Saturday, September 02, 2006
~ 9/02/2006 09:08:00 AM ~
Hahas. Share some of my past with u guys. Here is the experience that I came to Singapore the first time.
We left the airport and went to the hostel directly. I saw the streets of Singapore the first time, as well as the tropic trees that standing on either side of the streets. The street lamps were a blur for me and I was quite happy to see the magnificent scene.
We stopped just in front of our hostel and we started to unload our luggage. I looked up and identified the tall building in the darkness. We came into the building and with one of our seniors help, we pulled our luggage into a lift and went into a lift and went to level ten.
I felt hot after I pulled my luggage into the room. It might be because of the fact that I had done a lot of work, or it might be because of the moist climate here. I glanced at the clock. Eleven. It was too late. I decided to go to bed. But for an hour I could not sleep.
It was not my bed, I thought, the bed was not as soft as mine. The pattern on the bedsheet was unfamiliar and the wall was empty. Tomorrow my old friends would not call me and I would not see them for months, and I could not buy my favorite magazine in the bookshop. What I should speak would be English but not Chinese.
There were so many things I had to be concerned with. But I was so tired now, and fell asleep soon.
Two months had passed. I could see the progress of my English. I could talk with teacher easier and I had used to the local cultures and lift styles. However, the new term had not begun yet. I had not met the local students and I did not know the method of teaching in Singapore. But anyway, I felt more confident to cope my surroundings well.
The first term began after the Chinese New Year. In China we could see shows at that time.
The school was full of local students. They talked to each other rapidly. They made jokes at each other as well, as if they had known each other for a long time. I stood rigidly and stared at them nervously. How could I communicate with them? Some of them were going to be my classmates. All of us were students of the school but it seemed that I did not belong to them. I was confused and disorientated.
The Orientation started. We sat in the auditorium. I stared at the chairman of the student council. Her lips moved rapidly but I had no idea what she was talking about. In contrast, the local students knew everything the chairman said. The nodded and laughed, filling the forms quickly. And I had my mouth dropped open, did not know what was going on. I was perplexed and almost stunned. Their faces were a blur and the voices that uttered from them were overwhelming, just liked flood.
I found that I could not accept what I saw. I could not cope with it, because everything that was unfamiliar to me happened very quickly at the same time. They were further beyond my estimation and limit. However, I had prepared for this. When I was on the plane, I had told myself that I was going to face challenge. I had known that Ii must go ahead. I must face a period which was hard. For the whole term, I tried my best to get to know the local students by communicating to them. We did projects together, we thought together, we discussed together, and we presented our group work together. And I found that we had knew each other much better and we could understand each other. I also found that it was easier to communicate with them and I had got used to the method of teaching and the local cultures.
I began to realize living and studying in Singapore was not difficult anymore. I was comfortable here. I was happy because I had friends and colourful life, I was not alone because I had got used to the surroundings. I was much more confident.
Te way is long, I have adjusted myself and I know that I will face some other problems. It just likes a twisting road which is bumpy. I should overcome the problems and carry on walking along the road which leads to my future with confidence.
