End of Ex Druid's Ridge, peer appraisal time. As the British Cadets are gearing up for their Regimental Selection Boards, an interview that decides how the rest of their army career will be shaped, the overseas cadets are just wishing them all the best for their interviews, in hope that they will commission into the cap badge of their choice. However, I want to do well myself, I want to be maintain my place in the middle third. Despite wanting to help them by placing them in a better place in the peer appraisals (not saying its difficult to differentiate between the good and and the average), I would like myself to be placed in a suitable place such that I still stand a chance to compete for the sword. Self conscious, selfish, maybe, I just feel that I have got so much pressure to do well, I did work hard for the exercise, but most of the command appointments were given to the UK cadets. For Singaporeans to be the first and second amongst all overseas cadets, that is my wish and I have been working hard towards it. Maybe its too early to talk about all of these, but the fact that the Intermediate is ending is not helping, knowing that there is not much time for me to prove myself and before I know it, the decision as to who are the better ones will have to be made.

Platoon Commander always say that he needs more from me, for me to be more vocal in the platoon. What does that mean? Alot of times I find people throwing themselves at the PC so that a better impression could be formed. And with no doubt are these rankings and appraisals done on first impressions, superficial you might say but the truth is many a times ugly.

Enough of ranting, let's gear up for the Inters Navex tomorrow and hopefully that helps in the rankings of some of us.

Hello Dear!!

Hey dear! You’re still out on exercise and I’m in office on a rainy Thursday morning! Hope everything’s going fine for you over there… I read your latest post! I know it definitely takes time for you to get used to the Brits’ lifestyle. And I do agree that you don’t have to do everything that they do in order to fit in! It’s good to go there and experience new stuff, and if you don’t like it, then just take it as a learning experience and that’s that. You’ll be home soon and you’ll be living and working here for the rest of your life (probably). So it’s okay! Don’t feel so stressed thinking that you have to follow them and do whatever they do :) Continue to talk to me if you have anything you wanna rant about alright? Don’t keep everything to yourself! I’m still here to listen and to advise! :)

Anyway, I didn’t get to play Floorball this week. There was some event going on at Tembusu MPH so it was out of bounds to us. But I had dinner with my friends at Sapore instead! Tried this drink called Black Russian… it’s a mix of coffee and liquor! I love it!! And I didn’t get tipsy on it at all! And yesterday night I played badminton with my colleagues at West Coast CC. Hahaha I must tell you about it la. They’re not as zai as I thought la so I wasn’t so stressed playing :) They all grow fat alr lor! When I grow up and start working I cannot let myself turn into a fat blob!! Although I’m not very good at badminton also. When you come back we must play okay? I wear shoes and guard this time so no more excuse! Set ah!

The people I played with are all NUS grads and they went to NOC (NUS Overseas Colleges), like in Philadelphia, Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Beijing, Stockholm, etc. My boss was talking to me about his experience in Silicon Valley and he really recommended that I try out for it too, rather than just do SEP (Student Exchange Programme) like everyone else. But it’s for a year. And I’ll have to graduate in 4.5 years instead of 4, on top of my double major. I’ll talk to you about that when you come back okay? We can chat about it on Oovoo!

Alright I gotta get back to work. Or I’ll be caught slacking >_< Text me when you’re back kay!! Talk to you soon <3 Love ya!!!

Yours, Claire!