how are you, baby

Dear my unborn baby,,,,first of all, I'm sorry for failing to talk you these days as your dad is quite busy in coping a several duties at the same time. But I admit you are always on our mind. These days we are worrying about your health as we learned some from our friends. We try to give you the best service in taking care by consulting with a professional OG in private hospital in respect of your safety. We don't stingy in spending money on ur health as we want you to become a perfect baby. So we just follow the OG's instruction and unfortunately we need to do screening test on every single visit. We thought it's usual for a pregnancy women as the doctor knows what she needs to do in this procedure. So we go there at a right time for a consultancy.

The worry come from our friend's suggest. In our native country, the doctors are not usually recommend to scan when pregnancy is earlier stage. According to them, it can affect the baby inside as the unseen ray are going to touch the baby. It can be logically right and I inquired with my other foreign colleagues and they also agree with that. So my suspect upon this matter become grower and convert to worry. Now your mum and I discuss to tell OG not to scan unless it is necessary. In fact, it's not easy to ask the foreign doctor and show dislike in what he/she is doing. But it come against to you, our brave come out automatically in respect of your safety. Hopefully you are not yet to affect from that unfamiliar screening.

What we guessed and understood was it's a must to screen so that the doctor can monitor inside the womb and able to make an accurate and better decision upon the result of the screening test. We are happy to see you moving in our second visit and we never thought side effects as you are our first baby. Of course, every parent will expect the arrival of a new baby as much healthy as it is. We also wish to see you super-healthy baby once the time come to delivery and now we are unlikely patient enough to see you in physically. Thanks for doing your part on the other hand on which we can't control at all. Please do let you know that if there was something that can hurt you, it wasn't done intentionally, my baby. It probably arise because of our over worry upon your safety. Anticipate your forgiveness if any wrong doing existed, my be-loving baby.

Happy New Year ahead for you.

21th century robber?

I NEVER think myself as a robber until I read one article that is circulating today. The article is about a foreign talent who cannot speak fluently despite designation is "account executive". This story begin once she sign up for a free English language class at a community club in Singapore. Unfortunately she entered into the trap and dramatically become a victim of this press. In my point of view, there is nothing wrong with her as she just wants to improve her language skill just like others. The problem is she is a migrant worker just like me who is also from the same source. I learned some from the side effect of this article and I'm writing now what I am feeling regarding to the story.

We both have few similarity between us, such as, S-pass holder, working as an office, possess a domestically recognized degree from a same country, etc. So I can't afford to ignore such a kind of article as the article is entitled with my country and she, my fellow citizen, is center of attention. As a consequence of this, there are so many comments, most of which goes against migrant workers and I am very much frustrated by reading them at all. I can't remember all exactly but generally is we are not welcomed as a white-collar works that is easily taken by locals. Why can't we do such a job if we are eligible to do so? Are we not a human being? Everybody wants to get a better job as long as it's reachable.

Some S'porean come with strong comments that might suffer to all foreign workers who are coming and working not only their own benefit but also them. Despite they are mainly attention to a certain jobs under a sudden industries in which they are willing to work. Actually being immigrant workers, we are not supposed to choose where to work and at some point we need to shift according to the desire of employer. Only few % of ours can pursue in what they want to work in real life. However some people can get the jobs exactly what they want and it's happened coincidentally. This type of migrant workers proportion would be insignificant number I dare to say.

At one point, they, Singaporean, accuse foreign workers seriously as once they see one foreign worker mean one of S'porean's job has been robbed. It's look like unfair to us. We are also human being just like locals and of course we are improving by experience and looking for a better job for a better life. They seems forget that and they always would like to see us as a under-dog. Everybody has a right to enhance their chance of becoming a better person who can able to work at the better place. In this global world, people with a such attitude are so pity and their words of mouth show how poor their mentality. Furthermore they are probably the lower standard education people. Because it's obvious they don't need to worry about their job losing as long as they are well prepared and competent people.

Concerning in small matter means their level are not match with a citizen of first world country that is label to Singapore by themselves. I don't know whether Sg is one of first world country or not. Probably it's true and I would like to remind that the character of citizens also should raise to match the development of a country. In fact I am seeing so many sign boards that is similar to a third world countries's manner. Some people, on the other hand, come out with a horrible idea that suggest to increase the living cost of foreign workers to 100% to 300% by discussing among their fellow citizens. What a stupid idea to have like that? It's ok if they don't want to support to other's business, but it's offence to do such a manner in a law-governing country. It show how bad is the character of this country. Such a kind of people will damage/ spoil the image of Singapore among world's society.

In fact, we all are not happying in staying here and working here. I am sure most of us are not meant to work here for life as they thought. Once we have gained some experience and money, we will go back our home land. We are temporarily working here, not shelter like a refugee. We are contributing by working in some areas that are shun by locals. We are filling all voids that are left behind by locals. As they are facing some risks like they thought, on the other hand, we are also facing our own risks. We mostly come here through agent and paid fees and accept all risks that are awaiting for us in future. Nobody take all incoming liability for things that goes wrong including our life risk. I have been experience in life cost accidents in my past oversea experience. Who is taking responsibility for that if come to us? We ourselves take it, right? At the end of the day, our family welcome back whatever situation is.

Some people come out with alternative ideas that is pointing out their own government's policies that can loose the rule and open door wider than it is supposed to be. In fact, their govt is not a stupid one and they might have been think from all angles in order to prevent their own people's benefit. If the Singapore govt is not good enough, then their people won't deserve today they are. But they are still seeking weak point of their own govt's policy when things went wrong. Human can make mistake including them, they may forget that. Anyway it's non of our business and what we need to pay attention is to focus on our own jobs and keep as long as our employer and this govt need us. We shouldn't care about the words of stupid people who are afraid of competition in this global world.

They dare to say their country is first world country while their character is lower than even third world country. Wondering if Singapore can stand itself without foreign workers. The answer is as simple as ABC. Their own govt leaders frequently highlight this regarding to the maintaining of FTs. Basically we can't survive here if we are not good enough to work here. This say able to work in Singapore mean we are as good as locals unless even we are better than them. Moreover boss are not stupid men and they know how to handle it in respect of their own benefit. Let me remind Mr and Mrs Singaporean that we'll go back home when the time come right. We are not from a tiny island state that has no natural resource. We are coming from a big country that has very long history and rich in natural resources. We are proud of our country despite our system is among worst in world. Hopefully this year election can change our country's future and effectively impact to our lives. Wish to show how hospitality of our people are when you come and invest in my country by the time my country reform democratic and going on the right track.

Thank you for allowing us to work here with a temporary pass.

Jade Lesson

Today I read one news from the Eleven Journal website with some associated photos. The news indicate that the Vietnam is boasting to launch a project of world's biggest jade statue of Buddha. What is it concern with us then? Of course it's related to our country as the raw jade that is supposed to be used in this project is imported from Myanmar. The news come with the exact dimension and reliable photos and it's popular journal in domestic. According to news, the Jade dimension are as follow:-

Length: 6' 6"
Width : 6' 6"
Hight : 10' 0"
Weight: 35 ton

What a huge dimension as a single solid precious stone? I am very impressive to read and see this stone while I felt a bit stingy to lose it to other country. Why we cannot make it for our own goodness? We sold it for US $ 2 million and it's quite affordable by our Government or local magnates. The different would be the attitude of people and I can see nothing else. with my tiny brain. In my opinion, our country is most developed country in term of Buddhism. I don't know what is Vietnam's core religious exactly. Hopefully they are modified Buddhism as their culture and china is similar. Now they are boasting to show world that they are on the right track to do World's biggest Jade Buddha statue and even intend to be listed in Genes Book. The group of 50 Artistes will convert it to a Buddha Statue and launching ceremony is attended by the president with the proud face. After finish it, the Statue would be 9ft 8in in height and 20 ton weighted. The current biggest jade Buddha statue in world weighs only 4 ton and 9ft height only.

If this project is happening on our own land, of course, I also would be very proud of being Myanmar citizen. To be optimistic, the fact would be always there that the Jade is from Myanmar and it seems telling world how rich our country's natural resource are and how good quality our products are. It doesn't matter where the Statue is existing, the history will remain unchanged despite the time goes by. Hopefully I can have a chance to witness it by the time this project is finished on near future.

A value of a step

If we think time is money in Singapore, then a value of step cost us some in different aspect. On the day 1 of 2010, I moved out to a place nearby my wife's office and I enjoy the taste of rush hour ridership. Since my new place is located on the Northern west and my work is at the Southern East, I need to travel through the whole city area to get my work. In this process, I notice some habit and behavior of fellow commuters.

It's a human nature that people want to do things on the margin. Most of people left home at the last minute for work. I also one of those and I will have to rush all the way to work. Walk faster to catch the train & bus as early as possible. I am staying on the NS line and my last destination end at EW line. So basically I need to transit at one interchange station. But I noticed on having some special trains that can travel all the way beyond its designated end station. I mean is NS train doesn't end at Jurong East station and continue driving on the EW line and terminate at Pasir Ris station. I never heard before such a kind of service until my first day experience and I intended to take fully advantage of this availability.

So I can't afford to walk slowly as 1 min late can cost me 15 minutes because this special train interval during peak hours is about 15 minute. So I usually walk quite fast on the way to station and queue for free morning paper at the station. It would be boring trip to travel over an hour without a paper to read and so I used to take my paper to avoid it. Sometime I need to judge myself as training is approaching within 1 minute once I just arrive to station to Q. I can't afford to take both and I understand the value of time more at that point.

Some day I can't simply aboard the train despite I catch it because train is full of passenger and I would be left behind and how upset it is to see train going? Again, I realize the value of a step when I am the first commuter to be left. So I decide not to Q at the paper once I encounter such a bitter experience. But the following day, I'll automatically Q again as I have become a paper addict. I feel something empty inside if I do not read a paper early morning. I hope it secretly became my habit since I arrived in city state.

I noticed that even in a small thing like taking a paper and train, there is some risk involved regarding time consuming and I am aware of that. No wonder we can't avoid such a risk in our daily life routine and we should learn how to settle them instead upsetting. I thanks my wife for changing our room and give me a chance to learn how people are maneuvering in their daily life. Hopefully I can gain some good lessons from my daily route.

Reincarnation

BEING a Buddhist, I believe in cause and effect, existing of past life & next life basically. We are understood that whatever we are possessing in this life is the result of our activities in past life. And the current life's behavior and manner will mold our next life. We were shown the right way to practice and it's up to us whether we value it or not. Most of us will think of it's too early to practice or comply the basic principles of our Buddha's method and I also still a traditional buddhist man. Nothing more than that.

In this topic, I would like to think about the word of "reincarnation". Probably we all have heard some stories regarding with reincarnation of a person in our surrounding in the form of either verbal or through books. Anyway we all are interesting such a kind of story once we hear or read it. About one year ago, I read the head news of the famous newspaper entitled that "Reincarnation of Buddha". I think this news was very popular among Buddhist unless it is happening among other religions. Of course I read it with a full of excitement and think of myself it is possible or not. In this incredible world everything can happen at any time and any where. Most of thing can be tested while only few things out of imaginary.

These news was coming from a Nepal country where our Lord of Buddha was delivered. What a coincidence? According to the media, the young man who is supposed to be claimed return of Buddha. I don't know he claim it himself or media label him or people around him simply assume. Anyway this news become a breaking news all over the world. He is meditation inside the forest and usually he avoid to meet audience and he has some companions who are assisting in what he needs. What I saw him in newspaper was just an ordinary man who is seriously taking meditation practice only. I mean is he is not totally look like a monk. So I noticed other comments that are come out with an attached photos. In the photo, the monks are going to see him and paying respect him in the belief of our Buddha. In this case, some people speak up for why some monks are paying respect to a normal man who is supposed to be an inferior to them.

Few days later this young man disappear to a forest. His management claimed that they also didn't know when he go and where he is heading to. This breaking news was effectively disappeared since then and I never notice the young man come out again till now. This is one story I have learn in my past and now I am apparently facing a similar incident to my own. My wife and I also not very sure but we are in the half belief of that. The story came to us togetherness of getting a baby inside my wife's womb. Let me explain a bit here so that you can understand why I am talking about this. I have a very close friend in my life and he passed few years back exactly about 3 year something. Once he died, I was still single and already worked in another country. So I was saddened to heard his sad news and time make me forgot about him.

After 3 year from that time, I got married with my wife who is also friend of my close friend. Few months back, we dreamed about him without remembering and he is always saying that he want to come with us. Actually we don't have plan to take a baby as a newly weds and the dream was almost the same to my wife as well. Early morning, we used to exchange about the overnight dream and we were amazed to see him through dream. This kind of dream happens to us for a month and now my wife is pregnant. What a wonderful experience? We were surprised to learn that my wife is positive to pregnancy test because it's not planned one. Anyway we are happy and trying to do our best to welcome our baby. It really doesn't matter whether the baby is our friend or not. We would be glad to see our new generation in new year and hopefully the baby of this tiger year would possess a good fortune according to a Chinese traditional.

A thought related with a public transportation

I WAS surprised to view double decker bus in Singapore's roads. I thought only in London metro line has such a kind of bus in this world. May be England capital city's bus service is famous for pioneer and longest in the world's transportation sector. And media used to highlight the goodness of UK's management system in every angle and we world people follow English way as a standard. I think Singapore is one of those countries who follow English method. Anyway I am currently working and staying in Lion City and enjoying it's effective transport system.

I equally impress City State's metro line in experiencing and can't imagine how to handle and manage such a kind of advance technology by a tiny country. In this global world, size doesn't matter in developing a state and there are so many example to proof that. I just simply cannot estimate/ forecast when my own country will possess the same kind of public transportation. I don't think you have a proper answer to this question as well. Ok lets leave it as it is bcz I am now paying attention to Singapore's public transport system.

I am currently staying in northern part of Singapore and my workplace is located at the eastern part. So the traveling distance of my daily route measure to a double digits miles. In favor of Technology, I don't need to worry about that distance as Singapore has an effective public transport system that can carry people from and to the desire destination without troubles. We can't count on traveling fees as long as our daily route is run smoothly and we are enjoying the advantage of high tech adopted by Govt.

I don't know how much efficient the transportation system is in the first world countries bcz I never been there before to date. What I can compare now is within my knowledge or past experience. I fortunately have a wonderful experience in another country apart from my native land. It was Malaysia who is also region heavy weigh among ASEAN countries in term of rich and development. Once I first time see on M'sia, I was also amazed to learn their development on public related places such as express way, university, airport, health care, etc. After 3 years working in M'sia, I entered S'pore and encountered the better world. Almost everything I saw makes me WOW. I don't know if I may have a chance to go another developed country like US/ EU countries in future and again WOW as I had been in previous 2 countries.

I am so much impressed in witnessing their developing because I have been used to a poor public infrastructure in my country. I don't know what make things so much different between my country and theirs. Generally my country is richer in natural resource than any other country in this world. But we are still surviving in the poor living standard. To be honest, I am still loving my country despite I am currently out of my land. I increasingly understand life's value by working and staying in oversea as I can't find loving kindness among society in this country. I can't consider myself how to survive my older days within a community of such kind if I am forced to convert my citizenship. Last time I though in different way and valued oversea life as I don't know the situation of real life. Now I understand a bit more about the real value of life and will not hesitate to go back my country once the right time come. It really doesn't matter whether my country's life style has improved or not.

The life's real value shouldn't be only measured by a physical development.

Seeing you moving makes me excite...

Jan 9, 2010, my wife and I went the Gleneagle Hospital clinic for second consecutive visit to consult with an OG. This time we are going with the prospect of unpredictable result from the first time screening result that indicated some bloods outside the ovary. Another thing to be worried is how much the fully screening test & operation cost will cost to us. Once things come to the way of our baby, we automatically brave ourselves and again we tried to go on the appointment date.

Luckily, the ultra screen show bloods are moving away from the baby and it become less risk to our baby and OG only suggested us not to move so much around. This time pregnancy is 9 weeks and we can see the baby is moving via monitor screen. Also the leg and hand are appearing in the screen. By the time we go for 1st time at 6 weeks, we just able to see a 9mm size of a solid thing. Nothing else. This time the baby is bigger to 2.57cm in size and we emotionally saw he/she is moving by shaking his/her legs & hands. How amazing is it to see the baby is moving and at the same time I understood that we have to take extra care in whatever we eat/move at all time.

What a wonderful parental love? I have heard a lot about parent-child relationship before but didn't understand until my own come. What an amazing feeling to think of having own biological child in this year 2010. The OG double confirmed due date that won't change from its initial forecast date of 10th August, 2010. What a coincident again? Twenty ten is special year for Myanmar nationals as there would be hold much anticipated election and the baby come such a period. Plus due date time fall on August that is always milestones month in Myanmar's history. Hopefully our baby come to us at the right time for the benefit of everybody.

I am adding one more wish in my prayer and that special wish is to ensure our incoming baby is good in health and possess all standard package as a normal baby. I hope my wish would be fulfilled in the mid of August, this year.....