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To greater heights

Service with a smile, from the left : Muhammad Fadhil, Nur Aishah, Jesslyn Bin, and Jake Teo. They are the flight attendants of Jet Star, as a part of their internship program. 


Experience flying with Tiger Airways.


I’ve known Jesslyn Bin my whole life. She was always very jovial and enthusiastic, no matter whom she meet and talk to. It was not hard for her to make friends. When I found out about her working for Tiger Airlines, it was no surprise. I knew she’d fit the bill.


It has always been her childhood ambition to soar in the skies together with the plane and she was presented with the opportunity of doing so with Tiger Airways, during her final year in Temasek Polytechnic. There were internships positions available for the position of being a cabin crew. She’d always talk about her dreams and how that would happen up in the sky. It certainly came true.


I’ve travelled and took different airlines every year, to different destinations. Tiger Airlines was one of the best, in terms of their service. It was not hard for me to comprehend her point of view.  


Being an air stewardess brings her some perks, when it comes to travelling. “I love travelling and ever since I joined Tiger Airlines, I’ve already been to various destinations for holidays with my girlfriends at a discounted price,” she added excitedly.


Travelling around the world was definitely an eye opening experience for her. Although Tiger Airways operate turn around flights, she had the opportunity to get down at various airports to have a quick buy at their food shops and souvenirs. One of her favourites is at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport where she can purchase authentic Bangkok Mango Sticky Rice which tastes heavenly!


However, reality always differs from dreams. With a heavy sigh, she said, “Training began and it was exhausting to stick to a new regime of waking up at 7 AM, wearing make-up and uniforms.” It was not all glamour and excitement as she mentioned that flying was tiring due to irregular working hours and the constant altitude that can lead to sickness. Plenty of rest and intake was essential.


Nevertheless, her hard work soon paid off as she started flying as a full fledge cabin crew. “Our job scope included food and beverage services, duty free sales and of course, to ensure the safety of passengers.”


Due to the exhausting and hectic schedule of flying, her mother, Evelyn Ho, was reluctant to let her continue as a cabin crew. “I know she enjoys her job, but I can’t help but feel worried for her as she’s constantly busy and unable to return my phone calls, whenever she’s on duty.”


On the other hand, one of her best experiences onboard was having the chance to interact with passengers. She smiled wistfully and said, “It’s like being in a country where you meet dozens of different people from different backgrounds, cultures, and races.” “It is fun to interact with them and get to know them a little better throughout the few hours we have onboard.” One of her duties was to allow passengers to feel as comfortable as they can and to assist them in any possible way.

 

Even though her internship came to an end in January 2012, Tiger Airlines extended her contract to be a freelance cabin crew, which enabled her to have flexible timings for the scheduled flights. “I am grateful to Tiger Airlines for allowing me to continue my passion and dreams.”


As she is currently studying at Singapore Management University, she’s unable to commit to being a full time air stewardess with Tiger Airways. However, should she wish to continue being a cabin crew after university, she might decide to join a full cost carrier such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), Emirates, or Qantas. “My passion is to travel further to see the world and meet more different people from across the globe.”

 

 

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Life as we know it

Yep Bee Fong 73-year-old, has had her share of the bitterness in life.  

Life is not a bed of roses; humans face problems all the time. We often complain about not having enough money, not having enough time, and other material things that we do not have. However, imagine having to face those difficulties along with a disability. 

Yep Bee Fong, aged 73, was not born with a silver spoon. Having been born in a family with a poor background, she was not able to receive education in school. Being the youngest in the family, with two older brothers and an older sister, her parents could not afford to send her to school after they sent her brothers. Bee Fong had to rely on them to learn. Thus, she can only read and speak in basic Mandarin and Cantonese. 

Back in the 1940s, she lived in a kampong. With mediocre supplies in the house, they had to scrimp and save just to get by each day. She often had to help out at her parent’s shop, selling stationary supplies. 

Matchmaking was popular back in those days. Bee Fong was introduced to her husband, Lui Chew Huat, through matchmaking. Her husband worked as a gardener and provided for her since he wanted her to be a home maker. The pair did not have any children as Bee Fong was in a weak state of health.  
Her health problems started at the age of 31 years old. She was diagnosed with Diabetes, along with high blood pressure and cholesterol. To make matters worse, she has a weak immune system. However, due to her soft spoken and stubborn character, Bee Fong always kept things to herself even when she was in great discomfort. 
Three years ago, she injured two of her toes when she accidently knocked her foot against a door ledge. Her toes did not recover, due to Diabetes – they had to be amputated. “I did not know how to react as I was in shock,” she said with a tinge of bitterness. She has lost her big toe on her right foot and her second toe on her left foot. 
Ever since then, she had a disability of not being able to walk properly. Balancing, bending, and squatting down was difficult for her. “I could not even bend down to pick up things,” she says, looking at her toes.  She took a long time to adapt to walking. 
Bathing is also difficult for her because she is not able to balance properly; there is also a high risk of her falling down. Her husband had to often check on her, and sometimes skip work to look after her as he was worried.
The great trauma came for her, when she lost her husband this year. He passed away, succumbing to severe flu which caused a heart failure. “I was devastated, I could not register the fact that he’s gone,” emphasizing on the reality that her other half is gone forever. 
She is suffering physically and emotionally. It is not easy for anyone to cope with the loss of a loved one. She is currently staying with her close relative; staying home and doing minor chores. 
In times like these, one has to stay positive and keep going. For Yep Bee Fong, she has had her share of ups and downs in life. “It’s all about having the right mentality,” she says. Despite having no children and being widowed, she remains content with what she has now. If more people had a positive and determined mindset like hers, the world would be less stressed. 
It’s normal to feel upset and frustrated, especially when we do not get what we want in life. However, it is important to remember to adjust your mindset, if you cannot change the situation. After all, no one is perfect. Sometimes, it is the little imperfections in life that makes it perfect. 
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Eight toes – It was 3 years ago, when she lost her two toes. She was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 31, and her condition did not improve. In addition, she also had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She accidently knocked her leg against a door ledge and severely injured the 2 toes. It is hard to recover from an injury, when one has Diabetes. Hence, she had to amputate her toes. Fortunately, she had her husband’s support and he’s always encouraging her to take a step at a time, since it was hard for her to walk and balance properly.
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She also spends her time doing lots of reading from books, recipes, and newspapers. Reading is one of her hobbies, as she likes to keep herself updated on news and current trends. She may not be physically active, but she can always keep her mind occupied.
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She’s mainly in charge of cooking and cleaning at home, as she feels like she has to do chores, to keep herself away from boredom and negative thoughts. It is safer for her to stay home, because she has a high risk of falling down, so it is a bad idea to stay outdoors when there is no one to accompany her.
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Table for one – She’s always having dinner alone as her relatives are always working overtime, so it is hard for them to eat together. Despite having difficulty in balancing and walking, she can still cook, at a slow speed.
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Blast from the past - Yep Bee Fong and her husband, Lui Chew Huat, in ShangHai; China. The weather was chilly as they went there during the autumn season.  It was their first vacation, after 10 years of marriage. They met each other through a matchmaking session in 1955, and got married.
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Loss of a loved one - Unfortunately, he passed away last year, due to severe flu and heart failure. It came as a devastating shock for her, as she couldn’t register the fact that he left this world in a matter of seconds. Needless to say, it was extremely difficult for her to accept this harsh fact. Despite all the pain and despair she felt, she knew that this is part and parcel of life, so she managed to clear her thoughts and stay optimistic. “He’s in a better place now,” she says.
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The story of Yep Bee Fong, learning how to cope with life. The 73 year-old widow, has had her fair share of ups and downs. As the saying goes, life is not a bed of roses. At her age, she has experienced sorrow, pain, and despair. Of course, there is also happiness, joy and hope, because she has her husband’s love and companionship. The next thing you know, it all fell apart. 
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