Thermometer Checks On Foreheads at Airports, Malls, Pools, Gyms: What Is It recording? C to F

Thermometer check for forehead. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

At Changi airport visitors arriving from overseas will pass a large monitor which records your temperature. 

To enter a shopping mall, public building, Community Club, or to swim in a Condominium, you sign in with your name, address, contact phone number, time or arrival, signature, and then have your temperature taken and recorded.

The thermometer is designed with different settings for babies, toddlers and adults. The reading is in centigrade. 

I usually ask them to tell me my temperature. This time I had the bright idea of asking if I could record it on my phone. Apparently your temperature can vary slightly during the day. It will be interesting to see how much, if at all, my temperature varies.

This time I was entering a swimming pool area. Masks are required everywhere except when excercising.

Taking the photo of my temperature enabled me to get a picture of the device used. I suspect that if I had asked to take a photo of the thermometer the official might have worried that I had some underhand motive, such as stealing it, complaining about it. Without knowing what I might be up to, he might have decided to err on the side of caution and declined permission. 

Generally, if somebody is smiling and happy they will say yes to a request. If they are unsmiling and look worried or cross, they are more likely to say no.

Anyway, I was lucky, and achieved my objective. I found out my temperature and interesting detials about the device. So if I want to order one online, I can see whether it has features I want, or don't need. Even if I don't bother to order one, I feel in control of my environment and I am happy.

35.6 C converts to 

96.08 F 

using rapid tables

35.6°C×9/5+32

= 96.08°F

This was taken after swimming because the desk was not manned on arrival.

You have the conversion chart.

If you take a photo or write down your temperature two or three days running you will know what is your normal temperature.

So, now you know, too.

Happy swimming, shopping, travelling.

In Singapore you can say thank you and goodbye in English. However, the other four official languages are Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, and Tamil, which you will hear in anouncements on the underground called the MRT. You might like to learn a little of the languages commonly used in coutnries you hope to visit this year or next year, at very least to recognize hello, thank you and goodbye.

Useful Websites On Thermometer Temperature Conversion

https://www.almanac.com/content/temperature-conversion

https://www.mathsisfun.com/temperature-conversion.html

https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/temperature/celsius-to-fahrenheit.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_swimming

Author

Angela Lansbury

https://www.facebook.com/angela.lansbury.121

https://www.facebook.com/groups/polygotcommunity/

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogs

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/04/how-to-say-thank-you-in-several.html

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-yourself-in-english-spanish.html

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/second-set-of-portuguese-words.html Please share links to your favourite posts

https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club

translate.google.com

duolingo.com

What is free or cheap in Singapore?

At the airport

Waterfall at Jewel mall, part of Changi airport.

Changi airport:
1 Free toilets.
2 Free water fountains.
3 Free view of waterfall at Jewel mall. Free sponsored sound and light show at intervals in the evening.(If the restaurants are too expensive for you, or you are in a hurry, look for the supermarkets in the basement.)
4 Free Butterfly Garden on two floors.
5 Several sculptures and some sculptures for Selfies.
6 Free bus tour if you are around in the city more than 5 hours.

Jewel waterfall at night.

Butterfly Garden. Changi Airport.

Community Clubs
You can recognize them by the imposing building, often on a corner, sometimes with a large clock tower.
In front will be a sign with the Malay word for club, Kelab.

Community Club at Tampines West, near the airport.

Inside will be an open sided sports area, often with team sports or martial arts lessons. Next to that in the centre, usually on the ground floor is a large sports hall or gym alos used for events. Usually a fast food restaurant such as McDonalds or KFC or a Chinese restaurant or hawker centre (food court).

Free toilets.
Open air space to sit. (No air con in public areas.)
Some Community Centres have a small pond containing large fish near the lift which will entrtain children and adults.

Often free newspapers and magazines to read, many Chinese and one or two in English, plus many public service leaflets.

Botanic Gardens
Free to walk in at both ends. One end is near the Botanic Gardens MRT undeground railway station.
Trees have plaques. Take a picnic or look for McDonalds. Food at all prices but long walks in between so plan your route and take water. The kiosks are cheaper than restaurants but some of the restaurants are expensive.

Free masks given out at many hospitals and health clinics to stop the spread of disease.

Gardens By The Bay
Outside the two giant paid for attractions is a garden of trees along the river. Numerous plaques about history, myths, and medicine and food and furniture using the trees.

MRT Underground Train Stations
Free wifi.
Free toilets at the station entrance - no need to buy a train ticket.

Many stations have sculptures or murals. Near Bencoolen is an art college.




Holland Village MRT station, Singapore. Mural showing windmill. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Daeso bargain store. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Cheap Shopping
1 Daeso Department store. Japanese. But many Chinese items. Convenient branches are by Expo MRT exit, or in the Ion Mall at Orchard MRT or in City Squre Mall by Farrer Park MRT.

2 Mustafas department store, covers two blocks, two floors and open 24 hours. Has everything from food and clothes to watches, luggage, curtains.

3 Bargain Basements in many shopping malls.
Bargain shops in out of the centre MRT station approach roads. For example, Toa Payoh. Also at the entrance to Expo MRT in the basement you find a Daeso and a Value store.

4 Supermarkets, Pharmacies & Convenience Stores
Fairprice supermarket.
Guardian Pharmacy. Cheap umbrellas.
Watsons Pharmacy. Cheap umbrellas.
7-11
Many branches in the malls by underground MRT train stations.

Cheap Eating
Food courts called Hawker centres are in the basement or on the top floor of many shopping malls and office blocks. Also look for hawker centres in markets, HDB (government housing estates), around MRT railway stations and in hospitals.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Community Clubs: Why The No Food Nor Drinks In Rooms Rule?

Singapore flag.

Community Clubs

I did not understand the no food rule in rooms in Community Clubs until I went to the office and asked for the cost of hiring a room. The cost of hiring a room is in one box. Another box is for the cleaning of the room. You can only leave that box unticked or cross it out if you cay that there will be no food in the room.

So, frequently, at a Toastmasters meeting, the food for breaktimes is on a table outside the room in the corridor. What do you do when the bell rings for returning to the room and you are half way through eating?

Afterwards the paper plates are gathered up. The organizers rush around diligently clearing away. I thought this must be some kindness to cleaners so that they can go home only. Now it appears to me that it is to save the club having to be the cleaning fee - or getting in dispute with the building management.

In addition to Toastmasters Clubs, many other groups adopt the same system of having food outside in the corridors.  I can tell by observing the food on tables in the corridors

What if you or a visitor forget or don't understand and take food into the meeting room?

Does it matter? What could go wrong?

It's very easy to put a plate on the floor and then move your chair or feet and accidentally knock the contents onto the ground. In a hot country like Singapore, you can attract insects.

What about water? Water, if spilled, might dry up fast and without leaving a stain. I often hear people say, "Don't worry. It's only water."

What could go wrong with water?
1 Some insects thrive on water. So does mould.
2 You might walk the mud or dirt o your shoes over the water, leaving dirty patches on the carpet or tiled floor.
3 Water on tiles can make people slip.
4 Kick over water, or even knock it over on a table, you ruin your contest certificate, your notebooks, your books.

The book pages all stick together. The ink runs.

The book sticks to the table. Later the dried up pieces of paper have to be removed. You have to donate tissues to mop up the water. Tissues disintegrate and make more mess.

Attempts to clean up the spillage are a distraction and an embarrassment. At very least, consider what could knock over the paper or plastic cup or glass or porcelain cup. What movement might knock the glass? Such as moving the chair, pushing your bag under the chair, sitting on the plate, dropping the paper cup of water off the collapsing paper plate when passing the half-drunk water to somebody else.

Look for an alternative, such as placing the cup at the back of a nearby surface.

Some rooms have a water dispenser inside the room. That means your glass of water is permitted. But it would still save a lot of trouble if you drink near the dispenser.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Tampines West Community Club Contains a McDonalds

Tampines West Community Club. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Looks like Florida, say my family. 

You can tell it is Singapore because of the combination of the palm trees, the imposing Community Club building with the clock tower, and the orange Chinese lanterns for Chinese New Year.

I love the tower. So distinctive. 

the building contains a Starbucks and a McDonalds. At the back is a busy outdoor children's playground. Something for all the family.

Singapore is a great stopover between Russia or Europe and Australia. 

Travel Tips

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

australia.com

visitbritain.com

visitbritain.shop.com

visitbritain.org

visittheusa.co.uk

visitsingapore.com

Singapore Airlines: 

singaporeair.com

Fish pond in Community Centre in Singapore

Harrow in north west London in England put out an appeal for suggestions when redeveloping the town centre. I had some ideas, and pictures. 

In Singapore water features are included for feng shui. Feng shui which means wind water. That is a succinct way of saying being calmly and harmoniously in tune with surroundings and environment. 

Harrow, and developers and architects worldwide, please copy the idea of water features.  

See my later post on fish.

Fish pond in Community Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Merry Christmas at Tampines West CC

This is one  of the weirdest and most distinctive community club buildings in Singapore. It looks like the architect was bipolar or it was designed by twins who had flu, or an argument.  I love the twisted tower.

Tampines West Community Club Xmas Lights and greetings

Distictive building with Xmas lights.

Tampines West Community Club Xmas lights and greetings. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What is the difference between a sponsor and a coach in Toastmasters International?

I asked Eli, who is the Treasurer of a Toastmasters International club in Singapore.
He told me, 'The sponsor gets the 20 members needed to start a club. A coach helps a club with fewer than 8 members to get another 5 perhaps in 6 months or a year.'

Eli has also helped clubs based in Community Club buildings. Some clubs give a room free to a Toastmasters Club. Others charge you.

Eli said, 'You have to see it from their point of view.  Are they spending money or saving money by giving you a room. First you must present yourselves as professionals, not amateurs. Then you must offer to mc their large events to save them from needing to hire a DJ.'

Glossary

m.c. master of ceremonies

Google Local Guide eg Braddell Heights Community Centre, Singapore, and worldwide activities

Club Tampines West, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
How do you give brief but useful information about a Community Club in Singapore or anywhere?
First, how do you find it? Google maps. The map on the nearby MRT station. Look for a large building with the sign club outside.

Answer
I wrote this about Braddell Heights Community Club in Singapore and the nearby MRT underground station.

DIRECTIONS
From Serangoon MRT take escalators to exit F (fewer escalators than the other set of escalators which exit to the shopping mall). Along the corridor you emerge by bus stops. The Community Centre (changed name to Community Club in 2018 to sound more friendly) is a large building, same side, to your right, on the corner. Compact building with office, signboards and lift the lobby.

ACTIVITIES
Open to all. Non-members pay slightly more. Many activities are courses such as martial arts, Lion Dance group, singing, crafts, for children or adults, seasonal events. However, you can often drop into either the Mandarin speaking Toastmasters' International speaking club or one of the three English speaking Toastmasters clubs held on three of the five Saturday afternoons each month.   

EATING
No eating place is inside but a hawker centre is diagonally across the road junction beyond the HDB housing block; or go back to Nex shopping mall beside Serangoon MRT railway station. 

I could say much more for the Google reader, but the text would be too long for Google browsers. What else have I not said? This community club is one of my two favourites, because of its nearness to the MRT (trains every three to five minutes) and the number of English language activities. My other favourite is Cairnhill, near Newton MRT, with about nine English language Toastmasters clubs plus one Mandarin and one bilingual English and Malay.

You could also check out the Community clubs website which lists the clubs all over Singapore. 

PHOTO
I am in two minds about putting up a photo.

Inside the atrium of Braddell Heights Community Club. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Useful Websites (Alphabetically by country)

EUROPE / GERMANY
The Rathaus, not a rat house but what we in the UK call a town hall. Normally the historic building is on the main square of each city. The big basement with columns and carvings usually has a bustling cafeteria serving reasonably-priced local food. Signs on walls and tables tell you about activities and local events.















Bremen town hall or Rathaus. Source Wikipedia article on Bremen. Photo by Pederec.

I remember that Bremen in north Germany has a typical, striking basement cafeteria.

In France the town hall is called the hotel de ville.

SINGAPORE
https://www.pa.gov.sg/our-network/community-clubs
TOURIST INFORMATION
https://www.visitsingapore.com/see-do-singapore/socialiser/?cmp=SEM_LEISURE-EATDRINK-NIGHTLIFE
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
singaporeair. com

CLUBS
toastmastersinternational.com/find-a-club

UK
Cities have events and activities in town halls, Arts Centres, churches, church halls, colleges, public libraries, pubs (the whole pub or a room upstairs), restaurants, schools, and theatres.  Look for the free newspapers in racks outside railway stations, in Tourist Information Centres, 
and in supermarkets and outside newsagents and the shops of estate agents (property agents).

USA
Just google 'community centres near me' and you will get suggestions for each city.

Author 
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Martial arts to learn, defense and easy exercise: Aikido, Kung Fu, Kra Maga, Tai Chi

I met a tall, bearded man who told me: 'I practise and learn aikido every weekend in Singapore.'

I asked him: 'What is aikido?'

Aikido defense against a sword. Picture from Wikipedia.

Aikido
He told me: 'Aikido means harmonious way. People over the age of fifty take it up because it doesn't require the strength and agility used by younger people in other martial arts.

'It is a form of defense used against a stronger assailant turning their strength against them. Imagine evading an opponent rushing towards you by stepping aside at the last minute and so they fall forward, using their strength against them!'

'Like tripping someone up? A bit like a rugby tackle.'

'It is non-violent. Aiki is Japanese for harmony and do means way.'

Bruce Lee

I asked:
'Which was the martial art started by Bruce Lee?'

Kung Fu is associated with Bruce Lee. I thought he invented it but apparently not. He just made it more popular.

Krav Maga

A third well-known martial arts defense system is Krav Maga. It was started by a Jewish man in Europe who needed self-defense and his system was taken to Israel where it was taught to the army. They have national service, like Singapore.

In London a member of my Toastmasters club was learning it with his fiancee. One meeting he turned up with a bandaged nose. 

He still married her.

My friend in Singapore said:
'I am learning at a community club. You can learn almost anything in community clubs. Dancing, ballroom dancing - my friend is doing salsa.'

They also have first aid classes. That could be handy - especially for any young man whose girlfriend gets too enthusiastic.

Tai Chi
A really slow oriental exercise is tai chi. You often see this being done by groups in public places, in factory compounds at the start of the day's work, or in the open air courtyards of the Singapore community clubs.

The moves are given animal names. Looks like a film in slow motion. No contact. Each person does their own thing.

Useful Websites
SINGAPORE
visitsingapore.com
Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com

Find a Community Club or course
https://www.pa.gov.sg/our-network/community-clubs/locate-cc

Aikido Info
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Eating On The Move And Providing Food For Club Visitors

I went to a lunch time Toastmasters Meeting at a Financial group in the downtown area. They provided a choice of meats or fish or vegetarian food with a rice pack and vegetables, different for each person. We all chose from a choice of five or six meals. I had chicken, rice, mushrooms and a green vegetable.

Most lunch time meetings I have been to feature heavily on pizzas with vegetarian pizzas.

The evening meetings vary. Some places provide a proper meal, with noodles and meats. Some even have a casserole or two, often sponsored by a member who is in business. Some clubs provide bananas and grapes.

One club as a matter of principle has only 'healthy' food, fruit and nuts, hardly any biscuits and cakes. Bukit Timah Toastmasters.

Singapore is a country with a high rate of diabetes. I am not surprised.  Cakes, biscuits and sweets.

Student groups, supposedly those who are educated, were the worst, all chocolates and biscuits. It's not as if they can't get proper savoury food. Every Community Club has a McDonalds or even an entire food court underneath.

Admittedly, there's a huge amount on the internet condemning processed food. However, even fried chicken seems healthier to me that endless sticky buns and jelly-like sweets and pandan cake.

If you are catering, please provide some fresh fruit, and something which is not all fat, cereal and sugar.

I went to a club last Christmas for a so-called Xmas party. They had lots of Xmas songs and Xmas costumes and Xmas theme speeches. But the breaktime was just tea and coffee and packets of dry biscuits. I and another visitor muttered to each other and rolled our eyes. She was more forthright than I was. I have never been back.

Bananas are cheap and filling.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

More Durian McFlurry At Anchorvale Community Club In An Inspiring Building With A Swimming Pool Please Copy

Durian McFlurry ice cream in a pot with a handy plastic spoon from McDonalds at Anchorvale Community Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Problem
Where was I going to find my next Durian McFlurry?

Answer
In the new Anchorvale Community Club near Changi Airport.  Our driver was busy parking and a friend and I were waiting in the large void deck. I ran over to take a picture of the super swimming pool which had coloured slides. My friend told me, "All the new Community Clubs in Singapore have swimming pools."

I am so pleased. Private condos have had swimming pools for years for expats and the better paid. The HDB flats which house the majority don't have swimming pools. the residents are expected to use the public swimming pools, most of which have simply oblong conventional swimming pools. As the newly-built condos have added water slides, curves and water features, so the public pools have now caught up.

Not only does this provide families with entertainment and exercise, it makes the community clubs more of an attraction, which provides more cohesiveness in the community, and makes the community club more profitable, so that other activities such as small meetings for minorities in meeting rooms can be subsidised by the paid for swimming pool.

The Anchorvale Community Club was a great success, if you were to judge by numbers of people. Parking places were in short supply. The McDonalds was thriving and had a busy indoor seating area and a quick-service window in the main hall.

At the quick window I saw a sign for a card to sign up for. I decided I should do this, as it was my second day running visiting a McDonalds. Their choice of foods is much greater than in the old days: fish, vegetarian - and durian (fruit) ice cream.

Unfortunately, downloading the app was a problem. I never made it.

However, I can tell you that the swimming pool in Anchorvale looks great. If you are anywhere else in the world (such as Asia, the UK now that global warming will be making longer summers) and the southern area of the USA, look at the Singaporean Community Centres which are built in every government housing estate, a model for the world to copy.

Please Copy Community Centres
The community centres provide central parks watched by the surrounding buildings. Ground floor shops and doctors and dentists and pre-school so the elderly and pregnant women and young mothers and fathers don't need to travel with low budgets and toddlers. Schemes offer housing swaps so that the elderly on high floors oe people with inclined to climb children can swap with those on ground or lower floors (who get kudos and/or awards, or rewards).

Community Housing
 The housing estates, built and maintained by the governments Housing Development Board (HDB) to provide affordable housing for all citizens.  Basic upgrades such as repainting outside walls and repairing paths and installing covered walkways to keep off the sunshine and rain are funded by the government.

Upgrades To Housing
Extras such as designing and installing gardens, gazebos, fountains and fish pools and sculpture and arches and more shops are chosen and half-funded by residents. Their ideas and imput of money means that they feel responsible for keeping the new facilities in good condition.

Anchorvale Community Centre is already up and running successfully. Next year we anticipate that the new MRT (mass transit) underground railway station will be completed.
(photos and websites being added shortly)

Useful Websites
SINGAPORE TOURISM
visitsingapore.com
singaporeair.com
HDB

McDONALDS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald
mcdonalds.com.sg/locate-us
mcdelivery.com.sg

To view this website post:

http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/09/more-durian-mcflurry-at-anchorvale.html

Previous post on durian:
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/09/durian-delight-at-macdonalds.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Please share links to your favourite posts. 

Practise Your Languages - With Meetups,Toastmasters and Duolingo Events

Problem
Where can I get to meet those itneresting people who write on the Duolingo forums about the joys of learning one language rather than another?

Polyglot groups are rare, apparently, but you can find many groups practising speaking indivdual languages. I found this by accident on the Duolingo website.

SINGAPORE
In Singapore I found groups for Bahasa Malay (Malay language); Korean and Spanish.
https://events.duolingo.com/singapore-spanish/

If you want to learn Mandarin, you have several choices:

1 Classes at the YMCA in Orchard Road.

2 Classes at your nearest Community Club.

3 Toastmasters international has the following clubs in Singapore
1 FRENCH - first Friday evening each month, at Cairnhill Community club near Newton MRT.
Entirely in French, run by French speakers.
Toastmasters Francophone de Singapour.
Arrive 7 pm for 7.15 prompt start.

2 MANDARIN Braddell Heights Mandarin and several more - a whole area of Mandarin clubs.

3 INDIAN Tamil/ other Indian languages - SINDA in Beatty Road near Farrer Park MRT is the venue for a whole group of Indian clubs, including Sundays. I went to one bilngual group in the SINDA building on a Sunday morning, another in a temple on a Saturday evening.

4 MALAY - Jauhari club on occasional Saturday afternoons at Cairnhill CC near Newton MRT.
They used to meet the third Saturday of the month at 4 pm. They produced the district winner of the International Speech contest, who represented Singapore in the USA (speaking in English).

Check dates and times of all meetings.
ONLINE RESOURCES
You can also buy some of the instruction manuals from Duolingo in languages such as Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Spanish. The manuals to help you follow proceedings and understand the tecninical terms at meetings, especially in countries where those languages are the first language.

I just downloaded the German version of A Toastmaster Has Many Hats, and found a lot of new words. If you have the English version and the foreign version, you can mug up on the vocabulary before the meeting.

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR FREE LEARNING OF LANGUAGES
duolingo.com
futurelearn

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Advantages and Disadvantages of MacDonalds in Singapore

Problem
How do I get food I recognize, with marked prices, and local flavours?

In the East many countries have local variations of MacDonalds food. In Singapore next to Pasir Ris Elias Community Club, having arrived early we went into MacDonalds for a drink. When I saw the meals included Salmon I had to try it.

Let's look at for and against eating in this MacDonalds.
FOR
1 Local food. Salmon in a bun.
2 Seaweed sauce to go on the French fries.
You empty the packet into a paper bag and toss the French fries around in it. Not much flavour but it adds a bit of crunch and variety. Different from at home in London. You feel you are abroad.

I have to admit to being disappointed on two counts.
1 Toilets and handwashing are not within the restaurant but outside in the mall. So when my food arrived fast - it's fast food! I wanted to wash my hands but not to leave my food on the table and leave the restaurant.

2 The salmon cake in the bun was a bit dry and tasteless, nothing like fresh salmon cooked at home with no more cooking skill needed than adding water and sticking the salmon in a microwave. You could also do this in a rented studio with a kitchenette or microwave.

On the plus side:
1 We had a choice of round or square tables, nice for a conversation between two, boy and girl, social chat or even a business meeting.

2 Bottomless coffee or tea at breakfast time.

3 Ample seating and nobody hassling you to order more nor move on.

You can even get your MacDonalds meals delivered.

Useful Websites:
visitsingapore.com
singaporeair.com
https://www.mcdelivery.com.sg

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See next blog post for photo.

What Community Clubs' Architects Do To De-Stress and Stress you

Problem
The first problem is that several community centres in many areas have similar names. But drivers, taxi drivers, pedestrians, MRT passengers - everybody gets confused.

When you arrive, however, many Community Clubs have features designed to reduce stress. My favourites are:

1 Water features - fountains and fish.
2 Green walls of greenery.
3 Cafes and snack bars.
4 Changing coloured lights.

Lights
Nee Soon East has changing coloured lights. You can watch the entire front of the building change colour, facing it from the temporary bus terminal, and the road approach from the MRT.

From white

to red

Nee Soon East Community Club also has a stress-inducing feature. If you approach from the left at the back, to reach the corridor to the front desk office and notce boards and elevators you have to walk across the goal end of the open-sided games area, stopping, whilst the players dodge around you chasign balls and throwing them across your path.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

What's Ap For Communicating Illness, Funerals Or Temporary Groups

Problem
Some older people don't know what what's ap is for. Others don't realise you can start news groups and stop them. Others don't realise how helpful it can be in the case of a sudden illness at home or overseas. If you have somebody who doesn't understand it, they may a tecnology phobe. They may be be a lot warmer when you say you'll install it for them.

Answers
When I first went to Singapore I didn't understand what's ap, how to join it, or the advantages.
The obvious advantage is that you can use it on your phone when you are away from your computer. You can contact everybody in the group about an event - such as I'm lost where's the front door of this building, or I am at the station, which bus do I take.

I joined the system when I was in Singapore and judging speech contests. I would be going to a different venue every night of the week. In the bad old days, before what's ap, you could reach a building such as a Community Club, and the reception would tell you there was noo meeting. Those in the meeting had turned their phones to silent. Now I plan to arrive at least half an hour early. If I cannot find the room or building I can whats ap everybody else in the group. Usually somebody will answer.

More recently in the UK I was informed about a funeral. People as far away as Australia were able to fly over within 48 hours to attend. In the old days informing everybody of a funeral would involve hours with a phone directory. Now you can include every who is concerned about an operation to give them updates. In our case, my friends son who had a lung transplant did not survive. Everybody in the group I was in received the message about the funeral arrangements.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

How to Ask the way in Chinese or Malay in Singapore, or the USA - find hotels, stations and clubs with the help of photos

Singapore has a Community Club in every area. Get the programme of your nearest one or find it on line. You can go there to learn Chinese.  Pick up leaflets in several languages. Read a local newspaper.

The club often has a coffee shop, a Starbucks, or Chinese and Western fast food at reasonable prices. You often see a small pond with goldfish.

Jurong Green Community Club sign. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

This sign can be shown to people speaking any of the four official languages of Singapore. If you were eating at the hawker centre (cheap outdoor eating area with kiosks) opposite this building, you could still find your way, or direct a friend, by taking a photo of the sign. Arrange to meet your friend outside the main entrance of the community centre, or at the nearby bus stop which has seats, then walk to the coffee shop or hawker centre nearby.

Problem
I often go to a Community Club in Singapore. I get off the bus and don't know which way to go.

In Singapore it is important to tell the bus or taxi driver or passenger or passer-by whether your Community Club is North or East or South or West, because often two Clubs are within walking distance of your destination bus stop.

If you are going to a community club more than once, photgrph the sign board outside with the name in English and Malay in Chinese. Print it out. Alternatively keep it handy on your phone. Then you can remember it. Also show it passers-by when you want to ask the way. 

If you photograph the building, and show them the photo, and they have just passed it, they may be able to point along the road, even if they don't know the name of the building.

Many people in Singapore are very helpful. They may bring out their phone and try to find directions for you. 

If you have printed off the map, or saved it in your phone, you don't have to wait while they key in their password, go to the website and so on.

Photograph of Buona Vista station name. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

MRT Station
You could also photograph the station, your hotel, or your favourite nearby restaurant. Make sure everybody in your family or group has a picture of the hotel in case they get lost.

Hotel Photos
An internet picture of your hotel is handy when checking in. In Wales we tried to check into the Castle Hotel when our booking was with the Castle View hotel. In Phoenix, Arizona, we stopped at the Holiday Inn, which had no record of the booking, and eventually, when we insisted we had a booking, the receptionist realised there was not only another Holiday Inn but several. Arriving from England, we had no idea that Phoenix was a huge city with several hotels from each chain.

If you can photograph the street name with your hotel, you can find the street on a city map and enlist the aid of the concierge in any nearby hotel.

New Bridge Road, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Korea
I remember being terrified to leave my hotel in Korea. I could not speak or read Korean. I thought I would never find my way back, even though the station was only 'just around the corner'. If I had taken a photo of my hotel, a shop or building every few paces, and the station, I could have made my way there and back, either with a taxi or walking.

Now you know how to find your way around a foreign city, you can have the courage to consider booking some far away places.

USEFUL TRAVEL WEBSITES (in alphabetical order)
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
https://www.state.gov/travel/ (USA advice for US citizens travelling)
Both sites also have useful general advice about specific countries.

China
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china (Advice on China.)
Greece
http://www.visitgreece.gr/
Israel
https://new.goisrael.com
Korea
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto
Russia
visitrussia.org.uk
Singapore
http://www.visitsingapore.com/en/
UK
visitbritain.org
USA
visit-usa.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Please share links to your favourite posts. 

Finding Free Fun Activities

Problems
I want to learning languages, learn to sing, go to social events. First problem, is where to find an activity. It's not hard to find things to do. But most of them cost money.

Answers
You can earn enough to do everything you want.
1 Or search around and pick the cheapest activity.
2 Or search for a free activity.
3 Or start a self-help workshop group where you can get free accommodation for meetings.
4 Or find an online teaching source, then start a group in your home, watching and learning together, or learning and then teaching others.

 1 When I lived in the USA I was isolated. Later, as an expat in Singapore, I discovered groups attached to the clubs, such as The American Club, The British Club, also the Japanese, French, German, Swiss and other groups. If you joined the club you could go to activities such as courses, most of which charged fees. In Singapore cheaper classes for languages, music, art, yoga, tai chi, are held at Community Clubs (whcih used to be called Community Centres.).

Another source of information is Meetup.

If you are near a large public building such as a church, synagogue or mosque, they may display notices of events, some of which are cheap or free because the venue is provided free to help the members or attract outsiders as a community service or to get new members.

For example, in St Lawrence's church in Edgware, I saw a sign for a singing group.

If no group exists yet, you might consider starting one. First steps are to ask around friends, acquaintances, and people in reception or administration in public buildings.

Free First Time
Many courses offer you a free first lesson. Find out the cost of joining because if you like it, you may decide to join. Take business cards or write your name and phone number of email on a few pieces of paper. Then if you find a friend you can stay in touch.

Free Museums
London's free activities include the Guildhall (check opening times and days on their Website) in the city, mentioned in a previous post. Tourist Boards will tell you about free museums, or free days at museums. In some cities such as Caridff in Wales, major museums run by the local council or government are free.

Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International has many clubs and events which are free for guest who simply observe other trainee speaker, although some events incur fees. It depends on their policy and the cost of the venue.

Toastmasters Worldwide
Toastmasters International began in 1924 in California. It is now in 141 countries with 16,400 clubs and more than 352,000 members. I have been to more than 50 clubs in Singapore, as well as several clubs in the UK, several in China, one in Thailand and one in the Czech Republic. If you want to start a club, attend the nearest one and find a couple of other people who are interested in starting a club in your area. The organisation gives free starter packs and all sorts of help for starting a club.

Useful Websites
https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
https://www.meetup.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author and speaker.
Please share links to your favourite posts.

Community Clubs In Singapore - Please Copy

In England, Harrow is threatening to close down Harrow Arts Centre. But Community Clubs are being built and renovated all over Singapore. Mayor of London, please copy.

Singapore has numerous community clubs or community centres, called CC for short. From most maps inside an MRT station you can identify a nearby Community Centre. 

In the morning you can see the elderly doing tai chi snail-slow exercises like slow motion ballet dancers in the outdoor courts at the front. Children arrive for the creches and the music school lessons. The office at the entrance hall can direct you to activities. You pass the gym, the dance groups, the Mandarin classes. 

In the evening I go to toastmasters International Speakers groups. You can find English language groups, and bilingual groups where speeches and evaluations are given in in Mandarin and English.

Every few years each CC is upgraded. the latest in 2016 include Cairnhill near Newton MRT (underground railway) station.

A new CC is being built next to HillV2 mall, a few steps downhill from Hillview MRT station on the Downtown line.

A few opportunities:

Mandarin classes: Cairnhill CC.

Francophone French speaking Toastmasters club, Cairnhill CC.

Star Millenium Toastmasters club, Cairnhill CC.

community clubs in singapore

Angela Lansbury, BA Hons, CL, ACG, travel writer and photographer, English teacher, speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.