Yesterday the boys at work decided to celebrate our co-worker Ryan Thee’s birthday and at the same time, get to know every bodies girlfriends at a dinner in Paris SS2. It was a great time, just hanging out, making friends, eating good food. Yum

All photo’s here :- http://flickr.com/photos/nicktay/sets/72157606407027164/

The boys in the office surprised me a few minutes ago with a huge banana chocolate cake from Secret recipe, Yum! Its been a while since I have been able to celebrate my birthday. Last 2 years I celebrated in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Thanks Guys, you are awesome.

It ain’t called Java for nothing!

Since I started this new job, I am beginning to get addicted to the Espresso machine we have. I have not drunk this much coffee in my life since my university days, where we used to chew chocolate covered espresso beans to stay awake for assignments all through the night. IT people have an innate love for coffee. Its the fuel that keeps geeks up coding, typing random bits of barely readable code. Back in my university days, you were not a hardcore IT person unless you either a) Drank allot of coffee or b) Was a star trek fan or c) Played dungeons and dragons. For me? Coffee - Check, Star Trek - Check. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.

There are two coffee machines here, one is the old school espresso machine with foamed milk and the works, and the other is this new concept from Nescafe called Nespresso. They have capsules of different coffee flavors and you choice which one you want, place it into the machine and instant coffee. They are color coded and it ranges from decaf to strong espresso. I love the stuff. It gives me an instant buzz.

Better start work before the coffee wears off….

Today is my last day working for my current Employer, a company I have worked at for almost 8 years. When I started working here, it was owned by somebody else, and in fact it has changed owner twice since I have been here. I have gone through 9 different business cards, with changes in both company name and title, I have changed office addresses 3 times, and I have changed desks more than anybody else in this office for sure. There was even a time when I didn’t have a desk, just my belongings locked up in a cupboard, as I was traveling for close to 2 years in total, back to back. This is the end.

I’d like to wish all my ex co-workers the best in all their lives, both at work and at home. I thank you for bearing with me over the years, and I hope that you will always be in the best of health and happy in your lives.

God bless and goodbye

For those of you who don’t already know, I am changing jobs soon. My last day is on the 17th of April, and then I am flying to Melbourne for 3 weeks before I start my new job. Over the last few weeks, I have been clearing the work assigned to me, handing over tasks, and today I sent emails to my clients informing them of my departure and thanking them for their support and kindness over the past few years. I have been in this company since January 2nd, 2001, and I must say, it has taken me to places I never would have gone myself. My first overseas assignment was in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam way back in 2003. And then I traveled to Jakarta, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Dhaka, Colombo, Lahore, Karachi, Beijing, Shanghai, Ulaanbaatar and Seoul.

Some trips were short, a few days, and others in total was almost 2 years. When I wrote the farewell email to some of the clients I was filled with such fond memories of their warm hospitality. If I had to rank the best place I was ever sent to, I would say it was Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The winters were bitterly cold, yes, but it was a place where I made many good friends, and did some amazing things like rode a camel and spent the whole day horseback ridding tending sheep! I met so many people, Malaysian Auditors, Russians businessmen, Irish Social workers, Mongolian Bankers, friends all.

My second favorite place? It would be Vietnam for sure. Both Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are nice, but I enjoyed HCM better. The awesome food, the nice people, the time spent with Sara there. The adventures! The 3 hour motorbike ride to Vung Tao. Something I will never forget!

Saying good bye is never easy. I have invested so many years of my life into this company, and though it may seem that I am excited to go, I do leave with a heavy heart. 7 years 4 months of my life. I can remember my first day here, I can remember the good times, the though times, all memories I will bring with me.