My One-Month Anniversary.. Tots and updates

Fast? Slow? It’s been one month since I had left Singapore. I really missed back home. Missed all you guys out there, pub nite out on Friday, mahjong session on Saturday and occasional poker session on Sunday. Life back home seems to be so much more fulfilling. I want out…

Shan’t whine anymore as I only have got myself to blame for encouraging howard to come to the US. I felt so cheated. Now that I am down here, he is off for training for 2.5 weeks. (Well, will be back in 2 days time).

Many asked if I’m enjoying myself here? How do I keep myself occupied and haha… can I cook?

Views about US

The Bad
They have a really slow pace of life. You have to actually book for your medical appointment about 2 days in advance. Duh…how would I know if I would be sick in 2 days time? Sometimes its just easier to self medicate. Just some weird logic the Americans have!

The Good
Shopping for branded stuff is really enjoying here. Back in Singapore, if Polo Ralph, MnG were having 50% discount, a snake queue would have been formed by 9.00am. Even after a 50% discount, the price is sometimes still exorbitant. Well, here, you can get branded stuff so easily even in those small shopping centers (layout like emporium/yaohan – if you could still remember as both had since pulled out of Singapore) and get pants a 10USD. No squeezing or cramping, you can shop at your own leisure. In addition, often in Singapore if you buy a sale item, the receipt always has the below fine print:

Sales item once purchased are not refundable

Here in America, everything can be refundable regardless of the purchase date. You can refund it even in a year’s time as long as you have the receipt. The funniest incident I have heard

1) One of my friends here told me that she once saw an old American man taking a half finished barbeque spring chicken to the customer service and told the lady that he is not satisfied with the spring chicken (bearing in mind that it is already half gone). The sales lady refunded the man the money without any questions ask.

Is this what good customer service is called? Or just some blatantly stupid policy?


Another Example
I bought myself a polo short for about 10USD. However, when I showed that to Howard, he said that it was a little too big for me and told me to refund it. As such, I went back to the shop to ask for a refund. Initially, I expected the customer service counter to be located at the entrance of the shop but NO, its located within the shop itself. Nothing surprising right! I took the shorts and the receipt and in less than 10 mins, my job is done. They refunded me with no questions ask. Just as I was about to walk out of the shop, something struck me. “ WHY DID THEY LOCATE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE SHOP ITSELF?” Bearing in mind that this shop that I went to is a big shop spanning over 2 football field size. It sells everything from cosmetics, to clothes, to electronics and even to bicycles. The next question that struck me. What if someone buys a laptop today, get the receipt and the next day, go back to the shop, take yet another brand new laptop of the same model, walk over to the customer service and show them the new laptop with yesterday’s purchase receipt. Will the lady at the counter refund him the money with no questions ask? This question still puzzles me to today.

My Schedule

Most of my morning is taken up by Yoga or Step Aerobics. In addition, I have also found something meaningful to do. Giving tuition to a Primary 4 kid here. Hope to recruit more so I won’t feel so aimless and at least it keeps my mind working. Haha and I get paid in “food”. His mum would cook all sorts of Singapore food for me every tuition. Yummy yummy. Well, I have not given up on cooking yet. Just taking occasional breaks every Tuesday and Thursday where I get to eat more delicious food. Haha.

The rest of the week, I just hang out with the wives here. Well, we go shopping, bowling or house visiting. The rest of the time, blog, surf and more internet surf.

Shan't continue to bore you guys with my long chonghey essay. I am sure by now there will be lots of grammatical and spelling errors. I know someone out there is now shaking his head. You know who you are. haha. After all this is supposedly to be a blog where you just write as you whine. No double or triple checking. Haha... So when do I get to see your work Sir ?