Woke up late and went to lu xiang to meet up with the rest of the people.
Didn't managed to get much this to bring back to Singapore as the things there is totally different from Singapore.
Managed to pack most of my luggage and complete most of the IS today.
Didn't had any chance to play with the fireworks as it was raining and Mr Ma call it off.
Firework is something which we wouldn't have any chance to play in Singapore as the Singapore government says it's dangerous.
Fire works is cheap in China as the quality control isn't there unlike those which are fire off during NDP or any festival in Singapore. So we must have a safety distance from the fireworks when we light it off
Monday, April 13, 2009
Day 39 - April 11
Didn't wanted to miss out on shopping trips again thus i slept early the night before, we went to the shopping area near yellow crane tower. Sleeping early is important in China as the sun rises earlier than Singapore, thus we could have more daylight time by waking up early. Being independent is what i had always wanted thus with discipline comes independent, when we are able to control our time and finances than we could be said that we are independent.
Halfway through the journey we met with an accident while the driver is driving through a narrow underpass, in China driving have no restriction as the driver could drive anywhere be it opposite side of the road, on pavements or on the grass. China traffic police have a hard time catching those people as China is a big country and the efficiency level in China Police is lower than of Singapore. Singapore have a strong police force as the corruption level in the police is low, Singapore Police force is always in check as the public can complain to the higher authorities. Singapore Police force practice a service industry service as they see themselves to provides service the the public rather than police over them unlike in China.
Fights often happens in China as most of the people there have much more free time than in Singapore. Peoples stop and watch or support either side in a fight which lead it to escalate into a ruffle. We managed to experience something different from the rest of ECE-OIP peoples as we were in the van when the driver fought with another driver as there is a scratch on both cars. Fighting is never right in any sense, be it you are right or wrong. The van driver didn't want to accept any money from us as he had send us to 虎泉 night market before as are quite familiar with us. In China everything in believe in "face" thus we gave him half the amount we suppose to pay so that the next batches of ECE-OIP students could benefits. Went for shopping around yellow crane towers and went back with zhi hui, xin rong and chewy on a cab. Just like Singapore hailing a cab during peak hours is hard.
Halfway through the journey we met with an accident while the driver is driving through a narrow underpass, in China driving have no restriction as the driver could drive anywhere be it opposite side of the road, on pavements or on the grass. China traffic police have a hard time catching those people as China is a big country and the efficiency level in China Police is lower than of Singapore. Singapore have a strong police force as the corruption level in the police is low, Singapore Police force is always in check as the public can complain to the higher authorities. Singapore Police force practice a service industry service as they see themselves to provides service the the public rather than police over them unlike in China.
Fights often happens in China as most of the people there have much more free time than in Singapore. Peoples stop and watch or support either side in a fight which lead it to escalate into a ruffle. We managed to experience something different from the rest of ECE-OIP peoples as we were in the van when the driver fought with another driver as there is a scratch on both cars. Fighting is never right in any sense, be it you are right or wrong. The van driver didn't want to accept any money from us as he had send us to 虎泉 night market before as are quite familiar with us. In China everything in believe in "face" thus we gave him half the amount we suppose to pay so that the next batches of ECE-OIP students could benefits. Went for shopping around yellow crane towers and went back with zhi hui, xin rong and chewy on a cab. Just like Singapore hailing a cab during peak hours is hard.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Day 38 - April 10
Didn't wanted to go out today as i slept very late the night before and Jit Siong went to watch sunrise with my DSLR, i only knew about it when i saw him taking the SD card and cutting every picture into his computer with my half open eyes.
Didn't went out with the rest to shop as i was having mood swings, It's getting real bad. In China the service is good because they know that we are going to come again. Unlike in Singapore where tons of people spoils the market by going on fitting room and trying on every single piece of clothes to take photo with clothes that they are not buying. Those road side stalls owners here recognise us as we normally goes out in a big group and speaks differently from the rest. Getting special treatment is not unusual as the peoples here treats us differently from the locals be it we are more polite or we are easier to con. Politeness is absent here, as i have seen customers scolding or just poking those sales persons, unlike in Singapore where they would say thank you or sort of acknowledge their present.
Went to KFC for dinner for the third time in this trip, it's down counting 4 days. They couldn't serve us ice as the water supply in the restaurant is having problems, we had dinner in the dark during our second visit to KFC as there is a electricity cut and now a water cut. Public utilities here in China is as reliable as in Singapore. Seldom in Singapore does we see families storing up candles in case of electricity cuts, here in China is common to see families eating under the candles.
Went for the Village side food as it's tastier and cheaper than canteen food. Although the hygiene isn't there but i believe that i'm fit enough.
Didn't went out with the rest to shop as i was having mood swings, It's getting real bad. In China the service is good because they know that we are going to come again. Unlike in Singapore where tons of people spoils the market by going on fitting room and trying on every single piece of clothes to take photo with clothes that they are not buying. Those road side stalls owners here recognise us as we normally goes out in a big group and speaks differently from the rest. Getting special treatment is not unusual as the peoples here treats us differently from the locals be it we are more polite or we are easier to con. Politeness is absent here, as i have seen customers scolding or just poking those sales persons, unlike in Singapore where they would say thank you or sort of acknowledge their present.
Went to KFC for dinner for the third time in this trip, it's down counting 4 days. They couldn't serve us ice as the water supply in the restaurant is having problems, we had dinner in the dark during our second visit to KFC as there is a electricity cut and now a water cut. Public utilities here in China is as reliable as in Singapore. Seldom in Singapore does we see families storing up candles in case of electricity cuts, here in China is common to see families eating under the candles.
Went for the Village side food as it's tastier and cheaper than canteen food. Although the hygiene isn't there but i believe that i'm fit enough.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Day 37 - April 9
Finally it's my turn to present my C# project to Mr Ma,
Won't know if i did well or not but i tried my best, that's the most important part.
Always learn from other people mistakes is something that is important in life as some mistakes kills, just like my C# programming i didn't re-do or try to make a vase project which have no actual value except for pretty interfaces like some of them did. In China i got to understand words that my parents have been telling me since young.
After the presentation went with Jit Siong to the shop which sells fireworks as the MDE students might come over to out campus to see us lighting up the fireworks but in the end they didn't as our campus is really out of town unlike them. The fireworks shop people are extremely helpful to the extend that they are willing to wait for us to come before closing the shop, unlike in Singapore where shops chases the customers out because it's closing, in China shops closes when all the customers are out of the shop. This service is absent in Singapore as business come easy and they are not hard up for customers like in China.
Won't know if i did well or not but i tried my best, that's the most important part.
Always learn from other people mistakes is something that is important in life as some mistakes kills, just like my C# programming i didn't re-do or try to make a vase project which have no actual value except for pretty interfaces like some of them did. In China i got to understand words that my parents have been telling me since young.
After the presentation went with Jit Siong to the shop which sells fireworks as the MDE students might come over to out campus to see us lighting up the fireworks but in the end they didn't as our campus is really out of town unlike them. The fireworks shop people are extremely helpful to the extend that they are willing to wait for us to come before closing the shop, unlike in Singapore where shops chases the customers out because it's closing, in China shops closes when all the customers are out of the shop. This service is absent in Singapore as business come easy and they are not hard up for customers like in China.
Day 36 - April 8
Nothing much except for touching up on the C# programming project,
lazy afternoon until Jit Siong went to dye his hair at 光谷广,
dying hair here isn't as expensive as in Singapore but it is still an impractical thing to do as your hair would need re-dying quite often.
It's about 1 week to the end of this trip, finances wise i'm still standing strong as i'm very careful about my Yuans, or rather my parents' Yuans. In this final week we could see which of them are able unable to control their finances well. Money doesn't come easy, thus we need to cherish it and spend within out limit and not live on debts. It doesn't matter how much you have at the start but how much you have at the end, as it's easy for money to flow away.
Went to play table tennis in the club with Kenneth, Cris, Shu Gen and Jia Hui.
Didn't know that it's so hard to have a hit on the ball which is so small and light until I have my hands on the Ping Pong Bat. It's always easy to criticize peoples while you are on your armchair watching the Olympics, why that guy didn't hit it well but when you are in their position, you are at a loss on what to do. It's always easier to criticize than to take criticism and that is one of the problem in the China society, they criticize every thing and expects people to lie through their teethes and praise them.
Had the second last briefing before Mr Chua goes to Tianjin and we were reminded to take care of ourselves because the worst case scenarios always happens when we are close to going home.
lazy afternoon until Jit Siong went to dye his hair at 光谷广,
dying hair here isn't as expensive as in Singapore but it is still an impractical thing to do as your hair would need re-dying quite often.
It's about 1 week to the end of this trip, finances wise i'm still standing strong as i'm very careful about my Yuans, or rather my parents' Yuans. In this final week we could see which of them are able unable to control their finances well. Money doesn't come easy, thus we need to cherish it and spend within out limit and not live on debts. It doesn't matter how much you have at the start but how much you have at the end, as it's easy for money to flow away.
Went to play table tennis in the club with Kenneth, Cris, Shu Gen and Jia Hui.
Didn't know that it's so hard to have a hit on the ball which is so small and light until I have my hands on the Ping Pong Bat. It's always easy to criticize peoples while you are on your armchair watching the Olympics, why that guy didn't hit it well but when you are in their position, you are at a loss on what to do. It's always easier to criticize than to take criticism and that is one of the problem in the China society, they criticize every thing and expects people to lie through their teethes and praise them.
Had the second last briefing before Mr Chua goes to Tianjin and we were reminded to take care of ourselves because the worst case scenarios always happens when we are close to going home.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Day 34 - April 6
Yesterday slept quite late as we were celebration everyone birthday,
Thus woke up at 12pm and missed the morning extra lesson Mr Chua gave in the morning,
studying is one of the most important things in life,
people travels thousands of miles to seek education.
Coming to China was the first time when words said by my parents keep echoing in every things i do,
I remember when i was selected for EWT-DPA they asked me a question,
"why don't you study at TP or NYP which is much nearer to your house?",
I didn't had the chance to answer them accordingly but after that my father told me that
"because distance doesn't matter as education is more important,"
coming to China seeing their students travel from different parts of the country just to seek education makes me feels that traveling from Tampines to Clementi is a short distance i have to travel everyday. In China, most student have a mindset of seeking a better future through education thus China students are hardworking and diligent. While in Singapore, students study because they are made to study. Perhaps we can never change this kind of mentality in Singaporeans, but after understanding other country students like what i've done, my thinking of education changed. Thus if we allows more students to go on overseas immersion program, they could improve on their thinking about education.
Went to the spectacles shop with Jit Siong and Siew Bo, didn't expect much from their specs and didn't make any unlike Jit Siong who make a China transition even he knows he would have shortage of money after making it. I didn't make it because it's not really needed nor their technology here is perfect, Either The Best Or Nothing, i don't really want to waste my mother money on not practical things in life as i've been doing it since young. Money doesn't come easy and i paid 1850 on this trip unlike Jit Siong who had only paid 70 dollars. But this trip is indeed worth every cents for the thing we got here. Went back to bunk through the back hills again, Adventure Seeker but not The.
Cooked Singapore maggie in mess tins i brought here, was expecting it to taste delicious but it is more than delicious.
Thus woke up at 12pm and missed the morning extra lesson Mr Chua gave in the morning,
studying is one of the most important things in life,
people travels thousands of miles to seek education.
Coming to China was the first time when words said by my parents keep echoing in every things i do,
I remember when i was selected for EWT-DPA they asked me a question,
"why don't you study at TP or NYP which is much nearer to your house?",
I didn't had the chance to answer them accordingly but after that my father told me that
"because distance doesn't matter as education is more important,"
coming to China seeing their students travel from different parts of the country just to seek education makes me feels that traveling from Tampines to Clementi is a short distance i have to travel everyday. In China, most student have a mindset of seeking a better future through education thus China students are hardworking and diligent. While in Singapore, students study because they are made to study. Perhaps we can never change this kind of mentality in Singaporeans, but after understanding other country students like what i've done, my thinking of education changed. Thus if we allows more students to go on overseas immersion program, they could improve on their thinking about education.
Went to the spectacles shop with Jit Siong and Siew Bo, didn't expect much from their specs and didn't make any unlike Jit Siong who make a China transition even he knows he would have shortage of money after making it. I didn't make it because it's not really needed nor their technology here is perfect, Either The Best Or Nothing, i don't really want to waste my mother money on not practical things in life as i've been doing it since young. Money doesn't come easy and i paid 1850 on this trip unlike Jit Siong who had only paid 70 dollars. But this trip is indeed worth every cents for the thing we got here. Went back to bunk through the back hills again, Adventure Seeker but not The.
Cooked Singapore maggie in mess tins i brought here, was expecting it to taste delicious but it is more than delicious.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Day 33 - April 5
It's my mother birthday today and i'm so far away from home.
Didn't went with the rest to hankou to shop as i have to go and order a cake at the bakery next to the school. To my dismay i found out that my Chinese isn't as good as i thought thus have a hard time describing out what design i wants to the baker. Since my mother is that old so cannot put 寿. Thus put some simple Chinese words
The remainder of the cake
Didn't went with the rest to hankou to shop as i have to go and order a cake at the bakery next to the school. To my dismay i found out that my Chinese isn't as good as i thought thus have a hard time describing out what design i wants to the baker. Since my mother is that old so cannot put 寿. Thus put some simple Chinese words
Don't the birthday cake look great?
Invited everyone up to finish the cake as it's 16 inch in diameter, cakes isn't really expensive in China as compared to Singapore. As in China the labour charge is much cheaper thus for Singapore to compete with China we need to have a higher technology and end product as we cannot compete with out cheap labour cost like post Independence Singapore used to. Therefore education is very important in Singapore as with education than our workforce is higher level of skill than all other developing countries.
The remainder of the cake
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