[clear - refresh] ---THE ETCH-A-SKETCH BLOG--- [created by may]


14/09/2007
Imf ... one year on

One year ago, several people were at Pan Pacific. They were there to serve the delegates, the dlos, hlos,idos. Some were on government service, others volunteered their time. These people were there around the clock, the morning shift handing over to the afternoon shift which in turn passed on to the graveyard shift. So the desk was scarcely vacant. The intention was to be that ready helping hand to those who had come for the meetings. And it was to be done in a warm and friendly manner, a four million smiles campaign. And needless to say, they were all friendly with each other, colleagues in an instant, quick friendships formed over the short time for most. 2 of them got very friendly, a little too friendly, but that too was a start.

For me, my experience was unique. It was a period where everything seemed to come at once. Besides the unearthly hours I had to put in, my driving test beckoned and a swimming competition loomed around the corner. However, to take nothing away, it was a most wonderful time away from the uniformed life I lead then, and a chance to play dress up and wow with a smile (service with smile). Zhong Yi and Daniel will both remember the nights of noodles at the 7-11 outlet. It was our saviour from the 'excitement' we experienced between 11 to 7. Of course, we ceremoniously placed our bums on that pavement beside the taxi stand, adding a tinge of class to the spectacle of wolfing down bowl noodles in identical long sleeves and a most amorous pink tie. We were also prone to that common error of sleeping on the job. The exception was that we got caught. Or would I remember being ever so daring as to catch the Man United champions' league match on that bbc-purposed screen behind the desk.

Of course, I did 'hello' all, and most replied in kind. Never, ever did I imagine that the 2 week assignment would net me a most amazing person. I went in looking for nothing, and the surprise is all the great because it was so unexpected.

There are plenty of 'what ifs' in life. What if I wasn't recruited at the last moment to make up for the short fall of hlos. What if I stuck to Raffles Hotel as was the original arrangement. What if there wasn't the reshuffle of idos to pan pac.

Everything happens for a reason.

wizzing away on 10:35 AM

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