Connecting female ICT students and young professionals. Geek Girls Coffees supported by Google launches in Singapore.

Guest speakers from Irene Xu from Citi and Virginia Yang from Ebay 

are giving tips on how to do innovations to attendees of Girls Geek Coffees, 

Singapore, First Meetup @ Asia One Square, Google office

To be a programmer, scientist, computer guru and technical professional don't mean to be isolated from society introvert, who never goes out and socialize. So decided Miriam Hochwald and the talented Scholars of the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship (AU/NZ) and Google, when they started GGC - Geek Girls Coffees Meetups around Australia & New Zealand in 2009. That was 4 years ago, when first meeting was organized, and today GGC has 64 chapters around the World, mainly in every city or near university campuses in Australia and New Zealand, but other continents catch up as well with Coffees in Canada, United States and United Kingdom and South America. And now with the launch of GeekGirlsCoffees in Singapore.

On the eve of 26th of April around 40 Geeks gathered for a first meeting in Google office in Singapore @Asia One Square. On a side note, Geek Girls are about balance and diversity, so male supporters are welcomed as well, and this time around third of the crowd were guys, that can't not to please, as males shows such an interest to participate in women activities and meetup, discuss topics and support initiatives.

Magic Bullet is pulling out feelings. Masters of Fine Arts blow minds at Singapore Lasalle ICA Gallery Graduates Showcase

My favorite play by Erica Norris - sweets mash-up,
  Magic Bullet exhibition, ICA gallery,  Lasalle Singapore

You would not believe, but since I started to go for art exhibitions in Singapore, yesterday was the first time I saw piece of art I was ready to buy here and now, and I was such in love with it from the first glance... And it was not even one particular work, but whole series, concept and feeling... And just imagine, that this happened to me, not at the Art Stage, the main exhibition of the year in Singapore, not at the internationally well-known galleries openings, like Bartoux-Singapore, I was writing about, but at the opening of the last chapter within The Lasalle Show 2013, that is mainly featuring students works. 

I was visiting ICA Galleries Lasalle College of Arts quite often this year to check, what are the ideas of fresh graduates and students and to see, where art development in Asia is going to, so some of the interesting show cases I shared in previous posts. Especially memorable for me was Parallax Between_Borders: Singapore_China as some reminds of my China life experience. Other exhibitions were also interesting and I found some new tendencies. I put the list of show cases I wrote about at the end of this post, so you can check by yourself ideas of young artists, pics of their works and  my thoughts regarding it. But here and now is THE story, how did I meet MY BRAIN-BLOWING ART...
At the eve of 25th of April art-lovers, students, friends and professors gathered at the ICA Gallery 2 for opening of the truly mind-blowing showcase "Magic bullet". Lasalle College of Arts was finishing academic year, featuring works of Erika Norris, Jying Tan and Phuong Dang, graduates of Faculty of Fine Arts one and half year master program.

Singapore Lacrosse - Getting serious. From families fun to first international match against Hong-Kong

Lacrosse, Male Singapore Hong-Kong match, Padang, 20 April 2013

Being expat is not only endless pleasure, but also is continuous challenge to adapt in new environment, to accept some rules and blend into other cultures. It's also challenge to find new friends and make circles of people around. It's twice hard, if you are looking to socialize and have pleasant time with family, as it should fit in timetable of hardworking dads and be resting time for busy moms, it should be enjoyed by children of all ages and fun for teenagers.

And what can be more uniting and enjoyable than sports and games hangouts together with all family on Sunday... Out, just to enjoy chilly weekends afternoons in Singapore, when it's already not so hot for a day and sun slowly going down. 

While Singaporeans are concentrated on to achievements in individual sports such as badminton and table tennis, Taekwondo lessons in community clubs and different kinds of marshal arts in numerous centers, running marathons and even challenging for triathlons, expats are tend to bring their home games to Singapore and found mini-clubs, playing their favorite sports, just for fun and leisure.

If we will play the game of associations, we will certainly name cricket for British, football for Germans, Italians, Spanish, rugby for Newzealanders etc., etc. But surprisingly, for US Americans, neither basketball nor American football work in our story, because US American families in Singapore are enjoying lacrosse. I haven't even heard about this game, until my friend introduces it to me. Sticks, lots of running, goals, balls, after trying to understand the game from explanations, I watched couple of Youtube videos, so can you do. Apparently, lacrosse is popular in US and even one of the sports in schools. Clubs have national cups and people are following their teams. And male teams even have their own designed helmets as part of outfit. Wow, that was like whole new world for me.

And here comes my chance to watch the game life... On beautiful sunny hot Sunday afternoon, on the 20th of April 2013, First time ever Singapore was hosting international Lacrosse match against team from Hong-Kong, and, moreover, at the heart of Singapore, at Padang field, Singapore Cricket Club Ground, with the stunning view to Marina Bay Sands Hotel, City Business District highskapers. 

Hosting Secret W Business - networking for women entrepreneurs. The Co is new home for start-ups and communities in Singapore

Morgane Gaubier is sharing her thoughts at Secret W Business, The Co

 Since very begining, even before official opening, when only interior and communications were ready for use, The Co building @ 75, High Street in Singapore is home for active and creative, entrepreneurs and start-ups, communities and hag-outs. It started with bloggers gathering by Noel Caleb on the 29th of January, then proceed with hosting of Noel Caleb 'Jonah' fashion collection launch, that included Models X Bloggers Search, Models Gatherings and Trainings, shooting and recording sessions, Clothes Fitting, I was writing about in my Blog. Meanwhile, The Co started to host OpenCoffee Club meetings - gathering for start-ups and entrepreneurs. Official opening on the 20th of March with hand-made coctails from Bar Stories was just great networking for business activists. And since then The Co just started to be place for different communities and business circles. 

Trying luck in Facebook - thanks to Think Tank Photo for winning experience

Think Tank Photo Facebook contest Airport 4-Sight Rolling Camera Bag

Working in Social Media and Marketing I got to know not only how does new on-line works and influences peoples' minds, thoughts and interests and drives actions, but also some hidden insights, that are not obvious to usual users of social platforms.

Literary being 8 hours per day in Facebook, I was very skeptical about all Fanpages contests, giveaways, competitions for most Likes and Shares. From simple pictures of cute babies with most "Likes" at communities pages for bored mums to almost junky spamming "Best deals" Fan Pages, all of them just wanted to get audience to spread the word in future or just combine database of people by getting access to their contact information and basic features. Using this database they could filter and target audiences  spotting those, who are likely to buy their or partners' products. There were common cases, when that databases were used not only to promote partners, but were just simply sold to third parties for further usage. The rules are simple - by Liking and Sharing Pages we allow page owners to access our personal data and sometimes even our friends lists. Moreover, games and applications will ask your permission to post from your behalf on your wall, that will appear in News Feed of your friends...

Горы слонов, геометрия чайных плантаций, муж за морями, дикость животных и Будды старше двух тысяч лет - Шри-Ланка

Чайные ковры Шри-Ланки

Шри-Ланка – остров Цейлона – для людей, родившихся и выросших в Совестком Союзе, вечно будет ассоциироваться с желтой упаковкой чая «Со слоном». А ведь и правда, Советский маркетинг ничего не преувеличивал. Слоны и чай на Шри-Ланке есть. А еще высоко в горах, между чайными плантациями стоит хижина, откуда сэр Липтон начал руководить своей быстро-растущей империей. Сегодня туристы ездят на так называемую площадку Липтона, откуда он созерцал высокогорья острова и бесконечные плантации чая...
И трудно поверить, что чай на Шри-Ланке начали выращивать только в конце 19 века, когда плантации кофе были убиты вирусом, и трудно поверить, что слоны на Шри-Ланке пережили 29 лет гражданской войны, окончившейся всего 3 года назад, и трудно поверить, что стычки не стерли улыбки с лиц людей, и рыбаки до сих пор каждый день выходят в море за новым уловом... И наверное, мало кто знает, что Шри-Ланка – это буддистская страна с религиозной историей более двух тысяч лет. И в целом, Шри-Ланка это свосем не Индия, пускай, это и остров в Индийском океане.