Monday, 24 June 2013

Everything Happens For a Reason



I believe that everything happens for a reason and it is God's will to make everything happen the way it is be it good or bad. I wanted to write this post because I really feel strongly about this after what happened recently. Actually it's not really about that one event but also about everything that I encountered so far. I really never thank God enough for all the blessings that he had given me for the past 23 years of my life. Ok. You guys might think that I'm super fake but I really do mean it. Let me tell you what happened and you'll know why....

Before I came to Sydney, I actually wanted to stay in Unilodge. I emailed them to ask if there were any rooms available (FYI. I started looking for my accommodation 1 month before I came over). And to my dismay, the rooms were all fully booked. Therefore, out of desperation, I decided to stay in Urbanest and paid for my deposit as Urbanest also only had 2 rooms left. However, a few days after I confirmed my room, Unilodge actually emailed me and told me that there are rooms available. I felt quite wasted at first because I couldn't do anything about it, as I already paid my deposit and I can't take it back if I were to cancel my bookings. And Urbanest's rent is really more expensive as compared to Unilodge. I remembered complaining to Wanyin because of the lost of opportunity and she just calmly told me (she is always very calm to begin with. haha.), 'It's God's will.' And now I understand why it's God's will to arrange for me to stay in Urbanest instead.

Those of you staying in Sydney should have heard of the news that Unilodge caught fire on Sunday night at 4am in the morning. And those staying there couldn't go back to their rooms after the fires were being put out until Tuesday. And because it was 4am in the morning, most of the people were wearing pajamas and they don't have a single cent with them. I was quite surprised after hearing the news because if I were to stay there, I'll be homeless now. I was quite thankful and happy that I actually stayed in Urbanest instead. I'm not trying to be sarcastic or what, but I feel that I'm really lucky in the sense that I actually managed to 逃过一劫. And also, during the day of the fire, I was actually at Chanya's house. If I were to stay there and the place caught fire, I am actually safe because I am in Chanya's house and I have all my important belongings with me. So it's like a double blessings for me.

Another blessing for me will be to know Natasha in Urbanest =) She is the 1st friend whom I met in Urbanest that I can hang out with. If I don't stay in Urbanest, I'll probably be friendless even until now. I'll be super lonely and sad everyday without company. And I wouldn't have a study mate who is willing to wake me up at 7am everyday just so that we can go to the library to reserve seats at 8am in the morning (I know we're crazy right??? Haha.) I really thank God for her.

And of course, my uni friends and my JC friends in Singapore. If I were to go to Australia straight after my A levels, I wouldn't have known my uni friends and I wouldn't know how awesome they are =) If my results are better for O levels and go to another JC, I wouldn't know my awesome JC friends.

I guess I should be more thankful about what I have then to complain about what what I don't have =)

Monday, 10 June 2013

Pancake on the Rocks

Hello people!!!

When I feel like having nice dinner, this place will be the 1st thing that comes to my mind. I have been here for 3 times and I'm sure I'll go back there again. And it's only a 10 mins walk from my house. Haha. That place is Pancakes on the Rocks!!! I'm sure most of you who had been to Australia have heard of this place before. Their 1st branch is at the Rocks, which I haven't been there yet. But their franchise at darling harbour is as good. I think those people come to Sydney really should try that. It's really deabak!!! So far, all the dishes that I ate was awesome. 

I guess I don't have to tell you what it's about because the name says it all. It's PANCAKES!!! They do have main dish too but most of the time, people go there for their pancakes. My aim is to try all the pancakes which are in the menu before I graduate. I guess it's not that difficult since I always have cravings for it and it's so near that I can just walk there. Haha. 

Pancakes on the Rocks
229/230 Harbourside Shopping Centre
Darling Harbour, NSW
#1 Chicken & Bacon Pizza: I think the pizza is awesome!!! I like the combination of the pizza with the sour cream. Super nice.
#2 Chicken & Mushroom Crepe + Wedges: I love both of them!!! Oh and the crepe is hard and not the soft kind. I think it added the crunchiness to the plain chicken and mushroom inside. The combination is damn good.
#3 Devils Delight: This is the bomb!! If you are a chocolate lover, you should try it. I am not really a fan of chocolate but I think it's damn nice!!!
#4 Blackforest Cherry: I guess it's the same as the devils delight, just that they combined with blueberry instead of strawberry. But it's still nice.
#5 Bananarama: This is the 1st pancake I tried and I only managed to finish one quarter of it. Not that it's not nice but when I 1st came, my appetite was super small. But now, it's a different story altogether. Haha.


Thursday, 6 June 2013

Out of my Comfort Zone

Hello people!!!

Time passes so fast!!! It's my last week of school in Sydney before my final exam. It feels like I just came here yesterday. 

For the past few months, I had been living alone without my family members and it's really my 1st time staying away from home for so long without my family. Since I was young, I am a very dependent person. I always depend on people to help me with everything in my life. When I'm hungry and nobody is at home, I'll rather starve or just eat some snacks while waiting for my mom to buy food back for me. I won't even bother to walk out of my house to buy lunch for myself. Like what Amelia says, our generation is too pampered already. No, should say our parents pampered us because they want to give us the best for everything. 

I don't know what came to my mind that I want to learn to be independent and I insisted to come Sydney to study ALONE without my friends, without my maid and most importantly, without my family members. Actually I was planning to go overseas to study since 18 after I got my A levels result (partly it's because I can't get into the local university). But back then, my parents, especially my dad thought that I was too young to take care of myself. Hence, I stayed in Singapore to complete my bachelor degree. After I finished my bachelor, I really wanted to experience life overseas. Hence, I insisted to come over here to study and my dad eventually relented. 

When I first came, I really don't know what to do because I felt really lost. My parents came with me for the 1st week to help me to settle down but left after. Hence, for my 1st week alone, I really felt helpless and depressed. I was thinking to myself whether I made the right choice of coming. I have no friends and this environment really felt different to me. I stayed at home everyday for the 1st week as I don't want to go out alone to eat and walk around alone. I remembered I just broke down and cried while skyping my mom because I was so bored that I kept thinking that I want to go home. Like I said, I am a very dependent person. But after I came here, I got no choice. I have to do things ALONE. I totally have NO ONE to depend on. Which I really dreaded it. 

I remembered asking Chanya how did she survived when she 1st went to Melbourne (She went to Monash to study after A levels.) She told me bluntly that I just have to suck it up. She then asked me if I regretted coming here. Actually at that moment, I really cannot answer her. Part of me says yes but another part of me says no.  But now, I am 100% sure that I would say NO. I didn't regret coming here. Yes, the 1st week can be really bad but eventually I really learnt a lot and I think I did many things that I thought I wouldn't do or don't do before. OMG. The more I thought of it, the more I feel proud of myself *pats myself at the back*. I already made a list of the things I achieved here and there's really more to come. 

Anyways, I came to a conclusion that I really enjoyed myself for the past few months and I really learnt a lot. I would say that it's a good thing for me to go out of my comfort zone and look at the world from a different perspective. Like my tutor says, we must treasure our experience here because how many times in your lifetime are you able to experience living in another country for a period of time? I think there's many people with the same experience thinks the same as me. You can share your experience and your thoughts with me so that I can learnt through your experience =)