Infinitas 2016

ISSUE 3 JULY 2016

CONTENTS

Infinitas is the official magazine of the SJI International Alumni Association Published July 2016 © Advancement and Communications Office St Joseph’s Institution International 490 Thomson Road Singapore 298191 (+65) 6353 9383 www.sji-international.com.sg Connect with us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/sjiialumni

Cover photo by Ricardo Seah (’10)

M E S S AG E S F RO M H O M E

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THE REASON WHY

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REFLECTIONS ON HOME

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R I G H T N OW

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W H AT N O W

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EVER – FOREVER

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P R E PA R I N G F O R T H E F U T U R E

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L E A R N I N G T O F LY

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PHOTOS AND PHILOSOPHY

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D AY A F T E R Y E S T E R D AY

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D AV I D S I N G H – F I V E

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ALUMNI REUNIONS

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VOICES

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MESSAGES FROM HOME

We are delighted to bring you the third edition of Infinitas – the publication by and for you, our precious alumni.

MESSAGES FROM HOME

We thank all the contributors who have made this edition possible and look forward to growing the body of writers and visual artists as we seek to connect with you and help you stay connected to your former classmates as well as SJI International. Enjoy!

“Change is the only constant: You either love it or you hate it...”

IAN CHAI It’s been a full year – in both senses – since I last wrote to you in Infinitas, and I am hoping that this finds you well. I am guessing many things have changed for you as they have for me! Maybe that includes: new job, new places, new studies, new horizons, new hobbies, and new people! Change is the only constant: you either love it or you hate it, or as Keane more eloquently put it: “Everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same”.

If you did not get the pop reference I just made it is probably an indication that I am now ‘old’, and properly adult-ing, like many of us from the first few batches.

I doubt that many of you have heard Louis Armstrong singing When You’re Smiling, but perhaps you heard Rachel’s version on an episode of Glee.

Either way, you’re probably familiar with the lyrics, “When you’re smiling, when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.” We all know the magical, mystical, miraculous power of a smile.

As alumni of St Joseph’s Institution International, I hope you are putting your SMILES Values to good use. Often, as a student here, you were encouraged to consider the components of this familiar acronym, and the six values they express: Spirituality, Mutual Respect, Internationalism, Leadership, Experiences, and Service – as guides, not only for your time at SJI International, but also for your life. The SMILES Values are particularly important to us as we use them to help express the principles of Lasallian education upon which the mission of our school is based.

So I hope that in the world of work, National Service, or university studies, others recognise you as a person for whom the Spiritual life matters, and that from time to time you still recall that you live your life in the holy presence of God. Similarly, I trust that in your relationships with others, your fair treatment of those around you, and your expressions of kindness and courtesy set you apart from those for whom Mutual Respect of others is not so valued. It seems that each day brings with it more news of the troubles of our world which is crying out for righteous action on the part of global citizens who embrace Internationalism, and who not only respect but also celebrate the differences among people and nations; so important if we are to live together in peace on this planet. As a student at SJI International, you participated in adventurous and challenging expeditions that provided Experiences to help you integrate all that you were learning in the classrooms. I hope adventure and challenge are still a part of your post-SJI International living and learning!

Finally, I have no doubt that Service continues to be 2

BR. LAWRENCE HUMPHREY, FSC BROTHER PRESIDENT

one of your distinguishing hallmarks as a Josephian woman or man, as you put to good use the skills and habits developed while you were with us at Thomson Road, and now in service to your own families and communities, the many countries of the world that you call home, and the global human family.

I hope the stories in this issue of Infinitas bring a smile to your face, as they help you recall your time at SJI International, and that they serve as a reminder to you of the experiences, relationships, and people who brought a smile to your face. May you, in turn, be someone whose smiles make the whole world want to smile along with you.

But time does sneak up and take you by surprise like that. It has been just a wink of an eye, and already next year will be the school’s tenth anniversary. Is that not crazy? The alumni office will be planning celebrations for all of us, in conjunction with the school’s celebrations. So keep a look-out for that, and let me know if you’re keen to contribute in any way. We are looking for musicians, poets, writers, planners and organisers, and basically just about everyone to come back for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. I can promise it will be an occasion to remember, and reminisce about the best and brightest times we had in school. Speaking for myself, I would never have imagined being at the school’s tenth year anniversary: I was not even sure if I would pass IB. In any case, I digress. This issue, as with any issue of Infinitas, is about you: the horizons you have seen, the comfort zones you have left behind, and the old things you have rediscovered again with bright, new eyes.

P R E S I D E N T , S J I I N T E R N AT I O N A L A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

And I like to think that even with all this tumult, change, and distance, some things do not change: the values the school left with us, and which we are now consciously or subconsciously living out to some extent or other; the knowledge the school gave us (and perhaps have forgotten in some measure); but most importantly, the people whom we have come to love and cherish and laugh with (and also, laugh at – I know this very intimately because I have had some...outstanding moments).

And I hope that this magazine reminds you in some way of that comfortable place made up of all the people, values, and ideas where you took your first steps into the bigger world. When I say place, I do not mean the physical location. I say place, and really I am referring to all the best things you have come to associate SJI International with. So read this magazine! But please do not leave it at that: come back home eventually.

And with this I leave you in the far more interesting company of the stories and their writers in this edition of Infinitas. Enjoy!

Keep smiling, Josephians.

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VOICES

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW

Where Are You Now? Catch up with some of our alumni who have updated us on the amazing things that they’ve done!

The Reason Why

Lift (Animation) by Rebecca Ou

Rebecca Ou (’09) will be graduating from the University of British Columbia in 2016 and starting her Masters in Fine Arts at Parsons

SJI International has moulded me and that’s why I am where I am today. I will be graduating from the University of British Columbia this year with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts and Psychology. Then in September I will be starting school at Parsons for a Masters in Fine Arts. Not knowing what to choose as a subject combination in IB, I chose to do SL in Arts as I realised that I was enjoying my art classes a lot more than the other classes I took, such as subjects like (*cough*) HL Economics and HL Mathematics. I never regretted taking those ‘harder’ subjects, since they taught me to think analytically and critically. I later wrote an Extended Essay in Art and realised I really enjoyed the process of researching a topic which I’m interested and passionate about. Finding my passion in arts while in high school made it easy for me when I had to choose a major for university.

SJI International created the platform for me to explore my interests, to step out of my comfort zone and to take a chance at things which I didn’t think I could do. On my very first day of joining the Foundation IB in 2007, I was in a state of (cultural?) shock when everybody was so incredibly friendly.

The small cohort created a place for relationships to be built; we were almost like a family. Being a naturally shy person, such an environment made me feel comfortable to be in my own skin. The emphasis on class participation was challenging at first but this gave me the right training for university where presentation skills are key during class critiques. The English and Chinese IOPs also taught me to think on my feet, to project my voice when speaking and to successfully convey an idea to my audience. It took many years to break out of my shyness but SJI International has given me the confidence to speak about what matters to me.

Being comfortable in my own skin is key to my practice today. As a budding artist, activist and educator, I aim to use art to start a discourse about mental health. My practice stems from my personal experiences. I employ an interdisciplinary approach of combining psychology and art together with the use of performance, installation, video, painting and print making. Being diagnosed with dyslexia has caused me to question the world – to deconstruct labels of what mental health is, to question the systems of learning and to turn passive viewers into active ones. In my practice, I employ a self-reflective approach to use art as therapy for myself and thereby question my place within society.

SJI International was the perfect environment to learn about myself and was a crucial element of my development process that led me to where I am today. Thank you, Ms Pam Carter for being hard on me when I spoke so softly in Biology class.

Thank you, Ms Old for teaching me how to analyse Shakespeare within its historical context and constantly prompting me to participate in class.

Thank you, Mr Tedstone for breaking down those alien-like maths formulas into something that was more recognisable, and thank you, Ms Julia Goodchild for being so open to ideas and fostering an environment for creativity. I will be forever grateful to the people I met during my three and a half years at SJI International.

My First Sentence: December 1997 Artwork by Rebecca Ou 4

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW

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Reflections on Home Ruru Hoong (’14) reflects on what it means to be at home. She is currently studying liberal arts and sciences at Stanford University.

“Where do you come from?”

This is by far the most common question I’ve had to answer since coming to the US – although some other clichéd conversation-starters come close (“What do you want to major in?” or “What classes are you taking?” – if only I had a nickel for every time…) With somewhat of a sigh, I prepare myself for the usual spiel. Born in Singapore, grew up in Shanghai, moved back to Singapore, now pursuing my undergrad degree at Stanford, etc. The list rolls off my tongue – foreign, detached, recited to redundancy.

“Where do you call home?”

I pause to think. “Where I come from” is easy; it’s simply a linear trajectory that can be traced along the passage of time. The concept of home is more complicated because it isn’t tied to physical time; it’s murkier, comprised of dribs and drabs of wafting memories, emotions defined and undefined, evocative of both a sense of solidity and malleability.

Where is home? I’m not sure I have an answer; if home is a place, then it shifts and leaps, refusing to be captured in any concrete definition.

Home is the buzzing dorms of Stanford, the whizzing of bicycles going around the central roundabout (affectionately named ‘the Circle of Death’) at rush hour. It is 4am conversations about the nature of Love in Plato’s symposium, ‘midnight-study-parties’ of debugging code and trawling through multivariable calculus problem sets (yes, the stereotype holds true, Stanford is indeed full of nerds) – or anything that necessitates staying awake till the wee hours of the morning, really. Home is, somewhat concerningly, the inevitability of sleep deprivation.

Home is also what lifts me out of the stupor of sleep deprivation – impromptu Monday drives to the beach, dance practice after a long day of

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classes. Home is the familiar staccato movements of the tango, the breathless beauty of dancing to Piazzolla’s passionate tunes.

Home is evening walks by the campus lake, the faint crackle of gravel and twigs underfoot and the loud rustle of scurrying squirrels.

Home is 2am skype calls to Mom and Dad, forcing myself to smile through aching fatigue so as to not make them worry – and then realising I’m not faking the smile after all. Home is listening to my younger sister ramble on about life, bursting into laughter as she bemoans the depletion of her stash of Nerd Ropes (clearly a not-so-subtle hint for me to bring some more back).

Home is wishing I could be closer to family.

between Manisha and me), a handful of Stanford students found themselves in Warwick for a weekend. Hearing from speakers like former Italian PM Enrico Letta on the future of the EU, and meeting the Director-General of the UN in Geneva, Michael Møller, I marvelled at how much could be achieved through a simple friendship – a friendship that started out back in Mr Glew’s and Ms Smyth’s Economics HL classes.

So what is home? I still don’t have an answer, but I know it’s not a place. Perhaps home is a fluid part of ourselves; an amalgamation of memories, family, and friends we can rely on. Home is what we take with us, wherever life may lead. And right now, I think I’ve found my home.

Picnic with Brother George

Ruru and Manisha (second and third from right) at the Warwick Economics Summit

Home is SJI International, and the enduring friendships I formed there. I may have left school, but the people of SJI International still very much remain in my life. Last November, a couple of Stanford friends and I drove up to Napa Valley to visit Brother George, who now lives in the beautiful sprawling retreat of Mont La Salle (a tranquil haven nestled amongst rolling hills and splendid wineries). We spread our makeshift picnic mats over the grass and shared a lovely lunch together – Stanford and SJI International, past and present coalescing in the most gorgeous of places.

And home is the fuzzy warmth I felt when I found myself in the UK during the middle of February (a much needed warmth, given the dreary winter weather), leading a Stanford delegation to the Warwick Economics Summit. One of my closest friends back at SJI International, Manisha (Manisha Madan ’14), had messaged me late last year about arranging a trip for Stanford students to attend an economics conference she was organising. Given the distance between Stanford and Warwick, I thought it to be impossible at first, but with persistence and a lot of collaboration (mostly in the form of frenzied Facebook messages

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW

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Right Now Samuel Mok (’14) is looking to study Design and Photography after his National Service

Photo by Samuel Mok

Samuel, front left, with the SCDF Multimedia Team

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As an alumnus from the Class of 2014, it has been more than a year since I completed my secondary education at SJI International. Together with most of the alumni with whom I graduated, I had to start thinking deeply about possible further education at university, particularly in the field of Geography; a strong interest of mine since Senior School.

three units: Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). In my case, I was posted to the SCDF, along with a surprisingly large number of fellow alumni compared to previous years. However, after the medical check-up deemed me unfit for service in an active unit, my eventual posting is as a clerk.

But before that can happen, some of us, myself included, have to complete a mandatory phase of our lives as eighteen year-old male Singaporeans. On 5 May 2015, I began my National Service (NS) journey and the boys in our batch were posted to serve in one of

Back at SJI International, I helped out as the school’s event photographer, capturing various events that would be posted online on the school’s website, or in publications such as the school yearbooks, as photoraphy has always been an interest of mine. So

I was posted to the Public Affairs Department (PAD) of HQ SCDF, where I work for the Multimedia Team as a photographer for SCDF and ‘Home Team’related events. Being able to regularly go out-field for ‘coverage’ and be up close to the action is, in its own way, just as fulfilling as serving in an active unit. In the office, I manage the information that is uploaded on the SCDF’s broadcast system, Civil Defence Television (CDTV). It often requires creating and modifying the slides using Adobe Photoshop. Overall, NS has been a refreshing experience allowing me to broaden my skills in editing and photography.

As a person of Christian faith, I find that the

SJI International core values, Faith, Service and Community, are also a part of my post-SJI International days.

I find them especially pertinent as I started attending Bethany Independent-Presbyterian Church regularly.

Faith and service, in particular, continue to grow as I attend church activities during the week and assist the church brethren in cleaning and maintaining the church premises. I somewhat miss my time studying at SJI International, but I’m glad that I managed to create valuable memories from those days and that the lessons learnt have carried forward into my journeys in governmental and spiritual service.

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S T U D E N T C R E AT I O N S

“What Now” a phrase that I often ask myself when thinking about the uncertain future, and evaluating my goals.

Artwork by Chia Xinyi (’15) 10

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW

Ever - Forever

Preparing for the Future

Marianne Chan (’12) and Claire Chia (’12)

Khang Huynh (’15) is preparing to enter Yale-NUS in August 2016

are currently studying in Australia while Doddy Anderson (’12) is in Nanyang Technological University.

Together they form the band EVER

It has been eight years since the first chance meeting that started it all, and we have spent two of those years as EVER, comprising Marianne, Claire and Doddy.

All three of us graduated in 2012. At that point in time, all our plans involved studying in Singaporean universities. It was an exciting time; the prospect of exchanging timetables and finding a common day to meet regularly meant that we were unlikely to lose touch.

Two of us even ended up studying at the same university. Throughout that time, we managed to copyright a few original songs under COMPASS (Composers’ and Authors’ Society of Singapore), perform a little, got together and collaborated.

But as we each began our schedules post SJI International, activity tapered off into what would become a lull that lasted for about a year.

We did not expect to have to part ways but as fate would have it, Marianne left for Brisbane at the beginning of 2014 and Claire left for Sydney in early 2015. Despite this, we continued to make music together in the spaces where our vacations overlapped, as well as before each of us left.

Distance never stopped us from producing music; each separately recording their parts and uploading the files to Dropbox, after which Doddy would mix the tracks. It was a relatively slow process but it was interesting and certainly heartwarming, to see how we could still create music despite the distance.

One of the songs that came out of this was our entry for the SG50 The Gift of Song contest, titled Home Is Where the Heart Is. Reunited again at the end of 2014, we essentially acted like tourists in our own country and travelled around filming clips of people, places and moments

This mini project also included an accompanying ‘photo hearts’ series, where we took pictures of hand hearts around things that might be traditionally or stereotypically ‘Singaporean’, or simply everyday things that brought back memories of our childhood as Singaporeans. We were still able to collaborate, but it definitely came with its own set of challenges.

Like any other relationship separated by distance, we had moments of misunderstanding and periods of long silences when we were too busy or preoccupied. University may have a more flexible timetable, but we often found ourselves missing the days we were in the same school with a music room readily available for use whenever we wanted. We are only really able to meet once a year for about three months, during which one or more of us may have a temporary job or university commitments. Fortunately we had a chance to perform for an open mic session at The Beast earlier this year. While it is neither the easiest nor the most convenient of things, it has been two years and we have weathered some pretty rough waters.

It is always a joy to come back together and know that it will never really be awkward. Our friendship is kept alive by constant contact, learning to share parts of our lives with each other, and supporting each other through the process. For a group of people who were once worried about what distance would mean for us as a unit, we have definitely come a long way.

We greatly appreciate everyone’s support on our music-making journey. For more adventures with & music by EVER, feel free to follow us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/evercdm/

The saying goes: ‘All good things come to an end, so that we can cherish them’. Indeed, my unforgettable journey at SJI International eventually concluded with the meaningful Graduation Ceremony and the remarkable Prom Night.

As each and every one in my cohort has gone their separate ways and embarked on their new journeys, I would like to humbly share a bit of my story and hopefully hear from others in return. While waiting for university to commence in July, I returned to my country, Vietnam, to spend time with my family whom I have been living away from for the past three years.

Embracing the motto of our school: ‘Enter to learn, leave to serve’, I decided to not only serve the community around me but also to continue to learn and enrich myself. On the weekends, I join the volunteer team at a local orphanage and teach children some basic English through arts and craft. Not content with the status quo and always reaching out for more, I decided to pick up two new languages, Chinese and Japanese, as they will be useful in this fast-globalising world. Moreover, I keep pursuing my long-lasting passion, Aikido, by attending daily night practice sessions.

In my free time, I work on university applications, keeping in touch with my friends and having some quality moments with my family. An internship or a small job would be of great benefit but, after thoughtful consideration, I prefer widening my horizons through learning new things than by working, as I can still do the latter while in university. High school at SJI International has been so far the best time of my life, filled with not only hard work but also joy, laughter and happiness. Leaving a part of my youth is tough, but I know for sure that the knowledge imparted and experience learned from this journey will be an indispensable part in my future.

Background image: EVER 12

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W H E R E A R E Y O UV NOOI CWE S

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Photos an d Photos and Philisop hy Philisophy

Le arn ing to Fly Marilyn Tan (’15) writes about her first few weeks at the University of Melbourne where she is studying Ricardo Seah(‘10) recently graduated from the University of Psychology and Media and Communications British Columbia

In February I packed my bags and moved to Melbourne to begin my studies at the University of Melbourne, and with that I embarked on a whole new adventure – university life.

So, university life is really different from high school. No more uniforms, no more compulsory extracurricular activities, no more school assemblies. In the past five months, the apparent lack of rules has given me more leeway to do as I please: should I wake up and attend rowing training which entails running up and down a 13-storey building three times ? What time should I schedule my first class in the morning? Should I attend my lectures or watch the online recordings?

With this increased leeway, I’ve had the power to make my own decisions. But as the saying goes, “with great power comes great responsibility”, and indeed, the responsibility of making sound decisions has landed squarely on my shoulders.

Apart from learning to make my own decisions, coming to Melbourne also required me to move out on my own.

While Melbourne offers a host of different living arrangements,

from homestay in the suburbs to living in an apartment on campus, I have opted to live in a residential college in the University – Newman College, to be specific, and this has certainly been an eye-opening experience for me.

Living in a residential college has allowed me to try new things, such as joining the aforementioned college rowing team and taking part in community service activities within the college.

Apart from those, I have also had the chance to participate in formal dinners – a college tradition where you wear a college gown (with a striking resemblance to the gowns you see in Harry Potter movies), and sit through a three-course dinner with your peers from the college community.

We even have the opportunity to sit at High Table with the senior members of the college – something which I have yet to experience.

At the time of writing, it has been nine weeks since I officially started university and 10 weeks since I first moved to Melbourne, and I have been enjoying every moment of it, immersing myself in a new culture, meeting new people and enjoying the (rather hectic) lifestyle of a university student.

Ricardo Seah (’10) recentlyfrom graduated Ricardo Seah (’10) recently graduated the University of from the University of British Columbia British Columbia

Most might know me as a photographer and the co-founder of the photography club amongst other things from my days at SJI International. It’s always heartening to receive compliments and Most might know me as a fellow photographer and the co-founder of the photography club amongst other things from answer questions from alumni regarding photography. my days at SJI International. It’s always heartening to receive compliments and answer questions from fellow alumni regarding photography.

I have been shooting for about 10 years now and one of the questions I get asked most frequently is:I“What makes a good photographer?” truth is that II don’t have allfrequently the answers, butmakes what I have been shooting for about 10 years now andThe one of the questions get asked most is: “What can offerphotographer?” is my philosophy on photography: a good The truth is that I don’t have all the answers, but what I can offer is my philosophy on photography:

The job of the photographer is to capture images that inspire and bring the viewer into the scene.

The job of the photographer is to capture images that inspire and bring the viewer into the scene. The photographer The photographer oneseen/unique who seeksimages out rarely seen/unique either by exploring new places is one who seeks out is rarely either by exploring newimages places and subjects or shooting something and subjects or shooting something everyone has seen in a way nobody has seen before.

The everyone has seen in a way nobody has seen before. The photographer is an artist who will go to extremes to get the best shot possible. photographer is an artist who will go to extremes to get the best shot possible.

Till we meet again, keep shooting!

Ora Et Labora, Till we meet Ricardo Seahagain, keep shooting!

Ora Et Labora, Ricardo Seah

Background image: Ricardo Seah 14

Photo by Ricardo Seah

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Day Aft er Yesterday Simren Sekhon (’15) embarks on a quest for self-ex-

ploration and development before heading off to Cambridge University in Fall 2016

Six years in SJI International went by in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

Hence, 2016 is a major turning point for me as I enter university and live independently over 10,000 miles from the place I call home. It seems rather daunting and there are times I wish time would stand still and wait for me to catch up to it. Well, rather than wishing for the impossible, I think it’s important I take things a step at a time. After all, first there are 9 months to do anything I want. That sounds pretty amazing and I want to make sure I make the best of it. I want to use this time for self-development and self-exploration – expose myself to new things, people and places, while reflecting on who I am as a person and what that actually means; I’m willing to take a shot at it.

I kicked off with an internship at the Ministry of Education, in the branch that deals with social and emotional learning. Almost immediately I was thrown into a number of projects that allowed me to learn a lot.

First, I was involved in a pilot project aiming to instil greater gratitude in students and was specifically asked to create a Gratitude Journal for students – I aimed to make this journal an interesting one by integrating a number of activities that were interactive.

Background image: Ricardo Seah 16

WHERE ARE YOU NOW

This project enabled me to not only read around and better understand the benefits of gratitude to my life but it inspired me to try and embrace the virtue of gratitude, rather than just feel grateful once in a while. I was also involved in the creation of an online platform for students to engage in interactive educational activities.

The experience was truly eye opening – I came up with a story line for the package and was a part of the meetings required to make this into a reality on screen which also allowed me to understand the work that goes on behind the scenes needed to create a great outcome. I definitely learnt the importance of effective communication – whether with the committees I worked with in school or those in the civil service – a lack of clear communication can cause delays. Finally, I also did a review of academic literature with regard to the integration of social and emotional learning with moral and character education. Out of everything I was involved in, this was the most challenging, as it required me to go through vast amounts of information and conceptualise the key ideas before presenting them coherently to others.

Overall, even though I faced some hurdles, there are two main points to take away in context of the aims I have for this 9-month journey. First, I realised that the success I had during my internship was largely because I had amazing people around me who were great sources of support and encouragement – all were extremely helpful and friendly both within and outside the sphere of work. In the beginning, the reason I had wanted my internship to be at the Ministry of Education is because previous activities and internships had always led to education and ignited my passion for it. In addition, my involvement in service at SJI International meant that, although I don’t know what my future career will be, I definitely want to serve my wider community. Hence, this experience exposed me to one way of doing that – civil service – and it was a great way for me to understand the nuances of education and form my own views on it. Overall, this internship was extremely enriching, and perhaps better understanding education will help me get more out of my future learning experiences.

In March I was lucky enough to be assigned the role of one of the two Secretaries General for the Singapore International Model United Nations Conference.

Having been involved in MUN at school for 5 years, the experience allowed me to round off my Model UN career, a great passion of mine, in the best way possible. As the first SJI International student acting as a Secretary General of any Model UN conference, I believe I made my team and my SJI International

MUN society proud. Model UN aside, I have dedicated this month to spending quality time with my friends and family especially with the thought that come September, my friends and I will be dispersed around the world, pursuing our passions and carving our own paths.

I kicked April off on beachy shores with some family and then spent nearly a month with my parents exploring Japan! Both these experiences were very different from one another in their own beautiful way.

Take Japan for example, for as long as I can remember, I have always loved Japanese food (what isn’t there to love?) and have heard so many stories from a number of my friends who have visited Japan. It was amazing to experience this in my own way and forge some amazing memories. Spending such an extended period of time there really allowed me to gauge a better understanding of the culture of Japan, gain a better appreciation for its cuisine and marvel at the wonders of its natural beauty. A key highlight was visiting the war museum in Tokyo, placed in a shrine dedicated to all those who had lost their lives in war. Not only did the shrine have the prettiest Sakura (cherry blossoms) I have ever seen, but it also brought my historical knowledge to life. A large proportion of my IB history lessons were of Japanese history stemming from the Meiji period, and this allowed me to see it with my own eyes, and feel the wholesome essence of this period in time. Be it visiting a number of castles, shrines and temples in the enchanted city of Kyoto, seeing Mount Fuji in all its glory, experiencing a true Japanese Ryokan or staying in a village lost in over 200 years in time, this was a truly spectacular journey. One of my biggest passions has always been travelling and I can’t think of a better way for me to have started that off!

Perhaps, for me, the time that I will learn most about myself will be in June. Although by descent, I am half North Indian (Punjabi) and Turkish, I don’t see myself in parts but rather an amalgamation. Having lived in Singapore for most of my life, there is no nation I feel more bound to and I believe Singapore and SJII’s multi-cultural and multi-racial quality has given me the freedom to explore the various dimensions to my identity, and to embrace new ones. Having not been back to Turkey in 12 years, I am excited at the prospect of using this time exploring my identity by spending some time in the Mediterranean to better understand the culture I stem from. This is a journey I feel I need to take to quench the curiousity of my entire being – being the Bollywood buff that I am, I feel I understand my Indian part but at the same time, I owe myself the journey to understand what that means when you blend it with Turkey. Undoubtedly this will be a quest for many years to come too. Current plans also point

to the possibility of experiencing the Baltic and the wonders of Eastern Europe, which is a truly exciting notion!

I think the memories I will look back on with a keen fondness is every Sunday morning here in Singapore – when my grandma and my mum bring me to the different residential estates where they used to live, followed by breakfast in the market of that area. I absolutely love hearing family history and the stories they tell when we visit these places. These stories span the time when my mum was born, when my grandma got married (and where her wedding reception was!) and even where my great grandparents used to live. Of course, I can’t move on without mentioning that the local delights are ever so good (the roti prata and carrot cake at the Tangin Halt Market is especially so!) With the vastly developing Singapore, it saddens me that some of these buildings may no longer exist a few years from now; however, I take comfort that they will always be in my heart.

As I write this, I feel almost as if I am entering the unknown because I haven’t experienced a lot of this yet but what I find even more exciting is that my selfexploration won’t stop there. I am sure that the time I have in between all these travels will be necessary to recuperate, reflect and reconnect with my closest here in Singapore. Undoubtedly, there is a lot to experience here in Singapore as there is around the world! (One unique thing that I have involved myself in, being the pasta-lover that I am, is a pasta-making class with my mum!) I am also really excited to use my time at university to collaborate in an array of cultural and intellectual pursuits, to fulfill my own passions, to learn and innovate, all within a community that will become my home away from home.

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VOICES

I N F I N I TA S | J U L Y 2 0 1 6

David Singh

S T U D E N T C R E AT I O N S

Fiv e for Caroline, Katherine, Kimberly and Elizabeth; how we five hound the Sun. I Now the burnt boughs stretch, their Deadly nightshade oozes, seeps Seeking through night’s vacuum air--How these hounds relish, burning Like a sickle swing, head buckled, For that carmine dawn, calling In howling whispers to each Branch of the sacred tether.

Nipped, Nyx’s scions speak Of their brutal births, twisted Pacts carved in pelt, all savage Under the new moon’s blister.

1997 - 2016, R.I.P

One moment I’ll be talking to him about self actualization, poetry, and other stuff which I couldn’t always understand, and the next he will be telling the funniest stories about himself. David was headstrong, and he wasn’t afraid to stick to his own beliefs and opinions even if those around him disagreed with him – and I think it takes a lot of strength and courage to do that. He was oftentimes stubborn, but he was also someone I could count on when I needed someone to jerk me back to reality and give me the truth whenever I was throwing myself a major pity party. Of course, he’ll never fail to comfort you with jokes and laughter afterwards. While he saw the worst in society, he never failed to seek the best in people (yes even under that huge, never-ending mountain of spite), and while it’s not obvious, he did give second chances to the people he felt were worth that second chance. He was trustworthy and never failed to back up a friend who he knew would do the same for him, and even though his house is super far away from mine he’d always make an effort to hang out. David was always one skype call away, and I’ll never forget how he’d hang up whenever he wanted without saying goodbye just because he felt like it, and all the late nights that switched between comfortable silences and distracting each other with random buzzfeed quizzes and tumblr.

Katherine Lee (’15) 18

Right now, I miss David tremendously. Whatever I do, whenever I speak, or carry out any actions, I can’t help but see that David has had such a great influence on me.

Whenever I’m chatting to someone, it’s like I’m waiting for David to interject with his sarcastic comments, flip his fluffy hair and give me his infamous eye rolls.

His trench coat that he left in my house still hangs on my door. The books that he purposefully leaves in my house in hopes that I’ll read still lie on my shelf, not ready to be read. When the song Hello by Adele plays on the radio, I am brought back to our karaoke sessions where I can still hear David screaming obnoxiously during the chorus. When I read or watch something particularly interesting and stimulating, that’s when I miss him most. I miss him being there, ready to listen, to explore and discuss new and old ideas.

I cannot stress how amazing a friend he has been, and how much he means to me.

Elizabeth Leong (’15)

We are the cysts of reverie That burrow, arrow, grow--Like flaming feral ghosts, close To the New Apollo’s vagary II And what of the fickle foils The tools we left to dry, whose Wings flicker and beat Like fire bathing in oil?

Those wintered bones I parted To our delicate hands, twin Stars, brooding, darted To the nebulous eye Staring naked at the melting soil?

Though our roads diverge now, Thread thin and bare we quiver, Shivering the haggard hoar And reach, sweet sisters As Bleached arrows All cackles and calls Running, yearning and burning Even if any may fall.

David Singh November 2015 19

I N F I N I TA S | J U L Y 2 0 1 6

S u mmer Reu nion 2015

VOICES

Alumni in the U K Brian Theng (’12) is currently studying Classics at Oxford University

Alumni Week kicked off on Saturday, 25 July, with our annual Alumni Summer Reunion.

It was wonderful to see so many alumni, from those who graduated in 2009 to those who have only been alumni for the last seven months, gather in the IB Lounge to catch up with old friends, teachers and staff.

SJI International’s Alumni Association President, Ian Chai ’09 made his first official address to his fellow alumni, welcoming them back to School and sharing the different ways in which they could stay in touch and continue to be involved.

Br Larry’s opening prayer took everybody back to their school days, as he ended his prayer with the customary “St Joseph,” and “live Jesus in our hearts” to which the alumni collectively responded with a familiar “pray for us” and “forever” after each respectively.

Mr Roberts also got the chance to welcome the alumni back to school and reminded them that an important part of the success of the school is the result of their hard work.

The alumni then enjoyed food, got the chance to explore the newer parts of the school that did not exist while they were studying here, and took a trip down memory lane through all the school year books that were laid out for them as well as through a visual display of events from the past.

It was an evening filled with chatter, fun and laughter, and everybody had a good time.

We would like to thank all the teachers and staff for coming back to school on a Saturday to join us for the event and of course would also like to thank all alumni who came back, for keeping us in their hearts and making this reunion a success – the best yet!

We would especially like to thank our Advancement and Communications Office Intern and alumnus of the School, Brian Theng, who single-handedly planned the reunion and brought the alumni together for a lovely evening.

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On 24 January, a group of alumni based in the UK gathered for lunch in London. Held at The Happenstance, the casual gathering was a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up, reminisce, and share about university life.

The mix of alumni, who were from the Classes of 2012 and 2013, allowed for varied and lively conversations – we even got a little carried away and time flew by! On a more personal note, it was heart-warming to see Lasallians, though far from home, still in touch and excelling in their fields. It was tremendously enjoyable for all of us, and because of this we hope to do something similar next year. If you are or will be based in the UK when that time comes around, be sure to look out for updates! We thank the ACO for helping us make the event a success, and especially for helping cover some of the costs. Till next time!

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