Friday, June 09, 2006
Yup yup yup!!I'm attached to the Singapore Herbarium for 2 whole weeks! :) Here's a little journal of these four days so far. Enjoy!
Day 1 05/06/06 Monday
It's our first day there, And guess what? We got lost. We entered from the Minden Gate then asked directions from the park ranger, it was all the way at the other end of the park!! Anyway, if not for Shandy, I wouldn't have pushed open the large green metal construction gate and found out that the old herbarium was there. Phew! We were only, yes only about 10 minutes late. There ppl there were really kind and understanding about it. Our first task was to paste labels onto the specimens. The lables contained their scietific names and familt and a short description of the plant. It was really interesting to read them. The specimens were really nice to look at too! They were collected from everywhere; around botanical gardens and even from Perth, Australia! Cool huh? The working atmosphere was really relaxed and the pple there were very friendly as well. We took a long walk along the Red Brick Path to have lunch at Food Haven before passing through the rain forest to reach the new Herbarium. The New place is much much much nicer and cleaner than the old one. the specimens are put in these huge shelves that can move when you turn the wheel. We worked at this huge wooden table ( that is regarded as an antique) is this 'secluded' corner in the General Collection area.
Day 2 06/06/06 Tuesday
We learnt to classify the different specimens into groups such as shrubs, herbaceous platns, climbers and creepers e.t.c. And learnt quite a bit from looking through the short notes attached to the specimens. We then had to make colourful lable for the folders that were to contain the specimens. The folders were to be shown to the public when the Public Reference Library opens in July. we had fun cutting, pasting , laminating and even trying to save the laminating pockets! haha. :D
Day 3 07/06/06 Wednesday
We got to visit the National Orchid Garden today adn had a really great time there!! big smiles* :) We got to see many different kinds if orchids, and some really colourful ones, There were even some VIP orchids that were named after celebrities and lings and queens! These orchids were really 'powerful'; there was this sign that says that these VIP orchids were used to strethen ties between countries and all that. When I read that I was like "Woah!" We even wen to the Cool House and had a little spicnic with the packed lunches we brought in the pavillion. haha. It was a really nice lunch. Then, back at the new Herbarium, we stared to pack the the carpo collection ( glass bottles of dried fruit specimens ) into the huge wooed cupboards. it was rather tiring and needed a lot of effort but we managed to pack 'em all!
Day 4 8/06/06 Thursday
Jun (she's our 19-yr-old colleague) didn't come today as she had to attend smth in the sfternoon that's why we were left alone. We had to write down th specis and family name of the carpo collection, grouped according to their sizes. The task was okay, the difficult part was arranging them according to alphabetical order adn shifting then out of the cupboard and back again. We had lunch with the other ppl there. Ohoh, ya know there's this old man Samsuri, we call him Sma. He's got this really reallt fantastic memory. Shandy adn I were having out Lunch Part 2, she was eating an apple and I was having my pear, Sam was like telling us the Scietific specis and family name. It was rolled off his tongue like a machine gun. And, I'm not kidding at all!! Woah! He was really good. He even told us that when he sees a plant from afar he can already tell what izzit and all that. Cool old man! :) After finishing the carpo collection we had nothing to do, so we sort of lazed around a bit. Hee. ;) Then after that we diecided to see if the ladies need help so we helped them unscrew that screws and dismantle the metal racks. The cleaner uncle helped us and he was really efficient and all. But, I hurt my toes when the metal bar fell onto my feet. Aiya, I reacted too slowly that's why. but it doesn't hurt so much anymore now. Hassan, he's our second supervisor is leaving tmr, he's going to Germany for vaction, I think. Bo hoo, we cant see this fun man anymore. haha. But it was really fun working with him!
changeme.
12:36 PM