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.
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Mooncake season in Chinese restaurants and supermarkets in Singapore and Worldwide

Problem
It's moon cake season, so delicious, so diet-defiant, where can I get one? My favourite flavour is red bean. I've tried ice cream moon cakes, but ice cream is not a moon cake.

Through my email comes an offer for discounts on mooncakes from a certain bakery shop chain in Signapore, on the Passion card. Order now, for delivery in September. You can get mooncakes anywhere and everywhere in Singapore. Apparently moon cakes are cheaper in Taiwan. You can also order them online. But, let's go back to my memories of mooncakes in Singapore.

They even have pop up shops selling nothing but mooncakes. I was lured in by the advertised price but was disappointed. I found the prices misleading. The cheap special offer is the price per moon cake if you order a box of several.

Passion Card
What is a passion card? It is available when you join a Community Centre. You have to join the community centre when you attend many events, not as a visitor but as a member. For example, such as a course of lessons in Tai Chi. Sometimes a non-member can take a course but pay more. I joined an Advanced Speakers club, Braddell Heights. The Community Centres were offering a free zip up carry bag, if you joined. Seniors and students pay less. The fee is quite low, about 20 dollars, but varies from one place to another. It's no life membership, it lasts more than a year. You can get a card offering a discount on travel, or at a chain of pharmacies, and all sorts of things. The offers come and go.

They also do first aid classes, Mandarin classes, art classes, classes for juniors, adults, seniors.

Red bean mooncake. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What is a moon cake?

If you are Chinese you know already. If not you can research it and give a speech on it. I learn it every year then forget. Something to do with a moon Goddess and seeing a full moon or eclipsed moon on a certain day or month, which varies with a lunar calendar, with a myth about a moon goddess who brings good luck.

In the old days you simply make a few sweet cakes. Now the cakes are expensive. They are small heavy highly calorie cakes, with numerous ingredients, esoteric ingredients. The cakes need, a long preparation and baking time. Elaborate patterns on the top are designed and then imprinted, made from an expensive wooden mould.

I looked into buying moulds and baking cakes. In the end I bought a second hand wooden mould from a Chinese neighbour who was having a house sale before emigrating to the USA.

Moon cake decoration. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I went to a lot of Toastmasters meetings. At many of them somebody brought along moon cakes to share. Most Toastmasters clubs in Singapore charge members more than those in the UK for the six monthly or annual membership. They have a budget for food per meeting. it could be as small as five Singapore dollars, enough to buy a bunch of bananas and a large cheap pot of noodles. A company club will often be subsidised and run a buffet dinner.

Some suburban clubs supply food made at home by the President or the President's mother, a huge curry and a huge pot of rice. Maybe some clubs just run a rota. Maybe they secretly do a whip round, minimum a dollar a person, more if you like, and can then spend 20 to 40 dollars on four mooncakes, each of which can be cut into four or more portions. This is not being mean. That's how it was done from ancient times, everybody in the family or group received a slice of the shared mooncake.

It looks like you are getting only a teeny slice. But it's a bit like eating a flavoured lump of sugar. For most people one is enough.

You will find moon cakes in Singapore, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, North America and in Chinese areas in the USA, London and worldwide.

Tips
The wikipedia article is a useful guide to the history of the mid Autumn festival as well as the ingredients of the crust and fillings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

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

Fish in A Singapore Community Centre Lobby - and Community Centres

Problem
Who looks after the fish?

Answer
Somebody in the community centre, because a sign tell you not to feed the fish, which, the sign says, are fed by staff.

So restful.

Stories
You find fish in artificial ponds in many public buildings, especially community centres and private condominiums. These fish were at Kampung Kambangan Community Centre.

Kampung means village in the Malay language. The MRT stop is on the green line which goes to and from Changi airport on the east side of the island of Singapore.

I have been there two or three times in the past year. From the point of view of a tourist, the nice thing about this community centre is that you can see the name of the community centre from the MRT station.

Much better than the usual stress of finding a map, working out which way is up, where to cross the road. The second advantage is there are no roads to cross.

You walk from the community centre across the landscaped park. Plenty to see and read.

Tips
A website lists all the community centres in Singapore. You can make a trip around hotels, the YMCA and YWCA centres, or the Community Centres and look for information on activities and courses ranging from sports to music and language learning and an English language Toastmasters club.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and author.
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Z I K A reminders

Problem
Z I K A warnings are everywhere. What should I do?

Answers
In Singapore you will probably find leaflets in the nearest Community Centre. You could take a leaflet or photograph it, as I did, for reference.

Story
I was bitten by something at dusk in Singapore. A reminder to cover up at dusk and dawn.

The leaflets in the photos were picked up at Braddell Heights Community Centre near Serangoon MRT.

Tips
The leaflets remind you that if you are not using (and moving) the bamboo poles that are used to hang washing, you or your maid should seal the ends of the poles to prevent mosquitos breeding in water collecting inside.

When you are in a Community Centre, look for leaflets with the latest health information. I found leaflets on Z I K A, and the haze. The haze leaflet said you should drink extra water.

If you have trouble breathing in the haze and need help, you phone 995 or call your doctor.


More information from
www.nea.gov.sg
www.dengue.gov.sg

Angela Lansbury
Author, speaker.