Saturday, November 28, 2020

Trip to SIA Training Centre

Such a memorable homecoming to STC. The last time I stepped inside was in 2004(?) for my interview. But it was cut short when the man had to put a stop to me applying for Crew Pass, as he didn't want our big girl to have both parents away from her most times. I was outside STC at least twice after that as I picked my dear friend, Leila, up from there for our dinner / lunch date. 

Securing tickets prior and all my rantings  
Securing the Behind-the-scene tours: Inside Singapore Airlines tickets was nerve-wrecking. This year, they only open up STC for 4 days (21st, 22nd, 28th and 29th Nov). So I either get it or miss it, and nobody knows when SIA will do this again. I knew about this a month before, so paid so much attention to it. And when the application opened at 10am on 1st Nov, I immediately applied for it. Ehh....actually I was on standby 5 mins before and kept toggling in the link to make sure my fingers score me 4 tickets. SIA made announcement they had to close the application within 10 hours, as it was highly in demand.

But they will only email successful applicants within 3 working days. Sigh....another angonising wait. So when they didn't email, I was rather upset thinking how can I not get any tickets since I managed to finish application in 2 mins. If they chose their applicants, or if they will only entertain those who made bookings of 5 instead of 4 and 2. I emailed them, they gave the standard reply. So apparently they replied me informing me on my successful application on the 4th day! I made my payment immediately to secure. Emailed tickets and all I had to do was to wait for D-Day.

I read queries by people who had applied for the tickets in the SIA FB. Most were asking when they would be informed. Then there were some comments by the public that they didn't secure tix though they applied within the 1 hour timeframe and if SIA chose the premium pax over the others. Someone said he's a PPS and was not successful too. Then there were 2 who said they applied for all 4 dates but not successful in any. Wow! I didn't think about applying many times, so I was DAMN LUCKY. Maybe it was the timing I chose, the 2nd timing which not many people would want.

D-Day

I can't describe my feelings when I walked through the main gate. I just needed to show my family this beautiful place.


The so familiar sign







The pathway that we all walked in the mornings and late afternoons. There was no shelter walkway then
Ahh.... What happened to the plane?

The all so familiar amenities
The 1990s amenities, suddenly it made me feel so ancient. Soon, I'll say "I left the airline 50 years ago." 



Auditorium

Where graduations were held in here


Boarding time to FRA is at 9.40am. Flight departs at 9.45am
And that reminds me of what almost every senior crew would say to a new crew going to FRA for the first time. "I'll bring you to see a doctor later. Go and see Dr Müller." 


Our relax corner became this now - Heritage Gallery


Trishaw the girls sat during our 2015 NDP


The drink drank and get drunk room


Air sommelier in the drinking pub giving a brief introduction of what they learn and do. Anyway, I'm really horrible when it comes to describing wines.    

Deportment Room
Where we learnt to be gracious in posture, walking etc...




Pledge



Our mock up. Oh! how I miss this place. 

Suites - can see but no money to pay to sit



Girl, you want to sit in Business Class right?
Nah! Here’s your opportunity.
#daddyiwanttositinbusinessclass#


Safety training
Where we learned to be rough n shout at the top of our voices. And then slide down the slide.
#bigbigslide#butthisisnoplayground#
#youhavetobeseriouscozhundredsoflivesisinyourhands#





And guess who I bump into? My secondary school classmate. She joined SilkAir as a cabin crew for many years and is now a trainer.  

My favourite place.
A guy asked how do the girls train with kebaya? And when the trainer replied, the guy’s comment was “I really salute them.” I was so touched and wanted to hug him and kiss him. Thank you very much for being so appreciative of all the crew.
The trainer didn’t set the waves 
🌊
 on. If he did, this will shut those people up who thinks that training to be a crew is an easy job.
And while the female crew needs to maintain that feminine approach on board, they will change when it comes to emergency. And ehh….must make sure our undergarments is nice if we needed to do water evacuation. 
And during my time, during the 2nd part of 2nd interview (in total 3 rounds) the successful applicants are expected to jump into the 3m pool. Yes, some get kicked out in the first part of the 2nd interview. Which I will recount how my interview went in a later entry. 
The only thing he didn’t verbally mention is that crew needs to go to another section to be trained in First Aid and Fire-fighting as well. So a cabin crew’s training encompasses other apart from serving. Most importantly it’s the training, starting from the “Good mornings” all the way that makes a crew different from others n that’s why they r highly sought after, that retrenched crews are offered jobs elsewhere.
We are not waiters, waitress in the air mind you! 

Simulators

Our friendly Captain

One of SIA’s commitment to sustainability
#socialresponsibility#


Batik roses

Making my own

Can make some purchases. And hubby used his mileage points to buy 4 items. Anyway, so many mileage points might as well,  since can’t travel and miles will expire after some time also

They sell Inflight items in another room to the right. Cutleries, crockeries, tongs, cups, amenities, blankets etc... There’s a sense of familiarity when I saw the long long time ago obiang palm tree JCL crockeries. Haha!
Not interested though the man asked me if I wanted to get a blanket. Haha! I rmbr mom offloaded the blankets before! 
Though I regretted later not checking out if they were selling the casserole tongs. I’ve never been able to find one suitable to use at home, so I guess that familiar tong was something close to me that I can even use it with my eyes closed.

“Would you like some Har gow, siu mai or peh dan chok?”
Now so pui (fat), can't squeeze between cart and seats for sure

Canteen.
The place where empty stomachs and brains are refilled and recharged. And I always needed my mentos after lunch to keep myself awake in class.

With my lil' nottie girl. I just realised I look a little better in this pic here. No make up at all, the lighting brought out the best of the worst in me. My skin look so flawless here. And this angle didn’t emphasise my fat ugly face. Now u know why I hate to do selfies.

Our meal

Vegetarian pasta, Mac n cheese, beef goulash, mee siam


Ordered 2 plates of satays - also redeemable by mileage points.
This is only 1 plate here. Che-che started eating before I can snap a pic of both plates


I left this place with mixed feelings. This should be the last time I’d ever step in here

Goodbye STC. Hope to be able to come back again. Will you hire old ladies? 

Umm...ok that’s the way out —>

To sum up my trip
Thanks for the flight 😢

Bought a few more packs with his mileage points to bring home. We all miss the satay.
And he says “they always give so little peanut sauce onboard” so now there’s more than enough for him.

My rose

Bought this bunch of roses made with the 4 ranks batik fabric

Ok, now I need to find a place to put these roses