Big Hot Air Balloons @ Putrajaya

Daddy was extremely helpful with Lunz while I was gone this time. In fact, everytime when I have to travel. I couldn't be any happier. He told me he couldn't bear to send his boy back to popo house because the boy will show him sad faces. Daddy told me he had heartaches looking at that sad face. So, after 2 nights at his popo house, daddy finally went and picked him up every single day after work until I was back home. The little fella rather stay with his daddy than to be at his popo house. That's the most touching and strong bond which exist between the two of them. And I'm glad to have both of them in my life.

On Sunday, after I came back from China, we made a trip down to Putrajaya to see the hot air balloons. At first, the boy was quite excited when we told him about big balloons but when he saw the really huge size of those balloons, he told us he wants to go home instead. Kept on saying he wants to go home. We ignored him of course since we just arrived and told him we will get him a balloon and ice-cream. But we didn't lingered on for long also as there was nothing particularly interesting.

At night during bedtime when I asked him how many balloons were there? He told me 1,2,3,4. He knew there were 4 balloons even though he was scared at that time and don't want to look at the balloons. Kids' observations are really strong.

We got him a Minnie Mouse balloon to keep him quiet and stop pestering us to go back.

My angels.

China Trip 2010

I just came back from China last week. Visited Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shunde and Shenzhen. Overall, it was a nice trip. The food was amazing and I ate a lot. It was crazy having to spend 6 days with all those crazy people who makes you laughed your head off all the time. I enjoyed talking to them. They were so humorous and so entertaining. China trip is like that, you get silly people on board most of the time.

I was packing on the night before departure. As usual, I brainwashed the little fella. I told him that mummy will be working outstation and even showed him my luggage. This time he actually told me he wanted to follow me to work. Of course, I said NO, you can't follow mummy to work. The I told him why, because mummy will be sitting in aeroplane. Then he said he want to sit in aeroplane pulak. Believe it, he actually told me he wanted to sit in the aeroplane every single 5 mins while I packed. And everytime I had to tell him, NO, you can't follow mimi. Poor thing. That's the scenario everytime I have to travel.

I woke up at 5am the following morning because the cab picked me up at 5.45am. I was half way really sleepy in the cab when one of my mission's participant, namely, Keson called me on my mobile. He actually made me woke up! He told me he doesn't have a flight ticket. I told him perhaps he was not aware of it because now everything is E-TICKET. He told me, no way because he doesn't remember paying for it, so probably his secretary did not booked the ticket for him. He really gave me a shocked early in the morning. In the end, we found his name in the system anyway. I knew it would be fine because if it isn't, the China embassy will not issue a visa to him if he has not got a flight ticket. Keson is really the super duper blur type, but believe it or not, being the blur him, he is the most gentlemen of all. He helps with the luggage and all the stuffs. I really enjoyed having him around because he is really the helpful type, although really very blur and I have to watch out for him most of the time, like a mother watching for her son, afraid that he might get lost.

A thing about being a tour secretariat is that you have to ensure every of your participants boarded the plane safely. So, here comes my next award winning participant, Lawrence. When we were checking in, he told me he just reached KL Sentral, about to take the KLIA Express. Fine. When an announcement was made to board the plane, I still see no sign of him anywhere. I called him and he did not even answered my call. I was praying hard that he would not missed the plane. And there I was at my seat when I finally got a message from him, telling me not to worry as he boarded the plane safely. Phew!! This fella really last minute type. Introducing Lawrence Mun, the playful and really-likes-to-eat participant! He would find all the good food to eat and always say "this is delicious, this is delicious", like almost every food is delicious to him.

That's me @ one of the main shopping street in Guangzhou.

I didn't take many pictures because there was particularly no nice view in China. Just a few shots for remembrance.

Everything was basically eat, eat and eat in China.

There is a culture of washing all your cutlery, including your glass, bowl and plate before you dine in Guangzhou. I don't see a need for that but if everyone is doing it, then no harm following.

From left: Keson, Andrew (Shanghai office director), my boss and Mr. Tan (another playful participant).

Another dinner. That was a treat to the participants from my company. The bloody dinner cost RMB 2036 = RM 1018. Nothing special. The food was so-so after so many rounds of different food tasted. What cost a bomb I guessed was the environment. It was those high-class restaurant. But for RMB 2036, I think we can really have even more delicious food out there and eat until you puke!

Mr. Tan, the most hilarious participant of all. China trip will not be fun without him because this fella really crapped a lot of jokes.

In this picture, I asked him to put on his name tag to enter the exhibition. He told me, damn mafan so many tags, sometimes have to wear this, sometimes have to wear that. Then he put all the tags around his neck and said, just hang everything there and choose yourself la. That solve the problem. He even asked me to take a photo of him with those tags in which I did. :)

At the exhibition. In China, most of the exhibitors likes to hire "leng lui"s to either perform or to dress like a princess in order to promote the booth and attract attentions.

Another scenario that you will not get to see in KL. Please refer to the picture below:

A bunch of workers cleaning the window of the hotel. Hanging like spiderman. You don't see that in KL. What a team spirit!

The only drawback of this trip is that I suffered serious breakouts on my face upon return from the trip. I guessed probably because the air was very polluted in China. And I need at least 2 to 3 weeks for my skin to calm and settle down. Hope pimples will stop popping out. My face is in polka dots version now. Hope it will heal soon.

Primary School Registration

Both daddy and I took leave off yesterday from work to handle Lunz primary school registration. Children who are born in the year of 2004/2005 has to register for primary school entry this year. We have already decided months ago to enroll him in Chinese school as we knew that Sekolah Kebangsaan now a days is a complete no-no due to its low standard. Furthermore, most of the parents who doesn't know Chinese (e.g. like me and daddy) also send their children to Chinese school. I guess the culture has already changed. We are now emphasizing more on the importance of the Chinese language. So, both of us has decided to let Lunz pick up this language at least until Primary 6. The syllabus will still be the same except Chinese will be the first language used instead of the Bahasa. English comes next. I know it will be hard for us to teach him because both of us don't know Chinese but there is always an alternative. We can still send him for tuition or my sisters in law can help out. I think I have to get a Chinese-English translate dictionary.

Back to the school registration. We managed to short list a good Chinese school nearby mum's house. It's Connaught School II. According to feedback, Connaught II has better standard than Connaught I. A lot of my friend's children also studied there. So, it's ok. But the golden rule is you have to prove that you are staying nearby the school, which priority will be given to those living in the same taman with the school. Even though mum's house is considered close to the school with 7 mins of driving, but I can't use her house address. The area where my mum's house is located is considered in Kajang. If I put her address, I won't be able to get that school.

So, mum has already contacted her long timed friend a year ago who is staying within walking distance to that school to reserve her electricity and water bill for us. The documents were meant to prove that we are staying in that area (as a pretense so that its easier for us to get a place in that school). However, 2 months ago, a very terrible aunty (mum's ex-neighbor) contacted that friend and immediately drove over to her house and "rompak" those bills! Mum's friend told that aunty she has already reserved for my mum. But that stubborn and terrible aunty doesn't seems to care and kept on saying that the school would not check on the details. She left soon with the bills. I was very pissed off when I heard about it. Thank god, luck strikes!

Mum recalled another friend of hers who is also staying in that area who would be able to help. Off we went immediately to get her bills. Luckily no one has "book" her bills yet. So, we will be using her address and the reason I'm giving will be this lady is my son's babysitter. You know, he comes back from school, goes to her place, that's the connection (we are making up the story).

Phew!! Luck was with me most of the time for this registration matter. I'll explain why.

I brought along all the necessary documents as I already asked the school earlier on what sort of documents were needed. And those I could think of such as the house owner's photostat IC and my divorce court document to prove that I'm a single parent. I reached the school compound even before 7am on the first day of registration. I got number 7 in the line. The registration starts at 8.15am but I managed to get some tips from a teacher who was on duty at that time before the registration. She told me that I can't put the relationship as babysitter or guardian. The point is, me, myself personally have to stay at the mentioned address!

So, another idea popped up in my mind. I could tell them that I'm renting a room there. And that I was basically divorced and renting a room in my friend's house or relative or whatever. As expected they asked for the child's father's IC (because they need the father's information for registration. Stupid, isn't it? A mother's detail doesn't count!). Luckily I brought the court document along. So, they kept quiet knowing my status. Then they started to query about the difference in addresses. My IC has a different address from Lunz's birth certificate and now I'm applying with a different address. As planed, I told them I'm renting a room there as I pointed out to the lady's address. They asked me for a prove or something to show that I'm really staying there.

NOTE: They didn't even bother to see the electricity and water bill.

I told them I didn't have any tenancy agreement as the house owner is a very close friend of mine. What other prove do you need?, I found myself asking. In the end, they wanted a letter with the owner's signature to prove that I'm really renting a room from her. They gave me back all my documents and asked me to come again after I have obtained the letter. I was like, WTH? This fussy? Then I said, I reached here before 7am and got a good number in the queue, you don't expect me to queue again don't you?

Luckily they said I don't have to queue. Just enter and pass the documents. As quick as lightning, I rushed to that lady's house and drafted the letter and got her to sign it. Then I passed the letter back to the teacher in charge. She said I was fast. I just told her, I handwritten the letter only, no time to type and print. Luckily she accepted it. When it was done, I returned the originals electricity and water bill to that lady, thank her for her kindness to help us and even bought her 2 boxes of cakes to show my gratitude. Being daddy, he said, sai ng sai ar? (when he saw me bought the cakes).

Then I told him, that's why you don't know all these yan ching rules chow hai gum. :P
Without her help, we will have more headache.

That's why I said I was lucky because:

1. When I first lost the initial contact, I managed to get another one in time and she is willing to help.
2. I got my divorce court document in time for if not, I need to get his father's IC for registration.
3. I managed to convince them that I was actually staying at the mentioned address.
4. They didn't query much after I handed the letter over to them.
5. I got the wrong size envelope and luckily they accepted it.
6. The owner remind me to get her photostat IC. Who would actually be kind enough to remind you of something that's none of her business?

I will only know the result by August 2011. As daddy said, we will have Plan B (backup plan) in case this doesn't work out. But first, we will have to think about Plan B.