i believe in simple things

Holidays are here again. Its now only 6 days to Christmas and *gasp* 38 days away from going back to Kooooching!!! Excited alone is not enough to describe my feelings, though a huge part of me wanted to be home right this moment, getting ready and doing a million things before the year comes to an end.

So apart from constant whining, I managed to take the bus myself to church Sunday morning and went to a cherry farm for some serious cherry-picking. We took advantage of the pay $2 per entry and eat-all-you-can offer and ended up with bloated stomachs. Also, I took home almost 2 kilos of yummy cherries which costed 7 bucks each kg. Not bad considering I bought 2 kgs for $14 each for my parents a while ago at the supermarket.

Later on the day, we played badminton and saw a cheeky Santa. Oh, about the santa, while walking through Riccarton mall, Catherine and I saw a rather bored looking santa claus sitting on his carriage or sth, and decided to give him a friendly wave. Then, I got something I didn't quite expected. Then santa waved back, and took off his mask/beard thingy, and gave us the "call me" gesture! haha. We giggled like 10 year old girls, walked away, and didn't quite believed that we caught a santa claus flirting. Speaking of odd santas, a group of drunkards dressed at santas caused a huge riot in Auckland, throwing around bottles, doing crazy stunts, and even injuring security people. sigh. What will the kids say?!

Anyway I finally successfully downloaded the song "Simple things" by Amy Grant. Simple lyrics with a profound meaning:

Wake up baby look around
Birds sing, ooooh that sound
Reminds me of a line
From Unchained Melody

Feel like I'm a little girl
Best thing in the whole wide world
Is I can see the makings of a memory
I remember how it used to be
Well I'm still dreaming...

Cuz I dream of simple things
I can believe in
Like the feeling this day brings
True love and the miracle of forgiving
I believe in simple things

Ain't nothing like a sunny day
Chit-chat at a street cafe
Just paint the picture, baby
Where you wanna be

Take a walk, take a ride
So far, you and I
Don't need a plan
But we can share
This revelry

I remember how I used to want it all
Funny now the big things seem so small

I dream of simple things
I can believe in
Like the feeling this day brings
True love and the miracle of forgiving
I believe in simple things

Through all the days
The blues, the greys
A ray of light keeps shining...

the goodbye season

waaaaaaaaa... I feel really low right now. Even getting A for english essay and Stats test didn't cheer me up. Reason is soooo many people I care about are leaving for the holidays or leaving for good. *teary*

After watching King Kong last nite (really good movie btw), I met up with Ivan to say goodbye. Sigh, how I hate that word. Funny how a person can feel "good" when saying bye. Anyway, we went to Denny's, talked like old frens, and enjoyed each other's company before he goes back today. Which means I won't see that annoying, funny jerk for 3 whole weeks! siiiiiiigh. Also, Sumaiya's going back to Oman later on today, and more shockingly, Colin (my english teacher) just announced that today will be his last day teaching at Uni of Canterbury!!! Another long sigh.

Though a lot of them has went back or are going back soon, I can look forward to the time I can go back myself...which is still 42 days away. Until then, Cath's still here to keep me company..hehe. And I'll do my best to enjoy this beautiful city called Christchurch before I leave for Dunedin next year.

(like all Kiwis say...) Cheers, mate. And have a jolly good Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

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Bei Shan
Carol
Deb Lai
Deb Sim
Evlyn
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Hui Ying
Ian
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Kamigoroshi
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Misc

reflections~

I find it hard to believe that it's that time of the year again. The time when we get all busy for Christmas and get all excited about the new year. The time when we look back on the past year, thought of how far we'd come, and make new resolutions for the next. It's the time when we can't wait for what's in store for us, but at the same time say goodbye to a great and fruitful year.

As I think back, I realised how much I've grown. This time last year, I had just finished SPM, nervous yet happy that high school is finally over. Then, I worried about national service, about how am I going to survive those 3 months. Then I also thought about my studies to a foreign land and how much I'm going to miss home. And now, I laugh silently as I realised that all these what may seem like unfortunate events has helped me grow and look at life at a whole new perspective.

National Service was definitely one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and in those 3 months, friendships were made, lessons were learnt, a new me was created. I cried and hugged my friends as I left the camp I soon called home, and toughen myself up for another journey- to New Zealand. It wasn't easy at all going to a new place to study and meeting new people who don't even share the same skin colour, but being here for 6 months already, it was a real eye-opener for me. I became more independent, more confident, and leaned more on God. I found out what the "world out there" is like, especially when I learn from other cultures, treasure my own (Malaysia Boleh!), and use those knowledge to enrich my life.

Still, I have to admit, the best part about going somewhere else to study, is meeting new and interesting people. Or, better still, someone I've lost contact with for years. It really is a small world after all, since I've met a kindergarten friend I haven't seen since I was 6! And also getting close to friends that have so much in common yet never got to meet in Kuching. How ironic is that! Also, creating meaningful friendships with those from other countries, including Russia, Oman, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia, US, and so on. It makes you think about how diverse the world is, and that you're never alone in facing challenges.

I'm beginning to love Christchurch, the Garden City of NZ. A beeeautiful city with wonderful and extremely kind people. At the same time I'm sad that I'll leave Chch for Dunedin (Uni of Otago) next year. Yep, for those who haven't yet known, I am changing to another uni, not because I don't like the current one, but Otago has the subjects that suit be better. I haven't confirmed 100% yet, but most probably I'll be studying towards a Clinical Psychology degree and NO it won't be about treating mental patients la, ok.

P.S. Did I mention that I have a new haircut? hehe. Also, I dissected a sheep's heart this morning. Totally gross but quite fun, too.

life and its surprises

Wee I'm finally back, after being MIA for quite some time. Many things had happened, both good and bad.

So bad news first la. My best friend in Chch and 1st "ang mo" friend is leaving for Sydney! waa. Yea Liudmila left Foundation Studies a few weeks ago and decided she really wanted to study something else at Sydney. She came by this afternoon, we hugged, exchanged contacts, and said goodbyes. sigh. I wanted to give her a bdae present this Saturday, but it turns out that she's leaving tomoro! So I guess that's it, hopefully we will have the chance to see each other again. Till the, all the best, gal n luv u lots... *teary*

One good news though. I got accepted into Studholme hall! Quite expensive, think around $239 per week, but heck, there are no cheap halls in Otago. Might consider flatting during my 2nd year, but it all depends on whether I've learnt some cooking skills and found a good place and flatmates onot. Then the not-so-good news. Well actually it's not bad news, just really ma fan news. Apparently I need a financial guarantor, so I asked Carol my hostmum to sign the form lo. Mana tau she went blabbering on about how she found it hard to be someone else's guarantor (what the...) and asked me to get my parents' instead. So now, I have to fax the form back, get Dad's signature, then post the form and $600 cheque there by Monday. sigh. Dunno will it be on time onot. All because she wouldn't sign the friggin form. It's not like I would not pay the money wa...

So anyway, I've been under a lot of stress lately. NZ in the world essay due tomorrow (Thank God that's done already), Chemistry test on Friday, Chem practical due oso on Friday... Only on Monday I handed in Bio assignment which I blew off the 10%... I misread the essay requirements and wrote ONLY about the questions, when we were supposed to write about hormones. Stupid hormones. blah. I am complaining a lot, aren't I?

Speaking of hormones, I owe them to a stupid argument with Ivan last Friday. It all started when he agreed to go for badminton. When the time came, I texted and called him, but got no reply. So like any other girl who felt like they got stood up, I got furious and had my badminton game without the stupid idiot. Btw for the whole game, I imagined his head being the shuttlecock, and hit it as hard as possible, just to vent my anger. Next day, a typical spoiled me put on my "merajuk" face and went to uni. I managed not to say anything to him for the whole day and pretended he didn't exist. Then at midnite (while watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), finally came the SORRY text, which went something like "...really sorry but plz let me explain bla bla..." Being a person who couldn't stay angry at someone for long, I forgave him lo. Come to think about it, it was just so silly.

Onto a related incident oso, Christmas in the Park was held at Hagley Park last Saturday nite. I went there with Melia and the gang, but frankly I felt a little out of place and decided to join Ivan instead. So I "ditched" my friends (yea how nice, eh) for a guy I refused to speak to the previous day coz he went there alone. And soon enough, trouble came. THIS girl suddenly came up to him, yanked his arm, and demanded who was I and why he wasn't with her. I almost choked. Apparently she had a major crush on him and told everyone that he was her bf. What the... Thank goodness she agreed to leave us alone after so long clinging on to him. Very scary. So after that, met up with the other 2 couples (haha) and "enjoyed" the last few songs. Later on, went to Oliver's place to have fish and kumara chips..hehe.

So that's about it. Life's been good, Christchurch has been interesting, and honestly I dread of moving to a new place and making new friends all over again. But that's just life. And I'll be looking forward to that.