Learning to be Thankful

What sparked this post?

It was about the new IPPT system implemented.

I saw this comment in reply to the changes made in the IPPT system. It said "So.... ippt have became something that everyone can pass..." Well, I should put out this disclaimer first, it was from a friend's friend whom I am not acquainted with and on checking, should be of at least poly education and age. Yet it doesn't make me feel any better. I still feel damn angry about it.
 
Apparently you have no idea how NSmen feel not being able to pass IPPT. If you have slugged it out on the track doing RT during your weekends or have to travel to that camp just for RT when you have a hectic school or work schedule, you will know how it feels. Fine, you can argue why wait till the last minute then do RT? There are people who train for it and still have difficulty passing, like SBJ and it is by no means their fault. It's the technique which they weren't taught.

                             

Credits: Mothership

 
Who doesn't want to pass IPPT in one attempt and forget about it for a year? Not everyone can do it though. This change in the IPPT system is meant to help them. They are the target audience. If you can't pass, you will probably agree with me that this is a blessing. It gives NSmen some hope that training will show results and that IPPT is passable (some NSmen have it engrained in their mindsets that IPPT is bao fail).

If you can pass IPPT in the past (means you have certain fitness), this new system shouldn't affect you much, in fact it makes it easier for you to get your gold. So why do I hear people from this group complaining? Only think about yourself, that you are affected is it?

If you aren't, good, I salute you. I know everyone doesn't like changes but changes like these are for the good of NSmen in general and I ask you to bear with it.

Sometimes Singaporeans have to learn to be thankful and think from the perspectives of others. So what if you can't get your gold and lose out on that little bit of reward when so many others have benefited from it? Can't you just see past that line of ME and MYSELF and see how it affects others?

Was IPPT meant to be exclusive? Everyone pass cannot ah? Everyone pass, got offend you is it? Gosh. I don't know what kids these days are thinking but no, not only you are entitled to passing and getting your gold. It's not like there is a limit to the number of gold rewards they are giving out.

Do refer to my article written with regards to the news of the new IPPT system here:
http://theinfluencermedia.com/2014/07/24/new-ippt-system-brings-relief/

While I am on the topic of how Singaporeans should learn to be thankful, let's also take a look at
http://theinfluencermedia.com/2014/07/20/5-major-facts-about-singapore-that-every-singaporean-should-understand/

My colleague wrote this article and there has been a lot of comments. Basically, people either agree with him that we ought to be thankful for how Singapore is overall but there are people who also criticse it. No, he is not pro-government. Do we need to be pro-government to be thankful for the country we reside in now? It's just weighing the pros and cons and how you want to compare it. If you compare with the best, of course Singapore may not be much but be fair in your comparison, don't take it out of context.

It is always easy to criticize things, policies, the government. Yet, we need to recognize the facts for what they are and see what they show or where they lead. It is a fact that undergraduates or graduates expect jobs with certain salaries. No, it is not wrong. After all, there has been investments made on us, through the form of education fees. We also expect internships to have a reasonable allowance even though the company may be reputable. Hello? We also need to feed ourselves and even our families right? All these facts show us there we have a certain mindset and I won't say it is wrong but there is a cause and effect relationship. The effect is that foreigners are willing to take these jobs with lower salaries.

I don't agree with every choice or decision made by the government or like everything that Singapore is now but still, let's be thankful for what we have. Count our blessings. Do not take things for granted. If you don't know what we take for granted, look to other countries, their poverty, their education, their security, their jobs. Let's treasure all these that we do have and not regret when we lose them. The Singapore today may not be the same Singapore we know of a few hundred years down the road.

End of Internship!

So after a 10 week long internship, it's time to say farewell. It wasn't that easy to say goodbye, especially when your boss and colleagues don't talk to you only about work.

Credit: Pinterest

We spent time eating together, yes, where else but the same old hawker center at Changi Village, until we got sick of it and started changing hawker centers and even going to Loyang Point. That wasn't all. There was food tasting, at places like The Assembly Grounds, Concetto by Saveur, 26 Tapas Bar and we also attended events such as the launch of Lalin's Photo Gallery, not to mention, foot massage at Feet Haven and sailing onboard White Sails yacht. Some of those activities ended with beer, with long chats, not that I chatted a lot lah, if you know me.

Sometimes I don't know myself as well as I should. I don't talk a lot but apparently people say my emotions are written all over my face and sometimes they scream stress or emo. I don't know how well they interpret them but nonetheless I would like to say I am very thankful for the concern.

 

We worked long hours during events, busy socialising, taking photographs, updating social platforms, filming. It was all part of the job but it was more than just the job.

I ain't what you would call a fashionable person, barely got myself a few working attires and formal shoes. We guys from HSS don't really need them at school. So my really helpful colleagues accompanied me shopping. Despite my strong restraints not to buy anything, I did. Not a lot lah but still. People say you see colleagues on weekdays, see until sian. Well, they chose to see me on a weekend despite their busy schedules.

I was blessed with this great internship in more ways than one.

The location. I barely take 20mins to get there and back. Don't ask my colleagues how long they take. They will throw things at you. That's why I don't mind being early or the first one to be there.

The job. You don't exactly get to surf the internet and check Facebook as part of a job. Also, I get to attend food tasting, events, write about them and liaise with clients on behalf of the company. There is no greater satisfaction in getting a positive response. Every time an email comes in, I can imagine myself squealing with glee when it's a positive response.

I never imagined so much could happen from that moment of boredom when I decided to do something about it and not just sit there and let things happen. They say that when you share something and others are happy, you feel happy too. That can never be more true.

Besides the above, I get to meet bloggers from all walks of life and make friends with them. Which job pays you to make friends? Not socializing for the sake of networking but making friends. Being friendly to others for the benefits and opportunities they might someday give you is networking but making friends with just friendship in mind is another thing. When you make friends, you don't expect anything in return, in fact you might need to provide them help when times of needs arise but when you are in need your friends will help you. This is genuine friendship. That's what friends are for.

So thanks to my boss and my colleagues for making this a great learning experience for me and to all those who have offered me their friendship and shared a little more about themselves to quiet, anti-social me!
 
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