Officially counting now!

Before I know, i am left with 7 days in this beloved continent of mine! :( wherever I am, I think of europe and feel nostalgic. This place simply left me with too many awesome memories that make me find it hard to detach myself from it!

Anyway, I finally got to experience a white Christmas! :) the visit to Rovaniemi was one that had been planned 3 years ago but I only got to fulfill it 2 days ago! :) seeing Santa Claus in person, walking in the snow, riding a reindeer sleigh, etc. the only missing thing was northern lights! Ah, how sad....

I guess because of the existence of Santa Claus in rovaniemi, and that parents from all over the world, especially the Europeans, bring their children to visit this place, it makes Christmas more meaningful. Rather, it makes people love Christmas more and also learn the joy of giving and sharing! :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

The journey thus far

Unknowingly, I have been in Europe for a week and honestly, it has been a challenging yet fulfilling journey thus far. 6 months ago, I was extremely stunned when a friend of mine told me that she gave up a place in Stanford in exchange for a business opportunity. All along, I had deep admiration for her because she was leading a life that I sought. She graduated with a first class honours, toured the world, entered a top consulting firm, was given the chance to be posted to Toronto to work, and eventually saved a huge sum of money to go for graduate school in yet another top university. :) life just couldn't be better than that. However, prior to going to Stanford, she took a break from work and had some time to spend on her own. It was then that she decided that she did not want to be an employee all her life. For the past 7 years, she had been too engrossed in delivering results, academically and in her workplace. She was too caught up with all the expectations and work that she had no idea what is it that she truly wants in life until she got that break!

I guess this holiday, I feel the same way she did 6 months ago. Previously, I had mentioned that I am embarking on a travel with mixed feelings this time round. First, one of my best friends in poly had just gotten married and was embarking on a new phase in life. I truly realised that we are indeed no longer young, no longer had the youth to idle and waste our life away. Second, I will be missing Christmas with my sec sch friends! FYI, I have been spending Christmas's eve or new year's eve with them almost every single year since I was 16! Sometimes, we end up walking around and doing nothing but it was during these moments that we forged a strong bond or relationship that I sincerely and strongly believe will last till the end of our lives. Third, I'll be missing New Year's Eve with my family members! For the past 6 years, we have been holding a gift exchange party, though for the first few years we held it on Christmas's eve. In my opinion, that is the perfect way to end a year and also to start a brand new one. We have fun, we have joy, we have laughter in the house! Sometimes, we talk about our new year resolutions, we gossip, we complain, but we are TRULY happy at the end of the party! Everyone gets really tired but I am pretty sure we all go to bed with a smile plastered on our faces. Fourth, because wai needs to work on her projects, we will not be visiting switzerland together during the Xmas period. And she has limited time available for travelling so I will be spending the first half of the journey on my own!

There were simply too many of these push factors that made me ponder about my decision to go to Europe. However, the pull factors had a stronger effect on me I guess.

First, I have been wishing for a white Xmas for quite a few years. This was an opportunity and I really do not want to miss it. Furthermore, wai's studies will come to an end next June and i seriously doubt I will have time to visit her in June next year. Second, it has been 3.5 years since I last stepped foot on Europe. I really miss the place and have been reminiscing about all that has happened back then. Be it the architecture, the people, the weather, the snow, the memories. So I took the plunge and booked my tickets to Europe!

Now as I am reflecting, I am 80% sure I made the right decision. When I spend time on my own, I think a lot more. I suppose it is because i have no one to talk to and so i ask myself questions and then try to find the answers to it. However, I am absolutely sane and am not suffering from bipolar disorder or whatsoever. As I am on a holiday, I do not feel as tired as compared to when I am in Singapore whereby I literally fall asleep minutes after I lie on bed or fall asleep while I am watching the television. Thus, it was during the nights I spent in Switzerland and Poland that I realise what new dreams I have in life and what my life cycle should be like for the next 5 years. And because of me acquiring these new dreams, I feel afresh as a person and my outlook of life is more optimistic than ever. When a person has dreams, he or she finds motivation and drive to work hard.

By stepping out of my comfort zone, I mature as a person as well. I become more independent and I stretch my physical and mental limits. For e.g., my luggage tore apart and I had to make do with a duffer bag. The bag is at least 12 kg and I had to carry it together with a backpack and walked 20 minutes to the railway station. Upon arriving at Warsaw, I had to carry that same two bags and walked another 10 minutes to my hotel. Money was definitely not the reason why I had not taken a taxi instead. I just wanted myself to become stronger mentally as a person. Thus, so far my Europe trip has been a challenging but definitely fulfilling one! :)

I have 14 more days left and yes, this time round like all other trips, I dislike returning to reality but because I found a new dream that I want to fulfil, I am convinced that having reality knocking is the way for me to enter into my dreams once again! :) feels like inception suddenly! Ciaozzz.....

Warsaw experience

I had a wonderful 2-day stay in Warsaw I must say. The city is must safer than I thought it would be. Perhaps it is the religion that the Poles adopt which explains their behaviour and attitude. About 90% of the Poles are Catholic and the guide in Krakow was right about Poland being a traditional catholic country which devote their Sundays faithfully to church and god. In Warsaw, I see for myself what it means to have a faith.

I remembered that when I went to Shanghai 2 weeks ago, the professor who gave us a lecture on Shanghai mentioned about how the lack of a religion or faith makes one greedy, unscrupulous, or even immoral. That explains why the PRCs are known to be profit- oriented businessmen who lack sympathy for the poor or the health of others. In Poland, I see the other side of human beings.

While in Wilanow and the other parts of Warsaw, I see people walking, rushing to churches. Mother and son walking together to church, students flocking to church in hordes, and the most amazing one was seeing a tall, cute, handsome and promising young man with his messenger bag hurrying to church after hearing the church bells! I think I am someone who fears commitment which explains why I adopt no religion. I cannot foresee myself diligently going to a place of worship on a regular basis and not questioning whatever faith that I might adopt. But I see the majority of the Poles doing that, young and old alike. For that, I truly admire them for who they are.

It is often in these cities that we see peace and stability and security. :)

The visit to the Warsaw uprising museum caught myself at a surprise because I know I am not a museum person and even if I were to go to one, I am unlikely to stay there for more than 2 hours. However, I spent close to 5 hours in that museum. The whole exhibition was awesome because of the way they presented the entire WWII situation where Poland is concerned. We had read in secondary school textbooks about how WWII started as a result of Germany's invasion of Poland and how the Jews were exterminated in concentration camps in Poland. But we never truly learnt anything in depth in my personal opinion despite the 1 year spent on it. A visit to Berlin, Munich, Krakow, and Warsaw in 2 weeks would suffice and be deemed more beneficial. All the insights of the war, from invasion to capitulation to uprising and eventually surrender are simply awe-inspiring!

The visit to Warsaw's stare mistro was a little of a disappointment. The square was a small one and there were not that many shops or fanciful items that can be bought. It reminds me of Stockholm's old town but I guess the latter was so much more beautiful! :)

But anyway, I was lucky to have gone to a really nice Polish restaurant which served delicious cuisine! The warming winter tea was one of a kind and after drinking it, I really find the cold less overwhelming.

I guess I am pretty sick of castles and cathedrals after the Europe tour in 2008. Every other castle pales in comparison compared to the ones in Austria, Sweden, and Buckingham Palace. The only twos that I have heard are of equivalence are Versailles in Paris and the one in Munich which I did not visit the last time round. As a result, I no longer pay to enter castles. As for cathedrals, I have seen at least 20-30 of them in Europe and my favourite 3 has got to be saint peter's in Rome, notre dame and sacred coure in Paris. So no more cathedrals for me when on tour. As a result of such a mentality, I see myself needing lesser time when I visit. I guess I have to say so for waterfalls. I don't think I will pay much attention to falls again after having seen Niagara, with the only exception the Iguazu falls in Brazil! Hope that some day I get to visit it and that day would not be too far away.....

Krakow day 2

The Krakow stare mistro is probably one of the best town squares I have ever been to in Europe! The square is bustling with people, beautiful monuments adorn the town square and it is humongous! :) there is also a Christmas market and it was really lively. ;) I love pâté (if I interpret it correctly)! It is a pastry, hot and filled with cheese with cranberry sauce on it! Singaporeans will use the word SHIOK when they taste it during winter! So I spent the night at the Krakow old town square after returning from Auschwitz and the Salt mine.

I guess the salt mine is really a major highlight of my visit to Poland! I learnt a lot of general knowledge when I was there. Owing to Singapore being a tropical country and consequently we do not experience snow. As such, our understanding of the use of salt is limited to only cooking. So when the guide told us that salt is an extremely important commodity in Poland, especially during winter, my mind was filled with question marks! Apparently, salt is used to break the snow or build snow (either one, I did not really understand her explanation). So I told myself that when I get back to Singapore, I should google and find out about this. Another interesting fact: salt is used as a form of money i.e. wages and the word salary is derived from the word salt.

The visit is the first time I enter a mine and there were a lot of things that I did not understand. I ended up like a student on a field trip and kept posing the guide questions. She did the job duly and explained to me the complicated processes to her best knowledge. One of the issues was how salt is being derived. Being a mountain tortoise who lives in a country with no natural resources, I had always thought that salt comes from the sea. We heat up the seawater and through some chemical processes like evaporation, crystallisation and filtration, we end up with pure WHITE salt. But actually, salt is not always dissolved in seawater! Salt can come in solid blocks and can be grey in colour. That is because they are mixed with impurities therefore they do not appear to be white. However, if they come into contact with water, water vapour in the air inclusive, they will then dissolve in it and form white salt. The Polish guide call it cauliflower! :) while in the mine, the guide allowed us to touch the walls or even lick them to convince ourself that we are actually surrounded by salt! Even the floors are made of salt!! I had no reservations when it comes to pursuing the truth. So I rubbed my fingers against the wall then smell and taste it! OMG, it's really salty! I have indeed learnt a lot in the salt mine!

The one who does not remember history is bound to repeat it again

What a tag line I've as the title of the post. Simply put it, Auschwitz and birkenau really impressed me.

I think history has a lot of lessons for us but as humans, when we live in peace and harmony for too long, we take it for granted and forget what it takes for us to perpetuate this stability. Look at how Iran is on their way to develop nuclear weapons, the death of Kim Jong Il and hopefully not another bloody succession, unrest in the Syria, and hopefully not another war by Israel man! :(

I've always wanted to visit Poland for the history is too enticing for anyone else to miss it. When I stepped foot onto the camps and listened to the stories shared by the guide, I was overwhelmed with lessons to share with my students in school!

Yeah the Nazis were really the kings of propaganda! They painted such a rosy picture of a life in Auschwitz and convinced more European Jews to voluntarily pay for a one-way ticket to the death camp. Imagine trucks filled with people who were full of hopes of a place where they can lead better lives. When they finally arrive at their supposed 'paradise,' they are separated from their families and still, they think that this moment of anguish is worth the paradise that awaits them. Life or death laid in the hands of one man, one crazy experimenter, and if he points you in the right direction, you get a second life. For all that they did not know, these Jews were walked to the end of the platform and only till their very last gasp of air will they finally find out that getting to paradise is indeed true, only that paradise is in another dimension and no longer on our beautiful Mother Earth!

A lesson that I brought home with me today from Auschwitz is, no one should be seen as being superior to another, for that creates divide, anger, hatred, extremism and eventually extermination.

We should all be really glad that the Polish government is doing their very best to maintain these historical sites as they serve as warnings to our future generation about the atrocities of war crimes. I am full of praises for Germany's efficiency and this impression has not changed after the visit to the camp. Instead, I have new found admiration for their courage to step out and up to face their past. The Germans could be subjected to mockery and reprimanding by the rest of the world. However, we all have our own judgment about war crimes. A series of atrocious acts by a group of self-proclaimed actors of justice i.e. Nazis is not representative of how German civilians in general are. And for that, we will not judge the future generations of Germans that we face today. If only the Japanese could understand this argument, I am sure we will be exposed to more life's lessons from history.

And after the visit, I think about the true purpose of education yet again. Sometimes, we hear kids complaining about the various theorists or academia for e.g. Why did pythagoras invent the stupid Pythagoras theorem? or why did Adam Smith read so much into human's behaviour? If they had not existed, we would not have to study so hard!

Now, I think I will have an ideal explanation for that - Education is the avenue to remember the legacies of great people from the past and also have your own legacies being written down in history.

Are you game to create your own legacy?

Indeed, the world is the biggest classroom one can ever afford. There is Chinese saying: 读万卷书不如行万里路. I understand the world so much better with all the travels that I've embarked on.

Singapore VS Poland

I arrived in Krakow late on Sunday night and was expecting a ghost town. But to my biggest surprise, the town was the exact opposite of what I had imagined it to be! There was an ice-skating ring just at the doorstep of the railway station. That really reminded me of the time when I was in Stockholm and Kim and I went ice skating in winter. It was the first time I had my feet on the ice skating ring and having snow hitting my face as I skate was simply awesome! :)

I had to collect my rail tickets at the post office which was opened 24 hours and trust me, the queue is lonnnggg! Perhaps we Singaporeans take things for granted. Singapore is truly an efficient city, from the airport to the city centre, with the exception of our transport system I guess! :) I have never seen any unusual long queues at the immigration checkpoint in Changi Airport, instead I see numerous spacious toilets placed at strategic locations in the terminals and multiple water points and Internet access points. Recently, I even see the OSIM massage chair at T3! :) our malls are open for long hours and we always get have clear directions or signage for tourists who attract our various places of interest. But I can't say so for other countries. It is when I leave Singapore that I start to appreciate all these little things in our everyday life! But there are pros and cons. No doubt we as citizens are proud of our nation and this makes our standard of living better - quality lifestyle, however we lack patience and tolerance (some not all) become over reliant on our government to make things right. We blame our government for the Orchard Road floods and make a joke out of it (if you watched the hitler one). C'mon people, the extent of that flood was not even 1% of the recent one that hit Bangkok and Cambodia. The SMRT train relays were seen as a life and death issue to some but compared to UK or Europe, such delays are common.!

I guess enough of my rants and praises after my first experience with Poland!

Interlaken day 2 and Zurich!

I was complaining about how I missed seeing the French and Italian alps due to the foggy weather. Come to think of it now, I am absolutely fortunate because the very next day, Jungfraujoch was closed to visitors due to a snow storm! :)

Nevertheless, I explored Munnen and lauterbrunnen. Both are villages or stopover points for people to get to Jungfraujoch and schitlorn. I went all the way to Munnen, saw the Jungfrau, Eider, etc from Munnen. Yeah, it was snowing up there and the scenery was awesome! :) I guess Switzerland did impress me and made me wanna go back again some day.

I went to lauterbrunnen as well, green with valleys etc but there wasn't much for me to explore as it was raining. There wasn't much shopping to be done anyway. So I returned to interlaken after taking some photos. And since i started the day early, I finished the two places by 12 noon.

Initially, my plan was to get to a inn for their wings but I missed grocery shopping when I was in Stockholm.! So I went to coop and grab some pizza and prepared my own dinner! :) I guess that's one thing I miss a lot about Europe! :)

I went around the town centre and interlaken west for some shopping but bought nothing! I guess the best way to cure the shopping impulse in me is to have myself face the situation of not being able to bring it back to Singapore! As I'll be flying on Ryanair and they have this absolutely dumb rule of only 1 hand carry including your handbag, I would have to squeeze 4 bags into 2.! Come on!

While on my way to Zurich, I pass by super pretty scenery! :) mountains covered with snow, lakes, cottages covered in snow, etc. I guess the name of the area is Thun! Some day, I should be there! :)

As for Zurich, it's a small city. Or rather the downtown is small! Finished the whole area within 5 hours. Did the shopping, went to a Christmas market, absolutely love the atmosphere of Christmas! Perhaps it's a Saturday, that's why everyone is out! ;) kids running around, lovers strolling along the rivers, etc etc!

The one thing I'm sure about the Swiss is - they adore Louis Vuitton! I see the LV bags everywhere I go.! Love this feel of walking around, doing nothing.! Absolutely relaxing.... And yet i know soon my dream will end and I'll have to be back to reality once again....

Interlaken

Embarked on my journey to Jungfraujoch this morning. For those who are unaware, Jungfraujoch is at the highest point of Europe, 3000 plus metres above sea level! :)

I guess the planning should have been done better because I had forgotten to check the weather! It was too foggy up at the top thus I was not able to see the French, Italian and German alps! ;( Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience. The train ride up there exposed me to the beautiful landscapes or the famous mountains of Switzerland, the greenery, countless pine trees that stood tall and was covered in snow, etc! It was also the first time I experienced a "snow storm."

Some day, I'll be back during summer at Jungfraujoch I believe! The one thing I love about Switzerland is that it is really safe. The streets are extremely quiet at night and the weather is freezing cold. However, the people are absolutely warm and always willing to help!

My first Swiss hospitality experience was on the very night that I arrived. I had a hard time getting to the hostel and ended up flagging for a cab. The driver drove me to the place for free! My second experience was with regards to my gloves. I left one of my gloves on the train unknowingly. When I boarded another train, the conductor on the previous train found my gloves and immediately got the station master to bring it on board my train for the owner to claim it back. They did it with a smile, and with a true sense of responsibility. Kudos to the Swiss! They impress people! :)

Fly away, stop the reminiscience

It's been ages since I last blog and I do hope I will pen more during this period when I'm away.

Read the title of the blog, reminiscence of memoirs from 6000 miles.. And yes, today I'm embarking on another 6000miles flight to the place hat I've been reminiscing for the past 3.5 years.

I indeed have very mixed emotions. One, I'm really excited that I'm finally going back to Europe, the continent that I've been dreaming of revisiting. Yet at the same time, I am a little upset that I'll be missing Christmas and New Year and precious time with my family and friends!

There's this saying, the pastures on the other side are always greener. I guess it's true! While I'm in Singapore, I miss Europe. Now that I'm on my way to Europe, I'm starting to miss Singapore! Perhaps it's the reality that I will have to face come January when my trip ends that is hard to swallow for me!

It's been 3.5 years since I last step foot on Europe. After 3.5 years, I guess I'm finally ready to see this beautiful continent once again. Whatever that lies ahead in these 3 weeks, I'm sure it will be a fruitful experience yet again! :)

Time to recharge, time to acquire a new outlook in life, time to be independent and definitely time for new adventures!

My dear family and friends, be patient and we will see each other next year! :)

Merry Xmas and a happy new year in advance! ;)

Only You

Recently, I am addicted to this Hong Kong drama - Only You. I know I am a little outdated considering that the drama was aired some time late last year. The drama portrayed the various beliefs people have of love and the various interpretations of what marriage entails.

I guess different people have different beliefs and values in life and we seek for a different mission and purpose in life too. While some hope to settle down and start a family, others seek the thrill and adventures that lie in our great Mother Earth. I used to believe that some day, I will settle down and start a family. However, with the passage of time, I realize that I have truly come to discover what I really want in life.

Mommy and B always hope that I will some day settle down. But neither of them ever hurries me. B feels that I will act on a moment of impulse when it comes to marriage. That is why I say no one understands me more than they do. :) Perhaps.

I have similar beliefs to the male lead in the show. Maybe he is right. When the right person comes knocking and you do not want to lose him or her, that is when you will be willing to compromise with your dreams. However, it is unlikely that you will give them all up. Since I am unwilling to give up any of my dreams, I have stopped looking out for the right person to complete myself.

Come to think of it, this is only fair. When I was slightly younger and eager to settle down, random people come knocking. Some were really good bf material and perhaps something did or could have worked out. Now that I am not eager to settle down since I am unwilling to give up any of my dreams, it shows that I am not ready for a relationship. Indeed, no one's been knocking for some time.

Perhaps some day, I will really meet someone who have the same ideals as me, to want to go around the world and lead a carefree life. And should that day come, I might then truly want to settle down.

Growing Up

There's this saying that goes, "wisdom comes with age."

It is true but only to a certain extent. When people age, they are more aware of the dangers and risks that one has to take in life. Some are risk-averse while others are risk-loving. But as a result of them being more informed and able to weigh the benefits and costs of doing every single thing (though not everyone is able to do so), they assume that they know it best. They are more resistant to change, more inclined towards forcing upon others their ideals, lifestyles, etc. That explains why people use the label "stubborn" on them occasionally.

I do not think that being stubborn is necessarily bad. At times, we need to stand firm on our feet and not get swayed by others' opinions easily, because in whatever that we do, there are bound to be praises and criticisms. People are born with differing opinions anyway. However, there needs to be some kind of balance.

If you always think that you are right or you only accept criticisms from a certain group of people, then we can simply leave the whole discussion to the so claimed "elite" group of yours. Why bother to hold a discussion and get the rest of the people whom you see as "outsiders" to comment. And honestly, I do not see how "elite" you guys are. Times have changed, so we need to move on. We should be more acceptive of what others think can be right especially when we are scrutinizing issues filled with ambiguity.

But as I am typing this post, I am trying to reflect on myself. Since young, I hate to be controlled by others or have them bossing me around with the "I Know It All" attitude or mentality. If someone truly earns my respect, I will follow him or her with my heart and soul. However, that does not mean that I do not question and be an ignorant follower. Respect, nevertheless, needs to be earned. It does not come with your status or age or whatsoever. As I age, I start to get worried that the intensity of my stubbornness will increase unless I meet someone who can truly question my ideals and perspectives. As a result of knowing what I want and who I am as a person, I start to question my ability to continue my --- as a ...

The only thing that is constant in this world is CHANGE

As I walked down memory lane moments ago, I realized that so many things have changed. It is extremely difficult to maintain a certain status quo between certain relationships in life. I count the places that we have been to, recall the words that were said, reminisce the activities that we engaged in, and indulge myself in the joy and laughter that embraced us for the past 3 years. Why did the number of places that we have been to stopped at a certain count? Why were the words left unspoken? Why do we still engage in the same activities, just that we do it with a different person? Why do we send each other joy and laughter no more?

At this juncture. my mind has come to terms that we have to move on and accept the cold hard truth that our paths have diverged.

Over the course of the events, I discovered that the distances grew not because others moved on but rather, I was the only one who has been stuck and refused to edge forward. That is why history repeats itself over and over again.

LEARN lessons from the PAST so that you can APPLY them in the PRESENT to SHAPE your FUTURE. Will I?

Live your own dreams

I have always been skeptical about getting others to help fulfill my dreams. To put it crudely, I am cynical about whatever that has been said about getting help from others. Always rely on yourself. After all, we need to live our own dreams. However, about a week ago, I started to have this illusion that others revolve around my life and they actually help to shape my dreams and fulfill my dreams. So I joined a contest to garner likes. My family members and friends went all out to help me. Some broadcasted the message on their whatsapp, some risked bursting their monthly SMS limit to forward the message to their friends, others approach friends on MSN, my sister and cousin spamming their friends on facebook to get them to like or repost the message to like the photo until they got a warning from facebook that they have been posting the same message too frequently. We were leading the contest since day 1 and only 1 person came very close to us.

I have to admit that we invested a lot of energy and time into this competition. Our daily routine involved checking the website for the latest updates of the amount of likes that we have accumulated. On the 2nd last day, our likes finally crossed the 1,000 mark and we thought that we have started a revolution. :) But God hit us hard the very morning on the last day of the contest. One underdog accumulated the same number of likes as us in 8 hours time (from 418 at 1 a.m. till 1k at 9 a.m.) and in another 2 hours' time, he overtook us with 2,000 likes. In another hour, he overtook us with 3,000 likes. By 6 p.m. in the evening, he crossed the 4,000 mark. We were all disappointed and dejected, that includes my entire camp of family and friends who had done so much over the past 4 days, constantly monitoring the counter, pushing for likes, etc.

Some said, "your dream was shattered."

Another said, "I am not expecting you to bring me there, but I really want you to be there."

Another commented, "Don't give up. I have not given up. Why should you?"

And many many more...

So reality knocked finally. :) When the clock struck 12 a.m. on 19th May 2011, I need to get over this contest and return to my life. I am like Cinderella who has to wake up from the most beautiful dream ever. I will have to report to NIE, attend my enrichment classes, prepare my e-portfolio for show-and-tell next Monday. Come Saturday, I will duly switch on my television and my MIO TV set-up box at home and watch the Champion Leagues' Final. Hopefully, Manchester United will successfully lift the cup!

Halfway through the contest, I was skeptical about one of the competitor's comment on a forum, "Do your part to fulfill my dreams." Why should others do their part to fulfill your dream? What do they gain from it, especially when they are strangers? Even though I understood that, it seemed like I was not able to apply it in my own situation? So I indirectly fabricated my own disappointment and downfall. If I had not been so optimistic about the possibility of winning and actively roped in my family members and friends to help, they would not have to experience the disappointment so do I.

On a concluding note, I have always been an independent girl. I never believe that I should rely on others to help me fulfill my life's dreams. But why was I so foolish this time round? I would not think that this contest has been an epic waste of time though. As a result of me actively getting my facebook friends to help me, I reconnected with some ex-students and old friends. I knew that I once touched someone's life and she remembered it till this very day. :) I know who are the people whom I can rely on should I run into problems in future. I know who are the ones who helped me unconditionally. And of course, my family members and I are more united than ever. Together we try, United we stand. :)

Anyway, people who fail are the ones who know it all. That's what bestie told me. :)

Some day, I will fulfill my dream of watching a live Champions League final whereby Manchester United is a finalist. :) I will LIVE my OWN dreams from now on.

the power of the social media

There has been so much HooHa about the power of the social media over the last few years. The overnight success of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg's rise to fame, the power of twitter leading to the uprising in Egypt. Over the last 8 hours, I have witnessed the power of the social media too! I took part in this singtel contest for a pair of Wembley tickets to the UEFA Champions League Finals in Wembley! My family members and friends were extremely supportive. Overnight, I had 32 friends sharing the same link on their wall and asking their friends to like the photo for me too. Well, it is not an uphill task to click on the link and like a photo but is it worth their time especially when they do not get to share the prize. All they get is a word of thanks. But I am really heartened by them willing to help me out and broadcast the message to their other friends.

Thanks peeps! No amount of thanks can convey my gratitude. People who know me well will know what I value in life and the "thank you" that I said came out from the bottom of my heart.! :) Eventually, even if I did not win the football tickets, I realise that I have won something even more important in life. The love and care and concern of the people around me. :) Thanks a zillion, everyone who helped me to like the photo! I may not know you, may not have met you, may not have spoken a word to you, but the world is small. Some day if you see me along the streets, call out to me. I will be glad to be able to thank you personally. And our friendship blossoms from there! :)

Here's the link. http://miostadium.com/contests/crazyfanatics Row 5 3rd column!

I missed tennis 3 times in a row!

I hate the weather! Hate hate hate!!

I wanted to play tennis around 6.30 p.m. and the sky was clear and sunny all afternoon up till 5.30 p.m. So I made alternate plans to play tennis in the afternoon at 3.45 p.m. the next day. Great, the lightning risk is on at 3.30 p.m. Now it is really F the weather to the max! ARRRGGHHH!!!

What are words.....

It's a small small world

Readers of my blog would realise that I hardly blog about school. Yeah, indeed. I do not find leisure in discussing about my school life on my blog most of the time. However, there have been too many coincidences in school recently.

Two of my former students are in my class this year and I think I am really blessed to have them in my class. :) There are a million reasons behind why they stayed back for another year but I tell myself that I must believe in them, believe that they are motivated to learn and they will one day prove their worth to the many people out there that they are students worth spending time on, and worth giving them a second chance.

Of course there are other interesting characters around. There is a boy who is from South Africa in my class (but he is Asian)! When I first observed the class, I told myself to be prepared for the worst because his behaviour suggests to me that I am in for serious discipline. However, when I actually took over the class, he caught me by surprise. He told me he was from South Africa and he speaks with an American accent. Lol! He does not give me any problem at all because he takes pride in his work and he submits all his assignments on time. I guess having a good start and introduction to the class really matters. I caught him along the corridor and had a good chat with him the very day I took the lesson and got to know him better. He told me that he found himself to be pretty out of place in the school at times because no one's like him in the school. So I encouraged him to be himself and I really look forward to seeing him shine among his classmates. :) When I had lesson observation last week, he probably earned me credit. Initially, the class was pretty tense until he made a comment "Oh very well," and the class started laughing. I do not think that the comment had any meaningful connotation behind it but somehow the class was more relaxed after that comment.

And there's this other Indian-chinese in my class that perturbed me a lot initially. He is the typical "I-don't-give-a-damn-shit" about school kind of student and honestly, I was once like him. So I know that no amount of threats or punishment can actually motivate him to be more attentive in my class. All I need to do is to ensure that he does not disturb the rest during class. However, over the course of two weeks, I see a drastic change in his attitude. Initially, when he sees along the corridor, he will just walk past me as though I am invisible. Nowadays, he will call me "Cher" and I am really taken aback. :) He will chit-chat with me and sometimes we crack jokes along the way. As a teacher, I know how important it is that your student is willing to walk side by side with you. This shows that he respects you and that he is not ashamed to let people know that, "Yes, this is my teacher and I walk beside her because I think she is just as cool as me." I really do not know what changed him but I appreciate the fact that he has now become much more matured. He's like a little angel in my life these days because when I see him smiling and responding in class, I know that he is listening and he is learning. :)

I always believe that respect does not accompany your social status or designation. You have to EARN it! If you don't concur, do watch World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles. :)

The Adjustment Bureau

I caught the movie, the Adjustment Bureau last weekend and I was satiated after the show. Many perspectives presented in the show struck a bell within me. Perhaps I could just mentioned a few.

People who accomplish great things in life have a capacity that simple things like love, family, etc cannot fill. Have you ever watched "A beautiful mind'? If you did, you would understand where I am coming from.

We often set sail upon a certain route in our lives. At times, we may derail from what was set to be accomplished. When we do, something or someone comes into our way to remind us to get back on it. But have you ever questioned what veered you off the track? Was it love? Or was it your indecisiveness?

Do not be too certain about what can complete you as a person. It is not always the "big" things that you aspire to accomplish in life. Love can fill the desire in you so much that you are willing to sacrifice the "big" things. Or could it be that love can fuel you to accomplish even bigger things?

And so, which party do you seek allegiance to?

Realistic expectations

I set realistic expectations for myself and I live up to them most of the time, less one.

Others have their own different set of expectations of me.

But because my own expectations supersedes what others have of me always, I never fail them.

I never have to live up to others' expectations.

I know of the expectations of me this time round. Will I live up to it yet again?

He was a good man.....

When I feel for someone, I pen my thoughts for them. Tonight, I attended a wake and these are my thoughts for the deceased's family. That deceased may not be someone I know personally, but his family will someday become my family's family. And we are all one family under the bigger concept of LOVE.

Father: a man in relation to his natural child or children;

Father: a man who has continuous care of a child; a man who gives care and protection to someone or something;

Father: the oldest or most respected member of a society or other body.

Yes, he was a Father in every aspect above.

He gave life to me and that spoke of all that one could think of our relationship.

He watched the day I cried for the first time in my life, held my hand ever since I was a child, sat by me when I failed my examinations, stood quietly among the crowd yet applauded proudly for me on my graduation day, guided me to discover about the bigger universe during holidays, and that care never stopped even for a second. I call that continuity.

He battered with life, his business, worries, how to care and support the family, and eventually sickness. He was the most respected member of a society - our cosy little family.

We are all aggrieved by his departure but despite his death bringing about grief, elsewhere in another corner of the world, a newborn may be bringing about joy. I believe every end is a new beginning just like how the sunrise ensues the sunset.

He was created out of love, created others whilst in love, and eventually left for the better world above us on a day of love.

Father, I abide by your teachings and your words. Like you, I will live out my own eulogy.

Yes, he was my father, ______.

Dedicated to: M & J

It was in love I was created and in love is how I hope I die. - Paolo Nutini

I know it is late but I have something to say...

MM Lee once said, "The Westerners marry the woman they love. We, Asians, love the woman we married. However, I marry the woman I love and love the woman I married."

I guess his words are applicable to every context or situation in life.

You can choose to pursue a career that you love or you can love the career that you are pursuing now.

You can choose to appreciate the family that you are born in or pursue the family that you will appreciate.

You can choose to buy the things that you like but struggle financially or love the things that you have bought because you could not afford the more expensive choice.

You can love the friends that appear in your life or made only friends that you love.

Eventually, you can choose to be in a situation that you love or love any situation that you are being placed in. It is all about the mentality.

So shall we all be positive from today onwards and love the things that we are doing so that they will eventually become the things that we enjoy doing. :)

Commendation knocks in the most unexpected fashion

I was destined to be an underperformer in her eyes ever since that fateful day when I challenged her overtly. Today, she surprised me by commending me. Her commendation came at a moment that I least expected. However, I am grateful for all that she has shown me and in a fashion, yeah enlighten me. :)

We do not always get what we want in life, but we must have dreams and the courage to live our dreams.

Long-awaited Korea Trip II

Day 4/5: Spa, Skiing

I kinda mixed up the order of visit, whether it was the Spa first, Everland, or Skiing. Anyway, dipping myself into a hot spa really helps in soothing my frozen body or dry skin. I need the moisture so badly. There were a lot of jokes flying around when we stepped into the Female changing room. I guess Japan was a real eye-opener for me so I wasn't shocked by what I saw in Korea anymore, just picture those as naked bodies.

Skiing was probably the highlight of the entire trip. I have to say that it is not as easy as it seems. To be able to pick up that sport, you need someone to coach you for at least an hour or two, guide you along, and of course you must be take risks and not be afraid to fall. :) It may seem as easy as ABC to most out there, just opening up your knees and bending it a little to allow yourself to stop, but it only applies to the flat terrains. You need more than knowing how to brake to be able to ski. :) But anyway, skiing made me sweat in the cold, and that was the one and only time I sweat in Korea.!

Of course, we went to the mountain top and cafe where the Winter Sonata was filmed. I am never a fan of Korean dramas, so those sites do not ring a bell. Nonetheless, I do not deny that the picturesque surroundings should not be missed.:) Seeing how the snow filled up the entire hilltop really reminds me of the times in Europe. Oslo, Norway and Salzburg, Austria were the two places where we had so much playing with the snow, building our snowmen, and then engaging in snow fights with each other. Ah! How I missed Europe!

Day 6 - 7: Seoul, LotteWorld

Like I have mentioned in my previous post, I love theme parks! LotteWorld was a bit disappointing, not because of the level of excitement of the rides, but the time allocated for us to enjoy the theme park. We only had 3 - 4 hours there and some of the queues were really long. I ended up only taking the Gyro-Drop and one other ride, which I cannot recall the name off-hand. When Linky & I went to Tokyo DisneySea, we undertook the challenge of completing every single ride, regardless of its thrill level. The adrenaline rush never fail to fill us with excitement. There were times when we had to queue for 30-40 minutes but we waited nevertheless. Chatting was our way to kill the time. Occasionally, we discussed about our itinerary or even mocked at each other. However, LotteWorld was much different. I guess you need the right companion at different sightseeing sites. :)

Prior to departure, I had been anticipating shopping! I thought Korean fashion had a tinge of modernity that blended well with comfort and affordability. I was right about the former but not the latter. The clothes cost about 15000 - 35000 Won on average. Perhaps it was the aftermath of Bangkok that made me felt that the clothes were too pricey. In comparison to last year when I was in Japan, perhaps because my purchasing power had increased, thus I was more willing to pay for items that were almost the same price as in Singapore. I guess I would have bought more if we had more time to shop, especially their formal wear. However, I am satiated with what I brought back as well.

On the last day when we were out shopping, I was very vexed that I did not buy any shoes back from Korea (though I had earlier promised my mom that I have bought enough shoes for the year). So when JY and I went into one particular shop, I was adamant that I buy at least a pair of shoes. The marginal utility of that pair of shoe is beyond imagination. :)

Perhaps, some day I should return to Korea and just do a shopper's holiday. :)

I just spent a month of my mom's pay...

I got a new bag for the new year! :)

I was supposed to get it from Korea but the bag was out of stock and I did not have enough time to get to another outlet to buy it.

I contemplated to wait for wai to get it for me but my patience is running out by the day. So I popped by that beloved store and spent a month of my mom's pay! Yoohoo~~!

And now, I'm thinking of getting rid of my Neverfull MM. It has become so lc ever since that biatch bought it.

Long-awaited Korea Trip

5 years ago, we made a pact to embark on an overseas trip to South Korea. The trip ensued owing to the strong bond that we maintained even after graduation. All I can say it was a short and sweet one to South Korea. :)

Day 1 - We landed at Seoul Incheon airport early in the morning. Still feeling sleepy from the plane ride, we were advised to step out of the arrival hall and have a feel of the temperature and coldness. This would better prepare us on what to wear and how many layers to put on to keep ourselves warm. Indeed, the lesson learnt from Stockholm - to "feel" beyond the surface is applicable even on the Eastern side of the globe!

Went to the Government House, the conference venue where the recent G20 Summit was held (no big deal) in the morning and that hour of "sightseeing" totally froze my feet and ass off. :( Had lunch at a restaurant in Seoul before we headed off to Seoul Gimpo airport to take a domestic flight to Jeju Island.

I love planes and plane rides, but having to take a plane 4 times in a week has diminished my love for it. Perhaps it is not so much about the ride itself. Rather, it is about having to check in your bags and clear the security that really irks me.

Anyway, upon arrival in Jeju, we were brought to two places. One was the Ghost road" and the other, the Teddy Bear Museum. Having travelled to so many countries for the past four years, this is the first time I am being introduced to this whole teddy bear museum hooha! Apparently, the museum exists in a few other nations but the culture is not as apparent as in S. Korea. So the visit was an eye opener for me and having to uncover the history of teddy bears did wow me.

Day 2 - We were brought to a Volcano (no longer active though) and we had to climb a flight of stairs before reaching the mountain top. It took me by surprise that it was JY who ended going up to the mountain top with me since she is probably the least sports-inclined among the four of us. Life's full of surprises. :) But, good job JY!

Not to forget, we went to the village where "DA CHANG JIN" was filmed (I think but I ain't sure). I thought the guide at the village was really one of a kind.

Perhaps i enjoying seeing what I read. Just before I left for Korea, I was flipping through the Nat Geo magazine and came across an article on "Modern Mermaids." They are known as Japanese ama but in fact, they are female divers who get into the waters in search of shellfish. This way of life has been in existence in Japan for centuries. However, this culture is not unique to Japan. The Koreans do that too. In chinese, they call them the "海女." Well, seeing is believing.

Day 3 - I guess theme parks are something that I will never grow sick of (hopefully). Korea's Everland pales in comparison to Tokyo DisneySea or even Movieworld in Aussie. Nonetheless, it is special since it has the world's only natural born Liger. I have been hearing stories about how scary the rides in Korea's theme parks are but I did not get to experience it personally. The T-Express (world's longest Roller Coaster Ride) was closed for maintenance (the exact same thing happened in Aussie) so I had to leave yet another theme park filled with disappointment. The rest of the rides were amateurish to me. Perhaps I have been on too many thus the thrill is slowly evaporating. My only hope is USS now. :)

Alright, I am getting really sleepy. Time for my fingers to rest, for my brain to rejuvenate and my eyes to close.

Copycats

"Wah! You have a nice bag. I want to buy one too. Where did you buy it?" .....

Some time later....

I see her carrying the same bag as me.....

I hate copycats! People who envy me and then try to impersonate me consequently. Oh please, get a life and live out your own style and wishes. Not everyone pulls off an LV well (like I do, Bleh just joking). I hate lc people who overcompensate and try to live it up and buy branded so that they can look good. If you are lc, you are lc!

If you are ugly, you are ugly. A pauper looks ugly when she tries to act atas. Somemore, she's so FAT and she carries an LV bag! She totally destroyed the image of LV! Can she just f**king dump the bag away? Have you ever seen a fat woman with an LV bag and yet look good in it? NO! NEVER!

Oh well well well, some people just simply do not know their limits and where they stand.

She makes me puke whenever I see her with the exact same bag as me! When I carry the bag, light shines on me and there is an aura about me with the bag. When she carries the bag, she looks exactly like a fuddy-duddy. She just spent half of her pay on an LV bag. Idiocy indeed has no limits! No matter how many branded bags she purchases, her other features will betray her. You are fat and poor, admit it! You can never go from rags to riches no matter how hard you try.

Hates copycats, MAX! Pardon me for being mean.

I promise I will write something soon

Currently, I have lots of insights to share, be it on life, family, friends, etc. But I simply have no time to blog about it. Soon, I will. :)