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| 12TH BSDSDP: SINGAPORE PHASE | We have been through rough times but the mere memories that we have created will forever be cherished during Brunei Phase especially the flooding incident in Litad, Tutong. Finally, this phase was over! I was all packed and ready to go to Singapore. 2 hours later and we have landed in Singapore, the Land of Lions. Before we stepped out of the airport, we were fortunate enough to observe the beautiful Water Vortex light show in Jewel Changi which illuminated the dark background of the indoors terraced forest. The warmth and caring attitude of the Singaporean MinDef (Ministry of Defence) officials were very welcoming and I was looking forward to stumbling across future surprises for this phase. Soon after, we headed to SAFTI MI (Military Institute) to settle in our bunks, where we stayed for the whole programme.
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| 12TH BSDSDP : BRUNEI PHASE | Sunday, the 31st of August 2022 marked the first day of the 12th Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars Development Programme. We checked in at noon, our parents sending us off to the Askar Simpanan Melayu Diraja Brunei (ASMDB) camp with heavy luggages, clothes hangers and a huge sense of relief that the household would be much more peaceful the coming 2 weeks. That's not true at all, our parents were so reluctant to let us go they stayed outside the barracks for a good hour taking pictures and for Alya especially, saying goodbye! | 
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| From NYC, with love! | Summer break has started in New York. Every day I followed the same routine of waking up to my summer classes, with nothing to look forward to. As I was getting ready to bed one night, I got a surprising call from our Head of Scholarship Section, Ms Susie. She asked if I wanted to join the 12th BSDSDP 2022 (12th Brunei-Singapore Defence Scholars' Development Programme 2022). I was stunned as I was given a delightful chance to reunite with my fellow scholars, especially Zharfan and Liessa who are going to enter Officer Cadet School (OCS) soon. I immediately called my whole family and broke the surprising news to them. They were already setting a one-week menu to welcome my return (which was full of different variations of Buttermilk Chickens, my favourite food). At the same time, they were also blasting my phone with items they wanted me to bring back from the US, haha!
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| Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost | Dr Seuss said, "If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good". Trying new things can be undoubtedly daunting. The unfamiliar puts us in a vulnerable position, and leaves us with an onslaught of questions running through our heads. And then there's the rush. There's nothing quite like- or as memorable as- the thrill of a new experience. This is what I have been chasing this past year.
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| "Hustling in Ramadhan" | The holy month of Ramadhan have witnessed the scholars striving to excel, finding enjoyments in the company of each other while persevering through hunger and thirst. While the Coronavirus restrictions were still in place, I had to find something to channel my energy into – that was the fitness training for me. The memorable first week of Ramadhan training, I could recall my struggles to pick myself up for the 9PM session. Admittedly, I was often sluggish after breaking my fast but I pushed through and drove myself to Dewan Gerak Badan, Bolkiah Garrison.
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