Some of my reflections from 5 months of classes — I took up Thai in April! Hitherto, it’s been almost 5 months since I started my classes. Here’s what I discovered about learning a new language in adulthood. Background For some background, thanks to Singapore’s bilingual education system, I was taught both English and Chinese from my childhood years. …

“It’s boring, but it’s real” — Mid-May: I felt frustrated with myself for using too much social media. I knew it was too much because I would spend hours daily scrolling through my feed and explore pages. I would end up scrolling mindlessly, and getting absorbed into the “black hole”. I would feel like I’m in a daze and I couldn’t focus on my work and meetings. I…

- my neighbour screamed — It was the 2nd of May, just last Monday. I woke up slightly past 7am, still in time to witness the golden sun rays from sunrise. “Today will be a good morning”, I thought to myself as I got out of bed. After washing up and changing my clothes, I decided to head out for a morning walk in…

#7: Responsibility and being present is really underrated — Back when I was in university, I joined NUS Aikido Club’s exco (executive committee) and stayed in the committee all the way till I graduated. Here are my main takeaways: 1. There is always room for improvement in processes. Be open to change. In my first year, attendance taking was a very manual process as it was done via pen and paper. By…

Sharing my tips on public transport, hostel accommodation and food, based on my 21-day trip around the island! — Public Transport — Getting around Paying for commute fares Get an EasyCard! It’s a stored value card that can be used to take buses, metro, train, high-speed railway, and also for purchases at convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart! With the card, you don’t have to carry as much cash or worry about having exact amounts in cash.

For accommodation, transport, food, activities and more — I went to Taiwan for 21 days and explored the island! Below is a breakdown of my spending according to the various categories. (Exchange rate used: 1 SGD = 22 NT) Pre-trip expenses Flights

A Singaporean’s perspective — As a Singaporean, my red passport is very strong. I can easily travel to many countries without having to apply for a visa (in fact, I’m not entirely sure how visas work). I hardly face any problems at immigration gates too. Being able to understand and speak English is such…

For accommodation, transport, food, activities and more — I went to Vietnam for 11 days and visited Ninh Binh, Sapa and Hanoi! Below is a breakdown of my spending according to the various categories. (Exchange rate used: 1 SGD = 16,750 VND) Pre-trip expenses Flights

Sharing my experiences to manage your expectations — Bus 1: From Ninh Binh to Sapa Bus — VIP Sleeper 41 by Grouptour The bus arrived 15 minutes later than the official start time. Before reaching the sleeper seats, I had to take off my shoes and place them in a plastic bag. No seats allocated, free for all, first come first serve. I slept in the top bunk and had to figure…