I found this index for group activities and games today, looks like it's quite a comprehensive site! I love the quotes on the page which talks about games, read this -
Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.
- Jawaharlal Nehru
Play for more than you can afford to lose, and you will learn the game.
- Winston Churchill
Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.
- Italian proverb
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.
-Plato
Seek, above all, for a game worth playing.
- Robert S. de Ropp
And my favourite one -
Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Nearing the end of first week...
PE Classes
My beep test lesson for the kids is working really well. Despite their initial complaints about having to run, they easily grew fascinated just be listening to the instructions about the conducting of the test and the different roles they will play. Almost all of them ran the test to the best of their limits, so much so that 2 of them vomitted today from the effort (nothing serious though). There was this boy who ran 2 complete levels alone, determined to get his personal best even though no one in class even went near his record (Level 13.3 for 15m shuttles). I also got to lecture one of the Normal Academic class when the girls did not put in their best effort, berating them for giving up easily and asking them to reflect upon their attitude towards their pursuits.
English
Will be teaching English to my sec 3 class from next week on, sharing half of the lessons each week with the other teacher till she leaves in 5 weeks' time. Thought of starting each lesson with some 'check-in' activity, anything that can motivate them, encourage them, or show them what I expect from them. Like I said, the class seriously need to learn some lessons in values first before any academic learning. They are kids who put their head on the table for the entire lesson and refuses to respond to the teacher right now, and others just refuse to do any sort of work.
Outdoor Activities Club matters
Something new to my portfolio - My HOD just handed over the main handling of the club to me in her absence this semester, so I have to implement stuff, follow up on issues, plan activities and write some proposals too. I just got my weekends burned so that I can follow my kids on kayaking courses (of all places, Changi PASSC...), among other things. Eventually, I also have to examine the conditions of some kayaks passed on to us, think of ways to spend $5k for the club (someone out there might be interested to help on this perhaps?), and decide if it is feasible for the kids to get the NYAA Silver award.
So, loads of things to do. I've been staying in school till late everyday these days to work, think I'll be quite a workaholic in the coming few weeks too. I love my work environment though, the way I placed my books and stuff around me, and the stock of food I have; that really makes the work easier.
My beep test lesson for the kids is working really well. Despite their initial complaints about having to run, they easily grew fascinated just be listening to the instructions about the conducting of the test and the different roles they will play. Almost all of them ran the test to the best of their limits, so much so that 2 of them vomitted today from the effort (nothing serious though). There was this boy who ran 2 complete levels alone, determined to get his personal best even though no one in class even went near his record (Level 13.3 for 15m shuttles). I also got to lecture one of the Normal Academic class when the girls did not put in their best effort, berating them for giving up easily and asking them to reflect upon their attitude towards their pursuits.
English
Will be teaching English to my sec 3 class from next week on, sharing half of the lessons each week with the other teacher till she leaves in 5 weeks' time. Thought of starting each lesson with some 'check-in' activity, anything that can motivate them, encourage them, or show them what I expect from them. Like I said, the class seriously need to learn some lessons in values first before any academic learning. They are kids who put their head on the table for the entire lesson and refuses to respond to the teacher right now, and others just refuse to do any sort of work.
Outdoor Activities Club matters
Something new to my portfolio - My HOD just handed over the main handling of the club to me in her absence this semester, so I have to implement stuff, follow up on issues, plan activities and write some proposals too. I just got my weekends burned so that I can follow my kids on kayaking courses (of all places, Changi PASSC...), among other things. Eventually, I also have to examine the conditions of some kayaks passed on to us, think of ways to spend $5k for the club (someone out there might be interested to help on this perhaps?), and decide if it is feasible for the kids to get the NYAA Silver award.
So, loads of things to do. I've been staying in school till late everyday these days to work, think I'll be quite a workaholic in the coming few weeks too. I love my work environment though, the way I placed my books and stuff around me, and the stock of food I have; that really makes the work easier.
Quote to share
I was flipping through my school's student handbook and I chanced upon this one by Confucius:
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
How true! I'm going to share this with my Normal Tech kids and get them to think about which path they are are on in the pursuit of knowledge, compared to what they are currently doing now. If they say that they don't know the answer to either of the questions, then well, that tells us all a lot too doesn't it...
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
How true! I'm going to share this with my Normal Tech kids and get them to think about which path they are are on in the pursuit of knowledge, compared to what they are currently doing now. If they say that they don't know the answer to either of the questions, then well, that tells us all a lot too doesn't it...
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Small bites of the work
Form class - the form teacher is a confirmed Neanderthal man with regards to teaching. His form teacher lesson just gives the class time to talk, and to heck with all the rules and expectations setting stuff. He just grunts out a few instructions that's all. The class lacks discipline and manners, and it is my top priority to correct that before anything.
Teaching of English - The class's current English will leave in week 6 and I'll have to take over then. Meanwhile, I have to work out how to help out in the teaching duties too, if only to let the class get used to me.
Teaching of PE - pretty brainless, because NAPFA testing is the main activity for the term.
Basically in a Normal Technical class, things move at snail's pace because they somehow subscribe to the notion that they should behave like lazy brats and be nagged at. They are the most ignorant bunch (their midyear English paper is a joke) and also the most egoistic and rude students you'll get in school. Teaching content is definitely not the most important thing for them, that can come later. They first need to learn about the values they need to exercise for learning to occur.
Teaching of English - The class's current English will leave in week 6 and I'll have to take over then. Meanwhile, I have to work out how to help out in the teaching duties too, if only to let the class get used to me.
Teaching of PE - pretty brainless, because NAPFA testing is the main activity for the term.
Basically in a Normal Technical class, things move at snail's pace because they somehow subscribe to the notion that they should behave like lazy brats and be nagged at. They are the most ignorant bunch (their midyear English paper is a joke) and also the most egoistic and rude students you'll get in school. Teaching content is definitely not the most important thing for them, that can come later. They first need to learn about the values they need to exercise for learning to occur.
Monday, June 25, 2007
The piano and the bike
Searching Youtube for cool Nike commercials to show kids during lesson breaks, I found this one with Lance Armstrong and...Li Yundi! So what's the connection between a top cyclist and an up-and-coming superstar pianist? Quite a bizarre pairing I must say...
Saturday, June 23, 2007
The start of my career
Days of tumultuous emotions passed with the end of a school seminar and meeting the last 2 days, leaving me to await the start of my teaching career this coming Monday.
First, there was an 'envisioning' seminar for the staff. We basically dissected, discussed and presented about everything in the school's values, vision, philosophy etc, so you can imagine how productive the whole thing was. The first thing the English HOD told me upon our first greetings is to inform me that I will be teaching 3T1 English for the next half year instead of literature, and that effectively soured my mood for the day.
Then my former lit supervisor I did practicum with stood up when one group presented on 'integrity', and basically torched the whole room quiet like a firebrand searing the conscience. She said that we had always blamed the kids on not having such values, but failed to looked at ourselves. In her own words, most of us only regurgitate to students things that they have heard since primary one, and dare us to confess that we had walked into classrooms with the confidence that our lessons will shake the students up and ignite in them a passion like ours.
As always, whenever she said anything, the whole room was quiet as if death had struck one of us unexpectedly, especially when she has jolted us out of the hypocritical optimism and note of cheeriness in the content of our silly presentations. Credits to her for being able to get worked up over issues such as these in the brain-numbing session, for her courage to lambast vehemently everyone in the seminar room, fairly or otherwise.
The day after we have our staff meeting in school; it was insufferable as usual, with the Principal spending plenty of time talking about things that no one needs to know. I found out that I was to be the co-form teacher of the same class that I will be teaching English for.
My problem with that is with the form-teacher - by some coincidence he sat beside me, and when he found out I'm his co-form he immediately told me how I have to 'go hard' on the class, that he will not intervene in any way if I was to punish them, and that they are a terrible bunch generally. He cautioned me against being used by the kids such that the two of us would turn against each other, perhaps because he intuitively know that's probably gonna happen.
Incidentally, he was the idiot I mentioned in a previous post, and he managed to outdo himself right there and then, saying that the school should ban kids from bringing those small fashionable sling bags to school because they don't bring back their textbooks home and bring back their homework to school. Here's a teacher without sense and passion (only thing he has is bad breath, which he inflicted on me whenever he talks) as far as I can see, and it will probably be maddening for me to see him and his ridiculous attitude in action when interacting with the class. It will be a long half year for me. I will do what the school wants me to for this time, but rest assured that I'm not gonna be stuck with this guy in 2008.
English meeting was a breeze in contrast, and I was left with a lot of time to organise the things I lugged back to school. I am placed back at my former table, but this time I made it a lot nicer and homely, shelving a few thick books there as resources, bringing my black kitty beanie and my lizard toy-paperweight to cheer me up, and putting up my poster of the khatsalano to remind me of my dream to carry on kayak-touring.
Familiar environments like these makes me feel comfortable; to sit in the chair that I used to slump into whenever I feel drained by the work, to put things in their usual positions again. I meet a few kids who came back to school for badminton training, and chatting with them made me feel good again about staying on in the school.
I really cannot predict how I'll feel about things eventually; I just hope that I got the energy to last through the bad patches, the cool to back away from difficult situations, and that I can retain a zest for life outside of school, which I failed to retain during my practicum period.
First, there was an 'envisioning' seminar for the staff. We basically dissected, discussed and presented about everything in the school's values, vision, philosophy etc, so you can imagine how productive the whole thing was. The first thing the English HOD told me upon our first greetings is to inform me that I will be teaching 3T1 English for the next half year instead of literature, and that effectively soured my mood for the day.
Then my former lit supervisor I did practicum with stood up when one group presented on 'integrity', and basically torched the whole room quiet like a firebrand searing the conscience. She said that we had always blamed the kids on not having such values, but failed to looked at ourselves. In her own words, most of us only regurgitate to students things that they have heard since primary one, and dare us to confess that we had walked into classrooms with the confidence that our lessons will shake the students up and ignite in them a passion like ours.
As always, whenever she said anything, the whole room was quiet as if death had struck one of us unexpectedly, especially when she has jolted us out of the hypocritical optimism and note of cheeriness in the content of our silly presentations. Credits to her for being able to get worked up over issues such as these in the brain-numbing session, for her courage to lambast vehemently everyone in the seminar room, fairly or otherwise.
The day after we have our staff meeting in school; it was insufferable as usual, with the Principal spending plenty of time talking about things that no one needs to know. I found out that I was to be the co-form teacher of the same class that I will be teaching English for.
My problem with that is with the form-teacher - by some coincidence he sat beside me, and when he found out I'm his co-form he immediately told me how I have to 'go hard' on the class, that he will not intervene in any way if I was to punish them, and that they are a terrible bunch generally. He cautioned me against being used by the kids such that the two of us would turn against each other, perhaps because he intuitively know that's probably gonna happen.
Incidentally, he was the idiot I mentioned in a previous post, and he managed to outdo himself right there and then, saying that the school should ban kids from bringing those small fashionable sling bags to school because they don't bring back their textbooks home and bring back their homework to school. Here's a teacher without sense and passion (only thing he has is bad breath, which he inflicted on me whenever he talks) as far as I can see, and it will probably be maddening for me to see him and his ridiculous attitude in action when interacting with the class. It will be a long half year for me. I will do what the school wants me to for this time, but rest assured that I'm not gonna be stuck with this guy in 2008.
English meeting was a breeze in contrast, and I was left with a lot of time to organise the things I lugged back to school. I am placed back at my former table, but this time I made it a lot nicer and homely, shelving a few thick books there as resources, bringing my black kitty beanie and my lizard toy-paperweight to cheer me up, and putting up my poster of the khatsalano to remind me of my dream to carry on kayak-touring.
Familiar environments like these makes me feel comfortable; to sit in the chair that I used to slump into whenever I feel drained by the work, to put things in their usual positions again. I meet a few kids who came back to school for badminton training, and chatting with them made me feel good again about staying on in the school.
I really cannot predict how I'll feel about things eventually; I just hope that I got the energy to last through the bad patches, the cool to back away from difficult situations, and that I can retain a zest for life outside of school, which I failed to retain during my practicum period.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Are PE teachers less skilled these days?
A lecturer during our programme evaluation remarked that PE department heads and teachers have been lamenting that the game skills of the current generation of PE teachers are inferior compared to others in the past. I think this generalisation is pretty true, and I think game skills of future teachers will be around our current cohort's standards too, except for the rare few individuals who are all-rounders and can play different games confidently. Why is this the case?
Singaporean youths do not have time to play
Not many parents are willing to let their kids engage in fun and games on their own with their peers ever since the education system demands that students get good results throughout their schooling life. I think even free time is now structured by the parents, who want their kids to engage in more 'productive' activities like learning some skills formally.
Lack of supportive social environment
Kids do not have the strong support of parents to play after school hours usually, and I think it is hard for them to find peers who can stay back outside of schooling time to play too. It is rare to find schools that actively encourages students to engage in games within the school compound, with many wanting to shoo the kids home. When they are home, it is rare to find parents who have the time and desire to get their kids to be active.
Lack of facilities
Living in densely populated estates makes it hard for people to find space to engage in field games for example. Sport halls booking slots are packed at peak periods, that's what I know.
Early specialisation of skills
Sports people are cultivated mainly due to their involvement with CCAs in schools, which makes them specialists in a particular sport. Unless they find opportunities outside of school to play, that'll probably be the only thing they are good at. It is difficult to acquire excellent skills when new sporting interests are picked up later in life when they are already independent adults.
Although I believe that successful lessons are almost wholly the result of excellent planning and good management skills, PE teachers should ideally have adequate skills to play different games at an intermediate level. Otherwise it can be sad that we cannot inspire students to be all-rounders by showing them how we enjoy all the different things sports have to offer.
Singaporean youths do not have time to play
Not many parents are willing to let their kids engage in fun and games on their own with their peers ever since the education system demands that students get good results throughout their schooling life. I think even free time is now structured by the parents, who want their kids to engage in more 'productive' activities like learning some skills formally.
Lack of supportive social environment
Kids do not have the strong support of parents to play after school hours usually, and I think it is hard for them to find peers who can stay back outside of schooling time to play too. It is rare to find schools that actively encourages students to engage in games within the school compound, with many wanting to shoo the kids home. When they are home, it is rare to find parents who have the time and desire to get their kids to be active.
Lack of facilities
Living in densely populated estates makes it hard for people to find space to engage in field games for example. Sport halls booking slots are packed at peak periods, that's what I know.
Early specialisation of skills
Sports people are cultivated mainly due to their involvement with CCAs in schools, which makes them specialists in a particular sport. Unless they find opportunities outside of school to play, that'll probably be the only thing they are good at. It is difficult to acquire excellent skills when new sporting interests are picked up later in life when they are already independent adults.
Although I believe that successful lessons are almost wholly the result of excellent planning and good management skills, PE teachers should ideally have adequate skills to play different games at an intermediate level. Otherwise it can be sad that we cannot inspire students to be all-rounders by showing them how we enjoy all the different things sports have to offer.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Nothing much to say...
That's how it is with breaks; I just spend the day doing some (sports) activity, get some low level euphoria, and end the day uneventfully. These sort of days really makes me feel like I should be doing something vaguely productive instead; it is just an inner compulsion of mine la. Work will be coming my way real soon though, from the coming Monday on.
So. Went for polo training yesterday, and had a super late night supper with JB and Roland. I ended up sleeping at 4.30am after watching 2 episodes of 'Heroes', and woke up today in a daze. It was so bad I just had to concuss a while when visiting my Ah Ma watching her make dumplings, and had to drag myself to meet Roland to climb. I thought I wouldn't be able to make it at the rock gym, but I felt good enough to flash quite a few routes others threw at me. That got me excited enough to look forward to next Saturday's session.
Tomorrow it's gonna be badminton and polo training immediately after that. Karen's coming back tomorrow night from diving in Tioman too, will probably pick her up or something.
So. Went for polo training yesterday, and had a super late night supper with JB and Roland. I ended up sleeping at 4.30am after watching 2 episodes of 'Heroes', and woke up today in a daze. It was so bad I just had to concuss a while when visiting my Ah Ma watching her make dumplings, and had to drag myself to meet Roland to climb. I thought I wouldn't be able to make it at the rock gym, but I felt good enough to flash quite a few routes others threw at me. That got me excited enough to look forward to next Saturday's session.
Tomorrow it's gonna be badminton and polo training immediately after that. Karen's coming back tomorrow night from diving in Tioman too, will probably pick her up or something.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Visit to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
It was a great visit to Sungei Buloh today!
I was there on a teacher's workshop for its 'Young Naturalist' program, and the park really gave us a whole lot of things for paying them a visit. First of all, the teacher's resource file given to us were wonderfully designed and beautiful - it came with worksheets for activities, teaching ideas, colourful pictorial guides to identifying flora and fauna in the park, simple yet attractive postcards with quotes about nature on them. I was so thoroughly impressed that I checked out their website also; as expected it was equally informative and useful. Hell, even their dustbins are nice!
We were given talks to start off the program, first by a conservation officer about his duties there, doing things like birds census and ringing (ID tagging). Another park officer showed us in pictures what we might be able to spot in the park, and the design of the nature reserve itself. After a great buffet lunch (yes it was good enough to be mentioned here), we were guided through different short routes in the park by experienced volunteer guides who pointed out things to us and showed us the secrets of the plants and animals within. I spotted monitor lizards, squirrels, mudskippers, bugs and spiders etc, and another group even saw otters! Really cool.
If you ever feel like doing something new and interesting, do pay a visit to the park; it really is worth and afternoon, or even more.
(P.S. - More than once, I thought that the park's success must be in part attributed to its sponsorship by HSBC, which made a lot of things possible and helped to developed the educational resources for the kids. I think they really deserve mention here for sponsoring such a worthy cause.)
I was there on a teacher's workshop for its 'Young Naturalist' program, and the park really gave us a whole lot of things for paying them a visit. First of all, the teacher's resource file given to us were wonderfully designed and beautiful - it came with worksheets for activities, teaching ideas, colourful pictorial guides to identifying flora and fauna in the park, simple yet attractive postcards with quotes about nature on them. I was so thoroughly impressed that I checked out their website also; as expected it was equally informative and useful. Hell, even their dustbins are nice!
We were given talks to start off the program, first by a conservation officer about his duties there, doing things like birds census and ringing (ID tagging). Another park officer showed us in pictures what we might be able to spot in the park, and the design of the nature reserve itself. After a great buffet lunch (yes it was good enough to be mentioned here), we were guided through different short routes in the park by experienced volunteer guides who pointed out things to us and showed us the secrets of the plants and animals within. I spotted monitor lizards, squirrels, mudskippers, bugs and spiders etc, and another group even saw otters! Really cool.
If you ever feel like doing something new and interesting, do pay a visit to the park; it really is worth and afternoon, or even more.
(P.S. - More than once, I thought that the park's success must be in part attributed to its sponsorship by HSBC, which made a lot of things possible and helped to developed the educational resources for the kids. I think they really deserve mention here for sponsoring such a worthy cause.)
Friday, June 08, 2007
Idiocy
It was the second day of the beginning teacher's induction today, and a few of the people in the graduating cohorts (I loathe to call them my colleagues) really showed how stupid even would-be teachers can be. In the day's lecture about career tracks and performance management system, there are some idiots who
Idiocy really shows up in people of all ages and professions. I am just thoroughly ashamed that I happen to be passionate in the same job as these idiots.
- demands to know the exact date on which his bonus will come - apparently he has called up relevant departments several times to demand the same thing too and wasn't happy with their uncertain answer. (Hello? The forum is to explain the system and clarify doubts, not for redress!)
- rattled on and on about how he aspires to leadership positions but at the same time also interested to learn about early education, special needs education, and gifted students education altogether. (The forum panelists one by one gave different answers to him which essentially meant: when you grow up someday you'll eventually find out where your ambitions will take you.)
- rambled on about how MM LKY who had served the country so long got a pay rise even when salaries are increased to attract new ministers, so therefore all teachers who previously joined the force should get a similar pay increase in response to the better pay MOE will give to the new cohort of new teachers. (When you signed on the dotted line donkey years ago you already signalled that you accepted the package, duh!)
- First of all, they should get some things right - every meeting have a specific objective, and if they hurl stupid questions all around for the sake of complaining, they ought to be shot (at least that's what I'll do to them if I happen to chair the meeting).
- Secondly, they should consider who their requests are addressed to, ask themselves how great is the person's sphere of influence, whether that person has the power to give the entire MOE a pay rise just because they are pleading for one.
- Stupid people asks questions without thinking if they can answer the question themselves, or consider what sort of answers they might get. How does that second guy expect people to give him career advices when he is talking pure nonsense about wanting to do all those things (each a separate academic discipline in their own right)? What sort of answers can be satisfactory for such a silly question.
Idiocy really shows up in people of all ages and professions. I am just thoroughly ashamed that I happen to be passionate in the same job as these idiots.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Round Ubin Kayak Trip
I led a round Ubin kayak trip for my Odac juniors the past weekend, and it was a delightful experience. The weather was perfect on both days, the paddling was good, the campsite was nice, and we reached our objectives very much earlier than expected on both days. The participants came in 2 large groups and all were raring to go for the trip, and I had a great time bringing them on the expedition.
Like I said, the weather was perfect, and numerous birds were seen soaring overhead. The sky was mostly clear but the sun wasn't strong on us, and it lasted like that throughout the trip.
The kayaks lined up at the clean campsite we used, at dawn.
Two of the participants, who got a good tan on the second day -
I miss going out like this after all.
Like I said, the weather was perfect, and numerous birds were seen soaring overhead. The sky was mostly clear but the sun wasn't strong on us, and it lasted like that throughout the trip.
The kayaks lined up at the clean campsite we used, at dawn.
Two of the participants, who got a good tan on the second day -
I miss going out like this after all.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Phuket
...is an expensive way to waste time in.
Nonetheless, it is the first time I enjoyed luxurious accomodations on a holiday, and it was quite pleasant. The 'Central Karon Beach Resort' gave us its best room with a private jacuzzi pool outside, and just seeing that makes me happy.
The room had nice touches, and there's small pieces of origami done with towels and napkins and even toilet paper everywhere. The most pretty one is this elephant on the bed - notice it's tusks and nails!
The sky was overcast and it drizzled sporadically for two days, and all we did was to watch shows through a laptop-TV link, use the swimming pool, and walked around the vicinity. We stood at the beach, took a photo, and then I decided that I'm not much of a beach person after all.
Weird huh, go phuket without frolicking in the sea.
The second day was spent at Patong beach, the commercial tourist trap. Transport to and from there is ridiculous, 300 baht (approx. $13) from our beach place to there! We're look happy here but we're actually resigned to being 'chopped'.
Shops variety is scarce with most of them selling the same few things, but I got to buy 2 Adidas polo tees and one t-shirt at their boutique there for $60! Other than that, you only just think about the bleeding taxi fare.
I toyed with the idea of renting a car and driving round the island to explore it, but it seems a bit too much of a hassle to arrange. The weather cleared up on the 3rd day unexpectedly just after we dropped the idea of going Phi Phi to snorkel out at sea. Oh well, lounging around in the room is still the cheapest thing to do. We get free cocktails every evening and canapés to enjoy, so we drink dessert wine by the pool and think that we're living the good life ha.
Nonetheless, it is the first time I enjoyed luxurious accomodations on a holiday, and it was quite pleasant. The 'Central Karon Beach Resort' gave us its best room with a private jacuzzi pool outside, and just seeing that makes me happy.
The room had nice touches, and there's small pieces of origami done with towels and napkins and even toilet paper everywhere. The most pretty one is this elephant on the bed - notice it's tusks and nails!
The sky was overcast and it drizzled sporadically for two days, and all we did was to watch shows through a laptop-TV link, use the swimming pool, and walked around the vicinity. We stood at the beach, took a photo, and then I decided that I'm not much of a beach person after all.
Weird huh, go phuket without frolicking in the sea.
The second day was spent at Patong beach, the commercial tourist trap. Transport to and from there is ridiculous, 300 baht (approx. $13) from our beach place to there! We're look happy here but we're actually resigned to being 'chopped'.
Shops variety is scarce with most of them selling the same few things, but I got to buy 2 Adidas polo tees and one t-shirt at their boutique there for $60! Other than that, you only just think about the bleeding taxi fare.
I toyed with the idea of renting a car and driving round the island to explore it, but it seems a bit too much of a hassle to arrange. The weather cleared up on the 3rd day unexpectedly just after we dropped the idea of going Phi Phi to snorkel out at sea. Oh well, lounging around in the room is still the cheapest thing to do. We get free cocktails every evening and canapés to enjoy, so we drink dessert wine by the pool and think that we're living the good life ha.
The Straits Times online is free!
I stopped reading it while I was still in NUS, after they decided to charge online subscription for it. Read this article with glee, see how they try to explain off their turnabout!
But beware - like someone said in the comments, just because it's free doesn't mean you should take it all in word for word. Aptly put, "Nobody wants shit anyway, free or not free".
But beware - like someone said in the comments, just because it's free doesn't mean you should take it all in word for word. Aptly put, "Nobody wants shit anyway, free or not free".
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