Updates + Appreciation

Seems that my blogging mood kicks in when I'm alone, and listening to music, and again contemplating. Add in that nagging "pressure" to blog - if I expect to have readers I surely have to be expected to provide some reading materials right?

My time in the US has been nothing short of an interesting (this is probably the mildest word ever), roller coaster ride. Well, my ride probably didn't take me on 360 loop, but there definitely have been highs and downs.

Semester 1 was like a "plan for a trip one week and then go on the trip in the next, and then rinse and repeat".

Semester 2 is now "I'm gonna stay here and mug. But then so many new stuff are happening every week, but it's still primarily in Berkeley"

Maybe I'm simply old xD

I think I have talked about this before. The USD 300 dent. Just got a letter saying they (Citi) have received the claim and will be processing it. #efficiency

The International house regularly holds a "Coffee Hour" every week where residents can mingle over coffee and some snacks. It has also become a tradition where groups of residents from the same country (or region like Scandinavia) will rise to the occasion and organise a themed Coffee Hour to showcase their countries. 

And hence we had our own. It was no mean feat, and I must say I am very happy that I joined in. Was in charge of the drinks and I decided on bandung (you can see Clara adding the red colouring) and iced tea (奶茶冰), and green bean soup (haha I really love green bean soup). Yuan Ming was in charge of food and he prepared laksa and indomee (instant noodle). 

It was real great fun preparing the drinks, as we had to get utensils + borrow cambros (drink dispensers) from the dining hall + decide how to fully utilise our limited crockery and space in the kitchen.

Oh, and those cambros provided great memories of the army. And yes these also have the infamous ability to retain the smell of their previous contents even after soaping and washing.

Preparation started as early as around 3pm and the event commenced at 9pm. 

You can see that Clara is adding red colouring to make the bandung and Yuan Ming is looking for something

Sadly I couldn't find the photograph with the graduates. But this is nonetheless a nice picture of us (or rather those who came down)

This event is quite a significant milestone in many ways. Apart from the praises that we got (one of, if not the, best coffee hours ever), this event made me feel really touched by all the help rendered by my friends. Ask and you will be given. Furthermore, I am blessed to be given a responsibility, and also be able to work with fantastic people. Matthew (the smiley guy on my left) and I "lamented" that a few days up to this Singapore Coffee Hour, all in our minds were just how to execute the Coffee Hour, and once the Coffee Hour ended it really felt as if heavy weight just got lifted off our shoulders. It's not that we feel it's a burden, but it's like ... our project.
I have to thank friends for making this happen. From setting up the beautiful and elaborate decorations, to emceeing and preparing the 4D lucky draws (yes we had 4D, and we made a lottery out of it), running the various booths, providing entertainment and hospitality to all the guests and simply being there to add to the 气氛.
But 我要特别谢的是 Clara (the girl in blue in the previous photo). She was like my right-hand man. Without her I really wouldn't have been able to prepare so much drinks and so good as well. She probably doesn't know it, but she helped me take my mind off some parts of the drinks preparation.  
It was a good night.

Full DOUBLE Rainbow! Thanks to the open landscape. When you are in the countryside, this would be pretty commonplace, but nonetheless still breathtaking. Taken in Peru.

And a week ago, I was off to Peru on an Engineers Without Borders University of California - Berkeley monitoring and evaluation trip. I like how whenever people ask me for my Spring break holiday destination, and I reply "Peru", and they think I'm going hiking or Machu Pichu. But I'm actually there for "work" and of course some sightseeing - along the way to our "work place". I'm there as a technical side to collect samples and data about the water in the Peruvian communities we are working with.

Makeshift lab. Chemistry 101!

This trip meant a lot to me. It represents this affirmation by the Peru Project committee of my work that I have put into the project over the previous semester. Ok it's not like I was very outstanding or something, or maybe there were simply lack of applicants. Nonetheless, I did attend like 90% of the meetings and tried to learn and contribute as much as I could. One key tenets in my life now is appreciation and affirmation, and this is like the best way to do it. 

The infamous alpacas. Quite rare to see wild, unrestrained ones. And they are cute. But I ate alpaca steak on the 2nd day, not that fantastic though :/ (maybe expectations were too high)

This EWB has taken quite a lot of my time and energy. I put in a minimum of 2 hours a week (because I attend 2x 1 hour meetings each week), and I have to say I'm learning a lot. I've never participated in a student organisation so actively before (sorry REP Club, my hands were tied then), and it was eye-opening learning and experiencing all the behind-the-scenes and concerns that student clubs/chapters face. Then there's also the common mistakes that student clubs make and of course the benefits and joy from successfully organising events or recruiting new people. Stuff like institutional knowledge, member retention, fundraising, so many skills. But one key phrase sticks: 

"Don't be afraid to make use of people's enthusiasm, for once it dies, it is really hard to rekindle the flame". 

It's not about abusing your friends, but more of utilising this enthusiasm to get things done. It's so much more efficient and effective when people are enthusiastic. Just remember to attribute and credit the work appropriately.

Till then~