LYJ21

"80 days in USA"

Sounds like a eye-catching title? Probably not.
Sounds cliche?
Definitely yes

Ok. Seems like a good title to start off this entry then

80 days......
80 days is 2 and 2/3 month
80 days is 4 months if you count each month to have only 20 working days
80 days is just 9 days short of the maximum of what I can apply for overseas notification online
80 days is......the longest time I have been away from home......

These 80 days have been humbling to say the least. It's also enriching. Yes, "humbling" and "enriching". These are the 2 words I would stick to to describe my entire 80 days here.

(I know I didn't do a summary of my 2012.
And I'm probably too lazy to drag my ass to do it.
But I will do it once I settle my USA stuff and get started on my internship.
I promise.)

Alright back to proper...
I have spent a quarter of the year 2013 away from home. And I miss everyone back home. That's to say the least. But this was a trip I had in mind when I saw my bro went when he was still schooling. However, the primary reason I NEEDED to go on this trip is when I know my GPA is not gonna get me to exchange in Europe and my remaining modules weren't really economical to clear over there. I didn't want to go to Taiwan because its somewhere accessible via a 4 hour plane and I have been there before. So yup, I knew I had to sign up for this at the end of Year 2 before I start my industrial attachment in Year 3. I knew I can't do this at the end of Year 3 because its the prelude to FYP too. There was only one window of opportunity, and I had to act there and then.

Now that I'm sitting here at Los Angeles International Airport trying to sum up my thoughts
(I wrote this while at LA), I'm really actually trying to recount and enjoy all the moments in my mind as I typed my thoughts and emotions and experience and feelings down.

Starting from the day we sign up in 2012, there were many issues along the way.
We missed the Yellowstone National Park job opening and had to settle for The Broadmoor in Colorado.
We didn't know how to do our transport arrangements a few days prior to flying off to USA.
We didn't know how to set the dates to stay in Taiwan.
And I certainly didn't know me and the school would clash so many times over the impending industrial attachment.
Come on, being a reputable educational institute, I thought the clerical officer could do a better job than giving me plenty of troubles to worry about over in USA. Bad times are over and I don't wanna be an asshole trying to open up past wounds so I'm gonna let bygones be bygones too.

So Day 0, the day I set off from Changi Airport, I deeply appreciated the people who came to send us off. Especially the Omaha peeps. I knew looking back will be a mistake, but a slight glance was all I gave and we had to hurry on.

Upon sitting a 16 hour flight for the very first time in my life, I thought everything was gonna be great when I landed in SF. Boy was I wrong.
First of all, the infamous airport checks were really disturbing. I spent 2.5 hours (and I think 3 would be just right) to get through customs to my connecting flight gate. Jeez. After which I had problem boarding as they printed out my boarding ticket and still didn't allow me to board. They asked for volunteers to give up their seats and even told me to take the next flight to Colorado. Crazy hur? I'm just glad I insisted that I must get on the plane no matter what the circumstances were as I really had to start my work orientation the next day.

1st lesson I learnt was to get all the shit out of your bag and clothing and just start getting in line to try to get through customs the VERY MOMENT you step off the plane. If not the chances of missing your connecting flight is seriously high.

Looking back now (and not giving a blow by blow breakdown of what happened), I thought the best days were in Colorado.

I've been to the states of Colorado, Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and pass by Oklahoma and New Mexico.

I've been to the cities of Colorado Springs, Denver, Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas.

I've passed through little towns on the Pacific Coastal Highway. I've also stopped at different little towns en-route to San Antonio. And yet this epic journey of 8 states, 7 cities, and numerous little towns, I still felt that Colorado Springs was the best.

I found out the most about myself in Colorado Springs. And that includes the crazy 50+ hours bus ride to and fro to San Antonio to fulfil my dreams of catching my supported team of San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

To be continued.....

PS.
I will break this USA account into many little small parts

Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar

Suddenly one of the most trendy places in Singapore
Nowadays cafes seem to be the most hip places to be
And thus we had to check it out then

Lazy afternoon for Uncle

So here we are
At CSHH
It's really secluded and doesnt like pop out of anywhere at all

Interior of CSHH
Afternoon is the best time to be checking out these places
There isn't such a crowd
Service is at the best and everyone is not rushing out anything

Our coffees and cake for the day
(with a kettle prop behind too)

Yes the menu is kinda special
(and this picture I didnt crop it, I'm still getting the hang of iOS 7.0)

It was a great catch up with Yuming
Although we started off really really bad
But it still turns out fine at the end
Even kill some zombies at the LAN shop
Hahahahahaha!
L4D2 rocks big time
~~(Better than CSHH)~~
:)