah ya ya


uh more of the latter ya would say


ya I think, ya, can drive car ya I know that


, ya, , ya


, I mean with the public transport that we have nowadays ah really no, I think a car is not a primary it's not a priority ah ya more of getting other things settled ya


ya, they I mean online and all that lah they always post like they're gonna have this talk this talk this talk but the thing is the admission is for next year so I can't really do much also lah ya for


ya ya of course and and they encourage you to do that also because the <mandarin>那个:na ge</mandarin> fees they stay at the same rate all the way ya


so err <mandarin>看:kan</mandarin> lor I I mean I don't want to rush lah I don't want to rush into a decision that I I ya actually what I will do also, ya I want to try some stuff also and want to see where my interests will lead me uh in the next coming months ya I mean I know of some cause they don't have to do NS the females


at at at this point of time they're just applying for the sake of applying so like, ya so I feel then then they they do feel the the stress of applying just because everyone is doing so and and I it's it's not very healthy ah I would say they're rushing into something ya


err, out of twenty one ah wait ah let me uh maybe about fourteen two thirds ah two thirds, ya ya it's a good


ya uh that's the case for all of the arts class actually for this batch so it's quite a good mix I know of one science class <mandarin>只有一个一个:zhi you yi ge yi ge</mandarin> boy but <mandarin>还是两个:hai shi liang ge</mandarin> boy ah so so they're just there like err okay and and the ratio is much much more girls I think err because our arts class considered small but theirs is up to thirty people so imagine two guys in a class of thirty !wah! it's a bit ah I don't know ya


!wah! that's one to ten one to nine ah one to nine


[orh], which year was that


ah,


ya lah true true ya, ya


[orh], oh


so thirteen years


oh, !wah!, !wah!, !wow!


oh ya because now they are in ah secondary school ah ya ya, [orh],


actually you start, oh, what you started out at twenty eight then that means, you had how many NIE <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> how many years of training a few years right definitely


oh oh, oh


oh


oh, oh


!huh!, !wah!


ah, oh


but do you feel like, the process of teaching has changed over the years I mean you have been ya, have been


, ah


, ya


the more you know how to sustain the attention that's a that's a skill to have I should think


yes yes ya,


yes ya


, , ya


oh, oh, ya I I


true true true true, ya


(mm)


okay let me put in the earjack


okay, no lah you actually I've we're going to continue from <mandarin>刚才讲的:gang cai jiang de</mandarin> ah <mandarin>刚才那个我:gang cai na ge wo</mandarin> delete <mandarin>掉:diao</mandarin> leh


oh okay, no he's in his in his thirties ah young father, I I interesting you know he's he's born in he's born in bahrain


he's born in bahrain and err he actually looks like he looks like uh if you if you don't know don't know his background he looks like a how do I say, uh he looks like a indian muslim


ya <mandarin>因为他是好像是好像是:yin wei ta shi hao xiang shi hao xiang shi</mandarin> parents <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> singaporean then ah then <mandarin>他他爸爸去:ta ta ba ba qu</mandarin> Bahrain <mandarin>做工:zuo gong</mandarin> then they were staying abroad so he was born there his sister was born there and he actually attended the international school there you know uh only came to singapore in err in err in during his school uh secondary school days


so that's why he he had he received uh his education uh the early part of it in the international school, ya but quite interesting lah ya but when he came to join uh the secondary school here he couldn't cope with the err uh #bahasa melayu# the malay language


so he had a hard time trying to fit in uh just barely scraped through if not fail or what but he did very well in other other subjects lah so ya, ya okay


oh no no no uh no uh I don't think he's uh sorry it's not adjunct it's uh AED allied educator


okay ya okay, ah, wait <mandarin>你现在你拿的是:ni xian zai ni na de shi</mandarin> #kor kor# <mandarin>的什么:de shen me</mandarin> handphone


[orh] <mandarin>你拿他的:ni na ta de</mandarin> macbook ah [orh] okay, ah


as in you were using your handphone just now, ah, [orh] [orh], [orh], but #kor kor# #kor kor# <mandarin>他现在他的那个:ta xian zai ta de na ge</mandarin> iphone <mandarin>他已经抛抛弃了没有他的那个:ta yi jing pao pao qi le mei you ta de na ge</mandarin> line


but time I don't hear from him so it should be okay lah ya, , (uh huh)


port over, port over port over has been around for quite some time, ah but only recent in recent years whereby you port over like as in you can keep your number you previously when you can keep your number it was easier done than you are actually like buying a new phone like you want your old number to be to be retained transferred to your new phone ah and then usually it's the same telco


it's ya last time <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> same telco <mandarin>没有问题:mei you wen ti</mandarin> then from one telco A to telco B <mandarin>的话也也是最近这几年的事罢了:de hua ye ye shi zui jin zhe ji nian de shi ba le</mandarin> lah like they allow you to keep your number as in cause <mandarin>不然的话很麻烦:bu ran de hua hen ma fan</mandarin> mah, ya


okay, eh so late, ah, ya it's now almost five <mandarin>五点没有没有不是我看看那个是:wu dian mei you mei you bu shi wo kan kan na ge shi</mandarin> five minutes five minutes of two <mandarin>我看成五点五点二十分:wo kan cheng wu dian wu dian er shi fen</mandarin> some more <mandarin>它走得这样快:ta zou de zhe yang kuai</mandarin> now is already four four something four thirteen already what time you have to go out for your dinner date what time is that


meet up at six ah meet up at six is it, ah


oh eh oh that's good ah, so today he's inviting the same gang out again or smaller group


(uh huh)


ah okay okay whereas <mandarin>你你现在要去的这个:ni ni xian zai yao qu de zhe ge</mandarin> okay lah as in it it it's ya last paper coincide coincide nicely with <mandarin>他的他的:ta de ta de</mandarin> birthday


ya, okay, the then are is is among your meal


only five ah okay


!huh! oh I thought I thought yours is early enough yours february second leh <mandarin>很早了:hen zao le</mandarin> eh, oh, ah


ya, ya, ya but <mandarin>你你的那个那个那个住哪里以前你的:ni ni de na ge na ge na ge zhu na li yi qian ni de</mandarin> #yew tee# primary school <mandarin>那个:na ge</mandarin> what's his name


, oh okay, okay, ya so he thought that <mandarin>他不用他不用这样早:ta bu yong ta bu yong zhe yang zao</mandarin> lah but it become like january fifth, okay okay


[orh] [orh] that means that means <mandarin>是不:shi bu</mandarin> uh I I'm talking about I'm talking about <mandarin>你:ni</mandarin> working in #hwa chong# itself you know


ah, relief teaching ah, (uh huh)


(uh huh) (uh huh), probably probably, ah or some enrichment program <mandarin>或者:huo zhe</mandarin> some of the paperwork <mandarin>他叫他他叫他帮忙帮忙做帮忙:ta jiao ta ta jiao ta bang mang bang mang zuo bang mang</mandarin> uh lighten the load <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> then library leh library <mandarin>有没有:you mei you</mandarin> Lobang <mandarin>没有:mei you</mandarin> ah


is it is that male teacher <mandarin>是吗你讲的那个:shi ma ni jiang de na ge</mandarin> ah, [orh] okay


so, but, but <mandarin>这些他们他们这种:zhe xie ta men ta men zhe zhong</mandarin> old-timer <mandarin>的他们也是那种死赖不走的:de ta men ye shi na zhong si lai bu zou de</mandarin> mah all the way all the way <mandarin>到到他:dao dao ta</mandarin> retire <mandarin>他:ta</mandarin> retire then any new blood or not who who any any new new teachers to take over


[orh], (uh huh), [orh] okay okay


[orh] [orh] [orh] [orh], !wah!, ,


[orh] okay so she's in her late fifties lah, , eh <mandarin>你的那个你的:ni de na ge ni de</mandarin> civics tutor <mandarin>那个叫什么名字那个:na ge jiao shen me ming zi na ge</mandarin> male teacher, ah how he has he been has he been like err keeping the class or or or just like know goodbye good riddance <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> at at the end of


[orh] what do you mean, oh what was the reason


really, no lah <mandarin>骗人的:pian ren de</mandarin> lah <mandarin>这种是他如果他做如果是说他拿到一个:zhe zhong shi ta ru guo ta zuo ru guo shi shuo ta na dao yi ge</mandarin> A one <mandarin>的话他好像可以有有加钱的:de hua ta hao xiang ke yi you you jia qian de</mandarin> leh <mandarin>加工钱的:jia gong qian de</mandarin> leh, eh


eh eh Sekali eh Sekali <mandarin>等一下考他考得不好:deng yi xia kao ta kao de bu hao</mandarin> , you mean he does this every year


every year he sign up as private candidate for for GP paper like that ah, oh, so so so does where where does he sit for the paper in in the same #hwa chong# centre or elsewhere


[orh] [orh] [orh] [orh], oh that's interesting


so will will I will will y'all bug him to for the results next uh wait come come next march


, , (uh huh) the others lah


ah, (uh huh), eh <mandarin>不是:bu shi</mandarin> A one A two B three B four meh I thought this one is a H three uh H two subject ah <mandarin>还是:hai shi</mandarin> H two H one


H one meh, I thought H one H one <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> equivalent to <mandarin>我们以前的:wo men yi qian de</mandarin> A O then that's why <mandarin>他就他的:ta jiu ta de</mandarin> grading <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> A one A two B three B four <mandarin>好像:hao xiang</mandarin> O level grade <mandarin>这样然后:zhe yang ran hou</mandarin> H two <mandarin>才是:cai shi</mandarin> A B C D E uh uh uh uh A O pass <mandarin>还有:hai you</mandarin> uh so called ungraded


!hanna! probably it's change already right change already, but you know why when when it come to the teachers who ah actually sign up as a private candidate for paper especially for english and maths it's it's quite common it's quite common and then


as a as a uh current officer <mandarin>如果你考到一个你的:ru guo ni kao dao yi ge ni de</mandarin> maths <mandarin>也好还是:ye hao hai shi</mandarin> english <mandarin>也好你考到一个:ye hao ni kao dao yi ge</mandarin> A one <mandarin>的话你可以:de hua ni ke yi</mandarin> use that to to uh <mandarin>当年重码的:dang nian zhong ma de</mandarin> leh as in say okay here here I I I have I have achieved a A one so <mandarin>我的那个工钱可以加到两百还是三百的:wo de na ge gong qian ke yi jia dao liang bai hai shi san bai de</mandarin> eh


ah <mandarin>以前是这样:yi qian shi zhe yang</mandarin> lah I don't know about now lah <mandarin>真的不知道:zhen de bu zhi dao</mandarin> lah but I think, so when he when he did that was it was it made known to the the whole class way in advance or or was it done in a hush hush manner


[orh] I've, revealed, really ah okay okay feels interesting


(uh huh), ah ya okay okay ya, okay, then <mandarin>其他:qi ta</mandarin> leh <mandarin>你这样:ni zhe yang</mandarin> then <mandarin>你这样:ni zhe yang</mandarin> okay <mandarin>这段是:zhe duan shi</mandarin> mister Idris lah your GP teacher is so call


quite, ah I would say <mandarin>不过不是:bu guo bu shi</mandarin> lah right as in <mandarin>你都讲了:ni dou jiang le</mandarin> as in he he's, he's he's trying his best to try to engage the class trying to show show that he's together with you all then then <mandarin>其他的:qi ta de</mandarin> subject tutor leh I mean your other subject amongst the the the rest of them are they as


maths ah the maths teacher


(uh huh), [orh] okay, [orh]


[orh] okay okay okay ya all the ya I know I know sometimes uh uh certain times uh teachers are actually bound by some unspoken rules ah so <mandarin>就是:jiu shi</mandarin> you also have to try very hard not to cross the line so so they have to be very careful like I mean as far as she's concerned probably it's just show you more like a motherly gesture lah know ya


they then the other one geography teacher ah, eh but we put <mandarin>我们现在:wo men xian zai</mandarin> record <mandarin>也不可以讲太过敏:ye bu ke yi jiang tai guo min</mandarin> like <mandarin>可以讲到太过什么:ke yi jiang dao tai guo shen me</mandarin> right, ah ah okay


in what way is she a national poet as in <mandarin>有出过一有出过本书就算:you chu guo yi you chu guo ben shu jiu suan</mandarin> ah <mandarin>还是有赢过什么:hai shi you ying guo shen me</mandarin> competition, (uh huh)


ah, oh okay okay okay, (uh huh), ah


so is is is is it !huh! she doesn't have a phone !wow!, [orh] [orh] <mandarin>不要讲不要不要讲名字不要讲名字:bu yao jiang bu yao bu yao jiang ming zi bu yao jiang ming zi</mandarin> , eh <mandarin>没有:mei you</mandarin> ah <mandarin>我那个:wo na ge</mandarin> colleague eventually Bo Pian then after the HBL the school force her <mandarin>她现在:ta xian zai</mandarin> Bo Pian Liao <mandarin>她要她要有:ta yao ta yao you</mandarin> handphone but uh


[orh], what was the reason of of her not not owning a phone she wants her privacy is it


or she's IT averse, (uh huh), [orh] okay [orh]


[orh], okay okay okay okay ya alright right, anyway so so <mandarin>你你的:ni ni de</mandarin> eh <mandarin>你的:ni de</mandarin> testimonial <mandarin>拿了没有:na le mei you</mandarin> ah, ya


you saw the draft, because the the teacher has to show to everyone right the draft and need to let you all check whether the especially some of the facts facts as in your the CCA achievements <mandarin>什么:shen me</mandarin> whether it was captured uh correctly <mandarin>对不对:dui bu dui</mandarin> so that's why I mean for my school <mandarin>我有这样:wo you zhe yang</mandarin> ah because it it was


it was it was given one session of the contact time to let the student check you know and then they sign against it so uh it's it's quite common lah <mandarin>你他我们的是这样你们的也应该是这样:ni ta wo men de shi zhe yang ni men de ye ying gai shi zhe yang</mandarin> mah it will be the same what, so


ah, okay,


ya, because it's not only on the dot it's way way beyond the dot so so so so err that the person in-charge


uh actually he, I think he's just happy that he submitted lah so you were saying that ah any any amendment he will just take the liberty to to amend it on his own so that it will not be too much of doing and following, ah okay lor


ya, (uh huh), what post [orh] [orh] as in as in the first case that is reported lah


actually it's true lah it's true it started err some time at the end of last year <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> err <mandarin>武汉:wu han</mandarin> right, actually for a good many months <mandarin>还是一直叫叫武汉:hai shi yi zhi jiao jiao wu han</mandarin> virus <mandarin>武汉:wu han</mandarin> virus until <mandarin>他们:ta men</mandarin> realise


!huh!, okay, but he's a singapore he's a singaporean already ha


ah, , then uh had it not been err this err so called COVID nineteen ah <mandarin>也是听有大概听过:ye shi ting you da gai ting guo</mandarin> lah <mandarin>武汉有听过但是:wu han you ting guo dan shi</mandarin> I didn't realize that !wow! it's it's really such a major city you know it is a huge major city whereby err <mandarin>好像是一个一个:hao xiang shi yi ge yi ge</mandarin> hub <mandarin>来的:lai de</mandarin> where it's a it's a crossroad between many many big major city so it's err <mandarin>他算是一个很很重要的一个城市来的:ta suan shi yi ge hen hen zhong yao de yi ge cheng shi lai de</mandarin> ya


ya, like you all, ah ya that means also that means <mandarin>好像:hao xiang</mandarin> high school <mandarin>那些:nei xie</mandarin> all the usual visit china programme immersion programme <mandarin>全部没有:quan bu mei you</mandarin> lor


before, [orh] they they could have they could have gone they could have one probably end of last year I mean you're talking about your your batch lah they could've gone in their J one end of last year then <mandarin>那些今年今年:nei xie jin nian jin nian</mandarin> J one J one <mandarin>拿的话就就:na de hua jiu jiu</mandarin> definitely for the whole year <mandarin>没有得去:mei you de qu</mandarin> lah but what they do is probably it's a bit of uh <mandarin>应该是:ying gai shi</mandarin> exchange lah <mandarin>应该是:ying gai shi</mandarin> I mean online ah <mandarin>还是:hai shi</mandarin> zoom ah


then <mandarin>我不知道:wo bu zhi dao</mandarin> leh actually it's very difficult to hold it know hold it through until next year when they sit for A level <mandarin>好像我们的那个:hao xiang wo men de na ge</mandarin> err korea trip <mandarin>也是这样:ye shi zhe yang</mandarin> mah korea trip like like the whole this whole year twenty twenty is put on hold they're supposed to they're supposed to come over but ya I mean you look at look at Seoul


look at korea now <mandarin>好像也是不很不很不很稳定:hao xiang ye shi bu hen bu hen bu hen wen ding</mandarin> lah so the the in fact aunty kate aunty aunty kate was telling me err she was telling me that she she couldn't even reach them you know as in err she was trying to correspond trying to reach them through email so apparently ah they they don't read email


all done within the year lah just to speed up the process, ya


[orh] [orh] you have to hook up ha actually #kor kor# <mandarin>他的这个什么他的:ta de zhe ge shen me ta de</mandarin> virtual background <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> screen <mandarin>是什么地方:shi shen me di fang</mandarin> !huh! <mandarin>是一个:shi yi ge</mandarin> cafe <mandarin>来的:lai de</mandarin> ha


ya it really looks like you it's in a cafe lah but of course uh <mandarin>如果你你稍微动一动的话:ru guo ni ni shao wei dong yi dong de hua</mandarin> there's some white gaps here and there <mandarin>就看得出是是:jiu kan de chu shi shi</mandarin> superimposed lah


[orh] phone phone <mandarin>不能够做:bu neng gou zuo</mandarin> ha, oh, but <mandarin>不会很:bu hui hen</mandarin> <mandarin>不会很:bu hui hen</mandarin> user friendly <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> mah unless <mandarin>你:ni</mandarin> when you sit you sit still you don't move so much because the moment <mandarin>你一:ni yi</mandarin> move <mandarin>就出就就穿帮了:jiu chu jiu jiu chuan bang le</mandarin> lah


then you you just then you you will see the gap here and there ya, (uh huh)


[orh] something like what you always see the TV TV the weather forecast <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> clear screen, so they need that as a medium ah to to charge to to superimpose lah okay okay


, [orh], okay okay


this one ah, is it and is it, but <mandarin>这种跟我们的:zhe zhong gen wo men de</mandarin> the the the handphone <mandarin>里面:li mian</mandarin> built-in <mandarin>的不一样:de bu yi yang</mandarin> meh


[orh] I think it's because of the the fact that when you record it your audio clip is of a certain certain set up that is easier for them to for them to to embed into other production lah <mandarin>应该是这样:ying gai shi zhe yang</mandarin> lah


, okay so <mandarin>等下你的那个那个:deng xia ni de na ge na ge</mandarin> dinner date <mandarin>要多少个人五个人:yao duo shao ge ren wu ge ren</mandarin> ah, (uh huh), so


ah, (uh huh)


[orh], , (uh huh)


ya that's it that's it ya, ya true true


but in a way in a way your through train programme lah doing away with the O level do you think, do you think it helped you or it it kind of like like uh maybe disadvantage you because you had you had one one one less chance of uh experiencing a national exam


ya (uh huh)


(uh huh) okay, ,


well prepared, , but <mandarin>有没有人有有没有有没有:you mei you ren you you mei you you mei you</mandarin> casualty


ah


(uh huh), so she she stopped which year she stopped her JC one year or she stopped her JC two


[orh] , ya, no it's a different set of of challenges lah I mean <mandarin>这些是:zhe xie shi</mandarin> uh if you are talking about academics wise <mandarin>的是时候是可能是:de shi shi hou shi ke neng shi</mandarin> their stress level could be because maybe <mandarin>你你对自己要求很高:ni ni dui zi ji yao qiu hen gao</mandarin> ah so that's why you you


uh actually <mandarin>也是很难很难:ye shi hen nan hen nan</mandarin> for him to to connect to you all right because there's no assembly there's nothing right you all could just only hear him over the PA system or what


(uh huh), (uh huh)


, and you don't even have any occasion whereby <mandarin>你们用:ni men yong</mandarin> google meet <mandarin>来来来:lai lai lai</mandarin> like the whole school's like my let's say my school err err she will insist that maybe once a term


I mean so far <mandarin>已经做过两三次了:yi jing zuo guo liang san ci le</mandarin> whereby she err during our class uh either know the usual uh formal assembly period say everyone go back to class then the form teacher bring the laptop we set up the laptop we set up the google meet session and then the principal will will will so called delivered a speech talk to the the whole school via uh the google meet from the conference room so <mandarin>你们没有:ni men mei you</mandarin> ah <mandarin>连这个也没有:lian zhe ge ye mei you</mandarin> ah


(uh huh), [orh]


[orh] , just to make his presence felt lah


ah okay okay okay but but sometimes could it be also be seen by others as trying too hard, trying trying too hard to please


ah, but <mandarin>他他的身份比较尴尬是:ta ta de shen fen bi jiao gan ga shi</mandarin> because he's a old boy, and also because given his age so call <mandarin>还算是很年轻:hai suan shi hen nian qing</mandarin> lah so he has to prove something he has to has he really has to establish something there lah ya


ah, ya ya ya, ya true, eh eh you can't see me because I tilt the I tilt the phone


ah , okay, , !aiya! <mandarin>不要讲:bu yao jiang</mandarin> lah <mandarin>讲了没有做:jiang le mei you zuo</mandarin>


ya lah maybe it's a a lot of okay I list only I I achieve I iron all the clothes ah <mandarin>全部都完了:quan bu dou wan le</mandarin> eh not easy you know <mandarin>我我现在全部烫完了后:wo wo xian zai quan bu tang wan le hou</mandarin> you say <mandarin>烫烫烫烫到很:tang tang tang tang dao hen</mandarin> Sian <mandarin>了说:le shuo</mandarin> !aiya! <mandarin>看:kan</mandarin> ah


<mandarin>那几件拿拿:na ji jian na na</mandarin> give away lah <mandarin>不要烫:bu yao tang</mandarin> lah because I mean truth be told it is actually <mandarin>也是因为很旧了:ye shi yin wei hen jiu le</mandarin> sometimes because, like like <mandarin>每次洗洗烫洗烫都是那几件:mei ci xi xi tang xi tang dou shi na ji jian</mandarin> know ah <mandarin>洗了然后:xi liao ran hou</mandarin> then <mandarin>就一直拿上边那几件:jiu yi zhi na shang bian na ji jian</mandarin> so <mandarin>你穿穿穿都是那几件:ni chuan chuan chuan dou shi na ji jian</mandarin> then in the end <mandarin>变成很久:bian cheng hen jiu</mandarin> mah <mandarin>那它的颜色很旧很旧:na ta de yan se hen jiu hen jiu</mandarin> then <mandarin>算了:suan le</mandarin> lah <mandarin>这样:zhe yang</mandarin> then just give away lah ya


what, reinvent it ah give it a new lease of life <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> ah


[orh] my one shirt can my one shirt can make into two shirts, ya ya, possible what possible


(uh huh), ya orchard road lucky plaza lor


, [orh] [orh], so ya okay


, [orh] <mandarin>就:jiu</mandarin> means they own they want to


ya, [orh], ya so far only once <mandarin>以前只有一次就是在那个:yi qian zhi you yi ci jiu shi zai na ge</mandarin> uh <mandarin>哪里:na li</mandarin> carrefour <mandarin>没有没有没有在:mei you mei you mei you zai</mandarin> JB <mandarin>在:zai</mandarin> JB <mandarin>以前以前我跟妈妈:yi qian yi qian wo gen ma ma</mandarin> uh <mandarin>去:qu</mandarin> JB <mandarin>那个现在没有了那个:na ge xian zai mei you le na ge</mandarin> you know before just before you reach <mandarin>那个:na ge</mandarin> giant tesco uh the one that we will usually go through at the brow just before the fly over by the side <mandarin>有一件:you yi jian</mandarin> err carrefour mah <mandarin>以前是:yi qian shi</mandarin> carrefour carrefour hypermart so <mandarin>以前:yi qian</mandarin> there was once <mandarin>我跟妈妈去:wo gen ma ma qu</mandarin> eh <mandarin>真的是是:zhen de shi shi</mandarin> Chan <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> leh <mandarin>那些衣服是:nei xie yi fu shi</mandarin> uh <mandarin>小孩子衣服:xiao hai zi yi fu</mandarin> lah so you just you just grab whatever


I I think maybe the weighing the weighing the apparel <mandarin>这种衣服的的:zhe zhong yi fu de de</mandarin> concept is done at the wholesale level


I I'm sure <mandarin>应该是这样:ying gai shi zhe yang</mandarin> especially <mandarin>好像你讲的这种这种:hao xiang ni jiang de zhe zhong zhe zhong</mandarin> reject ah <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> old clothes ah thrift store ah <mandarin>如果是说:ru guo shi shuo</mandarin> err let's say so called lah from the apparently uh more affluent uh countries <mandarin>他不是多衣服丢掉:ta bu shi duo yi fu diu diao</mandarin> or <mandarin>什么他搜集起来时候他不是要转走卖给:shen me ta sou ji qi lai shi hou ta bu shi yao zhuan zou mai gei</mandarin> another another buyer in err in uh uh maybe


uh not not so affluent country so <mandarin>他不可能一件一件算的:ta bu ke neng yi jian yi jian suan de</mandarin> mah <mandarin>他应该是也是来:ta ying gai shi ye shi lai</mandarin> Chan <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> lor, they they should go by weight lor <mandarin>对:dui</mandarin> lor


that means same thing lah <mandarin>他的那好像:ta de na hao xiang</mandarin> mexico or <mandarin>是哪里这是他因为我看那个:shi na li zhe shi ta yin wei wo kan na ge</mandarin> documentary mah so <mandarin>他他是排队你你你选:ta ta shi pai dui ni ni ni xuan</mandarin> lor <mandarin>你选你要什么菜什么:ni xuan ni yao shen me cai shen me</mandarin> then <mandarin>好像一个:hao xiang yi ge</mandarin> buffet table <mandarin>这样选选选选选到:zhe yang xuan xuan xuan xuan xuan dao</mandarin> then uh <mandarin>选到完了就就:xuan dao wan le jiu jiu</mandarin> they just pile on your plate whatever you want then at the end of it <mandarin>就是他拿去:jiu shi ta na qu</mandarin> Chan lor


on a weighing scale like like <mandarin>我:wo</mandarin> like those baking <mandarin>的那种:de na zhong</mandarin> weighing scale <mandarin>这样然后:zhe yang ran hou</mandarin> okay <mandarin>你你你拿越多的话:ni ni ni na yue duo de hua</mandarin> uh <mandarin>就就:jiu jiu</mandarin> charge <mandarin>你越贵:ni yue gui</mandarin> lor but


uh <mandarin>有一个:you yi ge</mandarin> dish <mandarin>是是龙虾另一个:shi shi long xia ling yi ge</mandarin> dish <mandarin>是:shi</mandarin> maybe potato lah unlikely lah so it's quite even in that sense, ya ya, then


ah, ah, (uh huh), (uh huh)


then the other one <mandarin>不是我不知道是在新加坡还是在:bu shi wo bu zhi dao shi zai xin jia po hai shi zai</mandarin> I don't think it's in singapore whereby you, uh they don't they don't, they don't set a price you go and eat and then at the end of which you just pay what you think is a fair price for them


you you can't even stop them what because <mandarin>你你的:ni ni de</mandarin> rules <mandarin>是这样的话人家:shi zhe yang de hua ren jia</mandarin> I just think it's a fair price so it it cannot ya, uh


calculating we're we are too <mandarin>太太:tai tai</mandarin> Niao lah <mandarin>很:hen</mandarin> Niao lah ya, ah very disciplined err how do I say uh very cultured lah very civilised the the <mandarin>他会讲:ta hui jiang</mandarin> maybe germany I don't know


ah germany <mandarin>一向来都是:yi xiang lai dou shi</mandarin> ah yes the dutch also <mandarin>因为:yin wei</mandarin> they're they're known for this lah I mean of course there are exceptions ah but they are known for following the rules very civilised and very very called know uh civic conscious you see ya


ya, okay lor eh but uh one thing uh <mandarin>你等一下你你你的那个你的那个:ni deng yi xia ni ni ni de na ge ni de na ge</mandarin> student err <mandarin>那个什么:na ge shen me</mandarin> travel <mandarin>那个是到几时:na ge shi dao ji shi</mandarin> ha december ha


ya because


(uh huh) but for for A level, okay, okay


uh NSF definitely <mandarin>会有:hui you</mandarin> concession eh <mandarin>没有:mei you</mandarin> maybe, [orh], okay,


ya that's where you'll feel the difference lor you no longer a so called school going uh ya ya <mandarin>就就是:jiu jiu shi</mandarin> adult <mandarin>了:le</mandarin> lor young adult <mandarin>了:le</mandarin> you're actually <mandarin>十八岁在外国都算是:shi ba sui zai wai guo du suan shi</mandarin> adult <mandarin>了:le</mandarin> mah you can do a lot of things leh ya do you feel adult do you feel like a adult


or you're you're you you feel like you are expected to to behave like adult,


it's a useful life skill lah it is a useful life skill,


, , eh then then <mandarin>你的那个什么:ni de na ge shen me</mandarin> let's say


online, [orh] [orh]


but is there a is there a any scheme like similar to <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> err early admission exercise <mandarin>那种:na zhong</mandarin> whereby the currently uh eh J two student Chope a place in university


, [orh], (uh huh), you still want to keep your options open lah


, , don't want to be left out lah


, , but <mandarin>你的班:ni de ban</mandarin> actually <mandarin>有多少个女生:you duo shao ge nv sheng</mandarin> eh


[orh] fourteen fourteen girls seven boys ah not bad what ah there proper for a for a arts class it's considered quite <mandarin>你的:ni de</mandarin> number of boys <mandarin>算是不错了:suan shi bu cuo le</mandarin> ah one third one third boys


, [orh],


, uh <mandarin>我:wo</mandarin> so far <mandarin>我看过教过的最:wo kan guo jiao guo de zui</mandarin> extreme <mandarin>的是:de shi</mandarin> a class of , thirty six girls four boys, ya


ya yes so very funny the four boys were all seated at the back last row then every time when they come to err like <mandarin>要投要:yao tou yao</mandarin> cast a decision ah vote lah <mandarin>什么:shen me</mandarin> the boys will straightaway say mister Tan count us out lah <mandarin>我我我们这边没有没有得讲话:wo wo wo men zhe bian mei you mei you de jiang hua</mandarin> lah the four boys ya I still remember ya quite interesting ya that was so long ago err <mandarin>那时候应该是:na shi hou ying gai shi</mandarin> nineteen


you can they will just tell me know !aiyo! but I think <mandarin>也是:ye shi</mandarin> okay lah they they get along quite quite quite peacefully so ya


ya because I I entered teaching at the age of twenty eight twenty eight <mandarin>的时候:de shi hou</mandarin> twenty eight <mandarin>的时候就是我大他们二十八岁:de shi hou jiu shi wo da ta men er shi ba sui</mandarin> uh so <mandarin>你看:ni kan</mandarin> ah when when let's say my first batch my first batch of students that I teach <mandarin>我每次教的都是中三:wo mei ci jiao de dou shi zhong san</mandarin> mah <mandarin>中三是十五:zhong san shi shi wu</mandarin> mah so <mandarin>二十八二十八九十五就是:er shi ba er shi ba jiu shi wu jiu shi</mandarin> thirteen years my junior what so <mandarin>爸爸现在都五十三岁了:ba ba xian zai dou wu shi san sui le</mandarin> so that means <mandarin>我的第一批学生四十岁了:wo de di yi pi xue sheng si shi sui le</mandarin> mah


ah, I mean another five years I may be teaching the children of my of my of my


of my uh students possible what


ya lah nah ya, no lah no during my time it was uh there there was a I would say there was a shortage of male teachers lah so <mandarin>应该是算是:ying gai shi suan shi</mandarin> uh also err <mandarin>那时候也是没有什么人:na shi hou ye shi mei you shen me ren</mandarin> uh I think the the training programme was literally just less than a year


uh all in is about err eight months, eight months eight months of training at NIE at along #bukit timah# road <mandarin>那边然后就过后就就就是:na bian ran hou jiu guo hou jiu jiu jiu shi</mandarin> teaching uh practice lor <mandarin>就是那个:jiu shi na ge</mandarin> ah send to the school <mandarin>然后就教:ran hou jiu jiao</mandarin> uh <mandarin>爸爸因为是没有:ba ba yin wei shi mei you</mandarin> NS mah <mandarin>没有:mei you</mandarin> NS <mandarin>的话就是好像跟那些:de hua jiu shi hao xiang gen nei xie</mandarin> female officer <mandarin>一样的的:yi yang de de</mandarin> track <mandarin>就是:jiu shi</mandarin> three years lor uh <mandarin>就是:jiu shi</mandarin> bonded for three years <mandarin>然后:ran hou</mandarin> once <mandarin>你:ni</mandarin> three years <mandarin>完了后就你你才算是一个:wan le hou jiu ni ni cai suan shi yi ge</mandarin> confirmed uh teacher lor


ya but uh <mandarin>现在没有了现在因为:xian zai mei you le xian zai yin wei</mandarin> maybe maybe I mean <mandarin>你行情又不好的话就有很多人跑:ni hang qing you bu hao de hua jiu you hen duo ren pao</mandarin> go into the civil service job <mandarin>的:de</mandarin> mah so when times are bad <mandarin>就很多很多:jiu hen duo hen duo</mandarin> teachers <mandarin>进来:jin lai</mandarin> so uh <mandarin>因为这样的话他们也是:yin wei zhe yang de hua ta men ye shi</mandarin> play hard to get lah let me see the employers' market now so what they do is they they lengthen the training


and then I look at the way the the the newer batches of trainee teachers ah what they're going through, !wah! I really I I mean <mandarin>如果我是:ru guo wo shi</mandarin> if I put myself in their in their shoes ah I don't think I can survive because


uh <mandarin>看是看是讲是:kan shi kan shi jiang shi</mandarin> okay you have uh your teaching practice weeks <mandarin>你可能教是比较少的结束但是:ni ke neng jiao shi bi jiao shao de jie shu dan shi</mandarin> every week you have to write report you know every every week you have to write reflection to the principal lah or to the HOD lah know ya so they just have to <mandarin>有的没的什么都要讲:you de mei de shen me dou yao jiang</mandarin> lah <mandarin>就是:jiu shi</mandarin> [orh] <mandarin>我没有我今天我我今天:wo mei you wo jin tian wo wo jin tian</mandarin> observe <mandarin>这个谁的谁的:zhe ge shei de shei de</mandarin> lesson <mandarin>我觉得:wo jue de</mandarin> [orh] <mandarin>这一点很好我将来要要用:zhe yi dian hen hao wo jiang lai yao yao yong</mandarin> uh <mandarin>我会:wo hui</mandarin> apply in my teaching <mandarin>或者是说:huo zhe shi shuo</mandarin> uh uh uh uh uh <mandarin>我我觉得:wo wo jue de</mandarin> know I I feel that <mandarin>这个小孩子他他:zhe ge xiao hai zi ta ta</mandarin> behave this way ah these are the likely reason ah so <mandarin>将来我:jiang lai wo</mandarin> !aiya! <mandarin>讲讲罢了:jiang jiang ba le</mandarin> lah so so <mandarin>讲到他会:jiang dao ta hui</mandarin> delve deeper lah probe deeper lah to help the child develop holistically lah so <mandarin>他他写你不是这样照看:ta ta xie ni bu shi zhe yang zhao kan</mandarin> lor <mandarin>因为我是:yin wei wo shi</mandarin> one of the <mandarin>也是三四个:ye shi san si ge</mandarin> cooperating teacher mah so <mandarin>他是讲是:ta shi jiang shi</mandarin> accountable to the P <mandarin>他也是又:ta ye shi you</mandarin> CC the email to me mah so <mandarin>每次寄寄寄到我有些我有些看有些的我都跳过不要看:mei ci ji ji ji dao wo you xie wo you xie kan you xie de wo dou tiao guo bu yao kan</mandarin> but <mandarin>我这样看:wo zhe yang kan</mandarin> ah okay lor


ya and then you have to apply so many things you have to you have to showcase so many things in your let's say observation so it's not easy really not easy ya


of course of course of course ya, err I think I can't help but to feel that we are still very old school I mean personally I'm still very old school uh in terms of that that that, my my very uh fixed idea of


the only thing I probably can boast about is my time management in class that means <mandarin>我我我的:wo wo wo de</mandarin> lesson objective <mandarin>是什么我要在在哪里讲完做到哪里什么什么:shi shen me wo yao zai zai na li jiang wan zuo dao na li shen me shen me</mandarin> so <mandarin>那边我我:na bian wo wo</mandarin> I'm very confident normally <mandarin>那个:na ge</mandarin> I will ace in in that area uh <mandarin>就是时间的掌握那边:jiu shi shi jian de zhang wo na bian</mandarin> ah but when it comes to use of IT when it comes to


probably not as high tech as I should be or as high tech as I am expected to, uh then also because of age so the way you you talk to kids it could also be know unconsciously you could also be talking down to them uh more like their more like a parent would do so this is where you also will realize


ya ya, ya, ya


ya but but because for a for a newbie err you you you do have your your fresh perspective you see you you you you still have that, anything that will pique the the the the child's interest and then you are also because of the advantage in terms of your your the the the age gap between these new new teachers and the and the students so <mandarin>他们:ta men</mandarin> normally they can relate better that's one thing uh


ya lah ya so usually you you


!wah! <mandarin>很:hen</mandarin> ah, energetic or whatever but somehow or other you at the back of your mind you look you always ask <mandarin>你能够耐多久:ni neng gou nai duo jiu</mandarin> know how you keep this kind of enthusiasm <mandarin>你能够耐得了多久:ni neng gou nai de le duo jiu</mandarin> know ya <mandarin>通常都是很多都是:tong chang dou shi hen duo dou shi</mandarin> begin maybe three years