below is an email exchange i had today, while trying to set up my bank account... it was hilarious, and rather.. frustrating:
xxx: Can you please confirm your Town of Birth?
me: It’s Singapore- for town, city, state and country. It’s that small :p
xxx: Is there a certain place that you were both in?
me: Sorry I don’t quite get your question, but I was born in Singapore – that’s usually the most specific detail Singaporeans fill in for place of birth. Could you please clarify?
xxx: What part of Singapore?
me: I was born in National University Hospital located at ‘Kent Ridge’ and I live in a neighbourhood called ‘Choa Chu Kang’. Neither are names of towns, just districts. Singapore is the name of the town, state and country. It’s unlike most countries in the world where there are different states and boroughs. Hope that clarifies.
(no reply thereafter...)
is the concept of having a city-state-country that hard to grasp?!
....... -_-.......
Monday, May 19, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
growing up
as i was cycling home from the beach today, a random thought hit me.
you know people always say that it's way better to be a student, i think it's only half true. ok, maybe two thirds. it's great to be a student in singapore, living at home and having almost nothing else except school to worry about. but i think for myraids of other 'less fortunate' students, it gets tough having to juggle other regular daily activities on top of school work, which usually doesn't become a problem until high-stress periods in school hits, and all the deadlines and exams start crashing down on you. i guess it's especially true in Scandinavia, and perhaps most of europe, where the youths typically move out of home at 18, and to support themselves through school. (of cos, school fees are fully subsidised, and there are living allowances granted by the govt - here in denmark at least- but the cost of living is so high most students have at least a couple of other jobs) . i think it's under such circumstances that one truly learns to be independent.
for me, these 2 weeks are marked with exams. it's probably my fault that i've got all my priorities jumbled up and haven't been consistent all sememter that's forcing me to play catch up, and at a very rapid pace. that's not exactly new to me, but what's new is that when it matters, i cannot fully give myself to absorbing whatever i need. daily routines that cooking and washing still have to be done; i've been going out to the embassy and post office again during my 72 hour exam; there are so many administrative things to settle in preparation for another phase of life in another country; and trips to plan, yes, priorities all mixed up again. Thank God that i've finally secured accomodation in London, so Hyde Park won't be my home; I've finally submitted all the documents i need to set up a bank account; and on tues, hopefully i'll be able to obtain an entry clearance visa.
at some stage in life, one really has to take charge of his own life. How you want to live your life becomes very much an individual choice - how sociable you want to be, how involved you want to be in things, how thrifty you need to be. You don't really have to answer to any physical being anymore, and in the same way, no other physical being can be there all the time to prompt you and help bear the consequences of your action/inaction. sure, it helps knowing that there's a God who will guide and direct the path ahead, but there's always that element of human responsibility. circumstances change over time; people and their role in your life change and fade away too. at some point, there's a recognition that you're one person, alone, out there in the world.
i guess my immediate concerns are the 2 exams i have on monday and wednesday, the poland-hungary-austria trip i'll be taking on wed (and the accomodations I've not booked), and then we'll take it again from there.
ok i just realised how stupid and shallow all that sound.
but it's so scary to realise what growing up really means. I'm gonna hide in my student shell for the rest of the night...
you know people always say that it's way better to be a student, i think it's only half true. ok, maybe two thirds. it's great to be a student in singapore, living at home and having almost nothing else except school to worry about. but i think for myraids of other 'less fortunate' students, it gets tough having to juggle other regular daily activities on top of school work, which usually doesn't become a problem until high-stress periods in school hits, and all the deadlines and exams start crashing down on you. i guess it's especially true in Scandinavia, and perhaps most of europe, where the youths typically move out of home at 18, and to support themselves through school. (of cos, school fees are fully subsidised, and there are living allowances granted by the govt - here in denmark at least- but the cost of living is so high most students have at least a couple of other jobs) . i think it's under such circumstances that one truly learns to be independent.
for me, these 2 weeks are marked with exams. it's probably my fault that i've got all my priorities jumbled up and haven't been consistent all sememter that's forcing me to play catch up, and at a very rapid pace. that's not exactly new to me, but what's new is that when it matters, i cannot fully give myself to absorbing whatever i need. daily routines that cooking and washing still have to be done; i've been going out to the embassy and post office again during my 72 hour exam; there are so many administrative things to settle in preparation for another phase of life in another country; and trips to plan, yes, priorities all mixed up again. Thank God that i've finally secured accomodation in London, so Hyde Park won't be my home; I've finally submitted all the documents i need to set up a bank account; and on tues, hopefully i'll be able to obtain an entry clearance visa.
at some stage in life, one really has to take charge of his own life. How you want to live your life becomes very much an individual choice - how sociable you want to be, how involved you want to be in things, how thrifty you need to be. You don't really have to answer to any physical being anymore, and in the same way, no other physical being can be there all the time to prompt you and help bear the consequences of your action/inaction. sure, it helps knowing that there's a God who will guide and direct the path ahead, but there's always that element of human responsibility. circumstances change over time; people and their role in your life change and fade away too. at some point, there's a recognition that you're one person, alone, out there in the world.
i guess my immediate concerns are the 2 exams i have on monday and wednesday, the poland-hungary-austria trip i'll be taking on wed (and the accomodations I've not booked), and then we'll take it again from there.
ok i just realised how stupid and shallow all that sound.
but it's so scary to realise what growing up really means. I'm gonna hide in my student shell for the rest of the night...
Saturday, May 10, 2008
happy mother's day!
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life... She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy... Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31: 10 -30 (selected)
i seriously cannot think of anyone i know who can fit the above description better than my mummy... (of course, if you read this, you'll probably say the same... so i'm biased.)
i think it must take super powers to handle everything in the house, manage a life that's already busy enough, and yet have time to be involved in everyone else's affairs... 'slacking' doesn't exist in her vocabulary- even TV time is ironing time, and commuting time is for planning ahead. i know that those super powers come from the special time she sets aside every morning, in quiet commune with her Heavenly Father, for the love that we children show her is definitely grossly insufficient to sustain her and make her go the millions of extra miles for us.
on a lighter note: this is hilarious...
we all know that nagging is really the epitome of motherly love.
mummy i hope you liked the video thingy that sharon did. (thanks ren!). please don't say i look much fatter now.... see you in less than a month! (:(:(: you really deserve a break.
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