The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 21 Issue 05

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

CHRONICLE

21

05 0 3.11.14

ISSN NO. 0218-7310

Pioneer Hall elections

Getting elected the hard way NEWS | 3 Speaking candidly

The Birds & The Bees OPINIONS | 27 Ethan Juan’s media conference

Student, athelete, coach Individuals who take their sporting ability to the next level

SPORTS | 32

阮经天为戏 “重返” 军中生活

南苑 | 24

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The Briefing Room:

Our news editors’ pick of interesting news stories from around the world

Unmanned NASA rocket explodes seconds after launch AN UNMANNED Antares rocket was intentionally detonated six seconds after its launch at 6.22am (Singapore time) last Tuesday, because of "catastrophic" system failure. It was delivering supplies to the International Space Station.

The rocket was carrying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of equipment and supplies. No casualties were reported.

The rocket was built and operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation, which NASA had awarded a US$1.9 billion (S$2.4 billion) contract.

First MH370 lawsuit

THE first lawsuit involving missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 was filed last Friday.

The family of Mr Jee Jing Hang, a passenger onboard MH370, is suing the Malaysian government and other local authorities for negligence and breach of contract.

Jee's relatives have engaged lawyer Gary Chong, who is seeking damages on behalf of Mr Jee's two young children. They decided to file the suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court last week, after giving authorities time to locate the plane.

PHOTOS: INTERNET

Cook comes out

Hailo launches in Singapore

Marvel-lous news

AN ADDITIONAL taxi booking application is now available, with the launch of Hailo last Wednesday. The London-based company is the fourth such app in the local market after EasyTaxi, GrabTaxi and Uber.

Unlike other apps which utilise the bidding system, Hailo uses a location-based system to allocate the nearest driver, claiming that this system will result in shorter waiting times for commuters. The app also has an option for automatic billing to credit cards.

Hailo is backed by local transport operator SMRT in a joint venture partnership, with SMRT providing support in terms of marketing efforts and infrastructure. They will also be working with Prime Taxi.

It is free for download on both the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

APPLE CEO Tim Cook came out last Thursday, acknowledging publicly for the first time that he is gay. He wrote in a Bloomberg Businessweek column: “Let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

In the column, he also stated that he had attempted to maintain a “basic level of privacy”, but decided that the desire for privacy was preventing him from working for the benefit of others.

MARVEL Studios announced on 29 Oct its plans for Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will extend till 2019.

Fans of the franchise can expect a total of 11 Marvel films to be released over the course of the next five years.

Among the most anticipated films are Captain America: Civil War, scheduled for release on 6 May 2016, as well as Thor 3: Ragnarok, slated for July 28, 2017. The third Avengers movie, Avengers: Infinity War, will will be split into two parts and released on 4 May 2018 and 3 May 2019 respectively.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE

WIN BIG WITH US

ON THE WEB Illumi Run Giveaway

The Nanyang Chronicle is giving away five pairs of tickets (worth $78 per ticket) to the Illumi Run, held over two days on 28 and 29 Nov. Known as the ultimate party run, participants will dance to electrifying music in the Illumi Glow Zones and get splashed with Illumi Glow Water.

Video: A Pole-sitive Experience

Video: Chronicle goes to the movies

Sports Writers Nicholas Tan and Matthew Mohan go for a crash course on the art of pole dancing at Studio Sands, a pole fitness studio. Watch them work the pole.

Reviews Writers Serene Low and Paige Lim talk about the five most anticipated films hitting the cinemas before the year ends. Plan your trip to the movies early with this video guide.

NTU Partnership to develop advanced sports equipment

Reviews: Laggies

NTU has partnered four multinational companies to form Innovative Composites for Sports Products (I-Comp Sports), an association that will develop new state-of-the-art sports equipment. News Writer Jo-ann Quah shares how this development can boost the local sports scene.

Find us at www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg.

Megan (Keira Knightley), a jobless woman in her 20s, befriends high school student Annika (Chloë Grace Moretz), in an unlikely friendship. Reviews Writer Lilian Lee brings you the hits and misses of this star-studded movie.

'Like' us on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ ChronNTU) for more information.

DMA.Hack Giveaway

In collaboration with DMA.Hack, the Nanyang Chronicle is giving away a Probox 5200 mAh power bank, worth more than $50. All you have to do is leave a comment and answer a simple question. The person with the best answer will win and be notified via Facebook on 6 Nov. If you have a great idea for an innovative digital media app, take part in Asia’s only media hackathon from 14 to 16 Nov and stand to win over $20,000 in prizes.

News

Professors get dunked — Page 5

Hall election debacle NTU’s Pioneer Hall just barely manages to fill key positions, after swift intervention to avoid leadership vacuum Aqil Haziq Louisa Tang News

editors

P

ioneer Hall of Residence narrowly averted a student leadership crisis, when two rounds of elections failed to fill key positions in their inaugural Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC).

In both the hall’s main and byelections, candidates failed to garner enough votes to secure their positions.

This prompted the hall’s Faculty-in-Residence (FiR) committee to call for an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on 7 Oct to address the electoral issues.

Fine margins

During Pioneer Hall’s main election on 16 Sep, 215 of its 581 residents cast their votes.

While there was only one candidate each running for the positions of President and Vice-President, they both received only 64 per cent of the valid votes. Meanwhile, the sole candidate for the Academic Services Director position received 66 per cent of the valid votes.

All three failed to meet the 66.7 per cent voting majority required to be elected into office.

The position of Recreation Director was also left vacant after its sole candidate withdrew before the election.

Blanks again

A by-election was subsequently held on 22 Sep, with candidates for all four positions, except Recreation Director, running uncontested.

However, the by-election results were rendered invalid because only 107 voters turned up.

This figure did not meet the minimum threshold of 150 votes for the position of President, and 120 votes for other positions.

Pioneer Hall resident Barry Tay, 21, felt that the low turnout could have been due to the “improper dissemination of information”.

“Many residents didn’t know that the elections were going on.

They didn’t know when the rally was happening, and because of that they didn’t know when the voting was going to take place,” said the first-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS).

Leong Kah Mun, 19, a first-year student from the Wee Kim Wee

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS: This timeline charts the unprecendented events that occurred during the election process at Pioneer Hall.

School of Communication and Information, said: “I expected that people wouldn’t be so active, especially since we’re the first two halls where the majority of the rooms consist of single rooms, so I came here with the notion that people preferred to do their own stuff instead of participating actively in hall activities.”

A compromise

At the EGM, which all residents were required to attend, one of Pioneer Hall’s FiRs, Dr Sze Chun Chau, pointed out the need to have a proper student management structure in place.

The Nanyang Chronicle understands that Dr Sze had explained that the President had to be voted in by the residents rather than appointed by the FiRs. This would ensure that he or she earns the right to have the final say on financial

“Many residents didn’t know that the elections were going on. They didn’t know when the rally was happening, and because of that they didn’t know when the voting was going to take place.”

Barry Tay, 21 First-year student School of Humanities and Social Sciences

matters, such as the hall budget.

With that, a motion to lower the voting majority requirement from 66.7 to 65 per cent was raised. A total of 359 residents turned up to vote, and the motion was passed with 90.2 per cent voting in favour.

This enabled the four candidates to be elected into each of the vacant positions.

While the new voting majority requirement of 65 per cent was still higher than the 64.1 per cent that both the President and Vice-President-elects received, the Chronicle was unable to ascertain the reason for this discrepancy by press time.

An unexpected exit

However, the election saga did not end there.

Just five days after the EGM, on 12 Oct, Pioneer Hall residents received an email from Senior FiR Associate Professor Christopher Shearwood, announcing that he was “asked to leave the hall with immediate effect”.

“The University management and my team here at Pioneer Hall have expressed their lack of confidence in my leadership.

“A number of reasons were presented to me but they mostly relate to the fiasco with the elections. I am extremely surprised and shocked by their decision especially since I have not done anything wrong,” said Assoc Prof Shearwood, in a copy of the email obtained by the Chronicle.

Assoc Prof Shearwood’s sudden departure left a number of Pioneer Hall residents feeling stunned and

“I expected that people wouldn’t be so active ... so I came here with the notion that people preferred to do their own stuff instead of participating actively in hall activities.”

Leong Kah Mun, 19 First-year student Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information

confused.

Kimberly Wong, 19, a first-year student from HSS, said: “I don’t think it’s his fault, he sent multiple emails to get people to vote. It’s not like he sat back and did nothing.”

Others praised Assoc Prof Shearwood’s generous and affable nature as a Senior FiR. Ng Wee Tong, 22, a first-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, said: “He even donated a boxing bag to our gym.”

Zheng Hui Jun, 19, a first-year student from the Nanyang Business School, said: “He really took the initiative to speak and interact with us.”

In an email to Pioneer Hall residents sent two days later, Senior Associate Provost Kam Chan Hin said: “Associate Provost Kwok Kian Woon and I had a discussion with Assoc Prof Shearwood who has agreed that he will relinquish his appointment as Senior Faculty-in-

GRAPHIC: PAMELA NG

Residence with immediate effect and that he will no longer be involved in Pioneer Hall.

“This is to enable Assoc Prof Shearwood to better focus on his other university duties, especially his contributions to the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering — where he is an exemplary teacher and also the recipient of a new research grant.

“I would also like to personally thank Assoc Prof Christopher Shearwood for having served as Senior Faculty-in-Residence during the start-up phase of Pioneer Hall.”

Assoc Prof Shearwood declined further comment on the matter when approached by the Chronicle.

Moving forward

While Prof Kam acknowledged the teething problems which had surrounded Pioneer Hall’s election processes, he said that it had “galvanised” its residents and created many opportunities for learning and exercising leadership.

He added that the current Pioneer Hall FiRs will work closely with their “new members in due course” to improve the experience of living on campus for current and future residents.

However, some residents were still puzzled over the circumstances surrounding Assoc Prof Shearwood’s departure, and they hoped that in time, more information will be shared.

“They (the Hall FiRs) didn’t disclose what happened and just wanted us to move on,” Zheng said.

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More halal options needed in halls Lack of halal food options in hall canteens an issue for Muslim students living on campus

manities and Social Sciences, said that it was inconvenient for Muslim students who did not live near the halal food stalls to have their meals.

“The halal stalls are so far away from my hall. It’s not just the distance — it’s quite unsafe to go that far at night, which is usually the time you get hungry,” explained the Hall 14 resident, who often has her dinner at Canteen 11, the nearest hall canteen with a halal stall.

It is a 10-minute walk away from her hall.

Muhammad Zailani Ismail

M

uslim students living on campus are lamenting the lack of dining options, after a check by the Nanyang Chronicle revealed that only four out of over 50 stalls in the school’s Hall of Residence canteens serve halal food.

As of press time, the four stalls are in Canteens 2, 9, 11, and Pioneer Food Court.

Before the halal food stall in Pioneer Food Court opened in September this year, students had even fewer stalls to choose from.

Olivia Cinta, 19, a first-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, said that more halal food vendors should be brought in to cater to an increasingly diverse student population.

“With a growing university population, there is going to be an increase in the number of international and local students who are

Lack of vendors

LIMITED OPTIONS: This map shows the location of halal stalls in the hall canteens on campus.

Muslim. There will be a higher demand for halal food choices, so it would be fair to increase the number of halal stalls,” she said.

NTU does not publish figures of the number of Muslim students living on campus, but NTU statistics show that its undergraduate popu-

lation has risen by almost 30 per cent since 2005.

Cinta also suggested the addition of a specially designated halal food canteen in one of the halls, to alleviate the long dinner queues for halal food.

“There should be at least one

GRAPHIC: DARRYL LIM

all-halal food court in a school hall canteen, like it is in some shopping centres. Both Muslim and non-Muslim students can eat there, so the queues will be more spread out,” she added.

Nurul Amirah, 20, a first-year student from the School of Hu-

NTU’s Chief Housing and Auxiliary Services Officer Jimmy Lee attributed the lack of halal food stalls in hall canteens to the reluctance of halal food vendors to set up stalls on campus.

“While we would like to have more hall canteens serving halal and vegetarian food, take-up has been slow as some potential vendors perceive a low demand for such cuisine in certain halls,” he said.

Mr Lee encourages halal stall vendors, and vendors that offer Chinese, Indian, or Western vegetarian cuisine, to contact the university’s food court operators if they are interested in operating on campus.

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Dunking for a good cause Students, faculty members and NTU staff take part in dunking event to promote NTUSUSF's cause of helping needy students Toh Ting Wei

G

etting dunked into a pool is not within a professor’s usual job scope, but NTU Professor Ooi Kim Tiow and two of his fellow colleagues did it anyway — all for a good cause.

They were participants in the Fundtastic Dunking Challenge (Fundtastic) on 27 and 28 October, organised by the NTU Students’ Union Students’ Fund (NTUSUSF).

Prof Ooi, Associate Chairman (Academic) of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), was dunked on the second day outside NTU’s Nanyang Auditorium, where the challenge was held.

He succeeded in raising more than $700 before he took up his position on the platform, far exceeding the stipulated amount of $30 required to dunk a professor.

Prof Ooi had made a spontaneous donation, after which he issued a challenge to onlooking students and staff, asking them to match his contribution.

Among those who responded to his challenge was Associate Professor Lee Yong Tsui, his colleague at MAE. “I used to dunk my boss, and now I can dunk my colleagues, so

READY FOR THE PLUNGE: Prof Ooi Kim Tiow sportingly climbs onto the platform to get dunked by MAE students, in the name of charity.

PHOTO: ALICIA GOH

it is an interesting and innovative event,” joked Assoc Prof Lee. Other professors and staff who took part in Fundtastic were Assistant Professors Sonny Rosenthal and Joseph Cheung, from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication (WKWSCI) and the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering respectively, and Miss Kelly Fan, an officer from the Student Affairs Office.

Prof Ooi said: “This is a good initiative because it gets the masses to participate and be involved, while helping needy students.”

The dunking mechanism involves a raised platform above the water tank, on which participants have to sit. Upon pushing a lever, the platform will drop and participants will be dunked into the pool.

The NTUSUSF is primarily aimed at raising funds to help financially needy students in NTU. But through Fundtastic, NTUSUSF also hopes to raise awareness about its cause and encourage more students to contribute, said chairperson Clarissa Chia, a second-year student from WKWSCI. The 20-year-old also pointed

out that NTUSUSF’s future activities, such as their annual bazaar, will return to raising funds.

“Our previous events were more focused on raising donations as opposed to letting students know the reason why we are carrying out these events, so this time, we wanted to do the latter,” she said.

However, while both Prof Ooi and Assoc Prof Lee praised the event, they noted that more publicity could have been done.

Prof Ooi revealed that he did not know of Fundtastic until he received the email for his nomina-

tion on 21 Oct. Assoc Prof Lee also observed that there did not “seem to be many students around” to participate in the event.

Sarah Fathima Sultan, 21, a third-year student from WKWSCI who attempted to dunk Prof Rosenthal, echoed the sentiments.

“While it is a novel way of getting people to donate, there could be more publicity. (NTUSUSF) could have had students vote for a professor in their school to be dunked, or it could have conducted the dunking at the participants’ respective schools,” she said.

For NTUSUSF, this is the first in a series of events lined up, and they hope to raise $10,000 by the end of this academic year.

Fundtastic marked another milestone for NTUSUSF — this is the first time it is cooperating with the U-Flea Market, a bimonthly NTUSU-organised bazaar.

Rental fees collected from the most recent U-Flea Market, held in conjunction with Fundtastic, will be donated to NTUSUSF. Chia noted that although the cost of renting the dunking machine was “not cheap”, the amount raised from the Fundtastic booth, aided by the U-Flea rental fees, was able to successfully cover their costs and contribute to NTUSUSF. However, Chia declined to reveal the total amount raised, citing confidentiality.

While Fundtastic has concluded, the experience will not be forgotten by the affable Prof Ooi just yet.

He said: “It was a scary experience, as you did not know when you were going to fall!”

Power players Chong Yoke Ming

NTU scientists have developed an ultra-fast charging battery which will stand to benefit industries everywhere, especially electric vehicles.

These next-generation lithiumion batteries — developed by NTU Associate Professor Chen Xiaodong from the School of Material Sciences and Engineering — can be recharged up to 70 per cent of its full capacity in a short time of two minutes.

They also have a lifespan of over 20 years, which is more than 10 times as compared to the lifespan of regular lithium-ion batteries.

These regular batteries — commonly used in mobile phones, tablets and electric vehicles — take about two hours to fully recharge. They can also last about two to three years, or approximately 500 recharge cycles.

“With just five minutes of charging, electric cars will be able to increase their range dramatically, which is on par with the time

needed to pump petrol for current cars,” Assoc Prof Chen said.

The new battery’s increased lifespan means that electric vehicle drivers will no longer have to replace their vehicle batteries as regularly. Each of these replacements can usually cost up to US$5,000 (S$6,395).

Currently, long recharge times and limited battery life are concerns that deter consumers from purchasing electric vehicles.

“We can now drastically cut down the toxic waste generated by disposed batteries,” added Assoc Prof Chen.

The battery's negative terminal consists of a new gel material made from titanium dioxide, in place of

"With just five minutes of charging, electric cars will be able to increase their range dramatically."

Associate Professor Chen Xiaodong School of Material Sciences and Engineering

the traditionally used graphite.

The NTU team of four scientists, headed by Assoc Prof Chen, figured out a way to transform the spherical titanium dioxide into tiny nanotubes that are a thousandth of the diameter of a strand of human hair. This speeds up chemical reactions in the new battery, allowing it to be charged very quickly.

The science behind this procedure was recently featured on Advanced Materials, a leading international scientific journal in material sciences.

“There is still room for improvement and one such key area is the power density — how much power can be stored in a certain amount of space — which directly relates to the fast charge ability,” said Professor Rachid Yazami, who co-invented the lithium-graphite anode that is used in today’s lithium-ion batteries 30 years ago.

“Ideally, the charge time for batteries in electric vehicles should be less than 15 minutes, which Assoc Prof Chen’s nanostructured anode has proven to do so,” added the visiting professor at the School of

CHARGING AHEAD: Assoc Prof Chen Xiaodong's next-generation lithium-ion batteries can be recharged up to 70 per cent of its full capacity in only two minutes.

PHOTO: NTU

Materials Science and Engineering.

Assoc Prof Chen’s team will apply for a Proof-of-Concept grant to build a large-scale battery prototype. The technology behind the battery is currently licensed by a company for production.

With the assistance of NTUitive, a school-owned subsidiary that supports NTU start-ups, it has already attracted international interest in the industry.

Assoc Prof Chen expects the batteries to hit the international market within the next two years.

The battery research project took the team three years to complete. It is funded by the National Research Foundation in the Prime Minister's Office, Singapore, under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) Programme of Nanomaterials for Energy and Water Management.

Lifestyle travelogue

THE TRAVELLING CHRONICLE With the end of the semester fast approaching, many are already thinking about their next holiday destination.

The Nanyang Chronicle Editorial Team shares with you some of the amazing places they have been to.

MY WEDDING DRESS: Princess Diary Dress Café allows customers to dress up as brides and take photographs in its makeshift studio.

A Seoulful Adventure Clarisse Tan Sub-Editor

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olding my breath, I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror as a female staff tightened the laces at the back of my wedding dress, her fingers working with dexterity.

As she drew the fitting room curtain open, I slowly turned around to the scent of freshly roasted coffee filling the air.

No groom awaited me.

I was not in a bridal shop, but at the Princess Diary Dress Café, a themed café located near Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea.

In Seoul, cafés are not merely places for artisanal coffee and Instagram-worthy pictures.

Numerous themed cafés have recently sprouted up as hangouts for fun group activities.

As an exchange student there last semester, my café-hopping adventures provided me with novel experiences. I played with sheep, cuddled life-sized Rilakkumas, and was a make-believe bride for a day.

Especially memorable was the Princess Diary Dress Café, where customers can rent a dress — ranging from wedding gowns to tra-

ditional Korean hanboks to wear for an hour.

The racks of dresses were categorised according to price, ranging from 10,000 won (S$12.11) to 40,000 won (S$48.43). I chose to splurge, and selected a dress from the highest price range.

Laughter filled the air as my friends and I flitted from one corner of the café to another, posing for hundreds of photographs with its decor, which included a dressing table with a Hollywood style vanity mirror and a small makeshift studio set complete with semi-professional lighting.

On many an evening, we could also be found at My Secret Mate, a jigsaw-themed café in Sinchon, where we would challenge ourselves with yet another 500-piece puzzle.

However, the five months I spent in Seoul were definitely not enough to comb through all the themed cafés the city has to offer.

I missed my chance to visit Café d’ MAKA, a makeup themed café in the Hapjeong neighbourhood. Customers can undergo a full makeover there by the owners, who are professional makeup artists themselves, and they can try all the makeup there for free.

My ‘café wanderlust’ has only just begun.

I am already planning to go back to Seoul — in search of more fun café adventures.

Parisian Alternatives Liu Ting Ting Chief Editor WHEN people think of Paris, thoughts of grandeur and romance come to mind immediately, thanks to its portrayal in movies and books.

However, Paris is essentially just another city, albeit the capital of France, and tends to fall below the overinflated expectations of visitors expecting something out of a fairy tale.

When I first saw the Eiffel Tower last month, the evening sky was cloudy. This meant that my view of the famed Parisian city line would be obscured, even from the vantage point on top of the tower. Disappointed, I decided not to spend hours queuing for the 15-euro (S$24) entrance ticket.

Instead, I headed to the nearby carousel and paid 3-euro (S$4.80) for a single ride.

Being the only adult enjoying the children’s ride, it was undoubtedly embarrassing to be encircled by parents who were keeping a wary eye on their children.

On my white mount, I enjoyed the picturesque view of the Eiffel Tower, set against the gorgeous River Seine. It was refreshing to sit on a carousel not in Disneyland, but in the

UP AND DOWN: The carousel ride provided a scenic view of the Eiffel Tower despite the gloomy skies.

heart of Paris, with its most iconic structure in sight.

I was also told that I had to see the Musée du Louvre, one of the largest museums in the world.

I was excited to view Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Mona Lisa — arguably the most famous work of art in the world. However, upon entering the viewing room, I was impeded by a crowd jostling desperately to take a selfie with her. The environment was hardly conducive, and didn’t allow for the quality time I wanted to have with this revered art piece.

However, The Louvre’s diversity caters to many visitors, including an art novice like myself. I found myself mesmerised by the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a sculpture created in 2nd century BC. I stood there for 10 minutes, taking in every fine detail of the Hellenistic sculpture that depicted the Goddess of Victory.

It was ambitious of me to think that I could see all of Paris in just three days.

But the capital city still taught me something during my short visit: do not go to Paris with expectations. Instead, go there with an open heart and embrace the city as it is.

Culinary Combinations — Page 9

Bangkok Stand-off Tan Xiu Qi Photo Editor

EDGE OF THE WORLD: Pulpit Rock in Norway not only provided a spectacular view of mountains and lakes, but also a glimpse of what death could be like.

PHOTOS: THE NANYANG CHRONICLE EDITORIAL TEAM

A Norwegian Ascent Aqil Haziq News Editor IN JUNE this year, I visited Pulpit Rock — a cliff that stands 604 metres above a fjord in Norway. The flat top of the cliff juts out to offer visitors a spectacular view with an overdose of vertigo.

Located in the municipality of Forsand, it is an hour away by ferry and car from Stavanger, the fourth-largest city in Norway.

Getting to the top required a further twohour hike on an undulating terrain of steep, endless wooden steps and paths hastily carved out from sharp and irregular rocks.

The line separating my bragging rights of overcoming the terrain, and a painful tumble downhill, was indeed a very thin one.

With a huge gasp for air, I completed the final incline and slumped against a huge rock. But as the ground plateaued off, my heavy panting gave way to muted reverence.

Right in front of the cliff was the perfect backdrop of mountains and lakes. It was

The Soothing Sahara Amir Yusof Opinions Editor

6

DESCRIBED as the gateway to the Sahara desert, the city of Marrakesh in Morocco is not an easy place to get to. This April, together with six other Singaporeans, I endured a rough overnight train journey from Tangier into the sweltering 45-degree heat of Marrakesh City.

No matter how much water we drank, our lips stayed dry and our throats remained parched. It was a weird sensation: our body temperatures burning up without a single drop of sweat staining our clothes.

comparable to gazing at the canvas of a talented landscape painter, but the artist could only be God himself.

I thought photos would not be memorable enough as mementos, but when I noticed daredevils taking advantage of the lack of barriers to go extremely close to the edge, I decided to capture the best shot for my collection. However, as I was not as gutsy as them, I went down on my stomach and baby-crawled towards the cusp, peering into the depths beneath.

What greeted me was a dizzying drop into a seemingly bottomless pit filled with trees the size of ants. I winced as intermittent gusts of cold wind whistled mockingly in my ears. Nervousness and frigidity complemented each other perfectly.

For me, what defined my Scandinavian adventures was that very moment when I looked straight into the eyes of death. Who knew that death could look so beautiful?

It was only when I was back on level ground, with muddied boots and aching joints, that I gave myself a pat on the back.

But the heat was a small price to pay for the experience. We were treated to a picturesque view of the natural desert landscape at almost every turn.

Endless mountain ranges, undulating sand dunes and friendly desert nomads transported us away from the sanitised urban environment we are used to. We were charmed by the beauty of Marrakesh, and its people.

On one memorable afternoon, we each rode camels into the Merzouga desert, the most scenic depths of the Sahara.

Upon arriving at base camp, we climbed the surrounding dunes in anticipation of sunset. It was an arduous exercise, as our

SUN AND SAND: The setting sun highlighted the perfect shape of the sand dunes in the Sahara desert.

BACK in February, Thailand was struck by political turmoil as street protests broke out, led by rice farmers demanding payment from the state’s unsuccessful rice-buying scheme, and the “Yellow Shirts” under opposition leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

Curiosity gripped me, and I hopped on a flight there to witness the protests first hand.

The next morning, I cautiously approached the main protest venue, armed with my camera and a wristband emblazoned with the tricolour of the Thai national flag, which the protesters have claimed as their symbol.

To my utmost surprise, what I expected to be an angry mob turned out to be what looked like an outdoor concert.

The protesters, numbering a few thousand, sat around a stage on picnic mats while musicians performed Thai folk songs onstage.

There were also hawkers who had set up temporary stalls selling tidbits and souvenirs.

At one stall, empty biscuit tins were adorned with pictures of unpopular Thai politicians and placed on shelves. A sign proclaimed: “3 throws — 100 baht”.

I wandered down Lumpini Park, where other protesters had set up their tents, and struck up a conversation with two Bangkok residents who spoke English.

The two men left their jobs two months earlier to join the protest movement and did not foresee themselves leaving until Thaksin’s party is driven out of power and “democracy is returned to the country”. “(Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s) government is corrupt, it is her brother (Thaksin) who’s pulling the strings from behind.

We are fighting for real democracy,” said one of the men, who declined to be named. He also added that fighting for political change was more important than returning to his job as a mechanic. feet sank into fine sand with each step we took. Panting uneasily, we reached the summit 45 minutes later and finally saw just how beautiful the Sahara is.

The golden brown ridges and dunes were shaped so perfectly against the setting sun that it felt as if they were constructed by invisible hands of the desert wind.

After our initial photo-taking and selfiesnapping frenzy, we all sat in silence, watching the sun set behind the sandy mountains.

We felt nothing but serenity.

Kuching Escapade Kerri Heng Chief Sub-Editor IN JUNE 2012, I went on my first filming trip to Kuching, Sarawak, with my school mates, where we planned and shot a mini-documentary for a project.

The eight of us stayed at Permai Rainforest Resort — a rustic cabin lodge along a very white and clean beach.

For hours, we walked up and down the same stretch of gravel road that cut through Buntal Fishing Village, in search of a profile to feature.

The village, known for its freshly-caught seafood, was lined with small and cosy seafood eateries.

We spoke to villagers, including a young woman who invited us into her house and shared that she was getting married soon.

Indeed, the people were surprisingly warm

NO ANGRY MOB: Despite the political turmoil in Thailand, the atmosphere at the protest sites was vibrant.

After that trip to Bangkok, I felt proud that I had witnessed a peaceful protest movement first-hand rather than a disproportionately violent one, as painted by the media.

However, in the wake of a military coup just three months later, I do hope the two men have returned safely to their livelihoods. and approachable. Despite our big and intimidating cameras, they opened their houses to us and treated us like old friends.

We then stepped into a clothes shop where we saw a woman seated by her sewing machine. I greeted her and was amazed by what happened next.

She flashed a brilliant smile and said “hi”, in a masculine voice.

Her name was Rozie, a transsexual who had returned to the kampong to care for her mother, after working for several years in Kuala Lumpur.

As surprises go, it turned out that the young woman who let us into her home earlier on was Rozie’s niece.

And Rozie was in charge of her makeup and wedding outfit.

She and her niece were only too happy for us to film them; they even adjusted their schedules to suit ours.

Rozie shared that she was blessed; her father had told her to go ahead with embracing the identity of a woman, if she was sure about her path in life.

By our third day in the village, we had a beautiful story. Our film unveiled Rozie’s acceptance by her village. We even filmed Rozie dressing her niece up in a traditional wedding kebaya.

We never thought that our filming trip in Kuching would leave us with an experience far beyond our expectations.

I’ll always remember Rozie and the villagers who treated us like old friends.

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BRAIN-BOOSTING FOODS Show your brain some love and care this exam season with these choice ingredients, and who knows, you could be one step closer to getting that A. Lifestyle Writers Asyraf Kamil and Ruth Smalley dish out some nutritional information on five types of brain food.

Dark Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables

L

eafy greens are known to contain powerful antioxidants that protect the brain from toxic and damaging free-radicals.

Free-radicals are byproducts of energy synthesis in the body, and they can be diffused with ample antioxidants.

According to dietician Mr Charles Lew, 34, dark leafy greens like spinach also “contain a certain substance that helps to strengthen the barrier that protects the brain". This substance, called lutein, is able to support brain health and plays a role in preventing the early

onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cruciferous vegetables — vegetables belonging to the cabbage family like broccoli and cauliflower — contain two compounds known as indole 3-carbinol and crambene. They are said to activate detoxification enzymes in the body, which speed up the elimination of unwanted chemicals.

Hence, one can simply increase their intake of cruciferous vegetables to detoxify the body.

Mr Lew emphasised that adding the recommended two servings of leafy greens to one’s daily diet is the way to go in achieving a healthy brain.

PHOTOS: INTERNET

Salmon THE age-old adage that ‘fish is good for the brain’ indeed holds true for salmon, which can be considered the king of all fishes, given its high omega-3 content and its nutritional benefits for the brain.

Salmon contains essential omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies do not naturally synthesise. Consuming more omega-3s increases the growth of grey matter in the brain — the part of your brain that controls most of the neuronal cell bodies.

By consuming more omega-3 fatty acids, one’s muscular control and sensory perceptions such as memory and

Eggs THIS humble food has sparked a national obsession with every other café hopper posting photos of their Eggs Benedict on Instagram or striving to find that perfect runny consistency for their egg yolks.

Now there’s an even better reason than just keeping up with the trend — eggs are wonderful sources of nutrients. In fact, they are so power-packed that they have been labelled the ‘complete protein’.

According to Mr Lew, “the pigments in egg yolks improve brain health and boost memory".

An average hard-boiled egg contains 6.29 grams of protein. Our brains need protein to function and relay nervous impulses. With low protein levels, our response time and memory capabilities drop.

The bulk of the protein lies in the egg white, which con-

tains 14 per cent more protein than the egg yolk. However, contrary to popular belief, the battle between the white and the yolk is a zero sum game.

As it turns out, the egg is most nutritious when both the white and yolk are consumed. They both contain nutrients that are different but essential.

For instance, egg yolk has a higher concentration of calcium than egg white.

Eggs are also an excellent source of iodine, which is an important molecule in our bodies. Iodine affects the thyroid glands, which regulate our metabolism. From the respiratory system to the digestive system, metabolism controls many of the pathways essential to staying healthy.

Given the increase in stress levels and the build-up of sleepless nights during exam periods, maintaining a decent metabolic rate is crucial in fighting the onset of illness or lethargy.

Blueberries BRAINBERRIES. That’s how Mr Steven Pratt, author of Superfoods Rx: 14 Foods Proven to Change Your Life, describes blueberries.

Blueberries contain a higher concentration of antioxidants compared to other fruits, and this helps to protect the brain from oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is the overload of harmful molecules called oxygen-free radicals that are generated by the body during times of excessive oxygen flux, such as when one is exercising. The accumulation of excessive oxidative stress is known to result in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Walnuts NUTS are known to have high fat content. But in moderation, they are able to help prevent cognitive decline of the brain cells.

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids that improve brain health and boost memory. A low omega-3 intake not only leads to cognitive degeneration of the brain, but can also be linked to depression.

“For vegans who may miss out on omega-3 content found in salmon, they can include more flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts in their diets to boost their omega-3

decision-making can increase — both of which are key for examination preparation.

Studies by Men’s Fitness, an American health magazine, show that the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon keeps levels of cortisol, an enzyme which causes the heart rate to increase when stressed, from spiking when you’re tense — especially crucial when trying to maintain your cool during an examination.

As for the frequency in which salmon should be consumed, it “requires high doses and most importantly, extended amounts of exposure”, as advised by Mr Lew. Eaten raw or cooked, salmon is one power-packed food that is essential in keeping your mind, body and soul healthy.

intake,” said Mr Lew. Walnuts are also known to raise melatonin levels in the body. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you sleepy. Thus, walnuts can be taken as a pre-bedtime snack as it promises relief from insomnia, a common occurrence during the exam period.

Nuts also have high dietary fibre. Eating enough fibre slows down digestion, so that sugar is broken down gradually, and the brain does not get overwhelmed by the absorption of nutrients.

Hence, this gives one enough energy to last for a full day of revision in the lead-up to examinations.

According to a study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Centre at Tufts University, the consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving short-term memory, especially when memorising little nuggets of information.

The berries, which also contain Vitamin C that improves mental agility, can be eaten fresh as they are, or added as toppings to yogurt or oatmeal. Alternatively, frozen blueberries can also be blended with water for an instant sorbet dessert.

Mr Lew stresses, however, that the “foods, when taken acutely for the purpose of exam preparation, will not have any significant impact on brain performance". He suggests that blueberries, as with other nutrient-rich fruits, should be consumed daily as part of a balanced diet.

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foodsnoop

FOOD MASH-UPS

Outlandish culinary combinations have become all the rage in the food scene of late. Lifestyle Writer Feline Lim checks out novelty foods that have been slowly starting to make waves here.

F

ood mash-ups — a combination of individual elements from separate dishes — have taken the world by storm.

Cue the legendary cronut, a pastry that is a cross between a croissant and doughnut.

Created by Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York, the sweet treat has attracted flocks of food fanatics since its debut in May last year.

Other such foods include the ramen burg-

FIX 31 Ah Hood Road #01-06 HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse S329979 Opening Hours: Daily: 11am-9pm Closed on the last Tuesday of every month Tel: 6256 1484

AFTER months of experimentation, the people behind poolside cafe FIX decided to use naan, an Indian flatbread, as a base for their open-faced ‘naanwiches’, a play on the words naan and sandwiches.

A twist on traditional Indian cuisine, the Chicken Tikka Naanwich ($10) consists of chewy, lightly toasted naan bread

DA PAOLO GASTRONOMIA 501 Bukit Timah Road #01-01 Cluny Court S259760 Opening Hours: Daily 8am–10pm Tel: 6468 7010

DA PAOLO Gastronomia’s Crodos — a combination of the French croissant and the classic American doughnut — were inspired by the famed cronuts from New York.

The Crodos were created by Da Paolo's executive chef Andrea Scarpa in light of the cronut's burgeoning popularity. They debuted in June last year in cream and choco-

LITTLE HIRO #01-01, King’s Arcade 559 Bukit Timah Road S269695 Opening hours: Sun-Thurs: 11.30am–930pm Fri-Sat: 11.30am–10pm Tel: 6466 3477

LITTLE Hiro’s Chicken Karaage Ramen Burger ($9.90) is made up of a chicken karaage patty sandwiched between two ramen ‘buns’, topped with some greens and

late flavours. As of now, Da Paolo sells these sweet treats in several different flavours, including salted caramel, Nutella, coconut and lemon meringue.

The Lemon Meringue Crodo ($4.90) is filled with lemon custard, coated in sugar and topped with a swirl of meringue.

Like a doughnut, the Crodo is fluffy and chewy. However, it could be flakier to make it more reminiscent of a croissant, so that its mash-up characteristics are more distinct.

The sugar crystals coated on the exterior of the Crodo add a pleasant crunch to each bite.

The creamy lemon custard feels smooth and buttery on the palate. However, it could have been tangier to complement the cloying sweetness of the sugar coating and meringue.

That said, the concept of having lemon meringue with the Crodo is clever and enticing. Da Paolo has also come up with more new flavours for the Crodo, which will be revealed near Christmas. egg mayonnaise.

According to Mr Ian Kwok, the owner of Little Hiro (previously known as Burger Shack), the ramen burger was introduced to him when he attended a friend’s wedding in Hawaii last year.

The groom’s father, a Japanese, taught him several recipes that eventually inspired the menu at Little Hiro.

He describes the ramen burger as a taste of both Japan and New York.

The ‘buns’ are created with ramen airflown from Japan, that is first simmered in a light shoyu broth.

It is then dipped in an egg wash and a special seasoning before being shaped and grilled to make the burger buns.

er of Smorgasburg Flea Food Market in New York, which was conceived in August last year by blogger-turned-ramen chef Keizo Shimamoto.

These food mash-ups are finally in Singapore, with Little Hiro’s ramen burgers, Da Paolo and its own version of the cronut, and poolside cafe FIX’s latest local creation, the naanwich.

topped with chicken tikka, achar — spicy pickled salad — and a poached egg.

This is among four naanwiches that FIX offers in its menu.

The Brand and PR Manager of FIX, Ms Maureen Ow, said that it took a few months of experimenting with several different kinds of bread before they decided to work with naan.

Not wanting to restrict their naanwiches to Indian cuisine, they introduced other ingredients into them, like beef with kimchi, and smoked turkey ham and cheese.

The tender chicken tikka has a hint of smoky flavour and is spicy without being overwhelming. It goes well with the crunchy achar, which gives a tangy kick to the naanwich.

In all, the Chicken Tikka Naanwich would better suit taste buds attuned to heavier flavours. However, its various individual components manage to come together to make the dish balanced in taste and texture.

PHOTOS: LIEW YU WEI

While there is a pleasant undertone of shoyu in every bite, the ramen bun is also rather oily, with the dripping grease making it clumsy to eat.

The fried chicken karaage patty provides a different texture from the slightly chewy ramen bun.

While juicy on the inside, the patty has a good crisp exterior without being overly greasy.

This is complemented by the chunky egg mayo recipe, which is made in-house, and is distinct from store-bought mayo.

Even with crunchy onions and greens as a light contrast to the other elements, the burger is still pretty heavy to finish in one sitting and may be better for sharing.

Reviews album & movie

1989

Taylor Swift Pop Big Machine Records



I

n 1989, Taylor Swift clearly indicates that her guitar-strumming country music days are over. The acoustic guitars and country influences in her previous albums have been abandoned in favour of synths, electronic drumbeats, and Auto-Tuned vocals.

1989 follows in the vein of Swift’s earlier hits We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together and I Knew You Were Trouble, and amps up her electronic and pop influences. Both the album and the two hit singles were produced by notable music producers Max Martin and Shellback.

The album opens with Welcome to New York, and listeners are immediately greeted by a smooth blend of electronic and pop tunes.

This sound can be heard throughout the album, which features a mix of upbeat jams such as Shake It Off and How You Get the Girl, and slower tunes like

PHOTO: BIG MACHINE

Blank Space and Bad Blood.

There are recognisable modern influencers: Bad Blood and Wildest Dream are reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s brooding style, while Blank Space possesses an unmistakable

similarity to Lorde’s music.

Despite the departure from Swift’s familiar music territory, 1989 retains some of her distinctive elements. The common themes of love and relationships, or lack

thereof, remain prevalent.

Besides the would-haves and could-haves of past relationships that Swift still sings about, she also addresses other aspects of her life in 1989. For example, she discusses her relationship with the paparazzi in I Know Places, and with other artistes in the industry in Bad Blood (widely surmised to be about Katy Perry).

In Blank Space, over electronic snare beats and synths, Swift boasts about her ability to “make the bad guys good for a weekend”, and sings coyly, “you look like my next mistake/Love’s a game, want to play?” This teasing image is in stark contrast to her innocent calls for Romeo in her breakout hit Love Story from her 2008 album, Fearless.

The lyrics in Blank Space also make a subtle dig at the immense criticism Swift faces regarding her numerous failed relationships. The exaggerated portrayal of herself as a man-eater makes light of the intense scrutiny she has received by the media. Rather than shunning the issue, Swift confronts it headon and in the process, creates one of the album’s highlights.

In Shake It Off, Swift shrugs off criticism in a self-deprecating manner. On a more symbolic level, the

THE GOOD LIE

Drama (PG13) Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng, Emmanuel Jal 112 min

 FOR all its sincerity, The Good Lie possesses a Hollywood sensibility that it cannot shake off, lending an unintended first-world-helpsthird-world slant to an otherwise thought-provoking movie.

Based on the true stories of the Lost Boys of Sudan — the name given to those orphaned and displaced during the Second Sudanese Civil War that started in 1983 — The Good Lie follows the lives of three of these refugees.

Mamere (Arnold Oceng), Paul (Emmanuel Jal) and Jeremiah (Ger Duany) are bestowed with a chance of a new life in America.With the help of American headhunter Carrie Davis (Reese Witherspoon), they learn how to put their past behind and embrace the opportunities of the present to build a better tomorrow.

Unfortunately, its potential as a meaningful story of trials and triumphs is swallowed by generalised Western stereotypes and unrealistic resolutions.

GUIDING LIGHT: Carrie Davis (Reese Witherspoon) helps the Sudanese refugees settle in America.

These nuances niggle at the audience and leave them questioning the movie’s overall credibility.

The movie starts proper when Mamere, Paul, Jeremiah, and their sister Abital (Kuoth Wiel) are caught in the thick of things, 13 years before the present.

Rebel soldiers take over their village and massacre their entire tribe, leaving them and a few other orphans as sole survivors. With the hope of survival, they embark on foot to seek asylum.

Along the way, they flee soldiers, learn survival skills, and are forced to grapple with the loss of loved ones in their group to de-

hydration or sickness, and to the cruelty of soldiers.

What traumatises them most is the death of their eldest brother Theo (Ferni Ognus), who sacrifices his life to protect Mamere. This whittles down the group to the final four whose stories the movie follows in the present day.

Thankfully, they make it to a refugee camp in Kenya, where they live for the next 13 years, before a whirlwind lottery win of a charity resettlement initiative relocates them to America.

Up till this point, the movie tugs on heartstrings in exactly the right places, and the realities of war from a child’s perspective

PHOTO: WARNER BROS

are illustrated perfectly. Save for the occasional African stereotype, the dedicated focus on a refugee’s journey to recovery is palpable.

But the plot takes a turn for the worse, when the disorder that awaits them in America translates into a messily-stitched storyline.

When the four refugees arrive in America at a transit airport, Abital is separated from the group and forced to relocate.

The plot unfolds with their efforts to bring Abital back while trying to adapt to the American lifestyle.

One also cannot help but feel bias against the display of American benevolence. Davis, a prag-

song speaks of Swift shaking off her country girl image, becoming more independent and unabashed.

Not only is Swift breaking into new musical territory, she is also reinventing herself as an artiste.

While 1989 is a well-polished collection of songs, any excitement about Swift’s new musical direction gradually wears off, as the electronic-heavy production style of the album soon becomes repetitive.

In addition, the skittering beats and pulsating synths are occasionally slightly overwhelming, threatening to drown out Swift’s voice.

Having left the confines of Nashville for the bright lights and endless possibilities of New York, 1989 has become a springboard for Swift to propel herself further into the pop industry.

Despite persistent references to her past, her eyes are very much set on the future. Her reinvention now creates a positive ambiguity for her — having thrown off the country girl label, how will she use this newfound freedom?

With 1989, Swift shows that she is not a one-trick pony — fans should shake off any preconceived ideas they have of her, for she just might surprise them again.

-Ernest Chin matic American headhunter, has the sole task of finding jobs for the protagonists.

She gradually involves herself in their personal lives, going out of her way to help them overcome their challenges — all rather predictably.

The side story of her journey in finding herself in relation to these lost children came as a minor distraction in the overarching plot.

A plot twist at the end makes for fresh viewer interest, but the unnaturally smooth overcoming of obstacles throughout the film nags at the back of one’s mind.

Nevertheless, the movie does make a valiant attempt to document the struggles faced by these determined Lost Boys in adapting to a new life, and tells an accurate, albeit watered-down, story of South Sudanese refugees of the past and present.

The real-life experiences brought by former child refugees Jal and Duany also make the entire film an authentic and moving biopic.

Although it contains distasteful servings of First World benevolence, The Good Lie serves as a good start for audiences curious about the rich and intense history of South Sudan. Admittedly, the saying is true: a little kindness goes a long way.

-Amanda Chai

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spotlight

BANDING TOGETHER

From all-star team-ups to unexpected collaborations, Reviews Writer Jared Alex Tan explores how two (or more) musicians can be better than one.

M

usical collaborations are an exciting affair, whether they’re between old friends, or artistes venturing out of their musical genres to experiment with other sounds.

On 14 Oct, pop singer Pink and Dallas Green, the latter of City and Colour fame, released a collaborative album under the moniker You + Me. The unconventional mix of pop and folk featured in Rose Ave. has been well-received by both fans and critics alike. Their partnership is a prime example of how musicians

can work outside of their perceived genres to achieve a fresh sound.

While the folk influences may be familiar territory for Green, Rose Ave. is a stark departure from Pink’s usual rowdy style.

By shifting the focus away from theatrics, You + Me provides a platform for Pink to showcase her raw vocals and establish herself as more than just another pop singer, and is proof that collaborations can push an artiste's boundaries to new heights.

Below are four other collaborations that are worth checking out.

PHOTOS: INTERNET

JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST

MCBUSTED Members: Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd from McFly, and James Bourne and Matt Willis from Busted IT’S a match made in heaven for any pop-rock fan born in the 90s — after appearing as special guests at McFly’s 10th Anniversary Concerts last year, Matt Willis and James Bourne of the now-defunct Busted joined forces with the quartet to form a supergroup appropriately named McBusted.

Originally scheduled for an 11-concert UK tour, the McBusted Tour was extended

to a total of 34 dates due to overwhelming demand for old Busted favourites like Year 3000 and Air Hostess.

Despite being conceptualised as a one-off affair, McBusted announced in April their intention to record a studio album.

No release date has been set, but the sextet’s recent release of their debut single Air Guitar is keeping fans satisfied.

Busted’s power pop influences have rubbed off on McFly in this new single — it takes the latter back to their adolescent Five Colours in Her Hair days. If inducing nostalgia was their intention, then McBusted have definitely succeeded.

JAY-Z — one of the most established and influential rappers in the hip-hop industry.

Kanye West — a fierce rival for the throne with five critically acclaimed albums under his belt.

Put these two in the same team, and they come up with an unstoppable album that is the likes of Watch the Throne (2011).

Despite regularly appearing in each other’s work for years, it was only in 2010 that the two decided to attempt a proper collaboration.

Originally intending to record only a fivetrack EP, the project eventually expanded into a full-length album.

THE POSTAL SERVICE Members: Benjamin Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie, Jimmy Tamborello a.k.a Dntel, Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley

ATOMS FOR PEACE

Members: Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich from Radiohead, Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Joey Waronker from R.E.M., Mauro Refosco from Forro in the Dark

FEATURING some of the biggest names in 90s alternative rock, Atoms for Peace was formed on tour in 2009, when Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke put together the group to perform songs live from his solo album The Eraser (2006).

The band originally went by cryptic names including ?????? and Thom Yorke???? before settling on their current name.

The quintet bonded over a mutual appreciation for Afrobeat — an African genre that incorporates elements of jazz and funk.

The influence is apparent in their music, with relentless percussions layered over a multitude of electronic effects and Yorke’s distinctive vocals, forming a unique brand of experimental rock.

Atoms for Peace released their debut studio album Amok in February last year, which was generally well-received by critics.

However, the future of this side project is uncertain, following the recent release of Yorke’s second studio album Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes that plunges him further into his solo career.

AFTER collaborating on a song for Dntel’s album Life is Full of Possibilities (2001), electronic artist Jimmy Tamborello and Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard decided to record an album under the name The Postal Service.

The group was named after the way they produced their songs — due to conflicting schedules the two would send tracks back and forth through the United States Postal Service. (Dropbox wasn’t invented yet, unfortunately.)

Their first and only album Give Up (2003) is a marriage between Gibbard’s down-toearth lyrics and Tamborello’s glitchy electronic sound.

Exploring a range of themes including love, fame and friendship, the result is a sound reminiscent of 80's synth-pop that is

Drawing influences from West’s previous album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Watch the Throne featured an unconventional production style and was extremely well-received by critics.

The album earned seven nominations at the 54th Grammy Awards, and its accompanying Watch the Throne Tour went on to become the highest grossing hip-hop concert series in history.

Both West and Jay-Z went on to release solo studio albums last year — Yeezus and Magna Carta Holy Grail respectively.

Considering the immense success of Watch the Throne, one can assume that it’s only a matter of time before these two rap heavyweights come together again for another round in the studio.

energetic, yet vulnerable.

This duality in The Postal Service’s sound is credited with bringing the genre back from obscurity — Gibbard’s introspective lyrics breathed life into an artificial sound, and paved the way for future synth-pop artists such as Passion Pit and Owl City.

Certain songs also featured Jenny Lewis, frontwoman of Rilo Kiley and fellow Death Cab label mate.

Her mellow voice provided an extra layer to the group's already complex sound.

Give Up has since gained a cult following, and even after a decade, fans were still eager for a follow-up.

Unfortunately, hopes of a second album were dashed after Gibbard announced the group’s permanent disbandment following the end of their reunion tour last year.

The long-awaited world tour saw the band headline popular music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, and their short-lived comeback will be immortalized in the upcoming documentary concert film Everything Will Change.

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DEGREE IN PARENTHOOD

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Raising a child is never easy, but having to juggle parenthood with the demands of university education and running a business takes courage and will.

Photojournalists Alicia Goh and Hillary Tan spent some time with an NTU undergraduate couple who defied conventions by taking the leap into marriage, parenthood, and a joint business venture.

W

hen Aaron Lee, 24, first met Vanessa Joan Joseph, 22, at NTU’s Freshman Orientation Camp two years ago, her friendly and outgoing personality caught his eye. The then-orientation group leader and freshman got together after the camp ended, and they were in love before they knew it.

Feeling that they were ready to commit to each other, they got married a year later.

“It defied logic. She was ready to take the plunge, and I was ready to go all the way,” said Aaron, who is now in his final year.

The two students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences tied the knot last year in an elaborate outdoor wedding at the Registry of Marriages.

Last November, the couple was blessed with their own bundle of joy, whom they named Aden.

Giving birth, however, did not hinder Vanessa from fulfilling her obligations as a Psychology major.

While she did her part to keep up

with school, she could always rely on her friends to collect notes for her when she had to miss classes. She even took her examinations during her postpartum confinement.

“My friends were very supportive; they would help to gather extra info for me and pick up my notes. Thanks to them, I managed to do reasonably well for my exams,” Vanessa said.

However, having an infant around the house meant that the couple had to spend more time at home. Aaron, who was an intervarsity player for the NTU water polo team, gave up the sport to make time for his family.

Thankfully, Aaron and Vanessa also have the full support of their parents; the couple is currently staying with Vanessa’s parents.

This allows her parents to take care of Aden when she and her husband are in school.

The couple, who share a mutual interest in baking, decided to start Frosted Cupcakes, in June this year.

The online cupcake business

earns them a steady source of income and has already broken even.

Through their shared experiences, the couple have learnt to motivate and support each other, sometimes without even having to exchange words.

“I was not used to baking so I get stressed whenever we work on a new order. But then I look over and see her working so hard and it inspires me,” Aaron said.

“I guess it’s more than just about love. It’s about the commitment we made to understand, support, and complement each other,” Vanessa said.

When asked if juggling his studies meant less quality time spent with his son, Aaron disagreed.

“Compared to families with parents who work full time, we don’t have to send Aden to childcare. And on days when we don’t have school, we can spend extra time with him,” he said.

“That way, we will always be there to witness all his milestones”.

Clockwise from top left: SUGAR RUSH: Aaron Lee, 24, drives his wife, Vanessa Joan Joseph, 22, on a

cupcake delivery trip. The couple, both NTU students, run Frosted Cupcakes, an online cupcake business. They sometimes bring their son Aden along on their delivery runs. The four-month-old business, which saw the couple baking its largest order of 3,000 cupcakes over four nights, has broken even.

SHOPPING TRIP: Aaron and Vanessa on a trip to the school supermarket to

pick up some snacks. While they are out, Aden’s nanny takes care of him. On weekends, his grandparents will also help to care for him.

ONE LOVE: Aaron and Vanessa express their love for baby Aden with

a peck on the cheek. Running an online business means that they can work from home, allowing them to spend more time with Aden.

CURIOSITY: Aden looks on as his father works on his Final Year Project.

Aden is usually in the care of his grandparents when his parents are in school.

WHAT MATTERS MOST: A photograph of 11-month old Aden sits on a table alongside Aaron and Vanessa’s handmade cupcakes. Aden, who warms up to people easily, is an active and curious infant.

A DAY AT THE PARK: The family takes a walk at a park near their condominium, in which they live with Vanessa’s parents. They had already balloted for a HDB flat, but gave it up as they found it “enjoyable staying with a big family”.

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国家射击选手 获颁南大杰出校友青年奖 陈明耀●报道

曾

因为课业繁重和训练辛苦 而想放弃射击，然而张顺 惜坚持不懈，在今年7月的共 和联邦运动会中为我国夺得首 枚金牌。这让她获得母校的肯 定，首次获颁南大杰出校友青 年奖，并且是本年度最年轻的 得奖者。 张顺惜（25岁）三年前毕 业于生物科学学院（School of Biological Sciences），她坦言 2010年的新德里共运会是她在 大学时期最辛苦的一段日子， 但因为最终目标是完成学业， 并且也不愿意放弃对射击运动 几年来所付出的心血，便咬紧 牙关撑下去。 她受访时说：“当时有很 多考试要准备，也有很多报告 要交，所以我必须在大约两 星期前把报告做好交上去，相 比其他朋友少了一些准备的时 间。” 目前，张顺惜在毕业前实习 的新加坡科技研究局(A*STAR) 从事研究工作，而射击则成为 她的副业。 谈到目前的大学生，张顺惜

提醒学弟学妹们好好享受大学 生活，并且趁年轻时，善用时 间到国外体验不同的文化，探 索更多可能性，了解自己对未 来的定向。

例，希望学生利用课堂上所学 的知识回馈社会。 他说：“这才是教育的真 正所在——给予人们技术、知 识，和为周围的人和社区带来 改变的心。”

南洋校友奖首创于2005年， 旨在表扬在各领域为南大带来 荣誉的校友。 除了何和应，亚洲华语乐 坛天后孙燕姿（36岁）及新 加坡首席马来女警官朱莱黛

（Zuraidah Abdullah，52岁） 也获颁最高荣誉的南洋卓越校 友奖。 孙燕姿与朱莱黛过去也分别 在2011年和2008年时，获颁南 洋校友成就奖。

王瑞杰盼学生终生学习 教育部长王瑞杰受邀担任 10月18日“南大校友之夜” （NTU Alumni Night）的颁奖 嘉宾。 他致辞时引用了本地著名画 家何和应（78岁）为例，提倡 大家终生学习。 何和应今年获颁南洋卓越校 友奖，虽已年迈，仍在61岁时 回返校园，远赴杭州中国艺术 学院（China Academy of Art） 修读艺术历史研究生课程。他 迄今仍活跃于艺术界，是“活 到老，学到老”的典范。 除了不断学习，王瑞杰指 出，由于网络平台能够让人随 时随地学习，因此期待南大增 设更多网络课程，打造一个跨 越年龄的终生学习社会。 另外，王瑞杰也提到，大学 生的生活不应该只局限于实验 室、图书馆或讲堂。他以一项 由137名南大生到寮国村落建造 自来水饮用设施的社区计划为

张顺惜从教育部长王瑞杰（左）手中接获今年的南大杰出校友青年奖。右为南大校长安博迪教授。 摄影: 李志湧

到南大开办音乐会 谢慧娴希望开展歌唱事业 王敏丽●报道 中文编审

南

大 Cultural Activities Club（ CAC） Public Relations时 隔 两 年 ， 上 月 2 9 日 在 南 大 礼 堂 （ Nanyang Auditorium）举办了本地新晋 女歌手谢慧娴的校园音乐会。 继2012年歌手林宥嘉到南大 开唱，CAC这次虽特别邀请本 地歌手现唱，反应却不比历年 活动热烈。 拥有一把甜美清澈嗓音的 谢慧娴，刚于上月10日发行了 个人首张迷你专辑《梦想的翅 膀》，歌唱事业才刚起步。 CAC虽已极力为这次的活动 宣传，但出席的学生人数仍然

不多。 有学生表示，由于歌手还未 在本地打响知名度，所以学生 反应冷淡也是难以避免的。 当晚出席音乐会的中文系大 四生洪媛（23岁）认为邀请本 地歌手的初衷是好的，能够给 予本地歌手一个宣传的平台， 但是觉得校园主办方对于这次 活动的宣传不足。 她说：“我也是刚好路过送 票的摊位时，才知道有这个活 动的。身边很多同学也都对这 个音乐会毫不知情。Stella的现 场（演唱）很不错，这样的好 声音应该被更多人听见。” 主办方公关主任何依霙（20 岁）表示，举办此活动的目的 是为了推广本地音乐，强调本 地音乐人才的存在。

她说：“我们希望能帮助像 谢慧娴这类才刚开始歌唱事业 的歌手，实现自己的梦想，让 他们有机会到南大演出。” 即便如此，谢慧娴当晚仍卖 力演出，表演数首动人歌曲， 展现歌唱实力。 她也在游戏环节中和学生 以及师兄玩起猜拳和猜歌名游 戏，展现了机智与活泼的一 面，潮热现场的气氛。 除此之外，她还配合万圣节 主题，化身白雪公主，让南大 歌迷一饱耳福和眼福。 所属的海蝶唱片师兄周玮贤 和林昭宇也力挺她的首场校园 音乐会。 三人也合唱了专辑里的励志 歌曲《梦想的翅膀》，激励歌 迷朝自己的梦想前进。

谢慧娴在这次校园音乐会上也庆祝了自己22岁的生日。

摄影: 陈可庭

VOL. NO.

21

21

THE NANYANG

05 CHRONICLE 言论

累积实习经验 胜于读万卷书 江天俊

新

加坡人力部在近期发布即 将与本地企业合作规划未 来人力资源，企业雇主表示乐 意给予学生实习机会与在学校 举办相关讲座。 之后也有报道指出，其中20 位受访的企业雇主表示，希望 学生从中学就开始接触有兴趣 的工作，通过实习提早了解自 己的兴趣爱好。 他们也说单有一纸文凭并不 足够。更重要的是，实习时必 须有效率、具备良好的人际关 系以及坚持不懈的学习精神。 其中一名雇主提倡学生应当 多接触自己专业以外的行业， 发掘自己对其他工作的兴趣。 这样一来，往后找工作时，就 能做出正确的选择，不会因为 工作不合适而经常更换工作。 笔者认为这种做法会利于学 生。实习经验可以让学生更清 楚自己以后的道路，无需浪费

不必要的时间与精力在没有兴 趣的科目上，同时也可以作为 学生往目标前进的推动力。 漂亮的成绩单或许有助于学 生容易找到心仪的工作，但是 书本上的知识往往与职场有所 出入。 在职场上，除了应付工作内 容，也必须面对复杂的人际关 系，掌握与不同部门的同事和 上司的相处之道。 电台实习经验 获益良多 笔者在香港新城财经电台短 暂实习三个月，获益不浅。笔 者对于电台行业毫无经验，经 过一些基本技能训练，后来得 到机会帮忙策划大型活动。 这实习经验让笔者深入了解 电台的运作，学到在书本上没 有的工作技巧。 首先，在正式运作的环境 实习能够让学生更了解工作性 质、公司的运作和文化，从中 观察该职业是否适合自己。 其次，学生能与同事和行内

的专业人士建立宝贵的人际关 系。有了人脉，学生能从中继 续了解职场行情，将来若进入 相关职业也能成为优势。 除了了解工作性质，再来可 以了解自己工作能力的长短之 处。在正式踏入职场之前，学 生可把握时间，在不足的能力 和知识方面对症下药，补缺补 漏，加强职场技能。 学生也应当趁实习之时发 掘自己的优点，并继续自我提 升，让其优点作为以后求职时 的优势。 虽偶尔听闻朋友抱怨实习生 只做一些简单的工作，如复印 资料等琐碎事。但实习生或许 能以另一个角度面对工作，尝 试观察公司的运作、人与人之 间的互动，多与同事沟通。 从这些细小的工作，不但可 以学到有关行业的内幕运作， 同时也可以从旁“偷师”。 总的来说，实习可以让学生 提前客观的了解自己的做事能 力和性格，为将来正式踏入职 场工作扎实基础。

插图：王俊豪

拒绝流行音乐中的不当信息 陈祎婷 中文编辑

在

新加坡这个多元社会里， 无论是国人的饮食、服装

等生活细节上都可看出本地人 所接触到的文化林林总总。 时下年轻人常接触的音乐种 类包括华语流行音乐、欧美流 行音乐以及日韩音乐。 然而近年来，欧美流行音乐 的发展趋势令人关注。作为日 趋成熟的大学生，应当留意所 聆听的音乐。 音乐趋势考验价值观的底线 西方文化一向开放，但近来 所发行的歌曲或音乐视频似乎 已在考验价值观的底线。部分 热门歌曲的歌词比以往更加露 骨，而音乐视频则少不了裸露 和暴力。 例如，由美国饶舌女歌手妮 琪·米娜（Nicki Minaj）在8月 中发行的单曲《Anaconda》便 引起热议。 这 首 歌 曲 在 YouTube获 2 亿 6000万多次的点击率，颇得青 少年喜爱；然而歌词除了涉及 男女的性器官，也影射男女欢 愉之事，音乐视频更不乏裸露 画面。 歌曲发行后虽然受到部分网 友批评内容缺乏营养，而且是

反面教材，但却无阻歌曲受欢 迎的程度。此外，排行榜上也 会看到涉及暴力和色情的音乐 上榜，反映出这些歌曲的流行 趋势。 这也导致唱片公司一直推 出“重口味”的歌曲来创造话 题，频频在歌词或音乐视频加 入暴力、色情等元素，而这在 一定程度上妨害社会风化。 虽然很多人认为他们懂得分 辨歌词和视频的不妥当之处， 但仍应当避免聆听这些扭曲道 德价值观的音乐。 另外，我们也不应该盲目追 从主流音乐，单纯地接受他人 所赋予的价值观。 敢于抗拒内容不当的音乐 除了谨慎选择所听的音乐， 年轻朋友在适当或需要的时 候，也应当勇敢发声，抗议这 些不恰当的内容。 上个月中，本地喜剧演员葛 米星（Gurmit Singh）在网上发 布其女儿写给服饰店Forever 21 的投诉信，表示对这家以年轻 女性消费者为主的店家所播放 的歌曲感到不满。 信中内容陈述，店家所播放 的歌曲内容贬低女性地位，也 伤害女性尊严。她认为，店家 应该留意音乐内容，避免无意 地灌输错误信息，而该观点也 获得许多公众的支持和赞赏。

插图：林彦凯 这例子突出了青少年可以通 过不同的管道接触伤风败俗的 歌曲，因此反映了店家应当慎 选播出的音乐，避免无意地灌 输了错误信息。 早期出道以一首首情歌打 动人心的美国摇滚团体魔力红 （Maroon 5）近期也转型。 他们9月底发布的《Animals》

音乐视频以血腥、大胆裸露为 主。虽然引起部分人感到反 感，却有歌迷力挺偶像，认为 这样的转变是一个好现象。 笔者认为，以暴力和情欲元 素吸引血气方刚的年轻人注意 的方式来推销唱片，只会让年 轻人认为这才是所谓的思想开 放，扭曲正确的道德价值观。

若年轻人懵然效仿视频里的 暴力行为，这些反面教材将会 恶化社会风气。即便每个人对 音乐的喜好见仁见智，但还是 必须留意歌词所带出的信息。 在接受歌词和视频的程度上 有个不可逾越的限度，而非盲 目地接受这种含有暴力、性开 放思想的音乐趋势。

22-23 生活

裕廊坊亚洲美食指南 邻里购物中心裕廊坊（Jurong Point）在近月内稍微整修后，一跃成为富有亚洲风味的美食天堂，为消费者提供 地道的餐饮选择。记者蔡欣颖、陈祎婷和邱振毅走访日本美食街、香港旺角区和马国美食专区Malaysia Boleh， 推荐几道可口的主食和小吃。

日本美食街 推荐美食：Seafood vol au vent

由

Kabe no Ana Pasta餐馆推出的其中一道全日早 餐，以海鲜为主菜，搭配法式料理的空心酥皮， 是Seafood vol au vent（16.90元）全日早餐名称的由 来。法语“vol au vent”意为“风吹”，适合形容这 道海鲜料理柔滑顺口的口感。 松软的酥皮搭配扎实的虾仁、扇贝或贻贝，再蘸 上白奶油酱，饱满而入味的口感让人大感满足。这道 日式和法式料理也舍弃蛋黄沙拉酱，选用日本酱油 （shoyu）制作沙拉，带来不一样的味觉享受。 另外，店里也大量利用日本食材明太子创造不同料 理，包括明太子美乃滋吐司（Mentaiko Mayo Toast, 2.50元）。酥脆的法式长棍面包切片后，在表层涂上 明太子和美乃滋，瞬间能闻得到吐司的阵阵香气。面 包和酱料也搭配得恰到好处，既不失面包的原味，也 能尝到明太子的微辣口味。但面包口感稍硬，如果松 软一些，将能为这道小菜大大加分。

吐司表层涂明太子和美乃滋，香味浓郁。

这道seafood vol au vent份量充实，适合胃口偏小的女性和友人共享。

摄影：李志湧

左起：柚子和大阪都是富有日式口味的创意甜食。

日式烤鱼便当营养均衡，再加上色香味俱全，让人十指大动。

推荐小吃：可颂圈

推荐美食：日式便当

日式烘焙面包店Green Pumpkin在店旁设立了小摊位，专售这一年来颇受食客欢 迎的可颂圈（Cronuts）。为配合日本美食街的主题，店家特别推出了大阪、柚子 茶和抹茶三种口味的可颂圈。大阪可颂圈用了章鱼烧的酱汁和柴鱼片，制作出类似 章鱼烧的味道，让人吃出新鲜感。此外，酸酸甜甜的柚子茶酱搭配层层散开的可颂 圈有种入口即化的感觉，给味蕾带来更丰富的层次和余味。 店家也售卖巧克力、咖啡及软糖可颂圈。可颂圈各价1.30元，新开张促销为六 个一盒，每个1元。

除了寿司、乌冬拉面，便当也是众多日本美食中的主食选项。日本料理鲜艳丰 富，而这个便当摊位更是发挥特点，把煎蛋、蔬菜、红姜以及鱼片等食材都整齐摆 放在日式便当盒里，让食客食欲大增。本以为事先包装好的食物已经冷却，却意外 地带有余温，有种家常饭的感觉。而烤鱼饭盒（7.80元）鱼肉鲜甜，酱汁也搭配恰 当，但鱼骨太多，所以吃起来稍嫌麻烦。日式煎蛋反而是便当的一大亮点，甜度适 中，再配搭日式米饭，让人吃得津津有味。尽管目前只提供四种口味的便当，而且 价格偏高，介于5元至7.80元不等，但份量十足，算是值得一吃。

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

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CHRONICLE 05 香港旺角区 推荐美食：明炉烧伦敦鸭饭

在这间以香港茶室为主题的烧腊餐厅，除了提供如 蜜汁叉烧饭，烧味双拼饭的烧腊菜肴，也售卖少为人 知的“伦敦鸭”。 伦敦鸭并非西餐料理，而是特地选用爱尔兰的鸭 肉，以港式烧腊手法烹调，其口感相较于一般烧鸭， 更加鲜嫩多汁。 “明炉烧伦敦鸭饭”（6.80元）的烧鸭肉口感香酥 滑嫩，却带有嚼劲。饭中的卤汁咸中带甜，配上长豆 和清甜的蜜汁，港式风味展露无遗。蘸点辣劲十足的 辣椒酱更是叫人回味无穷。

推荐小吃：香港鸡蛋仔

摄影：陈修齐

鲜嫩多汁的伦敦鸭，肉质滑嫩，嚼劲十足。

提到新加坡近期的人气小吃，相信港式鸡蛋仔必定 会出现在榜单上。 金黄色蜂巢的鸡蛋仔，虽然只用鸡蛋和加糖的面 粉的制作，但每包鸡蛋仔（2.20元）散发浓浓蛋味香 气，吸引许多人排队购买。新鲜制作的鸡蛋仔吃起来 也格外酥脆香甜。 该店也推出如班兰、草莓、巧克力、比萨和鸡肉 松口味供食客选择。此外，该店也售卖港式热狗棒 （1.90元），完整呈现了香港鸡蛋仔店的面貌。

推荐美食：街边小食

“街头党”的咖喱鱼蛋、斋串等是香港独有的小吃。

鸡蛋仔甜味适中，充满蛋香，口味老少咸宜。

一提到香港街边小吃，许多旅客第一个会联想到 的就是咖喱鱼蛋。新开长的小吃店“街边党”（The Gang），就把一系列香港街边美食介绍给大众。 根据店员透露，店里的招牌小吃咖喱鱼蛋使用香港 九记鱼蛋制作，以保留地道正宗口味。配上黄色的咖 喱酱，辣中带咸，嚼劲十足。 此外，店里也售卖如卤水章鱼、斋串，以及形状 及颜色像本地沙爹的印度鸡串，提供食客多样化的选 择。除了小吃，店里也售卖港式奶茶，而所有食物饮 品一律售价1.50元。

马国美食专区 ——Malaysia Boleh 推荐小吃：曼煎糕 摊主以全手工制作，将面浆倒入制作曼煎糕的容器 中，慢慢煎成脆饼，过后撒上花生，便完成小吃。 与新加坡派状的曼煎糕不同，槟城的曼煎糕（0.80 元）偏薄，并且以碗状呈现，造型独特，让不知情的 食客容易误以为是新式小吃。由于形状的关系，所以 吃起曼煎糕时，里头的花生馅料不容易漏出，配搭香 脆的外皮，口里充满花生香气。 摊位也售卖招牌小吃“亚榜”，并提供四种口味包 括香蕉、玉米、花生及咖椰。

推荐饮料：槟城Chendol

槟城版的曼煎糕以碗状呈现，外皮香脆可口，内馅则撒满花生粉。

摄影：陈修齐

炎炎夏日，不如来碗冰凉的chendol（2元）解暑。 摊主先以传统的冰沙机将冰块磨成冰沙，之后在小碗 里淋上浓浓的椰奶，配搭chendol绿色细条及红豆，一 碗富有古早味的chendol就制作完成了。 槟城chendol椰奶味道浓郁，甜度却恰到好处，没 有掩盖其他佐料的原味，红豆及绿色佐料的搭配，为 一碗被椰奶灌溉的冰沙增添层次感，吃出多种味道。

推荐美食：槟城福建虾面

浓郁的虾面汤头，配搭丰富的食材，让人回味无穷。

入口即化的冰沙，配搭红豆等馅料，口感丰富。

槟城除了有亚参叻沙，槟城的虾面也远近驰名。上 汤的鲜虾味浓郁，并带有微微辛辣，让人欲罢不能。 据摊主透露，虾面汤头必须熬制数小时，才可将虾的 原味融入汤头，带来非一般的口感。 此外，店家也加入了新加坡虾面少用的肉骨。肉质 相当多汁鲜嫩、并且因为在汤头长时间熬煮，香气十 足，却没有盖过鲜虾的味道。 另外，虾面里头也加了鸡蛋，为虾面增添了层次 感。面条和米粉和本地的也有不同，虽较为细嫩，却 能充分地吸收汤汁的美味。 小碗的虾面售价3.50元，大碗的则是5元。

24

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

21

CHRONICLE 05 娱乐

《军中乐园》记者会 新加坡站

阮经天服役服“上瘾”接受“海龙蛙兵”特训

台湾演员阮经天到本地宣传新片《军中乐园》。

王立倪●报道 中文编审

金

马影帝阮经天继去年头退 役之后，并没有中断他的 军旅生涯，继续在电影中“服 兵役”。 他和钮承泽导演继《艋舺》

影评 电影播映室 电影: 《军中乐园》 主演：阮经天、陈建斌、 陈意涵、万茜 类型：爱情、纪录



照片：网路下载

由

台湾著名导演钮承泽制作 的《军中乐园》，回溯到 中台两地关系僵持的60年代。 故事讲述军中菜鸟小宝（阮 经天饰）到金门服役，被挑选

摄影: 林佳琪

和《爱》后再度合作，在新片 《军中乐园》中饰演一名稚 嫩、机灵的海龙蛙兵，之后却 被安排到军中的“特约茶室” 里工作，能让观众认识台湾60 年代的军事历史。 为了呈现出最真实的军人训 练过程，阮经天在电影开拍前 两个月参加了非一般的“海龙

蛙兵”受训。 他说，自己在训练过程中做 了蛙人操、拉筋骨、长泳、格 斗、潜水、背部运动等最基础 的极限训练，甚至得在海水中 跪卧挺腹，承受士官长站在腹 部上的重量。这些训练虽然辛 苦，却能够让他更好地投入片 中的角色。

到精英部队接受魔鬼士官长老 张（陈建斌饰）的严酷训练， 成为一名海龙蛙兵。 但是，小宝因为天生怕水 而不会游泳，遭到退训，并被 安排到军中“特约茶室”工 作。“特约茶室”也称“军中 乐园”，是女侍应生接待军人 的地方。 在特约茶室负责编排军人给 女侍应生服务的小宝，目睹了 其他军人以及老张为所爱的女 人付出的真情与执着。然而小 宝自己也在不知不觉中和其中 一名女侍应生妮妮（万茜饰） 产生了一段无法萌芽的爱情。 无论从军人或侍应生的角色 中，观众都能在这看似欢愉的 “乐园”中，察觉到各角色心 里暗藏着的无奈和迷茫。 在演员细腻的演绎下，观众 也从中了解那个时代的军事演 练和“特约茶室”的历史。 此外，不同电影角色的个人 背景，也都完整涵盖及重现当 年人物所经历和拥有的感情。 例如，妮妮虽是在迫不得已 的情况下才成为女侍应生，但 孤僻的她仍怀抱着对家人的思 念，以及回家的执着。 另外，饰演军人的阮经天 和陈建斌面向大海嘶吼的那一 幕，更是表达军人无法回家的

无奈，以及对家人无止境的惆 怅与思念。 电影开头会先出现这句话“ 我们曾经如此相信，直到发现 全是谎言，但之后会知道，这 其实是命运”。而观众也将目 睹角色之间相互欺骗的无奈， 因此电影结束后，若回想起开 场，则会令人不胜唏嘘。 为了还原当时的风貌，制作 单位花了不少心思，做实地考 察，力求真实性。 除了翻新金门其中一栋洋 楼作为“特约茶室”的拍摄地 点，电影里五颜六色的店牌、 布景和壁画，角色所用的政治 宣传海报、火柴、吉他、手枪 套等物品，都表现出浓浓的时 代感。电影更是善用了自然光 和彩色玻璃，以复制出当时的 复古韵味。极有文艺色彩的拍 摄技术手法成功带领观众回到 60年代的金门。 种种细腻的人物刻画和场景 风貌的塑造，让这部富有历史 元素的电影提醒观众，“军中 乐园”是“为时代而产生，因 时代而离去”的一段历史。 电影也借此故事向年迈和在 战役中牺牲的女侍应生及军人 致敬。 电影于本月6日在各大影院 （文/王立倪） 上映。

阮经天于上月27日在滨 海湾金沙艺术科学博物馆 （ArtScience Museum）出席记 者会宣传电影。他在台上分享 道，虽然训练过程很累，却是 最印象深刻的回忆。 他解释：“这部电影和往年 很不同的是，每天都得不断的 操练，然后在金门每天都过得 非常辛苦。” 阮经天补充说，虽然受训时 光令人怀念，但是却不想重来 一次。 电影里由中国演员陈建斌饰 演的龙老长官老张是名从中国 到金门服役的外省人。 身为台湾第三代外省人的阮 经天说，老张的故事和他爷爷 的思家之情非常相似，让他留 下深刻印象，从电影中更加了 解他爷爷的故事。 他说：“爷爷常常和我说， 希望有一天能回到老家去看 看，看看家里的祖坟长什么样 子。以前我不太能理解，因为 自己是住在台湾这么多年的 人。直到老张说了那些话，让 我对过去的回忆和现实之间有 一个强大的链接，我才发现 说，原来那是我爷爷一辈子的 期望，一辈子心里的伤痛。” 《军中乐园》除了拍摄出海 龙蛙兵艰辛的训练过程，也记 载台湾军事历史中被埋没的军

中“特约茶室”，或称“八三 幺”部队。 俗称为“欢乐天堂”的“特 约茶室”实际上却类似“慰安 所”，每天有数十名女侍应生 负责接待士兵们。 钮承泽为了让演员完全进入 服役的情绪，严禁女生探班。 阮经天苦笑表示，当时真的没 有办法和任何女生接触。 他解释：“刚到‘八三幺’ 的时候，真的会起鸡皮疙瘩， 再加上那个时候得和异性（演 员）接触，然后他们对你动手 动脚的时候，你会真的很不好 意思。” 阮经天透露：“特约茶室” 并没有那么光鲜亮丽，还能从 每一个女侍应生身上感受到她 的无奈和魅力。 他说：“每个‘八三幺’的 女孩子到那边的方式、原因都 有很多种。她们也成为当代兵 士们的女神，还有精神上的寄 托，因为他们没有正常抒发情 感的管道。” 电影里的种种突破对阮经天 来说，这次的拍摄是一个人生 和事业上的转捩点。 此外，他坦言出演《军中乐 园》，加上自己踏入30岁的生 活，除了能更加了解自己家族 的故事，也让他对未来工作保 持着不一样的想法和心情。

电影: 《零》 主演：中条彩未、森川葵 类型：恐怖、悬疑

死于学校的后山上。 尽管风户满起初对月守绫存 有疑心，却与她联手解开种种 谜团。 导演并没有把镜头局限在恐 怖的画面和情节，反而加入笑 点和田园小镇的美丽风景，缓 和电影中的恐怖元素。 由于电影取材自恐怖电玩游 戏《零》系列，导演也特意选 了不超过20岁的年轻女演员来 演出，以贴近游戏内容。 女主角中条彩未仔细揣摩电 影中的角色，充分利用诡异的 表情及肢体语言，让人对角色 产生重重疑问，而展现出的精 湛演技更是叫人不寒而栗。 电影前半段节奏紧促，制造 了阴森氛围，但后半段节奏稍 慢，突显电影后劲不足。 可惜的是，电影虽然以恐怖 元素为主，却没有把恐怖片的 特点贯彻整部片子。 相反的，电影后半部偏向悬 疑片，如观看角色寻找真相所 使用的手法和道具等情节，更 像是在看一部侦探片。 不可否认的是，电影选用 年轻貌美的女演员出演，并从 不同的角度诠释《Zero Frame 零》，必定让游戏玩家引起共 鸣，更投入情节中。 （文／邱振毅）



照片：Encore Films提供

日

本电影《零》讲述一所坐 落于日本偏僻地区的天主 教女校里所发生的悬疑事件。 其中一名学生月守绫（中条 彩未饰）突然变得孤僻，完全 不与任何人交流，而热爱摄影 的同学风户满（森川葵饰）则 无意间发现一张她的照片。 之后，所有接触过这张照片 的学生都接连失踪，并且集体

Opinions EDITORIAL

Make your voices heard

AS WE begin this arduous trek towards the examinations, let us take a moment to reflect on the major developments this semester.

In August, the NTU Students’ Union passed a motion to withdraw $200,000 from its Reserved Fund as a financial contingency to cover the rising costs of NTU Fest.

The fund is an accumulation of one-time entrance fees paid by all NTU freshmen to the Students’ Union.

Following our report, students questioned whether the fund could be used for this purpose, and the hasty manner in which the motion was passed.

In September, several students voiced their concerns on social media over the high number of invalid votes during the election of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE)’s main student committee.

A vote recount was held, which resulted in changes to the President and Social Secretary posts.

It is also encouraging to see how students have been recently more pro-active measures.

A student from the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) called for his peers to sign a petition for SBS Bus Service 179 to stop outside their school.

Previous attempts to reach a solution through the school administration had not yielded any results for them.

He later submitted a proposal to the Land Transport Authority,

which has since been acceded.

In light of all that has happened, a common question we get is: “Why are you reporting these ‘negative’ news stories that may “ruin NTU’s image?”

“Find something else better to report,” is a rebuff we hear from many of our interviewees.

We respond by explaining that it is pivotal to keep our schoolmates — who are stakeholders in this university themselves — so that they can come to their own informed judgement and decisions.

At the same time, more than ensuring that our stories are accurate and balanced to the best of our knowledge, the Nanyang Chronicle, as a part of the NTU population, also believes in transparency on all accounts — be it from the student body or the school authorities.

Sometimes, tough questions need to be asked and avoiding them does not help solve the issues at hand.

Problems can usually only be resolved when they are first, acknowledged, and then addressed.

But a good story can only go so far without your input.

By sharing your perspectives, you can truly be the change that you want to see.

So the next time any of our fearless reporters come up to you for a comment, don’t hesitate.

Take the opportunity to reply and make yourself heard.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE

CHIEF EDITOR Liu Ting Ting

MANAGING EDITOR Tiffany Goh

SUB-EDITORS

Kerri Heng Abigail Ng Alfred Chua Ang Hwee Min Clarisse Tan Isadora Ong Nazri Eddy Razali Ong Lynette Parveen Maghera Renee Poh

NEWS EDITORS Aqil Haziq Louisa Tang

LIFESTYLE EDITORS Justin Kor Serena Yeh

CHINESE EDITORS Camelia Ting Choy Xin Ying

OPINIONS EDITORS Amir Yusof Louisa Goh

SPORTS EDITORS Lisa Oon Saeful Hakim

DAPPER EDITORS Goh Ye Ling Lydia Teo

VIDEO SUPERVISORS Daniel Neo Kelly Phua Wu Bing Yu

DIGITAL EDITOR Wong Li Yan

BUSINESS MANAGERS

REVIEWS EDITOR Zachary Tang

Lionel Lim Ho Xiu Xian Sheena Wong

PHOTO EDITORS

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Clifford Lee Tan Xiu Qi

GRAPHICS EDITOR Pamela Ng

COMMUNITY EDITOR Jeremy Hau

A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI)

Joe Tok Kenny Wong

FACULTY ADVISORS

Lau Joon-Nie Roseline Yew Zakaria Zainal Chia Sue-Ann

Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446

Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University.

Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle.

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

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frankly, my dear

A column by Chronicle Editors on issues close to their hearts

The inevitability of death

OUT OF TIME: Tiffany hopes to cherish her loved ones now, instead of regretting when it’s too late.

Tiffany Goh Managing Editor

R

ecently, my pet cat Yang Yang is less eager to play, and sleeps more than usual.

The fluffy furball also snores and pants more than he should. He overeats and throws up his food.

Like human beings, cats get ill as they age. I am still grappling with the idea of my beloved pet eventually passing away.

Life will be difficult without our loved ones. It is also understandable that we will not always be prepared to confront the regrets that come with death.

But thinking about Yang Yang passing away has encouraged me to tackle the topic of death, something I do not usually discuss. This way, I will be able to cope with grief, pull myself together and move on with life.

My family adopted a badly injured Yang Yang off the streets last December. He was constantly being attacked by another stray — a feisty black cat that Yang Yang was no match for. We had to take him to the vet twice to treat his injuries.

The visits revealed that he was infected with a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), which weakens his immune system and makes him more susceptible to other infections. The vet urged us to take Yang Yang in, to protect him from sustaining more injuries.

Indoor cats have an average lifespan of around 15 years, though some live for up to 21

years. I started seeing him around the neighbourhood when I was in Primary Three, which makes him at least 13 years old. Multiply 13 by seven, that makes Yang Yang about 91 years old.

In cat years, Yang Yang is almost a centenarian.

Factoring in our grey tabby’s obesity problem along with his FIV condition, I realise that I only have a few years left with Yang Yang.

This serves as a reminder for me to spend more time with him.

My family takes care of Yang Yang as one would care for a person living out his final years. When he was younger, he survived on his own, earning kibble and sayangs along the way.

But now, he is dependent on us for food, water, attention and his health. It is taking a great deal of patience and effort to prolong his life. Like people trying to bring cheer to the old and sick, we are at Yang Yang’s beck and call, acceding to his requests for more food or attention when he meows.

My only experience of dealing with death occurred in Secondary Two, when my maternal grandfather passed away suddenly. I could only cry and blame myself for not spending enough time with him.

After this, I learnt to cherish the present and the people around me.

Almost eight years have passed since then, and I have long gotten used to my late grandfather’s absence, though thinking of him still elicits tears. I think I will deal with future losses similarly, even though I am even more attached to Yang Yang than I am to some of my family members.

I once asked my friend Clara how she coped with the death of her first pet cat, a grey moggie named Nueva. Nueva suffered from a Feline Leukemia Virus, and the doctor

GRAPHIC: SEAN LEE

said the operation to remove lymph nodes growing along her spine had a 50 per cent survival rate. Hence, Clara and her family decided to put her to sleep to end her pain.

Clara kept Nueva’s belongings, collar, and ashes at home so she could feel like her cat was still around. Reminding herself that her pet’s time with her on earth was temporary, had helped her cope with losing Nueva. I don’t know how I’ll cope with death, but the least we can do is to remember the best moments with our loved ones.

I like to think that Yang Yang is living out his golden years well, with shelter, warmth, toys to play with, and of course, humans to bully. I’ll always remember how he sleeps on my laptop and notes, refusing to budge no matter how much I plead. Or, how he wakes me at 5.30am every morning by meowing loudly.

Regardless of his antics, he has definitely brought my family together, with happiness and a small measure of exasperation.

In his younger days, he was considered the darling cat of Teck Whye Market, where he was doted on by residents.

I remember the taxi uncle who often bought Yang Yang’s favourite fried fish from the Malay stall, and the seamstress who would buy extra chicken for him when she bought her chicken rice.

My family is doing justice to the community who fed and cared for him. To date, people still ask me about Yang Yang’s well-being, and they are glad that he has finally found a home.

I may be paranoid about his eventual demise, but I think I’m mature enough to face it.

For now, I’ll focus on keeping him safe, healthy and happy. That is more than enough for me.

26 OPINIONS

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

21

CHRONICLE 05

Animal welfare takes a plunge Lo Yi Min

A

nimal welfare issues have come into the limelight once again. Pictures of a pink dolphin at the Underwater World Singapore (UWS) with gruesome

head and mouth injuries went viral after a concerned UWS visitor took a photo of the dolphin and posted it on social media platforms.

The female dolphin in question, named Han, had a “visible infection on her head and another distinct wound on the left side of her bottom jaw.”

UWS later clarified that Han is suffering from a non-transmissable skin cancer.

These findings, released on 27 Oct, were contained in an investigation report by Wildlife Watch (Singapore) and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The investigation report went

on to say that that the pools and dolphin pens are showing signs of rust and corrosion.

This prompted animal activists groups such as Animals Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) to criticise UWS for the poor living conditions of its captive dolphins.

Soon after, Singapore's Agrifood and Veterinary Authority said it had inspected UWS' dolphin facility and had "found the dolphins to be in satisfactory condition".

These developments come soon after Resort World Sentosa’s (RWS) Marine Life Park drew flak over the deaths of four wild-caught Bottlenose Dolphins in May this year and two Manta Rays last September.

Activist groups are calling on aquariums and marine parks here to be accountable for their animals’ health, and to engage in open communication by way of making public their animal safety measures.

However, as consumers, we need to recognise that we too, can do our part in protecting the welfare of captive animals.

Many oceanariums that face criticism from animal rights and conservation organisations — such as RWS Marine Life Park — often assert that their priorities lie in marine life conservation, research and education. This diverts attention from the fact that, on some level, wildlife parks offer themselves as a form of entertainment.

A visit to one of the aquariums here can often be seen as a fun weekend activity for the family.

When we view wildlife park experiences as entertainment or commodities that make profits off visitors, we become complicit by endorsing organisations that continue to put their animals through undesirable conditions.

Some animal rights activists decry conservation efforts that keep marine mammals captive on the grounds of it being impossible to recreate the necessary conditions for ocean wildlife.

According to a report published

by ACRES for its “Save The World’s Saddest Dolphins” campaign, dolphins in captivity suffer from mental and physical stress.

They have lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and display aggression among themselves and towards humans. In 2012, a performing killer whale in San Diego SeaWorld park suffered an injury that exposed its jawbone.

Animal welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) believes that the whales in the park were housed incompatibly, leading to aggressiveness between them.

Arguably, supporting these organisations through visits could be one way of contributing funds to marine wildlife conservation efforts, and there is no running away from commercial dealings even in selfless causes.

But surely, raising funds for conservation should not be at the expense of the very wildlife they are trying to protect.

To encourage wildlife organisations to prioritise the lives and health of these animals, we can voice our disapproval, educate ourselves on wildlife conservation and raise awareness about these animals living in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

But perhaps boycotting these parks is the strongest stand we can take against treatment of marine animals.

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Let's talk about sex

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canteen talk

Hwa Chong Institution’s Agatha Tan wrote an open letter about her school’s relationship workshop, which sparked discussions about Singapore’s conservative approach towards sex education. The Nanyang Chronicle asks students: What are your views on sex and relationship education in our national schools?

It could be more grounded in reallife experience. I had to learn about relationship issues by watching television dramas.

Clarissa Goh, 19, NBS, Year 1

DOUBT HER WORDS: In a relationship workshop conducted by Focus on the Family, instructors and the workshop booklet allegedly endorsed gender stereotypes that were considered detrimental to healthy interpersonal communication.

GRAPHIC: ONG JUNHAO

Nazri Eddy Razali Sub-Editor

W

hen I was 16, a secondary school classmate walked into class triumphantly holding a box of condoms.

Until then, we only stole fleeting glances at convenience store shelves stocked with contraceptives. We'd never seen a condom up close, let alone held one in our hands, for fear of disapproving looks from peers and adults.

We were, at that moment, awestruck — as if what we held in our hands were the forbidden fruits themselves.

Then we gleefully ripped open the sachets, pulled out the stretchy condoms, blew air into them and tied them up — as if they were balloons. Some were filled with water and dropped onto unsuspecting schoolmates walking along the corridor beneath our classroom.

In retrospect, our trivialising behaviour spoke volumes about our indifference towards sex education as teenagers. A recent turn of events has also shown that this indifference can be attributed to what youths are taught about sex and relationships in school.

Therefore, there is a pressing need to review how sex education and relationship matters are presented to our youths.

The birds and the bees

Earlier last month, Agatha Tan, 17, a first-year student from Hwa Chong Institution, wrote an open letter to her principal about a relationship workshop she had attended in school.

The letter went viral after she posted it on Facebook. Especially critical of information found in a booklet that was handed out during the workshop, she asserted that it endorsed negative gender stereotypes that could promote sexist attitudes. Instructors also avoided discussing non-conventional relationships such as polyamory.

In response, the organiser, profamily Christian charity Focus on the Family (FotF) said: “Our facilitators’ efforts to stay on track may have been misunderstood as imposing certain views, and that

the facilitator is unconcerned with students’ questions.”

Deciding on what values to impart in sex and relationship education can be complicated. This episode highlights the disjuncture between a conservative approach towards sex and relationships, and what students themselves are exposed to in their daily lives.

Sexual liberation

The number of teenage girls who gave birth in Singapore has plunged to its lowest in 25 years, according to a Straits Times (ST) report in July this year.

487 babies were born to girls aged 19 and below last year — a third fewer than the 731 babies born in 2003. Abortion figures here have also dropped.

According to social workers interviewed by ST, however, this is not because fewer teenagers are having sex. On the contrary, there are now more sexually active teenagers, with some having sex for the first time at a much younger age, as compared to a decade ago.

It thus appears that teenage pregnancy rates have dropped despite increased sexual activity among teenagers.

This statistic may primarily be attributed to greater accessibility to information found on the Internet.

While seeking alternative sources of information may highlight their resourcefulness and a willingness to learn, this inadvertently reflects their disillusionment with the education system in delivering sufficient information about sex.

Tan exemplifies this by stating: “Sex education rarely manages to teach me something that I have not already learnt through past sessions or mainstream media.”

In this regard, the strict definitions and guidelines employed by schools only serve to propel youths towards other sources of information in search for answers to their questions about sex and sexuality.

As a result, teenagers may unwittingly expose themselves to misinformation in the barrage of online data which they often have free access to.

Rather than driving youths to-

ward potentially harmful sources with strict guidelines, our formal sex education in national schools should, perhaps, adopt a more open approach.

Openness and responsibility

The fact remains that teenagers will learn about sexual well-being and sexual identity, with or without help from schools.

Instead of attempting to stem the inevitable tide, schools at the Secondary and Junior College levels should respect their students as thinking, feeling youths and young adults, and present all the facts to them about sex and sexuality.

But the question is: How open can schools be about sex?

Recall the controversy caused by the sexuality programme offered by women’s group AWARE in 2009 for its messages which some people said promoted homosexuality and suggested approval of premarital sex.

In light of the negative public feedback, the Ministry of Education suspended AWARE’s programmes and reviewed its vetting processes.

Fast forward to today, five years later, and the FotF’s workshop seems to indicate a regression, rather than progression, in educating youths about sex and relationship matters.

While the promotion of abstinence among teenagers is valid, this does not mean that schools should neglect educating their students on the use of contraceptives.

After all, schools can only go so far.

Furthermore, communication channels in schools should always be open so that teenagers have a place where they can seek reliable answers to their questions.

Essentially, teenagers are at a point in their lives where they may want to explore their own sexuality, as well as romantic and sexual relations with others.

At the very least, well-rounded knowledge will enable them to make informed choices and weigh the consequences of their actions.

And in this regard, knowledge does gives them better protection.

Perhaps even more than condoms.

I think the onus of gatekeeping information lies primarily on parents; they should teach their children about intimacy.

Muhammad Sadikin, 23, WKWSCI, Year 3

There has been too much focus on the negative consequences of sex, and not enough focus on the positive aspects.

May Teng, 20, ADM, Year 2

Students should be taught about relationships in a conservative manner.

It’s not wise to impart liberal values to them.

Sun Qing Ying, 22, NBS, Year 2

I think Singapore has been quite open but schools must consider that the mentality of young Singaporeans is changing.

Kim Young Ah, 23, WKWSCI, Year 3

TEXT: LOUISA GOH, AMIR YUSOF PHOTOS: TAN XIU QI

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money matters

THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF

SAVING MONEY Opinions Editor Louisa Goh puts together a collection of tips on how to save more money for your dreams in life.

A

n unwelcome sign of adulthood popped up just the other day — one of the sub-editors was talking about purchasing an Executive Condominium to move into when he marries his fiancée next year.

It will cost roughly $700,000, which works out to be approximately $150,000 in down payment and $1,800 in monthly loan repayments for 25 years.

That sounded rather daunting to me. Slave to a loan for 25 years, with no easy way to pay off that debt? I’d rather have no debt at all, if I can help it, but that seems to be

a distant dream.

Based on the median salary of a fresh graduate, $1,800 makes up for about one quarter of a couple’s combined income.

The proportion is likely to fall later on in life, well below the total debt servicing ratio of 60 per cent.

But even before repaying a loan while supporting a family becomes a concern, there’s still the wedding, honeymoon and down payment for the home to pay for.

With the down payment costing at least $30,000, depending on the type of flat purchased, saving up the money to get married can be a

behemoth task for many.

But let’s not forget some of the dreams closer to most of us — café hopping, a car, vacations — these still remain a challenge to save up and pay for.

The talk with the sub-editor in mind, I admit to feeling the tiniest bit of panic when I see that my savings steadily hover around a four-digit sum.

It feels like the sum ought to be ticking upwards in preparation for the big-ticket items I foresee myself spending on in the near future.

While some undergraduates turn to working part-time to

support their living expenses, there are many other ‘life hacks’ that we can use to save money as well.

After all, earning money for our current expenses is only the first step. Having enough to prepare for future expenses requires us to save now, to soothe our worries when the time comes.

For this issue, I’ve put together some of the common tips personal finance experts give.

While many tips aren't as simple as A, B, C, they are simple enough to put into practice, and are sure to help us get a little closer to living the life we want to.

ILLUSTRATION: DARRYL LIM, ADONIS TOH

Where the money comes from

1. Work part-time Put your talents to good use. Possibly the most common money source besides the allowance from your parents, part-time work is always available for earning some spare cash on the side. Even on campus, NTU has a Work Study Scheme that offers work opportunities for all students.

2. Keep loose change Personal finance website My Money Coach suggests dropping loose change into a jar or coin bank every day. If coins are underutilised in your wallet, the spare change will quickly add up to tens of dollars before your cash container is full.

3. Turn your stuff into cash Many of us have more things than we care to use. While these gather dust at home, they are also potential sources of money. Be it Amazon, eBay, Classifieds or Carousell, there are plenty of platforms to clear our bursting wardrobes and crowded table tops.

Keeping the money safe

1. Automate it Author of the New York Times bestseller I Will Teach You To Be Rich, Ramit Sethi strongly encourages automating the process of setting aside some money each month.

Setting aside a fixed amount of money for certain goals on a regular basis requires minimal effort. Your stash will grow without you noticing it.

2. Out of sight, out of mind Keep spare cash away in a separate account. Temptation is aplenty when it looks as if you have more money than you plan to spend. Even better if you have no card and no Internet banking access for that separate account — making an arduous trip down to the bank just to withdraw that cash is sure to act as a safeguard for your savings.

3. Saving plans Insurance companies offer savings plans where you sign a contract and agree to pay the companies a fixed sum each month. You usually cannot withdraw the money until the contract ends, but you are guaranteed a 100 per cent return of your savings, plus interest at the end of the plan.

Your future self will thank you when the plan matures.

Shortcuts to better savings

1. Buying in bulk, on sale While it looks “auntie” to outsiders, you’ll benefit in the long run with the money you save. But this should apply only to items like non-perishable goods like toilet paper and sanitary pads. With stores having regular promotions on a predictable schedule, it doesn’t take much to pick up some pocket-friendly deals.

2. Cook it yourself As prices creeep up even at your favourite hawker centre, eating out is expensive. When baked eggs go for $10 at a café, it’s time to whip out your own toaster oven to feed yourself in style. With little planning and lots of help from BuzzFeed’s student-friendly food section, you’ll be on your way to becoming the next MasterChef.

3. Hoard loyalty plans Loyalty cards often come with discounts and goodies.

While spending should not revolve around these cards, it’s a great way to save money on predictable expenses.

For instance, with the Soup Spoon loyalty card, you can indulge each month while earning points to offset future meals — this is a huge plus.

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Learning financial sense Start local

Shaun Tan

N

o one is ever too young to plunge into the world of investments. The Nanyang Chronicle was at the Straits Times Young & Savvy Talk Series, organised in collaboration with Frank by OCBC on 14 Oct. The esteemed speakers at the event shared several valuable tips on sucessful investments tailored for students.

Save diligently

Make it a habit to set aside 10 per cent of your income every month and save it with discipline, regardless of how much you earn.

According to Mr Vasu Menon, Head of Content and Research for Wealth Management at OCBC, a general guideline for investing effectively is to have some savings that you will “not need to touch for six months to a year, and are comfortable with losing".

Before even thinking about investing, pay off any and all debt.

It is vital not to get bogged down in credit card debt as the interest rates can really stack up, and leave you with snowballing debts.

Ms Cheryl Ong, a journalist from the Straits Times, agreed, add-

MAKING CENTS: Many who attended the talk were enlightened with some financial tips and tricks.

ing that it was more important to first set aside money for daily expenses, insurance and savings.

To help keep within your budget, track your monthly expenses in a spreadsheet and ensure that your spending does not exceed your income. Students might not have the time to start investing, but it is important to first inculcate the habit of saving.

Invest in education first

When a student asked which stock he should invest in, Mr Menon gave this piece of advice which is most invaluable.

“The first investment you make is not in a stock, but in an education." Get a grounding in stock fundamentals and learn how to read a financial report.

Sign up for classes or courses,

GRAPHIC: PAMELA NG

such as OCBC's Young Investor programme or those organised by the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

If you cannot afford to pay for classes, free options include Investopedia.com and Coursera.org.

Do not be in a hurry to buy stocks on the SGX or anywhere else. Instead, focus on learning more about how stock markets work before testing the waters.

Louder than words: Wake me up when Pioneer ends

Once you are ready to start investing, do not get overexcited and “caught up in the fads".

The Straits Times Money Editor Lee Su Shyan emphasised this point, as she has seen many rookie investors get burnt in the market by buying stocks hastily based on word-of-mouth and without proper research. They should start investing in local firms.

Make it a practice to understand the context of the companies you are investing in, and get the hang of keeping track of your portfolio.

Keep a record of your investments and how confident you were when investing, so that you have something to refer to when making a decision to hold or sell. This helps you make less emotionally charged decisions and be more objective.

Mr Menon had one final point to add.

“If I have hit my target in the market, even if it is way ahead of schedule — I get out."

Investors tend to be greedy but if you have hit your goals, get out and start looking for something else to invest in.

At the end of the day, it pays to start early.

Mr Menon closed by saying: “Don’t leave things to chance. Plan for financial success.”

ILLUSTRATION: SEAN LEE

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SPORTS

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sports talk

Far from pitch perfect Amir Yusof Opinions Editor

I

t may have cost $1.33 billion to construct, but the Singapore Sports Hub has, thus far, failed to live up to its hype as one of the greatest sporting infrastructures in the region.

A recent international football friendly between Japan and Brazil was played on a pitch that Brazilian coach Dunga said had more sand than grass.

Worryingly, there is a more severe and deep-rooted problem that must be addressed.

When the Sports Hub became fully operational back in August this year, Singaporeans were elated at the opportunities to catch worldclass athletes like footballer Neymar Jr. in the flesh. Moreover, Singapore had finally established an arena where the world can showcase its talents.

But what about local athletes?

One of the key reasons for the huge investment in the Sports Hub is that it was slated to be a state-of the-art complex where our athletes could hone their skills. It was supposed to be an institution to propel Singapore onto the next level of sporting excellence.

In an interview with The New Paper last year, Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, said that the Sports Hub was likely to "raise the culture of Singaporeans participating in sports" and be a game changer for local sports. But now, the authori-

SPORTS HUB WOES: Footballers from the national team have expressed their concerns at the commercialisation of the Sports Hub.

GRAPHIC: MARCUS LEE

ties seem to be struggling to balance between utilising the Sports Hub for commercial gain and the pressing need to develop our budding sportspeople.

Brazil thrashed Japan 4-1 in front of thousands of Singaporeans on 14 Oct. On the same night, our national football team was downed 1-2 by Hong Kong in a warm-up friendly away fixture for December’s Suzuki Cup. While thousands of Singaporeans cheered every time Neymar scored, most of them were probably not aware that the national team was valiantly struggling to break down a tough Hong Kong defence

at the Mongkok stadium in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Granted, in terms of commercial value, the Sports Hub organisers would stand to benefit more by hosting the Brazilian samba boys on our own turf. Tickets for the Brazil-Japan fixture went as high as $180. However, our boys could have benefitted more playing at the Sports Hub, in front of a home crowd. Playing on the Sports Hub pitch would also have been good preparation for November when the national football team, also known as the Lions, take on the likes of Thailand and Malaysia for the Suzuki Cup.

In an Instagram post on 13 Oct, senior Lions defender Baihakki Khaizan wrote in reference to the Sports Hub: “You’ve sold out, haven’t you? You’re more about money, moving in a direction I don’t understand. Honestly, I miss the old you.”

Clearly, there is a feeling of neglect. Our footballers are forced to travel to a different country to play while our own national stadium plays host to foreign teams.

At the time of fixture scheduling, the Football Association of Singapore should have pushed for the Singapore-Hong Kong game to be played at the Sports Hub in front

of up to 55,000 Singaporean fans.

It may not have sold as many tickets, but it would have been a step in the right direction to encourage support for local football.

Understandably, Singapore has a strong market for international sporting consumption. We have a large base of diehard European football fans willing to pay hundreds to watch foreign stars play.

However, when it comes to local football, many do not bother.

The Sports Hub was built, in part, to change this mentality, but thus far it has only deepened the public’s indifference towards developing local talent.

Even worse, the Sports Hub is increasingly being used for nonsporting commercial events. Pop idol Jay Chou will be holding a concert there while Mariah Carey took the stage recently.

Initially, both events were set to disrupt the Suzuki Cup schedule but under public pressure, organisers have decided to postpone Jay Chou’s event till after the tournament is over. The stage was repositioned for the Mariah Carey concert such that the quality of the pitch was not affected.

Admittedly, the Sports Hub has commercial obligations but that’s not its only purpose.

Perhaps the authorities can schedule more competitions and events that include our local athletes and expose them to higher levels of competition.

Only then will the Sports Hub be the game-changer that it promises to be.

bpl talk

To err is human, to forgive, divine Aqil Haziq News Editor SWANSEA City manager Garry Monk is not a happy man.

During a tempestuous postmatch press conference on 19 Oct this year, Monk called Stoke City winger Victor Moses a “cheat”, claiming that the Nigerian had dived to earn a penalty. The Potters went on to win the game 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium.

And the tirade continued. Monk later criticised referee Michael Oliver, calling his decision to award the penalty “absolutely disgusting”.

Although the English Football Association requested for clarifications from Monk regarding his comments, it decided not to pursue further action against him.

While the British media thrives on strong opinions that the public

has against simulation in English football, Monk’s reprieve shows that diving is not the most pressing problem.

Clearly, referees are not getting sufficient protection from managerial abuse.

Mental distress

While referees should not be shielded from criticism after a bad performance, managers should distinguish between constructive feedback and abusive remarks, refraining from the latter.

Aside from having to contend with thousands of screaming spectators, the referee only has one chance to look at the incident before making a potentially gamechanging decision.

Integrity questioned

The mounting stress does not stop there.

When referees do end up mak-

ing an incorrect decision, managers might even accuse them of bias.

An example is José Mourinho during his first stint as Chelsea’s manager. After his side lost 2-1 to Barcelona in a 2005 Champions League game, Mourinho accused referee Anders Frisk of secretly talking to then-manager of Barcelona, Frank Rijkaard, at half-time, subtly claiming that he favoured the Catalan club.

Granted, Frisk’s decision to send off Chelsea striker Didier Drogba for an innocuous-looking tackle had raised eyebrows.

To suggest that he was corrupt, however, was taking things too far.

The Swedish referee and his family subsequently received death threats from Chelsea supporters, which led to his retirement from football.

For his part in the incident, the Union of European Football Associations slapped Mourinho with a

two-match touchline ban and a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs (S$27,000).

English football is not spared from accusations of referee bias either.

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock had accused referee Craig Pawson of being “influenced" by Chelsea's players during the Blue's 2-1 win at Selhurst Park on 18 Oct this year.

He implied that Pawson was using double standards by not booking Chelsea defender John Terry when he had earlier cautioned a Palace player for a similar offence.

Warnock was subsequently charged for improper conduct.

men, managers, and captains of each club are required to sign a charter — highlighting the aims of the campaign — at the start of each season. A campaign flag is also displayed on the pitch before each game.

These serve to remind those involved in the league about the importance of fair play.

League officials say that the campaign has been a success, with a 30 per cent drop in incidents of simulation reported in the 2013/14 season. The number of cautions dished out for dissent against referees has also declined.

Curbing the abuse

Mourinho and Warnock faced the music, showing that the campaign is bearing fruit.

But if Monk can still escape scot-free despite his remarks, it is clear that more can be done to foster further respect for referees.

Get On With The Game, an annual Barclays Premier League campaign, aims to promote the respectful treatment of match officials, fans, and opponents.

Launched in 2008, the chair-

Room for improvement

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A Pole-sitive Experience Pole dancing is not as easy as it seems. Sports Writer Nicholas Tan joins an introductory class to learn more.

C

lad rather skimpily in our singlets and shorts, we entered the studio with sheepish faces and a nagging sense of trepidation.

We then laid our eyes on a dozen shimmering metal poles, standing tall from the ground up to the ceiling — our companions for the night.

There would be no turning back.

My fellow writer, Matthew Mohan, and I were at Studio Sands, a pole fitness studio located along Kampong Bahru Road, all ready to give pole dancing a try.

Our instructor for the night was Miss Jane Tor, 22, who is currently a student at the studio.

Admittedly, I had a negative impression of pole dancing based on the movies that I’ve watched, believing it to be rather provocative.

When I heard that even men have started picking up the sport, I was sceptical.

“As with all sports, you have to try it before you develop a passion for it,” explained dancer and owner of Studio Sands, who only wanted to be known by her stage name, Sabrina.

“There is a stigma, but if you don’t take the first step, you will never break free from it,” she added.

Hence it was a leap of faith when I decided to try it out with Matthew, who reiterated that it was going to be “painful” — the look on his face showing his dread for what was to come. Surely gyrating around a pole wouldn’t hurt that much.

Famous last words.

The lesson started off with basic stretches and repetitions of minor exercises, such as head rotations.

Executing them with ease, I thought to myself: this isn’t so bad after all.

But these were merely the prelude to an impending episode of discomfort.

Miss Tor began with a quick demonstration, manoeuvering herself into more complicated stretching positions, which were reminiscent of the few yoga moves I’ve seen in videos online.

She then guided us through some dynamic warm-up repetitions using the pole as a pivot.

Given our lack of flexibility, both of us struggled to pull off the full range of pole stretches.

Nevertheless, we pressed on, with our instructor emphasising that these were in preparation of more complex exercises to come.

We were then told to remove our singlets.

Miss Tor explained that in pole dancing, it is best to don minimal attire to allow maximum body contact with the pole.

“This lets you have a good grip and prevents slipping,” she said reassuringly, as we reluctantly removed our tops.

Positioning herself such that the pole was tightly gripped under her left arm, our instructor proceeded to lift off the floor with both hands.

She then stayed in that position for several seconds, maintaining her cheerful demeanour throughout.

Inspired by how easy she made it look, I tried to do the same but ended up slipping off the pole after barely two seconds of holding the position.

My subsequent efforts weren’t a lot more successful. Matthew fared better, but not by much.

As the session went on, however, we gradually felt more at ease. In spite of our failures, the anticipation for more challenging pole exercises kept us eager to learn.

Miss Tor was a great source of encourage-

NO EASY TASK: Sports Writers Nicholas Tan and Matthew Mohan take up the challenge of pole dancing through an introductory class taught by Miss Jane Tor. PHOTOS: WU BING YU

ment as she constantly reminded us that we were improving faster than most beginners.

However, the stationary moves that followed remained a challenge.

One involved using only three points of body contact (the knee, shin, and the top of the foot of our pivoting leg) to hoist ourselves off the ground, our hands completely off the pole.

Though I did not sweat too much, I soon realised that my body was feeling the stress from having to contort itself into unfamiliar positions.

Predictably, our initial attempts failed.

It was only after wiping off our palm sweat on the poles several times, and making use of chalk to improve our grip, that we finally managed to hang on for a few seconds.

Though I did not sweat too much, I soon realised that my body was feeling the stress from having to contort itself into unfamiliar positions.

But this was not the end. We proceeded with exercises that required us to manoeuvere up and down the pole, including the ‘climb’ and the ‘spin’.

These moves sounded simple, yet were anything but. The difficulty levels and our failure rates were relentless.

However, the highlight of the night was our final pole fitness move, called the ‘flag’.

Miss Tor explained that this move was similar to the ‘human flag’, an exercise position where the body is parallel to the ground, supported by a vertical bar — arms and body forming a straight line.

Gripping the pole with both hands, Miss Tor used her elbow and arm to support her abdomen, and hoisted her legs off the floor.

She then held this position for a good 15 seconds.

Bewildered by the grace of her move, we tried it out.

Matthew could not do it, no matter how hard he tried. I performed slightly better, managing to hold the position for a single second. Even so, it was in a lacklustre form; both my legs were not straightened out.

This move was truly a culmination of what we had been through; a combination of flexibility, balance, core-strength and poise.

After a few more feeble attempts, Miss Tor concluded our two-hour pole dancing introductory class. Boy, were we relieved to hear that our ordeal was over.

Having been through a pole dancing crash course, I can safely say that it was not as easy as I thought it would be.

It requires composure, strength, determination, and a whole lot of courage.

“It is really quite a vigorous sport, so it is not something you can be easily good at,” said Sabrina proudly.

A provocative activity only for females?

Nonsense.

CONCENTRATION: Nicholas in deep focus as he executes a pole exercise.

WATCH Nicholas and Matthew work the pole on video, at www.nanyangchronicle. ntu.edu.sg/multimedia

Sports

In pole position — Page 31

More than just athletes

Being an athlete is difficult, but being a coach as well is far more challenging. Sports Writer Fiona Lee interviews two NTU athletes who are currently coaching part-time in their respective sports and finds out more.

A FINE BALANCE: Ngo Yi Chye uses the experience he has gained in the national team to inspire the next generation of shuttlers.

PHOTO: SINGAPORE BADMINTON HALL

A

t the tender age of 13, badminton player Ngo Yi Chye decided that he was not going to rely on his parents for pocket money anymore.

He was asked by his alma mater, Tao Nan School, to coach his juniors for an income of $280 a month back then.

That was the 21-year-old’s first foray into coaching. Besides coaching, Ngo participated in the 2011 SEA Games and won the Men’s Team Bronze medal. In NTU, the men’s team emerged champions at this year’s Singapore University Games (SUniG).

“At 13, I thought that coaching could earn me extra pocket money.

At 15, I stopped collecting money from my parents,” said the first year student from the School of Sports Science and Management.

He added that his parents were ageing and that he needed to be more independent and lessen their financial burden.

Ngo is now one of Tao Nan School’s assistant coaches. He trains badminton players aged seven to 14 for Inter-Zone and National competitions.

However, he said that what he earns from coaching is not sufficient to maintain his current living expenses, given that he has to set aside some of his income for

school fees and personal savings.

As a coach, one is bound to have expectations of his players.

In Ngo’s case, he lets his players decide the amount of pressure they put on themselves.

He said: “As long as they enjoy the sport, I will be happy for them. Expectations come from themselves, so if they really want to do well, they should train harder.

“I constantly remind them during training that to be a better player, their discipline and hard work always has to be there,” he added.

Ngo is no stranger to discipline, having trained 12 times a week while he was in the national team.

Currently, he trains with the NTU team once a week (off-season), and does his own fitness and strength training in the gym.

As a student and coach, Ngo balances his time by studying on weekdays and coaching on weekends.

“It is never easy to balance both, and I do not expect myself to get high grades. Enjoying the process, gaining new knowledge and networking with my peers is more important to me,” said Ngo.

Coaching the young

Chris Yip-Au is another NTU student who coaches young

players, but in football.

The 20-year-old is a secondyear student, from the School of Materials Science and Engineering.

She plays for Arion Football Academy, a local women’s football team. She also plays for the NTU women’s football team, which was crowned champion in SUniG both this year and last year.

Initially, Yip-Au did not intend to stick with the sport for so long.

She participated in football as a co-curricular activity during her Bowen Secondary School days, but was scouted for the national youth football team in 2008, where she trained hard and fell in love with the sport.

In 2009, Yip-Au was named the Most Valuable Player in the National Inter-School B Division Football Championships. She was also the top scorer in the National Inter-School A Division Football Championships in 2011 and 2012, and is currently a member of the national football team.

Yip-Au began training her juniors when her secondary school coach asked if she wanted to help her out.

She said: “I find it fulfilling to be able to pass my knowledge and experiences to the next generation of footballers, more specifically, female footballers.

“I feel that football is like a work of art — the combination plays, set pieces and how the team plays with the ball. I hope to be able to have my own masterpiece some day — to have a fluidity of play and buildup plays instead of just punting the ball up and chasing after it.”

Currently, Yip-Au coaches both the Under-7 Boys team at Arion Football Academy and Under-10 Girls team from the Football Association of Singapore’s Junior Centre of Excellence.

“I try not to compare my kids (players) to the other academies but when it comes to basics like passing techniques, I will be much stricter with them so that they won’t repeat the same mistakes.

“I believe that when you’re young, it is important to enjoy the game. I let them learn at their own pace, have fun and explore,” she said.

Generally, she conducts trainings comprising ball game warm-ups, two to three drills depending on the training objective, and a smallsided game on part of the field.

When asked about the differences between a player and coach, Yip-Au replied: “As a player, you’re on the field and as long as you have the ball, you’re able to do something. You’re responsible for your own performance.

“But as a coach, it’s like a

chess game. You have to think of ways to ensure that your team is playing at their best — who to bring on, who to play where, what formation, et cetera. The team is your responsibility.”

Spillover effect

Yip-Au feels that being a coach also benefits her as a player, as she can help her NTU teammates improve both technically and tactically.

She is able to understand the roles of players on the field better, which increases her versatility as a player.

She said: “Now that I am a coach, I feel that people, especially my players, look up to me as a role model. I wouldn’t say that there is added pressure to play better but rather, I make a conscious effort to have a good attitude.”

Knowing that matches are the highlight of training for her players, Yip-Au advises them to focus and complete their drills properly. This allows them to move quickly from one drill to the next, and thus have a longer match time.

At times, however, Yip-Au’s younger players can be a challenge to coach, as they tend to get distracted easily, and she has to find ways to grab their attention.

She said: “I love my kids, even though they can be a pain sometimes.”

SKILLFUL PLAYER, INSPIRATIONAL COACH: Chris Yip-Au is not only an integral part of the NTU football team, but also an inspiration to the young players whom she coaches.

PHOTO: VICTORIA SIM

For more on NTU students as volunteer coaches, see www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg/sports/