thankful

All I can say is, thank God for Kristy and Esmond! :) Shall elaborate more in a later post when I'm not so swamped with work. Lotsa reflections about lessons learnt and challenges identified, which qll point to God's provision.

Also thank God for the outing with the Hong Kong girls yesterday. They're really nice and I'm glad I didn't feel very out of place despite being the only Singaporean. Fifi is coming back from London tonight! Yay haha.. :) SQ will be back too, from either Sweden or San Francisco, can't remember.

I received a package from Cheh in Australia during the week too!!!!!! Thank you so much Cheh, you sure made my week! I love you lots! :) :) :)

Oh yes, something interesting happened this morning. I was stupefied by the end of summer term. Went down for breakfast at 830am, only to find Kenneth at the entrance of the dining hall, unable to get in. After knocking on the main and side entrances to no avail, we gave up and went back to our rooms. Still clueless, I went to church with Kristy at 930am and again the doors were securely shut. How odd! Everyone seems to be on strike this morning, I thought. Then the light dawned as 2 African ladies who were also standing outside the church told us that summer term has ended!! What does that mean? I wondered... Anyway, after enlightenment, it just means that the UK/Europe pushes back the clock by an hour, since the days grow shorter as the night increasingly encroaches upon it. ie daylight saving time. Haha to follow up on my train of thought, I mused, How arbitrary this daylight saving time mechanism is! Can a continent meddle with the long hands of a clock, supposedly representing order and certainty, just to suit its own agenda? Is time therefore part of our socially-constructed reality, just as the law purportedly is (as we learn in Understanding Law), which works because people collectively believe in it? Well, there's obviously more to it than that, but yeah just some food for thought here. :)

Love, Carol

Mood: all pepped up.

some physical activity

I went swimming with SQ today! I feel so good! :D Finally some strenuous physical activity since I got here. Is climbing The Downs counted? Heh it sure makes me puff and pant every morning, that hill.

Speaking of hills, I watched One Tree Hill with Baz this afternoon... It's not bad, but too much stuff on basketball.

I think I'm getting fat!!!!! Aaaaaahhh....

And reading contract law cases is just killing my eyesight. :(

Talked to Biyun last night on MSN, she's super funny!!!!!!!! I was laughing like crazy. Hehe miss you girl- your humour and extraordinarily LOUD voice. Shout to me from SIngapore! Hahaha..

I'm sorry this post is just a random mixture of events..

Good night everyone.

burdened

Teach me to pray when I am in doubt:

"But I trust in Your unfailing love;
My heart rejoices in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
for He has been good to me".

-Psalm 13:5-6

aimlessness

Some important notices:

1) My address:
Room D011 Sherwood Hall
University Park Campus
The University of Nottingham
Nottingham.
NG7 2RA
United Kingdom

Please write to me! :) I check my mailbox everyday; so you can be sure of a reply. Hehe

2) View my pictures online at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/carolannekoh
Enjoy! :)
Will post pics of my York trip soon.

Anyway, I'm quite happy because God kinda addressed my doubts.. Felt very bogged down recently- wondering what God's purpose is for me here and what I want to get out of the whole overseas experience. I seriously couldn't answer those questions! It's been almost a month since I went to England and still I don't know... So yea.. I've been feeling guilty at my lack of discipline and purpose.

Talked to Chua on MSN just now and he found it so funny because it was so obvious to him what God's purpose for me is, whereas I was completely clueless! Ahaha...
So here it is, to be the best law student I can be for God and to testify for Him! Basically to be faithful in the roles that God has laid out for me- be it a student, friend, sister or daughter. In order to please and glorify Him. :) Thanks Chua! You are wise... I know you are reading this! Hehee..

Yeah suddenly I am reminded of why I wanted to study Law- to train and sharpen my mind; also to be in a position of influence that I might point others to Him. And last night, I had a short glimpse of its benefits.. Felt very happy that I could apply the skills that I learnt to studying the Bible! :)

And personally, I only have a broad idea of what I want to take away with me at the end of the 3 years. I want to grow as a person- discover God, discover myself.. And come back a changed and better person, equipped to serve God and other people!

Let me know if you have any input! :)

Love, Carol

Good night, sleep well

My parcels from Singapore came this afternoon!!!! :)

I banged on Bazil's door (he is my corridor neighbour) to ask him to carry them for me, but it turns out that they were very light. Hehe.. Anyway, I'm so happy!!!!! :) Been faithfully checking my pigeon hole every day, on the lookout for mail and the parcel slip. So yay I'm so happy.. :)

Haha.. anyway, memorably, I opened the box to find some of the gifts friends gave at the airport- which Mummy snuck out of the carrier bag while I wasn't looking!!! Ahaha.. It was very heart-warming. :) Felt so loved, reading the poem, cards and little rolled up messages... As I read them one by one, I thought of each giver.. Faces, smiles, memories. And more than that, what the person meant to me and what I in turn mean to him/her. Felt a pang of homesickness.. I miss the people I love and the ability to be myself with them. Had dinner with my Christian Union friends at Weatherby's in Beeston... CHICKEN BRIYANI!!!! A very welcome change from horrible British fare. Heh.. Still, I was the only non-white and I felt awkward, conscious of myself and out of place at times.. Really thrown outta my comfort zone! A learning experience indeed.

Ah well.. back to my little blue box of notes. Was supposed to read them on the airplane, as Huixian directed; but it's only 3 weeks later that I actually did! Timely, since I already felt so loved at the airport and on the airplane and I'd had quite a bad week.. Sick and stressed. =sTold myself to read just one per day, so that I'll be happy for the next 20 days perhaps? But I ending up reading all!!!! Whatever happened to self-control? Flung to the wind in blissful abandon. :)

Oh well... It was a good reminder that I am loved- by family, friends and God. Yes I am loved! And not alone!

Sleep tight everyone!

Love, Carol

quickie break

Tried taking an afternoon nap; but I still feel groggy. The flu is making me so lethargic; when I am well I seriously need some exercise! Stand up and stretch! Haha.. Skipped lunch today; just thinking of the hall food quells my appetite and the LONG queues are a major turnoff. Needed to take a nap too; to sleep off the headache. Anyway, I still feel greedy... thinking of the snacks (ie chocolate, fruit bars, muffins, sandwiches etc) at the retail outlets which we can purchase with our meal cards. Ahhhh must go there to stock up tmr!!! I only have super healthy stuff on my shelves- raisins, apricots, pumpkin seeds, biscuits, tea, honey and milo. Mum and Cheh would be proud of me. :)

Candace and Nat say there's lotsa sales in the city- YAY!!!
There's this shop called TK Next or something which sells designer clothes at a fraction of the original price; I bought a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans there last week for about S$50! And I bought a 2nd hand pink duvet cover too; for about S$12 from the British Heart Foundation. Hope it makes my room look cheerier! :)

Carol

Various collages of happy memories encapsulated in time.


Always a last, lingering glance at this before I leave my room :)

Gao Jia!

A peek into my life

After reading James' blog, I feel inspired to post pictures and update friends about my life overseas too. And of course, being reminded time and again by friends who want to see my room spurs this entry as well. Which is long overdue! :) It's been an exhilarating experience so far! And I think writing it down/blogging helps to keep me thankful. (Have to admit I haven't been faithful in either! =s)

Alrighty, here's a sneak peek into my life in England!

I'm sorry the 1st pic is the sink. Not terribly exciting.. hehh

So grateful to have this in my room- My own sink!

My bed, with the furry pillow I hug to sleep! (given by the YA)

Nice and full :) Some of the cards and notes that I cherish.
Front view of my room

calling home

I feel so excited whenever I dial all the lengthy numbers and when the operator says, "Please hold while we connect your call." :) Just called home and talked abit to Kor. He just got his new car today!!!!! Happening!! :) Heard it's really hazy in Singapore now and that alot of people are ill. Naughty Indonesian famers setting off forest fires! Haha.. I will pray that the Lord will keep my fanily and friends safe and well.

My fresher's flu is getting better; sore throat is almost gone thanks to the honey water and apple cider vinegar. Just have runny nose and a throbbing head; which is really not conducive to studying. I really enjoy what I'm studying though! It's really stimulating. Moreover, Law is always what I wanted to do so yes, I give thanks that I'm given the opportunity to learn it... :)

Okie gtg for a picnic at Wollaton Park! Heheoverseas life is really exciting. Gwen, my French friend, will be helping me and my friend Fidelia plan our France tour in Decemeber! It's really nice of him. :)

Love, Carol

1st law lecture!

Listening to Rod Stewart now- his songs remind me of Mummy and Daddy. :) And of watching the live DVD at home. I feel so nostalgic.. Have I Told You Lately?

Had my first law lecture today!! At 9am in the morning; Fidelia was so worried when she didn't see me at breakfast. Why? Because I was sooo exhausted; some prankster set off the fire alarm TWICE at 4am last night. Again! A few nights ago, it wailed THRICE at 3am. It's really horrible; not just the screaming siren but the huddling in the cold outside in your pyjamas. Brrr brrr!! I'm so glad for the warm duckling socks Cheh and Mark sent from Australia and the fleece pyjama top I bought at Beeston. (A nearby neighbourhood that has many charity shops) The weather is getting colder; it's the wind that really gets to me though. Chilly...

Oh yes, about the law lecture.. I didn't understand practically everything the lecturer was saying!!! Oh my gosh.. It was about Law of Contract, which I know nuts about and I was soo lost! Had a really bad headache after that, worrying that I couldn't keep up etc.. Yeah and then there was another lecture at 5pm so we had to do some readings on cases.. By the time I got back from some induction meeting for vlounteering, it was 3pm and my headache was getting worse because I hadn't started on my readings!!! Argh... But instead of worrying more, I prayed that God would give me wisdom and understanding; that the Holy Spirit would illuminate my mind and finally, that I would finish the readings by 430pm. And praise the Lord; the light dawned and I managed to understand and cover the material in time. During the lecture, I actually understood what was going on! Yeah! Praise the Lord! :)

Indeed, "The Lord will hear when I call to him"- Psalm 4:3
Sunday service's memory verse.. Was so happy to be in church on SUnday morning.. Really felt strengthened and uplifted. Read Psalm 18! :)

Love, Carol