Star Q
I have been to many courses throughout my service. I have always managed to at least find out about the venue where the courses would be held either by searching through the internet or asking about them from friends. But this time, the venue for this particular course really left me dumbfounded!
The first thing that crossed my mind when I first knew about the venue of the course was to ask myself, "Where on earth is this place?" I suppose I should be forgiven for feeling a bit depressed about the venue. It was not only far from where I stay or work, in fact it is even far from everything else!
The drive to the venue left a lingering question in my mind as to when we would actually arrive (I was travelling to the venue with a friend) The journey was physically and emotionally long and the fact that for hours on end, the only thing I saw were palm trees. These trees seem to be lining the road side one kilometre after another that I found myself anxious to reach my destination.
However, when we eventually reached our destination, I continued to feel depressed. I tried very hard to hide my depression but I guess it finally showed when during dinner that night, my friend, after commenting about my tired look, asked me if I was not feeling well. I told him I was sleepy. I lied!
I suppose beggars can't be choosers and I shouldn't complain about the accommodation provided by the course organisers. However, if you really, truly have no other choice but to have the course at this place, at least have the decency to provided participants with some creature comforts. For example very senior civil servants who are entitled to single rooms should be given their just dues. After all they have been waiting all their service life to finally savour such a privilege.
And during the course, when there are workshops being conducted, do try to provide work places that do not make participants feel like broiler chickens in a crowded chicken coop. And lastly but definitely not the least, when you ask participants to register between 12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m., please realise that participants who have to endure more than three hours of travelling would not have had anything for lunch. We understand the thing about financial constraints but it would be a more than humane act to provide participants who have travelled long distances with a small kuih and a cup of tea, to tide their hunger till dinner time.
If you can't do that, at least give us fair warning that lunch would not be served. It may be mean but it cheaper than providing participants with the kuih and tea.
No comments:
Post a Comment