Dear Pipsqueaks,
Today celebrates the first day I walked into the BWF office back when it was based at the Cheras Stadium. Boy, did that office give me the creeps! It has the scariest toilets in the world, and amplified the thunders that shook the skies. BUT, I was super lucky. We were in the process of moving out of that office to the current one in the city center. Within 3 days, we were in the new office unpacking! I guess it was a good thing I came during a time of change, because it meant I could settle in with the rest of the bunch. We got to figure out together where to have lunch, and what was around the office. I suppose we enjoyed the selection of food until year 3 - everyone started getting really lazy to decide what to have for lunch. Nowadays, we just go with whoever has a preference.
My first council session. Ah, that was definitely an experience to remember. I remember panicking about taking notes for meetings - don't think I was ever that stressed during school days! But okay, I got the hang of it pretty quick. Best part of that session in Queenstown? I was peacefully enjoying breakfast in the lounge when my boss came running in his suit and yelled, "There you are! Where have you been? You need to be in this meeting now!" I quickly got up and ran like the wind behind my long-legged boss into a room full of super serious looking people. There I was standing in my pink Canadian pull-overs and jeans scrambling to get a seat so everyone would stop looking at me. So yes, the whole council was waiting for me to get my bottoms into the room. My guess was my boss only realised I was missing when they did a customary staff intro. Oh wells, at least the President looked alright...I think. Anyway, from that day onward, I learned that you cannot expect others to tell you what you need to do, even if you ARE new. Not to say that people are selfish and would rather see you fail, but at times, they just cannot be looking out for others. So, I survived my first council session of many to come.
Through these meetings and Major Events, I have been to quite a few places around the world that I would otherwise have waited to visit. I won't go into detail where exactly, but the list goes on and on...
I don't know if it had been a tradition to have staff days, but at least I know we've had one every year since I joined:
(Staff Day 2013: Team Cook-off! Can't see the rest of my team because we're all busy trying to finish on time!)
Today celebrates the first day I walked into the BWF office back when it was based at the Cheras Stadium. Boy, did that office give me the creeps! It has the scariest toilets in the world, and amplified the thunders that shook the skies. BUT, I was super lucky. We were in the process of moving out of that office to the current one in the city center. Within 3 days, we were in the new office unpacking! I guess it was a good thing I came during a time of change, because it meant I could settle in with the rest of the bunch. We got to figure out together where to have lunch, and what was around the office. I suppose we enjoyed the selection of food until year 3 - everyone started getting really lazy to decide what to have for lunch. Nowadays, we just go with whoever has a preference.
(Me at my desk working SO hard :P)
(Office Warming Group Photo!)
(Office Warming - missing Ida and Pat)
My first council session. Ah, that was definitely an experience to remember. I remember panicking about taking notes for meetings - don't think I was ever that stressed during school days! But okay, I got the hang of it pretty quick. Best part of that session in Queenstown? I was peacefully enjoying breakfast in the lounge when my boss came running in his suit and yelled, "There you are! Where have you been? You need to be in this meeting now!" I quickly got up and ran like the wind behind my long-legged boss into a room full of super serious looking people. There I was standing in my pink Canadian pull-overs and jeans scrambling to get a seat so everyone would stop looking at me. So yes, the whole council was waiting for me to get my bottoms into the room. My guess was my boss only realised I was missing when they did a customary staff intro. Oh wells, at least the President looked alright...I think. Anyway, from that day onward, I learned that you cannot expect others to tell you what you need to do, even if you ARE new. Not to say that people are selfish and would rather see you fail, but at times, they just cannot be looking out for others. So, I survived my first council session of many to come.
Through these meetings and Major Events, I have been to quite a few places around the world that I would otherwise have waited to visit. I won't go into detail where exactly, but the list goes on and on...
I don't know if it had been a tradition to have staff days, but at least I know we've had one every year since I joined:
(Staff Day 2012: Mini Badminton competition and massage at Thai Odyssey)
(Staff Day 2014: Treasure Hunt in Melaka - under the super hot sun, we looked for clues around town and came FIRST! Also won a watch during lucky draw. YAY~~)
(Staff Day 2015: Drumming session where our team came FIRST - AND - won the 2nd prize (also a watch) during the lucky draw! Me like Staff Days hehe)
I still remember when we were finishing up with the lucky draw, our big boss said, "I never win anything!" and I'm smirking because I've won the team event and something from lucky draw in the last two editions! Bahaha, can't wait for Staff Day this year ~ I wonder what we're going to be doing...
But okay, just to make sure I don't give the wrong impression here - we have fun but we do work hard too! When I was a PA, we would literally be in the hotel for 5-6 days straight without taking a step outside. All we see is our room, the breakfast area and meeting rooms. That's it. Those were tough but interesting-in-its-own-way days. Now, I'm doing a little bit more on the branding/events side. We're usually the first ones to arrive and the last ones to leave the venue. From 6:30am-12:30am for the Round Robin stages of the recent TUC in Kunshan. LONG hours, but feels rewarding indeed. I guess I live off that adrenaline and hype at events - recharges my passion for the sport!
Remembering those days of Canada Open where I attended to players, officials and media...I even got quoted on the news! Crazy much.
It has been an amazing 5 years here in BWF, full of ups and downs. But definitely more ups than downs. I've learned through every meeting and trip we attended, and yet I still feel there's more. You wouldn't believe it, but I came into the office as the youngest member back in 2011, and I'm still one of the youngest. That just means I got more years ahead of me to improve and grow. I'll be attending my second Olympic Games as part of the International Federation team, but a different position now so I'm interested to find out what exactly we're going to be doing in Rio. Maybe nothing, or maybe everything?! (hearing all the updates...we may need to bring our whole team).
There will be lots of changes in the next year, all of which I'm telling myself to be patient about. So, Year 6, here we go!
(Bye Kunshan, Hello Rio!)