Can't believe I was in HK last weekend. It was really great to catch up with my friends. It was also pleasantly surprising that it didn't feel like I hadn't seen them for more than 9 months. But at the same time, it was sad because somehow I think we all knew that this kind of reunion would probably never happen again.
Can't believe I have been working for more than a month already. If you thought that time flies while you're schooling, wait till you start working. Can't complain though because I like my job and the people around me. Hoping for the best and maybe a little more? Haha... :D
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Moving with the times
Came across this article and I started to look back at my own education and realized the irony of my academic success. To be blatantly honest, every "A" I got could be attributed to one skill in particular - memory. I remember people often commenting that the move from primary level to secondary and from secondary to JC gets increasingly more difficult. However as time passed, studying actually got easier for me because every exam merely gave me the chance to improve my skill of memorizing a chunk of facts within a week and regurgitating them onto the exam script before wiping them clean from my memory. It didn't matter that I never understood the significance of a chi square test, why trigonometry existed or what an ester actually was. (I still don't know the answers to any of these) The subject never really mattered because the process of studying was the same. Memorize, repeat, erase. I wonder if those 12 years really did kill any passion I had for learning. I wonder if I even remember what being passionate about learning feels like. I wonder about the exact moment the hint of passion flickered and died.
SMU and AIESEC may not be perfect but I cannot deny that my university life slowly opened my mind. I definitely still have a long way to go but at least I started somewhere right? Despite the changes that I've experienced during the last 4 years, my behavior in university is vastly different from that at work. From the fearless, frank fighter, I immediately turn into this cautious, quiet person. And I just don't understand. How is it I can be so relaxed during interviews but uncontrollably over think during work? Wondering if I'll say something stupid, wondering if it's an appropriate time to talk to someone, wondering this, wondering that, stressing over the little things, feeling like a leech. Shouldn't all these inhibitions have disappeared by now? Hadn't I already overcome them?
Was the impact of 4 years living in a more enlightened environment not enough? Did it pale in comparison with 12 years of being trained to fear authority and never question the status quo? Do my formative years really matter more than the recent past? Was the cause of it all being brought up in a formal schooling environment where obedience and silence were valued more highly than diversity and candor? I am beginning to wonder if my fear is really a trait of my own character or merely the effect of social conditioning which I am in dire need to get rid of.
Article at http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/npr.php?id=128235453
SMU and AIESEC may not be perfect but I cannot deny that my university life slowly opened my mind. I definitely still have a long way to go but at least I started somewhere right? Despite the changes that I've experienced during the last 4 years, my behavior in university is vastly different from that at work. From the fearless, frank fighter, I immediately turn into this cautious, quiet person. And I just don't understand. How is it I can be so relaxed during interviews but uncontrollably over think during work? Wondering if I'll say something stupid, wondering if it's an appropriate time to talk to someone, wondering this, wondering that, stressing over the little things, feeling like a leech. Shouldn't all these inhibitions have disappeared by now? Hadn't I already overcome them?
Was the impact of 4 years living in a more enlightened environment not enough? Did it pale in comparison with 12 years of being trained to fear authority and never question the status quo? Do my formative years really matter more than the recent past? Was the cause of it all being brought up in a formal schooling environment where obedience and silence were valued more highly than diversity and candor? I am beginning to wonder if my fear is really a trait of my own character or merely the effect of social conditioning which I am in dire need to get rid of.
Article at http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/npr.php?id=128235453
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thoughts about China
Many people would assume that Singapore and China are very similar. Indeed, majority of Singapore’s citizens are of Chinese descent. In fact, if you trace our ancestries back by a mere 2 or 3 generations, you will find that most, if not all our grandparents and great grandparents were immigrants from China. The unfortunate truth is that I was never a fan of China in the past. A holiday trip to Beijing in 1995, when I was just 8, left a terrible impression. A subsequent vacation to Yunnan also sharpened my stereotype of people spitting at every corner, littering at will and using toilets which were simply repulsive. Even a trip to Shanghai 6 years ago did nothing but confirm China’s reputation for having chaotic streets and a serious air pollution problem. My impression of China then was just 3 words. Filthy, rude and detestable. Our education system and exposure didn’t do much to improve this impression either. Increasing emphasis on the importance of English and long term exposure to American TV dramas convinced me that the grass was always greener on the Western side.
We’ve come to generalize the world so quickly that we often forget the importance of personal interaction and relationships. We’re so used to holding a macro and sweeping view of things that it takes a constant and conscious effort to break our stereotypes, especially the negative ones. Last year, my exchange experience in Europe taught me that there are good sides and bad sides to everything in life. Therefore, I decided to challenge myself and come to China for the summer. After being here for about 2 weeks, I must say that I have met too many generous, friendly, open, sincere and helpful people here. They’ve definitely changed my attitude towards China, forcing me to draw a line between the external circumstances which so often leave people powerless and the hopes and aspirations each person possesses. While I cannot say that I have or ever will be able to accept all things (Mainland) Chinese, I can now say that I will make a conscious effort to consider carefully before making sweeping statements about this country or lumping them all in one bad category. I can truly say that coming for this DT was one of the best decisions I've ever made so far. I really hope that China will develop into a more gracious, open and vibrant country, and have nothing but best wishes for the new found friends I’ve made.
We’ve come to generalize the world so quickly that we often forget the importance of personal interaction and relationships. We’re so used to holding a macro and sweeping view of things that it takes a constant and conscious effort to break our stereotypes, especially the negative ones. Last year, my exchange experience in Europe taught me that there are good sides and bad sides to everything in life. Therefore, I decided to challenge myself and come to China for the summer. After being here for about 2 weeks, I must say that I have met too many generous, friendly, open, sincere and helpful people here. They’ve definitely changed my attitude towards China, forcing me to draw a line between the external circumstances which so often leave people powerless and the hopes and aspirations each person possesses. While I cannot say that I have or ever will be able to accept all things (Mainland) Chinese, I can now say that I will make a conscious effort to consider carefully before making sweeping statements about this country or lumping them all in one bad category. I can truly say that coming for this DT was one of the best decisions I've ever made so far. I really hope that China will develop into a more gracious, open and vibrant country, and have nothing but best wishes for the new found friends I’ve made.
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