10:28 24.09.2008
Prioir to entering the boot camp I made a visit to Taipei, there I caught up with some old friends. The age range is 22-26.
Prioir to entering the boot camp I made a visit to Taipei, there I caught up with some old friends. The age range is 22-26.
***
J'd been busy studying for the past 6 months for Ministry of Foreign Affairs' diplomat exam. He looked sort of busy and content, somewhat uneasy at times. We talked about life in the boot camp, the rules, the ought-tos and ought-nots. After lunch the subject turned to future plans. It seemed a bit odd to me that he was seemingly happy with the direction his life was heading towards. He told me, back in the uni, that he was doing this exam just to please his mentor and that his true intention was in another one of Phd. scholarship. But this time around the only plans for a Phd. that was being mentioned was mine, I had a rough idea of the kind of Phd. course I wanted to do, but any furthur ideas was yet to be formulated. I figured that I still had some miles to cover before I reached a conclusion. On the contrary, the contentness of J showed that he was either lost or had already found what he wanted to do in life (or at least for the moment).
***
V, like me, was doing the army soon. The conversation was mainly about the army, and because we were going to serve overseas so we also talked about the experiences of those before us, the salaries and things relating to this military service of ours. Plans of what was on our minds regarding the future was briefly mentioned and then cast aside.
***
After graduating from the uni, Gua Gua found a living in a trading company in the capital, so we could only meet in the evening. During the course of the dinner, several subjects were brought up, the army of course, what ours friends were up to, and the not-so-distant past. But most of all we talked about her job. She complained what an asshole her boss was and how much she wanted to quit. However, the reality bites, so she would probably stayed for at least an year before moving on to the next or any other plans she had on her mind. She also expressed the desire to continue her education, a master course perhaps. But, the problem was that she didn't quite know what she wanted to study, and I wanted to help her with it, to discover where her true interest lay.
***
Zih-Guo stayed in the Ministry of Education after finishing his service. We didn't chat for long because he had to work the next day. His grilfriend resembled some acquaintance of mine back in the uni. When I rang him they were watching Cape No.7 in the mall, so it was agreed that we were to meet there. We talked about our friends back in the uni, but there wasn't actually that much of them to talk about because we were never that close to them. There were always those little groups and we mainly maintained good relations with each and every one of them, but nothing furthur. I suppose it was because I'd never identified myself with 'em, therefore I didn't dedicate my time in entering their circles. So everytime we talked about them we only mentioned the main figures. Then we moved on to the following subjects: his job, the army, and plans for the future. He was preparing for the functionary exam.
***
It seemed like everyone was in a great hurry in the capital, Shiao-Yen had to run for the metro in 2 hours so we met in the Main Station and chatted over a cup of coffee on the second floor. From our current geographical position, the metro would be reached in about 30 seconds' time. Highly time-saving and efficient. Big metropolis. The cafés and restaurants were mostly full so we made a round tour first.
The conversation started the moment she called out my name back there on the first floor, was interrupted at the counter, and resumed when we were seated. I was surprised to find her still doing her master thesis, so for a good part of the 2 hour that we had she explained to me things behind the smiles. It's not unheard of the unethical practices of some professors: capitaling on the investigations, researches of the students, deploiting them for completely personal means, etc. etc. Anyway, the situation was not in her favour and she was in her fifth year. Then the conversation moved towards the old classmates and teachers, and I was again surprised to find her praising with all the rhetoric she could possibly muster certain professor, whose reputation in the department was quite the contrary, which made me revaluate the way I see the prof, she couldn't be all that negative as rumoured. Before long, as if by nature, future plans were brought up. She was thinking about doing a Phd. in the states and her enthusiasm shone through her expression. She's got that radiance in her eyes while talking about these plans of hers, and at that moment I somehow envied her for it. Then before we knew it, time was up and we parted way.
The conversation started the moment she called out my name back there on the first floor, was interrupted at the counter, and resumed when we were seated. I was surprised to find her still doing her master thesis, so for a good part of the 2 hour that we had she explained to me things behind the smiles. It's not unheard of the unethical practices of some professors: capitaling on the investigations, researches of the students, deploiting them for completely personal means, etc. etc. Anyway, the situation was not in her favour and she was in her fifth year. Then the conversation moved towards the old classmates and teachers, and I was again surprised to find her praising with all the rhetoric she could possibly muster certain professor, whose reputation in the department was quite the contrary, which made me revaluate the way I see the prof, she couldn't be all that negative as rumoured. Before long, as if by nature, future plans were brought up. She was thinking about doing a Phd. in the states and her enthusiasm shone through her expression. She's got that radiance in her eyes while talking about these plans of hers, and at that moment I somehow envied her for it. Then before we knew it, time was up and we parted way.
