The nurse was right, I probably won’t be able to get a queue number if I was lazy and didn’t arrive early at the hospital to 挂号。 Apparently, they only issue 40numbers a day, and being the peak period now, queue number went out fast.

I reached the hospital at around 7.15am and manage to get number 14. Businese started at 8am on the dot as stated. Didi was required to do a blood test, body checkup and hearing screening. Unlike in Shanghai, urine test is not required.

They took out 2 quarter tubes of blood from the kid! Why on earth would they need so much blood from the little ones. I remembered they only need to do a simply prick test back in Shanghai. All the poor children looked scared and bewildered, though I must admit the nurses were pretty skillful as most of the children didn’t complaint of pain or discomfort.

We managed to get everything done before 9am. However, the report will only be available the next day. Meaning I have to make a 3rd trip back to the hospital to complete the task. Almost like an Olympic scale obstacle course.

Finally got hold of Didi’s kindergarten entrance health checkup report today! Mission accomplished! I was told that Didi needs 3 shots of Hep B vaccine. WTH!? He has had his required shots back in Singapore and all his immunisation is up to date with schedule. I believe they won’t know if he has had his jabs and I wouldn’t want him vaccinated there anyway.

Entrance exam, interview, costly registration fees and that’s not the end of the pain to even get the kids enroll into a school. We still have one more step to fulfill, need to bring them for a body checkup before they are even allowed to begin school.

So, I have more or less decided on the kindergarten to send Didi to and was ready to go down to the school for application and payments. However, the staff requested the body checkup report with the application form. Hey, Didi just did a similar checkup back in Shanghai in February before he started school with Okiki, however, they don’t accept that report!? And no, I am only supposed to go to the 4 hospitals they have listed. Erm, whats wrong with the other hospitals? Does it implies the other hospital aren’t qualified?

Nevermind, I called 朝阳区妇幼保健医院 and check their consultation hours. The lady told me the hours today is until 11am and told me to come down before 11am. So I rushed down with Didi but was told there were no more queue numbers left. I was advised to arrive early on Monday at 7am as they start to allow 挂号 at that timing. Damn, that sotong woman should have told me that on the phone instead of wasting my time.

So it seems that I have to start my day early if I want to save money by visiting public hospital. I also called the (private own) United Family Hospital to check their rates, naively hoping they might have special package for such checkup. Fat hope, the check up alone cost 2000rmb and the next available appointment is like 10 days later!??? WTH, so many rich people around!!!???

I have had much pleasant experience back in Shanghai when I need to bring the kids for such routine. But Singapore is the best, no need checkup at all!

Okie, the school finally called grandpa (our proxy for P1 registration) yesterday and sorted out the correct mailing address. I wonder why would the letter be sent to our home address (which is rented out) when we specified that we are not in the country while providing alternative correspondence address and a contact person.

Anyway, not an issue and I appreciate the fact that Bt Panjang Pri called grandpa to make sure we are aware of the balloting result. Well, at least I am 100% sure now that Zeeyau did get accepted by the school.

Not the most bloodied battle compared to other sacredly divine schools, but with 102 applicants fighting for 70 places in phase 2C for Bukit Panjang Primary School, and every single one of those 102 live within 1km, I was slightly regretting not registering Zeeyau with CHIJ, Our Lady Queen of Peace to secure a placement. Oh well, but that would mean I have to go through the same ordeal again 3 years later when it is Didi’s turn for P1 registration. I was hoping the extra ballot slip Singaporeans get will give us a higher chance.

Ok, the grandfather wasn’t keen to visit the school to check the balloting outcome. Having fulfilled his mission of handing in the registration forms 2 weeks ago, he just wanted to go sip kopi with his kakis and didn’t show any intention of checking the result. Anyway, after several failed attempts calling the school late on Friday and on Saturday morning, I finally got someone to pick up the phone on Monday.

Well, we were successful! MOE claimed that a letter will be sent to the parents informing them of the application outcome. We have not receive anything yet. I wonder where they have sent the letter to! I hope the school didn’t make any mistake and told me the wrong result since the phase 2C supplementary has just closed.

With a secure placement back home for Zeeyau, our retreat plan has been put in place should we decide to go back home.

Happy Birthday, Singapore! You start to miss Singapore when you are away from it. Even though the yearly NDP seems so uninteresting, I miss going through the ordeal of watching it on TV like what I always did.