Ok so I have been somewhat inactive on the blogging scene...
so what's happened since my last book reading marathon? Can't remember much really...
though some things that definitely stand out in memory include:
Meeting up with school friends
these people have been trying to book me since June/July but as most AIESECers know, that's like the busiest months with transition and planning, followed by the crazy period just before IC, the traveling to IC, then there was the craze with our National Induction Conference... yes I think you get the picture...
well things have moderated out since then (well kind of) so I've so far met with a group of high school classmates, and with a bunch of my Junior College training mates... been great to get back in touch with these people... pretty much talked about what's going on in life now that we've all graduated and are working... most people seem envious of my job even if it is quite different... think the opportunities for traveling, network and doing what I like at a kind of flexible working rate helped in that...
Getting fit again
Since studies are officially out of the way, and driven by the need not to get fat, flabby and decadent, I've signed up for Taekwondo classes... actually I joined the club in SMU which would make going to training easier once we officially move into our office which is located in the SMU underground... I just got back from my 2nd training actually... nice feeling to be a newie again... great feeling to be moving and stretching and getting back into shape... and definitely looking forward to more legwork and techniques to learn... not forgetting it's cool to meet new people outside of AIESEC :)
Doing AIESEC stuff
hey it's my job... of course it stands out in memory... been working quite a bit these days... even Saturdays are not spared (but I expected that when I signed up so it's cool)... but I'm enjoying the fact that now I'm more used to this full time thing, and am able to take time off on some weekday evenings to just chill and get away from work... been totally enjoying my Sundays as well since it's kind of reserved for my day off... definitely getting the hang of doing this full-time and still maintaining some sort of balance...
and that's what's been up these days... next travel stop will be KL, Malaysia in mid-October... looking forward to the makan sessions then...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Book Review!!
After getting hold of some discount vouchers at the book store, I treated myself to a book shopping spree...
Unfortunately, the 4 books were only enough to last me 3 days... but here's a quick review anyway...
A Child Called 'It' by Dave Pelzer
This is one amazing account of a boy's will to survive. Set in the 70s, it depicts the horrors of the author's childhood between the ages of 5 to 12 as he suffered, survived through and escaped from terrible abuse under his mentally deranged and alcoholic mother.
The last book in the trilogy describes Dave in his adulthood as he starts his career in the air force. Determined to become a pilot, he works through countless challenges, starting as a cook and working his ass off before he got to where he wanted to be. As an adult, he has to deal with issues such as career, future, managing a relationship, marriage, fatherhood, divorce, while constantly still on a quest to get closer to his family and to find the answers to his childhood. In this book, he learns to forgive the atrocities committed by his mother onto him, he learns to love and open up and he finds his place in the world through a career as a speaker and helper around child abuse related issues.
All in all, the three books are written in an extremely real way... it's very real because the author reveals his emotions and thoughts in the way someone at that age would really do so... so it's not written from the perspective of "this happened back then and I reacted so" but more of "This is happening now and this is what I am thinking right now"... the issues brought up are also extremely real and pertinent, yet the author doesn't go overboard in self-pity or expounding the evil that he has witnessed in his life... Definitely a very inspiring set of stories that shows the power of love and the human spirit...
p.s. There's another book that I have bought and finished reading but the nature of that book is so different from this series by Dave Pelzer that I will save that book review for next time :)
Unfortunately, the 4 books were only enough to last me 3 days... but here's a quick review anyway...
A Child Called 'It' by Dave PelzerThis is one amazing account of a boy's will to survive. Set in the 70s, it depicts the horrors of the author's childhood between the ages of 5 to 12 as he suffered, survived through and escaped from terrible abuse under his mentally deranged and alcoholic mother.
The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer
A Man Named Dave by Dave PelzerThis is the sequel to A Child Called 'It' and talks about his life as a teenager between 12 and 18 years growing up under the care of different foster homes and parents. The book depicts his struggles of fitting in with society, something he has never learnt as an abused child. Despite his terrible childhood, he is still constantly drawn to his mother and father in his quest for answers to the kind of life he had to deal with. The author also never fails to talk about his learning points and his determination to survive and do good in life.
The last book in the trilogy describes Dave in his adulthood as he starts his career in the air force. Determined to become a pilot, he works through countless challenges, starting as a cook and working his ass off before he got to where he wanted to be. As an adult, he has to deal with issues such as career, future, managing a relationship, marriage, fatherhood, divorce, while constantly still on a quest to get closer to his family and to find the answers to his childhood. In this book, he learns to forgive the atrocities committed by his mother onto him, he learns to love and open up and he finds his place in the world through a career as a speaker and helper around child abuse related issues.
All in all, the three books are written in an extremely real way... it's very real because the author reveals his emotions and thoughts in the way someone at that age would really do so... so it's not written from the perspective of "this happened back then and I reacted so" but more of "This is happening now and this is what I am thinking right now"... the issues brought up are also extremely real and pertinent, yet the author doesn't go overboard in self-pity or expounding the evil that he has witnessed in his life... Definitely a very inspiring set of stories that shows the power of love and the human spirit...
p.s. There's another book that I have bought and finished reading but the nature of that book is so different from this series by Dave Pelzer that I will save that book review for next time :)
Monday, September 10, 2007
Turkey photos with people in it!
The Turkey experience wouldn't have been as entertaining and enjoyable without the company of some wacky and spontaneously crappy people... :)
Us inside the Blue Mosque
Us having tasty Turkey lunch
Us at Cappadocia
Us taking a rest in one of the cave homes... we were visting this Greek cave city in Cappadocia that was destroyed by an Earthquake... the city was pretty much carved into the moutain side...
so we climbed all the way to the top of the mountain (more than 200m high for sure!) That's me, Cheryl and William sitting on the edge of the cliff... amazing view...
Us on top of the world at Capadocia
Us outside our hotel in Capadocia... the orange bag has a striking resemblence to Visayon smuggled into a body bag...
IC and You Can delegates at Global Village
National Leadership Team of AIESEC Singapore 2007/2008
and the poser version...
Us inside the Blue Mosque
Us having tasty Turkey lunch
Us at Cappadocia
Us taking a rest in one of the cave homes... we were visting this Greek cave city in Cappadocia that was destroyed by an Earthquake... the city was pretty much carved into the moutain side...
so we climbed all the way to the top of the mountain (more than 200m high for sure!) That's me, Cheryl and William sitting on the edge of the cliff... amazing view...
Us on top of the world at Capadocia
Us outside our hotel in Capadocia... the orange bag has a striking resemblence to Visayon smuggled into a body bag...
IC and You Can delegates at Global Village
National Leadership Team of AIESEC Singapore 2007/2008
and the poser version...Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Sights from Cappadocia, Turkey
We spent 2 days in Cappadocia, which is about 11 hours south of Istanbul (Asian side) by bus... it took a while traveling and definitely wasn't that comfortable to be sleeping on the bus... but definitely a worthwhile trip to experience some amazing scenary and geology, all of which are unique to this part of Turkey due to the major volcanic activity in this area many many years back....
we visited underground cities, climbed hills, visited cave dwellings, hiked for 5km, went horse riding in fields and beside the river, learnt about geology, got sun-burnt and all in all had a really good time before the conference started...
Cappadocia for me was very special, partly because the sights in Istanbul weren't that new to me considering that I have been to Egypt.. of course the structures were still beautiful and the history of both countries is quite different... yet it no longer held that much of an awe factor... Cappadocia was all about returning to nature and exploring a part of history filled with persecution, fear and of course survival... it was more sporty, more natural and all in all a place to really feel... ALIVE...
Conical fairy chimneys, the highlight of Cappadocia. Volcanic eruptions led to layers of rocks of different nature, wind and rain eroded the softer parts away to form such unique structures.
you can clearly see the different rock layers from this photo. The pale rock at the bottom is soft as opposed to the harder and darker rock at the top of the mountain.
Mushroom fairy chimneys. This one with people in there just so you get a sense of size :)
Cities carved from stone by the Christians who lived in faith and fear of persecution
Beautifully painted interior of these cave churches
Town and nature.. hard to tell them apart here...
I have a photo like this from almost every country I have visited for an AIESEC conference... hahaha
we visited underground cities, climbed hills, visited cave dwellings, hiked for 5km, went horse riding in fields and beside the river, learnt about geology, got sun-burnt and all in all had a really good time before the conference started...
Cappadocia for me was very special, partly because the sights in Istanbul weren't that new to me considering that I have been to Egypt.. of course the structures were still beautiful and the history of both countries is quite different... yet it no longer held that much of an awe factor... Cappadocia was all about returning to nature and exploring a part of history filled with persecution, fear and of course survival... it was more sporty, more natural and all in all a place to really feel... ALIVE...
Conical fairy chimneys, the highlight of Cappadocia. Volcanic eruptions led to layers of rocks of different nature, wind and rain eroded the softer parts away to form such unique structures.
you can clearly see the different rock layers from this photo. The pale rock at the bottom is soft as opposed to the harder and darker rock at the top of the mountain.
Mushroom fairy chimneys. This one with people in there just so you get a sense of size :)
Cities carved from stone by the Christians who lived in faith and fear of persecution
Beautifully painted interior of these cave churches
Town and nature.. hard to tell them apart here...
I have a photo like this from almost every country I have visited for an AIESEC conference... hahahaSunday, September 02, 2007
Back from Turkey!
Hi everyone! I'm officially back in Singapore after spending an amazing 18 days in Turkey!
Still in the process of gathering back more photos.. my camera was out of action for 1 day of pre tour and most of IC itself but there're are photos for sure, considering that I was traveling with a bunch of at least 7 delegates from Singapore who are very photo trigger-happy people :)
It was a great experience, even if it is my 3rd IC haha... saw lots of familiar faces, met lots of new amazing people, enjoyed the scenary and history of Turkey, missed asian food like mad... hehe...
more on the trip soon but here are some photos anyway... for those who know me, you won't be surprised to see that my photos don't include people or myself.. those are coming from my delegates :)
Sights from Istanbul, Turkey
Basilisca Cistern
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sofia Museum
Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia at sunset, taken from Tokapi Palace
Bosphorus Bridge over the Istanbul Strait, that connects to the Black Sea and that separates the continents of Europe and Asia. The buildings in the distance are on the Asian side of Istanbul. This was taken from Tokapi Palace, the boundary walls of which can be seen in the lower part of the photo
Still in the process of gathering back more photos.. my camera was out of action for 1 day of pre tour and most of IC itself but there're are photos for sure, considering that I was traveling with a bunch of at least 7 delegates from Singapore who are very photo trigger-happy people :)
It was a great experience, even if it is my 3rd IC haha... saw lots of familiar faces, met lots of new amazing people, enjoyed the scenary and history of Turkey, missed asian food like mad... hehe...
more on the trip soon but here are some photos anyway... for those who know me, you won't be surprised to see that my photos don't include people or myself.. those are coming from my delegates :)
Sights from Istanbul, Turkey
Basilisca Cistern
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sofia Museum
Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia at sunset, taken from Tokapi Palace
Bosphorus Bridge over the Istanbul Strait, that connects to the Black Sea and that separates the continents of Europe and Asia. The buildings in the distance are on the Asian side of Istanbul. This was taken from Tokapi Palace, the boundary walls of which can be seen in the lower part of the photo
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