Speak

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

I have returned, very much alive, from the Philippines.

The dental/medical outreach was quite popularly received; we worked 3 full days giving dental and medical services to the people of the village. We were at Quezon City, somewhere in Manila. It's actually an urban village, not those rural villages with cows and chickens and no electricity. That I shall blog about more at a later date.

Of the local food, I won't say I love it, but I did enjoy it. There was this local snack I tried. It's called balot. They sell for 10 peso each. That's about S$0.30.

To the clueless, balots are boiled duck eggs. Except that there's a duckling inside, a few days short of hatching. At the insistence of my Filipino friends, I decided to try it. It took much mustering of courage before I could bring myself to even hold the egg.

This, was how it looked like after the shell is peeled away. The yellow bag it's hugging is the yolk sac. It's disgusting, just the thought of eating this poor little thing which could (and would) have developed into a cute little duckling. But food is food is food. Since it has already sacrificed it's little life, I must do justice to it's death by eating it.

It was, surprisingly, quite edible, and unexpectedly tasty! So I finished the entire egg. I was told it was very nutritious and good for the body, especially the knees(?). It's not so bad actually, it tasted like chicken. :) Just that the feathers get stuck to your teeth after, and when you rinse your mouth you see all the feather remains.

Yum yum.

writing at 3:52 PM

Monday, December 11, 2006

I recently just found out I have an Australian-Chinese cousin. She's my mom's cousin, actually. So what do I call her? Aunt-cousin? Auntie? Anyways, we just came back from a trip together to Kuala Lumpur with our extended family and I must say it was quite fun! Rooming with my new-found cousin was loads of fun. Because she's near my age, just slightly older, we were able to talk like friends. And she bargains like nobody's business. We almost got whacked by the hawkers at Chinatown, I had to drag her away to safety. Nevertheless, it was great discovering I have another cousin. I'll probably fly over to her house in Australia next year to visit. Then I can save on accomodation and food. Haha. Just kiddin'.

I leave for Philippines in 15 hours. It's a medical/dental/educational missions trip, with my church. I really have no idea what are the conditions over there. Malaria? Typhoons?

I go in faith.

writing at 4:10 PM

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Prom was okay. Nothing unusual or spectacular, just the usual prom. Quite forgettable, save that one sweet, fleeting moment; swept me off my feet.

Post prom was fun. But too clean, in my opinion. And it was my first time clubbing. T'was quite amusing to see people whom I've always known to be study freaks at the dance floor doing their thang. Watching some people made me wanna laugh out loud, but that wasn't a very nice thing to do eh. Maybe they were secretly laughing at me too(!). I used to think clubbin' was one of those vices that only bad girls who don't listen to their mamas do. Used to. It intoxicates.

I'm a convert.

Attraction.

writing at 6:30 PM

Monday, December 04, 2006

"People hide their truest natures. I understood that; I even applauded it. What sort of world would it be if people bled all over the sidewalks, if they wept under trees, smacked whomever they despised, kissed strangers, revealed themselves? Keep a cloack, that was fine, the thing to do; present a disguise, the ouside you, the one you want people to believe."

from The Ice Queen, by Alice Hoffman

It was a sad but beautiful novel, I felt.

It's Decemeber already. Actually, 2 years in JC is just right. 1 year's too short, 3 year's too long. 2 is just right. Not too long for too deep an attachment to form, not too short to make only acquaintances.

It feels scary to grow up. I'm not ready for the world yet. I don't wanna grow up.

Won't you look at me baby.

writing at 2:51 AM