跟带给我痛苦的人挥挥手,
我告别了他们所有,
跟那世界,
Say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye...
- Tanya Chua (Goodbye & Hello)
141209.
So it's finally over.
Someone once asked me, what's the difference between 2 years in JC and 2 years in NS?
I mean if you ask me to do a point by point comparison, the list of differences would be never ending. But what I answered him was this.
The 2 years in NS is another life altogether. On 15th Dec 2007, my life was put on hold and I was pushed into a brand new life. The scope of things we were expected to do was very different from what we were used to, the structure of the organisation and how things work was very much different too. So, in a lot of ways, we were very much out of our comfort zone. But just like what I always teach my students about Darwin's theory of evolution, when there's a change, we adapt and only the fittest survive.
And survive we did. Some survived the 2 years with the help of endless status-es, others scraped through with sheer willpower, but the main thing is we did it together.
So before I say goodbye to 2 years of my life, which was filled pain and agony (and I do believe enough has been said about all these agony, that I'm not going to waste another entry on it), I want to remember the people, who were my main source of motivation that got me through my 2 years (esp the 1.5 years in mhc).
I admit I felt quite depressed on 6th Nov. And it's not because people are ORD-ing and I have not, neither was it the whole ORD parade atmosphere that got me feeling that way cause I was way too busy doing the PA and getting pissed at Chris Tay to actually feel anything.
But it's the fact that a lot of my friends are leaving, and I felt that I have not done enough to show them that I cared. And contrary to popular belief, I'm so not that kind that will overtly show my care and concern for people. I cannot bring myself to write love letters like wenqin did, and I don't know what to tell them in a sms like chinhua did.
When wenqin and shanglong were leaving, as much as I was telling them to go, I wanted them to linger around a little longer. I know we all have to move on eventually, yet I wanted that moment to last a little longer. This apparant contradiction in emotion, was the whole reason I was feeling down during those few days, and it took me quite a while to get over.
So I hope this little memory lane thing will make up for it.
To Shang Long: My favourite mao mi!
Thanks for meowing when I feel down, and helping me so much outfield.
I will always remember the time when the 2 of us sitting down together at the carpark near the training shed at the Palm House, with lots of mosquitoes and flies flying around. It was the end of the 16 click route march, and they were doing some hasty defense thing, and S3 and CO just dumped the 2 of us there. And we looked at each other and asked ourselves "why are we doing this" for the zillionth time.
I also remember during ATEC stage 2, we were setting up the SQT at the top of Peng Kang Hill. And after setting up the damn SQT (we have to hammer in the pegs using STONES!), we just sat down/lied down and enjoy the breeze and view. That has got to be the best moment for me in any exercises. Away from the highly stressful CP and away from all scrutinising eyes.
To Chi Weng: My fellow S3 signaller!
I find it very amusing how we always sound so serious when we are actually talk about totally senseless stuff. You may be always sleepy outfield, but we still walked together with S3 for almost every single exercise, and you really did help me a lot (like adjusting my antennas and stuff). It was definitely fun working with you.
There are so many moments that I will remember. Like in Wallaby, we were waiting for S3 in the M113 just before the live firing, and we decided to cook our fav red bean dumpling together, then we started cam whoring and taking weird pictures. I also remember during one of the company exercise, we were attached to S2 to cover safety. The 2 of us were stuck at Old Upper Thomson Road for the entire night, and subsquently we had to ferry like 101 casualties in our tiny landrover.
I guess if there's anything I need to thank perk lun for, it was to put the 2 of us together. I admit you are definitely not the best person to work with especially when it comes to manning comms at night (since you are barely awake). However beyond all that, you brought the much needed joy and laughter, by just being yourself, which was very much needed outfield. And your laidback personality balanced out my tensed up and gan chiong personality, so I guess I can say we make a great team. Seagull duracells FTW!
To Iven Peh: My fellow tutor!
I think we spent the most time at the table in our bunks, with you taking one side of the table and me the other, preparing for our tuition. I must admit it was really a very effective time to pass time in camp, esp during lull period. I will never forget in Wallaby, where we had to mann comms in the M113. The sand and dust + heavily distorted comms + roaring engine of the M113 = disaster. But we still made it happen!
To Wen Qin: My source of all panadols and plasters (and food)!
You are definitely the perfect house husband, I mean the broom you bought is probably the best in the entire battalion. And your cupboard is always fully equipped, whenever I need anything in camp, I am sure I can find it in your cupboard. And it's not just in camp, you are also always fully prepared to supply us with anything ranging from socks to heatpacks during outfield.
The 3 days 2 nights in Lancer during ex Nomad is definitely the most physically demanding thing I had to do in my 2 years in NS. And you went through it together with me! You had no idea how proud I was when the 2 of us managed to complete it, and I was really really happy that you lasted all the way, because if you had fall out or what, I probably wouldn't lasted that long too.
To See Kiat: My fellow singer!
I'm glad I manage to find someone with the same interest as me in camp and I will never forget your attempt to hit that whistle note in "Loving You". I will also never forget that cold cold night in Wallaby, where we had to do sentry followed by manning comms, for 4 hours straight. We even had to go trace lines to Alpha since they were not responding at all.
To Joshua: My fellow "ORD-on-141209" mate!
We almost couldn't ORD today cause OC is not around! Thankfully that didn't happen. I will remember the Jeep course days, and also the Ops Bacinent period, where we always take over and hand over to each other at the same tango. And being the RJC smart guy, you always manage to answer any weird tuition question I throw at you.
And the thing I will remember most about you is your work ethics. I remember just before ex VHF in SI, we had to draw a lot of radio stores, and the 2 of us pratically carried all the RTs up to the 5th storey bunk, making a grand total of 7 trips. I was cussing and swearing inside cause there were quite a few people who were not helping at all, but you were just as zen as ever. You defintely left a very deep first impression with that.
To Chin Hua: My essays editor!
You effectively went through 7-8 drafts of all the essays I have written so far for UCAS and PSC. (and more to come!) I really cannot thank you enough for that, and it's not just the editting, but all the conversations we had about applying overseas, applying scholarships, and what I want to do in general. You have no idea how jealous I am of you because you are so sure of what you want in life. But I guess some people just take longer to figure this out, and well some people lived their entire life without knowing it, so I'm happy for you.
To Shaun Lim: My favourite moobies to grab!
I really hated your guts initially, for quite some time too. But something just happened, maybe you realised or what, and you became a lot easier to get along with. I will always remembe hui hui and jun jun and really, study hard! (my resources are still all free for you to photocopy if you want).
To Kian Hong: My fellow HC schoolmate!
There were 5 of us! Then Aaron went 21 SA, then Yen Shan went Brunei, and Robert went airforce! I really also need to thank you tremendously for helping me so so much with my UCAS and PSC essay, but more importantly the UCL questionaire. It was so last minute, and you were helping me edit it right up to the last minute before we flew to Brunei. You even met up with me outside just to pass me your KI notes and my editted essay.
To Shaun Yap: My bed buddy!
You may have went to S4 branch, but you are always part of the platoon to me. I will always remember coming back to bunk after SOC training and I'll be zi highing with you about how shiok SOC trainings are. I will always remember you and your admin attire (I cannot really remember when was the last time you wore uniform!), and your countdown chart on your cupboard.
To Pang Hua: My fellow cat meow-er!
I will always remember how you always disturb either me, Joshua or Wen Qin at night over your personal problems. Seriously, we have said it to you a lot of times, and I will say it one last time, grow up already! I will never understand your obsession over certain things (and people), but I guess that's what makes you dinstinctly USWO tan pang hua.
To Yong Soon: My fellow SEAH!
Like I wrote in your ORD mag, I am constantly amazed how you will flash this mega watt smile everytime I see you outfield (when I'm like damn shagged already). I will also remember the night up on Mt Biang and our failed attempt at starting a nice sustainable fire. I will also remember your very amusing fishhead curry keychain, and the legendary LuLu.
To Yee Lee: My favourite Line sgt!
"Signal, fall in for lunch, faster faster" x 10 (in an extremely annoying voice). I will never forget that! And who can forget the day you became Cpt Low when you openly f-ck weiliang! And I will always remember how you refused to put down your fieldpack till the entire platoon is back during the 24 click route march. I was impressed!
To Wilson: My BSOOOO!
In all honesty, I think you did a great job as a BSO. But more importantly, I think you were great as a PC. It wasn't easy being our PC, with us being so independent to the extent that we don't really like to take instructions sometimes. Yet somehow, we managed to went through all exercises together, so kudos for that!
So this is it.
I don't know how many of those people above will I keep in contact with in years to come, but we had a memorable 2 years, so that's what I will take away with me.
Time can take away a lot of things, but it cannot take away the memories I have of each and every one of them.
Unlike most people, I never imagined myself to be jumping up and down for joy on my ORD day, neither do I expect fireworks or stuff like that, though I did feel a momentary surge of emotion when I saw my pink IC. But I think this is a fitting end.
So on this note, I guess I can officially say goodbye to the 2 years.
我不回头一步一步往前走,
我找回了我的自由,
对这世界,
Say hello, say hello, say hello...
-Tanya Chua (Goodbye & Hello)
New life, new jobs, infinite possibilities (wow, sounds like the SAF ad!)
Japan and Taiwan awaits me! Can't wait!!
No comments:
Post a Comment