attachment on October 2007

After attachment for one month at Farmosa Holiday Tour(S), I found that I do not match work in front-of-house especially counter sales department. It was because I need to face to face with customers. Since I have been working as an accountant before, I felt like pretty comfortable with accounting career. However, I have learnt upselling skills that I have never been taught in school and have made 30 over tour bookings of variety countries during this period of time. To name a few: Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh, Taipei, Korea, Genting, Kuala Lumpur, Pulai Desaru Beach, Batam Island and so forth.

Short-term goals : - To learn and practice more on variety tour booking of certain country, Malaysian VISA, diverse flight bookings, and familiar with Travel System (Abacus and Amadeus System).

- To improve networking, job performance and communication among colleagues.

Mid-term goals : To achieve good mark on SIP Program.

In addition, I felt in this company, some the colleagues were disgruntled and even worse that they did not serve their customers friendly at all. Their service-oriented was far beyond customer’s expectation. I could understand them that the reason why their service-oriented like this. It might be probably because they did not receive any commission of every single booking and over-time paid. Of course, they did not felt to push themselves to upselling and increase the sales. Also, I noticed that the company’s business was so good due to lower mark-up of the tour packages. So many walk-in customers wanted to make tour booking & flight booking on every single day. That’s why they liked to let-off their pressure to new comer and intern students.

On the fifth week, I was the top seller among the other interns. By that time, I was really aggressive to make a lot of booking in one day. I would usually ask my seniors to assist me whenever I did not familiar with the tour packages. If I could handle the problem by myself, I would rather solve it instead of seeking help from seniors. And finally, I discovered that my strength point. It was that I dare to ask for help from my seniors, no matter how busy they were.

The other point was networking and communication between colleagues. Even though, some of them like to critic others behind them. Nevertheless, I personally think that was just rumor and may affect my job performance and communication breakdown among colleagues. Therefore, I have to be limiting socializing with other colleagues, avoiding gossip & rumor and keep go beyond my objectives of this internship program.

Last point was being on time, I was able to use my time efficiently not only in school but also during working life. Time management skills were actually not unfamiliar for me anymore that I have learned it from The Tourism Academy @ Sentosa. For instance, due to so busy of working at counter sales department, I had set up on my alarm to remind me to start work on time every single day. Being start on time so that I could exceed my expectation by making five or six bookings in a day efficiently.

Besides strength point that I have, I also discovered my weakness. I did not pay fully attention or double check for my job. In my experience, I still remember when I did data entry or menial work for updating price list on the tour packages. On account of using time efficiently, I usually get the job done first rather than spend a little bit of time for double checking the job. I committed that what I had done so far and discovered early. Thus, in the future I will double check on my work whenever it was. This is very important thing for me to train into a good habit starting from now on. It is because not only in this industry must provide the right selling price for customers but also in accounting career should be always ensure every single figure is correct.

Last e-journal, I have shared the environmental friendly in terms of wasting paper resources. Besides that, I noticed that in ticketing department have two computers for one user. Not like other companies that I have been observing during my lunch time. I went a trip to visit my friends’ company to see how they work and company’s working environment. All the companies were actually having only one computer instead of two computers for user. I think in this case, this should be decrease till one computer to save energy resources.

However, by comparing among my company departments, I found that counter sales department lacked of computers for users. In my experience, I actually share one computer with other intern during this one month attachment. It was very time consuming to wait for other intern while checking and follow by me to make a booking. Till now, the front-liners are more than computers so that I would suggested the extra computers may move over to counter sales department in. If every staff has each computer, they will definitely be working even more efficiently.

Moreover, I noticed myself have improvement in terms of doing work even more efficiently, carefully but still have minor mistake. Also, I am even more familiar with the geography of certain country nowadays such as Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam and others.

Last thing was the most important thing compare to others which is location & accommodation of the product knowledge. It was because I have served with so many diverse guests, they usually almost asked the same things. They would probably ask: “Where was the nearest accommodation from MTR or town or city?” So far, I have learned so lot of it and I would be able to describe them to customers in certain destination places.

Attachment at Travel Agent_Singapore

I started work at Farmosa Holiday Tour on 12^th September at counter sales department. Since Mr. Seah had visited the company during my attachment and had consulted me how to survive in this company. I was really thankful for your visiting to this company. So far, as I shared with you, I did not feel any stress of working in here yet. Also at first, I did not feel nervous of working in this company. It was because I had an experience of attachment when I worked as an accountant in Batam Island, Indonesia. Fortunately, not only I will attach in this company but also I have 2 of my friends (HTB) and 1 of friends (HTM) working with me. Thus, I felt like pretty comfortable working in this company.

When the first week I started work, I felt kind of odd working environment… My friends and I were assigned with doing paper work and even worse that we stick the stickers on more than 20,000 brochures the whole day long. Nevertheless, on the day before NATAS FAIR 2007, we were asked to stay over time (OT) by Manager Assistant. After a while almost 8 P.M., we supposed to have a dinner break then we decided to go for it with permission from Manager Assistant. After dinner break, my friend was scolded by 1 of the staff suddenly. She fiercely scolded her that we did not do the work and went out without permission. At the same time, my friend was explaining to her that we actually have asked for permission to have a short dinner break from Manager Assistant. However, she just left without listening my friend’s reason… I did not understand why in this company has kind of this colleague.

On the second week after NATAS FAIR 2007 over, I felt kind of challenging. It was because I need to face with customers’ needs and wants. I was assigned to work at counter sales department by Manager Assistant. Since I have not familiar with tour packages, tour selling price, tour promotions and travel systems (Abacus system and Amadeus system). I was starting training with seniors by learning how to work out the tour packages’ price according to certain places. The most important things when calculating the tour price are have to know which season is, when departure date is and how many people are. Therefore, it would not calculate wrongly and how much to charge for customers in certain season. Besides worked out with tour packages price, I also realized that it was very critical when answering on phone and face to face with customers. Even though, I know how to calculate some of tour packages price but another is the skills of up selling and persuasiveness. For example, the skills know how to convince customers to book in advance or buy the tour packages. Some customers were likely to spend their time by comparing tour price among travel agencies. However, at last they did not consider taking this tour package due to certain reasons.

On the third week, I started to make tour booking by accompanying with seniors. To name a few booking of 5D4N Hong Kong Fantasy tour, Taipei, Macau, Star Cruise Virgo and other tours & ticketing. At the same time, I also have received praises from another senior. She said in amusing way to me: “So by now, you would know how powerful of being scolded by me until you can make a tour booking in the short period of time?” Because of I knew nothing at the first and second week, I almost all the time being scolded by seniors when I did something wrong. Regardless of how, I always not forget to apologize with seniors and customers of my mistake. And I was willing to improve myself by asking all the seniors to clarify the problem. Therefore, by comparing from first week till now, I have realized that I improved a lot in terms of skills such as how to up sell, offer and persuade the customers to book in advance with suitable price compare to other travel agencies.

By observing in terms of environmental friendly, this company is actually quite wasting of paper resources. Although Accountant department always encourage all staff that they have to recycle the paper resources when it is applicable. Nevertheless, they like to make a lot of tour brochures’ copy especially in the counter sales department. Even if the deadline of booking date on tour brochure is nearly expired, they will still make lots of copy for all the tour brochures. For instance, it can reuse another side of tour brochure with 1 side-printed only for note taking from customers’ enquiries and other uses.

In addition, all the staff must go for training of new system which is Athena System during this third week. For me, I quite familiar with IT so there is no problem for me to learn it. Thus, I need to improve in interpersonal skills and up selling skills in order to enhance my job performance as a good intern.

In conclusion, I was really enjoying working in this company which has training and so many colleagues work as a team. 3 managers are very productive and patient to train my friends and me during this period.

DIET: Thin people may be fat inside

LONDON - If it really is what's on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble. Some doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding vital organs like the heart, liver or pancreas — invisible to the naked eye — could be as dangerous as the more obvious external fat that bulges underneath the skin.

"Being thin doesn't automatically mean you're not fat," said Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, London. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create "fat maps" showing where people store fat.

According to the data, people who maintain their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are otherwise slim. "The whole concept of being fat needs to be redefined," said Bell, whose research is funded by Britain's Medical Research Council.

Without a clear warning signal — like a rounder middle — doctors worry that thin people may be lulled into falsely assuming that because they're not overweight, they're healthy.

"Just because someone is lean doesn't make them immune to diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease," said Dr. Louis Teichholz, chief of cardiology at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey, who was not involved in Bell's research.

Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores — a standard obesity measure that divides your weight by the square of your height — can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside.

Of the women scanned by Bell and his colleagues, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had excessive levels of internal fat. Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent.

Relating the news to what Bell calls "TOFIs" — people who are "thin outside, fat inside" — is rarely uneventful. "The thinner people are, the bigger the surprise," he said, adding the researchers even found TOFIs among people who are professional models.

According to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are essentially on the threshold of being obese. They eat too many fatty, sugary foods — and exercise too little to work it off — but they are not eating enough to actually be fat. Scientists believe we naturally accumulate fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.

Still, most experts believe that being of normal weight is an indicator of good health, and that BMI is a reliable measurement.

"BMI won't give you the exact indication of where fat is, but it's a useful clinical tool," said Dr. Toni Steer, a nutritionist at Britain's Medical Research Council.

Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some suspect it contributes to the risk of heart disease and diabetes. They theorize that internal fat disrupts the body's communication systems. The fat enveloping internal organs might be sending the body mistaken chemical signals to store fat inside organs like the liver or pancreas. This could ultimately lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease.

Experts have long known that fat, active people can be healthier than their skinny, inactive counterparts. "Normal-weight persons who are sedentary and unfit are at much higher risk for mortality than obese persons who are active and fit," said Dr. Steven Blair, an obesity expert at the University of South Carolina.

For example, despite their ripples of fat, super-sized Sumo wrestlers probably have a better metabolic profile than some of their slim, sedentary spectators, Bell said. That's because the wrestlers' fat is primarily stored under the skin, not streaking throughout their vital organs and muscles.

The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. "Even if you don't see it on your bathroom scale, caloric restriction and physical exercise have an aggressive effect on visceral fat," said Dr. Bob Ross, an obesity expert at Queen's University in Canada.

Because many factors contribute to heart disease, Teichholz says it's difficult to determine the precise danger of internal fat — though it certainly doesn't help.

"Obesity is a risk factor, but it's lower down on the totem pole of risk factors," he said, explaining that whether or not people smoke, their family histories and blood pressure and cholesterol rates are more important determinants than both external and internal fat.

When it comes to being fit, experts say there is no short-cut. "If you just want to look thin, then maybe dieting is enough," Bell said. "But if you want to actually be healthy, then exercise has to be an important component of your lifestyle."

Happy Reunion of SMK Kartini (graduation in 2005)at KTM Resort in Batam^^

Date : 6pm 19 May 2007 - 12.30pm 20 May 2007

Venue : KTM Resort in Batam (Villa C.17 in front of the Basket Ball Court)

Activities : FUN!! ^^ basket...basket...basket :P

I was really joyful of the Reunion arrangement by my dear friends such as Indah, Putra, Ria and so forth. Even though at the end of the day, I must suffer a lot because of projects' due date, appointment with my aunt and would have Quiz of SPA. What a wonderful weekend!!^^ Of course these 2 days, I would be a very cute panda .. hehe... Due to those reasons above..^^

Like that only lar :P nothing much to say about it :P

love story..

Today's Diary 933 told about a love story that quite similar with my love story.. The only differences were the writer and the role was exchanged.

Let's talk about my love story.. He was a guy who I liked at the first-sight. He was Hendi. He and I have started and courted (tan lian ai) since High School Years. Actually, even though we studied at the same school but in these 2 years, we never talk to each other or even say "hello".. Still remember that last year in February, we started to make friend. In this case, we are honestly have same characters which are shy and cool.. However, we became friend easily, it was because of a friend of us. Hendi was intentionally breaking into our conversation and then became my friend. It was simply and natural. So, from that day, we all three people like to talk to each other in any topic such as stories, guessing riddles, tongue twisters, discussing our lesson/assignment or even chit-chat and so forth..

[14 February 2005]

In 2005, 14th February this was Valentine day. I deliberately invited him to my house in order to celebrate this special day with him. The reasons why I chose him, it was because I felt that he was a nice guy, not only good-looking but also filial after getting along with him. Whereas I absolutely not let him know that what my purpose was. So, I made a silly excuse. It was inviting him in order to play Chinese Chess. At the moment, I realized that my Chinese Chess skills were really really dreadful (zao tou). Hence, I promised myself that I have to outplay him one day. Having the game, he suddenly gave me a really nice gift. There were a chocolate and some bean from a kind of bean from Taiwan Acacia (xiang si dou). I was astonishingly surprised after receiving the gift.. During at the night of the Valentine day, in my mind was really confuse whether was it kind of gift for a girlfriend or just for a special friend?

[15 February 2005]

Hence, the day after that, I was a bit joyful and would like ask my all friends about this happen. Let’s guess, what would be happening to the next? Do not worry, I will not keep you guessing at a climax in suspense whereas I will share with you entire of the story. J

Updated on 31 Dec 2006.

The occurrence was truly incredible for myself.. I was really surprise after listening one of my friends who told about him. She (her name start with E) told to me that he actually had girlfriend already.. “Why did he give the gift to me instead of his girlfriend for the Valentine day? What when wrong with he and his girlfriend?” She said to me and felt really surprise.

Later in time, I started to dodge with him. Never ever contact with him even face to face also did not have any single conversation. For the reason is that I was falling in love with him. (A simple reason..) I really did not willing to see their relationship become worse and worse because of giving the gift to wrong person.

At once, I also struggled with my final examination for the year in 2005. In that case, I really wanted to focus on my examination and tried the examination papers almost every single day. My favorite subjects are mathematics and accounting. (It is something with figure because I really confident in numeric).

[31 May 2005]

This was a day which I have had the second subject for the final examination. While in studying for mathematics, he suddenly sms to me. He asked me that whether did me still angry with him or not since that case.