Six Weeks

And as the Paramedic trainees (a.k.a. PMTs) complete their ERS term and bid goodbye to the 28th ERSC cadets after an eventful six week starting with HTA and ending with Brunei, there's only six weeks left before the sixty odd or so of us will pass out as Sergeants and join the ranks of the SCDF specialists. Or so at least I hope, since there's still two more IPPTs and SOCs to clear, and one final term test largely on Fire Safety & Investigation which will prove to be the most challenging yet, seeing how much of the content's pretty out of depth for me as a former Arts student (though I admit the parts involving the law, namely the Civil Defence Act and Fire Safety Act, are quite interesting). As for now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I did well for the Term II test on the modus operandi of the Home Team and the SCDF.

Although the week started off rather crappy with the 28th becoming collateral damage (this time courtesy of the juniors) yet again in a collective punishment as a whole ERSC, it did somewhat get progressively better through some luck and intervention from divine forces greater than ourselves. More importantly, Friday evening ended pretty nicely with two things: 1. MOE informing me that my PSC psychometric results are out and they are short-listing me for an interview, and 2. NUS accepted me for Arts & Social Sciences thus adding to my list of 'safety nets'. Though it would be a big lie to say I was extremely exhilarated to receive the NUS offer letter, I certainly was pleasantly surprised to receive the SMS from MOE asking me to call them up so that they can arrange the interview for me seeing how I was at one point pretty sure that I stood no chance at getting a scholarship with my pathetic A-level grades. As it is, I'm short-listed for a scholarship to read German Language and/or German Literature. I'm not quite sure how it'll work out with me wanting to do Komparatistik if I go to Germany since I don't quite like the idea of just doing Germanistik, but I'm quite glad that at least some people out there are still willing to sponsor me an overseas education which would mean lesser financial burden on my retired parents. I'm not quite sure if any more offers are coming my way, but I still have to think about career prospects and advancement. Given my lousy academic standing, getting the MOE Teaching Scholarship would already be a rather good thing, although I'm quite certain that I won't be able to go as far or as fast as the EMS scholars who'd have a chance at MAP. I don't know what SPH will tell me come next year after my ORD, but it's a tough choice between the practical and the heart. But perhaps as Prof Tan from NTU said to me during my Linguistics & Multi-Lingual Studies interview, academia's definitely a viable field. And Prof Francesco did mention MOE would probably need more people who are qualified in linguistics and comparative lit since the new syllabus and subjects coming up will be needing specialists. So maybe I won't be a lonely pauper working for a road-sweeping agency in 10-15 years time, after all.

It isn't so easy being a male in an Asian society, because you're expected to look after and support a family.

Ahwell. Time to put some admin things in order, do some reflection and think about my plans for the next few years - especially if I do manage to impress the interviewers and get a scholarship. All these on top of praying hard that I'll pass out come end June and hopefully get a good vocational posting. And I'm keeping my fingers real crossed on that!