Thursday, April 17, 2008

 

-78-

20years of life of Tan Zhi Hong Kelvin

On August 27 1988, a beautiful saturday afternoon at about 5.40pm, a cute and chubby baby was born at Mount Elisabeth Hospital. On that day, the then PM Lee Kuan Yew was having a dancing event at orchard road and it was said to me by my parents to celebrate the birth of me. I was the youngest in the family with 3 sisters above me.

Since young, my sisters and i were brought up by my mother's friend staying at havelock road. We all call her Ah ma since young. we and this family were very close. the whole family of them were very good to us when we were young even till now. and i had a god-ma there who was the daughter of ah ma. Even till now we are very close with the family. we are one big family already. i always go there to stay during holidays. playing with cousins, visiting uncles and auntie there. Those who know me should know why i always go hougang because my uncle stays there. although we are not blood related, but this family really treat me very good and i really mean GOOD. we are jus like ONE BIG FAMILY.

very fast it was 1992 where i started to go to nursery class and slowly K1 and 2 the consecutive year at the PAP Kindergarten at level 5 of ah ma house. i remember that i always very excited to go for lesson with fun classmates and nice teacher. the only thing i had going to school is because there was this mute woman with this fierce face always hanging there. always frighten us if we never do homework or what. the whole class were afraid of her. i once cried because she was really that frightening. at that period of time, i only go home every weekend and will be back to ah ma house on Sunday night to prepare for school on the following day.

after graduated from PAP Kindergarten with an excellent result:) i was going on to my primary school career. i was posted to Henderson Primary School ( same school as my two elder sister but now it is gone). know new friends over there, some of few which i can remember are - ginmin, carol, katherine, irene, ruiteck( cant rmb already). whenever during recess time, we will sure skip it and go to the car park to play police and thief, catching, crocodile, ghost( damn old school games) really have lots of fun last time. and last time allowance wasn't much. primary one only like $1. so always save that $1 to go bookshop to buy all those nonsense thing like countries flag rubber to play or buy yakults from drink store because there was always free toys. and also during primary school time, there was this science activity that u must complete the card mission to obtain zoological, astronaut badges(many more buy i cant rmb it). always very excited in doing all those, because more badges can haolian more.

Going into primary 3, starting to choose ECA (now CCA). i choose ensembles, that stay my career of music. playing instruments like recorder, angklung, pianica(like keyboard but is using air blow) and also percussion. all i play before throughout the 4years in the ensembles but majoring in percussion(sounds pro). One thing that primary school kids always afraid of is going to the school dentist. omg, i still remember that kind unique smell of the room. painful experience there. everytime praying that u need not had to go to dental but no choice, always tio. coming to primary 6, i was PSLE time, did quite well for the prelims but didn't do well during PSLE. Results back, aggregate score 207, posted to Bukit Merah Secondary School. Was quite sad at that time cause all my six choices i didnt get in. Well it is fated.

Year 2001, started next part of my education life at BMSS. was studying at the holding school at old GESS for 3 years before moving back to new building. more friends met and nice teachers. joined band and floorball as cca. this is where my tuba playing career start. didnt wanna play tuba but, no choice i am the biggest in size tats what the instructor say. but i nv regret taking tuba as my primary instrument.

life there was pretty enjoyable where i had this brother 6 gang there who always cr8 havoc in school. but we are a bunch of good students. always helping teacher with this and that. basically secondary school life is just a repeated cycle consisting of studying, band, floorball, exam, holidays and camp. camp is always fun during my life in BMSS. had floorball camp and band camp. although is a training camp, but the after training activity with nice group of friends is enough to make it enjoyable. camp always had ghost story telling, listening to all sorts of ghost story of the our holding school. staying overnight at old GESS building is a exciting mission. really creepy. no bluff. the feeling was omg.

Year 2003, move back to our new building, was very big and nice. we all went into different class and i gt into the last class of the express stream. not very impt also because some of the first class student also get into the same polytechnic as me as worst, lousiest course than me. my class very small only, like about 15 people but a very fun class. with me and meng hwee to provide entertainment for the whole class. had this teacher that taught us english for consecutive 4years. very close now. very good and caring teacher, always buy sweets for us. Thank you Miss Chong. because of her, my english from D7, E8 grade improve to B3 during O level. really miss secondary school day life, chionging to canteen to buy food during recess time, PE lesson is always enjoyable, everyday after school playing floorball or basketball and also soccer with my brother 6.

Year 2004, time to be serious. the whole of sec 4 class were all chionging for their O level. this year had been a really hard year for me. during september period, everyone was studying hard for their prelims including me. at the same time, my mum was admitted to the hospital. in and out of hospital had been regular for me during that period. October, the worst thing that can ever happen in my life, just after the prelims my mother was in critical condition and soon she left us peacefully. at that period of time, i was totally lost. at the age of 16 at that time, i dunno wat to do. accepted the fate and continue to complete my O level examination and promise to do well for my mother because she work so hard for the family. and soon completed O level. had prom night and it wasnt that fun.

Year 2005, Bukit Merah Secondary Concert Band had the very first concert at victoria concert hall. that was my first public performance in 7years of music playing. had a full house that night. a great experience. our hardship paid off. and soon o level results were out. got a aggregate score of 19. very well compare to my prelims score of 37. was relieve that i manage to pass my english and maths, the only two subject that i always fail. time to choose for a polytechnic to go. and this time round, i will affect my career path in the near future and i choose Diploma In Maritime Transportation Management SP just because there is a six months attachment.

entering poly life totally feel different from secondary. maybe because grow up already. and again, meeting new nice classmates. god is fair to me, letting me always meeting nice classmates. and guess what, join band again as cca. such a boring guy.throughout the three years i had learn a lot and definitely grow up much more and become more knowledgeable. doing projects, ica and fyp were the only stress that we had in school. other than that, it is all fun. 3 years just pass like that, didn't had even fun yet and we graduated already. such a waste. had a total of 4 class chalets. i always love class chalet because we can get together and do whatever we wan. and of cause my 3 other mahjong khakis.

another unforgettable thing in poly life is staying back in the band room after school everyday till night time. it had become the second home for most of the bandmates. through this band, i know my 7wonderful friends - weijie, saihow, hanxian, brenden, desmond, randy. not forgetting and good friend of my stella yap. and i also found my bestest best pal yuanjun and forever friend jiawei. i already had met my friends and only awaiting to meet my gf only. we can do a lot of things together. people wont understand how we feel when we are doing because our the few of us can feel the happiness. studying in bandroom with me going there to accompany them because i always finish exam first, lunch break at band room, playing instrument together, gathering at sofa to talk cock, play cards, playing mini mahjong. skipping lesson just to meet them, going out after school to play dota, mahjonging and dinner together. thats how fun our life is. although what we do might sounds boring but, onli us will feel the enjoyment. we are still doing that even though we graduated.

lastly, we had a wonderful taiwan trip on valentine's day 2008 with 6 wonderful friends of mine, 1 bestest best pal and 1 forever friend.

This is basically my 20years of life. my friends and activity. just writing up for fun because i had nth to do because of my leg injury. dun read if u find it bored:)

MoMoTaN