While I was travelling around in Tasmania and now right here in Canberra, the ICT for my platoon is currently ongoing. Of course, I have a deferment for this ICT and thus excused from this training, along with two other platoon mates in a similar situation.
However, my case is slightly different in that I could've returned for the ICT given that my exams end sometime before. This require a serious amount of planning as I've applied the Exit Permit (and thus the deferment) before I left... meaning if I wanted to participate in this ICT I would've arranged my permit to end early. But I applied for a permit till January which freed me from this particular ICT, so in a way the choice is made and there's nothing I can do about it now.
The reason why I applied all the way through to next year, to before the new semester at NUS starts, is because I wanted time to travel around Australia. The air ticket from Singapore to Australia is not cheap, so I thought that since I'm coming here I might as well maximise my time here and visit places all over the country. It would be a waste to fly here just before the ANU semester started and back home right after it ended. That is why I was already here in June, more than a month ahead of my exchange semester.
Nonetheless, I do quite wish I'm now there with my platoon mates in the jungles of Lim Chu Kang. Not that I like army trainings - most of my platoon mates, as far as I know, loathe ICTs - but I get the horrible feeling that I'm sort of deserting my friends, enjoying myself here in Australia while they suffer back in Singapore. Not to mention the trouble shoved onto Shung Yar's plate of arranging a substitute for me, and to Jun Hong for having to do the rebro himself or with someone else. Of course, I'll probably be having a makeup ICT when I go back (with strangers - another reason why I'd be in this ICT), so I'm certainly not escaping the burden of "serving the country", but there is still this irrational nagging thought that bugs me every now and then.
Yet, if now I were back in Singapore for this ICT, I will feel guilty of not making full use of my time here in Australia. Of going back so early. Of missing those travels I would've otherwise taken. I would've thought, "I did have a choice of deferring this ICT, but I didn't."
Thus either choice I make will leave me with regret. Well, at least the choice has already been made. And in any case, I do hope my platoon mates will get through this ICT smoothly and "painlessly".
2 comments:
oh well, we are alive. aching everywhere but still fine basically. dun need to dread too much lar. it won't be total strangers, since probably yujian and jingxi would be with you. and there is a chance u only get to do your make up after the 10th cycle...
anyway, when are you coming back to singapore? i was hoping it is before i fly off...
Hmm well I should be stepping on Singapore soil on the night of the 8th Jan, which, if I don't remember wrongly, leaves us a week to go out!
And congratulations on getting through the ICT!
Post a Comment