This morning, I got a call from MOM regarding my application for the position of Management Support Officer (MSO).
I'm like soooo happy. But...the interview is on 22nd July. When I heard the date, I was thinking, "What?! So long??" But still, I'm just glad that I have another interview to look forward to. Hehe...
P.S. :Kel!! Come online once in a while pleeaaassse???
Saturday, June 28, 2008
1:46 PM
Relief teaching at Mendaki
I've just gotten home from relief teaching at Mendaki!
It was quite an experience because I've never ever done any sort of teaching before.
I got a call yesterday from Mendaki asking me whether I'd like to relief a class today. It was a Primary 5 class. And I'd be teaching them English and Maths. It was so sudden that I found myself hesitating to accept the request. But after some persuasion from my mother, which the woman on the phone heard, I decided to accept it. She said that this was a trial for me to see if I really wanna be a Mendaki tutor.
There were 12 students in my class, but only 10 turned up. The children were adorable I tell you. I can't believe I'm actually saying this, because I always find children irritating...HAHA! They kept quiet when we entered the class. They even stood up, bowed and greeted me! I thought this practice didn't exist anymore.
Anyway, the minute they sat down, they started chitchatting. But it couldn't be helped. Poly students themselves talk when the lecturer is teaching. So you can't expect an 11 year old to just sit still and keep quiet. The first lesson was English. So, knowing that they would soon become restless, I distributed a few worksheets which I've printed out to them. They were still talking, but they did their work. And I surprised myself by actually remembering some of their names just after marking their attendance once.
After about 40 min, I went through the answers with them and explained to them their mistakes and why this answer is correct. And then, since there was still time, I played hangman with them. That was really fun. The losing team had to do 10 squats. You know, the one where you have to hold your ears and squat. Muahahahaha! But they were game. =D
Then came break time. I went to the toilet and then joined the other tutors in the canteen. Man...they were one rowdy bunch! They welcomed me very readily. I didn't really join in on their conversation because they were already in the midst of it. But they were really funny people. I was seriously laughing just sitting there listening to them.
Maths lesson came after the break. I collected the students from the canteen and headed back to the classroom. I gave them a couple of worksheets to do as well. They had their own books, but I didn't want to be caught unprepared, so I got my own worksheets ready. Actually, the truth is that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do some of their problem sums! HAHA... Because, I remembered when I was in primary school, I used to hate doing problem sums because I couldn't do the long ones. So, I thought, the standard would be higher now, but it was still roughly the same. I guess I shouldn't have bothered printing out so many worksheets. :S
Anyway, just like in English class, I went through the answers with them and did the workings for those who got the question wrong. Then, I went around to check their work and explained more thoroughly to those who couldn't do the questions.
The class was supposed to end at 12.15pm. But I forgot! I thought it ended at 12.30pm. So, I released them 12.25pm. But they didn't complain. Good kids! They even salam(ed) me!!
Now I really don't mind teaching. And I mean, seriously teaching, through NIE and not just at Mendaki.
Btw, I've added my tagboard back. Because I found that I kinda inconvenienced some people by not having it up. So hope you guys tag ya?
Monday, June 23, 2008
9:50 PM
Went to Spotlight again...
Today, I was planning on going to Stansfield College to pass them my education certificates for verification. My classes will start in September. It's a BA Honours programme and I'll complete it in 3 yrs (hopefully).
Anyway, since I was planning on going to Stansfield, I asked my mother whether she wanted to come along so that she can go to Spotlight because they were having a sale. So, my mother, my auntie and I went to Spotlight again. Yeah, it was our 2nd time there (at least for me).
During our 1st time there, we met Joakim's father. YEP! He works there. By the way, Spotlight's at P.S. But we didn't act like "Hey! You're Joakim's father right?" Mostly because my mother and auntie either didn't know or recognize him. Only I did. And I only informed my mother after he walked away.
Before we left the house, I received a call from Recruit Express about my application for a temporary job. And the recruit consultant wanted me to come by Ngee Ann City for an interview. So we went there after Stansfield. No, I meant...we walked there. I didn't want to, but both my mother and my auntie wanted to. I was still early for my interview, and the weather wasn't that hot, so I gave in.
The recruit consultant told me that she'll try to find me a temp job ASAP...and I really hope she does. I don't like to appear to my father that I've been sitting on my ass the entire day (even though I have been doing that).
So, after Recruit Express, we went to pray first at Al-Fala Mosque and then, we walked...yeah that's right. We walked AGAIN! I know that their feet must have been aching already, because mine were. But they insisted on walking because it was only 2-3 stops and they didn't wanna waste money. Anyway, we walked back to P.S. and finally went to Spotlight. But not before shopping at John Little first. These mak ciks really have a lot of stamina man!
My mother bought some material for our sofa cushions. The whole thing was close to 10m and it was thick and we had trouble fitting it into her trolley bag. It was such a trouble that it took 3 of the staff to help us squeeze it into the trolley bag. HAHA!
We took the bus back after that.
By the way, girls, I finally know what bus to take to town!! Hehe... And it's only 1 bus. =P
Saturday, June 21, 2008
12:21 AM
Rejected
This morning, I opened my hotmail account, as usual, to check whether I'd gotten anymore job offers. I received just th opposite. I didn't qualify for the 2nd stage of the shortlisting process at MFA.
Man! I was, and still am, so disappointed and frustrated. I've sent out dozens of job applications and barely a handful have gotten back to me. Is there some sort of secret personal attack on me going on?
After being rejected by MFA, I'm regretting not going for the prisons interview. The post was only temporary, so I didn't want it. If I'd known that it was only temporary, I wouldn't have applied. But thinking back on it now, I wish that I'd reconsidered going. If, I'd gotten the job, at least I'd be able to get my own income
I was so disappointed and frustrated that I snapped at everybody the whole day, until my mother told me off. She said that you can't expect to be accepted after being shortlisted. You'll surely face some rejections. All the things she said are true, but I'm still very frustrated because it HAS been quite a while that I've been applying, and the lack of response is killing me.
I just have to hope and pray A LOT, that I'll get a good job.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
3:39 PM
Untitled
This post will be called "Untitled" because I don't know what else to call it. I mean, what else can I name it? "Sorry for not posting for so long...AGAIN"? "Sorry, I got lazy...AGAIN"? You all know my usual excuse for not posting for such a long period of time already.
Anyway, right now, I've been struggling to find a job. I've gotten a few responses already; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kinokuniya, Singapore Police Force and Singapore Prison Service.
Just yesterday morning, I sat through a series of tests for the post of Management Support Officer (MSO) at MFA. There were 4 parts to the test. 1) Writing skill, 2) Logistical skill, 3) Situational Judgement skill, and 4) Personality test. And this is only stage 1 of the shortlisting process. There'll be a 2nd stage. I hope I'll get through to that stage.
The test really showed me what kind of job I'll be in for. An MSO's duties are very wide. They have to handle foreign delegates, arrange accommodations, make flight arrangements, sit through meetings, write brochures, and I think many many more. It sounds very daunting. And truthfully, I'd rather get the MSO post at MOM, because at least, it is local. But too bad, I wasn't shortlisted.
Then, on the same day, in the afternoon, I went for an interview at Kinokuniya. The post was for a Retail Trainee. It was my first ever job interview and I don't think I did a good job. 4 women interviewed me! And one of them was so intimidating. I forgot all about smiling when answering a question, I barely greeted them and I didn't make most of my answers sound positive.
At one point, the intimidating one asked me,"Is your facial expression always like that?" And I was thinking like huh? What the hell do you mean? You don't like how I look??? I didn't know how to answer her. How do you answer a question like that. So my answer was like,"Uhhh...". And then she said,"If you have a facial expression like that, customers won't dare to approach you." Ohhh, so I wasn't smiling enough. But that was because everytime I smiled at her when giving my answers, she just gave me that intimidating look. So my smile kind of faltered after a while.
But anyway, even if by some miracle I get the job, I'm not gonna take it because it's rotational shift work. And your working hours are not fixed. And you still have to work during public holidays and weekends. If I'd been offered this job much much earlier, I wouldn't have minded taking it. But now, I can't because I'll be taking a part-time course in English at Stansfield College. So I MUST get an office hours job.
On a separate note, my story! Remember, I'm writng a fan fiction on Supernatural? Well, it's very slow going. I've only gotten to about 1,800 words for my 3rd chapter. My 1st chapter has about 3,000 words, my 2nd was double of that. I may rearrange the words so that each chapter has about the same number of words. I haven't really gotten to the middle of the story, but the plot is already there. I've already planned what I want in my 3rd chapter, but whenever I write it out, the story tends to sway from the original plans and I'll even think of other scenarios until I don't know which is the best course to continue the story.
I know I'm very slow, and I know that some of you want me to hurry it up and finish it, and I promise I'll try my very hardest.
I hope my next post will be in a few days...hehe...
This is me
BORN: 7 July 1987
AGE: Do the math
LIKES: Cats...like duh...my blog url??? And SUPERNATURAL!!!!
DISLIKES: Hypocrites
These are just the basic things about me...if u wanna know more, just ask me.