Important Life Skills

Kaelyn is working hard to gear herself for Primary One.  Mummy has a whole list of things that she need to learn to do by herself.  Being the only child, she is very much sheltered (especially by Daddy) and these simple chores may be easy for some but not for all.  Here's the list:

1. Learn to Buy Food.  But first of all, she needs to master her courage to talk to food vendors which was taking away a lot of mummy's energy and patience just to ask her to open her mouth to say a few simple sentence. 

Status - needs a lot of encouragement!

2.  Learn about Money.  She knows simple addition and subtraction eg. she knows 10-2 is 8 but when $1.00 - $0.20 she is lost. 

Status - Still learning.

3.  Toilet Training.  She has to know how to clean herself after passing motion. 

Status - most of the times successful if she wants to do it by herself.  Sometimes, traces of poo stains can be found on her panties.

4.  Put on Socks - She must learn how to put on the socks by herself properly. 

Status - just started learning. 

5.  Tie her Hair - Either she learn to tie her hair or have her hair cropped... that is the message she got from Mummy. 

Status - learnt the skills within 2 days (see video).  See her proud moments!!

Primary One Registration

Finally it is our turn to register for Primary 1.  Daddy signed up for the Hokkien Clan member so that we stand a higher chance to get into Nan Chiau Primary School.  However, as we became member only in 2010, there isn't much time for us to complete the minimum of 40 hrs as parent volunteer.   In fact, we had only completed 16 hrs as parent volunteer.  Whilst we still hope that the clan will eventually accede to our request for the letter, we were also mindful about the possibility of being turned down hence we have a Plan B should we not get the letter.  Three days before Phase 2B, the clan informed us that it will not be issuing us the letter of support.  The wish of getting into Nan Chiau has reduced to zero as we are 1-2 km away from the school.   

After observing the Phase 2B of Nan Chiau, we were glad that we didn't waste time volunteering and trying for Nan Chiau.  During Phase 2B, Nan Chiau was hotly contested and Singapore citizens had to undergo the destiny of balloting.

Plan B was quickly dished out and we are bent to get into CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity which is within 1 km away from our new house.  Mummy went to register at CHIJ OLN on the last day of Phase 2C.  The process is simple and fast - only need to fill in a form and surrender all the necessary documents.  The total no. of places available is 101 and mummy was no. 105.  Although the school told us only about 80 pax are Singapore Citizen and hence we stand a high chance of getting in, we were just waiting for the assurance on the MOE's website. At the end of the last day of Phase 2C, a  total of 17 pax exceeded the available vacancies.  Alas, it was this year's change in policy ie. Singapore Citizen First that helped us get into CHIJ OLN without going through balloting.  Phew that is so lucky!! 

During the period of registration, we kept in touch with friends and relatives who are undergoing the same experience as us this year.  We complained, strategised and cheered for each other.  Weixuan got into the same school as her sisters ie. Opera Estate, Sharlene into Anchor View, Ian into Fairfield Methodist.  Rachel got into Northview Pri Sch.

We informed Kaelyn about her school's name and she quickly memorised the name of the school and learnt the spelling too.  Ha.. This sort of show her enthuasiasm!!

Now that we have settled her Primary School, Daddy & Mummy have to start looking out for After School Care, school bus services and a whole lot of logistics issues for Year 2013. 

Hopefully things will go smoothly as planned.

11-17 June - Holiday at Korea (last 2 days)

This is our first time trying out ice carving...our creation got 3rd prize... yeah!

Our tour package also includes entrance tickets to Fanta-stick show.  It is a modern interpretation of Korean traditional performances combining percussion & string performances, break dancing &  martial arts.  Quite entertaining but as there are some ghost characters in the story line, Kaelyn didn't quite get it so it may be suitable for primary school kids and above.

The rest of the time are shopping and shopping...too busy for photos.

At the departure hall, we kill time by participating in the free activities provided by Korea Traditional Cultural Experience Centre. Kaelyn painted accordingly to the sample and she gets to bring home her own creations.  Visitors get to choose other art and crafts too.  Depending on timing, visitors also get to immerse into other cultural performances.

And we were in time to catch one of the traditional performances/walk-about.  It displays the cultural ceremony and also the King and its entourage's symbolic tour.

We bid Korea farewell with a little regret.. only if mummy has a little bit more time in Korea, I'll definitely try out a Korean hair perm...

11-17 June - Holiday at Korea (Day 3 & 4)

Starting from today, we are slowly heading back North to Seoul.  This morning, we visited a farm - Agroland.  Kids are so excited when they get to feed the different animals.  During our Perth trip, Kaelyn almost wanted to feed every animal...this time round, strangely, she wasn't enthusiastic at all ..

The farm owner took us around - We passed by a ginseng farm (left) and what is this animal on the right?

After the farm tour, we are all led to a classroom to learn how to make ice-cream.  All of us are giving absolute attention to Tour Guide, Uncle John, who was showing us how to make ice cream

Stiring continuously.... hands are really tired!!

Finally, we get to enjoy our fruit of labour... Yums... finger licking good!!

We ended our farm tour with milking the cow experience...Kaelyn refused to go.. holding daddy tightly... so in the end, Daddy have to obliged..

Next we were all hungry so we had bbq lunch.  Our first time seated on the floor over meal...

the bbq meat, dipped in chilli sauce and then wrapped in lettuce is really fantastic..

mummy so enjoyed it!!

After lunch, we had a good time in the Strawberry farm... plucking and eating juicy and sweet strawberries...3 bagful of strawberries...

After a sweaty good time in the strawberry farm,Uncle John brought us to ChunChunHyang.. or Resome Spa Castle in English... It is an indoor and outdoor spa and water family resort. 

The indoor spa is separated by gender and be prepared to go nude or people will think of you as an alien..  There are many pools with different temperature (freezing cold, hot or super hot), scrub facilities, massage at additional charges, steam bath, sauna, washing machines & etc.  Koreans call them Jimjibang which is a must-try if you go to Korea.

Right outside the indoor spa is a semi-outdoor hot spring pool.  Here you are expected to be in your swimwear and swimcap.  After your muscles have been relaxed by the hot spring water, you can opt to go outdoor where all the exciting slides awaits you.  There are also outdoor spa with different "soups" eg. wine spa (you can pour additional wine into the pool). There are also small rooms where you can relax yourself in eg. Geranium room & etc. 

As there are so many different offerings and involved water so we didn't take any pictures but here's a picture of its map.

We ended the day with western food opposite our hotel. 

Our restaurant has an interesting architecture.

Day 4 is a dress up day - we get to put on the hanbok as many times as we like. 

After laughing and changing costumes, we moved to another room to have a hands-on kimchi making

After our lunch, we spend the rest of the day at Everland which is very near to Seoul city already..

11-17 June - Holiday at Korea (Day 1 & 2)

Mummy left for Korea on 4 Jun for work and then meet Kaelyn and daddy on 12 June for holiday.  Daddy & Kaelyn left Singapore on 11th night by Asiana Airlines whilst mummy checked herself into the jimjibang on the 11th night in Incheon Airport so as to meet them by 6 am on 12th June.  As we have been to the East side twice, we have hence opted to travel to the West.

On the first day of arrival, we started our tour with a bullet train experience from Seoul to Daejeon.

Our coach took our luggages and travel all the way to Daejeon to meet us.  This will take about 3 hrs by road vs 45 mins by bullet train. 

Next, the tour guide Uncle John brought us for lunch.  He said this is the most authentic bibimbap - those found in Seoul are not so original already. 

Seriously the food was so-so only - individual family have to top up if we want to have meat. 

About 20 mins walk from our lunch venue is the Maisan (马耳山).  As the name suggest, the mountain looks like 2 horses' ears from far.  Within the mountain, once live an old monk who spent his entire life stacking pieces of stones and rocks as a symbolic prayer for North and South to be unified one day.  He spent more than 30 years building stone pagodas of all shapes and sizes all  without the use of mortar... quite amazing..

Our hotel was just right in front of the Jeonju Hanok Village.  This is the way to preserve the traditional  Korean 'Hanok' houses.  While the rest of the city has been modernised, this village, that retains over 800 traditional Korean 'hanok' houses, aims to retain its historical charms and traditions.

View from our hotel room

In the olden days, if you have a lot of these clay pots signifies the richer the family is..

As usual, the table are full of colourful dishes.  Here's our first dinner at Korea

Day 2 - we are heading down South - Today we're spending 1 full day at Yeosu Expo

- Here's Yeony (left) and Suny

Inside Singapore Pavilion (left) and Australia Pavilion (right)

- see the Super Tree behind us? 

Enjoying the seamless screen that integrates the walls and ceilings of the exhibition hall. Videos are displayed on the world’s largest dome screen... awesome!!

 A large scale outdoor performance... Kaelyn and the main lead!

Outside a corporate pavillion... 

We didn't get to see a lot of pavillion as the queues are unbelievably long.. There were a lot of activities outside the pavillions that kept us entertained!

Bouncing Castle

Kaelyn had been on a bouncing castles a few times in the past. Everytime she need a lot of encouragement to play.. Most times we left with a bit if frustration as she just refuses to left loose & have fun like other kids. When she asked to go for this, we were quite reluctant.

A minimum of $50 expenditure is required. Our lunch is already $47 so we just top up the remaining balace with a yogurt to let her go for the fun. It's all worth it! No need to persuade... No need any encouragement! She had loads of fun like any children in the bouncing castle.

See her sweaty but happy look

Mr Possessive Meet Ms Cold

Being a single child, Kaelyn has little chance to deal with little brothers or little sisters.  When she met Justin who is super warm and energetic, she is lost... she don't know how to react to this little cousin.  Justin would 姐姐前， 姐姐后的 wanting her attention, wanting to play with her and wanting to sit on her lap.  When he knows we are going home, he would hug her and refusing to let her go.  Kaelyn would either run to her Daddy for help or find a chance to quickly get her butt out of the house...