Bye Michael!

Two days back, Michael (Mike) stopovered in Singapore for three days when he was making his way from Florence (Italy) back to his hometown in Melbourne (Australia). He was in Florence for a student exchange programme studying art renaissance. It's interesting how our friendship started two and half years back in St. Gallen (Switzerland). As some of you know, I enjoy writing essays and one essay won me an all expense paid trip to a student conference at University of St. Gallen. I met him at the Zurich airport and we were introduced to one another as our arrival timings were similar. He came from K.L. and with another Malaysian counterpart, we started conversing about Teh Tarik and the lifestyle in S.E.A. Well, I forged strong friendships over in St. Gallen and till now, I still keep in contact with some of them. It's totally amazing how things have changed in our lives. It feels to an extent that I am one of the less accomplished people amongst these "scholars".

Michael will soon undertake his honours course where he envisions to continue to Phd in the near future. Meantime, he is an entrepreneur, having a mining business in Liberia. I admire his tenacity and courage as it takes hefty risks to do business (let alone MINING!) in Liberia where the political situition may be perceived to be unsound (well, it is). Recently this year when I was in Melbourne, he invited me to attend his seminar entitled "Student by day, Businessman by night."

I met Borko , a Marcedonian in a corporate dinner organized by the conference. I shared a table with him, together with Michael and Ales...and the rest, of which I am not too sure what they are doing now. He is now a lecturer in a local university and is working in the European Union too.

Ales recently got married and held a beautiful wedding in Slovenia (attended by Borko too). I am sure he is doing well in his career too.

Okays, back to Michael's tourist visiting in Singapore. Brought him to waterloo street for fortune telling where I did the translation, National Orchid Gardens, Holland Village, NUS, watched a local play called "Oi! Sleeping Beauty!", had Teh Tarik and Prata, Indian cuisine at Uncle Samy's, Singapore's Sling at Long Bar (Raffles Hotel), shopping sights......

Michael will soon embark on his honours year where it will take him to India for three months to do some research....