Chi

Note from Sarah: For the next three months, Sam will read out his journal excerpts to me on the phone when we get to talk on weekends, and I'll post them here. Here's post number one!

Sam waiting to board the bus.....off to NS.

The Journal of Trainee ECHO-119

– Excerpt 1: They have a nickname for me now: Chi. I’m going to assume it’s the equivalent of “chink,” but in Malay. Incidentally, tea at breakfast today was diluted. “Chai” means “tea” in India. I wonder if it’s a metaphor for our Chinese culture, and how it’s going to fare here.

Hmmm….so much to say. There have been so many things to get adjusted to, and many things outside my comfort zone. For starters, we have to wake up at 4.30 in the morning. For those who know me, you’d know that that’s usually when I haven’t slept yet. We have ridiculous rules such as not being allowed out of our dorms without wearing long pants, shoes, and tucked-in shirts. There’s also nothing to train parkour here. Everything’s made out of chipboard and wood. It’s so frustrating. And in the whole camp, there are only nine of us who speak English, and only one who speaks it proficiently; that being me. There’s also way too much to say so let’s just leave it as being incredibly crappy, but just enough to get by. I miss my normal life.