assignment one

okay here's the first assignment for you to do over the weekend. Due date on the 8th of Jan on your blog.

First assignment is about observation, because this is the most important skill that we will need in our lives. The problem is that we don't observe enough. We are not aware of our surroundings, the places we go to, the people that we meet. And hence, there are lessons in our world that pass us by. To get the most of your internship, it is critical that you hone your skills in observing and being aware.

So this first assignment is going to be a simple one, and hopefully a fun one, especially if you love shopping. I want you to choose your favourite store that you like shopping at. I want you to visit the store, and I want you to note down how do the retailers in this store create the kind of ambience that makes you want to come back. What is special about the decor that attracts you? I want you to also note down, who comes to this store. Are they people like you? Or does the store attract a wide spectrum of people, and if they do, how do they do it. As for your self, why do you prefer this store to its competitors.

The main point here is really about awareness. Too often we go through lives enjoying various experiences, but not sitting down to ask ourselves why we particularly enjoyed visiting a certain place, hanging out with special friends friend, or doing something meaningful. Without such awareness, we simply live through an unreflected life. More importantly without such awareness, we don't know how to make the world a better place for the people around us.

I want you to also think what kind of research this store must have done to be successful in attracting you. If there are areas where you think things can be improved so as to make your experience better, please share them as well.

No set length but it would be good if you could contribute 6-8 paragraphs. Most importantly, enjoy yourselves doing this.

Origins

Summer of 1994. Just finished my freshman year at university. Most of my fellow students (especially the politics majors) all had interesting internships lined up-- interning with this and this politician, this senator or this house of representative... and I didn't have anything lined up.

So I called back home to dad, and dad said sure, come back and he would help touch base with one of the MPs he knew-- Mr Heng Chiang Meng. Mr Heng asked me to meet up with him when I came back. At that point, Mr Heng was an MP for Jalan Kayu constituency, part of the Cheng San GRC. He told me to come down to meet up with his Senior Manager -- Ryal. Ryal was a rare breed of SM, trained as a lawyer in UK, nevertheless he took up this community work by joining PA. During the 2 months that I spent with him, I probably learnt more about politics then I ever did in Princeton.

Being trained overseas, he helped me see things in a different perspective and different light. He also helped me see how things worked behind the scene, introducing me to the world of grassroots, of the hard work and effort put in by people to serve the community. I would come in at 10am every other day... he would chat with me on some topic... we would then go out for field visits... to the various CCs within the constituency. In the evenings, I would attend various grassroots meetings, functions and gatherings. I still remembered attended a meeting on transport issues with SBS where the GRLs reflected the discontent of residents because a shuttle service was withdrawn and replaced by a main trunk service. It might have been only a difference of 10 cents, but it was certainly something that affected people a great deal.

It was because of this experience then that inspired me to choose to take up the CDC posting when it came time to choose where to go. Mind you, coming here to the CDC is not at all a popular choice. However, because of what I saw 12 years ago, I knew what to expect working with GRLs, I knew what to expect working with PA and I wanted an opportunity to work here.

I never would have made such a decision without such an experience 12 years back. This is one of the reasons why I really wanted to set up an internship programme to provide our youths such an opportunity. I believe that many of you will come back to help some way or another, whether it is like me, as a day job, or like many others as a volunteer as a night job.

Starting Off

I have started this blog off to facilitate our reflections, discussions, lectures and assignments for the Mayor's Internship Programme at the CDC. I thought this would also save my having to repeat the various things I have shared with past interns as well as to build on the lessons, thoughts of past internships as well.

I would like all the interns to start up a blog for the internship as well. In our past experience, we think it is really fruitful for interns to maintain a weekly journal to reflect upon their various experiences at the CDC. I will get all the interns to link their blogs here as well, once they have it up.

I will also be giving weekly assignments especially to the lectures that we will be having throughout the year. This will also give me an opportunity to supplement various things that we have discussed during our weekly sessions. I would also hope that the blogs will also carry on the various discussions that we have along the way.

I may also invite certain guests to contribute to this blog, so as to make it a bit more interesting. Tell me if there are certain people that you would like to hear from and I can try to arrange this as well.

Please feel free to use the blogs to provide suggestions as to how the internships can be improved.