Counting my blessings

When I was on that plane back to Kuching in June, I went to sit with Samuel and we discussed about what really impacted us in KY.

Both of us agreed that CF changed our lives and that we found our family as well as a sense of belonging there.

I've always felt that if there is any place on Earth that will not make one feel like a stranger, it has to be in the House of God.

Sam said CF is in fact, our testimony. Because at the beginning, when we thought that we weren't ever going to find friends close enough and that life in the jungle will eventually end in solitude, CF came into the picture. And voila, we made friends and became Ohana.

Elaine once told me that when you walk down the path that God wants you to take, things will fall in place quite easily. I said quite.

So after 3 weeks here in Sunway, I am going to start counting my blessings.

I have terrific housemates whom I can actually click with from the very first day. Housemates are probably the first thing everyone worries about and when somehow I landed myself with good housemates, half the burden's been taken off. Phew~!

And God is so gracious because A DAY after I wondered where I would go for church, Jeanne appeared out of nowhere, found out I was searching for a church and terus told me that she's an agent because she's been there for half a year in Taylor's.

And even more amazingly, A DAY after I decided that I would cook, a RICE COOKER was lent to me by Kimberly who had one extra in her unit.

And you wanna know how did that happen??

Days ago, Elaine asked if I would like to join her for the C&S Leadership Camp for Unite Life Club. I declined because it would last til 8.30 p.m. and I didn't have a bus back until 10 p.m.

Then a day before the camp, Jeanne texted me to accompany her as the Catholic Fellowship leaders weren't free to go. So okay la, I went with her, Kimberly and Carol. That same night, a big gang was heading to the Summit for cheap movie.

So when we cabut early at 7.00 (after having a free dinner and taking home with us 2 bottles of Twister), we decided to crash at Kim's unit. And that was how I got the rice cooker.

It's just so amazing. Like, at the last minute, it just happened. Like, how? Like, huh!? Geddit?

And that first weekend when everyone was heading home and I also managed to find my way to Ipoh? That was quite a shotgun decision too, but it worked out just fine.

My first session in CF, I got to know Vanessa who took me to bible study at CERC. We went for dinner after that she got lost! That was very, VERY interesting. We stopped for like, 5 times in the middle of the road. Lol~!

Just last Thursday, we went for dinner together at Lunch Box - about 20+ of us - and we told each other lame jokes. I retold the jokes to my housemates afterwards but all they gave me was this =.=" <-- THIS FACE. I can almost imagine Abigail giving me her stare if she were here....

The SCSF people were really welcoming too. All I had to do was stand in front of their booth. I realised that the world is so small and that there are a lot of Kuching people around, because I even met Francoise's cousin.

So that being said, the things that happened thus far have been very encouraging.

My brother also called me all the way from UK today, asking me if I'd like books. My brother. He doesn't do things like that. Ever. So that kinda made my day after missing a trip to Times Square. =)

Which I might as well have missed because Sheau Jiuan came back and complained that she got cheated off RM 20 for a pair of chopsticks. Some stranger came up to her, Sophia and Joanne, asking if they'd mind filling a survey for them. When they took the paper and have filled it halfway, there was a box to tick for how much they'd like to donate. Smallest amount? RM 20. =.=!!

Sheau Jiuan claimed she could have bought enough chopsticks for a party from Mydin with RM 20. Haha. And it didn't help when she told them she only RM 18 in her pockets and they told her to borrow money from her friends. What kinda person does that!

Oh, and btw my dad has agreed to let me buy a new guitar. xD Kay, I don't have high budget but never mind la. At least I'll have one here across the South China Sea. =)

Classes are still slow and easy and I hope they stay that way because I want to use this first semester to catch up with my youth. Haha! Joke. =P

I've never been much of a homework type of person so I'm just gonna chuck my homework away for the night and finish 'em up tomorrow.

Hey, my class starts at 10.00 a.m. on Mondays anyways. =)

Tribute

Hi.

My name is Lip Yi. If it's too hard to remember my name, because it's a Chinese name and I know people often have trouble remembering Chinese names simply because there are just too many different forms of them, just look at my lips.

The trick always works.

I am 18, a baby to most and a grandma to some.

And I have no idea how 2010 just whizzed by.

My biggest dream is to be able to eat all I want without getting fat. I gained 5 kilos within the last 12 months so I am quite worried. I fear I may hit 70 kg soon and be obese.

My biggest hope is to be able to give more than I expect in return. I've always admired those who can give so much and yet expect so little in return. I am unfortunately not one of them.

This year, I have been to two colleges, having two new beginnings, and about to go through two different paths leading to two different destinations, learning different things.

I have yet to terminate my term with the old college but my days there have more or less come to an end.

In a way, I think I will hold the place tightly in my memory. KY has in fact taught me a lot of things. I am in KL town now, instead of the jungles of Lembah Beringin. Things are not done as easily as they were back in the jungle.

I don't have easy transportation to church.

I can't go back to my room to rest during my free time.

I have to worry about my meals.

I have to leech wifi instead of accessing IT labs at night.

I can't go to the MPH and play without having to take a sweaty ride back home.

Although there is a small pool down in Level 1, I haven't got my swimming teachers.

My DOE is a story of the past.

And yet, for some reason, things feel alright. But I thought I ought to write a tribute to the college I'm about to wave goodbye to.

I am lazy to update consistently, so this is going to be a bit long. Without pictures. Close the page if you'd like. It's meant for my reading when my hair is all white (or maybe bald with the amount of MSG I'm consuming), my teeth all fake, my skin all wrinkled and I need something to remember than I was once.... young. *shivers*

In KY, the college in the middle of nowhere, I have:

Learnt how to dance a Kung Fu Fan Dance. And PERFORM on stage!

And of course, battling with the curtain. But that's alright. I'm still proud of myself. I have never imagined myself dancing on a stage. Ever!

Ran in a marathon.

So okay, it's only 2 km. But it's something! And it was my first time too. I took 14 minutes, but at least I didn't faint or fall into a ditch!!

Learnt to swim.

And successfully completed laps. I consider this an achievement. :) It was all thanks to Esther and Shu Yi who taught me one Sunday night when the pool was nearly empty. June swam by me on my first swim across the pool! :) I took part in the swimming gala later for the games. Omg. Not cut out to swim for competition yet kay~!

Learnt to play ping pong.

Hehe. Form 3 never happened. :P This is thanks to Chuen Yen and Sam. Guess I'll always remember the last few days of the semester when the three of us, together with Sing Yih, played ping pong til really late (about 8.30, from about 5.00) in the MPH. =) Good times.... we crapped so much about "skills" too. Haha. And I didn't lose to Sam 11-0 the second time! I lost 11-2. -.-!!

Played squash for the first time in my life. =)

Sam taught me. Squash is tiring okaayy... more so than badminton. Oh, I improved on my badminton skills too, thanks to Sam and Dominic. :)

Got a ginormous movie collection. xD

This is mostly from Daniel, my grandfather. =) Chuen Yen and I watched the first episode of Dexter in the dark and nearly gave ourselves a heart attack... Lol. It wasn't even that scary.

Lead worship.

Chuen Yen liked giving me heart attacks.... but those moments are worth remembering. CF is awesome. =) Whacking game and all.

Joined MyConstitution.

This was fun. I had fun listening to absurd ideas, like having a hot mama and the lesbian nurse might fall in love with the hot mama. Or the baker and the ovens theory. That was.... genius?

Went to Langkawi.

Played cross gun with Yi Sheng while jumping around. Late night charades in the beach. Arvind's singing - definitely worth remembering! :P Spent my birthday there too. :)

Watched movie in the middle of nowhere (Saad Square).

We had nothing to do, Kee Hung, Zi Hao, Emily and I. Haha.

Watched movie under the stars in the volleyball court.

This all started from Shasha who one night, decided to lie down in the middle of the court. Evin and I thought she was dead. -.-!! Then from then on, we purposely go there to look at stars. Shu Yi, Kee Hung, Jane and I even watched A Walk To Remember there. Lol.

Bashed people on their birthdays.

I was there for Jelina's, Jane's, Wei San's, Shu Yi's and Cindy's. Hehe. The cake they have afterwards were always nice though. We had cake fight with Shu Yi's one. :P

Talked to soft toys. =.="

Jungle very boring kaayyy!! Everyone was talking so I joined in la... Lol. I like Yaya and Pin. =) I once threw Shu Yi's Dumdum across the partition of the room to Wei San and it hit the fan. O_O! Luckily she wasn't there.... Lol! Otherwise I die. If it were Esther's, I will die again after I died.

Went to Ipoh. :)

Twice! And ate ALOT. xD The second time, I went alone with Cindy to her house. Played bowling for the first time in my life with Cindy, Jocelyn and Sing Yih. I struck everything down at last try! YAY! Got a score of only 44... not bad la..... -.-''

Got myself a family.

Sam said it's twisted. Haha. Things like my father's a girl and my grandma is my grandaunt's grandma and stuff like that. But he's my brother so it means he's absorbed in this twisted family too. =P

Watched World Cup Finals with Cindy and her dad.

Watched my headmaster sing and play guitar during Acoustic Night.

Saw seniors graduating.

Frankly, it's a wonder how I managed to even learn so many things in just 6 months. I hope I can learn just as much here in the heart of town as I did in the jungle. I doubt it a little, but I have faith.

I didn't think I was going to enjoy my time in the jungle at first too. But I did because God is gracious. And I am sure He will do the same for me here. Already my housemates were singing at the top of the lungs just awhile ago to some strange karaoke programme in the laptop.

And did I mention that barely a week after we stayed together, we have appointed the parents? We're apparently a family now too....

Oh. And I found a friend to take me to church. Menix is right! :)

God really does make a way, doesn't He?