merry is love ;

Uni life

I usually get a little pensive in the early day. Like now.

This is my last sem in school. This is really my final 3 months as a student and up till now, I feel that I've really been blessed. I've got all the mods I wanted. I've got all the tutorial slots I wanted. I reunited with old friends. And I think the 2 electives I've picked could be the best and most useful mods I've taken in my uni life. They also came at just the right time.

AC destroyed me. Well, almost. It made me fear commitment. It made me less confident. It practically wiped out all the positive traits I had acquired during my JC school life and first sem in uni. Of course I learnt things. I learnt that it's a cruel world out there. Sad but true. But you know now and then, I do regret joining. Because during those nows and thens, I'm pretty much convinced I'd be a different person if I hadn't. I'd be much happier. This experience changed me.

But thankfully, there are still people like my Econs peeps and Yin. Sometimes I think, what if I had done Psych instead of Econs? Then I remember this bunch of friends and I know given a choice once again, I'd have still gone the same way. Wouldn't change this bunch of peeps for anyone else! And Yin my rooomieeeee and BTC mate! My cursed-to-meet-each-other-only-once-every-sem friend 'cause our timetables always clash! Like this sem - we effectively only can meet on one day if she waits for me because I've an unofficial 2-day week and one of my school days is her free day. We have the worst record when it comes to doing things. Like we agreed to gym after school in first sem and it hasn't happened. We agreed to do tennis. Hasn't happened. Join a sports CCA. Hasn't happened. Study together. Hasn't happened.. In a very long time. Meet for lunch. Hasn't happened.. In a very long time as well. Even the sleeping bag that she helped to bring home for me after Arts Camp (the very first one where we met i.e. before Sem 1) isn't with me yet. She brought it today and left it with WL 'cause I damn well overslept and didn't go for class. Sigh, star-crossed friends I tell you.

I think I'll start bringing my camera to school to capture my favourite peeps and other randoms.

China men

MAHJONG ON THURSDAY! WOOT! Okay I haven't actually seeked the P's consent but I'm pretty sure it'll be a positive. :D

Had a chat with China Boiboi just now and we got to the topic of work, emigration, foreigners, etc. And I said, "我要移民到中国但是我不要做中国人民." Of course, I added '哈哈哈' behind but it didn't really hide what I meant. I like and want my rights as a Singapore citizen, and at the same time, I didn't want to be just like them seeing how vastly different the Chinese view/treat foreigners. Still, I can't fathom why he would feel inferior on reasons like 'no freedom no right'. I thought that should be on the government, not the citizens. Plus, I can't quite figure out why any Chinese would want to leave China in the future when everyone can't wait to rush in; It's so clear that they are going to be the next superpower. 'In the future' is the key phrase here because I foresee loosening of restrictions (Google fiasco?), higher pay, better career prospects, better standard of living in China years down the road. Why would you want to live in another country (the US especially) and be a second-class citizen if that's the case?

That's the thing about the Chinese. The regular man on the street always thinks they have been given a worse hand, and anywhere else outside of China is always better. They don't get that we work hard and struggle like them too.

The big red dot

Am so in love with China that I'm taking two Economics mods related to it - Economy of Modern China and Development Economics.

Just did my webcasts for the latter and my lecturer is such a funny man. He's also teaching my Singapore economy mod and he invited us to his home for CNY. Anyway, I love his mods because there's so little math. YAY! And he tends to inject some pretty wise words in between:

"As we grow up, we become smaller as a person."
"With money you can buy a bed, but it cannot buy you a good night's sleep."
"Money can buy you a house, but it cannot buy you a home."
"When you know more and more of less and less, in the end you know nothing."
'When you use money, you know the price of everything but not necessarily the value of everything."

Doesn't sound like an economist to me at all really.

'Twas a good week

'Twas a good week because I got all the mods I wanted to read this semester, and tutorial slots too. Although I had to almost literally beg for it (2 online appeals and 2 visits to the office), I am definitely loving the Economics department a ~~little~~ much more, especially the lady handling module appeals. Pity they only became this nice in my last sem.

'Twas a good week because Sissy S secured a job! At a Fortune 500 company what's more - don't pray pray. And she gets to travel regularly.. My envy is rearing its green little head. But at the same time very happy she got a job she likes. Time to go shopping for office wear and that presentable Samsonite/Victorinox suitcase!

'Twas a good week because PM finally embarked on her Europe adventure! 6 months in Portugal, not counting short trips to the other parts of Europe. Sense the envy again.

'Twas a good week because I got to meet a tremendous number of people - 17 people - like J and YH whom I haven't seen in almost a year, and the hilarious 小笼包 buffet I had with S226-ers. I truly love my JC life and S226 is my favourite class ever whether it is the PAE or JAE one.

'Twas a good week because I went to Chinatown with Sissy S, and it satisfied many cravings I've been having for the longest time. Porridge, raw fish, bak kwa, Hong Kong dessert, oyster mee sua.. And (I know this sounds very auntie) we even had major savings buying toiletries.

'Twas a good week because I reunited with 2 secondary schoolmates in both of the electives I chose to take. One I haven't seen since we graduated from secondary school and the other I haven't seen in more than a year as well. Looks like I haven't exactly been keeping up in the friends arena. But all's good! Makes lessons easier to look forward to. Yes, I typed that right - easier to look forward to. Essays aplenty this sem because all my Economics mods are essay-based (can't do Math for nuts!). I don't even dare to count but I think I'm looking at mid-10s submissions.

'Twas a good week because we're finally welcomed an addition to the household - a mahjong table! All set and ready for mahjong sessions! We had an overnight one (before the mahjong table came) and I lost money. Boo hoo. Sissy S won though, and won a lot too. So I'm undecided whether I need a set of red panties for Chinese New Year. ;)

Signs of coming of age - Weddings

Our very first cousin's (albeit a distant one) wedding has come and gone. I quipped to another distant cousin at the wedding that very soon on Chinese New Year, we won't be evading questions on studies any more. Rather, they will be on boyfriends and babies. Dear oh (old) dear me.

Anyway, what's so amazing about this marriage is that they have been dating since J1, which translates to more than 10 years of dating! I look at my friends and I don't see anyone possible of creating another story like this 'cept A. So very romantic.

Coincidentally, I watched two movies yesterday, and both were about childhood loves turned marriage couple. Aww, I want a fairytale like that too.

It's 7am. I want to sleep but I can't wash up 'cause Sissy R is totally wasted and is doing time at/on/beside the toilet bowl. Never have I seen any of us Sissys gotten this drunk no matter how much we drink. It's been 4, maybe 5, hours now? GAH, definitely sleeping in there. I hope she had the mind, or rather eyes, to puke into the correct place.

Signs of coming of age - Travelling

You know how when you were young and every vacation was like an exciting adventure right from the booking till the plane ride home after we returned.

15 years on, with a family overseas trip almost every year, things are not quite the same any more. Sure, we still get excited and look forward to seeing new places, eating new food, and meeting new people. But gone are the days when we drew up a packing list a week before, packed the bags 3 days before, and not be able to sleep the night before. When we arrive at our destination, we also no longer go for our hotel breakfast buffet at least one hour before, soak in the bath tub for at least half an hour, or rather, we don't even care if the hotel is 3-star or 5-star any more. A good hotel to us is one that is within a vibrant place, whether it means supper places or night markets. Like on our recent trip to Vietnam, we ate the kolok mee roadside store just outside our hotel every night we were there. It was so often that the shopowners recognised us. On this same trip, us sissys also had our quickest breakfasts abroad ever - with the shortest being seven minutes for Sissy S and I and one minute for Sissy R to the longest around half an hour.

These days, we pack the night before, or rather the wee hours of the morning of our departure. I've started to sleep on planes unless it's SIA. I have stopped asking for alcohol on board just because it's free. I have developed a belief that bringing less is better than bringing more. I have also come to appreciate aisle seats as much as window seats. If I can, I will check-in only 45 minutes before departure time. Also, if I can, I will try to hand-carry my bags so that I can leave the airport faster.

A couple of things I've learnt along the way:
1. Always leave the seat belt buckled. This, my dad taught us.
2. When returning from China in a budget airline, try to be as early in the queue as possible even at the risk of looking kiasu because cabin baggage space is a finite commodity. I think it should be the same for Thailand too, or another other cheap shopping destination.
3. When travelling in a group, the first person to clear customs should instead of waiting for the rest, proceed to collect check-in baggage.
4. Try not to sleep on bus/car/train trips because some of the most interesting things can only be seen while travelling on the roads. This is also taught by my dad.
5. When Sissy S and I travelled in China, we would agree on who was in charge of the money and who of the camera so that there won't be any confusion as to who is keeping what, or cases of 'I thought it was with you?!'.
6. Always have your passport with you when travelling, even if it's just between states within the same country. The pink I/C proves nothing in another country.
7. Always ask for the price before ordering anything. We paid the price for this in Vietnam when we ordered from a roadside store without asking for the price first. We were asked to pay four times what a local would have paid but we were adamant that it was gross over-charging so we eventually paid twice the local price.
8. Bargain hard when at touristy places because we got almost everything in Vietnam at half or less than half of the opening price. To get an idea of the actual price, watch how much the locals pay. Oh yes, familiarise yourself with the notes before that. We had problems with this on our first night at a street market in Vietnam because while we did see what notes the local gave to the storeowner, we didn't know what that green note is, or the blue note, or is the red note 10,000 dong?
9. Pay a visit to the local supermarket to get local produce which costs a fraction of those sold at touristy places.
10. Exchange rates are usually better at money-changers overseas so don't over-change here.

I guess we have been quite fortunate. No doubt we do not go to faraway places (the furthest I've gone to is China), but as a family, a year-end holiday abroad is practically a given with the exception of one or two years in between. I suppose we treat it almost like a right because when December draws near, we'll always ask the Ps, 'So where are we going this year?'. My extended family also do this so I have never thought it special or outstanding until this year. I just realised that quite a number of my friends do not travel with their family, and if they do, it is not as often as we do.

I've blogged before of my qualms about travelling with friends. They have not disappeared; I would choose family over anyone any time for travelling. As such, I always feel a sense of uneasiness if I/we leave a family member behind for a trip. Somehow, I will not feel as happy or enjoy the trip as much. And this conflicts with my desire to work overseas. But I guess my want to see the world overrules. After the Suzhou experience, I realised I quite like living ~~alone or~~ with a partner away from my parents' shelter. I like being constantly surprised and being able to travel during the weekends. But I also saw how homesick I can be when I'm living alone - I actually cried till I slept on, I think, two nights. It was a depressing four to seven days. Communication with our family back home is very important - this we lacked while in Suzhou but which will definitely be improved if I were to work abroad. In short, I will cope. I hope I'll cope.

Have a HAPPY 2010!

This is late but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I haven't been blogging 'cause most of my free time online is consumed by spades. It's bad, but thankfully not as terrible as the situation one month ago. Now, I only play with sissys or WH or all of them. I managed to teach/influence enough people to form a table. :D

A few more noteworthy events since the year started:
- New Year's eve celebration at Aunty S's where we played Band Hero :D
- New Year Day/Ah Gong's death anniversary when we took many cousins photos at the playground

- PASSED BMT!! :D:D:D
- Played Wii at ZX's with S226-ers :D
- Went for TK's CCA openhouse which marks exactly 10 years since I first went there
- Met up with a friend I hadn't met in 2 years and went for dinner at her home 'cause I hadn't seen it and they're moving out in March. I've been to every house she's stayed in since secondary school you see.
- Day I bought the tv and pushed/dragged/carried it for PM's so-belated-it's-not-even-in-the-same-year birthday dinner

PM's leaving for Portugal next Thursday for 6 months. ZQ is leaving for Down Under next month for 4 years. SAD.

PM mentioned something about missing the singletons dinner we have every Vday but I'm so so glad that we would never have had the chance to follow that this year anyway 'cause CNY falls on Vday. (:

Hope can sail soon! Met the current vice-captain at TK. Looking forward to XLB buffet with S226-ers. Slots actually get fully booked one week before. >.< And cycling too. And Minds. And mahjong. And maybe even windsurfing? Oh yes, and HOPE HOPE HOPE my cough will recover soon.

My last sem of school has started. ):

I'm convinced people who know a lot about political thought always seem clever. Religion too. Bottom line is: People who know a lot about history, no matter what kind (and of course I don't mean personal history), always seem clever. All of which, I don't have much interest in. :/

Did you know 84% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats? When I saw that sometime back, I was shocked. There can't be so many.. 'Cause why else would the proportion of my friends living in private properties be at least 60%? And that is just a very conservative estimate. Also, what is a HDB dweller like me doing mixing with all these 'elites'? After all, they are among the top 16% richest (assumption based on my baseless logic) of Singaporeans. Hmm.