16 December 2007

Back in Singapore

Just checking in to say that I'm back, and that I'm missing Bangkok already. I so enjoyed Bangkok, so loved the days I spent there. It's such a familiar place--very much like the Philippines--but much more laidback, much quieter, more diverse. And there are definitely less obnoxious people there. In fact, in the 6 days I was there, I encountered only 1 person who really got me annoyed and irritated. Hee. But there's really no time for all these stories right now, as I'm super tired and I really need to get some sleep.

Anyway, I'm leaving again soon--and this time, for home. Yay! Double yay! :D

09 December 2007

One Week in Bangkok

In a few hours, I'll be flying to Bangkok. Wee! :) For fear of missing my flight, I decided to just keep awake and wait until it's time to go. I also thought I could write (yes, I'm still writing those effin papers!) while waiting, but that was, like, two hours ago. After an hour or so of re-writing a paragraph I must have re-written ten times already and not being able to finish a sentence I'd been trying to finish since last night, I gave up. I wasn't really accomplishing anything. Might as well do something else that I could actually finish.

So here I am. Hee!

My trip to Bangkok is not really for pleasure. Well, there will be pleasure, yes, and I hope lots of it (hehe), but what I'll really be there for is this conference on English in Southeast Asia. I'm proud to report that I'm done with my script (because it can hardly be called a paper--heh!) and my powerpoint presentation. My topic is on gender and call center discourse, which is basically what my research project is about. I'm not sure how it will be received, as I've been told that the conference is more concerned with pedagogical issues relating to the teaching of English in the region. But, whatever. I suppose I'll just do my thing. Then, I'll have fun, go shopping, and enjoy the night life. Haha.

Honestly though, I'm sort of looking forward to the conference and seeing some of the plenary speakers, especially Teun van Dijk. van Dijk is a big name in critical discourse analysis (cda), and one of those whom I read over and over while I was just getting introduced to the field. I have to admit though that I have lost track of his recent works, having moved out of cda to explore other (so-called) 'critical' frameworks, but still, it would be awesome to hear him talk, maybe even meet him--and if I muster enough courage, maybe ask him to have a picture taken with me. Haha.

But I suppose wanting to have a picture with a person who has had some influence on your work one way or other is not really a crazy idea. For instance, when I told a former teacher/mentor that van Dijk would be in the conference, he told me the exact same thing: Pa-picture ka with him. Hee! And I remember I had a classmate in Textual Construction of Knowledge (a primarily cda-oriented module in NUS), who when he reported on Fairclough's CDA (Fairclough's is CDA; the rest is cda--hay!) showed pictures of himself having lunch. With Fairclough! There were two other people in the pictures, yes, but still, I was like, 'OMG, he's with Fairclough. OMG!' Apparently, Fairclough was in his university for a conference at that time.

All I can say is, if van Dijk is major, Fairclough is major-er, probably the major-est in cda--thus, his CDA gets the all caps. Now that I think about it, there are other scholars I'd really just love to meet and, yeah, that picture thing again. Hehe. Oh well, I suppose, we'll see what happens in this conference first.

It's almost time to get ready now. And I'm beginning to get really excited! :)

06 December 2007

So NOT My Day

Today, well, yesterday actually, was one of the worst days I've ever had in this country. It rained all day, and it rained really, really hard. I suppose if I had stayed in, it would have been ok (I probably would have enjoyed it actually given it could be the perfect excuse to stay in bed and sleep all day), but I had to be out to meet my supervisor for lunch and do some express photocopying of stuff I just realized I would need for the papers that I couldn't seem to write. Sigh. Then, I also had to pick up something after my errands at NUS.

Anyway, I thought at first the rain would let up after a few hours, because that's how it rains here. 'Pabugso-bugso' is, I think, the perfect word to describe it. But it just went on and on, even gaining strength as the day wore on. I wouldn't have minded if I were to stay only in NUS, but as I said, I had to go somewhere else after NUS. It was just so uncomfortable, quite a balancing act actually, getting on the bus, then on the MRT with loads of photocopies, a bottle of water, an umbrella, and my big black bag with my big, fat notebooks. (I wish I could go digital on everything and not use notebooks, but I love notebooks, big, fat ones, and I love writing on them.)

So I finally reached my destination at exactly that time when everyone else was rushing to get into the train station. I swear I was swept by the current once or twice. At one point, I really had to fight my way against the crowd. Around this time too, I was already beginning to get a little dizzy. My hyperacidity was also beginning to act up. I told myself I shouldn't have had that third cup of coffee and that I should have eaten before I left the campus. But, well, too late for that.

Good thing the person I was meeting up with was there already, so getting the package was pretty easy and didn't give me any trouble. I suppose this would be the highlight of the day, too. Remember the perfect gift I was talking about last time? That was the thing I had to pick up. :) And remember I said I'd get one for myself? Well, I did. :) I got the small red one. Hee! Until now, I can't believe how small it is. And there's actually a part of me that can't believe I paid some good money for it. Oh well, we'll see if it's worth it in a month or two.

Getting back to the flat was definitely easier than all the trips I had to take earlier, but it was still very tiring. Plus, this time, I had two additional packages: the thing--and dinner. I had thought of eating at the restaurant, but I also wanted to just go home and be comfortable, so I decided on takeaway. I thought my arms were going to fall off as I walked to the flat from the MRT station. It was still raining at this point, though not as hard as earlier, and I had to walk real slow, because the roads were slippery. But still, I was inching closer and closer to home, and I could already see my building, so it wasn't so bad.

Finally, finally, I was at the flat. I changed into comfy 'pambahay' clothes and got the food out. I was so looking forward to enjoying my fried mozzarella, creamy mushroom pasta, and ribs. But I suppose it just wasn't my day. While the mozzarella and ribs were okay (note: 'okay,' not 'really good' or 'good'), the pasta was the sweetest creamy mushroom pasta I'd ever tasted. It was like eating some kind of weird dessert. To top it all off, a monster of a headache began to make its presence felt just when I gave up on the pasta.

Hay. I should sleep now.

02 December 2007

Still

still unable to write. and it's not like i haven't tried. it's just that i feel as if all the stuff i have to do are closing in on me, and there's no way i'll be able to finish everything on time. all i really want to do now is sleep, but no: "the woods are lovely, dark, and deep/but i have promises to keep/and miles to go before i sleep/and miles to go before i sleep."
*****
in other news, i have found the perfect gift. i don't know if it will work, but i sure hope so. operative word: lomo. i'm actually very excited about it. i'm thinking of getting one for myself, too, but i'll get the 'baby' version, the 'pa-cute' version. in RED. hee!
*****
i played tour guide yesterday to my father's sister's family. they were here only for a day--they just hopped over from KL is why--so we had to move on a very tight schedule. it was very tiring walking around, but it had been quite fun, too. my achievement for the day was, i didn't get them lost. well, uhm, maybe once. hehe.
*****
i guess i have to go and try writing again. i know i just have to keep at it no matter how slow i go. as a friend said, "just don't let go. never let go." i suppose writing is, in a lot of ways, like being in a relationship. right now, it's a relationship i'm not really happy about having. sigh.