Leaving Singapore in 3 days...

Collected my Malaysia visa yesterday... Darn I am only given multiple-entry for only 7 months, right before my student pass then expired... I need to reinstate my Brunei PR status by next year, and obtained SPR -re-entry permit as well, hence this 7 months visa is troublesome, as I might need to re-apply, and my Certificate of Identity is running out of pages!!! Sianz...

Went to town today with a friend to participate in GSS, starting from Bugis. I think I overspent today as I purchased 3 items close to $100. We found a good deal in Bugis OG by Giordano - 50% off Giordano jeans. Purchased a vintage jean for half its usual price - a break from my all-blue jeans collection.

Headed to Suntec and found a nice Adidas shirt from Royal Sporting House. Simple design with those dry-fit fabric which I am obsessed about. Found a nice Nike shirt, but my size is not available. The sales assistant did a check and informed us the Paragon branch had my size.

My friend upon reaching Paragon became infatuated with Polo Ralph Lauren, but he end up not buying anything from there. Managed to seize the last Nike shirt with my size, haha... I think I overspent... No more buying of shirts and jeans for me... Time to pack my stuff tomorrow...

Saturday Cycling at ECP

Went cycling at East Coast Park last Saturday... Hadn't went cycling for a long time, the latest was a cycling trip to Pulau Ubin more than a year ago. Winnie was supposed to join us, but unfortunately she had to work at Popular on that day, so we just decided to went ahead.

The weather started off rather gloomy, and weather forecasts predicted isolated storms across the island. Fortunately it didn't rain in ECP, and instead the cloudy weather served as an ideal condition for cycling.

Managed to took some pictures while at ECP, without my camera of course. Some pictures from the cycling trip:

Left: Some view at ECP while scouting for cheaper bicycle shop
Right: Some many camping tents over the weekend

Picture of me at a jetty

A solemn GR facing the beach at the same jetty

Left: Skyline of ECP viewed from another jetty
Right: Ships anchoring at the sea, all of the facing one direction

Pic of me at the same jetty above; Many people are fishing here

Cable skiing at ECP;wasn't here last time when I visited...

After that we went Orchard and walked around since the Great Singapore Sale is on. Purchased some FILA shirts. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be spending on shirts anymore, and I'll soon be working and will be hardly wearing them.

My Malaysian visa is now ready and I'll be collecting them tomorrow. 5 more days and I'll be back in Brunei....

Creative Warehouse Sale!!!

I did not have a good sleep to start with... Around 10 am there were sharp knockings on my door, startling me from my deep slumber... The Hall Officers were informing that they were going to clean the windows and the fans... I hastily make some quick arrangements and prepared to leave the room at their disposal.

Went Jurong East, and my friend was late by a substantial amount of time. Boarded the free shuttle bus to Creative warehouse sale, and thank goodness we didn't run into a huge crowd. The sale will go on till this Sunday. There were pretty many good offers there, especially on the mp3 players. I guess they are trying to get rid of some of the old models.

I purchased a 1Gb mp3 player for $55 (student price), but it didn't come with a radio. Anyway, I hardly listen to radio using my mp3 player as sometimes the MRT went underground causing the radio to cease its function. It was much much cheaper than the price of $200++ for the same item last time. We then went to do some exercise and my weight is now not very far from my desired weight, haha... Have to work harder to shed more weight...

Glad to say that most programs on my laptop have now been re-instated, and I am rather please with the performance so far. Now I can concentrate on my programming materials...!!

Notebook In Despair

I spent almost $100 yesterday morning... Wow, $60 went to my student pass extension for 6 months, and another $30 went to my Malaysian visa application. Argss, the stupid visa costs only $10, whereas the remaining become part of a so-called 'agent fee'... Worst of all, since my student pass is extended for 6 months, my visa duration is also only valid for 6 months, as opposed to 12 months!!! Being stateless really costs a bomb!

Went to my friend's house in YCK afterwards, and finally formatted my notebook, which is becoming unpredictably weird. It refused to boot into Windows these few days, and I am unable to turn on my wireless LAN.

After formatting, I was elated to be able to turn on my wireless LAN and connect to my friend's wireless network, something I had not been able to do for a long time. Then reality kicked in, my USB ports have been down-graded to USB1.1 ports. My notebook now becomes illiterate in Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages. I have to get the cd and install the languages again.

Most frustrating of all, I have no Microsoft Office. When I first bought the notebook, our well-reputed NTU was unable to provide microsoft office, unlike NgeeAnn Poly, where everything is packaged nicely to the students.

Anyway, at least I managed to upgrade some programs to professional editions, thanks to my friend's interesting warehouse of softwares, haha.... I really hate formatting my notebook, for now I have to painstakingly re-instate all previous programs..

Countdown to Go Home...

Time really flies... In just about 2 weeks time I'll be heading back to the Sultanate, and I have not extended my student pass nor applied for my Malaysian visa... Haiz...

Contracted a mild fever the day after I draw some blood for medical check-up, but thank goodness I recovered by the next day... Went again to NTU gym yesterday, but the whole ordeal seemed kinda awkward, as we didn't went jogging before and hence didn't sweat profusely, and yet seemed very tired...

Talking about medical check-up, I got questions about my nationality status right from the registration counter into the doctor's room. I basically recited Brunei's complex nationality issues about 4 to 5 times overall. The friendly Malay nurse that draw my blood spoke to me in Malay upon knowing I am from Brunei and was surprised that I can speak Malay rather fluently. She was dumbfounded on the nationality issue though, but everyone in the clinic blatantly come to a same conclusion: Get Singapore PR and be naturalized as Singapore citizen.

Now I am worried that when I returned to the Sultanate I will re-accumulate the 2kg of weight that I have just shed off... Also, I will have to temporarily stop my exercising schedule here, arggs... But I'll be able to make it to the IT fair nevertheless...

Anyway, my overseas attachment to China has been successfully withdrawn without affecting my interviewing organization, after citing traveling complications as main issue...

My camera should now be enjoying itself on the highland plateau of Tibet now... Took some pictures before it left, lolx... Some pics are a little blurry as I turned off the flash...

NTU-SCE Student Computer Room - Doing programming

A photo with FEPA1 fittest and most yandao kia (is it?), GR

A photo of me and Seetoh

Singapore Permanent Residence Offer

I am pleased to have received some good news today. Firstly my application for overseas attachment to Shenzhen had been successfully withdrawn. Special thanks to Winnie for helping me to organize my letter into a professionally written rejection letter. This is probably the only time I'm happy with my Certificate of Identity, as it can be used to my advantage.

Secondly my student pass has been approved AGAIN!! Yeah, AGAIN!! It was much faster than anticipated, less than ONE working day. I'm simply impressed with the efficiency of civil service here! I can now proceed with the my application and medical check-up.

Lastly I received my letter of offer from ICA to be a permanent resident of Singapore for a second time. I didn't apply for the first offer as I wished to enroll in a local university degree then instead of commencing full-time employment - which is a requirement to obtain PR status.

I am elated! Probably I'll be submitting in my application before Christmas this year. Finally I can secure a legal status to stay and work in Singapore and get a new lease of life here. This is the first time I obtain some sort of legal residential status overseas by my own merits.

I'll cherish this offer as Singapore is like my second home. I practically grew up here, having spent almost a full decade on this island nation. It wasn't that easy to come to where I am now. Like some friends, I despaired and feel like giving up and returning home at some point in time. Somehow, I managed to go on.

Throughout the years, I came into contacts with many events I will never come across had I stayed on in Brunei - constant change in environments, betrayals, exposure, the need to exercise some self-discipline, planning my own budgets etc. I learn to strive for my own future and be someone more independent, responsible and cool-headed.

I have learnt to count my blessings. Had my cousin not set a precedence by coming to Singapore and Brunei's currency were not on par with Singapore Dollar and if Singapore had impose severe visa restrictions on my statelessness, I would never had been able to venture here. Best of all, Brunei and Singapore shares the same GCE system, thus I never face much problems with the education system here.

Life is not a bed of roses anyway, and with Singapore PR entails many 'repercussions' - taxes, CPF contributions etc. However, Singapore still has one of the lowest tax structures, though this can't be compared with a TAX-FREE Brunei. Nevertheless, I'm rather comfortable with the lifestyle here, having assimilated well locally (special thanks to those friends who help to facilitate my stay). I actually suffer a minor reverse culture-shock when I returned to Brunei, and much to the chagrin of my secondary classmates, I sometimes had to be constantly reminded that I am not in Singapore, haha....

It is rather ironic that my birth country is so reluctant to provide me with a nationality, and yet, Singapore offers me a PR with open arms. My birth certificate actually contains a horrid 'To Be Determined' phrase in the nationality column. For the meantime I am not going to contemplate the issue of whether to stay in Singapore or return to Brunei in the near/distant future, so please do not pester me with this question again whenever I return home, okay?

Finally Did some sports....

Went down to Yio Chu Kang to meet my uni classmate to do some sports around evening time... I have finally made up the decision to do some long-overdue exercises.

We started off by jogging... Oh my goodness, it was then I realized my stamina plummeted to an almost non-existent. I hadn't run for goodness how long, and now I have to slowly discipline myself to re-progress to pre-uni stamina levels.

Hit the gym not long after jogging. I'm impressed with my friend that despite his seemingly small built, he was much stronger than me! I think I have successfully become a couch potato... Had dinner at AMK Central, then walk around a bit and headed home.

The ordeal left me drained of energy. I almost fell asleep in the MRT. Haven't felt so tired for a long time. Most probably I'll be aching all over tomorrow.

My dearest digital camera is going on a vacation to Tibet, China without me this Friday for 9 days. My cousin's gonna borrow it for the vacation. Sometimes I envy my camera, it can visit places I have never been to - Taiwan, Tibet, Shanghai!! Best of all, it doesn't require any visas.

Poly Butties Mini-Gathering

Finally managed to have a mini-gathering with poly butties. Actually is only the 3 of us, haha... We have been somewhat close since poly times, and still managed to keep in touch nevertheless. I haven't seen one of them since a birthday outing last year, and glad to know he is still doing well.

Met up at Vivocity around evening time, but alas, there was a long queue stretching "miles" long in all of the restaurants that we wanted to eat in, finally went to Plaza Singapura for Ajisen Ramen. Took some sneak pictures, lolx....

Left: Trying out new specs; Right: Are they arguing or what?

We then walked along Orchard Road and talked all kinds of crap, somewhat like old times, but I was quieter than before. Had been rather quiet lately. Graduated 3 years ago, but still doesn't feel very distant, though goals and perspectives have become different. Maybe H.S. theory is right: sagittarius, aries & gemini make rather close friends, though I am still trying to grapple with this theory.

Glad that we decided to honor the pact we made some time back to go for an overseas trip, tentatively with HK as the destination. Probably we will execute it this year end or next year, allowing us time to save up whatever meagre amounts of money we could and also giving me a chance to possibly obtain a passport (if circumstances allow) to go overseas, instead of this irritating Certificate of Identity.

Uni KTV Gathering

I met up with my uni classmates for a mini-gathering in City Hall this afternoon. We had lunch in Big Soup Spoon in Raffles City basement - the mushroom soup was superb! Thereafter we head over to K-Box in Marina Square for karaoke session - our main agenda for the day.

We sang mostly Mandarin pop songs... The atmosphere was rather fun, especially with KS and his "World Tour" characteristics... I regret that I have never heard quite a number of the songs played before, due to my limited knowledge on Mandarin songs... Worst of all, I cannot associated song titles to songs that I wanted... One last thing, PLEASE forgive me for this, if you all are reading this post, I almost laughed when some seemingly 'chim' characters are replaced with "la la la" or "na na na"... I didn't mean it...

Some pics for the event at KTV Karaoke session (in no particular order):

Group Photos (Left photo from left: H.S., Shan, GR, Me, Steven & K.S.)

Group Photo Guys Taken by Shan

Mini-Group Photo before H.S. arrived

Lo And Behold! The Heavenly Karaoke Kings of Mandarin Pop are singing

K.S. enjoying his "World Tour @ K-Box Marina Square"

Cheerleading by Steven and K.S. for Shan

Left: K.S. & H.S. having a duet; Right: A rather classic photo by H.S. - trying to avoid being on camera, haha

Me singing a song with my terrible voice

Omg!! What is Steven and K.S. up to in a corner?

Photo of H.S. and me

GR & Steven - Best Buddies/Pals

Me and Shan at Kenny Rogers - do we look like siblings?

H.S., G.R. & K.S. at Kenny Rogers

After the KTV session, we went to Kenny Rogers for dinner... Had a meal too full, which I swear I would have thrown up if I had attempted to eat anything more.... Went for a short pool game afterwards before heading home...

Anyway we are all going to part our ways after this semester... I am going for my internship and thereafter hope to continue working in the same organization. Steven is convocating soon and will be stepping into the working society, whereas H.S. is going for industrial orientation. The rest still have one semester of academic studies.

Very soon, all of us are gonna mix around with a new circle of friends, have vastly different goals and perspectives, working in different industry sectors and even have a change in character. Hopefully we won't turn out as strangers to each other down the path of life. Ahh, gotta miss the old times of 'talk-cock-sing-song' and crazy 'pia'-ing for assignments as well as "the gang" a bit....

Real Holidays Start Now...

My FYP concluded after giving a brief presentation late this afternoon... Didn't really sleep well last night, as I went and did something extra as required by my supervisor after I returned from an outing, and spent a rather substantial amount of time on the presentation slides... My angmo FYP examiner thought I am from HK, I am flattered!!!

Fortunately, everything went well... I guess I have mastered the art of rushing assignments in the last minute... If I had a choice to do my FYP again I would do it in a whole new approach... Anyway, at least my supervisor said my performance was satisfactory... Goodness knows what that means.

My interview with WelchAllyn International Ventures went through, and I got selected to do my internship there... Not on embedded systems though, but programming is fine with me... I have no idea why I so extra go select overseas IA... Have to run down to CAO tomorrow morning to attempt voiding my selection...

For now, it's holiday time till July!!!

What a day!!

I got a harrowing experience today. Things have been not smooth at all today, I am so glad that I finally made it through the day...

I was aroused from my slumber in the morning by a phone call and subsequently a knock on my door by a friend to return my money, and wasn't able to fall asleep again. Then when I get dressed in formal wear and all, my black working pants, which has been lying in the closet, ahh.., should I said, mysteriously vanished into thin air... I overturned my closet to no avail...

After the frantic search, I managed to find a substitute, a pair of trousers that looks just like black, and headed to LWN library, and after I press "print" to print my resume, suddenly there was a long queue for all the printing terminals, and when it was my turn, ALL NETWORK PRINTERS WENT DOWN!!! Everybody was effectively stalled in the printing room for about 20 minutes... Rushed for a quick lunch, and decided to took a taxi to Keppel Towers in Tanjong Pagar, as there was no way I can make it in time to the interview using the public transport... Costed me $17, including ERP charges, damn!!

I have no idea how I fare in the interview, and was told that I definitely couldn't be part of the firmware development... I do not have sufficient experience and our Engineering syllabus conveniently skipped RTOS (Real-Time Operating System), and instead taunted us with a lame NACHOS, whatever OS that is... Next, moving on to software aspect, I'm Java-based, and they are looking for expertise in C++ or .NET programming, both of which I have no experience in... FYI C++ is still the dominant language in current industries, and it's puzzling as to why there is a sudden change to embrace Java language... So much for a reputed "world-class" university and faculty which can't seemed to cater for industry demands...

Anyway, the second interviewer was rather interested in why am I stateless, do I possess a passport and whether I hope to be acquire a state?? I'm completely speechless as to what to reply as I do not want to make Brunei look bad, but I guess Brunei is doing itself a disfavor by not even expediting the citizenship process... I don't dare to retort that I'm STILL waiting to be registered as a citizen, because GOD KNOWS when that'll happen (probably some n months later) and it'll generate a fresh round of questions...

My interviewer proceeded to think I am from China, or my parents were from China, and was puzzled that my family is not from China, born in Brunei and stateless... He then wondered if Brunei nationals own any passports.... Probably he thinks Brunei is too backward and doesn't even know what is a passport... Nevertheless I am sure he has a negative view of Brunei now, though I do try to mitigate such negativity, without compromising ACTUAL facts as to what documents I am holding and how am I able to come to Singapore...

On my way home the soles of my leather shoes fall off... Damnz.... Fortunately I was already in Boon Lay, and managed to stagger to the bus stand... Now I'm having a headache what to wear for my presentation on Wednesday...

I guess I have to learn C++ on my own this coming long holidays... Haven't even work have to do self-upgrading already, lolx... I think I can change my nick to "suay kia", haha... Hopefully everything will just go well...

NO MORE Examsss....

Was supposed to have a sense of euphoria when exams officially ended today, but instead the atmosphere seemed gloom and empty... The reason being that I performed fairly well in the last paper, thus it was rather demoralising...

Anyway the end of the exams ushered in the long holidays stretching from May till mid-July... Uploaded a list of things to do in this holiday at the sidebar. I will be returning to Brunei in June for a full month and have purchased the AirAsia ticket for RM370.

Got scheduled for an interview with WelchAllyn International in Keppel Building on Monday... I almost miss the interview schedule as I never received any email notification, but fortunately I checked under StudentLink - the place where I register...