Conclusion

Further updates would be available only at

http://lifetransplanted.blogspot.com/

Address

My address is:

4-5-10, I804 Kashiihama, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City 813-0016

However, it would be better if u write it as so:


T813-0016 福岡市東区香椎浜４－５－１０, I804
(the Japanese Postal Sign, its a T with an extra horizontal line across, shitteiru ka?)

PS: it is a capital "i" and not a 1, in front of the 804

Leaving

Try as I might, I was not able to meet up with everyone that I wanted to meet up with before I go. I have now emerged from the cold feet syndrome, from saying "Singapore is humid and boring, but wo jiu shi xi huan", to psyching myself for the big day.

Sigh, everything that i want is here, and yet I have to go. I don't know why it hit me only now. Perhaps its my own idealism, but I'm glad I know where my heart is. Right here.

Chronicles of an Ah-seng in Jepun, tune in to
http://lifetransplanted.blogspot.com

Vietnamscapes

It is quite alluring, isn't it



The roads, chaotic even without the monsoon



I witnessed the process of development of a Second World country....



And fell in love with the propaganda art although I do not subscribe at all to the failed ideology



And marvelled at the architecture the French left behind, amongst other heritages like baguettes and croissants at every streetcorner



Yet not forgetting the peace and serenity steeping in this ancient capital

[to be continued...]

Hanoi Scam

People (mainly, ME) can sometimes be too trusting or gullible for their own good. Thrust them into a land where they do not speak the language (and I don't mean China for those kantang people), and its a free for all rush to see who can swindle the most money out of you. No no don't get me wrong, not everyone's out to make a fast buck out of you, but sometimes we all have to keep our eyes open.

The dong is an extremely unwieldly currency. US$1 = 15,850 Dongs. I could not change it back in Singapore as there were currency controls (the dong not being able to leave the country in amounts larger than US$3000), so I had it changed to the greenback. So after arrival at the airport, we talked to Information and found out that cabs cost a flat fee of US$10 from he Airport to town, and when we did not get that rate (the taxis wanted to charge by meter), we decided to go with the Vietnam Airlines Airport Bus, which costs US$2 a person, and would take us to town. What we didn't know was, the bus driver was probably paid some commission to take us to some unknown cramped guesthouse, who very shrewdly showed us the "Camelia Hotel" website on the computer in the lobby, and said with open arms "Welcome to Camelia Hotel!". OF COURSE we were underwhelmed, to put it mildly, because the place did not look at all like what was featured in the website, being cramped stuffy and decrepit

and according to "The Rough Guide to Vietnam, 4th Ed",

"Camelia hotel: Popular, friendly and well run budget hotel on one of the Old Quarter's liveliest streets. Rooms are all en suite and represent good value for IDD, satellite TV, and some rooms have balconies and wooden floorboards"

but cut us some slack, we were tired after a very cramped flight on a serviceless budget airway, so of course we were just thinking of putting down our baggage and getting some makan (it was 7pm Vietnam time, 8pm SG time). So we thought US$15 a night for a room wasnt a steal after all, but luckily for us we did not accede to the guy's request to leave our passports at the front desk so he could register us as we had our dinner. He looked so hurt when he insinuated that we did not trust him for a while I thought was I just being a terrible person and being overcautious. On hindsight, it was the best move I had made that night. He didn't get into my good books either by recommending another restaurant (and blatently asked me to show his card to the restaurant, another commission tactic im sure) when I asked for directions to a restaurant that I wanted to go.

So after a great meal of "bit tet" (beef steak):Tender beef sliced thinly fried with garlic and whatsnot, with cut cucumbers, 2 eggs, tomatoes, fried potatoes and FRENCH LOAF (they serve that with everything, part of the French Cultural Heritage) we soaked in the Mid Autumn festivities in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. The streets were packed! It was like Chinatown during the Lunar New Year, except with people wearing funny masks and tooting horns. Mooncakes were far from ubiquitous, and lanterns were on sale, but no one seemed to be buying them.

Then we tried to head back to the hotel, or should I say guesthouse, and got hopelessly lost, so we asked for directions to Luong Ngoc Quyen, where we thought the hotel was, so when we finally stumbled onto the place, we saw... a 3 Star Hotel with the signboard "Camelia Hotel" and realised they have been waiting for us to check in since dinner!

Of course I was furious. We took a cab back to the fake Camelia Hotel since the guy gave us his namecard, stupid mistake, packed our stuff and wanted to leave before we were slapped with the day's room rate, and we couldnt run as he had our details, and his rationale was that because we occupied the room he couldnt let anyone else in, so he needs to be compensated too.

So we paid. Didn't want to make a scene. It was late, and we wanted our hot bath and a non flimsy bed.


Wait till u hear day 2

Lingerings

On a lonely train ride home, steeping in ballads, pondering about things left out in our happy everyday lives

It is important to toe the line between the extremes of being nice and leading the person on, and devastating the person by cutting her out of your life. Unrequited love involves giving your love, in the hopes of expectancy, but when the line is drawn, all that is left, is blank. And precisely because it was not bearing fruit, you try all the harder, like a gambler hoping against hope as he bets the money for his return trip home, that something would come out of this nothing, and that stones would bleed if squeezed hard enough. I have had my fair share of such pain in my youth, so in situations when the tables are turned, I hope I have the maturity to deal with it, precisely what I wish my crushes in the past were sensitive enough to do.

Right now, everytime I think about her, i feel something, but it is not love.

Age

10 years. That is how long since I entered my alma mater Anglican High School.

Why did it suddenly hit me? Well, I was "facilitator" (or more appropriately OGL) for the team from Anglican High for today's Central Narcotics Bureau's Drug Free day event at Fort Canning Park. Its sortof like an Amazing race type of game where pitstops are game stations with drug related themes. My charges were all Sec 2 student councillors, and on hindsight, they were definitely more streetwise and had higher EQ that the 14 year old James. They kept telling me of the teachers that are there, most of whom I don't know. pricipal's changed. Discipline Mistress changed. Music/Art/D&T teachers, changed. So essentially there is no reason for me to return except for the building. Perhaps I would climb over the gates of the school on a quiet sunday and take lomographs of the place, provided I don't get reported to the police by the grouchy keeper.

Some things are left in our memories until a new spark comes along to rekindle it. I am grateful for the students that I have met (and who all spontaneously added me to MSN tonight), for it rebuilt a bridge that I thought I burnt down years ago.

Freedom

Freedom is not having to drag your ass out of bed at 7am to put on a long sleeved shirt and a tie.

Well, the above statement sort of summarises how I am feeling right now, rather chipper. :]

Experience

Including today, I have 7 more working days to go.
Lets get this over with

September would be a less dreary month
But I wouldn't trade this experience for anything else.

Middle

Life is all about choices isn't it, and I have stopped feeling the need to live up to people's expectations. It is true that we do not live our lives for ourselves alone (that's plain self-centredness and I have experienced my fair share of people who are like that), but neither do we live for others. Its all in the balance. PS: I really don't think I look like Hong Junyang, despite what everyone is telling me.

Mornings

I was just going about in my usual nonchalent stoic morning "i'm awake what more do you want" state, holding a cup of milo (sponsored by the firm), when I saw a paralegal and her friends playing with a plastic silicone breast. This is but a culmination of a whole week of banter such as "i want dicks" and Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette on repeat mode. I know they are young and just out of poly but spare a thought for this hapless intern who's trying to read an Affidavit.

I do not apologise for this post sounding like something off Xiaxue, it is merely a reflection of what is happening. I am fully awake now though.

Cornered

Part of the reason for brand loyalty especially for financial services is the outstretched hand in times of real need. No, not credit limits, but something as simple as Minimum Balance. That is why I bank with UOB, because while DBS charges me $2 a month to keep my money there, UOB allows me a Current Checking Account with a Minimum Balance of $1, useful for people like me who on certain months have just a few dollars to his name. When I finally earn a decent salary after graduation, it is obvious where I would bank at, partly due to gratitude, but mostly because of loyalty.

Reiterated, an outstretched hand in times of need would be repayed with gratitude many times over in more prosperous times. And conversely, people who trample others down just when they are in financial need would see the opposite response in days of sunshine.

I enjoy good food. However, Culinarily spoilt as I am, I do not think much about eating just rice and vegetables for every meal if need be. At this point of time, I really wonder which is more important: My freedom (which includes time, and a life, as I am actually having my holidays now) or Money, without which I cannot live. I planned to spend September relaxing, but since they have to go twisting my arm financially like that, I might have to re-think my battle plans.

That said, frugality can only mitigate the outflow of money, while INCOME, on the other hand, would break the cycle of poverty. Any idiot knows that. Although I do not relish the thought of working in a law firm by day, and temping by night, it is a "you do what you have to do" mentality. Problem is, scouring classifieds gave many results, but I am not sure how many employers would take well to the fact that I don't work on Friday nights (Cell Group) and Sunday Mornings (church). Anyhows, being in church seems to be a full time thing (at least from Thursdays onwards), I would have to give up something for something. There you go, a zero sum game, something has to be lost before something is gained? Or is there a possibility of multi-tasking.

Damn, I hate being cornered. Put a man through the fire and its sink or swim.

Alienate

Working these few months brought insights to what my life would be, 5 years down the road. The innocence of youth has given way to the responsibilities of adulthood, as I taste drudgery, fatigue, and most of all, the feeling that if this continues on, I might not relish solitude as much as I

I brought work home, but I refuse to touch it. I realised that I am probably one of the most unproductive people in the world when it comes to work. Drafting a will takes me the whole day with a precedent, and watching the associates scurry in and out of chambers in the subordinate courts left me impressed, but nonetheless, underwhelmed.

One by one, they leave, until you alone are left, guarding this fort. Then you realise, the country has capitulated.

Fizzle

In accordance to most traditions of life, the mundane takes root, and what you pre-suppose to be spectacular, just fizzle off with nary a whimper. My mentor has left for London for a well deserved break, and the associates are finishing off some painful deal, so here I am, probably the free-est person on my level. It gives a new spin to the phrase "winding down".

Even after watching how the (self-proclaimed "small fry") associates work until 2am and come in at 7am just to finish up some deal, I'm still more than convinced that FSD is what I would do, if (and that is a big IF) I actually practice (Peijing's words always ring very clearly in my head because I remember her scolding me when i said "screw that law degree". Precisely, study so hard for what.) I am filling up some survey form now, the one that I have to hand in on my last day, which happens tomorrow, before I get my paycheck. Looking back, I really enjoyed my stint here, although so many people have told me this firm, and especially my department, is a workhouse. I mean, I actually get adrenaline rushes when I get work at 5pm (and I want to clear them as soon as possible so I can knock off at 6 and join my mates for dinner), its not that work keeps me alive, its just that i don't mind it. Its nice doing what I am doing now (come to work, surf internet, go library and read newspapers, chat with the associates etc) but really, i'd rather work. It makes me feel more productive and alive (get back to me when I am actually working and I will be whining about how dying I am, which is my mentor's pet phrase. "I am so dying".) I guess I'm like that. When I have (too much) work, I complain. When I do not have work, I complain as well. Such true blue ingaporean spirit in me would be hard to exorcise. I admit, we are all spoilt and should learn to be content.

Ok fine. I am content slacking here and waiting for the clock to turn 6 so I can go get some good ramen for dinner. I can't imagine how i'd be when I actually start working. Brat.

Peek

They do this all the time in 8days. I ain't no celebrity, but here's a peek inside what I stuff my briefcase with (briefcase? another sign that I am turning into an uncle!!) Which ones are unidentifiable? heh

Ironies

Ahh, the sweet sweet ironies of life

In regards to the earlier post, thank yew (yes you) for all the nice emails, I sure that they would have kept my brain very much mentally alive but alas, i was on MC the past 2 days, so I was basically at home sleeping. I haven't slept so much in awhile... slept the whole day, wake up for dinner, watch some prime time tv, then went back to sleep again... Basically I think my body is just rioting from all the maltreatment that I've given it

No its not bird flu, but I really suspect its pneumonia, but the stupid doctor in the polyclinic was checking some asthma flowchart to check my symptoms... I think it gives you as much assurance as a surgeon watching a "how-to" video when he's slicing you up.

Back to A&G. For me it's my absolute first time working in a while collar job. The place is posh, and the working environment nice (hmm, I haven;t had anything to compare it to, but objectively, its nice)

update late. feeling drowsy. going to sleep. zzzzz

Communication

Because I spend half my day at the firm, which doesn't allow internet access for intern beyond content/work-related websites, I cannot MSN, check my regular email account and visit kontraband.com

The plea for this week: Hit me, at jamesteo@nus.edu.sg and u will be guaranteed a reply within 5 minutes.

TALK TO ME PEOPLE TALK TO ME!!!

WhiteCollar

First day attachment at the Largest firm in Singapore, I remembered I had loads to write about but after dinner my brain is just drawing a blank. Is this how my life would be next time?

Hiatus

Bintan Morning

I love looking out to the clear expanse, wading in water clear enough to see my feet and pick up shells from, just lazing on the deck chair, cheap beer, waking up and eating breakfast by the shore, kayaking into the ocean, drinking margaritas at the bar, in essence, a resort lifestyle.


It was the first beach resort that i have been out of Singapore, but then again, Bintan seemed to be an extension of Singapore (I am deliberately phrasing my words v.e.r.y. carefully, lest someone accuses me of saying that Bintan is a colony of Singapore and hence harming Singapore-Indonesian ties). Everything was in Sing dollars, for starters, but then again, the whole northern shore of the island is a resort, and they even have this unabashedly touristy "Pasar Oleh Oleh" (think Eunos' Malay Village) where the souveniers, batik and printed T-shirts are sold... in Sing dollars. On the flipside, it was good that I had access to Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia, so I didn't miss the IOC announcement for London. I didn't buy anything though, everything's cheaper in Singapore, except the beer. Really wanted to go Jet-Skiing, but it was $50 bucks and I needed to feed myself with the $8.90++ meals, but we did go kayaking and it was just, in a word, fantastic.

Next week, I take my first step into the White-collared Legal Working world.

Bargain

Picked up a return air ticket to Hanoi, Vietnam for $19.98 via Tiger Airways in September, which come up to about a hundred bucks including tax. Amazing, the tax costs more than the ticket. Yea! Another holiday after 2 months of Attachment hell... can't wait!

Departures

With my bestest friends from Law School, at the Emerald Hill See-Saw

Departures:
It would be a year before we meet like this again, Jason's off to New Zealand in 2 days time, Meihui to Australia in 8 days, Lionel to the US of A by August, and me? Japan. When we meet again next year, I am sure we will be very different people, each with different experiences which would mould us differently. I do not know what would string us together, but something just tells me it just would.

another revelation that we have grown up: we come to terms, we learn, and we start to accept. That some things that we hold on to so tenaciously in our youth now seem like folly, that nothing is really forever, that there are responsibilities to bear besides just ourselves, that happiness is defined by yourself and not others, amongst other things.

A fulfilling June: A spiritually refreshing Church Camp in Seremban, where I finally surrendered, and a rollercoaster High Key In Camp Training where, in many situations, I felt myself being moulded...My integrity, my character, my patience.. I build it brick by brick. Sometimes we learn only from traumatic events because we pay no heed to the hints. I live, and I learn.

July is a new month, looking forward to a Bintan Beach escapade, Attachment at Allen & Gledhill (Lunch and Dinner appointments with my friends who are already in the working world), and trying my best to teach English to Gregory, my tuition kid. Sometimes I really have no idea how to go about teaching him how to handle cloze passages, but i try my best, really dont wanna shortchange that kid.

Seremban

View of the sleepy town of Seremban (known as Foo Yong, yes, the eggs, in Chinese) from my hotel room. I watched as dusk turned to night, and the prayer calls from the mosque rang loud and clear. For a moment, I felt as if I was back in Morocco.

Just back from Seremban yesterday night, and heading off to Sungei Gedong tomorrow morning for reservist, will be back on the 1st of July.

What

I do not see how vegetating day in and day out can be noteworthy, but thats what I have been doing, so there you go for the update of the week

Victory!

One of the gripes I have always lamented about the NUS campus was that it does not bring to mind the vast sprawling landscape and historical buildings that many other universities lay claim to (Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard inter alia) so I was really glad that our claim bettered NTU's. (I mean, they have SO much space to begin with at their ulu corner of Sunnypore while we are cramming so tightly in Kent Ridge) But then again, I will miss all my mates who will still be stuck in Engine Fac, as well as Genki, Munchie's etc

Just something to expect when I come back from Japan yea. A whole new (cooler) environment, but on the flipside, my batch will not be called to the bar at the historical supreme court, but at the hideous monstrocity of that UFO landing site. Win some, lose some.

Silence

I seemed to have reverted back to the mindnumbing days of my youth, where time was on my side and I had nothing to do but to kill it. It is 2am again, and because the whole world is on pause, I stand here, alone in my thoughts