Am I in the countryside?:

I come from a city...a dense one, where there's skyscrapers and its bustling at any hour of the day. However, I like to think of myself as not such a city, city person, choosing to go on holidays away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Revelation arrived...the evidence:

1. My classmate (here in Newcastle), came in to class with a tray of eggs and asked "anyone want to buy a tray of eggs for $4?" and I thought...geez why is she selling eggs from the supermarket here? and its not much cheaper than the supermarket if she's trying to get rid of them. The English girl next to me bought the eggs from the lady and then i realised that those were eggs from her chickens!

2. Another day, my classmate came in to class, with bakchoy from her backyard

3. Another day, one classmate said she wanted to rear ducks and a lady brought duck eggs in for her...(of course, from her backyard/farm I assume) to incubate for the next 5 weeks and they will hatch into ducklings. 

4. I was talking to a classmate about the lady who brought in eggs...going "She has chickens!.." and my classmate said "Yeah, so do I! and I plant my own pumpkin, tomato, watermelon, chillis...."

5. We were discussing in class about bringing students to the zoo and teachers have to be aware of the safety issue of letting students near the kangaroos..and a classmate went "Oh!, my kids are fine, we have Kangaroos in our backyard"

6. A classmate mentioned when we first introduced each other last semester saying she has a degree in management...and I just realised that its management, majoring in horses (there's a technical term for it, which I forgot)

7. We were talking one day in school about what we did over the weekend...my classmate went "Oh yah we chopped down a tree in our backyard and cleared it out.."

So...I think I am a city kid..and it might be a while before I can turn into a countryside person, I HATE the little patch of grass in my backyard and we have been thinking about building a patio over it and getting rid of ALL the grass. Of course, I am developing thoughts of planting my own tomatoes and chillis..but chickens? nah

In between:

I have been telling some of my friends in school its so hard to have real close friends here...friends I have from NTU, going out with you after school, chilling and partying after the exams etc. In my course, its 2 groups of people, the old pple in their late 30s-40s with their family and the really young ones who are 23, fresh out from Uni (there just arent anyone who's in their late 20s). Funnily enough I see  myself interacting and bonding with the matured group of people, rather than the young 23 year olds. I guess I am 28, with the heart of a 40 year old, talking about kids, supermarket discounts, sales, cooking, cleaning the house and sleeping at 9pm...

On my very first day of school, at the international orientation I  met a couple of 17 year olds from Malaysia, China and HK. They live with a homestay cos they arent 18 yet, they need a guardian...and when I asked them if they wanted to go for RPM class at 5.30 at the gym, they told me its too late..I went, ?!????!! Its not late if you are going out for dinner till 10 but its late if gym class ends at 6.30? I don't see the logic. 

Anyway, I went swimming with the 17 year olds for the very first time on Friday...and that tired me out. (I don't really do things slowly...I don't spend 15 mins in the shower and an additional 20 minutes changing).

We/ They spent 15 mins changing, then 10 mins discussing about wearing a Tshirt and jeans over their swimming costume to walk from the changing room to the pool because they were too paiseh to be in a swimming costume, then another 10 mins at the poolside getting undressed and putting on their goggles and swimming cap, then another 5 mins picking a lane out and actually entering the water. It doesn't help that one of the girls couldnt swim and I ended up teaching and guiding her and froze in the pool due to the lack of movement...so I left to go for RPM class. The 17 year olds wanted to go cycling too and slowly exited the water...I knew that class was at 5.30 and I didnt want to be late so I towelled dry my hair and changed...BUT, they had to shower (WHY?!?!?! you are going to perspire from RPM!) and was slowly blow drying their hair...I left, telling them the direction of where the class is. 

They never made it to class...when RPM was over, I saw them still in the changing room, changing of course and they told me they walked around the gym, looking for the cycle zone!!!

Me: why didnt you ask the counter where the class is?

Them: We didnt know what to ask...

Me: Erm, RPM?

Them: Oh...but we didnt know what to ask and didnt dare.

I forgot what its like to be 17...I need to  be more patient cos they are the only Asian friends I have here that I can practise my Mandarin with...and then I realise how laopok my Mandarin is when I get stuck with words, using english/singlish and the PRC girl do not understand what I have said...but thank god for the Malaysian, who will translate for me. :) 

My Holidays Dec 2010:

Headed to Aust - namely Newcastle for nearly 2 weeks in Dec.  It was good to be back in Sydney again, with the clear blue skies familiar, yummy food and good to know that nothing has changed! Caught up with a couple of friends back and it was great seeing everyone doing so well!

Jason satisfied my food crave by bringing me to Misschu once i landed for scallop and prawn dumplings :P before heading back to Newcastle. 

The familiar Sydney Harbour Bridge

Newcastle's the same, same old beautiful beach..went out for a stroll on a not so sluggish day and caught the sunset decided to put my camera to good use.

The beach - Merewether.  Awesome isnt it?

The sky was painted such a pretty orangey red...had to zoom out to the beachin the evening to take more pictures!

The Merewether swimming pool..outdoor i.e.

Good to see that Jason is the same old...not so normal fellow.  I opened the fridge to get eggs and was greeted by these funny faces on the eggs.  The odd things this man does to brighten up his day.

Part of my Australia trip encompassed a U2 concert! I always knew who U2 is..know a couple of their songs but is not a great fan.  But, this concert has made me a U2 convert! It was very good and meaningful.  There were issues they addressed - Africa, starving children, Aung San Suu Kyi's release etc.  The atmosphere was good - better since we had standing tickets..they sure did rocked my night.  Can't imagine that Bono is sooo old and can he sing! I guess they are kinda like the ang moh beyond, eh?