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Nicole Seah say she represent us wor... [flowerface] From Nicole Seah Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/notes/nicole-seah-%E4%BD%98%E9%9B%AA%E7%8E%B2/representing-singapore-in-usa/199184180152661 Representing Singapore in USA October 4, 2011 at 7:08pm I am currently in USA for a 2-week leadership seminar at the East-West Center in Honolulu that aims to promote a deeper engagement of APAC-US relations. The jet lag is something new! It must be 6pm in Singapore now. But it is past midnight and I am wide awake, excited to share my experiences. There is one representative from each country - China, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea. There are also a couple of young elected officials from the US. Will post photos once I receive them from the organiser. The other delegates have asked so much about Singapore, as they followed the General Elections closely. I told them that social media has given the people their voice and a platform to speak up, a privilege which some in developed democracies have taken for granted. One interesting experience in Honolulu was when a waitress asked me how my drink was. I casually mentioned that it was a bit bitter. To my surprise, she offered to change it immediately on the spot for free, and even provided some additional recommendations on other drinks I could try. The Asian counterparts were very pleasantly surprised, but the US delegate said that it is very common, and that they pride themselves on a service that is extremely personable and friendly. It was a small, simple gesture that made my day. To the waitress, she was just doing her job, but to me and the other delegates, she really went the extra mile and put so much pride in her work. I will be visiting a military base tomorrow, to learn more about regional security issues. Really thankful to the US Embassy for the nomination to attend this programme. There are many inspiring individuals to learn from. Good night and Aloha! (Or good evening to all in Singapore)