My 1997 - 2007

Looking through my certificates and employment letters, I just realised that I have stepped into the working industry since 1997.

After leaving Shuqun Secondary, I started working, taking up different types of short stints, even worked on a 12hrs night shift becos of the good monetary rewards. But that does not last long becos of objection from my parents. Eventually I found an admin position with a pay off of 750 bucks (with OT payout) and worked there for 6mths during the vacation period before I continued my studies.

At the age of 17, I was such a green horn to the working society. Even to the extend of being made used by that company's manager (I still remember his name, Mr Gordon Goh), who made me leave my working place for a few hours just to follow him to his ex wife's house to help out sorting out some textile samples for them. He was a lewd fat man whom made lewd comments to me while we were waiting for his ex-wife to return home. At that young age, I was not sensitive enough to understand his comments till when I got older, I realised, he is such a fat ugly balding lewd man.

During my poly days, I took up night tutioning for a primary school, and eventually got an offer to teach in a tuition centre with quite a good pay of 25bucks per hour. The earnings from the tution actually helps to see me through my poly education, paying for my daily expenses, my cab fares (when I have a 8am lab which I cannot miss), meals at cafes (sometimes when the canteen gets crowded or the weather is hot). Some students felt it was such a luxury I was living but hey, I worked for it.

Traveling from Jurong to Tampines was quite a hassle. The to and fro journey plus waiting time took me about 4 hours ride everyday. While SP or other nearby polys do offer the same engineering course, some friends simply can't comprehend why I need to go all the way to Tampines. And every time when that doubt arises, I have to explain saying, "it was merely becos I fell for the architectural design of TP". Friends thought I was crazy! And my craziness lasted through for 3 years until I completed my course.

And because of the long journey, sometimes I have to endure the hunger during the evenings and that eventually leads to bad health cos of terrible gastric pain. I remembered the time when I had a terrible gastric pain and had alight from the train adruptly to rush to the washroom to throw up my milo. The worst time was when I had another gastric "attack" which left me slumping on the clinic's long sofa, not able to stand nor walk. I thought I was dying...The doc warn if that continues, I will soon develop stomach ulcer. Thank god that never happen. But the aftermath has left me quite a bad impression and sometimes when that feeling comes back, I dread and fear of it.

After graduating from Temasek Poly, I took up a contract in a supercomputing firm, helping them with the admin and secretarial task for an indonesian boss (I still remember his name, Mr Rene Widjaja). After ending my one year contract with SGI, I moved on to work with an educational institution and stayed with it for 6 years.

The recent switch, back to the private sector again, I realise, manufacturing field is not not my cup of tea. It's just too boring and monotonous. I still prefer the educational & learning or arts related industries.

Have you realised that I have been working for almost 10years? LOL! (Part time job included lah). I cant believe it too...