Commencement 2008

So on May 20th, some of the Singaporeans graduated. LC and WY finally finished their final lapse of the 5 years doctoral studies at TC. We had a mini farewell gathering for them to celebrate as LC would be going back to NIE to take on her new role in the insitution and WY would continue to stay on in NYC to look for a job. I had so much admiration for the two of them. I always wondered how did they handle balancing family and work. Especially WY who have two young toddlers to take care. Mind you when you are staying overseas, there's no such thing as maids as it's super costly to hire one.I always felt that doctorate students were always so focused, disciplined, capable and organized.This was something which I had observed and admired. You certainly need these qualities when you will be investing 5 years of your life,financial resources. Will I ever be ready for it if I decide to go into academia or will I still prefer to work in the front line with the children?

Food and Singaporeans

CS just tagged me this photo taken during the semester. When Singaporeans gathered, there's always food.This kind of reminded me of college days when you would hang around in the hostel, cooked and talked and then stayed up in the wee hours to study.It's still the same even when you are in grad school.

Dilemma

God tested me today! Will I put other person 's interest above my priorities when I knew that by helping her, I will end up miserable and stress for the next few days?
Guess what is the decision. I did
Is so hard to come to this decision.My heart is unwilling but I am still going
God must have been so amazing to die on the cross for sinners just like me, someone whom he din even meet before.Can I do the same to someone who isn't close to me any all?

September

School started for the woman in Columbia. She met a few good Singaporean friends and definitely some international frens whom she had gotten along very well. Being out of school for a long time, the woman found it pretty hard for her to get herself organized in such a short period of time. But surprisingly, she did better than she had expected having to juggle working in a school and taking courses. Despite having overloaded herself with 5 courses (which many have warned that it’s going to be intensive but she still go ahead and take it coz the man was told that he might need to transfer to HK anytime), she had managed to survive this semester triumphantly and came out alive!! Well it hasn’t been the best easiest time. She felt she had learned to be very discipline compared to her early days in the year, fully utilizing every second of her life. She learned a lot, seriously for just half a semester. Her mind is constantly challenged by people who shared the same passion as her, people who wanted to make a difference to this world by advocating for the right of a quality education to all children in this world, people who yearn for educational equity, people who were serious about what graduate work is. It was indeed a life time experience for her to be in NYC ,studying in a reputable organization ,learning with so many people from all around the world. She was really thankful for this opportunity. The year ahead continue to be trying as she continued to balance between work and school.