wk8 off-day

today is my only off-day of the entire week. and the day that my no-tips curse broke. I havn't gotten a single tips for the past 6 days. Guess how much i got today? $1.21. People working in the F&B dept gets ten, twenty, even over hundred of dollars in tips alone per day. But i guess we can't compare since they have lower hourly rate. Well, i'll just treat tips as a bonus rather that keep looking forward to it. =)

Here's what I've budgeted. To earn US$3500 during my work here. Then US$1500 will be set aside for travelling in US (includes shopping & souvenier and everything else) for around 21 days (not confirmed yet, might increase might decrease). Another US$500 will be reserved for around a week in Taiwan. That will leave me US$1500 to take home. This barely can't even cover the expenses to get here, which is close to SD$4000, but at least it make sure my bank account(s) will not go on hungry stomach when i reach home. Plus i plan to find a temp full-time job (may or may not be an internsip) when i get back. *keeping my fingers crossed*

Anw just to update what we've been doing these few weeks. It's been full-house almost everyday at the hotel and our supervisor - Jean, had asked us if we prefer her hiring extra worker and we all get less hours or her not hiring but we work more hours, i.e. 6/7 days a week. majority voted for the latter option in hope to earn more money except for Selle and Christina, who preferred to have more rest. Shiwen voted for not hirng more because she din wanted house-keeping to end up over-staffed when the hotel's not so packed and may not have enough hours for everyone. Totally agree with her. I mean there's really nothing much to do i this small town even if we have more off-days. So far, we've been killing our time away with Bridge/DaiDee or watching dvds.

Just in case the couch potatoes (e twins) home might be interested, here's the show i've watched so far..

6/25: The Last Castle (TV)
6/24: Matilda, Finding Nemo (TV)
6/XX: Kyle XY Season 1 (Christina got delivered from Netflix free 14days trial)
6/XX: Parents Trap, Coyote Ugly, Hitch, Road Trip (TV)
6/XX: American Haunting, 13th Warrior, Lucky #Slevin, V for Venetta, Snatch, Thank you for smoking, Over the Hedge (Ditty's dvd)
5/XX: Harold & Kumar (Eunice's dvd), Material Girls (Selle's)

And I (+ Ditty, Meiyin, Eunice, Shiwen) also went to the theater at Fairbanks to watch Pirates of the Carribean #3.

I've just started watching The Cheat, a jap trickster drama that Selle copied from the twins long long ago. Needa stop watching and blogging now cos I needa faster go shower before everyone else get back from work in 18 mins time and the queue start forming.

ciao~

Midnight Sun

21st June is said to be the first day of summer as it's the longest day as well.

there's is some events going on Fairbanks (basketball game i think) but nothing much happening in Tok. Nonetheless, since Eunice and I are off the next day, we decide to stay up to watch the legendary midnight sun.

We took this photo especially for Meiyin, cos she had to work and can't stay up late, but wanted to watch the midnight sun too. Though they say the sun never set, we can see it anywhere. But i must admit that it pretty bright at 12plus am.

A understatement of the ebautful nightsky.



It so happens to be love week this week at our hotel. hence in continuatio of the un-birthday week, i took this.




Each day in the week was dedicated to diff characters in our life.

18 June - Mon: Life Time Partners
19 June - Tue: Pets
20 June - Wed: Friends
21 June - Thur: Parents
22 June - Fri: grand Parents
23 June - Sat: Westmark Tok

So post-card like right? except i took this one. =p

Around Westmark Tok Inn

Some random post of what we do during our free time, outside our comfortable trailer. Wanted to org them into different post but it's too late now & i needa zZ.. So different from what I am in Singapore, i've converted to an early bird. As it's suppose to make me more efficient than otherwise at work. Have no choice cos i don't wana keep ending late. I rather not have the OT than having to constantly endure the stress from my supervisor.

16 rooms by 4pm.

i can do it!

Trailer Peepz & e food we eat..

I did on my off-day to let you all have a rough idea what my trailer room is like. pictures are taken mostly on the bed.



That's our trailer pic minus Shannon as he was away with Sasha. Sasha's no longer allowed to stay outside (or inside) the trailer as she'll bark at night when she don't see Shannon, and the owners from burnt paw complained that it's too noisy for their guests.. sobz..

Introducing:
Top row (fr left): Ditty (Bartender cum trailer#3 supervisor), Christina (50% laundry, 50% housekeeper)
2nd row: Martin (dishwasher @Westmark + waiter @Fast Eddy), Me, Selle
3rd row: Mei Yin, Shiwen (Housekeepers)
Bottom row: Rado (Busser @Westmark + waiter @ Fast Eddy) , Eunice (housekeeper)

Some background:
Shannon's from Florida.
Ditty's from Anchorage (Alaska) and Fresno (California).
Martin & Rado are from Bulgaria but different city.
Mei Yin - NUS 2nd yr, Computing/ Computer Engineering (TBC)
Christina - SMU 1st yr, SESS Psychology
Eunice, Shiwen - NUS 1st yr, FASS Psychology
Selle - NTU 3rd yr, Business
Me - U'r reading my blog and you dunno?



Our lovely chef Salvador brought all of us Mexican Tequila, a miniature each for the Bulgarian girls, and a big bottle for the SG girls to share. Apparrently he mistook that day to be Elena's Birthday. Though we (SG girls) din frink much, we still had quite a bit of fun interacting with the Bulgarians.



= Teodora aka Teddy & mE = A lovely girl who like to say I'm crazy when she's indeed the one. But i like crazy people haha..



We finally get a teeny weeny taste of seafood (there's shrimp in the fried rice) as it reeli not cheap here.. Shiwen cooks great but she kept feeling inferior to her Mum's skill. Well.. I guess Mum's always cook best.. Mummie, I miss ya 'dong gua tang', 'di huang ji' , roast chicken, steam fish etc etc too..



snapshots of the food we had.. especially made for e twins cos food is always e 1st qns they ask about when i go oversea. twins yi shi wei tian ye.

A Very Merry Unbirthday to You

This is the decoration in our hotel front desk lounge this week. Eunice and me realize it only when we went to our gift shop to get post cards.

On Monday, the front desk people were putting these on the bed. Yesterday at work, I had to put this “UN-Birthday” card in each room if they are missing. This is what is on it:

Happy Un~Birthday!
June 2nd – 6th
Westmark Tok Inn

Statistics prove, prove that you’ve one birthday,
One birthday every year.

But there are 364 unbirthdays.

That is why we’re gathered here to cheer.
A very merry unbirthday to you, to you.

It’s great to drink to someone and I guess that you will do.

A very merry unbirthday to you.

-Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

I’m going to send a copy of it to clar cos I missed her birthday in Singapore. Sorrie mei~

To her and all my friends: I wish you a happy un-birthday for 364 days a year. =>

Horse Riding !!

Eunice, Shiwen and I were all off one fine day and decided to join Geri (Gergana) to to what we did the first day we arrived – act like tourists. First we went to see the newly arrived husky pups at our next door competitor, Burnt Paws. There were black like April’s Boots instead of grey/white like what I imagined. They were nonetheless an adorable bunch and Shiwen spotted one with blue eyes. Sweet.

Next, we went to my favorite gift shop – All Alaskan Gifts. It’s my favorite cos they make it possible for me to upload all these pictures to show YOU! FOC using own laptop. =) Plus they have indeed the greatest collection of gifts around here. Oh and did I not mentioned that one of the lady at the counter (not sure she’s the owner or employee) actually been to S’pore? This made my day considering that the owner at Sourdough actually didn’t know that S’pore is a country. =)



Flintstones’ Day Out



On our way, we pass by this trishaw look-alike, and being “tourists” we are, we’ve gotta take a picture with it. Picture perfect with the blue blue sky behind.

We then accompanied Geri to Tok visitor Centre to get some travel info/brochures. As we were informed that Geri and Elena are meeting Roxanna (a local waitress) at 3pm to see her grandpa’s horses, we asked if we could join them too. We’ve seen 4 of their horses yesterday on our way to 3Bears, u bet we’r excited to see them again! Lucky Selle finished work early and was able to join us. Roxie and family are such a nice people and we all get to take turn to horse-ride. ^-^



Roxie’s the girl in grey at the back. Her cousin Elonie (gosh I must ask her how to spell her name right) is a sweet darling who supposedly owns Blue (the only white horse). She stay in Anchorage (Alaska’s biggest city) and came down Tok every summer to visit the family and the horses.



Close-up shot of the Blue and Frosty.



Off we go!



Selle’s horse-riding collage.



My horse-riding collage



Eunice and me ride together the 2nd time round.



I rode with Elonie’s dad the first time.



Selle rode with Elonie!



But I getta take picture with the cute girl and the dogs.



That's all for today. Byee!