"There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you have to do is to turn around and say, 'Watch me.'"

Back from Medan! :D Was back a week ago actually, was too busy settling back in Singapore/uploading pictures on facebook to blog, hahah. Yup, excuses. :) Anyway, medan was beyond awesome! :D (I thought it was better than Beijing actually, whoops. Hee.) Made new friends, had a new family (F1! :D), learned new principles, values and many many other takeaways I won't forget in the near future. :D I'm already missing the awesome super big resort where we had most of our meals and games at, the Taipan restaurant with super awesome food (I thought it was even better than Singapore's, hahah.), the many many games we played at the resort while organizing some for the rest of the families, the waterfall trek which was super awesome (We thought we couldn't make it there in time, but none of us gave up, we perservered on and helped each other along, told really lame stuff along the way to keep the morale up high, and yes we made it, there and back in like half the time the teachers expected us to take. :D Really proud of all of us, the three weeks of gruelling trekking at Bukit Timah was really worth it! And the waterfall was breath-taking! (: Loved the super clear blue color, the fact that the big waterfall we saw actually had really cold water, and the colorless waterfall beside had like warm water, so we got to switch here and there while we were playing and lunching there), the volcano trek which was pretty tiring but interesting as well, I've never got a chance to get so close to a volcano before, to the extend that I'm like right beside the place where all the sulphur is, finding yellow volcanic rocks to take home, bidding for tidbits, sweets and what's not with all the points we've gotten from the games played (A bit like SC camp, but still, super cool, cause at least you know that all the hard work the whole family was put into gaining points for the group has got us something), cheering with the family (Hahaha I love all our awesome cheers, except when Yucheng keeps repeating them over and over again so it gets annoying, LOL.), CIP at the disabled school (Though it didn't turn out like expected, it was definitely an experience, and though my awesome red ball's gone ( :( :( :( ) but at least someone else's happy, and thats worth being happy about too. :) I love the awesome hotel we stayed at for the last night too! Soaking in the tub for like 15minutes or so before finally starting to bathe, room service with Joyce (And all other nights when we munched on chips/cup noodles brought while talking about anything under the sun moon/simply just staring blankly at the television turned out really awesome! :D) And playing cards with Jiani and Gen till really late on the last night. :D Through the whole duration of this trip, I learn to accept new people into my life and make new friends with an open heart, appreciate others for the littlest things they have done for you, cause a little kindness goes a long way (Thank you Yucheng, for bringing food over that day, though risking getting scolded by Mr Imran. Really appreciate it ahbeng! :D LOL.) And team work, the ability to work together to achieve a common goal. :)

All in all, this trip to Medan was great. :) It's been a completely different experience in a completely different culture/environment that I feel I'll always treasure. I left not really knowing what to expect but I came back with much more than I could actually bargain for. Really appreciate the teachers, the tour guides and all for being with us throughout, taking care of us, ensuring our well-being, trying their very best to make this trip impactful, and most importantly, for sharing with us the knowledge they have, and driving us to think for ourselves and wonder about the way things work around us. :) I got to see things from a totally different perspective, notice the stark contrasts in culture between where I am now and where I was, and I realise how fortunate we actually are back here, and it's time we learnt how to appreciate the things we have around us, and stop taking things for granted eh. :D Back here we spend and splurge on stuff like it was never enough, but back there you could really see, how a small, insignificant sweet/biscuit could have made their day, and the way they held it was though it was their most valued item. Ah, anyway, it was definitely and eye-opener, and basically, Medan was awesome. :D

Photos are up on facebook, but I'll post a few of my favourite here. :D










Out with Joyce on Monday! :D Awesomeeee buffet + Movie = Awesome date out! :) Love it when we try something new together, (Or rather, at least it was a first for me), the steam boat buffet + DIY ice cream was super unique! Can't get enough of the way you can just pour liquid ice cream into a super cold pan, and wait like 2minutes before a whole solid thin layer starts forming, and then there's the hard part of trying to yank the ice cream out to enjoy it. :D HAHAH and the ways we tried our very best to make it seem like we didn't waste food at all LOL. Shrek was pretty okay, with a few really cute moments here and there, but on the whole a pretty average movie. :D Go watch if you're really really rich, hahah.

Outing with F1 on Tuesday was pretty awesome too! :D Trained down to Orchard with Yi Ting, walked around Ion while waiting for the guys to arrive, and she introduced me to this totally awesome and reasonably-priced popcorn + bubbletea there. :D Hahahah so we were munching away while waiting, and when we finally met up w/ the rest, they wanted to watch movie, and Likai suggested "The Ghost Writer", which was NC16. HAHAHA I cannot describe the excitement/how nerve wrecking it was to sneak in to an NC16 movie (those who aren't sixteen yet and haven't tried doing so should totally go try it, hee) The rest were all sixteen (Pffft) so they all passed when the lady at the counter checked our NRIC but I didn't. ): So the guys had to so around asking random people if they could help us/me buy a ticket for the movie at the counter. Hahahah went shopping before the movie, supposedly for Kenny's formal wear but he didn't buy anything in the end and we got ourselves a family tee instead, which was pretty cool! :D Hahah. Anyhow, the movie was pretty okay (super difficult to understand though), Qihao was terribly disappointed though (HAHAHA why only the guy took off his towel and not the lady?! LOL.) Dined at Pizza Hut after that, cheezy awesomeness. :D Loved the weird/interesting bits here and there during the outing (Eg. YuCheng being chased out of Taka cause he looked too beng LOL, and they thought he was stealing, blah.) F1 outing again soon kay! :D

Wednesday was baking at Shawn's house. :) I thought it turned out super disastrous and all but I'm glad you had something to give in the end, so it wasn't all that wasted uh. :D Hahahah and his cousin's super cute! :D Gladys, hahahah. Roy was being such a paedophile though, spending hours on the itouch with her/hide and seek LOL. Anyway, it was then I realise, kids can be such a joy to have. :)

Training in school on Thursday! :D New coach this time (guys' coach actually), but I think he's pretty good as well. Trained quite a bit on receiving that day, woahhh the coach's spike was super powerful luh! :D Damn nice to train, hahahah. Touched a bit on spiking also, ended off with PT, then it was dinner with Gen. :D (Didn't go for Medan dinner in the end, throat was hurting and wasn't willing to train all the way to Orchard, heee sorry guys!) Friday was rest day, and Saturday (today) was Zoo with Joyce. :D Haven't been there for ages already, and we were both super inspired to go back there after viewing the animal expedition at Medan. :) I thought the Zoo has changed pretty much from the last time I went back there, which was a very very long time ago (I can't even remember, hahah.) It was fun walking around just viewing the different animals, almost getting lost half way and stupidly looking at the map for help, overcoming those superr long queues just to get lunch, talking about random stuff we see (Swimming pool! Heee), laughing at like the weirdest stuff/trying out the weirdest games at the carnival, and basically just having fun. :D It's sad to see though, how the animals at the zoo all look pretty depressed, esp. the polar bear. I don't think polar bears should be in zoos actually, like it's fur and all turned yellow after all the years of being cooped in some enclosed area with no ice, just water. And it had like the saddest eyes ever. Hahah okay, personal opinion.

All in all (super long post! To make up for the lack of posts the past week, hahah), my holidays have been off to a really really great start! :D Am totally enjoying slacking + not studying (Except the sore throat and blah). How have yours been so far? :D




Other photos up on facebook! :D