NUSAAI Goes Exotic

The Wahroonga Curry House provided the perfect setting for the exotic theme of the NUS Alumni Association (Australia) Inc (NUSAAI)'s 2002 annual dinner. The arrival of guests was akin to a multi-cultural parade of exotic and colourful attire.

Guests were brought back to their campus days by our resident poet laureate, Daniel Kwok, who evoked sweet, wistful memories of times gone by with a reading of his poem Reunion Dinner. Ah, the days of the frantic paper chase and devouring hard-found library books, sipping sweet tea at the old Bukit Timah campus sarabat stall while blowing cigarette smoke rings - flashbacks to the days of Eusoff College, KE Hall, and Dunearn Road - to a time when our hearts were young and our hopes were high...

In the Ms/Mr Exotic contest, guests were judged on their presentation of an exotic personality, creativity in dressing and the demonstration of a special talent.

Jack Tan claimed to be a prince from Punjab wearing a huge turban, expertly put together by Manjit Singh, Surjeet Kaur, Davidson and Belinda James, who obviously believed that 'size is important'.

Wearing a white cotton kurta, which flatteringly accentuated his golden tan (reminiscent of a tan acquired through many hours spent drinking tea at the campus sarabat stall while skipping lectures), and a white turban that looked suspiciously like a hospital tea towel, Daniel Kwok presented himself as a snake charmer. However, his 'snake' would not be coaxed out of his straw bag in spite of much encouragement from emcee Belinda Khong.

David Yap looked like someone from Bugis Street who had accidentally strayed to the dinner. Wearing black lace and a colourful fez, he pranced around as he joined the parade of contestants while waving a red handkerchief to great effect. Under intense interrogation from the emcee, he vigorously insisted that all 'his assets' were real, not the result of any special props or enhancements.

Stuart Gray wore a belly dancer's skirt with side slits up to the waist and several transparent floral veils that only managed to preserve his modesty. These veils had fallen away to reveal a hairy chest by the time he was interviewed by the emcee. With great restraint, Belinda Khong glided seductively towards Stuart, saying "You are so...oo sexy". Stuart demonstrated great control by saying that he would not be taking calls from any interested parties on his mobile phone 0402 123 456. He claimed to have been inundated with phone calls from many admirers after his performance at last year's dinner. Belinda helpfully suggested that all calls should be put through Elizabeth, Stuart's wife.

The winner was Julia Loong, who won the hearts of dinner guests with her hilarious impersonation of a belly-dancing air stewardess with an attitude. She was crowned Ms Exotic with a glittering tiara.

Entertainment for the evening also came from a belly dancer, who demonstrated the sensual art of belly dancing. Guests were invited to the dance floor and soon discovered the joys of belly dancing, and no doubt, the pains as well, in the days after the event when they suffered from aching muscles they did not realise they had.

All too soon, the NUSAAI annual dinner came to a close, an event that once again provided a lighted-hearted diversion from our busy lives and the opportunity to relive memories of our university days.