HeyMath! Intern: Jasmine Kwok
Coming from the city that almost never sleeps, Chennai has been a very different experience for me. Shops open and close early here, and few stores open past midnight. Crossing the road in Chennai is also an experience in itself - motorists navigate skillfully, albeit dangerously, around pedestrians and they love to give their horns a good workout. Fortunately, the guesthouse where I'm staying is in a quiet neighbourhood - a safe haven from Chennai's noisy roads.
As one of the very few Chinese in Chennai, I often draw weird looks and long stares from strangers. But it's not all bad, really. Standing out from the crowd also means that I get help more easily and the people here are generally friendly and ready to help.
The Indian food here is really delicious. My favourites are chicken butter masala, aloo poori, chicken 65, biriyani and papadam. Initially, I found Indianized Chinese food here rather peculiar - everything is cooked in "Manchurian" style (What is that?) Gobi Manchurian, Manchurian Chicken, Baby corn Manchurian... the list goes on. Each eatery has its own understanding of this Manchurian style and I think I must have eaten numerous versions of "Chinese food". It really takes some getting used to.
At the end of my 7-week stint in Chennai, odd as it may sound, this unique style of cooking has eventually found a place in my tummy and my heart.
I also love how colourful and vibrant the city is - women in saris and salwars in every imaginable colour can be found alongside colourful buildings and roadside paintings.
Working at HeyMath! has been really enjoyable. In my short stay here, I have:
- Written lesson scripts with a Singaporean context
- Written numerous voice scripts to accompany existing lessons
- Recorded my voice for these lessons
- Conceptualized a Math Trail for Singaporean schools
- Written articles for HeyMath!'s weekly column in Young World, The Hindu
I also am in the process of completing some other projects.
I really appreciate the flexibility here and am very thankful to be able to try my hand at so many different things. It's always exciting to watch my ideas come to life with the help of the talented animators and voice team. Recording and QC-ing audio lessons has also been particularly fun. I thoroughly enjoy my work here at HeyMath! (I think I've said it already!)
Warm, friendly, driven - these are three words to describe the work culture here at HeyMath! We attend farewell parties, enjoy birthday treats from colleagues and dine with our colleagues. On my second week at HeyMath!, my colleagues from the Singapore Team even surprised me with a cake on my 21st birthday. (Boy, was I surprised!)
I'm really thankful for all the guidance and help I've received at HeyMath! And I will miss the team when I'm back!
Jasmine Kwok,
Singapore Management University
