On Sunday at Roath Lake Park & Three Bays

Today was Uncle Bernard's birthday, and Aunty Susan invited me and his good friend Uncle Carl , as well as the daughter of one of her former Greek students (who is also studying in Cardiff now) to a surprise birthday gathering. Before going to Three Bays (their house), she dropped me and Angeliki (the Greek girl who is doing her second masters in journalism) at Roath Lake Park, which is a very beautiful park, with swans, geese, ducks, beautiful willow trees, lots of people and their pet dogs! Some photographs are attached.

It was a wonderful meal of Roast Lamb & Ice Cream (the walnut flavoured ice cream here is a must have! I am still figuring how to bring this back to Singapore without it melting.) The Roast Welsh Lamb is definitely the best lamb I have ever tasted, tender and smell-less. After dinner, we all adjourned to the living room for chit-chat and movie watching! Uncle Carl (who is an OBE and a poet) has a major hernia operation on Thursday and we wish him the best! And Uncle Bernard was a professional song-writer. Listened to some of his compositions, and they are really good listening!

Another beautiful weekend, after a week where I've done quite a bit of reading..and as I head back to studying now, I will leave you all with pictures as usual.

Another picture of myself =)

Geese, one is standing on the lake-bed, the other is swimming

Arent they beautiful.

On How to be a Useful Scholar?

My aunt sent me a chinese article from Singapore containing a critique on scholars, or more specifically, the 'paternalistic' scholarship system which plans a comfortable and rapid progression path for its scholars, ensuring their advantage over their non-scholar peers. The natural result of such a system is scholars who lack ground work experience (due to their accelerated progress into management), make unrealistic and impractical suggestions/changes to policies (due to the need to be different), and lack empathy towards the views and interests of their non-scholar subordinates. The impression is a detached scholar living in his own comfortable world.

I do not find this criticism unfair of the present situation, but I will not bother critiqing the scholarship system as the article has done, as the system will not change, not with the massive burecreacy involved, not with the atmosphere within the civil service, and not with the climate of the education system in Singapore.(This discussion is for another article.)

What is an easier alrernative is to try to change the perceptives of scholars. The natural result of such a paternalistic system need not be one of detachment,or even if it is, we must rise above it!I think the mark of a scholar is not the ability to have different or superior viewpoints and solutions from the rest of the population, but rather, the ability to consolidate different viewpoints across a spectrum of society, and extract or combine these into something that will benefit society, or the functioning of the civil service. With such an aim, the scholar must then commit himself to rigorous understanding of the ground, if not possible through actual job experience, then at least through the experiences of senior(not in position, but in years of service) officers by conversations with them or through examination of their daily workings.

The scholar cannot see the various accelerated job posting progression as just 'stepping stones' they cannot wait to get over, such as to reach higher postings. Every posting must be an intensive learning experience in itself, packing many years into one. Scholars'must recognise that being a scholar is to learn faster, not get promoted faster.

Scholars'bring humans, like to feel useful. The illusion is that rank/position is a measure of usefulness. Clearly, it is not!

Footnote: This article does not presuppose the intellectual superiority of scholars'over non-scholars, or the accurateness of the selection process of suitable people to be scholars. It merely tries to make the best of the situation as it is, scholars already being scholars.

On A Trip to Swansea

Today, I made a trip with Aunty Susan (whom my dad met during his time in Cardiff) & her husband Bernard, to meet their friend Dee, who is a sprightly 80+ year old lady and happens to be a former magistrate in Cardiff.

I will discuss Swansea first. Swansea is supposedly the next largest county/city in Wales after Cardiff, it has its fair share of mid-height apartments(more than Cardiff I think), as well as many cottage-residence, but these are situated in a very haphazard style. It is by the sea, and Aunt Dee lives along the stretch of the famous Gower. However, while the rain and mist engulfed the coastline, one could only think about the potential beauty of the place under right weather conditions.

Next, and more importantly, the visit. It was essentially my first British experience - having British tea,lunch,snacks, and partaking in British conversation. The food was very sumptuous, for a lady of her age to prepare a wide spread of beef, vegetables, cake, bread pudding & cheese, that is really impressive. I ate 3 days worth of food just by being there. (And Dee gave me a box of buicuits as well! ) The attention given to the arrangement of cutlery did not fail to leave an impression on me. As a good guest, I washed the dishes, more of true intention than a matter of politeness though, as it would Dee the trouble of doing it alone (her legs arent too good).

Conversation was the bit that did surprise me. They've a different culture from ours, but the general themes of gossiping about other people, about politics, and about the house are all familiar, and I found myself understanding and contributing to most of their conversations! It's nice to be able to assimilate and realise that the world, or rather humans can have so many similarities that we share between us. The decorum at the dining table was a good contrast to the free-speaking idle chat, which did include more than a few bouts of racism.

It was a truly wonderful experience. A different idea of a home.Imagine spending a rainy Sunday afternoon, with a British family, and not feeling Chinese! Not something I would want to live in, but something you adapt to, and realise that it might not be so different. I will term it, 'the comfort zone outside the comfort zone'. And basically, humanity & hospitability work hand in hand to produce this effect.

This weekly visit to Susan's, my Monopoly games on Fridays, my weekly retreats to various part of the UK to meet fellow Singaporeans does give me a very balanced life. And that in turn spurs academic and intellectual desire. But home, always is the basis of everything.

Photos from Swansea

And my much awaited first close-up picture in UK! =p

Grandaunty Dee's Apartment --- Modern Architecture

Watchtower along the Coast of the Gower, unfortunately the rain takes away the view

On Insights on Town Planning in Britain

It has occurred to me, as I plough through various books on the history of Town Planning in UK, that contrary to widespread belief, (which is aided in part to games such as SimCity/Civilizaion), national planning, seldom, if ever develops from a "Clean Slate". It is never a game in which governments inherit blocks of land with no settlements on them and start plotting in detail what should be built and developed on site. Instead, the complications of planning arise from the natural growth of unplanned communities and industries, which we inherit from history, and most importantly it affects ways of livelihood already in place decades before planning. Governmental Planning in the UK also had to vie (in the early stages) with long established private property developers for spatial control.

Most interestingly, obvious urban elements such as neighbourhood concepts, the importance of open green spaces, the importance of survery and anylysis before planning is done; which we all take for granted, actually all arose as ideas within the last 80 years, they did not happen naturally as one would assume it would!

The same case can be made for ideas of human liberty, democracy and meritocracy, these weren't ideas that have been around since the start of civilizaion, but their "obviousness" now only goes to show how successful they have been in reality, or in propoganda.

What are the problems of society now? And what revolutionary ideas can be taught of in this age that will be seen as 'all-time'in the next century? I do wonder.

On Oxford

Oxford, my dream university. A dream that would be unfulfilled in this lifetime. Visiting it allowed me to understand why it was my dream university, it was my impression and more, but watching the freshers matriculate also gave me a tinge of 'what-could-have-been'. But my life has never been one for regrets, and regrets do not take away the beauty of a place and the people there.

Really thankful ro Zhaoqi who provided me with good comfortable accomodation in her house( which she shares with Xinhui, incidentally), toured me round so many Colleges, and was meticulous in providing all my meals, to Weisi for bringing me to lunch and touring LMH, Kahyin for tea at Keble and the most precious and delicious mooncake, and the mahjong kahkis for a good night of memorable mahjong. I do not think I ever was a good classmate to any of them, and their hospitability really does move me. It's nice to be appreciative.

The unique nature of Oxford lies in the College structures, each self-sustained, ie. with accomodation, dining hall, chapel, gardens of varying sizes, plus academic rooms all inside. The buildings, architecture, portraits, gardens all give a very classical and traditional feel which I really like. The tutorial system of 2 students to 1 teacher is really productive as true intellectual discussion can take place. (compared to the 14 students to 1 teacher in Cardiff where nothing really gets done)But that being said, what I've truly grasped is that the pursuit of knowledge cannot be limited by space or time.

These weekend getaways do allow me to really relax in comfort zone, which I think is truly essential for a balanced life. Thanks so much all who made it possible!

Postcard Pictures from Oxford

Keble College Grounds

Bodleian Library Interior

Sheldonian Theatre & Vicinity Skyline

Magdalen College Chapel

Merton College Gardens

Christ Church College Grounds

On Second Week of Lectures

Second Week. Found friends in class. Enjoying lectures. Learning Lots. Shot of the University Main Building.Overcast sky.

On Orientation (Gregynog)

On Friday, after I left the room, I was caught in the rain again on my way to school. So i was pretty much drenched when I reached. I basically knew no one, and I just sat at the first available seat next to someone who didnt refuse me. It was pretty much a smooth journey. We stopped halfway for lunch, and there was this Londoner Daniel, I met on day 1 who did not have cash, so i lent him , and thus he followed me around! We had fish and chips.

When we reached Gregynog, another guy from london who I had met on the first computer lesson weeks ago was standing alone. I asked him if he would share a room, and he said ok, and so I had a room-mate! This guy is called Jonathan. He pretty much kept to himself as well, so I guess we made a good pair.

There were lectures on the rebuiding of Ground Zero, rather interesting. Dinner followed, and it was during these meals that I would sit with diff groups of people and try to interact. They were quite fascinated and interested by my tales from Singapore, most had been there, some didnt know what it was, and I had real difficulty explaining that the capital of singapore was singapore!

Day 2 was presentation day, and surpringly, during the group discussions, I found myself daring to voice out, and the group basically listening! And I was like the leader of the group, and introduced and wrapped-up. Think it did me much good in terms of introducing myself to the people. Some of them thought I had been staying in Britain for quite a while alr! That night there was this quiz, which is unlike anything in Singapore. Basically we were in teams, and we had to guess beer bottles, logos, cartoons, and famous personailities! It's a completely diff culture, I could not make out almost everything, except for Tiger Beer, Honda, Ferrari, Pepsi, Snickers! , Sesame Street, Paddington Bear! Anyway, my group finished second last, but it was good fun. We should have something like that in Singapore. Seems childish at first, but it's really fun and brings out the children in all!

We also had the hike in the afternoon! It was during this that I had phone reception, as we walked out of the area. Aand it was dance time for MAF! It really was wonderful hearing from Yuesern, Haojie & Zhiqing! And i felt i missed MAF! I told the people on the hike abit of NS, they were quite fascinated that i've been in the army and police. I tink it makes them respect me !

That night, we went down to the bar to join the rest, and I did a few card techniques, and they were really enthralled by my stupid shuffling and simple tricks!I always knew these had a good purpose!

And this morning, we left for Cardiff. And this time, there were people inviting me to sit with them, and I sat with Jonathan of course! I guess the contrast in the going and coming back really tells the story.

I think as you read through this, it'll seem really childish to you! Issues like seating, presenting and everything! it all seems quite inconsequential and basic isnt it? To me, its really like learning how to be a human being all over again, learning how to mix around and everything! I feel like a Primary School student in Primary 1 all over again!

Things like gaining some friends and respect which I completely take for granted back home, suddenly seem so much less natural especially here where everyone is like drinking and I do not really do all that.

Its really hard for a small chinese boy to really stand his ground, haha but i guess, i'm slowly but surely making progress!

extracted and adapted from my email to Zq

On Gregynog Hall (Mid-Wales)

On the coach to Gregynog. Breathtaking. Seated in the interior, best shot I could get.

Gregynog Hall. Stayed here for 2 nights.

On the Hike. Made my call to MAF here. So many cows.

The Journey back to Cardiff

My favourite picture. Sheep going home.(thx kaori!)

八月十五

中秋。雨天。小雨。感冒了。如果爱。

来了英国两个星期，今天第一次下了一整天的细雨。

望出窗，却找不到月亮。这时的月亮，还是圆的吗？

这时的现在，户户团聚。生在国外，心在家。却在何方，都永找不到圆满了吗？还有照片，还有回忆。


孤寂单独，他人学会从困难中坚强，我学会从忧伤中惜福。　不要担心，只要关心。

六百灯笼，烛火阑珊，歌舞芬芳，炫华潇洒，曾经，以后？

爱在回忆里总是那么明白。不忘不记，还是不记不忘？不舍不得，还是不得不舍？


开心纯粹，伤心复杂。怀念已失，珍惜所有。

月亮永远代表我的心。中秋节快乐！

On Maps

Today for my lecture on Spatial Plannning, the Lecturer, gave us 2 maps, highlighting the difference in population density in UK from 1801 to 1851. The aim was to illustrate the increase in the population and its concentration during this Industrial Revolution Period. He got us to think what we could make out of the maps. I thought it was really simple, as it was obvious that the darker shaded areas in the 1851 map, showed the increase in population as compared to the 1801 Map. It really did not require any thinking, did it?

I was quite taken aback, when during the answering session, students could point to the map, and describw vividly, that the coastal areas of Portsmouth & Southampton, showed that export and import trade grew in significance, and that the main industrial cities of Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle & Liverpool showed marked increases as well. I was wondering, How am i supposed to know where this places are on the UK Map, when, I cant even tell Bukit Gombak from Bukit Timah on the Singapore map!

But I guess this is a fundamental reason why I chose this course, to do something that doesn't come naturally to me --- read maps. I hope that at the end of it all, even if I do not graduate with a degree, I have a better sense of direction. =Pp

On Afflictions

Unknowingly

when not to do or to do both sadden you.
when nothing can be cleared.
when memory becomes memory.
when words make no meaning.
when artificiality brings least pain.

the world seems so large.
and me, insignificant.
i fade away, happily.

City Hall Midnight Hour

And I asked myself, "Why can beauty be sad?"