C'est tout ce que Jaime!
Well, finally, after 2 weeks, I am back to update all my guests with the many eventful happenings here in Vietnam.
Firstly, my apologies for lack of updates as I have been swarmed with so much work lately, preparing for the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) 10th Year Anniversary celebration. For those of you who follow the news, you might have heard that our Prime Minister made a 2 day journey to Vietnam to call on his counterpart. Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung. There they witness the signing of a pact which opened a 3rd phase for VSIP as well as the awarding of several licenses for new tenant companies.
Song Be Golf Resort was fortunate to have been chosen as the official caterer. We not only had to cater for 84 VVIPs, but another 1200 guests sitted under the tentage outside. The weather was stifling hot and the ground was wet and damp due to the showers the day before.
The VVIP auditorium all set to receive our distinguished guests
The VVIP reception area
The team of butlers for the VVIP service. The ladies are dressed in the traditional Vietnamese costume called the Ao Dai (Pronounced as Ao Yai)
With Ms. Margaret, my Director of Operations and fellow service staff.
"Aspiring Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam" (Yah right!)
Overall, I left on a high note. Till this day, I know that I have made the right choice in coming to Song Be Golf Resort. For in just 2 weeks, I have had the opportunity of getting involved with 2 of Song Be's largest events. From a party of 200 golfers, to a catering of 1200 and more, of which the 2 Prime Ministers, Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corp graced.
I feel that it was one of the greatest honor & privelege to have pulled the chair of our nation's leader and greeted him good morning, to which he responded similarly. It was an awe striking experience, the aura that he projects and his eloquence. Furthermore, I am elated to have met one of my role models in life.
On top of that, I think 1 of the ministers recognized me from the time I helped out in the election. He maintained eye contact and finally I nodded and smiled at him, to which he acknowledged.
Well, I am enjoying Vietnam and the local friends I have made and look forward to more enriching experiences.
Bye for now.
Tam bien (Good Bye in Vietnamese)
In a new land, new place
Finally, after 2 days, I finally have access to the internet. It is rather slow as it uses Broadband.
Well, the good news is that Sylvie and I are adapting well to the environment. Guess it was a good choice coming to Vietnam for an educational trip last year.
Now that I we've got our net access, it makes life easier for us. In short, the resort has done its best to bring Singapore closer to us. From the treated water we get, Singapore style plugs, Singapore food and hundreds of maids to wait on us.
In fact, I do not regret one single bit coming to Vietnam. We receive expatriate treatment, which include:
- Having a personal room
- Complimentary use of the resort's facilities
- My own desk in the F & B office
- Choice of buffet, a la carte or set dinners for meal
- Laundry service for all our clothes
- Cable TV
Anyhow, here are some pictures which I have got about the resort
Golfer's Terrace, the alfresco dining restaurant
Palm Restaurant, the epitome of international cuisine in Ho Chi Minh City
Tantalizing desserts prepared by our patissier
Seafood platter
My favorite fried prawns (One of our set dinner dishes)
Btw, I've one of my managers can finish a whole plate in a couple of minutes, so we learn to be fast at dinner time.
Much delicious seafood
Yep, those are some of the pictures I've got so far. I'm attached to the F & B department, with a new boss who is also my room mate. Its been pretty relaxed this week, but I believe the workload would pile up soon.
I was shown to my new office, together with the Executive Chef, F & B coordinator and F & B secretary.
Started the day with reading through F & B books and magazines for inspiration on the latest trends. Then went down to the Golfer's Terrace to observe the service staff and draft opinions on how things can be improved. Tomorrow, I would be going up to Palm Restaurant, the higher end option for guests.
Apart from that, I am enjoying my worklife and weekly visits to the nearest supermarket. We should be heading out to Ho Chi Minh City on Monday when we are off.
Alright then, will update again when time permits.
Chiaoz
Long awaited pictures
Hmm alright...I've kept promising pictures but they never came...well finally here are some pictures to describe the different posts. In no particular order...
Mikasa, " Excite your senses event" by FBMA
Belinda enjoying the food
The Lavender cream biscuits which we all went Ga Ga about
Elated Jovi who won 6 Mikasa Kwarx glasses...Hmph! I'm so envious, especially when I did all the writing for the contest. Haha...but she deserved it anyway. = )
Aspiring F & B managers of Conrad Centennial Singapore!
Well, that's all for now. More pics coming your way real soon! Stay tune to merdekayp.blogspot.com for more.
Proudly sponsored by Jonathan Leong Pte Ltd
Ups & Downs, Professionalism, Ethics...The Boardroom
The title may sound very Donald Trump The Apprentice like, but trust me, its nothing to do with that.
There is this saying, "What goes around, comes around." So how true exactly is that? I don't know how many of us believe in Karma, but in this world there is no such thing as permanent friends, only permanent interests.
Friendship3 different types: Casual, Close, Best. Sadly, I've never experienced how it feels like having a best friend. Perhaps I'll never have one. Then again, it just hurts so much when a close friend backstabs you. To draw an illustration, its like having a dagger plunged into your back, the initial reaction is not the physical pain, but the emotional hurt.
Julius Caesar (100BC to 44BC), Leader of the Roman Empire, the ides of March passed in the blink of an eye so much so that he laid at the feet of his former nemesis Pompey, drenched in a pool of blood. Brutus and Cassius were initially Caesar's close friends and allies, however, feeling that Caesar was becoming too much of an autocratic, decided that the best way for the Republic to survive was the death of Caesar.
On a typical day in Rome, Julius Caesar left his house for the senate, oblivious to the plot crafted against him. Believing that this senate session would be one which he would be crowned as King of the Roman Empire. Despite many warnings by the soothsayer, a spirit and even his wife, Caesar made the trip down to the senate building.
While he was addressing the senate, the evil & wicked conspirators moved in, daggers drawn, poised and ready to deliver their "diplomatic" mission for the nation. One after the other, they plunge their daggers into Caesar's back, finally it was all up to Brutus to deliver the final blow.
"Et tu Brute?"
This was Caesar's final words. It meant "even you Brutus?"
There are many analogies as to how Caesar died. One of which has intrigued me. It states that Julius Caesar, a war hero, was a very strong man, who probably could survive all 33 stabs. However, it was the final stab, by Brutus, his so - called best friend. The betrayal he felt, was even more excruciating then the other 32 knife wounds, so hurt was he that he gave up his life to move on to another world.
Well, that was just a thought that ran through my mind. In the corporate world, you can't trust anybody. Your colleagues will always be colleagues, even if 1 or 2 of them become very friendly towards you. Sometimes, we just want to be nice, but one can be sure that your kindness would not only never be repaid, but it would be taken for granted, or worse, used against you.
