Wednesday 26 February 2014

Pre-departure Logistics

Owning a property in SG with parents staying in it means having lots more logistics to settle. I'll continue to add to the list as I come across things to do. So... let's see.

1. Applying GIRO for all payments - Telco, SP services, Town Council, Property Tax

2. Cancel unnecessary accounts - Internet, Hp, Credit Cards, NTUC membership, bank accounts

3. Renew passport - mine has only 1 year validity left

4. Opening Aussie bank account - I've been introduced NAB by my agent

5. Obtain parents' bank account number - I'm only getting my mom's

6. Dog's preparation for relocation - Planning to use Shiloh or Pet Movers but requires vaccination & microchipping. I gave him a dental scaling while at it too. In the end, I went with Pet Movers as they quoted me $800 lesser than Shiloh. Remember to obtain both normal & rabies vaccinations.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Apprehension On The Rise

Been away for a while. I was bored, I passed time the same way everyday now that I didn't have to work. Then I went to Hokkaido for a holiday that we booked in November. I kept saying if I knew I would be awarded PR that soon, I wouldn't have booked this tour. I would have $6k more to bring to Australia. $6k is equivalent to 3 months' rent or a 10 year old car. But I couldn't deny the fun & joy we had in Hokkaido. I just have to keep reminding myself that everything is exactly how it should be.

It snowed everyday in Hokkaido, just like it did when we visited 3 years ago. We were lucky. While soaking in the outdoor onsen 1 night, I overheard some Taiwanese women commenting about how unlucky they were coz the ice breaker cruise was cancelled due to bad weather. We went on the ice breaker cruise the day before it was cancelled for several days in a row. Missing it would have meant missing out the highlight of the tour. (It wasn't titled 7D Ice Breaker Cruise Hokkaido for no reason.) The seagull flying above us on the cruise could have shit on us but it shit while flying over the ocean instead. We swept lots & lots of Uniqlo products when we calculated the price to be half or as much as a third of SG's price.We shared a kiss while watching fireworks out on the frozen Lake Akan. We shared even more kisses while watching the lighting display at the Swan Festival. We threw snowballs at each other, laughing & running away to duck incoming snowballs. This has got to be the most enjoyable trip we ever went on together.

The Timberland boots kept my feet from freezing. I've worn double socks with sports shoes & then snow boots (the furry type) but they couldn't keep my feet from literally freezing. My feet would get so cold that I could no longer feel them. I wouldn't have known if my feet struck the ground or not if not for visual confirmation. I guess all you need is a good pair of shoes, even if they cost so much more. (My Timberland cost me $199, sport shoes $29.90 & winter boots $79.) They would have lasted much longer & worked much better.

Coming back, we have to battle the heat & humidity once again. It caused my ringworm infection to flare up once again. Stupid irritating fungal infection. Then I had to face the reality that I haven't been offered a job. I felt so hopeful when I received replies from Australia. 1 from a nurse manager & the other from a job agency. I even had a phone interview with the nurse manager but from the way she put it, I don't think my chances of getting the job are high if any at all. The job agency got me to choose from the list of hospitals I would like to work in so they could arrange interviews but I didn't hear from them again. Having a job before landing would make things so much easier. I would know which area to get my rental place & I would be less apprehensive about relying on my savings. Guess I got my hopes too high up, thinking that I would be the lucky 1, landing a job when so many others couldn't until they actually get to Australia. Sigh... 1 more try.  It's a long shot coz on their website, there're no vacancies at Lion Eye Institute. If that fails, I'll just have to take it as it comes. I pray for good fortune...

Saturday 1 February 2014

Leaving People & Memories Behind

I worked my last day on Chinese New Year eve, 30th Jan. As usual, I took bus 75, alighted at Outram & made my way through the mortuary to SNEC. It would be my last time walking this exact same route that I've taken for the past few years. I felt so emotional. The bad memories no longer weigh me down. Replaced by a feeling of 捨不得. I will miss knowing my work at my finger tips, anticipating & passing the correct instruments to the surgeon for the most complicated surgery even before they ask for it. But most importantly, I will miss the people who made me laugh through the worst of days. I will miss the complaining-about-work sessions with the girls.

We had reunion dinner with my extended family. We chatted at length about my move to Australia. My aunt again was the only 1 fully supportive of my decision, telling me to go for it when I'm young. I don't know when I'll be able to attend another reunion dinner again. So it felt so important to me. I avoided reunion dinner for a couple of years after my divorce. I felt so shameful that I had 1 & I didn't want to see or face anybody. That was pretty silly of me.

Then, we had lunch at my MIL's place on 初一. We stayed till it was almost time to head to Alan's (hubby's friend) place for the annual gathering. It was a bad choice really. Hubby's relatives on his mom's side came over & I got really worked up over his cousin's treatment of his wife. His cousin's wife does not talk at all at all gatherings becoz her husband wouldn't allow it. If she says something wrong, she'll get it when she gets home. So over the years, she stopped interacting altogether. Her self worth must have been withered down to nothing for her to behave this way. It's really none of my business but I just cannot stand a man who does not respect his wife. I didn't say anything until we left & then I ranted incessantly to hubby.

We only meet with hubby's friends once a year but I feel their sincerity. I always enjoy & look forward to meeting up with them. They're really decent people even if by Singapore's standard, majority of them are lowly educated as O levels holder. It just goes to show that education level has nothing to do with a person's character. Singapore's biggest flaw is its meritocrazy mindset. I don't think there's anything wrong with a "lowly" job so long as you're making a honest living.

Now that our plan to move to Australia is imminent, I can understand what Nix meant when he said he missed friends & family most. I totally feel it too.