Finally Leaving After all the Hype

Yeah I am finally leaving... this would possibly be the very last time I am typing my Blog in Singapore after it has been running for 3 weeks! The next should be a brand new blog typed in Japan.
God is indeed good and I am emphasised it again even now. He granted me a prayer but it is something private so I won't share it here. But really, it was something I have been asking God for. and just as I thought it will go down the drain, He saw it coming to pass and at a very unexpected moment.
Alright guys and gals reading this. I thank those in advance who are coming to see me off. Those who can't make it, make it up to me by sending me more letters and cards!

p/s: My lugguage is super heavy. I need favour with the immigration badly! Thanks

Sniff Sniff...

I finally went to see a Doctor today after seeing some blood stains in my phlegm. Got me quite nervous. Thank God it wasn't extremely deadly. But serious enough if I hadn't seek medical attention early. Had virus infection. (and I wonder how many times have I ganna this in this year alone). What's up with my immune system man...

Ok lah.... still thank God the doctor gave me some very stong antibiotics. He says that I should be fine after this.

The happiest person is not one who has the most but one who can appreciate fully what she has.

As I was going home from the bbq yesterday, I was again recalling how blessed I am. Nowadays that's all to my blog right? Talking about how blessed I feel about this and that. Truly, if not for the fact I am leaving for Japan soon, I think I will still be quite immune to this fact.

I was just talking to my cousin before the bbq started, mumbling about me feeling a little embarassed that such a big scale gathering was organised because I was going off. Seriously I was already feeling super gulity the few days before as I know it is a lot of work to prepare for a bbq. So I was going on and on to my cousin when she simply replied, "Aiyah you need not feel guilty lah, we organised it cause we love you mah." (ok she used the word "teng"). Actually I was a little shocked to hear that, somehow words of affection are not very common in asian familes. But then that statement really touched my heart. Especially when I see other people contributing their bit to make the event a success. I must give my uncle a special mention. He is already 70+ years old. But when I went to his house to pick my aunt up for the bbq, I saw him making sandwiches single-handedly for all of us! Somemore it is all nicely cut up into halves and wrap with kitchen film. Wah, tell me how not to feel gulity. (Now I know why my cousin Eong-Sian cried during his wedding when he was thanking all of them)

Then there's my aunts who did all the marinating, desserts like konnnyaku jelly etc... My cousins buying all of the food and the equipment needed. I confess I only bought drinks.

So with guilt and blessings weighing heavily on both sides, I chose to say I am so blessed! I am blessed with wonderful family members. Rejoice! And I say again Rejoice! I haven't mention, that is just my dad's side cousins. Today, my mum's side cousins just came and she helped me pack my clothes. I am 80% done with my lugguage now.

Is blog supposed to be so long? I can't help it. I want to tell everyone I really got so many people I can thank God for. At the end of the day, I begin to understand even more why God is so merciful. Though I don't think I qualify as a super friend/family member to deserve so much affection, He did not withhold them from me. I praise God for He is good and His grace is sufficient for me.

Some after thoughts...

I think if there is one thing I want to thank God for besides my wonderful family (includes my aunties, uncles and cousins), it is the friends He has blessed me with. Though I don't always meet up with some, this upcoming trip really saw many of you out there making effort to do various things for me. Even coming to my house when I am not free to go out or coming to pick me up in their car so I could save time travelling around!

I am so blessed! Blessed with people especially friends who care and whom I care for too!

Those Were The Days...

I managed to meet up with my JC classmates and the outing was really great! I really enjoyed myself with ease in the comfort and company of this group of friends who always have a special place in my heart. Like I always tell people, JC days contains the best memories I have of schooling. JC is also a place where I found a steady, stable clique of good friends. And a special thanks to Jiashi for taking the effort to organise it! It is not just calling up so many people but she even printed everyone's name on a paper with columns beside it to track whom she had or had not contacted. I am very touched!

Ahh... I will really miss my JC classmates big time. I was just thinking about the things we have all done before some time ago. Remember how we used to make a mess out of the various competitions in school? Like the lantern making contest where we made a lantern that looked like those people burn to the deceased? haa... and also how the whole class enthusiatically volunteered to take part in the 12 hour relay in NUS- Relay For Life! Remember how we all were so onz to bring radio, tidbits and card games? Discoing the night away and then finally collapsing together in fatigue on the tennis court to chat the night through.

We had our weekly beach-volley days where everyone will come back to school with sun burns on Monday, gatherings at various eating joints, christmas party at Jaspreet's house, skipping school on tues afternoon to catch the $5 movies....and of course our erm... very different civic tutor Mr Lee. Aiyoh still got a lot leh.. cannot finish saying. Oh yah.. the classic LT 4 joke. Collapse of the 4 boys.... of course we did constructive things like training for inter-house volleyball together. Which the guys got champ and the girls got bronze.

Hiazz.... I can't help but am laughing non-stop now. At the risk sounding juvenile, 99c9 rocks! You guys are a fabulous lot!

Lovely Girls of Arts-Law 1

Yes! They are the wonderful, fabulous and terrific gals from my ex-cell in Chi Alpha!
Met up with some of the cell girls, Gwen , Gloria, Sab, Steph and Qiuyan and how I miss the familiar girlish laughter that used to fill every cell or every time when we get together. It's a girlish kind of closeness that you can't find anywhere. It's just simply sitting down together and laughing over some silly things we've done. or for the matter, laughing at someone else... haaa

But I am really glad to have met up with the girls cus I miss talking to them! Thanks girls for taking time to meet up with me and also for bringing back the warmth I always had with arts-law 1. A pity Kevin wasn't around. Though not a girl, he will always be part of the "jie-mei" gang. And yes Kevin, we did think about you! The girls miss u too!
Don't you all think this ties in with what was preached over the pulpit about cell these few weeks? I totally agree with P. Marg esp that cell is about loving and growing together in various aspects.

And thanks Gloria for the present! It is soooo pretty!!! A precious moment musical waterball! How I wish I could carry it to Japan so I can look it at everyday and play the music too... let me figure how to post pictures here so I can show off to the rest! Thanks again girl!

The Power Of Carecell

Just had my usual friday carecell but it's not the usual at all! Yesterday's cell just confirmed again how much I love my cell and how much I am going to miss them when I am away. Though I have just joined this new cell for abut 3 months, I already feel so much a part of them and that they are also a part of me. Thank God for the concept of cell! It's not just a place to have fun. But a place where you know you can be very open to a group of people who will stick with you thru thick and thin. And I affirm with what Carine prayed last night. That God's love is that super, sticky glue which binds us all closely together.

Hiazz... I will really miss everyone. will miss little Josthan too! (He's the little darling of a loving couple as well the cell.) I will miss the sincere., open sharing. The encouragements, the times of teaching and also finally yakking during refreshment time. I am going to get cell withdrawal in Japan I'm sure!

Untitled...

It's untitled because I can't think of any fanciful names to describe my week. This week is packed, packed and packed. Once again, I have going so much with every friend at every other meal. Thanks for the treat different ones of you! Oh, yes and the cards and presents too! =) But... I can't promise I will bring everything from you all to Japan. I will be detained at the customs for trying to do so. They will probably ask me to rent my own private jet. Nah... but seriously, really a deep heartfelt thank you to my friends who have been arranging outings for me and giving me treats. Those who haven't done so, continue to feel gulity ok until the sun rise. haaa..

Guess what? I went KTV again these week. Not once but twice! I feel so shuanggggggg!!!!!!!

HTML is a big mess

I really take my hat off those people who are so savvy in doing homepages etc... The html is so complicated and messy! I took such a long time trying to revamp this blog of mine. And I must add a special mention to my blog-saviour Steph!! She helped me with uploading the skin and the nice music you are hearing in the background! And also the counters... She is my "en ren" now. Haa... but she cham loh... I am going to bother her non-stop to make sure my blog is nice looking hee... Fortunately this kind soul has already offered to give me more assistance since she can pop over to my room anytime when we are in Japan.

Anyway I got an email from the Japanese side today! They say I am going to stay in Villa 4 over there. For those who are interested you can take a peep at how it looks like over at this website. http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/villa34.html.

By the way, (if Carolyn is reading it) I dreamt about visiting you in Tokyo last night! Haa... what a weird dream. I dreamt that we went swimming in murky waters after that.... Better not come true. ( I mean part 2 of the dream)

The Awakening of the Sleeping Beauty

Now I finally know what can awake Sleeping Beauty out of her slumber. Not the kiss of the prince but a trip to the KTV! and yay the sleeping beauty is me, got any problems with that?? (This is my blog you are reading so I'm the queen here! hehh...) Ok better stop it, I know the queen can get beaten up too..

Anyway, I must say KTV works wonders for me. I get excited everytime anyone ask me to go singing. Though really most of the time I would rather stay at home. I've lost count how many times I have gone on KTV trips in these few months. Mind you, it is almost a weekly event for me and my cousins. Not forgetting the occasional weekday trips with my friends who are equally fanatic over it. Need to mention your full name K-Freak?!
So the KTV trip with Kit, Kyu and Weiling yesterday again prompted another concert performance from me. Live performance and no lip sync. But sadly, I seems to be only able to sing sad songs well. Well.... I am emotional what. :p

After that was BBQ at Steph's farewell party. (She says it is just a gathering) Farewell cus, she is leaving for Japan. (with me) But the feeling was kinda funny. It didn't feel as if I was leaving too. In fact, I felt like I was also part of the group sending her off. Probably cus she is the host after all. I saw her running up and down, busy with playing host to her friends from the position where I was seated comfortably playing mahjong. Talking about that, playing mahjong with the computer is still the best, don't have to arrange tiles, bother about where to pick the tiles from and then how many "fans" to game.

The Great Organiser Revelation

I was looking through my organiser last night and gasp.... it's exactly 3 weeks to the day I leave. I remember vaguely telling my cell the first time I saw them since I joined district I still have 4 months with them. Now... It is just 3 weeks! Where did the months creep to? These 3 weeks are also packed with meeting people who wanna have a "last supper" with me. Ha, the feeling is a bit weird though. I was sending people off overseas all the time. Now it is my turn.

I had L-cell last night and I was really glad cus' the cell prayed for me. Prayers always worked wonders as it reminded me of God's goodness and providence. P. Albert also reminded me of the many challenges I might possibly faced in Japan. Thank God that He is faithful and will see me through! My friends reading this section please continue to keep me in prayers, in the area of finding a new church and settling down to find a cell/ support group.

I finally got my visa! All done and pasted into my passport. I must say the quality of the visa paper is pretty good. It looks so professionally done. Well... at least only for the part where my picture is, why does it look so similar to a photo you put on the altar... eh... I better not go on.
But anyway, this visa is still not the end of the long story. I still have to travel into Japan within 3 months and make another card named the "Alien Registration Card". Doesn't this tell you so subtlely what the Japanese thinks of the foreigners? Haa... just making snide remarks here. I am hopeful I can survive pretty well in Japan.

Went to exchange some Yen after that, the rate dropped a little! Great =) Thumbs up! I went for another round of shopping again and I think I have more or less finished with what I wanted to buy. So for people who want to buy anything for me (heh... a bit thick-skinned) but no need le. I am really fine with what I have... of cus I won't reject any charity in the form of cash!=)

Alright... I am going to pack again. Looks like this is the regular activity every night till I leave. Things just get more and more... sighzzz...

Counting Down To The Day To Leave

These few days have been a mad rush for me. I was in town almost everyday to meet up with friends I haven't seen for a long time or simply to settle the documents needed to enter Japan. And I must add that I absolutely hate going to the Japanese embassy! I was complaining to my dad non-stop that day. Why must it be located so far from the main road and somemore with the terrible heat of the day, it is really a torture to walk to and fro the embassy. The worst was, I was having a terrible stomache just as I left the embassy. Couldn't go back as the gate was locked. Ahh.... could only pray hard as I walked with my determination to reach the toilets in at Tanglin mall. Thank God! Safe and Sound. hehh... still have to go back tomorrow to collect the visa. Ah another torture in the making.

I have been trying to pack my bag everyday and asking Steph( the gal going Japan with me) what to pack. Trust me, it is not as simple as it seems (this is especially going out to my brother who said: " aiyah, some clothes and daily necessities can liao!). Imagine packing to leave home for more than a year and to a place with 4 distinct seasons. The winter clothes are enough to fill up the whole case. Think about the shoes I have to bring( for every occasion and to match every piece of clothing), the bags... and the list goes on and on and on. Then again, I thank God for the invention of the vacumn bag. Saves up to 75% of the space! And sometimes I really think I am a born sales-woman. Everytime I experience the good of a product, I will go around telling all my friends about it, memorising all the features like a good marketer. Anyone wanna hire me? Please note that I am equally honest about the drawbacks of the product as well. :p

So... if you have any good ideas to pack things or essentials I have to pack, please tell me now or forever hold your peace...