Working and studying out of Singapore for your degree – part 2 – lodgings
August 7, 2012
One of the biggest headaches that you are probably going to face as a foreign student who is working full time to get your first degree is finding decent accommodation. Personally I am not a big fan of living in halls of residences in campus. As there are simply too many distractions. Women, drink, rowdy folk and weed are just a few to name. Since you have already taken a vow of celibacy. You are really like a Templar knight. Hence, it makes absolutely no sense to spoil it by putting yourself in the way of temptation.
I mean let’s face it, with buy one get another free cheebai’s all over the place and at every corner – that’s bound to corrode discipline.
One great way to seek cheap and classy lodgings is to do your research into ultra secretive organizations that everyone is afraid or wary of.
Opus Dei is one such organization. Most people when they think about Opus Dei automatically conjure up images of Dan Brown’s albino priest sneaking around and strangling innocent people. Nothing can be further from the truth. Coming to think of it, you don’t even have to be a Christian to stay in a halls of residence run by the ultra secretive splinter group of the Vatican.
The only reason why you (if happen to be Singaporean) will probably get in is because Opus Dei is paranoid about being labelled as insular, parochial and ivory towered. That simply means if you happen to be Asian – your chances of getting in is close to 100%. They might even let you stay for free. If you are prepared to be their UN poster boy. As Opus Dei genuinely wants to project an angelic, wholesome and multicultural image to the world. The problem as I see it – no one actually believes they are just running a students residence. As the history of Opus Dei has always been embroiled in controversy. Ironically, that is exactly what they are doing – just running really decent places where foreign students can just stay and do very little else except study. This is the truth and nothing but the truth.
Few words of warning. Women are strictly prohibited from the grounds. There are no locks on the door. If you want to check Opus Dei up – search for Opus Dei Netherhall Gardens.
I am not a Christian. Used to be. But I can vouch first hand. The people that you will come across in Opus Dei residences(except probably when I was around) will probably be the most well educated, cultured and down to earth folk you will probably ever get to rub shoulders with. Not the cheap pirates like Kong Hee & Co.
Since Opus Dei is really proud of its student outreach program – it has one of the most well networked alumnus in the world that is likely to serve you very well in business.
I am in the field now. Once I get back. I will write more.
Darkness 2012
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“I think when you are working and studying for a degree in a foreign land. It is so easy to take pride in the idea that you are a self made man. When I reflect back, that has to be a form of delusion. To be precise, delusions of granduer. But when you are a young man, this is how you actually think. Till of course when you are thrown into a social setting where you suddenly find yourself with very well balanced and well adjusted people (unlike yourself, as you have been so busy trying to work and study. You have become a psychopath of sorts) and they are all talking about how they want to go back to their countries to change society for the better – and when it comes to your turn, you really have nothing much to say. As this is really something that is so distant and faraway from where you really are. When a person is faced with those contradictions. I think it puts everything into perspective – you realize that you are not quite there yet and so you realize that maybe it’s best to be less opinionated and remain humble.
My point is the people who you met in the moment of your youth will usually have a dramatic impact on your life. If you mix with losers. The chances are you end up as a loser. The opposite holds true as well. As at some point when you begin to marinate with these high minded intellectuals who seem to be more cultured, informed and better read than you. You will say to yourself, this is how I should live my life. This is how I want my kids to experience university life. So you becomes more open. Less intolerant of others. And your heart opens up. As you realize there is more to life than just making it in the world on your own steam. I think that is so important when you are a young impressionable man. To have people who can share with you the gentle art of how to hold an interesting conversation and how to be a perfect gentlemen. Even today when I met up with Franco, Jose Maria and the others like Adomako, it is like stepping back into that same river of the past – the only difference now is many of them aren’t just talking any longer. They now run corporations and some even whole countries. That has to be pretty scary I think. To imagine that the person who you used to share a bunk with is actually someone who now runs a ministry or multinational. But that just goes to show you that in life, it’s hard to say where you will end up. ” Darkness 2012
