Red riding lobsters

So he-yah,

Its funny how we as people always think that the next time will be different when going up against nature.... heres this weekends fact: "It Isn't!"

Going to Tioman Island outside the east coast of Malaysia was everything that one could expect of a great little weekend trip! It was amazing and a whole lot of fun with a group of great people which in a more grown up way meant good times with good conversation!


Now, the last time I wrote you was right before we headed out on our journey from campus where I met up with Anina(Swiss), Astrid(Swiss), Wanda(German) and Andre(German) to get going and on our way. This however wasnt the whole group as we on our way met up with Björn(room mate) at Boon lay and then later Peter(Swedish) and Ben(French) at Chinese Garden. At this point, we were all in high spirits as we had managed to get going even though we didnt know much about how we would get to our destination and where we would stay. The only bit of solid knowledge was how to get across the border. But what is life if not a cheap adventure!


Well across the border at johur bahru, we were faced by our first riddle... What do you do when all the buses are fully ?...... Two things, you take a taxi and you eat fat food from dunkin donuts to feel better about paying that little extra!..... and so we did, but only after having bargained our way to a pretty sweet deal of 180 ringits per taxi along with a stop at a hawker centre for some satay, rice noodles and fake DVDs.


Some 2 hours and the best of the 90s music later, we had finally arrived and bought our first beer as we went to look for accomodations in an almost ghostlike town by the name of mersing! Accomodation was found and I soon found myself sharing a bed with 2 other guys for the next 4 hours...


The next day we were finally in Tioman Island at Salang Beach and the weekends adventure could begin! Now I have always had it easy to get tanned and resist the sun without getting burnt, but after a long winter and a summer inside a bank I think my days were numbered.... and so goes the story of a man with becoming a red riding lobster!....

Now i'm sure this would be a kick-ass story, but it starts with white and end with red and im only gonna show you the pictures in between!! ENJOY



















Freshly grilled fish(2x above), Monkey beach after trekk through jungle(above)

The color red

The Island

Its been a rough night having finished my paper and packed all the thing before the weekend trip to Tioman Island, only to be woken up and kept awake by the roomies ahead of my 8.30 class this very morning! But I guess thats the price you pay if you choose to live with 7 other people in one apartment...

Moving on there is sun on the horizon... hopefully(now a tropic thunder storm outside) as a few exchange students and I embark on a weekend trip to Tioman Island for some down time in the most chilled way! Basically meaning that I will do nothing except lie on the beach and read some articles on Chinas developing economy : )! Actually really interesting and I look forward to it
--->Me = Geek!

Any ways its gonna be a good time and I'll be sure to tell you all about it when I get back next week! Till then in case I dont hear from you, good morning, good evening and goodnight!

True and false

I guess we start with the bad news....

False- "All asians are very studious and smart studying every waking moment of the day"

I mean sure there are a lot of smart ones but the fact that they would study every hour of the day is completely false... Walking through any library and even around the benches outside, you see people having their head on their books sleeping! some for 15 minutes some for 30min and some even go for the hour mark.
Yesterday I was studying in the library and on the desk next to mine, there were people having a sleep relay!!! First one goes and sleeps then afterwards another and another and another! Kept going all day! Even on the buses and trains to school you see people sleeping, it is worse than siesta time in the hispanic countries!

True- "Asians are good at martial arts and they do it since they were babies"

Maybe not all of them do martial arts, but most of them have done it at some point! I guess its inevitable here! Something which confirms what I always hoped was true! On that note I started my Taekwondo class yesterday and today I can barely walk!! I have blisters and a lot of pain in my body! hope i get on time to school!!

Fun thing I heard yesterday: "If you think you are good at something, there is always an asian girl that is better"

Though still unproven, I feel like this has a high confirmation rate!

Time to head for school and strategic management!

cherrio

In the AM to the PM- week 2

(Pulau Ubin, Sinngapore)

Its the start of week 3 of school here in Singapore and I am yet to tell you about week 2 and all that has happened here from that point and onwards! I suppose im not the most updating fella' in the blog world, but that just means that im doing something which must be a positive thing.

Week two started off in quite the hectic mode and I have had a lot to do as far as school and activities goes, something which also holds true for this week! There is a pilling up of school work which is giving me some concern, but hopefully I will manage and my focus will this week go towards school. On another note, this has been orientation week for the new year and I have decided to join a few clubs at school! One of whom I know for sure i'll be active in and that is the bouldering club(Climbing) which is quite the work out after having been to the welcome climb on thursday last week. I mean some of these guys just climb without using any legs so its quite intimidating at the same time as its motivating. The two other clubs im trying out this week is Taekwondo and Lifeguard club. Obviously martial arts seems like a must when in asia, but becoming the new david hasselhoff is also an equally as exciting prospect. I mean being a certified lifeguard would be quite cool and the training seems to be quite rough!

Moving on to adventures and travel, I went to Pulau Ubin yesterday for some mountainbiking with a group of other exchange students and i must say it was quite sweet as well as sweaty! The island was pretty nice, even though a lot of the time places in singapore have a tendency of being too fixed up and not nature preserved giving you that superficial feeling instead of raw paradise vibes. But all in all it is something for anyone looking to pick up a bit of sweat while being in Singapore. Here are some sweet pics for your eyes truly(also see above):

Also on another note, being swedish and around the month of August, we in the flat decided to organize a 'Kräftskiva' or crayfish party last friday which ended up being a great success! I think we got some around 30-35 people in the end which was a good turnout! I also got to meet one of my old friends from Kungshomens Gymnasium which studies at the Imperial College of London and is currently on an internship here in Singapore! I mean how small can this world be? After the crayfish party we went to Arab street for some food before heading to Blue Jazz for some live tunes! See Below!

Now given I'm not the most updating fella' I have a goal this week of trying to find a better continuity in my writting and henceforth I shall write something each day in the hope that I will get some form of routine! I am also planning a photo operation of where i live as well as the school so that I can show everyone where I spend my time here in singapore.

Some other fun plans that have taken place this week as far as activities goes in the future are:

-Bought a three day ticket for the Formula 1 Grand Prix here in singapore 23-25 September

-Planing a trip this weekend to Tioman Island Malaysia

-Buying tickets today for Bali, Indonesia, for our recess week 26-30 September

Now this is all I have time for right now as i have to get going to school, but stay tuned for more tropical hits from Singapore!

Stay classy

Singapore!

Nationalday!

Singapores Nationaldag! : )

MUJALHA! Singapores Nationaldag!

Sjukaste hotelet EVER! Byggt med båt på toppen!

Björn och jag på det lokala hawker stället

På väg mot Arlanda

Giving in

Having opportunities like these are a dime in a dussin that only so and so many people ever get the chance to do. So why when they are given do we sometimes feel so distant from it, as if we can't fully appreciate what is right infront of us. Finding ourselfs with cold feet feeling unmeasurably anxious as if we had something stuck in our throats unable to stop thinking about everything, analyzing every move, every decision, every thought.



I guess what i'm trying to say, is that taking a step out of your comfort zone landing halfway around the world without as much of an atom size of an idea of what to expect is not all a walk on smooth white clouds. Leaving us only one choice, finding a distraction.

So what I have been doing during the last couple of weeks is just full on giving in to everything and anything! I guess in a way, I have tried to become as much of a YES-man as possible and for those who know me, it ain't always that familiar of a sight. Now aside from that I have been doing other more serious stuff like trying to find a place to stay, Registering courses etc.... But I choose not to write about it as it is what has a lot of the time been known as the down part

of this adventure and it shall henceforth not be mentioned again.

Instead we focus on the good parts, and those involve the list below from which I will in a perfectly normal manor go through one by one:
-Sentosa
-THE Bridge
-Mussie(German fellow)
-The Italians
-Mayfair
-National Day
-My courses

1. Sentosa:
Sentosa is known as the south east most point of asia, but for me I couldn't really care less. For me sentosa was all and everything that i needed for one day of escape from all other problems since arriving to Singapore. It was a chance to finally just lay on a beach, swim in the ocean and just giving in to a more peaceful state of mind. No school, No apartment, No Job... No nothing, just chill!

2. THE Bridge
The bridge is kind of central if you want any form of social life and do not live on campus. It is basically a bridge or sanctuary in singapore residing in Clark Quay where littering, drinking and many other things illegal suddenly aren't so anymore. At least by the look of things. It is also a major hang out spot for international and western students here in singapore. A place where a 'hello' to just about anyone always leads to something more than pure and utter ignorance on behalf of the recipient of the 'hello'. Here is where I have met most of the people that i now know!

3. Mussie
Mussie is someone i actually met virtually on skype before I even landed here and to be frank it was probably just blind luck which led to bad luck and then good luck again. He is probably one of the most socially capable people i've met and thank god i met him, because if I hadn't I probably wouldn't know enough people to hang out with. Him included! The only downside was that i didnt get to rent a room in his apartment due to the landlord.
4. The Italians
I dare say the italians, because they all study at the university in Lugano, Switzerland, and they are some of the most fun people to hang around. Plus being with them makes you really want to learn how to speak italian, not only with words, but the gestures and everything. They consist of Riccardo, Paolo and Daniele. They will surely be mentioned later on.

5. Mayfair
Mayfair is where i live with 7 other swedish people in a 4 bedroom apartment!!!!! Its a bit crowded, but it is at this point better than nothing. Now I know that I told almost everyone I really wanted to stay with other nationalities, but to be frank I didnt know how hard that would be unless I didnt get a room on campus. So for now Mayfair with its pool, tenniscourt and bowlingalley is my temporary home!!

6. National Day
YES, Mujalah!! I got to experience Singapores National day and boy it was fun! You can definetly tell they put a lot of effort into it! Though I was still a little bit disapointed with the fireworks along with the fact that I didnt get to see the military parade due to sold out tickets! But i'll post pictures tomorrow so stay tuned and give me the verdict!

7. My Courses
I am glad to say that when it came to the academics I was lucky enough to not have to deal with the add/drop period as I already had my courses pre-registered.
They are:

• Political Economy of East Asia


• Health Economics


• Strategic Management


• International Business Environment

So all in all, I think the only way out of the hard times is in... giving in and pushing away whatever bad conscience you have that is making you feel like you need to be in control every step of the way and just realizing that we are not always meant to control everything. It goes againt the simple rules of nature. Sometimes we just have to let go and enjoy the moment without hesitation or care. We have to as someone told me when I was in need, "look up and see the positive around you, and you will soon see the world smiling back"

Beginnings for a beginner

Starting is always the hardest part, I mean where do you begin after one week of ups and downs of stress and serenity, of Yes and No, of just pure confusion in a small but in so many other ways big country!
Well, as we have been taught through the short span of our time on this little planet, a simple Hello will most oftenly suffice as a good way to start something new... Hence

HELLO!

Its been seven days since I left for my 4 months of study in this extremely hot and humid place called Singapore and boy is this one melting pot of all that is globalized. There is a little bit of everything and anything wherever you look. So for starters, the biggest challenge so far has been just finding a place to stay, which I can gladly say we did do yesterday(And by we I mean Björn and I, my 23 year old study buddy from Linköping University who is also doing his X-change adventure in singapore).

Now as it seems, this was a poor time to start telling the tale of this weeks adventure because we really have to get going from our hostel to the new place and then head to IKEA(the home away from home) in order to buy a couple of pillows and other necessities, but I promise to get back to you as soon as I can with pictures and stories of The Italians, a man named Mussie and a campus only made for people with mad skills in map reading!

Till then,

Cheers and know that all is good in singapore!