Been working on a few things lately - a display of photographs at Casual Poet, a likely display of photographs at another location, Singapore Theatre Festival, a photo documentation of an exhibition, book design for HW's book of poetry, publicity design for Boo's TR, application for an exchange program next year* - plus, ZH came home and will be leaving in 5 days for 6 months, LW coming back mid August, my brother returning home this Friday from Brunei.. and of course the staple diet of radio program and music 'reviews' to be posted on Saturdays with my weekdays taken up by a heinous internship at a Phony 'Invetsment' firm which has forced me to reexamine my academic direction of a major in Wealth Management.
Well, thank god for friends..
*While I'm at it, this is what I wrote for my application (if you're interested):
"It's been my recurring dream: to be doused in a culture that is foreign, a country that is dissimilar - to be shaken and unsettled. It is exciting because while we only have 707.1km² of land here in Singapore, the world is vast and so should my exposure and perspectives accordingly be; but unfortunately, I feel weightless and often light-headed. I am thoroughly Asian, but I live in a country that purports and prides an identity of being cosmopolitan and global. I never had the comfort of contemplating on my Asian identity and its roots.
I chose Japan precisely because while it enjoys financial prosperity and progressive advancements in science and technology, it lives in a deliberate (and hearteningly so) preserved culture that is unpolluted by the turmoils of the external. I envy the pride or ego of the Japanese man, and I would like to be able to feel that passion or esteem for at least once in my life.
I have never taken a Japanese language course, and to tread on Japan without knowledge of the language would be assuredly arduous. But I believe the challenge will be rewarding and I really look forward to picking the language up in a foreign land. Admittedly, the art and cultural discourses in the academic institutions that I've chosen are also broader and more compelling. (I am thrilled simply by looking at the course offerings at Rikkyo University)
Taiwan is my other choice as it was under the Japanese rule and the modern Taiwan is oft-quoted to be a Chinese-speaking Japan. I am also intrigued by its self-supporting entertainment circle, arts, and businesses. It is yet another Asia country that would allow me to inspect and survey myself as an Asian in this increasingly flat and shrinking global village.
These two countries of choice are also incidentally countries which occur to me as a possible future choice of relocation - be it work or personal. The culture seems appealing at the moment, but I would like to have a compendious acquaintance with it before I decide if perhaps the facade is always more bewitching than what it can truly deliver.
This exchange is important to me as it would enrich me, not simply in the physical experience of being "out there", but also the spiritual existence of having understood my being, here.
This is in essence my reasons and motivations in applying for an exchange.
Anymore just simply to hit the 5000 characters cap would be overwhelming, excessive and as contrived as the uniquely Singapore(an) 4 million smiles campaign."
