Adventures in the Cairo - Day 4 (Pyramids!)

15 Feb 2007, Cairo

Today’s the day! Yes today was the day we visited the Great Pryamids of Giza… one of the most famous and most studied ancient structures of all time, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, one of those places you have to visit before you can leave the world in peace..

Ok so I exaggerate.. but you get my point… we took a cab down to the Pyramids (was about 20 mins from where we stayed) and upon getting out of the cab, we were stopped by some guys asking if we wanted a horse ride, horse carriage ride or camel ride into the pyramids.. Tabbee wasn’t up for the camel so we settled for horse carriage instead… wasn’t too bad except for the occasional bumpy roads, and the occasional farting and shitting from the horse (since the carriage was behind the horse, we could pretty much see everything)…

Anyway, we traveled the Pyramids… they looked quite small until you see the tour buses parked near it… and then when you see the tiny human figures around it, you get a sense of how huge they really are… unfortunately, due to robbers and erosion, the exteriors of the pyramids are no longer as grand as in the days they were built but to be able to stand there and see them was quite something… imagine the thousands of people who would have died in constructing these structures.. did they really love their kinds that much?

We took quite some photos of and with the Pyramids on our ride and some photos involved a camel and a camel guide… I think we were ripped off (paid 100 Egyptian pounds for 3 photos on a camel with the Pyramid in the background) but we seriously thought it was part of the package… well... tourists always fall for such stuff… we couldn’t (and didn’t know how) to refuse and cut it down… at least I was at the Pyramids, even if I was ripped off there..

So anyhow, we continued on… I stopped to get a ticket to enter the 2^nd Pyramid… the guide said it’s a waste of money cos there’s nothing to see in there but I figured I would be quite stupid to pay S$1074 to fly to Egypt, pay 10 LE for a cab to the area, pay 50 LE for entry into the compound, pay 60 LE for the carriage ride and not fork out 25 LE to go inside the Pyramids… so I did just that.. had to climb down a passage (while bent 90 degree because it was that low) which they modified with wooden pieces so you climb it like steps, and then climb up a similar passage to get to a room, which still held a sarcophagus.. it was dark, musty, warm and definitely not for the claustrophobic.. but an interesting experience nonetheless…

After that, we headed on to visit the Sphinx… I missed it at first, because I was expecting something a lot bigger and was looking too far in the distance… the Sphinx was less than 100 metres long and about the height of 2 or 2.5 floors in our Singapore HDB… it was carved out of the rock structures in the area and houses a Temple within… due to time and weather, parts of it is deteriorating, with most of its nose already gone… perhaps it was due to that, its size and the fact that there were about 500 tourists swarming around it that it just didn’t look that grand or magnificent..

Tabbee was commenting after that that she didn’t feel that much in awe when looking at the Pyramids, which is kind of true… perhaps if we could have spent more quiet time there, without people bugging us to get back to the carriage or tour bus, without people bugging us to buy souvenirs, without seeing so many people who obviously weren’t Egyptian… then the effect would have been better…

But then again, it’s hard to blame, because without the Pyramids, so many more people and the neighbouring towns wouldn’t be able to survive today… so how do we find the balance I wonder… will we find it?

(to get a sense of how dependent on tourism the area is, we visited a Papyrus Arts shop nearby… we saw a piece selling for 280 LE… and I was quoted 80 LE for a similar sized piece yesterday.. after I bought that piece, I got a free accompany piece with that purchase so it’s almost like 80 LE for 2 pieces… in comparison, that’s almost a 600% difference in price!!)

Adventures in Cairo - Day 3

14 Feb 2007, Cairo

Today is Valentine’s Day! And what better way to spend it than to be wandering in the streets of Cairo with ur buddy and enjoying the amazing hospitality of the Egyptians?

No I’m not trying to be sarcastic.. what really struck me today was the warmth and sincerity and hospitable nature of the Egyptians…

Tabbee and I started the day hitching a ride with Yasmine’s friend to the Citadel. This is within the area of Islamic Cairo, where the many beautiful mosques and structures are attributed to the Ottoman Empire, which brought Islam as a religion into Egypt and saw one of the most prosperous period for Muslims in terms of science, riches and intellect to name a few….

Islamic Cairo is located quite some distance from the main town area, and the Citadel was on the edge of Islamic Cairo. It was a huge area, complete with fortified castle walls and towers… from the Mosque of Mohamad Ali, one can see the entire skyline of Cairo… it struck us how crowded Cairo was as a city, with houses being so close to each other and with people and traffic everywhere as well.. most of the houses within the vicinity of the Citadel were also the old form of houses (not so much apartments) and with a bit of imagination, one can imagine how things weren’t too different hundreds of years ago, where Egyptians lives in similar houses and went about their busy schedules everyday…

We walked quite a bit in the Citadel, looking at mosques and museums… along the way, we met two “very friendly” guys… one was some random guy who thought we looked lost (I think we did because we were following directions from Lonely Planet but had ended up in a place which looked quite deserted.. so anyhow, he brought us to the towers along the walls of the Citadel… it was quite dark, musty smelling and one can get an unobstructed view of the area around the Citadel… anyway, the guy was quite interested in where we were from (he kept talking to Tabbee cos I think I looked quite unfriendly, since I was reading from the guidebook most of the time), how old were we, were we single… and of course he wished us Happy Valentines… that’s guy no. 1.

After that, Tabbee and I took a break at the seats near the National Military Museum to decide where we were heading to next… the guy manning the stall beside us kept trying to strike up conversation with us about where we were from and such… in the end he asked if we could take a photo with him at his stall… too bad he didn’t give us some free souvenirs along the way… so that’s guy no. 2

After guy no. 2, we decided we wanted to go to the Khan Al Khalili bazaar, which is a touristy place where you find everything to buy… so we took a cab (Yasmine’s mom later said we should have walked but oh well) there… the cab driver didn’t really know english so we got off when he said we were there… it looked like a bazaar all right so we walked into the crowded streets… 10 mins of walking brought us past stores selling clothes, cloth, spices and some other stuff… when we got to this gate near the end of the street, we were thinking something wasn’t quite right.. because we didn’t see any tourists at all… at that point, guy no. 3 appeared… again he asked where we were from, where we were heading, and then he invited us to have Egyptian Tea in his house, which was just beside us… seeing how he looked quite harmful and his house was just in front of a busy street where if anything happened, we could be heard, we accepted his invitation… it was a great decision… turns out the guy’s family has been doing patchwork for generations after generations and he showed us some of the most beautiful pieces we’ve ever seen… now he travels the world a lot, going to embassies and such to showcase the patch works at exhibitions and from there, draw customers and clients… the guy was only 24 years old but had been to USA, Asia and many countries because of the job… he studied Islamic history but now he’s kind of in charge of the business, especially the marketing side of it… he served us Hibiscus tea, which looked like normal tea with a slight tinge of red but was really really sour… but still it was an interesting experience and amazing to see how hospitable Egyptians were...

Anyway, we also found out from him that we were in the local’s market and not the tourist market, which was across the street where we alighted from the cab… so we headed back down that same street with the hope of getting to a money changer as well (I was still carrying USD then)… just when we were about to cross the overhead bridge (you don’t know how rare it is to see one), Tabbee got stopped by this guy who looked 30 something years old asking where she is from.. so the conversation started and he asked quite some stuff about our countries, whether we needed visas, what the market was like etc… then he so kindly took us to the money changer (which was 10 mins away)… he helped me with my USD, spoke to the changer, got my money changed and counted clearly… so nice.. we thought that was it… but no.. he offered to show us around the local market to see some proper Egyptian handicrafts.. so into the narrow streets we went, with him explaining now and then about the culture here… our 1^st stop was a Papyrus Arts shop, featuring very beautiful hand drawn paintings on Papyrus… the owner was a really young guy, who showed us also how some stalls outside sell fake drawings which are actually pictures printed on banana leaves… we found some paintings we liked and bought some, after like almost 50% discount as well…

After that, we went to a woods craft shop where we saw how the carpenter decorated a dull wooden box with pieces of ivory, shell, camel bone and other types of stone into a beautifully polished jewel box. We also saw how another one built a chess board set from the same kinds of materials… while these craftsmen didn’t speak English, they were really warm and smiling to us tourists and our unusual guide..

After the crafts street, we headed past some stalls selling camel meat (HUGE!!), baking bread etc until we got to a spices shop… our guide (Ehab is his name by the way) showed us where it was stored and told us that even in ancient Egyptian times, they used such rooms and till today things have not changed much… we then went into the shop where we met a very sincere shopkeeper… he was so proud of his spices and perfumes (100% natural) and showed us bottles of spices to see and smell, he showed us his perfumes (didn’t realise that lotus smells that good) and I guess at the end of it, everyone was happy cos Tabbee bought a small bottle of Lotus perfume from him…

So that was pretty much our mini guided tour of the local’s market (I have to go find the name… for now all I know is that it’s beside Khan Al Khalili bazaar)…

Since it was nearing dinner time, we asked Ehab where we could go for some Egyptian cuisine.. he suggested downtown where the food would be much cleaner so off we went… we thought it was quite nearby but in the end I think we walked for almost 30 or 40 minutes before we got there.. along the way, it was interesting to see the very local culture.. for example, people riding bicycles with mountains of stuff balanced on their heads, pedestrians walking everywhere and on the roads, cars honking at each other, pedestrians crossing the streets wherever they can, children staring at us as we passed by… we also learnt about their working hours, their eating hours (lunch at 4pm and dinner at 10pm!), the daily calls for prayers that are broadcasted across the city 5 times a day, the divorce rate of couples in Egypt… it was really amazing to hear all that from a local… we also found out that Ehab worked at the hospital, in the department dealing with natural medicines (kind of like traditional chinese herbs and medicine but based on Egyptian history).. he was single and lived with his mother, he’s a Muslim who doesn’t pray all the time but believes in integrity, mercy and kindness…

So although it was a long walk, we enjoyed it quite a bit… when we got to downtown, he brought us to a food court in a shopping mall and we ordered kebab sandwich for dinner… it was a pity he couldn’t join us for long as he had to head back to work at the hospital (night shift) so we said goodbye, exchanged contacts and hoped that perhaps he would come by our Global Village…

That pretty much rounded up our Valentine’s Day in Cairo and I daresay it’s so amazing… I am quite sure that we will never find such hospitality in Singapore (even though we get so many tourists every year)… if you find a Singaporean who will smile back at you in the streets or initiate a conversation with you, you’re considered very lucky… in just one day here in Cairo, we met so many people who smiled at us, who asked where we were from, who welcome us to Egypt… we met some amazing strangers who invited us into their homes to share a bit of their culture and history with us, who would spend an entire afternoon bringing us around and showing us the side of Cairo a usual tourist would rarely see…

All in all, Cairo is quite an amazing place.. and Egyptians, simply an amazing bunch of people J

Places visited in the Citadel

- Mosque of Mohammed Ali

- Mosque of an-Nasir Mohammed

- Police Museum

- Gawhara Palace & Museum

- Carriage Museum

- National Military Museum

- Mosque of Suleiman Pasha

- Burg al-Haddad (Blacksmith’s Tower)

- Burg al-Ramla (Sand Tower)

Adventures in Cairo - Day 2

Hi everyone... Just to say I'm safely in Cairo... was posting the previous post on Bahrain in Cairo actually... but was too exhausted to post an update on Cairo itself... I was so majorly jetlagged after landing...

anyhow, things are quite amazing here in Cairo... it's really crowded here, and traffic always seems to be busy... it takes guts and great skill to drive here... and also to cross the roads... I haven't mastered that bit yet... I get scared looking at the cars zooming all over by and honking now and then... so I end up having to walk more by taking the underpass.. haha.. well of course if I'm with Yasmine or someone Egyptian then I just take cue from them... I consider this a major weakness of being Singaporean… we’re so used to orderly queues and traffic that we lose our survival skills outside of Singapore..

Today, I went to Coptic Cairo... ok before I go on, let me attempt to explain… Because Egypt has such a looong history and they got colonised by pretty much lots of people, you can essentially split their history into 3 parts: pharonic (which is linked to the Pharoahs and pyramids), Copthic (which is when the Romans were around bringing Christianity into Egypt) and Islamic (with the Ottoman Empire having it’s base hub in Cairo before shifting to Turkey).. So Copthic Cairo was about a lot of churches and synagogues… it was also called Old Cairo, with the old “fort” walls and the kind of houses you see in the Prince of Egypt movie… it was quite amazing, and definitely humbling to see the architectures and paintings depicting Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary and the various Saints… it felt quite strange as well because today, we know Egypt as an Islamic state and yet, there I was looking at all these Christian monuments... it’s hard to imagine how history has evolved…

I was traveling alone with my trusty Lonely Planet guide (thanks to Yasmine’s mom) so at least I got some explanations off the book…at the same time, I managed to leech off some of the tour groups there. The place was crawling with tour groups… I saw tourists from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, USA and more which I couldn’t really identify. It was quite amusing also in that many of the locals around the area simply assumed that I’m Japanese or Korean. So they greet me with “Konichiwa” and a few said “Gamsa Hamidas”. When I simply smile, they ask where I am from… so I say Singapore and they usually smile back and say “Welcome!” I’m quite sure they don’t know where or what Singapore is but nevertheless, I guess the hospitality and warmth is definitely impressive…

Anyhow, I spent the whole morning there in Coptic Cairo, before heading to downtown… I traveled by Metro, which is another interesting experience because the moment I board, everyone just looks at me… being Asian is so exotic here in Egypt… haha.. oh and about the metro here, the 1st one or two carriages are actually all-women carriages… females can travel in the same carriages as males just that like Yasmine said, when it gets packed during peak hours, it’s better to be squashed with females then with some weird guy you don’t know.. so yeah…

Downtown was quite an experience, simply because it was so so crowded.. did I mention already that there are 22 million people in Cairo itself? Yeah so imagine how much vehicle and human traffic that translates into.. I had to keep going down into the underpass because I simply couldn’t cross the roads with so many cars… I managed to get lunch on my own in a café-like place.. had a chicken panne and it was quite uneventful except for the fact that I messed up the order of getting food… I went straight to the food counter and placed an order, and attempted to pay there as well.. what I should have done was to order at the cashier, pay there and bring the receipt to the food counter to get my food.. oh well…

After lunch, I headed down to the Egyptian Museum, which as expected was swarming with tourists as well… so yes I managed to leech off some tour groups again… the stuff in there varies from huge statues and building structures to tiny, exquisitely handcrafted jewellery, from gold plated sarcophagus (Tutankhamen’s) to plain wooden play dolls… unfortunately not all exhibits had an explanation and there was so many things in the entire museum (which wasn’t placed in any particular order of Egypt history) making the whole experience somewhat educational yes but overwhelming and confusing also… oh and things are quite pricey here when it comes to tourist stuff… I didn’t know that entry to see the actual mummies cost money (100 Egyptian Pounds or about 35 SGD) and I didn’t have enough cash on me… so I had to give that a miss… settled for looking at animal mummies, which is still not something you get to do all the time… hahah

Well after an eventful day of Coptic Cairo and the Egypt Museum, I went to meet Yasmine and we headed home to pick up the car so we could pick up Tabbee (MCP Philippines)… she was supposed to arrive 12th Feb but her flight from Manila to Doha got delayed and she missed her connecting flight from Doha to Cairo… which explains why I was buddy-less for a day… but anyhow she arrived alright (aside from being slightly jetlagged) and excited about Cairo…

And that pretty much rounds up Day 2 in Cairo for me… tomorrow, we’re planning to go to Islamic Cairo and then to the Khan Al Khalili market, which is a HUGE bazaar… so I’ll post updates on that soon

p.s. it’s awfully slow to upload photos within the text so I’m going to do just text, and then just photos…

Places visited in Coptic Cairo

Coptic Museum

Roman Towers

Hanging Church

Convent of St George

Monastery & Church of St George

Churches of St Sergius & St Barbara

Ben Ezra Synagogue

Photos of Bahrain

It's not that many photos considering I was cooped up in the airport but hey.. better something than nothing...

View of Bahrain buildings and shore from plane

Buildings in Bahrain as seen from airport

Passing Through Bahrain

12 Feb 2007, 9.15 am, Bahrain International Airport

I’m sitting in the lounge of the Bahrain International Airport now, waiting for my transit flight to Cairo. The flight from Singapore to Bahrain was quite a good flight, aside from the fact that it was at 5am. But the good thing about the odd timing is that there weren’t that many passengers on board, and I got a window seat without anyone sitting beside me. That meant more space overall for trying to get into a more comfortable position to try and sleep.

The flight took about 8 hours plus, and I slept most of it. Trying to get a bit more in line with the timezone in Cairo and the region around it (6 hours behind Singapore)

Anyway, Bahrain looks… different. For one, I could see the sea when we were landing and it was really clear. You can see where there are rock structures (or maybe coral who knows) just from the shades of blue-green of the water. There’s a lot of sand here as well. No dark grey tarmac landing strip, but a sand brown one. The buildings around the airport are mostly sand brown as well, and short. It’s hard to describe so just see the photos when they are up. Very different from Singapore and Asia… and I think this definitely warrants an actual visit to the Gulf region in future..

Well this is a short update for now… more coming soon when I actually land in Cairo in about 4 hours time.

Egypt here I come!

I'm leaving for the airport in another 1 hour plus I think...

Can't belive the countdown is almost ending...

I promise to update as frequently as I can about all the stuff happening there =)

See you all on March 3rd!

Ironic Day

Today, I was a good girl and dutifully attended school... Only had 2 lectures today with a 4 hours break in between... so I thought well I can do work in those 4 hours while being a good student who actually attends the lecture..

ironically.. the lecturer for 10.30 am class.. DID NOT TURN UP TODAY!!!! and he didn't post a notice beforehand, nor did he send someone to inform the students... what a waste of our time!! in waiting and forsaking that few more hours of sleep!!

and the lecture at 3.30pm... well we spent that whole hour watching a video of an experiment the lecturer did... and that video is available on school intranet also... man... I could have watched it at home...

how sad... the day I decided to be a good student, the lecturers didn't seem to want to help...

oh well.. at least I used that 4 hours to settle some AIESEC stuff and print some school notes.. I think I spent at least $8.50 on printing today... printing lecture notes, readings, and of course AIESEC documents for IPM... considering that each printed page costs $0.03 (or was it $0.05?), you can imagine how many trees I killed today...

I'm making up for that by making sure I recycle all the paper in my room... yes if paper is printed only on one-side, it ends up in my rough paper stack.. for paper printed double-sided but is not needed, it ends up in to-be-recycled stack... at the end of 2 or 3 days, this stack gets brought downstairs to the Recycle Bin... (when I start clearing my year 1 and 2 notes after graduation, this stack is going to be huge...)

I think I am rambling now... hahaha...

I am going to Egypt in 4 more days!!


and I will grab a few MCPs to see if we can possibly part the Red Sea (where our resort is)

from this...

Into this...

Probably we should get the newly elected AI 07/08 team to try as well... Lead us to freedom! and AIESEC 2010!!!

Counting down still...

10 more days before reaching Egypt...

meaning 10 very intense days of setting things in order here, of getting prepped up with all the stuff to go through for IPM...

10 intense days before getting away from things here and focusing on other stuff in Egypt...

Hanging on...

and praying that I can last these 10 days...

EUREKA!!

At last!! the equations tally!! (refer to previous post if you are lost)

*jumps for joy*
*throws confetti in the air*

Apparently, I wasn't supposed to use the equations from this theory in this method... I would post up the final equations and give you an explanation of what the theory and method refer to... but I don't want to bore you... so be thankful...

anyway, work is now underway to compile Literature Review, Lists of References, Graphs and comparisons for the final report... and I still need to touch up on the programs that I have written... (programming in the computer sense ok... not event or agenda programs)

Oh and I told my supervisor (finally) that I'm going to Egypt in less than 2 weeks... thankfully he's alright with it... he even told me I have to visit the Valley and the Red Sea... but of course with the usual reminder to do as much as I can these days before I fly off... so yes I am thankful...

Only thing is... I haven't been attending classes that regularly... yeah I go to school.. but either I meet up with my supervisor, or work on my laptop, or the school computer (on the Project of course... and on AIESEC stuff too as a side of course)

but well... at least things are moving...
13 days to Cairo!!!

Phrases I just have to put down

"A born leader is the baby who cuts his/her own umbilical cord off"
from Francois

"You shall not pass!!"
from Gandulf the Grey when attacked by the Balrog in the Mines of Moria, Lord of the Rings - the Fellowship (movie)

"You shall not pass!!"
from lecturers and subject coordinators... leading to the failure of many students in various subjects...

I am going to Egypt!

Yes I am going to Egypt! In a bit less than 2 weeks time!!

Flight is at 5am on 12th Feb, and I reach Cairo on 12th Feb 11 plus am...

That gives me 12 - 15 Feb and 28 Feb - 1 March to walk around, see loads of things and take loads of pictures... (this is the 1st time I spend Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year outside of Singapore in such an exotic country)

Not to forget that I get to meet up with our dear Mummy, Yasmine! (I'll be staying at her place... she's so nice.. thanks Yasmine!!)

And not forgetting my dear MCP buddies that I get to meet again after a 6 months (already?? gosh) absence! Will be travelling around Egypt with Tabbee from the Philippines, who reaches on 12th too! And I think Pui from Thailand is reaching on 13th!! and all the rest of you who arrive later and who I will meet at the Pre Meeting itself! (I miss all of you so much!)

and from there, it will be an intensive 2 weeks of International Presidents Meeting, complete with
- AI 07/08 elections (4 PAI and 20 Director candidates to sit through!)
- GN parties and random parties every night
- Global Village (on 18 Feb which happens to be 1st Day of Chinese New Year)
- more on AIESEC 2010 and lots more of AIESEC stuff
- a cosy number of fellow MCPs to get to know, to catch up with, to have fun with (yes it's definitely a lot easier to network with people at IPM than at IC... seeing how there are SOOO many people at IC)

So the countdown begins...

and till then, it's more of sorting out stuff for my Final Year Project, making sure things are alright with my 06/07 kids (they've grown from babies) and my 07/08 babies... and living out a busy busy schedule...

Looking forward to Egypt and all those old friends...

Final Year Project

This is what I have been staring at and trying to figure out over the past few days...
Help!!!

Reflections...

Some people have been asking me how it feels like.. to be running again for MCP of AIESEC in Singapore...

Well I can say for sure that it was quite a journey...

In the 40 mins that I stood on stage (for my speech and then my Q&A session), so many images flashed through my head and it was like reliving so many memories again, yet imprinting new images into my mind...

My speech took me back to a Lecture Theatre in NUS 2 years back, the imagery then and the things I said to plenary... my speech took me back to a Seminar Room in SMU last year, where I was so nervous, so sure and yet unsure of myself and the path I had chosen to embark on... it took me back 8 months at MC transition and MC planning, when my current team promised to ourselves what we wanted to leave as a legacy for our term... it brought me back all those times since then and all the little joys I experienced along the way as I saw progress and results...

The question and answer session took me back to almost 1 year ago at IPM, a conference which left such an impact on me and gave me the confidence and ideas of how I wanted my term as MCP to be like... it took me back to those fears I felt as an elect, worried about expectations and the shadows of those before me... it took me back to Oct last year when Ryan from AI came for country visit and I sought his inputs on various matters... it took me back to a time when the members of the MC 0607 team were so unsure of themselves and how each and every one of them have grown to be such inspiring and capable individuals today...

So many memories to relive, images to recapture, messages and things I wanted to tell everyone...

and at the same time, so much hope for the images that will be captured from now on with the 0708 elects team... in the space of 2 weeks, these individuals went from being unsure at Meet the People sessions in the LCs to being able to give fantastic speeches at Elections itself... and it makes me so excited of how far they will grow in the months to come...

Looking forward to the rest of 06/07, and to the start of 07/08!

__________________________________________________

just wanted to say this... I was talking to a friend over MSN on the morning of the elections and he said
"if there's one thing i'll say to you.... it's just make it an election you want
you don't have to worry about getting elected... you just have to worry about express yourself however.
how do you want your election to look/feel/sound"

I think... I like the way it turned out... and I like the fact that I am that bit more expressive than I used to be =)

The Amazing Human Spirit

I think the longer one stays in AIESEC, the more aware one is of how AIESEC brings out the amazing nature of the human spirit...

I talk to friends from the network and I learn about their passions... I see how they work, what they value, I challenge them and get challenged in return... I see them fighting on for what they believe in, no matter if the environment is friendly or not... I hear their concerns and sense the selflessness behind what they say and decide on... I know that no matter how busy they are, they will always be ready to lend a listening ear to me, and I know that I will do the same for them... I sense the fighter spirit and the fire in them, and I can't help but feel something burning inside myself because of that...

We're all fighting on... not because we have to... only because we want to...

And I love you all so much for that...

To the Hamster that made a difference

This is a tribute to my beloved hamster, who passed away this morning...


Thanks for bringing joy and laughter to the family...
especially with all your antics, acrobatic abilities and weird sleeping poses...

Rest in Peace and Enjoy Hamster Heaven!

Frustrations...

they seem to keep coming and resurfacing these days...

I know there will be lights at the end of the tunnel... but sometimes, one needs to see just some glimmers along the way to the end.. just to be certain...

Go the Distance

I just heard this on the radio... and it's just one of those times again where the songs just speak to you...

Go the Distance

by Michael Bolton

I have often dreamed, of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome, would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday, I can go the distance
I will find my way, if I can be strong
I know ev'ry mile, will be worth my while
When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road, to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you
And a thousand years, would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime, but somehow I'll see it through
And I won't look back, I can go the distance

And I'll stay on track, no, I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope, but I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance, and my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star, I will go the distance
I will search the world, I will face its' harms
I don't care how far, I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms

I will search the world, I will face its harms
Till I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms

Exhausting is the word...

What more need I say?

Hope...

Was feeling kind of down... and decided to take some time to watch a good movie... and what better movie to watch at this point then "The Shawshank Redemption" (Thanks to Avinaash for passing this to me)

The movie stars Morgan Freeman (as "Red") and Tim Robbins (as Andy Dufresne) in a prison called Shawshank... Beautiful movie with a beautiful message... on hope, friendship and the strength of the human spirit...

and there's this scene, where Andy is sent to solitary confinement for a week after putting music over the prison PA system... here's the conversation between Andy and Red after Andy got out...

Andy: Here's where it makes the most sense.. you need this so you dont forget

Red: Forget?

Andy: Forget that there are places in the world that aren't made out of stone... that there's something inside that they can't get to you... that they can't touch... it's yours

Red: What are you talking about?

Andy: Hope

Red: Hope? Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive men insane. It's got no use on the inside.

At the end of the show, Andy escapes from prison and years later Red is released on parole... He finds a letter from Andy that ends off saying:

Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

And I listened to that and thought to myself...
What a beautiful statement of truth...

My Wish

This is a very nice song by Rascal Flatts... nice music, nice lyrics, nice meaning... Enjoy!

My Wish
by Rascal Flatts
I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow
And each road leads you where you want to go
And if you’re faced with the choice and you have to choose
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you
And if one door opens to another door closed
I hope you keep on walkin’ ‘til you find the window
If it’s cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile
But more than anything, more than anything

(Chorus)
My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold
And while you’re out there gettin’ where you’re gettin’ to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish

I hope you never look back but you never forget
All the ones who love you
And the place you left
I hope you always forgive and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get
Oh, you find God’s grace in every mistake
And always give more than you take
But more than anything, yeah more than anything

(Chorus)
My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold
And while you’re out there gettin’ where you’re gettin’ to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

Disappointing email

Got this in my school email...

Shows the extent that institutons will go to ride on the popularity of anyone that can be associated with them...
Besides... so what if he graduated from NTU? he didn't learn how to sing in NTU...

I have no idea if the contestant sent this request to the school or it was goodwill from the part of the school... but yeah...

It's not really a singing competition, it's a competition to see how large your network is and how rich those people in the networks are to send in as many SMSes for you...

p.s. I don't have anything against any of the contestant so I've blocked out the name
_____________________________________________________

Dear all,

XXX received his BEng and MSc from NTU. He is a contestant of project superstar. Today, you will see him on channel U (8-9pm). We look forward to your support to our NTU superstar XXX !

You can only vote for him today from 8-11pm. Send XX to 71199. Your votes today will be very crucial to him. Please consider to send him 10 votes today ( cost you only 60 cents per vote ). There is no limit on the number of votes which can be sent from one handphone number (Votes sent out by prepaid SIM card will not be counted) .

* This is the website of XXXX ( his BLOG, photo collections, profiles are all included ) . He will be very happy to receive supporting emails from you.

And so 2007 arrives...

There we have it... It is now the year 2007!

Another year has gone by just like that, and as always it seemed just like yesterday when we were counting down to 2006...

I've been sitting in front of my laptop since 9.30pm working and chatting and thinking about stuff... and now that most people are offline... guess perhaps it's the time for some reflection...

let's see... where do I start about 2006?

I think 2006 has been a very "crowded" year... crowded in the sense that so many amazing people entered my life in this year... from elections in Jan, to IPM in Feb, to transition and planning in June, to AGM in August, to IC in August, to Jump Start! Induction Conference in September, to NLDS preparation in Nov, to NLDS itself in Dec... at every stage, I met new people who have left footprints in my heart... and for that I am grateful... Thank you for coming into my life and leaving that mark whether you realised it or not... your presence makes a difference to me =)

I think 2006 has been a year of ups and downs, of learning and overcoming challenges... what with school and AIESEC (especially as MCP), the ups and downs are a lot more intense than previous years in AIESEC... yet these ups and downs make the role challenging and bring more learning points for myself... they have taught me a lot about about the way I react in various situations, about what I value, about what keeps me running...

In 2006, I learnt a lot more about myself as an individual... I found my own style of facilitating and motivating people, I found a new openness in the way I speak and express myself, I found simple things that I value and that make me happy, I found solace in the network of friends around me... I have grown as an individual, becoming more sure of myself and the role I play in life... I found that I can make that deeper connection with some people, and that the paths I choose are only as lonely as I make them out to be...

In 2006, I learnt that the past is something we can never forget entirely and that sometimes, it "resurfaces"... but I learnt that things always move on, and that we can only become stronger over time... I learnt that no matter if the past was of sweet or painful memories, these memories stay and further shape us as individuals...

In 2006, I learnt that the future is indeed full of uncertainties, and that some decisions are harder to make than others... I experienced first hand that some decisions meet more resistance from people around me, people who are unable to put themselves into my shoes and try to see things the way I do... yet from this, I decided to put myself into others' shoes and I come out with even greater respect and admiration for the decisions some of my friends have made...

In 2006, I experienced happiness, excitement, fear, apprehension, anger, stress, helplessness, pain, jealousy, confusion, relief, peace, gratefulness, love, curiosity... a myriad of emotions, and which makes me feel even more alive...

I am glad to be alive.. I am glad to be alive through the whole of 2006... I am glad for 2006...

It has been an amazing year... and I definitely look forward to 2007 being another year to remember...

Some of my favourite group photos of 2006

AIESEC Singapore NLDS 2006
December 2006














International Congress 2006, Poland
August 2006











International Congress 2006, Poland
August 2006










AIESEC Singapore MC Planning Weekend
June 2006
















International Presidents Meeting 2006, The Netherlands
February 2006

Pre Christmas Gatherings

I think this is the first year my pre Christmas days were so full...

1st, there was the pre-christmas party on 23rd Dec... yeah we counted down to Christmas eve... haha... it was an AIESEC gathering, small crowd and cosy potluck... lots of great conversations... and a great sharing session... you know... when you first join AIESEC, you talk to a lot of people but rarely do you get to really TALK to people about themselves and yourself.... so I'm really glad for the opportunity to do just that with the bunch of cool people... I don't really know how to describe that experience, but I am thankful to be able to know all of you much better, and also know myself even better... and I hope you managed to know me better despite me being not that super expressive... hahaha... that gathering was amusing also, because most of us only woke up at 12 noon... (only because some of us stayed up to chat till 8am.. so yeah imagine how much sharing there was)

anyhow, that was Christmas eve already and I got back in time to shower, check my email and head off for another gathering with my Junior College classmates for our annual gathering (I think this is the 5th or 6th year we have been doing this)... so that was another great gathering, considering I haven't seen most of them in half a year... and as expected, lots of updating, lots of gossiping, lots of talking nonsense, lots of chicken wings... AND another night of very little sleep! I think I slept for 2 hours while the rest totally didn't sleep... congratulations to the 10 mangoes for that achievement (and for not playing or mentioning Bridge at all)...

Although there wasn't much chance for sleeping in those 2 days, I thought it was entirely worth it... I find that I really value such occasions to be able to sit with people who you care about and who care about you and just share about anything that comes to mind... cos it's only with such sessions that we break that barrier between us and those around us, and really start the process of connecting as individuals..

I think somehow, we don't do that enough in life... the usual reason (or excuse) is that we are too busy I suppose... but a good chat doesn't need to take hours... it can take minutes, it can be virtual or physical... and it does such wonders in breaking that monotony of usual everyday routine and brightening up our days simply by allowing for that connection with another human being...

and you know what... that's what makes me feel alive, and grateful for being alive...

Absence from blogging scene

Haven't been blogging for a while... but that's not so much due to the fact that there's nothing to blog about...

well first it was the recovery from NLDS... that took a while... you can see from the previous entry that the reflections post only came out on December 17th...

and then I made a switch from Blogger to Blogger Beta and found that there was some error which didn't allow me to publish on to my nomadlife server... now that got me quite irritated for a while and left not much motivation to blog until a solution was found...

but now... a solution has been found! Thanks to Devrim and Dody for their help, I'm back to blogging real-time! (i.e. my entries get published right after I click the Publish button) hehe...

much has happened since Dec 17... including some random stayovers, random Christmas shopping with friends, a fantastic AIESEC Christmas gathering on 23rd Dec, a fantastic Junior College gathering on 24th Dec, a so-so Christmas, an airport send-off for a friend on 26th Dec, a wedding dinner on 28th Dec... and many decisions made in the periods between...

guess i'll blog about whatever I feel like blogging about when I feel like it.. prob a summary posting.. hehe..

Reflection on the past 2 weeks

It's hard to believe that we're already halfway through December and that 2006 is coming to an end... time really flies... especially with so much happening in the past 2 weeks: NLDS 2006!

I have to admit that I am still in a daze from the conference... so much happened... before the conference itself and during the conference itself... and with all that, I find it so hard to put down here my exact thoughts and feelings on everything...

what can I say? It was all in all a most amazing and humbling experience... A 1st for many things...

Good spread of speakers from different backgrounds at Developing Leaders Day... 1st time with this much external involvement

Simple but impactful programme at Gala Dinner where we celebrated our successes... 1st time with an official acknowledgement of AIESEC Singapore's collaboration with an external organisation (PAYM)...

Carefully planned flow of sessions, with a mix of delivering skills and @ knowledge
Good mix of sessions that encourage dialogue and sharing... 1st time with such diversity of delegates from countries, nationalities and backgrounds (50 international delegates!! another 1st!)

Superb hype over @ dances.. reviving the roll call and dancing culture... ubercool Faci Dance... 1st time in a while to see delegates and members ask for more dances...

Engagement and focus on addressing the issues in the world... 1st time with an Issue Based XP day, candid discussions and sharing on problems in the world... great energy and effort to come in as socially responsible and empowered @ers ready to make a difference...

A great hands-on practical session on marketing and bringing together all skills and knowledge from previous days... delegates marketed, networked, made partnerships, raised traineeships, learnt loads and had fun... a delegate from Taiwan who was so shy to speak at the meeting with the faci/company went in front of plenary and made a speech in English...
facilitators were impressed beyond words...

A most touching closing plenary.. with almost everyone shedding tears... hugs and love going around... everyone knowing that somehow they have grown as individuals after 4 days of NLDS... knowing that they have had a glimpse into the amazing diversity and network of @... knowing that we can make a difference in the lives of people around us... knowing that Everyday Starts Today...

An insight into the power of the human spirit... Singaporeans staying around Taiwanese delegates to help in translation if needed... delegates from Taiwan and Mainland China getting along and discussing about their countries... SIPO members from Indonesia helping delegates from Indonesia... facis and delegates speaking slower to make sure everyone can follow... international delegates having group huddles to capture their learnings... SIPO EBs stepping in to facilitate discussions without prior notice... delegates learning phrases in each other's languages... delegates walking around with translation dictionaries, so eager to learn and share and question...

All along in AIESEC, we talk about becoming change agents... sometimes along the way we get confused, demotivated, disillusioned.. where is the change? where is the impact? we question ourselves and we start to doubt...

I do not deny that at some points in my AIESEC life these 4 years, I have had my doubts... but I always come out sure again... and even more charged to go on...

Why?

Because if 100 delegates who have only been in AIESEC for 4 months on average,
who come from across more than 10 countries,
who come from different religions, beliefs and backgrounds,
who did not know each other ever beforehand,

can come together and at the end of 4 days,
become passionate youths who embrace diversity and yet celebrate uniqueness,
who are aware of the state of the world and are ready to bring in ideas and solutions,
who recognise that having fun is as much the process of learning,
who have such a level of self-awareness that they can approach others and say "Thank You for changing my life, thank you for the impact and experience"

Then I know for sure that these people will go far in life, in AIESEC... and that there will come a new generation of leaders who will bring that change and hope that the world needs...

Two roads...

I was working on the application form for MC 0708 and decided to browse through some applications from the other countries...

and found this very apt poem in one of the applications for MCP...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Robert Frost - Mountain Interval. 1920.

How appropriate...

here we go...

and so another mad rush comes along...

guess I'm used to it...

but job satisfaction aside, I can't deny that it does get me tired physically and mentally at the end of the day...

but that's just part of the challenge... =)

Forever for You by Daryl Hall

Does anyone know what love can cost?
To take you so high then leave you lost.
Is it a mystery that runs too deep for such a simple heart?
Can anyone stop the hands of time?
Put back the loving in your eyes?
Though it's his name I hear when you are sleeping, I'll pretend it's mine.

Chorus:
When they ask me how long I'm going to love you
If the road to my heart will always stay true,
I'll say forever, I'll say forever for you
When they ask will I stay right there beside you
And they don't see you and me the way that I do,
I'll say forever, I'll say forever for you
(you are forever .... you are forever)

All roses are rose, my hand remains
But the thorn will cut you just the same
I'm losing your love I know - so sad the feeling,
I can tell somebody's stealing, stealing away your heart.

I don't know if I should tell you
High livin' my heart, there's no room for another
If you leave me now, my heart would not recover...
You are forever, you are forever ... forever for you (repeat Chorus)


nice song... especially when played in the middle of the night on DJ-less radio...

Last 5 exams of the final year of university

Taking my last paper for this semester next Tuesday...

As I'll be taking 4 modules next semester, that means the paper on Tuesday is the 5th last paper I will take in university (provided all goes well with the previous 5 I took in this month of course)

but anyhow... it's weird... final year in university...

didn't think we would get there so soon...

but it's been an interesting 3.5 years of university so far... and I am sure the last 0.5 year will be equally if not even more exciting and interesting...

here's to the future!!

Up and Up somemore...

Attention Attention!

if you don't already know, our GST (Government Service Tax) is going to increase from the current 5% to 7% come 2007...

you know what this means??????

It means we have to go shopping in December to get the stuff we need before the new tax rate sets in!!!

It's getting even more expensive living in Singapore...

Up and Down, Up and Down...

What more can I say?

Maybe

Maybe I read too much into that simple line... but somehow...

makes one feel misunderstood...

and for some reason that hurts...

but...

blocking it out...

I am good at doing that...

One item cleared!

Went to watch a movie yesterday evening with Imran and Diana at Jurong Point... kind of a on-the-spur-of-the-moment thing but well... at least I cleared one item off the things-I-miss list i.e. watching a movie at the cinema

watched "Step Up"... typical dancing kind of show... street kid who's pro in hip-hop, break dancing and what not meets poised pretty girl who does ballet and contempory dance and what not... He met her cos he got caught vandalising the hall of the Maryland School of the Arts and had to serve community service in the school for the crime... anyhow, usual stuff like quitting and coming back, falling in love, pursuing your goals etc... and of course dancing... not too bad la.. but "Take the Lead" is definitely better for a show with dancing...

watching shows like that about dancing is cool...

Just makes me miss one thing even more... so much more really...

and that's wushu... hey it's not all about fighting ok? There's also the choreography, the coordination if you're doing a group or pair thing, the rhythm, getting the right music with the right beat and atmosphere, moving your body in a way that makes you feel free...

and speaking of body... I so need to start working out...

I miss....

with the recent email threads / MSN conversations coming alive again, I find that I miss

- wushu, training, hui suo, the carpet, crappy and crazy wushu mates, jumping around, sprinting
- Council, council camp, Marche pig out sessions, crappy and crazy councillors
- AP randomness, AP sis and bros

I also miss
- going kayaking at the beach
- playing pool!!!!!
- watching a movie at the cinema
- sleepovers or chalets

So many things and people...

And so it has begun...

15 Nov - 9am to 11am - HW310 - Professional Communications
16 Nov - 9am to 11.30am - MP4A01 - Aerodynamics
17 Nov - 9am to 11.00am - MP4011 - Mechanical Systems Design and Analysis
21 Nov - 9am to 11.30 am - MP4A02 - Aircraft Structures
23 Nov - 1pm to 3pm - CS815 - World of the Web
28 Nov - 9am to 11.30am - MP4005 - Fluid Dynamics


1st paper done... and what a fun paper it was..

1st question was on cultural differences
2nd question was on answering an interview question
3rd question was on drafting an email on a buddy system after being hired...

and the most amusing thing? It's linked to Koreans...

Emotional Roller Coaster

From Anger
to Disappointment
to Bewilderment
to Resignment
to Resolution
to Action

Hopefully...

to Hope
to Relief
to Peace

On firefighting...

I don't really like fire-fighting... because in most cases it means that there was no fire-prevention prior to the fire...

It's sad that before the fire, people easily think you are naggy or forget what you have reminded... and then just before a fire starts (or when a fire starts), you're called in... you have no choice but to fight the fire...

but at the same time, you have no choice but to feel disappointed too...

You know what... this means more measures to ensure such things don't happen again in future...

Funny quotes from Bosses

I notice that I always re-read the most number of Tin Tin comics, blog the most entries and watch a bit more television when the exams are near... I have no idea why...

anyway, found this very funny article from Mr Brown's site...

Dilbert quotes contest

A magazine recently ran a "Dilbert quotes" contest. They were looking for people to submit quotes from their real-life dilbert-type managers.

Here are the top ten finalists:

1. "As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday and employees will receive their cards in two weeks."
(This was the winning quote from Fred Dales, Microsoft Corp. in Redmond, WA)

2. "What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter."
(Lykes Lines Shipping)

3. "E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business."
(Accounting manager, Electric Boat Company)

4. "This project is so important, we can't let things that are more important interfere with it."
(Advertising/Marketing manager, United Parcel Service)

5. "Doing it right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule."
(Plant manager, Delco Corporation)

6. "No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now, go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them."
(R&D supervisor, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing/3M Corp.)

7. Quote from the Boss: "Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say."
(Marketing executive, Citrix Corporation)

8. My sister passed away and her funeral was scheduled for Monday. When I told my Boss, he said she died on purpose so that I would have to miss work on the busiest day of the year. He then asked if we could change her burial to Friday. He said, "That would be better for me."
(Shipping executive, FTD Florists)

9. "We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees."
(Switching supervisor, AT&T Long Lines Division)

10. One day my Boss asked me to submit a status report to him concerning a project I was working on. I asked him if tomorrow would be soon enough. He said, "If I wanted it tomorrow, I would have waited until tomorrow to ask for it!"
(Hallmark Cards Executive)

via rx78ntx who got it via Inderjit Singh SOPS (whoever that is, heh)

Reminds me of my project for Professional Communication module.. We titled it "Boss-olgy - The Art of Handling your Boss"

What Famous Leader Are You?

Found this interesting test link on Alex's blog and gave it a go myself...

So I am....

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Interesting stuff... hahaha...

Reminds me of Brodie's speech at Opening Plenary of International Congress 2005 in Agra, India. He was talking about Gandhi and about finding the salt of the earth...

but anyhow, with all due respect for Gandhi, but I don't wish to end up as thin as he is...

Have you listened to what your heart is saying?

It was not easy to do; in earlier times, his heart had always been ready to tell its story, but lately that wasn't true. There had been times when his heart spent hours telling of its sadness, and at other times it became so emotional over the desert sunrise that the boy had to hide his tears. His heart beat fastest when it spoke to the boy of treasure, and more slowly when the boy stared entranced at the endless horizons of the desert. But his heart was never quiet, even when the boy and the alchemist had fallen into silence.

"Why do we have to listen to our hearts?" the boy asked, when they had made camp that day.

"Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you'll find your treasure."

"But my heart is agitated," the boy said. "It has its dreams, it gets emotional, and it's become passionate over a woman of the desert. It asks things of me, and it keeps me from sleeping many nights, when I'm thinking about her."

"Well that's good. Your heart is alive. Keep listening to what it has to say."

______________________________________

"My heart is a traitor," the boy said to the alchemist, when they had paused to rest the horses. "It doesn't want me to go on."

"That makes sense," the alchemist answered. "Naturally it's afraid that in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you've won."

"Well then, why should I listen to my heart?"

"Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you're thinking about life and about the world."

"You mean I should listen, even if it's treasonous?"

"Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you'll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them."

"You will never be able to escape from you heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say. That way, you'll never have to fear an unanticipated blow."

______________________________________

"Why don't people's hearts tell them to continue to follow their dreams?" the boy asked the alchemist.

"Because that's what makes a heart suffer most, and hearts don't like to suffer."

Hurting...

It hurts when you know that the people you care about are hurting... regardless of how much they know how much you care...

and it hurts even more knowing that there is nothing I can do to help...

All I can do is to stand on the sidelines and cheer them on in my head and know that somehow someday they will pull through...

Nice song

I'm not a boy band person... but sometimes one cannot deny that the Backstreet Boys do churn out pretty nice songs...

I Still (Backstreet Boys)

Who are you now
Are you still the same
Oe did you change somehow
What do you do
At this very moment when I think of you

And when I'm looking back
How we were young and stupid
Do you remember that

No matter how I fight it, can't deny it
Just can't let you go

I still need you
I still care about you
Though everything's been said and done
I still feel you like I'm right beside you
But still no word from you

Now look at me
Instead of moving on, not refuse to see
That I keep coming back
yeah, I'm stuck in a moment
That wasn't meant to last

I've tried to fight it, can't deny it
You don't even know that

I still need you
I still care about you
Though everything's been said and done
I still feel you like I'm right beside you
But still no word from you

No, No...
I wish I could find you
Just like you found me, that I
Would never let you go

(need you, care about you)
Though everything's been said and done, yeah
I still feel you (I still feel you)
like I'm right beside you (Like I'm right here beside you)

But still no word from you

Interesting Singaporean Blogs

I have a few URLs in my Favourites folder which are blogs by locals that provide a very local perspective on things in Singapore mainly...

So here they are:

Rude Singaporeans (http://www.rudesingaporeans.blogspot.com/)
This blog showcases acts and photos of rudeness, ranging from inconsiderate drivers, selfish carparking, inconsiderate passengers on the MRT etc etc...
All postings are sent in by the average Singaporean on his/her travels in daily life...

Mr Wang Bakes Good Karma (http://commentarysingapore.blogspot.com/)
Mr Wang is a Singaporean lawyer who writes about current issues and his views on them. Definitely an interesting read... even comes with excerpts from The Straits Times...

Yawning Bread (http://www.yawningbread.org/)
Yawning Bread is a blog by a local guy who is gay and a gay activist. His articles range from expressing his thoughts on gay issues to his coverage of gay events to anything else not pertaining to the gay community as well.
He also includes things like interviews, historical references and educational materials on homosexuality, on the discrimination and fears they experience, on support groups in Singapore for gays and lesbians etc etc

So there you are... recommendations of the day...

Gives you a lot more insight on what Singaporeans see, think, act and feel like...

Cheers to the simple and good things in life...

Essence of the night

It is now 2.30 am and I am still up...

Doing what you may wonder? Nothing work related that's for sure...

Enjoying the quiet of the night... have you ever noticed how noisy cars and vehicles are in the day? Compared to the night, we live in utter noisiness and loudness in the day...

Enjoying the music on the radio... no DJs, no advertisements... just music.. and very nice songs at that...

Enjoying observing my hamster... just disengaged his exercise wheel (gets a bit noisy and disturbs my mom) so I'm watching as he entertains himself and tries to find out why the wheel doesn't run anymore...

Enjoying time for myself.. just disengaging myself from work.. from studies.. from the feelings and the rush that flood over me in the day at times...

Did you ever read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom? Morrie mentioned something about recognising the feelings and emotions by experiencing them fully... so that when it starts approaching again, you recognise it and then can disengage yourself from it... does that make sense to you? Go read the book if you want a better description than what I just offered.. =)

I like the nights.. especially when I am not yet so tired to be able to think and reflect and reminisce on some stuff...

but somethings... can't help but wonder if it will be even more enjoyable if there was someone to share this moment with... hahhaha

ponder ponder...

When you need a break...

Taking a break from work now and followed the link from a friend's blog to do this test... interesting... hahaha

You Are a Seeker Soul

You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges. You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions. Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist. Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!). Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others. And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you. You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically. Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas. Souls you are most compatible with: Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

I feel so philosophical now... hahaha... hmmmm

Funny stuff I have heard

"Is that a reservoir?"
- quoted from someone who was standing at the beach and looking at the Straits of Johor

Person A (in all seriousness): "Have you ever thought about dying?"
Person B (in equal seriousness): "My hair? It doesn't look nice like this?"

"One of the groups chose to conclude their presentation with the phrase 'I hope we have enlightened you...'
Does that mean we have been living in darkness until you presented your points?"
- quoted from my Professional Communications tutor

"Did you hear the story about the 3 wells? No? Well... well... well..."
- quoted from an LC NUS EB member

Girl A: I'm going on holiday this coming December. We're going skiiing!
Girl B: Wow that's so cool! Where are you going?
Girl A: I'm not too sure... I think it's North Korea...
Girl B: (thinks for a while) Isn't that the place with some weird president? Shouldn't it be South Korea?
Girl A: aiya something like that la... I know we're going skiing that's for sure
(This is part of the conversation I overheard in the canteen one day)

"I have to run now. I just got a call from a farmer. His sheep just fell into the lake and is shrinking at an alarming rate"
- quoted from Mathew Perry's character in Serving Sarah who was trying to get away before people realised he wasn't a real vet

ahhh.. ignorance.. it's interesting how it's so linked to humour...

The Little Things

It's the little things that we share
the love and joy that's in the air
the children's laughter everywhere
and all our favourite things...

Over the years
I've grown accustomed to your ways
and no matter where I be, it warms my heart
To know that you're always here for me...

lyrics from a song from my primary school days... strangely I only remember these 2 stanzas...

suddenly popped into my head... and somehow felt that I had to put this down...

"Famous" Quotes

We just had a great country visit by Ryan, our AP Director, and I can't help following in the footsteps of Mindy in quoting some of the interesting stuff I have heard in the 5 days that Ryan spent in Singapore...

p.s. I don't have that good a memory so this is reconstructed based on what I can remember =)

Ryan on Motivation:
As you move into different roles and take on more responsibilities, it is only right to expect that the highs and lows you experience will grow as well. So many people go into taking more responsibilities with the expectations that things will remain the same, that the lows won't go lower or that the highs won't go higher. But that's not going to happen.

The difference between any normal leader and the outstanding leader is that the outstanding leader is able to channel the energy from the low moments into a drive to aim for a high. Remember the high moments and the excitement and satisfaction you felt. And remember the low moments because that is where the challenge is, to pick ourselves and the people around us up, channel the energy into that fierce drive which will bring us to the high again.

Ryan on diversity of ideas and making decisions:
With so many diverse individuals on the team (not just in nationalities but also opinions, backgrounds, thoughts) it may seem hard to come to a consensus or make a decision that every single person is 100% satisfied with. Which is why we spend so much time getting our fundamentals right. Fundamentals such as the identity, the vision, the AIESEC Experience, the Brand Promise, being what is central to the organisation and what we do. And when we all have a clear consensus and understanding on the fundamentals, there is so much space and flexibility beyond for each individual to contribute. And of course, it takes that level of commitment to making the best decisions and delivering the best for the benefit of the organisation as a whole

Ryan on AIESEC and It's Up to You:
AIESEC is like sitting on a couch and watching television. If you don't like what you are seeing, you just have to make that decision, get out of that couch and make that change.

Ryan on some AIESEC stuff:
It's meant to be a tool, to be used as an indicator. It cannot be taken as a science, because sciences always have their flaws.

Ryan on AIESEC being global (which he quoted from Taco)
You know you're working in a global organisation when you turn on the television and what you watch on the news actually affects your work.

Ryan on Singapore:
(wiping sweat from his brow) Phew it's hot!
I'm looking for a satay stall

Thanks Ryan for all the sharing, the inputs and the advice!! All the best in the rest of your country visits and we look forward to seeing you back in Singapore again!!!

Finally...

I finally got down to asking my mom what I have been meaning to ask for the past 3 weeks plus (gosh... has it been that long already?? It's so hard to keep track of time these days).. and the concerns are quite what I expected... so unfortunately, there can be no confirmed answer at this point... just more planning and sourcing for options...

Divine intervention...

Alas, all good and free things must come to an end...

the owner of the wireless network that I have been leeching from for the past year or so has probably finally figured out why his bitrates aren't that fast as he expected (cos laptop users from the estate are probably using his network)... now it's security enabled and I have to say bye bye to that... Sigh... I will miss the amazingly fast and ever present network called 'Raj'

and it doesn't help that my own router has died so basically I don't get very consistent internet at home anymore. Depends on whether other wireless networks are on (1 or 2 but the connection is really weak) and whether my bro is home (so I can plug in via cable directly to the modem, which is usually connected to the PC in the living room)

But I guess you can call it divine intervention... have so much stuff to clear this week and next, what with the school term coming to an end soon and all... but I've been distracted these days... so much on the mind, so much to do... so much that I no longer know what to think or do...

I feel like 1 confused and distracted individual...

Damn....

Taking the time to ask yourself...

It suddenly occurred to me last night... What do I miss in the life I am leading now compared to anytime before this moment? Who are the people I miss? Will they know that I miss them?

It helps to ask such questions once in a while, just so we appreciate what we have, and appreciate what we had but don't have anymore...

Is it just me?

I attended a Round Table Discussion event this evening by Proctor & Gamble. They organise this every year to reach out to graduating students from my university. I wasn't too sure what to expect but the topic "Think Global, Act Local" did look interesting and the line up of speakers was very credible so I figured why not...

It was an ok session... most of the sharing by the speakers followed by panel Q&A was ok... people were mostly asking about P&G's marketing stragegies, surviving as a global company with so many brands and all that... not too bad, but I guess I just wasn't that impressed (considering how we've seen some REAL SUPER speakers at IC)

Anyway, the Q&A was followed by dinner (GOOD FOOD!) cum networking. So they had tables for different functions within P&G and 1 or 2 employees per table to speak with us undergraduates and address our questions... I think I kind of scared the guy at my table cos I was asking quite a lot of questions...

Is this your first job? Why did you leave the previous one for this job? Does your degree matter in what you do? What do you do? Does P&G provide trainings? Is it compulsory or how do they encourage employees to take these up? How diverse is the workforce in P&G? How does P&G get involved with the local communities (CSR)? Are there internal postings outside of Singapore? Are the operations handled by P&G or outsourced (since the guy was in logistics)?

And I wanted to ask the HR people stuff like how they build the learning culture in the company, how they see the youths of today being able to cope with a diverse and team based work environment, how they identify with their values (which are quite similar to those of AIESEC coincidentally).. but yeah the HR people went off before I could bombard them....

But anyhow, what I noticed was really the type of questions I asked VS what some of the other undergrads asked...

What are working hours like, what is the dress code to work, what is the salary range, how much do the grades matter, will there be training if we go into a function not related to our degree... And the "best" questions of the night came from this guy to the HR hiring manager for Product Supply: Some of the people gave us some tips about the application process. Does it really help if we look at the Purpose, Vision and Principles of the company? What do you look for in a resume? Should we answer the online test according to who we are or really aligned to the values which the company are looking for? Like do it just for the sake of impressing the company? (I suspect this was why the HR manager wanted to go off before I could ask her questions... If I were doing HR and someone asked me questions like this, I would be so not impressed...)

but anyhow, yeah the experience definitely got me thinking... what I ask and seek to find out does seem different... the rest or you even probably think I'm quite silly to not ask about salary and what experiences they look for in recruiting...

but anyhow, I think after this bit of reflecting, I realise that perhaps it is simply because I look for that diverse, dynamic, challenging learning environment more than the material perks a job can offer... and I think that well.. I am happy with what I am looking for =)

I will get there

This is a very meaningful song by Boyz II Men... for all those out there searching for answers, searching for a path, searching for direction... we'll find it... we will get there in the end...

Oh…oh…ah…
Hey…
Yeah… I've been wanderin' 'round in the dark
Been lost somewhere where no light could shine on my heart
I have known a pain so deep
But I know my faith will free me [Get there]
And I'll get through this [Get there]
I'll find my way again
So don't tell me that it's over
'Cause each step just gets me closer

(I will get there) I will get there
(I will get there) I will get there somehow
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night (Oh, yes, I will)
And make it through to the other side
(Get there) Get there
(Get there) Get there

I've been in these chains for so long
I'll break free and I'll be there where I belong
Hold my head up high, I'll stand tall
And I swear this time I won't fall [Get there]
I will do this [Get there]
No matter what it takes
'Cause I know no limitations
And I'll reach my destination, I will get there

I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there (Ooh) somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night
And make it through to the other side (Ooh, get there)
Get there (Get there) Get there

Well, the night is cold and dark
But somewhere the sun is shining
And I'll feel it shine on me
I'll keep on tryin', I'll keep on tryin'

I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night
And make it through to the other side
Get there, get there

I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (I'll cross that river for you)
Nothing's stoppin' me now (Oh…whoa…I)
I will get through (Through) the night
And make it through to the other side (Oh…ho…oh…ho…)
(Get there) Get there
(Ooh, get there) Get there (Whoa…oh…)

I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (I'll cross it for your love)
Nothing's stoppin' me now (No matter what)
I will get through the night (I will get through the night)
And make it through to the other side
(Get there) Get there
(Ooh, get there) Get there Get there Oh…ho…oh…
I'll get there

Emails...

After letting the emails in my outlook inbox accummulate past the 2000 figure (and this is just in the main inbox... it excludes all the rest within my sub-folders), I decided that a virtual spring cleaning was very much needed...

So I just spent the last hour or so clearing emails.. for now, I only have 1190 emails in the main inbox after much sorting and deleting... I will have to go through my sub-folders after this (since some emails I transferred from main to sub for classification sake)

anyway, in the midst of clearing the emails, I of course have to open some of these emails to see what the content is (email subject titles aren't that descriptive after all) and it was interesting to see how things and people have changed and moved along with time...

from emails congratulating the team on our appointment as MC 0607; to emails from the 0506 team discussing how to do transition to the 0607 team; to emails from the 0607 then-elects to each other (some of these emails start with "Dear LCP elects" hehe) asking about plans and ideas; to excited emails about the selection of our international MC; to excited emails of incoming trainees or successful events or meetings; to emails that sound so charged with emotion as people fight for what they believe in; to emails where the MC 0607 makes decisions after being updated on all possible scenarios; to crappy emails with content that you just can't help but smile at....

Looking back, it has been 9 months of journeying together as a team and what a remarkable 9 months it has been... what an amazing story it would be if we put down all that we have gone through in these 9 months...

Even the emails tell a story... and what a wonderful story it tells... it is a story about growth... growth of individuals, growth of the team, growth of our own legacy...

and I cannot wait to start clearing my email inbox again 6 months from now when the term 0607 is over... for then our story will be pretty much over...

then again, I think we will realise by then that it isn't that much of a story... well maybe a story for us... but all in all it's just another chapter in the book titled "AIESEC in Singapore"

Meaningful words...

I found Dey's blog and found these really meaningful extracts, which Dey found from someone else's blog...

so... enjoy :)
_________________________________________________________________________

You can`t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth. We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

Free your heart from hatret;
Free your mind from worries;
Live simply.

Give more.

Expect less.

My hope for you is that you will finally discover the happiness within you.

When you feel down because you didn`t get what you want, just sit tight and be happy, because I thought of something better to give you.
My friendship.

It is like wine, it gets better as it grows older.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means.
There`s a purpose to life`s events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too loud.

Extracts from a poem by Heinz Shalloff.

Have you ever...

have you ever closed your eyes after working on the laptop or reading your notes and tutorials for a long time, and felt literally the waves of tiredness wash over you?

I have, and I am always surprised when it happens...

have you ever lay down on your bed after a long day of meetings and work and felt the waves of tiredness wash over you?

I have, and sometimes I find that liberating...

have you ever closed your eyes and felt the wind blow in your face, and feel the waves of relaxation wash over you?

I have, and I love that feeling...

have you ever felt the wind blow away the waves of tiredness?

I have, and I remind myself to give thanks for the moment...

Life is made up of little moments...

Have you ever noticed?