Though we've got to say goodbye... *

2007-08-31 10:30 p.m.

No, this entry is not about love, despite that the line is taken from the song, “Seal with a kiss". It’s once again that I’ve another internship in my pockets. Before I launch it recollections and much words of gratitude, let me take a huge sidetrack…

Went out with Melody on Tuesday. Ok, if you guessed wrongly, Melody is another intern at the bank I’m at. She’s in a different department from me, but we met at the Human Resource section on my first day and subsequently at the intern’s tea session.

It wasn’t the right day to have lunch out, but it was a great time nonetheless. What I mean was that it was raining cats and dogs when we met for lunch. Perhaps that’s the drawback of arranging lunch meetings at the last moment. I really didn’t have a place in mind to eat but we eventually settled for the food centre across the street, my usual haunt. Even though we took the long route via the MRT station, we still brave the rain with my big umbrella. Thoughts were on reaching the sheltered walkway that once or twice I forgot to shelter her.

Naturally the place was packed full with customers but umbrellas do come in useful as tools for reserving tables. Over a bowl of prawn mee (she had the famous nasi lemak) we discussed our various internship roles and our UK universities. Yes, she graduated with a degree in finance (or was it business?) from a UK university and we talked about our individual cities and campuses. Cadbury World was one phrase she brought up (she did visit Birmingham once during her time there) and yup, I mentioned that it was almost Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory in reality. “I never been up to Liverpool,” I remarked, which is true. Of course I want to go there, one of the many reasons being that of it being the hometown of The Beatles. “It’s rather drabby,” she remarked, or something to that effect. The conversation soon drifted to countries to visit during the term holidays. “Oh no, don’t visit Paris,” she said, when I brought that subject up. “It’s really cold in the winter and all the shops are closed around Christmas time.” I made a mental note about that and late mentioned my trip to Berlin and the rather expensive air ticket. She gave another round of advice, stating that train tickets around Europe aren’t that cheap and the best was to book budget airline tickets early. Another mental note.

The rain was being blown in at this time so I offered to switch places with her. Work was another discussion (as I said) and well, being a graduate with substantial background in the world of banking, she was engaged in more projects than I was. Not that I was lazing around the office or had very menial work to do. In fact, as she noted and I did concur, my place was quite a place to experience with the various types of trading and reports on local and international economic activities. Oh actually, one of the first topics that came up was the reason for choosing our individual universities. Hmm, I really can’t remember a strong reason. I told her at first that it was because of the rankings for Economics. I’ve told others that it was because it was “B”, the first on my UCAS. I could say that it is God guiding me when I chose that University. “I don’t regret my choice,” I told her. Speaking of faith and religion, I discovered that she was a fellow Christian of the same denomination too. Oh joy!

Lunch was over and she suggested have a cup of tea, a great idea because of the weather. I found myself at some crowded (and therefore very popular) joint down at OUB Centre. I held the seat and later placed the exact change for my very large cup of tea but she kindly refused. Thank you for that Melody. She popped a question about tea versus coffee, and we discovered that we were great tea lovers and secondly, that she missed the tea in the UK. Singapore food, however, was something that she would yearn for in the UK. Quite the opposite for me, but I had no problems about that, as I told her about the substantial range and spread of food from Shackleton Hall. We covered our JC lives and subjects next, finding more common ground before heading back to our offices.

She is a remarkable girl with a strong focus in life. Enjoy the remainder of your own internship Melody and God bless your future endeavours.

Ok, back to the issue proper. It’s a internship that lasted a little shorter than my stint at IDSS/RSIS, but it was just as worth the while. It’s a pretty good balance, since last year’s bordered the realm of political science and international relations while this time, it was dealing economics, the second subject I’m reading at university. Not just theoretical economics, but realt world economics, here where nothing is ceteris paribus at all.

It’s been a wonderful experience, having looked at the movements of equities, bonds and forex figures and understanding the reasons and implications behind each move. It’s taxing indeed to wake up early (well earlier then I did for IDSS/RSIS) but fun to read the reports I help with. As mentioned earlier, the security is pretty tight and so I won’t go into detail as to the true nature of my work. Even so, I can say I’ve learnt the workings of the true business world. (My times at two different law firms don’t count as much.) I’ve learnt that yes, while the working hours are long, while the work seems to be repetitive, you aren’t really driven into the sort of character that Adam Smith and Karl Marx feared in their examination of labour. It’s not exactly always “a rich man’s game” where they “never give you credit” as Dolly Parton sang. It’s a life where jokes and laughter do float about, where relaxation is placed equally along side seriousness. Even it the highly demanding world of money or other goods placed at your fingertips, there’s the certain knowledge that this isn’t a thankless realm.

And so, it the same spirit of my recollection of my time at IDSS/RSIS, here a list of thank yous to the amazing individuals during my time at UOB. The follow words are edited due to the nature of the work again though.

Mr. Jimmy Koh:

Much gratitude should be placed upon this individual who was so kind to take me under his charge, despite his awesome responsibilities. It was indeed an eye opener as you went through the nature of your team with me. I really didn’t perform well occasionally, but thank you for be so gracious and helping me along. I’ll remember the discussions on the economies of the world and different movements in the market. It showed me how much I thought I knew, and how much there is to learn about the dynamics of economics. It certainly is a internship that once can’t easily get all the time, and I do wish that I could have stayed longer.

Mr Suan Teck Kin:

Thank You for advising me to head for that course so that I could operate a certain program and collect data more efficiently. I’m also very grateful for letting me work of stuff that a undergraduate would not normally undertake and still correcting me along the way when I erm slipped up. I still may not understand what I really had to work on, but it was a wonderful opportunity nonetheless. I’ll also not forget your smiles and the jokes that you just seem to be able to crack on any country or any issue.

Mr. Alvin Liew:

You just seem so natural when discussing any economic or non-economic issue (well Jimmy, Teck Kin and the others are just the same). Thanks for the advice on reports and the chance to work with you on some new and challenging issues.

Mr Thomas Lam:

I’ve got to thank this gentlemen for well, firstly treating me to a very sumptuous meal. Secondly, for all the kind words of advice he gave me, from future job prospects, to university life, to living abroad and well just life in general. Thank you also for showing me how to work a certain system and the various task you busied me with. I wasn’t really sure of how to solve certain problems, and thank you for showing me short cuts and clarifying so many doubts.

Ms Ho Woei Chen:

It was a great experience, working with you and reading the reports you (and the others) created so early in the morning. It was a great time working with you.

Ms Lena Tan:

A huge heap of thanks for enduring my questions and mistakes. Another lot of thanks for showing me the intricacies of that programme which as you quipped, “is not as user friendly as Microsoft Word.”

To Johnson and Ming Yong:

You guys perhaps deserve the same praise and Eng Cheong, IDSS computer wizard. Except that you two had to dealt with the technical difficulties of a larger and more demanding population. Even so, I was amazed with how smooth you two handled each matter. Thanks for helping me with my technical difficulties.

In the same spirit, I present to you some memorable quotes from the individuals of the bank:

“Countries can try either the China route or the Russian/USSR route. You know which route worked out better. That’s the importance of history”
--Mr. Koh on the relevance of history (well 20th Century history) in economics

“Even a mosquito can fly 20 flights up,”
--Mr. Liew, on discussion on selling Flats in the heartlands to locals/expats

“There are two kinds. En-bloc-kers and En-Bloc-kees,”
--Mr. Suan, on the en bloc issue. I don’t know, it sounded funny when he mentioned it

“Always look for the passion in a job, not just the money,”--Mr. Lam.

"There are many known unknowns, and many unknowns,"--one of the traders, on a "classified" topic.

And so, the summer has sort of ended for me with another exciting time in a new place with new and bright faces. God bless the staff at that bank. What’s next? God only knows.

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