Been in a trance mode over the past few days & have no mood to post anything. I'm worried abt a friend who hasn't adjusted back to life back home after a long stay @ melb. Well, every1 would have their don't-feel-like-I-belong-here-anymore period after being overseas for so long, but u juz gotta do it for urself, NOT for any1 else. Stay strong G****y!

Oh yeah juz in case any1 thinks that the politicians/ministers are really savvy & has seen the world many times over, here's 1 excerpt that proves they really haven't:

'Lim Swee Say, Minister in SG government: When I was studying in Britain, I thought it was weird they were serving my fav vanilla ice cream w/ choc topping (for dinner). It turns out to be mashed potato!'

Merry blated x'mas & Happy New Year!!

Just watched this UTube video clip of Sally Yeh, Stephen (unknown), Tony & Candra in the HK Open. Seems like IBF has definitely made the right choice in making Sally the ambassador! Quite surprised that she can actually hit base to base so easily, & she's waaaaayyy better than the stephen dude! Anws, enough of the spoiler haha. Go watch this video!

Oh yeah non-badminton players shld also watch coz it's funny!~ :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPGCRTQ6Cpc

Mind is in a state of confusion now. On one hand, I'm thinking of how I can become a successful entrepreneur, but on the other I'm also considering how much social life I'll miss out on. Why can't I have both in moderation??

I've set myself up mentally for 4 years of hermit office life, or at least I thought so. Maybe once I get into it I won't have the time to think anymore, coz investment bank hrs in sg is 8 am - 10 pm EVERYDAY, 5 days/week + occasional OTs on sats too. That is, IF I do get it, & that's a BIG if. It's ironic how I'm yearning for the job now but I turned it down when it was served to me, on a plate, close to a year ago *sigh*.

The manager is out for annual hols & won't be back till next jan, so I'll have plenty of time to think over my decision, which is what I fret the most now. More thinking time means I'll have more time to consult people, & I'm just afraid I won't have the resolution to see it through. Firm up ur mind hendry!! 'Be a man, do the right thing!' But what's right? Spending my youth pursuing my dream, or just live it off happily & not worry about anything?

Maybe it's time to just take an overseas trip again, & let fate decide what it has in store for me..........

Jakarta trip highlight

Jakarta is a fascinating place. I didn't really have much expectation for it coz it's an indo place, but how wrong was I proven! Perhaps my view of indo is restricted to what I see in my own province, which is completely dwarfed by what Jakarta offers. The cosmopolitan feel of certain places there is of a totally different league compared to the rest of indo & even sg. Huge mansions, presumably owned by the biz elites & 'well-paid' government officials, are spread through certain posh areas, some numbering more than 3000 well-designed houses in a single area.
There is probably nowhere in indo that the disparity between the richest & the poorest people are so evident. Northern & southern jkt are filled with beautiful houses that belong to the ultra rich, but the western and eastern sides are littered with plank-built temporary quarters, which will be demolished when some rich investors buy over the land for commercial use. These places are also dangerous as there are always instances of daylight robbery & carjacking. They could hardly be blamed bcoz the minimum wage there is less than 200 sgd/mth, & 1/2 of the jkt population probably lives on that. Survival is a big issue because the living standard in jakarta is the highest of any indo cities when the wage is the same everywhere.

CBD area in jakarta is a joke. I took a taxi there in the morning & it took me around 20 mins to get there, but when I went back in the afternoon it took more than 3 hrs bcoz of the chronic after-work jam! Shopping wise, south Jakarta has much more to offer with its series of huge, posh & organized malls that is a rarity compared to the rest of Jakarta (& batam for that matter). Ok, call me sua ku coz I haven't been out of my province @ indo before, but jkt is really the place to be if one aspires to become the typical rich indos that u see walking down orchard road or swanston st =)

Overall, this trip really broadened my view on what are the possibilities & chances that exists in a developing country. Seeing how some of my relatives have made it huge @ indo, it leaves me wondering what I could do to emulate the same success. I think I have much more at the start compared to them: education & opportunities, but not being there means I'll miss out on many chances that might come my way had I stayed. That's a consideration I need to weigh before deciding whether to set foot on the indo soil again permanently (& I probably have to le-learn indo before I could do that anyway *frown*). It's gonna be a tough choice, but right now I shouldn't focus on short-term gains. Instead, I'll have to put what I've learnt so far to good use: multinational style of management and financing options. That's why I'll have to ply my trade at MNCs, before I give myself the option of whether to go back in 3-4 years time. Dad is always telling me even if I have to put in long hours of work, it's nothing compared to their early days of carrying rice sacks up & down planks in the harbour, which is true. If I have to work hard for 3-4 years to realise my dreams in the future, I will do it w/o hesitation.

A few successful friends I've asked for advice did the same thing in the early part of their career: getting work experience before going out to set up their own bizs, so I guess there's no shortcut to my dream. So, next time don't be surprised if I announce that I'm working in a 9-5 job, or in sg terms 8.30 am - 6 pm. Possibility of 8 - 9 p.m. working time also exists. & this will mean the next time u see me is probably the last time too till 4 years later =(

Melb, my El Dorado

It wasn't the best flight exp I've had. Turbulence was coming every 10 mins, & each time it got worse & worse. I was starting to wonder how close I was to the feared 'D' word then, but God helped us thru', & we landed safely. As I made my way thru' immigrt, I noticed the posters with the words, 'Welcome to Australia'. It was then that I realised I was finally back home...

Stepping out of the airport, the fresh air/cold wind that greeted me was really refreshing compared to the stale, hot & humid atmosphere near the equator. Although it had me shivering thruout my journey back to Flinders mansion when I walked back from Spencer St (or the more politically correct Southern Cross station... blah blah blah..) coz I couldn't remember which way Flinders was =( It was gd to also hear all the guai lohs with their Oz accent, which I could still barely comprehend till now! After a brief rest, headed out to join my indo friends and showed them the beautiful melb, & u wouldn't believe how proud I was when they sung praises of the places we visited & the food we tried! Went to crown for cake (can't remember the place..) & then on to lygon st (coretto's) for my fav salmone tortellini & pizza, before heading on to brunetti's for the biscotti & pastries *yum*! Later on her cousins came by and we drove everywhere looking for the kraft biscuit with cheese dip. U wouldn't believe how many she bought... a crazy 2 dozens! Apparently her kids really love it & she makes use of it to bribe 'em haha.

Next few days was spent hanging out w/ the flare peeps, & the group has changed so much that I barely recognized 1/2 the peeps then! The oldies (sorry am, ness, kel, & jel, but it's true!) are still ard, but Flare is flooded with new members now! Well I guess time rolls on & doesnt wait for any1, so it's inevitable that this will come along =) Kudos to the committee for preserving & passing on the 'feel' and the flare values to the new members *clap clap*!

Spent some alone time on a few afternoons & walked everywhere. Yes I meant WALKED literally. Walked down from Uni after baddie sessions to Flinders thrice, & it took me more than a hr each time coz I made detours to Il dolce and other eateries along the way =) It's funny coz I wouldnt have done that in the past, but I actually found time to admire many things that I failed to notice before, & each time I'd discover something new too. Weather was fantastic everytime I did that, 'cept for some freak winds, & it really motivated me to take the extra mile by foot.

& then there was my surprise farewell too! It'd hav been perfect if Sher didnt mention it to the wrong person on thurs before, or that she didnt suddenly stop messaging me after asking me out for dinner on the same day! Anws, the surprise didnt actually lie in the 'surrpise' itself, but more of who eventually turned up. Thx so much to all the peeps who came (am, NESS, caleb, vinh, lee ean, sher, suz, gracey, ning, & of course my dearest jel). U guys juz made it harder for me to leave when I told myself that it was going to be a biz trip + packing my old stuff, & then back to the boring sg before the trip. Now I'm actually distracted from my work & target coz I think of melb & u guys all the time!! haha actually that'd be a gd thing, but not when I'm working!

When it finally came to the time when I had to leave, I couldn't sleep for the last 2 nights, for very different reasons which I shan't elaborate here. I did finally come to terms with it, bcoz I know there's work to do back home that I can't leave behind, as much as I wanted to stay behind. With a heavy heart, I finally finished packing up my stuff @ 4 am, & went to sleep with tears welling up in my eyes.

To my dearest friends:

Am, thx for making time to see me even tho u were in the middle of writing ur essay. Thx too for filling me in with the latest gossips ard flare *chuckle* & for accompanying me to the biggest eat-out I've done at melb this time! U're probably one of the only few peeps whom I can juz talk freely to, & we probably can spend the whole day gossiping if time allows for it haha. That really didnt sound so right did it =)-

Kel, one third (or one fourth, according to u =p) of the new gay^3. We havent really spent much time together on this trip coz u were busy with ur CA & bike ride preparation, but it was really great seeing u again in the b'day dinners & surprises. Nothing can compare to the time we spent during summer bro, & that will always remain in my memory. Dee was asking me when we'd all be together again, & that juz triggered flashes of the good times we had. Stay cool bro, & gd luck for the CA exam!

Joon, the other member of the gay^3 & my ex-housemate. Derr & I talked 'bout how life would have been if we have gotten to stay together @ flinders this year, but as fate dictated it wasn't meant to be. I really couldn't feel more indebted to some1 coz u've been super-duper cool abt the whole issue, when some other peeps would have juz gone bonkers abt it. Thx so much also for lettin' me stay with u on this trip, coz I'd hav been 'homeless' otherwise. It's been a wonderful trip this time bcoz of some special pplz, & u were definitely one of those.

Jel, my dearest jel. This trip would definitely have been really different w/o u, & thz so much for spending ur precious time with me. If there's a person that deserves my special mention from this trip, it'd be you. Really appreciate all the things u've done for me (organizing farewell dinner + compiling the msgs & pics) & driving me ard to wherever my cravings demanded (Juz be careful on the road dear, coz it's not the 1st time u missed the red light already =)!). I'll always remember the quiet, serene time we spent together too, when we juz sat and bask under the moonlight or watching the sunset. That was by far the best time I've had this time, & I was glad I spent it with u.

Thx so much too to the new flare friends I've met this time, & to those who sent me msgs (some1 also gave me a card!) b4 I left (u know who you're..), know that it was very much appreciated. Really hope to get to know u all better in the future, so drop me a mail whenever!

To my other close friends, thx so much for making time to see me amid ur busy schedule, & know that geographical distance is certainly not something that will keep our minds apart.

To my baddie frens, it was great to be back playing @ melb uni again, & hope u guys can keep on enjoying baddie & score more victories in competitions too!

Gosh, finally came to the end of this post. Just want to say in the end if there's supposedly a paradise on earth for everyone, my version of it would be melb..