Grace Yap's Farewell

Last Sunday, taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we did what we would not normally do in Singapore... go to the park in the afternoon. It was 23 degrees, the sun was shining and the wind was gently blowing. We usually gathered for lunch after church but that day was special.. it was Grace's (surname: Yap) farewell gathering. Grace is one of members of our ISM group. After having spent about 4-5 years in Melbourne, she has decided to go back to Malaysia to work.


Have a look at the pictures we took:

1) PS and Grace Yap

2) The whole group at Albert Park

3) Sze Ying and Grace fooling around...

4) now lets add Yuying into the equation.. and we have the presentation of the card

5) Grace Yap with the teachers

6) Grace Yap with her card

7) Flo and I just basking in the sun with our sunnies

8) and whats a farewell without a cake right?

'BAD NEWS'

Check this out, this was posted by P'Sy (my ex-boss) on another blog that I'm involved in. Tell me what you guys think

My final placement

Currently, I'm attached to the Cath Lab or the Cardiac Catherisation Lab or also known as 5 North in Austin. Its really quite interesting and quite scary what technology and doctors are doing nowadays.

Mart 130, South Melbourne, Albert Park

Last saturday, Yuying, Poh Sun and I made a trip to South Melbourne where the agenda for the day was to try Mart 130, the brunch cafe located at the Tram 96, Stop 130 itself. However, because of my lousy directions, we got lost and ended up doing South Melbourne Market, Albert Park and Mart 130 the whole afternoon. Though we were tired out by the end of the day, it was pretty fun since the weather was good and the company was enjoyable.. =)

Here are some photos from my outing on Sat to South Melbourne.

Wanton Noodles

Thanks to Aloy and Peter, I had a wonderful meal of homemade wanton noodles here in Melbourne about a week ago! Have a look at it... trust me, it tastes as good as it looks!

wickedly 'WICKED'

Wicked, is a new musical currently showing at the beautiful Reagent Theatre along Collins Street in Melbourne.. It has been a much anticipated show for me as I have heard so much about it, how its absolutely wonderful etc. My expectations high and I was hoping i will not be disappointed. And I must say, I wasnt!

Ransomed Heart for 30/8

I receive a daily reading from Ransomed Heart but I usually delete them cos i just dont have time to read everyone. This morning I decided to and thought i share it with you guys here:

Until We Are Broken, Our Lives Will Be Self-Centered
08/30/2008

---

True strength does not come out of bravado. Until we are broken, our life will be self-centered, self-reliant; our strength will be our own. So long as you think you are really something in and of yourself, what will you need God for? I don’t trust a man who hasn’t suffered; I don’t let a man get close to me who hasn’t faced his wound. Think of the posers you know—are they the kind of man you would call at 2:00 A.M., when life is collapsing around you? Not me. I don’t want clichés; I want deep, soulful truth, and that only comes when a man has walked the road I’ve been talking about. As Frederick Buechner says,

To do for yourself the best that you have it in you to do—to grit your teeth and clench your fists in order to survive the world at its harshest and worst—is, by that very act, to be unable to let something be done for you and in you that is more wonderful still. The trouble with steeling yourself against the harshness of reality is that the same steel that secures your life against being destroyed secures your life also against being opened up and transformed. (The Sacred Journey)

Only when we enter our wound will we discover our true glory. As Robert Bly says, “Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be.” There are two reasons for this. First, the wound was given in the place of your true strength, as an effort to take you out. Until you go there you are still posing, offering something more shallow and insubstantial. And therefore, second, it is out of your brokenness that you discover what you have to offer the community. The false self is never wholly false. Those gifts we’ve been using are often quite true about us, but we’ve used them to hide behind. We thought that the power of our life was in the golden bat, but the power is in us. When we begin to offer not merely our gifts but our true selves, that is when we become powerful.

(Wild at Heart , 137–38)

out with my friends

This afternoon, after having a satisfying lunch in chinatown, my friends and I found ourselves sitting outside little cupcakes the pretty cupcake store situated in deGraves Street (near Flinders station). Check out the cupcakes! (unfortunately i have been having problems uploading photos at home.. will do it once i get better internet.)

Starting placements on monday

I'm starting placements on Monday...
I just attended a moving on seminar today
I'm swamped with assignments and I'm tired
I'm tryin to stay warm in the cold
I'm trying to be a better eater....

Too many thoughts.. too little time to blog..

eep.

Healer (This is our God)

I remember hearing this song at Hillsong Conference 2008. It's an anointed song, written by Mike Guglielmucci, a man currently fighting cancer.

Please watch both videos... really.




You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in you
I trust in you

I believe
You're my healer
I believe
You are all i need
I believe
You're my portion
I believe
You're more than enough for me
Jesus, you're all i need

Nothing is impossible for you
Nothing is impossible
Nothing is impossible for you
You hold my world in your hands

Being a little child (Matthew 18: 1-4)

Today, as I read my BSF notes on Matthew 18, I was reminded of the need to be of child-like nature. It wrote, ‘a child is not ashamed of needing help. A little child is submissive to parental love and authority, dependent on parents and unimpressed by status. A child will choose Mother’s arms above those of anyone else. A child is also unconscious of humility.’

I experienced that this morning during my quiet time this morning and just having it reaffirmed as I read my BSF notes was a form of encouragement to me that I’m walking down the right path today. I may not walk down the correct path everyday and at every junction I come across. But the knowledge that God loves each of us ever so dearly is enough to assure me that even as I walk down the wrong path, He creates a new road ahead for me to take. Not only a road, but a light to the path, a gentle but firm leading along that path.

Happenings over the weekend

Saturday was a busy yet fulfilling day for me as I spent the day preparing for bible study at Northern Connect (my bible study group in Bundoora). Since Eunice and Shujun were joining us at bible study (two new OT girls I met this semester), I decided to cook a main dish and a desert to supplement the already sumptuous dinner spread we have at bible study. As some of you know, I love cooking. It’s an interest I started to discover in myself when I arrived in Melbourne.. However, with limited space, equipment and no one to feed, I have not cooked very much this year. Hence, I was extremely excited when this opportunity arose. What’s on the menu? My mum’s famous grilled chicken wings and Poh Sun’s simple yet impressive and yummy tiramisu.

Having gotten the necessary information from the respective people, I bought the required raw materials and began my preparation of cleaning the chicken, skewing it (which I forgot!), marinating, preparing the coffee and making the tiramisu. Thanks to PS’s kindness, beating of the cheeses was a piece of cake (using the mixer) and coffee liquor used was of high quality. under his instruction, my tiramisu was born and boy did it look impressive! A pity I didn’t take photos of the process or even the end product. did think of it but I knew my camera battery required charging. So oh well. you guys will just have to see the real thing next time I attempt to make it. =)

With some time to spare, PS and I had the opportunity to pay the TEA ROOM a visit. Tea Room is this really English-chi chi-atas café situated along Collins Street that serves sandwiches, cakes, teas and coffees. Patrons of Tea Room mainly comprised of working adults in their late-30s to 40s so we felt quite young there. A pity I didn’t know about this place last year, if not I would have brought jie, Mum and Pa to this place to ‘experience’ the ambience. The cake we had (carrot cake) was only so-so, so I really am a little hesitant to return unless I’m bring a newbie there. PLUS, there are so many nice café around!

Have a look at the place: (courtesy of http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au)



this is really something I’m going to miss about Melbourne. The café culture is just so apparent here. Places like DeGraves Street where numerous café joints can be found hidden in back alleys just have such a mysterious yet cosy ambience. Oh well. it’s only one thing la. =) (practical grace appears)

So back to my story about Saturday. After tea with PS, I rushed home to have a shower, pack my stuff for my sleepover at the Chew’s and packed the food made into my green Wolly’s carriers before setting off, heavy laden to the suburb of Bundoora.

As mentioned, food spread during dinner was fantastic (as usual) and the chicken wings and tiramisu was greeted with thumbs up from people. =0

I didn’t get a single work done on Saturday but I’m happy and blessed that I could cook, catch up with friends and be a blessing to others. Thank you GOD! =)

My recent Food find

While doing my usual Sunday morning grocery shopping, I found this at ALDI, my favourite supermarket:

Seeing the word Microwave, I was intrigued since I had no oven and hence very limited in my culinary skills. Reading the instructions behind the packet, it seemed fairly easy, just pop it into the microwave for about 25 min/kg and within about 40-45mins it should be done (since it was a 1.7kg chicken). Cost price: 7.45 dollars since it was on offer (to be used by that day itself)

Within 25-30mins of placing the chicken into the microwave, the aroma of a herb marinated chicken could be smelled throughout my whole house! The finish product was amazing.. tender juicy, yummy! and more importantly, fuss free! =) Since its only me, i plan make chicken sandwich for lunch and maybe even salads for dinner! Thank you God for little things like this.

Singapore National Day Part 3

Singapore National Day Celebration in Melbourne, Australia

While you guys in Singapore were watching it at home or at Marina Bay itself (in the rain), about 200-300 Singaporean Students in Melbourne gathered together for food and to watch national day parade screened live from channel 5 (via the internet) at the Cross Culture Convention Centre located in the heart of the city along Swanston Street. This happens to be the very same church I attend and it was just a good feeling knowing that we have opened our doors for such occasions, to embrace the various nationalities residing in multicultural Melbourne.

So anyway, the event started off with registration, where we each got a lucky draw ticket and a door gift each. Once you got the ticket and door gift, it was off to the chapel hall for MAKAN! I must say they really made sure the food was good. We had finger food like spring rolls, hakka balls (dunno what it was) and samosas and mee goreng, nasi goreng and beef rendang for mains. Pretty oily but so soothing to the soul to eat local food. Unfortunately i was too engrossed that i forgot to take a picture of the food.

the chapel hall where makan commenced

after mingling, chatting and taking silly photos with the red/white helium balloons dangling all around, we were all ushered into the convention centre to watch the parade. Nothing much was planned as the parade was the main highlight of it. But i must say, watching the parade really made me feel really happy. though the streaming did lag quite a bit with a few instances where it had to be restarted, i loved every single bit of the parade. It was also my first time watching the parade being held at Marina Bay. And boy was it a treat watching the jet skis, floating stage etc.

In between, we had the lucky draw and the gifts were actually air-flown (i think) NDP goodie bags! hehehe.. not bad i thought.

=) so yes, Thank God for technology and Thanks a million to those singaporean students in the singapore association for taking the effort to organise this event!



=) so yes, Thank God for technology and Thanks a million to those singaporean students in the singapore association for taking the effort to organise this event!

After the event, Yuying had a craving for crepe so I followed her to the crepe shop in Melbourne Central where she kindly posed for with my balloons (yes i actually took home two) for this photo.



And... still feeling extremely patriotic, I took the little hand-held flag we were given (remember the door gift?) and added it to my collage on my wall .

Happy National Day Part 2

Shine for Singapore - NDP 2008



As I mentioned to the doc a few days ago, this song grows on you. I heard it as the viewing of NDP in Melbourne and I began to like the song plus I'm a visual person, so the actual seeing of people performing and the lyrics really helped alot

(see next entry on SINGAPORE NATIONAL DAY in MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)

Happy National Day

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!

I will be going to watch National Day Parade this evening as well and I'm really looking forward to it but i guess nothing compares to being home.

Was listening to past national day songs and feeling emo. Wish i was home..



My Island Home

This is my home
She's everything to me
Grace and beauty
In all that you see

My island home
Wherever I may be
I never will forget her
Nor will she forget me

Chorus ^
And I will sing
A song of home
A land of peace
Where dreams are born everyday
My home
Wherever I may be
I believe
You will always be a part of
me ^

My island home
Home of my family
This is my future
Where I want to be
(This is my future
This is my home)

Repeat Chorus x 2

My home
Wherever I may be
I believe
You will always be a part of me
A part of me

Rushing around

This morning was a mad rush for me. Leaving the house at 0930hr, I thought i could make it down to RMIT library, borrow a book and make it in time for my 1100hr tutorial for CAF (Child and Family Nursing). However, no matter how much i rushed, I couldnt. I was at least 150-20mins late for my CAF tutorial and hopefully my tutor will mark me as present. 

This really taught me a needful lesson. I dont work/function well under a rushed situation. I cant think. I need to be prepared for a class, for something. If not, it spoils me whole day. 

apologies

To all:

Pls accept my apologies regarding the photos not appearing! i was lazy and did a shortcut and well it didnt work. will fix it in a couple of days. =)

My ISM GROUP (2) - Church Lunch

Over the weekend, Carlton Happy Hour (my ISM group's name) and Emmaus were rostered to cook church lunch in Cross Culture Church of Christ, the church that we come under.

what is Church Lunch?

Church Lunch, as the name suggests, is lunch served in church (duh..). Each week, a different home group/ISM group takes turn to cook and serve lunch after both morning services for an affordable price of Aus $4 (adult) and Aus $2 (kids). Its really a steal.

Anyway, since it was our turn to cook lunch, our group decided to serve Claypot Chicken Rice and Tau Ge (bean sprouts) without the claypot (in rice pot). It was the easiest thing to prepare for 150 pax (we thought).

None of us had any experience for cooking for large groups of people. My only experience was being a kitchen help at the age of 8 (?). And that was when I helped my mom cook for the Boys Brigade Camp. What did I know about estimation and what nots? So anyway, it still had to be done and under the great direction of Grace Yap and responsibilty of Poh Sun, 30 kg of Chicken, 25 kg of Rice, 3 large packets of dried Chinese mushroom and 4kg worth of Bean Sprouts were bought and used to feed ~150 people.

It took us from 9am - 3pm on Saturday to complete this task and boy were we all tired at the end of the day. It was 6 solid hours of the following:

1. cleaning chicken
2. removing chicken skin

3. Marinating chicken with sauces

4. Washing rice

5. cooking rice

6. Stirring to ensure all was cooked

7. Scrapping of leftover rice in pot

8. Washing of rice pot

9. Starting next batch of cooking

[pictures below: 1) Flo and the 2 Grace 2) Our Chicken + Mushrooms waiting to be cooked]

The cooking and preparation part WAS fairly simple, straightforward and easy. The hardest most tiring part of it all was the WASHING OF THE RICE POT!!!!!

[the difference: a clean pot vs the pot to be scrubbed]

Since the rice cooker did not have a non-stick pot, we had to soak the rice pot in hot water for awhile so soften the burnt rice. However, we didnt have the luxury of leaving it overnight since we needed it to cook the next batch. Hence, we took turns to laboriously scrap off the remnants of rice from the pot. It was really a work of love and sweat.

[Yuying scrubbing the pot]

Finally, at 3pm, all was completed and we were able to go for a well-deserved break before going back to church for ISM welcome night. Phew.

Thank God, all went well, and we managed to sell EVERYTHING! All the beansprouts, all the trays and trays of Chicken Rice. Phew and we made quite a profit for the church.. YAY!

And... more importantly, we really had a good time working side by side one another, bonding with one another through sweat and love as we cooked and got to know one another better as well. Thanks guy for the experience. It was tiring but i must say i wouldnt change it for anything. =)

[Our FINAL PRODUCT!]

my ISM group (1) - YUM CHA

Ever since returning about 3 weeks ago, I have been up with my ISM (i.e. International Student Ministry) group from Cross Culture a couple of times for bible study and for our all time favourite past time.. EATING! I have found kindred spirits in this area. people who love food and enjoy trying new food. Well, no prizes for guessing their nationality... we are made up of a bunch of Singaporeans and Malaysians with a two Koreans =)

Recently, we all adjourned for YUM CHA after church for lunch. This outing was to celebrate Poh Sun's recent success in obtaining his PhD in Accounting (yes... accounting, i kid you not.. hee hee). So off we trooped for our yummy YUM CHA.

Initially I wasnt going to go because YUM CHA is rather costly. it can set you back by at least 15 Aussie dollars and it happened that week that I had a BBQ to attend on Sat aft and had already gone out once for dinner. Hence, i thought i had blown my weekly food budget already. the thought of not being able to join made me quite upset (just ask the doc..) cos well, i always enjoy meeting friends over a good meal. But seeing that it was a celebration lunch, i told myself that i will not worry about the money and just spend. And you know what, God really helped me to stretch my food budget that week. the BBQ wasnt as expensive as i thought it would be and i actually managed to stay within my food budget pretty much.AND i got to eat yummy YUM CHA with great conversations and company!

Here's a photo of us after YUM CHA @ WestLake Restaurant in Chinatown