Dear friends...
This will be the end of my journey in 'awayfromtheheat'..
I just arrived home this afternoon (the weather was freaking hot, causing a major explosion of zit breakouts).
And from now on, I'll be reverting to my initial blog: la-jolie-sirene.blogspot.com
There's a tagboard there too, so don't hesitate to leave me any messages.
From,
Erica
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Greetings from the Land of Angels!
Hey hey... much has been going on throughout these past few days!
Thank God that the four of us are able to meet 2 other schoolmates right in LA, and it's been a really great trip because we got the chance to travel to many different areas that we thought we'd never get to go.
The heart of LA might be Hollywood, but I think this place called Westwood (right next to UCLA) leaves a better impression of what LA should be. It's definitely cosier, and you don't see much souvenir shops like the ones in Hollywood (too much of it gets to lame). Food is cheaper, and there's an ice-cream shop that has a specialty sandwich consisting of two cookies and a whole lump of ice-cream placed right smack in the middle. And quite popular amongst the students (who I think make up the majority of the people staying there) is the hookah (Turkish tobacco steam-pipe).
We travelled to a mega huge factory outlet in Carmarillo (and contrary to the word factory, the entire place looks like a retirement resort, with each brand having their own store). Fortunately for these companies, they have people like Felice, Jia Hui, Ka Man, Elgin and I to spend sh*tloads of money on the lower-priced goods. GAP was amazingly affordable, and so was VANS... Three of them bought stuff from COACH... I got two pairs of shoes, one matching belt and two watches from Fossil!! 'Nuff said about being a shopping freak (my reason being - I don't shop in Singapore).
We had a wonderful dinner in Koreatown too, at this restaurant called Tofu Place that sold scrumptiously authentic Korean food. The four of us had Bimbimpap again, along with other side dishes that were included in our set. And just today, we had amazing Japanese at this shop hidden in the dingier side of Hollywood. (I prefer steering away from the hustle and bustle).
I gotta go now.. need to check on the laundry. So ciao and cya on Sunday at 2pm (the time when I'll be returning to Singapore)
Thank God that the four of us are able to meet 2 other schoolmates right in LA, and it's been a really great trip because we got the chance to travel to many different areas that we thought we'd never get to go.
The heart of LA might be Hollywood, but I think this place called Westwood (right next to UCLA) leaves a better impression of what LA should be. It's definitely cosier, and you don't see much souvenir shops like the ones in Hollywood (too much of it gets to lame). Food is cheaper, and there's an ice-cream shop that has a specialty sandwich consisting of two cookies and a whole lump of ice-cream placed right smack in the middle. And quite popular amongst the students (who I think make up the majority of the people staying there) is the hookah (Turkish tobacco steam-pipe).
We travelled to a mega huge factory outlet in Carmarillo (and contrary to the word factory, the entire place looks like a retirement resort, with each brand having their own store). Fortunately for these companies, they have people like Felice, Jia Hui, Ka Man, Elgin and I to spend sh*tloads of money on the lower-priced goods. GAP was amazingly affordable, and so was VANS... Three of them bought stuff from COACH... I got two pairs of shoes, one matching belt and two watches from Fossil!! 'Nuff said about being a shopping freak (my reason being - I don't shop in Singapore).
We had a wonderful dinner in Koreatown too, at this restaurant called Tofu Place that sold scrumptiously authentic Korean food. The four of us had Bimbimpap again, along with other side dishes that were included in our set. And just today, we had amazing Japanese at this shop hidden in the dingier side of Hollywood. (I prefer steering away from the hustle and bustle).
I gotta go now.. need to check on the laundry. So ciao and cya on Sunday at 2pm (the time when I'll be returning to Singapore)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Welcome Us to San Francisco!!
Heya!!!!!
I've finally terminated my job at the gift shop, and trust me, the transition of being a working girl to a non-working one was kinda too quick for me to adjust. I still feel like I'm just having a few days off and vacationing in San Francisco.
Leaving Glacier Dorm wasn't the easiest thing to do, there are still so many people that I haven't said goodbye too yet, but I just hope that some would be reading my blog soon, cuz I'll be writing a whole bunch of stuff for each and everyone whom I've known in the dorm.
I gotta go now cuz I've dinner waiting for me, the four of us and Ryan will be having crab (and seafood) for dinner eh!
Seeya for now,
Erica.
I've finally terminated my job at the gift shop, and trust me, the transition of being a working girl to a non-working one was kinda too quick for me to adjust. I still feel like I'm just having a few days off and vacationing in San Francisco.
Leaving Glacier Dorm wasn't the easiest thing to do, there are still so many people that I haven't said goodbye too yet, but I just hope that some would be reading my blog soon, cuz I'll be writing a whole bunch of stuff for each and everyone whom I've known in the dorm.
I gotta go now cuz I've dinner waiting for me, the four of us and Ryan will be having crab (and seafood) for dinner eh!
Seeya for now,
Erica.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Sad Moves On
I've been going around, collecting contact information from the friends whom I've met for the past three months... It feels a tad sad, knowing that I'll be departing in a matter of 3 days, and maybe never seeing them again.
That's part of life - moving on. But I know that my life will be moving towards better times because of God. It's been a blessing, getting to know everyone around me. Not just the Americans here, but the other foreign students who chose to do the same thing as we did - some from Taiwan, a couple from China, one from Malaysia...
This 3 month trip is definitely the highlight of my life, until now tho' (I'm still waiting for tomorrow, and the days after tomorrow). But I wouldn't call this a turning point; it's more of an eye-opening experience. But strangely and sadly as it sounds, I don't see myself living in Singapore in the far future.
* Don't feel so sad papa & mama... I'm just typing this for now. You know I'm indecisive.
Everyone that I have spoken to has a sense of true independence, and it's time for me to find mine. It's something that I look forward to..
That's part of life - moving on. But I know that my life will be moving towards better times because of God. It's been a blessing, getting to know everyone around me. Not just the Americans here, but the other foreign students who chose to do the same thing as we did - some from Taiwan, a couple from China, one from Malaysia...
This 3 month trip is definitely the highlight of my life, until now tho' (I'm still waiting for tomorrow, and the days after tomorrow). But I wouldn't call this a turning point; it's more of an eye-opening experience. But strangely and sadly as it sounds, I don't see myself living in Singapore in the far future.
* Don't feel so sad papa & mama... I'm just typing this for now. You know I'm indecisive.
Everyone that I have spoken to has a sense of true independence, and it's time for me to find mine. It's something that I look forward to..
Rain rain and rain... & Bibimbap
Weather has been really fine lately, until 3 days ago. Now it's drizzling almost everyday!!
Okay.. The reason why I'm updating my blog now because somebody told me that I haven't been updating it at all... It's kinda hard to whenever someone's using the computer, and especially when the speed's really slow.
But just to let you know, I'll be back in 2 weeks! And I'll be missing Mt. Rainier really badly :( Good thing though, we'll be spending time in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Taiwan.. yayyyy....
Btw, I just had Korean food today. Brought two friends along, Emily and Jay/Nick (what do you wanna be called????) and they loved it. Actually I thought that I could've 2 bowls of it. But I probably shouldn't because then I'll be reeeeeaaaalllllllyyyyy fat.. haha J/K
So there you go.. Oh yeah, I had a splendid time today, playing in the rain, forcing people to sing, doing dumpster-diving (not really tho'), doing crossword puzzles... yeahhhhhhhh
Hope to see ya soon,
May Yue.
Okay.. The reason why I'm updating my blog now because somebody told me that I haven't been updating it at all... It's kinda hard to whenever someone's using the computer, and especially when the speed's really slow.
But just to let you know, I'll be back in 2 weeks! And I'll be missing Mt. Rainier really badly :( Good thing though, we'll be spending time in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Taiwan.. yayyyy....
Btw, I just had Korean food today. Brought two friends along, Emily and Jay/Nick (what do you wanna be called????) and they loved it. Actually I thought that I could've 2 bowls of it. But I probably shouldn't because then I'll be reeeeeaaaalllllllyyyyy fat.. haha J/K
So there you go.. Oh yeah, I had a splendid time today, playing in the rain, forcing people to sing, doing dumpster-diving (not really tho'), doing crossword puzzles... yeahhhhhhhh
Hope to see ya soon,
May Yue.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Jelly Legs
Try cycling uphill....
You know how that feels right?
Try cycling uphill a mountain!!!!!
My legs feel like jelly now!!
But it was definitely worth it. The view you get from cycling is totally different from the one seen through the window of a shuttle or a car. Just imagine, the wind howling into your ears, the trickling sound of melting snow, birds chirping and calling out to one another, in addition to the magnificent view of the mountain afar and valleys beneath the road you stand on.
Emily, Samantha and I cycled downhill towards Reflection Lake - they continued to Cougar Rock for campground calling, whilst I took uphill towards Paradise. It was stupidity on my part for wanting to give myself a physical challenge, but I made it!!! I know I'll be suffering the after effects of aching thighs.. but heck~ haha
That won't be the last time I'm cycling down and uphill again, simply because I love it too much despite the strenuous leg exercise!!
You know how that feels right?
Try cycling uphill a mountain!!!!!
My legs feel like jelly now!!
But it was definitely worth it. The view you get from cycling is totally different from the one seen through the window of a shuttle or a car. Just imagine, the wind howling into your ears, the trickling sound of melting snow, birds chirping and calling out to one another, in addition to the magnificent view of the mountain afar and valleys beneath the road you stand on.
Emily, Samantha and I cycled downhill towards Reflection Lake - they continued to Cougar Rock for campground calling, whilst I took uphill towards Paradise. It was stupidity on my part for wanting to give myself a physical challenge, but I made it!!! I know I'll be suffering the after effects of aching thighs.. but heck~ haha
That won't be the last time I'm cycling down and uphill again, simply because I love it too much despite the strenuous leg exercise!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Firsts
Wow... I really had a fabulous time today. I had many firsts! Named that title after Rebecca's suggestion (another good friend that I met here).
1. First time white-water rafting
2. First time seeing the Osprey's nests (perched high on top of tall, dead trees) while catching glimpses of its young from afar
3. First time seeing a crescent moon right in the afternoon (it's whiteness blended nicely with the clouds)
4. First time seeing shooting stars
5. First time seeing 4 shooting stars in one night
6. First time seeing the milky way
And these are just some of the firsts that I experienced today.I'll be blogging more later in just a while - need some rest and seriously in need of a HOT HOT HOT shower.
From the extremely awed,Erica
1. First time white-water rafting
2. First time seeing the Osprey's nests (perched high on top of tall, dead trees) while catching glimpses of its young from afar
3. First time seeing a crescent moon right in the afternoon (it's whiteness blended nicely with the clouds)
4. First time seeing shooting stars
5. First time seeing 4 shooting stars in one night
6. First time seeing the milky way
And these are just some of the firsts that I experienced today.I'll be blogging more later in just a while - need some rest and seriously in need of a HOT HOT HOT shower.
From the extremely awed,Erica
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Kautz Creek
Yay... I did another hike on Friday!
KAUTZ CREEK
I thought it would be an easy hike, but apparently the latter part of the trail was really tough and very steep.
At least I got good exercise. :P
As usual, going down was rather scary because of the steepness, and we had to rush to catch the shuttle. Going up took 3 hours, going down took 1 hour... Oh yeah, I fell on my butt because of the slippery rocks... And my right hand has this awesome bruise now from supporting my fall! I'll be taking a picture for it.
My body has been aching for two days now (after the hike) but damn I feel good about it!!
Oh well.. Just to update you with what I've been doing for the past two days..
Friday night - Played 'Catch Phrase' with friends... Some people can be game freaks...
Saturday night - Watched a true crime TV show and had forkfulls of fudgy chocolate cake.. Oh boy.. that was really good.
Seeya in a month's time,
Erica
KAUTZ CREEK
I thought it would be an easy hike, but apparently the latter part of the trail was really tough and very steep.
At least I got good exercise. :P
As usual, going down was rather scary because of the steepness, and we had to rush to catch the shuttle. Going up took 3 hours, going down took 1 hour... Oh yeah, I fell on my butt because of the slippery rocks... And my right hand has this awesome bruise now from supporting my fall! I'll be taking a picture for it.
My body has been aching for two days now (after the hike) but damn I feel good about it!!
Oh well.. Just to update you with what I've been doing for the past two days..
Friday night - Played 'Catch Phrase' with friends... Some people can be game freaks...
Saturday night - Watched a true crime TV show and had forkfulls of fudgy chocolate cake.. Oh boy.. that was really good.
Seeya in a month's time,
Erica
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Typing Outdoors
"Aaaaahhhhhhhh....." (That's how I'm literally feeling right now)
What a beautiful day... spending time with friends, walking all the way to the nearest Ashford town from the GSI office (approx. 2 miles).. visiting quirky shops, using a dirty 'porta-potty', then getting a free piece of big, fat and juicy pie with 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream (uuuummmmmm YUM!)... and more walking!
And these are the simplest pleasures in life :)
How I pray for more off-days with my friends/schoolmates/roommates!! Despite all the work and 'little-play' that we do, I felt immense gratitude towards God and my pals for all the exploration and walking in that little town of Ashford.
Not to mention... white-water river rafting next Tuesday!!! And I'll be watching an actual American football match this coming Sat (one of our dormmates' playing for a local team in the city of Tacoma and he invited us!)... Can't wait for the rowdiness :P
I wish I could feel like this every other day.
What a beautiful day... spending time with friends, walking all the way to the nearest Ashford town from the GSI office (approx. 2 miles).. visiting quirky shops, using a dirty 'porta-potty', then getting a free piece of big, fat and juicy pie with 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream (uuuummmmmm YUM!)... and more walking!
And these are the simplest pleasures in life :)
How I pray for more off-days with my friends/schoolmates/roommates!! Despite all the work and 'little-play' that we do, I felt immense gratitude towards God and my pals for all the exploration and walking in that little town of Ashford.
Not to mention... white-water river rafting next Tuesday!!! And I'll be watching an actual American football match this coming Sat (one of our dormmates' playing for a local team in the city of Tacoma and he invited us!)... Can't wait for the rowdiness :P
I wish I could feel like this every other day.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Cliche of Time
I'm sure everyone has heard of the phrase,
"Time passes really quickly"
That's what I'm feeling now... Life is full of cliches. It's been more than 1 1/2 months since I left home for the Paradise I'm living in now. Truth be told, I'm not feeling homesick at all. I absolutely love the nature that allows me to embrace all my senses, unlike in Singapore (it's an overly crowded city full of rudeness).
Okay... That sounded really mean. I love Singapore, I still love the city. But once you've experienced the 'forbidden fruit' of nature, it gets to you. Can you imagine waking up every morning, only to stare into the beautiful blue horizon, with mountain ranges layering each other far and wide. And when you go hiking or just by simply walking along the roads, you see natural formations of waterfalls, rocky cliffs, the rivers and its meanders, and my favourite, the wildlife - grey foxes, red foxes, deer, the blue grouse, Steller's Jay (punky little bird with blue feathers), the hoary marmot (beaver-like animals that perch themselves on rocks.. very fat too)... oh yeah, and I saw a mother bear crossing the road with her two cubs.
Sigh. I know I'll miss being here once I leave on the 23rd of July. I'll miss the friends that I've made - Emily, Rebecca, Shelbi, Carrie, A'lan, Deannafe, the two Ryans, Flora, Ann, Faizal..... and the list goes on :)
I just spoke to my aunt from England yesterday. It was nice to hear a relative's voice - Thank you for calling me! Who knows, maybe I'll fly to England, London next year... Trip to Europe! It's tough being a person who wants to know about culture so much - that's because you know you'll be spending too much money on travelling. I just don't want to read about another country or to hear about it from the television (especially global travellers who go around searching for food!!!!) I need to experience it for myself, like what I'm doing now.
Anyways, here's all for today,May Yue.
P.S. Will be going white-water rafting next Tuesday!!!! And will be visiting an American friend's home (Emily) from the 14th - 15th of July.
"Time passes really quickly"
That's what I'm feeling now... Life is full of cliches. It's been more than 1 1/2 months since I left home for the Paradise I'm living in now. Truth be told, I'm not feeling homesick at all. I absolutely love the nature that allows me to embrace all my senses, unlike in Singapore (it's an overly crowded city full of rudeness).
Okay... That sounded really mean. I love Singapore, I still love the city. But once you've experienced the 'forbidden fruit' of nature, it gets to you. Can you imagine waking up every morning, only to stare into the beautiful blue horizon, with mountain ranges layering each other far and wide. And when you go hiking or just by simply walking along the roads, you see natural formations of waterfalls, rocky cliffs, the rivers and its meanders, and my favourite, the wildlife - grey foxes, red foxes, deer, the blue grouse, Steller's Jay (punky little bird with blue feathers), the hoary marmot (beaver-like animals that perch themselves on rocks.. very fat too)... oh yeah, and I saw a mother bear crossing the road with her two cubs.
Sigh. I know I'll miss being here once I leave on the 23rd of July. I'll miss the friends that I've made - Emily, Rebecca, Shelbi, Carrie, A'lan, Deannafe, the two Ryans, Flora, Ann, Faizal..... and the list goes on :)
I just spoke to my aunt from England yesterday. It was nice to hear a relative's voice - Thank you for calling me! Who knows, maybe I'll fly to England, London next year... Trip to Europe! It's tough being a person who wants to know about culture so much - that's because you know you'll be spending too much money on travelling. I just don't want to read about another country or to hear about it from the television (especially global travellers who go around searching for food!!!!) I need to experience it for myself, like what I'm doing now.
Anyways, here's all for today,May Yue.
P.S. Will be going white-water rafting next Tuesday!!!! And will be visiting an American friend's home (Emily) from the 14th - 15th of July.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Head Banging
Oh yeah... I'm extremely accident prone.
Within the first few weeks of staying here, I suffered from sprained ankles and really itchy rashes..
And just last night, as I was about to make a call to Eveline (good ol' buddy), I hit the back part of my skull really hard on the telephone. And just naturally, the tears came flowing... And almost immediately, a really noxious bump formed on the back of my head. I think it was about 2 cm high... not exaggerating at all, cuz when my friends felt my head, they measured that much with their fingers.
The pain was unbearable for the first few seconds, but my friends kept telling me to massage my head (you have to, otherwise the bump will never go away and it also helps to prevent blood clots). I think they were very worried about me because the position and size of injury was in a rather risky zone. But thank God that I had a dormmate who knew how to deal with such bumps and massaged my head with 4 hard boiled eggs!
Thank God too that I didn't wake up feeling dizzy or nauseous (signs of internal injury), but I'll still be monitoring myself for the next few days. I couldn't sleep the way I usually sleep, so I had to lie flat on my face just so I wouldn't feel the pain on the bump because of pressure. Even a slight press to that bump now makes me cringe..
I'm just blogging this down so that all of you (including papa and mama) won't worry for me, as I'm in the good hands of my friends.
Within the first few weeks of staying here, I suffered from sprained ankles and really itchy rashes..
And just last night, as I was about to make a call to Eveline (good ol' buddy), I hit the back part of my skull really hard on the telephone. And just naturally, the tears came flowing... And almost immediately, a really noxious bump formed on the back of my head. I think it was about 2 cm high... not exaggerating at all, cuz when my friends felt my head, they measured that much with their fingers.
The pain was unbearable for the first few seconds, but my friends kept telling me to massage my head (you have to, otherwise the bump will never go away and it also helps to prevent blood clots). I think they were very worried about me because the position and size of injury was in a rather risky zone. But thank God that I had a dormmate who knew how to deal with such bumps and massaged my head with 4 hard boiled eggs!
Thank God too that I didn't wake up feeling dizzy or nauseous (signs of internal injury), but I'll still be monitoring myself for the next few days. I couldn't sleep the way I usually sleep, so I had to lie flat on my face just so I wouldn't feel the pain on the bump because of pressure. Even a slight press to that bump now makes me cringe..
I'm just blogging this down so that all of you (including papa and mama) won't worry for me, as I'm in the good hands of my friends.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
My Results!!!
Wooooooo Hoooooo!!!!!!
I got my exam results!!!!!!!!!!! And I really want to thank God for the grades that I received!!!!
I did pretty well for all of my subjects, and was really quite amazed with the 'A' that I got for Intro to Asian Art II!!!
And I had a wonderful time today at Puyallup. First we had dinner at New China Buffet, where we had an endless load of delicious food for just US$10. Then we headed to Borders where I got the new CD from Maroon 5. And finally, back to the mall at Target for our basic necessities, plus a walk around the mall for other stuff (like my new set of earphones, ear studs and candy).
But lo and behold, the awesomest thing happened when we saw the security guard running after a sneaky thief. To me it was something out of the ordinary, almost like an action movie scene with the cops chasing after the bad guy.
The ride back to the dorm was pretty cool too, cuz for 90 percent of the trip we couldn't even see anything in front of us cuz it was extremely cloudy. We were literally driving through the clouds. Hehz...
From,
Erica...
I got my exam results!!!!!!!!!!! And I really want to thank God for the grades that I received!!!!
I did pretty well for all of my subjects, and was really quite amazed with the 'A' that I got for Intro to Asian Art II!!!
And I had a wonderful time today at Puyallup. First we had dinner at New China Buffet, where we had an endless load of delicious food for just US$10. Then we headed to Borders where I got the new CD from Maroon 5. And finally, back to the mall at Target for our basic necessities, plus a walk around the mall for other stuff (like my new set of earphones, ear studs and candy).
But lo and behold, the awesomest thing happened when we saw the security guard running after a sneaky thief. To me it was something out of the ordinary, almost like an action movie scene with the cops chasing after the bad guy.
The ride back to the dorm was pretty cool too, cuz for 90 percent of the trip we couldn't even see anything in front of us cuz it was extremely cloudy. We were literally driving through the clouds. Hehz...
From,
Erica...
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Photos
hey for photos, just go to la-jolie-sirene.blogspot.com
I accidentally placed it in the wrong blog...
I accidentally placed it in the wrong blog...
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Joy of Sharing
I just had an amazing day, and the joy that I feel within me still flows through my heart. Felice and I had intended to take a trip to Seattle today as it was our day off. Furthermore, today's Memorial Day, a day where America commemorates their fallen soldiers throughout war. Unfortunately, the Grayline Bus (the only bus that travels to Seattle) doesn't take any trips from Monday to Wednesday.
Before we knew that no bus was coming, we landed in a rather funny situation with a ranger. The information/ ranger desk was supposed to have details about the bus schedules and trips to Seattle, so eventually that was our last hope of confirming that we'd sorta make it to Seattle. Oh too bad though, there wasn't any bus, but the ranger that tried helping us was too keen on talking about other things and it was pretty awkward switching the topic back to asking him about the schedule.
But Thank God for bumping into Ryan McKeever (one of our dormmates) who happened to have a car, and happened to be driving to Puyallup (a nearby town which didn't seem to be that interesting). But God makes things better everyday, because Felice and I ended up walking in many different shops, looking at different sights (from Borders to Starbucks to Petco - snakes, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, pufferfish, hermit crabs, tarantulas, ferrets, rabbits... and a camera shop).
We managed to get some food along the trip and for once, was I happy to see shelves of cup and instant noodles! Man... we bought enough food to feed an army (oh well, I'm exaggerating)!!! But the best part about food was buying packets of berries (strawberries, blackberries...), sweet succulent peaches, grapes and my favorite, CHERRIES!!!!
But the best part came when I shared them with the friends I worked with. The joy of looking at their smiling faces with thankfulness and eagerness was so cool, because for once I felt how's it like to even feel like a giver. Giving is definitely better than receiving. And I think that's how a Christian should live. A life of giving, and of sharing the gospel with others, but at the same time bringing a sense of happiness and community too.
And here's my story for today...
Love, Erica.
Before we knew that no bus was coming, we landed in a rather funny situation with a ranger. The information/ ranger desk was supposed to have details about the bus schedules and trips to Seattle, so eventually that was our last hope of confirming that we'd sorta make it to Seattle. Oh too bad though, there wasn't any bus, but the ranger that tried helping us was too keen on talking about other things and it was pretty awkward switching the topic back to asking him about the schedule.
But Thank God for bumping into Ryan McKeever (one of our dormmates) who happened to have a car, and happened to be driving to Puyallup (a nearby town which didn't seem to be that interesting). But God makes things better everyday, because Felice and I ended up walking in many different shops, looking at different sights (from Borders to Starbucks to Petco - snakes, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, pufferfish, hermit crabs, tarantulas, ferrets, rabbits... and a camera shop).
We managed to get some food along the trip and for once, was I happy to see shelves of cup and instant noodles! Man... we bought enough food to feed an army (oh well, I'm exaggerating)!!! But the best part about food was buying packets of berries (strawberries, blackberries...), sweet succulent peaches, grapes and my favorite, CHERRIES!!!!
But the best part came when I shared them with the friends I worked with. The joy of looking at their smiling faces with thankfulness and eagerness was so cool, because for once I felt how's it like to even feel like a giver. Giving is definitely better than receiving. And I think that's how a Christian should live. A life of giving, and of sharing the gospel with others, but at the same time bringing a sense of happiness and community too.
And here's my story for today...
Love, Erica.
Friday, May 25, 2007
A Seattle Experience
Woo hoo!!! I finally made it to the city after nearly a month of living in the mountains! :)
Thank God for the new employee who arrived in time to replace me for a day so I could travel about Seattle with my friends/roommates. The excitement of leaving a place filled with snow-capped pine trees to the hustle and bustle of the city was too good to be true. We spent 8 hours walking about, with a mangly map as our guide... and the experience was awesome!
Ralph (our supervisor and the person who drove us) stopped outside the famous Seattlite monument - the Space Needle. But none of us wanted to go up the tower because it didn't seem special enough; just another touristy money-sucking place.
But anyway, we were brave enough to take a bus down to the other end of the city, just so we could experience their Chinatown. We did good, because we had a great lunch!!! Almost like what they'd serve in Crystal Jade back in Singapore... I ordered a bowl of soup noodles with cod fish - US$4.95, and the soup tasted heavenly... full of savoury soup stock with fat pieces of tender fish meat! Oh yeah.. and the chilli was great!!! I haven't had such chilli in a long time, ever since I left Singapore, and this definitely brought back some memories of eating in Singapore.
So after that we walked around the area, went to a small Asian supermarket (something like the NTUC in HDB areas), and found out that several food stuff from Singapore were sold there as well... how interesting eh? I got a can of calamansi juice from there, oooh like what I used to do after eating spicy food.
My legs ached because of all the trotting/walking, but I was never tired from the sight-seeing. We got a couple of basic necessities, shoes for hiking (Kaman and Jia Hui got shoes from Helen Hansen, and mine from Timberland, saved quite a lot compared to the prices in Singapore). And I spent like US$150 in a day!!! Within 8 hours!! Imagine that..
I really thank God for allowing me to smell the city air, but at the same time, thanking Him for letting me stay in such a wonderful surrounding.
The trip home was pretty tiring, although all we did was to sit in the car and wait till we get home. Ralph, the driver should be even more exhausted from fetching us to and fro! Throughout the drive back, all I kept thinking was of the scenery that God created. You can never picture the beauty of the changing lights going from dusk to night, with stars twinkling in the great distance, and the half moon shining down on everything as wisps of light appear in the darkest places. Just as the van rode, I looked out of the window and saw two horses fawning over each other under the romantic moonlight. The entire countryside was perfectly meant for just their loving actions, and as I gazed at them, I just felt filled with hope that God's love is more than abundant.
And in the distance, I could see Mt. Rainier. 'Tho it make look tiny from afar, the immense anticipation of getting home filled me with eagerness and longing for the place that I am living in now. The word to describe everything is breath-taking.
I wish that all of you could see it through my eyes, because pictures or videos can never capture the emotion that I felt.
With great exhaustion,
Erica
Thank God for the new employee who arrived in time to replace me for a day so I could travel about Seattle with my friends/roommates. The excitement of leaving a place filled with snow-capped pine trees to the hustle and bustle of the city was too good to be true. We spent 8 hours walking about, with a mangly map as our guide... and the experience was awesome!
Ralph (our supervisor and the person who drove us) stopped outside the famous Seattlite monument - the Space Needle. But none of us wanted to go up the tower because it didn't seem special enough; just another touristy money-sucking place.
But anyway, we were brave enough to take a bus down to the other end of the city, just so we could experience their Chinatown. We did good, because we had a great lunch!!! Almost like what they'd serve in Crystal Jade back in Singapore... I ordered a bowl of soup noodles with cod fish - US$4.95, and the soup tasted heavenly... full of savoury soup stock with fat pieces of tender fish meat! Oh yeah.. and the chilli was great!!! I haven't had such chilli in a long time, ever since I left Singapore, and this definitely brought back some memories of eating in Singapore.
So after that we walked around the area, went to a small Asian supermarket (something like the NTUC in HDB areas), and found out that several food stuff from Singapore were sold there as well... how interesting eh? I got a can of calamansi juice from there, oooh like what I used to do after eating spicy food.
My legs ached because of all the trotting/walking, but I was never tired from the sight-seeing. We got a couple of basic necessities, shoes for hiking (Kaman and Jia Hui got shoes from Helen Hansen, and mine from Timberland, saved quite a lot compared to the prices in Singapore). And I spent like US$150 in a day!!! Within 8 hours!! Imagine that..
I really thank God for allowing me to smell the city air, but at the same time, thanking Him for letting me stay in such a wonderful surrounding.
The trip home was pretty tiring, although all we did was to sit in the car and wait till we get home. Ralph, the driver should be even more exhausted from fetching us to and fro! Throughout the drive back, all I kept thinking was of the scenery that God created. You can never picture the beauty of the changing lights going from dusk to night, with stars twinkling in the great distance, and the half moon shining down on everything as wisps of light appear in the darkest places. Just as the van rode, I looked out of the window and saw two horses fawning over each other under the romantic moonlight. The entire countryside was perfectly meant for just their loving actions, and as I gazed at them, I just felt filled with hope that God's love is more than abundant.
And in the distance, I could see Mt. Rainier. 'Tho it make look tiny from afar, the immense anticipation of getting home filled me with eagerness and longing for the place that I am living in now. The word to describe everything is breath-taking.
I wish that all of you could see it through my eyes, because pictures or videos can never capture the emotion that I felt.
With great exhaustion,
Erica
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
200 Big Bucks!
Hoooooo.... Yay...
Thank you CAILING!!!! For telling me that Singapore was giving back $200 for the next 4 years due to our GST hike.. HEHZ...
And thank you PAPA for helping me to get my $200 while I'm far away from home.. Woo hoo I just became $200 richer!!!
Oh well, but my pay here isn't that great either.. I think it's adequate, but I wanna return everything to my parents! I'll feel bad if I don't. And since I just received my first paycheck 2 days ago, I'll make sure that I won't spend a penny, and get the cash home safe and sound! Maybe I'll just use the coins (since I bet we can't change those in Singapore)...
But really, money to me isn't much of an issue. My biggest priority would be to enjoy all of God's creations, help Him to spread the gospel, and do goodwill! And also, my next priority would be to hike at least 5 different trails (ranging from moderate to difficult).
This is my test... I need to see how far I can go, where my limits are, and if possible, hike to the summit of the 14000 ft tall mountain (I think that's how high it is). Now I call that impossible, but who knows eh?!?
And also... need to lose more weight.. I'm feeling really fat right now cuz I just ate a whole lot of mexican minced meat (meant for the burrito wrap, but I ate it with salad)... Hahaha.. going to the gym in 1/2 hr!
Wanna hear from you guys soon,
Erica
P.S. Dear Cailing, if you're reading this.. congrats on your chicken pox. You shouldn't be scratching, just put on more calamine lotion (I think it helps, but it didn't for me)... Don't scratch ar.... later kenah scar on the nose and cheek (like me... bad example).
Thank you CAILING!!!! For telling me that Singapore was giving back $200 for the next 4 years due to our GST hike.. HEHZ...
And thank you PAPA for helping me to get my $200 while I'm far away from home.. Woo hoo I just became $200 richer!!!
Oh well, but my pay here isn't that great either.. I think it's adequate, but I wanna return everything to my parents! I'll feel bad if I don't. And since I just received my first paycheck 2 days ago, I'll make sure that I won't spend a penny, and get the cash home safe and sound! Maybe I'll just use the coins (since I bet we can't change those in Singapore)...
But really, money to me isn't much of an issue. My biggest priority would be to enjoy all of God's creations, help Him to spread the gospel, and do goodwill! And also, my next priority would be to hike at least 5 different trails (ranging from moderate to difficult).
This is my test... I need to see how far I can go, where my limits are, and if possible, hike to the summit of the 14000 ft tall mountain (I think that's how high it is). Now I call that impossible, but who knows eh?!?
And also... need to lose more weight.. I'm feeling really fat right now cuz I just ate a whole lot of mexican minced meat (meant for the burrito wrap, but I ate it with salad)... Hahaha.. going to the gym in 1/2 hr!
Wanna hear from you guys soon,
Erica
P.S. Dear Cailing, if you're reading this.. congrats on your chicken pox. You shouldn't be scratching, just put on more calamine lotion (I think it helps, but it didn't for me)... Don't scratch ar.... later kenah scar on the nose and cheek (like me... bad example).
Monday, May 21, 2007
Off Today
Heyyyy.....
So sad... I'm off today, I've nothing to do... except to go to the gym... Oh well.. At least there are better looking rangers there! hehz...
It's pretty boring here since we hardly get to go downtown. I haven't stepped foot into Seattle ever since I reached Seattle three weeks ago. But at least my friends will be going to town on Thursday (my working day)...
Btw, you guys have to keep me updated about what's going on in Singapore lei!!! I heard that because of the GST hike, we get to get $200 for the next four years???? Where's my $200??!!?? I'm 21 already.. so I think I do get to keep it right?
Haha, after years of paying too much tax eh.
It just started snowing crazily again - when it's supposed to go into Summer. The weather up here is crazy. Damn it was freezing yesterday, even down at the less cold place. And you know what, I shouldn't drink too much water before I set foot into any vehicle.. I struggled for 20 long minutes by keeping my bladder shut before I ran straight into my room's toilet... The worst night of my life officially.
Anyways, there isn't anything else to update about, except to tell you that I hope to see ya soon in August.. Although I love this place I can't wait to go back to Singapore and lie in my comfy bed!!!
So sad... I'm off today, I've nothing to do... except to go to the gym... Oh well.. At least there are better looking rangers there! hehz...
It's pretty boring here since we hardly get to go downtown. I haven't stepped foot into Seattle ever since I reached Seattle three weeks ago. But at least my friends will be going to town on Thursday (my working day)...
Btw, you guys have to keep me updated about what's going on in Singapore lei!!! I heard that because of the GST hike, we get to get $200 for the next four years???? Where's my $200??!!?? I'm 21 already.. so I think I do get to keep it right?
Haha, after years of paying too much tax eh.
It just started snowing crazily again - when it's supposed to go into Summer. The weather up here is crazy. Damn it was freezing yesterday, even down at the less cold place. And you know what, I shouldn't drink too much water before I set foot into any vehicle.. I struggled for 20 long minutes by keeping my bladder shut before I ran straight into my room's toilet... The worst night of my life officially.
Anyways, there isn't anything else to update about, except to tell you that I hope to see ya soon in August.. Although I love this place I can't wait to go back to Singapore and lie in my comfy bed!!!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
I Like Hiking!!
I think hiking's the best exercise ever. It beats running on the treadmill in the gym. It beats doing sit ups. It beats jogging on a dull old track.
I think working here would be one of the best choices that I've made in my entire life. Although the place where I live may be far from the city (a 3 hr drive just to Seattle), hiking through the forest allows you to gain another perspective of life. I've hiked 3 different trails so far (mostly easy to moderate), and the best by far would be the trail at Nisqually Vista. The Nisqually Vista trail is meant to be hiked in summer, when flowers and plants are in abundance. However, since snow has yet to melt away, the trail that I took with 3 other people had us walking through really deep snow. I've yet to get proper boots, and my Vans were definitely not the best shoes for tracking in snow.
The most exciting part was searching for the route (we mainly followed previous tracks left by people). We walked through places that I thought were unsafe (damn exciting), but we ended up having a splendid time doing something that we have never done before. It did get terrifying for me, because at one point my entire left leg (thigh down) slipped into a hole that was covered with snow, and for a minute I thought that I'd be trapped and left to die of hypothermia. I tried pulling my left leg out but it wouldn't budge for the first few seconds. I got my leg out eventually, but my shoe was stuck in a hole. I had to get it out and suffer the rest of the journey back with extremely freezing toes because ice had gotten in - I almost felt that I was going to suffer from frostbite because I couldn't even feel my toes!!!
The next major trail that I hiked was called Rampart Ridge. Let's just say that trail will definitely make a flabby butt firm! The route up was rather steep (almost a 30 - 45 degree angle). That hike took 3+ hrs to and fro. And at the peak (the destination, sort of anyway) provided a wondrous view from the top down. Going back was harder because of the slippery snow. Again, wearing Vans didn't help much because I kept slipping like a baby deer learning how to walk.
Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle before I did these trails, and now my ankle hurts really bad. Just pray for my ankle to heal!!! I've made a promise that I must do another 5 different hikes before I return to Singapore...
From,
Erica Ho May Yue.
I think working here would be one of the best choices that I've made in my entire life. Although the place where I live may be far from the city (a 3 hr drive just to Seattle), hiking through the forest allows you to gain another perspective of life. I've hiked 3 different trails so far (mostly easy to moderate), and the best by far would be the trail at Nisqually Vista. The Nisqually Vista trail is meant to be hiked in summer, when flowers and plants are in abundance. However, since snow has yet to melt away, the trail that I took with 3 other people had us walking through really deep snow. I've yet to get proper boots, and my Vans were definitely not the best shoes for tracking in snow.
The most exciting part was searching for the route (we mainly followed previous tracks left by people). We walked through places that I thought were unsafe (damn exciting), but we ended up having a splendid time doing something that we have never done before. It did get terrifying for me, because at one point my entire left leg (thigh down) slipped into a hole that was covered with snow, and for a minute I thought that I'd be trapped and left to die of hypothermia. I tried pulling my left leg out but it wouldn't budge for the first few seconds. I got my leg out eventually, but my shoe was stuck in a hole. I had to get it out and suffer the rest of the journey back with extremely freezing toes because ice had gotten in - I almost felt that I was going to suffer from frostbite because I couldn't even feel my toes!!!
The next major trail that I hiked was called Rampart Ridge. Let's just say that trail will definitely make a flabby butt firm! The route up was rather steep (almost a 30 - 45 degree angle). That hike took 3+ hrs to and fro. And at the peak (the destination, sort of anyway) provided a wondrous view from the top down. Going back was harder because of the slippery snow. Again, wearing Vans didn't help much because I kept slipping like a baby deer learning how to walk.
Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle before I did these trails, and now my ankle hurts really bad. Just pray for my ankle to heal!!! I've made a promise that I must do another 5 different hikes before I return to Singapore...
From,
Erica Ho May Yue.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Cold Mountain
Hey peeps...
I know it's been really long since I last made an entry. And sorry to disappoint you guys, I can't upload any photos of the gorgeous scenery because of where I'm at. Apparently the only computer with the internet uses a dial-up connection instead of broadband, and it's stated in the rules that we can't use the computer for any other things apart from e-mailing.. So actually I think me blogging right now could be considered as going against that rule :(
I'll try my best to visually describe the things that I have seen, and I assure you that being here in actual person is better than hearing someone else write or talk about it. You'll be amazed by the wildlife you see here! Just this afternoon/evening I caught sight 6 deers (separately of course, but my friend saw a group of 4), one crafty fox (we think that he was the one that stole our food that was kept in the snow-dug fridge - 2 yoghurts, 2 packets of lettuce and 1 packet of bread missing), some chirpy little red-breasted birds... yeah.. I know this sounds nuts, but I really want to catch sight of a bear, skunk or mountain lion (they feed on deer).
The weather up here's really crazy. Our caretaker, Ralph, told us something really apt - the mountain makes its own weather. Apparently it'll be much worse this week, and yesterday's temperature dropped to a low of 1.6 degree celsius!!! Snow was terrible up near the peaks where we were living, but the moment the car leaves for the center part of the mountain, you gradually see winter change to spring in just a matter of 20 minutes.. But yesterday was different at the central part, because that was the first in my entire life where I felt hail!!! It wasn't big hail (the big frozen ice you see falling from the sky in The Day After Tomorrow), but what we saw was rather much like 5 mm round pellets of ice (similar to that ice-cream in the shape of tiny balls)...
It's so beautiful, but unfortunately I've no pictures to show you guys for now... But when I do enter the city, I'll try to enter a cyber cafe to upload the pics..
From, Erica
I know it's been really long since I last made an entry. And sorry to disappoint you guys, I can't upload any photos of the gorgeous scenery because of where I'm at. Apparently the only computer with the internet uses a dial-up connection instead of broadband, and it's stated in the rules that we can't use the computer for any other things apart from e-mailing.. So actually I think me blogging right now could be considered as going against that rule :(
I'll try my best to visually describe the things that I have seen, and I assure you that being here in actual person is better than hearing someone else write or talk about it. You'll be amazed by the wildlife you see here! Just this afternoon/evening I caught sight 6 deers (separately of course, but my friend saw a group of 4), one crafty fox (we think that he was the one that stole our food that was kept in the snow-dug fridge - 2 yoghurts, 2 packets of lettuce and 1 packet of bread missing), some chirpy little red-breasted birds... yeah.. I know this sounds nuts, but I really want to catch sight of a bear, skunk or mountain lion (they feed on deer).
The weather up here's really crazy. Our caretaker, Ralph, told us something really apt - the mountain makes its own weather. Apparently it'll be much worse this week, and yesterday's temperature dropped to a low of 1.6 degree celsius!!! Snow was terrible up near the peaks where we were living, but the moment the car leaves for the center part of the mountain, you gradually see winter change to spring in just a matter of 20 minutes.. But yesterday was different at the central part, because that was the first in my entire life where I felt hail!!! It wasn't big hail (the big frozen ice you see falling from the sky in The Day After Tomorrow), but what we saw was rather much like 5 mm round pellets of ice (similar to that ice-cream in the shape of tiny balls)...
It's so beautiful, but unfortunately I've no pictures to show you guys for now... But when I do enter the city, I'll try to enter a cyber cafe to upload the pics..
From, Erica
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sleeping in Seattle
Woo hoo hoo guys...
Just arrived in Seattle yesterday!!
Seattle's really great. I know there aren't any pictures yet, but once I get to upload some, I will.. in bulk! The market's really cool.. I think there's more than one, but you see all sorts of different faces that you won't feel left out being Chinese or any other race :)
Btw, I've yet to visit the first ever Starbucks, but I will when I find out where's that branch, cuz there are just too many cafes here.
The weather's really cool.. about 12 degrees at the hottest, even though it's summer, but once I leave for the mountains later today, I think I'll start freezing to death :P I really can't wait to leave for the mountains, because I'm pretty bored with city life even though Seattle's really fun to be in. I want nature! I want mountains! I want the green green grass!!!!
Btw, some gross stuff you need to know about:
1. My nose gets really dry, so mucus keeps coming out... eeek
2. The weather makes your scalp very dry, so dandruff starts flaking off... EEEWWW
3. Fingers get really dry so my flesh is beginning to split apart at the creases.. OUCH!~
Anyways, I'll keep posting more updates as soon as I get settled in the freezing mountains :):):)
Just arrived in Seattle yesterday!!
Seattle's really great. I know there aren't any pictures yet, but once I get to upload some, I will.. in bulk! The market's really cool.. I think there's more than one, but you see all sorts of different faces that you won't feel left out being Chinese or any other race :)
Btw, I've yet to visit the first ever Starbucks, but I will when I find out where's that branch, cuz there are just too many cafes here.
The weather's really cool.. about 12 degrees at the hottest, even though it's summer, but once I leave for the mountains later today, I think I'll start freezing to death :P I really can't wait to leave for the mountains, because I'm pretty bored with city life even though Seattle's really fun to be in. I want nature! I want mountains! I want the green green grass!!!!
Btw, some gross stuff you need to know about:
1. My nose gets really dry, so mucus keeps coming out... eeek
2. The weather makes your scalp very dry, so dandruff starts flaking off... EEEWWW
3. Fingers get really dry so my flesh is beginning to split apart at the creases.. OUCH!~
Anyways, I'll keep posting more updates as soon as I get settled in the freezing mountains :):):)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
At the Airport
Hihihi guys... Just a little update on what has been going on since I left Singapore...
The four of us (me, Kaman, Felice and Jia Hui) went around nearly the whole of Taiwan in one day!!! .. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating a little bit, but we did visit many places since we stepped on Taiwan soil.. amazingly though..
Kudos to Felice (since she's a part-time tour guide) so we weren't exactly lost... And Thank God for that!!! From the moment we landed, we left our heavy items (the laptops and other things) at the hotel, and set out for a journey that would definitely be embedded in my memories :) P.S. I will be adding photos soon once I reach Seattle.. hopefully...
By the time we left our hotel, we headed for the the famous Shilin night market - loads of pictures coming soon I tell ya... We bought that extra large piece of deep-friend chicken fillet (yeah I know!!!~), half of a really long sausage (8 inches my guess), 2 fruit ices (WAY BETTER THAN SINGAPORE'S ICE KACHANG), chicken backsides on a stick (heh... my first taste of butt) and bubble tea (which I didn't really fancy since we get loads of it in Singapore)...
Btw, just side-tracking a wee bit here... Taiwan's a really fun place to shop about, but I still prefer Singapore anytime because we do take pride in clean streets and well-organized building structures... The mess here was a little, well.... like entering an open space garbage.. People just litter on the streets, because you see piles of drink containers here and there, half eaten chicken rotting away in the gutter... and then there's the really awful smell of Chou Toufu (I didn't try it though)... But you know what, I think that Taiwanese have a hipper sense of fun and style compared to Singaporean youngsters.. Maybe we need to learn from each other a little more eh?~
Okay.. so after the food we walked about the night market that sold tonnes of clothes, accessories... bla bla bla (basically a paradise for thrifty shoppers who love knick-knacks and up-to-date fashion). It was a little cramped, but you definitely felt the vibe of the shoppers.. Btw, almost everywhere you walk, you'd surely bump into someone carrying a tiny pet dog - there are shops churning out puppies like bubble-tea!! They just melt your heart because these dogs are the cutest things ever to be seen on planet Earth!!!! Unfortunately, while they may have stores selling many pets, it's sad to see many mongrels roaming about the streets. Just this morning I walked past a female dog with tumors and many bits of white flakes on its body.. a sad sight I say...
We didn't go back to our hotel to sleep because the trains would've stopped by then, so the four of us sat in a cafe that opened till 5am and we took a cab to the mountains - absolutely beautiful scenery, with a high possibility of catching bird flu because of the number of pigeons that flock about! But its great I tell ya.. Lovely windy weather in late Spring.. It's really different from Singapore..
Anyways, I'll be updating you with more stuff about Taiwan.. because I'll be embarking for Seattle soon!
Love, Meiyu :):):)
The four of us (me, Kaman, Felice and Jia Hui) went around nearly the whole of Taiwan in one day!!! .. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating a little bit, but we did visit many places since we stepped on Taiwan soil.. amazingly though..
Kudos to Felice (since she's a part-time tour guide) so we weren't exactly lost... And Thank God for that!!! From the moment we landed, we left our heavy items (the laptops and other things) at the hotel, and set out for a journey that would definitely be embedded in my memories :) P.S. I will be adding photos soon once I reach Seattle.. hopefully...
By the time we left our hotel, we headed for the the famous Shilin night market - loads of pictures coming soon I tell ya... We bought that extra large piece of deep-friend chicken fillet (yeah I know!!!~), half of a really long sausage (8 inches my guess), 2 fruit ices (WAY BETTER THAN SINGAPORE'S ICE KACHANG), chicken backsides on a stick (heh... my first taste of butt) and bubble tea (which I didn't really fancy since we get loads of it in Singapore)...
Btw, just side-tracking a wee bit here... Taiwan's a really fun place to shop about, but I still prefer Singapore anytime because we do take pride in clean streets and well-organized building structures... The mess here was a little, well.... like entering an open space garbage.. People just litter on the streets, because you see piles of drink containers here and there, half eaten chicken rotting away in the gutter... and then there's the really awful smell of Chou Toufu (I didn't try it though)... But you know what, I think that Taiwanese have a hipper sense of fun and style compared to Singaporean youngsters.. Maybe we need to learn from each other a little more eh?~
Okay.. so after the food we walked about the night market that sold tonnes of clothes, accessories... bla bla bla (basically a paradise for thrifty shoppers who love knick-knacks and up-to-date fashion). It was a little cramped, but you definitely felt the vibe of the shoppers.. Btw, almost everywhere you walk, you'd surely bump into someone carrying a tiny pet dog - there are shops churning out puppies like bubble-tea!! They just melt your heart because these dogs are the cutest things ever to be seen on planet Earth!!!! Unfortunately, while they may have stores selling many pets, it's sad to see many mongrels roaming about the streets. Just this morning I walked past a female dog with tumors and many bits of white flakes on its body.. a sad sight I say...
We didn't go back to our hotel to sleep because the trains would've stopped by then, so the four of us sat in a cafe that opened till 5am and we took a cab to the mountains - absolutely beautiful scenery, with a high possibility of catching bird flu because of the number of pigeons that flock about! But its great I tell ya.. Lovely windy weather in late Spring.. It's really different from Singapore..
Anyways, I'll be updating you with more stuff about Taiwan.. because I'll be embarking for Seattle soon!
Love, Meiyu :):):)
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Luggage Woes
I can't believe it... my luggage can't close!!!! I think I packed too many things inside, oh well, apparently I stuffed everything in randomly, so I guess I've to repack it tomorrow morning (the day before I leave for Seattle)...
Time REALLY zips past! Just this morning I was dreading my last paper, but Thank God for an easy one! Apparently time zips past too quickly for me to pack my luggage without worrying about what to bring.
So NERVOUS!!! Can't wait to fly to Seattle and breathe in the nice, cold, wintery air. I really can't tahan Singapore's weather these days... One moment it's pouring, the next it's blazing heat, but soon I'd be able to tread in snow... WOO HOO!!!!
Btw, this is the very first of my blog post for my Seattle trip. Technically I'm not in Seattle, but I think it's good to start from the very beginning - packing for the trip.
Just to let you all know about my itinery:
1. Transit flight to Taipei - Will walk around the night market to savour some good food
2. Leave for Seattle the next day - Will be reaching the SeaTac airport around 12.30pm, 29th April (Sunday)
3. Will take a bus downtown to the Green Tortoise Hostel where we'll be staying overnight for one day, before Ralph (the driver from Mt. Rainier) picks us up
Anyways, I haven't been on a plane for a looooong time (since 2001), and I'm having the jitters now. I'm always thinking about the bad things that'll happen to the plane. But you know what? God will comfort me. And if anything does happen, it happens for a reason... But still, pray for a safe trip for me and my friends!!!
Btw, I love my family so much, I know that I'll get homesick once I'm there...
Message to Papa, "Don't spoil my computer ah! and help me tidy my room a bit... :P THANK YOU!!!"
Message to Mama, "Happy Mother's Day in advance!!! And thanks for being a naggy, but caring mother"
Message to Brother, "Don't be too happy because I'm gone for 3 months..."
Love, Meiyu
Time REALLY zips past! Just this morning I was dreading my last paper, but Thank God for an easy one! Apparently time zips past too quickly for me to pack my luggage without worrying about what to bring.
So NERVOUS!!! Can't wait to fly to Seattle and breathe in the nice, cold, wintery air. I really can't tahan Singapore's weather these days... One moment it's pouring, the next it's blazing heat, but soon I'd be able to tread in snow... WOO HOO!!!!
Btw, this is the very first of my blog post for my Seattle trip. Technically I'm not in Seattle, but I think it's good to start from the very beginning - packing for the trip.
Just to let you all know about my itinery:
1. Transit flight to Taipei - Will walk around the night market to savour some good food
2. Leave for Seattle the next day - Will be reaching the SeaTac airport around 12.30pm, 29th April (Sunday)
3. Will take a bus downtown to the Green Tortoise Hostel where we'll be staying overnight for one day, before Ralph (the driver from Mt. Rainier) picks us up
Anyways, I haven't been on a plane for a looooong time (since 2001), and I'm having the jitters now. I'm always thinking about the bad things that'll happen to the plane. But you know what? God will comfort me. And if anything does happen, it happens for a reason... But still, pray for a safe trip for me and my friends!!!
Btw, I love my family so much, I know that I'll get homesick once I'm there...
Message to Papa, "Don't spoil my computer ah! and help me tidy my room a bit... :P THANK YOU!!!"
Message to Mama, "Happy Mother's Day in advance!!! And thanks for being a naggy, but caring mother"
Message to Brother, "Don't be too happy because I'm gone for 3 months..."
Love, Meiyu
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