Meeting the President, His Excellency

It started as a thought and before I knew it, I made a hasty plan to meet again the President of the Republic of Singapore and took the chance to pose with him. How did this happen? Let me tell you the story...

Last 22 October, our school, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy had organized an international conference of public policy researchers, academe and studentry. Part of the conference was a dinner at Istana. Istana for those of you who are not from Singapore is where the President of the Republic of Singapore holds office. He is also supposed to be staying there but he opted not to and only goes there for work and official functions. Having lived near Istana for the past two years, I never had a chance to really see the inside of it. I only pass by it almost everyday on my way to and from work or during the weekends, but never dared to step inside it. Not that we can really do that on an everyday basis but only during special publc holidays here in Singapore. But because it is always a long queue, I dare not.

Until 22 October 2007, when two busloads of students, faculty members, staff and international guests/delegates from different public policy schools in the world went inside Istana to have dinner with the President. Well the dinner was not really meant for us students but for the international delegates and the faculty members. In fact, we were separated from the main dinner hall and could only hear from the loud speakers stationed in another room where all the students were asked to go. I thot since we were in another room, the President would not even bother to go to where we are. I was proven wrong when all of a sudden I saw my classmates and schoolmates lining up and queueing up to apparently meet the President. Suddenly, we were told His Excellency will be going to the room where we are. So I quickly lined up as well and did introduce myself to him. Well actually what happened was he looked at my name card and asked me, 'you must be from the Philippines.' To which of course I said yes, tho I did mention to him that I have been living and working in Singapore for 7 years now. Not that it would interest him really but more to engage him I guess in a conversation. I have been out of touch in this kind of thingy. The last President I met was President Ramos, when he was already not in power and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, when she was still Vice President. Both ocassions I was not a student and it was an informal cocktail events so not really as 'formal' like what has happened at Istana. The sad part of that night was I did not bring my digicam thinking that it will not be allowed inside only to find out that it is actually okay to bring it. So these pics are courtesy of a classmate who knows the official photographer of the school. But this is not the end of my meeting him. The more interesting part happened on the other side of the room. As there were lots of students that night, of course the President took some time to go around and meet each of my classmates and schoolmates. When he was still at the back of the room shaking hands, suddenly this 'crazy idea' took hold of me and I thought, why not go to the other side of the room, line up behind one of the students and ask one of my classmates to take a pic of me near the President. I really was not interested to have another go at meeting him but the idea came into as I remembered my babe teasing me that I seem to be 'posh' now as I will be having dinner at Istana. I thought, hmmmm...would it not be fun if I can show him a picture of myself with the President to prove to him that I really had dinner at Istana. LOL! Anyway so there I was trying my best to be conspicuous at the back of one schoolmate, when suddenly, President Nathan just took hold of my hand and shook it. I have never felt more embarrassed in my life. I had to gather enough courage to admit that I have actually met him already on the other side and the main reason why I was still there at the back was because I wanted to have a picture taken near him. Surprise of all surprises! He gamely held me to his side, and said, then we should pose for the camera. And he told me that the official photographer will give me a copy of my picture. Phew! I survived my blooper without being told off.....LOL! Anyway, after me, the next in line had more courage to ask Mr President to pose with them. Well maybe it was not such a blooper no? Good thing I was there as a student. LOL!