JYSim for jobless-yokel Sim

This markth the 100th post on ‘JYSim for jobless-yokel Sim’. It’s been almost 2 years since I penned my first post on friendster (it’s actually 1 year, 7 months and a couple of days to be exact). All of us had gone a long way, and I’m sure I changed a lot during this period of uncertain adolescence.

Let’s start with my conditions currently - a 100 posts ago, I was at home, chubby and frustrated from all the studying as well as a small unfriendly spark in class that happened that very afternoon. 100 posts later, I’m sitting in front of my cousin’s computer typing into her very hard keyboard trying to commemorate this 100th post and trying to make it mistake-free. My shoulders hurt, as always - it started to hurt everytime I feel tired since I participated and overworked in a science competition in Form 4. I lost approximately 13kgs since I departed for Taiwan, and people just keep asking why even though I don’t know the exact reason - stress? Not really; fasting? Not once; Vegetarian? I hated the idea of it. So, let’s just take it that Jun Yi has cancer and he has less than a year to live, so if you love him or hated him just be honest with him now. I’m sulking about not studying Biochemistry, which will be tested upon beginning of semester, forgetting the fact that it was me myself who was so deeply stuck in Harry Potter a few days ago. Nevertheless, at this moment as my senior told me she got a book prize even though she just started studying one day before semester begins, I feel more relieved.

100 posts ago all I wanted was full-aces for my SPM, and a good time after the examinations. 100 posts later I’ve been to Italy, received my SPM cert, became a CLHS alumni, and getting ready to become a 2nd Year Medical Student. Ideas and concepts change - I no longer think staying in Malaysia is the only option for furthuring your education even if you’re not-so-well-to-do. 100 posts ago I was a whiner - complaining this and that, not realizing how life can go desperately wrong or complicated. 100 posts later I felt more grateful about everything around me - from GSC and MAS to all the great friends I have (names not listed to avoid controversy).

While a great part of this blog is about the good old days and how’s life with me, I did wrote things that are interesting to me from time to time, though they don’t usually get commented - and I know the sixth-formers are busy preparing for STPM and everybody is getting more busy with life. It’s always been a pleasure to write and share things I like with those willing to read. During times of turbulence, turmoil and uncertainty, I thank all who commented and gave advice through reading my posts. And since 100 coincides with the release of the final Harry Potter series, why not include a sentence of it as well for reminiscence? I personally thank Harry Potter for accompanying me through my high school - getting to know you (it’s Rowling actually) in Form 1 saved my English, and bedded my English it’s solid foundations for future use. In Form 3 you made me believe that I can achieve whatever I dreamt of, and I did achieved it ultimately, though I did not venture into it. In Form 5 you gave us endless days discussing about you at the back of the classroom. And finally, now, though I hated you NOT dying (though you actually died once) instead of Dumbledore, I’d still like to thank you for all the great experiences and imagination beyond boundaries.

For me, this blog had been a training in discipline and creativity. I always try to blog once every week, though occassionally unforseen circumstances will see that doesn’t happen. And though I doubt you realize it nowadays, I kept looking for ways to make you read more - I know my essays are lengthy, and I know you still have 50 pages of alcohols MCQs to be completed, but I wanted to express so much, and you had so limited time. Nevertheless, pursuing medicine as well as dedicating much time to choir and SCOPE doesn’t make that a solid reality at times. However, I was usually surprised by how things turn out - my posts always seem to me (a personal opinion) to contain a huge lesson about life (disclaimer: a purly personal opinion of JYSim the buster).

So many people, events, and things ought to be thanked and celebrated as this blog clockes its 100th post. The biggest portion of thanks goes to the readers and supporters who witnessed it grew all the way - to Kee Wai, Peter, Tham Min and Mum and Dad and Soon Khen (remind me if you’re left out). ‘JYSim for jobless-yokel Sim’ thanks you from the deepest of his heart and hopes to see your prescence through the future (and forgive us if we occassionially post weird or unreadable stuff).

It’s best to speak of things while they’re ongoing, but I was too busy, too preoccupied - everyone is during the whole duration of the camp I hardly find time to bath and sleep, and needless to say to blog when I was still in Taiwan. The TCU Medcamp was hosted by TCU’s faculty of medicine for the purpo0se of introducing high school students to the life of a medical student and doctor. High school students - young lads and ladies easily influenced by the media and fake impressions, need exposure particularly before deciding their path into this perilous, challenging and demanding career.
I participated in Medcamp practically because I wanted to make my prescence felt in my class, and particularly too because the summer is void when I made that decision (now it’s packed full to the brim). The 9th Medcamp began with us all staff gathering according to our work units and set off for 7 days of gruelling (and for some, boring) preparation checklist. I will admit that the preparation course of the camp was a little aimless for me and I had many times before wanted to call my airline and book the next flight home, but my partner for Medcamp silently held on to me and cheered me up with his outspoken personality. I was lost until my little kids came.
On 12th of July 148 high school children flocked from all parts of Taiwan into TCU, with their arrival times ranging from 11.01am to 16.30pm, it was a tiring task for group leaders like us. My partner and I was the only all-boys group, and we were to take care of 12 children in Group 12.

Taken on the 3rd day of our camp, showing all 14 of us. Our group, though led by two boys, was nonetheless as easygoing and talkative as the others. The camp generally included introduction to the life of a doctor (big yawn for us now), some lessons on anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, histology etc (of course, they all must be degraded to high school level in order to fit into the minds of a 16-year old). Besides the academical aspects of the camp, we do have other outdoor activities as well as on-stage slots for all groups. While it is the group leaders who has to be the most actively participating and most actively contributing ideas, our group, thanks to my partner’s deregulation of power at the beginning of the camp, were basically ruled by the two ’small’ group leaders we appointed.

Time really flies when you’re busy and tired. Every night I went back to my room exhausted and unwilling to move another muscle. After scrambling up and climbing 6 stairways down to ensure my kids are all well in their rooms, I scramble up 6 stories up again to shower and sleep. 6 hours later I would be dazingly grabbing my glasses and run for the basin before skipping 3 steps at once to meet my kids again. Not that I’m so willing to see them, but the schedule is arranged so and if I (or my partner) were not present before the appointed time we’d be screwed for the next 5 years.
Anyway, the camp finally ends on noon of July 18, and that’s the same day we had our feedback meetings and celebration dinner. After the dinner I dragged my partner to a shopping spree of local goods to be brought home, as my train departing for Taipei will be leaving in less than 18 hours. I hastily packed and slept for 9 straight hours.

Me and my partner (and my little rabbit down below).
The 9th Medcamp had left something in all our hearts, may it be to treasure friendships (for me) or to expect less from ‘commercial’ camps (like my friend), or the skill to produce 20-minutes movie clips in 30 seconds, or to learn to how not to screw up on-stage performances, it’s a worthwhile experience for all of us (and a fat chance of getting sunburnt too). I’d like to say thank you to my partner for the wonderful lessons and guidance all the while. It brightened our summer.

Is your education experience just another credit to your CV (’cheat visa’ as interpreted) or should education be everything we were asked to be when we were small - have everything by heart and finding a way to utilize them whenever we have the chance? The argument for the true meaning of education, and subsequently a larger picture, life, had been on even before Ministries of Educations were set up globally - competition is getting stiffer and tougher around the world by the second - losing out by a fragment of a mark or lacking an important skill will perhaps bury you for a longed-for shining opportunity. However, what is the true essence of education?
‘The History Boys’ by Alan Bennett is one groundbreaking, and impact-leaving play that truly probes deep into the true meaning of education and examinations. A bunch of boys, majoring in history, did very well for their ‘A’ Levels (in the 80’s even 3As is considered outstanding). They proposed to strive for the Oxbridge examinations (entrance examination for Oxford and Cambridge), and the school willingly set up plans and curriculum to assist them - Hector, for English, emphasizes that literature is something to be experienced and appreciated and that examinations are the biggest killer of education. Stressing to learn language by heart, the boys were always able to do impromptu plays or poem reciting, and the lines were really beautiful and touching. Irwin, their young history teacher, was a complete opposite from Hector. Having the notion ‘being different is the key in getting into Oxbridge’, he stimulates his students to think in ways what other people do not - Stalin is not-so-bad after all, the Jews were rightful to be exterminated during WW2 (of course this must be backed up with solid evidences) etc. The contrast of these two teachers forced the boys to re-think the real value of education and re-evaluate what education is supposed to be.
In the play (it’s a play as well as a movie) we are given several flash-fronts - bad things generally, that really led us to think what really happened to these boys after that (they all got in Oxford finally, a happy ending so to say). Finally we realize that because so much effort was put into entering the university, so much motivation and energy powered to break through the gates, they were left with nothing upon entrance. It’s like competing in Thomas’ Cup - you fight as though there’s no tomorrow, and you won, but when it’s time for you to really parade the trophy (being in Oxford), you pass out. They drool in Oxford, and ended up being people they’re not expected to be in high school - a journalist in a low-class paper, a tax lawyer whose interest is only on money, a teacher with a hidden identity on the Internet, and a dry-cleaner who takes drugs in the weekends.
This led us to think about the theme ‘life’ too - a brief moment of glamour or glitter does not always guarantee eternal brightness - Sim Jun Yi might perhaps suddenly lose interest in studies and become a slug, and eventually end up selling newspapers and chewing gum in a stall in Puduraya (though the idea to include some romance seems more dramatic), China will one day exhaust its resources and vastness of land and their younger generation will have to clean up the mess they left behind during their now so-called ‘Second Great Leap Forward’. This is life - a roller coaster. Being Oxbridge candidates these boys though not arrogant were in the prime of their life. They were the creme de la creme of Great Britain, ready to enter one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and they did it, but when they finally did, they lost momentum and took a great dive that never recovered.
However, Hector’s education left the boys enough substance and material to still work things out and manage their own chipping lives - once in a while they will suddenly remember a verse so well memorised for the suitable occassion, a song so apt to their feelings, or a poem so beautiful their life briefly sparkled. Hector taught them everything about life, and that’s what I really think education should be - less academically and more on morality. A phrase I find a killer is "Pass the parcel. That’s sometimes all you can do. Take it, feel it and pass it on. Not for me, not for you, but for someone, somewhere, one day. Pass it on, boys. That’s the game I wanted you to learn. Pass it on." We do believe that life is destined and we are in no power to change it when God really wants it that way. That’s why whether our life totally sucked or is in ninth heaven now, we should just ‘take it, feel it, and pass it on’. Things will eventually take a turn for the better or the worse, and we can sometimes only face it and endure it. Pass it on.
I do realize very often things are much easily said than done - it’s so simple to type the paragraph above, it only took 3 minutes, but when I’m really in my life’s low, I might brood over it as long as 3 weeks and yet not recover. That’s when friends come in important. Nevertheless, what Hector said was again really true - if we really believe in Almighty above, we should just leave everything to fate and pass it on.

The golden rule for going on exchange is and always will be to not expect things so that the unexpected will always find its way to you and surprise you genuinely. Even after my short life as an exchange student ended in Italy more than one year ago, I still find this rule apt enough in life to promote it - learning to keep your expectations down is just a key to living a less demanding and happier life, as was the events that unfolded today.
At 12.00 midnight I was already planning a whining day - reading some novels and perhaps sleep a little and watch a movie - the last thing I really wanted to do after an examination. I asked a friend out on MSN and we decided we’ll be deciding where to go the next day, and so I went to sleep 1 hour earlier than my usual time in my new room - clean, immaculate and with a brand new stand fan blowing at me.
I woke up subsequently at 6.05 and 7.30 - both times due to the sun directly shining at my face. I am a photosynthetic creature, I live around the sun. That’s why I usually wake up around 9 in Malaysia when I actually can wake up at 7 here - the sun rises earlier in the eastern side of the globe. Anyway, at 8.05 I was awakened by my mobile phone - the most unexpected person called - my senior from SCOPE. Hosting exchange students, it is our responsibilities to expose them to everything while they’re here - food, places of interest, culture and people. He told me they’re heading for Taroko National Park today and asked if I’d be willing to join. As if hitting th jackpot or being upgraded to First Class on my flight to New York, I agreed passionately in my groggy state and went to dress up as quickly as possible.
2 minutes later I was off in a Mitsubishi Lancer my senior rented, and while the air-conditioning was not working very well, it was a luxury to actually sit in a car in Hualien. We went to the various trails in Taroko and the sceneries were absolutely breathtaking. It was the grand canyon with lush greenery dotted with cascading waterfalls almost everywhere. The geography is just as if God had really spent time carving and architecturally designed the way the river flows and the valley dropped vertically into the ravines.

To our Scandinavian visitor, the scenery was of course a huge difference from the snow and frost in Sweden. The humid and perspiring weather made us even more looking forward to a ‘water curtain cave’ we’re visiting. The cave, as its name suggests, is literally curtained by showering torrents of water from the ceiling - icy cold water. I tried to hold some in my plastic bottle and it just frosted from the outside. After getting ourselves drenched, we sun-dried ourselves outside the cave and tiredly continued our journey.

The next spot was special with it’s aquamarine-and-azure blue waters flowing between the gray granites. Sitting on one of the many rocks you can lay back and stare directly into the blue sky - something I had not done since laying back in CLHS’ basketball court after PMR.

Clouds are such beautiful marvels we always fail to notice them - they’re dynamic and ever-changing, and even staring at the pictures of it we feel it changing. The blue and white of the clouds are two colours so beautiful we often fail to notice despite the other artificial colours around us.
I had a great and unexpected day at Taroko today, and I guess I wouldn’t have had such a great time if I had expected something like this since the first day of school. And guess what, I’m going off for dinner now.