Holiday

I just came back from one but I still want one. Too much to ask for, some people said. But I guess this is what they call bit by the travel bug. LOL. But the real reason is, I really like to go out, see the sun, sky, clouds, the birds and the bees (literally). Back at home, due to security reasons, I can't go out much. Partly because I have limited spending funds here, but also I don't want my parents to worry when I to KL. Everyday at home, the computer is my best friend. Yeah best friend with no soul. At least when I travel, I have my travelling partners to talk about anything and everything on the earth. I realized that I am pretty scared of loneliness and having no one to talk to.Yeah very afraid to be exact. Although I am usually the follower when travelling, I am just happy (or sometimes angry) with people around me. *Sigh* Can't wait to plan and fly for my next trip.

What DSA meant to me

I would first like to congratulate all the participant of the DSA camp. I can't tell you how touched I am when I see all of you were on the dance floor, trying your best to put on a good show. Makes me remember how I was also like each of you for the past two camps, going through tiring drills, stressing about makeup and everything.

Well well, time really flies. This is the 4th year I am with DSA. Many people actually don't understand why I am so loyal to the club even after so long. I have not achieved anything remarkable nor I improved tremendously in my dancing. Well, DSA actually thought me something that what you achieve or what your results are are not that important. Most important is that you truly enjoyed yourself, enjoyed the process and of course you enjoy the company everybody has given you. I can say DSA has given me so much memorable experiences.

DSA is like my second family in school. They are the most crazy people I have ever met! However they are the most true to the heart people as well. Nobody judge you in DSA. Whether you are good or not, as long as you are committed, you are welcome to this big family. If you stay long enough, you will realize, they are one of the few people who will laugh, cry, get angry, "kau peh" together with you. They are also the people who will help you when you are in trouble, pull you up when you fall and most importantly, cheer for you even they are going on to the same dance floor with you.

During these 4 years, you might not achieve anything, just like me. You might also plan to stop dancing as you got bad result. But please do realize, dancing doesn't affect your studies. Yes, we need to practice hard during competitions and performances, but trust me dancing does not affect your studies. Maybe you just need better time planning, maybe your learning method is wrong. Furthermore, our club has already produce numerous first class holders and a few dean-listers! So, dancing doesn't affect your studies.

Soon, I will part with the DSA family. But,my friends are always going to be my friends. I hope DSA will be the place where you can find your second family away from you family. DSA will not be DSA without this family base.

Finally

Finally, I have ended my exams for this semester. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), it is not the last paper of my university education. This exam has been a long drag for me. I have papers right from the first day of the official exam period to the last day of the exam period. And to make matters worse, my last paper is on the last slot of the official exam period. LOL. I am not here to whine about my long study/exam period. I know I should be thankful that I don't have 4-5 papers crammed within 2-3 days. Oh well, thank god everything is over now.

Since I am so bored now, I shall dedicate this post to all the warriors who fought diligently with me. First of all to all pens that have sacrificed their lives for me to write legibly on all the answer sheets. Next, all the papers that allowed me to scribble with all my chemical equations, calculations and whatever not. After that to Taylor Swift and Jay Chou for giving me awesome songs to kill my boredom in the midst of study. Your songs are really one hell of a stress-relieving songs. And to all the countless games that help me take away my mind from the studying.

Now to all my human warriors. Boyfriend, thanks for accompanying me all the way, although you finished your exams one week earlier than mine and you should have went out for a huge celebration. And to my love ly roomie Chin Yun, sorry for staying up so late :D

Maybe this is not for me

It's been the 4th year already. But, I still see no signs of improvement. I hate progressing so slowly in things. And of course arguments between us during practice is not very good as well. I can imagine the steps, and what need to be done. I can describe too what needs to be done. But when it comes to actual dancing, I cannot apply what's running in my head to the moving muscles. And, I still can't solve the very serious problem in this, straightening my legs, and achieving grounded-ness in every step I take. I still cannot do spins properly, keep my posture upright. Sometimes, it is really frustrating. Frustrating because I never achieve something prominent in my life before. Piano, I'm only at the 7th Grade. Why don't I continue? Financial and time problem. Studies. I used to think I'm quite good until I came to Singapore. There are freaking a lot of brains that has way more capacity than I do. Furthermore, I can't really speak fluently. And now this, not going anywhere because I still feel like a beginner. Even some beginners can dance better than me! It's true that to improve at something, you must make certain sacrifices. To do this, it means time and some money. I would really love to pump in money if I have them. But this is quite impossible at the moment as at times, I will need to worry if I have enough to eat, to last me till my next pay, which is only a mere $200 odd. I would really love to spend more time too. But my grades are far too important for me. Maybe some people will say I am just giving excuses. But I always believe that you can only keep your interest when there is progression, a prominent one. And you have to have some good guidance as well. A teacher that is willing to teach and have patients. That's why, I secretly hope that someday, I will be able to touch the black and white keyboards again!

It's really been the 4th year already. I've did numerous performances and competitions. I really love them. Now watching the new batch of people coming in, I do feel happy for the club. I hope everybody will progress well. Friends who started with me are progressing really good too. Getting stronger and better everyday. I am really very proud for everyone:) But as for me, I don't see any point of continuing this seriously anymore. Sometimes, I just feel like letting go of everything as I just think maybe this is just not for me.

Post exam

Finally. It's over. Yes, my life as an exchange student has came to an end on 11th June 2011. How shall I celebrate it? Well, I don't actually have the choice to choose, because, boyfriend and I were planning to go to Scotland, by bus at night. Since we have to board the bus from London Victoria Station, the only obvious place to celebrate my liberation is to go to London. Therefore, after paper and lunch, we headed to London.

This should be my last time hanging around in London. There was so much to do, but sadly, so little time. I wanted to go to Borough Market, eat one last piece of their awesome cheesecake. I have yet to try all the delicious food sold there, the pies from Pieminster, the Cheese Raclette, etc. etc. I suddenly regretted not coming to London as often. 

However, we ended up going to yet another market in London called the Portobello Market. There is not much food or maybe we didn't manage to look for them, but if you are in the mood for shopping, this is a good place to be, with a lot of clothes and vintage stuff.

Taking the final chance in London, boyfriend went around to took pictures of London, the Big Ben, Westminster building, the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, both day and night scene. Sometimes, I don't really understand why boyfriend (other photographers as well), spends so much time just to get the right picture. But after looking at all the beautiful pictures, I think it's all worth it.

All in all, London is a chaotic city, in my opinion at least. It's a great city to visit but not a great city to leave in. It can be so busy, sometimes busier than Singapore. I just feel very uncomfortable around a lot of people, and London does give me that sense of uncomfortable. Not to mention the forever cold London weather, although it is already summer, temperature can still stay around 18-20 degrees.

But, for now, I am on my way to Scotland. 

Guildford

The University of Surrey is situated in a small town called Guildford.

The stag

Well, after being here for 4 months, I think this is really the first time I am writing about the town that I am living in. But really, there is nothing too interesting about this town. It has the high street which every town in UK has. It has a Tesco to serve all the students and residences here.

Tesco-not the same as the ones we had in Malaysia

This is where we usually get our groceries. It has a castle! And inside the castle, it has a garden with a statue of Alice through the looking glass. Yeap, the Alice from Alice in Wonderland. The garden was actually to commemorate the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He spent most of his vacations in Guildford!

Guildford Castle-not very well maintained but still strong and sturdy after over 100 years?

Gate leading to Alice's garden

Alice through the looking glass

So, this small town of Guildford is where I spent my semester as an exchange student. We were all quite lucky as Guildford is near (south-west) London (fastest train takes about 40 minutes). So we could just hop on a train on a weekend and just go to London for a day.

During the semester, I met quite a few people, mostly my housemates, from the dance club and also fellow Singaporeans, both full-time students and exchange ones. Get to learn about Brit's culture and understand more about the carefree living style of the "ang-mohs". Although sometime I do get frustrated and unhappy with the actions of my housemates, I am still happy that I stayed on campus and not off. Who knows what kinda room I will get if I were to get an off-campus accommodation. Maybe I will just fall into a trap and didn't get a room at all.

Everybody is friendly here. They'll just casually throw you a "how are you doing" even if they had just met you yesterday. And "Cheers" seems to be the "in" word to say here. Hahaha it replaces everything from thank yous to welcome and from hellos to goodbyes. Yeap, cheers mate!

Now, now. One more week to exam and two more weeks to end of my exchange semester. Nope, revision hasn't been done, which is quite abnormal for me and yes, I am really thinking of going home soon. But I am very much looking forward to the big Europe trip with boyfriend. This might be my only chance to come over here, so gotta do this before leaving the beautiful UK/Europe.

I'm glad that I actually applied for exchange and thankful that I was offered a place. I don't know how much I have changed during the exchange program, but I am happy that my boring life as a student has changed to an exciting one during this swapping process. Next time, when people talk about their overseas trip, at least I have something to say and not just sit at a corner quietly, enviously listening to other people talking about their life in a foreign land.

Home. I'm missing you

I can't really show this but I can't take it anymore. I really want to be back home, this instance. Missed everything at home. At least, my neighbor will not slam his/her door every single they. Yes. I really want to go home! Like everyone else after exams next month. But I know I can't go home without the Europe trip. I can't even whine about it because it is an act of being weak, as interpreted by somebody! I really really want to go home now *sigh* I didn't realized there are still 73 days to go.