Singapore and others!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Finals time

Can't believe how fast time has gone by during my stay in Singapore. I would have never expected when I arrived in July for my study abroad experience to have gone by this fast. haha and I was thinking how long 5 months was going to be back then.

Looking back...I would have to say this was probably one of the best times of my life...the whole study abroad experience in Singapore, being able to travel to all these S.E. Asian countries which I would have never imagined of at the start of this program, along with the great friends/experiences I have made throughout my stay. Definitely one of the best experiences of my life, and just can't believe how fast this is coming to an end. I mean I have less then 2 full weeks in Singapore along with +10 days of traveling in Vietnam after finals. Also, due to finals coming up, hard for me to actually explore/hang out as well...so the study part of study abroad is actually kicking in.

Definitely enjoyed my time at NUS, despite how competitive it is, and how much i'm behind in all of my readings, I shouldn't even be writing this at the moment, but thought I should update.

Also, last weekend, was able to enjoy Bintan, Indonesia with Jay, and was nothing like we have expected. Was one of the most unplanned trips ever haha, maybe that's why it was nothing like we have expected. Going to Bintan has confirmed my previous notion that Indonesia isn't very big on the tourism sector. Not much tourists in Indonesia, or foreigners in general, besides Bali really... Also, I realized how big Bintan actually is, as we can't really walk around anywhere, and had to call a cab in advance to take us to town/resorts/etc. which ended up being more costly than we had expected. But all in all, thought it was a pretty chill trip, got a foot reflexology massage, shot fireworks, slept in huts literally on top of the ocean, and snuck in to a resort and was able to enjoy some white sandy beaches. haha...

Now just need to study/cram for my finals, take it, pass my classes, pack up, head to vietnam, and then head back home. Kind of bittersweet to be going back home, but really looking forward to some friggin mexican food, real chinese food (panda express), and of course snowboarding now haha...

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

1 month left...Time to start counting the days

It's been a while since my last post...and personally it's been a lot harder for me to update these days....mainly cause of my laziness so my fault on that part...but hope fully I can update quite a bit more often as my time in Singapore is coming to a end REAL SOON.

To start off, last weekend, I had the farewell UC EAP dinner with our NUS Advisor Daisy at this really nice buffet, with the rest of our UC EAP students one last time as a big group. Was kind of our farewell dinner, since it would be a lot harder for us to get together quite often now, with finals approaching, people travelling and such. It was all covered by our wonderful eap director Daisy of course haha, always down for a free meal especially a buffet you know! It was quite a memorable night, because it's been a while since i've seen some of our UC Eap students, actually talked with some of them, and kind of hit me that, we would be leaving very soon, and going off on our different paths once again. Whether it would be back to our respective UC's ( go irvine!), or entering the work force/grad school, or even for the few that are staying one year here as well! Was kind of a bittersweet night, but made me really cherish these moments we had here, the outings we had, the people I've met, and all the amazing new things I tried, and can't forget the travelling experiences as well!
Definitely made me realize how short time is, and I just need to make the most out of it, and this definitely was one of the highlights of my life. Deciding to come to UC EAP Singapore 2012, to study abroad. I really will miss everything about this, but very excited to be going back home as well, so BITTERSWEET, in everything as of the moment. More Importantly, so excited to be having REAL CHINESE FOOD (Panda Express)!, can't believe they don't have orange chicken, and chow mein here, so disappointed, when I first came to Singapore haha...

Enough of this jibber jabber..haha to update more on what's going on as of the moment, it is currently my last week of lecture right now. Yes I know it's only early november, and I don't come back till the 15th haha... After this week of lecture, I have a week off until finals officially begin, they call it Reading Week here, where it's a week off just for studying for finals, or travelling :). I will be travelling to Bintan just for a short weekend starting this Sat from (sat - mon), so off to INDO again, i'm sure it'll be better this time, and not as sketch since i'm not going there alone haha.....

- After this reading week, we have 2 weeks of finals, but for me, I don't start until December 1st - till the 4th, which is quite stupid because I have Finals on the Saturday.. -_-...friggin a, this shouldn't be allowed even in Singapore haha....

So I feel very unprepared/screwed for finals, because one, there's so much reading to do/catch up/start on haha....and these Singaporeans scare me sometimes, on how much they study, making me feel like I should be reading/studying something else, though I don't really know what... sigh.... -_-

Well Besides the upcoming finals coming up/being screwed/panic mode/mental breakdowns about to occur sometime soon, still have a lot to figure out even back home, such as registering for classes back home, finding a place to stay in Irvine, so i'm not homeless when I go back to school for winter quarter. Along with that, my travel plans for after finals, since I end on December 4th, plan on travelling from either the 4th/5th - 14th. Plan is to go to Cambodia/Vietnam once again, though I've been there before, really excited to go there outside of the missions field, see what the culture is really like/ interact with the locals/ and experience more of these countries. Mainly just end my Study Abroad exp. with a bang before I head back home haha....

Think that's about it for now, and for those still keeping up with my blogs, Thanks! and i'll try to update more often, and with pictures as well!

just strutting down Marina Bay Sands...the usual....

amazing view from top of the Singapore Flyer (world's highest ferris wheel/observation deck)

never ceases to amaze me, everytime I come here

vomiting merlion

downtown Singapore

me and my sarong as the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia.

look what I found! Going to miss these rice balls

UCEAP NUS 2012 group photo

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Indonesia - first time couchsurfing

It's been a while since my last post due to school just taking over these days, getting closer to finals, and etc. Also mainly cause it hasn't been as exciting these past few weeks as I have hoped and my lack of taking pics....but since I went to Jakarta this past weekend, and it's already almost end of November, thought I give a update to whoever still keeps up with this....

This past weekend, since it was a holiday, I decided to travel to Jakarta, Indonesia alone, since I wanted to try couchsurfing for the first time. Maybe Jakarta, wasn't the best choice to couch surf at, but I haven't been to Indo yet, and Jakarta is one of the largest cities in the world, along with the capital of Indo, so thought there would have been much more to see, which I was kind of wrong about....

I was very uneasy going on this trip, because almost nothing was set in stone, no plans, no host confirmed, along with the fact that my phone doesn't work in Indo, so I had to rely on wi-fi to check up on where to meet, host's response and etc.

Otherwise, I think I got VERY LUCKY throughout this trip, because everything ended up working itself out, and more, as I met some new people that I haven't expected to meet, and they would end up helping me tremendously the first day, taking me in, inviting me to stay at their homestay/ hang out with them the very first day and all at the island.

First day, after I arrived, headed to Muara Angke, since I heard that thousand Island was a popular place to go, yet didn't know it was only locals that really went there. Wasn't really a tourist hotspot, which was very shocking as I had the hardest time trying to find someone who spoke english to help me out, since it looked like a smelly/dirty wet market, and nothing looked like the ticketing booth. After searching around, luckily I ran into this local who spoke a good amt of english, and generously he would end up helping me out, getting me a ferry ticket as well, and inviting me to hang out/stay at his room he reserved for him and his friends. Oh, the boat ride wasn't the best boat ride I was expecting, as it literally felt like I was getting deported or something, you would literally just find a spot on the wooden floors, and just sit there/sleep for the next 2-3 hours. After landing at the island, they showed me around, went biking with them, as well as riding a banana boat which they were ecstatic about, and jumping off a bridge/cliff diving to 5m deep water. I would say it was a success, for going there without any plans, just got very lucky, and met some amazing people that were generous enough to help me out/invite me so I was very thankful for that.

Next day, woke up at 6am, to catch the first ferry back, because if I missed it I would have been screwed, and stuck on the island again haha...-_- ...luckily caught the ferry back, went to this mall, Grand Indonesia, where I would meet this couch surfer who graciously agreed to hang out/show me around Jakarta, help me buy a trekking backpack, and etc. until it was time to meet my host for dinner. Everyone I met were all around my age, university students, had a lot in common, and another shocking thing was how much we had in common too, as well as the big korean wave hitting Indonesia. I swear it's friggin everywhere. Not just music, but shows and all, as they mention how they have korean channels as well.

Overall, for having going there without a single plan/itinerary really, I got really lucky, and it worked out really well, was able to make new friends, learn a lot about Jakarta itself, their culture, food, but I think i'll take a break from couchsurfing already. Think it was a good exp. but too hectic for me I think.

Besides that, my time in Singapore is coming to an end real Fast...pretty crazy how fast time flies, didn't think my 5 months here would have gone by this fast. Feel like I shouldn't waste much time now esp. in Singapore, try to do as much as I can before I leave...

here's some more pics to entertain you guys...

Off to Jakarta!

didn't expect the ferry harbour to look like this...not what I was expecting ...

heading off!

feels like i'm being deported no?

my host/new friend for the day at the islands. Thanks once again!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

October already?

man where has my past 2 1/2 months gone already? can't believe that it's already october and I'm already thinking of how fast december is going to come around now. Lately, that's all thats been preoccupying me, the thought of what I should do here before I leave, of how limited my time is, what countries I still have yet to visit, what places in Singapore I still need to check out and etc. Funny that I came here for study abroad yet school is the last thing on my mind these days.

I really need to get on top of things, need to take care of all my papers, projects, and etc. before I plan out my next travel plans and such. One thing that sucks is how us UC kids are still being graded, by that I mean our grades here count, while almost all other exchange students i've met are taking their courses pass/no pass, making things so much easier for them.

Even when I talk to the locals, even they're surprised that we get graded and such, all I hear is that sucks for you, and such. If I wasn't being graded, I probably wouldn't have been involved as I am in school, probably even end up ditching lot more often, and would have probably met a lot less locals then I have met at the moment. So I guess all things have a positive side to it, plus I probably wouldn't have joined the archery and basketball club if I wasn't being graded and such, seeing that I would probably affiliate myself with the school even less, and probably go out, and travel even more.

Well, just felt like speaking what's on my mind these days, instead of doing my work as always...
October seems to be a very busy month for me, research papers, group projects, and such...well I should get back to doing work.

hmm...what should my next travel plans be? Bali? Cambo/Vietnam? Philippines? so many more places I really want to visit..><

Oh i don't really have that much pictures to update this time, past week has been very uneventful ever since I got back from Thailand...haha well I have gardens by the bay pics but it's not much, and i'll upload it together with my next batch.