August 31, 2008

5th day in Seoul.

The process of burning THE hole in my pocket is fast accelerating.

The standard of living here is high, even higher than the already-quite-expensive Singapore.

FYI, my mailing address is:
Room 533B CJ International House
Korea University
Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu
Seoul 136-701
KOREA

Dormitory number: 82-2-3290-0213
hp:+82-10-5780-7319

--------------------------------------------------------

The school is so damn big, and castle-like. It takes me an average of 20 minutes to walk to school via the GENTLE-R slope way and another about 5 minutes to school, and about 15 minutes via the steep-until-highly-likely-to-sprain-ankle route, which is nearer to LG-POSCO (business school). It feels kind of weird to be in such artistically designed architecture that I don't feel like I'm coming here to study at all. Am still in the traveling mode, post-work mindset that i can spend money. Have bought most of what i needed, and the giant super mart is 5 bus stops away though it costs like SGD6 to get back to the hostel (it takes me an average of 15-20 minutes to walk from the subway station to the hostel)!! so all in all maybe never save alot.. lolx..

I foresee the need to stock up on cup noodles, snacks and ready-to-microwave food (coz there's only like 2 pans in the kitchenette i think).. and lots of beverage coz the THOUGHT of STROLLING down to the cafeteria just put me off my appetite. Seriously, there isnt even a need to exercise. i figured i burn away all my calories just by traveling to school, though by right i live on school property!!!!!!

Dun get me wrong, i am grateful to get a room here coz this place is suite-like. It's like a condo, minus the swimming pool. the communal bathroom and toilet is actually only shared among 2 rooms, which is like 3 people. lolx.. they even bothered to install those condo-like door viewer thingy that u can see the visitor's face from a screen inside and press the 'door open' button or talk to the perosn outside when the equipment is like within reach to the door and it aint noise-proof. lolx.. imagine the money they spent for nothing. it doesnt improve the quality of life for students at all. maybe they can invest in more pots and pans.. lolx.. The room is spacious, and we have aircon PLUS fan. the windows actually have mosquitoes net in case we need to air the room.. they have the same type of dustbin i use at home, and i can borrow vacuum and iron from the reception. yes. they have a reception desk with security guard AND an ATM right in the lobby.

The range of beauty products is beyond imagination. Girls, if u need anything from Korea, let me know..

---------------------------------------------------------------

School starts officially on Monday. I am soooooo looking forward to it after the long summer vacation, after the slog-until-you-think-you're-almost-dead-then-stop time. I am so going to enjoy my time here shopping and eating, and not to mention study a bit.

Dont think i'll be posting stuff here. for updates, please refer to the picture-speaks-louder-than-words-site AKA facebook.

~bye~

August 25, 2008

I'll be leaving tonight. Alone.
Going away in search of a priceless experience and knowing that i can and will only become a better person after that.

Thank God for friends that i can count on in times of trouble. PL and KH don't know exactly how grateful i am for their help and advice on KU matters when i was in Tok. If you're reading this, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! we'll have a fantastic time in Korea, and Japan if possible..

6 days zoomed past in the blink of an eye. I barely have enough time to bask in the sun before setting off yet again. My grandma made fish head curry specially for me and my aunt whipped out a feast just because i'm back. My relatives gathered so that they can see how much i changed (or not) then wish me all the best for yet another trip.

somehow i'm missing home even though i'm physically still here. I suppose i'm already prepared for this journey psychologically. now all it takes is for my body to follow where my mind should be in the next 4 months.

August 22, 2008

I'm back pple!! back where i belong!

It's weird that nothing much changes even though i've been away for more than a hundred days. Like everything that happened in the 3 months is kind of like living in liminality, such that it's as if I skipped through that phase and return to my original lifestyle. Like none of it has ever happened, like everything is sort of a dream, something that's unexplainably far away. Maybe that happened only because I'm back where i KNOW i belong.

There's no awkward silence between conversations, no weird moments where you don't seem to know how to react or what to say. Like i've always been here though i was away.
Chatting with my mom in the kitchen rambling on and on about happenings in my life, just like i did before the trip. Bickering with my siblings on the mundane happenings- nagging my sis to turn down her laptop volume so i can sleep and ordering kheng to stop staring at the monitor and go to bed, telling my bro not to come home too late if he's out for supper and reminding my dad not to drink so much before he sleeps etc.. It is indeed strange for me that barely a month ago i was so desperate to come home. Now i'm home, finally.

Now all i need to do is to gear up for Korea, and prepare myself to be away alone again for yet another 4 months.

August 08, 2008

A million things my mind cant seem to process in this cold weather. extended period of cold makes a person withdrawn and a little depressed. Like the sun has gone into hiding and there's nth much in the atmosphere to bring smiles. it's constantly been about 7 degrees AND the constant drizzle and the wind condition add a whole load to the numbness on my skin. I look forward to morning everyday (okay, these days when i dun have to work) just so i can switch on my laptop and skype. Like no matter how unbearable things seem to be getting, it's just going to get better. it can only get better.

Just 12 more days till i return to my fav place in the entire world. back to the familiarities that i long so often, and into the arms of the one that i've been missing so dearly.