End of Another Year

As 2012 comes to an end, I have to say it was definitely a very eventful year.

Starting of the year came my POP which was one of the most important days of my army life. I will never forget that day on 7th January 2012 whereby I stood proudly on the Marina Bay Floating Platform and shouted the BMTC roar and throwing my jockey up high up in the air. It was an unforgettable experience. The night before, we had our 24km route march which was certainly one of the toughest challenges I faced in my life. Walking 24km is tough enough. Imagine walking all that distance will your full combat gear and a rifle!

---

Going on, I visited Hong Kong after my POP to visit my granduncle. He's over 90 years old this year and every time I visit him, I'd worry that it'd be my very last time seeing him. Thankfully, he's still fit as a fiddle as of today! I somehow regret not forging a close relationship with him when I was young. Fortunately I am still given this chance now.

Although we might be ages apart (he has even been through WWII, beat that!), we still have lots to chat about. He may not know about the latest technologies or the newest games but it still felt like we are long time friends. But hey, he saw me grow up from a little boy to an adult now! Hopefully we still have lots to chat in time to come. In fact, I am visiting there in less than 2 weeks again.

---

Back to Singapore, I found out that I was posted to SAFAC as a Supply Assistant (Ammunition) as my new unit. I had lots of questions in my head at that time. Initially I had to report to the school for a course on ammunition. There, I made lots of friends and forged ties together. We went out for several outings and chatted together whenever we had free time. Sadly, as the course ended in February, we had to go our own ways as we were posted to different camps. 

On 14th February, coincidentally Valentine's Day, I was posted to Pasir Laba Ammunition Depot. I didn't even know this place existed in the first place. However, the first impression of that place was that the people there were pretty playful. As time went by, I noticed lots of good people there and they helped me along the way. However, there are also baddies who tries to backstab you and cause unhappiness between you and your friends.

---

As 18th February came, it was yet another meaningful event for me, the Singapore Airshow 2012. The main reason of me going there is to pay a last visit to the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 as it will have its last flight in April. It was also when I got to meet someone who happens to be one of my good friends now, Wei Heng. We noticed that we have lots to chat with each other about aviation and best of all, we're both Singaporeans. Makes everything easier!

---

Come March, I was posted to the duty team in my camp. The duty team works on a 1.5 day shift basis with 1.5 day work and 1.5 day off. Sounds good but when you have to take off or leave, the system becomes screwed as you have to plan to make up for another day and such. First few months were ok until I felt that doing this shift work was too much for me to take due to all the late nights and such.

---

In April, it was another period of travelling for me again as I visited Shantou, my hometown. I always make it a point to pay a visit when I can to manage ties with my family members over there. They were shocked as to how much weight I lost ever since I entered army. 

On top of that, I even managed to squeeze in a visit to Guangzhou. Upon arriving from my flight from Shantou to Hong Kong, I rushed to my granduncle's place before heading to Hung Hom station for my train to Guangzhou. It was more of meeting the younger ones here, still we had a great time.

Back to Hong Kong the next day, I decided to go around Hong Kong. Upon my arrival from Guangzhou, I actually met a pretty good taxi driver whom I call Mr Li. He does not speak perfect Mandarin but he is a nice person and helped me whenever I needed in Hong Kong. There was once I was sort of lost and I gave him a call to which he directed me to the correct place. I even chartered his cab to some places like The Peak and back to the AEL station on the day of my flight.

---

Shortly after returning from my trip, it came another event. It was the 21st birthday of my best buddy, Kai Chung. It was fun assisting him to set up the BBQ pit and awaiting for the guests to arrive. Not forgetting the present we gave him. Overall, it was definitely an enjoyable night for all of us and best of all it's for my best buddy, nothing I can't do.

---

As June came, it was yet another month of happening events. Firstly I got my 2nd DSLR, a Nikon D5000. Coming with a 55-200mm lens, it was definitely what I wanted so that I can step in the world of airplane spotting. I certainly learnt lots from this new camera and I hope to learn even more in the future.

---

Another event of my life came when I finally got to fly out of Asia to Australia. It was a life defining moment for me seeing that for the past 20 years of my life I've only been flying inside Asia. I also got to meet my old time friends there and also fell in love with Australia!

---

Finally, I turned 21 in July. I organised a birthday party at my very own house and invited some of my friends here. It was certainly awesome and fun! I loved printing the boarding passes for each and every participant and also welcoming them to my humble home. It was tiring having to run throughout my entire house but I definitely enjoyed the experience.

---

Come 12th July, it was when my army friends celebrated my birthday for me. We had loads of fun at Kbox singing whatever random songs we can think of and enjoying ourselves to the max.

---

In August I went for a short KL getaway with Wei Heng. It was just a random conversation and it struck up that we should stay at Tune Hotels and fly there with Tiger Airways and back with AirAsia. I would say the trip is definitely great. We had a great time shopping around and spotting before we finally boarded the flight back home. As the saying goes, quality over quantity. We definitely spent some quality time together during the trip and I wouldn't hesitate going on a trip together again. Oh well, if money allows.

---

It came October when I got to celebrate the birthday of my didi, Swee Heng. It was interesting how we got so close. We first met in February when I was posted to PLAD and for a few months we were simply hi and bye friends. Somehow or rather, we had a pretty strong bond and got closer as time went by. There was once he helped me in something that did not even concern him but more of someone trying to sabo me. I was pretty calm but he seem more agitated than me. Perhaps that's why we got so close?

In November we went for a KL trip together and certainly it was another fruitful one. I got the chance to take care of him like how an older brother does seeing he can be pretty blur sometimes and unaware of his surroundings. I've lost count of how many times he tried to step onto a road with active traffic! We became sworn brothers back in September and it's been 4 months now. I guess our friendship / brotherhood has lots of 4 months to go.

---

That pretty much sums up my 2012. It was a year full of ups and downs and new things. Hopefully 2013 will be a better year. Kudos!

What's Happening?

Such a simple matter, does it have to be so complicated? It felt like whoever was in charged did not want to do anything from the start and just wanted to delay stuff, seriously, stop all this crap and get a life.

---

Whining aside, it was a great Kuala Lumpur trip at the beginning of this month. It was the first time I really had to take care of someone while overseas like a little brother. Well, the experience was actually pretty fun seeing how close we got in a short span of 8 months.

3 days was spent simply lazing around, shopping, eating and chatting non-stop. Our chat never seems to end, not that I'm complaining though. Looking forward to yet another trip coming up in January!

Growing Up

Remember how we used to say we can't wait to grow up when we were young? Indeed. Growing up was something we looked forward to when we were young. Thinking back, was that really what we wanted? Look at what we have to deal with when we grow up. The rising costs of living, inter-personal problems, social issues, politics.. The list goes on. Now think back, what was the only thing we had to worry about when we were young? Simple. Our results!

Seriously, life gets more and more complicated as we get older. One of the happiest things you can remember about your entire life would be your childhood. Certainly we have that small handful of people who have had a bad childhood but majority of us would have a great one.

Now, who remembers playing with erasers in class and buying that cheap $0.50 of prawn noodles at your primary school canteen?

Heart (Hard) Matters

Sometimes Heaven really like to play a joke on us. You get brought up to a level full of hope atop a platform, then suddenly the platform breaks and you drop to the beginning again. Why do people have to have simple matters complicated? Sometimes things can be very simple, for example "This is a bowl of soup" but people have to have it complicated like "This is a bowl of soup infused with the essence of chicken and slow boiled over 3 hours with ginseng and cordyceps with some salt added 2 hours into the boiling process." Seriously, do things have to be that complicated?

Besides that, it definitely feels great to speak your heart out. There is no point keeping what you want to say in your heart as you will one day explode due to the extreme stress it has to take. Sometimes letting it all out would make you feel much better. Definition of a friend can be, "Someone who stands by you in times of need to provide you the emotional support and to overcome your fear and anxiety". What happens if sometimes a joke, which seem insignificant to one, could in turn induce fear and anxiety into someone else? As another saying goes, "One man's meat is another man's poison". To put it simple, what you enjoy may be what others feel the most hurtful about. To quote a simple example, chocolates are what humans love, but they are deadly poisonous to dogs. I guess that pretty much explains the above sentence. 

It was a failed attempt, but I am glad I attempted it. It allowed me to speak my heart out despite the failure. I am not giving up so easily, I will fight for what I want to get. Kampateh.

The Ship That Doesn't Sink

I'm sure this is pretty much not the first time I'm saying that the only unsinkable ship is friendship. Indeed, friendships are the strongest ships ever built. It can withstand the strongest typhoons, tsunamis and storms and still remain unsinkable. I certainly had friendships like that before and recently I found a new friendship which I believe can withstand the test of time and the unpredictable storms and hurricanes that are to hit us at anytime.

We have not known each other for long but somehow there was this strong bond that brought us together and we are now one of the closest friends to each other. Sometimes I'd boil it down to fate. Heaven has got everything arranged for each and every one of us. Who we'll meet, who we'll hate, who we'll love, who we'll be together with and such. As a Hokkien song goes, Heaven's will is 30% while your own hard work is 70%. Therefore, do not depend too much on heaven's will too.

This currently friendship of mine, despite not knowing each other for long, has already gone through some hurricanes and probably an upcoming tsunami which I hope the ship is strong enough not to sink into the deep blue Pacific Ocean. Even if it does, I will do whatever I can to salvage the scraps and rebuild the ship into the strongest form possible again. 

Life So Far

I'd say life has been treating me pretty well so far. Lots of changes has occurred in my life in the past few weeks. You get to know who are those that will stand by you in times of need and those friends you would never want to lose. In the midst, you'll also find people that try to be a saboteur and do funny tricks beneath the blanket.

A special bond between 2 people sometimes is not just about love but about friendship, one of the most powerful things you can ever gain in the world. Think diamonds are strong enough? Try a close friendship which can be stronger than a diamond. Sometimes it would be elusive to think back of how you got so close to someone or even how you guys knew each other. But who cares, the future is the more important thing to look forward to. 

I have somehow seen how well maintained friendships can last through the storms and hurricanes and still be as strong even though it has been a long time since both has met one another. This has got to be the penultimate stage of friendship, just short of sacrificing their lives for one another.

To end if off, I'd share my favourite quote so far.

The only unsinkable ship is friendship

One Year Soldier

It's been a year since I enlisted, which means I have exactly a year left to go! The past year was yet full of ups and downs. I got to know how military life is like, adapted to it and now just looking forward to the end of it. I certainly do remember the fear, anxiety and questions exactly a year ago. Oh well, just 1 more year to go!

加油！

Exasperated

It's been almost a month since I last blogged, now I'm back with more stuffs.

The past month has been an interesting one. It has been a month full of ups and downs, as usual for an average guy like me. As of late, it seem like life has once again taken a toll of me. Definitely not feeling the best emotionally and physically. However, I guess I'll have to overcome this myself and step out of the abyss. I did not talk to anyone, not even my best buddies who can be a wonderful listening ear. I kept it to myself. Probably not the best way? Well, we'll see.

21 Years

21 years. Time really flies. A short 21 years on Earth, I have had bitter and sweet experiences, happy and sad events, fallen and got out of love, made and lost friends, gained and lost weight, got sick, got dejected... Anything you can imagine. 21 years old is a major milestone in a person's life. It marks an entry into official adulthood where in legal terms, you are free to do stuffs without your parent's consent.

Life is short. How many 21 years can we have? 3? 4? 5? As much as I would like to remember my life from when I was born till now, it's almost impossible. Now, who can tell me that you remember your life everyday from the day you were born? You might even have forgotten what you were doing yesterday at 3pm. I, for one, had a normal childhood like everyone else. I was a curious child. I love seeing things that I have never seen before. I loved trying out new things. Although I cannot remember much of my kindergarten times, it was a happy one at least. Well, I still do remember how some of my teachers looked like back in the days.

Nearing primary school was when my memory started rolling. I remember moving into my current flat located around 3km away from my old flat. It was a bare land when I first moved in. There was no neighbourhood mall nearby, there were no bus services, there was no stadium. I remember having to take the bus all the way to Jurong Point to get my lunch or dinner and taking the bus back from the good ol' Boon Lay Bus Interchange. Thankfully for myself, I had the school bus each and every day to fetch me to school. For my P1 and P2 education, it was thankfully in the afternoon so that I could wake up late each day for school. As P3 came by, I had to wake up at 5am every morning to prepare for the school bus at 5.30am. The usual me would dawdle around with my mum's nagging early in the morning (man, she sure has lots of energy!) and slowly munching on my ham and cheese sandwich.

The first time I ever travelled home alone was in my P2 times, after TAF (trim-and-fit) club in school. I remember the old school hall and the mini staircase to the top right hand corner of it which links us to the canteen downstairs, which leads us to a long covered walkway to the entrance of the school where it was a small road. Across the road, there was a small coffee shop where my dad and I would be having our breakfast or lunch and our usual fare would be the Wanton Mee. There was also a little mama shop to the left which sells drinks, snacks and some other little stuffs and to the right was a small shop that sells some of our childhood favourites like the bomb bag or little bombs (the ones wrapped in paper and pops when you throw them onto the ground).

Primary school was a good time for me to get into teenage hood and be prepared for the challenges ahead. It comes when I finally entered secondary school and had more "adult" thinkings like trying to find a girlfriend, falling in love, or whatsoever. I guess guys more or less go through this phase. Well, I matured throughout and learnt much more stuffs. It also meant a change of learning environment and subjects. I also went through a reality phase which simply taught me that I had to work hard to earn what I want. I almost got demoted to the Normal Academic stream from the Express stream at the end of Secondary 2 because of extremely poor results. Thankfully, some teachers managed to fight for me and I managed to stay in the Express stream. Interestingly enough, it was also in secondary school that I almost found another side of myself, something I thought I would never be. It didn't come true in the end.

Training to be Soldiers

Training to be soldiers

Fight for our land

Once in our lives

Two years of our time

Have you ever wondered

Why must we serve?

Because we love our land

And we want it to be free to be free.. Yah!

Training to be soliders, the first song that a recruit will learn how to sing while marching in Pulau Tekong.

On 23rd August 2011, I was called to serve the nation. Being overweight, I was placed in the Obese BMT batch which lasted for 19 weeks inside the island. Enlistment day should be the day where I was scared and nervous as I did not know what to expect in the days to come.

It's not about what you leave behind, it's about what you'll gain in the days ahead.

This was the message that greeted me on the Pulau Tekong jetty. It was showing a picture of a couple bidding their goodbyes to each other. Certainly, most of us would be leaving our girlfriends behind while we will be wearing green and doing regimental stuff for the next 2 years. As we walked on, there came the "stairway to hell", whereby enlistees were separated from their parents for a briefing. Going up the staircase, we were lead to a centralized area where we had to take our weight and hand in our beloved pink IC which we will only see 2 years later.

After which, we had to sit down at an area where we were briefed on what we will be give upon enlistment such as our sacred 11B which will represent us as members of the Singapore Armed Forces for the next 2 years. We were also given our identification tags, more affectionately known as dog tags which we are required to wear at all times. Besides the standard stuff, they also gave us an application form for AVIVA insurance in which the premium will be deducted from our allowance of S$420 each month. The moment came when we were handed a small slip of paper containing our company. I was officially a recruit of Falcon Company. 

We were then directed to move to another area at the back whereby our CSM, or company sergeant major briefs us about what to do when we enter the main auditorium for our swearing into national service and speech by the Commanding Officer (CO) of BMTC School 1, where Falcon Company is in. After what seemed like forever, it's finally time to be reunited with our parents. We were told to stand in a nice straight row in senang diri position and wait for our parents to pick us up. Next programme, which was also the last of the day was to have lunch with our parents. Menu of the day was chicken rice and an orange as I remember. Finally, an announcement was made for all new recruits to proceed to stand in rows of threes in the parade square (which after that was known to us as platoon level) to bid a last goodbye to our parents and off to the coyline we go.

We were then segregated into our respective platoons before being brought to collect our barang barang which was our field pack and duffel bag which consists of the items we need for our BMT. It was a torturous process as I went through the items. They seem so unfamiliar to me. I looked through the items and imagined myself using them while in the field. How will it be like?

After a long bag check, it was time to rest in our bunks for a little while. We were then told to proceed downstairs to have our infamous hair cuts. The roughness of the blades from the barber could be felt. at every movement. The following activities in the day I have not much of an impression but I remember but I do remember calling my parents, learning how to do a water parade and finally having some bonding session with our commanders.

This pretty much sums up my enlistment day.

The Start of a New Life

As most of you may have known, I am now officially single. Not something particular to be sad or happy about, but it's probably a better solution seeing how the situation was like. At least it was a mutual agreement. Throughout, I was surprised to see the amount of friends that has came up to me and asked if I was ok. It was a small gesture but it made me felt warm deep inside.

I am ready for a new start. Probably I'll stay single till ORD, but I guess it will be better that way. It has been a rollercoaster ride that I'll never forget. 

Growing Up

Growing up is an integral part of a person's life. Whether you are rich or poor, short or tall, thin or fat, smart or stupid you'll eventually grow up, age and finally, the Grim Reaper will take its toll. Have you ever wondered why do people only reminisce about their childhood or schooling times? Those were the times that we were the happiest and most innocent. I'd certainly choose to experience childhood once again if given the chance. All we had to do when we were young was just do eat, study, play and sleep. No stress of not having enough money, the rising cost of living or even not having enough money in our CPF.  

I, like the others, still miss childhood times. I remember I had no computer for my entire primary school life, except for those super old ones which broke down after a month or so. All I did at home was to watch TV all day long. I did not even study, but I was able to get good results back then. Guess this applies to lots of people too. Remember the times when we played erasers that had flags of various countries on it? Or the times when $1 was all we had in our wallets and it was all we had? Who remembers putting 2 staplets at the bottom of the erasers to enable them to spin? How about indulging in a bowl of delicious prawn noodles from the school canteen for only $0.50?  

In the past, $1 could already last us for an entire day. I still remember the first dish I had in my primary school was fried noodles from canteen stall 6, served in a light purple plate and costing $0.40. I eventually became good friends with the owners of the stall and always got extra from them. I still remember the curry marinated chicken breast which sells at $0.30 a piece or $1 for the whole thing. Ah, the wonders of the school canteen! Now, did I mention the cup of bandung from stall 8 that cost only $0.20? 

The kids growing up in the 1990s are very different from those that grew up in the present decade. We did not have iPhones back then. We did not even own our own handphones till we reached secondary school. I remember I was very happy when I finally held my first handphone ever on 25 February 2004. It was a Nokia 3310, one of the most popular phones back then. So who remembers playing snake on that phone (or even the Nokia 3210?) or even holding on to your parent's phone for an entire day just to see a black strip of pixels dashing across the screen to grab the food? 

I remember being able to use a computer was a great luxury back then for me. My primary school had dedicated computer corners with about 4-5 computers each for us to use, with a game that I remember vividly till now. Although I do not remember the name, it was when you had to control an astronut in space and guide him to the correct answers for the maths questions. Interesting game, I must say.  

Enough of remembering childhood. Now back to the modern world where the MRT breaks down 10 times a month and eating outside could cost you $10 a meal. 

Some Random Updates

It's been almost 2 months since I blogged, time passes by pretty fast eh? Throughout the 2 months lots has happened. Celebrated several friend's birthdays, met up with poly friends, went to USS and met overseas friends. Besides that, also went out for some food hunt with my closest friends and back to China to visit relatives.

Time passes by really fast. In the blink of an eye, it's been more than 8 months since I enlisted. Hopefully soon I'll be able to shout "ORD LO!" and get back my beloved pink IC.

---

Went out today with army buddies to celebrate our fellow friend's birthday. Had steamboat at Bugis then followed by pool. It seems like my skills have dropped a whole lot. I used to be much better than this! Seems like more training is necessary. Outing with them is always fun, hope to have more outings soon!

Feeling Lost

Not only that I am feeling lost when I'm awake, I even dreamt of it last night. It felt so real. I felt the fear, the solitary, the desperate call for help.

I cannot really describe the dream but I'll try my best. So, I was walking in a crowded place and suddenly all the people I know beside me disappeared. I looked around and tried my best to locate them but it didn't work.  Taking out my phone and trying to call one of them but to no avail too. Somehow I managed to find them but they all seemed to be ignoring me.

According to www.dreammoods.com, dreaming of being lost could mean that you are trying to adjust to a new situation. If that's so, why am I feeling that in real life too? It did not feel good. I felt that my mental resistance was pushed to the limits. I sat by myself at the dining area of my camp and started thinking. It was the worst feeling ever. Everything around me has changed. The place remains the same but the people are not the same anymore. I looked at the briefing room we once chilled out together. It was just a few days ago that we were all inside the room together and talking with each other, sharing jokes and such. I wonder what has happened. Sometimes it could be myself worrying too much, sometimes it is true but I have yet to notice it. Only time will tell.

A Sentimental Post

Sentimental? Not something I'd relate to myself if it was like, 5 years ago. Ever since my enlistment into National Service, it seem to me that my friends are of the utmost importance to me, next to my other half and family.

These days had seen what my friends really could do for me and what I could do for them, although what I can do is just minimal compared to the emotional and spiritual support from them. I have gone through my ups and downs. To find a friend that can aid you through tough times and laugh with you through happy times is seriously not easy. However, I am glad I managed to find friends like that.

Sometimes you can say I am too emotional or what but I can't seem to find a better way to express my gratitude to my friends around me. You know who you are, I do not need to say names, ya? ;)

Somehow these few weeks had seen my mood going like a pendulum, high and low at times. When I'm feeling low I always try to speak to my "listening ear + counsellor" (yes you know who you are!) to get advice and such. Seriously, speaking out my feelings make me feel much better.

I have nothing much to say now, but...

THANK YOU :)

Friendship

Friends. A significant person in another person's life. Friends are those who will step in when the whole world step out. They are the ones whom you turn to when you have problems. They are also the ones who will share your joy and tears. Some friends make you feel valued. Some make you feel like you are trash (are they even friends?).

Being an only child, having no siblings means the only people I can interact with at my age are my friends. Of course, I cherish my friends like how you'd cherish a pot of hard found treasure. Sure enough, some of them are really worth cherishing. People who have talked to me a lot will notice I define the word "friends" very explicitly. If I am not close enough to you, I'd say you are a "classmate", "platoon mate" or whatever place/event I met you in.

Throughout my 21 years of life, I have met lots of friends. Some I have kept in contact since we met, while for others, it seems like we are fated to lose contact. I have lost contact with too many friends. It's time to cherish the friends I have now, and newly made. Of course, one day I'd like to point to an old friend of mine and tell my child, "See, daddy knew him 30 years ago and we're still in contact."

Singapore Airshow 2012

Singapore Airshow 2012, the largest aviation event here in Singapore. A dream for all Singaporean and foreign aviation enthusiasts alike. Being a part of the minority who loves (or you can say, crazy about) planes, it is definitely a dream come true whenever the bi-annual event takes place.

Every airshow has different aircraft on show and some of them are sure to garner huge public attention. For example, the largest attraction this year was the Boeing 787, the newest aircraft to grace the blue skies. However, for the public show on 18 and 19 February, it has left the static display area for a flying display. As such, another aircraft which garners almost the same, or even more public attention has come to take its place. It is the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400. 

The Boeing 747 has been Singapore Airlines' flagship since the 1970s when they received their first aircraft of the type, a Boeing 747-200B also nicknamed "SuperB". After 40 years of operation, the Boeing 747 will finally end its service with Singapore Airlines on 6th April 2012.

I feel very honoured to have the chance to be onboard the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 back in 1999. My second encounter with it would be during the airshow yesterday, when it was on static display. I reached there early at around 8.40am and started queuing. Once I stepped into the queue, tons of people formed up behind me, which made me feel pretty lucky that I reached just at the right time.

Time soon passed and I got the boarding pass to step onboard. Once onboard, a cheerful guide greeted us and started introducing us to the aircraft and letting us know a bit of the history and such. The aircraft was 9V-SPQ (pictured) and was delivered on 31st October 2001, the youngest B747 in the SQ fleet. We walked around the entire plane and I was still amazed at how well kept the cabin was.

After the tour, we were also allowed to wander around the area to take detailed pictures of the plane. I, for once, took at least 200 pictures of a single plane. Looking back at the long queue of people waiting to get onboard, I can't help but to wonder, how many of them really know what they are in for? Are they just queuing because lots of people are also queuing?

Reflections

It's now 15th February 2012. Yes, 2012. A special year for me. It's the year that I will be committed to the Singapore Armed Forces entirely. A year I will be turning 21, a major milestone in a person's life. This year, I have graduated from the Basic Military Training Centre and has now attained the rank of Private (PTE) in the SAF. My time in BMTC was a fulfilling one. 

I lost 30kg through the strenuous training programme designed for us. Although I can't reveal much, I can say that all the activities like the Field Camp, Route March and Basic Trainfire Package has helped to shape me into a better person and injected new skills into me. It has also moulded my character. 

 On 7th January 2012, I finally passed out from BMTC. On 13th January, it was a nervous day for all of the 04/11 cohort as it was the day of the announcement of our posting. I was posted to HQ SAFAC as SUP ASST (AMMO). Having this vocation, it means that I will be in a non combat vocation and there will be minimal or no physical training at all. Good news for me, bad news for my weight. To add icing to the cake, I am not required to stay in.

Being a specialized course and handling with highly dangerous items (ammunition), we were required to undergo a 3 week course at the School of Ammunition. It seemed like a normal course at first until it was when I met my current buddy in my unit. From then on, my social circle kept increasing. From the 2 of us, it expanded to 4, then to 6, then to 8, to 9 and now it's more than 10. It was a great experience interacting with them and it helped me open up a lot more than what I will with my BMT friends. Honestly, I did not feel close to my BMT friends but the friends I got to know at SOA made me feel much more like a home away from home.

Till now, I can say that it is still a great experience with all my friends that I knew from SOA although we have now been separated. Luckily, we were only separated into 2 depots and that means we will definitely have someone we know when we report to our new depot. Throughout the days we knew each other, it was definitely fun to tease each other, disturb each other, suan each other and last but not least, encourage each other in whatever we were trying to achieve and keeping a lookout for one another.

Around 1 year and 6 months of National Service to go, wonder how will it be like? If we were to all stay together, I suppose it will be a very fun time for all of us and time will pass by very quickly, just like how each day passes by quickly for us now.