Taking a Break... in Singapore

Yup.. back in Singapore.. it's been 6 days since I came back...

been really busy since getting back...

I landed at 10am (one hour later than supposed because of flight delay), grabbed breakfast with my Dad and Bro at the airport and headed home... unpacked somewhat, showered and went off for an AIESEC event... after that event (which was fantastic by the way), I headed off for a Chinese New Year reunion dinner with my Junior College Wushu (chinese martial arts) society... of course I was feeling super tired at the end of that day because of the travelling as well so that meant a good night's sleep, which really helped in countering jet lag...

Sunday was a day of more unpacking, clearing emails, consolidating stuff from IPM, writing report and tidying documents... I figured I should clear the stuff from IPM first before I move on to other stuff...

Monday was supposed to be back to school again but I overslept and ended up at home, clearing AIESEC stuff still, sorting out my lecture notes, downloading notes that I need to print and catch up on... looking at my Final Year Project (FYP) stuff again...

Tuesday I went back to school! spent most of the time in the library printing my notes and sorting them out... suddenly saw an email from my FYP supervisor asking for a meeting that same day and so went to meet him, without much progress since the last time unfortunately... but fortunately, he's quite nice and after a quick update from my side and quick refreshment from his side on what I still need to do, it was back to the library to finish up on the printing... then I headed back home (yes I went to school but didn't attend classes... my theory is that priority then is not to learn new stuff in the middle of nowhere but to clear the urgent school stuff first).. once home, it was back to the laptop to work on my FYP... working out equations, tweaking my programme.. and finally getting proper results at 3am... YAY!! it works!

Wednesday was spent at home again... this entire day was devoted to studying for the quiz on Thursday... I got mixed up and almost studied 3 of the 4 parts of the module... which was why I was quite panicked about finishing all that materials.. in the end, I realised my mistake and things turned out alright, since I had overbudgeted for studying time and now had more time to get the information in my head... so.. reading reading and studying... getting good news once in a while via email about FYP or other stuff... and so the day goes by..

Thursday I met my FYP supervisor again and he's happy with the results... gave me a set of new conditions to run on my programme... pretty much finalised the scope of what should be in my report (the draft of which is due next Tuesday) so at least there is clear direction now.. and that feeling of closeness to finishing with the project... after that, it was off to the library to revise for the quiz but somehow midway through that, I distracted myself by turning on my laptop.. haha.. anyway the quiz was... just alright.. could have done better I am sure.. especially if someone had told me I could bring a summary card into the room... oh well.. that's for missing lectures I guess (at least I had good learning time in Egypt nonetheless)... after that, went for a catch-up dinner with Diana and Phoebe... great to be back and hearing their stories, while sharing mine...

so yes for those of you who have been asking how has it been since getting back, I hope this answers your questions...

It's hot and humid here, the streets are suddenly very structured, the air suddenly quite clean, the people still as "unfriendly" and things seem the way they were 3 weeks back... but well.. it's good to be back...

and now.. I'm just chilling in my room.. radio on with DJ-less music again.. enjoying the moment...

cheers... =)

Support Entrepreneurship!

I am always for such entrepreneurial acts...

Visit http://bitsbobsandotherthings.blogspot.com/

This is a site set up by my good buddy, who has a passion for handicraft and such... check it out and who knows, you just might find something suitable for you or your friends!

Photos... some of it anyway

Finally managed to upload all my photos from my pre conference trip (12th to 15th Feb)

Adventures in Egypt (1)

Adventures in Egypt (2)

Order is a bit jumbled up cos my connection gets cranky sometimes and I have to re-upload...

Those after IPM will come later...

A promise is a promise

As I promised before IPM, I will harness the power of some MCPs to attempt to part the Red Sea...

as a refresher... this is the Red Sea before...


and this is our attempt


and the result


some slight receding of the shore line there... but definitely not enough to be considered as a parting...

time for some evaluation...

perhaps we should have worn shoes... or maybe it has something to do with the sand... Tabbee as photographer looks totally disappointed...

but well... it's alright that nothing happened to sea... otherwise... we won't be able to enjoy scenes like this...

Photos from AP Road Trip - Cairo, Egypt

View from our hotel room with Pyramids clearly visible in the distance

Khan Al Khalili Bazaar

Receipt after our short break in Khan Al Khalili Restaurant

Our Nile Cruise Boat

Travel mates part 1

Travel mates part 2 (missing Amzad)

Photos from AP Road Trip - Luxor, Egypt

One of those rare photos in my camera with me inside... thanks to Sandy for forcing me to do this... hahaha...

Valley of the Kings

AP gang hanging around at Karnak Temple

Ruins of Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt

Our trusty guide... the Lonely Planet!

Our home for 2 days

Road trip after IPM

IPM is over! but it doesn't yet mean that we don't get to see some of the people anymore...

and that is thanks to... the AP Road Trip!

14 of us (Beatrice and Mindy from Hong Kong, Amy from New Zealand, Anisha and Sandy from Malaysia, Sheana and Jessica from Taiwan, Sahan and Suchith from Sri Lanka, Satoshi from Japan, Amzad from Bangladesh, Aidy from Indonesia, Pui from Thailand and me from Singapore) made a self-arranged tour to travel around Egypt and spend some quality time together...

Armed with loads of left over snacks and drinks from IPM and Lonely Planets that speak different languages, we embarked on an amazing journey...

Now that I am sitting back in Singapore, I suddenly find it hard to describe those 3 days (I left earlier than the rest)...

but highlights definitely include

- a driver that speaks and understands limited english, who keeps asking for tips, and whom most of us find scary... oh and who seems to like Amzad, who is otherwise known as Mohammad in Egypt
- spending 2 nights sleeping in the van (we travelled from the resort to Luxor overnight, and then from Luxor to Cairo overnight also)... kind of like sleeping on the plane but with less leg room... not to mention lending my shoulder to become a pillow at some point while using other people's shoulders as pillow at other points...
- "gossiping" and discussing interesting stuff at the back of the van (me, Sheana, Mindy and Amy) were sitting together, and that was quite a good place for some interesting conversations
- getting to Luxor and having the driver refuse to drive us to the Valley of the Kings without us paying extra money... in the end, Amzad took him to the policeman on the streets and after long conversation, he had no choice but to bring us there...
- "borrowing" a hotel's showers so we could take a shower (3 days without showering!)... we paid 15 Egyptian Pounds, which is less than 5 SGD each.. not too bad an extra flexible service the hotel offered...
- feeling so relieved to reach Cairo and check into a decent hotel along the Nile..
- wandering the streets of Cairo and chilling out at a Cafe with Amy while the rest visited the Pyramids
- finally visiting the Tourist Bazaar, bumping into @ers here and there, watching in amusement as Amy haggles her way through her purchases...
- meeting up with some of the rest in a small cosy cafe that serves huge sandwiches
- getting back to the hotel to freshen up before our Nile Cruise
- finding ourselves sitting in the same dining hall as an Egyptian Wedding (we figured we were part of the entertainment, considering how diverse and exotic we look)
- enjoying an Eat All You Can buffet where guests only queue once.. enjoying dance performances, belly dancing performances, and special appearances by Pui and Amzad, and short un-noticed ones by Beatrice and Amy
- taking photos of the Nile scenary on the deck of the cruise boat and having our fingers nearly frozen off
- Surprise celebration for Anisha's birthday, complete with huge cake that was a combination of chocolate on one part and fruit cake on another part
- drinking games with Amy's vodka, 42 Below from New Zealand... watching people turn red and conk out...
- truth or drink punishment turning into truth or truth and then truth AND drink...
- those of us currents who were still awake and sober having sharing session till 4 or 5 am
- me taking a nap before getting breakfast and starting packing... going to rooms to hug and say goodbye to everyone else... feeling such a mix of emotions knowing that some of them I will see again for sure at IC and that some, I know we will meet again but just don't know when...
- taking a cab with Pui, Anisha and Sandy to the airport, saying goodbye to the Malaysians first (different terminal) and then to Pui...
- finding myself in a most busy check in hall... finding that my flight would be delayed by 1 hour plus, meeting the Kate and Ralph from Austra, John from Bahrain (Australian working there) and Nadia from Hong Kong (Ukrainian working there) in the waiting hall to find that we were on the same flight to Bahrain
- finally getting out at Changi Airport in Singapore and thinking to myself what an amazing experience it has been... and knowing that post conference nostalgia will be hitting soon.. but well.. it's worth it...

thanks to all of the AP family for being such great people... I love our trip, I love each of you, and I can't wait to see you all again some day some time...

IPM 2007 - coming to an end

Today is 26th February 2007... tomorrow is 27th February 2007... tomorrow is the last day of IPM 2007...

and it is always from this point on that the emotions start flowing in... yes we realised that this is the last AIESEC conference that will see most (unfortunately not all) of us from 0607 in the same place... it is something we are consciously aware of and you can definitely see it in the way we value the time we can have to hang out with each other...

2 weeks... is that enough time? to catch up on the 6 months gap of not seeing each other physically since IC... to catch up beyond the MSN and email conversations that in their own little ways sustained us throughout our term...

we have 4 more months of 0607 term to go... yes it should be a celebration point, that we have made it so far... it should be a point of focus, that we have that bit left to go to leave that impact we are aiming for... but at the end of it, it is the slow closure of a story that started in the Netherlands one year back, with a bunch of fresh and anticipating elects... a story of amazing individuals that grew to love each other, to support each other and that today, can't bear to say "See you again"

Gosh I'm having such mixed feelings now... the 0607 term is coming to a close... the 070 term is coming to a start...

I'm gonna miss my family like crazy...

Photos from Cairo, Egypt

View of Cairo from the Citadel in Islamic Cairo

An alley in Old Cairo

Egyptian sky at sunset outside Egyptian Museum

River Nile with the Giza Pyramids in the foggy distance

At the Red Sea

At the pyramids

Update from IPM 2007, Egypt

24 Feb 2007, IPM

Hey guys!

Sorry for the long delay in updating here... I've been having a good time at IPM, getting into the 'culture' of the conference... hehehe

It has been great so far... it's great to be able to meet my fellow current MCPs and also to see the eager and passionate MCP elects from all around the world... some of these people I have met at IC 2006, some of them I have never met them before... but it is the power of the network that we can get along and have great conversations as if we have known each other for so long... I think such opportunities are what show the power of AIESEC, that young people of such diversity can connect nonetheless...

Our conference site is an amazing resort hotel next to a beach along the Red Sea.. It is 2 hours from Cairo so it's really peaceful and away from the hustle and bustle of the city... Perhaps because of that but it seems colder here... I never expected that my first visit to Egypt will see me walking around permanently in a jumper or windbreaker... but that aside, the food and venue is fantastic and really works to building a conducive environment for conversations and reflections and thinking...

In terms of sessions, so far we have had 2 intense days of speeces and Q&A sessions for the 4 PAI candidates and the 19 Director candidates... it's inspiring to see people setting up to the role, and to hear their perspectives on what motivated them, and what they think the organisation needs to continue growing and unleashing our potential... do check out http://live.myaiesec.net for videos of all their speeches... I

have been having a bit of identity crisis since I am both the elect and the current so I have been attending a mix of both tracks... and it's been great in terms of questions and discussions on what is to come, and also in terms of taking time off to be myself and re-find my centre...

In case you haven't heard the news, Gabiza is the newly elected President of AIESEC International 2007/2008. She's the first female PAI since 1998 and we are excited of what the new term will bring.. tonight (it is 7.05pm right now) we will be finding out who has been selected to be AI Directors...

anyhow, I must confess that I am still having mixed feelings about this IPM... I think it's because this is the last IPM I can spend with my current MCPs, especially those from the APGNs. They have been a great support network and have taught me so much over the months, and I know that I will miss them so much... at the same time, there is the excitement of bonding with a new group of MCP elects, from which I will gain support across the next few months just as I did with the currents...

but well... I don't think I will dwell too much on that... they tell us here... "When it starts, it starts. When it's over it's over. Whatever happens is the best that can happen"

So... it's just time for me to enjoy the moment and these precious days...

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...