6 Months in Penang, Part 1

Hi, I'm Veron Chuang. 

Erm, I think most of you who clicked into this blog are here for the makeup tutorials :) ;

or maybe just blog hopping, whichever way,

I would first like to say a big "HALLIEWWW!" to you!

Welcome! *hugs!*

Anyway,

I'm doing this blog post as a memory of my past 6 months internship in Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Malaysia.

BEFORE I FORGET ABOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE!

Here's a brief description about me;

I was a hotel management& tourism student that studied in Reliance college Johor Bahru;

we have to participate in a 6 months internship programme in a hotel before we can get our certificate. 

So 9 other friends and I were sent to Penang from June 2010 to November 2010 for our internship!

And thus,this is a memoir of how I survived 6 months of torture,bloodied hell. (JUST KIDDING!)

I should start at the very beginning, 

my luggage.As I think the picture is a classic.

I looked like that I was moving houses! 

Literally, That's 70% of what I have in my room!

If you're wondering,"WHAT'S IN THOSE BOXES WHEY?!", 

it's 60% makeup,hair care, body care, hair tools,extensions,falsies. 

No I don't really own THAT much at first, but I bought THAT much of products just because...

I was such a hermit crab, and closed minded before I went to Penang.

 I thought that PENANG, was an island that mostly sells beach-y stuffs like erm.. 

beach dresses; coconuts; bikini's; hats; 

I even wondered that does Watson's exist there?

(Don't blast me for this penang-ites! read on!)

So I stocked up on ALOT, of products that I usually use!

But, after being there for 6 months, I seriously regretted buying all those useless products.

They have BETTER products there than Johor Bahru!

It's an awesome place with awesome people!

(PHOTO CREDITS ARE TO SUNNIE SAM)

************************************************

Now, I should start off with the apartment that I lived in.

I stayed in Batu Ferringhi, Mutiara apartment, Block D, 10th floor (which is the topmost floor)

with 3 other lovely ladies, Vinn Chong, Sunnie Sam, Soon Xiao Xiang (Their Facebook names)

The apartment has a very special place in my heart as that is the place that I got back to every night;

we've all experienced up and downs during our internship and the 4 of us would often gather in the living room pouring our hearts out, swearing and cursing sometimes- erm, maybe most of the times, sharing the happy small things that happened while training.  

They're like my guardians/step parents during those 6 months.

Even though I have lived in Kuala Lumpur by myself when I was 15 (another story.lol),

and I can take care of myself, but living with them,

doesn't make me feel that I've even left home. They're 3 really caring people. 

(THE LIVING ROOM.that is me reading the newspaper. ahem.)

(OUR DINING AREA; which is 1 step away from the living room. lol. we live in a cozy apartment!)

(Did I mention that we had a bloody nice view of the beach, sea and mountains from our apartment?)

(We named our house; the LOVE HOUSE!)

They made this JUST FOR ME! As I was the only smoker in the Love house....ahemmm!

but then, I met 2 guys who kind of changed me and made me cut down ALOT on my smoking habits,

one of them even MMS-ed me this when he saw this in a toilet. LOL. But then, it's another story.

*****************************************************

My very first day in HRHP( Hard Rock Hotel Penang),

ahh the excitement! 

below is a picture of our batch (038), while touring Cameron Highlands (before we went to Penang)

the HR of HRHP called us for phone interviews! 

We attended an orientation,which was conducted by the HR; after that, we were assigned to our  departments!

My first department was the Front Office Department, after that housekeeping, and then hard rock cafe!

As our internship was 6 months, we had a chance to experience each department for 2 whole months before we rotate departments!

(Sin Yong and I. Front Office Uniform)

In HRHP, Front Office, I trained in Kings Club, then trained as an phone operator, and finally trained as a receptionist. 

And I must say, it was a great experience. Even though the ups and downs in the FO was the most that I've gone through throughout the whole internship! And I find that my mindset was at fault. 

You see, Hard Rock is a place with loads of fun people. They joke a lot and they have this free thinking mindset which is hard to find where I live, AND as I was a hermit crab from JB thinking that there is no place better than home, I couldn't really get what they were thinking and saying for the first week, I just thought people were being mean and truthfully speaking I hated the first week; but I regret it so much after that. 

They're all really REALLY nice people after you really get to know them. 

I first met these two kings club receptionist girls named Siao Hui & By (short for Byzura); 

Siao Hui is a hardworking girl with a cute voice. She looks after alot of the new trainees that comes to the Kings Club and helps us with our workload alot. 

By is this really pretty Malay girl that jokes alot and keeps things rocking around. What I remember most about her is that she always has all these new ways to tie her hair and I like how all kinds of makeup suits her!

Anyway,here's the reason of why I hated my first week, 

I hated washing cutleries. You see, the KCL is a lounge that serves breakfast,tea time, and cocktail hours to the VIP guests. And i was kind of "suay" because the time I entered the front office department, it was the school holidays and everyday was a hectic day of serving the guests their food, cleaning the tables,setting up the tables, washing cutleries and stuff. even though the senior staffs helped out, it's still alot of work. 

I don't usually do the dishes at home; so it didn't feel good washing all those. 

and at that time, there was a manpower shortage in the stewarding department, so we had to wash the used cutleries and plates. Anyway, still "suay" because after I've left the FO, they've hired more manpower for stewarding. -_-" (btw, HRHP is a very new hotel. I was there when they celebrated their 1st anniversary!)

BUT! after a week, i enjoyed being there so much, i didn't wanna leave. I even started to enjoy doing the dishes!LOL

There's always excess leftover food from the breakfast/tea/cocktail service. 

after the closing hours, it's literally all you can eat! well if you don't; it's going to be thrown away anway.

Penang's hotel food is way much nicer and tastes fresher than JB one's too! *pouts* 

and the chef's there are so funny and nice as well! 

plus, the guests that I've met there are nothing but cool & awesome. I remember this old couple from Aussie, they showed me pictures of their gorgeous daughters and shared with me their thoughts on their vacation;

I remember that I've attended to a popular Malaysian female singer's husband and gasped in awe of how hot is her stepson.

I remember that I was so touched when a guest named Gary Kingsley left me a card with a "good luck" wish.

It made me feel that being in the hotel line isn't so bad after all.

Time flies when you're having fun. It's so true. 

I was then rotated to the operator department in no time. Felt kinda sad when I had to leave KCL. People there are so nice and fun. :( 

But, you get to learn something new in a new enviroment right?

The staff there were super friendly too! 

I remember Kak Rina,Ainis,Chan,Sue, Margret(which just joined),

They've taught me proper phone etiquette, and how the phone operating system works, taught me how to handle weird phone requests or guest complaints, and think fast. 

One of the LOL-est phone call that I got was from this lady that was calling from Penang as well, she told me she wanted to make a room reservation and asked about the room types. After explaining to her about the tier and room types, she actually kept the conversation going on for another 20 minutes at least by chatting about the weather, her children, her friends, where i'm from, why i'm in the hotel line... 

At the end of the conversation, we didn't even catch each other's names. XD

I spent another few relaxed weeks in the operator department, 

and it was time for me to move on to the reception! 

K I don't have any pictures of me working inside the counter, 

so I shall patronize myself by using a few pictures that I took while I was in the KCL. View from the 6th floor!

(the pool)

(still the pool)

I'll just talk about my experience working in the reception. 

And I can tell you, you need to think real fast when you're there. Or people are going to eat you up (literally).

4 members of the Love house, each of us had stories to tell 5 days a week when we rotated to the reception.

It's a place where REALLY INTERESTING things happen! 

As it is the "face" of the hotel; you get to meet so many diffrent types of guests,

and experience A LOT of possible and impossible scenarios and reactions. 

A very challenging position I must say.

The best thing about being in the reception is-

you get to ooze at hot gorgeous faces and bodies that just got out of the pool/ gym AND GET TO TALK TO THEM!! muahahahaha!!

The reception is just right beside the pool and not far from the gym. and right beside the reception is the lobby bar. So you always get to see all those hotness on legs walking around. 

For instance there was this guest that me and another receptionist were talking about, 

we liked him alot because he was always in and out of the gym dripping with sweat on his abs and muscles *SWOONSSS*, and he is very friendly, chats up with anyone! 

 one fine day he came up and chatted with us in the reception and I was like omg omg omg should I ask for his email?? Would he go complain to my manager ah?? -_-" In the end I wasn't that bold after all lah. 

BUT, at that same night, I went to Hard Rock Cafe with my my house mates to celebrate the birthday of our friend, Shyang, I coincedentally met him there! (I DID NOT STALK HIM HOR! lol)

So being a "hiao po", I mustered up my courage and went to his table, (if you're gonna do this at a bar/club as well,MAKE SURE that he is alone or with his guy friends,or you're gonna get slapped by the guy's gf or something)

and asked for his friggin email! *he was alone.makes him an easy prey for me. muahahaha*

So he is now my facebook+talkbox friend! :D 

 Back to the receptionist experience;

Although there was one thing that I really wished for-  

I WISHED THAT THEY HAD INSTALLED AN AIR CONDITIONER IN THE LOBBY LAH!

The lobby (plus the swimming pool) area are the only places that I can think of currently, that is "open air" and doesn't have any air conditioning. When I was there I prayed for rainy days on my balcony every day! lol!

**************************************

My first 2 months in Penang;

I realized that my housemate Vinn Chong has a special talent. 

SHE CAN FRIGGIN CATCH A COCKROACH WITH HER BARE HANDS!!

that is just chio-ness whey. I flee at the sight of it!

Ate at the Hard Rock Cafe Penang, and celebrated Shyang's birthday there as well.

Tried some local favorites; THEY'RE- OH -SO- YUMMYLICIOUS OK!!

Penang food is good!! I've never eaten anything in Penang that I don't like loh! (I'm very picky on food btw)

First time in my life having home-made "mee hun kueh". 

Hui min (our senior) and Vinn cooked it from the scratch!

nom nom nom!

Funny momments; Vinn sprained her ankle while working,

Hui min became the "sensei" and started massaging her ankle! thus vinn's face- in pain!hahaha!

Let me explain............

I'm still not sure that if I was the one who murdered the lizard until today. 

You see, it was on the toilet bowl, and I don't know that if that it was already dead before I got there?

or my weight crushed it to death? 

But it was a very traumatizing experience. 

I hated lizards every since. 

4 of us in the living room.I'm complaining to Sunnie about my day. LOL.

********************************

This was the song that I've listened to umpteen times on my iphone when i was there. 

c'mon everyone has an emo side of them out once in a while!

**********************************

Part 2 will be up soon! ;)

CONTEST!!! ends on 1/3/2011!! (CLOSED!)

WIN THIS TINTED LIP CONDITIONER! :D

here's the tutorial for how to make your own tinted lip conditioner
tutorial on how to make your own tinted lip conditioner!

please watch the video on the rules :-

(minglish version)

(mandarin version)



1)You have to be a follower of my blog (which is this blog)
1)你需要做我部落的follower (就是这个部落啦~)

2)You have to like my facebook page (together in paris on facebook)
2)你必须like我的facebook专页 ogether in paris on facebook <<点这里!

3)Comment "ENTER ME" below this blogpost. (MAX 5 comments per day.if exceeded the rest would be disqualified)
3)在这个贴的留言处留言; "ENTER ME", 一天最多可以留言5次. 超过5次就撕票啦~xD

4)Contest ends on 1/3/2011
4)截止日期是 1/3/2011

5)If you're below 18 please ask permission from your guardian/ parents to let you enter this competition as I'll need to send the prize to your address if you won.
5)如果你18岁以下的话, 请跟你的父母拿允许, 因为如果你赢料的话我需要邮寄去你家.

6) Open internationally! I don't care where you're from, you're SO welcome to join!!
6)公开给全世界的人. 所以就算你不是马来西亚人也欢迎你参与~

**contest winner will be picked by using randomizer.org**

**赢家会用randomizer.org来选**

Love, Veron Chuang

I'm on COZYCOT!!明星部落客 :D

http://cn.cozycot.com/article/beauty_articles/veron.html

So excited they've posted a tutorial of mine,because I've never had the courage to post any makeup tutorials at a forum that big!!

THANK YOU COZYCOT! :D

How to make your own tinted lip conditioner with your own lip colors at home!

老实说我从第一次开始使用唇彩,到现在为止都遇过很多次嘴唇干裂,脱皮的现象.  我的原因是因为我一天内喝的水不够多而且马来西亚长年以来都是烈日当空, 本身的体质很容易发热气! 所以我很少买口红.即使有喜欢的颜色~ 因为嘴唇太容易脱皮了. 很多牌子的滋润程度都不够啊~ 而且稍微有滋润效果的,未必有我喜欢的颜色.  而有时候喜欢的颜色太鲜艳了,如果再淡一点,就完美料.    **哀怨ing** (TT__TT)

所以~今天的教学是~ 怎么做出你专属的润唇膏!

如果你有颜色太过鲜艳的口红,或者想把2种不同的口红的颜色混合在一起做成润唇膏也行喔!

(这方法流传了满久一下料的喔~ 大家一起试试~ ^^)

From the first time that I've tried using lip colors until now, every single time that I've used it on my lips, I've always faced this problem; lip chapping. even if I put on a lip conditioner before hand. and trust me, i've tried tons of lip conditioners. -.- 

i think the main reason of my lip chapping is because i don't consume enough water daily. plus, malaysia is a country that only have one season- sunny/humid weathers. my body gets "heaty" easily, thus causes chapped lips. so i seldom buy lipsticks/lip glosses. even though i see a color that i LOVE. and sometimes the colors appear too intense on my lips too. 

so today's tutorial is how to make your own tinted lip conditioner! 

if you have lip colors that are too intense, or even thinking of mixing 2/3 colors together to make a new color is applicable too! 

(this technique has been flooding the web for a time now, lets try it together shall we? ^^)

今天你所需要的是~

一支口红 (如果你要把2/3/4种口红颜色参在一起都可以)

凡士林 (VASELINE)

一只铁舀子(等下拿来混合口红用的)+ 小汤匙/小奶油刀 (最好这几样是你很少用到/不要用了的)

 一张旧报纸(拿来垫着工具,以免弄脏桌子/地上)

蜡烛+ 打火机. (图片中小碗是拿来放蜡烛的)

what you'll need today~

a lipstick of your choice (if you want to mix 2/3 colors together also can)

vaseline

a metal scoop(to mix the lipstick+vaseline)+ small spoon+a butter knife (use those that you rarely use/don't use already)

a candle+lighter 

我今天所用的口红是M.A.C cosmetics 的amplified lipstick, Saint Germain. 它是个颜色很显眼的娃娃粉红.  我还满喜欢这些颜色的~只是~ 看得出我嘴唇脱皮到很够力下hor?  它的正色我只用过2次而已, 为什么会只剩下一半, 其实是因为我时常自己做,调,不同的唇膏颜色~所以用了这个颜色不少.

i'm using Saint Germain from M.A.C, it's an intense barbie pink color with a bit of lavender tone to it. 

i'm quite fond of this color, but as you can see from the picture on the left, i have bad chapped lips. 

so i've only used saint germain twice on bare lips. 

why does it look like that i've used it aot? because i make my own lip conditioners often, and i mix colors,

saint germain is one of the colors that i love to use as a mixing color.

首先拿你的奶油刀, 切一小块的口红分量出来.  分量要多少是看自己决定的. 如果你要颜色显眼/鲜艳点, 你就切多一点. 如果你只要那种蜻蜓点水般淡淡的颜色,而主要是滋润的话, 就别用那么多口红, 凡士林加多一点. 我今天用的分量是50%口红,50%凡士林. 如果你要放进多过1个颜色的口红, 我建议你想要哪一个颜色比较显眼就切多一些出来.

first take your butter knife and cut out a small piece of the lipstick. just cut out how much you think you'll need. if you want the color to look more visible, cut more. if you just want a hint of color on your lips, don't cut out that much, and add more vasaline. i'm using 50% lipstick + 50% vasaline. 

if you're using more than 1 lipstick color, i recommend you to use more of the color that you want to appear more.

我挖了一小茶匙的凡士林放在铁舀子里面.

here's a tea spoon size of vasaline in the metal scoop.

把凡士林跟口红一起放进去铁舀子里面,拿火才点燃蜡烛, 让浪漫的烛光弄热铁舀子的底部,

口红跟凡士林就会慢慢的融化料~

put the lipstick and the vasaline together into the metal scoop, and ignite the candle. 

and let the flame warm up the base of the metal scoop. 

the lipstick& vasaline will melt away eventually.

在它们融化的时候,拿一个可以搅拌的小棒/你要用回奶油刀也行,搅拌凡士林跟口红,把2者混合在一起.  (不好意思,我知道图片有点恶心,但是想给你们看下搅拌到一半是怎样滴~)

while it's melting, take something to stir the vasaline and lipstick and blend both of them together.

(paiseh, i know the pic looks kinda disgusting now but i just wanna let you guys have an idea of it.)

这是成功把2者混合搅拌在一起后的成果图~ 

after you've successfully stired and blended the both of em.

乘它还是在液状的时候,拿你要拿来装唇膏的容器放在报纸上, 慢慢的把液体从铁舀子倒进你的容器里.

while it's still liquid form, take anything you'd like (as long as it can contain your lip conditioner and u can bring it around) and slowly pour the liquid from the metal spoon into the container. 

噔噔!!!大功告成!!! ^___^  接下来就把它放进去冰箱里让它冷却吧~~ 然后它凝固了后,你就可以拿来当你自己的专属润唇膏使用喔!

TAAADAHHH!! it's DONE!! ^___^ pop it into your refrigirator to let it cool down. 

after it becomes solid, you can use it as your own personalized tinted lip conditioner!

这是涂在嘴唇上的效果~ 色泽看起来比较自然, 像婴儿的粉红, 看起来也顺滑多了~

here's how it looks like after the application on the lips. it looks more like a natural baby pink on the lips and looks so much smoother on ze pout! :D

有奖游戏~ 我做了2罐一模一样的唇膏出来~

一个是我自己用,另外一个拿来送~ ^^

 想要免费赢取这罐专属的润唇膏吗~? 请在下一个blogpost查看详情~ ^^

欢迎各国的朋友一起参与~

CONTEST!!!!! CLICK HERE!! Love, veron chuang

and are you ready for this?? it's my first ever contest! ^^

because i've made 2 of the same colors,

one for me, and one for the lucky girl~ 

i'm giving this away to YOU! 

please go to the next blogpost for more information to participate~

this is open internationally,

so welcome, wherever you are to participate! :)