The iGEM Experience (part I)

Dear jumjum...

I have been starting every post with an apology lately. It has been a year since I joined iGEM- another cycle has since begun and I am still reluctant to blog about it. However, we had a general meeting last night and because they are actually starting lab work now, it reminded me so much of my own experience.

I heard about iGEM from Hojeong aka Crazy Cat, so we attended the introductory talk given by Prof. Chow. My first impression was that it was too incredible. Undergrad students manipulating DNA?! I had to give this a shot. The meetings and tutorials were...intimidating. Hojeong and I felt like two dumbasses in a room of smart kids. We were desperate to learn and terrified of being kicked out of the team (a totally baseless fear). I remember the two of us sitting in my room back to back, trying to come up with a project proposal. We came up with something to do with thirdhand smoke degradation but it went to a dead end. It was good though, I believe that was my first exposure to searching and reading research papers.

On the first day of lab training, we had plans for dinner with the other Jji jjis since the lab closes at 5.30pm. Our lab trainer, Cruellar; let us off early since there was not much we could do that day and scheduled a meeting late in the afternoon. While we were waiting in the learning commons, he informed us that he was being held up in the lab and that the meeting had to be delayed. And so we were forced to cancel our dinner plans. That was when I realised how our summer was going to be- and from then on I never dared to confirm any plans with anyone.

I surprised myself with my enthusiasm for lab work (where does that spirit go when I need to study??!). I never procrastinate if I have an experiment to do, and I can only wish the same can be said for the other areas of my life. It is way more satisfying to me to work on an actual project where you get physical results compared to studying for a test and getting a mere grade. I derive a weird sense of satisfaction working in the lab. Time seems to fly by and I finally understood how people could possibly skip meals for work. I believe that summer was the most enjoyable period for me since coming to HKUST. After the summer term, attending classes was so dull and such a pain, especially since we were running from the lab to lectures and vice versa.

The unfulfilled plan.

I was initially in Group 5, which was basically a redundant group because we were working on the lysis module, which we can never do experimentally in the lab due to biological safety concerns. Once we confirmed the proposal for that module, the group was disbanded and I was allocated to Group 1. By the end of summer we had to prioritize our time and so we were put into another group to help. And so there was this running joke that whichever group I joined would eventually be disbanded. =.=


The day before wiki freeze, most people were only just done with midterms so there was a lot of last-minute uploading, proofreading, tweaking... We pulled 16 hours in the library overnight and were smelly and so disorientated that morning. The last few of us who survived up to the deadline were freaking out so bad because I was proofreading the last last-minute page (which no one else thought was worth doing, which in hindsight, may have been true), and we were trying and failing to log onto the site for half an hour just before the deadline. I had the best sleep of my life that day- Melody said I was happily snoring away in broad daylight. 

As Chloe put it, 'The Six Survivors'

Our wiki:
http://2014.igem.org/Team:Hong_Kong_HKUST

iGEM took up a whole lot of time and a lot of sweat and some tears were shed over it; but it was the best experience for an inexperienced dumbdumb like me. To be able to work with peers semi-independently and with all the freedom in performing experiments made it worth it. Also, like I mentioned before, it was nice getting to know weirdos similar to oneself. After being cramped up together in the MBMS lab for months, you start to know your teammates much more than you ever want.... 

I miss all the chaos, the funky LB smell that greets you as you enter, the daily battle of booking machines and gel tanks, fighting with the Side Project Mafia, and yelling in different languages that is iGEM lab.

 

*atm*

Crap I'm 21.

Dear jumjum...

I've never had a birthday party, because I've been shy and wanted to avoid being the center of attention. However, as a young girl I've always envisioned celebrating my 21st with a grand birthday bash. I even had this red dress that I kept in my closet since I was 11 (I think it's a hand-me-down from my aunt), which I wanted to wear when I turn 21. It was a BIG deal to me.

It never occurred to me that my 21st would in fact be spent away from home, away from my family and the friends I grew up with. Anyway, I told my HK friends that I wanted to organise my own dinner (a party still does not seem to appeal to me), and that I wanted it to be fancier than usual. Booking a place turned out to be super stressful, because most restaurants have a 'minimum spending per head' rule if you want to reserve for a party over 10. And well, we're students- I know for a fact some of my friends will not be willing to spend so much on a dinner. And so we ended up in a place less classy than I wanted, but I had much more fun than I anticipated! =)

I did not wear the red dress. In hindsight, it actually looks too...matured on me. I wore this one which I bought in Thailand in 2012 but never had the guts to wear (never wore a strapless before). Ironically, it's from Forever 21.

With the kids

                                            The Jji jjis

                                               Malaysianssss


iGEMers


Ah yes, I neglected to mention that we had dinner the night before my birthday for convenience since it was a Sunday. I also told the girls not to get me anything because there really isn't anything I want/need. However I did get a box of assorted chocolates from Ele (with instructions that it is supposed to last me the whole semester; I am tempted everyday to finish the whole lot), chocolate cookies from my son Erica (more food!!), the daintiest little necklace and bracelet from the iGEMers, and a lavender-scent reed diffuser from the Malaysian guys (every time I walk into my dorm now it's like a whole new world...).

Oh and my sibwings also got me a necklace, delivered by my visiting aunt. So proud because Val told me that Zac actually gave his input and opinion in choosing it! (He is usually in his own world and is passive on such things)

I was lucky that computer lab was cancelled on my birthday, so I went out to spend some time by myself. I went to...Forever 21. Heh heh. Only because it is usually so packed and crazy busy, so Monday afternoon was a golden opportunity for stress-free shopping! As customary after F21, I crossed the street to have my frozen yoghurt and explored Causeway Bay.

Ele, HJ and I overdosed on sushi for dinner aaand we went for the weekly iGEM general meeting; because somehow Mondays just aren't complete without it!

Again, I am super grateful for the people and the blessings in my life, as I am every year and I really do mean it every year. I'm one lucky duck who had two birthday cakes and I know it =)

*atm*

Shanghai 2015

Dear jumjum...

In line with my dad's encouragement for me to travel while in uni, Patricia and I spent our last week of the winter holidays in Shanghai with our two Malaysians-living-in-Shanghai friends, Melody and YP.

YP was really the ultimate tour guide, asking us where we want to go and planning our itinerary a week before our arrival. If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been to half the places we went.

Upon arrival, I was supposed to take the MRT to Melody's place where YP was to meet me. The MRT ticket counter was closed, and the machines only accepted notes below 100 yuan, which was the smallest change I had. So I was trying to ask people to exchange my note for smaller change but most people ignored me. Then a youngster took pity on me and gave me 3 yuan in coins. 

While slotting the coins into the machine, I was stupidly still holding on to my 100 yuan note, which a man came up and took from me before I knew what was happening. He told me that he'll change it for small change but only gave me 70 yuan in return, then asked me if it was OK. I was like, "Of course not! If you don't have change then give me back my note." But he was like, "Oh, but your note disappeared! Let's just count it as me having a drink or taxi ride on you," with a cheeky grin, showing me the metal fillings in his teeth. I was furious but 1) I was in a foreign place, 2) He looked creepy 3) It was around RM15 and I felt it wasn't worth it; so I gave him a glare and stalked off to his delighted cries of 谢谢！

When I told YP what happened, she gave me a crash course on "How to Behave and What to Expect in China". I solemnly promised myself never to be scammed or tricked again for the duration of our stay (which I achieved! I am, at times, extremely blur).

There were stalls selling tea in milk bottles, so I firmly told Patricia that I was getting one for her on the condition that she lets me take a picture of her drinking it. Looked like she enjoyed it xD she even brought the bottle back! Anyway it started this thing that all 3 of us had to do a dare during our stay in Shanghai. Mine was to eat a whole chili (not sure what kind it was) while having dinner with YP's family. HOT DAM. It was an...enriching experience, though. YP's was to wear a garland of flowers around her head in public in Hangzhou (pic below) (which I also think she enjoyed, because she wore it all the way home!) 

Street foooooood.

Me love smelly tofu

 Yu gardens

Took a whole lot of pictures here...it was like a maze of old buildings and courtyards.

 Art museum

Hangzhou

We were walking along the West lake (couldn't see much due to the fog), and there were people selling bubble....makers? along the way. I though it'd be fun; so before we approached them we settled internally on a price (5 yuan). They started off with 20 yuan, and after some disgusted looks and pretending to walk away they settled at 5 hehe. Patricia and I each got one, and were making bubbles all along the bridge. Crazy amount of fun being the Bubble Ninjas! We also found an appreciative audience from a kid walking alongside us =)

It started to snow (my first properly-snowing-not-just-light snow!) and rain, so we abandoned our walk-around due to the cold. YP found a massive karaoke center which was also crazy cheap so we spent the rest of the afternoon yelling in there instead.

*atm*

Dawn of Spring Semester 2015

Dear jumjum,

I have not blogged about a single thing I have promised myself to in the last holiday! The last holiday really did seem to fly by, probably because I was in Bangkok, then KL, back to Kuching, to Shanghai, and finally to HK.

Also, I was trying to look for a literature research topic over the holiday, with instructions that our topic should be novel and unconventional. I came up with some crazy ideas (that itself took a lot of effort on my none-too-creative self); but it was all quickly debunked after extended reading on the subjects. I was in depressed and panic mode when our Shanghai trip drew near, and I only managed to pluck up some courage and email to request a supervisor last week after coming back to HK. (Said topic is yet to surface, although the general scope is decided)

With a tinge of sadness I report that my favourite spot in the library 1st floor no longer exists. They have upgraded the entire floor to include more tables and chairs which is nice but the 1st floor is now thrice as crowded as it used to be. I haven't decided if I like that fact yet. Having too many or too few people around me seems to affect my study mood. Anyway gonna be moving from spot to spot this week in search of my personal optimum conditions...

Had our first iGEM general meeting last night. Seeing all the newbies made us feel so old- we can still remember our first meeting like it was yesterday! I am also aware that I have not blogged about my iGEM experience even though a whole new iGEM cycle has already begun..

Ok enough procrastinating. I have to buckle down and get work done, and somehow factor in some time to catch up on blogging. I seem to say this every semester but once again, here's to the beginning of yet another busy semester!

*atm*

Random Happenings in HK (Fall 2014)

Dear jumjum...

  Once again I have neglected my blog (surprise, surprise...). So here we go, random stuff in one go.

Saint Nicholas Day

  Helped Patricia out at her Dutch festival event in early December, where Sinterklaas arrives to meet the children on a boat. It was held in a sea school in Stanley, a part of HK island I have never been to before. The best part was trying Dutch food! I'm not a picky eater- I basically devoured everything, even stuff that Patricia herself doesn't like. She'd be like, 'You should try that,' and then after it's on my plate she's go, 'oh I don't like that by the way' xD

  The kids were so cute!!! We were in charge of the hat table, stapling paper in circles appropriate for their little heads and encouraging them to decorate their hats afterward. Many times I had to go apologetically, 'Soree, I don't speak Dutch'- however I did pick up how to say 'Santa Claus', 'blue', and 'feather' in their language. I didn't manage to take any pictures with the kids in their hats though.

Study break

  HJ brought me to the 1st floor of the library to study and I liked it so much that I went there for the rest of study break. Being the dynamic cat that she is, she soon got bored of the place and abandoned me for 'greener pastures'. Mika says it's 'too quiet (which makes her sleepy) and meant for old people (meaning postgrads)' -_- I even got a favourite corner that I became very possessive of, shooting daggers at whoever occupied My Spot.

High class cyber cafe
  Had to fork out a considerable amount of ka-ching to use a hotel business centre near the Chinese embassy to print a letter in order to apply for my Chinese visa. Melody and I reckoned it was like a high-class cyber cafe, and being the Asians we were, we wanted to get the most out of the money I forked over. So we grabbed handfuls of complimentary sweets and paper clips. Heh heh.

 Post finals 

Fish 'n Chips at Sai Kung w/ Ele

 Pat thought I was taking a snapchat- I abused her face in this picture by setting it as our group chat display pic =D

Last minute Christmas shopping

  I decided that due to the lack of traditions in my family (especially now that all the grandparents are gone), I wanted to start getting presents for everyone beginning this year. So Ele and Pat accompanied me shopping around Central.

  After getting everything, we were wandering around and came across the Mid Levels escalators, which was on my to-visit list. There are some really interesting little restaurants of food from all around the world on the way up; now I know where to go for food if I'm around that area. I didn't anticipate that there were no escalators to go down, aaand I was in my boots (with heels). Dammit! 

  The same night Patricia had a drinking party...let's just say we had a helluva time ;)

Thanks to HJ, I had to drink for this one...

*atm*