SEASON 2 EPISODE 4: 1 week in Singapore

Greetings from warm, humid (and occasionally wet) Singapore. I want to thank God for a safe journey back home.

It has been a week since I arrived home and it will be another week before I return to London for the next leg of the LPC and final stage of my legal training. How time flies.

My first week here in Singapore has been packed with catching up with people. These range from friends to former bosses and colleagues. The first gathering was on Monday (approx. 24 hours after I returned to Singapore) with my polytechnic Choir friends for our annual Christmas gathering/gift exchange.

You can view the photos at this hyperlink:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77635&l=15b21&id=796305385

It took me a great deal of time to adjust to Singapore's time and especially weather. But, I am slowly getting used to being here - though I will have to adjust (again) when I fly off in 1 week's time, sigh!

But, I do miss London and would actually love to be back there amidst the cold weather and soaking in the life there. I have thoroughly enjoyed the first 3 months away in a foreign country and I thank the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy during those times. He has proven Himself to be faithful and providing me "angels" to direct me, guide me and protect me. All thanks be to God!

I also thank the Lord for providing wonderful classmates. These are the people I come to contact each day in school and they never cease to make me look forward to school! Many thanks to all, especially Sachie, Abdul, Anita and Sumiera... To round off the term, we had a great time at the Green Man after our Solicitors' Accounts on 13rd December. The photos of that event (and more) can be found in http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76809&l=f16f7&id=796305385

In the week ahead, I will be inter alia meeting more friends, giving away presents I bought from London, submitting an application for a training contract and getting some revision done before I fly off just before midnight on 31st December 2007.

I want to wish all who read this blog entry A BLESSED CHRISTMAS 2007 AND A PEACEFUL 2008!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

SEASON 2 EPISODE 3: At this time next week...

At this time next week, I will be at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 waiting to check in for my 12.5 hr flight back to Singapore. Just can't wait.

But, in the counting down to that day, there are many things to give thanks for, pray for and plan for. This ranges from giving thanks for my service in Christian ministry at All Souls and LCF to planning for my training contract hunt. This is all in addition to school work. Indeed, there's alot on my plate!

This week has been eventful as I sat through 2 enlightening careers talk on interviews and training contracts on Tuesday and Wednesday, lead a Bible study [which sounded more like a sermon] on Exodus 11-13 at All Souls' SWOT session on Wednesday night and received further advice on potential employers from my lecturers.

I also give thanks to the Lord for enabling me to make the grade for a legal research assessment.

I pray that I will be able to end the coming week on a good note as I take my Solicitors' Accounts examination on Thursday morning.

More in the week to come!

SEASON 2 EPISODE 2: Thinking of home and giving thanks

It has been 2 weeks of assessments and assignments, with one more to go before flying home (ie Solicitors' Accounts). I will have a mock assessment for that this Friday and Part 1 of the real assessment 2 weeks later.

In the midst of all this, I want to take some time out to reflect on what has happened these past 3 months in London.

Time has really flown by since I came over in September 2007. In a blink of an eye, we are now at the tail-end of 2007. For me, the next big thing is to come back home (even if it is only 2 weeks!).

At my recent SKYPE conversation with my parents yesterday, I was very touched to hear that my parents have both taken leave off work from 24th Dec to 31st Dec to be with the family. [Heartiest thanks Mummy and Daddy! :)]

This is because it will be the ONLY time where the WHOLE family will be together. Therefore, it is this that will make Christmas 2007 extra special and memorable! This will also be contained in the subsequent episodes of Season 2.

Most importantly, I believe I have grown more aware and conscious of my own faith in Jesus Christ. I give thanks to the LORD for keeping me safe and sound, providing a clean bill of health thus far and seeing me through each day here.

I also thank the LORD for providing opportunities for me to serve and grow (ie SWOT @ All Souls and Lawyers' Christian Fellowship) and people to catch up with. These "extra-curricular activities" have just made my weeks here more exciting.

So, in the run-up to 15th December 2007 (the date I am flying back), I will be going through the final weeks of school and I will go through it with excitement and anticipation. Stay tuned for the next episode.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Season 2 Episode 1:In the thick of things

The previous season saw my journey from Singapore to London, settling into school and ended with a weekend away with the Weis.

The opening episode for this season begins with assignments and mock assessments. Yes, it is that time of the year! At time of writing, I have already submitted 2 assignments, gone through 1 mock assessment and will be doing the real assessment tomorrow. I still have another mock to go and a real assessment before flying home for Christmas.

However, this is not all that I am doing at the moment. In the background, I also have to decide the electives to take, steer a Student Fellowship Group @ Westminster [ie a Christian Fellowship] under the banner of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (of which I have just taken up leadership) and begin my hunt for training contracts, not to mention having time for myself.

So, there's alot of things to do and this reminds me of my time back home... Juggling studies with extra-curricular activities. The other thing that comes up once in a while is meeting up with friends and this will conclude this episode.

The BRMC-London group had its second gathering at Strada's near St Paul's Cathedral. The reason? Well, Edmund Bek and Hannah Wong (2 BRMC visiting London. Organised by my doctor-in-training contemporary Melvin and his girlfriend (also a doctor) Amanda. we had a great time and here are the photos of the gathering:




The gang (clockwise): Guan Sin, Edward, Lishan, Hannah, Edmund, Amanda and Melvin


The desserts we had (from top to bottom): Chocolate pudding with Vanilla Ice-cream, a Strawberry Crumble, Tiramisu and (another) Chocolate pudding with Vanilla Ice-cream

[Did not take photos of our main courses because all of us were having it at different times. Anyway, the dessert was what I was going for]


We cleared everything and felt satisfied thereafter. Yummy!!

The following 2 photos are from Edmund's camera (thanks Edmund for them):


Edmund, Amanda, Melvin and myself


Melvin and myself (I was having my main course, a pizza)

I look forward to our next gathering.. :)

Stay tuned.

Episode 10: Weekend with the Weis (3rd to 5th November 2007)

This week is the "non-teaching week" which really means catching up week. I do not need to go to school but I have lots of catching up to do (and today is already Wednesday!!)

Anyway, just want to update my adventures here in England. In view of this non-teaching week, I decided to have a weekend away from the city and go up to visit Uncle Tonni, Auntie Jennifer and Jemima Wei ("the Weis") in Basingstoke, which is about 1 1/2 hour or so out of London.

My links with the Weis go back a long way. Jordan Wei [whom I caught up with in Episode 5] was my classmate back in secondary school, while Uncle Tonni and my parents were classmates back in their years in school!

My journey began on Saturday morning at ten past 9am where I had to take the National Rail train from Waterloo station to Basingstoke. However, due to weekend engineering works, I had to drop off at Woking (2 train stops from Basingstoke) and take a - what was a long and winding - rail replacement bus service to Basingstoke. The photo below was taken from the bus at Woking station.

Throughout the journey, I was greeted by greenery, fields and farms, a refreshing change from the urban jungle in the city. [My apologies for not taking any photos of this]

I eventually got to Basingstoke and was greeted by Uncle Tonni. He then drove me back to the house, which is about 25 minutes away by car from the station. After settling in and catching up with the Weis, we then made a trip to Winchester, the former capital of England before London.

Winchester is largely a historical town, and the archtecture is just marvelous. There was the Great Hall, the town centre and the great Winchester Cathedral. Photos below:

A replica (so they say) of King's Arthur's Round Table

Auntie Jennifer, me and Uncle Tonni beneath the Round Table

The interior of the Great Hall

Winchester Cathedral - Admission fee of GBP3 (students) and GBP 5 (adult)

[If I had more time, I will definitely make a visit]

The road for pedestrians only

An example of a tree in autumn

We left Winchester and headed to See Woo's (a mega Chinese wholesaler) at Reading to get some food for dinner. The Weis also invited 2 of their friends, Yau Wee and his wife Ronnie over.

We had laksa (with [what was left of their] air-flown sambal belachan from Singapore... :)) and chicken rice that night.

Dinner with the Weis and friends

(from left: myself, Yau Wee, Ronnie, Uncle Tonni, Jemima and Auntie Jennifer)

Good things come in pairs!

I spent the "intervals" (and the rest of the night) catching up on my reading and looking through my 2 Timothy 4 notes [which I will be leading the study this evening at All Souls SWOT].

I woke up to a misty Sunday morning. This is the view from where I was holding up and it faces the back of the house.

I followed the Weis to their church. It is a community church located at the town centre. It was mainly worship and the preaching of the Word. But, it was there that my thoughts for 2 Timothy 4 somewhat crystalised and I revamped my approach to the study. Service finished at midday and we walked over to Yau Wee and Ronnie's place for lunch [see below].

Fried rice, chicken rice and salad for lunch

In the afternoon, we had a badminton game at a club where Yau Wee and Ronnie were members. The day ended with dinner at the Weis of meat loaf and pastry pies. For the rest of the evening, I spent it relooking at my notes.

I left the Weis on Monday at around ten to 10am and returned to Old Street just a quarter to 12pm. All in all, it was a great getway, a first for me since I arrived in London. But, it will definitely not be the last. I am somewhat refreshed to face the challenges that lie ahead of me.

Thanks be to God for the Weis, their friends and the hospitality! May the Lord bless them in their individual lives and in their ministry as they continue to serve the Lord wherever they are.

On this note, that concludes Season 1 of the Adventures of Josiah. In this short 2 but exciting 2 months, we saw Josiah's entry into London, finding his feet and establishing himself in both school and church.

In Season 2, we will see Josiah moving through assessment after assessment as the school terms draws to a close for Christmas. Josiah looks forward to coming back to Singapore and be reunited with his family for Christmas!

Episode 9: BRMC London Get-together

I was invited to a lunch gathering of BRMC members who are studying here in London after church yesterday. The venue was Hare & Tortoise - a Chinese/Japanese restaurant @ the Brunswick, near Russell Square Tube Station.

There were about 10 of us in all and we had an enjoyable lunch altogether. I enjoyed my "Laksa" which tasted more like curry noodles. But, it was so good that I perspired for a while after eating it.. It shows how long since I last ate something like that... haha. The only thing that was missing in there was a hard-boiled egg and I think it would have tasted better with yellow noodles [like the laksa yong tau foo back home].

The others ordered "Chow Mein" [ie fried noodles], some sushi and Katsu Curry... Here are the photos:




The Laksa - with sotong (squid in Malay),
Japanese fish cake, beancurd and cucumber

The BRMC -London gang and their food

[Clockwise (Left to Right): Melvin Heng, Jerald Foo, Debra Lam, Teoh Mae Yen, Jamie Chang, Lynette Tan, Yeo Guan Sin and Edward]

Later in the evening, it was round 2 @ 4 Seasons, Bayswater with Jordan, his girlfriend (Hui Nee) and a friend of hers for dinner.

Indeed, a day of feasting... :)

Episode 8(2): Reflections on 1st Month of School

The setting of this episode is a rather chilly Sunday evening where I am wearing jumpers and thermals in my hostel room – a first, but not the last for me as the year closes with increasingly colder weather.

In order to brace myself for it, I went to Primark @ Oxford Street on Saturday afternoon with Charing and Elva after our second round of yum cha. I came out with GBP52 worth of warm clothes and a pair of simple brown loafers. It was retail therapy when I needed it.. :)

I crossed the first month of my time at the University this week. I started school on 17th September 2007. Here are my thoughts and reflections:

(1) Support in school: I must say that I am beginning to feel the pressures of the course. Each week whizzes by quite quickly with preparation for the next day and soon, I am at the end of the week. But, the preparation still needs to carry on for the coming week. There is hardly time to consolidate and revise what was taught. Indeed, it is akin to a fast-moving steam train on a long journey without any break points.

I believe my other colleagues on the course are feeling it as well. Hence, there is a need for support from other colleagues because I believe that only LPC students can understand fellow LPC students – like a lawyer or a doctor would understand how another lawyer or doctor feels in his/her practice of the profession. I am glad to say that I have found some form of support within the course and it is always something to look forward to each day in school. I thank the LORD for providing these wonderful people – people who make school forthcoming.

(2) The need for Christian support: However, as a Christian, support from fellow colleagues in school is not enough. I also need a group/place to address my spiritual needs. This brings me to my first session at SWOT (Study the Word Of Truth) on Wednesday evening. This is a Bible-study session under the umbrella of All Souls Church for students whose English is their first language and it was held at All Souls’ “sister” church, St Paul’s at Robert Adam Street, about 10 minutes walk from Bond Street Station. I decided to attend SWOT after 2 weeks of deliberation and an internal conviction that I needed some form of Christian support.

The session opened with a short 10-minute worship session (which had a piano that I really wanted to run my fingers over). This was followed by a short 5-minute talk that was somewhat evangelical in nature. We then had dinner at GBP2 and Bible study thereafter. I was put in SWOT 3 – which was for final-year university students and postgraduates (like myself). In SWOT 3, one is also been trained to lead Bible Study Sessions.

Now, I must say that I felt at home throughout the whole session and provided some constructive insights into the study of 2 Timothy 2:1-13. I cannot explain what got over me that night, but these insights simply flowed – something that only the Holy Spirit can do. Hallelujah, thanks be to God!

I went away from the session feeling less burdened and refreshed. I am pleased with the positive outcome and will definitely make this a regular affair each week, whenever and wherever possible. I also believe this is a place where I can contribute in both my skills as a pianist and experiences as I contribute to the Bible-study sessions and to take up some sessions as well.

(3) The need to consolidate: With the feelings in (1), I am convinced that there is a need to have break points and sit back to reflect on what had been taught. So, I will dedicate a certain amount of time during the week, maybe a Friday (where I have no school) to revise the material of the past weeks.

But, how do I go about the revision? Well, it is no longer the substantive law that I am studying now, but rather the application of the law. Therefore, my approach has to be different from my undergraduate days. One idea that was impressed on me was to put yourself in the shoes of the client who is coming to his/her solicitor for inter alia, advice as to a purchase/sale of a piece of property, to file a claim in court or to start a business. If I revise with that in mind, I think studying or learning will be more enjoyable. Indeed, the law comes alive when it is applied by those seeking to rely on it.

(4) Uncertainties: I do accept that there are uncertainties as to what will happen after my LPC next July. Questions of whether I – like many of my colleagues in the course – will be able to secure a training contract and what if I am unable to. Does that mean I am not cut out to be a lawyer? As a Christian, I believe I am at peace, the peace of Christ.

I trust that as the LORD – as He has provided the unusual and ways of getting me here and equipping me (e.g. this laptop I update this blog from) – I am certain He will provide – at the opportune moment. But, that does not mean I rest on my laurels and be laissez-faire about it. I still have do to my part (ie craft my CV, attend classes and perhaps, also decide what kind of lawyer I want to be). The peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding will keep me going on the steam-train journey.

All in all, I pray for creative inspirations for fresh perspectives on all that I going to do here in London, from the crafting of my CV to leading Bible study sessions to the revision of my law studies.

Lastly, I feel renewed to go through the coming weeks after today’s Communion Service at All Souls – the “icing on the cake” for all that has happened this week.

To all my friends back home (and others) who are reading this blog, my prayer is that you will be encouraged by the contents and that amidst the storms of life and whatever the world tells you, hold on to Christ and take heart. Indeed, the Lord Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30 said:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Praise to the LORD, the Almighty, the King of creation!

1st "Commercial Break": Josiah's monthly reflections

The producer of the series has decided to insert a "commercial break" and take stock of the things that have been going on for him here in London.

The producer also believes that such "commercial breaks" should be done on a monthly basis from the date he left his home for London. Here are his thoughts for his first month in this big cosmopolitan city:

It has been a month since I left my home in Singapore for London. I recall taking pictures with friends and family on the night of 9th September at Changi Airport before boarding for QF 9 to London. I also recall my first few days in this great city, getting used to living (and doing everything) independently and finding my way around.

One month has since passed and I am now settling in well: from buying groceries, cooking my own food to making new friends in school and handing in my first assignment this week. I can only reflect and give thanks to the LORD for all He has done and provided.

The one thing that I have grown to appeciate is that it is good to have breakdowns from time to time. Here in London, things do break down and delays on the public transport do occur, but life still goes on. There are other possibilities to get to the same destination and I enjoy having these possibilities. On the other hand, I am thankful for what I have back home in Singapore where everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

Well, this is just my first month in a foreign land, but after 7 episodes and now into my 8th, I want to say that I am doing very well here. I do miss the comforts of home, the presence of family and the fellowship of friends. Do continue to pray for me. I can now only trust the Lord to provide THE training contract He wants me to go through in order to be on my way to qualifying as a solicitor here in England.

I shall end this "commercial break" by quoting from today's QT (Quiet Time) which speaks of the hope in God. In Psalm 42, the downcast Psalmist writes in anguish of his grief and asking where is God. But, the reply is:

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Saviour and My God."

(Psalm 42:5-6;11)

I can only place my hope in the Lord for everything and let Him take charge. His ways are far beyond what we humans can imagine in our own limited understanding.

Thanks be to God!

Now we return to the Episodes of Josiah....

Episode 8(1): Shopping at Borders

After handing in my first assignment this morning (which I spent a considerable amount of time preparing for), I decided to take a short breather and went shopping at Borders, Oxford Circus. It is just 5 minutes from my school.. :)

The reason? They had 20% discount off full-priced books, CDs and DVDs for students.. I spent a few moments browsing through what I wanted to buy and left the shop with 3 books credited to my library! I have been eyeing some of these books for some time already and just waited for a good time to buy them.

I am pleased with myself. :)

Episode 7(2): The rest of Josiah's birthday week

The rest of the week was good and eventful. Let me recount the events from 2nd October 2007 (Tuesday) to 7th October 2007 (Sunday):

2nd October 2007 ended with penning my thoughts in an email to my brother Jonathan in response to a farewell note he (and the rest of my family) wrote to me before I left Singapore for London. This was to be the first of such letters to the rest of my family.

Wednesday, 3rd October 2007: school was on as per normal and I think I spent the rest of the day at the hostel, preparing for the next day.

Thursday, 4th October 2007: After school, I attended All Souls Choir Rehearsal in the evening. They were rehearsing for the evening service this Sunday. I enjoyed the rehearsal, however, I was concerned over my commitment level as it calls for spending a considerable amount of time with them on Thursdays and Sundays. This was also the day I booked a ticket for the King's Singers 40th Anniversary concert at Cadogan Hall here in London on 30th April 2008. The King's Singers is my favourite vocal group and it will be an opportunity to finally see them in concert. I took a good seat and was licensed to use my supplementary credit card for this purchase. :)


Friday, 5th October 2007: Apart from preparing my tutorials for next week, I headed down to my uncle's former office at King William Street to pick up a suitcase he left for me. Upon opening it, I found a whole lot of things which I could use. These are some of the things he left me:


(1) a 2-piece gray suit and some warm clothing;
(2) 5-6 polo T-shirts;
(3) 2 round-neck T-shirts [of which I am wearing one now];
(4) medical plasters;
(5) a pack of instant noodles;
(6) 2 bottles of soya sauce and 1 bottle of oyster sauce;
(7) a Prima Taste packet of sambal and black pepper sauce; and
(8) some washing powder.


Thanks be to God! I will not need to do any shopping (which I originally had plans to) for some time. I will also find ways to finish the instant noodles and the sauces. Thank you, Uncle Tony!

Indeed, the Lord has provided me the support of my family members. My other uncle, a lawyer volunatarily sponsored the cost of this laptop I am blogging from and S$5,000 (which was recently wired to my UK account) for living expenses. Indeed, the Lord is Jehovah Jireh! Thank you, Uncle Thomas!

The rest of the afternoon was spent in Oxford Circus after I collected my National Union of Students (NUSS) Card which gives discounts at a number of places. But, the main reason for applying was because I could get a free GBP10 top-up on my mobile under Mobile World. It is a student's offer which is hard to refuse.

That evening, I came back, did some work and wrote my second letter to my parents in the evening.

Saturday, 6th October 2007: I went to do my grocery shopping in the morning. In the afternoon, I had the pleasure to have yum cha with 2 lovely ladies (Elva Hu [from Shanghai] and Charing Choi [born into a Hong Kong family in Britain]) at a Chinese restaurant along Gerrard Street in Chinatown.

These 2 ladies are my coursemates. We were grouped together in the same group [Group F]during the first 2 weeks of school and very soon, we became good friends. Presently, even though we are all in different small groups, we still do chat with each other and I believe this yum cha won't be the first and last of its kind. I hope we can also find peer support in each other as we go through the demands of the course. Photos below:



Elva Hu and I
(she did not smile because she says it makes her face "look big")


Charing Choi and I

After yum cha, I accompanied Charing to Portebello Road flea market at Notting Hill Gate. We spent almost the entire afternoon there and returned with, amongst other things lots of fruits, many of which were sold for GBP1. Here are some photos of the flea market:



Portebello Road Flea Market

See the people...
(Charing's back to the camera)

This place is definitely worth a second visit and at least, I now know that I have a kaki (ie someone to accompany in Hokkien I believe) to go with. Charing came back with a pair of black boots.

In the evening, I invited an old church friend of mine, whom I have not seen for over 8 years over to my hostel for dinner. Oswald Quek and his family migrated to Scotland many years back and it was through another old church friend in Facebook that I got in touch with him. Dinner was what I cooked that morning that was intended for dinner next week. We had a great time and I am sure there will be more opportunities to meet up. I will definitely take photos the next time round.

Sunday, 7th October 2007: This was the Lord's day and this being the first Sunday of the month, it's Communion Sunday back home. Here in England, the Holy Communion is a separate service from the main services and it is usually first thing in the morning. I decided to visit St Paul's Cathedral for their Holy Communion service at 8am. So, I got up early (at about 6.30am), dressed smartly in my navy blue long-sleeved shirt with pants and jacket and headed down to St Paul's. I was awed by the grandeur of the Cathedral and its architecture. The Holy Communion service was very liturgical and based on the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer. It was all over in 30 minutes but it did remind me of home. I could not take pictures of the interior because it was to be a sacred place and photos were not allowed.

I heard the organ sound after the service and it was magnificent. :)

Here are some photos of the entrance to the Cathedral:


St Paul's facade



Another part of St Paul's facade
(with a memorial to Queen Anne)

Since it was all over by 9am, I decided to head back to All Souls and attend their 9.30am service. Lo and behold, by divine appointment, I bumped into Adrian Cheong from Trinity Methodist Church (TMC) back in Singapore. Adrian will be the guitarist and I on the organ in the combined worship team for TMC's special occasions. The most recent being TMC's 51st Anniversary on 9th September (the day I left for London).

Adrian is here on work trip and will be in London for about 10 days. After service, we walked down to the famous Wong Kei Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown for lunch. Wong Kei is infamous for their standard of service and their cheap, but good food.

But, from our experience that day, things turned out better than expected. The staff even helped us take a photo (which is captured very nicely in the mirror).

Here are photos of the good lunch we had:




Food @ Wong Kei's

The plate says it all


Adrian and I
(note that the mirror reflected the staff taking a photo for us)

We then adjourned to Adrian's place where we shared about our spiritual lives. I must say that Adrian comes at a time where I was in a little dilemma on commitment to a ministry in church and commitment to my studies. I spent the rest of the time with him sharing with him my concerns and the advice he gave me was this: what does the Lord want you to do and Adrian encouraged me to seek the Lord for directions. I am scheduled to meet Adrian later this week (most likely Friday) to see a musical.

We parted at about 2.15pm and I headed home to do some catching up. I spoke with my father over Skype from about 2.30pm to 3.15pm, did some work before heading down to All Souls for the evening service to sing with the choir.

It was a great experience singing in service and I throughly enjoyed myself. Also, I sensed a common message ringing throughout the day and it was this: To love your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength and all your soul AND to love your neighbour as yourself. This began at St Paul's and ended at All Souls. I need to inquire of the Lord what is He trying to say to me through the 3 services I attended that day.

I returned home at 8pm, had my dinner, did some work before going to bed, thanking the Lord for the week, especially the weekend and ALL the events therein. Thus ends the birthday week. It began with shopping [as in Episode 7(1)] and ends with a reminder of the law of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Therefore, as the new week begins, ideas for the next episode begin generating.

Stay tuned.

Episode 7(1): Josiah's birthday in London

Well, after my pre-birthday shopping yesterday, I wake up to an email from Mummy that I obtained a Merit for my ABRSM Grade 8 Singing Examinations with a score of 126 out of a possible 150, thanks to the kindness of ABRSM. To get a Merit, one must score between 120 to 129. From 130, it's a Distinction. Well, I am pleased and thank the Lord for these results. :)

The examiner, in his additional comments said that "...as [my] voice matures with greater resonance, [I] will do increasingly well as a performer". Yes, the voice takes time to mature and even as I thank the Lord for blessing me with a good singing voice, I pray that I will be able to nurture this voice to praise Him and to do His work. Time to update my CV.

I also received birthday wishes from friends both in Singapore and UK. Thanks to all for the well-wishes.

There's also headlines that are of significance such as the start of a longly-awaited inquiry into the deaths of Princess Diana and Al-Fayed in the High Court. This is significant not because of the parties involved, but perhaps the time. This incident took place 10 years ago!

Also, I forgot to mention that Big Ben resumed its chimes yesterday, 1st October after 5 weeks of silence due to maintenance works. It is reported that Big Ben turns 150 years old next year. So, I guess there's something big being planned for this great London landmark.

I headed off to school and sat through 2 lectures and 1 tutorial. After that, I decided to pay a visit to the newly opened St Martin in the Fields, despite the gloomy skies and light rain at 4pm in the afternoon. Photos below:

St Martins from the outside
(noticed the wet pavement and gloomy sky)

Nelson's Column @ Trafalgar Square

The refurbished sanctuary of St Martins

(slightly blur)

The pipes of the organ at St Martins

(just as one comes into the sanctuary)

Well, afer visiting, I made my way to the hostel where I prepared my birthday dinner in the comforts of a kitchenette. Here is a photo of the kitchenette where I prepare my food:

The kitchenette

My birthday dinner

(from clockwise: a plate of boiled bean sprouts and carrots, a green apple,

a plate of fried bean sprouts with onions in dark soya sauce and 2 fried eggs,

a mug of juice and a container of "old" rice with minced beef and sweet and sour chicken)

I did not finish everything. I kept the remainder of the bean sprouts which will be meals for the subsequent days.

No fanciful restaurant food. Just simple (and healthy) home-cooked food. After eating, I wrote some emails to the family and did some preparatory reading for tomorrow's tutorial.

But, I have plans to stagger my birthday celebrations throughout this week. More in the next post.

Episode 7: The (great) month of October

And so commences the great month of October with just under 12 weeks to the end of 2007. See how time flies. We are now in the final quarter of the year.

This October is extra special because it will be the first time celebrating my birthday away from home.

My birthday is tomorrow and unfortunately, it is a school day. But, today, after school, I went to do some shopping for my own birthday presents, with the permission from my mum to use the supplementary credit card she applied for me.

So, what did I buy? Well, 2 books (1 law text for reference and 1 book on classical music) from Borders and 2 British legal drama DVDs from HMV. All these were bought along Oxford Street.

I have just watched one episode from one of the DVDs. My comments? Well, I think English legal dramas are different from the American ones we commonly see on TV such as Ally McBeal or The Practice. The reason for buying these DVDs is to expose myself to British advocacy and also consider whether this is the kind of work I like to do in the future - speaking and persuading the court as an adovocate for my client.

Yap, that's about it for now...

Epsiode 6 [Part 3] End of Week 2 of school

I come now to the end of the second week of school's foundation course. From next week, I will no longer be in the group that I was in during the 2 weeks. Why? Well, the school has rearranged the whole cohort and split us into 8 groups instead of the current 6 groups. In my case, I was in the 6th group for the 2 weeks (ie Group F) and for the rest of the year, I will be in the 1st group (ie Group A)...

I will definitely miss the friends I made over the past 2 weeks. But, despite being apart, there are many ways of remaining in contact such as MSN and emails.

It will be a leisurely Friday for me today as there is no school!! So, I will take my time to have my breakfast and do other things. :)

Episode 6 [Part 2]: In-house chef Josiah

After a wet beginning to the week, I went on to start cooking my own dinner. Thus far, I have been eating out (which, depending on what you eat can be expensive and unhealthy) and buying groceries for breakfast.

On Monday afternoon, I headed down to Somerfields (a small but reasonable supermarket) near Alexander Fleming to purchase my first round of groceries, including a packet of rice. I came back to the hall and prepared my first home-cooked meal. Rice with seafood in Cantonese sauce and egg. :) It was delicious!

Today, after school, I went to buy my second round of groceries. I came back with packets of pasta, pasta sauce, canned soup, garlic, onions, beef and chicken. I whipped up some boiled broccoli and cauliflower with rice and chicken in Cantonese sauce... Bon appetit!

The crockery and necessary utensils are all available in the kitchen and I am actually thankful for my neighbour from China cause she brought a rice cooker and has gladly allowed me to use it... :)

In doing my own dinner, I hope to be able to hone my cooking skills and cook for others as well... Chef Jo in the making. By day a law student, by night a chef.... haha

Well, this is perhaps the icing on the cake to my settling in the UK. I also think that by cooking your own meal, you can take your mind off the demands of school and indulge in someting you enjoy. The one thing that I would love to have is a piano where I can run my fingers through...

Music, law and food... a very good combination don't you think??

I now have to think what will be Part 3 of this episode, if there is such a thing...

Episode 6 [Part 1?]: Week 2 of school

This entry is written on a wet Monday morning! It is a good day to sleep in. However, I have school to go for later. School begins at 10am.

This is my first time see it rain in London. But, this will mean that I will have to leave for school earlier as I foresee traffic jams and crowded trains..

What an exciting start to the week!

More in the week to come...

Episode 5: Week 1 of School

School has begun with a 2-week Foundation Course. This meant that we have to sit through formal instructions through lectures and prepare tutorials.


Yap, I had homework and preparation to do on Day 1 of school and I think many of us did not like it. In fact, I did not get to meet my tutorial mates until Wednesday! So, for the first 2 days, I felt quite lonely and a little stressed over the work I needed to do.


However, on Monday afternoon, I received an invitation from an old friend of mine, Jordan, his girlfriend and another 2 friends for dinner. I gladly accepted the invitation and we headed for Bayswater's 4 Seasons Restaurant for their famous Cantonese duck. The restaurant is just opposite Bayswater Tube Station.





We queued for an hour and a half just to have a table! See pictures below.





4 Seasons







Food Glorious Food
(We had Sweet and Sour Pork, Lemon Chicken, Duck and some beancurd)






Jordan and Jo outside 4 Seasons while waiting






Jo, Jordan's [not so photogenic] girlfriend (Hui Nee)
and Jordan on the Tube on the way home after dinner.





But, things got better along the way. I received a PINK iPod nano on Friday courtesy of the school. One of the lecturers gave it to me before everyone before the lecture proper on Friday.





The iPod was a prize I got from a draw way back in March at the Law London Fair where the school had a booth. I attended the fair because I wanted to accept a place on the LPC and the school had a booth there. Later in the year, I was informed by the school that I won the iPod. :)

Further, the prize in March was a 2GB iPod nano. What I got on Friday was a 4GB iPod nano with a colour screen! :)



Now, most of my coursemates (and lecturers I believe) will remember me as the "[Pink] iPod Man". This is how pink it is:

The pink iPod...

Apart from these, I reestablished contact with an old church friend of mine... We grew up together in Sunday School. He and his family moved to Scotland many years ago and he is now working as an IT consultant in London. I hope to meet up with him in due course.

So, things are beginning to take flight here in London. There are many things to think over, prepare and submit. I do trust that as the Lord has provided the opportunity and the resources, He will also provide what is necessary for me to go through during this period of my life.

Episode 4: My first weekend in London

After settling into Alexander Fleming Hall, the next thing I knew was that the weekend was here. Yes, my first weekend in London. I had plans to attend All Souls Church on Sunday. So, what was I going to do on Saturday?

Well, the first thing that happened was to receive a call from a friend of mine whom I have known since primary school on Friday night. In those days, we sat the same school bus and I even invited him to one of my birthday parties! Well, anyway, I bumped into him while I was in the army. We were in the same camp and found out that he was doing law as well. So, with that, we re-established contact and kept in touch via email.

Anyway, I met up with him over lunch on Saturday at Ponti's @ Liverpool St Station. This friend of mine - I must say - came at a time when I needed it. Well, I had some problems with my bank account here in London. Hence, I could not withdraw any money from the cash machines (ie ATMs) here. Further, I was running low on cash and had to stretch the dollar whenever I could. When this friend heard of my situation, he gladly lent me GBP100!! This is really God providing an angel when I need it!!! Thank you Lord! Indeed, He is Jehovah Jireh!!

But, before I met him for lunch, I had a fruitful 2-hour chat with my mum and the whole family over Skype and MSN from about 5.30am to 7.30am (UK time). Over in Singapore (and Shenzhen, where my mum is right now), it is about 12.30pm. This communication would not come come through if it was not for an sms from this friend of mine to change the timing of our lunch from 1pm to 2pm!! This chain of events is just amazing, isn't it!

After lunch, I took a walk back to Alexander Fleming. While walking back, I made a detour to the Bunhill Row Burial Grounds along City Road opposite Wesley's Chapel. My family and I visited Wesley's Chapel in March when we were in London for my convocation.

This burial ground houses the graves of some famous people, like John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progess. Photos below:

I spent my Saturday evening buying some groceries at Somerfields and updating this blog.

On Sunday, I headed for All Souls Church at Langham Place. The church is a stone's throw away from the University. So, it was rather convenient. After attending the 9.30am service (which lasted for 1 hour!), I met up and wandered around for the rest of the day with some Singaporeans (some of whom are from BRMC and were on the same flight into London with me). We had some Chinese food for lunch before moving down to Trafalgar Square, the Golden Jubilee Bridge across the River Thames (where there was a Festival Walk with people selling many things) and St Paul's Cathedral before heading back home.

Photos below:

Me and the Singapore gang outside All Souls

All Souls Church (from afar)

Char Siew Rice and Chinese Tea (finally!!!)

The gang and I having Chinese food

Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column

The London Eye (taken from the Golden Jubilee Bridge)

The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

(taken from the Golden Jubilee Bridge)

This is the Festival Walk

(taken as I came down from the Golden Jubilee Bridge)

St Paul's Cathedral (from afar)

St Paul's (near)

Yap, that was my first week in London.

School begins next week.