Universal Diaries

School Work!

2010-04-07T11:08:00.004+08:00

Hey diary!
Guess what? We're going to learn Slovene for YOG this year! Its all planned out, wanna see?

7th April
- Zdravo (Hello)
- Adijo (Bye)
- Nasvidenje (Goodbye)
- Kako Si? (How are you?)
21th April
- Dobro Jutro (Good morning)
- Dober večer (Good afternoon)
- Da (yes)
- Ne (no)
- Oprostite prosim (Excuse me)
5th May
- Prosim (please)
- Hvala (thank you)
- Moje ime je... (My name is...)
28th April
- Dobrodošli v Singapur
(Welcome to Singapore)
- Kajerim śportom se ukvarjas?
(What sport do you play?)
19th May
- Kje je stranišče? (Where is the toilet?)
- Ali ste lačni? (Are you hungry?)
12th May
- Ne vem (I don't know)
-Ne jem messa (I don't eat meat)
2nd June
REVISE
16th June
REVISE
30nd June
Quick Quiz (chocolate as prizes)

2010YOG Happenings @ Cedar

2010-02-26T13:10:00.006+08:00

Dear Diary,

Last Wednesday, myself and a group of friends shared with the rest of the Cedarians about the upcoming YOG activities in our school. We were really nervous on stage and we had a few mistakes here and there but i think it was a good experience for me. So, here's what we talked about...

The first activity thsi year will be the YOG T-shirt design competition.

Besides that, we will also be participating in some activities at national level. Scary huh? Its like the whole country will be watching us!

Can't wait for YOG2010.It's gonna be greeat! :)

bye, diary.

Welcome to Universal Diaries!

2009-09-27T23:38:00.000+08:00

AYG Highlights

Bishan Stadium, June 30, 2009 – Fellow Cedarian Melissa Wu Qin Yu won Singapore's first medal at the inaugural Asian Youth Games.
She bagged the bronze medal with her 4.94m effort in the girls’ long jump event.

Congrats!

We also played a part in AYG 2009.

Want to know more? Click here.

Letters on Clothing

2009-09-01T13:33:00.000+08:00

Dear Danica,

Today we had International Day and I wore Slovenian clothes, the gorenjska. I did a little research on Slovenian clothes and I found that there are many types of costumes. Here in Singapore, there are 4 types of traditional clothings for the respective races - Malay, Chinese, Indian and Eurasian. Anyway, it was really fun and many of my friends told me that I looked really good. Well, that's all I can say

Please mail back!
Yours truly,
Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

Wow, I didn't know you had an International Day in Singapore! We don't have one though. If we did I might have worn Singaporean clothes. I know there are many types so it's a little hard to choose what I would wear. Well, I got to go now!

Please mail back!
Yours truly,
Danica

Penpals Forever

2009-08-25T15:03:00.003+08:00

This page showcases letters exchanged between

Sylvia, the Singaporean and Danica, the Slovene!

New letters will be coming in every month, so don't forget to check!
• Letter- Education (March 2009)
• Letter- Music (April 2009)
• Letter- Culture (May 2009)
• Letter- Economy (June 2009)
• Letter- History (July 2009)
• Letter- Food (August 2009)
• Letter-Clothing (September 2009)

Letters on Food

2009-08-24T10:07:00.005+08:00

Dear Danica,

How are you? I'm fine here. Guess what? I cooked Slovenian food today during Home Economics lesson and it tasted really good. I cooked a few dishes like Buckwheat Dumplings and Ubrenik.

They were really tasty. The recipes seemed quite manageable but I got the yeast wrong when I was doing the dumplings. Anyway, they were delicious and I had them for snacks at home. My family said they were quite nice and said I could make more at home!
Well that's all for now!

Your truly,
Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

I'm fine too. Wow, you made Slovenian dishes? Cool! We made a few Singaporean dishes too! Like, Chicken Rice, a dish popular among Singaporeans!

A simple dish but very delicious! My family and I enjoyed it very much. Next on the list, Nasi Lemak maybe. :)

Yours truly,
Danica

Olympism @ Cedar - Singapore Olympic Academy Youth Session 2008

2009-08-12T22:01:00.008+08:00

Olympism @ Cedar - School Activities

2009-08-12T21:14:00.011+08:00

Olympic Education by Our Student Leaders

From March to April 2009, student leaders were specially trained to deliver lessons on Olympism to their classmates. During these sessions, they covered topics like history of the Olympics, the Olympic values, what it means for Singapore to host the Games and the impact such a major event has on the environment.

Through this, the student leaders learnt more about the Olympic movement and also increased their confidence as they peer taught. They were such a success that they will lead and be involved in more of such pupil-initiated activities!

International Friendship Day

As part of International Friendship Day activities in February 2009, classes or individuals were given the chance to design their own postcards of Slovenia or Italy.These are some of the winning entries!
Cedar’s Annual Cross-Country Meet

During our school’s cross-country meet in May 2009, pupil representatives gave an introduction on the origins of running and Olympism before the flag-off. This gave all the pupils motivation as they embarked on their 3.2km route around Bedok Reservoir!

Interview with Melissa

2009-08-06T17:41:00.005+08:00

Melissa Wu is a Secondary 4 student from 4P. She is in the school Track and Field team and does jumps. She won a bronze medal in the triple jump event in the Asian Youth Games.

Here are some comments on her victory:

"I think that she has done great and should continue to do so."

"She has really done our school proud!"

"Melissa trained hard for this and I really think she deserves it!"

Melissa shares with us about her AYG experience and trainings:

"My AYG experience was really great. Through AYG I learnt a lot and made new friends. I learnt to be independent and discipline. I feel that AYG not only highlighted the potential that Asian athletes possess that is on par with the rest of the world but also let us learned more about different cultures of other countries. I enjoyed my trainings. During trainings, my coach, teammates and juniors were always there cheering for me. It was because of them and my friends that I never gave up training whenever I had problems juggling my time between studies and trainings. "

Her advice to future aspiring athletes:
"As sports isn't all about winning, youths should have the sporting spirit to persevere by taking on any challenges at anytime while at the same time, have good sportsmanship."

Cedarians @ AYG 2009

2009-08-06T17:34:00.009+08:00

We talked to some Cedarians on what they thought of AYG and here are some responses:

"I thought helping out in the AYG was a very good experience for me as I learnt how to present myself better in front of so many people."

"AYG was really fun for me as I could spend more time with my friends!"

"AYG was one of the best times I had in Cedar and I think it was a really good opportunity for us to bond and to serve the country."

"Witnessing a fellow Cedarian win a medal in such a prestigious event made me feel proud to be in this school."

We managed to get hold of Melissa Wu, the AYG medalist for an interview.

To read more about her Interview, click here.

I fell in LOVE with Slovenia.

2009-07-29T14:01:00.001+08:00

Slides by Dorian

Slovenia - Friends@YOG

2009-07-29T13:56:00.003+08:00

Dear Diary,

Under Friends@YOG, Cedar Girls' Secondary School and Maris Stella High School have been assigned to host participating athletes from Slovenia and Italy. Cedar Girls' Secondary School will be hosting the female athletes while the male athletes will be hosted by Maris Stella High School. I can't wait to learn about each other’s cultures and build lasting friendships.:)

Great!
See ya tomorrow,
Sylvia

For more information, do click on
http://www.singapore2010.sg/culture_and_education/reaching_out_to_youth !

Singapore - YOG 2010's Host

2009-07-29T13:56:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,

You know what ?

Singapore will host the 1st Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010!
Yeah, I can finally watch the YOG in my very own country.
Let me share the following information with you.

Singapore has the vision, desire and ability to host a wonderful inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Here are some of our reasons we believe Singapore stands out:

Our island is a global success story, an international destination with a truly cosmopolitan mix of ages, races and culture.

As, a young nation, Singapore understands the importance of young people, investing heavily in their future.

We share and champion similar values with the Olympic movement - excellence, friendship and respect.

Our sports facilities are world class.

We would feature innovative and exciting elements to support and strengthen the Olympic movement and ensure the legacy of the games is felt long after they have ended.

Cool huh...I know :)
See ya tomorrow,
Sylvia

For a better look at it, click: http://www.singapore2010.sg/day/index.htm

Youth Olympic Games 2010

2009-07-29T13:55:00.005+08:00

YOG website

Singapore - YOG 2010's Host

Slovenia - Friends@YOG

Economy of Singapore

2009-07-29T13:54:00.006+08:00

Photos courtesy of Singapore Free Photos @ http://www.singaporeshots.com

Dear Diary,
Do you know something? Our Mathematics teacher can sure talk about everything!
Like today, she talked about the economy of Singapore.

According to her, the economy of Singapore is a highly developed mixed economy. Government intervention is kept at a minimum. It has an open business environment, relatively corruption-free and transparent, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Its innovational yet steadfast form of economics have given it the nickname of the Singapore Model. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services provide the main source of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase natural resources and raw goods which it does not have. Singapore could thus be said to rely on an extended concept of entrepot trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining them for re-export, such as in the water fabrication industry and oil refining. Singapore also has a strategic port which makes it more competitive than many of its neighbours to carry out such entrepot activities. The Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing Rotterdam and Hong Kong.In addition, Singapore's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of the country's education policy in producing skilled workers, also fundamental in this aspect as they provide easier access to markets for both importing and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed to refine imports into exports. For more information, she told us to refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Singapore.

Hmmm, that's all for now!
My French homework is piling!
Bye & see ya,*Sylvia*

Education in Singapore

2009-07-29T13:54:00.003+08:00

Dear Diary,

Dad invited a guest over today.
I was home pretty late as I had my foreign language class.
The guest was new to Singapore and asked me to explain the education system to him!
This was what I said:

Singaporeans first start off their education in primary school where they learn the basics and English is kept as their first language leaving their mother tongue as their second. They also learn other subjects like Mathematics and Science. At the end of 6 years of primary school, age 12, they take a national exam, Primary School Leaving Examination, which determines which secondary school they go to, based on their results.

Along with a secondary school, students are also allocated to a stream such as Normal Academic or Express. In their school, the students further enhance their studies and prepare to take their 'O' level exams after 4 or 5 years.

After that, based on their results, the students may choose to further their education to the following: Junior Colleges/Centralised Institute, Polytechnics or Institute of Technical Education. From then on, it will be purely decided by themselves which University they can and will go to.

I also explained that since primary school, students will also be participating in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs). CCAs are an integral part of our students’ holistic, well-rounded education. They help nurture in students qualities such as resilience, tenacity, confidence and perseverance, which prepare them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. In secondary school student takes part in one CCA taken from the following options: Sports and Games, Uniformed Groups, Performing Arts Groups as well as Clubs and Societies.

Apart from these, I shared about other stuffs too.
It was a long conversation! Phew! I'm soo tired now!
Good night!*Sylvia*

Music in Singapore

2009-07-29T13:53:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,
Today we had a substitute Music teacher. She said our teacher told us to research on the music scene in Singapore. Well, I started doing it and it was pretty cool. I did some more research on my own and this is what I found:

Peranakan
Peranakan folk music is noted for its fusion of English in Malay-inspired tunes, largely because the Peranakans themselves are often highly conversant in both languages. Contemporary tunes continue to be composed based on the Peranakan culture, such as "Bunga Sayang", a theme song from Dick Lee's musical "Kampung Amber". The song became an often-sung staple of the National Day Parade, and gained international exposure when it was performed for the opening ceremony of the 117th International Olympic Committee Session at the Esplanade.

Pop and Rock music
Singapore's pop scene began in 1960, when the Blue Diamonds performed, and really launched after Cliff Richard & the Shadows arrived a year later, thus launching the beat boom. Like much of the world, the British Invasion began in 1963, led by The Beatles. Some bands remained instrumental, while others incorporated singers. Soon, British R&B became popular, and spawned a local Malay variety. Pop stars of the 1960s included Naomi & the Boys, D'4 Ever, Antarctics, Mike Ibrahim & the Nite Walkers, Swallows, Ismail Haron & the Guys and Les Kafila's.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s saw the rise of rock bands such as Sweet Charity fronted by the charismatic vocalist Ramli Sarip. The band had such an influence in the Singapore and Malaysia music scene that it later led to a rock explosion in the mid 1980s.

Alternative genre
From the mid 90's until now the Alternative rock and Indie scene are by far of the most popular rock music in Singapore. Most gigs, festivals and opening bands are normally of those genre. Post-hardcore is also popular within the underground scene with bands like Saosin and Anberlin whom have had played in Singapore. So far local rock bands that have often have appeared in television, won awards like MTV Asia awards and others, popular air plays, played in festivals, and have dominated the local music charts are normally bands of this genre. Most bands in Singapore are also of the Alternative genre.

Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal is recognized in the Singapore music scene. Bands like Avenged Sevenfold (whom had first played in Singfest in 2007 with a crowd of 4 500 to a crowd of 20 000 people the year after because of the demand, has a strong fan base and rising popularity), Motley Crue, Linkin park, Slipknot and etc have played in Singapore. Power metal, Metalcore and Alternative metal are some of the genres of local bands to reach mainstream popularity in Singapore. Local bands like Malex and Cradle are some of the few bands to have appeared on TV and have gotten a number of plays on radio.

With the rising popularity of Metalcore music in the west, with Metalcore bands like Grammy-nominated band As i lay Dying and Caliban whom have played in Singapore, Metalcore has become popular in the underground music scene. Bands of the Metalcore scene in Singapore often cite bands like Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Atreyu, Caliban and other popular bands of the genre as their influence. Death Metal is also prominent in underground music with bands usually playing sub-genre like Melodic Death Metal and Brutal Death Metal. Although local Metal music is popular in the underground music of Singapore, Indie rock and Punk bands often dominate the underground charts.

Music Festival
Baybeats (Held every year around August-October) are some or the biggest festival to promote local bands. Bands that normally play in this festival are usually bands of the Indie, Punk, Pop or Post-Hardcore scene. Another big music festival is Singfest , that started in 2007, with popular line-up's like Avenged Sevenfold, Mxpx and etcetera. 2008 had new line-up's like Panic at The Disco, One Republic and Simple plan.

Local Bands
Currently local bands whom have reached a certain amount of popularity in Singapore and/or internationally are Stompin' Ground, Ronin, Anna Judge April, Electrico, Force Vomit, 4-Sides, Vermillion, West Grand Boulevard, Plainsunset, Etc, The Arrant End, Caracal (band), The Great Spy Experiment, Sky In Euphoria, Punk rock bands like Rancor, Saw Loser (formerly known as Pug Jelly), Power Metal bands like Malex , Metalcore band A Vacant Affair and also Death Metal band Rudra (band) (famous for creating the genre "Vedic Metal").

National Day songs
Of particular note to the Singaporean music scene is what are often collectively known as National Day Songs. Written as part of Singapore's nation-building efforts, they either incorporate local folk songs (such as "Chan Mali Chan"), contemporary songs ("The Magic Is You"), or are specifically composed around a particular theme for the National Day Parade which is held every year on August 9th.

This year's National Day Song - What do you see? By local band Electrico.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Singapore

Till another day,
*Sylvia*

Achievements and Famous People

2009-07-29T13:52:00.006+08:00

Some of the Famous People of Singapore

Lee Kuan Yew

He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 1959 to 1990.
As a leader of the People's Action Party (PAP), he oversaw the separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 and the subsequent transformation of Singapore from a volatile Third World country with no natural resources to a stable, First World Asian Tiger. He has remained one of the most influential political figures in the South-East Asian. He currently holds the post of Minister Mentor. His son, Lee Hsien Loong, became the nation's third Prime Minister.

Tan Tock Seng

He was a rich Singaporean merchant and philanthropist who contributed much to Singapore’s development. He was an influential Chinese leader and was the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by Governor Butterworth. He was skillful at settling feuds among the Chinese and was accustomed to bear the expenses of burying poor Chinese. His greatest contribution was $5,000 to the construction of the Tan Tock Seng Hospital for the poor.

Yusof bin Ishak
He was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999. He first served as Yang di-Pertuan Negara (head of state) between 1959 and 1965, remaining in office during the time that Singapore was part of the Federation of Malaysia. Following Singapore's departure from Malaysia in 1965, he served as the first President of the Republic until his death in 1970.
Achievements of Singapore
• It is one of the cleanest cities in the world.
• It is a green city, greenery all over the city. Appropriately, it
is also known as a 'garden city'.
• Its airport, Changi Airport, has been voted as the best airport in the
world for the last more than 10 years.
• Its airline, Singapore Airlines, has been voted as the best airline in
the world for the last more than 14 years.
• Its port is the busiest port in the world, handling about 19 million TEU's
(Twenty Footer Equivalents) per annum.
• Its housing policy is one of the best in the world as about 95% of
citizens have own house. Furthermore, houses here are quite
spacious, with amenities, e.g., market, supermarkets, library,
swimming pool, bus stop, car park, school etcetera.
• It became a first-world country from a third-world country in one single
generation. It was one of the poor countries in 1965 when it was
separated from Malaysia. In 35 years, it is one of the wealthiest
countries of the world.
• Its public transport system is also one of the best in the world
which comprises of buses, trains & taxis. Buses and trains are almost
always 100% on time and are very frequent in service.
• All Singaporeans can speak fluent English which is also a huge plus in
today's IT world
• Its justice system is also one of the best. On an
average, it takes only about 6 weeks to decide a case
• Its Government departments are also efficient.
Response time is minimum, work moves very fast here.
• It was awarded the best city in Asia to do business in 1998, 1999
• Its infrastructure is also one of the best in the world. This includes
world's best airport, world's busiest port, a very efficient and highly
successful telecommunication giant, highly efficient water and
electricity system and etcetera.
• Singapore has emerged first in both Mathematics and Science in a 49-
country study of Grade 4 (Primary 4) and Grade 8 (Secondary 2)
students conducted in 2002-03. The study, conducted by the
International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement
(IEA) based in Boston, USA, affirms the high quality of Mathematics
and Science education in the public schools in Singapore.

Geography of Singapore

2009-07-29T13:52:00.003+08:00

Hey Diary,
Today I had Geography and we talked about Singapore!
This is what my teacher said:

Singapore is a small, heavily urbanized, island city-state in Southeast Asia, located at southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore has a total land area of 699 km² and 193 km of coastline. It is separated from Indonesia by the Singapore Strait and from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor.

Singapore's main territory is a diamond-shaped island, with surrounding smaller islands. Of Singapore's dozens of smaller islands, Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the larger ones. The highest point of Singapore is Bukit Timah, with a height of 164 m. Hills and valleys of sedimentary rock dominate the northwest, while the eastern region consists of sandy and flatter land. Singapore has no natural lakes, but reservoirs and water catchment areas, have been constructed to store fresh water for its water supply.

Singapore has reclaimed land with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area has grown from 581.5 km² in the 1960s to 699 km² today, and may grow by another 100 km² by 2030.The projects sometimes involve some of the smaller islands being merged together through land reclamation in order to form larger, more functional islands.

Look at all the facts and numbers...I best be getting back to studying for my next Geography test!
See ya soon!
*Sylvia*

Culture of Singapore

2009-07-29T13:51:00.006+08:00

Dear Diary,

Do you know what week it is?

It's cultural week! It will be really fun!

Especially because our country has not 1 but 4 cultures i.e Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Eurasian.

The majority of the population in Singapore is Chinese. The Chinese celebrate various festivals such as Chinese New Year and Moon Cake festival. During Chinese New Year, married couples pass on red packets (hong bao) to children. The children sit on the floor while receiving these packets as a form of respect to their elders. The Chinese practice various cultural arts such as Chinese dance, opera and lion dance.

The Malays are second to Chinese in number. The Malay culture is greatly influenced by Islam.The Malays who are mostly Muslims celebrate the following festivals, Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Puasa.

As for the Indians, they celebrate festivals such as Deepavali. Deepavali is known as 'The festival of Lights'. The Indian culture is mainly influenced by Hinduism which is the most common religion among present day Indians.The traditional Indian Dance Barathanatyam is also performed frequently on many ocassions.

The Eurasians are a minority here. The community of Eurasians in Singapore is descended from Europeans who intermarried with local Asians.The Eurasians in Singapore are overwhelmingly Christian, who celebrate Christian feast days such as Christmas and Easter.

Can't wait to celebrate the week ahead...
Yours lovingly,
*Sylvia*:D

Religion in Singapore

2009-07-29T13:51:00.004+08:00

Dear Diary,

We had an interesting Math session today...we talked about religion.
How come? I don't know but I guess it was because the topic for the week was percentage.
Anyway, the teacher shared the following information. It was pretty interesting so I copied it down:

Photos courtesy of Singapore Free Photos @ http://www.singaporeshots.com

• Buddhism - 42.5%
• No Religous Affilliation - 14.8%
• Christianity - 14.6%
• Islam - 13.9%
• Taoism - 8.5%
• Hinduism - 4%
• Other religions - 1.6%

Most Singaporeans celebrate the major festivals associated with their respective religions. The variety of religions is a direct reflection of the diversity of races living here. The Chinese are predominantly followers of Buddhism and Taoism with some exceptional agnostics. Malays are mostly Muslims and Indians are mostly Hindus but with significant numbers of Muslims and Sikhs from the Indian ethnic groups.

Religion is still an integral part of cosmopolitan Singapore. Many of its most interesting buildings are religious, be it old temples, modern churches, or exotic mosques. An understanding of these buildings do play a part in contributing to appreciation of their art.

Taoist, Confucianist and Buddhist figures together with ancestral worship are combined into a versatile mix in Chinese temples. In fact, these three religions had exerted their influences over the Chinese cultures and traditions since ancient times. It is sometimes difficult to tell them apart when examining the Chinese heritage.

I'm soooo sleepy today, I don't know why.
Better go now. See ya!
*Slyvia*

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Singapore

History of Singapore

2009-07-29T13:50:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,

We did something fun and interesting during History lesson today.

As homework, we were told to sort of summarize the history of Singapore that we've learnt so far. Here's mine:

The modern history of Singapore began in 1819 when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles established a British port on the island. Under British colonial rule, Singapore grew in importance as a centre for both the India-China trade and the entrepôt trade in Southeast Asia, rapidly becoming a major port city.

During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. However, social unrest and disputes between Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia. Singapore became an independent republic on 9 August 1965.

Facing severe unemployment and a housing crisis, Singapore embarked on a modernisation programme that focused on establishing a manufacturing industry, developing large public housing estates and investing heavily on public education. Since independence, Singapore's economy has grown by an average of nine percent each year. By the 1990s, the country has become one of the world's most prosperous nations, with a highly-developed free market economy, strong international trading links, and the highest per capita gross domestic product in Asia outside of Japan.

What do you think?
Oh no, mom'll be shouting at me to go to sleep soon.
Good night!
Sleep tight,
*Slyvia*

About Singapore

2009-07-29T13:49:00.005+08:00

Diary entries:
1. History
2. Culture
3. Religion
4. Achievements and Famous People
5. Geography
6. Music
7. Economy
8. Education

Education in Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:49:00.004+08:00

Dear Diary,
This is the first day of term 2. I really hope I do well.
Some information about the Slovenian education system here.

The structure of the education system here starts with pre-school education, basic education (single structure of primary and lower secondary education), upper secondary education: a) vocational and technical education b) secondary general education, higher vocational education and higher education.

Pre-school education, offered by pre-school institutions, is not compulsory. It includes children between the ages of 1 and 6. The curriculum is divided in two cycles (from 1 to 3 and from 3 to 6).

Children first enter primary schooling at about age 6 and finish at about age 14. Each group of children born in the same year forms one grade or class in primary school which takes nine years or grades. Each year is divided into three semesters and each of them is around three months long. Once or twice per term, children have holidays: Autumn, Christmas, Winter and May first holidays; each holiday is approximately one week long. In summer, school ends on 24 June (except in the last/ninth grade, where it ends one week earlier), followed by a holiday of more than two months. The next school year starts on the1 September.Successful completion of basic education enables pupils to proceed to education in their choice of secondary school.

Secondary education follows the compulsory general basic education. Secondary schools include vocational and technical schools preparing students predominantly for labour and general secondary schools preparing students predominantly for further studies. Programmes in secondary education vary in content, duration and goals.

The system also features specific parts as follows:
• adult education
• music and dance education
• special needs education
• modified programmes and programmes in ethnically and linguistically mixed areas
The information above is summarized from the Ministry of Education and Sport website http://www.mss.gov.si/en/areas_of_work/education_in_slovenia/

Got to do my homework, signing off,
Toodles!!!
*Danica*

Economy of Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:48:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,

The Economic downfall in the U.S is affecting my country.
Currently, Slovenia has a high-income developed economy Although the country's relatively high inflation declined to 2.3% in 2006 , in October 2007 it reached 5.1% year-on-year, exceeding the average in the eurozone.

Slovenia's economy has started to grow more strongly in the last few years, after relatively slow growth in 2003 (2.8%). In the first three quarters of 2008, the economy expanded at a 5% annual rate. Despite economic success, Slovenia faces some challenges.

A big portion of the economy remains in state hands and foreign direct investment in Slovenia is one of the lowest. Taxes are relatively high, the labor market, and industries are losing sales to China, India, and elsewhere.

Restrictions on foreign investment are being dismantled, and foreign direct investment (FDI) is expected to increase. Slovenia is the economic front-runner of the countries that joined the European Union in 2004 and was the first new member which adopted the euro on 1 January 2007.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I live here.:D

Love ya,
*Danica*
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Music of Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:46:00.003+08:00

Dear Diary,
I have a great ear for music, especially Slovenian. More on Slovenian music:

Slovenian folk music is big band music,created by the bowed zither and panpipes, together with rural harmony singing. Slavko Avsenik is one of the most influential and popular polka and waltz musicians in the world, usually credited as the pioneers of Slovenian popular music, having solidified its style in the 1950s. Oberkrainer music, which the Avsenik Ensemble popularized, remains very popular today and is always a strong candidate for country music awards in Slovenia and Austria.Hmm, each musical style has a name.

Folk Dance Music from Gorenjska - Slovenia

One of the most famous modern Slovenian bands is Laibach, an early 1980s industrial music group. Ljubljana was a very influential1970s group and considered one of the direct influences on modern world music. Bibič's unique style, often solo, with no accompaniment, has also made him a solo star.

Slovenia has also produced two of electronic dance music's most renowned DJs: DJ Umek and Valentino Kanzyani. Specialising in a frantic brand of party techno and tech-house, the pair co-founded the label Recycled Loops as well as having many popular releases on labels such as Novamute, Primate, Intec and Bassethound Records.Ahhh.

Yikes, it's 12.00 am! I need to sleep! Bye!
Good night,
*Danica*
Source: www.wikipedia.org

Geography of Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:45:00.001+08:00

Dear Diary,

I had Geography lesson today. It's actually quite interesting.

There are 4 major European geographic regions in Slovenia: the Alps, the Dinarides, the Pannonian Plain, and the Mediterranean. Slovenia's highest peak is Triglavm and most of it is in the Black Sea drainage basin. Slovenia lies in Slivna near Vace in the municipality of Litija.

Around half of the country is covered by forests; the third most forested country in Europe. Grassland covers 5,593 square kilometres and fields and gardens 2,471 square kilometres. There are 363 square kilometres of orchards and 216 square kilometres (83 sq mi) of vineyards. That's a lot of plant growth!

Its climate is sub-mediterranean on the coast, alpine in the mountains and continental with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaux and valleys to the east. Average temperatures are -2°C in January and 21°C in July. The average rainfall is 1,000 millimetres for the coast, up to 3,500 millimetres for the Alps, 800 millimetres for south-east and 1,400 millimetres for central Slovenia. Slovenia is a good example of Biodiversity.

Slovenia is a good example of Biodiversity. Although Slovenia is a small country, there is an exceptionally wide variety of habitats. In the north of Slovenia are the Alps and in the south stand the Dinaric Alps. There is also a small area of the Pannonian plain and a Littoral Region. Much of southwestern Slovenia is characterized by Classical Karst, a very rich, often unexplored underground habitat containing diverse flora and fauna.

The forests are an important natural resource, but logging is kept to a minimum, as Slovenians also value their forests for the preservation of natural diversity, for enriching the soil and cleansing the water and air, for the social and economic benefits of recreation and tourism, and for the natural beauty they give to the Slovenian landscape. In the interior of the country are typical Central European forests, predominantly oak and beech. In the mountains, spruce, fir, and pine are more common.

Pine trees also grow on the Kras plateau. Only one third of Kras is now covered by pine forest. Before that Kras was covered by oak forest. It is said that most of the forest was chopped down long ago to provide the wooden piles on which the city of Venice now stands. The Kras and White Carniola are well known for the mysterious proteus. The lime/linden tree, also common in Slovenian forests, is a national symbol.

See how much I have learnt. I just love Geography.
Love,
*Danica*
Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia

Religions of Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:43:00.007+08:00

Dear Diary,

Today we learnt about the religions in Slovenia.
Do you know how many there are? There are a lot!
Take a look at my country's religion status:
Catholic 57.8%,
Orthodox 2.3%,
other Christian 0.9%,
Muslim 2.4%,
unaffiliated 3.5%,
other or unspecified 23%,
none 10.1%
Apparently many people worship Lady Mary in my country.
Hmmm, now I know.;)

Lots of Love,
*Danica*

Achievements and Famous Slovenians

2009-07-29T13:43:00.004+08:00

Dear Diary,

I want to write about several famous Slovenians.
I never knew about them til today. Who are/were they?

Stanislava Brezovar (1937 - 2003) - Ballerina.

Born in Zagorje ob Savi, Slovenia, she studied to be a Germanist, but her primary love was ballet. She studied ballet in Düsseldorf. It was there that she met and married the German-born conductor Carlos Kleiber.

In 1955, at the age of 18, she starred in the movie Ples čarovnic (Dance Of The Witches) a Triglav Film production in Slovenian. The movie was a tour-de-force, 452 minutes of ballet to the Ples čarovnic symphonic poem by Blaž Arnič with choreography by Pia and Pino Mlakar.

Ivan Tavčar (1851-1923) - Slovene writer, lawyer, and politician
He started writing in a school magazine at the age of 17 and reached his stylistic maturity in his latest works. He often depicted rural environments of his native Upper Carniola, in which he saw a genuine and healthy counterpart to the somehow degenerated urban life. His famous books are The Visoko Chronicle, a short historical novel set in the period after the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century and Cvetje v jeseni (The Autumn Blooms), a novel of a middle age urban dweller who moved to the countriside, where he fell in love with a younger girl.

Ivan Tavčar was one of the main figures in the national-liberal political movement in the Slovene Lands. He was also one of the co-founders of the National Party of Carniola (renamed National Progressive Party in 1905). He led the party until the end of World War I, when it merged into Svetozar Pribićevićs State Party of Serbian.

Richard Carl Fuisz, M.D. - American physician, inventor, and entrepreneur.

In 1989 Fuisz started Fuisz Technologies to produce a quick dissolve tablet for drug delivery.He also created the CEFORM encapsulation technology for taste masking and controlled release. In addition to drug delivery, Fuisz had actively invented other, new medical technologies such as the remotely adjustable stent and a liquid used in the place of water to take conventional medicine tablets.

Fuisz held software patents relating to e-commerce and electronic mail with over 200 patents, including 90 U.S. patents in technology. He endowed the Richard and Lorraine Fuisz Library at Moravian Academy in addition to the Fuisz Scholarship fund, also at Moravian Academy, benefitting students of Slovenian ancestry.

Friderik “Fritz” Pregl (1869 –1930) Friderik “Fritz” Pregl was an Austrian-Slovene physician and chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1923 for making important contributions to quantitative organic microanalysis, one of which was the improvement of the combustion train technique for elemental analysis.

There are other personalities. Will google them later. Anyway, got to go for now.

With Love,
*Danica*

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia

Slovenian Clothes

2009-07-29T13:42:00.001+08:00

Dear Diary,

Today we had International Day! It was sooo fun! Some of us wore Slovenian Clothes!
Check it out! :)

Wow! Look at the traditional slippers!
So, basically, what is the national costume of Slovenia?

Traditional Štajerska folk costume
Towards the end of the 19th century men and women wore costumes that were tailored according to the simple clothing fashion. Rural inhabitants visually distinguished this clothing from the town. Thus, they can also distinguish the elements of two folk costumes:
1. festive clothes, clothes which people wore only for festive occasions
2. working clothes, which they wore every working day

Slovenia has many diferent national costumes since each different area in Slovenia has a diferent costume.

- »gorenjska« oder Highland Slovenia
- »koroška« oder Carinthian Slovenia
- »notranjska« oder Inner Slovenia
- »primorska« oder Littoral Slovenia
- »dolenjska« oder Lowland Slovenia
- »štajerska« oder Styrian Slovenia
- »prekmurje«

The most known national costume is from Highland Slovenia, because Slovenia is always represented by this costume.

The price for a national costume ranges from 650 euros. That's very costly.

Till another day,
With Love, *Danica*
For more information: http://goeasteurpoe.about.com/od/bulgarianaandthebalkans/ss

Slovenian Food

2009-07-29T13:40:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,

Guess what?
Today, I tasted some awesome Slovenian food!
Simply delicious!

I also learnt some history about it!
Let me share the following information with you.

The Slovenes lived mostly under the German rule as part of the Holy Roman (962–1806), Austrian (1806–1867), and Austro-Hungarian (1867–1918) empires. World War II (1939–1945) divided present-day Slovenia among German, Italian, and Hungarian powers.

Each of these countries, along with Austria had greatly contributed to the Slovene cuisine.

German cuisine is typically heavy in meats and starches, which has carried over to Slovene cuisine. The Germans relied on pork, sauerkraut, and potatoes for a majority of their dishes, similar to Slovene meals.

Austria, brought breaded klobasa (a type of sausage) and pastry items, such as strudels to Slovene cooking.

Hungarian influences included golaz (goulash), paprikas (chicken or beef stew), and palacinke, which are like thin pancakes filled with nuts or jam and topped with chocolate.

Italian pastas, such as njoki (potato dumplings), rizota (risotto), and zlikrofi, similar to ravioli, became part of the Slovene diet as well.

These are some of my mum's great Slovenian recipes!

Buckwheat Dumplings / Vzhajanci Ingredients:
250 g white flour500 g buckwheat flour40 g yeastlukewarm watersaltpork crackling (for dressing)
Mix the yeast with some lukewarm water and a teaspoon of flour. Put in a warm place. Then add both sorts of flour, yeast, water and salt. Proceed to knead the mixture thoroughly and allowing it to rise. When the dough has risen, sprinkle some white flour over a board.Place the dough on it, knead to make into one large or several smaller loaves.

Boil the loaf/loaves in salted water. When done, remove carefully from the water, cut into slices and dress with the pork crackling.
Vzhajanci are served as a side dish with meat, sauerkraut, grated pickled turnip (kisla repa) or other vegetables; or alternatively, as an individual meal with salad.

Ubrnenik
Ingredients:
400 g strong wheat, maize or buckwheat flourfat or oil for frying250 ml cream400 ml milksaltFry the flour in a large saucepan. Boil the milk and cream in a separate pan and salt them. Then pour this over the flour and stir rapidly. Model small balls from the mixture.

Serve with white coffee, milk or sour milk. It can also be eaten cold.Ubrnenik made with sour cream and cottage cheese has a slighty sour taste.

Cake Ingredients: Filling: 200 g raisins
500 g flour 1 tsp cinnamon powder100 g butter 100 g sugar3 egg yolks 200 - 300 ml milk30 g yeast100 g sugarsalt

Prepare the yeast: mix it with two teaspoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 50 ml milk. Put in a warm place to rise.

Stir the butter with sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Add flour, milk and salt then mix. Finally, add the yeast. Knead thoroughly for 10 minutes allowing it to rise. Put the dough on a board sprinkled with flour, and roll out to a thickness of 1 cm.

Sprinkle the dough with the raisins, cinnamon and sugar, roll it and place in a special šarkelj baking tin. Allow the dough to rise again in the tin. Baste with whisked eggs (including the whites) and bake in a medium hot oven.

Yum yum yum yum.................
The best food ever
Yours lovingly,
*Danica*

Information taken from:
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Slovenia.html
http://www.eat-online.net/english/cookbook/slovenia/ajdovi_vzhajanci.htm

History of Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:23:00.002+08:00

Dear Diary,
History is my favourite subject.
Today, we learnt the history of Slovenia in class.

Hmmm, let's recap a bit of its early history.

In the ancient times, the Celts and Illyrians inhabited the territory of present-day Slovenia. Also, the Adriatic Veneti were dwelling in northeastern Italy and parts of Slovenia. A well-developed Illyrian population existed as far north as the upper Sava valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovene city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities.

The Roman Empire established its rule in the region in the 1st century, after 200 years of fighting with the local tribes. The most important ancient Roman cities in this area included: Celeia (now Celje), Emona (Ljubljana), Nauportus (Vrhnika), Poetovio (Ptuj). The modern country's territory was split among the Roman provinces of Dalmatia, Italia, Noricum, and Pannonia.

I think that's all about it for today.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Slovenia

Till another day, *Danica*

About Slovenia

2009-07-29T13:21:00.007+08:00

Diary entries:
History
Culture
Religion

Famous People
Geography

Music
Economy
Education

Letters on History

2009-07-24T21:48:00.001+08:00

Dear Danica,

How are you? I'm fine here. It's been a busy week this week. This week we have been concentrating on History for the upcoming History test. In addition to that, we are now in the midst of preparing for the upcoming National Day celebration come 9 August. Singapore will be 44 years old. This is because Singapore was ‘born’ when it gained independence in 1965.

Can you share something about Slovenian History?
Yours truly,
Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

I'm fine here. I can tell you a bit about Slovenian history. Hmm, let me think…
In the ancient times, the Celts and Illyrians inhabited the territory of present-day Slovenia. Also, the Adriatic Veneti was dwelling in northeastern Italy and parts of Slovenia. A well-developed Illyrian population existed as far north as the upper Sava valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovene city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities.

Isn't History interesting? Well, that's all for now! Can't wait for your email...:D

Yours truly,
Danica

AYG

2009-07-11T18:35:00.000+08:00

Dear Diary,

The 1st Asian Youth Games was held in Singapore from 29 June to 7 July in over 80 sporting events. The 1st Asian Youth Games was known as the qualifier for the Asian countries to the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, also known as the 1st Summer Youth Olympics and which will also be held in Singapore.

At the end of the competition, the People's Republic of China topped the medal tally. Host Singapore exceeded its own pre-games target of winning five medals of any colour by six times to finish at fourth position just behind Southeast Asian sporting powerhouse Thailand.

The plan for the Asian Youth Games was part of Singapore’s bid to stage the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics (YOG). The purpose was to allow youths to use the chance to benchmark their performances against youth teams from Asian nations. The Games also provided Singapore with an opportunity to test organisational and logistical capabilities in advance of the 2010 YOG.

The Singapore Asian Youth Games 2009 saw an estimated 1300 athletes aged between 14 and 17 from 43 countries competing in more than 80 sporting events.

To know more about how we, Cedarians, play a part in AYG 2009, click here.

souces: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Asian_Youth_Games
http://www.ayg2009.sg/page/Home/0,,12804,00.html/

Letters - Economy

2009-06-27T14:06:00.002+08:00

Dear Sylvia,

How are you? I'm fine here. Have you heard about the recession? It's a very popular subject and nowadays, people are really careful in spending money. Even my parents! Can you believe it? It's really affecting my country but probably not as bad as some others. I hear its really hurting your country? Are you ok? Its a good thing the euro isn't very dependant on US currency. Well, I gotta go, can't spend too much time ion the computer, gotta save electricity. Bye!

Yours truly,
Danica

Dear Danica,

I'm fine here. Yes, the recession is something unbelievable. They say it was all started by 2 brothers who are standing in trial now. Many people in my country are losing their jobs and the bigger fish are getting huge bonuses. Can you believe it? While people lose their jobs, the heads get a bigger promotion! My country is really badly affected. Even my allowance is getting cut! Its a good thing I can manage it. Can't type too long, gotta save my electricity too! Bye!

Yours truly,
Sylvia

Letters - Culture

2009-05-29T15:05:00.002+08:00

Dear Danica,

How are you? I'm fine here. We are going to have Racial Harmony day soon. On that day, we wear our traditional dresses and come to school even though our lessons are still the same. I'm thinking of all the festivals we have in Singapore. You know, Singapore has 4 different races living in harmony so we have a lot of different festivals. We celebrate Deepavali, Hari Raya, even Christmas!

It's soooo fun! On racial harmony day, we also do fun things like apply henna on each others hands! I still remember last year's Racial Harmony day... What festivals do you celebrate in Slovenia? Do have differnt costumes or just one common one? What do you do? Please reply!

Yours truly,

Slyvia

Dear Sylvia,

I'm fine here. Racial Haromony day sounds really fun! I wish I could be there! We have many festivals in Slovenia as well. We are not celebrating any festivals this month but we will be celebrating one in June called the 'Ljubljana festival'. We have the same clothes for all festivals but we still have a large variety!

During this festival, there are many performances for us to watch and it is really fun! I think this year's festoval will be great and I'm looking forward to it! Well, see you around!

Yours truly,

Danica

Cedar and YOG

2009-05-07T13:57:00.000+08:00

Dear Diary,

Our school, Cedar Girls' Sec School, is promoting YOG 2010 by kick-starting the awareness of YOG with the completion of related projects such as:

Setting up a website about Slovenia (Universal Diaries)
Working out a lifestyle and diet for a female athlete.
Playing ancient Olympic Games on our Sports Day.
Teaching the students basic Italian and Slovenian phrases.

In addition, recently our school had a visitor from Slovenia! His name is Dorian. He shared interesting information about his country with us during assembly.

I learnt that "I fell in LOVE with Slovenia" is Slovenia's famous catch phrase. After his sharing, I really fell in Love with Slovenia. He even shared some recipes from his country with us.

Here's Dorian teaching us how to cook. Not bad for a guy. :)

We also brought him around Singapore. We went to Sentosa.

Hopefully one day, I will be able to visit Slovenia.

Love,Sylvia

Letters on Music

2009-04-12T14:05:00.002+08:00

Dear Danica,

This week was Music Week for us! It was sooooo fun! Everyday we had at least one music lesson, if not a double or triple period.We had to do this project for the whole of this week. Our project was to perform some music or talk about a Slovenian instrument. Let me share what my group did with you?

Well, my group focused on children's songs. We did a song called 'Moj Klobuk Ima Tri Lukneja"
It went like this...

Moj klobuk ima tri lukenija
Tri luknejia ima moj klobuk
Ce ne bi tri lukenj
Ne bil be moj klobuk

Sorry, my spelling is not very good and I think I missed a few words since I lost my paper.

Its meaning:

My hat has three holes
Three holes has my hat
If there is not three holes
It is not my hat

It's a really happy song and I thought it was quite fun to sing!
That's all for now!
Love, Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

Wow! I didn't know that there was a Music week! Cool! Guess what? I have to tell you something about Slovenian music too! My club did a sort of music celebration this week. We were all told to prepare a musical item and perform at the end of the week. It was just too bad that we could not get any outside bands to come perform for us.

Nonetheless, performance night was really fun! it was even better when the organizers performed themselves! The best part was that it was only for people within the club, nobody outside the club should know about it. Well, I guess that's about the most exciting thing that happened to me. School remains school and homework is still the same.

Love, Danica

Letters - Education

2009-03-29T14:04:00.003+08:00

Dear Sylvia,

School is so busy this week! My school has so many lessons in a week and so much homework after school! Many of our classmates have after school activities. Our country emphasises on education. Education is the key to success.

Our activities are all packed for the day. Some of us have remedial classes, additional classes, after-school care and other forms of care for pupils, interest activities and out-of-school classes. Secondary School programmes are called gimnazija here.Gimnazija programmes are divided into two groups: general and professionally oriented (technical gimnazija).

At the end of our four years in secondary school, we have an external examination called the Matura Examination. Our teacher encourages us to study hard for our Matura Examination so that we can get into a good college and have a “good future ahead”.

Whoa time really flies and I still have lots of homework to do…
Catch ya later! Love,Danica

Dear Danica,

School here is the same too.There seems to be to many things to do in so little time!

We have Co-Curriculum Activities like three times a week and we also often take part in competitions.

Now I am in Secondary 3, one more year to our external examinations! Instead of Matura, we call them GCE 'O' level examinations. For me, there are 8 subjects to study for.

I really can't decide which one of us is more busy, both of us seem to have so much to do. The holidays are coming and I'm so relieved. Although I have lots of holiday homework, I really hope that I can take a nice break.

Till another day!
Love,Sylvia