And School Reopens!:)

What a BAD BAD BAD Start to the semester!!!:....( Having returned from the the bonding camp on sunday, I arrived home at 7pm. By the time I settled down, bathed and unpacked all my stuff, it was almost 8.30pm. Felt so tired that I fell right onto my bed and woke up the next morning at 9.30am.... 9.30 AM!!!!!! It was just like this that I missed my first Gems lesson, which happened to be the first lesson of this semester!!!:( Im giving myself this week to gear up for the semester. Anyway I enjoyed myself for the bonding camp very much:)

Applied for a cruise job, thinking that it would be an experience of a lifetime:) Turned out to be some logistics shitty ass bus attendent job. How misleading. When Vivian the heroine called on behalf of all those who went for the interview that they were backing out, the manager started going berserk and uttered strong words on the phone. Totally ruined everyones' day but we were partially to blame:(

Anyway, did some costing for my finland trip and the Universal studios Orlando (So i can compare heehee!:) This is as close as I can get considering the limited amount of information I was given:) Both are kept as fair as possible, trust me:)

Finland Trip (Includes Return)
Duration -------------------------------- 5 months
Airplane ticket (Qantas/ BA- 14 hours)------------- $2200
Hostel (Etelä-Kekkola 5 months)--------- $2000
Transport (Bus concession)--------------- $500
Meals (eat in breakfast, dinner & lunch out) $1500 (Includes groceries for food)

Travelling (Russia)
Moscow
return transport-------- $600
5 night stay in Moscow-- $500
3 night stay in St Petersburg--- $150
attractions------------- $250
meals------------------- $500

Subsidies- SP: $2000
Fin Govt : $4000

total payable: $200 (Excluding trip to Russia)
I also realise that if I buy a bicycle and travel around and save on eating out, I can save on my transport fees and $500 on meals!:), thats an additional $1000 in savings!:)

Universal Studios (Orlando)
Ticket (United- return) 23 hours total flight duration------- $2750
Housing $165/week for 17 weeks--------------------------- $2810
Transport-Lynx 30 day pass ($22/month)----------------- $130
Meals------------------------------------------------------ $1500
Visa-------------------------------------------------------- $200
CID fees---------------------------------------------------- $100
Less subsidies: $2000
Salary ($10.65 x 32 hr week)= $5900

total savings= $400!!!

Therefore in actual fact, you can save enough money to bring back home. However many many other factors will affect the costs. In addition there are many natural advantages of both places!:) Let me start with Finland.


Finland
Climate: Winter from jan to Mar (Lots of snow) 10c in the next three months, cool.
Currency: Euros (x2 Singapore dollar) Very expensive:(
Infrastucture: Large Town, modern
Money spending meter: Low (Considering that Jyvaskyla is small, theres nothing much to shop, unless youre going around Europe heehee:)
Transport: Very expensive, unless using a bicycle:)
Geographical: Located in Europe.... How can I resist?!?!?!:)

Orlando
Climate: 16c to 33c (Cool in the first two months) NO snow though:(
Currency: USD (Cheaper then the Euro but climbing fast!)
Infrastrusture: Modern and clean, size of a small city
Money spending meter: High, honestly with coach, hilfiger around, to resist spending is definitely impossible:)
Geographical and safety: Travelling around US is very easy! But the reality of guns being used there is not realised and understood by Singaporeans as we never experienced guns before!

Therefore for me haha, im still stuck to Finland because I have plans to go to Moscow and travel around Europe!!! In addition, I enjoy cold weather... the more I need to go there haha!:)


Kovski

Chalet's coming soon!!!

I can't wait!!! Tomorrow's the chalet hehe and I can't wait!:) Unfortunately, a couple of things have got me pretty troubled:( Whenever I organise such stuffs, im always worried that the turnout might be way below the expected = resulting in the pathetic collection of the dollars and cents. Maybe its normal cuz it happened to me too many times....

Back then in secondary school, your classmates would ask you to organise a chalet for the class.... thinking that it would be the right thing to do, you merrily went ahead with the planning of the stay and the bbq. You tell all of them that they would have to pay twenty dollars each, they agreed "sincerely" and promised to come.... Then a few days just before the chalet, one quarter of them simply didn't turn up without a reasonable explanation. The other half would come, eat the food, pay perhaps 20-50% (They bargained that they deserve to pay less) of what they were supposed to have forked out. Another 15%, whom I term as dodgy Fuc****, come, eat the food, then refuse to pay, telling you this:" You expect me to pay for this kind of low quality food?! Im not paying..." Well of course the reminaing 15% were the loyal and the fantastic ones:)

I dont know, perhaps this feeling is natural and bound to happen most of the time. Thats why id like you to pardon me if you see me frantically counting the dollars all the time in front of you guys. I know it is rude but its the crazy worry inside me that forces me to do ridiculous things. Whenever I plan such events (something that I'd love doing for anyone:), I always feel pathetic having to ask people to pay up, or accepting money from those who are so kind enough to fork out a little more, to unfairly compensate for those who didn't come. It feels like "hey im poor and short of cash, can you give me some money or il HATE you?" ITS LIKE BEGGING!!!:( Its not surprising losses could amount to hundreds of dollars and my mum is always the one disbursing me the shortage to cover up the losses:( Its just like paying up for those who promised to come but didn't turn up/ or those who turned up and ate free food:( Poofters:(

Anyway I really hope this chalet and bbq will be a huge success:) Thats why im looking forward to itcuz its a different group and definitely a better lot of guys!!:)

Had an enjoyable dinner experience with Darryl, Shunli and my brother:) Its been so long since we had so much time together!!:) Really hope this friendship will last forever:) Thats about folks!! Se ya guys around!:)

Kovski
Worried:.....(