2nd week of school and just started to getting used to the new timetable. So, while I was in NKM class on that day, I was checking the school portal for any new announcements and guess what? The newest announcement posted was as below:
Mon, Jan 10, 2011 -- Briefing for Study Trip to Silicon Valley
Dear all,
There will be a briefing (see details as below) for a study trip to Silicon Valley.
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011
Time: 4.30pm
Location: LT9
If you are interested in the trip, but can’t attend the briefing, kindly get in touch with Teacher A or Teacher B to register your interest.
It's been around two and a half years since I had been studying in this school. Sad to say, I haven't heard of our any study trips for our particular course yet. Some of the other courses have study trips to Japan or France and I am so envious of them. Of course, my eyes immediately zoomed into the keyword "Study Trip" and exclaimed to my friend who was sitting besides me at that time, about "Where on earth is Silicon Valley". Of course, a quick Google search solved that problem. Soon after that, I was totally spazzing with my friend about the study trip...to Silicon Valley! In San Francisco,California! United States of America! Which is literally the other half of the globe!
As you can imagine, my friend and I didn't pay much attention to the class for the rest of the day. It felt like a seriously long wait to the briefing even though it was only a week plus of wait. We kept guessing what we would be doing there.
My friend and I had never went to such a far away country before so you can't exactly blame us for being so excited. Besides that, the only two times which I had been out of the country was:
1)Malaysia - Went for less than a day to visit relatives and also went to Giant. Not exactly exciting since besides their houses and Giant, we didn't go sightseeing and there's Giant in Singapore as well. At least it got me my 1st stamp in my passport though.
2)New Zealand - A study trip with my secondary school in 2007 and it was fabulous. New Zealand was really beautiful and it was an eye opener for a city kid like me. I had totally enjoyed myself there. Plus, the original cost was $3000+ and after subsidies, I only have to pay $1000+ for a 2 weeks stay there and we flew with Singapore Airlines. Totally worth every single penny of mine even if it did take out a huge chunk of money from my bank account.
Yeah. So I was practically researching about San Francisco whenever I am free while painfully waiting for each day to pass. I couldn't stop guessing with my friend about when the study trip will be held etc. We just can't wait for the details!
[Wednesday, 12 January 2011]
It's finally here! The big day of the briefing where they will finally reveal the details! I kept staring at the short announcement in the school portal hoping that they will update more details but now, I don't have to anymore!
Our request for the OOAD class to be pushed up went through so we didn't have to wait for 3 hours for the next class anymore. OOAD class ended early and my friend and I were using the computers to pass time till 4.30pm. One of our classmate left the moment the OOAD class ended. I was rather surprised to see that especially since that particular classmate has shown interest in the study trip. I shrugged it off thinking that perhaps that classmate wasn't as interested in the study trip as I thought she was.
My friend was busy helping one of the freshmen with his work so we were around 5 minutes late when we got into the lecture theatre. Thankfully, the teacher who was presenting had not started the briefing yet. I can't bear to miss out any details about this study trip! On a side note, it was freaking cold in the lecture theatre though.
After another 5 minutes of wait, the teacher went on with the briefing with the help of the PowerPoint slides as well as the Word document. Details were rather brief as they are trying to see how many are interested in this study trip before they finalize everything.
From this briefing, I had learned that:
1) They are hoping to go during June 2011. My school holidays during June will be from 11 - 26 June 2011 so I am guessing that it will be during that time.
2) It's a 8 to 10 days trip. Actual duration of the trip has not been set yet.
3) We will be touring some of the IT companies in Silicon Valley. Some of the companies includes Google and Apple.
4) We will be touring some of the universities there.
5) Of course we will be doing the usual sightseeing and shopping as well!
6) They will arrange for us to do job interviews so we might have a chance to do our internships with the companies there!
7) Total cost of the trip will be S$4200 inclusive of air tickets, taxes, hotel, tour guide, tour buses etc. Of course, it does not includes all our personal shopping expenses, room service, laundry etc.
8) We need to confirm by 20 January 2011.
9) There's no subsidies provided by the school. *WHY?!*
10) Difference of sharing a room with 3 and 4 person is just S$20. =.=^^^
[Today]
Turns up, my classmate got the date for the briefing wrong and that's why she left the moment class ended. She and her another friend are both interested and they had along already confirmed her place for this study trip along with me and my friend. I kept checking my inbox everyday hoping that there's more details about the study trip.
I need more details!
Hopefully they will be able to reveal the full details by mid February. I wonder if they will call for another briefing again or just email us the details though?
Since we are most probably to be going there during June, I was rather worried since it's during the summer and that means just flying from one hot country to another. However, to my delight, I was incredibly happy to find that even during summer, it's very rare to have the temperatures in San Francisco to rise higher than 21°C and during the evening to night, fog might roll in and the temperatures will drop to around 12°C. That's very cooling and might be even cold for me coming from a country with average temperatures around 31°C all year round!
However, before I even dream about flying there, raising S$4200 is going to be no chicken feet as well since I am from a dysfunctional family and I can only rely on myself. I still have some savings left in my bank but I am hoping that I will not have to touch that amount of money. It seems to be rather hard though as if I don't use that sum of money, chances of me being able to go to this study trip will be virtually impossible.
I had started working in the hotel with another friend as a waitress yesterday. It was not easy as there's no training provided and I had to actually kept relying on the rest of the staff for help. Plus, I had not been exercising for some time now so my arms are rather weak and all that carrying of heavy big porcelain plates/bowls along with glass glasses is rather tiring. Plus, anyone who knows me knows how much I hate going out and coming home late. The pay is rather low for all the work we have to do as well. Not much choice though. This is the only job I am able to find under such a short notice and what's more, it provides me the flexibility of being able to work on which day I want. I am able to receive my pay the moment I had finished my work for the day as well. I am hoping to find another job during my school holidays with higher pay. I am planning to work on all days except for during Sundays when I have my Japanese classes. I want to be able to have some shopping money as well. >.<
I was speaking to my mother today about a plan of mine...it's going to be rather hard to pull off but I am determined to do so! I am planning to hide the fact that I am going on this study trip from HRATH! Meaning that HRATH wouldn't even know until perhaps HRATH ask:
A) Why I am not at home
B) Why there's no need to buy my dinner
ETC.
Of course, by then, I would be already at the airport, checking in or already on the plane flying to Silicon Valley...but no matter what, I wouldn't be there where HRATH is able to find me! It's not going to be easy to pull off. HRATH is always taking MC and whatnot. HRATH has a high tendency of being at home or coming home unexpectedly. This means that even when I am packing or bringing home my study trip related purchases such as suitcase, coat etc., I have to be extra careful to do so when HRATH is not at home and be ready to hide them. Plus, Mum and brother has to cooperate with me as well, by simply not mentioning any single thing about the trip at all when HRATH is at home. Not a single peep. It's sounds like hard work isn't it? Seriously speaking though, the reason why I am going through all these, is because, believe me, HRATH's wrath is even worse. Seriously, I cannot, I repeat, I absolutely cannot stand listening to HRATH's questioning and nagging. HRATH really has stupid questions. My days would be ruin. I will be in a bad temper all day because I know HRATH will find any opportunity to pretend like the know-it-all. If I succeed with this plan and I know I will, I am able to avoid all that annoying situations altogether. Sounds like heaven!
Sigh. Guess that's all for today. Please dear teachers reveal more details soon! I can't wait!
