Application of EIT status

Today my pocket has suffer a "BIG BURN" ..... lost CAD 500++.

It was an inevitable move, I have to apply for licence with APEGBC to work as an engineer in Canada but I could not get the full P.Eng status before I have 1 year Canadian Engineering Experience. Therefor my only option is to apply for EIT (Engineer In Training) and after I gain the 1 year requirement, then I will apply for P.Eng. The application fee cost abt CAD 502 (i.e. include HST 12% tax) ... however this is a one time payment & when I apply for P.Eng this fee is waived ..... but I need to pay for other stuff like Examination, Seminar & etc later for the P.Eng.

I can hold on to the EIT status for 8 years (as long as I pay annual fee of CAD 100++) hence I do not have a job at this field yet, it is a good to have this status as it shows employer that my degree is accredited by Institution. For those not accredited, they have to take several test & getting references before they could get the status. As for me I only need my University to send my academic transcript to them & once receive I will get the status in 2 weeks time. But in order to get the transcript I have to pay my UNI AUD 27 ... which I went to the bank to by a bank draft which cost me CAD 34++ (i.e. exchange rate + 6.50 fee). Then I have to send the application for to my Uni by registered mail ... which cost abt CAD 14++.

Hopefully with the receiving of my mailed application to my Uni & them processing & sending the transcript to APEGBC & APEGBC processing ...... I will get the EIT status in 6 weeks time minimum.

Well Structured Recruiting Process .....

Phew !!! I have not seen a company so well structured & stringent in their recruitment process. I went for an interview 2 weeks a go for a certain "BIG COMPANY" which I do not feel secure mentioning them here ........

After that I believe they have shortlisted me as they quickly went to checking my international references the following week ...... coz I receive notification from my former supervisors that the "BIG COMPANY" has e-mail the reference check form for them to fill in .... mostly the questions are regarding my personality, group work attitude, punctuality at work & etc.

Then this week I receive an e-mail from them requesting me to fill up an authorization form from my University to release my academic details to them for proper verification.

The WEIRDEST thing is that I only applied for a 4 months "ADMIN" job in the company i.e. they require someone who can read basic drawings & digitized their current & past paper document. Do they really need to go to such extend in checking my backgrounds & confirming it ??

Hopefully they will employ me at the end with all these processes.

Thanksgiving is Today ...

Today is thanksgiving & my wife decide that we should try to celebrate it with a Feast. This would be our 1st Thanksgiving here .... instead of having Roast Turkey (which is too large for us) we had roast Chicken's Thigh with Drumstick. We had Pumpkin Pie for breakfast .... which is not to our taste ... probably the cinnamon taste is too strong.




Firstly, she made the Cranberries sauce for the Chicken. (Cranberries + Sugar & Cook)


Before Cooking


Finished Product

Then she started preparing the Mashed Potato. (Potatoes + Carrots + Cheese + Butter + Seasoning) Followed by baking the Chicken & Fries. We even had cantaloupe for dessert.



Yummy it has been a while since we had such a Feast !!!

ps. My daughter even taught us a song that she learned at school ...

Thanksgiving is coming & Mr. Turkey said,
Oh My I need to be careful or I will lose my head,
The Pumpkin heard the Turkey,
Goodness Gracious My,
They will mix me up with Sugar & Spice,
Then I will be a Pumpkin Pie.

3 Interviews ..

This week I had 3 interviews.. on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. The interview on Monday was a position for Production Technician .... which is actually a position for Production Worker. When the manager met up with me ... he quickly said that this job is not suitable for you .... & they may have an opening for Process Engineer in 2 months time ... probably will keep in contact with me.

The 2nd interview was with a Bio-Tech company, they are manufacturing a vision machine to count CFC (colony forming cells). The are hiring a Technician as well, the interview seems to proceed smoothly .... the interviewer even commented that I was at the top now as I could answer all of their hypothetical question, but he has another 2-3 more interviewee to go through.

The 3rd company is the Province's largest Natural Gas provider .... but the Job is as an Admin personnel who has to re-organize & digitize their paper documents, candidate has to be able to read simple technical drawings & well verse in computers. Moreover, this a temp 4 months contract job. The interview went pretty well as well.

I'm highly interested in the 2nd job but the pay for the 3rd job is good. Both company has prospect & may be a good place to start & advance my career. But all I can do now is leave it to "GOD" to decide.

Kirsten's 2nd Week of School

This week the Kindergarten class is split into Morning (starts 9 am) & Afternoon (starts 1 pm) session. Kirsten was registered in the morning class. This arrangement was so that the kids get the feel of what school is all about & gradually the class session will increase. On Monday & Tuesday it was a 1 hr session, Wed was 1 and half hours and Thursday & Friday was 2 hrs session. On Wed Recess was introduce & we prepared some snacks for Kirsten to have at school. During Recess kids are ask to have 15 mins of snack & play time outside the class. This is true for all kids in other Grades as well.

Kirsten's class teacher seems to be very well organize & nice too. She gets every kids to recognize their name cards & place it on the attendance board before the class starts. Then she gets them to sit on the carpet area & wait for the others before starting to sing a song. When heading home time, she will get the kids to clean up all the toys together followed by getting the backpack & jackets on while lining up. Then one by one student in the queue she will ask the child if there are anyone picking he/she up .... else he/she has to stand aside & wait for the guardian to pick the child up. The reason I said she was well organize cause I didn't see the other classes doing this routine. In total there are 4 Kindergarten class in the school & roughly abt 20 students in each class.

Next week all the students will attend the morning class & gradually increase the class session.... from 9 to 12 pm then 9 to 1 pm then 9 to 2 pm & finally 9 to 3 pm. Moreover, all student will be introduce to Lunch at 12 pm on next Tuesday ... it will be a 30 mins Lunch & 30 mins play time outside. All K-class student will be wearing a Purple Vest as a safety precaution so that the teachers & other Grade's kids will keep a look out for any of them who wander away from the group.

One thing we found out while at Kirsten's school is that they do not have textbooks that we used to lug all the way to school during our Primary days in Malaysia .... here the learning session is more lively for all Grade 1 to 7. Teacher regularly bring the kids out of the classroom to learn about stuff .... & more interactive sort of learning .... not like the old method of teacher at the front of the board teaching & kids on their tables listening. Kids here really have a better life ... & better learning environment.

Kirsten's 1st week of School ...

Basically the 1st week of school is more of an introductory & no classes was held. On the 1st day (7th Sept), we went to the school at abt 10:15 am & was to assembled in the GYM. The Principal of the school gave us a Welcome Speech & then got us to register for the time for the Classroom Visit which was yesterday & the Parents Interview which happened today.

Classroom Visit on 8th Sept 1pm

We brought Kayden along to Kirsten's School for the Class Room visit. At the beginning the teacher (Mrs. Ellis) requested all the kids to sit in a circle on the carpet while she took out a Apple Pictured Cards with individual student's name written on them. By coincidence Kayden was also sitting on the carpet with the other new student. Then the teacher begin to pronounce each name that was written in the Apple Picture Cards ... Kirsten quickly acknowledge her name when it was called.

To our amusement, Kayden waited patiently for his name & when the teacher was done.... he turned over & told us "Missing My Name !!" ... then when the teacher re-counted the number of kids on the carpet & the name Pictured Card place side by side on the floor & realised 2 more name Pictured card is not in place. When she look around & ask Kayden ... "Are you sure you are in Kindergarten ?? Or you are somebody's little brother ??" ... Kayden quickly stood up & cling on to his MUM's leg & broke into tears. The teacher was shock by his reaction ... hence ask him to join & wrote his name in another Picture Card.

Then we started with singing some songs ... which it is Kirsten's turn to broke in to tears ... she was upset because she doesn't know the songs & refuse to dance N sing along. Next the teacher took the name cards out individually & ask each student which activities (Painting, Drawing, Lego, Straws, Logs, Train, Blocks) they wanted to play ... Kirsten was 1st up & she chose Painting while Kayden chose the Train. While all the student was doing the activities, the teacher made round to mingle with the Parents & Student .. when she reaches us .. she ask how old is Kayden & said that he is very Adorable.

After the activities ended, the teacher requested all the student the clean up & work together to put away the toys / building materials. Then they all sat down back on the carpet for a Story Telling session .. Finally, the teacher ended the 1 hour session with asking all the students which activity they like best .... again Kayden waited patiently for his name to be called ..... & when asked he shouted "TOO TOO TRAIN !!" ... which made everyone Burst into Laughter.

Family Interview on 9th Sept 10am

Today's family interview was short & swift. The teacher just ask a few question to Kirsten & she was a bit held back hence all her answer was short. Then the teacher ask us if we had any question regarding the school, classroom, schedule or anything. Then she collected the School Supplies with the help of Kayden & Kirsten by asking them to sort each stationaries into the correct Bin. Then we went back to the table & the teacher requested Kirsten to show her the Summer Memories stuff that she had brought along ... hence she showed teacher the Picture Collage of us @ Stanley Park which I made & also a Picture Kirsten drew herself regarding the things she saw @ Stanley Park. Finally, the teacher requested to take the picture of Kirsten but she just doesn't want too ... then the teacher ask if Kayden is to take picture as well... will she do it too ... she said NO again.... lastly the teacher ask her .. "If Daddy take it for you... is it ok?" then she submitted. While we are leaving ... the teacher made a joking remark ... "Can we get Kayden to join Kindergarten ? He seems ready"...

As for tomorrow's school activity there will be a Family Picnic @ the School Park which most likely we will not be there. Classes will officially start next week .... stay tuned for some updates then....

Sorry for the long winded story !!

SUMMER IS OVER !!

It has been a long while since I posted anything on the blog ..... today officially Summer is over as the temp plummeted to within the teens while it was always around 20++ degrees past week & the highest it went up to 30 degrees. Summer here is different from Malaysia as you can feel the HEAT & the scorching sun burning your skin ... whereas in Malaysia it is more HUMID & HOT. The UV here is very high as you can really feel the burn & your skin turn dark very quickly.

Fall has finally arrive today & to be so in the following weeks. Cool & Sunny days .... but what is dreadful about Vancouver is that it rains almost 70% of the time during Fall, Winter & Spring ...