June 24, 2001: Singlish & 100%

Hi,

I have so much to write to you about my trip to China. I also took a huge
number of digital pictures, but I'll upload them over the next few weeks
and send you the URL of where I post them.

I arrived in Shanghai last Saturday afternoon. Compared to the fast and
efficient handling of visitors at the Singapore airport, Shanghai was
almost the reverse. I had to wait almost an hour just to clear the
immigration lines! I met up with a friend of a friend, Rosalie Wu, who is
working for an U.S. company in Shanghai. We walked all along the Bund
(where there are many Western style buildings from the early 1900's),
walked to an old Chinese section of the city called "Yu Yuan", ate dinner
there, walked all over the main shopping street called "Nanjing Dong Lu",
took a tourist tunnel to Pudong, walked to the tallest building in China
(Jin Miao), and had dessert at the Hyatt on the 54th floor. Basically, we
just about walked from 5 pm to 11 pm, and were very tired.

Yu Yuan is very interesting. It is a large area with lots of Chinese
shops, restaurants, and other stores. The architecture of the buildings is
in the old Chinese style, with curved arches. The small shops sell all
kinds of things, and cater mostly to tourists. I think Yu Yuan is just
about the oldest section of the original Shanghai left. What was also
interesting was that when we walked to Yu Yuan from the Bund, we took these
really narrow streets, where families were eating outdoors, kids playing on
the street, people selling things, etc. You can tell that the living
quarters were very cramped, and the people who lived in this area are
fairly poor. I'll post the pictures that I took by next week.

Pudong is the new area of Shanghai, across the Huang Pu river from the
Bund. There are two tall structures. The first is the Oriental Pearl
Tower, the 3rd tallest in the world. It looks really futuristic, like
something from Star Trek. You could go up to the rotating restaurant in
the tower, but I didn't get a chance to do that. The other tall building
is the Jin Miao tower, which is an office building below the 54th floor,
and the Hyatt Hotel above that. From the restaurant on the 54th floor, you
can get a good view of the lights on the Bund.

While walking on Nanjing Dong Lu, one odd thing that I noticed is that in
all the stores that sold clothing, they use mannequins to model the
clothing. However, all the mannequins were Caucasians! I thought that it
was funny that in stores selling Chinese clothing, that the mannequins are
not Chinese. Also on this street, Pepsi had a bright neon sign on every
lamp post.

On Sunday, I visited two churches. The first in the morning was for the
Chinese people, and the second in the afternoon was for foreigners. After
the morning service, I ate lunch at this hole in the wall restaurant,
because it was raining and I didn't have my umbrella. However, I had ten
dumplings and a plate of stir-fried rice sticks (two very yummy dishes),
and the total price was only RMB 8.00 (less than US $1)!

At the Shanghai International Church, I ran into a friend from Boston,
Ellen Hwang. Ellen is in med school in Philly, and I haven't seen her
since 1998, but I think it's amazing that I ran into her in Shanghai at
this church. If you know Ellen, send her a note to congratulate her,
because I learned that she and Joe Kim are engaged! (Congrats Ellen & Joe)!

OK, this email is already long enough. I'll write more next week and post
some of my pictures.

This week's thought provoking question is: "If you could pick one famous
person to be your neighbor, who would you have next door to you?"

The humor and inspirational pieces below were forwarded by Billy Oh and TG
Yeo, respectively. I think the humor is quite funny, and relevant to what
goes on in Singapore.

Enjoy!

-Josh.
_________________________________________

SINGAPOREAN & BRITISH

Singaporean prefer to use short and easy to understand sentences that is 3
words instead of 10 and not make people confused.

* WHEN SOMETHING IS OUT OF STOCK....
British: I'm sorry, Sir, but we don't seem to have the sweater you want in
your size, but if you give me a moment, I can call the other outlets for
you.
Singaporean: No Stock lah!

* RETURNING A CALL...
British: Hello, this is Stephen Regal. Did anyone page for me a few moments
ago?
Singaporean: Hallo, who page me?

* ASKING SOMEONE TO MAKE WAY...
British: Excuse me; I'd like to get by. Would you please make way?
Singaporean: S-kews!

*WHEN SOMEONE OFFERS TO PAY...
British: Hey, put your wallet away, this drink is on me.
Singaporean: No-nid.

*WHEN ASKING FOR PERMISSION...
British: Excuse me, but do you think it would be possible for me to enter
through this door?
Singaporean: (while pointing at door) Can or not?

*WHEN ASKING TO BE EXCUSED...
British: If you would excuse me for a moment, I have to go to the
gents/ladies. Please carry on without me; it would only take a moment.
Singaporean: Go Toy lert ah?

* WHEN ENTERTAINING...
British: Please make yourself right at home.
Singaporean: Don't be shy, ah!

*WHEN DOUBTING SOMEONE...
British: I don't recall you giving me the money.
Singaporean: Where got?

* WHEN DECLINING AN OFFER...
British: I'd prefer not to do that, if you don't mind.
Singaporean: Doe-waaaan lah!

* WHEN DECIDING ON A PLAN OF ACTION...
British: What do you propose we do now that the movies sold out and all the
restaurants are closed?
Singaporean: So how ah?

* IN DISAGREEING ON A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
British: Excuse me Tom. I have to stop you there. I understand where you're
coming from, but I really have
to disagree with what you said about...
Singaporean: You mad, ha?

* WHEN ASKING SOMEONE TO LOWER THEIR VOICE...
British: Excuse me, but could you please lower your voice, I'm trying to
concentrate over here.
Singaporean: Shaddap lah!

*WHEN ASKING SOMEONE IF HE/SHE KNOWS YOU...
British: Excuse me, but I noticed you staring at me for sometime. May I
asked if I do know you?
Singaporean: See what? Never see before ah?
_________________________________________

What Makes Life 100%?

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

H A R D W O R K
8 1 18 4 23 15 18 11 = 98 %

K N O W L E D G E
11 14 15 23 12 5 4 7 5 = 96 %

A T T I T U D E
1 20 20 9 20 21 4 5 = 100 %

True isn't it ? think over...........

June 10, 2001: Late to Church & 5 Simple Rules

Hi,

How was your weekend? For me, this weekend was fairly low key. I went to
this area called Clementi to do some shopping for home furnishings.
Clementi reminds me of the housing estates in Hong Kong. Right when you
get off the MRT (subway), there is a huge number of stores selling just
about everything, many food courts, and large residential apartment
buildings, all in close proximity. Among my favorite purchases were two
vases, one a Ming dynasty look-alike (white with blue patterns), and
another that is a solid blue glaze. The best thing is that they only cost
S$2 each! Also, I bought these heavy metal balls that Chinese people like
to twirl around in their hands for S$5. These hand exercises is suppose to
improve your health.

I visited two more churches this weekend, and sang two songs that are among
my favorites, "How Great Is Your Love", and "I Could Sing of Your Love
Forever". The worship time at both churches were pretty good, and the
teaching was good as well. I think I have about four or five more churches
that I want to visit before deciding on one. It's going to be a tough
decision because there are so many good churches here.

This coming Saturday, I'll be going to Shanghai, China, for over a week.
Let me know if you have any friends in the Shanghai area. I would love to
meet up with them. Avery Dennison has a large factory in the Shanghai
area, and we also have a "Converting College", where we train Avery
employees and our customers on the different printing technology and how
they work with our adhesives. On the weekends, I'll get a chance to tour
the Shanghai area. So, I may not be able to send out a weekly email next
weekend.

Speaking of traveling, I have some friends who are going to Europe in the
coming two months. One group is going to Paris, and another friend who is
going to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. If you have any friends in those
cities, I'm sure that they would love to meet up with an American there.
So, please send me any contact info for your friends and I'll forward it to
them. Thanks!

This week's thought provoking question is: "If you were to choose a
musical instrument that best describes your character, what would you
choose?"

The humor and inspirational pieces below was forwarded by Anna Man.

Enjoy!

-Josh.
_________________________________________

Late to Church

One Sunday morning a little girl in her Sunday best was running so she
wouldn't be late for church. As she ran she kept praying, "Dear God, please
don't let me be late to church. Please don't let me be late to church...."

And, as she was running she tripped and fell. When she got back up she
began praying again, "Please, God don't let me be late to church -- but
don't shove me either!"
_________________________________________

Five Simple Rules

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

No one can go back and make a brand new start, but anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending.

Disappointments are like road humps, they slow you down a bit but you enjoy
the smooth road afterwards.
Don't stay on the humps too long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted, just sit tight
and be happy, because there is
something better in store for you.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There's
a purpose to life's events, to
teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard. You can't make someone
love you, all you can do is be
someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your
worth.

Be Blessed!