O levels results out today.

What are the chances of meeting a bunch of RI Secondary 4 01 scouts at a random food court in Tampines?

Not very high.

And yet, I met them. Even persuaded Haoqin not to pangseh 4F class gathering. And how great that turned out. Yes Man was rather funny, I thought. Even with mixed reviews.

Next party @ Jing Xian's place! Yeah if he's back and read this, he would tag. *hint hint*

Class party draws closer! A few people can't make it due to job obligations and stuff. There're a few who are also away from Singapore. Never mind guys! Just join us for the upcoming parties then. Like the week after this, there's another class party graciously hosted by Jing Xian. And after that, well. We'll cook somthing up. There's still class chalet to look forward to in January.

I'm hooked onto the Inheritance Trilogy Cycle series of books now. I've read the first two, and now I'm desperately looking for a copy of the third. Books! They're a good way to spend holiday time, apart from going out or comp/PSP games.

Finally, happy birthday to Ryan Ware! Hope he enjoyed his time in France. Haha okay let's face it, he loved it.

The holidays are so interesting. A primary school friend who had been MIA during class gatherings for the past four years, suddenly wants to have a primary school get-together when we're leaving our secondary school. People who are complete aloof-ers (if there's such a word) come back from OIP all emotional. Avid bloggers like Haoqin have stopped blogging for like, 2 weeks.

Class party happening on the 20th, thank Jwah for his determination. All 4F-ers are lazy-non-email-replying people who need some guy to do the preparations for them. I seriously cannot post anything about 4F yet, mostly because I can't think of anything. Hopefully the class party will be good, and a class chalet would follow.

This holiday has been a major reflection time for me, you know? I've had long chats with nice people like Rohan and Jing Xian. Most people are flying off to other countries, whereas I'm staying put in Singapore. It all seems so fun. Fun is something I'm lacking nowadays. My work is not fun. Staying at home is not fun. Patapon seems fun, but only until you get tired of the retarded eyeballs. DotA is not fun. But talking, talking's fun. Really. I keep getting the feeling that I've closed off connections with the world, but everytime I talk to someone, it's like getting to know them again. It feels satisfying.

We're moving on to RIJC soon, where people change. Not sure how I'll turn out. It's like leaving primary school again, and even though we're only moving next door, it's so much more difficult, emotionally. I almost hate myself for being so emotionful, because it's bloody hell occupying too much of my thoughts. I wish more stuff could happen so I become distracted and emotionless instead.

Adopt a religion? Maybe.

This year's OIP to Trung Vuong Junior Secondary School (we just call it TV), Hanoi, Vietnam, was fun. It's cliche. But yet, for a person like me who had 'fun' in last year's OIP, back in Wuhan, this trip was definitely more than fun. It was, in some instances, slow and awkward. But for the remaining 99% of the time, it was exciting, enjoyable, and oh so emotional. I can definitely tell that I bonded with the Vietnamese more than the Wuhan people. It's probably because I have hosted the TV students before, and the circle was completed when we went there.

As an SF, I knew that my responsibilites on this trip were very different from last time. Last time I was a sec3. Instead of going with my batch of '08 this year, me and Zijie (the second SF) went with the batch of '09. These are the current sec3s, of whom I have had few opportunities to interact with. I had no idea what sort of people I was dealing with, even right up to the day of the trip iteself. Through the trip, they turned out to be likeable people, people who could do things, people who were able to prioritize, plan ahead, interact with the students, and charm girls. Now I know why out of all the OIP trips, the Vietnam trips are always the most scandalous.





OMGWTF this is the only picture I could find of my host alone. His English name is Johnny, Vietnamese name Mai Anh Vu. I think. He is probably the quietest guy in his school, and he actually chose me to be his buddy because we met in Singapore when they came over. I learnt his name when he lost his camera at good old Sentosa. In the picture, he's playing on the piano in Chan's house.



This is Chan. Full name, not sure. Anyway that's his Vietnamese name. He's one other guy I'd met before. Not only is his father the ambassador to Russia/Secretary-General/Vice-president of Hanoi Golf Club, his piano skills are also very good. He's from the same class as Johnny, and is Zijie's buddy. He's good friends with Johnny, but he is more of the outspoken type.



We were told beforehand that it would be two weeks of homestay, instead of one week homestay, one week hostel (I had that in Wuhan last year). Staying in a foreigner's home for two weeks was okay to me, especially since I've been through the experience back in China, and I'm actually living with a guy whom I know. The secondary 3s felt slightly unfamiliar in the first few days, but I'm sure they all enjoyed the homestay experience in the end.

Anyway. We were introduced to the school formally on the third or fourth day I believe. The OIC for the sec3s was supposed to give a welcome speech in English, while one SF attempted to give the speech in Vietnamese. Zijie was selected, and after a disastrous attempt, the TV students took over. I laughed at Zijie... until I was told I'd be doing the same for the farewell speech. ><







We were also introduced to the classes we were assigned to. Classes are around 60 pax each, and most have Uncle Ho's portrait hanging in them, along with his letter to the Vietnam. I think. The Vietnamese students are so damn friendly that I'm actually quite ashamed of the way we treat foreign students/visitors in our class.





So for the two weeks, we basically interacted with the Vietnamese via class interaction and CIP. We also visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay, which is the only destination I'm elaborating on later. To put it simply, we had a lot of fun. But this fun is wholly different from what I experienced in China. In Wuhan, the students are friendly and polite and treat you as if you were part of the class. In Hanoi, you ARE a part of the class. You are supposed take part in all the things they do: classes, PE, capteh games, passing messages, answering questions and stuff. Every student would rush up to you and say hi, without needing any prompting from the teacher. Some would even invite you out for lunch/dinner and recommend good places to shop for souvenirs.

And one thing about their culture: supposedly different from ours, teenage Vietnamese culture is actually very similar to ours. They have cable TV, so they watch the same programmes as us, they listen to the same pop stars/singers, they have breakdancing and beatboxing. They have LAN shops (the street where I live has at least 8) and the teenagers play MapleStory, Warcraft (+DotA), Audition and more. They have iPods (and are not afraid to use it in class)! And best of all, they enjoy hanging out in fast food joints/cafes, watching movies and socializing. This was totally not what I had in mind.



That's my host and his girlfriend! They do have a lot of scandals there too :) His girlfriend is a taekwondo blackbelt while he's a pianist. Everyone says that they are the cutest couple there and I agree :) Anyway, we hang around with each other a lot, along with Zijie and other sec3s.





Jumpshot!



Outside of the itenerary, we were brought around Hanoi by Le Kim Chi. We just call her Chi. She's our unofficial tour guide, bringing us around when we have free time. She's slightly camwhorish, but so's everyone else when we're around her! She's the fun-loving (and HMS-loving) type so we enjoy going around town with her :)










We went to Halong Bay for two days and a night. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a good reason. There are 1996 islands in the bay, with around 1000 named and 10-ish inhabited by people. The one we stayed on is called Cat Ba island. It's halfway out in the bay, so it was a 2 hour boat ride from Ha Long City. Before that we stopped a few times to visit some of the islands.

I'm back from Hanoi and IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. The actual post's coming up, just gotta wait for the imba godlike photographer zeyang and others to send me their pics. I didn't use my camera much in Hanoi. Used my phone a lot though. My dad's gonna receive the bill any day and my handphone fee is gonna be like triple digit for the first time.

So, while I start getting down to the monumental tasks of doing a blog post for 4F & Hanoi, let's just stop to think about this year. This year, I have:

• Become legally eligible for NC16 Movies
• Become a secondary 4
• Become a PSL
• Entered Thinkquest (and lost butwhocanblamethefirsttimers)
• Involved myself in the batch CIP deeply
• Gotten a 3.6 for math in a long while
• Broken my arm, torn my ligament and displaced my nerve
• Gone for surgery
• Grown to dislike my dental surgeon even more
• Passed grade 8 piano practical (no seriously, I just passed)
• Stopped piano temporarily
• Taken a slightly more serious view towards studying
• Enjoyed sitting at the gallery during AHH gatherings
• Gone out for LAN sessions with beloved 4F
• Had slightly more life than last year
• Celebrated free cone day
• Done volunteer work
• Appreciated the meaning of being left-handed
• Thought for ten freaking minutes that I've failed Philosophy
• Laughed at fail singers. They were NOT. *punch* ALONE.
• Bonded with my batch
• Bonded with the sec3s
• Talked to people (in that alter-ego way)
• SHOPPED FOR CLOTHING FOR GRAD NIGHT OMG
• Taken pictures. Lots of them.
• Eaten wasabi for the first time in 6 1/2 years
• Exited RI Secondary School Section
• Made friends
• Loved my class
• Spent another two weeks away from home, in Hanoi
• Loved Vietnamese people
• Worked hard (earn money that kind)
• Hoped for class parties and now I just received Zeb's message so maybe got hope
• Matured. Slightly.

I don't seem to have er. What they call it. Rohanism so my blog posts are kind of like this. But it's just how I do stuff. Haoqinism and Xianism also have different styles. It makes for a well-balanced read :)

I must say it's been a while. This is the first time I am blogging for many months. Now that exams are finally over, I might revive this blog yet. I'm inspired to blog today because I've seen personally how nice other people's blogs turn out. Like Rohan's honour roll or something. It's a great testament to the four years our batch has spent in RI, and there are nice pictures too. Do take a look at it and have a laugh/whatever. So I've been thinking. When I have time, I'll make this nice blog entry dedicated to 4F. Great class.

This blog is not dead yet.

Lincoln ang;
9/5/92;
PCS, RI, RJC
was from RINPCC
was in Interact

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