Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Time to settle in London

Well I'm back in London. I managed to lug my 23kg suitcase and an 8kg backpack alongside a little side bag onto 3 trains before walking around the corner to get to the place I'm staying at! My biggest fear was arriving at the place and finding out that out of the 14 ppl staying there, no one would be home since it's a weekday and all may be at work. Well what do you know, that was the case!!! Grrrrr! I emailed my friends when I would arrive but silly me, I emailed them too late to hear a reply- typical me. Not to worry, the landlord dropped by so I managed to leave my luggage inside.

It's amazing what 1mnth stay at a place can do for you as compared to 1week stay. I'm so happy I unexpectedly stayed with my relatives in Holland for this long because it gave me the chance to know them all the more better and to learn from them also. This trip further confirmed how important family is for me and I can get so emotional from just thinking about it! Thank you all for taking care of me when I was there!! xxx

Well, it is time for me to settle in London and find work. I am dreading the fact that I'm going to attempt to find architectural work here when I don't have a portfolio or much of my architectural works with me (thanks again for sending them over William!). I originally planned to take a year off from the field since studying the course for 5 1/2yrs had really got to me. But, it would be advantageous and easier to find work back home if I have the practical experience from another country. Not that I want to, but I should do what's good for me, right? I may not even be able to get any job within the field here due to my lack of preparation BUT I will give it a go!! *fingers crossed*

I'll be moving out of this place I'm staying at hopefully soon with 3 other girls who also lives here. It's much more comfortable living with less people and with all girls. I so hope we'll move out soon... somewhere that's cleaner and with a better bathroom, that's all I want!

I am starting to miss home a lot but I try not to think of it too much. There is still so much ahead to experience before I can say I'm ready to go home.

Time to settle in London...

Saturday, May 27, 2006

TOMMY'S BDAY

Happy Belated birthday my friend!!! -At least better than never yeah? :}

Well, I hope you had a lovely day on the 25th, have a lovely dinner tonight with the others and good luck in finding a more satisfying and less-stressful firm to work for!

Sending you best wishes all the way from Holland...

xox

Friday, May 19, 2006

Almost 3wks in Holland and still counting!

WEIGHT: 54kg!!

It's a very cloudy and windy day today so I decided to postpone my cheese market visit hopefully til next Friday and laze about indoors all day today whilst my relos are all at work or at school.

Well, my original plan was to visit my relos for 1 wk here in Holland and then go back to London to work but its way off the charts now! There are still lots of small events I want to attend to (such as my cousin's final soccer match, selling spring rolls in front of my relos store during art week, checking out Madurodam a miniature city of Holland and checking out some interesting houses and buildings around the cities) SO we've decided, and as much as I NEED to go back to London t work and save up, I'll leave here on the 29th/30th, after the Long Weekend.

I've been practicing and have improved on riding the bike, yay! I can even ride with one hand!- but just for a short while though ;)

Ooh! The other day my cousins insisted that I go outside and play soccer with them after dinner. I really didn't want to play at all but they kept on insisting and I ended up giving in and giving the sport a go. You know what they taught me?!!! To kick the ball with my forehead! At first I was reluctant to do such a thing but they kept on pushing me to give it a go and so I did- It really hurts! It was hilarious. We decided to take a pic and capture the moment of me jumping up and whacking the ball with my head. My elder cousin had the camera and was ready to take the pic after my other cousin had thrown the ball at me to whack BUT my cousin could never take the pic in time and kept capturing the moment just before or after I whack it (Can't blame him, I gave it a go myself later and it's just impossible)! I had to whack the ball with my head over and over again so he can get it right but it never worked out and so after like the 10th go, I gave up! It was probably a good thing that the pic never worked out because looking at the pics of me after I had whacked the ball, it ain't pretty!! But i'll share it anyways...hehe
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SNACKS SNACKS SNACKS: This is mainly where I gained my 1.5kg from!! I don't think I've ever loved french fries as much as I love it here!! They call it "patat" and it's sold for approx. 1.80Euros and it's wrapped in paper, in a cone-like shape and it's just delicious! They use mayo instead of ketchup here but it's not the like the mayo we have back home- it's less sweet which makes it easier to eat with the patat. I've practically had it every day I've been here except for the days I never went out. Yummo! I gave their specialty snack "Frikandel" a go (sounds like Freaking hell!) and I didn't like it. It's a big sausage made up of horse, pig and chicken meat! yeah... not too appetising hehe. I tried their pancake as a snack and it was just delicious! I had the one with syrup in it but you can choose toppings of jam, chocolate, cinnamon and all these other flavours! I'm starting to get those ulsers inside my mouth from eating too much junk.... but I can't help eating 'em all!! =)
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I've been to my relos delicatessen a few times and helped out a little (mainly with the dishes which is the one thing I can do well). It's a food chain-store and it has a range of cold food that had been cooked prior (e.g. fried rice, meat balls in some special sauce, a range of noodles, marinated chickens etc) where the customers just needs to buy, bring home and heat up before serving (saves them time from cooking dinner). So I'll be here at their store on Sunday 28th to help fry and sell spring rolls in front of their store where the art event is held. Should be fun!
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6 years ago when I was first here we visited Amsterdam so my relos decided for me to check out ROTTERDAM this time round. I don't remember much of Amsterdam just that many of their buildings were historical and here in Rotterdam it is quite the contrast. More contemporary buildings because of the restoration of the city after WWII. Well, as usual we went shopping!! I think I saw more of the insides of the shops than the city of Rotterdam! heheh I managed to take photos between the going outs and going ins of stores and walking to and fro from the car to the shops and to the restaurants. It's really beautiful here.
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It's Women's Week this week and with my aunty and her 2 best friends, we had a day out at a festival held specifically for women. It was jam packed and you just knew it was going to be sofrom seeing all the parked cars at the entrance- though it was beautiful It was a very looooong day but very pleasant since the event was held beside the beach. It was overwhelming to see so many women at one place and so tiring to check out any clothing store since ALL the women are looking at the same thing you are! Anyway, I so envy my aunty's friendship with her 2 close friends. It made me think of us girls and I so hope we'll grow and stick together when we're older just like them!
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ALKMAAR: The area where my relos lives in is just beautiful. There are lots of canals/rivers around the area and some houses are lucky to have it connected to their backyard. You can see people canoeing through these rivers and people bike-riding at the side of it. Wow, it really makes you want to join in and be active! No wonder my cousins are always wanting to DO something. Jimmy, my elder cousin here plays Soccer whereas Danny plays tennis. It's so great to see people be so energetic because they encourage you to be the same!

**Ooh.. my aunty's not feeling so well today (food poisoning from the dinner we had after the women's week festival) so I'm going out to help at their shop. Time to get ready...

Friday, May 12, 2006

To Wil/Yud/Johnny/Socks

Woohoo Woohoo Woohoo!! Congratulations to William, Yudhi, Johnny & Sock Mui on Graduating today!!! =)

I'm so happy that you guys have made it and now we have all jumped over that loooooooong and challenging hurdle known as UNI and are far away from all those excruciating all-nighters and stressful presentations! Well, not exactly "far" away from it all but you know what I mean ;) ... it's time to party!!!!!!

Darn I wish I could be there and celebrate this special day with you all but we'll all celebrate again when I get back ok?!! Don't forget to email me some of the graduation pics in the meantime!!

Well, I hope you guys all had a lovely day today with your family and friends... CONGRATULATIONS once again!!! =)

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

10th day in Holland

Weight: 51.5kg (it's actually short 1kg so I'm really 52.5kg!)

Well, I've extended my stay in Holland! I was meant to leave here last Sunday 7th but my relos made me realise that I might aswell stay here for an extra week or so (in comfort and free from expenses) and apply for jobs in London online through their PC rather than having to go to the Internet Cafe everyday in London and pay for it and pay for food etc for the week- yeah yeah! =P So i had to let go of my return ticket and will have to buy a one way ticket back to London... when I'm ready =)

I just updated my resumes for different job categories which hopefully I'll look into tomorrow. Remember that live-in carer job? Well, I tried to fill in an online application form for a company/agency associated to the field the other day and I typed in all the information they wanted including my height, weight etc and guess what? I was rejected even before I finished completing the form! I clicked on "under 55kg" as my weight and was then rejected!!! They say I'm underweight! Ahhhh! I guess they do have a point though.. how am I meant to carry an old lady from her bed to a wheelchair if I'm stick thin ay?! I might injure her and myself at the same time! hehehe Anyways, I'm not too worried... lots of other jobs are out there for me (i think!). THOUGH my relos are happy to take on the job of fattening me up over here before sending me back to London to work. I have been eating a lot (and yes, that spaghetti shown on the dining table was cooked by me, yes me!!!!) but it all seems to go to my stomach... which looks disgusting since the rest of me is stick thin! =O I'm expected to drink milk nightly and this special milk daily by my aunty... ugh how I hate milk! BUT I'm up for it all- just give me an extra 4kg in the next week (or so) and I'll be over the moon! Oanh, maybe I will get to be the same weight as you soon!!!!!!!

Yes, my aunty makes some killer salads. She loves salads and I love it too- yay!!! They know that I love cheese and have been bringing home all sorts of cheese for me to taste. Fortunately the suburb that they live in (Alkmaar) is famous for their cheese!! I'm gonna check out the cheese factory this Friday... woo hoo!

Another blooper: whilst riding my aunty's bike the other day with my cousins down to the fields to watch one of them play a soccer match, I managed to ride INTO the entrance gate instead of through it! And it's embarrassing because you can see all these little kids around you who can ride with only one hand and gliding through the gate with ease whereas I can barely ride with both my hands!!! Man, I can be such a clutz! I'm so not good on a bike.. I constantly shake and can't even ride in a straight line without shrieking every minute without thinking I'll fall (especially onto a curb like you Oanh!! hehe) Eek! BUT I'll try to get into it here and practice before coming home and ride a bike around town with you girls!!! ;)

It's so great to be able to access Hotmail again and to join in all the girly convos!!! Though yes I know... I need to have my say in the emails too ;) ..soon! I've just been overwhelmed and have taken my time to read all the emails that I missed out on!!!

Oanhsta, Kaz & Trinh- you know how much I don't understand drum'n'bass but for you girls, I will give it one more go and this time in its hometown, London!! Maybe the scene here is heaps better? I'll try to find people who are interested in these gigs and tag along with them in the hope that their love for d'n'b will rub off on me! *fingers crossed*

Stella & Kaz- I can't believe I will one day see you on this side of the world- ahhh!!

Okiez, so wish me luck with my job hunting.. *fingers crossed*

***My darling sister Phuong- I hope you are doing your best to study at home. Please don't go out too much, help more around the house and be good to mum and Nina, ok?!!!!! Now that I'm gone you've got the room to yourself but don't abuse it... study darling, it's only 2 years and you're free!! You can do it! =)

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Days in Holland...

Sheesh, can you believe that I just managed to let the smoke alarm go off at my relos place?- from cooking 2 small buns for breakfast?!!!! Aahhhh!!! New technology these days, sheesh! You see... I turned their oven to the desired temperature as stated on the pack and put the timer on for 5mins only to realise AFTERWARDS that the timer is not a timer but a microwave instead!! You're suppose to use one or the other but I shockingly cooked (and burnt) my 2 buns in both the oven & microwave- hmph! The alarm woke up my uncle and now he's heating up some new ones for me :{

It's my 4th day here in Holland and I purposely came over during my cousin's 1 week school break...

Yesterday I went with my relos to Walibi World, an amusement park similar to Australia's Wonderland but only heaps better!!! The've got 5 different rollercoaster rides amongst other cool rides and my cousins and I managed to go on most of the crazy rides within 6hrs!!!- though most of the time was dedicated to waiting in the queue. Oh how I love rollercoaster rides!!! The biggest rollercoaster ride here is called The Goliath and it is apparently the biggest rollercoaster ride throughout Holland and Germany, awesome!!!!! It's steep, fast and extremely high!!! It takes you on loops, upside down, to the left, to the right... woohoo!!!! I felt like a kid all over again yesterday as I wondered through the park with my 14yrs old and 10yrs old cousins =)

The day prior we went to Keukenhof, a massive flower park/festival consisting of a whole range of tulips (though I'm yet to see a blue tulip!) amongst other amazing flowers and plants. It's opened only during April & May each year, the time of year that tulips only blossom and I took soooo many pictures (mainly of the flowers and not myself, of course!) and managed to drain the whole battery of my camera! The scenery was so beautiful and so peaceful.. if only we had something of the likes back home.



It feels really comfy being in my relos place, everyone is so nice and inviting =) And their house is so nice!! Everything is all close to white- including the bathroom! My lil cousin is kind enough to give up his room to me for the week, my aunty laid out several winter clothes on the bed since she knew I didn't bring much over, they all gave me a really generous graduation gift and they've been taking time off work to take us all out, yay! My relos own a little take-away store very similar to a delicatessen store back home with asian groceries on the side. I've decided, I'll spend time with my relos on this trip and will come back again during Summer with my housemates only then to stay in Amsterdam (my relos lives in Alkmaar, 40km out of Ams.) to experience the other side of Holland ;)


*** So I've spoken briefly to my mum and according to my future plans, I won't come home in September anymore but will come home in February next year, before the Chinese New Year and before my sister's Graduation (wouldn't miss it for the world, sis!). I'm not sure if my mum's really OK with it but I think she understands why. I've made a lot of plans whilst my sty is in London.. hope it all works out well, fingers crossed! ***