Day 34 - The Departure, The Final Good-Byes

Everything seems so fast, feelings rushing through my entire mind, and before I can even react to it, we are already leaving the hostel with packed luggage, ready to leave for the airport. 

As we leave the hostel, I believe in everyone’s heart, it is not time that is rushing us, but all the different emotions and feelings we have for this place after 5 weeks here. Adding on to the farewell by some of the local student leaders, I really felt the sadness that was floating in the air.

The journey to the airport was really fast to me, even though it lasted near an hour. Because I just cannot bear to leave this place, after feeling these 5 weeks is really short and not enough for me.

Anyway, we finally reached the airport. Had some quick brunch there, and we were on our flight to Guangzhou for transit flight.

AND!

We’re back to Singapore! As usual, we were the last few to leave the plane, and some of us took some time off to take a few group shots before we went back to our family. Although there were smiles everywhere on the photos, I believe inside most of us, our hearts could not smile as bright.

Summary Reflections:

As I think through this entire OIP journey, it really felt sad to be typing this last reflection post. This OIP journey of ours is coming to a full stop soon, after completing the major part of this programme, all it is left for us is to complete the leftover matters for our project back in Singapore. This trip to me is really beneficial in a way unlike other trips I have been to. Taking into consideration that we are also there to study, this trip at the same time opened our eyes as we enter a different environment from the one that we have been staying since young. 

Encountering the different styles and cultures of others, understanding and adapting to their way of life, communicating and interacting with the people, it really taught us many valuable lessons that are important in our lives. How we live our life in the past, will definitely be of some difference as to how we live our life after this trip. I am pretty glad that I am part of this OIP batch and I definitely do not feel that I have wasted my time for the past 5 weeks! 

As said and heard before, time really flies when you are having good and happy times. I cannot agree anything more to that! 5 weeks passed by us just like 5 seconds, a blink of eye, and we are already on our way back to Singapore. 

All these thick and thins we have been through together for the past 5 weeks, it appeared and seems like it was all a short movie. The fun, joy and laughter we shared, will be too much to erase off our memory. Not forgetting the newly forged friendships with not only our classmates, the friends from Life Science & Chemical Technology (LSCT), and the local student leaders. Nevertheless, this short movie will always be part of my life on earth!

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away” Unknown

“Use your precious moments to live life fully every single second of every single day.”

Marcia Wieder

Day 33 - Enjoy every moment of your LIFE!

The last day for us to shop, and to spend the entire day in Wuhan. Because the next day, we will be leaving the campus early in the morning and will be on our way back to Singapore. Alright! Let’s leave all the emotional feelings for tomorrow’s post! =Y

So we met up with a few local student leaders and they decided to spend some time with us since we are leaving soon.   

After breakfast, we took the ferry to Han Kou, Bu Xing Jie, it was exactly the same way back in Day 5, when they first brought us to Bu Xing Jie and then we went back to Wu Chang by ferry.

Spent the day at Bu Xing Jie again, this time round we decided to explore further down the shopping district. But as we walk too much further, there isn’t really anything for us to shop, so we went back to a familiar shopping mall that we have been to before.

 

It was then that some of us realized that we did not have enough time to get all the things we wanted before we leave Wuhan! So a small group of my friends, decided not to have dinner and continue their last sprint of shopping, while the rest of us, that could not resist the hungry stomach going on strike in our body, finally had our dinner! 

Something really interesting happened right then, when we all had to reach back hostel before the curfew time. We needed 4 cabs because of the number of people together, but only 3 managed to get a cab back, after ONE hour of standing at the road side! After trying to contact the last group of people for almost another hour, they decided to make a last resort, to have one of us, take a cab from the hostel back to Bu Xing Jie to fetch them.

I was ‘lucky’ selected, as I tried my best to get there as soon as possible, along with the night views of the city, I realized that I had missed many other things in Wuhan. To cut the entire story short, I fetched them, from the pool of people thirsty for cabs, but our cab was out of petrol, so he left us near the bridge back to Wu Chang, we got on another cab, and we finally reached back the hostel past midnight. 

Reflections:

It was till then, when I was on my way to fetch my friends; I can finally enjoy the night scenery of Wuhan in a peaceful and quiet night. The streets were especially quiet and all you could see is the very few cars roaming in the night. I guess the people in Wuhan finds their bed really early compared to Singaporeans. 

As the cab travelled along the bridge, I had the really sad feeling that this was the very last night I am going to have in Wuhan. 5 weeks just passed by in splits of seconds, and we will be leaving in another few hours time. I can only have myself to blame for not treasuring all of the moments I had during my stay in Wuhan for this past 5 weeks.  

The night saving cab, made me learn something really important as we live throughout our entire lives. Treasure every moment of your life and live like there is no tomorrow. Because us human, always only realize that time is really precious and every moment of our lives can be really memorable no matter how big or small they are, in times of desperation or when we are leaving the world due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Treasure the love you receive above all. 

It will survive long after your good health has vanished.”

 Og Mandino

Day 32 - Precious Moments Brightens up Your Day!

What an interesting event to kick start my day once I wake up! We are going to have a friendly basketball match with the local students! If it was before my hair got made over, I am very sure I can play with more confidence! =Y

Pls don't get mesmerized by us! =p

Strategy planning!

Friendly Group Photo!

Let the Game Begin!

It's only first half and i'm totally exhausted!

The cold air in the morning plus no breakfast for me, really made me breathless as we slowly enter the game. I was totally surprised by how my body react just after a few short runs around the court! Totally disappointed with myself, especially not being able to give it my very best shot for the team. Anyway, it's a DRAW for us! =)

Followed by that, it was an appreciation dinner for all the local student leaders that were there to guide us and help us along as we live in Wuhan day by day! Thank you very much! 

Reflections:

As we slowly reach the final days of the trip in Wuhan, I cannot help but think back through the times we had when we first reached here, without knowing much things about Wuhan. But with the help from the local student leaders, we adapted to the surroundings a lot faster than we thought! I sincerely thank them for their constant effort and time spent on us, even though they have to concentrate on their studies as well! 

If you are at the dinner with us, you can definitely feel the closeness and bonds that all of us have forged during the past 31 days of our lives in WUST. Soon, we will have to part from them as we go back to our lives back in Singapore. 

Not being emotional right here, we should always treat every single moment together preciously!  All of these wonderful experiences of living in WUST and especially the interaction with the local student leaders are really memorable to me and they will definitely stay with me for life! As I remember that I have friends not only in Singapore, but also in Wuhan!

“Among Life's precious jewels, Genuine and rare, 

The one that we call friendship Has worth beyond compare.”

Unknown

Day 31 - Last Minute ( Good or Bad? )

Shopping spree once again! As the days count down to the flight back to Singapore, most of us are feeling the rush to buy more things as we have not bought enough things for ourselves as well as our family and friends back in Singapore! 

Today, we went back to the shopping paradise at Bu Xing Jie. This time round, everything felt somewhat different, because of my new hair style I guess. =Y

Breakfast at a Fast-Food Restaurant!

The rest have been saying umpteen times that it looks good on me, but personally I do not quite like it. I guess I am still not used to it.

 

Finally able to get some things back for my family and friends, although it is definitely still not enough, but I am slowly reaching the ending point for my wealth here! So, I’m so sorry for those family and friends that I cannot get a gift for! Rest assured, there will be another free day coming our way to shop again, I will do my best to get more gifts! 

Reflections: 

Isn’t it funny when people always complain that they do not have enough time to do something even when they were actually given a lot of time before the deadline draws near? Sometimes, it really does amuse one to see how others react to situations like having things to do but do not have enough time to finish doing it. It then makes you wonder why they only wanted to wait till the very last minute to get the jobs done when they could have settled it much earlier than expected. 

But come to think of it, sometimes, it is only at the point where people are being rushed, that they manage to do something even better than before! Isn't it really interesting how human react at times of crisis?

Thankfully, the situation now for everyone of us is just not having enough time to buy gifts back for our family and friends. If it is something really important, I assure you that every one of us will be causing some serious trouble already.

 “Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute”

Unknown

Day 30 - Comfort Zone

The last lecture we had in the classroom that allowed us to learn and study. I bet the classroom is going to miss us as much as we do! Hahah! 

Comfort zone, something that I believe, makes you feel care-free and stress-less. But once you step out of it, the outcome can either be devastating or wonderful. Today, I had somehow randomly stepped out of my ‘hair comfort zone’. I have changed my hair style unknowingly! 

If you ask me how I feel after my hair style has changed, I have seriously no idea how to answer you, even though it may sound really simple. But what my mind is telling me is that I really dislike my new hair style! Guess I am not any bit used to the new hair style, despite some of them saying it was pretty okay for me.

Let’s hope this new hair style will get better as days goes by! =Y

Reflections:

Actually what triggered the change I wanted for my hair was when the hair stylist said something that really struck me. She said that since I am already in the salon, this means I should dare to make a change, if I do not want to make a change, I would not even have been here. Trueee.. but I have never expected her to totally change my hair style! Because I was only thinking that she meant the colour of my hair! 

Comfort zone, to me, is not just about the usual ‘getting to know people’, but it stretches way beyond purely just social circles. Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or something that requires you to put in much effort to think whether you should do something is already a step out of your comfort zone. 

But at least you dare to make a change for yourself! No matter how the outcome may be, at least you have given it a shot rather than not knowing what could have happened instead. Applause for myself! 

“Move out of your comfort zone.

You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

Brian Tracy

Day 29 - Understanding Each Other!

It is finally the day of Cultural Exchange Performance! It was really an unexpectedly fun and enjoyable part of our trip here in WUST because of various reasons! 

BUT! Before I bring you to the actual event, I shall let you know what all of us did in the morning! Nope, it is not the last minute rehearsals that I am going to talk about, but the final project presentation that all groups have to do! Along with a short trailer of the video for our project, groups had to present about the overall project progress, how it was done, and what is the final results.

PS: I was really surprised yet happy as to how our trailer turned out! =D

So it is finally the day that many of us have spent time and effort in summing up a line of performances for the students in WUST! 

Performing to a crowd of around a hundred people (originally we though it will only be to the student leaders), was more than just nerve cracking!

One of the performance by the local student leaders!

Performance by LSCT!

MDE Ladies Performance!

MDE Guys Performance!

 

Reflections:

It was a day that I think was really important not just for the student leaders, but for us all as well. Because, we are not just purely students that are here for Immersion Programme, but also a group of people representing Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Truthfully, I feel that this event was a success! Even though it may probably had started a little off the initial timing and ended off quite late, but I believe everyone that was present had a good time! 

I feel that such cultural interaction was really very important to not just everyone that was there, but also the relationship between China and Singapore. Of course, we will not directly bring the relationship level between both countries higher, but we have definitely impacted the hearts and souls of the people. Now, all of us not only get to know China better, but also our own country better! 

 “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; 

the point is to discover them.”

 Galileo Galilei