Fear and Courage

Fear motivated my decision more than one year ago to come back.

I know there are scholars that never return to serve their bond.

I know the value of my scholarship is probably only around RM25,000. 

I also know that most of my batchmates have graduated from their pupillage and are already working as lawyers. 

While here I am. 

Yet, courage to face each day is all I have right now. 

belated birthday

Had my second last paper yesterday. It was not a nightmare as I had expected, so I am more than glad I could simply answer the questions. Just a little regretful that there was not enough time to finish writing everything I wanted.

After the paper, CC came to pick me up to bring me to some place to make it up for not doing anything special on my birthday. This was after a day of asking me whether I wanted "High" or "Eight" and "Water" or "Earth". I picked High and Water.

The first thing I saw when I entered his car was two cream roll buns. Such an adorable guy. He said he was worried I will get gastric since it was a one hour journey to the place he was taking me, so he wanted us to have something to eat beforehand. Even more touching, he got the jagung bun because I told him that is my favourite.

I suspected we were heading to Ampang Lookout Point because the road he took reminded me of the last time I went to Ampang. The road up was dark and windy, and the petrol light started blinking when we started going up the hill.

Troll: So I guess you know where we are going? *we just passed a sign board and the road looked like Ampang Lookout Point*
Me: Ampang Lookout Point right? Did you know it closed about 2 years ago?
Troll: Huh? What?
Me: I told you that before leaving the house because I had a feeling you would take me there.
Troll: *scrambles for phone and passes it to me* Confirm whether it is really closed.

It was.

My heart sank. Guess there will be no dinner for me tonight, I thought. Luckily he got me the bun, I consoled myself.

Suddenly, he swerved into a small road on the right. Hah! He had something up his sleeves...

It was a little late when we finally reached the Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant near Ampang Lookout Point but it was worth it!

The food was nice, weather was cooling and the atmosphere was relaxing. The restaurant was kind of built on top of a lake with fishes swimming in it. What was more touching was the little things he did that night, like how he had gotten the bun before we went, calling up the place to check whether it is open on a Thursday night, yea I will even give him credit for pulling off such a flawless prank on me.

I wont forget this night.

exams nearing

It has been an extremely stressful few weeks for me. With my FINAL finals coming in a week time, I felt like I had to really get my game on and prepare as much as possible for my exams. My greatest fear every exam is that I cant finish covering everything I need to study (trust me, I literally have nightmares over it). So now with just a week away, reality has kinda sank in and I am more in exam mode, I dont feel like there's a need for flight or fight.

I just want to be grateful for the boyfriend that constantly hangs around with me, despite being potentially bored to death in my room. He gets at my nerves sometimes because I have 101 things to do when he can do his own leisure things. But I guess it is more important that he is so accepting, forgiving and supportive of me. I really wouldnt have it any other way.

But I cant say that I will make it up to him after the exams. Because after exams, more things are just waiting to happen. The things-to-do list never ends. So each time I realise that, I can only remind myself to love him better in the now.


P.S. Cant believe it's the last exam of my undergraduate life. Fingers crossed all goes well.

I'm now 22 years old. Cant really believe it has come to the point where 2- will be a normality for me, until I embrace 3-. In the midst of my exams, so I really should be studying but the events of last night keeps playing on my mind. Birthdays have always been about a family dinner with the extra desserts for me in the past years. Yesterday was no different in that sense, but maybe it feels more memorable because of two reasons. 

First and foremost, all the genuine birthday wishes from my friends remind me of all the friendships I have made in the past year. Nothing lasts forever but the fact that some of my friends can call me up, or send me a lengthy birthday wish on facebook is something that suggests to me that maybe I am capable of making friends after all. (If you know me enough, I have always been the loner.) Let's hope that the friends I have made in the past year or so shall remain and I shall continue to make more genuine friends in the future. 

Secondly, I was able to enjoy the simple joys in life from spending time with the people who matters most to me. I know it is too new for me to say this, but having CC at my home with my family for dinner just made me feel that kind of contentment you can only feel from spending time with your loved ones. We had a YCS before that, not sure who planned the surprise, so I will just be thankful for ALL the committee members for being such thoughtful and nice people. But it really is the little thought that counts when it comes to birthdays. I didnt really need CC to buy me some pricey gift, but rather the fact that he slipped out during the session (with or without the other committee members) to get a cake was something that really touched me. 

That's all for now, hopefully I can focus on resuming my revision. 

For 2013

There are several things I want to talk about really and perhaps the best would be to separate each post by topic. But sometimes some things are better off not delved into so deeply because it only digs up old skeletons from the closet.

It's one week short to the end of 2012. Did I achieve what I aimed to achieve one year ago? Well, my resolutions were pretty simple for this year - click here. And looking back, I believed I did achieve all three. They were simple but achievable resolutions to make and looking back, it reminds me of where I was one year ago.

These are my resolutions for the year 2013: (Achievable much?)

1. Love my body AND make it a habit! This includes taking good care of my skin, eating wisely and moisturising regularly.
2.  Be a friendlier person. Be more approachable and generous with my smiles.
3.  Read 10 of the most influential books of all time - to strike something off my bucket list!

I hope I can achieve these three. It might seem simple but it requires a lot of determination to achieve.

Have been slacking a lot in my revision. Gotta keep reminding myself that exams are in early January! boo.. 

If Tomorrow Never Comes

So there's all the buzz about 21 December 2012 being the end of the world. To be frank, I really dont see how the world will end on that day. But then again, you can never really expect the world to have a written down expiry date. I reckon if the world really had to end, it would just disappear just as simply as it had appeared with a big bang. So if you think of it that way, there is a slight possibility that the world might end. Of course, the people that calculated 21 December as D-day could very well have miscalculated and surprise surprise, it's 22 December and not 21. Oopsies.

Well, I dont wanna seem like the ignorant little freak that doesnt care a damn that the world is ending. I dont believe it will end just yet, simply because there is still some goodness in this world. The world will end when this world really has no hope or glimmer of humanity to it, in my honest opinion. Till then, we survive. Going back to the-world-is-coming-to-an-end-topic, my first guess is that 22 December will come just like any other day. Maybe you will get some extra smiles or laughters on that day from people grateful to be alive (or perhaps a few groans from those who want to avoid the impending examinations!). But let's just say the world will end this 21 December, have you really done everything you wanted in life?

For me, I probably cannot say that I did. You can check my Bucket List to see how unaccomplished I am, but that is a different story. But am I happy? How would I want to spend my last day really? I would like to think that most people would want to spend it with the ones they love. Because that is the case for me. But if you reflect back on it, yes, writing letters, sending messages of how much a person means to you just because the world is going to end is kind of.. *speechless* really. For a minute, I did contemplate sending out messages to everyone who means a lot to me on that day, but then I realised that I wouldnt really do it for my family. And my mom is really the most important person in my life. So what does sending messages to tell people how much they mean really mean?

Yes, for me, I will appreciate your thought if I ever receive a message from any of my friends. Simply because I know how serious some people view 21 December to be. But messaging isnt my style. People who I care for should know how much they mean to me ("constructive notice") and likewise, if you do care for me, I will know through your actions and how long you have been sticking around. thank you in advance. I shall remember glimpses of your faces and random pieces of memories as I watch the world crumble to its end. I will keep you in my memory while my soul gradually separates from my body. For the other silent carers of the world, you may remain silent. Dont have to wait till the end of the world to say goodbye.

Just hope that all goes well this 21 December. People might just go crazy and start shooting themselves in anticipation of the end of the world, which is so not worth it if the end of the world is still eons away. So in the next few days, keep your chill, treasure the people around you like you always have, and savour each moment of life at your own pace.

For all you people who come visit my blog to read regularly, thank you. You guys are the best silent readers! 

Raleigh IW Camp

I had a very special weekend. One that I would never want to forget, not in a million years. I think I owe it to Raleigh International to convince as many people as possible to take part in their camps because it is that incredible!

A little about Raleigh International before I proceed with a brief summary of my weekend. Basically, Raleigh international runs expeditions in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Borneo, and Tanzania. Their expeditions would normally consists of 10 weeks of living with nothing but nature and doing community projects. It can be pretty hardcore, I must admit, which is why they also organise Introduction Weekend camps every few months to expose interested people to what their expeditions are like.

I took part in their most recent one - October 2012.

I cant really go too deep into what we did, where we were, how our lives were like, because everything is meant to be kept as a surprise for the participants. Perhaps it is to keep us participants ready for any surprises or challenges that come our way when we are least prepared.

But if you are the adventurous sort, this is really the camp for you. If you check out their website and like the idea of going for expeditions, do give this Introduction Weekend a try. I heard there will be another one in December.

I didnt enjoy it like how I enjoy tasting desserts and going for food trips, but that doesnt mean that I didnt enjoy it. This is the kind of camp that gave me chunks of what life can be like without all those high tech stuff and allowed me to be reminded of how beautiful nature can be. It is like the fresh blast of water gushing down from the waterfall - both dangerous and fun, and of course, very refreshing. I enjoyed the company of my new-found friends because we worked as a team - ate together, worked together, played together, slept together, even.

And post-camp, as I type this, I miss the brief weekend I had and know for sure that Raleigh has indeed changed a part of my life by reminding me of how important nature is.

Waffles For A Day

Barely half of my day has passed and it has already been so fulfilling (though exhausting)! Last night, I downed god knows how many SMALL cups of Carlsberg beer with my buddies. But hey, that is not the highlight of my blog entry today!

BGF organised a Food and Fun Fair today at SJK Yuk Chai. The purpose of this event is to raise funds to build a new BGF centre at Ara Damansara, if i am not mistaken. There was a food section and fun section but of course, with my tendency to gravitate to food, I volunteered to help out with the food section. And that was the best decision I made today.

Met this man with the waffle machine so I asked him if he needed help to man his stall, in which he then taught me how to make waffles with the machine. OH YEAAA~ So I made waffles non-stop from 9am to like 3pm. And the response to the waffles were very good. He didnt just sell plain old waffles but also waffle sausages. Waffles with sausage on a stick. Those got a very good response from people. That man was actually a waffle equipment supplier or something like that.. but he nevertheless impressed me with his waffle-making skills as well as his good nature. He was very different from the usual traders in the sense that he was not too much of an opportunistic. He was very honest in his work and did not get pissed off when people made mistakes. There was even a kid who wanted to eat a waffle sausage when those ran out and he actually pursued the kid with a sausage. I found that very touching and nice of him.

So yea, there goes half my day. I still have a long way to go. Needa take a break for a while before going off for dinner with some friends. And there is my assignment to do. And my project paper. Oh and.. all those tutorials. OMG!  

I have so many things to say to you. Just like everything else, my feelings for you since the last day I saw you has shifted – first from the desperation of knowing I will not see you for a long time, then the hurt to watch you drive away, the pain and grief in realizing that I have devoted so much for a person who can barely even consider me as a friend, the betrayal when I see the picture of how you spent your last night in PJ before coming to the realization that I have hurt too much for too long. It isn’t the kind of perpetual hurt where you wake up each morning of your day with a sore in your heart, but rather, the kind of pain you get from climbing too high up with the hope to reach the sky. But we forget that no matter how high we climb, we can never reach the sky. And even the slightest mistake can make you fall hard and painful on the ground.

And then, the message I didn’t expect came. It was from a boy who I once knew, loved and hurt. The message did not contain anything new but it was nevertheless comforting to read. An honest confession of his circumstances, an apology, a promise, and the words I ever longed to hear, that he loves me. But just as it was comforting, I could not understand the reasons for what he admitted in his message. Coupled with the hurt, resentment and grief I had just experienced the day before, the message just left me entirely confused.

If you love someone, you will wish them the best of the world. But wishing is not enough. I wanted to be the one by his side when he wakes up from his dream filled with darkness and mystery. I did not want to let go of what we had shared for so many years especially knowing that he had not given up on me when I was at one of my worst. I wanted and still wish I could be the one that proves to him that there is still goodness in this world, to let him learn again to express himself. To share his smile and laughter like we once did before.

There are days when I think you are a jerk. I would tell myself that people change.. and the boy I once fell in love with is no more the same person. On better days, when we talk, I know that he still exists; still alive within that shell I no longer recognize. But I cannot; I cannot always forgive the jerk in you for the good things the person I love did. They are not the same people and they never will be! 

And finally, after so many months, I realize that I cannot be the one that wakes you up. Because by waiting like this, I am not only hurting myself; I am also hurting us. You need to realize the problem yourself and stir from it. I know, walking away at this point may very well be stupid and in a way, disloyal. But I never wanted to do this, not even as I write this out. I have faith in you and always will. But your actions hurt me very badly. I know there is a possibility that you may wake up one day, without me. And maybe then, you will learn to love again with someone else. I wish the latter doesnt happen but there is a high chance that is how things will turn out. But there really isnt any other choice. I have done everything I could and the only thing I got was a broken heart. 

  

Gratitude

I went to Pudu Temple with CY and his mom today. Going to the temple has been in my plans since the night of 10 September but because I have never really been the religious type, it was not exactly the first thing on my mind. I had so many things to be grateful for after the accident. We did not lose our lives, neither did we suffer any grievous hurt. The other people involved in the accident were not injured either so it really did save him from a lot of trouble and additional mental grief.

I do not enjoy exaggerating things and I hope I do not portray the accident wrongly, but it was serious. When I saw the other car suddenly flashing the signal to cut into our lane, I (and I think CY, too) knew that we were in deep trouble. The things that followed happened too quickly. When people say that if you suffer from a near-death experience, your loved ones will be on your mind. I never gave that much thought (who has time to think of anything else when their life is at risk!?) But at that moment, my mother did cross my mind. I remembered that she was waiting for me at home; that my dad was away and she would be all alone. There was a huge bang. And just as quickly as the accident happened, everything came to a halt. I was stunned for a while but my momentary shock immediately came to an end when CY asked if I was okay.

It was pretty clear that the car was beyond repairs. I didnt realise the seriousness of the accident at first. I was just plain stunned. But when I looked around and realised I couldnt get out of the car because it had hit the highway barrier and my side of the car door was blocked by the barriers, I realised that that night, I could have lost my life. My handphone and bag, which were on my lap had disappeared and was only found later, under the seat of the car.

Each time the accident played across my mind, I would shudder, especially when I recall the 'bang' sound upon contact with the other car, the dust flying on my lap when the car turned 360, and the sight of the car after the accident. I took a few pictures but those are pictures I will not want to see anytime in the near future.

I thought of many what-ifs. If the car wasnt as sturdy or stable as the Corona, if the barrier had actually given way and pierced through the car, if the engine had exploded, if there was another speeding car behind us,.. so many what-ifs. But at the same time I dont want to think about it because it is scary to think of the consequences. So for now, until the trauma passes off, I just want to be grateful that everyone was safe and sound.

There is no one to blame for what happened. If there is, it would be everyone who was involved. So I hope no matter what, CY will not take it in his heart to blame himself for the accident. I do not resent him and I can truly understand how unavoidable the situation is, considering the speed. The other driver involved probably knows where he was wrong, even if he does not admit it in public. No one wants accidents to happen but since it did, I hope that he would see how dangerous speeding is, and how it does not only affect the people who drive but also the people who care for him/her.

The accident did not just serve as a lesson to CY not to speed, but it also acted as a reminder to me to be more courteous on the road. Although I dont speed, I do have other bad driving habits that can be equally dangerous too.. multi-tasking, carelessness, signalling the moment I want to cut into another lane etc. And each time I drive now, I am reminded of all those things and tell myself, it IS better to be safe than sorry.

On a different note, CY was the safest driver ever, today. :)

Third Year Begins

It feels different being a third year law student.

The new freshies one year ago are now seniors, so that makes me a super-senior. The first semester is not so taxing so you kinda feel like you have all the freedom in the world. You get the choice of picking whatever electives you want, in which i picked ballet. I think it is a wonderful thing that we dont just have the choice of picking law subjects all the time. I like the fact that I do not have to be restricted to law, because law can be quite monotonous. Perhaps, it is the trips to China that has both extended my circle of friends as well as taught me what solidarity means. I dont feel like I no longer belong, because I do. But neither does that mean I need to stick to a certain bunch of friends all the time. But when we meet, I know we are genuine friends. I like the idea of having only three law subjects to take this semester compared to my previous semesters where four or five law subjects was the norm. (Though I know I will pay for this stress-free life in future semesters). I look forward to the meaningful semester I have ahead, because this time, I know my priorities. I know myself. I know what I like and dislike, what I need and what I dont.

Here's to a good semester ahead.   

Beijing 101 (21 - 24 August 2012)

IF you are planning a trip to Beijing and just like yours truly, you think your chinese language is taking you nowhere, what you are about to read might serve a little purpose to you. When my family planned to go to Beijing, I leaped at the chance to plan the trip. I had just gotten back from almost a month in Guangzhou. Having forged friendships with some of the people there, it was easier for me to plan my Beijing trip as my friend, CL had been to Beijing before. I would read up on Beijing, find out what is good and what is not, and later ask his opinion. He would advise me on the opening hours, flow of the trip, and what to look out for. although he wasnt going to Beijing with me, he was in every way a part of my planning process, and I thank him for that. 

Day 1 (21 August 2012)

We stayed at Days Inn Hotel along Nanwanzi Hutong. It is walking distance to the Forbidden City so we started the day early by walking to Tiananmen Square to snap a few pictures before proceeding to the Forbidden City. The place is heavily guarded with security and if you plan to visit Chairman Mao's Mausoleum which is at Tiananmen Square, you are not allowed to bring any of your belongings with you. 

Anyway, we entered the Forbidden City through the South Gate. You may buy your ticket at the entrance. For me, Forbidden City is a must-go place when you come to Beijing. However, it has unfortunately turned out pretty commercialised and on the day that we went, the entire Forbidden City was overcrowded with tourists and people. I wonder what the Emperor would think if a soothsayer had predicted that Forbidden City would no longer be a place for the Emperor but rather, a place where people flock to in hundrerd thousands each day? So we walked up North, looking at all the thrones, gardens, imperial relics and whatnot until we reached the North gate. 

If you intend on seeing the view of (almost) the entire Beijing, cross the road and head to Jing Shan (Coal Mines Park). It is only 2RMB and the sight is pretty good. At the foot of the hill, there is a tree where it is said that the last Emperor of the Ming Dynasty had hung himself to death. 

By the time we were done with Jingshan, we were surprisingly early. Since I had originally planned to take the family to dinner at Houhai Park (more about it later), and it was only 3pm, I suggested that we visited the Bell and Drum Tower which is nearby to Houhai. We took the bus from Jing Shan to Gu Lou. The Bell and Drum tower was walking distance from the Gu Lou bus station but we did not enter as there was an entrance fee charged for both and it did not seem to interesting. We took some pictures before we got drawn by a trishaw manager who convinced us to ride around the hutong alleys by trishaw. It was pretty good, the trishaw rider had sufficient information about the area, introducing the history of the place etc. But was a little disappointed because they had promised us to take us to Houhai Park after the ride which they 'did' by dropping us at the roadside and directed us how to walk to Houhai. oh well.. 

Houhai is famous for it's night life. It has a park as well as a huge lake. We had no idea what to look for but we chanced upon an alley called Yandai. Lots of small stores and the place was quite clean. Somehow, when we came out at the other end we were near the Qianhai. We did not realise that Qianhai and Houhai are actually connected! (So technically, we had arrived at Houhai.. yayz!) We only discovered this later.

Houhai did not disappoint. It is not your typical chinese garden. There was a huge lake and along the lake, many shops lined the small road. They were decorated in a quaint manner.. huge sofa chairs arranged in the open air. But they were pretty. Could tell that they catered for english people or whoever that wanted to spend the night with some booze. My mom rented a two seater bike. YK cycled me around the lake. 

Since my family was pretty exhausted by then, we had dinner at Qianhai before returning home. 

Day 2 (22 August 2012)

 A day spent up at the North. Visited the Ming Tombs before the Great Wall as we wanted to go counter to the crowd. As the Ming Tombs consists of 13 emperors' tombs, so the driver simply took us to Ding Tombs, one of the many emperors that were buried there. He was buried there with his two Empress. Basically all buildings and stones. If you appreciate burial feng shui, you might appreciate these visits.

It would be advisable if you hired someone reliable to take you up to the Great Wall as it is not in the city area. We initially planned on visiting the Badaling section of the Great Wall but later changed to Mutianyu, something I did not regret! Badaling is more commercialised and touristy whereas Mutianyu has yet to caught up. That meant that most pictures taken were not overcrowded with strangers. :) We went up to the wall by cable car, hiked a little, before sliding all the way down with a tobaggan. Aint that cool? Only found at Mutianyu! 

My brother and I hiked up right to the end point of the tourist area and went a little more beyond that. It wasnt too long before I realised that most parts of the Great Wall has actually been overgrown by shrubs and whatnot. Just that the part that has been opened for tourists is clean and clear like what we see in pictures. The picture above shows how the wall is covered with all sorts of bushes. 

After the hike, we had some jian bing at the stalls at the bottom of the hill before heading off to our next destination - Olympic 2008 site.

After a few hours stroll around the area, the driver picked us up and dropped us at Ghost Street (Dongzhimen Dajie), as per my suggestion. This place is supposed to be open 24hours, filled with restuarants selling all sorts of food. We simply picked one and had dinner. As the driver had told us that Ghost Street is famous for the small lobster thingy (小龙虾）, we ordered a plate of that along with other stuff. Did not think it that great but the other dishes were tasty! 

Xiao long xia 小龙虾.. extremely spicy!

Zhajiang mian. My favourite. I love the natural flavour of these noodles, the springiness of the noodles, everything about it actually..

Braised pork with mui choi and steamed buns. Must try!

Day 3 (23 August 2012)

Initially planned to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square at dawn, but since I overslept, I had to make do with strolling the streets along the hotel at 6am. The day is bright, unlike in Malaysia and the weather was fresh and cooling. People were already up and about doing their things. I stumbled upon a stall selling the most delicious jian bing! It was along Qihelou Hutong and if i ever return to Beijing, I will hunt back this stall!

Returned to the hotel around 8am to join my family to Summer Palace (颐和园). But the place is enormous and you cant really expect to finish walking the entire place in one day. There is a huge lake inside the summer palace called Kunming Lake and tens of little buildings within the area. There are a few packages you can choose from, and although i choose the full package (which allows coverage for the entire Summer Palace) I think the basic package is sufficient. Also, do purchase the map when you buy tickets because the directions are poorly provided once you step into the place. I guess that was partially why we could not enjoy our stay here, as we did not know what building we were at.

We left earlier than expected and proceeded to Temple of Heaven by train. Pretty convenient. We got off at the Temple of Heaven stop called Tiantan. Temple of Heaven is agood place to visit, probably more than Summer Palace. But because i was drained out by then, and saving my energy for Wangfujing in the evening, I spent the time sitting along the corridors of the temple watching the people stroll by while my dad and brother went in to snap pictures.

Wangfujing was the highlight of my day. Basically, it is a crowded street full of food stalls and people. The traders sell all sorts of delicacies ranging from sweet old haw berries right to dangerous bbq-ed scorpions. I didnt try the scorpions, too bad.. because my dad said that some people might be allergic to them and didnt want us risking an allergy in Beijing. But I did try other things like the candied berry (it was awesome! you have to try it!), coconut (if you are from Malaysia, please dont. The coconut is totally not fresh. Boo.), kebab (so-so) and fried ice-cream (the trader tricked me to spending RMB25 on three disapointing pieces of fried stuff which were suppsoed to be fried ice-cream). All in all, I think the stuff worth trying would be those sugar berries.. crunch and sweet on the outside, juicy on the inside. They have a few choices: red (haw - which is dry, salty and sweetish at the same time), grapes (juicy), and some stalls had berries, or mixed haw and grape. I highly recommend the grape. The second stall you see from the entrance is the best, in my opinion. The grapes are seedless and the trader was smart enough to recommend the green one over the red one to me. heh.

We had dinner at Quanjude 全局德 Restaurant which is famous for Beijing Duck. If you arent on a budget holiday, this is definitely a place to splurge a little for a good dinner. You have to get a number in advance and wait for about 25 minutes before you are brought to a table, but the food makes up for everything. The food came pretty quick, the waiters and waitresses were pretty professional, and oh.. I love the duck! Absolutely melts in the mouth. My brother also added that the liver is the highlight of his Beijing trip. wtflol. haha.      

Day 4 (24 August 2012)

                                                                                                                                                             
Woke up early and managed to catch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square at 5.34am. The time changes each day so if you are a tourist, you can check the time of the ceremony with your hotel. I wasnt very keen on going back to the hotel after that, so I walked around waiting for the shops to open so I could have my breakfast. I wanted to try the Goubuli paos which are supposed to be famous in Tianjin (a place not so far away but we cancelled the trip there due to limitations in time). The restaurant was directly opposite Quanjude Restaurant so it isnt that difficult to find. However, I was a little disappointed with the service there. I am, after all, a chinese person that does not speak fluent chinese, and hence, was struggling with the menu. But the workers were not patient enough to explain the menu to me. Thankfully I managed to guess the menu out with my pathetic chinese. The paos were so-so, and very much pricey. RMB45 per basket of 9baos. The portions were fair considering the price and the taste of the paos were not too bad. But it is pricey and service was pretty poor.

We spent the day at the National Museum of China. thanks to Chuanlin, I have developed an interest to the history of the emperors and all those dynasties stuff. The place is pretty nice, and big because of the renovation recently carried out. Each floor has something different but I highly suggest that you cover the floor called "Road to Rejuvenation" which features the history of how China is China today. Plenty about Mao Zedong and if you can tolerate a little idol-worshipping around the end of the tour, it really is something to visit.

After we finished with the museum, we headed back to the Wangfujing to have some snacks and whatnot before returning to the hotel. Then it was time to head off to the airport. 

This was my intial itinerary if anyone needs a basic itinerary of Beijing to refer to:

Day 1 (21 August 2012)

8.30 am Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum

- opens from 8am to 12noon

9.00 am Forbidden City

- entry from South Gate

3.00 pm Jingshan

- can see entire view of Beijing, including CCTV tower

8.00 pm Houhai Park

- famous for its night life – north area is more cozy and romantic while south is more trashy. If we visit the south, we can visit their hutongs, particularly nanluoguoxiang.

-look out for the street烟袋斜街

- opens until 2am

Day 2 (22 August 2012)

8.00 am Great Wall of China

- travelling there will take some time

- Badaling – opens from 6.40am to 6.30pm

5.00pm 2008 Olympic Site

- Bird’s nest (National Stadium鸟巢）opens from 9:00am -6:00pm 

- Water cube (National Aquatics Centre 水立方) opens from 9.00am – 6.00pm

- Just take pictures from the outside

8.00 pm Dongzhimen

- have dinner

- this place is famous for food too – Peking duck, hotpot, dumplings

- open 24 hours

Day 3 (23 August 2012)

5.33 am Tiananmen Square

- look out for the place where the army will raise the flag every sunrise

8.00 am Summer Palace  (颐和园)

-          Open from 6.30am to 6.00 pm (大门)

-          UNESCO World Heritage Site

-          Natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value."- popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.

-          Take the bus no 726, 826, 718, 332, 331, or 737 and get off at Yiheyuan Dongmen

OR

8.00 am Ming Dynasty Tomb (明十三陵)

-          Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site

-          Opens about from 8.00am to 5.00pm

-          13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried here with the exception of a few which disappeared / buried elsewhere

-          Basically a lot of buildings to see, not many ‘tombs’

6.30 pm Wangfujing Snack Street

- dinner

- good place to try their local stuff – roasted duck!

- look out for other famous local goodies such as ludugu, rolling donkey, glutinous rice rolls with sweet bean flour, sugar-coated berry. 

Day 4 (4 August 2012)

9.00 am Liulichang Culture Street (if we don’t go to Liulichang, we can just bring up the Temple of Heaven to morning and we will have the rest of the day wondering around near Days Inn, Nanwanzi Street etc.)

- good place to purchase Communist kitsch such as pins, bags and propaganda posters – price is negotiable

- vast array of ancient Chinese cultural artifacts eg books, calligraphy, handicrafts, paintings

- also has a traditional area of Hutongs - Can stroll around the small market and absorb the traditional Chinese culture in this area

- open from 9am – 6pm

1.00 pm Temple of Heaven

-          Open from 8am to 6pm （16:30停止售票）

-          Complex of religious buildings in southeastern part of Beijing

-          Visited by Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest

-          UNESCO World Heritage Site 1998

7.00 pm Wangfujing Snack Street

9.00 pm Pack for home 

In general, Beijing is a nice place to visit.. lots of historical value here. But it would definitely be a plus point if you are familiar with the Northern Chinese accent or at the very least, able to speak Chinese. Otherwise, you must be prepared to get cheated every once in a while by a cunning trader/opportunist. ;)

Balance

Baking can only take away so much of the boredom and deprivation I feel inside. Maybe it is because I have had too much of a good time in the past few months that many things I used to seek pleasure in the past is unable to give the same feeling anymore. Working at Starbucks has become a habitual routine that I fear would affect me once semester reopens and I have to quit. There are days when I am off from work and actually think about dropping by Subang Parade just to see if there is anything I can help out with in the shop.

Semester will begin next month and so many things are still in mid-way. Have yet to gain inspiration for my project paper which needs researching and writing before the 10 September, planning two trips simultaneously - one with my family to Beijing and another shorter and simply trip with friends around PJ. Can imagine a hectic semester ahead what with more student exchange programme activities going on. 

But in the seriousness of it all, I dont resent my busy-ness. I like being busy, because it keeps me occupied. No doubt there are days, I look into the mirror and see those tired eyes glaring back at me, and I would be like "oh man, you really need a break" only to realise that I cant help it but keep myself occupied with things to do. If there is one thing I have discovered that is, boredom kills. 

It is almost two months since I went to China. More than a month since I have returned home. But the memories will always remain. Before this, I never believed that it is possible to be close friends with people from foreign countries because of the language barrier. Acquaintances, roommates, friends maybe.. but close friends? I doubted that. But meeting the people there, especially two particular people, I might want to reconsider my opinion again. I posted about going to SCUT months ago (before going) saying how I had opted not to go in the previous batch but still ended up at SCUT the following year.. and someone even commented saying it was meant to be. That someone was right. Because if I had went the first time round, I would never had met these wonderful people and never would have had such a good time in China. 

Ok enough with my ramblings. Basically, I just want to say, I am grateful and happy with what life has for me right now. And I just hope that equilibrium to remain.

Starbucks Working Experience

Finally 21 and all, I found the guts to stand up against my parents and told them I would find a job. Not that my parents would forbid me to get a job.. but you can sense the disapproval when you start telling them your options etc. But this time round, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were quite supportive. And indirectly, it meant that I had their blessings to work part-time. Like finally, right?

I went to a lot of places. All were either some form of restaurant, cafe, or bakery. I soon learnt that nobody wanted to hire someone that would only be around for two months or maybe even less. It was really sad for me. TGIF was the first restaurant to hire me. And they offered good pay too. RM1500 - RM1600 a month.. but it was a little difficult to accept working late nights every other day. TGIF is, after all the type of restaurant that opens late and closes later. McDonalds offered a vacancy the next day. The pay was peanuts in comparison to TGIF and after some consideration, I stuck to TGIF. But on the day of my TGIF orientation, Starbucks rang me up and asked if i could turn up for an interview. Starbucks was one of my main targets when applying for a job. Naturally, I said alright i will be there. The interview turned out fine. The interviewer, who eventually became my boss, was very pleasant and down-to-earth. And I did not feel a need to pretend to be something I am not in front of her. At the end of the interview, I was told to turn up for  orientation the next day. 

Day 1 (3pm -  8pm)

Orientation a.k.a Starbuck's First Impression is for all new baristas. Another girl and I were hired and I chatted a little with her as both of us had turned up early. She is a medical student from IMU, same age as me! Seemed pleasant enough a person. :) Manager taught us how to taste and test coffee. Me, the-never-drinks-coffee-ever-person had to down one cup of espresso maynn..... Did a lot of signing and filling up forms that day. Was given two black polo shirts, one apron and one cap. 

Day 2 (10am - 4pm)

Training at Berjaya Times Square. More like a one-day workshop on customer service. The facilitator was pretty friendly and charismatic. Talk was on how Starbucks came about, their mission and stuff. Kinda introduced the values that Starbucks holds closest to the company. Quality - is really important. Got another round of coffee tasting-and-testing. This time we were made to compare Starbucks Arabica coffee beans with some random coffee brand. Not saying this because I am now working for Starbucks but seriously, the random coffee brand tasted like detergent water. Almost wanted to spit it out the moment the flavour hit my tongue. 

Day 3 (8.30am - 2.30pm) - TODAY!

Finally, first day of work. Learnt alot of things today. From changing the bar mat to making lattes and cappuccinos and whatnot. Working environment is very pleasant. My colleagues are friendly and happy people. and even when it was 2.50pm, I was pretty reluctant to go home. so I hung around studying the coffee recipes until 4pm. I have a lot to learn and I do feel the heat and stress (the expectations!) of working life.. but at the moment, it is still manageable. Can't wait till tomorrow!

Till then.

  

   

Guangzhou, China (2 - 8 July 2012)

This will be the fourth and final entry of my trip to China. The days after we got back from Shenzhen, we went to a number of places too. Such as the Yuexiu Park, Western Han Nanyue King Musuem, rode a river cruise along Zhujiang River, and many others. Also had the opportunity to visit the courts and the Intellectual Property Department. But it is the last two days that especially left an impact in my memory. 

Introducing the courts.. 

Busy passageway

my friends and I posing under a huge statue which is actually in the middle of the town. marks the independence of Guangzhou. 

We also got the opportunity to take a river cruise along Zhujiang River. If you notice, that is the cantan tower and bridge in the background plus the full moon. It was a beautiful night. 

Had expensive but very tasty dessert OUTSIDE the shop. We girls were pigging ourselves  despite the attention it caused us! But oh well. Where else better should we do outrageous, embarrassing things if not in a foreign land?

Cultural night. Cheongsam bought from China at 100yuan = RM50! Posing with my buddy. 

This picture was taken in Fo Shan. Beautiful, airy, peaceful. 

Last and most meaningful trip ever. To ancestral garden. Will never forget the times spent with my friends especially with my buddy. 

Farewell dinner. 

Family picture. :p

Crazy pictures taken in the wee hours of the morning!

Last meal together till we meet again..