Somewhere out there..
I finally gave in and attached the 5m long network cable that Mom gave me before I left.
Therefore I am currently blogging from my bed! :D
My bed is the single best thing here at my room in Normanby. It is so extremely comfortable. Especially with the blanket. Just need a bolster and all would be perfect.
Course, the 1G speed Internet is awesome too.
And the lovely sink.
But nothing beats the bed.
I love my bed.
I am slightly irritated and tired due to chasing assignments, and tomorrow I'll have to work on studying for a test (on that day) and another assignment (due the next day) and chasing for an interview (due on Friday).
Sigh. :(
Other than that, life has been good so far. It's been hectic trying to juggle studies and life and friendship and other stuff. Sometimes I drop a ball (or five) but it's been all right. So far.
I wouldn't say I'm really homesick but I do miss you guys back in Malaysia. Lots and lots.
Tao and Woei Lin: Can you come poke me on MSN some days! Or you know, just leave a Facebook message or something so I know you're still alive. :P I miss random shopping trips with you guys and gossiping about this, that or the other. (Have you learnt to drive yet, Woei Lin? :P)
Kai Hui: I miss talking to you about random stuff that nobody else would understand. A lot of siblings don't get along but we do, and I'm really glad we do. (Yes I'll buy you that cookies and cream sauce..though I think it'll taste weird honestly)
Mummy and Daddy: I guess part of growing up is being independent and realizing that you really only have yourself to rely on. I miss the safety of knowing that if anything happens I can always turn to you - I still can, I suppose, but it's not the same.
Brendan, Loe, Noel, Justin, Mannat et al: I miss hanging out in campus with you guys, having lunch together, gossiping about lecturers, planning trips out for movies/Wii and stuff. I wish you guys were here with me! I know we can still keep in touch through the Internet but it really just isn't the same. Can we plan for a trip in like July or something? Or November when end of year holidays start.
Malaysian Food: I REALLY REALLY REALLY MISS YOU.
All the little things you take for granted when you have them, but when you don't you realize just how much you loved them.
When I go back to Malaysia I am going to binge.
It's funny, though, all my life I've wanted to fly overseas for as long as I can remember. I've wanted to see new countries, experience new cultures, and meet people that I thought I would finally be able to relate more to.
Then I get here, and I realize..the grass isn't greener after all. It's just a different shade of green.
Australia is a beautiful country, with lovely people and breathtaking views, and it has everything going for it.
Despite how much we complain about it, though..Malaysia's still home.
A picture post!
The above photo is from about two weeks ago, when the fire alarm in Normanby House rang at 5 am with no warning at all. For some reason from the minute I jerked awake I immediately knew what it was, and my first thought (which I would later keep repeating as I marched down the hall and outside) was 'oh my god you cannot be serious.'
Sadly, however, it was serious, and the lot of us waited outside next to that tree in the picture as the fire engines raced down the street and the firemen sauntered nonchalantly (yes, I am not exaggerating) into the house to see what was the matter. Poor us freezing outside and they're taking their own sweet time to check! Further evidence that it must happen a lot.
Hopefully no more 5 am wake up calls. So glad I didn't have morning classes that day.
Also if you were curious, it was a faulty alarm thing.
Procrastination is a hard habit to shake - I've been sitting around since about 9, thinking I should do work, and the most I've accomplished is finding an online journalism topic to write about - and I didn't even think of that myself. Still, it was a problem that was bugging me all week, so that's a good thing! I will now have to wake up at 5 to do my tutorial questions for COM2160. Oh well, good practice for assignment week I suppose.
Anyway! Cooking lessons again!
This time, I made pizza yesterday! Not alone, but still. I made pizza!!
Chopping up the onions and mushrooms.
Frying the sausages. Don't they look yummy?
Now frying the onions!
Tomato paste and mozarella cheese for later.
The pizza with all the toppings
I don't know what's wrong with my pictures, they were all right side up when I uploaded them. But this is my pizza now with ham on it.
Now with pineapple!
And the crown glory - mozarella cheese!
Then seal it in aluminium foil (cos I don't have a baking pan)
And bake! (grill..whatever)
And then...TADA~~
At Papa Gino's, a popular Italian restaurant, their pizzas look like the one below:
That's worth about 15 bucks, roughly.
Can compare la hor? xD
Admittedly putting onions in with pineapples was a bit weird but I needed to finish it off!
Yummmmmmmmy~~
Considering one slice of pizza sold here is half that size, with half that much stuff and generally costs about 3 bucks, I think I have value for money :P
Other cooking adventures:
Today I decided to be unlazy and cook properly for once. This was the first time I'd tried to cook rice outside of home!
Basically I boiled carrots and fried some mushrooms and pre-marinated honey soy chicken (I wish I could say I did it but nah, it was bought), and made some rice. It's harder work than it sounds! Especially since the chicken was um..9 days older after the expiry date *cough* They told me it would be okay since it was frozen though! I suppose I'll know by tomorrow...*twiddle*
I really need to buy some sauce or learn how to cook Chinese veggies (well, I think I do, but I have no confidence cooking alone) to go with that because it was seriously just kinda dry. I poured soya sauce on it but it didn't help!
Anyway, I have to do my tutorial questions tomorrow at like 5 am so I'd better go get some sleep. Night!
A few updates!
I have been considering upgrading my blog template for some time, to use the XML Blogger template rather than the classic ones I'm currently using now.
Pros:
1. Would be able to use numerous Blogger widgets such as Facebook, etc.
2. Would be a lot easier to use the layout functions Blogger has such as inserting links.
Cons:
1. Classic Blogger layouts are (for now) a lot nicer than XML ones.
Hmmm. I will spend a bit of time digging, but just -a bit- because a bit is all I have these days. I need to start doing a bit of time management.
I am currently at the Caulfield iCafe place (a computer lab in a coffeeshop) which I am stuck with until I can find where they keep their computer labs (assuming they have any) as I feel bad about going on Achaea or Facebook in the library where there's only about 20 computers and 200 students lining up to use them. Granted, I know people do, but a lot of them do work besides that. *abashed cough*
I don't know why I'm still wasting time when I still don't have a journalism topic to write about. Ugh, what is wrong with me?
On the other hand, I have a lot more cooking photos! So stay tuned for that as the dish of the week is..pizza!
Of mushrooms and rainbows
I swear the weekends here fly entirely too quickly by.
Just yesterday it was Friday, and now it's just past midnight on Saturday so right now it's already Sunday. Where has my weekend gone?! :(
I went shopping with Jie Hui and Wooi Joe at Box Hill. I told myself I wouldn't buy any more clothes but still somehow ended up buying a cardigan and tights. =.= Well I need it!! >< (Yes I'm justifying myself) To my credit, though, I really haven't bought many non-essential items (food doesn't count).
A few phone pictures of what I've been up to these days.
Hey Kai Hui you know that parrot sorta hand puppet thing we used to have? (do have?) Here's the real life version :)
My latest foray into cooking - making mushroom fettucini with Rebecca!
Finely chopping spring onions! (okay finely is an exaggeration but it wasn't THAT bad)
Half a cup of cream, and a cube of beef stock!
Fry the mushrooms with butter, put in the spring onions, cook the pasta..(the pasta would later get stuck to the pot but Rebecca got it all out!)
Mix it all together and....
Tada!!
It was pretty nice except we hadn't put salt in, but less salt is good for you.
More cooking adventures!
If a hamburger is not in a hamburger bun, it is a sandwich.
Therefore, the above is a sandwich.
It looks a bit weird I know but it was healthy okay! Meat, veggies, cheese..all in one :P
Brendan's Disneyland. xD Though it was just a tiny little store but I bet you'd like it! Honestly there were SO many sweets.
Only picture I managed to snap before the shop assistant came over and went, 'Sorry no photos allowed'. What is with this policy nowadays, honestly, it's not like I'm going to set up my own lolly store with your secret recipe or whatever.
In other news..
Waiting for the bus one sunny evening, I caught a rainbow :)
It was tame enough to sit in my palm! xD
I like rainbows. Rainbows are colourful, cheerful, happy things that you almost never get to see and even then, only if you know where and when to look.
Tomorrow I will buckle down and get to studying.
YES I WILL.
REALLY!!!
(I sound unconvincing to even myself, don't worry.)
Hot chocolate and fleece
I am bored and extremely sleepy, currently blogging from a cafe in the Caulfield campus. I like using the computers here because almost nobody ever uses them, so I don't feel guilty going on Facebook when people are lining up, desperate to print assignments - and also because there aren't any printers here.
For some reason my right ear is hurting, it feels like the veins inside swelled up or something. It'll be fine in the next few days, I think, but it's really annoying - the other time it happened was at Aunty Siew Meng's house, for some unfathomable reason. The only thing I can think of is sleeping on my side but I've done that for years at home and never had any trouble with it.
Note to self: Do not drink hot chocolate while wearing a brand new white fleece jumper. Lest for some reason the hot chocolate magically escapes from the sealed cup and drips down your lovely white fleece, creating a not-so-lovely chocolate spot right down the front.
Sigh. :( I have no luck with laundry along with public transportation, it seems.
I feel the onset of a headache setting in for some unfathomable reason. Maybe it might have to do with my ear.
Also, I've made a Facebook page out of sheer boredom! Come and be a fan, if we can reach 100 people I'll be happy :P
http://www.facebook.com/pages/You-cant-make-everyone-like-you-so-be-nice-to-those-who-actually-do/384203209438
Leaving home.
I have a 3 hour break and have absolutely nothing to do unless I feel like being hardworking, which is probably the furthest thing I feel like being at the moment.
I haven't really been eating well, and things here taste weird - not to mention the fact that Caulfield has barely anywhere decent to eat unless you feel like walking out of campus, which I don't because I'm kinda here alone. It's a bit difficult to make friends in one hour lectures when you're trying your best not to fall asleep and there virtually isn't time for conversation when the lecturer is rushing as fast as she can to complete her notes and you're rushing right along with her.
Consequently, and with the fact I've been a bit upset lately (not for any particular reason, just one of my moods) I probably haven't been resting and eating as well as I should be.
Tonight I promise to cook - even if it's just Maggi Mee with no veggies (they kinda rotted away because I uh..forgot about them) I really need to eat a proper meal.
Tonight I will also do some tutorial readings and sleep early.
Tips for any of you who are going overseas in the future:
- Get enough rest. University is really exciting with tons of activities and things to do, but remember why you're there in the first place - to study. Don't feel bad if you simply don't feel like socializing. People will understand. It is not your obligation to go out and party all the time.
- Eat proper meals. Even if you don't feel like getting all the cutlery out and cooking, do it because your tummy will thank you later. Eating out just isn't the same, let me tell you that - and probably not worth the effort either, given the amount of travelling I have to do.
- If you have to take public transport, be sure you know the times and know if the train/tram/bus you're getting on is the right one (see: Peninsula post). I have had enough public transportation related mishaps to know what I'm talking about, so trust me on this one. Don't get crippled by Asian politeness/pride and unwillingness to ask - just do it. It will save you a lot of headaches.
- Be very clear about what you order when ordering food - I just ordered a hot chocolate and an English Breakfast, only to get a cup of hot chocolate and a cup of English Breakfast Tea. I think the barista was trying hard not to laugh at my confuzzled expression when he explained to me that 'English Breakfast is the name of the tea'.
- Put yourself out there. I know I said earlier that you don't have to socialize if you don't want to, but sometimes you just need to be brave and step out of your room and join the others at the kitchen table once in a while. At least let people know who you are, and join the events once in a while. I'm not talking about popularity contests. It's really all about survival. I don't exactly have a gang of friends I can stick with, given that not many people in Normanby House seem to be doing Arts (and those that do aren't first year, or in Caulfield) but I've made quite a few friends and honestly that's enough.
- Don't be afraid to be independent. Being in a new country for those who have never lived away from home before, never mind abroad, can be quite intimidating for a lot of people. But hey it's okay to be alone, walk home alone, stay in your room alone. Sometimes it's necessary and the solitude can often be handy - in a group you sometimes don't get to stay as long in a shop as you would've liked, or go on daring new adventures (like following a bus all the way to the end). Just make sure you don't consciously isolate yourself and end up an outcast.
- Do not be prejudiced. You simply cannot afford to be when you're an outsider. It's rather inevitable that people will be prejudiced in one way or another towards you - it's often quite uncontrollable - but you just have to accept it as part of life. Just keep a friendly smile on your face and be prepared to learn about everything and anything, and don't be afraid to try new things (within reason of course).
- Have some sort of a timetable. I'm probably the worst person to be talking about this but you should try to establish some sort of a timetable for the sake of regularity in your life. I don't mean drawing up an entire table like 9.00-9.30 am - Breakfast (unless that's your thing) but at least you should have your meals at regular times, and specify a day to do your laundry, and perhaps have a rough idea at least of when you should be studying.
- Join stuff. Even if it's things you'd not normally do, remember that you're in a whole new place now so be prepared to try everything at least once (excluding things like drugs of course). It'll keep you busy and occupied and maybe you'll even make new friends! However be sure to not let it interfere with the welfare of your studies.
- Call home, and talk to people from home. It doesn't have to be every day, or even every week, but do call home once in a while. Seeing familiar faces helps you get grounded and remember that the people you love are still there, and you feel less like living in a totally new world away from everything you've ever known. Similarly for those of you who have friends or siblings somewhere far away, make the effort to keep in touch with them. They appreciate it.
I am now wondering what exactly I should do with an English Breakfast tea that I don't want.
Temptation.
Living outside on your own strangely makes it even more difficult for you to be motivated to go to class because of all the effort involved - walking to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, etc..not to mention having to get your own breakfast and everything.
I'm really tempted to just stay in bed today and watch the lectures online. :(
Cooking!
So I did say I would make a post about cooking fail.
Well basically, I tried to boil an egg. And it turned out barely cooked.
Yes very fail I know.
But anyway! Some cooking success stories, pictures included!
The first time I tried to actually COOK Maggi Mee (not the cup kind ok!)
Hahaha it actually didn't turn out that bad, except it was a bit overcooked and had too much water so it was a bit tasteless.
The first time I tried to cook spaghetti (Eni style)!
This one has like step by step okay!
Cutting the onions and mushrooms..the onions were a bit too big but apparently my knife wasn't very sharp.
Mushrooms!
Me stirring the sauce! So you know I did help with SOMETHING :P
The sauce and the pasta cooking!
It turned out good actually, even though I went overboard with the sugar at first - I somehow knew to splatter tomato sauce everywhere and it evened out to go just right. Everyone who tasted it loved it and it was almost as good as Eni's ;)
The first time I tried to cook noodle omelette (apparently it's an Australian dish where you put the cooked Maggi Mee IN the omelette..yeah, don't ask me :S)
I didn't take the 'making of' pictures so this is all you get..a pile of goop involving egg, ham, mushrooms and onions xD
And yes, tomato sauce.
It wasn't actually that bad, just a little bit tasteless because we hadn't put in salt with the egg and the noodles were also kinda tasteless. With the right seasoning the next time it might be better..it was just weird :P
The first time I tried to cook chicken!
Erm..I don't know why it's upside down, but let's just call it artistic :P Peeling the potatoes and cutting them into cubes!
Very important job - cutting the veggies! (I'm getting quite good at them! The carrots were a pain though)
Cooking the chicken together with the potato cubes! They should technically be done separately but nobody wanted to wait that long.
Me moving the potato cubes around in the frying pan. Apparently that classifies as cooking also xD
Boiling the veggies! They turned out a bit underboiled but hey, nobody cared.
Frying the potato cubes! I SAID that they were burnt but nobody believed me..and they did turn out burnt. Ha!
Oooo the chicken is starting to look good!
Buttering up the veggies! Not enough butter though.
Nearly cooked! Hungry~~
The finished product! Are you drooling yet? :P
Honestly to us it was really good, although the chicken was a teensy bit undercooked (a bit pinkish that's all) and the potatoes were burnt and the veggies were still a bit hard, but hey to a student this is luxury :P It took us like an hour and a half to cook though so this probably isn't something I'm going to do again for a while!
Making Indian curry!
I didn't get many 'before' photos but we basically just cut up the chicken, carrot and broccoli and poured it into a pan with the sauce that we bought.
This is rice. I've never tried boiling rice in a saucepan before. It turned out not too bad, a bit tending towards the porridge side rather than rice but that was just fine by me since the curry was spicy :P
Tada! Me eating spicy Indian curry - now I'm a 'real Asian' xD
Besides the obvious fact that it was spicy, it was actually pretty good! A little bit less salty than I would have liked but less salt is good for you! Plus the sauce was bought so that wasn't our fault.
A few other things I've been eating since I've been here (not cooked by me):
I really have no idea why the picture is the wrong way up but I can't be bothered flipping it the right way so! This is barbecue pork + beancurd and veggies on rice at the Malaya Cafe just outside of Caulfield campus. I swear there are no other good places to eat there, honestly - they're all either expensive or cafe/coffeehouse types. This plate cost me 8 bucks. You'd actually be surprised how many Chinese/Asian food stores there are around Melbourne.
My warm chicken salad at some restaurant in Federation Square. Very yummy!
I don't know if this is called Seafood Linguini, but it was from the same restaurant as above. Looked good on paper, was tasteless in real life.
Churros, a type of Spanish doughnut. This one was filled with milk chocolate. In hindsight, it might have been nicer if I'd thought to bring it home and heat it up, but cold it was just yucky.
This is a typical small plate. The plate is very small and they pile it high with stuff. Again costs about 8 bucks for noodles, veggies and chicken and Mongolian beef. Not too bad honestly if you don't think about the conversion rate (because then you'd starve).
And the one thing it took a while to get used to...
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Salty popcorn - very weird lor!
