Bkk trip

The trip to Bangkok with the girls have finally been finalised. We'll depart from SIN on the 6th july and and coming back from BKK on the 9th july. I have been meaning to plan the itinerary for us but really have no time to do it. From what I have gathered, Kao San Road is the place to be. Its like the backpackers paradise in BKK and offers a wide range of retails therapy for the perfect 'shop till you drop' experience. How cool is it!

I guess the girls want to watch some 'cultured' show like the Tiger Show or something similar. But I guess I won't want to join them. From my take from Pei lin who had just came back from BKK, the show leave an unpleasant after-effect. I won't want to be in her shoe. Well, the girls can go and watch it, I'll probably hang out in some bar or do some night shopping. =)

I also wish to go to the palace for photo-taking and take the river cruise. I wonder if we have the time for it. Because time is really short and it is difficult to satisfy everyone at the same time. Everyone will have someplaces that they want to see. But luckily, those that are going are pretty much easy go lucky so I don't see a major issue on this one. Just can't wait for the 6th of July to come.

I saw this piece of information from my school website. They are looking for students some a 1 week student exchange programme to Macau. I am so keen on going and decided to email my tutor and sign up for it. Apparently, there are only 20 students that will be chosen from all over the world. I guess TP will be sending the most 2 students to take part? I hope I'll be one of them. But the drawback is that I got to pay for my own programme fees but heavily subsidy by the school. Let's just hope that money will not be an issue this time. If not i'll have to sell tissue in coffee shops.

Hmm... Shall stop now. Its my bro's turn to use the computer. My mum just bought him this new pc which cost more than $2000. Personally, I felt that it is so stupid to buy a computer rather than a laptop. Apple ibook cost only a fraction of that. $1600 to be exact. But my mum, as usual, dote on my brother so much just buy him what he wants (and deprive me of my Macau exchange programme). She says the reason to buy a computer is to make him stay at home to play games rather than going out. If she buys a lap top, he will be taking it out to play. I guess she has a point too...

Grease

It never fails to inspire me after each episode of Take5. This time the TJs went to Wellington. FYI, its the capital of New Zealand. In the past, I always thought that the capital of New Zealand is Auckland until when I was in year 1 and we took the module on Travel Geography and realise that it was actually Wellington. I have not even heard of that place before till then.

I never have a thing for New Zealand until today. As you haven't already know by now, my heart is already in Aussie. I always have a misconception that NZ is full of greens and sheeps and nothing much to see. But I was so fr*aking wrong about it. Wellington is situated at the southen point of the North Island of NZ. A capital in its own right. More like a country than a city, it was surrounded by sea and mountain. It is also known as 'Windy Welli' and as the name suggest, it is super windy! Its captivating beauty of the natural landscape earn its name as 'Middle Earth' in LOTR. I'm make sure I'll do a research on NZ and do a thorough post on my blog. But for those who have been to NZ or have read about interesting thing about it, do leave a comment. We'll ALL discuss about it.

Actually that's what i intend to do! Each month, I'll have a selected country or city that I want to talk about. I'll do a thorough research on that place and blog it here. So that everyone can enjoy it at the comfort of their own home. =) I am doing a project on Da Nang right now. I guess I'll do a post on Da Nang after the submission of my project. Oh, for those that still don't know, Da Nang is actually an up and coming place for tourism in Vietnam. It is sandwiched between Hue and Hoi Ann that are listed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. Has a lot of potential for tourism development, which is what my project is all about. "Destination planning and development". How interesting!!

Haha... I can see some of you rolling your eyes* now.

Anyway, I hope that I have the time to do what I say I will do. And do a good job and convince you guys that I can actually write. Ha ha..

Right now, I am really excited!! Tomorrow I am going to watch GREASE, A Musical. I can't wait! Going with Linda and her friends. When I first saw the advertisement in early March, I pray and tell God that I really wanna watch this show. And whoever asked me to the musical, I'll marry him. Haha.. Linda asked me to the show. So ... Ha ha.. Its a 'her' instead of a 'him'. But who cares when the lead artists are gorgeous.

I remembered watch Grease about 5 years ago. They were shown in the theater to celebrate their 20 years anniverary or something. The movie ROCKS my world.

John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, Retro, Summer Love, Pink Ladies, Black Leather Jackets, Bell Bottoms, Cars, Diners, High School Carnivals, Girlfriends, Sandra Dee, Polka Dots. All these came to mind.

I'll get ready to be ROCKED again tomorrow at the Indoor Stadium! Await for my next post!


Ciao~

Lovely Sentosa

Been caught up by work and school recently and hence not able to blog more often. But I guess I'm gonna have to stop work soon. If not, I really cannot catch up with my studies. But work has been really fun and liberating.

Recently, I find myself zoning out VERY OFTEN. I could board a bus, ride on the 20min journey, alight at my bus stop and walk home without knowing what I have just did. When I got home, I can suddenly 'wake' up from my spacing out session and wonder how the hell I did all that without thinking about it. Its actually quite dangerous because I don't even remember how I cross the road. It is like you switch off the manual mode and turn on the auto mode where your body just do all those things for you and you just go along with it. Like you are a stranger in your own mind and your mind just does these things for you. What happen to me within that period of time is really strange. Because I don't know what I am doing or thinking. Or am i thinking of anything? It just kinda shut down. I hope it doesn't just happen to me but to everybody as well. I should really get more sleep.

Yesterday was a really long day for me. But I enjoy every second of it. I hit the beach again in the morning. And surprise surprise! The water was so clean. Yeah you heard right. The water in Sentosa is CLEAN! Oh my God, I should really eat my words when I always complain that the water there is poisonous. I was just lying on the mat and soaking in all the rays. And contemplating whether I should listen to my MP3. Thank God I didn't. Because if you listen really closely, you could hear the melodious surge of the waves when it hit the shore. Its rhythemic sound and motion put me in a trance and I imagine myself somewhere far away. After about an hour of day-dreaming cum suntanning, i went into the water to feel its embrace. That was the moment for me. (when my day just got started, how wonderful!) The moment where everything else just fades away. I may be there all by myself but that was enough for me. Thankfully i was alone because I won't want any conversations in the world to spoil the moment for me! I'm such an introvert! Hehe!

After that soul rejuvenating afternoon, I went back to TAS and met up with my 'almost but not there yet' cell member to catch up and went off to the airport. During work, I chat up with this very old man and he told me that he is 100 years old. My gosh! He went on to tell me about his life and how he fought in war and his post war struggle. I knew in my heart that this man live out his dreams and he would not regret his life even if he was to die the next day. He told me he intend to buy over some businesses from Philippines and intend to revamp and develop it. Oh my, he was speaking like he is some 30 years old man, full of drives and dreams! No one can beat that. Amazing.

At 11pm sharp, punched my card and went straight to town. Meeting my friend for a drink. We went to Rouge and stay there for the rest of the night till they close shop. Had very 'cultured' exchange when we started talking about Japanese language and the culture. Actually I felt that Japanese language is not very difficult to learn and their living lifestyle is quite similar to Singaporean. Not that much of a culture shock really.

The language that I most wanted to learn is Spanish. It was probably inspired by Dirty Dancing. Spanish is the most widely used language in the world besides English. It speaks like a song, sexy and passionate like a dance. I just know a few sentences like;

Hola, como estas? (Hello, how are you?)

Bien / moy bien (Good/ very good)

me gusta mucho (I like you very much)

Ono, dos, tres, cuatro (1,2,3,4)

Gracias (Thank you)

Si/no (Yes/no)

Ciao (Bye)

I'm so proud of myself! Haha... I'm taking baby step to learn it. Best to learn from someone rather than the books because most books are not very user friendly.

Ok, I have to get back to my project research.

Ciao~

Blogging

I'm gonna keep this a short one. Haven't realise how blogging has made me into a slave until now. There are still a million things for me to do and yet I on my pc and blog. Moments like this makes me ponder on who is the master and who is the slave.

It also spark on this question of why I start blogging in the first place. Initially, I refuse to give anyone my blog's address for the fear that others will have a chance to peek into my world. I only allow Wendy and YZ's eyes to roam here for the fact that both are really close to me. But then someone told me that if I don't want anyone to read my blog, I could always keep a diary. True. But I write better on the keyboard. Seriously, I'm not joking. Now I cannot do my assigment with pen and paper. How the technology had enslaved me. Tsk tsk..

Well, the reason why I started to share my blog with others is because I want people to be critical about my writing. I want to write for an audience. Practising for my future career. (Haha) So I must be bold enough to write and allow comments from others. It is more for commenting on the style and topic/theme of writing rather than the content in itself. And the other time, my friend, Ivy, told me she read my blog and like it. It was such an encouragement for me.

However, a recent event makes me wonder if blogging is really such a great way for expressing my thoughts. We all know about this boy who make racist remarks on his blog and got himself in legal issues. I have actually read his blog and I seriously think that he must have been high on drugs to say such things. It was undigestable and was so uncalled for. But that happen to this guy which I don't know personally. To side track, just wondering what is the correct term used for such cases? People getting into trouble for writing something bad on their blog about something and get caught? I just couldn't remember it off hand.

Anyways, Just 2 days ago, a very close guy friend of mine told me that he got into trouble with the stuff he wrote on his blog. I was really pissed off. Not for the fact that he wrote something bad or the person that reported him. But for the reason that we are accountable for even what we wrote in our online diary. If I have to vet through what I want to write about, it won't be as authentic and raw as it is intended to be. It has loses the meaning of it all.

On the other hand, after thinking of it for awhile, I think that maybe I am wrong.

A pen is mightier than a sword. That is why in ancient China , Emperor Qing ordered all the scholar books and writen document to be burned. He realise that words have a huge impact on others. It has the abilty to influence our thinking. Like how the debate about the imfamous Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. Words are really powerful and we need to be dicerning to know the facts from the fiction. So that is why writers must be responsible for the things they write about and practice discretion and ethics.

That does not mean that I think my friend did the wrong thing. I just think he is unlucky. Of all people, why must it be him. And the things that he says must have been what he felt. And why must he be faulted for how he feels?

Hmm.. anyway, this is suppose to be a short entry. So I shan't go on further. I hope my entries so far have not offended anyone in anyway though.

I'm starting to really feel the toll on me since school started. School stuff, work, going out, church, SIP interview and all is starting to have its effect on me. Dark circles, blood-shot eyes, yawning during inappropriate time, missing classes. And this is suppose to be a rather laid back semester for me.

On saturday, I bring Max around singapore and feel so much like s tourist as well. I took the bumpy boat ride at Clark Quay to Boat quay, went Arab streets and the flee market, geylang for durian and mangoesteen; which is suppose to be the royal family of fruits, walking aimlessly around the CDB area looking at architectual structures (Max's an architect). Really, just taking the train and dropping off where our instinct tells us to and walk.

And we get into the topics of perception. He can see the side of Singapore where I totally miss. Like the trees and cleaniness and the warmth of the people or the humidity of the weather. Which I really took for granted. Its like his senses are all open to absorb all the different things and it totally overwhelmed him. At the end of the day I ask him how he find Singapore and he answered.

1. Singapore is too nice. Its like so right that it is wrong because nothing can be too right.
2. He don't understand why people can wear jeans and not die of the heat.
3. Great food culture.
4. Excellence MRT network system.
5. A place where people are too sheltered and usually conform to do what the government says.
6. A good place to quit smoking because the cigarettes are too expensive and the picture in front of the box are too gross to look at.
7. Nothing is really worth seeing but when you put everything you have see and do and experience, it is actually wonderful.
8. A place that is good for raising his children because it is safe.
9. Attractive girls and not so attractive guys. ha ha


Anyway, I see Max off at golden mile complex yesterday. He is making his way to KL and other part of south east Asia but promise to drop by Singapore again when he is done before he head back to his real life in London. Although he keep urging me to go home and get my passport and jump in the coach with him. How i wish! During his time here, he has shared so much stuff with me. And not only have i learn so much about him, I learnt so much about myself as well. Its so liberating. Just when I am starting to get use to him; his quirky habit of pulling the back of my shirt and the infamous goofy grin, he is leaving. It is evident that I don't do goodbyes very well huh.

All hello always end with goodbyes.

Anyway, I'm really so tired right now i don't think i can make it through my SIP Interview later. Slept for only 6 hours since thursday. It's really bad. I get into this hibernation mode when i don't get enough rest. So i better jump into bed right now for a power nap before I go for the interview. Ciao

cultural vulture

This few days have been so exciting for me. If you not have already know this by now, I love entertaining people from overseas. Hence the job at Harry; Airport. Everyday i see new faces, new cultural experiences and stories. And also the fact that I prefer western culture to chinese. No offense.

Talking about cultural differences. I think there is hell lot of differences in our way of life. Seriously, i attribute to our education system and the way our parents bring us up. People in western countries are so laid back regarding their academic progression. What's school anyway? School is like a platform for them to social around, prom night; prom queen and sex after that, booze and drugs, running for council, fashion parade for the 'mean girls', ect.. Sure, they are of course the other end of the consortium.

Look into Singapore context. Its all about the paper chase. Thinking about it, it rather amaze me that i endure all that. Its not trash. I am not going to condemn the system because evidently we usually do better that foreigners academical wise. But does it adequately prepare us for the future? With globalisation and the encouragement of the government to have an entrepreneurial spirit, can we make it?

But who usually does better in the real working world? Who are the entrepreneurs that are really making big $?

The thought makes me shiver.

Anyway, coming back to the main thing i want to say is. I have been entertaining people from overseas this couple of days. Showing them around Singapore like a rightfully tour guide. Its so fun! Just like what i always want to do!

Yesterday night was this 2 guys from California (Matt and Zach, the cute one). They were sitting at the bar at Harry when we suggest to bring them out to the city. So off we went. We ended up sitting by Singapore River laughing, talking playing some really silly games thru the night. ;D That's my idea of fun.

And then there was Max who is from London. Me and Zelle was actually going to check out this vintage shop in Icon and we bump into this really lost looking guy. And then the inner urge to help him overcome me. (Hospitality student, what can u say?) So we ended up meeting him later in the night and bring him on a trail of makansutra. Haha.. What really is memorable for me is going to the backpackers hostel for the very first time in my life. I really got a shock at how run-down the facilities are. But they are just paying SIN$10/nt. So anyone who is running away from home can afford to go there. Haha.. Anyway, he invited us to go and take a look at the place and of course i jump at the opportunity!! We ended up talking to other backpackers from AUSSIE!!, hungary, france and a couple more. It was really eye opening for me. You guys know i totally dig that right!!!


Enough said. Shall blog more about my experience in a couple more days. (Yes, we are meeting again later!!)



Chrissy the tour guide. OUT.

SIP Blues

I was just writing my resume and cover letter earlier in the morning. I have sent to a few companies that i have short-listed. Hopefully I will hear from them soon. But actually, I really don't fancy any one of those but have gotten no choice.

That brings us to another point i always wanted to blog about. Why have we become slave to the system of the world? When life restrict us to do things we truely want to do? Many times, I have heard people complaining about things that they need to do but don't really want to. I feel sad for them. And for me too. Because I know when i go out to work, I'll be like them.

Why can't we live for ourself? Simply because we can't. As much as I want to. To live by the beach in some exotic coastal area. Have a beach house that caters to tourists all over the world. Have a beachboy by my side, sipping wine and watching the sun goes down. Dancing and swimming in the moonlight. I know it is too far fetch.

I'll be stuck in a job that will not interest me as much. A payroll that can't support my lifestyle. Movies, coffee and shopping mall. Maybe a boring guy that I go home to everyday. A few kids down the road.

Why can't we do what we want? Because we conform to the norms of our society? Or is it because we dare not really step out of the comfort zone that has protected us so well from the outside world?

Like the SIP, I know that I want more than what was offer. But I gotta struck with it because it is part of assignment. I know I am capable of more than that, but the opportunities are lacking. I don't want to live like that anymore. I want to break free from this viscious cycle that i am in.


Yearning to be set free.

Multi-faces

How many different sides does a person actually have? How many do I own? What we thought ourselves as is never the same as what other people thought we were. It is rather subjective.

I know what kind of person I am and how I am going to react to various situations. But does that means that I know myself well? My friends may think that I am otherwise. So does it means that they don't know me well? I guess nobody can be certain enough to say that he or she knows a person very well. I couldn't. People do change, and that's life all about. Changing and becoming more and more like who we are meant to be.

We could be lovers, friends or even our family. But sometimes, what they say to us or do to us could make us feel like we are strangers. We could be married for many years and still be strangers to each other in many ways.

What is my favourite colour? My favourite food, or music, or movie? I could tell you today and you could easily forget it tomorrow. Or you may have it engraved it forever in your heart and yet I may have forgotten even saying it. People change, we are forgetful, we don't listen with our heart. We are after all imperfect. We are after all human. Who can fault me for the things I do when they themselves are many times guilty of the crime they committed?

You and me, we, are self centred beings. We like to talk and seldom listen. Sometimes we even speak for the sake to make noises. How uncomfortable silent can be at times. We ask questions no intending to listen. Maybe for the sake of trying to look interested in someone elses life?

I don't know. And I am not in the position to judge.

Human interaction is really a complex thing. Why do some people just click with some and not others? Why when 2 strangers' eyes met for the very first time, there is an connection we feel? Why do love at first sight exist? And what exactly is 'chemistry'? No one can really put a word to that. It is just something we feel. Right?

Perhaps when we truely open up our inner self to others, the more we trust them, love them and yet at the same time feel vulnerable to them, but still continue to trust. That could be how when people are thrown together in a crisis, they bond quickier and stronger. That's when everything is at stake and they have nothing more to lose except themselves. And maybe that's when we understand ourselves and others more. To see the multi-faces of them (mind u, i don't mind hypocrites). It can only be done when we step out of our comfort zone and thrust ourself into the unknown.

Technology Giant

I was out with the girls for some bonding time at the beach of Sentosa (where else can we fine decent beach in singapore right?) It was such fine time. Everything was terrific except for the weather. It was too cloudy to work on my tan. =( We should go earlier the next time round.

Jorine was like this really funny girl always cracking us up. And she is this one special friend that never fails to have me laughing till my tummy feels weak. While eating, Yiling wanted to separate her share from us cuz she is sick and the conversation goes like this;

Ling: I don't want to just bite off the noodle like that and leave my germs around the food.
Jo: It's ok la. I'm also sick what.
Ling: Don't want la, not nice.
Jo: Aiyah, its ok la. You sick, I sick and jinwen is a sicko. So its ok.
Me and jinwen: ... ...

I think only Jorine can think of such things to say. Ha ha.. And by the way, never wear reflective shade when you go out with her. She keep checking herself her like in front of the mirror. I guess if she is someone who uses make-up, she will use it to apply her lipstick too.

And after that we went SimLim Square to get MP3. (Mp4 are already out????) They getting it for my birthday. It's my virgin set!! How laggy can i get. Anyway, the saleman keep throwing those big techie jargon in my face and really scare the shit out of me. I simply need to know how much that cost.

And then i asked a stupid question. "How you dl music into the mp3." Oh God, i wish i didn't say that out loud. He looks at me like I'm joking or some kind of freak. I think Yiling got my point and try to explain something like just "copy and paste".

Well, i think i can do that. How difficult can it get. Right?? I am going to conquere this thing.

I don't know, i can never really get it when it comes to IT stuff. My mind will go into this auto switch-off mode when someone mention everything to do with that. My mind just don't register! I did some self-analysis on myself on why i react this way. Maybe because I'm slow to adapt to changes and the IT industry has evolved in an exponential way and I simply give up. It's ever changing and when I finally get the hang of something, it has already moved on. Taking the music player for instance. FM radio -> Walkman -> Discman ->MP3 -> MP4 ->?
What's next? I don't know. I'm still a beginner on MP3 i must say.