“Li Hua, Human Resources (HR) Manager
wants to see us tomorrow.” I received this message from one of my apartment mates.
I was not very curious of why our HR Manager wanted to meet me and my other
apartment mates because I was pretty sure that it is due to electricity bill.
We exceeded the given electricity usage for the first two months, since we
moved into the staff quarters of Four Seasons Resort Langkawi Island, Malaysia
during our 4-month internship.
However, through the meeting with
HR Manager, it was not only about the electricity bill, but also regarding
another issue that HR Department had found out – my two apartment mates brought
outsiders with opposite gender to stay over for a few nights. I tried to stay calm,
though I knew that there might be a punishment on me. The reason of why I said
this was because I was aware of the occurrence.
As I used to be close with two of
them when I first arrived to Langkawi Island for internship, they did speak to
me regarding their guests to be stayed over in our apartment. To be frank, I
did not stop them from doing, but only mentioned not to bring any of their
guests into my room, though my room was only occupied by myself. Yet, I did not
reject another suggestion they proposed, which was to make a space for two of
them to sleep in my room so that their friends could occupy their room instead.
According to the accommodation
policies stated by Four Seasons, it is an offence of bringing outsiders to stay
over staff quarters. I had caught myself
into a trouble. I could not say that I was totally implicated by them, because I
did sort of ‘facilitate’ them, by making a space for my own apartment mates to
sleep. At the end of the meeting, HR Manager had yet come to a final decision. He
only told us a possibility of receiving Internship Termination Letter. I
turned away because I did not want to show others my tearing face.
This episode still deeply
imprinted in my mind after a year (I came back from Langkawi Island on 25th
January 2013). Although the final decision that HR Department had made was not
to issue Termination Letter, but requested my two apartment mates to prepare Explanation
Letter instead, it is still my responsibility
to ensure not to happen in the future. I have gained some learning points
through this episode: one is to learn how to say ‘NO’ and to learn making
correct judgment. Recall back to the incident again. In fact, I had the ability
to report to HR yet I failed to do as I gave myself an excuse that ‘they are my
friends’. One should always make correct
judgment and learn to reject any favour that you think is inappropriate. Think of
the consequence or even worse case scenario before you do.
This is a very meaningful piece of writing, and you have clearly described the entire incident such that it is easily understood. It must have been a hard time for you. I have learned a useful lesson from you, and I believe that this experience will be helpful in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Lihua,
ReplyDeleteyour blog entry is well-organised and i feel that you have a good starting line as well :)
Maybe few sentences like:
'This episode still deeply imprinted in my mind after a year' you should add an 'is' before the 'still'?
'Think of the consequence or even worse case scenario before you do.' This last sentence seems like an incomplete sentence.
But overall i enjoyed reading your blog entry and i definitely learnt alot from your experience as well!
Li Hua,
ReplyDeleteContent and organisation: I enjoyed reading your blog. Thank you so much for sharing your very interesting, and somewhat frightening, experience with us. You were indeed very kind to have let your friends let outsides stay in your house. I am sure it was a hard lesson to learn. Your work flows logically from past, present and future--great job, and you described your experiences very clearly. Make sure you complete meaning fully in each sentence.
Just pay attention to the following language areas:
Language: Pay attention to the following:
1. A more commonly used term for 'apartment mates' is room mates.
2. You need to use an article (a/an) with a singular common noun.
....because I was pretty sure that it is due to electricity bill.
3. Connection of ideas in this sentence:
However, through the meeting with HR Manager, it was not only about the electricity bill, but also regarding another issue that HR Department had found out – my two apartment mates brought outsiders with opposite gender to stay over for a few nights.
Examine the meaning of this sentence carefully:
However, through the meeting with HR Manager, (noun: topic of the sentence-cause)
+ it was not only about the electricity bill,.... (object: effect).
BUT...who did it affect? You?
4. Use of preposition 'of' vs 'for'. 'of means part in something. You give a re.ason to something (therefore 'for').
The reason of why I said this was because I was aware of the occurrence.
5. You need to complete the idea in this sentence: 'doing' +???
To be frank, I did not stop them from doing, but only mentioned not to bring any of their guests into my room, though my room was only occupied by myself.
6. Do you know the difference between using 'of bringing' (gerund) and 'to bring' (to infinitive)? There is a slight difference in usage--'of bringing' is a subject matter, and 'to bring' means it did happen (it is more definite). Do you understand? Read the sentence again and see if you understand why it should be 'to bring' instead.
According to the accommodation policies stated by Four Seasons, it is an offence of bringing outsiders to stay over staff quarters.
7. This sentence is missing a verb to be (to show time of the event).
This episode still deeply imprinted in my mind after a year (I came back from Langkawi Island on 25th January 2013).
8. Look at the parallel structure of this sentence. Hint: tense usage. We will also be looking at the use of past (had) and present (has/have) perfect tenses . Come back to this sentence after our discussion on tenses.
Although the final decision that HR Department had made was not to issue Termination Letter, but requested my two apartment mates to prepare Explanation Letter instead,
Xiang Hui and Angela,
ReplyDeleteYou made some good points. Sometimes we learn through the hard way.
Angela: Well-spotted errors.
Thank you very much for the replies from Dr. Cook, Xiang Hui and Angela. Here are the corrections that I have done:
DeleteLanguage:
1. “I received this message from one of my roommates. I was not very curious of why our HR Manager wanted to meet me and my other roommates because I was pretty sure that it is due to the electricity bill.
Connection of ideas:
2. “However, through the meeting with HR Manager, I realized that it was due to another issue that HR Department had found out – my two roommates brought outsiders with opposite gender to stay over for a few nights.”
Use of preposition:
3. “The reason for why I said this was because I was aware of the occurrence.”
Complete idea:
4. “As I used to be close with two of them when I first arrived to Langkawi Island for internship, they did speak to me regarding their guests to be stayed over in our apartment. To be frank, I did not stop them from doing it, but only mentioned not to bring any of their guests into my room, though my room was only occupied by myself.
To-infinitive:
5. “According to the accommodation policies stated by Four Seasons, it is an offence to bring outsiders to stay over staff quarters.”
Verb to be:
6. “This episode is still deeply imprinted in my mind after a year. (I came back from Langkawi Island on 25th January 2013)."
Tense Usage:
7. “Although the final decision that HR Department had made was not to issue Termination Letter, but to request my two apartment mates to prepare Explanation Letter instead,
Incomplete sentence:
8. “You need to think of the consequence or even worse case scenario before you do.”
Li Hua, you are very welcome indeed. Great job on the corrections! See my feedback below:
ReplyDeleteLanguage:
1. “I received this message from one of my roommates. I was not very curious of why our HR Manager wanted to meet me and my other roommates because I was pretty sure that it is due to the electricity bill.
Misty: Correct--great job.
Connection of ideas:
2. “However, through the meeting with HR Manager, I realized that it was due to another issue that HR Department had found out – my two roommates brought outsiders with opposite genderS to stay over for a few nights.”
Misty: Correct--great job. This sounds SO MUCH CLEARER than the way it was written.
Use of preposition:
3. “The reason for why I said this was because I was aware of the occurrence.”
Misty: Correct--great job.
Complete idea:
4. “As I used to be close with two of them when I first arrived to (AT) Langkawi Island for internship, they did speak to me regarding their guests to be stayed over in our apartment. To be frank, I did not stop them from doing it, but only mentioned not to bring any of their guests into my room, though my room was only occupied by myself.
Misty: Correct--great job.
To-infinitive:
5. “According to the accommodation policies stated by Four Seasons, it is an offence to bring outsiders to stay over staff quarters.”
Misty: Correct--great job.
Verb to be:
6. “This episode is still deeply imprinted in my mind after a year. (I came back from Langkawi Island on 25th January 2013)."
Misty: Correct--great job.
Tense Usage:
7. “Although the final decision that THE HR Department had made was not to issue Termination Letter, but to request my two apartment mates to prepare Explanation Letter instead,
Misty: Correct--great job.
Incomplete sentence:
8. “You need to think of the consequence or even worse case scenario before you do.”
Misty: Correct--great job.