Had my first real Halloween experience in UK last night. I had only read or heard of the pumpkins and fancy dress parties before. Never expected the city to be filled with Batmans, witches, angels, hooded monsters, devils, etc. Not to mention cross-dressers and pumpkins floating around. Some were really creative, I would say.
An invitation to a Halloween party organized by someone in another lab was circulated a week ago. But I did not attend it since I do not know the organiser personally. Instead I joined a Spanish labmate to witness the celebration of the Samhuinn Fire Festival.
Samhuinn or Samhain means summer's end. The annual festival is to celebrate the Celtic New Year, where winter/darkness arrives to replace summer/light. For the celebration this year, there was a procession along the Royal Mile. It stopped at the Parliament Square where a series of dances, rituals, and fire were accompanied by rhythmic drumbeats.
It was an interesting performance. Unfortunately, I missed out on a lot as the crowd was big and there were many tall people standing in front of me. How I wished I was on super high-heels or back as a kid so I could sit on my parents' shoulders :p
Happy Halloween!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Great 'tactic'
The research group I am currently attached to is an ensemble of different nationalities. From locals to French, German, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Hungarian.. and of course the latest addition, a Malaysian.
And there are so many different accents circulating in the lab.
There is this labmate who I always have problem understanding. In the beginning, I kept asking him to repeat himself. So I decided to change 'tactic' by concentrating hard everytime he spoke and listened for KEYWORDs to make out what he's trying to say.
Did it improve the communication between us?
Well, just the other day, he told me he wanted to take a short break for a workout in the GYM.
And I thought he wanted to leave for home early because he's not feeling well due to the GERM.
And there are so many different accents circulating in the lab.
There is this labmate who I always have problem understanding. In the beginning, I kept asking him to repeat himself. So I decided to change 'tactic' by concentrating hard everytime he spoke and listened for KEYWORDs to make out what he's trying to say.
Did it improve the communication between us?
Well, just the other day, he told me he wanted to take a short break for a workout in the GYM.
And I thought he wanted to leave for home early because he's not feeling well due to the GERM.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Back to school: Day 1
Today was my first day back to school....
Student status.... sounds so young! :p
And I had such a fruitful day! :)
Met the officer in charge of my scholarship, had a short discussion with my supervisor and met labmates. This was not the first time I met them, as I came here a few months ago for the scholarship interview. Everybody has been so nice, friendly and helpful. Got my personal space, workbench and computer setup too. I have a very positive feeling about my new working environment :)
Registered and got my student card. With it, I can use the shuttle bus to the city centre free of charge. Thank goodness for that. My legs have been aching with all the walking these few days :p
Went to the bank too. Had initially wanted to open an account. But the minimum deposit required was 5000 pounds! Wow! Do even the poorest people here have at least that amount? So those with only 4999.99 have to stack their cash under their pillows? :p
Of course, student can still open an account with an introductory letter from the university.
And something happened while I was walking in the city centre. The sole of my shoe (the only pair that I have with me here) came off! At first, only a small part came off. So I had to drag and limp all the way, while making this flapping sound. I wonder what passers-by made of that. And right before I turned the corner into my flat, the whole sole came off! Sigh....
However, I still consider this a great day! Because of all the little things that I managed to do today!
Well, gotta stop now as I want to watch the first episode of 'Beyond the Realm of Conscience' :p
Student status.... sounds so young! :p
And I had such a fruitful day! :)
Met the officer in charge of my scholarship, had a short discussion with my supervisor and met labmates. This was not the first time I met them, as I came here a few months ago for the scholarship interview. Everybody has been so nice, friendly and helpful. Got my personal space, workbench and computer setup too. I have a very positive feeling about my new working environment :)
Registered and got my student card. With it, I can use the shuttle bus to the city centre free of charge. Thank goodness for that. My legs have been aching with all the walking these few days :p
Went to the bank too. Had initially wanted to open an account. But the minimum deposit required was 5000 pounds! Wow! Do even the poorest people here have at least that amount? So those with only 4999.99 have to stack their cash under their pillows? :p
Of course, student can still open an account with an introductory letter from the university.
And something happened while I was walking in the city centre. The sole of my shoe (the only pair that I have with me here) came off! At first, only a small part came off. So I had to drag and limp all the way, while making this flapping sound. I wonder what passers-by made of that. And right before I turned the corner into my flat, the whole sole came off! Sigh....
However, I still consider this a great day! Because of all the little things that I managed to do today!
Well, gotta stop now as I want to watch the first episode of 'Beyond the Realm of Conscience' :p
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Back to Ground Zero
Going back to the life of a student again starting tomorrow....
Have a mixed feeling of excitement and worry...
Excited over a new life, new experience, new culture, new friends....
Worried because I have left student life for quite some time... even though I have never really left university :p
Maybe I'll have more time to blog compared to the past 10 months.
Now that I am far from home, thanks to internet connection, I can still hold on to things that are familiar, which is what I've been doing these few days....
1. Signing in to messenger early in the morning... because that would be the only time friends back home are awake :p
2. Listening to local (ooopss... it's no longer local to me...), I mean Malaysian radio stations online albeit the late night show :p
3. Watching TVB drama series! Looking forward to the new series 'Beyond The Realm of Conscience (宮心計). The plot would be something like 'War and Beauty' (金枝慾孽). The series will be aired starting tomorrow. In the meantime, I am watching Off Pedder (畢打自己人), which is only 20 minutes each episode. One good thing about this drama series is that each episode has a different story, so I do not have to start watching from the beginning. It's already up to episode 253!
Will be back on track very soon....
Have a mixed feeling of excitement and worry...
Excited over a new life, new experience, new culture, new friends....
Worried because I have left student life for quite some time... even though I have never really left university :p
Maybe I'll have more time to blog compared to the past 10 months.
Now that I am far from home, thanks to internet connection, I can still hold on to things that are familiar, which is what I've been doing these few days....
1. Signing in to messenger early in the morning... because that would be the only time friends back home are awake :p
2. Listening to local (ooopss... it's no longer local to me...), I mean Malaysian radio stations online albeit the late night show :p
3. Watching TVB drama series! Looking forward to the new series 'Beyond The Realm of Conscience (宮心計). The plot would be something like 'War and Beauty' (金枝慾孽). The series will be aired starting tomorrow. In the meantime, I am watching Off Pedder (畢打自己人), which is only 20 minutes each episode. One good thing about this drama series is that each episode has a different story, so I do not have to start watching from the beginning. It's already up to episode 253!
Will be back on track very soon....
Friday, October 16, 2009
Home-sick already
I don't know how to start this.
The condition of my new home is not what I expected. The previous occupant of my room was a guy, who left a lot of junk and even leftover food in the room before he left. I'm lucky, however, that I have a very nice housemate who shows me around and helps me clean up. At least, the room is more presentable now. But the wall and carpet are dark in colour, making the room a little dark and eerie. Some parts of the wall have paint peeling off..... The wardrobe smells damp. I thought I'd seen worst when I stayed in the university hostel last time....
The house is old. Only either the central heating system or the water heater can be turned on at one time. Hope I'd get through winter nicely.
Miss home. Family. Friends.
Internet connection is so important now. It's like the only connection to the people I know. But there's still time difference.
This is not my first time away from home. Not my first time experiencing change. And they say practice makes perfect. But I don't like it any more than I did last time.
I know it's just the transition period. Hope it'd pass very very soon.
The condition of my new home is not what I expected. The previous occupant of my room was a guy, who left a lot of junk and even leftover food in the room before he left. I'm lucky, however, that I have a very nice housemate who shows me around and helps me clean up. At least, the room is more presentable now. But the wall and carpet are dark in colour, making the room a little dark and eerie. Some parts of the wall have paint peeling off..... The wardrobe smells damp. I thought I'd seen worst when I stayed in the university hostel last time....
The house is old. Only either the central heating system or the water heater can be turned on at one time. Hope I'd get through winter nicely.
Miss home. Family. Friends.
Internet connection is so important now. It's like the only connection to the people I know. But there's still time difference.
This is not my first time away from home. Not my first time experiencing change. And they say practice makes perfect. But I don't like it any more than I did last time.
I know it's just the transition period. Hope it'd pass very very soon.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
In the last 10 months...
I have reached the closing of yet another chapter. Gonna start a new one tomorrow.....
Looking back at the last 10 months, it's been a great and memorable one.
Managed to do all the things I promised myself to do at the beginning of this chapter...
Yoga class....
Dancing class.... learning rumba, samba and jive....
Healthy lifestyle and home-cooked meal everyday...
Spending time at home with family and meeting old friends once in a while...
Met a lot of nice people at work.... how fast everyone bonded.... transforming from total strangers to a big family who helped one another out.... working and playing together... complaining together...
Our first waterfall outing in May...
Taken in July when we took pictures around campus.... the three of us shared an office, always chatting and laughing together...
A combination of different types of personality... and yet we have a lot of great time together...
Our second waterfall outing in August
Looking back at the last 10 months, it's been a great and memorable one.
Managed to do all the things I promised myself to do at the beginning of this chapter...
Yoga class....
Dancing class.... learning rumba, samba and jive....
Healthy lifestyle and home-cooked meal everyday...
Spending time at home with family and meeting old friends once in a while...
Met a lot of nice people at work.... how fast everyone bonded.... transforming from total strangers to a big family who helped one another out.... working and playing together... complaining together...
Our first waterfall outing in May...
Taken in July when we took pictures around campus.... the three of us shared an office, always chatting and laughing together...
A combination of different types of personality... and yet we have a lot of great time together...
Our second waterfall outing in August With this, I officially announce the closing of this chapter.
Farewell lunch
Colleagues in my department organised a farewell lunch for me yesterday at the Chinese restaurant in the hotel.
It was still a working day for them while I was already on leave. And yet they still found time out of their busy schedule for the lunch. Even the dean and an admin staff were present. Really touched.
They presented me with a few meaningful gifts..... a card signed by everybody..... a framed and signed group photo of everyone during our last trip to the waterfall..... and a framed photo taken at Kellie's Castle a few days ago..... really love the gifts.... there could be no better gifts....
It was a short lunch... but we managed to take some pictures and joked around. Some had to leave early to attend meetings and other duties. The time to bid everyone farewell had to come though.....
The Head of Department presenting me the group photo...
Female colleagues.....
That's the group photo I'm holding... as if we're taking a prisoner's snapshot :p
The special gifts....
Gonna miss them.....
It was still a working day for them while I was already on leave. And yet they still found time out of their busy schedule for the lunch. Even the dean and an admin staff were present. Really touched.
They presented me with a few meaningful gifts..... a card signed by everybody..... a framed and signed group photo of everyone during our last trip to the waterfall..... and a framed photo taken at Kellie's Castle a few days ago..... really love the gifts.... there could be no better gifts....
It was a short lunch... but we managed to take some pictures and joked around. Some had to leave early to attend meetings and other duties. The time to bid everyone farewell had to come though.....
The Head of Department presenting me the group photo...
Female colleagues.....
That's the group photo I'm holding... as if we're taking a prisoner's snapshot :p
Group photo....
The special gifts....Gonna miss them.....
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