Zhijie called and told me about the unfairness of his Honours project progress report assessment. I can sensed his anger and disappointment as it was the first time I saw him feeling so anguish and mistreated. The closest was the spectroscopic application module that we took in 2 years ago. He was examined by 2 examiners whom he perceived, think nothing about his field of research (and they weren't even in the inorganic field of research). All I can say is to ask him to try his best and if think really did not turn out well, then just accept it and move on. Complaining to the higher authorities is one option but it seldom turns out well. Unfairness is everywhere and I guess there's nothing much we can do with it. Well, I sincerely believe that "tomorrow will be a better day", a direct reference to the Chinese saying "山穷水尽疑无路 柳暗花明又一村". Or translated into English, "where the hills and streams end and there seems to be no road ahead, amidst shady willows and blooming flowers, another village appears".

Emily told me that most of the friends she made during exchange were transient ones and when things are back to normal, they'll probably not contact one another again. Hmm I think that is being rather negative, though to a certain extent, I agree with her. I'm probably lucky as I've made some really nice HK friends. At the end of the day, it takes 2 hands to clap to maintain a long lasting friendship.

I was thinking about doing a Masters as one of my fellow MOE scholar friend told me that they have relaxed the rules and allow us to do a 2 years Master (initially they allow a 1 year Master but in Chemistry, that is next to impossible!). I thought of Canada, HK and Australia. I excluded US from my choice as I'll like to go there for Ph.D; that is if I still have the energy at the end of the day. Also, I'm kind of lazy and it might be too late to take GRE now.

I was eyeing for ANU but its costs is too high - around AUD$21000 per year and they don't usually give stipends/scholarships to foreigners unless they are really outstanding. Since I'm definitely not getting 1st Class, I guess that's out for me. Canada and HK Masters program costs about the same, averaging S$8000 a year. Student stipends and scholarship wise is kind of different; in Canada, we have to earn it through teaching (which is something I like to do) and HK wise, they give you studentship. However, the U that I wanna go to (Uni.of Alberta) requires us to do a 3 years Master! That's pretty long for me. Costs of living there is high too. The next better choice is HK and I'm looking at HKU and UST. UST may be a better choice as I can work under Prof Wu and learn some physical organic calculation technique/skills from him. This is of vital importance if I wanna go into hardcore organic research in the future.

Nothing is cast in stone yet and I am stll waiting for MOE's reply to my Master stint. They may disapprove it eventually and I'll then have to go into NIE to do my diploma in education and serve out my bond first. The most immediate thing I have to worry now is my Honours project and also to do well in my modules. Worse come to worse, I can do a Master in NUS Chem new program which is course work based and requires only a year; everything here suits MOE's requirement and I can brush up all my course content before engaging in research after my bond. Whatever the case is, the future, I believe, will be pretty bright.