Tassie bound

In a couple of hours time, I will be on board in a flight to Tassie. It seems like it is getting harder and harder each year to leave Singapore. Perhaps, it is due to the uncertainties of my plan in Australia; be it whether to work or to study. I know that Lord is in control but I am yet clear of the path. Somehow, the inner man still bears the hope for employment this year instead of the continuation with my studies. Nevertheless, I have re-applied for my MBA and will complete it unless a job offer arise.

The 2nd factor could be due to the people that are left behind in Singapore. The recent news that I've heard from one of my friend sadden me greatly. His dad passed away. All the fears and doubts of having to see your love ones probably the last time ever grips me like a iron hand. My emotions played on me; yet at the same time taught me to pray constantly. I know the Lord will provide a way; just like how he did it for my friend.

The last factor possibly stands at the fact that this could be my last long holiday back to Singapore; considering that I might start work this year.

Nevertheless, let all these factors be left at the feet of God. :)


See you guys in Tassie.

Jurong Fish Market

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. This blog has come to a hiatus due to my return to Singapore. I mustn't associate its inactivity to the life of Singapore. Infact, my return to Singapore this time round has left alot of thoughts on me. Singapore has indeed become too tempting for me; a disturbance to my original plan. "Lord ... Are you speaking to me?"

Every factor seems to point towards the direction of Tasmania. On contrary, every door and window that I know of has been seemingly close. Is God telling me to continue with my Masters. Infact, the idea of postphoning my studies this time round wasn't submitted to God in the first place until much later. In other words, I requested for early graduation and then told God my plan in prayer. Nevertheless, I have repented and ask God for this miracle. This miracle of opening up a door for me to stay on in Tasmania for the next 3 years at least.

Would you join me in prayer?

Just a short update of my life in Singapore.

It started all during a buffet lunch with Eric, Serena, Sherry and Bernice. Sherry asked about the Jurong fish market and Serena exclaimed that she has never been there before and have always wanted to visit the place. Since, I have also never been that before, I decided I should organize a trip together. Sherry, Steph and I stayed over at Eric and Serena's place during one faithful friday night and made our way to Jurong fish market at 3am.

As we drove pass the guard house and enter into the premises, I could feel a sense of excitement surging in my heart as I smell the "fishy" aroma fringing in the air.

"Approaching the fish market"

Threadfin salmon.. anyone?

Baskets of Leather jacket

"Man packaging fish"

Vannamei prawns?

Graveyard of stingrays!!!

"Blur like sotong, hot like cuttlefish" hahahaha. I swear the first time

I saw an auntie wearing the t-shirt.. I thought she was trying to be funny. :p

Eric-kor examining the crabs..
Want to have a pinch of the pincers?
Sherry's basketful of crayfish..

Upon reaching home, we were wondering how to keep Sherry's crayfish as fresh as possible..

We thought it will be good if we were to cook it and then freeze it.

After steaming it, we decided we should try its taste.. :p

And after tasting... ....................................

We thought it is a waste to keep it since it is so fresh.. .

And you should be able to guess the end of the story.

Oooooo.. look at those succulent cray meat.. Can u resist it?

That's the end of our Jurong Fish Market Tour...

Rest of NZ photos

I am too lazy to post up my NZ pictures.. :P

You can view them from facebook account at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=129936&id=744774146&l=805d590487


Something to excite me.. I am finally going back to Singapore in 5 days time.. :) Yipee! SO... What I am going to do during the next 5 days would be to:

1) Packed my luggage
2) Buy whatever things I am asked to buy. i.e. Mum's cherries.
3) Clean up my room
4) Clean up the garden
5) Show Joanne's family around Hobart for 2 days

Steph, Cheryl and I visited Salamanca today and guess who we saw.....


Edmund Chen, Xiangyun and their two children.

Steph and I saw this goodlooking man buying sausages from one of the stores and we were like hinting Cheryl about it. Suddenly, both of us wonder why the guy look so much like Edmund Chen. Behold, Xiangyun turned around and we were like shouting "Confirm". For a moment, our view seems starstruck.. The son turned around and looked straight into our eyes. I think he overheard our conversation.
Cheryl was so funny.. She exclaimed aloud that this is her first time seeing celebs.. Hahhaa.

Anyway, Steph and I bought 1 custard donut each and a large tub of leatherwood honey for Da gu.. We continue to walk around the market; hoping for a 2nd chance to be star-struck again. Hahhaa. The next minute, we saw Edmund and his son again. After 10minutes, we saw Xiangyun telling his son that she needs to find the toilet. Hahhaa. I looked at Cheryl and told her that this is her chance of helping a celeb by showing her the way to the toilet. Hahahaa.

That's all for now.. :)

1st Day at ChristChurch

I find it really hard to blog without a specific theme. I.e. Usually such post end up being very random and uninteresting. On top of that, I no longer feel free to blog about what I feel nowadays; constraint is the word.
Perhaps I should just shut down this blog or privatise it. ..


Alright.. pardon me for the unchronological posting..

New Zealand Botanic Garden

Cosmos

Cornflower

Giant Rose Sculpture

Roses taken at the rose garden. Some of the rose hybrids were even older than us.

Mama duck with her 2 ducklings.. ...

Little duckling....

I thought this library was pretty interesting... :)

We had our brekky at one of the finest breakfast restaurant in Christchurch.

Upon reaching it, we realized that the price was abit too high for our budget trip.

Steph, Me and Lester

June and Joanne

My berri-licious smoothie..

Large,white, soft and fluffy pancakes that we ordered to share.

Yes. it was a budget breakfast at a fine restaurant. "*Bo Bian" Students mah..

*Bo bian= Hokkien word for not having a choice.

That's all for now.. Will post more soon.

Work Experience at Tassal new hatchery (Part 4)

Remember my previous post on the work experience at Russell Falls http://jonpohgene.blogspot.com/2009/06/wonderful-work-experience.html

Oh well .. if you do.. then you probably remember those eggs that I have worked with.

Oh well.. I was really happy to find out that they have grown into such amazing juvenile salmon.

Photos of the juvenile fish

Taaa.. Hope you find them interesting just like I do. :)

Work Experience at Tassal's new hatchery (Part 3)

Sorry guys. I have decided to delete part of post of what might seems confidential.. But seriously, most of it are common textbook knowledge or patented products by manufacturers and thus should not pose too much of a threat. Hope you will still enjoy it. :)

Work Experience at Tassal's new hatchery (Part 2)

Here's a picture of the microparticulate pellet feed used for feeding the salmon frys during their first feeding period. It is pretty much like powder food if you would like to put it that way. The salmon fry uses their chemo-senses to detect the pellets and will be required to start feeding within a certain period of time after they have exhaust their yolk sac supply. Any fish that fails to do so within that window period will enter into the "point of no-return" and will eventually die off.

More pictures...............

Work Experience at Tassal's new hatchery (Part 1)

Thought I should post something on my work experience at Tassal's new hatchery at Ranelagh.

Firstly, I am very grateful to be given this job at such a short notice to the company. Once again, Tassal has been really gracious and kind enough to offer me a work experience at their new hatchery for a proposed short period of time (had to get ready for my NZ trip).

I have decided to post various parts of my work experience in a series of posts.

The salmon frys are kept in drawer-like compartments that allow them to be kept in high density over a given surface area; pretty much like our HDB in Singapore. :P

Some facts:

Do you know that it takes approximately 3 months for the salmon fry to hatch from its egg (This is greatly dependent on the temperature of the water; thus the age of the eggs are measured in degree days. And a salmon fry is able to take pellet food immediately and does not require weaning from live food (rotifers, daphinas). This allows farmers to grow them much easier; saving the hassle of having to culture other microplankton food.

Anemones Again

I found out that anemones can be nice as floating flower deco..

Pretty isn't it.!!!

It became a dining table deco for us. Occasionally I replace it with other kinds of flowers.

Enjoying a good meal with fancy table settings really bring up the whole atmosphere. Wootz

Birds

Steph wanted to me to draw up some birds drawings for her Biology project.. And since, I was having my holiday (yeah.. Exams are over!!!) I decided to give it a try..

Presenting to you a pair of Blue Fairy Wren..

Welcoming the lady..

Mr Narcistic......

Pied Currawong

Bronze Wing Pigeon

The Gang (not drawn according to scale).

A piece of good news to share. I have been offered work experience by Tassal. :) Will be working for the next couple of weeks before I hit NZ and Brissie..

The end!

Woosh..!! The exams are finally over..!!!!Score 1.. I didn't finish all the papers on time.. Major penalty.. !! Haiz..... Nevertheless, it was a major relief for all the exams to be over.

I spent this morning looking at one of the potential house that I have been eyeing to lease for next year. One Chinese Word "Zheng"... The architecture was absolutely gorgeous... the interior design and layout were fantastic. Each room comes with it own private bathroom. How cool can that get.. !! Its walking distance to the Uni.. The house is fully re-furbished.

The only drawbacks are:
1) There are 6 rooms in the house.. which means we will need to find 6 people; not mentioning 6 people that you can get along with.. (Faintz)
2) The rent is rather costly.. (though reasonable considering what you get).

Major dilemma..


Something random:

Yoke Chye sent me the drawing that I drew on his tablet a few weeks ago. :) Hahaha.. Not too bad for free hand drawing isn't it!! :p

Exams

In a spark of an eye......

I will soon be OVER with you.

You have brought me pain, and sad times.

Yet..... I cherish you for the things you have taught me.

You made up a portion of my life; filled it with colours.

(Red, Black and white)

Got me excited and told me to start it all over again.

Sometimes I wonder....

What's the meaning of all these?

I feel like running..

Far... .Away....

This time round I am settled...

Determined for it to be over.. (at least for the next couple of years)

Thanks for giving a chance to prove

my understanding..........................

Soon I'm over..

Over with you

Tulip Festiv

My housemates, one of their friends and I made our way to Launceston last Friday to join the Singapore Students Association on their voyage to the Wynyard Tulip Festival...

We reached Launceston at approximately 7.15pm (Left Hobart at 4.30pm).

We went straight to 'Prickly Cactus' a Mexican restaurant that serves fantastic food.. (It's seriously good). It was great having Yoke Chye, Linda, Er Li and Nic with us.. Thanks guys for making the effort to have dinner with us. * Make us feel like superstar la. hahahaa.. (Superstar from Hobart. -.-")

We spent our night at Yoke Chye and Linda's place.. Once again.. They were really great host... I shan't put in details what they do for us.. just incase you guys expect them to do the same for everyone else.. hahahaa. :P

Also many thanks to the Virly and her housemates for availing their house to allow my housemates and her friend for 2 nights.. You guys are awesome and have demonstrated the passion and spirit of International students in Launnie. (I always sense the diff between the two; do you?)

Early next morning, we left for the tulip trip at Wynyard..

Photo courtesy of Yoke Chye:

(Steph and myself)

We had approximately 120 people for the trip; 2 bus load and 2 car that is.

Photo taken by Er Li using mui camera.

(Joanne and I doing the matrix thingy)

"Totem" of Wynyard -.-"








Muhahaa. I like this photo very much..
Er li took this photo and told me.. "Hei Ma Wang Zhi".. Thanks ah...




Tulip Farm



Photo courtesy of Yoke Chye:
Once again.. a very nice photo of us from Hobart..



We attended the farmer's market in the morning > proceed to the tulip farm > made our way back to the festival market > proceed to the park for BBQ dinner > made our way back to the festival place for fireworks.

Photos courtesy of Yoke Chye..

By this time, you should have guessed that Yoke Chye is a professional photographer. His camera 'machiam' some freaking cannon like that.. . .Seriously.. hahahaa

Well done Yoke Chye!! On organizing such a wonderful trip.. You have indeed risen the flag of SSA... : )

On a side note.. I will be having my first paper tomorrow..

followed by a series of exam papers till the 26th of October.

Than I am done.. :) SO exciting..
I am hoping to work for Tassal after my exams.. But have not

received any replies from them yet. Anyway, I have prayed and

will be happy to do some other meaningful stuff if God so decide that

I shall have a proper break after my exams. :D