Light at the end of the tunnel
Ironically as the date draws nearer to the time of my going back, I can't help but get more emo because I know that I'm so close to going home yet I'm not there yet, and there are all these assignments and exams that I have to get out of the way first but once the idea has been planted in my mind about going home it seems to be all I can think about.
I can't concentrate on writing my essay because my heart's not in it - who really wants to write about working class England when they're missing their family and friends?
I have to find a way to toughen up, though, because I came here for a reason. If I fail in my studies then the separation all these months will have been for nothing. If I am going to be separated from the people I love I want it to at least count for something.
Don't worry, though. I'm coming home soon. :)
To Mummy, with love.
It's the 9th of May today (well, technically the 10th for me now) and the second Sunday of May..which means it's Mother's Day.
I think this is probably the first Mother's Day where I haven't been around to celebrate it with my mother at home. Usually without fail we give her a present every year (whether or not she ends up using it) or even at least a card. I felt weird deciding not to send over one this year (for fear it would end up lost) so I guess a blog post will have to do instead! (And that's if she ever reads this blog anyway). I decided not to put a picture up because writing this post is already making me emo, and I have an essay to finish.
So Mummy, if you're reading this..
Happy Mother's Day. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye and maybe I don't say it enough, but you are the best mother anyone could ever ask for. I miss you, Daddy and Kai Hui so much and I really want to hurry up and finish studying here so I can come home. Australia is such a lovely place but it's nothing without all of you here too. I hope Kai Hui got you a present on my behalf!
(If not I'm not bringing you your cookies and cream, bro :P)
Otherwise I'll bring something for you and Daddy (for Father's Day) when I go home. I don't know what it is yet but it won't be anything with a koala or a kangaroo.
I miss you, and maybe I'll talk to you soon.
Happy Mother's Day.
Updates on my life
There is another 3 hour break until my next class, and I am dead bored and sleepy.
I should have brought my work to do, but seeing as I will have to carry this bag for the next 12 hours I figured I would save my shoulder a little soreness by not bringing it. In all fairness, at least I've read the longest article (even if I don't remember very much of it).
Melbourne is getting colder now, it was 9 degrees today (lucky for heaters) but then it warmed up a bit because the sun came out. You really appreciate the sun when it's winter, it makes a huge difference and nobody cares that much if you get sunburnt. Well, at least I don't.
I do think I like wearing winter fashion though, because you get to wear all the woollen and fluffy things and you don't even have to wash them that often. I am quite terrified of washing them though because so far even washing my normal clothes has turned up some problems (which apparently is the machine's fault, not mine) and I don't want my fluffy winter stuff to be ruined. So here's crossing my fingers that they don't get dirty for some reason.
Tonight I am going to be attending a Chocolate Booze Cruise. Yes, it's exactly what the name implies - a cruise where chocolate and booze will be had. They apparently are going to have 'fine chocolates' and 'unlimited Nutella pizza'. I anticipate that I will be quite sick of chocolate the next day. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to dress in 'party stuff' given that it'll be nighttime, windy and probably very cold. :( I have, however, brought an extra change of clothes just in case, which adds to my bag weight but can't really be helped.
Assignments are creeping up as always (there never really seems to be a break between them, I submitted my first assignments not even a month ago) this month is particularly horrible, with an assignment due literally every week. I suppose it's better than having them all at once, still. I have noticed that most events seem to happen around this time, like the Monash Residences Ball which is happening the day before my Journalism assignment is due. I don't know if the organisers have a completely different assignment schedule to mine or if they're using it as an excuse to procrastinate. Possibly both, actually.
I have found a very pretty red dress, red heels and a red fascinator (which I shall henceforth call 'the hat thing') to wear to the ball. Before you people in Malaysia freak out, they were purchased from a DFO (direct factory outlet) so they weren't THAT expensive, even when you convert back. :P
Let's do a tally:
At a rate of 1AUD = RM3:
Red dress - AUD 46 - RM 138
Red shoes - AUD 37 - RM 111
Red fascinator - AUD 7.50 - RM 22.5
Total AUD 90.50 RM 271.50
Okay..I guess it's a little bit more than how much you would normally spend for a ball in Malaysia, but let's face it..AUD 90 is good for probably 2 weeks of groceries and that's about it. RM271 could buy you two weeks of groceries for a family of 4 - there's a difference between how money is valued here and how money is valued at home.
Plus I like my dress >:( Its original value was AUD200 okay!
I haven't really been cooking too much lately, or anything new for that matter. I want to try cooking fish at some point, but fish is a bit more expensive than chicken or beef and freshness is more of an issue with that than other meats, so I haven't really dared try yet. I have gotten the frozen fish (the kind you eat in fish and chips) so I guess at least I'll be getting the fish part of my diet, even if it isn't a very healthy one. I also discovered that they sell the same type of garlic butter here that we use at home, so I have been eating a lot of garlic bread for breakfast. Good way to use my bread!
I am not happy with my exam timetable (a single exam on the 28th when study break starts on the 6th of June. I mean, really?!) but there's nothing I can do about it, so I suppose I'll use the time to learn new recipes or explore new places in Melbourne. Holidays are always good.
I am excited, though, about being able to go home (even if it's only for a little over two weeks) after my exam. I feel slightly bad about the fact that it'll cost somewhere around RM3000 for the return flight and I'm only going back for such a short time, but the more selfish part of me is happy to be going home. There really isn't a substitute for it and sometimes it's hard to watch some of the Australian students go home every week.
I'm sorry I'll (narrowly) miss your birthday, Woei Lin, but I'll get you something from Australia! What do you want? :P
You all know where to find me, though, whether I'm in Australia or not.
Facebook! xD
