Livin The S'pore Life

Hello lah! I'm finally in S'pore, and it's so surreal. For the past year I have been waiting for this day, and it seems that I'm trying to cherish every moment I have here (maybe that's why time moves by slowly).

What can I say about the weather...? It's hot and humid and I'm always sweating. But it's pretty alright with the help of fans. I always love the mornings as they are cool but not too cold. Just right for moa... =]

It's been eventful since I've been here. Just yesterday, I've went to karaoke and watched a movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks. And MUST I talk about the food? So far I have eaten chai tau kuey for 3 days straight. But I think I'll take a break today... =p The food... It's so good here. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

So in all, I'm enjoying myself. Let's hope everyday would be like that...

:)
:)
:)

See You In Singapore!

As you can see, I have removed the countdown. There's but a day left to Singapore. As I'll arrive at night, I don't think I'll be able to write any posts. I will try to keep you posted on what I have been doing in S'pore. In the meantime, we're still doing some last minute packing.

Remember the first time I started counting down the days? And the day has finally arrived! First, I'll enjoy the movies and food on the plane. Then, reunite with my relatives. Hopefully, I get to see my friends as well. Well, that's my plan. SEE YOU GUYS IN SINGAPORE! =]

To Sum It All Up...

My heart is racing as I'm writing this post. There's just 1 more week till I go back to Singapore. As I look back at this year, I would have to say that this has been the most eventful and happiest year in my life. It's funny how everything is so different from Singapore. Every morning I wake up, I may not feel excited about going to school, but I don't feel like "life's boring". I always feel that something good will happen school and that everyday is different, not like Singapore where I always felt that the days were almost the same(sch*study*study*hw*). I feel blessed that I am able to come here and experiece a whole new life from my old one and frankly, I'd love to stay in my new one. However, as I write all of this down, I feel like I'm heavily criticising my hometown. I do sometimes want to go back home, to see my friends and relatives. Everyone I know and love is all there and leaving them was hard. But having a change was what I needed and I'm happy that I came here. Before going to Australia, there were a few that I wasn't as close to. During my stay, I would love to meet up with them and get to know them better (like family). This is what I hope to achieve...

Sure, there are a lot of "flaws" about Singapore but there were a lot of good things there which I didn't cherish. In my earlier posts, I have said that I missed the food there. Before, I always dreaded going to the hawker centres because of the same food and no air-con. Now, I would say a plate of chai tau kuey is a cuisine for me... Also, it's so convenient in Singapore. You could go somewhere without too much hassle.

To sum it all up, I can't answer which country is my favourite. It's like asking a parent which child they liked better. I love both countries and... everything in them. but i like australia tv better because they air the shows way faster than singapore. =]

Countdown =DD

I just added a countdown at the bottom of the page... Just to let y'all know... :)

IQ test (pt.2)

Will post the answers next time... if you really want me to! :)

p.s: If there are more than 3 comments asking for the answer, I'll put it up...

IQ test

I found this IQ test on the Internet and found it very interesting. Apparently, this was given to job applicants in Japan. I took a while to figure it out... See if you can do it as well... The instructions are in Chinese, so I'll translate it for you... :p

Only two people can be on the raft at a time.

The father cannot stay with any of the daughters without their mother's presence.

The mother cannot stay with any of the sons without their father's presence.

The thief (striped shirt) cannot stay with any family member if the policeman is not there.

Only the father, the mother and the policeman know how to operate the raft.

To start, click on the big blue circle on the right.

To move the people, click on them.

To move the raft, click on the pole on the opposite side of the river.

http://freeweb.siol.net/danej/riverIQGame.swf

Reading (inspired by chloeleong)

I'm not the type who can really remember the books I read. But there is one book which I will never forget. "Carrie" is a novel by Stephen King. It's a suspense/thriller type and has a touch of vengence in it.

It''s a story about a girl with the gift of telekinesis - the power of moving things with the mind. She lives with her overly religious mother who looks at her like she's a devil because of her powers. Adding to that, she's constantly physically and emotionally abused by her classmates for being too religious. This all comes to end when a few of the students planned something so terrible to Carrie that she loses control of herself and creates a catastrophe.

READ THIS BOOK! It's by far the best book I've read...

Reality Check

For the last few months, time seemed to be going so fast. But now, everything's going by slowly. I don't really get it. I have heard that if you're having fun, time is going by faster than you'd expect. If it is...then I don't know why I'm not having as much fun as I did last few months. All this waiting to go back to Singapore could have contributed to this.

Haha... I remember telling Mum and Sis all about the things I'm going to do in Singapore. Then, Mum said "Those things you said... Bear in mind that they might not turn out the way you imagined it." Then, I realised that I shouldn't plan everything at once. It's funny how perception seems to be ALWAYS better than reality... :p

What a Night!

Last night, while the three of us were chatting in the bedroom at around 11:45 pm, we heard some commotions along the street next to our house. Curious as we were, we took a peek from our bedroom window. A few men were hurling vulgarities at each other. There was a parked car next to them. It took us a while to understand what they were arguing about. One of the guys shouted at the top of his voice, saying "Why did you ****ing throw my keys up the roof? How am I going to get home now?!". Lots of arguments followed after that. Some ten minutes later, we saw the three of them pushing the stationary car to a few houses down the road. It was dark and we couldn't see much. With that, we decided to sleep.

This morning at around 10 am, we saw the three men looking for their keys in the front garden of our opposite neighbour. They didn't seem to have found it...

Psalm 91:5–7 'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.'

PSLE!!! :(

In a matter of weeks (I think), the Pri 6 students will start their PSLE exams. This has to be the most important exam to every kid in Singapore. I remember going through the whole process... Everyday was "Studying Day" for me. My teachers kept reminding us to study and study because all of our knowledge is tested in this crucial examination.

During the days of PSLE exams, it was EXTREMELY nerve-wrecking! My heart was beating fast when I was waiting for the exam papers to be passed out. And when the test ended, a wave of relief goes through my body. However, the thing that I remember most was when PSLE officially ended. After the Science paper, everyone celebrated. It felt like a HUGE burden lifted off my shoulders. Parties followed after..... I'm sure everybody felt this before.....

What's the purpose of this post? Well, I would have to say that this post is dedicated to chloe. PSLE is coming and I know how she feels at this stage. All the pressure and stress, all because of this exam.

If you do read this, I want to wish you well in your PSLE. Hope you pass with flying colours~!

12 Apostles (and my family)

Another long car ride journey... to the Great Ocean Road. This time, I won't be writing any story because it would take up a lot of time... So... here are the pics my Dad took...

"Pictures are worth a thousand words" Proverb

To be continued...

4 Months Left...

Well... There's exactly 4 months left to Singapore. With that little time left, I want to plan what I'm going to do there. There are a few suggestions which I've already planned out, such as meeting up with friends, etc. But more importantly, I want to spend time with my relatives. Any suggestions to what we could all do when we go there??

Haha... =D

Three engineers and three accountants are traveling by train to a conference.

At the station, the three accountants each buy tickets and watch as the three engineers buy only a single ticket.

"How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?" asks an accountant.

"Watch and you'll see," answers an engineer. They all board the train.

The accountants take their respective seats but all three engineers cram into a restroom and close the door behind them.

Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the restroom door and says, "Ticket, please."

The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on.

The accountants saw this and agreed it was quite a clever idea.

So after the conference, the accountants decide to copy the engineers on the return trip and save some money (being clever with money, and all).

When they get to the station they buy a single ticket for the return trip.

To their astonishment, the engineers don't buy a ticket at all.

"How are you going to travel without a ticket?" says one perplexed accountant.

"Watch and you'll see," answers an engineer.

When they board the train the three accountants cram into a restroom and the three engineers cram into another one nearby. The train departs.

Shortly afterward, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and walks over to the restroom where the accountants are hiding.

He knocks on the door and says, "Ticket, please."

Aussie TV

Some of you may be wondering... Are there any good shows in Australia? Well, just like Singapore, there are a few American shows shown here. Also, there are a few local shows which are good. Here are the shows I usually LOVE to watch~!

1. Lost

2. Heroes

3. Desperate Housewives

4. Prison Break

5. Ugly Betty

6. Big Brother (Aus)

7. Australian Idol (Aus)

8. Thank God You're Here (Aus)

8. Family Guy

Well, there are a lot more... But I can't put it up here because I can't pictures of 'em here... Do you guys watch any of the shows I watch? :p

Party Differences

I attended another party. This time, it was an all guys party. I gotta say, it was a really big difference from the other parties I've been to. Now, I shall state the differences between a guy's party and a girl's party.

Guys - Jokes (80%) Serious Talk (20%)
Girls - Jokes (35%) Serious Talk (65%)

Guys - Usually held at their own homes.
Girls - Usually held in a restaurant or somewhere other than home.

Guys - Pizza and Snacks
Girls - Home-Cooked Food

Guys - XBOX or PS2
Girls - Still more talk... (I think)

Guys - Movies on TV (DVDs)
Girls - Movies in Cinemas

Guys - Casual Wear
Girls - Expected to wear something nice (Unless you have thick skin)

Guys - Loud music
Girls - Soft music or no music at all

Well... That's about it. If you have anymore to add... DO TELL... Or if you disagree with anything, DO TELL...

Speechless...

It came as a surprise. Maybe it was because Mrs Kemp (Science teacher), didn't want us to run away from this prac. We came... We saw... We were about to throw up. 6 dead rats laid in a container on the teacher's table. Questions filled everyone's heads. Our worst fear came true when Mrs Kemp said "We're going to dissect rats today."

I could not believe I was going to do this. Looking at the rats were pretty bad already, but to cut them up and exposing the organs.... -_-''' We were to be in groups of 4 and I ended up in a group with 3 girls. I had no choice but to bring the rat to the table we were working on. Thankfully, we had gloves. Its body was cold and its eyes were still open! Poor fellow.

I placed it down on a wooden board with newspapers. Mrs Kemp gave us scissors, knives, etc. Time to begin! Somehow, 2 of the girls decided to cut it up first (curious, maybe..). And they did. When they got disgusted enough, I took over. Within minutes, we could see its digestive system (the whole thing~!). We had to sketch and draw what we saw and answer a few questions.

The whole thing was finally over. Yes, there were a few who felt nauseous and had to go out of the classroom for a while. Some were fine with it and some pitied the rats, thinking they died just because of us. A "good" experience... Any of you ever dissected anything?

6 Weird Things (as tagged by naniecheng)

I was reading a post in naniecheng's blog and I realised that I've been tagged! I even commented on that post and said I would write about it in my blog, but I haven't! I was supposed to write 6 things weird about myself. Thinking...

Weirdz~

1. I still can't whistle! All my family members can whistle except me. I'm 14 and I still have no idea how to whistle. Embarassing and WEIRD!

2. When I'm bored, I like to walk around the house aimlessly. There is nothing in my mind while walking. I just walk and walk until someone tells me to do something. I never stop!

3. Like naniecheng, I don't mind listening to the same songs for hours and hours. Yeh.. Some of my family members do get bored with my songs. And one of my family members hate my type of songs. So.. he/she can get pretty pissed if I keep listening to the same songs...

4. I have a tendency to always brush my teeth in the morning. If I don't, it will always stick in my head. I'll never be able to do anything until I brush my teeth. It may not be weird to you but it is to me. I MUST brush my teeth before I do anything else. or I'll never rest easy.

5. This has been happening recently. I eat a lot! However, my body never gets to grow fat. I eat a lot during proper meals and snack a lot at night. Despite all this, I am still thin! I'm always telling everyone "I wanna grow FAT!" and they look at me with weird looks, "Everyone's obsessing to grow thin and you want to grow fat! Haha~! Be thankful for this."

6. I'm thinking so much for what to write for the 6th weird thing. I mean, this is not a test or exam... but I still keep thinking for what to write. I think a lot... Too much maybe...

My Latest Creation - Carrot Cake!

Today, I've achieved something I thought I wouldn't be good at. For home ec (Home Economics), I was paired up with someone to make CARROT CAKE (not the Singapore kind). At first, I thought we would have trouble making it... But it turned out good! Hehe... I was so proud of myself. After home ec, we had assembly. Upon seeing my carrot cake, everyone came over to try it. "Wow! That's good." "Delicious!" were some of the things they said. Those were compliments I never thought I would receive. Then, I brought it back home for Mum and Sis to try it. They liked it! Yeah... I CAN BAKE~!

Ice Party

Another party~! This time, I went ice-skating. The birthday girl paid for some of us and I was one of the lucky ones. A friend of mine gave me a lift to the ice skating rink and I'm thankful for that. Belive it or not, we were the first to reach there. The birthday girl wasn't even there! She came 20 mins later (Half of the party guests have already arrived). We proceeded to renting the skates and putting our bags down. Wearing the shoes were a little hard because it was TIGHT! I was scared at this point. Scared that I would fall... Scared that I would be the laughing stock... Scared that I couldn't even walk to the ice skating rink without falling. However, it was pretty easy! Extremely easy actually...

The first time on the ice skating rink was quite easy. It felt like I've did this before. I didn't fall once! Maybe it was because I rollerbladed before. Anyway, it was a little harder for some of my friends who have never ice-skated before. Some of my friends have ice-skated before and they were PRO at it! So, we skated around and around the rink. Funny how you never get bored when you're just skating around the same place. It was exhilirating when you're skating fast because the wind just blows right at your face.

After a while, we ate for 30 minutes, then went back ice-skating. This time, we played Catching (they call it "Tiggy") on ice. Yes, I was "it" a few times but catching a few others were easy.

We proceeded to eat the birthday cake. No candles, not that big... Hehe... But the cake was good! Then, we went back to playing Tiggy again. 30 minutes later, everyone had to leave because of ice hockey practice. By 5:00, I was back home. Fun... Great Fun...

Winter Wonderland

Prepare for a long one guys! :p

Another long trip... but I was prepared... I brought my iPod and a book to read. In the end, I listened to my iPod during the whole trip. Halfway through the trip, we stopped by to rent the winter equipments. We rented sleds (not skis), waterproof pants and chains for the tyres (Apparently, it's for safety precautions). Off we went!!!~

Wow! On the way up the mountain, I saw snow... thick, white snow... It was beautiful. The leaves (Yes, there were leaves on the trees ) were covered with snow. Once shaken, it did feel like it was snowing on you. Tall trees surrounded the road. So, you felt fascinated but mystified at the same time. It was foggy as well. Debbie and I had some fun blowing mist on the car window and drawing pictures on it. Soon after, we saw buildings and lots of people with thick clothing walking around with their sleds. We knew... We were finally there!!!

We parked our cars at spots beside each other. Our family friend and her daughter, Kim got out of the car and started putting on thicker clothing. We did the same. it felt like a race between 2 families. Keke... while we were doing that, it started snowing mildly. I was disappointed but who cares... Maybe I could experience falling snow later on. After that, we carried our own sleds up to the sledding area.

















We were overcome by the number of people who were there. My mum asked "How are we going to go sledding with so many people around?" Our family friend replied "You just bump them. Don't worry, they won't mind..." We looked at each other... Not that convinced by that answer. We finally reached the top of the sledding area, relunctant to go first. Our family friend offered to go first, showing us "newbies" how to sled. One by one, we went down. I was one of the last few to start. I put down my sled just below my feet. Carefully, I sat down, sticking my legs out. I held tight to the rope that was connected to the front of the sled. I pushed forward a little.

Nothing.

I tried again.

A little more...

"Just go!" I told myself. And I pushed with my legs on the snow....



I started sledding down with full force. The wind was blowing my hair back and my hands were numb. As I sled down, I met Mum. "You're suppose to put your legs in the sled." "What?!" I replied, and I quickly put my legs in, afraid I would be laughed at.








































The ride was bumpy, but it made it extremely thrilling. While sledding down, I was about to bump onto a few people but managed to steer clear of them with my legs, hence, able to slow down the sled and continued again. I made it to the very end, laughing with glee. I went up again, hoping to meet up with Debbie or Kim so that I could race with them. To my luck, I met them both. We found a spot where we sat side-by-side. "1, 2, 3!" We pushed with all our might and started sledding down. Debbie was ahead, Kim was second, and I was.... last... However, I saw that Kim was stopping halfway. "Yes! Now's my chance!" I thought. Then, I realised, I was about to crash into her. I tried to use my hands this time to go right. i tried as hard as I could but.... Too late... I crashed into her, making her fall down again... We started laughing hysterically about it. Clearly, there was no 2nd or 3rd. Debbie was 1st.

We went back up a few more times. Each getting better and better. This time, we went sledding with our parents. No racing though...

Time to rest! We found a spot in the snow to rest. Debbie and I started a snowball fight (as all kids do). Then, progressively, it turned to a parents vs. kids fight! Even Mum joined in (LOL). It was so fun. Woah! Dad was so pro at this. Throwing snowballs at us when we weren't looking and hiding behind trees for cover. It was hard but we got him a few times. For Mum, it was super fun. Throwing snowballs at her made me feel so good~! :) I can't explain why though... maybe it was because I always targeted her when she wasn't looking. Keke... ;)

















Off we went sledding again... but after a while, we rested once again. Our family friend had an idea of making a snowman. We all pitched in, getting as much snow as we could for our wonderful snowman... Good result... but not as big as I thought... hehe...

Time to go back... but first, we ate our packed lunch. Mum packed egg and tuna sandwiches and coffee to go with it. Mmmm.... it satisfied our stomachs, for the time being... another long drive back. This time, I didn't see much because I was sleeping. Sigh... I wished this day would never end... :) then again, a good way to end the holidays....

200 Pound Beauty: A Beauty

I recently watched "200 Pound Beauty" and it's a really good show. Thanks to jench00 for buying the DVD and Dad for bringing it here (the copy version). It was funny and moving at the same time. I heard that it was out in 2006 (correct me if I'm wrong). Those who've watched it... Please tell me your comments on this movie... And those who haven't... Watch it! :)

P.S : I love the music in it too!!!

Music Concert

As I have said in my earlier post, I have taken up music as one of my elective subject. Beacuse of this, my assesment task for this semester was to hold a concert. We were to play as a group so this means I'm not playing alone. There was much planning for this concert as everyone wanted it to be perfect. We were to bring some "food" and wear black shirts and tie for this concert. I brought chips (2 packets), not wanting to go through the hassle of preparing food.

One by one, we reached the school's lecture theatre. We spent about 20 minutes preparing and tuning our instruments. At about 6:50, parents started to fill the seats. After 5 minutes, everyone was ready. Let the show begin!

Altogether, we played 7-8 songs (1 song was played by the violins alone). It was a good performance, better than what we all expected. Songs included When The Saints Go Marching In and Pirates Of The Carribean. The latter was my favourite song.

After the concert, everyone rushed to the snacks corner. However, I decided to go back home as soon as possible. Home was where I wanted to be!

Now, as I'm writing this, I feel like there's a burden off my shoulders now. The nervousness has gone!!! :)

Debbie's Gone To Camp~!

Some of you may have known this already. Debbie has gone to camp for the whole of this week (excluding Sat and Sun). So, it's just Mum and I. It is a lot quieter here without her, but it doesn't bother me much... Mum is missing Debbie a lot and I'm sure Debbie misses home (I think).

Miss Saigon & The Phantom Of The Opera

I just realised something... I didn't tell you guys that I watched "Miss Saigon" in May. It was a good experience but I found the story to be pretty predictable. The music was great but the seats were so small! I am not one who can sit in one spot for 3 over hours without moving. So, you could probably tell how I felt during the play. *Uncomfortable* The story reveloved around a Vietnamese woman who fell in love with an American man. Then, when the American man went back, she gave birth to a boy. Worse, the American man also has a wife in America! I'll just let you guys guess the rest.

Now, my music teacher is letting watch another play, "The Phantom Of The Opera". I know it's a good play. I've heard many good things about it. Some of you would probably tell me the same things others did. I want to go but I also want to spend the day at home, resting. Should I go?? Must give my answer to the teacher by Friday...

Btw, I have changed my e-mail due to memory loss (forgot my password). This is probably the reason why I never got to answer your e-mails. My new e-mail is nicholaschoo_93@yahoo.com

Party Party Party

Sorry I took so long to post. It's just that there's been a lot of homework here (never expected it though...). Here's what happened on that particular Saturday.

Yes, I attended another of my friend's birthday party. It was held in another restaurant, "The Pancake Parlour". So what we had for dinner was pancakes and ice-cream. Mmm.. Delicious! After a few minutes after eating, we got bored. So we walked around the place. Somehow, we ended up playing chess in the same restaurant. Two people played while the rest would watch. We picked the two best chess players and watched them.

Finally, we then watched Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End. It lasted for about 3 hrs (Wow!). After the movie, we talked about the movie and how we felt about it. Personally, I liked the sound and visual effects and the acting. However, the storyline was a little off. There were a few times where I didn't know what was going on. But it was enjoyable. Lots of laughter filled the cinema.

Great day... Great day...

The Reunion

Yesterday was a sad day for all of us as Dad had to return to Singapore after spending 8 days here. Apart from spending time with us, dad also helped to settle many outstanding matters relating to our pc, tv, etc.

We really look forward to having him here permanently soon...

Pic taken just before Dad left for the airport

Dad did a sketch of Debbie while she was using the computer

Hit-and-Run

It was the first time I have ever seen a hit-and-run up close in my whole life. It started when I was walking back with my friend. We were about to cross the road when a white car crashed into a red car in front of it, causing it to crash into an MPV in front of it. The MPV and red car stopped at the side of the road, but the white car sped off. Everyone was shocked, but "wowed" as well. They, including my friend and I, stayed behind to watch the outcome. The MPV driver asked us whether any of us saw the license plate of the white car. Most of us weren't sure but 1 girl managed to get a glimpse of it. After a few minutes, we left the scene. Scary...

Back To School... :I

It's back to school today. Yes, I am a liitle sad that I have to start waking up early again. In the holidays, I woke up at 12 something almost everyday. Keke...

The first week of holiday was great. I did exercise during that time. I wouldn't say that I exercised a lot, but I did exercise more than I usually do back in Singapore. I started to slack a little during the second week. I was tired and lethargic at this time. Watching TV was No.1 on my To-Do list. Don't worry, I'm not a couch potato...

All in all, holidays were good. I had sufficient rest and was ready (I think) to go back to school...

Fun times.. Fun times..

It was a long way there. I was really getting restless, waiting and waiting. Finally, after over 2 hrs, we reached the beach. I know what you're wondering. Why would we waste so much time to go to a beach? Well, this beach is quite special. When we step on the sand, a squeaky sound actually comes out! I didn't believe it at first, but when I went there, I was proven wrong.

I had so much fun stepping on the sand, hearing the cute squeaks coming out. But I didn't just go there for the squeaks. I also went there to see the blue ocean. Surprisingly, it was really clear, much clearer than Singapore beaches. The weirdest thing was that we couldn't find many seashells or seaweeds there. It was just the sand and the water. I stood in the water, just admiring its beauty.

Time for lunch! We had fish, chicken and chips (french fries). It was really delicious. However, our lunch was irritated constantly by houseflies and bees. I think they were attracted by the ketchup that we brought. During lunch, we also saw birds with colourful feathers. They were small and innocent. Sometimes, they just stood in front of people, as if waiting to be fed. They were really cute. It was a good and entertaining lunch for all of us.

After lunch, we walked to another beach. This time, there weren't any squeaky sound but we still had fun there. I played with the sand this time, instead of the water. Not sure why though. Anyway, we walked back to the car and drove back home. Another 2 long hrs. Sigh... (I slept for a while during that time). Guilty...

The path leading to Squeaky beach... Look at the sky... It's so blue and clear... There weren't any clouds that day... Wonder why though...

Me and my aunt... Enjoying the water... By the way, the water was really cold!!!

Debbie and I... Yes. I know... Why is he putting his two arms out? Honestly, I don't know...

Arrhh! A big wave is coming for us...

Debbie and I playing with the sand...

Debbie standing inside the hole she dug out... (Don't know why she wanted to do that...)

My shadow... I was bored, okay!?!?...