.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
For every crappy/cheesy/corny post I see that annoys me, this guy makes my day. You go, Gay Seal!
24 February 2012
Yeah... Wait, What?
For every crappy/cheesy/corny post I see that annoys me, this guy makes my day. You go, Gay Seal!
23 February 2012
Moro Bars
The hilarious thing is that my nose is just a bit sore and swollen but when I went to the doctor on campus for some painkillers, he immediately referred me to a radiologist in the city to get it checked out. I mean, sure it hurts like hell and the alignment of my nosebridge has shifted slightly to the right but I think I'd know if it was fractured. Well anyway, I am medically covered by insurance (thank God) so a free X-ray and a trip around town wasn't going to hurt anyone.
I got on the bus, read the map wrong and ended up getting down at the wrong stop, a half hour's walk away from my actual destination. But the place was pretty easy to find. The roads here are so well organised and tourist-friendly. I only stopped to ask for directions a couple of times and the passers-by were all extremely hospitable but other than that I enjoyed the walk very much as the weather was splendid. I managed to explore the town quite a bit along the way on top of getting some good exercise so I see that as a gain, actually.
The X-ray image seemed pretty fine to me once the film was processed. Nothing fractured or broken. Just the frontal view of my skull shows the center of my nosebrigde slightly out of axis. Other than that it's pretty much fine. Probably just some slight cartilage damage or something. I feel great, though. Can't help feeling like this whole thing is all ridiculously overdone and somehow very funny.
I got on the bus, read the map wrong and ended up getting down at the wrong stop, a half hour's walk away from my actual destination. But the place was pretty easy to find. The roads here are so well organised and tourist-friendly. I only stopped to ask for directions a couple of times and the passers-by were all extremely hospitable but other than that I enjoyed the walk very much as the weather was splendid. I managed to explore the town quite a bit along the way on top of getting some good exercise so I see that as a gain, actually.
The X-ray image seemed pretty fine to me once the film was processed. Nothing fractured or broken. Just the frontal view of my skull shows the center of my nosebrigde slightly out of axis. Other than that it's pretty much fine. Probably just some slight cartilage damage or something. I feel great, though. Can't help feeling like this whole thing is all ridiculously overdone and somehow very funny.
22 February 2012
Kiwi Kicks
Well, things here are definitely kicking off to a great start. I've only been here five days but it feels like I've been here for a couple of weeks now. The settling in is going tremendously well and I feel very comfortable here. Already I've made great friends, met some awesome people, and got my nose bludgeoned when I got elbowed in the face real hard by some huge dude during a game of rugby. And the first thing that flashed through my mind in a state of darkness, pain and panic as I held my face and tried to keep from blacking out wasn't "Fuck I broke my nose" but "Fuck I hope I have medical insurance because this is going to cost a fortune to fix." But, nah. I didn't actually break my nose. It felt like I did at that instant but I didn't. Although it's really sore and swelled up now but it was worth the experience I guess.
Another thrilling and hilarious expedition here is this tradition between the residential halls of stealing each others hall banners and the hall with the most banners at the end of the week wins. It's not an official thing, just some inside joke played here among residents. But of course, you have to guard your own banner at the same time too. Some of the boys went out to do it but came back unsuccessful. Our very first victory was by our sarcastic German, Taner and it was so splendidly executed that we feel obligated to treat him to something for the job well done. (Unless, of course, we all get to steal one each ourselves so then his won't be anything special anymore.) He went right into enemy territory, sat there boldly pretending to be one of them, then grabbed their banner and made a dash for it the moment their common room was empty, narrowly missing being caught by their residential advisor. The best part was that the dorm he stole it from was filled with a bunch of domestic seniors who were so cocky and talking smack about the new international students and how easy it is to steal their banner off them based on past year experience. HAHAHA. I only wish I were there to see their faces when they come down for breakfast in the morning and find out that their banner was nicked. I'm actually jealous that I wasn't part of it so tomorrow night, I'm joining in.
Another thrilling and hilarious expedition here is this tradition between the residential halls of stealing each others hall banners and the hall with the most banners at the end of the week wins. It's not an official thing, just some inside joke played here among residents. But of course, you have to guard your own banner at the same time too. Some of the boys went out to do it but came back unsuccessful. Our very first victory was by our sarcastic German, Taner and it was so splendidly executed that we feel obligated to treat him to something for the job well done. (Unless, of course, we all get to steal one each ourselves so then his won't be anything special anymore.) He went right into enemy territory, sat there boldly pretending to be one of them, then grabbed their banner and made a dash for it the moment their common room was empty, narrowly missing being caught by their residential advisor. The best part was that the dorm he stole it from was filled with a bunch of domestic seniors who were so cocky and talking smack about the new international students and how easy it is to steal their banner off them based on past year experience. HAHAHA. I only wish I were there to see their faces when they come down for breakfast in the morning and find out that their banner was nicked. I'm actually jealous that I wasn't part of it so tomorrow night, I'm joining in.
21 February 2012
Wind Farms and Sheep
Okay, so I just re-read my previous post and laughed to myself. I can't believe how sad I was when I arrived. Must've been the jetlag. I've only been here four days so far and I've loved every bit of the way. Everywhere and in any direction you look there are scenes that take your breath away and leave you awed and amazed at the serenity of the land.
I've visited a few farms so far - wind, sheep, diary. And the campus is absolutely huge and the surroundings are gorgeous. It's like, a university in a forest and there are little hidden pathways here and there that branch out from the main roads to a hiking adventure or jungle trek. My newfound friends and I took a two-hour walk around campus and still we couldn't cover most places. Everything about this place is just so overwhelming.
There are so many pictures in my iPad I couldn't choose which ones to put or not put. Each one is just as amazing if not better than the last but they don't so any justice to the actual wonder of the scenes in real life.
These are just a fraction of the photos I have. I couldn't upload them all.
Now for some scenes on campus. Again, there are too many photos and too many wonderful sights so I just randomly posted a few since I'm too lazy to filter them out one by one.
Well, that's all for now I guess. I plan to fully enjoy this one week of relaxation and freedom before classes start next week. I just feel absolutely lucky and blessed to be given a chance to be here. I also feel grateful to have really friendly and helpful housemates from all nationalities. We get along very well and the community here is quite close. The weather is fabulous.
I love this place. But of course, there's still no place like home.
I've visited a few farms so far - wind, sheep, diary. And the campus is absolutely huge and the surroundings are gorgeous. It's like, a university in a forest and there are little hidden pathways here and there that branch out from the main roads to a hiking adventure or jungle trek. My newfound friends and I took a two-hour walk around campus and still we couldn't cover most places. Everything about this place is just so overwhelming.
There are so many pictures in my iPad I couldn't choose which ones to put or not put. Each one is just as amazing if not better than the last but they don't so any justice to the actual wonder of the scenes in real life.
These are just a fraction of the photos I have. I couldn't upload them all.
The view from the plane as we were flying over Auckland
A typical New Zealand scene: Cows grazing against a vast background of mountains stretching out into the horizon
A quaint little farmhouse in the valley
One of the 200 windmills that align the hills. You will not believe the magnitude of the size of these things. I could not fit a full-length picture of one in comparison to a human on the ground because the scale would not fit in the viewfinder. More photos a little further down.
The rolling hills. Can you see the windmills in the horizon? Stunning.
More rolling green
Here we have the base of one windmill. See how tiny the people on the ground are next to it?
Just another picture to give you a rough idea on the size of these things. Those objects sticking out of the warehouse is each blade of the tower. There are three to a tower and the size is monstrous. Surprisingly, they spin very silently and majestically and you can just watch them turn all day.
Now for some scenes on campus. Again, there are too many photos and too many wonderful sights so I just randomly posted a few since I'm too lazy to filter them out one by one.
Some of the Massey gardens
One of the ponds
The sheep farm that belongs to the university. The amazing part is that these sheep are manned by highly-trained sheepdogs and not supervised by humans. It's amazing.
There are cute little ducks not only all over campus but also all over town. They're really friendly to you if you have a few bread crumbs to spare. Waddle waddle~
Random walkway through the forest
Hidden waterfall
Little lake here which is absolutely gorgeous
Another random walkway surrounded by beautiful shrubs
Well, that's all for now I guess. I plan to fully enjoy this one week of relaxation and freedom before classes start next week. I just feel absolutely lucky and blessed to be given a chance to be here. I also feel grateful to have really friendly and helpful housemates from all nationalities. We get along very well and the community here is quite close. The weather is fabulous.
I love this place. But of course, there's still no place like home.
18 February 2012
Happy Endings, New Beginnings
Okay, so the trip was as horrible as I expected it to be. Holding back tears as I said my final goodbyes to my family and relatives, trudging down the airport past all the check-in counters and departure gates utterly clueless, being crammed in a tight economy-class seat with hardly any elbow room or space to move for ten long hours, eating crappy airplane food and watching sappy in-flight movies, getting held back by customs officers for an hour for an offense I didn't commit thus making me separated from the rest of my group, sleeping overnight at Auckland International Airport and transiting to my campus in the biting early morning cold the following day, freezing my toes and fingers off the whole way was exactly as terrible as I expected it to be and probably worse. Screw probably, it was definitely worse.
All I wanted from the moment I touched down was to get to my hostel, take a hot bath and doze the tiredness away before my feet crumbled beneath me. It was no wonder that after the whole ordeal of the journey when I reached my residential hall that instead of collapsing into a deep sleep, I burst into tears the moment the door was locked behind me and I was all alone. Thank God I had a single room. I couldn't help it, once I allowed it to come out, torrents and storms were let lose and I cried till I was literally red in the face. What was more, the depressing sinking feeling that I was thousands of miles away from home and had no way to go back even in the manic state of desperation I was in pulled me into an even deeper turmoil of bawling and helplessness.
Well, I just needed to get it out. Once that was over and I was feeling much better, I actually got settled in quite nicely. The place here is absolutely gorgeous. It's like being in the midst of a paradise. I can't even begin to describe it's lushness. It has far exceeded my expectations. The people here are all simply so nice and lovely and everyone is just friendly to bits. My hall mates are pretty cool as well and although we all come from a range of different nationalities like USA to Germany to Philippines to Papua New Guinea, we could all sit in the common room together and laugh and bond so comfortably. The seniors brought us out to town to show us the sights and to do a bit of shopping for groceries or any essential items we might need. The weather is simply divine. My friends and family are all just a Skype call away and I feel like I'm not even missing them.
But that doesn't mean I'm still not miserable.
All I wanted from the moment I touched down was to get to my hostel, take a hot bath and doze the tiredness away before my feet crumbled beneath me. It was no wonder that after the whole ordeal of the journey when I reached my residential hall that instead of collapsing into a deep sleep, I burst into tears the moment the door was locked behind me and I was all alone. Thank God I had a single room. I couldn't help it, once I allowed it to come out, torrents and storms were let lose and I cried till I was literally red in the face. What was more, the depressing sinking feeling that I was thousands of miles away from home and had no way to go back even in the manic state of desperation I was in pulled me into an even deeper turmoil of bawling and helplessness.
Well, I just needed to get it out. Once that was over and I was feeling much better, I actually got settled in quite nicely. The place here is absolutely gorgeous. It's like being in the midst of a paradise. I can't even begin to describe it's lushness. It has far exceeded my expectations. The people here are all simply so nice and lovely and everyone is just friendly to bits. My hall mates are pretty cool as well and although we all come from a range of different nationalities like USA to Germany to Philippines to Papua New Guinea, we could all sit in the common room together and laugh and bond so comfortably. The seniors brought us out to town to show us the sights and to do a bit of shopping for groceries or any essential items we might need. The weather is simply divine. My friends and family are all just a Skype call away and I feel like I'm not even missing them.
But that doesn't mean I'm still not miserable.
13 February 2012
Au Revoir
Uncle Cheah
Fready Pius
Ah Juinn
Wacky Kehoe, AV's fabulous class rep
Beloved Kiet
Darling housemate, Hew Yen Qi
And of course, my best friend at INTEC, the mamak tran Tiffany. I'm gonna miss all of you guys.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), 13 Feb 2012
Captured on iPad2
Miserly Dove
I sat staring out the car window at the trees zooming past, on the verge of crying. No, I reprimanded myself sharply. I'm not going to waste my time crying over every little failure I come across. But it's just so frustrating sometimes when all you've been working hard to build up this whole time comes crashing down without warning. Makes your efforts seem so useless and pathetic. You'd think I'd get used to it by now but no.
"You okay?" my mum who was sitting next to me asked absent-mindedly as she gazed out the opposite window.
"Yeah," I lied, straining to keep the quiver out of my voice.
The pain in my chest was building up to an almost physical kind of hurt. If I couldn't let it out in the form of tears, I simply had to bash something up, do something, anything to get it out of my system. I felt like I was about to explode if I kept it all balled up inside a second longer. But I had no choice. I tried to distract myself from whatever was bugging me by thinking happy thoughts but I found that it wasn't so easy.
Why is it that all your hard work will eventually amount to nothing when it all falls apart? I'm tired of trying and never seeing results. And the journey hasn't even begun. There's still a long way to go.
I've failed before I have even started.
"You okay?" my mum who was sitting next to me asked absent-mindedly as she gazed out the opposite window.
"Yeah," I lied, straining to keep the quiver out of my voice.
The pain in my chest was building up to an almost physical kind of hurt. If I couldn't let it out in the form of tears, I simply had to bash something up, do something, anything to get it out of my system. I felt like I was about to explode if I kept it all balled up inside a second longer. But I had no choice. I tried to distract myself from whatever was bugging me by thinking happy thoughts but I found that it wasn't so easy.
Why is it that all your hard work will eventually amount to nothing when it all falls apart? I'm tired of trying and never seeing results. And the journey hasn't even begun. There's still a long way to go.
I've failed before I have even started.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
