Before the clock strikes 12!

Time flies
End of January 2008
Indeed a different January from all those that I'd in the past 21 years
A January that was spent outside Singapore
My favourite month of the year is December
Not bcos it's my B'day
But it signifies the end of the busy year
Everyone will be slowing down their pace
Spending more time with each other
The festive atmosphere brights up my day

Come January, everyone would have settle down the laid-back feel of December
They will welcome the new year with lots of resolutions and hopes
Then it will be CHINESE NEW YEAR!!
The festive season I love most!
I enjoy the quiet streets of Chinese New Year Eve
All the shops closed, everyone back in their house
I love the smiles on everyone's faces the very next day when they see each other
I love sitting around the "steamboat" cooker having steamboat with my family
We will talk about anything under the sun
I don't mind it being a repetitive process annually
I love sitting around the mahjong table playing MAHJONG!
Otherwise, I will just gather with my cousins to play BLACKJACK!

I miss bak kwa, abalone, love-letters, CHOCOLATES, steamboat!
Who can ship it to me?!
I wanna watch Jack Neo's new movie on New Year's Day with my relatives
Like what we did for the past 3 years
I wanna drive around even if it means wasting petrol and doing nothing
Who can drive me around?!

But don't worry, I am not sad over all these stuffs
I just wanna blog before January ends
Cos I am really wondering how Singapore is like right now?
Can everyone tell me their wishes for the new year?!
I am eager to know.. haha..
So, I will be waiting............ :)
See this funny image:

LOVE 2008

Snapshots!

The TICKET that I've been waiting for:


Went down-town for more shopping today! Actually, I was out on the hunt for the LV shop.. hehe.. That area is simply Singapore's Orchard Road with all the big brands- LV, Diesel, Burberry's, Levi's, Massimo Dutti, Zara, Emporium Armani, Armani Jeans etc.. I got the 3rd gift, but not for my brother! haha.. He must be "fuming" now! haha..

Finally visited the LV shop!


More food photos.. Don't drool... I had this pact with pl & gang, cc etc that we will organise a "pot-luck" party when I get back where everyone prepares a dish and we will feast... Finally a new idea for X'mas or NY Eve huh! Or maybe the "costume-party" pl suggested last X'mas!

Fried Herring on top of this really really NICE bread! How does it taste like? A little like eel but not as "rubber" as eel!


My Breakfast: Ham Omelette + Bacon


Another item on my breakfast Item: Ham+Cheese+Bacon Sandwich! YUMMY!


Dinner Menu: Spaghetti Bolognaise + Mushrooms!

_How people view myself_

I finished watching a HK show recently called "Heart of Greed" (Tang Xin Feng Bao) and was totally impressed by it.. It isn't the typical HK drama where it involves only romance, or friendship or family... It was really a combination of all, & to how people handle interpersonal relationships.. I strongly recommend everyone to watch it...

Let me blog about a few issues that were showcased in the show which really makes people ponder about themselves...

1) Have you ever make a wish secretly and hope that you were born with a silver spoon?
Ans: I admit I myself had wished for that before but apparently, even if you are born with a silver spoon, that might not be a great thing.. A kid born in a wealthy family has this one issue to face all his life: EXPECTATIONS... I hate expectations because I think it is an invisible form of pressure... It's like people are judging you, saying how you should be and stuffs and it's really tiring~ Furthermore, Money is next big issue that you have to face! Money is the root of all evil isn't it? People quarrelling over who should inherit the wealth etc etc & I've seen that in real life too :) Where there's money, there's no love! Family members' taking sides, friends stick to you for "good cause", relatives gossip, flaming the fires... How ugly that can be?

71:"To all my family members- Never let money be the cause of any of our conflicts be it now or in the future!"

2) Have you ever had a friend whom you promise to stand by forever?
Ans: I am sure everyone has! But because of certain things that he or she has done, you quarrel or sink into a cold war and find it hard to forgive her and even after you forgive her, you find it hard to face her.. When you see her, you dare not call out to her... Does that signify the end of the friendship? Most probably it is.. I guess it's all about pride... No one will think he or she is at fault when it is a misunderstanding and during a quarrel... Because of that, when you feel like apologising after a while, nothing comes to your mind and you don't know how to go about it..
Sometimes, certain things that you do hurt others without you yourself being aware of it.. To all my friends out there: If I ever hurt you and I did not apologise to you-

71 Shouts:"I AM SORRY!"

3) Have you ever love someone and you always feel what you have done for him or her is never enough?
In the initial stage of a relationship, it's always the honeymoon period... Whatever the opposite party does, you will find it sweet and "tolerable" even though it is really childish if you think about it.. As the relationship goes into the Long Run, you get sick and tired of that person and you always feel that what you have done for him or her is for protection.. You don't care if that person likes it or not, you love him or her in the way you would want to be loved.. At this point of time, you quarrel over trivial matters and claim that you don't understand that person... Ultimately, if you can't withstand the pressure, you BREAK OFF! Why?! I don't know... But I think it's totally true... that's what I learn from that show! hahaha...

I like this question:"How people view myself?" I guess different people will have different judgments on me, on my life etc... Some would envy, some would criticise and it's totally impossible for me to please everyone so I guess I will never do that... I just want to lead the life I want, be contented with the freedom I enjoy now and of course to leave this world with as little regrets as possible... Maybe it's good everyone occasionally reflect on their lives and think about how others view them? But at the end of the day, do remind yourself that eventually,

IT"S YOUR LIFE!

Presents+Trips

~~Presents!
Last sun went shopping!
Picked up the first present!
The honour goes to ........ Secret!
Actually it's a pressie for one of my niece (my cousin's daughter!)
But I can't tell who will get that present first
Bought the 2nd pressie also!
It's for my brother's gf-SHULIN!!
She bought me a really nice 21st birthday present which I like it a lot
Of course it's with me now in this foreign land!
I saw this really nice gift
Thought it suits her well so I bought it

71:"Sorry bro, please don't say that I show favouritism! Yours has to be from Manchester,UK so maybe you can be the third!"

~~Trips!
First leg of my tour
Oslo, Norway --> London, UK --> Manchester, UK
I have all the details for the flights
But I can't post it yet
When I return, I shall post it
Why?
Lest anyone sees my schedule!
Anyway, I will be spending Chinese New Year Eve in Norway
Chinese New Year in London
First time I am not in Singapore for CNY
I ain't too sad though
I miss the fun, laughter, mahjong, and food that comes with CNY
But I'd love the travel, flights, and sights that I see in Europe too
Trade-off I guess!

Uppsala~~Sweden

Uppsala~~4th largest city in Sweden

Visited Uppsala on Wednesday since it's my free day (no school)! Though claimed to be the 4th largest city in Sweden, it's so much smaller than Stockholm.. It's probably Singapore's Jurong only I guess.. As usual, we took the morning train at 09:11am since it was the cheapest and upon arrival, our first stop was the TOURIST OFFICE! The great thing about Uppsala is it snowed the previous night and the whole place was filled with SNOW! However, it is DIRTY SNOW! haha.. There were certain areas that had "Cleaner" snow so Kim & I started our nonsense, wrote our names, made footprints haha...

I would say Uppsala is a cultural site of Sweden... It has lots of museums that exhibits the evolution of Sweden, historic museums, etc.. At Uppsala, we also saw the first & of course, OLDEST university of Sweden - Uppsala University! Apparently, King Gustavus Adolphus (Swedish king) donated land and funds for the establishment of the university and indeed, he was held in great respect in Uppsala till today! The university was really old-school, large building, interior was totally wood-made but it totally didn't look like a school to me.. haha :) There were clothes hanger along the corridor for students to hang their coats and tons of statue in the premises!

Next, we visited Museum Gustavianum-lots of displays on the olden days crafts, from the medieval times to the viking days... Looking at the coins, clothes, jewellery, shoes, utensils to even coffins.... hahaha...

The 3rd stop was something that left a strong impact on me! The Uppsala Cathedral... The largest church/ cathedral in Sweden and dated the oldest too.. I've never had any religious thinking or ideas since young though my parents are taoists & I have relatives who are Christians... I felt religion is something that is totally your own belief and no one can influence you... I first enter a church in Singapore when my auntie got married but perhaps I was too young, I didn't have much memory of how a church is like.. Subsequently, when my friends ask me to follow them to service, it was always at a big auditorium and stuff... I guess that's probably the reason that explains why I never imagined how holy a church can be, like those in movies or shows where people sit at benches and pray sincerely to Jesus to bless & protect them... All changed when I stepped into that Cathedral! It was totally peaceful and the atmosphere was really solemn right there... There was this really long hall way at the two sides of the entrance & displays were placed along the hallway, depicting images of Jesus, his journey to being crusified, displays of old kings & queens, tombs etc etc... Right in the middle of the 2 hallways, there was the image of those long endless benches that you have to pass to reach this crystal-plated cross at the end of the hall way.. You will pass where the choir stands and the image totally stunned me... While I stood in front of the cross, I seemed to be able to feel God telling me to trust him, to confide in him & to become his follower... You will understand when you see the photos... It's totally different from those churches in Singapore..

Now, all of you must be thinking I am becoming a Christian.. No of course, I just wanted to share with you how I felt while I was standing there... I am still apathetic when it comes to religion...

The disappointing thing about the Uppsala trip was: We couldn't get into UPPSALA CASTLE! It's closed for winter.. Only opened during summer! I heard it's really beautiful, maybe I used to live there in previous generations? haha.. totally dreaming...

Alright, by 7pm, we were done with shopping and all that and our train back to Stockholm was at 21:35pm!! Both of us sat around for the 2 hrs, chit-chat, me disturbing her all the time with all the crap and lame jokes that I can think of... Somehow, Uppsala is much colder than Stockholm & we were freezing so we went out to the temporary cart-stalls to grab french fries & fish & chips! haa...

Now to the most disturbing thing: Toilets in Sweden costs 5kr (SGD1.25) per entry, even at TRAIN STATIONS! We totally wanted to pee but didn't feel like paying so we decide to beat the system and get FOC toilet visits... first, let me describe how the system works... Outside every cubicle, there's this coin machine where you insert your coins and unlock the door... After you are done, you leave the cubicle and the door swings CLOSED at a FAST speed and becomes locked again... the next person would then have to pay again and the cycle repeats! So what we did was- we sat at benches outside the cubicles, pin-point at people who walks past and make a guess if he or she will be going to the toilet... Once we see a potential "victim", we will stand outside the cubicle so that once he leaves the toilet, we can hold on to the door and not let it shut! hahaha... Now you guys must be thinking we were really cheapsake but come on come on, it's the excitement of beating the system that thrills us! haha... The 1st attempt wasn't that successful as we were too slow... we succeeded on the 2nd though!! hahaa... Btw, we weren't the ones who thought of this... Rather, it was this foreign guy (doubt he's a Swede) that we met at one of the shopping centre who taught us that... I would say it's a FLAWED system but to the Swedish, I guess they are really honest and wouldn't do this kind of thing so it seems to be a well-designed one.... CULTURAL DIFFERENCES--That's the only thing I can say.....

No Pain, No Gain!

Dedicated to my beloved sister who will be getting her GCE 'O' levels results today!

When I recall 6 years ago, the day when I went back to pick up my results, there were lots of mixed feelings! Still remember S.I.D.Y back then, Me,WenX, Chris & SP had a really good meal that morning at the coffeeshop behind the school.. Lots of laughter and fun filled that meal, those were the days where we were young and innocent & with WenX & SP around, you can guess what the scene had been like! Now, when was the last time the 4 of us gathered? I totally can't recall anymore.. Anyway, as long as Chris & WenX is around to give me support & encouragement through life, the quantity of time we spent together isn't really that important!

Back to my SIS: Dear girl, it's a once in a lifetime moment that you collect your GCE 'O' Levels results so no matter what the outcome may be, treasure that joy that comes with completing your secondary school education and to have find real friends that will support you through life... She was telling me that she feels she did not put in her utmost effort to prepare herself for the exam but I thought she had already done her best, doing her revision every single day but of course, there were times when I tempted her with TV shows... I felt it was totally okay to take a break at the appropriate time isn't it? Trust me, YOU DID YOUR BEST & YOU SHOULD HAVE NO REGRETS NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE! hahaha.. I hope you did well and that you choose the right path in life, be it JC or Poly..I guess the most important thing is you really know what you want, your future & where you sees yourself 10 years down the road! So, Ganbatte! Shall present these words to motivate you since I can't be around personally:

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ~~Louisa May Alcott

Anyway, like my motto in life: NO PAIN, NO GAIN!

A Dream Come True!

Well well well, what's the dream? What has come true?

I remembered telling WenX that if one day, i leave this world b4 doing a few tasks and fulfilling my dreams, he must do it for me!

71 Shouts to WenX:"Hey Buddy! You are free of one task!"

I also remembered Omma making a video for me during my 19th Birthday that says that one day, I will visit "Theatre of Dreams-Manchester United"!

71 Shouts to Omma:"Hey Omma! I am 17 days away from Theatre of Dreams!"

Finally finally finally! I've confirmed my tickets to OLD TRAFFORD! It's really a dream come true for me! I wasn't that into soccer when i was young except that my brother and I did play "rubber wrestling" with the soccer players from Manchester United labelled on the erasers! That was my first encounter with FOOTBALL, the hottest sport ever! I vividly remember my brother loved Ryan Giggs while I loved David Beckham! And...

WE SUPPORT MANCHESTER UNITED!

Over the years, my interest in soccer slowly disappeared as I got more involved in girls' interests but I don't remember when either, my passion for the sport returned! I started to take a liking in watching soccer matches, notice the cute guys on the pitch, and even began to like other players from ManUtd's rivals E.g Frank Lampard from Chelsea and Fernando Torres of Liverpool but I am honest to say that in my heart, there's always one CHAMPION & that's MANCHESTER!! hahaha..

I am really looking forward to the day, 10th February 2008 (Sunday), when I will step onto the pitch that I've been staring on television for the past 21 years and personally experience the feeling of watching a live match!

10th February 2008
Manchester United Vs Manchester City
Kick-off: 13:30 (London) ; 19:30 (Singapore)

Hey guys remember, I am away now and though we are staring at the same sky every minute, our focus are on different things all the time!
You see the sun while I am fast asleep in bed;
You are working or studying your time away while sunlight just shines into my room;
You are spending time with your family or friends at the dinner table while I am busy copying notes in class;
You lie on the bed to reflect on the tasks you did for the day while I am fixing my dinner..

However, on this date that I've posted above,
if you're at home & happen to have scv-football channel 27;
if you can find a coffeeshop near your place that telecasts soccer; or
if you are a die-hard Manchester United Fan;
Please catch this match!

Even if you are not a soccer fan;
Even if you think you might not be free;
BUT if you MISS ME;
Tune in to the match!

WHY? That will be day when we are finally focusing on the same task! Though you might not see me in person, but at least we are spending time together!! hahaha...

What an interesting and touching post right? hehehe.. Alright, sidetrack.. frankly speaking, I've known quite a lot of ManUtd fans of all ages among my friends but I'd really consider myself lucky to be able to go to Old Trafford.. So many die-hard fans out there had not have the chance but me, a 21-year old girl is paying Old Trafford a visit! That kind of excitement really fills my heart! *Pause* I'm not boasting ok!

A personal message to my BROTHER: I am sure your chance will come real soon to visit ManUtd too! I promise to take lots of pictures & videos to show you and get you some really nice stuffs! You must work hard to earn yourself this golden opportunity too! Dedicate this quote to my Dearest Brother:

A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means. ~~Henry Hazlitt

Minor Updates!

One fine morning, while I was busy trying to get my IB done, suddenly I heard:

"The Fridge BROKE!"

**Stunned**

The screws from the fridge door actually dropped off
Not anyone's fault actually
The screws just got loose

"Could you please come take a look?"

**Sighs**
I was in a rush to go to the bank
Managed to fix the fridge within 15 mins

**Claps**

Though it was a simple task
I learnt something new

71 SHOUTS "I FIXED BACK THE FRIDGE DOOR!!!"

The Katrina Lift

Another sightseeing trip on Saturday Morning
Things weren't going too well though
Temperature at around 6degrees, 47Fahrenheit
No Sun, Windy!
We walked from home to the Katrina lift
Total distance estimated at 1km ++
What about the Katrina Lift that attracts us?
A Gondolen
Dimensions: 35m high.31m long.6m wide
(For those dunno what's that, see the photos..)
I learnt it when I was working at Hilton
An important transportation tool back in the 1800s for the Swedish people
Magnificent view from the top
Could see almost the whole of Stockholm
It was so windy that I had no choice but to wear my gloves
I had too many frostbites on my hand after not wearing gloves at the tower
Apparently, gloves restrict your hands' movement
So see the pictures!



The oldest steel bridge in Sweden

Problems + Troubleshoot

Report: I have not sweat for 2 weeks & I totally can't stand it.. So out of fun, I did 500 JUMPING JETS & 50 Sit-ups on fri night but the amount of sweat i "produced" is only 1/10 of what I would get if I did the same amount of jumping jets & sit-ups at home in Singapore! I even had my jacket on with me here! hahaha.. I know I sound a bit dumb but I really need to SWEAT! But recently, I read this article online-one of the ways to sweat--Constipation! hahaha... You know why? Cos in the process of trying to remove your bowels, your body is working at the same time so it helps to produce sweat.. hehe.. Interesting.. Should I try?!

Next on: I finally found my LV shop!Also, at this corner of the street near school, we'd Hard Rock Cafe.. I always like to buy HRC shirts cos I find them nice but it's really expensive.. It's $90 a t-shirt & the designs aren't that nice.. So the lady told me to wait another 3 mths before they change their designs again... Though it's kinda expensive, i tink i will still buy one back since I like to collect them... As for my LV, I haven't have the time to step into the shop cos I passed by it while I was on the bus..



Furthermore: I went shopping on Sunday at Drottningatan.. One of the shopping districts..I wanted to get presents for all my friends in Singapore but I am sorry! I have to apologise first.. the stuffs here are really expensive.. A simple t-shirt costs about 199SEK which is like S$50/-! Oh, If I count the number of presents I need to buy, it'd be ard S$1k! hehehe...Den I can't possibly buy some magnets or stuff, which seems totally meaningless.. So, I plan to give priority to those whose birthday falls within Jan-Jun..

71 asks:"Can I combine you guys' birthday present with your europe gift?"

Otherwise, for the rest who didn't a present, I promise I whip up a good meal for you guys when I return since I am like cooking almost everyday here right now.. My cooking skills would have improved tremendously by the time I'm back...

Last but not least: Textbooks! The textbooks here are really super expensive.. I have to pay S$200 for a textbook which I can easily get for S$50/- in Singapore and it's totally ridiculous.. Had the idea of asking my brother to ship it to Stockholm for me but it's kinda fruitless too since the shipping charges would add up to almost the same cost.. SO now, I am kinda fretting over how i am supposed to get the textbooks.. If you ask me to go to the library to read it, I will FLIP! But I may seriously consider doing that if I'm unable to get it... Any1 has any recommendations for cheap textbooks overseas?

Lastly: I finally got my Swedish account's Internet Banking up! I badly require this service if not I will not be able to pay my rental.. I have been meddling with it and logging on every single day since Tues after getting notice about the 3 rare methods to pay your bills in Sweden to do it...
1) Pay at the Post Office & get charged at 50KR per transaction OR
2) Pay through GIRO at the bank & get charged at 60KR per transaction OR
3) Pay through GIRO using Internet Banking -- FOC
Totally RIDICULOUS! Oh ya,I also notice something about the people here..They don't really solve problems for you..They will always troubleshoot problems by replacement rather than finding out the cause and tackling it.. Like the banking thing, it didn't work the first time so I actually went back to the bank and seeked help.. They simply offered me a new pin and told me to try again.. But the 2nd attempt wasn't successful either so I spent 40KR (S$10/-) instead to call the helpdesk for 15minutes to get the internet banking started up.. Alas, My EFFORT, TIME, & MONEY did not go down the drain!

That's all for the day! :)

This is so TRUE!

极其平凡却又深厚的感情，留在他们和我的心里，陪伴我们走过一生。。。

当你还很小的时侯
他们花了很多时间
教你用叉子 用筷子吃
教你穿衣服 绑鞋带 系扣子
教你洗脸 教你梳头发
教你擦鼻涕 擦屁股
教你做人的道理

你是否还记得你们练习了很久才学会的第一首歌？
你是否记得经常逼问他们 “妈，我是从哪里来的？”
所以

当他们有天变老时
当他们想不起来或接不上话时
当他们罗嗦重复一些老掉牙的故事
请不要怪罪他们
当他们开始忘记系扣子 绑鞋带
当他们开始在吃饭时弄脏衣服
请不要催促他们
因为你在慢慢长大
而他们却在慢慢变老

只要你在他们眼前的时候 抱抱他们
他们的心就会很温暖
如果有一天
当他们站也站不稳 走也走不动的时候
请你紧握他们的手
陪他们慢慢地走
就像。。。

就像当年他们牵着你一样！

那乱七八糟的房间－续 The messy room II

哈哈！我又回来了。距离我上次登的那片日记篇－乱七八糟的房间， 应该也有一个星期了吧。根据许多人的回应，大家似乎对这件事很感兴趣而且也都蛮期待的。那么，在这短短的几天里到底又起了什么变化呢？我想大家或许很好奇吧。深呼吸，让大家慢慢欣赏！

Alright, I'm back. It's been almost a week since my last post-The Messy Room.. From the feedback I've got from people who have been reading my blog, many seems rather interested and amused by that post! hahaha.. So after these few days, what's the situation like? I guess everyone must be curious. Take a deep breath, let's rock & roll and enjoy!

See my clean side first!
先瞧瞧我干净的这一面！


Here comes the Messy one! hahaha.. I need to take 2 photos because I can't cover them in one shot!
再看看这乱七八糟的！我必须拍两张照片才能把整个地方拍下。



其实我觉得你们一定觉得我很坏，这样嘲笑她可是我想大家也对她很有兴趣所以我才会时不时拍些照片娱乐娱乐大家！不过看了后，你们是否觉得她好像变本加厉，越来越乱！哈哈哈哈。。。我一定会继续让大家看到更多精彩的照片，尤其是当这里变成猪窝时！

Frankly speaking, some of you must be thinking I am really mean to post pictures of her n the room, kinda like ostracising her but I guess you guys are really fascinated by the photos too right? That's why I wanna keep you guys entertained! But after seeing this part 2, do you guys feel she's turning from bad to worst? hahahaha.. I will keep you guys posted when it becomes a sty!

我在这里的日子

为什么要用华语写呢？ 因为我答应我妈的啦！ 她不会读我写的英文吧！哈哈哈哈！ 她看了肯定气爆了！！

说实在的，我在这里一天说不到三句华语， 而且我应该有六年没写华语了吧！ 可是， 我应该还可以写出一篇像样的“作文” 吧。

开始吧：
我在家里是个好吃懒做的女生因为妈妈总是把家打理得一尘不染， 根本就不需要我付出任何的时间来整理。到了这里， 我想应该有很多朋友或家人觉得我会很不习惯， 房子会变得像垃圾巢之类的东西可是抱歉， 我让大家失望了！在这里的两个星期， 我抹了两次地板而且每天睡觉前都会整理桌子！起床后，我会遮好被子， 绝对不会像和我同房的那家伙！哈哈！

可是，说到洗衣，我当然没有天天都洗因为在这里的两个星期，我根本就没有流汗！我的衣服都又香又干净呢！更何况，我多多少少也适应了这里的生活。每天睡觉前和睡醒后必需做的事，我都已经安排好而且也牢牢记住了。

刚抵达时，天气真的很冷而且每晚睡觉时，鼻子都会很不顺畅。我想大概是因为这里不能打开窗户所以空气非常不流通。辛亏我朋友的房间有些蜡烛之类的东西，点了后果然有帮助。 刚开始我朋友说是之前那个房客搞浪漫， 我们还笑了他两天。但是我仔细想了后，才发现了他的真正用意！我果然是天才啊！这时侯，我妈肯定又会气爆了。哈哈哈哈哈！

我去观光了满多地方的，从博物馆到瑞典皇族的居家（皇宫）还有购物中心和旅游经典等等啦。说实在的，真的还满好玩的耶！如果你想来的话，就只好求神拜佛看能不能中个万字票或多多吧！哈哈啊哈！

还有，我的病已经康复了所以你可以放心！这里看医生超贵的所以我一定不会容许自己轻易病倒！好啦，我也打了不少了。希望你看明白我所写的， 下次再写些不一样的吧！ ：）

Skype+Classes+Updates

Hey everyone, I can skype now! I've got internet connection in my room and my Macbook has got mic & webcam.. However, the timing might be a bit difficult to arrange as the time here is like 7hrs behind Singapore...

Was skyping with PL the past 2 days.. he told me about the gift that they bought for me b4 I left..

71 SHOUTS: "Thanks guys!"

Really appreciate that.. I can imagine 5 guys walking around orchard trying to pick something yet totally have no idea what to get...The effort you guys made to go all the way down from Orchard to PS... hehe.. I like those stuffs & they were really useful to me honestly.. I will try to take more photos with them next time!

Of course, not only them, I'd this birthday gift which I really like also.. It's a scarf and it's really warm to me in this freezing nation! haha.. Though many of my friends knew I was coming to Sweden, none of them bought me any winter clothings or related stuff for my birthday.. That was the one & only one! No need to identify that person, he will know it's him when he reads this anyway.. Though I didn't take much photos with it, I assure I wear it often so I just wanna thank him for that effort in choosing the gift! :)


Alright, enuff of thanks! Updates about my classes..
--> Had my 1st lesson on thursday..
--> Health Economics anyway
--> Sec sch style teaching
--> Professor flashing the transparencies on the overhead projector
--> Students answering the questions he post occasionally
--> Short & Sweet though (relaxed)

After classes, Kim & I went for lunch at this really budget pizza place! It was really cheap but the ambience was good! We shared a 13" pizza (salami+onions+cheese) & we only paid 27,5Kr each (S$7).. I love PIZZAS! What's more, it's only 5 minutes from our dorm..Looks like I'll be visiting there often! The pizza totally reminds me of those Al Dente days where Jeremy, Ah Jun or Nick will make pizzas & I'd attempt to cut them into 6 pieces..Occasionally, they will let me play with the dough or Ben & I will make our own pizzas or garlic toast after work.. Those were the days... Tired yet Happy! Esp Jeremy who really taught me lessons in life, gave me really good advices, young yet mature & he never fails to give me a call annually from Malaysia.. Now that I'm here & my phone is no longer in use, I wonder if we will lose contact.. Too bad I don't have his address in M'sia if not I will definitely pay him a visit & his pizza business... I miss the pizzas he made, no doubt the best i've ever had!

At night, we cooked & I showed u the pic in my previous post.. Try to plan a weekend trip to either Uppsala, Gotenburg but totally unsuccesful.. I guess it's too last minute & tickets are really pricey! hahaha..

Anyway, went shopping instead on Fri at the Gallerian (Sg paragon).. Didn't manage to find my LV store.. I definitely have to get a LV bag back this time round!!! hahaha.. Saw this pair of diesel jeans for only S$150/- SUPER CHEAP!! But it's size 26 & I admit I'm kinda fat so I can't fit it in anyway! I guess I'll have to wait another month or so when I become slimmer (hopefully).. please wish me GOOD LUCK?!

Oh ya, Skyped with my parents & sis too.. they didn't have webcam & the mic was spoilt.. So I gotta like talk to the webcam & talk to the laptop while my sis replied from MSN..I looked kinda dumb while I was doing that but luckily, no one was around.. Wonder if my MUM grew taller? if my SIS grew fatter? if my BRO grew slimmer? if my DAD have a bigger tummy? hahaha.. That's all crap but i just love my FAMILY! haha...

Made plans for the traveling part of this exchange..
February: Manchester, London (by myself?)--Can look for my friends there..
March: Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands & Belgium (10days) with Kim
June: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece Maybe (still looking for friends)
Every other free weekend that we've got: Finland, Norway & Denmark

Food I've Eaten

Alright, I have been like posting pictures of sceneries mostly.. Today, it shall be FOOD! Kim & I have cooked like 3-4 times so far, considered little but I believe we will cook more often in the near future.. The food may not look delicious to some out there but I assure it's definitely tasty k? If not, I won't eat definitely!But sometimes i forgot to take pictures esp when we cook in Kim's room & the camera wasn't around with me hahaha...

1) Baked pasta~~Fusili with boiled chicken!


2) Rosti with egg + soya-sauce marinated chicken drumstick (shredded) + Cucumber salad
Can you imagine, me-Non-veggy lover, eating cucumber salad? I've to say it wasn't too bad.. Why did I eat it in the first place? Kim was really into making it & it's like she can't finish all of them.. She's encouraging me to eat more veggy & tt's some indian speciality according to her.. So i give face & eat lor!


3) Yummy Meatballs! I didn't cook them.. It's from IKEA! + Choco Mousse Cake!


If you're hungry now, hurry down to IKeA Singapore & have meatballs! :)

Orientation in School~~

Orientation Started
dAy 1-14 Jan 08
Totally different from Singapore one
No games just talks and more talks
Introduction of the school and tour around campus
Had a light lunch--Sandwiches as usual
Rushed to the PC lab halfway during lunch to fix my internet
They demanded to have Anti-virus software
Ridiculous!
No one ever used Anti-virus on Mac OS
Tried searching for downloadable ones but unsuccessful
Paid US49.95 for that stupid LICENSE
Set up Com & was late for the next programme, Rental Agreements
Home Sweet Home

dAy 2-15 Jan 08
Gathered at the school gate at 10:20am
(Sounds like Pri/Sec Sch Excursion)
Went for Stockholm city-tour on the bus
Double-decker bus, really comfortable!
Introductory of the must-see sightseeing places
Realised i've been to almost all of them!
Kim & I were commenting on each & every single one
Except the Stockholm Panaroma
Had a paranomic view of Stockholm City at this point
Stockholm~Made up of 14 (if I rmb correctly) islands
Surrounded by lakes, rivers & seas
Took quite a few photos of the view there
+ This cute french guy from my dorm +
- Forever in his own world -
- Looking Sleepy most of the time -
- Messy Hair other than after shower -
+ But Good Dress Sense +
+ Good Humour +
+ Gentleman +
+ CUTE! +
++ My NEIGHBOUR! ++
Shall post his picture later

Went for lunch @ MCDONALDS
50Kroners for a Mcchicken
I ate Happy Meals cos I wanted meatballs~32Kr anyway
Consists 5 meatballs, small french fries (yummy!), apple slices, apple juice
+ a Happy Meal Toy & Cardboard Bag

Cross-cultural differences talk on Swedish people
Some interesting descriptions:
> Slow to make decisions
> Peace-loving
> Respect privacy
Here comes the milk incident from the speaker:
She's an Australian, was on the bus with her daughter after doing her groceries
The bus did an e-break and she landed on her packet of milk
The whole pants were soaked in milk & dripping
No one offered any help
Neither did they blink an eye
They just avoided the pool of milk when alighting
Conclusion: They aren't unhelpful!
They just didn't want to make her feel more embarrassed with all the attention
*Pause* If in Singapore, everyone will be whispering about you, some laughing
Maybe the driver will even "diao" you!
--> That's a cross culture difference!

Had Swedish lessons in the evening
Learnt a few words & pronounciation of the alphabets
Totally insane
The teacher was going like a train
Class size too large
But I know she did her best

Evening: Group activity with my buddy group
Had a drink at this real posh bar
102Kr for a Martini (Reasonable)
Had dinner at another cafe
Went to Hard Rock Cafe near the school to meet up with rest of the exchange students
Ended the night at around 12am
Good attempt to mingle around
Had this Czech Beer, Starospo( Can't spell)
Taste a bit like Heineken!
Good Beer!

dAy 3- 16 Jan 08
Met up at 930 am
No hangover for me
1 Martini & a beer is still nothing
Kim was down with flu
Had to split into groups to tour the PC lab, library & take photos for student card
Had hot dog bun for lunch - from IKEA!

Revolution of the Swedish Economy
History+Economics Talk
Simply fell asleep halfway
I not Interested in the production of Ball Bearings (I'm sorry)
Welcome Reception after that
The Europeans went mad seeing the white wine
Funny french guy II (not that cute one)-he simply took two glasses of wine right away
I had sparkling water instead
Not really into Wine
I found 2 bottles of beer & a bottle of Merlot in my room!
Good Stuffs!

Embarrassing Moment
Kim wanted to join the European Community for dinner
Since I was staying at the kitchen floor
I dropped by to ask if we could join
Of course they won't say no but it was kinda PAISEH
Can't be eating free food & not putting in any effort
630pm: Went to the Kitchen by myself & offer help
They said it was ok but I din't really like the idea of eating free lunch

Assigned Task: Wash & Cut the Tomatoes
Done in 15 minutes
Helped to prepare the basil leaves for pasta
I was in t-shirts & shorts while everyone was in long sleeves & jeans
Went to change
Europeans love to dress up, don't they?
Seems like they did not calculate both of us in the meal so I told Kim
2 of us decided to cook instant noodles instead
Passed by the kitchen on the way to my room
They said they were waiting for us
Quite happy & touched - But kinda embarrassing too
Ate the pasta, simple yet nice
30Kr for that but kinda weird
Different cultures, different topics & conversation
That cute french guy~ He ate pasta with fork & knife?
That's the french culture-fine dining

Went back to room, got ready for the pre-party at our Kitchen
Grabbed the 2 beers we found
Had a drink, met more friends and buddies
Main purpose: Socialise and find out more about traveling tips!
10:00pm: Cafe Opera (Posh Club)
Must visit night-scene of Stockholm
For the experience, I went though I was kinda tired
Had 10am classes the next day

We had to hang our coats at the door-20Kr for that!
Cool place, really posh!
Exterior was like a theatre
Interior was simply grand
Totally different from the clubs in Singapore
Failed to get the free drink coupon
Wanted to order a drink
This nice Swiss guy offered me the free coupon
I rejected
Chit-chatted about traveling with him again
He's been to Korea, States etc
That funny french guy came along
He bought us drinks
Didn't want to accept money from us
Claiming we had 6 months to pay him back
I guess he was a bit drunk already that's why he just signed the bill
Vodka+Cranberry+Redbull-My fav
Till this point, don't worry people
I am always sober, control my liquor well
Spent 20-30 minutes on the dance floor with Kim
Since it was like ages since i last clubbed
Left at around 12plus

Conclusion: Nice experience at the bar
You will be impressed
Though it was packed all night
There were lots of seats so people were comfortable
Could just sit around and have some drinks
Have a small chat with friends
Alright, End of Orientation
Photos Time!

Random pics I took on the bus.. One of them is like their supreme court if i rmb correctly...





Stockholm Panaroma





The one & only picture every1's waiting for:
1) Cute French GUY (hope it's clear that he's the one on the right) --Can't see his face totally but at least look at the outline..



2) Half photo of my "best" roommate.. hahaa.. She's the one in yellow.. Kim had to act as my model while i took her photo secretly.. I will try to get a clearer one next time!

哭

Alright, this is a really old chinese song.. but my friend was chatting with me over whether guys should cry and all that.. I tot it's perfectly fine for guys to cry no matter how tough u can be... Sometimes, crying really makes u feel better.... So i sincerely dedicate this song to all my guy friends who find crying difficult or embarrassed! Come On, JUST CRY AS YOU WISH! I promise I wont luff at you k? Meaningful lyrics!! 以前我看到朋友哭　我很羨慕

可是我怎麼逗我自己　怎麼弄我自己

我的眼淚都流不出

總覺得能夠哭的朋友　都很幸福

能夠把滿腔的無耐　滿腔的痛苦

讓淚水帶走

最苦是淚水在哽在心頭　流不出

就像要愛卻不懂得怎麼去愛

自己哭過後才明白

流過淚的眼睛　將生命看得更清楚

只有真正懂得付出的人

才懂得何為哭　為何哭

再堅強的心偶爾也會脆弱

心會痛　心也會感動

只有曾經真心付出的人

才懂得何為哭　為何哭

淚水要記得為真心保留

眼淚別白白的流

The Messy Room

Alright, now i shd show u the photo of my messy Rm-mate.. Dun say I'm bad la.. The truth will be revealed!! hehee..



So does this photo supports what I said earlier in my previous posts?! hahaha....

the TOWER visit_6th Day

Sunday is FAMILY DAY! Woke up really late.. din't do much since most shops only open at around 12 or so... It's BRUNCH day!

Prepared lunch.. first time we cooked in hostel.. is boiled pasta with boiled chicken... sth healthy.. unlike what I would normally eat in Singapore definitely... The taste wasn't too bad seriously... next time go back to Singapore, I cook it for you guys!! hahaha... Then at nite we used the remaining chicken and the pasta (we cooked too much for lunch!) to make baked pasta at nite! YUMMY!!

Talks about the tower! It's 155 metres above ground.. It's at this park to the East of Stockholm, which apparently is a really popular spot among Swedish... they seems to really like the green and nature so at this park, you get all of that! hahaha... You really get a good view of the Stockholm island from the tower. hahaa.. I wanted to catch the gradual sunset and make a series of photo... this idea originated from the Vietnam trip wher we took the sunrise.. So shall dedicate the photos to all those on the Vietnam trip... but of coz, to all my other family n friends who visits this blog regularly!

It was freezing on the top of the tower la.. I was like trembling there but for the sake of the photos, i still dint wear my gloves! hahaha... got quite a few frost bites here and there on my hand but it's ok, they will recover real soon! Enjoy the photos!!























This post is really a slideshow of photos huh.. hehe...Next will be a video.. It's quite long, but just stop at after you see the sunset.. cos it was so cold i din't haf time to stop recording..so dun waste time watching behind la hor.. heheh..