keep believing

We were talking about how individual we have become.

In Berlin, they have such a genuinely warm fellowship, they welcome strangers into their community and their everyday business so well, and if I compare that to my life in Singapore. How willing am I to spend time to entertain strangers, or even old/new friends, to really build/re-build/keep relationships, to step out of my own circle of closer friends, to make time out of my daily business?

I only remember that I always have no time. There are always assignments/projects/some catching ups to do/events to organise or attend to. I think I don’t even have time to actually think through and decide what I need to do and why I do them, the pace of life is so quick they are kinda decided for me, no? This is just as far as I can remember of what life was like in the little red dot haha.

(While here in Zurich, where I have made no attachment to anyone or anything, no responsibility to fulfill, where things feel temporal, I’ve kinda loosened on myself, staying comfortable in my little comfort zone, excusing myself from doing things I don’t wish to do. Too often I feel that I’m good on my own, too lazy to accommodate to other people.)

And I have to keep reminding myself, when you do that little “sacrifice”, you’ll never know how much difference you’d make, in others’ life, or your own. We are blessed to bless others, right?

Anyway, I’ve been saving on meals, been eating simply, just nice and just enough, but.. so generous on chocolates. I eat waaayy too much chocolates especially these days oh I’m so guilty. Once in a while I always buy this Swiss Budget chocolate bar with hazelnut that only costs 60 Rappen, and I’ll finish it so fast. And I got all these chocolates from Berlin and Solothurn! Ritter Sport, Milka, Regusa, Knoppers.. And not to forget, excessive Nutella on bread for breakfast!

I haven’t felt stressed out for a while now, but all these chocolates caused me to have pimples! Man.. And gone rounder of course.

So. It’s my so called “reading” days now. I have in total five exams, three of which are oral exams, which spread out in three weeks. And once it’s over, we are planning for Munich, Berlin and Amsterdam for the first round of travelling, and 6 cities in France, Spain and Italy for the second round. I hope I have enough money. Otherwise, I always have my dearest kindest prettiest sister (who should be reading this, cheers).

But I first need to study and find someone to rent my room for the months of July and August, else I’ll have to pay two months of rent because of the contract.

There’s something seriously wrong with my butt, as in seriously painful wrong, and I can’t stay sitting down for too long. I’ve had this for a while but this is a huge problem now because I need to prepare for my exams the next three weeks (study = sit long long), followed by travelling intensively for four weeks (long train rides = sit really really long).

It’s the last day of school tomorrow..

Before I left to Berlin last Tuesday, my roommate asked me if she should go to Paris that weekend, when exams are coming in 2 weeks’ time. And I told her my reason for going to Berlin, despite having to spend so much money and come back only an hour before a presentation, that I thought it’s an opportunity that I really should not miss.

Having had to pay a high price and having missed such a fellowship and sermons, I guess I appreciated the retreat better, I listened really hard during the seminars, and I enjoyed every minute I spent there. So, yes no regrets mann..

And I thank God for the very good sermons, for the smooth trips back and fro Zurich-Berlin (by myself, you know things always tend to go wrong when I’m alone), for the people I met and interacted with there, for a good break from the almost too comfortably stagnant life in Zurich, for the preparation and the smooth presentation yesterday.

It’s kinda hard to get back to reality, assignments to submit and exams to sit for in a week’s time, but I think I’ve had enough of playing, it’s time to hit the books hard yes? I’m readyy..

I went for my EIGHT AM lecture almost on time, despite the lack of sleep, survived through lectures, and even went to the GYM to work out for the first time. That’s like a whole series of laziness overcome.

I “attended” ISCF’s annual general meeting in Singapore a few days ago, made possible through a technology called internet (in which we found out that Singapore is still superior on, against America and Switzerland, my internet connection kept failing on me). Using skype and virtual meeting room, I was able to watch, discuss, and even join in the prayers, to basically be present in the five hour long meeting. A few days before the meeting, I found myself looking forward to it, and despite being nervous about running for the posts, I was actually quite excited. I guess I really missed everyone. It’s so good to see and to talk to everyone again.. Though I ended up having some withdrawal syndromes while having to prepare for my exams a few days later.

Also, this time of the year last year, I was setting off for my American experience in Yellowstone. I was looking at a friend’s pictures taken recently in Yellowstone, and I found myself wanting to get back there. It’s a great place and I had such a good time there. Though I told myself I wouldn’t come back (because there are too many other great places I have yet to see), I now actually wish I can go back one day. Working or just visiting..

And there are these annoying things from the past (three years) that kept coming back to me. Things that could have been called mistakes in life, and yet, have taught me to be a better person. Well, I hate dwelling in the past (and in places where I’m not), being all emo and miserable, but I won’t trade these memories and painful lessons for the world. I thank God for them :)

I guess it’s just a problem (or gift) resulted from having a body that is constrained by time and space, yet a memory that transcends them, a mind that can travel back in time and across the seas.

One thing that I learn from this is to live in the present and treasure the time and opportunities at hand now, before they turn a mere memory that lingers.

And my phone battery can only last half a day.

.. Fermentation Biotechnology exam that I’m having on Tuesday.

So this is the picture of the day:

*I had to copy my roommate’s notes since I missed one class when I went to Greece. Took pictures of the pages since she also needed her notes to mug.

I want to go homeeeee………………

One thing in common that my closer friends in architecture have, besides their rather unusual personalities, them knowing what they want, and knowing too many other things, is wholeheartedness in what they do. I once watched a friend finishing up her model, and I just thought her attitude towards the completion of her work, and the details it carried, was admirable.

I saw this exhibition by architecture students in school today.

Sure I don’t know enough to comment on these pieces of work, but I felt like they screamed ‘hardwork’ to me..

It was such a pretty day today I decided to walk to the station after Dietikon on my way to school. I’ve observed and heard that there’s a llama farm there, so I wanted to see it for myself, and I took some pictures!

Llama, the weird looking animal who spits to discipline the younger llamas, or when he gets irritated. And apparently you can tell the degree of irritation from what the spit contains. I love this spitting fact.

And I was late for class.