Hanguk, annyonghi kyeiseo!
It's been such a long time I haven't written blog. Had too much fun in Korea till I didn't have time to update my blog hehe. I just came back from Korea yesterday nite, and still staying at my friend's room till my hostel waiting list is approved.
It feels like only yesterday I just arrived in Korea. 6 weeks passed so fast. I went there at 2 July and came back yesterday after all-night long farewell party. I really love Korea and I start to miss Korea.
I like the people there. Koreans are really warm and friendly although I've just known them for a while. They show me around, even invited me for dinner and stay over at their house. I've made some good friends during the exchange program. Sung-Hwa, my classmate in Korean economy class, who I stay over with and we had so much fun chatting, cooking (she taught me some simple Korean food recipe), playing with her dog and watching Korean DVDs. Ji-Hye, my classmate in International Marketing, who sometimes have coffee together with me after class and hang out to shopping center. Se-Yong, the "crazy" n funny guy whom I met in the buddy program and hang out with to some jazz cafe. Bryan, the "big" Korean guy who loves drinking n dancing very much (Koreans love drinking very much but I usually only tried a few sips of their Korean wine called Soju). Yaera, my buddy, a pretty n tall (171 cm!) Korean girl who's really good at singing and can speak English, Korean, French, and now learning Mandarin. Su-Kyong, my other buddy, who's very nice and can sing very well too. Hyon-Wook, my group leader, who's been very helpful, and didn't mind taking all the hassles to organize a lot of trips. Paulo, an Italian part-timer journalist who always smiles everywhere. I've also made some good friends with other NUS students who came together, such as Esther (my lovely Singaporean friend who converses really well in Bahasa Indonesia and we often gossip about "gebetan"), Meiqi ( a really cute and funny girl who we often tease), Ridwan (my good Indonesian friend, who has made tons of friends there, some Koreans even said he's welcomed to be their university student haha), Jia Xiu, Liqin, Yirong, Kevin, Alvin, Jimmy, Steven, Wendy, Li Wen. I've also made some other acquintances, such as Chinese girls (Jolin, Summer), Chinese guy (Ike), Koreans (Chong En, Larry, Kristin, Peter, Daniel). I'm really really glad to know them all and I really miss the times we've all shared.
The food in Korea is also nice, though many of them are spicy. Bibimbap (rice mixed with veggie), Bulgogi (very tasty beef with some special chilli sauce), Kimbab (sushi with some egg, ham, cucumber- my usual lunch), Kimchi (Korean spicy n sour veggie), Ramyon and nengmyon (instant noodle and cold noodle), Bultak (a super hot n spicy chicken put on fire), Kalbi (a delicious meat barbeque), Tobukki(something tastes like a rice cake), some street snacks (such as fried sausage covered with french fries in a satay stick). Their tidbits and ice creams are nice too, esp I like butter waffle biscuits,fried chicken biscuit, Papingsu (mixed fruit yoghurt). Actually their white rice is also special, coz it tastes like Japanese rice which is really nice and no wonder if it costs 1000 won per plate (about S$2). Btw the food there cost about 3000-6000 won.
I love the places too. Nightmarkets such as Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Nandaemum are shopping haven for females. I also went to the parks such as Seoul Forest Park and Olympic Park which have fresh air and green scenery. Theme parks such as Lotte World and Everland have nice view but the rides are not as exciting as I expected to be. I also took Han River Cruise and saw the beautiful night view. There are a lot of kids playing fireworks beside the river. Went to a jazz bar called Club Evans and I liked it, quite cozy ambience and good jazz music. I also took one day trip to Gyeongju, a city outside Seoul, visited several historial places such as palaces, tomb, museums, and temples. Watched some Korean performances such as Tokebi Storm, Nanta n some dances. I miss Anam street, the street I always pass everyday from hostel to school or food places. The school is also nice, it has old European style architecture and the class is so comfortable (each of us has comfy sofa, which actually induces sleepy mode haha). The dorm, CJ I-house is newly built and it's like a hotel. It has aircon, bathroom, furnitures, room phone (mine was 3290-0197) and they also provided pillow and warm blanket.
There are so many things which I can't mention one by one. Every day has been a truly unforgettable experience. The friendship, the joy, the laughter, the excitement I've enjoyed everyday are some of the things which I wish I could repeat. I especially remembered the last day in Korea when me, my buddies and some of our friends organize our own "party". Stayed awake the whole nite ( I only went back to my room at 6am in the next morning), went to bar, chitchat, karaoke, eating pig spine n drinking soju, and lastly watching Fantastic Four when two of my buddies fell asleep in the theatre. I guessed they might have been very tired but they forced to stay awake whole nite coz its the last night we gathered. I'm really touched. I wish I had longer time to spend together like that. But of course time flies and the hands of time never turns back. The next morning I took a flight back to Singapore, and it feels strange that when I heard the announcement that the flight has just landed in Singapore, I feel this emptiness and missing. Of everything. My buddy said the last night was like a dream. How I wish I didn't have to wake up from that dream. Or at least, let me have the same dream at another time...
Dance with My Father- Luther Vandross
Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocenceMy father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me and thenSpin me around 'til I fell asleepThen up the stairs he would carry meAnd I knew for sure I was lovedIf I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with himI'd play a song that would never, ever endHow I'd love, love, loveTo dance with my father againWhen I and my mother would disagreeTo get my way, I would run from her to himHe'd make me laugh just to comfort meThen finally make me do just what my mama saidLater that night when I was asleepHe left a dollar under my sheetNever dreamed that he would be gone from meIf I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with himI'd play a song that would never, ever endCause I'd love, love, loveTo dance with my father againSometimes I'd listen outside her doorAnd I'd hear how my mother cried for himI pray for her even more than meI pray for her even more than meI know I'm praying for much too muchBut could you send back the only man she lovedI know you don't do it usuallyBut dear Lord she's dyingTo dance with my father againEvery night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream----I just heard this song played in the radio. Everytime I listen to it, it reminds me of my childhood. The cheerful n happy childhood. Nothing to worry. Just play and play. Nagging mom and dad. Angry if my wish not fulfilled. Laughing noisily if I'm happy, crying loudly if I'm sad. I miss those times. The beauty of childhood. The innocence. Sometimes I miss my mom. If I could turn back time, I wanna thank her and tell her that I love her. But people usually only treasure something much better when they have lost it, don't they? Well, I just hope one day she can see me from somewhere and be proud to have me as her daughter. That this is me, the daughter she has taken care of and has now become "somebody". That all the things she has done to me is never wasted. I know the journey to be that "somebody" is still long, and I'm still walking in the midst of it.
Okay... now updates of my recent life. Vacation already started since last week. Already started my HYP, but I dunno yet which topic I'm gonna research on. My supervisor has thought of 3 areas (m-commerce, virtual community, online shopping) but he hasn't decided yet which one is for me. Hopefully it's decided soon so I can start doing proper research, instead of looking at scattered ideas. My friends are going back to their hometown this week. I wanna go home too! But I think I can only go back next month. I wanna play with my baby brother n sister, wondering how they look like now. Usually babies grow very fast. And I wonder if they still recognize me haha. I'm soooo looking forward to go home.
Light... action!
Finally I already passed TS my practical exam. So relieved!! I've been nervous these past few days becoz of this PE. The PE was quite scary at first. I needed to control my heartbeat when the light is on. When it came to my turn, I was telling myself over and over "Be calm...". Luckily when I already said my first line, my nervousness faded away and I could say my next lines smoothly. I didn't forget any of the lines. Phew.. but I don't know how the judges graded my acting. Anyway, at least I already did my best and I didn't regret. Then when it came to Q&A, I thought it was more terrifying than the acting part. I waited anxiously when my turn was called. Grant Shen asked 4 questions- 2 of them director, 1 to Hale (Edmund), 1 to Mary (Menaka). Okay, so I was not asked any, haha so happy. Then TC asked 2 questions- both of them to the director. I was also not asked. Lastly, Gerald Chew... I'm the first one he asked. I paid my full attention to his question while trying to brush aside my anxiety. But do u know what his question is? I thought he was gonna ask specific acting or scene. It turned out that he asked, "Are you playing as an actor?" Yes, of course I am. I played as Francis Nurse, an old man. Then he asked what do I want (as the character) from the scene. It's sooo workshop type of question. Did he really watch my scene? He looked very exhausted though. Yeah it must be tiring coz the judges must be there since yesterday morning until today's evening.
I'm so relieved (I don't know how many times I've said this since we finished the PE)... Now I can concentrate studying for my other modules, including TS which still has theory exam. I think this TS module has high workload outside of class, but my overall opinion about this module is still as when I chose it. It is fun. I like particularly the practical part despite all of the complaints, stresses, and anxiety. I like my TS group. They are all so fun and supportive to each other. I admit that my lecturer is very good at this field, so are the instructors. Although Gerald is very direct and sometimes a bit harsh, he's very experienced in acting. TC is brilliant in directing and scriptwriting. And for me, I learned quite a lot of interesting things from this module. I learned about theatre, voice projection, acting, body language, psychology and everything is so applicable in real life. For example, sometimes when someone said something, it doesn't mean he/she means that literally, we must look at his/her body language coz there may be some "subtext" or underlying meaning of it. I also learned that acting is not easy. Especially if u have to personalized and be the character which is not yourself. U need research, and truly believe that you're that character. For PE, everytime there are old people passing me by, I look at them, how they walk and behave. It's still not easy to imitate though, haha. But I like it when I learn about someone else's world, personality and character.
I'm gonna miss this TS module, my groupmates and the rehearsals (eight in total). Elizabeth Tan, our dearest director who is very patient, always smiles and has very good sense of art (she directs plays, she also can play cello, piano and guitar!). Rachel Chia, our set director who made such lovely props (including the scary poppet which really turns out to be really scary). Both Elizabeth n Rachel are first year Arts student majoring English Literature. Jeannine Huynh, the costume designer, an exchange student from US whose accent I really like and whose drawing is amazing (like those fashion design students, but she's marketing major). Mark Seow, 3rd yr engine, who is sometimes a bit irritating, coz either he's late, didn't come up for rehearsals while he's the major character, or simply saying too direct things a.ka. almost insulting. And he likes to gossip about gay (have u ever heard that Judge Bao is gay? He also said that our instructor, TC, is a gay) But anyway we still survive him coz he's the most outspoken and the joker amongst us. Next, Jocelyn Tan, Mark's friend since childhood (so sweet!) but she's quite the opposite of Mark, not that talkative and she looks so mature and feminine. Sometimes whenever both of them come or rehearsals together, we think that Joce and Mark actually look good together (sorry, our group consists of 8 girls n 2 guys, so... gossip and chit-chat are the complementary session of our rehearsal) but Mark already has gf so we just forget that idea. Next, Edmund Chan, the priest to which I plead to in the drama, 3rd yr econs student, sometimes we call him "uncle" coz he's the oldest. At first I thought he's very reserved but it turns out that he actually can talk a lot. Menaka, 1st yr JS major, who is a nice girl though a bit shy. But I will remember her scene in the play. She played as a maid who is choked by her master (played by Mark) and thrown to the floor and she cried. That scene is heartbreaking. Next, Shih Yuan, a cheerful and friendly girl. I always laugh when she plays as a boastful court officer guy coz I think she's too cute to be a mean guy. Hehe but honestly she acted well in PE just now. Lastly, Sze Yin, a 1st yr ICM major girl. She's probably the closest one to me in TS module. We have tutorial, workshop and also PE group together. Woah... I'll miss all of them with all their uniqueness. I still recalled that our first rehearsal was very messy and we gradually improved, not only in our drama but we're also closer as we meet more and more. No regret taking TS, u can make new friends.
25% which makes me dying
I'm supposed to start preparing for exam, but then I'm stuck with my upcoming TS practical exam for next Thursday. Why must it be on Thursday (in the end of my reading week) and not sooner so that I can study for other modules? These past few days and upcoming days are filled with a lot of rehearsals. We've done five rehearsals, and there are 3 more before the PE. The module supposed to be fun, I quite like it actually. But I never expected that the workload outside class is such high. Moreover, it's only 25% for such a heavy workload and much of both physical and mental exercises. Physical in the sense that I need to train my voice and leg exercise in which I need to fall on my knees several times for my scene. Yesterday I just borrowed a medicated oil from my friend (Thanks, Sher!) coz my knees got some small bruises. Mental exercises in the sense that I'm so stressed these few days becoz of this practical exam. I know that I still need a lot of improvement to get into the character I'll be performing, but then I'm still having difficulties to become the character (how do I walk, speak and think like an old man?). The module which is supposed to be fun now makes me feel stressed. And I couldn't concentrate studying for my other modules (which are 4 CORE modules) coz my mind is always stuck with this TS practical exam. Aargh...
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Today I watched the play called "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" with some of my groupmates in Theatre Studies module. The play is directed and written by my very own TS instructor, Chong Tze Chien. At first I decided to come just for my curiosity sake. Tze Chien was awarded Life! Theatre Award for Production of the Year a few weeks ago for his previous play "Furthest North, Deepest South". So I wonder what his play looks like. And I never regretted.
Five of us came to watch the play at The Arts House (Old Parliament building). The venue is nice, it has some elegance for those art events. But I never expected that the play itself takes place in the Play Den, which is rather a small room (perhaps only about 100 seats) so all of us sit close to the stage. The seats are on the 3 sides of wall and each side has about4-5 rows. I think my TS practical exam venue resembles this one. It's good becoz the voice projection is better, but it's bad coz everybody (esp. the judges for my PE which comprises of my lecturer and 2 instructors) can look at u closely, even can see your sweat and tears.
Anyway, about the play itself. The theme is about upgrading. It takes place on 3 different families who stay on an HDB flat. The residents are offered upgrading of their flats. Ironically, the things which need the foremost upgrade is not the flat, not the room, but themselves. Each of the characters in the play. Like what's written on the play's flyer "It's about families who can't make up their damn minds about anything". It's about honesty. It's about families. It's about morality. It's about the devil sides inside each of us. In the first family stays a dying grandma and her grandson. The grandson wants his independent life and feels fed up taking care of her and has no life while he intends to pursue his further study in US. In the second family, a 17 yr old daughter has conflict with her mom coz her mom's boyfriend sometimes seduces her but her mom wanna have someone who she can rely on for the rest of her life after her husband died. In the third family, an old couple in their 60s argue about retirement and their 29yr old daughter who commited a crime and is hunted by police. The result is chaos, heated argument, and weeping in each family. The play ends with each of them gradually "upgrades" themselves.
I like the story plot and how the story is delivered in 3 languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Teochew) with English subtitles. I've never watched movies or plays where the actors speak 3 different languages. I like the lighting, music and timing which are so perfect and sets certain mood in audiences. The set design is also simple yet so alive. For example, they only use a large paper with a rectangle-shaped hole in the center to symbolize a window, but they make use of it such that we believe it's window. There are also actors who play as ghosts during the whole play, to symbolize the demons inside of us.
The play took about 2 hours. After that we meet Tze Chien on outside. He seems quite glad to see his students come to watch his play (he should give us an A grade hehehe). We congratulated him for winning the Life! Theatre Award and chit-chat a bit. He said he took about 3 months to do the play, including the rehearsal of 3-4 times a week. The play was originally written in English, before it's translated to other dialects. I think he's a genius. I'm so mesmerized with his play, and so are my other groupmates. The way he writes and directs a whole play truly deserve him to win a theatre award. Quick go watch this play if u haven't. Click
www.fingerplayers.com for more information. Sorry for promotion here =P I just wanna support my teacher. So proud of him.
First rehearsal
Today is my first rehearsal for TS practical exam. My group chooses The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I played a guy role (coz there aren't enough guys in my grp, and about 5 girls must play as guys) named Francis Nurse. He's an old (in his 70s), respected and upright man. Yeah that's where the trouble comes from. It's hard to get into the character deeply coz I dunno how to walk, talk or behave like an old man. But my other groupmates who play as guys still maintain their female voice. So do I. Just that I need to project my voice louder, which I did during the rehearsal today. But u know what, my throat is a bit aching now, haha. I guess I must take care of my voice coz there're 6 more rehearsal sessions before the D-day (a.k.a the exam) on 21st April.
Speaking of exams, they'll be coming soon. 21 my first practical exam. Then the rest are on 26, 27, 30 april, 3 and 5 may. Dun ask me whether I already start preparing or not. I haven't touched my textbooks coz thse days I've been drowned in projects. Still got 2 more projects to go. 3266 next Monday (11 April and I haven't finished!) and 4264 next Tuesday. I wonder whether I have enough time to finish the projects (and I'm still blogging here haha) coz tmr I'm gonna have project meeting, Friday and Saturday gonna have TS rehearsals again. So only left with Sunday.
Anyway, good luck for u (there are a lot of u, I guess) who're rushing for the last few projects before the reading week comes!
Past few hectic days (and many more coming..)
Hm... let's see. What I have done these few days. Very hectic days.
Saturday: From morning 9am till 5pm I helped Open House. Quite tiring coz most of the time only standing in the booth, but got break in between. Moreover, the shirt that I got as a helper is nice, it's NUS centennial t-shirt. After that I spent the whole day doing 4264 project in my groupmate's hostel, we stayed there from 9.30pm till 4.30am!
Sunday: Continue 4264 a bit and edit here and there. Doing a bit of MKT1003 Marketing project. Then last minute rushing for CS3265 tutorial which is due the next Monday. Actually it's a group assignment but none of us have done it, everybody is busy with his/her own projects. So me n Eunice rushed the assignment till 6am in the morning! Yes, two consecutive days of sleepless nights.
Monday: Luckily only got 1 module, so I slept a lot to recover my body which started to feel unwell. Recovered on the next day.
Tuesday: As usual, my busiest day of the week. Class from 9-5pm then BS activity from 6-8.
Wed: TS workshop. The instructor told us that we're gonna have practical exam on 20April in The Black Box Theatre in Fort Canning (never been there before). Oh my.. it's on my reading week. I think my reading week n the week before will be full of rehearsal. Must form a group of 6 for the performance but I have no idea with whom I wanna group with. The drama choices for the exam are not easy, I guess. There are 4 choices, including Shakespeare "Much Ado About Nothing". I think it'll be hard. Quite scary.
Today: Plan to do 66 but dunno where to start. It's due in 3weeks+ but I haven't started. I hate programming, but I can't avoid it coz it's requirement. I think must start doing it anyway..
