Back Home in Singapore

I created this blog mainly to update my family and friends on how I'm coping with life. Ironically, I rarely ever blog ever since I returned back to Singapore. My friends started to wonder if I am back in Singapore and if I do, where I am. People started asking why I MIA-ed but I didn't. To be honest, I hardly step out of my house either. I've been quite socially isolated. I didn't deliberately choose to stay at home. However, I didn't make conscious efforts to go out.

To all my dear friends, I'm in Singapore at the moment and will remain here till February 2011. I'm still alive and coping with life. I am currently feeling happier than I was back in Canberra, but not as happy as I imagined/thought I would be (probably because reality is starting to sink in. Oh well.)

Anyway, I should be quite free for the remaining one month so we can go out/catch up or something. See ya!

Common Questions

When I call my family/friends back home in Singapore, there seem to be a standardised set of questions that they will ask. Some of the questions can be quite interesting.

1. What time is it over at your side? (Note: They almost always use "your side" instead of Australia/Canberra).
2. Have you eaten?
3. What did you eat?
4. Did you cook or eat out?
   
5. What are you doing?
6. Is it cold?
   

The most annoying thing is, I usually call my parents just before I go to bed and as a nocturnal, that means I usually turn in at 3am - 4am Canberra time, which is 12am - 1am Singapore time (Yes, my parents are nocturnals too and that is the exact reason why I chose to call them at this time!).

My parents will start the conversation by asking why am I still awake, followed by some naggings like "Why aren't you sleeping yet?", "这么迟了,还不要去睡觉啊?". In an attempt to stop the naggings, I will try to end the conversation but before I could do that, they will start a new conversation. When the conversation comes to an end, they will ask me with the same questions, followed by similar naggings and this 'vicious cycle' will continue for quite some time before it really comes to an end. So diao right?

Makes me wonder if it's just my parents or are all parents like that? Oh well, I ain't complaining (maybe just a little grumbling) because I see it as acts of love. If they don't love me, they won't miss me. If they don't miss me, they won't try to talk to me. If they don't try to talk to me, they won't have to nag at me. Hahas.

Bolster in Luggage

How do I friggin' bring my bolster and pillow back to Singapore when I can't vacuum pack them, since I don't have a vacuum cleaner? It's gonna take up more than half of my luggage space. Sighs!

Just in caes ya wondering, my bolster is extremely precious to me. It's been my faithful sleeping companion for the past 18 years and it smells perfeeeeeeect to me. The 'bestest' fragrance I've ever had!

Keeping Me Going

I've been reading "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. I've heard about him and his famous last lecture but I have yet to watch the video on it. I've purchased this book just after my second paper and I read it during study breaks while preparing for my next paper.

Here are some life concepts/lessons which he shared in the book that I thought was very inspiring, especially at times when I feel like giving up.

"If I work hard enough, there willbe things I can do tomorrow that I can't do today."

"We cannot change the cards we dealt, just how we play the hand."

Randy Pausch shared a very inspiring quote which was originally by Walt Disney.

"If you can dream it, you can do it."

And this made me think that I can do what was deemed as impossible or challenging. I hope it will do the same for you too.

To My Beloved

I am starting to feel home sick because I miss my dogs - a lot, a lot. I can't imagine how they feel, especially Sugar.

It's impossible for me to communicate with them over the phone and there's no way I can explain to them (with them understanding what I say, of course) why I am away, how long I will be away and when I will be back.

I wish they know (maybe they do but I highly doubt so) that I wasn't abducted by aliens, that I am safe and sound, that my heart aches a little each time I see other people walking their dogs. [Tears formed in my eyes as I typed this.]

If only I could tell them how much I love them, how much I miss them and how miserable I am without them.

I hate to let them know that my return during the summer holidays is only temporarily, that I have to leave them again, that the next time we meet will be a good 6 months' (or even a year's) time, that I can't bring them along and that they have to go though the same heartache again.

My rabbits are dearly misses by me too. Guni especially.

If only we don't have to part. If.

Exams

My first paper, adult development and ageing, is starting in 2 hours time. The exam is 3 hours long. Sounds quite long ya? Not when you have 30 MCQs and 14 SAQs.

Unlike most of my friends who are doing commerce/business/economics, my exams are entirely closed book, so no cheat sheet or extra materials. Loads of facts, theories, research studies and results to remember. Worse thing is this paper starts at 2.15pm, ends at 5.30pm and my next paper is commencing at 9am tomorrow. Not the best exam time table.

Oh well, at least i'm having it better than a friend who has 2 papers in a day; one in the morning, one in the evening.Anyway, Wish me luck for my exams! Shall blog again next week. Take care till then!

It's Hailing

The are vast differences in the weather conditions between Singapore and Canberra(Duh! Tropical vs 4 seasons). Unlike Singapore, one rarely gets to see lightning or hear thunder in Canberra, not even when it is going to rain. I always get caught in the rain unexpectedly because there will be no signs to tell me of the impending wet weather.

Thus, I was a little surprised when I heard thunder this morning as I was mugging. Suddenly, I heard what sounded like a very heavy rain. I rolled up the blinds and looked out of the window. I was shocked to see many many white stones (or so I thought) filling up the ground. I shouted to my room mate "Come and take a look. It's hailing!"

We decided to walk out of the hostel to take a good look at the 'little white stones', which amazed us so much. We must have been a funny sight - 6am, two girls clad in pyjamas, out in the cold, getting all excited playing with hail stones and taking photos. Oh well, you can't blame us. We spent most of our lives in a tropical country where ice is man-made.

Shall upload pictures after my exams has ended. *Back to Mug*