China is a province in Singapore

Yesterday I got my prelims results back. It was pretty mediocre for the most part, but I supposed somewhat encouraging – I’m pretty much on the right track, and hopefully the following 4 weeks will suffice to bring me to tip top level. English was a major disappointment, but was pretty effectively counterbalanced by a surprising performance in History – my first 7 in…forever. Huzzah! (and one more just for Kyle – Huzzah!)

Now, today was SAT day. The test center was pretty much inundated with Chinese scholars, and it is simultaneously irritating, belittling and a true testament of human ability to work hard that these guys can arrive in Singapore knowing like 2 words of english, and are probably going to do better than you for SATs. This more or less destroys any notion that muggertrons can’t do well for the highly english weighted SATs. 

The test itself was ok I suppose. If I do terribly dismally, I guess I’ll have carelessness to blame (my old nemesis). I also learnt that coffee is an extremely potent diuretic. The first two tests were truly a test of willpower as I battled frantically with my bladder. Thank God I won and was the first one out of the room for the first toilet break. Other than that I have to say that it’s really a beast of a test. Bloody long. If Homer’s Odyssey was a test, this would be it. Actually no, I think the Chinese 8 legged essay in the jinshi examinations deserves that crown, but you get the idea. This one certainly felt like it was 3 days long. 

After the test and a pretty satisfying lunch, I dragged myself to the National Library where I attempted to read Spence and do some math. I can’t say it was very productive as I was pretty drained by the damn SATs. I also learnt the true meaning of mugging, and it’s absurd.

Finally the so called highlight of the day was a pretty amusing chain of events. Throughout the day Elliot had been trying to convince me to watch Eagle Eye with the class, but I kept stalling and was unable to commit before he booked the tickets. Compromise, however, came in a rather unusual way. I joined Chun Wui and Elliot for dinner at Carl’s Junior – no less – where we learnt that Cielo, characteristically, was going to be late. At 9pm she was totally uncontactable, and I jokingly suggested that she was asleep. Unfortunately, I was correct, and the movie was at 9.10pm. As a result I took her ticket and entered the movie theatre first. The plan was for me to come out and pass her the ticket when she came, and then go home. She came late enough to allow me to watch the first 15 minutes of the movie, which seemed pretty promising, I must say. I suppose I’ll have to catch it sometime.

After the “movie”, I took a bus back home where the bus driver, a PRC residing in Singapore mistook me for a Chinaman. He started talking about how Singaporean drivers were inconsiderate and more or less sucked, while expounding on the greatness of China. Of course, having been mistaken for someone I was not, I did what any reasonable person would do – told the driver that he had made a mistake, I was not from China, and was instead from Taiwan: Chiang Kai Shek land. To this he just went on about how China was great and bigger than any other country and could crush any one nation if so inclined. Modest chap. 

I’m tired and I don’t want to write anymore.