OCS

The first and foremost thing I have to say about SAFTI MI is that they understand bread. It's brilliant. I think I'm being spoiled. Maybe I should request the introduction of wholemeal, otherwise I might develop a dependence on my comprehensive diet of white and butter.

Coming into OCS on the 19th of December (can't believe it's been 4 weeks) was a real culture shock - even more so than BMT. At least, coming from an international school background, I was used to moving about and meeting new and different types of people, which made my BMT transition easier. But when you enter OCS, it's not the different cultural or social backgrounds of the cadets that make integration a stressful experience - it's the fact that everyone there has spent some time in the army already, and everyone has their own way of doing things. This is especially true of the MOCCs and air force/navy regulars. For me, it was frustrating to have to unlearn some of the things taught to me at an earlier stage, and then to be forced to relearn methods that made little sense in the greater scheme of things.

Of course, I've since adjusted and things in that respect have become easier. After that, it was just a matter of accepting the higher standards of discipline and physical training expected of us as officer cadets. Right now, 34 more weeks seems an eternity away, and what drives me ahead on a moment-to-moment basis is not so much the thought of commissioning, but the idea of working for my own personal pride and proving to myself that I have what it takes to be a successful SAF officer. And if for some reason I don't make it to the end, at least I can say I gave it all I had and I was rewarded with all it had to give me.

I remember what I was like as a recruit; at least I'm not making the same mistakes as a cadet. I'm learning a lot - not only in terms of practical knowledge but also about myself and my potential strengths and weaknesses as a leader. And I'm quite proud of the fact that I can run 2.4km in 10:20, which I would have said was a crazy timing 3 months ago (and which is actually below average here, dang it). So, I'm working on it.

I'll also try to work on posting more often, since I did start this blog a couple of months ago with the intention of recording my NS life. Oh well. Shall now dash off to try and make the most of my weekend. Cheers.

(Incidentally, with regards to the starting of this blog, if you haven't already done so there's an interesting little unoriginal story in the June 2005 archives called "Billy and the Passionfruit" which could do with some reading. Have a nice week.) :D