| Saturday, August 30, 2008 |
| A home (very far) away from home |
I've been very depressed over the past week. Cos I've been posted to the far flung Lim Chu Kang Camp 1. Just a few metres away from the Choa Chu Kang cemetery down the road.
I recall the moment the blardy superior read out my posting in the auditorium back at Nee Soon.
"4SIR"
[Dummies: SIR refers to Singapore Infantry Regiment]
At that point in time I had no idea whatsoever where the hell the camp would be. In fact, I've never even heard of this 4SIR unit. Needless to say though, I got abit worried cos it's obvious I've been posted to an infantry unit. A chiongsua unit.
Only later on, when the posting orders were given out, did I realise that there's only one other guy accompanying me to this 4SIR. And it just had to be another chinaman.
[Backtrack: my bed buddy in BMT was a non-english speaking chinaman.]
But thank goodness, this chinaman aint that bad after all. Ex-TJC. 6 years in Singapore. And speaks normal Singapore english. But his chinese is really damn chinese.. especially when he talks to his mum on the phone in the bunk every night..
ANYWAY.
So we both took the piece of paper for the posting order.
YOU HAVE BEEN POSTED TO 4SIR
LIM CHU KANG CAMP 1
SMTI WISHES YOU ALL THE BEST IN YOUR NEW UNIT.
I was so shocked, I swear my soul exited my body for a brief moment.
Okay, I know getting an 8 to 5 posting is like near impossible. But at least throw me somewhere near like Khatib or Chong Pang or what lah. I dont mind staying in in such camps near civilisation.
But no, they just had to shoot me to this corpse-infested place.
And mosquito-infested.
And fly-infested.
And
And
And
I can never stop complaining.
Coincidentally though, I brought along Tuesdays with Morrie cos I anticipated there'll be time for me to catch up on my reading (and damn was I right). And so happens that theres this particular chapter in which Morrie taught Mitch:
You have to learn how to detach yourself from your own feelings. "But detachment doesnt mean you dont let the experience penetrate you."
And so, taking a leaf out of this, I cried myself into depression on the first and second nights. (I got disturbed by some being on the second night, but we'll just save that for later.) When I woke up, I felt a little better.
One week of lim chu kang has passed.
And one and a half more years to go through.
I will make it. |
posted by Hafiz BAM @ 4:42 PM   |
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