It all started on the 31st December 2017 evening, I didn't have a NYE gig as the only enquiry I had said no budget for my quote.
After I & my wife came back home from our Sunday church service I just casually browsed internet looking for some "international ukulele competition", and somehow stumbled into some International Ukulele Contest and Hula Show 2018 in Hawaii, and the strange thing was 31st December was the last day of registration.
I quickly studied about the requirement and chose one of my fingerstyle ukulele videos for submission. I submitted this one - it's "Close to You" popularized by Carpenters - it sounds like "Close to Uke", right? ;)
It's like a dream...the great one!!!
We truly are humbled by this God's given good news. It's gonna be our first time flying of to USA, so excited.
Another thing was about the visa and tickets. We're both Indonesian and never been to the US before. I requested some invitation letter from the ukulele contest organizer also some supporting letters from ACS International School & Canadian International School, the schools I teach. They're very supportive and by Monday the 15th January I've got all the supporting letters.
Thankfully the visa application process went smoothly, we got the interview on Wednesday 17th January and collected the visa on the 18th January- that's considered very very fast process.
After knowing that we're granted the visa we quickly booked the flight to Honolulu on the 17th January. My wife reminded me to include meals as it's gonna be quite long flight. We eventually got the package with meal & luggage. Surprisingly the rate's pretty cheap by Scoot (departure on the 3rd February & arriving back SG on the 13th February/reaching SG on the 14th evening), it's the best among others around this period, it's SGD 1813 for 2 return tickets with meals & lugagge.
Praise the Lord for everything, we've gotta have good fun, learn a lot about many things. Any advice about Hawaii trips are welcome.
Here's some uku song about Hawaii I happened to play & taught my students last time :
Hope to see you in Hawaii too and Aloha!
After I & my wife came back home from our Sunday church service I just casually browsed internet looking for some "international ukulele competition", and somehow stumbled into some International Ukulele Contest and Hula Show 2018 in Hawaii, and the strange thing was 31st December was the last day of registration.
I quickly studied about the requirement and chose one of my fingerstyle ukulele videos for submission. I submitted this one - it's "Close to You" popularized by Carpenters - it sounds like "Close to Uke", right? ;)
My application's well received though I've got problem with PayPal payment. I then had been corresponding with the organizer about the payment as it always seemed fail. There's 1 time it seemed good but at the end it bounced back.
Cut long story short I managed to settle the payment 2 days before the finalists' announcement.
We somehow perceived a lot of things pertaining Hawaii in our daily live, some motifs of shirts, some people I met who looked like Hawaiian, we even saw & order Aloha Burger from some fast food joint that we never realized before it exists.
Regardless how expecting we're there wasn't any email I received till last night and the announcement should be on the 10th January (I guess Hawaii local time), so I had let go my expectation to go Hawaii. We thought that maybe it's good too not to spend so much on our savings.
But what surprised me was when my wife Santy shouted to me as she was reading this email on the 12th January morning, she was equally surprised, that I'm selected as 1 of the 6 finalist..that's sooo...
Cut long story short I managed to settle the payment 2 days before the finalists' announcement.
We somehow perceived a lot of things pertaining Hawaii in our daily live, some motifs of shirts, some people I met who looked like Hawaiian, we even saw & order Aloha Burger from some fast food joint that we never realized before it exists.
Regardless how expecting we're there wasn't any email I received till last night and the announcement should be on the 10th January (I guess Hawaii local time), so I had let go my expectation to go Hawaii. We thought that maybe it's good too not to spend so much on our savings.
But what surprised me was when my wife Santy shouted to me as she was reading this email on the 12th January morning, she was equally surprised, that I'm selected as 1 of the 6 finalist..that's sooo...
It's like a dream...the great one!!!
We truly are humbled by this God's given good news. It's gonna be our first time flying of to USA, so excited.
Another thing was about the visa and tickets. We're both Indonesian and never been to the US before. I requested some invitation letter from the ukulele contest organizer also some supporting letters from ACS International School & Canadian International School, the schools I teach. They're very supportive and by Monday the 15th January I've got all the supporting letters.
Thankfully the visa application process went smoothly, we got the interview on Wednesday 17th January and collected the visa on the 18th January- that's considered very very fast process.
After knowing that we're granted the visa we quickly booked the flight to Honolulu on the 17th January. My wife reminded me to include meals as it's gonna be quite long flight. We eventually got the package with meal & luggage. Surprisingly the rate's pretty cheap by Scoot (departure on the 3rd February & arriving back SG on the 13th February/reaching SG on the 14th evening), it's the best among others around this period, it's SGD 1813 for 2 return tickets with meals & lugagge.
Praise the Lord for everything, we've gotta have good fun, learn a lot about many things. Any advice about Hawaii trips are welcome.
Here's some uku song about Hawaii I happened to play & taught my students last time :
Hope to see you in Hawaii too and Aloha!
Thanksgiving indeed, and my prayers go before you that you will gain much in experience and exposure, learn as much as you teach, and find favour will all you come into contact with. And have a wonderful and blessed couple time with your wife!
ReplyDeleteAmen. Thanks so much Lay Hoon
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