IBLAC

59th day in Shanghai (28/10/07)

Today was another long day of work supporting BQT for the event IBLAC (International Business Leaders’Advisory Council) for the Mayor of Shanghai

Work start at 7am, the earliest time ever since attachment started. Reported to Yee Hui and he asked us to look for one of the manager, Johnny at China Hall.

Saw Johnny and since he got nothing for us to do and we haven had our breakfast, he let us go for our breakfast break =)

Went back to China Hall to see the setup of the hall. The whole place look damn nice with classroom settings at the 2 ends of the hall and a circle set up in the center.

This event is very important as it involves all the big investors that contribute revenues to Shanghai. Most of the participants are either CEOs of big company or Chinese Governments.

And I think the coolest thing was that I saw Sun Zhong Shan’s granddaughter, Nora Sun. Wanted to take a photo with her but I think it’s quite weird and skipped that thought. In the end, I just said ‘Hi’ to her.

So the what we did for the morning was waiting for their coffee break time and lunch time and we will refresh the meeting hall by throwing away their used Evian bottles and replacing it with new ones.

It was then lunch time and Goh asked us if we want to have lunch together at Burger King in 正大广场.

So we went down to BQT office to wait for him and while waiting for him, we taught Tracy some Hokkien sentences (Almost all is vulgar one) and she taught us Shanghaiese (I leaned another language to sold people =)).

After quite some time, feeling freaking hungry already, we decided to walk around level 3 to see if he will be at the Ballrooms. But still, we didn’t see him.

Went back down to the office and gave him a call. He said that he is at Burger King already and asked us what meals we wanted. So since he asked that question, we assumed that he is going to buy back for us (Yu Hong asked Goh if he is going to buy back for us but I think he didn’t reply or whatever)

So we went to the back of the BQT office and help Niki and Dora to do up the menu for tonight’s dinner while waiting for our lunch.

After about 15 mins, Goh called Yu Hong and asked where we are. We were like ‘I though you are going to buy back for us?’

And apparently there was some miscommunication. Goh asked us what we wanted cox he was at the queue already and he bought our food first so that by the time we reached there, we don’t have to waste our time queuing up.

By the time we reached Burger King, our fries were cold and soft already =( and they have already finished theirs. Anyway, they waited for us to finish up and went back tgt.

Went back to BQT office coz Yu Hong bought egg tarts for some of them and we started slacking in there again.

Went back up to China Hall to see if they need any help there after walking awhile, we got tired and went back to BQT office. Nothing much to do there, we went to the back and started slping for at least 20mins.

Realized that BQT office was very quiet, went out to take a look and saw Cherry, Niki, Dora and Yu Hong changing the menu coz some of the words were keyed in wrongly.

Went up to Grand ballroom and they were having roll call; no one inform us about the roll call which means that we were not assign to anything to do =)

Helped Cherry to put the menus on the tables and arrange the chairs neatly, etc…

Reception starts shortly and we just walked around to see if they need help anywhere.

Went out to the cocktail garden to feel how cold the weather is already and the wind was so super strong that it blew down a glass of water. And with a very loud clash, the normal reaction for us was ‘OMG!!’ but to them, it seems to be very normal that a glass broke so loudly.

Dinner started and we started pouring red wine for the guest and at some point, helping the food server clear away dirty plates.

Time always past very quickly during serving time. After the whole dinner, we steal some food to eat; fruits, coffee cheesecake, etc.. (there is this secret place where the staffs will secretly eat the food) and there was this final roll call before everyone starts to clear away everything; the cutleries, table clothes and chair covers, etc…

By the time we end, it was near 9pm already… 14 hours of work!!! And some of the BQT staffs got to work more then that. Some of them ended work at 3.30am the previous day and started work at 9am today till they remove all the settings. And some of them didn’t even have their lunch and dinner. Poor thing!!

So super tired already, we still walked back home. Wanted to watch a DVD but was so tired that after watching 10 mins, I went off to lala land.

Until now, I have already got 2 days off from RSVN =) which means that I just got to support for another 2 more time and I can get 4 days off to accompany my parents when they are here this Dec =)