thanks, yvonne

During my short period stay at HQ, met this really awesome individual. She's really an inspiration and in the longest time, I haven been inspired. I mean, who gets inspired studying for A levels right? Working life was even more boring. Repeating the same lines everyday:"Hi, have you tried our kueh bangkit" definitely has no room for inspirations.

In all honesty, I cannot tell you one specific thing about her that actually inspired me. I can just say, her life, her thinking, her words? Aiya, i just feel super motivated now to join the education industry.

My mum always tells me that she wants me to be a teacher in future. Reason? Cos its the most stable industry, won't get hit by financial crisis, get bonuses, holidays and benefits and so on. But, i always insisted that no i don't want cos I feel that entering the education industry imm after getting a degree means you'll be tied down forever. I couldn't imagined graduating at 23, serving my bond with MOE for 4 years and leaving at the age of 28 if I find that education is not for me. At 28, how easy would it be finding a job? Or rather, how difficult if I intend to enter an entirely different industry at all. Well, this is just my rationale, to my parents and to people who asked me if I ever considered joining Education Ministry.

So 6 days went past and I wouldn't say I'd talked to her for 6 days straight that I got inspired. Recalling the fact that we only talked for a really long time once, it was simply amazing how it really hit me at the right spot. Read her tumblr and browsed through facebook. I would want a life likes hers actually. If one day I told my mum I am gonna study japanese studies, she'd probably nag at me followed by a 'debate' about how I am gonna do something else that has a wider range of jobs or eventually provides a direct path to being a teacher, such as economics. And then, I imagined if one day i told her i am gonna be based in japan for a few years, she'd probably ask me if i can survive there with my laziness and poor jap abilities. No, i am not saying she's a tyrant or controlling mum. I know she's just a normal Singaporean mum who want her kids to have a stable and fulfilling life.

OKay, alittle off track. The experience at HQ, knowing her was truly an amazing journey because i learnt so much more from her. I would agree that the life and the people in japan are so different as compared to singapore because we are just a bunch of conceited fools who compete to be the best in order to survive. It hit me that life should instead, be fulfilling in terms of non-materialistic factors. Chasing your dreams, doing what you want instead of studying, working and just simply passing on with zero fulfillment.

People told me she's a really hardworking person. I totally agree. Who stays in office till 11pm?

Anyway, she's really sweet to have given me a farewell present. And can I simply emphasized how she's the ONE AND ONLY who bothered to write me a note. not saying the others are not nice people but really, people come and go and in this competitive world, we start to lose track of the people around us. Which is the reason why I hold on to my aim that whenever i leave a place, I have to write notes for the people whom i know and worked with, be it in school or at work. I really love and treasure this little gift alot and i kept it in my most precious cupboard beside my bed. Probably wouldn't use it.

Then, yesterday, I recieved a text from her. I literally went oh man at the mrt station when i saw it. After this message, I actually thought about it for a very long time. I couldn't sleep till 3+ and i know i wanna go back there to work again. The people, the place, the things that ever happened in that short 6 days, was one of the best working experience. I told her that she's never given me any tasks and when i saw the text, i actually wanted and hoped that the person doing it was me. That's how impacted i was.

I really regretted tendering without thinking much just cos i was tempted by a better job which turned out to be nothing but empty promises. Lesson learnt that in life, never be tempted and make decisions without careful consideration. Woke up at the earliest time possible today. 830am, so that i could call the manager. Sadly, the vacancy has been filled. But you know something, when one door closes, another opens.

The Education industry isn't one that is a dead end to me now. It's a door filled with opportunities and surprises. One day, I promise, I'll be back there in that very same dept, doing the same job and inspiring the younger ones, just like how it happened to me.

thanks, yvonne. =D