...and the beat goes on

Brothers

2009-06-10T17:54:25Z

I am looking through my youngest brother's iTunes, and he's got songs that we used to listen to together a long time ago. (like, She's Madonna by Robbie Williams).. Listening to these songs is making me cry

He packed for his camp and Australia trip himself. I don't know why but I feel like a proud sister now.

I feel like I've missed out on them growing up. I know that I have. In some ways they will always be my little baby brothers, but they've matured. And it's coming as a pretty nice shocking surprise.

I hate goodbyes

2009-05-18T23:54:43Z

My time here is coming to an end. The moment my mother and brother arrive, it will be over. Forever. I will leave this home, and return to another. I don't know if I am ready for this. This is going to be the hardest goodbye I've ever had to say in my life. I truly wish that I'd be returning after summer. I am not ready to say goodbye. Nei nei nei nei nei.

Weather

2009-05-09T15:39:48Z

I am eating a serving of abalone porridge because we have lasagna for dinner tonight. And we all know how much I love lasagna.

So far, I'm done with
1) Human Rights (2 papers)
2) Biology (3 papers)
3) Math (2 papers)
4) English Paper 1

And I have yet to sit for
1) English Paper 2
2) Economics (3 papers)
3) Chinese (2 papers)

It's been rather cold and wet due to the persistent rain we're enjoying here lately. The weather now reminds me of how much I loved this kind of weather back home. (I guess I'll still love this wet rainy weather back home as the temperature has been really high right!!) This weather does not bring justice to Norway's Summer beauty. Aaaah. Please sun, come out after my Chinese papers! The weather now is a stark contrast from last year's. :( Which could be a good thing as it's an incentive to study!

However, the exams have made me rather anti-social. I haven't spoken with some of my friends for.. Well, as an example, yesterday was the first time I spoke with Lisa in two weeks!! Life's going to be so sweet after all the exams are over. I will finally be able to stop burying my head in my books :D

I hope it will be warm and sunny in Prague and Sweden!

feelgravity @ 2009-04-12T08:27:00

2009-04-12T00:41:06Z

I am in my bed listening to Mattafix's Big City Life. Gosh, I love that song.

Don't want to say goodbye

2009-03-29T12:55:51Z

I am really going to miss RCNUWC.

I've finally come to realise that I'm tired of moving around. I've attended more schools than the average person. The longest time in a school? 3 years. & honestly, I've never regretted my decision to leave each one of them. After every switch, I was exposed to a different culture, be it a learning or a social one. I learned something new. I got to know new people; each one of them unique in their own way. I love every single school I've attended. Sometimes for the physical architecture, the uniform, but always, always for the people.

I have finally resigned to becoming a hermit. For the first time in my life, I just want to stay put in one place. RCN has heard my fair share of complaints. I remember in the beginning of the year, I felt so ready to move on with my life that I installed a countdown timer on my computer. I would check it eagerly, counting down the seconds before my class would graduate. Oh, how naive and stupid I was.

Slightly less than 2 months left. Nooooo.

TIRED!

2009-03-26T13:49:30Z

I am tired.
Of waiting.

I hope that Lady Luck will strike me over the next week.

feelgravity @ 2009-03-16T08:50:00

2009-03-16T01:00:58Z

It's 2am on a Monday morning and it's still noisy.

feelgravity @ 2009-03-10T22:17:00

2009-03-10T14:23:00Z

My laptop charger fried itself last night! :( AGAIN... But thankfully Sally was there to save me with her universal laptop charger. Who knew such things would exist? Prelim results, or mocks as they call it here, are back. My managed to pull my highers back up to meet UCL's conditions, but my standards wavered. Argh.

I am extremely nervous for my recorded English Orals tomorrow :( Wish me luck!

Reading Week

2009-02-26T17:57:27Z

Gosh.. I am seriously tired =/ Tired of revising, tired of the politicking, tired of waiting for universities. Aaah. I've never been one for suspense or surprises, especially not if I can help it. It's quite ironic that I enjoy watching horror films.. I guess it's different seeing it being played on the big screen than when it's happening in your own life.

The first years are off to Ski Week, so it's Reading Week for us second years. It's actually quite nice having so few people off campus.. Reminds me of the two weeks we had to ourselves after the second years left us-really nice and relaxing (the sun was an added plus)

I'd really love to go to Paris again. Or just to travel somewhere during Easter Break!! :) But it's all so expensive!!

& I simply cannot wait to be done with Mocks. YEAH.

K off to watch this short documentary Dinali recommended on the LTTE.

RCNMUN 2009

2009-01-30T23:10:26Z

It is over. RCNMUN 2009 - OVER. You have no idea how relieving it is to say that.

I don't want to go into the mushy-mushy by being all reflective, but I was happy with the way everything turned out. Of course, there were things that could have definitely been improved, I made mistakes. But this was as good as it was going to get. I did my best, and if that isn't enough for some, go fly a kite. It was all a learning process for me and I really hope that the first years enjoyed themselves.

You win some, you lose some. Boy, it is indeed true that you learn most about people during times of adversity.

Now, here's to the weekend in complete solitude and isolation, studying for the lovely Economics test on Tuesday.

feelgravity @ 2009-01-29T06:46:00

2009-01-28T22:48:07Z

Some people deserve to be shot.

Quick update

2009-01-25T23:02:34Z

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget."
-Arundhati Roy

That has to be the most beautiful thing I've read today.

It was the Asian Day yesterday. I think all of us rocked it. My first year and I did a Dikir Barat performance with 13 other people. After months of rehearsing, I'm really proud of each and everyone of us! Especially our friends who took part because none of them understood what they were singing!

Oh, and our Fan Dance turned out really well too! We managed to do the flower perfectly. Aaaah, joy. My heart was beating super fast before our Fan Dance performance.

I'm happy it went well, and glad that it's over now. It'll be MUN for the rest of the week.. YEAH!

And then, trial exams. Oh, joy.

Btw, Happy Chinese New Year!

feelgravity @ 2009-01-23T08:25:00

2009-01-23T00:28:53Z

Please take me back to those carefree Crescent days...

Goodbye 2008?

2009-01-03T20:37:08Z

I've been feeling extremely insecure lately. I guess I'm feeling all of this because I'm so frightened at the thought of the future.. What will the future bring? Will things change? And importantly, what is this world coming to?! Things almost always do change over time. Don't they?

I've been meeting up with friends here and there. There's still so many people I still want to see because they were such a big part of my life - people I've shared laughs with, people I've cried with, people I've watched movies with, people I used to eat lunch with, ah you get the drift. It scares me that maybe, for some reason or another, they will cease to be part of my life. Zilch. Nada. No longer in contact list kinda thing. Scary thing is, I feel the tide drifting away slowly but surely. Maybe trying to reconnect the past with the present (and future) will serve futile in the end. Maybe what I should do is focus on the present and cease dwelling on the past?

2008 shed light on the things I hold dear in my life - things I want to keep constant because the mere thought of it puts a smile on my face. Things which are healthy. People and experiences that make me want to be a better person - a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend, a better confidante, a better student.

2008 was a year of learning how to forgive others for their mistakes. It was a year of change and adaptation. Most importantly, it was a year of self-actualization.

2008 was probably the toughest year I've ever had to go through in my life, especially having to go through the many challenges that God placed before me, alone. Learning the hard way that in the "real world" no one will clean up your mess and that you've got to stand up for your own beliefs because no one else will do it for you.

Towards the end of last year, I thought that I needed some form of assurance in my life (nothing in particular. But an assurance nonetheless.) I thought what I needed was some kind of permanence. But nah, "permanent" is not really my thing. What I've got to do is to learn to have more faith in the people I love and care about.

I hope this year will be a year of faith, trust and many good news for all.

Welcome, 2009. Here's to one more year before I hit the big 2-0.

This is home, truly?

2008-12-30T18:07:08Z

At the end of the day, home is still where the heart is. <3 I've truly enjoyed studying abroad, and I've benefited so much from it. But at the end of the day, what I look forward to is coming back home to my family. There is indeed something comforting being around people who know you well. People you can walk alongside in silence and know that there's nothing wrong. People who know your favourite dish, your favourite drink, your habits, your pet peeves and your quirks. I love my family terribly, and I'm so happy of where we're at now! We have come a long way:) (Now, if only I can find that hairdryer for my mum...)

If only more relationships were this permanent and not so temporary!

Darn those university applications.....

of many things I choose to write about

2008-12-04T16:32:14Z

Oh, how the world has changed! I can't believe school is ending soon. :) :) :) The past term has been an extremely stressful one. To be honest, I cannot wait to simply relax, chill, wake up late, eat good food.

I can't believe that I have two tests on my last day of school. Of which one is right after school!! How nice.

Mmmhmmm

2008-11-20T01:23:15Z

One drawback about attending a small school of less than 200 students (I counted, and there are 199) is that everyone knows everyone's business. It may not be a bad thing, but it's uncanny how someone can affect a large majority of people be it directly or indirectly.

3 weeks to Home. =)

I. Need. To. Remain. Focused.

November Break is here

2008-10-31T23:37:41Z

Hooray for November Break! (It's finally here.. Bringing along with it our beloved SATs)

I cannot believe how exhausting the past two days were even though we did not have formal classes.

I still cannot understand the Norwegian transportation system.

I am constantly amazed by the physical beauty of this place.

I can't believe we'll be in Paris on Sunday morning. Louvre, here we come!

Okay it's 12.30am now and I have to wake up at 7.00am for the SATs.

School

2008-09-03T16:05:35Z

School has started! Lots of work.. and this time University applications too. I am still finding it hard to narrow it down to 6 choices for the US but I'm somewhat settled for the UK. I am very satisfied with most of my classes this year. Bio has a really nice mix of people and so does Human Rights. I still think my English class is too big for anything conducive :( But my timetable (ie freeblocks) are poorly scheduled.

Fasting has started here & it's a completely different atmosphere from last year. No more banana cakes baked by Ahmed, nor pizzas baked by Marghe..

I really miss my second years :( I remember in the beginning, everytime I passed my old room, I would cry. And so would Lisa and Dinali. I truly miss all the fun and the talking, especially how the five of us 'clicked'.

I miss Sabrina too! I hope that all's well at Princeton, that you're enjoying Orientation and finally started settling in :)

But more than anything, I really miss my family.

xxx

:)

2008-08-05T15:10:21Z

I've been busy lately with my EE, amongst other things. My EE is somewhat completed but there's still room for improvement. My TOK essay has not been touched yet, but I'm hoping to start on it when I get my TOK book back in school. :)

I'm glad there were birthday parties to attend this past weekend as they provided a much needed break from school work.
Happy Birthday to Nadya, Alee, Belle and Polly!

I've got less than a week left till I leave to Kristina's place in Mesnali, a small town near Lillehammer in Norway. Lillehammer hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics! Moose Safari, here we come!

There's still a lot to be done before I leave - filling in university applications, my brother's Speech Day, my brother's Concert, a visit to the dentist, let's not forget the packing which I absolutely detest. There's also a family barbeque to look forward to on Saturday :)

My parents have been in deep discussion about buying a house in Melbourne. Our family has been looking at floorplans, schools, suburb profiles and even reading property magazines! My mum and I have been looking at display homes over the internet. Oh my, some of them are really gorgeous! There was one particular home with a ski-resort inspired interior decor which took out breath away. Literally. Simultaneously.

It's amazing how people can make money from property investments. Hopefully, one day I will be able to have my own portfolio of property investments (just like Mr Trump!) which will provide a steady stream of income for myself. :D These holidays, I've learnt the importance of financial prudence as well as the importance of being financially independent and responsible. It's important to spend wisely and yet be bold enough to take calculated risks.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about money. Next year, I head off to University. The cost of relocating to Melbourne, the cost of sending my brother to a private school, as well as my university fees will be a huge strain on my family's finances. But as my dad would say "These are 'pleasant' problems", and we'll deal with it together as a family.

I recall a conversation with Sabrina, and how each of us felt that we were at a turning point in our lives. She's heading off to an awesome university in the US and I am still deciding which universities to apply to. It's literally giving me a headache. :( There's so many good schools to choose from, but how do you know which one is the best fit for you?

Again, decisions, decisions, decisions.

When I look at my brother, I wonder what I would be doing if I hadn't left NJC. Would the trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with the other Humanities Scholars be any different from the one I took with my UWC friends? Would I still be enjoying Mr Whitby's intellectually stimulating Literature lessons? Oh.. And KI lessons with Mr Leong and Ms Seah, would they be any different from Kare Dale's?

I guess we'll never know for sure. Too many "what-ifs" in our lives are not good at all.

On a side note, mum did buy us those mangoes afterall:D

Fruits, and more fruits!

2008-07-28T14:52:16Z

I know people must think I'm crazily obsessed over durians. I've been thinking a lot about it. Ever since Justine told me you could buy durians for $1 at Kallang (or pick it for free at Mandai or Rifle Range Road), I've come to realise that durians are an amazing fruit. It takes a special group of people to appreciate it. Jacqueline would not even look at it when she was in Singapore! My brother hates it. And the people who appreciate it are a dime a dozen.

Remember yesterday's GAS? Well, I actually had the durian during lunch.. It was D E L I C I O U S!

During my year abroad I was craving for tropical fruits. And Dates during the fasting month! I savour every bite, every slice of mangosteen, longan, rambutan, durian, persimmon. Now, I have to ask my mum to buy me some Mangoes :D

Of many Sunday tales to tell...

2008-07-27T16:36:49Z

5 minutes after I returned home, after visiting my Grandma and running a few errands, my mum exclaimed...... "Can you smell GAS?" I thought we might have left the stove on, or that our crazy neighbours upstairs were trying to reenact Lux Lisbon's final act in the Virgin Suicides.. So I didn't really think much about it. Until, I actually smelt it.

And oh boy, it sure was G A S. Like the stove gas, and the flatulence gas all mixed in one. It was bad.

After further investigation, we found the culprit. It was a styrofoam box of durians in the fridge my Grandma gave me (I mean, the durians she gave. The fridge - my parents bought)! Too repulsed by the smell (I swear, durians used to smell like roses to me. I guess, today just wasn't the day...). We ate the mangosteens, longans and rambutans. It was no surprise that none of us dared touch that elusive styrofoam box of durians.

I guess some quick cleaning needs to be done tomorrow to rid the house of that God awful, repugnant smell. Very much like the quick 1-hour long intensive cleaning we gave our house today. I recall how shocked I was when I returned from Norway to a spotlessly clean house. It never was so sterile and organized, not even when our maid was here with us - the glass and marble tops were shiny (you could see your reflection), the kitchen floor was so spotless (not a grime could be seen), the CDs were even arranged according to genre(!!!). I guess my brother did some fair bit of spring cleaning when my mum and younger brother were visiting my dad in Melbourne.. I think he inspired the whole family to do our fair share of work around the house. :)

This very morning in question, I was awed by the efficiency we washed, mopped, polished, vacuumed, swept, even cooked Roti John.. You name it, we probably did it (Think Martha Stewart, minus the criminal charges). Who knew, we would be such an efficient cleaning machine. Ayah, you would have found this so amusing! Guess what, all of us woke up at 9am (early for our family on a Sunday) to clean the house for my brother's Chemistry tuition teacher, who.. Guess what.. Did not show up in the end! (My brother suspected that she overslept. And boy, was he livid. He was telling us that he could have overslept too!!!)

Today was indeed a day of laughs!!!

I wonder what tomorrow will bring, because each day is a new day. And no day will be like any other :)

What? These telecommunications providers!

2008-07-22T15:18:42Z

I've finally borrowed the reading materials for my EE!

(this is so exciting! Okay, I'm starting to sound like a nerd)

My mum received the mobile phone bill for the month of June. I overused it. Badly.. Seriously, I get charged $79 for an 11 minute call home from Cambodia?! The charges for Thailand weren't as bad. I was cautious of how long I talked on the phone.. Each call was to just give an update on our trip. ARGH. I should have checked the call charges, bought a calling card, maybe not even call home. I feel extremely guilty for being such a careless, stupid girl. Bottom line: I should have been a more methodical trip planner. I feel so bad and guilty for overspending.. And to add insult, it's overspending by mistake.

The weekend

2008-06-03T00:25:22Z

The past few days have been intense.

Bio field trip to Lammetun on Saturday
TWO Bio lab reports in 2 days (and as a result, not sleeping for one entire day)
BBQ on Sunday!
Math Portfolio
Two English Essays
Packing
Salmon Fishing(!!!)
...............................

And we haven't even started cleaning yet.

The weather has been so kind to us. Flekke is more beautiful than ever. I am truly going to miss this place when I leave for Summer.

I know it's time for a lengthy post, but I cannot seem to get my thoughts in order.. Soon :)

All I can think of now, is a nice warm plate of my favourite Chicken Rice.

The last week

2008-05-20T08:38:44Z

It's hard to believe that the school year is coming to an end for us. One year has passed. It all seems too surreal, too unbelievable - I don't want it to be true, but it is. The thought of the upcoming Graduation makes my stomach churn.

Please say it isn't so. Tell me you're really not leaving :(