Can't wait to be a Bangla

18th May

JF& I will be working at Discovery Cove while everyone else would be working at Seaworld.

Just a rough description of Discovery Cove: DC is a by reservations only park and the entrance fee is USD 279 per pax for a day (crazy). The place is really exclusive and is a man made island beach place. Guests get to swim with dolphins, stingrays and get a free flow of food and beverages. Only 1000 guests are allowed to enter DC each day which makes it even more ooh-lala...

Those working at Seaworld started work today whereas JF & I had to go for an extra training at DC today. We went for a short tour around DC and wou…it’s so pretty..but honestly USD279 for a day there is really to expensivela…can use that money to eat 300 packets of chicken rice with extra egg somemore! Sheesh…these rich people..

Everyone came back home with fun stories about their first day of work today. I hope my job would be fun….i start work on Monday and I can’t wait to come home with stories too!!

Ohya! I prepared dinner tonight! Fried chicken with broccoli and carrots! Looks good ya?..the fried chicken is cheating one, just have to heat up in the oven..haha..

Bangla Reality begins

17th May

After 2 days of fun, the Bangla Party begins. We got into our really weird uniforms for our culinary training. Ohya, forgot to mention that all of us are in culinary operations. Only WL is in operations. Culinary operations means helping out with the food business; cooking, serving, preparing, stealing food back for dinner (haha) and etc.

Our uniforms make us look really MANly and the shorts increases your hips size by 10 sizes. Our shirts makes us look either like a walking aquarium (SK&JM), tablecloth(WM), magic carpet(Suen) or a basket of flowers(JF & me).

After training, Suen & I made chicken carrot porridge for dinner. Must practice our culinary skills before works starts…hehe. Indepentpjgirls can cook too, oh-kay!
Erm, ok, a small secret…I cut my finger with the knife when I tried to cut the carrot bag open. My finger started bleeding and I felt faint. Suen the St John member helped me plaster my finger while I kept my eyes closed…ouch!!
Our chicken carrot porridge was really yummy! We ate it with mama’s love fried shallots, crispy keropoky stuff and some fried dried prawns too. Oooohh…yummy!!

Bangla's day out 2!

16th May

Went to Seaworld for training & employment paperwork. After that we went to watch Shamu show at the park. Shamu is the name of the killer whale which is like the Ronald McDonald of Mcdonalds. We watch the really smart killer whales jump up and down doing really cool stunts and splashing water here and there. The whales had a really musky cheesy smell but other than that they were really cute! I wish I could go into the water to sayang them!

After the Shamu show, Seokie wanted to go back to International Drive to return the shoes she bought yesterday. Seokie Meokie tried on size 8 but brought home size 8W. 8W is a wider then size 8 and we didn’t realize that until she tried it on back in the apartment.

Suen, JM and WL wanted to go to Downtown Disneyland so we went on our separate ways. I wished we could have gone together but I guess it’s okla. I just hope we don’t keep going on our separate ways otherwise it would defeat the main reason we joined this program – to experience US together.

Seokie & I asked WM & JF to come along with us to International Drive since they haven’t been there. They whole journey Seokie & I kept annoying WM..haha..JF is picking up on the skill too…jiayou JF!haha..opss..*innocent*

After changing the shoes, we went to try IHOP (International House Of Pancakes)…yummy!! Four of us shared a one person’s portion banana walnut buttermilk pancake. One person’s portion actually comes with 4 pieces of pancakes! Madness! No wonder obesity is at a very critical rate here in US. I don’t want to get obesed!!!Save me!!
After pancakes, we went to the McD’s nearby. That McDees is the world’s most unique McDees. The building is in a French fries shape and inside..ohmygoodness! you really don’t feel like you’re in a McDs. They have an arcade upstairs and the place is divided into kid’s area, McD bistro gourmet and a normal eating area. They have over 30 plus variety of food to choose from: 10 plus kinds of burgers and 10 plus kinds of wraps and pizza’s and salads and pasta and etc. Crazyla! So unMcdonald-lish! Felt like a mini foodcourt!

Banglas' day out

15th May

Exploring around Florida

Before we went exploring, we had to go settle some stuff at the Seaworld office. On our way out, we got lucky and this Singaporean guy we nicked named Mr. C offered to give us a ride in his convertible. We all never sat in a convertible before and started jacooning around again. After settling all the Seaworld office business, we headed of to International Drive, one of the most happening roads around where all the buildings and civilizations are. First stop, International Drive Fleamarket. JM & I got our cool shades here. $10 for 2 pairs. Cheap and cool, eh? JM used her really funny bargaining method to bargain for us..haha..I’m still not used to wearing the shades but the sun is really intense in the afternoons and if you don’t wear shades, you feel like your eyeballs are frying up...ewwwwWe also visited the Adidas Outlet store. Ohmymama!! Everyone control-control- must not buy anything-bangla must wait till get first pay only can go shopping.
Suen & I just randomly picked some caps to pose for pics and ohoo…I just fell in love with the blue cap I tried. And…teng,teng,teng..I sinned. I bought it!haha…it was toooo preeetyyy! And, I didn’t bring a cap so..hehe..nevermindla ya? *wink* After that, we just kept walking and walking. Stopping here and there to take pictures like a bunch of crazy tourists.

We had lunch at Denny Diners. The portions are super huge! 5 of us shared a 2 people’s portion and an appetizer. Drinks were refillable for free too! The waiters and waitresses were really friendly and we really enjoyed our meal there. Thumbs up, yoyo!! Haha..it’s the American way, yo!

Training up the banglas

14th May

Orientation plus training

It was like a 4 hour lecture. We learnt about the company we are working for (Anheuser Bush), safety issues, service with a smile & bla..bla..bla..It wasn’t really that boring but there were a lot of waiting time because we had to get our uniforms and go for a terrible drug test! We were required to give hair samples for our drug test from 3 different spots on our scalp. So terrible& membotakkan!

After orientation, we were allowed to enter Seaworld and play the rides. WM, JF, Ernie & I sat the Kraken, the highest roller coaster I’ve ever sat! waaahh….super mendebarkan! Turn and twist and fly and spin until my organs all felt like they were in the wrong places. But it was really funla! I can’t wait for Suen to be ready to sit Kraken with me. It would be really crazy!

House away from home..

The journey was quite uncomfy because the plane seats were rather squashy. Everyone didn’t really get to sleep well on the plane but I slept quite a lot. I sat next to WM in the plane to Los Angelas. WM didn’t get to sleep because he said I kicked and elbowed him in my sleep. Whoops..!! haha..sorry WM!! It was such a loooooong journey across the other side of the world and although we were super tired, everything seemed so exciting!

When we reached the airport in Los Angelas, there were sooo many people and the place was just all messed up. We only had 3 plus hours to rush through the super chaotic checkpoints and we were just running from place to place. Because of the mess, Suen, JM and WL missed the flight to Florida and were delayed by a few hours. I was quite worried about them but thankfully, they got help from the very helpful airport people and everything turned out fine.

When we reached Florida airport, we were greeted by the Seaworld people. There were altogether 30 students from Singapore who were on the same program as us and we were brought to our resort : Westgate Leisure Resort

Yeah, I was stunned too. I didn’t expect the resort to be that ooh-lala! I was jacooning around going ‘wowww, ooooo, cool’ as I looked around. The apartment is really pretty! The kitchen is really complete- a perfect mama kitchen. The best part of the kitchen is it has a dishwasher! Hehe..(P/S: Boss, I changed my mind. Next time I won’t use paper plates in my house. I will buy a dishwasher!!! Aren’t you proud of me?? *wink*)

While waiting for the 3 lost girls to arrive, we had our first meal in Florida! YUMMY!
We unpacked and then we just slacked aroud watching TV…cin ho miah ah!!! Hehe..After the girls arrived at the resort safely, we went grocery shopping at a nearby SUPERmarket, Publix. It’s a real SUPERmarket, I tell you! SUPER big! Everything here looks extra BIG! The pizza’s, the oranges, the boxes of juice…everything!First dinner in Florida : NASI LEMAK!! YUM!!

Miracle Sambal

At Changi, Independentpjgirl faced her first cabaran : Cabaran Sambal

This entry is a must read!

At the Changi airport hand baggage checkpoint, the customs were really very strict. No form of liquids or aerosol were allowed in hand luggages. I didn’t have any liquidy or aerosolly stuff in my bag but I had my mama’s love sambal in my backpack. I thought foodstuff would be able to pass the customs but ohno…the custom lady told me I can’t bring it on board and she would have to throw it away! I tried to explain to her and Seokie explained that my mum spend the whole day making it for us. We also tried talking to the big man in charge but he also told us ‘no’.

The moment I saw the big man throw my bottle of sambal into the bin, I just couldn’t control myself and I cried all the way into the plane right up to my seat. It was quite embaressing and everyone was looking at me but I just couldn’t stop crying. I kept thinking about all the trouble my mum had to go through just to make the sambal for me and *poof* it was gone just like that. It was really weird, maybe at that moment I somehow just missed home.

However, as Seokie was trying to comfort me in the plane, suddenly the big man came walking down the aisle…WOUUUU!! He was looking for me and asked me to follow him back into the airport! I was super shocked and still crying at that time I followed him out of the plane to the custom checkpoint place. He explained to me that they could give the sambal back to me but I may have problems at the US custom checkpoint. I felt like hugging him at that moment..haha…but cannotla! Later he don’t want to give me back my sambal then… that’s the end of the world, o! The custom lady took my sambal out of the bin and as she handed the bottle to me she said ‘mother’s love is always the best love’…ohdear, make me cry even more..so bad!..haha..but at that time i was really in disbelief!!! I hugged the sambal like as if it was pohchim…hehe. The big man put the sambal in a China Airlines envelope and told me to not to worry anymore.

At the US customs, it was another miracle that I didn’t have any trouble with the sambal at all! Thank God! The sambal made it to Florida!!!!wheee~!

It was a real miracle I tell you! REALLY Unbelievable! I wish I got the big man’s name so I could thank him..'THANK YOU BIG CHANGI MAN!'

Truly, ‘mother’s love is the best love’…it comes with a form of miracle and protection too. ;)
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MAMA!!

Goodbye Changi..see you in 3 months!!

12th May 2007

The night before we left, Ylian & Boss prepared a mini farewell for Mafia & I…They were super sweet and made us feel super loved…awwww! They bought some yummy-tummy donuts for us from Vivo and helped us carry our super heavy luggages into hall. We ate, laughed and crapped the night away. Thanks soooo much ya! Mafia & I are missing you & you lots!!

The next morning, YLian, Boss, Dr Colin, Laur and Andy sent us (WM, Seokie & I) off at Changi airport. Lil Chew came too!!

The journey to Florida was supppperrr long! Madness!

Changi airport to Taipei = 4hrs 45mins
Transit at Taipei = 4hours
Taipei Los Angelas = 11hrs 45mins
Transit at LA = 4hrs
Los Angelas Florida 4hrs 45minsTotal travel period = 29hrs 15mins

Updates from Florida!!

Hi everyone!! Really sorry for the late update. We don’t have internet connection in our apartments. If we want to get wireless connection, we have to pay USD30 for a 6 days connection…super expensive! We can get free wireless but we have to walk out to the main lobby area which is quite far out, about 5-10mins walk.

Okie, now that you know I’m innocent for the late updates, let’s get started with the fun stuff! Whoopee!!!


11th May 2007

Packing madness!

Suen & I shared a luggage filled with foodstuff : instant noodles (enough to feed a kampung), barley (*blink*blink*wink*wink), chrysanthemum tea, ginseng herbal chicken soup, bak kut teh, tae koi noi, mama’s miracle sambal, mama’s love fried shallots and fried dried prawns.
Super crazy! I think we can open a mini grocery shop when we reach Florida. Maybe I can serve my barley love drink too…eh, now upgraded to 3 barley flavours already, oh-kay!! Hehe…

opening ceremony!

hello and welcome to you & you & you & you!!!

welcome to the mini opening ceremony of the independentpjgirl blog! yaaay!!*applause*

erm... i hope you would stay tuned with this blog even though we don't serve free food at the end of the opening ceremony..hehe

as some of you already know, the independentpjgirls are going to Florida for 3 months under a Work&Travel program. therefore, i thought a blog would be good to keep you & you & you & you updated.. ;)

i would TRY my best to update regularly & post lots of pretty pictures. it really depends on whether i can get good internet connection, acerman's mood (acerman is my laptop..when he gets HOT, his screen changes colour...i'm serious!) and if i have the time to blog.

anyway, stay tuned ya!!...stay awake too! don't let me catch you dozing off!haha...