Coming back

I've not exactly made good on my promise to update my blog more regularly :P

It's just that so many things have been going on that I've not had the energy to do much... I shall perhaps write a brief recap here, that will not do the events any justice but it's just better than nothing... (I'm feeling like I'm sounding like one of my friends but that's another story...).

Hmmm... the biggest thing that happened was of course my theatre performance :D No words can describe what kind of experience this has been. The intense periods brought with them times of utter joy and moments when I was so touched and overcome with emotion that I couldn't help but cry. The content of the play we performed had a hand in this, I think, because it made us, or me at least, confront so many hidden things in me. And now I would like to think that the cast and crew of Living with Lady Macbeth share a very special bond because of all we've been through as a group. I learnt so much from everyone involved and I certainly hope I contributed my share.

Thanks to Annie's camera :)

Another event that I participated in was a trip we organized to Lamma Island together with a lot of the exchange students. It was a very pleasant time being out and about, despite the fact that I kinda got "tricked" into hiking up a "refreshing" trail. Yeah, right. Anyway, I was happy because I got to eat lots of seafood, which I love. Hehehehehe.... 

And just slightly before that, I finally participated in an outing with the Photography Society I joined since last semester. We went to a village which was about to be demolished because the Government was reclaiming it for an MTR project. And because these things never happen without meeting any resistance and unfairness, we walked into a place that looked torn down and ravaged. We were asked to think about what we wanted to capture, and the emotions we felt, if any. It was a new experience because I saw photography for a specific purpose that day.

In between all that, was all the times I gathered with my friends just having some food (sushi or McD mostly) and chatting down at the Learning Commons. Topics were so random they ranged from food allergies to drunken incidents to relationships and friendships and old school stories. Laughed till there were tears in my eyes. Good times. 

Now, I need to settle down, and calm myself. Out of all my subjects, I have probably only been making sense of one or two of them, and skimming the surface of all the others. First exam next Tuesday. OH MYYYY.... Ok, breathe.

I will be back.

Sonnet

We were asked to read some poems for our coming Literature class, and one of them particularly resonated with me...

Sonnet
by Edna St Vincent Millay

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,
And last year's leaves are smoke in every lane;
But last year's bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide.
There are a hundred places where I fear
To go, - so with his memory they brim.
And entering with relief some quiet place
Where never fell his foot or shone his face
I say, "There is no memory of him here!"
And so stand stricken, so remembering him.

Restart

I looked at the number of blog posts I wrote in 2010 - 4. Hahahahaha! I cannot believe myself.

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It's ten days into the new year now, a year which I passed peacefully in a place I'm wondrously beginning to be familiar with. My new semester has begun, with seemingly heavier workloads and stricter professors. I feel like I have not even wrapped my head around last semester's stuff yet before this new semester came, bombarding me with tons of new information.

I'm going to work at updating my blog, for the sake of my dear family and friends who are not with me, so they can know what's going on in my life. Not sure what exactly to write now, but felt I need to start posting something first. Hahaha... What shall I talk about? Shall I talk about my studies first?

The subjects I'm taking this semester are:

1. Introduction to Literary Studies I

2. English Grammar 1

3. Sociolinguistics

4. Teaching & Learning

5. Human Intimacy: Friendship, Dating & Marriage

6. Access English (*grrrr*)

I've no idea when the results for the previous semester will be released. I suppose I'll do ok, trying not to raise my hopes high because there was some work I wasn't satisfied with, but also some which I thought was ok. And resolution for this new semester, together with a couple of my classmates, is researching and starting our assignments EARLY so we don't become deadline fighters again like last semester =.=

As for the church life, I really enjoy and appreciate the Christ among the brothers and sisters here. I'm currently attending the Lord's Table on Saturday night with young working saints and campus saints in Shatin. There's also an English home meeting I attend on Wednesdays. The Lord has shown me much grace in preserving me in the Body, where there is mutual love, shepherding and encouragement as we seek to be constituted and built up together. I'm also practicing and learning to serve with the guitar. May the Lord continue to direct my paths in the coming days....

From Shatin, Hong Kong

Checking in from Shatin, Hong Kong so that people back home won't think that I've forgotten them :P

After packing, putting clothes into vacuum bags, taking them out to repack, and doing stuff like this:

Giving teddy a bath before his journey with me. He doesn't look too happy about it...

I am now safely in Hong Kong. And I say safely because... it was quite exciting at the airport yesterday. When I took a boarding pass, I only spared it a glance without taking in any important details. And those who sent me off knows about how we took out own sweet time saying goodbyes. 

Then I finally looked properly at my boarding pass as I walked towards the departure gate. "Boarding gate closes 20 minutes before departure time." My flight was at 4.40 p.m.

It was 4.17 pm.

I brisk walked to the Immigration counter. Thank the Lord that there were no people for Malaysian passports. I heard them announcing "Final call for..." Once I was cleared, I ran down all the way and across the hall to the T9 boarding gate.

Phew! I made it, with a deserved back pain after the running with a heavy laptop bag on my back.

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After approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, there I was!

Now, I'm staying at the Hong Kong Bible Research and Education Centre, which is the place for FTTHK, and Shatin district meetings. 

Today, I just remained at this place, and helped around in the cleaning service as there is a week-long perfecting training for 350 saints from China. Taking it free and easy at the moment :)

I'll be going to the Institute tomorrow with two sisters who are also studying there. More updates and photos soon!