I failed Maths. I'm a Math Tutor.

At the end of Sec 2, my academic life was in a sorry state. I failed almost all my subjects with an average score of 46. My parents and I were called into the principal's office and informed that I was no longer allowed to continue my education in the institution.

I was in a state of disbelief and so, blocked out most of what happened. With less than a month to the new term, I, thankfully, got myself a place in Sembawang Secondary School.

So what went wrong? For one I had a tough time transitioning from Primary School, especially to the school that was then ranked the #2 co-ed school in the country. What was most disappointing for me though, was how I did for Maths. I had this mousey teacher who couldn't control our notorious class. He was short, with hair coming out of a mole on his chin, and a voice so soft that he resorted to speaking into a mic with a portable speaker clipped to his pants. I didn't understand anything that came out of his mouth and got so frustrated that I scribbled Maths Makes Me Mad and DDR arrows in the textbook so I could practice the moves under the table during class.

I ended up learning nothing from him and he made no attempt to help me escape my fate. While my smarter classmates graduated and others got retained, I slipped through the cracks.

So just as I was starting Sec 3, my parents hired a maths tutor. When she worked with me, things became surprisingly easy. It took me two months to learn what I was supposed to know in two years, and before long I was competent enough to follow what was going on in class. I became engaged during lessons, and my teacher was actually brilliant. She was sharp, precise and taught with such clarity that it would've been hard not to understand her. With their help, I ended off my O levels with an A1 for E Maths and A2 for A Maths.

My math teacher in NYJC, whom some said looked like Garfield, had a wicked sense of humour and a knack for shaming students who didn't put in effort, was a genius. With that, I sailed through to an A at A levels.

When I completed my NS, I was looking for a job before starting my tertiary education. On top of being a sales assistant at Sony and enjoying the thrill of selling big ticket items over the Christmas holiday, I started tutoring Math.

I had been someone who royally sucked at maths and helped me empathise with the kids, forcing me to explain complicated things in the simplest ways, channeling the great teachers I had. Then, if the kid was cooperative, slightly hardworking and just a bit clever, they would reach heights they never imagined. It was gratifying to change their mindsets from "trying to make it" to "the sky's the limit". That's why I didn't stop teaching through my years as an undergrad and my first job.

And now, I'm a Math Tutor.

Doing More on All Fronts

It's been 3 months since I left my nine-to-five job.

My initial plan was to stand in the sun and I've literally visited nature reserves, parks and reservoirs with the recent ones being Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the Green Corridor and the Peirce Reservoirs. I enjoy being outdoors and practising photography as well as the company of friends who were game enough to go on these trips with me.

Other than that, things have been going slower than expected. 

The three things that I really want to do this year are:

1. Teaching Tuition

2. Freelance Writing

3. Travelling 

I see these things as complementary to each other - gathering the resources and skills I need to do the things I enjoy to afford me this freedom to continue my current lifestyle. They are a prelude to something bigger, such as discovery walks, trekking trips and food-tasting overseas for an extended period of time.

To do that, I need more focus on doing the long-term, "achievement" oriented things, like getting more tuition students and writing jobs. I might have gotten a bit crazy with this new-found freedom, like a kid in a candy store. I've been valuing pleasure over achievement, doing the simple, easy stuff such as spending far too much time on social media, meeting friends and hitting the gym.

The only way I can get more done out of this year is by sharpening my focus and prioritising what I need to do over less important tasks.The tough part, of course, is discipline and time management. As it is, my schedule is packed and I'm running all over the place all the time, doing as much as I can, but I think I can still do more.

At this juncture I'm trying to string all the different themes of my life together, even when they seem to be pulling in different directions. I want to do more on all fronts - discover more places, walk more, write more, photograph more, teach more, meet more people, eat more food.

People say that being busy is a disease but I'm anxious not to take my time here for granted. I'll do more, achieve more, be more productive. Work harder, run faster, party crazier. Push more on all fronts. And perhaps that's what this time is for. I'm at the cusp of a lifestyle change. It will always been for the better, because I'm making a move and finding out what works and what doesn't.  

Getting closer to wildlife at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

When it comes to places for spotting wildlife, not many places in Singapore come close to Sungei Buloh. In fact, it's so popular with nature photographers that just before I visited, I came across this disheartening article on their actions stressing animals just to catch the perfect shot. As such, I resolved to stay on the path, not disturb any living things and leave good photos to chance.  

Part I - The Boardwalk

Enter the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre via Kranji Way to gain access to the new boardwalk which was opened to visitors late last year. The route through this area is full of lookouts, and you'd be able to see the Johor Straits, and the mud levels. 

I enjoyed this part tremendously because of the beautifully designed, vaguely conical lookouts which reminded me of both acorns and birds' nests. The structures blended perfectly with the surroundings and made for some interesting photos.  

This area was also particularly rich in wildlife, with familiar animals such as crabs, mudskippers, spiders, wild dogs, birds, monitor lizards and I've heard that you can even catch sight of a crocodile if you're lucky! We didn't, despite our best efforts, so we might have to go back there to give it another go. 

The red pincers gave it away.

A pretty shy mudskipper.

I spy a spider.

There were quite a few of these lookout points along the boardwalk.

The steps going up and down through the reserve made it a real "Jungle Gym".

The pretty shaky rope bridge was amusing to cross.

Part II - Mangrove

The reserve can be accessed by another entrance, with parking, via Neo Tiew Crescent.

The bridge that links the visitor centre to the reserve.

This part was significantly different. It was no longer a wooden boardwalk structure. Instead, we found ourselves walking on a dirt track that led us round the perimeter of the mangrove.

From one of the lookout towers. Spotted some white birds from here.

At this point we were probably a tad tired out from the noon sun and the initial exploration at the board walk. However before we left, one of  the inhabitants at this small pond with "deep water", came by to say bye.

Sungei Buloh is huge and if you really want to see it all, it would probably take 4-5 hours. Also, it is no Bishan-AMK park. There aren't any food places around, so you might want to bring along some snacks and drinks for the walk.

Resources:
NParks - https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/sungei-buloh-wetland-reserve 
Straits Times - Get closer to nature at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

From Buona to Tanjong Pagar on the Green Corridor

Earlier in April, I explored part of the Green Corridor, from Buona Vista to The Rail Mall, which you can read here. 

Curious about the other half which runs from Buona Vista to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, I set a date with Thamsy to take on this 6km route. 

The journey down south had ample greenery and snaked through the back of some of the older HDB estates which looked as if time had stood still since the 90s, especially when it was quiet in the morning. We had an enjoyable time walking, but what we saw became rather repetitive. Comparatively, going northwards was more interesting - with highlights such as the Bukit Timah Railway Station and some parts of the railway which was still intact. 

Our end point, Tanjong Pagar Railway station, now only opens during public holidays and special occasions. It became a bit of a disappointment as we had to make our way out of a fenced-up dead end - a field - that didn't offer much. Hence, if you're thinking of trying this route, and you can check out some maps here, it would be more rewarding if you went on a day where the Tanjong Pagar Railway station was open. It would really be the perfect end to this long walk.

Nevertheless, here are some things you can expect to see while making your way down this route:

Graffiti my soul.

"I'm not religious, but it feels so good, makes me want to pray, pray you'll always be here."

The old and the (relatively) new.

The black dog actually invited us to be part of their "entourage" but we were too slow.

The Interlace, one of my favourite residential projects. The stacking blocks amaze me always.

From an overhead bridge

This would probably be a barrier for the train which runs through the track, now just a brown path on the left

Said disappointing field that marked the end of our journey, but was relieved to have ended the long walk!

Next up, an entry on Sungei Buloh! If you can't wait, you can check out my instagram for some pictures to tide you over till then.