Skip to main content

One Hectic Week + Pre-Departure Hype



I will be in Singapore March 13th - March 19th for WorldMUN 2012
So, I have a million things to do before leaving for Malaysia & Singapore. Yes, I will be leaving on March 6th til March 22nd for a short return trip to my home country and the WorldMUN (Model United Nations) conference in Singapore.

Before leaving, however, I have to finish two research papers, an economics midterm, complete position paper, draft some talking points for an informal meeting with prominent opposition party MPs in Malaysia (more on this in a future blog post); print out my business cards; dryclean my suits, pack my suitcase, buy new pair of shoes since last pair is a little worn out and do research on Pakistan everyday leading up to the conference on March 13th.

I claim that it is 'hectic' because time management is not my forte. Besides, I have also made some time to hangout with some friends and close one before I leave (for some, I will be missing their birthdays). So, you can say that my schedule is indeed manageable; if anything, I will console myself by saying so.

I will be in KL to meet two Opposition MPs for an informal interview
Some pre-conference/trip thoughts: I intend to observe and learn a lot more about the local polities in the two countries I will be visiting; specifically, my home country, Malaysia. Moreover, I hope to learn a great deal during my visit to Parliament and in my conversations with some of the brightest political minds within the Chinese community. I will also be visiting my grandparents and relatives, and I am quite excited to meet two new additions to my ever-growing extended family!

As for WorldMUN, I am entering this conference with a lack of experience under my belt, having only participated in three other conferences ( 2 as a delegate and 1 as a chair). You can say that I am absolutely looking forward to making my mark in the international MUN scene, and I guess I will fall back on the 2 awards I have won so far in my short MUN 'career'. The idea of competing and debating with some of the world's finest and most intelligent delegates is an intimidating one; but I hope that I will rise to the challenge and perform well. Yes, I am letting the cat out of the bag by saying that I am determined to win an award. I think that is justified considering how far SE Asia is and how much class time I will be missing in my absence.

Do stay tuned as I complete my miniseries on success (possibly during transit time @ at some airport), and as I try my best to blog about my experiences abroad; offering you the vibrant and energetic lifestyles of Singapore and Malaysia.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

To grandpa,

I write this to proclaim my love for my beloved grandfather who has passed from this realm not two days ago. My grandfather and I enjoyed a close relationship since I lived not far from him when I was in Malaysia. Grandpa lived a very healthy life well into his twilight years. Since I was little, he would take me to the city park almost every other morning just for a morning stroll, and I was always treated to a good breakfast with soy bean milk with grandmother after. Grandpa's house was large- my family and I would visit everyday to eat lunch with them. For many years, it was the hub for festive occasions, be it Chinese New Year, Christmas, relatives visiting, funerals and so forth. I have chosen the house as a setting for countless essays during my primary school years, when I had to describe happy memories or celebrations. Indeed, Grandpa's home was such a collection of merriment and was very much an integral part of my childhood. Grandpa was always there a...

3 Months in Malaysia: The Feeling of Belonging

Have you ever experienced leaving a place for many years and, upon your return, feel that you've never left? Unfortunately, it feels that I've been gone a long time from my home country, Malaysia. I feel some form of friction at the workplace, with the language, culture, sensibilities and norms. This is expected and what I perceive to be a natural process of re-acculturation and re-assimilation - re-settling myself into this place I call home . However, the stakes are a lot higher for me and I've got a set of goals for myself. I'll try to highlight one aspect per entry, so this post will be about the process of 're-learning' and 're-education' here in Malaysia. Having worked at a law firm for two months and now in a political party as a researcher, I've got some serious catching up to do in terms of catching up to speed with the pulse and current affairs of this nation. As I devour books, articles and writings that shed light on the many events t...

Give Me Some Space

Give me some space. Give me just some space where I can spend my Saturday afternoons, a retreat from the sterile, air-conditioned corridors of those shopping malls. Give me just some space where I can enjoy a picnic with my friends. Give me just some space where I can be sheltered from the scorching sun. Give me just some space with trees, green grass, benches and pebbles, to watch others play softball or throw a frisbee. Give me just some space with well-lit pathways and snaking lanes which lead nowhere, just to explore in the evening breeze. Give me just some space with a canopy, so that bikers can enjoy the shade once in a while. Give me just some space so that I can look up at the clear blue sky, lounging as time goes by. Give me just some space so that I can feel that I live in a place.