Back in Singapore~

Hehe, sorry for the lack of updates.. though I have been back home for a week already! As you might have suspected, I was prolly enjoying myself too much in Australia after they started to like me that I got too comfy there to blog :p And in the past week back home, it was busy catching up with friends and work! Still have tonnes of work, but hehe, am taking a break from writing my essay (I've a very short attention span), so here I am...

Reflecting on the trip, it was a really awesome trip! Not only did I learn heaps, I also made a couple of new friends =) It's always great to meet new people and expose myself to new cultures. This trip was especially cool, 'cuz there were people from all over the world, but all brought together by their love for corals *aaww* :) Meeting people of such diverse backgrounds and life experiences has just increased my wanderlust by several folds :p I am now more determined to go on a long trip to experience life, should I manage to survive my PhD. What made it more valuable was the acceptance by the people who were initially resistant towards me.. And this is how it turned out! Just as eye-opening was the fact that the bigwigs in the field, such as Bette Willis & Andrew Baird (my 偶像s) actually went down to get involved in the field work themselves! Hehe I know, I'm such a nerd right, to get excited watching Bette Willis kneeling on the pontoon to get the corals from the divers. But it was really quite inspiring, 'cuz she's prolly been at this before I was born, yet she still has so much passion and drive! I can't imagine most other Profs in NUS actually up at 3+ am in the morning with her students, doing field work :D Hehe and i asked to take a picture with her at that ungodly hour, and she obliged!

Back in Singapore, some little surprises were left on my table.. Some of the hons kids had been leaving little notes and drawings on my table in my absence! Hehe it really warmed my heart to know that they were thinking of me in my absence ;) On Friday night, our lab had a simple Halloween party - bit of deco in the lab pantry, with tonnes of food! I am really impressed with the labbies, for being such good cooks! Really puts me to shame :p I need to learn how to cook too... I'm sure I can, hehe, just don't have the motivation to try. Perhaps someday someone will give me the motivation to cook ;p Anyway, back to the party, it was a really funny Halloween party cuz nobody was dressed for the occasion, and they were playing Indian music! Hehe, this must've been the tamest Halloween party, and really true to the Singaporean spirit cuz food dominated the party! :p What I prepared must've been the most Halloween-themed food. Check out my Eyeballs in Purple Blood: And my pumpkins!! Hehe, not bad for a first-timer eh? ;) PS: Can you spot the 'fake'??
Finally, here's a 'family portrait' of the huge marine lab family :) Though this is prolly only like half of the big family! Thanks to Pammie for organizing this great party =)