Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Post-Geneva

Just got back from the 2-day trip to Geneva and Vevey. Both in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It's amazing how 3 languages are spoken in the span of just one country. We drove for 5 hours and the diversity is just amazing. The transition from St Gallen to Geneva was so evident in not just the language, but also in the architecture, and in the common streets and faces we saw.

Yesterday was a trip to the Reuters HQ in Geneva. There is so much efficiency in just one building, it's kinda overwhelming sometimes. I mean, all those wirings and computers transmitting information in single database systems.. And so much support and manpower placed in simply ensuring all this information is disseminated correctly. It was quite a new experience, as techy as everything sounds. Oh yes! We also had the most amazing lunch there at the staff canteen (which is the place I think they keep their staff well-fed and VERY happy). We were given trays to take just about anything we wanted. There was lamb, steak, quiche, pie, salads, sauteed vegetables and mash, fries, soup, bread with garlic butter, meringue tarts, lemon pies, fruit and custard pies, souffles, mousse, fruit... I had pie and some sauteed carrots. Poor Weiming had to rush through his TWO plates stuffed full with food, because we were hurried pretty badly..

Went to the Singapore Permanent Office to the UN in Geneva in the morning, and it was pretty stale stuff that we heard. All copied from my history textbooks of yonder. Trade tariffs, agreement rounds, overall consensus.. ... We had one very outstanding speaker though, and he was talking about doing business in Europe. Very insightful stuff. The Nestle office at Vevey was next. I want to work in Nestle. Enough said. And this is also biased because they gave us an entire BOX of milk chocolates each, 2-tiered too. To hungry broke college kids, this is just sheer heaven. :) I'm a happy camper now. The chocolate dispensing machine at the Nestle Alimentarium, as well as the free Vanillochino Frappe I had also contribute to this newfound loyalty to Nestle.

I miss Lulu and Rox the most.. Lulu please take care of your ankle ok? Lala has a wonky knee from too many long cramped up bus rides :( Roxy, your holiday starts in like what, 5 days??! Remember to miss me more, and say hello to Minnie Mouse for me ok? Lovelove!


Laid bare at 7:23 am
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