|
a l w a e z . c o c a - c o l a |
Rannz |
|||
|
Wednesday, December 06, 2006 Airports are such emotionally charged spaces...
I use the word 'spaces' rather than 'places' quite intentionally – places referring more to a place where one feels a sense of attachment and belonging; with meaningful experience shaping the way they feel about the place (F. Driver, 1999 & D. Massey, 1995). Ironically, the airport is a place where I’ve had many of such 'experiences' that have indeed moulded and influenced my life. The airport was the place where I've returned from countless vacations: most indelibly in my early primary school years, travelling away from my family for the first time. The feeling of being welcomed back into their arms is like no other – even as recently as my training stints with the army, travelling first to Taiwan, then Brunei, and finally to Thailand...the feeling of finally returning "where I belong...where I keep my heart and soul..." (Tanya) is truly magnificent. Yet, at the same time, it has also been a place where I've experienced a great sense of loss. As I type this, a dear friend of mine is soaring somewhere above in the clouds in a 747, headed back to her hometown, ShanXi. She'll be stopping over in Beijing first for an hour to wait for the connecting flight to her hometown – where she belongs. Haiz...it's been really great knowing ya, Sabrina – Zhang Ran, as your parents probably call you. Hope the bag of famous amos will keep you company (till Beijing at least?) :p Haiz...Sabrina. We met in our EL1101E module: the Language of Language – happened to be in the same tutorial group. I remember I came in late that day; we were forming our project groups and Jiamin asked me to join you guys...it turned out to be the start of my newfound friendship with four really cool people: Gerald, Kathleen, as well as Jiamin and yourself. It was really fun meeting up to do the project together: I really didn't mind at all that at times you felt you couldn't really contribute – the others weren't making much of an effort to engage you in the discussion anyway. I've had my fair share of experiences being left out too – and I know how it feels like. I was really impressed that despite the language barrier, you really made an effort to try to contribute. Haha...do you remember our second lecture test? The one where practically the whole lecture cohort was 'killed' by the sheer difficulty of the paper (for the record, the highest mark for that test was 18/30 – that's the highest grade that nearly 300 students could muster!) Ha…and you were whining at me for not letting you finish the paper – even though many others continued frantically scribbling after we were told to stop :p Well, considering the fact, it's quite commendable that you got 12/30, while I only got 11/30! Sigh...it's a pity to be physically losing a friend like you. Hope we can still keep in touch through email and stuff...c",) Which reminds me of another great friend I 'lost' to studies overseas – that was an entire five years ago...has it been that long? We were only 16 then, cycling through the park – when you dropped the bombshell. Five years have gone by...I regret that I hardly had the chance – well, more accurately – made the effort to keep in contact with you. Haha…I don’t mind admitting it, but I had quite a crush on you back then...but that was ages ago. I guess it's only natural for a guy to be attracted to one of the only girls he could actually converse with. But I digress... Anyway, I'm not as much of a mouse as I was before: it wasn't as though I ever felt uncomfortable around you – it's just that I was painfully shy: that was the only thing that made me hold back. It was never my intention to seem cold towards you. I remember when you came back to CJC to visit us during one of your vacations. I'll never forget when you asked: "so do I get a hug?" It was heart-warming though at the same time a little embarrassing – that you were so open-minded and liberal: while I on the other hand could somewhat be described as the polar opposite – 'conservative', reserved, shy. Since that incident 3 years ago, I haven't had the chance to speak with you since. Hope you haven't forgotten me, friend...I'll try to make an effort this time – if only it can salvage the friendship we once had? I’m glad to read your latest blog entry: you've just taken the last exam of your life, on the brink of embarking on a whole new life – the 'real' world; working life...whatever you want to call it. Ha...and to think that I've only just completed my first semester! That's how far behind I am you... it's quite unfathomable that we'd sat for the same 'O' levels. Now you're a degree holder, while I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life :P Any pointers, senior? Hehe... raneth hopped off at 1:19 am
|
Abt me... i'm 22 liao..(getting old?) (going on)2nd yr n'us soci major :) i love the outdoors, esp on a bike/with a ball at my feet altho i haven't had much time 4 tt lately.. ..and yes, look at the table - Now that's the way the EPL supposed to look! B l o g s aaron chan L i n k s BloggerHotmail YLM T A G . M E
|