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

Arrival

Hello this is my first post from Nottingham! am in my friend's room now.. we just cooked dinner! My first Chinese meal since coming here. hehee staying over at her place tonight and then we're going to church tomorrow. Yay I'm happy because I really miss going to church on Sunday morning.

This is just a very short p0st- more to come!!!!!! :)


Love you all in Singapore,
Carol

Some group outings over the week. :)

ECP outing- had fun cycling and singing in the rain (with Justina) =D

Me and Xinxin, who has taken very good care of me! haha

All smiles- 04A54 at Marina Square

breakouts :(

So tired, preparations are really wearing me out! Headaches are back; sorry I can't meet up/cancelling on so many people.. Just 4 days to go.. Hopefully everything will be settled by then..

Anyway, spent yesterday with Mummy!! Who took off to be with me. Aww.. I felt like a tour guide, bringing her around.. Ahaha.. :) Went to 4 different places, all in a day's work. Hoho.. We discovered this really quirky, laid-back shop in Chinatown which sells so many pretty vintage-looking dresses, skirts and shoes! What a gem.. Bought a nice beachy white top there instead of the cheongsam which I was supposed to buy. Can't find any nice ones la... Cut my hair too; it looks ALOT thinner. Got a shock when I looked at the floor of the salon; it was strewn with what looked like a full head of hair. My hair!! So much gone! =(

Feel quite excited about the pending overseas study because I picked up some travel brochures of Europe yesterday... Oh my gosh, sooooooooo beautiful!!!! I can't believe I'll be actually be IN those places for real. :)) Breathtaking... I'd be totally in awe. :) Thank you Lord! Met Cathleen, the Malaysian Singaporean Society president yesterday too and a word of advice from her, "Start thinking about your Europe trip!" Hahaha.. She looks alot like Cherilyn from YA. Yeah I like her; she seems to be very helpful and sensible. :)

Gonna be a long day today... Give me strength O Lord!


Love, Carol

pre-departure musings

Started packing already, I feel a strange heaviness when I slowly strip my room of its contents. There isn't much space left to fit in things that remind me of home. *sobs* Less than a week to go! Just feeling numb and a bit depressed at times... Trying to go out less this week so that I can spend time with the family and with God.. And finish reading the Tales of the Kingdom series, which really buttresses my faith and comforts my heart, even though they're just childrens' story books. =) To the King! To the Kingdom! To the Restoration!

Met James Pang today for the IT crash course!! Yay.. I know how to use the webcam already! and Microsoft Excel too, among other things.. =D Thanks James!

Oh my gosh my sis (Dazz) is soooo funny.. I can hear her laughter all the way from the living room! She's watching My Lovely Samsoon. Ahahaha...



Love, Carol

Knowing You

All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now compared to this

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You and know as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die



This is my prayer...

reading up

Reading up on student safety in the UK now- Am quite scared that I'll get mugged or robbed. Gotta be vigilant!! There's this cool website called Immobilise where students can register all their valuables so that the it's easier for police to track them down.

Bought lotsa stuff to bring over with Mummy yesterday- which was fun. :) I'm beginning to feel independent already. Hahaha.. Only have 20kg luggage allowance, so will probably have to send boxes via Singpost. Yups, met Thong after that for dinner, listened to all his funny army stories and got him all excited about going overseas to study too. =D It'll be a White Christmas, a winter wonderland come december! Wowee! It's no harm finding out more, talking to people, reading up and widening one's perspective. Afterall, I was deadset on studying locally when I was still in JC.


Okie gonna start packing TODAY! =))

family goes to church

Am now creating a photo-sharing account at Shutterfly, in case my laptop crashes or something and all my precious pics are gone! Haha.. =D Will give u guys the website soon. I'm not sure whether I should post up the embarrassing pics though.. Need to practice some discretion. Hehee.. :)

Dazz blogged about how she visited my church on Sunday- Go check it out! hahaha..
Anyway, I'm was overjoyed when my family went down to my church, Brighton Community on Sunday. :) I was quite nervous that my parents would find the worship too loud and charismatic, and be put-off, but somehow- the songs we sung had a few traditional ones as well; Shout to the North being one of them! Praise the Lord! Haha yay my family really enjoyed the praise and worship. Dazz says the band is happening!! All right! Hahaha.. It's really interesting to see your church through the eyes of your family members; it sure gave me a fresh perspective of Brighton and made me love it more. :) Daddy says it's very young and vibrant and that he likes the pastor, who's a good man. Haha.. And all agreed that they liked how people were able to respond to the message by going down to the altar, as a symbolic act of worship and surrender to God and receive as the leaders prayed for them. Very personal.. :) I remember that was something that I really appreciated at the beginning, being able to stand there in His presence and be ministered to as someone prayed for me. Then I started taking it for granted as time passed and I grew more comfortable in the church. Yup so I'm glad for the timely reminder... and I will be grateful for the days I spend in the house of the Lord. =)

Also very happy how I'm able to share with them what I love about my church- the engaging worship, the solid word, the ministry time after service and most of all the family of God- the people who have been so warm and accepting of me. :) Had a great time introducing my family members to them!Hahaha.. and I think Mummy, Daddy and Dazz felt the love too. Ahaha :)) Pity Kor wasn't there and Cheh and Mark in Australia or else all of us would have been present that sUnday morning. All the same, I give thanks. :)

Had CG at my place after service too, the first time in years... =D Chinhao kept saying how much he liked my place!! Hahaha too bad I'm leaving.. I really miss having cell at home.. friends filling the place with laughter, songs and prayer. And I think my parents do too; they kept asking my CG to stay for dinner and even asked me to invite them for a BBQ before I leave for England! Ahahaa! :)


Blessed to be a blessing.

Love, Carol

relieved

Yay I'm so happy.. Fixed my iPod today morning! Love it love it love it!!!! All by myself too, although credit has to be given to Huixian, Chinhao and my bro who tried to help. =D Finally... Music when I travel! Thank you Lord! And Cheh sent me a DVD of 1000 songs too! Hooray! Thanks Cheh! :)

Everything's more or less settling down- received an email from Notts today, confirming that my room in Sherwood Hall is secure. Phew... :) Met Grace Khoh today, who's going to Bristol... She's so excited about leaving! Hahaha.. I think she won't wanna return to Singapore after the 3 years.. Had fun catching up, talking about our plans in the UK and checking out winter wear, which is so pathetic.. Will probably get the cheapo red fleece jacket from Cold Wear and get the rest in Notts.

Still haven't started packing yet- Bare rooms make me sad. I want to bring as many things that remind me of home and loved ones as possible.

Leaving exactly 2 weeks from today... Singapore will be a distant land in no time.

Farewell my friends,
Carol

prep work

Finally collected my UK Visa yesterday- for $295, it'd better be nice!!!
Met Grace and Jiachuan there at the Visa Application Centre! Hahaha... nice surprise=) shall bunk in with them should I travel to London. They've both started packing already! Argh!! And my suitcase is still enclosed in its Isetan wrapper.

Oh well, have to go for my medical checkup and get the meningitis jab today I think.. Good thing I asked grace and jc or else I wouldn't bother...

Read Tales of the Kingdom this morning, and some book on relationships from Cheh last night. I love Tales of the Kingdom!!!!!! =)) To the King!

joyful

My last few entries have been largely depressing. =s

Yesterday I still had my long face on, felt very down.. And then I remember reading a few Bible verses hung on my window. Philippians 4:6-7. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". And so I prayed for His peace.. =) and sung the song "Everytime I Pray" repeatedly throughout the day. Felt my spirits lift considerably after that. Haha.. =)

Looking back, I'm glad the sinking revelation about leaving so soon finally hit me on Monday night in Li Kai's car. Thanks for listening dude! The next morning, I took a long walk in my garden like how I used to do before and marvelled at His creation- the soft rays of the morning sun falling on the stony walls, the scent of my favourite jasmine plant opposite my room and at the growth of the many many fruit trees Daddy planted.. Saw Daddy up reading his newspapers, Mum doing her morning stretches and Kor getting ready for work. Hehh.. Later i played with Itchy, the neighbour's cat. Love the way she flops to the ground whenever she sees me and starts rolling about on her stomach- another attention craver!! Super cute.. hahaha. I will miss the morning routine, its familiarity... Yet I now can better appreciate the little things in life that make me happy and I'm thankful for it. =)

Anyway just wanna say a big thank you to the people who cheered me up yesterday! Hahaha.. To the overseas buddies, you guys rock!!! Grace- who wrote to me from Hawaii and called me up to chat from New York last night!! So touched.. =) Sarah in Adelaide- who totally understands my pre-departure blues and is so kind about it.. Cheh for always thinking of me in Australia and arranging to chat with me later today just after I told Mum I missed her!!

And to the people in sunny Singapore... Hazel for promising to write letters to me and acceding to my weird request to go to Pasir Ris Park to climb the spiderweb!! Hahaha.. The VJC clique of course, with whom I always feel free to be myself, quirks and all.. Hehee thanks for wanting to spend more time with me and buying stuff for me to bring to the UK!!! =D Wei, I want to go to CBC again and explore Changi Village. May-chelle for always reminding me of my roots with her "hey gao jing!" and allowing me to manifest my bimbo side with her. Haha you have it too Michelle!! Plan our baking outing soon! Dazz for immediately thinking of me and going into my room to offer me chocolate once she opened it.. Haha thanks xiao mei, jiayou for your promos!! =) Kenneth for the yummy buffet lunch treat. Ephraim and Xin for organising the Sentosa outing for me!! Whee...

Yup so praise the Lord, for His bountiful blessings! =) Praise the Lord, oh my soul.


Love, Carol

leaving on a jetplane

Hi all, for those who wanna send me off at Changi Airport,

my flight is on the 18th of September, Monday night.. 10.55pm. So probably come at about 8 plus? Don't make me cry ok? Hahaha...

"Why so downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,
my Saviour and my God".
-Psalm 42:5

Realised that I've been feeling the way David the Psalmist did, very pensive and restless these days.. Last night was the first time I honestly voiced out how I really felt about going overseas.. It felt strange, yet at the same time there was some kind of release. And there's just so many mixed feelings that are just swirling about, bogging me down; fear being the foremost one. I don't really dare to face them. I'm just running away for now; don't wanna think about it. But somehow I know that sooner or later I will have to sort them out one by one and surrender them all to God. Just pray for me. Prayer does make a difference! I do so wanna be free, assured and light-hearted when I leave.

Finally finished reading C.S Lewis' "Mere Christianity"... Solid stuff! I think it's a book that I'll re-read over and over again. Sometimes I'm ashamed that I take weeks and months (at times) to read Christian literature, while in comparison, I take days to finish fiction books.

everytime i pray

I just love the chorus of this song..

Everytime I Pray

I will come to You in prayer
I will seek Your face
I will stand within the gap
There will I intercede

For everytime I pray
I move the hand of God
My prayer does the things
My hands cannot do
For everytime I pray
The mountains are removed
The paths are made straight
And nations turn to You

I am weak and helpless Lord
You, my strength shall be
Guide me with Your gracious hand
There will my victory be

everytime i pray

I just love the chorus of this song..

Everytime I Pray

I will come to You in prayer
I will seek Your face
I will stand within the gap
There will I intercede

For everytime I pray
I move the hand of God
My prayer does the things
My hands cannot do
For everytime I pray
The mountains are removed
The paths are made straight
And nations turn to You

I am weak and helpless Lord
You, my strength shall be
Guide me with Your gracious hand
There will my victory be

the reappearance of tat

Us outside the Bugis Fountain. =D

















Dom making his quick getaway from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Hahahahaaa

















As promised, I hereby present.... Thong, darker, fitter, broader, more fashion-conscious, back from his Taiwan training!! Heh
















Heeheeeheee...


So sue me!

poetry

"Bright College Days"

Bright college days,oh, carefree days that fly,
To thee we sing with our glasses raised on high. [holds up eyeglasses]
Let's drink a toast as each of us recalls
Ivy-covered professors in ivy-covered halls.

Turn on the spigot,
Pour the beer and swig it,
And gaudeamus igit-itur.

Here's to parties we tossed,
To the games that we lost (We shall claim that we won them someday).
To the girls, young and sweet,
To the spacious back seat Of our roommate's beat up Chevrolet.
To the beer and Benzedrine,
To the way that the dean Tried so hard to be pals with us all.
To excuses we fibbed,
To the papers we cribbed
From the genius who lived down the hall.

To the tables down at Mory's (Wherever that may be),
Let us drink a toast to all we love the best.
We will sleep through all the lectures,
And cheat on the exams,
And we'll pass, and be forgotten with the rest.

Oh, soon we'll be out amid the cold world's strife.
Soon we'll be sliding down the razor blade of life.
(Oooh!) (laughter) ... Ready? ...
But as we go our sordid separate ways,
We shall ne'er forget thee,
thou golden college days.
Hearts full of youth,
Hearts full of truth,
Six parts gin to one part vermouth.

-- Tom Lehrer


This poem reminds me of all the high school/college films I used to watch during Lit and English class. =) Dead Poet's Society! My all-time favourite show... Ah the heady, impulsive days of youth, dreaming, passion and rebellion; of young men trying to find their place under the sun and learning "Carpe Diem" along the way. And then there's the Brit films that Mr Harris used to show us during Lit lectures, can't remember what they're called now. Just remember feeling a great rush of thrill and anticipation about the whole college experience- of bicyling down cobbled streets, hair flying in the wind; of driving down to the countryside during long and lazy afternoons; of engaging in witty and intellectual conversations with peers... And most importantly perhaps, feeling free and eager to explore who you are, the vast world we live in and the God who created it all.

Haha and when I got home, I remember excitedly telling Cheh I wanted to study overseas! Hahaha... Sometimes I wonder if I'm too idealistic.. Anyway, the rest was history, albeit with some hiccups along the way. Well, I thank God for answering my heart's desire! =) He is a good and loving Father and He will continue to lead and guide me, even when I'm far away from home.

Found this passage especially reassuring..
"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your Presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast".

-Psalm 139:7-10


Love you all, Carol

busy bee

Spoke to my mum last night and through her, I realised I've been spending all my weekends with the Brighton people! James too, since he started joining us a few weeks ago. Haha I think that's a good thing, although she's quite unhappy that I only come home late at night. Friday had cell at NUS, Sat had Alpha and guess where we went after that??? Night Safari!!! Wahaha... Sunday had service and Hui Xian's "surprise" birthday partay at James' place in Chua Chu Kang. So yup, been travelling out of the East quite a bit. =)

I think my blog's morphing into a picture journal.. will post up the pics soon!

NTU sleepover pics:)

This is what Hui and I did to amuse ourselves during our NTU sleepover. With the help of Fionne's Macbook. Enjoy! =)
















Sleepy and contented Hui















Failed attempt at a Bangra pose















Our scary Sadako pics! Heee
















Hypnotised by spooky hands coming from the window!


Hahaha so bo liao right?


Love lots, Carol

melancholic

Staying over at wei and fio's NTU hostel was fun... I like their room so much! Fionne did a really good job beautifying it.. =) thanks for letting me sleep on your bed Fionne! Hahaha.. I want my room to be nice and pretty too! haha according to them, Hui and I can be legal squatters for $20 a month! Not a bad deal huh.. Invite Hui and I again and we'll bring a house-warming gift! ;) Wei also introduced us to her OG mates who were nice; think it's great that she's found a group of friends so quickly! I would never want to go to NTU though; super ulu la! So much walking! Am still glad I went for the 'experience' with them though; it made the whole experience of moving out and having your own space more real.. and I also got a first taste of Uni life, taking in the sights and smells, the eager anticipation of young people ready to spread their wings- at once both exciting and frightening. I think I would like hall life- the blissful independence that comes with it. Right now, I wish I'd be UK bound sooner. Not that I'm raring to go, I just want to get away..