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Come Along for the Ride

 

ANZA Cycling welcomes many new members in September. Megan Kinder summarises everything new members need to know about ANZA Cycling.

It’s around this time of year that we receive an upsurge in enquiries about coming along for a ride with ANZA Cycling. Whether from people recently arrived in Singapore (in time for the new August/September school year) who want to get out for a ride and meet people, or from those who may have arrived earlier in the year but have taken a while to get settled, or even those who have been happily ‘pootling’ their way around the Little Red Dot by themselves (yet who may wish to start training for the increasingly popular ‘Tour de Bintan’ or a similar event) – no matter the reason, we are always happy to welcome new members and share our passion for cycling!
While there’s a wealth of information available on the ANZA website about rides, routes, starting points, kit, etiquette and more, here are some answers to some of the more basic questions.

What kind of bike do I need?
To join our road rides, you really need a road bike. Some club members ride TT bikes (Time Trial/triathlon bikes) which are also fine – as long as hands are kept on brakes when in the bunch, i.e. not in aero position.  
Hybrid/commuter/MTB bikes don’t cut it in the bunch. If you would like to try a group ride without splashing out, consider renting/borrowing or buying a second-hand road bike to try it out first.  
To join our MTB rides, either full suspension or hardtail MTB is fine.

What gear do I need?
1. Helmet
2. Front (white) and rear (red) lights
3. Drinks (minimum one bottle per hour)
4. Saddle bag with ID, emergency contact info, a credit card, enough cash for a taxi home and tyre changing gear.

How experienced do I need to be?
We cater to all levels of experience, from ‘racers’ to designated ‘no-drop’ rides for those at the slower end of the spectrum. We recommend everyone starts out with our ‘newcomers’ ride, held on the first Saturday of each month.

Can I just come along?
Sure but it’s always nice to have a heads up! Contact cyclingmembership@anza.org.sg to signal your interest. You needn’t sign up as a club member before your first ride but we expect you to join after a couple of rides.

Is it safe?
The road presence established with a group generally gives a greater degree of safety than that of a solo rider. While cycling has its risks, we try to minimise these as much as possible by establishing well-disciplined groups and promoting road sharing. We expect all club members to observe the road rules and practise good road etiquette, while looking out for each other. 

Check out the ANZA website for more information, or join our ANZA Cycling Facebook group (facebook.com/AnzaCycling) for the latest route info, ride info and other updates.

A Wombats Welcome

Looking for somewhere to play footy? Look no further than the ANZA Wombats, who have already had a jam-packed year, says Guy Keating.

Well it’s now September and, as usual, we have had a busy year.
After a successful season launch in April at The Roundhouse we followed up with a variety of social events, which have been well received.
The Family Night at Mambo’s on Sentosa was a well attended event, with many of the players and their families coming along, helped by the bus transport arranged to get everyone back on the mainland.

Looking ahead on the social front, we have the AGM on November 8 and the Royal Wombat Ball on 22 November. If you’d like to keep up-to-date with details, stay in touch by emailing

info@singaporewombats.com to be added to the mailing list.

On the footy front, for those who don’t know, we now have an ex-AFL player, Ed Clarke coaching the team. Fear not, though – he trains us with a focus on fun, and getting the most out of our time in Singapore. Training is an opportunity to develop skills, lose weight, and increase fitness. There are plenty of quality Sherrins, and good times each Thursday and Saturday. Training is located at NUS Evans Road, Farrer Park, and Turf City. If you can’t make Saturdays at Turf City, then you have the option of Thursdays at NUS Evans Road. Farrer Park has a great pitch and we train there instead of Turf City sometimes during the year.

So far this year we’ve had some quality tours: Cambodia, Manila, Jakarta, and Bali for the 9s tournament. This month we tour to Malaysia, and also host them, as well as hosting Jakarta before getting ready for attending the AFL Grand Final in the famous last week of September. In between all the touring we have also had some great games against the Navy and the local Sharks squad.

Speaking of the Sharks, we hosted the Audo Cup at Turf City on 2 August, which was held in honour of the late Nick Auden, who played for both the Sharks and Wombats. He lost his battle with cancer late last year and he means a lot to both clubs. We plan to honour him with regular Sharks v Wombats games and social gatherings in the years to come.

For the training and games schedules please sign up to teamsnap.com. Once you have signed up, add yourself to the Wombats group at the following link: singaporewombats.teamsnap.com.

We are always looking for new members, with or without AFL experience. The club is about providing a diversion for the daily grind of work, and if you have been in Singapore for awhile and haven’t yet come down, think about joining in the fun.

In October the annual Asian Football Championships are taking place in Clark, Manila, on the 11th. If you want to get involved, email info@singaporewombats.com for more information.

www.singaporewombats.com

RDA Christmas Cards – Orders Now Open

Each year the RDA produces a unique range of Singapore-themed Christmas Cards. This year the designs feature Santa, Rudolf, the Singapore skyline, shophouses and a melting snowman.

If stocks hold out, you can purchase cards at ANZA’s Casual Coffee (31 October and 28 November) or the Melbourne Cup Race Day. You can also order from the RDA using the Card Order Form.

Last year they sold out early, so get in soon to avoid missing out.

Can a pen change a child’s life?

For the children at Riverkids in Cambodia, a letter can make a bigger difference than you think, says Dale Edmonds.

The letters come in one by one, until there are enough to fill a courier packet to Cambodia, each one with a name and a number carefully written in the corner to make sure they’ll get where they’re needed, translated and hand-delivered to children who don’t have mailboxes or sometimes even homes, children who have never received a letter in their lives until now.
These are the first letters from new mentors: people who are giving a little time and love each month to write to a child they’ve been matched with at Riverkids.
Seeing how much a child concentrates on her letter back to her mentor tells us that every word means a lot to her. For children who are struggling at school and home, our tender words of encouragement will help them go very far in their education journey and succeed in life.
We now have 140 children waiting for a mentor to be matched. Can you be a mentor for one of them?

WILL A SIMPLE LETTER REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Yes. Our kids keep every letter, read them over and over and are eager to write back. For almost all of them, this is the first piece of mail they’ve ever received. Knowing someone in another country cared about them enough to write a letter and, most of all, that that person wants to know about them is a big deal to our kids, who are used to being ignored by the world.

DON’T YOU HAVE TO BE SUPER PERFECT TO BE A MENTOR?
Nope. You just have to be kind. You don’t have to be a brilliant writer, or know lots about Cambodia or even children. You’ll just need a working pen and a coffee break to write a letter once a month. We’ll send reminders and keep track of letters so you don’t even have to be organised! Just write with kindness.

IS IT LIKE SPONSORING A CHILD?
Close, but with a twist. Because our kids all come from families struggling with really difficult problems, we think very carefully about how we match you to a child. Shared interests like football, a child’s dreams of becoming a nurse, being the youngest in the family – we look for shared elements to build a friendship on. For the child receiving your letter, you’re special because you’ve been chosen just for them.
The $55/month mentorship fee does help a lot, but it doesn’t go directly to your child so that children who don’t have mentors get the same help and support too.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Email dale@riverkidsproject.org and we’ll get you sorted out. There’s a short form to fill out and we’ll call you to go over some questions about what your interests are, so we can figure out which child would be the best match to you. Then we’ll send you a welcome pack with their first letter and everything you need to get started.

CAN CHILDREN TAKE PART TOO?
Absolutely! We love matching families – the letters are a wonderful experience to share with children.
We prefer not to do direct age matches, but look for shared interests like football or reading, so the children have lots to share.

WHAT IF THEY WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING SCARY OR SENSITIVE AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO?
That’s exactly why we need mentors like you so our children have a safe place to ask for help.
All the letters are read by us to look out for worrying problems like this. We’ll help the child first, then update you with advice on helpful things to say in your next letter.
Often, what they need is simply to be heard: ‘You miss your mum a lot. I’m thinking of you, and I hope she comes home soon too.’
So get in touch, and see what you can do with just a pen and paper to help a child, and how much it will mean to you.

riverkidsproject.org
dale@riverkidsproject.org

 

Foodie Motorbike Tour – Saigon

Combining both elements of wonderfully fresh Vietnamese food and overwhelming traffic, a foodie motorbike tour of the city is a great way of exploring Ho Chi Min City, formerly known as Saigon. Kathy Chamberlain and her party of five paired up with a friendly vibrant all girl group of twenty something year old guides to join the throng of Saigon motorbike traffic.

Surprisingly the evening turned out to be a highlight of our Vietnam trip. We used ‘Saigon Food Tour’ a tour company which has a uniform of bright yellow shirts and helmets and for our tour the guides just happened to be all female. Using their own bikes the pack was an assortment of 100CC motorbikes and step throughs and on friendly introduction we were handed our own pillion yellow helmet . I must admit (sorry guys) that for me, the girl power element removed a certain sense of risk taking associated with the situation.

With motorcycles and scooters the most prevalent means of transport in Vietnam, accounting for 95 per cent of registered vehicles, motorbike traffic is overwhelming. For a tourist pedestrian just crossing the road can be a death defying feat. As a Vietnamese motorbike rider amongst the traffic (surgical) face masks are the norm to protect against breathing difficulties from fumes and sun exposure. In this instance my guide Lee left her mask at home so she could give a commentary and make conversation whilst skillfully negotiating the ‘no road rules in crazy peak hour crush’ traffic environment.

With the 50 kmph speed limit, the peak hour mass generally traverses the city at 30-40 kmph but in the organised chaos there are no road rules except keeping to the right. If as a driver you feel a need to cut several metres off a corner into the oncoming erratic flux or mount the footpath in order to find a quicker route then so be it. Despite a couple of breathtaking moments we all felt that we were in good hands and found it to be an exhilarating experience.

The girls took us past the major city landmarks such as the Independence Palace, HCM City Hall and Post Office, Ben Thanh market, Notre Dame Cathedral and through the cross city tunnel which runs underneath the Saigon River. We made 2 foodie stops nominated beforehand with payment of the tour, the first of which was a café where we assembled our own delicious Vietnamese pancakes. Seated at a long table with our friendly guides interspersed among us, we were given an explanation of the various herbs featured in our dish and our questions regarding Vietnamese everyday life were answered.

Second stop was the BBQ cafe where various protein forms, one of which was ‘goat breast’ (goat udder) were ‘barbequed’ by our guides on a ceramic roof tile on our table. We also sampled a lovely lemongrass cocktail and an assortment of ‘sweet soups’ (dessert).

For the US$50pp spent we were well satisfied with the tour which lasted about four hours. It gave us an opportunity to connect with English speaking local people, was culturally enlightening and very entertaining.

 

www.facebook.com/saigonfoodtour

Five local music acts worth checking out

Want to get your music fix in Singapore but don’t know where to start? Check out five of our favourite local music acts – fresh from the September issue of ANZA Magazine.

 
Pictured: Obedient Wives Club

 

VANDETTA

Once a part of local hip-hop groups Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp, and also making up one half of local electronic duo Octover, Vanessa Fernandez now releases music under the moniker Vandetta, traversing electronic and R&B genres. Check out the track ‘Fly’ from her EP released last year, which was constructed using only her voice (including the backing beat) and even caught the attention of US music website Pitchfork. Some may also know Fernandez as a radio personality from local stations 98.7FM and more recently Lush 99.5FM.

vandettamusic.net

  

 

OBEDIENT WIVES CLUB

Forming in 2011, the provocatively named Obedient Wives Club has been making a name for itself in the Lion City for the last three years. Fans of Best Coast and Dum Dum Girls will enjoy their summery, fuzzy-pop sounds.

obedientwivesclub.bandcamp.com

 


 

MONSTER CAT

Lush-sounding local rock band Monster Cat recently travelled to Sydney to record their latest release, The Violet Hour, with renowned Aussie record producer Tim Carr (known for his work with the likes of Matt Corby, The Cat Empire, Julia Stone and even Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers).

monstercat.net

 


 

FAUXE

Local producer and beatmaker Fauxe is hard to pin down, with his tunes defying genres from each release to the next. He may only have been around for a short time, but that hasn’t stopped this mysterious music-maker from releasing three EPs last year and another in March this year.

soundcloud.com/fauxe

 


 

ATLAS

With its layered, math-rock sound and sweet vocals, experimental indie band Atlas has been growing its following over the last few years. Earlier in the year the band played at Singapore’s biggest indie music festival Baybeats, and has showed no signs of slowing down since. One to watch out for.

atlasbandsg.bandcamp.com

 

Redefining Community Giving

In strategic partnership with Community Foundation of Singapore, Taproot Foundation and UBS, Empact is proud to announce our first series of events on redefining community giving.

This is the series for you, if you are:

1. An HR professional, overseeing leadership and talent development in your organisation

2. A CSR or community investment professional, overseeing the community support that your corporation offers

3. The head of a social organisation looking at how to work with the changing trends in corporate giving

4. A philanthropist/foundation representative looking at innovative ways of supporting the community

5. An individual looking at new ways of contributing to the community in a sustainable and effective manner

The series comprises the following elements:

• a one-day conference, aimed at raising awareness of wider community giving and developing participants understanding of what this looks like in practice. This included case studies from organisations who are already engaging in wider community giving, especially in offering skills-based volunteering/pro bono service

• half-day workshops, for corporations and social organisations, which will equip participants with the practical tools and knowledge needed to embed skills-based volunteering/pro bono service into your organisation

• a study to explore the state of awareness and participation in skills-based volunteering in amongst corporations and social organisations in Singapore

To find out more about the series, and to book your place at one of our events, please click here.

We are delighted to be able to offer ANZA members a 20{95a2435e1d5758f6d9d5615cfe8f4203fd5bccff0e058dcf69a7b31d3a698e0b} discount off their conference tickets. Simply enter ANZARCG when booking to take advantage of your discount.

Network With ANZA Members Using LinkedIn

ANZA Members can now connect using LinkedIn. The new ANZA Singapore group is a professional network for ANZA members to share information and advice, job opportunities and mentoring.

Join the group

Pave Your Child’s Way to Success

It is a universal fact that every parent wants the very best for their child, and it is not unusual to look for ways to boost their child’s learning process to get a head start in life. There are three essential things that you can do to ensure your child’s positive growth with regards to their learning.

#1: Encourage your child to inquire when in doubt!

According to research, an inquisitive child always picks things up more quickly than his quieter peers. Richard W. Paul and Linder Elder, co-authors of Critical Thinking: Basic Theory and Institutional Structures Handbook, strongly believe that thinking and the thought process is driven not by the feeding of answers but by active listening and questioning.

This explains why you should provide your child with a nurturing and open environment so that they feel comfortable asking questions. The Australian International School (AIS) understands that encouraging this ethos can reveal different perspectives and widens a child’s scope of learning, leading to greater cognitive development.

Our newly-opened Inquiry Centre provides your child with an exciting and interactive learning environment. During Inquiry Centre sessions, children spend time with their teachers, librarians as well as invited experts to explore areas of the curriculum, like science, geography and history through hands-on practical inquiry. Smaller and more engaging groups facilitate inquiry, allowing your child to absorb every bit of knowledge that they can.

#2: Encourage and support your child’s creativity

We have come full circle in understanding that Music and the Arts are an integral part of any child’s development. There is extensive research on how music connects and develops the brain in exceptional ways. Music education offers something to a child that is indispensable: the opportunity to explore their own creativity and apply this to all aspects of their life. AIS promotes creativity through its in-curriculum Arts program that encompasses Music, Drama and Visual Arts. The role of the music educator at AIS is to lead your child through a process of learning and understanding that is dynamic and inclusive. Using child-centred approaches developed by Carl Orff and Zoltan Kodaly, children journey with an adventurous and exploratory spirit, while they sing, dance and play. An emphasis is placed on the child’s emerging singing, playing and composing in an environment that is safe and encourages exploration. Head of Music, Mr Simon Hughes says “Our aim at AIS is to ensure all children experience musical success at their own level, through aurally based classroom activities that develop their creativity”.

#3: Give your kids a break!

Tonia R. Durden, an Early Childhood Extension Specialist believes that “a wide variety of play experiences is necessary in learning development, especially those that integrate sensory, motor, cognitive and social-emotional experience”. Learning through play is something that we at AIS strongly believe in. We have built this into the curriculum to provide an opportunity for children to observe their environment at first hand, develop and extend their language and creative skills, interact with others, make decisions and solve problems. We also support our students’ physical wellbeing in equal measure, channelling their seemingly boundless energy into fun and exciting physical education activities. Part of every morning is spent in our own large playground engaging in activities such as sand play, bike riding, climbing, balancing and ball games. Children love being outside and exploring so why not take them out for a stroll somewhere exciting around Singapore such as Gardens by the Bay, and encourage them to question and inquire about the fascinating things they see.

To learn more about our curriculum and school, you are welcome to visit during our upcoming AIS Open House Sessions:

• Thursday, 11 September

• Thursday, 9 October

• Wednesday, 26 November

Book a tour online, phone +65 6517 0247 or email admissions@ais.com.sg.

Protecting Your Children in Singapore through Immunization

Before children start school in Singapore, it is important to ensure immunizations are up-to-date. Children are exposed to a range of potentially dangerous diseases due to the large number of people they come into contact with. Therefore, proven and safe protection against diseases that can cause serious illness, or even death, is essential.

The importance of vaccinations
Singapore’s Health Promotion Board advises that diseases can rapidly spread throughout the population and cause epidemics if children are not immunized. While a consistent public health vaccination program has reduced contagious disease to relatively low levels in Singapore, because the country is a major transport hub, it is both vulnerable and receptive to diseases being introduced by travelers.  In fact, studies by health authorities over the last decade have identified that the majority of notifiable diseases that occurred in Singapore such as viral hepatitis, malaria, cholera and typhoid resulted from importation. In support of this trend, the number of cases of tuberculosis among non-residents has continued to rise in tandem with an increase in the number of expatriates and tourists in Singapore.

Under Singapore’s Infectious Disease Regulations two vaccinations, namely diphtheria and measles immunizations, are mandatory for every child residing in the country. According to Singapore’s National Childhood Immunization Schedule, immunizations should be completed prior to a child’s entry into primary school. At the time of registering with a school, a child who has not yet had the necessary immunizations will not be denied enrollment, but parents or guardians will be reminded to arrange these prior to the beginning of the school year.

Know what to protect against
Additional to the mandatory vaccinations, the schedule specifically recommends vaccination against tuberculosis, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B, mumps, rubella and poliomyelitis. The Health Promotion Board suggests that while these vaccinations are not mandatory in the country, it is worth seriously considering the range of immunizations available in order to protect children from the ill-effects and suffering associated with preventable disease. These vaccinations can be crucial in maintaining a child’s health, as they help prevent a range of serious diseases in their early years and beyond. Numerous studies have highlighted that even if a child contracts a disease after being vaccinated against it, the symptoms and severity of the infection is generally milder than what it otherwise would be.

The need for vaccinations in Singapore is echoed by the US Centre for Disease Control, which specifically recommends immunization against hepatitis A due to the susceptibility of contracting the disease through contaminated food or water, regardless of the location of accommodation or type of eateries frequented. Likewise, typhoid can also be contracted through food or water sources, but in particular when staying with friends or relatives, or travelling to smaller cities or rural areas,  and is also recommended.

For more information on immunizations and how to have the costs associated with them covered by your health insurance, please contact Pacific Prime Singapore today.

Read more about Pacific Prime.

www.PacificPrime.sg
Email: singapore@pacificprime.com
Phone: +65 6346 3781 

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