sputnik

been:

• reading short girls; i think it's a chick lit book + a light read. read sputnik sweetheart and if anyone understands the story please help me i cannot comprehend??!!?!?
• cutting the cravings i hope it lasts. it's been ages since i had my last friends meal but it feels better that i am more in control of my food intake. anti-social behaviour up ahhhhh
• wanting to get a bike but not sure if i should just settle for a cheap one from giant or a durable bike from those ancient shops
• pondering about the future
• thinking of how to live differently
• gymming according to hweemin's schedule and remaining sloth-y for the rest of the time hoooooooo
• signing up for *yoga* with *jasmine* hahahahaha really excited for that one
• off instagram & twitter for the sake of my emotional health (hur hur hur)
• sleeping at 6-8 pm, save the days i slept at 11 to make a scrapbook
• adding more cinnamon into breakfast oats (!!!)
• eating mangoes all day every day -asian fruits for asian coloured skin hehe-
• thinking of blogging but haven't been doing so until now.

before continuing i'd like to say a big thanks x infinity to paige for the wild honey date and then to paris baguette where there was 4$ royal pudding in the cutest jar, and some friggin amazing layered cake (what was that called?) and lots of talking until late. and of course her reaction to some news hehe i won't forget that ok. i'm going to wear the birthday socks as soon as i see it popping out of the washing machine. lots of thanks for your endlesss support and great conversations whenever we meet

some super amazing wrap with potatoes at the side, and cheese and veges in the wrap. *million dollar description right there*

some pretty good looking food and girl!!!

• seeing the tennis girls for -admittedly- the first time since a long time ago. the nationals have ended with their last match against njc on home ground. i think a lot more challenges beset them this time around but it's heartening to see the girls grow up and with each other. being in tj to visit them brings back fond memories of last year: japanese egg bowls for food filler at 10 am, getting released early from class, talking strategies at the lunch table, noobly getting ready for the competition and taking care of the team, two senior girls & a lot of junior girls, being really tanned from being in the sun from 10 am til end of match, the satisfying pop sound from opening a new tube of competition tennis balls, the nerves brought about by the service of the opponents and of everyone watching as they held their breaths, cupcakes brought by cheryl one day, floods of pictures, chilling at the sports complex which provided temporary respite from the merciless heat. the company that made the journey memorable. and the gossips that always happen at the dinner table which makes me miss being in school so much b/c things are just that relatable.
• sending charmaine off to thailand the other day. the imminent feeling that this day will come yet not having a proper f2f conversation leaves me regretful, but then there's always the silver lining of her returning during the holidays. makes me wonder how leaving this little homely island will feel like.
• scolding the kids more ((heh heh)). the best day was when teacher was absent for supplementary class and hweem was tasked to go w me to support my own class. she said i told them off like nothing but i thought i reasoned w them firmly idk that's my style....

throughout this time here, i firmly believe that the children should be strictly disciplined for their own good. it's kind of a necessary evil b/c if they get pampered too much and always get what they want just by throwing a good tantrum then what about in future when they can't get their own way? i had a conversation w a teacher who said that yes they're a lot smarter than other children. sometimes all they need is a dedicated, firm teacher to set them on the right path and hopefully their behaviour will change. but of course since autism is a spectrum, it is hard to decipher which child can or cannot be taught in this way. can't really find the right words to put this properly. all i know is that i feel quite strongly about this. there should be changeeeeee

i'm quite grateful for my class. i have learnt that the jolokia pepper is the spiciest in the world (one kid rated eating it as 3 out of 5 on the anxious chart, as if he has come across it bfr in his life, when others simply wrote taking exams or not finding their favourite game as an anxious situation). love how they think coz they make this world more colourful. they've given me lots of perspective as they view things so differently, it's kinda cool. haven't been blogging about them bfr but omg only five more weeks with them and the days just seem to be flying past so quickly.

today i shall be trudging on the road to clean eating. going grocery shopping w mummy and making it official that i will make my own dinners. no more catered food!!!!!! be fitblr-esque and tolerate love avocado and poached eggs on toast and whatnot.

oh yea and first practical lesson last sunday. soooooo tough to manoeuvre the feet and hands and mirrors and other cars and pedals and argh the next day i had a nightmare that dad forced me to drive the car in total darkness.
the other day i dreamt that one kid joined delta cheerleading and i threw something at him and asked him to go away hahahahaha
last night i dreamt that i tried to help my cute kid find his favourite game: naruto shippuden ultimate ninja storm 3 (true fact) at some gaming shop and it turned out to be an imitation

World Autism Awareness (Week)

Ivy was saying how friday was rly high and awesome and I agree with her entirely!!! It seemed like orientation all over again- we danced a flash mob to the tune of 'doe re mi' from the sound of music w the kids and was in charge of the primary 4 kids. What a change from the p6s hehe. One of them loves loves loves to sing and she's in tune just 100% of the time. She sang solo for Bruno mars' count on me during the guitar perf and the whole crowd was there including George young haha but ok I'll get there!! Prior to my knowing she was gna belt out tunes, she forced me to YouTube a gangnam style parody IT WAS IN CHINESE and dammit she could sing Chinese Btr than I spoke it haha (she's Indian) hoho. Such a cutie! So proud of her and all the other kids actually. It was at the ion orchard entrance and I was heartened that the children get such an opportunity to show singapore a great side of them. That autism adds to the diversity and people shouldn't be scowling over their differences but rather celebrating them. I think this pretty much seems to wrap up this entire internship experience!!
I had no clue of what autism was, who had autism & why the heck it mattered. Honestly putting it, autistic people don't have much social skills and might come off as too frank or maybe too judgeable? I mean, I'd think of them as weird and let them be shunned by society just because. Earlier this year, two secondary sch boys conversed with the interns and we were just floored by their intelligence and witty humour- talked about secondary sch subs, combinations even JC rankings.. I'm grateful that I got to experience that ☺
My other autism experience is my every day work w my class. Sometimes they get a little unresponsive and most of them are shy (this is just a small minority & within my class only hehe), and of course everyday is just so different from the other in terms of happenings with the kids. A boy can break down bc the teacher writes his schedule on the other side of the whiteboard for a lesson, a girl grits her teeth and runs back to the classroom after being scolded by an external teacher.
Today for project yellow feet, I've seen a heartwarming sight of all the kids and their their families.
One of the p3 kids (after performing): 'mummy, I've done great haven't I?'
That + his hug + his rosy cheeks + tiny stature makes it so lovely to witness.
I think my point is that for world autism awareness, I hope everyone takes their time to know that there are such people who deserve our appreciation and encouragement bc it isn't easy for them sometimes. The stigma coupled w their inner demons and cognitive complications. sometimes we *might* forget this nugget of information and choose to judge em by the sidelines instead. I admit that I'm guilty.

So there was the Light It Up Blue event held at Ion Orchard on Friday, then project yellow feet held at Bishan Park today which was pretty awsm and it wrapped up WAAW nicely!! So proud that 2 of my kids performed their guitar playing skills to the crowd. ✌✌✌ #thingsicantdo
yellow feet is an interesting event bc they walk 2km while holding the shoulder of the person in front of them. Longest human chain oh yeah. The interns hogged the photo booth like kiasuism at it's best hoho. Lovely lovely time, no regrets!! Would like to express my gratitude at the close-knit family vibes that the upper primary trackies exude; participating fully in both events and creating memorable memories w the kids together + making future #upperpri plans eg (thaipan x cycling), (ambush), food dates, etc.

Ps omg yay managed to take a shot w the cute cute kids of my class and the other class hahahahaha ❤❤❤