Just Say It

That seems to be the way to do things here in Singapore.  What do I mean?  Well I will give you some examples that happened to our family just this week.

While browsing in China Town I stopped by a booth to look at some hand painted shirts that were for sale, they were really cool, very "artsy" I loved them. 

The sales lady came out to meet me and talk about the shirts, she said here take this one and held up one that in no way would fit me.  I said "oh, no, I think I am too big for that one, it won't work."  She smiled, walked all the way around me looking at me and then smiled bigger to say " I think it will be OK, your back is flat, it is just the front of you that is fat, this one should work." She then went on to explain to me that people loose weight when they fly so  if I was flying soon I would be skinny enough to wear her shirt.

As an American this is crazy, you would never use as a sales pitch the words fat, or loose weight but here it is just another day.  They just say it. 

Keegan had a lady talk to a little boy while with him this week and the lady said to the little boy, "look someday you will be chubby just like Keegan"

I had a man tell me once that I needed to drink water to loose more weight, just at a hawker center....

As impolite as we think this kind of conversation is, they mean no disrespect to the person they are talking to.  Weight and body size over here is just a simple fact.  Like Caleb said, everyone can see the person it is just that they say it out loud.

Now mind you this kind of conversation could be offensive if we would let it get to us but as a person Scott works with this week told him "you're OK for an American."

We are American and I must add very proud to be American but we are also loved by the King, we are created in God's image and when you choose to listen to that kind of conversation and just go with it, it makes for a better day.

I did buy a shirt by the way, just not the one that was too small, glad to know..... my back is flat..... just saying.

Potluck

I had a pot luck lunch with my ESL students today. Notice chop sticks at our place settings, it actually was an afterthought on my part to buy them and put them out.  I am glad I did buy chop sticks as NO ONE used the spoon and fork, only chop sticks.

I put some candles and some lotus flowers on our table just to brighten it up a bit.  Little did I know that a major topic of conversation would be those candles.

I encouraged the ladies to ask each other questions, this is English class after all, we can not just sit there and not say anything.

One student said "teacher, why do you have candles on the table?".  I told her it was because this was a special lunch so the candles are there to signify that it is special.

I learned today that in Japan, you NEVER, NEVER, NEVER burn a candle during the day it is only for night time.

I learned today that in Korea, candles really are only used in the temples to appease the gods. 

The students were very intrigued by the fact that we had candles on our lunch table but they said "thank you for putting candles on the table to make it special."

We talked about New Year celebrations in all the different countries.  In Japan the monks will hit a big bell exactly 108 times on New Years Eve.  He hits the bell 108 times because they believe that each person had exactly 108 bad emotions the hitting of the bell clears the bad emotions out of the way before the New Year.  I asked when the bad emotions return my class told me immediately they return.

We talked about fireworks and many other topics ranging from hamsters to the fact that in the U.S. you would kiss your husband right at Midnight, they were shocked that we do that and they were especially shocked that we would do that even at a party with other people around to see it.

Much English was practiced today, much laughter was had, relationships were built and my students now understand what a casserole is and they now know how to play hang man, (they drew their man with slanty eyes \ / )
                                                                                                                                                       
 It was a potluck kind of  day.

Do You Speak English?

If you do speak English you are very lucky, English is one of the most desired languages in the world.

 This year as part of our homeschooling we are doing community service, I think community service is a very important part of citizenship and really just life, we get so much out of serving others, it is well worth our time and energy.

Our church here in Singapore has been offering FREE English lessons to women in the community.

 Women are often left out of the English speaking loop in their families.  Their husbands know English through his business and their children learn it in the schools leaving the women "in the dust" so to speak for speaking.

There was a message in the church bulletin that the ESL class was looking for volunteers so the boys and I decided to check it out to see if we would be able to help.  As it turns out there was a lot for us to do and it was a good fit for our talents and interests.

Caleb runs the sound board and power point along with one other lady for our meetings and he loves it.  Caleb also takes pictures, makes copies and helps out where ever he is needed for the day.

Sound is very important in the opening assembly for the classes, we have between 3 and 4 HUNDRED ladies who attend the ESL classes.  They come into the sanctuary for a time of Bible teaching and singing before going to their classes.

I am a member of the worship team for ESL, Betsy picks out songs that will help the ladies with their English and we sing some of the songs in other languages as well.

The ladies really like to sing, you can tell by the smiles on their faces that they are enjoying there time although maybe they are enjoying our efforts at singing in a different language.

It is comical at times but it does show them that learning another language is difficult for everyone.

There is a waiting list, a long waiting list, of women who want to take ESL classes through our program.  Why a waiting list?  Well one reason is lack of child care workers, remember these are women from the community and most of them have children. 

Keegan has stepped up and he helps in the child care program for ESL.

This is not an easy job as many of these children do not understand English so they are scared and they tend to cry a lot.  Keegan really enjoys getting the kids to smile and they enjoy him as he is young and "cool" and just fun to play with.

There are several child care classes, Keegan has the preschool class

along with Mrs. Evelyn Tan, she is in the red shirt.  Mrs Tan is in charge of the child care program for ESL, she is an amazing woman, very patient and always has a smile on her face, really a blessing to all in the program.  She makes Keegan a cup of tea or coffee every week, and last week she went up to the sound booth by Caleb and told him how much she appreciates both boys and she made Caleb a cup of tea.

Another reason we have a waiting list is a lack of teachers.  I am teaching a class of "level 4" students.

I was not sure I could teach ESL, but we have a great curriculum called "Side By Side" and I am a born English speaker therefore I can teach.

It does help that I have teaching experience but anyone can be trained to teach a class.  Our class consists of an hour long conversational English lesson from their book and a 15 to 20 minute Bible lesson complete with vocabulary words.

I have about 14 students on an average week, they come from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Chile and Columbia.  My class is a really fun group of ladies and they are excellent students.

I recently asked them "why do you want to learn to speak English?  Why are you taking this class?"

  The responses were: "I want to learn English because it will give me more respect in the community." 

"I want to learn English because then I will be able to communicate with my child's teacher at school."

"My children tell me it is important to learn English and they tell me I do not pronounce my words correctly so I want to take this class."

"If I learn English, people will think that I am smarter than what they think I am now, I am an intelligent woman and I would like to be treated as an intelligent woman, speaking English will help me with that."

I must say there has been great fulfillment in all three of us devoting our time and energy to ESL.

So I ask you.... do you speak English?  If so count your blessings.

A Day At The Market

Pasir Panjang Market is something we were told about a year ago when we first moved to Singapore and today I finally made it there

To be fair we were told it is a 24 hour market so our whole family ventured out one night at 11:00 to check it out, the taxi dropped us off and then left and we quickly realized that it is not really a 24 hour market for buying yes there are people there at 11 pm. delivering and organizing supplies but it is wiser to go in the heat of the day when you can actually purchase items.

The market is divided into blocks, dried goods, fruit, vegetables, cold storage etc...

I was with two ladies who live in Singapore one has been here just over two years, Andrea, she was very gracious to tour Dahn who has been here three weeks and myself being here for a year around the market today.

Some of the market reminded me of the Victoria Street Wholesale Center near Arab street.  There are big bags of tiny little dried fish and yes, something does smell fishy around here. Can you see the little eyes on these fish?

I really love shopping at these markets not only do you get good prices on some healthy food, there are also so many sights, sounds and smells to take in making it a total adventure.

I have mentioned before that many businesses here have an altar to their ancestors, the food on the table is an offering to the ancestors.

The sign reads "rain water not safe for drinking" in case you were wondering if you should randomly drink some rain water.....you should not.


There are many sites to take in, here some shrimp are drying on a tarp in fact I saw many different things drying on tarps that later end up in big bags to be sold by the Kilo.

As they say a picture is worth 1,000 words so in the interest of keeping this blog a blog and not a book here are some pictures you will have to imagine the smells and sounds, while you imagine you can imagine that you would be sweaty and possibly thirsty, I know I was.

I find it funny that the truck says "fresh fruit and durian" as durian is a fruit but in Singapore durian is THE fruit, they call it the king of fuit so I guess it gets a special mention on the delivery truck.

I bought a pineapple from this guy for $1.50 SD.

This is a jack fruit tree, I have never eaten any jack fruit but now I know this is how it grows.

These really long beans are like green beans and I am told they are good in stir fry, I think next time, I will be brave and buy some to try.

This stall here is a good vegetable stall, you just pick out what you want put it in a bag and give it to them to be weighed, my bag was a little over a kilogram and cost me $2 Singapore Dollars.  In that bag I had some eggplant, red peppers, ginger, garlic and an onion.  Not a bad deal.

Many items in the market are sold by the kilogram.

This was a very nice day at the market.  Here is all the loot I came home with today, cream of broccoli soup for dinner tonight and I got some fun things to bring home with us for our family and friends to try, like red prawn candy.

It's a Jungle Out There!

A pottery jungle that is.

 Scott's sister Karen is visiting with us for a few days so we set out this afternoon to explore this jungle of pottery, we enjoyed it.

  Did you know there really is a dirt road in Singapore, it leads to The Pottery Jungle and Dragon Kiln.  Located at 85, Lorong Tawas.

Guan Huat Dragon Kiln (龙窑) has a brick-built kiln constructed on a hill side with the fire box in front and side-stoking holes at the sides. During firing, the kiln resembles a recumbent dragon with fire spewing from its nostrils (fire box). The dragon kiln technology was brought to Singapore by immigrant Chinese artisans in the early 1900s.

The name of Pottery Jungle is very appropriate, you do feel like you are in a jungle, and really you are I guess, there is plant life and tress all over the place and plenty of places to rest on your visit.

I met this couple from Singapore while we were there, they were enjoying the peace and struck up a conversation with me, he has been in Singapore since 1965, he came when he was five years old and she was born here.

The Thow Kwang Industry which runs the "jungle" was founded in 1965 and according to the pamphlet I have they want to keep traditional and Chinese ceramic artistry alive in Singapore. 

You will see many beautiful items if you visit pottery jungle.

I fell in love with this bench, it is made from tree roots, so cool, I wish I could transport it home with me but since I can not I opted for just having a seat for a moment.

In every "good Chinese business" there is a temple so this must be a good Chinese business.

We realized that we were not the only United States visitors to come to pottery jungle, look who was here before us.

They do offer classes on pottery making, here is where you would sit.

and this is the teacher, we chatted with her for about 20 minutes, nice lady.

and this is where they will fire your pottery for you.

and here is some of the clay they use.  I may try to get a group of home school kids and moms to take a class, she said she would do a class for us if we have a total of 15 people.

The variety of things available is impressive, here are some of the many things you could purchase or just enjoy looking at if you choose to visit.

I would recommend you take a trip to pottery jungle if you are visiting Singapore, it is very peaceful and yet, you never know what you might find when you turn the corner.

Karen named this place the pottery grave yard.

And this is the desk, they will call a taxi to come a pick you up, you can buy a cold drink or register for a class but really I took the picture just because I liked the desk.