Monday, November 24, 2003
This blog used to be done on xanga. But lately, they have been pulling back a lot of the freebies that I used to have. So I am not shifting everything to this site. Hope that this shifting will not loose anything...
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
BirthDay Celebrations .... in SSEAYP style
Celebrating birthdays are usually just a singing of the song and cutting of the cake back here in Singapore. Just as onboad the ship during the program, we usually sing songs for our friends as things like cake are not easily available.
I can still rememeber during the orientation, some of us can actually make time rush out half way during our training to get a slice of cake and candle for the birthday boy or birthday gal. The effort spent was worth every minute and cent of it when you see the warm smile on their face.
Sometimes, cake was all we wanted as it was so good. Thanks to our NL, Yacob who is working in a hotel, he usually manages to get very nice and sinful cakes for us.
Varian
Celebrating birthday on the last day of the program was fun. Varian (SPY) was one of our guys in SG Dr.We kind of like got together and gave him a surprise with all the candles and romantic lights. We almost contemplated wrapping up his gal for his birthday. I forgot if we how we got the cake from, cause I know that it really cause a lot back there in Tokyo. From the cake , to the surprise, to the presents and the drinks, Danny was the master mind behind everything.
Winnie Neo
After coming back to Singapore, Winnie Neo was one fo the fortunate ones to get a surprise from us SPYs. She told us that she was going to Bintan (Indonesia) for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. Since we don't get to do anything for her in Singapre, someone just thought that it will be nice to surprise her in Bintan.
Everything was so amazing. Haidah was the command center for the whoel operation. One was incharge of the cake, another was in charge of the presents, and one more was in charge of the flowers, cards and etc. Since we are all on a shoe string budget, we actually planned to stay up the whole nite in the Hotel so that we can save the $$$ for a room. Thus I was the one in charge of getting food for us to last teh nite.
Danny was the best. He just came back from Japan and he was up helping to buy everything and there in Bintan with us the next day !! Normally we see people going to Bintang either for golf or for a 3 days 2 nites holiday. For us, we were there on the last ferry on friday and back in singapore on the 1st ferry the next morning !! Although it was just a short trip, the 45mins ride was like a mini gathering for the few of us who managed to go over to suprise her. Going to Bintan made us think of the days onboard the ship again. We were all kind of like used to the rolling of the ship as it was speeding its way to Bintan.
Never did I know that a fireman can come in so handy. Thanks to Ernest, he was able to pull some strings and found a friend working in Bintan to drive us to the resort and all the way to the place where Winnie was staying in.
Winnie and her friends were kind enough to take us in for the nite and we actually got to see the magnificent beach in the next morning before we leave.
The joy of giving a surprise to a friend was totally worth it. This is something that I believe Winnie will rememeber forever, just like all of us who were there.
Celebrating birthdays are usually just a singing of the song and cutting of the cake back here in Singapore. Just as onboad the ship during the program, we usually sing songs for our friends as things like cake are not easily available.
I can still rememeber during the orientation, some of us can actually make time rush out half way during our training to get a slice of cake and candle for the birthday boy or birthday gal. The effort spent was worth every minute and cent of it when you see the warm smile on their face.
Sometimes, cake was all we wanted as it was so good. Thanks to our NL, Yacob who is working in a hotel, he usually manages to get very nice and sinful cakes for us.
Varian
Celebrating birthday on the last day of the program was fun. Varian (SPY) was one of our guys in SG Dr.We kind of like got together and gave him a surprise with all the candles and romantic lights. We almost contemplated wrapping up his gal for his birthday. I forgot if we how we got the cake from, cause I know that it really cause a lot back there in Tokyo. From the cake , to the surprise, to the presents and the drinks, Danny was the master mind behind everything.
Winnie Neo
After coming back to Singapore, Winnie Neo was one fo the fortunate ones to get a surprise from us SPYs. She told us that she was going to Bintan (Indonesia) for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. Since we don't get to do anything for her in Singapre, someone just thought that it will be nice to surprise her in Bintan.
Everything was so amazing. Haidah was the command center for the whoel operation. One was incharge of the cake, another was in charge of the presents, and one more was in charge of the flowers, cards and etc. Since we are all on a shoe string budget, we actually planned to stay up the whole nite in the Hotel so that we can save the $$$ for a room. Thus I was the one in charge of getting food for us to last teh nite.
Danny was the best. He just came back from Japan and he was up helping to buy everything and there in Bintan with us the next day !! Normally we see people going to Bintang either for golf or for a 3 days 2 nites holiday. For us, we were there on the last ferry on friday and back in singapore on the 1st ferry the next morning !! Although it was just a short trip, the 45mins ride was like a mini gathering for the few of us who managed to go over to suprise her. Going to Bintan made us think of the days onboard the ship again. We were all kind of like used to the rolling of the ship as it was speeding its way to Bintan.
Never did I know that a fireman can come in so handy. Thanks to Ernest, he was able to pull some strings and found a friend working in Bintan to drive us to the resort and all the way to the place where Winnie was staying in.
Winnie and her friends were kind enough to take us in for the nite and we actually got to see the magnificent beach in the next morning before we leave.
The joy of giving a surprise to a friend was totally worth it. This is something that I believe Winnie will rememeber forever, just like all of us who were there.
Monday, September 08, 2003
Just before going onboard
The preperation
Never shop so much before. The idea of have to spend 2 mths onboard a ship gives me the idea the there is a lot to prepare for and a lot of thing to bring along. The costumes, the gifts...all these was just a passing idea on my mind for the pass few months.
The luggage check in
As the date gets nearer, I have more things to settle before I can board the ship. Everything just kind of like come together and I just have to go thru them all at once. I was a very hectic week for me since I stopped going to work. I envy those who had one week to prepare for everything and I pitty those who just simpily don't have enough time to complete their shopping and preperations.
As a form of security, we had to check-in our luggage with all the important items on the weenend before we board the ship. It was a good idea as this kind of force all of us to get all our things in place earlier so that we can have more time with our family later.
I have been feeling very lazy on the day on the luggage check-in as I had been sick and just had a very late nite doing all the packing and rushing to finish up all my errants.
It was nice to get to see everyone again during the luggage checkin at NACLI as I belive we will not have much chance to gather together onboard the ship as all the activities will be focused on the SG groups rather then the contingent.
After the luggage check-in
Right after the luggage check-in, I kind of feel very lost. finially we are going to board the ship and I was feeling like so unprepared and cannot belive that it is only 2 days way from boarding the ship.
I can't wait to meet the rest of the PYs from the ther countries especially those who had bene to my web site and read my journal. The SSEAYP experience is really a life changing experience and you can see it from the ex-PYs who are still so active after all these years.
A few days back we found out that we need to learn teh nippon maru song. thus, we got the 2002 batch guys to come and teach us the song. It was a very touching moment when Georgy and gang ( 2002 batch ) came to teach us how to sing the Nippon Maru song. It actually brought back memories on board the ship and they were all red in the eyes as they hear us sing the nippon maru song. Suddenly the feelings and emotions were all there when they started to sing the song. I cannot imagine who it will be when it comes to our turn. I would love to teach the next batch how to sing the song and yet so unwilling to let pass memories to bring tears to my eyes.
Well, one more day and we will be on baord the ship. Instead of counting the days, we can actually count the hours and minutes before we board the ship.
When I saw some of my friends after the luggage check-in, they were like going " I thought you are suppose to be on baord the ship already ?". I am feeling so tired of telling everyone about when I am going to board the ship. I would prefer to tell them the experience I had on board the ship.
The preperation
Never shop so much before. The idea of have to spend 2 mths onboard a ship gives me the idea the there is a lot to prepare for and a lot of thing to bring along. The costumes, the gifts...all these was just a passing idea on my mind for the pass few months.
The luggage check in
As the date gets nearer, I have more things to settle before I can board the ship. Everything just kind of like come together and I just have to go thru them all at once. I was a very hectic week for me since I stopped going to work. I envy those who had one week to prepare for everything and I pitty those who just simpily don't have enough time to complete their shopping and preperations.
As a form of security, we had to check-in our luggage with all the important items on the weenend before we board the ship. It was a good idea as this kind of force all of us to get all our things in place earlier so that we can have more time with our family later.
I have been feeling very lazy on the day on the luggage check-in as I had been sick and just had a very late nite doing all the packing and rushing to finish up all my errants.
It was nice to get to see everyone again during the luggage checkin at NACLI as I belive we will not have much chance to gather together onboard the ship as all the activities will be focused on the SG groups rather then the contingent.
After the luggage check-in
Right after the luggage check-in, I kind of feel very lost. finially we are going to board the ship and I was feeling like so unprepared and cannot belive that it is only 2 days way from boarding the ship.
I can't wait to meet the rest of the PYs from the ther countries especially those who had bene to my web site and read my journal. The SSEAYP experience is really a life changing experience and you can see it from the ex-PYs who are still so active after all these years.
A few days back we found out that we need to learn teh nippon maru song. thus, we got the 2002 batch guys to come and teach us the song. It was a very touching moment when Georgy and gang ( 2002 batch ) came to teach us how to sing the Nippon Maru song. It actually brought back memories on board the ship and they were all red in the eyes as they hear us sing the nippon maru song. Suddenly the feelings and emotions were all there when they started to sing the song. I cannot imagine who it will be when it comes to our turn. I would love to teach the next batch how to sing the song and yet so unwilling to let pass memories to bring tears to my eyes.
Well, one more day and we will be on baord the ship. Instead of counting the days, we can actually count the hours and minutes before we board the ship.
When I saw some of my friends after the luggage check-in, they were like going " I thought you are suppose to be on baord the ship already ?". I am feeling so tired of telling everyone about when I am going to board the ship. I would prefer to tell them the experience I had on board the ship.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
Greetings from PPY 2003
Hi Stephen!
I chanced upon your journal while searching for SSEAYP country programs.
I'm Maan Leyson PPY 2003. All the 28 PPYs are excited to board Nippon Maru on Sept 9. See you on board!
All the best!
Finally my greatest fear came true, a PY from other country is actually reading what I wrote on this web site. The fear of having other people knowing what we did during our training kind of made me feel naked in front of a horde of rowdy audience -> nothing to hide.
I thought this will be a great idea to let others know a bit more about us as I thought that this is suppose to be a cultural and youth exchange program and we are suppose to get to know each other¡¦s country better thru this program. So this web site will serve as a head start for those who want to know more about the SPYs or at least this SPY who is writing on this web site.
Warmest greeting to any PYs who happen to stumble across my journal on the Singapore 2003 contingent¡¦s training. I hope all of you will enjoy what you will find here and hopefully to share your experience with me thru email or on board the ship.
Hi Stephen!
I chanced upon your journal while searching for SSEAYP country programs.
I'm Maan Leyson PPY 2003. All the 28 PPYs are excited to board Nippon Maru on Sept 9. See you on board!
All the best!
Finally my greatest fear came true, a PY from other country is actually reading what I wrote on this web site. The fear of having other people knowing what we did during our training kind of made me feel naked in front of a horde of rowdy audience -> nothing to hide.
I thought this will be a great idea to let others know a bit more about us as I thought that this is suppose to be a cultural and youth exchange program and we are suppose to get to know each other¡¦s country better thru this program. So this web site will serve as a head start for those who want to know more about the SPYs or at least this SPY who is writing on this web site.
Warmest greeting to any PYs who happen to stumble across my journal on the Singapore 2003 contingent¡¦s training. I hope all of you will enjoy what you will find here and hopefully to share your experience with me thru email or on board the ship.
