Grateful

last friday, under the courtesy of cindy's parents i went to crown for some VIP gambling room experience. my parents never gamble, and hence i know nuts about gambling. visited las vegas casino when i was 14 and i wasn't even allowed to stand and watch the adults press buttons to aim for a jackpot due to tight security. went to crown casino with the girls last semester and we were trying to figure out how the different gambling games work, but to no avail.

met up with cindy and rachel at the hotel lobby and off we went to the 27th level. got registered at the counter and saw cindy's parents and some friends playing baccarat. the three of us just sat there and watch while cindy ordered a hot chocolate for me since there were free flow of drinks. the uncles played with thousands, and minimum met was 300. we were not allowed to take pictures in the room, but the view from the 27th level was gorgeous.

thereafter, 12 people then cabbed from crown to china town's crystal jade restaurant. first time eating there in 3 years. it was cindy's parents's treat. food was great, comparable to singapore's crystal jade. but i still feel that singapore's better- food and decor hands down.

we had plenty of food. winter melon soup, roast duck, lobster, crab, fish, osyter omelette, abalone, etc. the best chinese meal i have ever eaten in melbourne. awesome-ness. will definitely go back there if i feel like having a touch of home, since crystal jade- paragon is my family's usual chinese dinning place, love it there.

i'm feeling extremely fortunate today. 2 days ago, i received an email from Citi informing me that i've been accepted for internship from Dec 2010 to Feb 2011 in Global Trade Services. credits really goes to my dad and mr michael teo who pulled some strings for me. also, kimmy has been such a great help who gave me a crash course on Citi and phone interview tips.

on the other hand, knowing that i've been accepted i was really worried that i wouldn't be able to make it for my family's annual overseas trip in december. papa told me that everything has been paid for, but we both agreed that Citi is worth sacrificing my hokkaido trip for. i was prepared to forgo it despite yearning to visit japan since early this year. thankfully, i received an email from my future supervisor this afternoon, allowing me to start internship after the trip or alternatively, apply for no-pay leave. i get the best of both worlds. :)