And my Wuhan trip is reaching its end.
For the past day, I have been staying in a hotel room which, in comparison to the dorm room, is luxurious. A twin room with a bath tub and a shower. Refreshing...
So this is it... cool weather no more. It is warming up in Wuhan anyway marking the coming of spring. Spring is a season so beautiful that every person should have a chance to experience. It is such a beauty that with the lack of expertise, the picture that I captured was a great injustice to its real beauty. The cool air mixed with the warm rays of the sun. The flowers spring to life bringing with them the colours that was evidently missing just a week ago. If only the air is clearer...
As spring comes to Wuhan so goes I back to Singapore...
It has been a good stay. I've come to the realization that a good bed does wonders to the psyche of a person. The bed was the first that I noticed as I entered the room that was to be mine for three weeks. They have provided me with a proper super single but not quite a good mattress. I'm not complaining about the non-existent mattress. A pillow and a quilt to keep me warm in the cold nights... those sufficed.
The students were elated when they were given proper beds for their cruise and Wudang mountain trips. The pleasures of life we have been taking for granted.
Goodbye Wuhan for now. I wonder if I would be seeing you again...
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wuhan March 2011: Lazy Weekend
The students went off to Wudang Mountains and I am taking this chance for a breather. A very long one indeed. Never mind shopping. I am enjoying this stay in the room watching Tudor, Big Bang Theory, msn, listening to some music (Gorillaz), reading Stieg Larsson's Millenium II. And more importantly in bed till 11. Bliss...
No different from a lazy weekend in Singapore. The past two weekends were filled with activities. City tour and Three Gorges Dam cruise.
Last night was Earth Hour and I thought I'd do my bit and switched off the lights and went for a walk. Then I got hungry and went to Greenery Cafe which didn't live up to it's name. The lights were on. But hunger prevailed and greed ruled. I bought more than I could eat... again.
Now to start packing up... oh and breakfast.
Last night's dream: I bought and rode a new scooter. I want.
No different from a lazy weekend in Singapore. The past two weekends were filled with activities. City tour and Three Gorges Dam cruise.
Last night was Earth Hour and I thought I'd do my bit and switched off the lights and went for a walk. Then I got hungry and went to Greenery Cafe which didn't live up to it's name. The lights were on. But hunger prevailed and greed ruled. I bought more than I could eat... again.
Now to start packing up... oh and breakfast.
Last night's dream: I bought and rode a new scooter. I want.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wuhan March 2011: Of spitting and littering
I sat in for my students' presentations on the similarities and differences between Singapore and Wuhan. Spitting and littering came up prominently.
I have to agree with them on the spitting part. The Chinese and probably in a lot of other societies spitting in public is nothing to be frowned upon but I find it disgusting. What makes it more disgusting in China is the sound effect that comes with the spitting. The sound of throat clearing is like a call. 'ON GUARD!'
We have to look out from whichever direction the spit will come from. Why oh why do they have to do that?
Second that came out too often in the presentation is littering. Personally, in Singapore, I will not allow anyone to litter either. How can anyone possibly do when there is a rubbish bin within 10m? Yet, some clean green Singaporean still miss the bin and there will be litter on the ground.
In that sense how different are we from the Chinese? They don't have a bin every 10m so they just throw their litter wherever convenient. How then do we explain the sightings of rubbish on the floors of my beautiful Singapore? With that I think, the fine for littering shouldn't just be a mere $500 but add to that a knock on that empty head of those litter bugs.
I'm thankful that spitting is not an issue but I still think littering is a bit of a problem. Well until we overcome that problem, our streets will always be lined with rubbish bins.
I have to agree with them on the spitting part. The Chinese and probably in a lot of other societies spitting in public is nothing to be frowned upon but I find it disgusting. What makes it more disgusting in China is the sound effect that comes with the spitting. The sound of throat clearing is like a call. 'ON GUARD!'
We have to look out from whichever direction the spit will come from. Why oh why do they have to do that?
Second that came out too often in the presentation is littering. Personally, in Singapore, I will not allow anyone to litter either. How can anyone possibly do when there is a rubbish bin within 10m? Yet, some clean green Singaporean still miss the bin and there will be litter on the ground.
In that sense how different are we from the Chinese? They don't have a bin every 10m so they just throw their litter wherever convenient. How then do we explain the sightings of rubbish on the floors of my beautiful Singapore? With that I think, the fine for littering shouldn't just be a mere $500 but add to that a knock on that empty head of those litter bugs.
I'm thankful that spitting is not an issue but I still think littering is a bit of a problem. Well until we overcome that problem, our streets will always be lined with rubbish bins.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wuhan March 2011: Complementary and Alternative Medicines
Well this is not quite a holiday but i'm not in Singapore.
I am in Wuhan for work bringing students over and teaching them a module:
Complementary and Alternative Medicine. I have to read up a lot for this module. I am not quite an expert in any form of CAM so the message I can put across through this module is that different practices would have different philosophy. It may not be scientifically proven but who says that the scientific method is the only true method.
Respect the other points of view. Acknowledge that there is truth in practices that are not really based on true science. Ayurveda for example did not come from science (or did it?) but some Ayurvedic practices have been scientifically proven to be true (based on textbook readings and cited journals in textbooks). Ayurveda is just one of many CAM practices that have been scientifically proven. Why else would many physicians recommend it to their patients?
And the concept of prevention, it has been preached for many years in the complementary and alternative practices and it took such a long time for conventional medicine to actually embrace it.
Next is to acknowledge that different systems adopt different philosophy. They may be beyond our comprehension but that is because of our limited exposure to other schools of thought. How different we can be. Again... respect differences.
My own principle is, if it does no harm, why stop? Is there totally no harm? Isn't letting people pay for treatment that is not proven to be effective some kind of harm too? So we think it is not effective? If they really aren't why have they stood the tests of time? Who are we to be so arrogant and egoistic to say that our way is the only way? What exactly is our way? An ineffective bogus practice will die off sooner or later anyway. A harmful one will die a quicker death.
Ok. Blabbering will end for today. I was reading my students' blogs when I suddenly felt like blogging... Not that anyone is reading. :)))
I am in Wuhan for work bringing students over and teaching them a module:
Complementary and Alternative Medicine. I have to read up a lot for this module. I am not quite an expert in any form of CAM so the message I can put across through this module is that different practices would have different philosophy. It may not be scientifically proven but who says that the scientific method is the only true method.
Respect the other points of view. Acknowledge that there is truth in practices that are not really based on true science. Ayurveda for example did not come from science (or did it?) but some Ayurvedic practices have been scientifically proven to be true (based on textbook readings and cited journals in textbooks). Ayurveda is just one of many CAM practices that have been scientifically proven. Why else would many physicians recommend it to their patients?
And the concept of prevention, it has been preached for many years in the complementary and alternative practices and it took such a long time for conventional medicine to actually embrace it.
Next is to acknowledge that different systems adopt different philosophy. They may be beyond our comprehension but that is because of our limited exposure to other schools of thought. How different we can be. Again... respect differences.
My own principle is, if it does no harm, why stop? Is there totally no harm? Isn't letting people pay for treatment that is not proven to be effective some kind of harm too? So we think it is not effective? If they really aren't why have they stood the tests of time? Who are we to be so arrogant and egoistic to say that our way is the only way? What exactly is our way? An ineffective bogus practice will die off sooner or later anyway. A harmful one will die a quicker death.
Ok. Blabbering will end for today. I was reading my students' blogs when I suddenly felt like blogging... Not that anyone is reading. :)))
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