Hobbies

Professional Working Experience

Scuba Diving

It's a different world I tell ya. The thrill of seeing aquatic animals which you usually would see on National Geographic would get your adrenaline going and be filled with awe of God's wisdom in creation and pray so hard for humans to stop polluting the seas.

It has been two years since I last dived because I was always traveling around and the sport is very expansive in Singapore (Did I say I am a Singaporean? Yeah, I am one and PROUD to be one too!) .

Say, it might not be a bad idea to be a dive master. *Ding!* I could get myself certified and get a job in Club MED!  That is definitely something worth considering.

Belly dancing

Yes, I am aspiring belly dancer but when I realized that I can only do figure-8,hip-rotation and stomach undulation perfectly but cannot coordinate my limbs when making turns, I have given up the idea of turning professional but remained ever so passionate about this sport and I still practice it everyday, just to make sure I can still do my "maya" and my hips can still move like a snake. Belly dance, makes me feel beautiful, incredibly sexy and confident.

I went as far as going to Egypt to learn from the best Egyptian masters for a week of daily lessons in June 2004. Had a hell of a great time but by the end of it I think I had a belly dance music overdose or a hearing problem for at least a month and start having belly dancing withdrawal symptoms, for example I refused (or apparently it is because I can't hear the music )to sway my hips or dance for two weeks when my fellow belly dancers would sway their hips away doing all the snake, camel (ha ha ha.. yes not joking, it's the move that walks like the camel . it is actually very damn sexy and erotic for a woman to do this move , CORRECTLY I must say.) and shoulder shimmy moves whenever they hear Arabic or Turkish music.

Do I still dance? OF COURSE! I still swear by my undying love for this beautiful dance that celebrates women's body and I will do it until I am 80 years old. Yeeee Haaaa.. I am gonna be some hot mama for sure *wink*.

Rollerblading

Got into this when I was about 16, after more than 10 years I am still very much into this sport. Nothing can beat the feeling of rolling on 8 wheels at a speed which you can feel as if you are catching the wind!

Do you know I bought my first pair of blades without even knowing how to even stand in them? Took some classes in YMCA and tada! I even learn how to fall "gracefully". :)

Learnt it the hard way though, I still remember there was once when I fell so bad and I had a huge bruise on my bum. It was tough to sit without moaning when the 812 SBS bus drivers are making corner turns or did a stop at the traffic lights. I hate the bus journey home from NYP. I just wished that at that time I could "detach" my arse and put it on my lap to save it from the torture. There are far more embarrassing ones which I think I would save it until I get to know you more.

That did not stop me from doing this sport. In fact it motivated me to conquer it because I know the rewards would be tremendous (nice toned bums and legs, well I USED to have them). After more than 10 years now and into my 5th pair of blades, I am ever more ready to race the wind every Saturday in East Cost Park whenever I can. One word of advise to people who want to learn rollerblading or inline-skating, never to be afraid of falling down because that is the way to learn it well and reap the benefits of it much later on.

Traveling

AH... now we are on to the juicy part. Ever since I started my current job, I am very lucky to have a boss who trust me and believe in me that I can still deliver results even when I am not physically in Singapore. Technology plays a part too! If there are no light notebooks and DSL lines and auto roaming mobile phone there will be no today's Hwee Chee's lifestyle.

Usually I will be away for a whole stretch of 3 months and then return to see my dog in Singapore (ahmm.. and to catch up with my family and friends). That is the good thing about Singaporean passport. These days, an American passport will get you to places too, BUT NOT SAFELY! if you know what I mean. 

I love my current job because I have a boss who is very trusting and fair. Hey that does not mean I have a male "cheekoh" boss okay, in-fact I have a female  boss who is well known in the organization to be a slave-driver but call me a sadist  or whatever, but I love my slave-driver! I love someone who is driven, knows the direction and able to stimulate me to go to greater heights both professional and personal wise.

Okay, I know I all these are not related to my traveling experiences but those are very important points for me to allow me to live, travel and work at at the same time.  

I have been to Australia (best part of my student life!), New Zealand, USA, UK , Egypt and Turkey and have stayed in these countries for long periods of time. As long as my Singaporean passport allows me to stay without a visa and then go back again and again :)

My recent experience in Turkey was unforgettable and I been back at least 3 times and each time for a period of 3 months I think I did a total of 9 months  there. Gonna be back again pretty soon :)

• Resume/CV
• ITSM Master Certification
  Service Support and
  Service Delivery
• ITSM - Foundation
• Oracle 9i
• Oracle DBA1 and DBA2
• Introduction to SAP

• SAP basis administration

• RMIT University Transcripts

• Golden Key Membership
• Nanyang Polytechnic Diploma
• Nanyang Polytechnic Transcripts
• GCE O'Levels Certificate
• GCE PSLE Certificates

(can't post'em up yet, cuz address were not removed!! need to do some cosmetic work first )

Photo Album

Took this in July 2004 on the streets of Sultanahment, Istanbul. I got to know a lot of very nice people and sometimes I even volunteer to help out in the budget hotel at STAR HOLIDAY HOTEL. If you see someone sitting there in the 2nd level lobby reception counter (which they have "de-commissioned"= not in use anymore) with a laptop and talking thru her headset in Hokkien or Mandarin or English that probably would be me. The budget hotel  belongs to my boyfriend's (yeah my "Turkish delight" *wink* ) uncle and they are very nice to let me use their DSL to dial in to work and even prepare a phone line just for me to have teleconferences.

On the weekends we will go "home" in Beykoz and enjoy these wonderful Turkish home cooked food. So when are the wedding bells? Not so soon, we both feels that we are still young and hey, I have not got to see much of this beautiful world yet. There are so much things to see and do but so little time! 

How's my Turkish? Well, let's put it this way, I can bargain in Turkish now and I know where to get good value and bargain items. Turkish way of life has taught me a lot of things and this makes me appreciate my own Government in Singapore even more. Yes, Singapore is a "FINE" city but come on, where do you find a cosmopolitan city (going to become one soon) with different races living in harmony together? Try walking your dog in New York or London streets at 3am and you will know what I mean.

As you know, if you are a real backpacker, the purpose of the camera is really just a tool to have something to show the folks back home and to let them know you are still well and alive. It is actually a burden to carry the camera. A lot of times I got chided for not bringing my camera on my trips .

Here are my tiny collections of the paths that I have trended before.

Enjoy!  La la la ..

Websites packed with information that interest me:

Siberian Huskies - I have a beautiful female red sibe. She made me discover that I do love dogs. I melt whenever she looks at me with those lovely eyes.. that always says "bring me out for a walk!"

Some links on belly dancing :

Cairo yearly Belly dancing festival - this is the place where I got "toxicated" with constant non stop belly dancing action. This is also the place to be if you want to see the BEST dancers in Egypt (their rates are not cheap, cool chicks like Dina can command US 10K per show so seeing them there in the festival is really a steal). Belly dancers all over the world congregate here everywhere just to get the certification so that they can hang it up in the walls back home in their own studio. When I was there, I was only a 3 month old "baby" in the belly dancing scene but most of the girls there are either professional dancers or professional belly dancing teacher in their own countries. I was doing doing pretty well until they start doing the turns, sigh. ( see previous section under "HOBBIES" )

Harem Pants

Go to this website if you want to learn how to make harem pants. I TELL YOU IT IS THE MOST COMFORTABLE THING TO WEAR especially in EGYPT and if you are backpacking. IT is quick to dry as well and wearing it makes you feel... sexy. This link is actually part of Shira.net website and it is bursting with belly dancing information. This is a good place to start for any beginner or belly dancer wannabe. I do have alot of bookmarks on belly dancing but it is too exhaustive to list them here. So I will just least the most popular one and it should be good enough to lead you to where you want to be. Internet is great! Isn't it?

 Turkish language and living in Turkey

Enough said, if you want to know more, click on it. :)

Oh, if you have a Turkish boyfriend or girlfriend but know nothing about Turkish language, this is a good website for you to learn some Turkish poems with English translation. Until today, my Turkish boyfriend still cannot figure out  how I manage to send him poems in Turkish and told him I understand every single damn word of it. Hehehehe..

This website has a very funny article on Turkish language. It "direct" translated a very famous Turkish story into English. I almost laughed my head off reading it the first time. Go to the section "A love story".