Chapter Four: Growth Unleashed

Yo minna!


I know I haven't been keeping this blog updated. I was simply too tired after getting home from work each day. There are probably a few other things that I should get to doing, but I haven't quite done it yet...

So anyway, I've recently started the Student Internship Program (SIP) thingy. It gives me free 6 MCs credits which I don't even need anyway, but more than that, it gives valuable learning opportunities and work experience that will be helpful when you are looking for an actual job. Not to mention, it does give a little bit of spare cash. Not a lot, but enough to maybe pay for my meals everyday.

I'd recommend everyone to go for an internship. Though it might be too late to apply now. At least get a part time job, and don't be lazy and slack off for 3 months. Brain will rot one, trust me I've did it before.

You may have notice that I titled this post as Chapter Four. I am not longer in Chapter Three anymore. As I mentioned quite long ago, each new significant stage of life will be a new Chapter for me. Last year I was too slack and didn't do anything, so holidays was not a new chapter. But I think this time it is significant enough to warrant it.

I applied for numerous companies for internship, but eventually settled for Barterfli coz they replied first. Barterfli is a very small start-up firm that aims to help other SMEs get the right connections and e-commerce platforms online. You can read up their website to learn more, but I think that's the gist of it.

About the people in the company, I was originally hoping to meet many new people at internship, but here only got me and Benjamin. But I guess it's okay lah.... This is like a really tiny company. The "office" is just a small room in a clinic, and typically it's just the 3 of us: Boss, Me and Ben. A little boring sometimes, but being a tiny company has it's benefits. Like greater transparency and freedom, I hope.

Now, I don't wanna give the wrong impression. Our CEO Rita is actually quite a nice person. She does look after our welfare. Sometimes she will give us a lift to the nearest MRT, and she treated us to lunch once. Perhaps I'm just picky, but I feel communication and planning can be done better. You see, how it works is that we have another person in charge of us, Damien who I think is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO)? But the thing is that he and his team are never in the office, and all communication is via Skype. Going by the Media Richness Theory (from IS2104), I feel it can be really hard for a proper team to work like that.

I will be heading off for Malaysia today, to get training from Damien's team who are located somewhere on the outskirts of KL, not the city itself... While I relish the opportunity to travel 'overseas' and have comprehensive training, this is one of the areas of my main gripe. Planning between Rita and Damien wasn't very clear to us, and the official plan wasn't really done even on Friday (travelling on Sunday!). A formal itinerary of sorts would have been helpful.

We weren't even sure if we had to take cab, or someone would pick us up, whether we check in to hotel early or sleep over at some guy's house. I didn't suggest this, but what I feel is that it would have been better to travel in the afternoon, and reach and check-in the day before (i.e. Sunday night). This would give us enough time to settle down and unpack our stuff. Perhaps this is just my nitpicking, or perhaps as a tiny company they lack resources, both in terms of getting people to plan properly, and the budget to let us stay an extra night. Oh well..........

Ya, I'm heading off by bus tonight. It's gonna be a 4hr+ rocking and stoning trip to Malaysia. I wish we could have at least got budget flight tickets, but I can understand the limitations of an SME's small budget. I don't know why I sound like I'm complaining a lot. But actually I think I'm fine with the current arrangement. I hope to have a fun time there though! =)


So guys! Don't miss me when I'm gone! Otherwise I'll be singing this song:


Hahas. Just kidding.... Nice song though!


If you all need to contact me, it's just like I said on Facebook, use LINE for free sms and calls. Alternatively, you can just add me on Skype since that's what my company uses. Other than that, you can try use other forms of online communication (such as blogger comments?), all my account info is on my Facebook info page. Go to my profile and click "About", it should all be there.

If you haven't even added me on FB, what are you waiting for??!!

I know this has been a super long post. If you've read until this far, you deserve some kind of pat on the back. In any case, I will be gone for about 1 week, until Saturday morning (midnight-ish). So, anything urgent you need to tell me, do so by 2359 hrs tonight. Until then, I'm all ears.

So I guess that's it!

I'll be seeing you guys in a week's time. Don't worry, I'll try to take photos where possible! If you want souvenirs, better contact me fast! Haha :P

See you later folks!


Ciao.