Well, it's been a while since my last entry. Went up to glasgow last weekend to spend Chinese new year, thankfully. Twas good- at least i didn't have to spend the festive season alone doing work in my room. There was a potluck dinner at the Glasgow Chinese CHristian Church whereby each cell group had to contribute 3 dishes. We ended up with quite a spread. i miss Chinese food!! and the new year goodies! Thanks to James (another NUS exchange student at University College London who was up in glasgow visiting his girlfriend Sheryl) who had brought some cny goodies from singapore, we needn't suffer the agony of missing out too much.. haha~ It's pleasing to know that the chinese there are a closely knit community. Being around them gives me a sense of warmth and tinge of nostalgia. [There were some celebrations going on in my university organised by the chinese societies but i wasn't very interested.]
Ken and i had lunch together with James and Sheryl last sunday after church service at St Georges Tron. James and i were having a conversation about how studying in the uk is so much more relaxed than in Singapore. He can't get used to the easygoing lifestyle here and is worried that he might not be able to get back on track in NUS next semester when he returns - my sentiments exactly!! haha~ so it isn't just me (if u have read my previous blog entries), it's possibly a trait that all NUS students possess - the need to keep ourselves occupied with work, a feeling of inadequacy (due to 'kiasuism') will otherwise arise. it's rather sad - gaining satisfaction from keeping ourselves academically occupied.
Back at Lancaster:
I received an email reply from my fav prof (now mentor and friend) a couple of days ago. Among other things in my email to him, I also asked him how effective he thinks a "singaporean education" is (material covered, output from students etc). It isn't surprising that he feels the same way i do -"Yes, (....) is covering too much, because students can not (in the time given) fully absorb/digest/integrate the material. Stress & competition are not always good for advances in Science or anything else. They have their role, but that role is not absolute! Knowing more IS ONLY GOOD IF you have integrated all the information, otherwise it leads to misconception that one has great knowledge. Retaining of what has been taught is of limited advantage. For instance, imagine that you are very hungry and can eat a large loaf of bread. You have a big dough, but have no means of baking it. Will it help you? Only if you can eat the dough!" nice one - retaining is not equal to understanding/integration of information. i'm anticipating my visit to his home in london and getting to know his wife at the end of the summer term, when he returns to the uk.
Other than the things mentioned above, i've been rather busy with my coursework and easter vacation plans. coursework submission deadlines are in a week. i should be done with it in a few days. Ken and i are planning to visit friends in leicester and cambridge in easter. Vicky (another NUS exchange student at Uni of Nottingham) might be joining us as well. it'd be nice to meet up in the uk. The other international students (NUS, York Uni (Canada) and Uni HK) are planning a short visit to paris in early april. Might want to join them!
I attended sunday service at the Anglican Free Chuch Chapel (Uni Chaplaincy Centre)this morning. This week, it was a unified service with the Catholic Chapel. was good - How God is moving us forward (towards eternity/Him) by testing our faith. After that, we had the AGM and new Executive committee elections. I'm the new secretary! =P*
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