Kampai at the Cool Bananas

In the beginning of this month, which was just 2 weeks ago, we were "imprisoned" at the luxury Grand Plaza Parkroyal hotel for the whole week. We were required by the company to attend a "very important" training for supervisors / managers. The hotel was not new to me as I used to go there now and then, be it on my own for dinner, or some team building events sponsored by the company. However, this was my first time staying there for a few nights.

On the first day, everybody was trying to get to know each other, building relationships, "forming" teams, making ourselves comfortable with each other. Not much on the first day, anyway. It was a pain in the ass on the first night having dinner together with the assigned team members, cracking our heads to start conversations and share something in common as well. While trying our best to feel comfortable with each other, we were also required to come out with the team name and logo. A very good experience on "forming" as in the Tuckman model of team development.

Being "sworn to secrecy", I have to keep my promise, and therefore I am not going to blog on the activities taken place during the "boot camp". There was one night that it was optional for us to get together and sing karaoke, sort of a team building event at the Cool Bananas. It was great, beer was good, people were trying their best to entertain and have fun at the same time.

As first, it was a bit awkward for me to go out and sing. So, I waited for a while. Hey! How to sing without filling my tummy with beer???
Hmm... couldn't stand it anymore, went straight to the bartender with a friend and got a few tumblers. Got to know more and more friends.

Locals: Yam seng! (obviously a Cantonese word)
Taiwanese: Sui yi! Ganbei!
Japanese: Kampai! Ikki! Ikki! Ikki!
Koreans: Konbae!
Lain-lain: Cheers!

After many kampai, I got my engine started, sang many songs, including a Japanese song too.

There was a song sung by some Japanese friends which I had forgotten for quite some time. It reminded me of the old days when I was with my previous company. I used to sing "Kampai" with Japanese counterparts, vendors, customers, etc. I didn't sing it that night as I was lacking of confidence for this one. Well, we really had fun that night. Here is the lyric.

Katai kizu na ni, omoi o yosete
Katari tsukusenu seishun no hibi
Toki ni wa kizutsuki, toki ni wa yorokobi
Kata o tataki atta, ano hi...

Are kara dore kurai, tatta no darou
Shizumu yuuhi o, ikutsu kazoetarou
Furusato no tomo wa, ima demo kimi no
Kokoro no naka ni imasu ka...

Kampai ima kimi wa jinsei no
Ookina, ookina butai ni tachi
Haruka nagai michinori o aruki hajimeta
Kimi ni shiawase are

Kyandoru raito (candle light) no, naka no futari o
Ima koushite me o hosometeru
Ookina yorokobi to, sukoshi no sabishi sa o
Namida no kotoba de, utaitai...

Asu no hikari o, karada ni abite
Furi kaerazu ni sono mama yukeba yoi
Kaze ni fukarete mo, ame ni utarete mo
Shinjita ai ni, se o mukeru na...

Kampai ima kimi wa jinsei no
Ookina, ookina butai ni tachi
Haruka nagai michinori o aruki hajimeta
Kimi ni shiawase are

Kampai ima kimi wa jinsei no
Ookina, ookina butai ni tachi
Haruka nagai michinori o aruki hajimeta
Kimi ni shiawase are
Kimi ni shiawase are

Everyone enjoyed themselves very much. The most important thing, everyone knew each other much better. I am sure a little kampai here will definitely lead to some life long friendships.

Saiko! Sasuga!