Mid December reflection

Hey there! Well, another reflection post (update) from me. So it's mid December and honestly I am looking forward to Christmas and of course the new year. As I stepped into December, boy I must say that life is going slow, but at a comfortable pace. So I've started my Christmas casual job at cotton on. So far so good. Hoping that it would last longer though. I mean, though I'm just a Christmas casual and my contract will end my early Jan, I do hope to earn a bit of extra cash for next year. People are nice, customers are awesome and friendly. For mer, that's enough. I just have to learn to gel with the community and be willing to learn.

Oh yes, and of course, Christmas is coming up next Sunday! I'm so excited! Monkey and I are going to be involved in caroling! La-la-la. We are going to have about three rehearsals before the actual day of caroling which will be on the 23rd December, Friday evening. Free sausages will be served too! :) first Christmas ever in Perth! And I have a feeling that our neighbour is going to invite us over for a Christmas dinner! My parents had already prepared a wine bottle in case they were to call us over.

Any who...I am not as nervous as I thought I would be in receiving my grade for this sem as well as knowing who my professor would be. I guess, what's meant to be will be. I have already chosen to accept whatever the outcome and just trust God. I guess that's the best option for me.

Tomorrow grandmama and I will be making tang yuan! I know the official day to eat them is on the 22nd, but I just can't wait! Hahaha. I love to eat them! Hoping to make different shapes and not just circles.

Well, one more week and my nii-San is coming back to Perth. I'm sure he misses us. Have been emailing him updates about our lives regularly, not to forget our weekly Skype on Sunday.

By the way, dad, monkey and I visited a small town called two rocks recently (named that due to the fact it has two rocks on the beach shore). Beautiful and peaceful. Will definitely explore more when opa is back.

I guess that's about it for now. Will update soon.
goodnight and God bless!

PS: Singapore, I do miss you.

Guten Tag Sommer!

Welcome Summer! Yes with temperatures ranging between 28-38 degrees celsius. Still, I think I'll love it. I mean I'm an all-time tropical girl from Singapore who practically lived in a sauna for 22 years. Haha, well summer's not here till december though, just a few more days wait.

Now that uni's out, I can't wait to start something different. Yes, I can't wait for Cotton On kids to give me a call! I mean, what could be taking them sooo long? I've gotten the contract signed and my working pass, why are they still keeping me up? The store said will probably start around december...just have to wait for her call. Okay, I guess I'm being too impatient since the summer vacation is going to last till end february (which is a long time!) and this is my first time working in Australia which just makes me excitied. Well, a little nervous but definitely excited. Hmm, and also since both my parents are currently not working, I'm hoping to be able to keep this job to earn enough money to pay a little for my school fees.

And, if I can keep it long enough, I think I would like to visit an Orthodontist, hopefully I can get my teeth fixed without having to go for a jaw surgery. Maybe I should tell you a little bit of my history. I was supposed to wear braces around 2009 to get them fixed, but according to the doctor, well, it might take three years to get the whole procedure done. Of course, my family could'nt wait that long as we'll be emigrating to Perth in June 2011. So, we cancelled the surgery. Trust me, I was quite sad at that point of time. But now, looking back on hindsight, I think it might be a good thing. Because I really do not want to go for a surgery, I'm really okay looking like that, just with straight teeth :)

Okay, that's like my own secret wish. Teehee. I mean, He made me this way, I don't want to dislike it. Like I always say, learn to embrace things instead of hating them, that way, life will be so much easier.

So back to life for me. Yes, still waiting for an assignment to a professor...still waiting to start working...still counting down for my brother to come back to perth....still waiting for what God has in store for my life.

Had a great korean dinner with my cell group yesterday. Had an incident on the train back, but it was alright. Today, my sis and I are having another dinner at subiaco. One of our uni friends is going back to Germany (Yup finished her SEP). My last chance to practice my deutsch mit ihr. Danken Sie Ihnen für Ihren Zeit heir. Sie sind sehr freundlich...Ich werde du vermissen. I shall used formal tone with you :)I'm sure we'll have a great time tonight.

A perfect love story

I heard about a girl and believe me, her love story is one that touches my heart so so much, and so I'm here today to share it with you.

There was once a girl who lived with her parents. She was the oldest child and she had two younger brothers. Since the day she was born, her parents didn't love her. They favoured her two little brothers even up till when they all grew big. This poor little girl did not live like a daughter, instead, she lived like a servant in the house. Her parents would make her clean the house, cook the meals and when guests come, she would have to serve them tea. Every now and then, she would go downstairs to a provision shop to buy goods and replenish the food in their house. She wasn't a daughter in their eyes. To her parents, she was like a maid, a child that they didn't wanted, all because, she was a girl. They only love boys.

Soon her two younger brothers each got a girlfriend and they were happy. But this poor girl, who is now in her late twenties was still single and had to do the housework. But what amazes me was that though she was upset and lonely, never once did she disobey her parents. Everyday, she would obediently do the housework and clean the house. She never did mix with anyone except her close cousin, whom she shared her feelings with.

One day, she made a mistake while doing the housework and gotten a scolding from her father. He was so mean and said that she was useless, could never do anything right, that's why no man would want to marry her. Upon hearing that, the poor girl began to cry. She felt so hurt that her own dad would say that to her. In her heart, she would love to get married. She would love to have her own family one day. But at that moment, she couldn't retaliate. All she did was to phone her cousin and poured out her feelings to her.

Now this girl had a very good neighbour. And they would often greet each other when they see each other. One day, this neighbour was buying some goods from the same provision store that the girl always buy as well. The shop owner, who had a hired hand whom he treated like his own son, asked the neighbour if she knew any girl who is kind, homely and sweet that he could matchmake with his hired hand. You see, this hired hand was a nice lad, and he had no parents since young. So the boss took him in and loved him like his own son. Immediately, this neighbour thought of this poor little girl who is living with her parents. The neighbour said okay, she'll try.

After visiting the shop, this neighbour went to the girl's house and told the girl's parent about it. Upon hearing the news, the girl's father got so mad, but he didn't say a word. When the coversation was going on, this girl was actually standing one corner, listening intently. When the neighbour left, the girl's mother asked her daughter about it and the girl, who was so happy to hear that there is someone who wants to marry her, immediately said yes.

So it was a happy marriage. The couple knew each other as the girl would often go to the provision shop to buy goods for her family. And she would always see this hired man (this nice gentleman). They had a quiet wedding, but both bride and groom were super contented. Of course the neighbour who introduced the matchmake was there and she wore a nice pretty dress to celebrate the happy occasion.

The boss of the provision shop was so kind to allow the newly weds to stay at the empty house just above the shop. Ever since the girl got married, she would seldom returned to her parents' home. She knew that if she were to visit them often, her parents would make her do the housework again. She would only go back on their birthdays, on new year's day and moon cake festival. Other than that, she would prefer staying at home with her husband, cooking for him, helping out at the shop and doing her housework.

And that's the end of the lovely love story. They lived happily ever after. The lonely girl ended up having three beautiful children who now probably had their own children. Every new year, she and her husband would visit her neighbour who brought them together. They loved that neighbour very much. Sometimes, her neighbour will tell her about her parents, who now had to do the housework. Once in a while, they would spot her mean father sweeping the corridor.

To me, that was the nicest love story I've ever heard. This is a real story, and this poor little girl is now already a grandmother. The cousin whom she was so close to is my grandmother. Yes, it is my grandmother who told me this story. When she got married, my grandmother wasn't there as she just had my uncle and was in the hospital. After that, they never saw each other again. But she knew that her cousin is no longer a poor, sad and lonely person. She knew that her cousin now live a happy life, who earned her freedom to live her own life.

I was so moved when I heard her story. So happy for her. And I would love to share this story with my children one day.

This is always hard for me

To don't know when I'll ever see you again
And this Makes saying goodbye so hard
The past three days had been a blast
Oh how I wish they could last forever

Six years of knowing each other
So many memories that we had shared
The laughter, the studying, the friendship
All comes to an end yesterday at the airport

Thanks for flying four hours just to visit me
It wasn't easy but yet you chose to take that chance
I can't tell you how much that meant to me
Only to be able to express these words here

I don't know when I'll see you again
All I can do is to trust that one day I will
And till we meet each other again
Let's continue to keep each other in our hearts

Moore River Adventure (Jurrasic Park)

Take a look through my eyes of Moore River.

I'll come to explain why I call it Jurrasic Park later. Promise.

So, my adventure started when I drove to one of my cell sister's house. Reached around 1105am. Played with her pretty dogs. Trust me, I know that they are boys but they are so so gorgeous! Anyway, then we watched a bit of Japanese drama and finally, the rest came around 1145am.

We bought lunch from Hungry Jacks (Aka Burger King) and McDonalds and brought them over with us to Moore River. The trip took around 45mins. On our trip, I felt like I've grown a little closer to the two other sweet ladies in the car. We talked a bit about our experiences, shared our opinions on different issues and just had a good laugh. I guessed that's me. I love people who are genuine towards me, people who are just able to put a smile on my face, people who allows me to be me.

We arrived around 1 plus...there were so many people. Thank God that we managed to find parking lots. Got down the car and brought all our barabg-barang. Found a nice spot, open the mats and ate lunch.

Let me tell you why Moore River reminds me so much of Jurrasic Park. It is because of the hills that separated the river and the ocean. Yes, that's what so special about Moore River. On one side it is a river. So blue and pretty. On the other side it is the Indian Ocean. Greenish-blue and deep. The thing that is separating them are the hills and the beach. You know, it's like how the river is running along a series of hills and tall trees that really reminds me the opening scene of Jurrasic Park III. Sometimes when the tide is strong, some of the ocean waters will cross over to the river. Amazing right?!

So, after lunch, we walked around the beach. It was so refreshing. I could smell the salt waters and the fresh water at the same time. Love to get my feet wet and sandy. Climbed up a liitle of the Jurrasic Hill, thought the walk up was therapeutic. Loved the view from up there. It was stunning. Guess what, I did something that I always do whenever I am at the ocean. I would turned towards the direction of Singapore (come on, I was once a geog student, my directions can't be that bad). Yes, I turned to looked as far out of the ocean as I could, in the direction of Singapore. The country that made me who I am today. That usually brought some comfort to me, though it's too far to see anything, I was still happy to be reminded of all the people that has once crossed path with me on that country.

Anyway, after the walk by the beach (we were alternating between walking along the river waters and the ocean waters), we went back to our mats and decided to go kayaking. I remember the last time I kayaked was like 5 years ago...when I was 17. Man, how fast time flies. I kayaked with my buttercup around Pulau Ubin (a tiny island of Singapore). That was how I got closer to her, cos we were kayak partners with a never say die attitude as we kayaked through a storm. But this time, I kayak with another awesome person :) With the cell sister who has been so sweet to me since the day I know her. It was during the kayak that I realised how much more the hills and the river look so much like Jurrasic Park. Haha. We all took turns to kayak. While waiting, we played monopoly deal and uno.

Our day kind of ended like that. Headed for home around 5 plus and came back home for dinner with my family.

I can't tell you how much I love the sea. It was like my first love. It is an amazing place. And I think everyone who has the opportunity should give Moore River a shot. Going down to have a good time and just be in touch with nature really freshened me up for the coming week.

I would definitely go back there again, afterall, it is just 45mins drive from my house :)

The things that just make you think

Guten Tag Die Welt! Finally the ranking of the professors is here. Trust me, I thought it would be an easy process, but honestly, it was super difficult. I mean, if you had 24 choices, you would definitely feel the same as I did. I was nervous when I rated them, not knowing which choice I would get and knowing that once the supervisor is allocated to me...that's it. No more changes. So ya, I took sooo long just to rate all of them. Now it's up to God to take control. Getting a little excited and yet scared for next semester to begin. Anyway, until then, let's just enjoy this semester till it ends.

Anyway, yesterday I had a nice chat with a friend in school and I must say that she is one of the most open person I've ever known. I've never really met anyone who would be so open about her feelings and what she's going through to me, someone who does not really know her that well yet. That kind of hit me...in a way that the things she said, her values and beliefs are kind of similar to mine. But yet at the same time, I admire her courage to take such a huge step of faith. To be willing to come out of her comfort zone and to experience something so new and so different a culture. Honestly, after talking to her, it kind of built up my courage too. I've never see myself as someone who is shy or afraid to try new things. But after thinking for a little longer, I think there is somewhere in me that is still shy and scared. I guess that's normal. Haha. Really thank God for allowing me to have that opportunity to talk to her. I mean, I was suppose to be the one encouraging her on, but now when I looked back at it, it was kind of like she is the one encouraging me. And I think that's how God works. He brings people to you to speak to you. To help you understand the world better.

I'm slowly starting to see why I'm in perth now.

No, I would change nothing

I keep telling myself
What if life is not meant to be like this
Looking back at all the photos
Their faces make my heart ache

I asked myself, why am I feeling this
Things are still going fine for them
Yet somehow I wish I am back there again
So why am I feeling this

And then all of a sudden
Something hard hit my soul
And I know that I have to let go
Because of a greater person who is in control

A perfect plan was designed not just for me
But for them as well
And if it is meant to be
Then let it be

For I know that things will be fine
Just like when you told me that you'll never leave me
And brought me to a whole new chapter
Some three thousand miles away

If I can't move on
Then they can't as well
So it's better if I learn to let go
Or things will just become complicated

Yes it is never ever going to be the same
But that doesn't mean that it is bad
All there is to it, is just a brand new start
To a new chapter in both mine and theirs

I was once part of their lives
Living, breathing, talking with them
But now I'm just doing this differently
Now it's time to be different

When I said that I will change nothing
I didn't say it confidently
Because there is something there
That was holding me back

But now with a new confidence
I can look back at them and say it once again
This time with a different strength
This time, there is no holding back

So if someone were to come up to me
And ask me if I could turn back time
Is there something in my life
That I would like to change

I think this time
I would look straight into his eyes
And with a light smile I'll answer in faith
No, I would change nothing