华人，华语

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在念大学时，就学会了用中文打字。但也不常打中文字，因为新加坡是以英文为主，所以习惯凡是都用英文写。

当我知道自己被派去上海出差时，就感到有点紧张。虽然我的中文还不赖，但还是有很多技术上的词汇 (technical terms) 不懂。大陆已经在推广英文，可是那毕竟是个以中文为主的国家，英文程度并不好。

虽说我是华人，我还是有些不习惯句句都以中文表达。在新加坡时谈话多数都是用华语，但谈话和写字有很大的不同。我知道，每个人都能说，但能写的却没那么多。

自从我去了这一趟上海，我用中文打字的速度增加了许多。还好，在那里没丢新加坡华人的脸。跟那边的同事上网聊天都只打中文每天聊多了就渐渐上手。

其实我突然写中文，是因为我读到了一位朋友的感言。只不过，她同时用了中文和英文。这样打字应该花更多时间吧。她也真有耐性。

Back from Shanghai

Since my return on Friday night, I've been staying at home and going out only for dinner (one of which is a wedding dinner). Though I've not been going out much during my weekends in Shanghai, I still feel too lazy to move around after coming back here.

Already, I'm missing the cheap food over there, but just the cost of it, not the amount of oil or salt they normally add to their food. Or should I say, I miss the feeling of stuffing myself without having to worry about the amount of money I spent.

I feel that the oil I've been consuming during my 3 weeks there is showing very distinctly around my waist now. If only I would not be too lazy to exercise...

Funny thing is, now that I'm back, I'm looking forward to going over to Shanghai again. Being a trainer is not my cup of tea, but it's definitely less stressful than handling a project - not that I'm under a lot of stress - and it brings me away from all the office politics.

Office politics, not matter how minute, can be very tiring to deal with. Just hope I don't get caught in a storm.

3 more days

3 weeks isn't long, but then it seemed to flash by before I realise it.

I'm refering to my 3 weeks attachment to Shanghai. Just three more days and I'll be flying back to Singapore. Most people are asking if I miss home. What I miss is being in a familiar place (though I'm slowly familiarising myself with Shanghai), and hanging out with my friends and colleagues.

Wondering why my family isn't in my list of misses? It's not that I totally don't miss them, but I'm quite used to not having them around already. We all have to reach that phase someday - the phase where your parents are no longer around you and your siblings have 'their own life'. I'm just there already.

I don't quite like the city life in Shanghai, but I did get along well with some of my colleagues here. And then there's also the occasional 'friendly folk' who inquire about my height when they bump into me. Just like back in Singapore.

Anyway, I should be coming back to Shanghai again, and I look forward to it.

Blogging in the (Shanghai branch) office

Unlike in my company back in Singapore where access to blogs has been banned, over here, access to blog in the whole country has been banned. Fortunately for me, I can gain access to the internet via Singapore server (for work purposes), and that allows me to access blogs during office hours.

One week has past since my arrival. I have no problems adapting, just that I already hate travelling out on weekends, due to the crowds. Yes, I have been to Paris, which is just about as crowded, but the people there don't shove you and they have designated smoking areas. You'll be surprised how much that difference that makes.

Still, it's good to be exposed to different styles of living and culture, because that's what makes you appreciate what you already have better.