28th September 06, 21:08

My first week of lessons ended today. Yupz! Only a 4-day week till Thursday, but am still studying more than my usual 2 or 3 day week in SMU. This week feels like the first week of school during my primary school days. New school, new people, new environment, and facing these alone minus my mummy with me. However, changes happen in our lives ALL the time, so I shall learn to face this new experience bravely, knowing I have GOD beside me, encouraging to press-on always.

So here's my timetable of classes I'm taking over the week:

Mons - 09:00-11:00 : Capital Investment Policy
13:00-16:00 : Exchange Risk Management
17:00-19:00 : Dutch

Tues - 09:00-11:00 : Capital Investment Policy
19:00-22:00 : Institutions and Policy of the EU

Weds - 10:00-13:00 : Dutch

Thurs - 09:00-12:00 : Flemish Art and European Culture

Fun & interesting lessons I have huh? Do you know my exam format includes oral examination too? How? I dun really speak very well to ppl I'm not familiar with, moreover I have to verbalise it about things I learn. Gonna be a challenge man!

As for today, after my Flemish Art class (this is a fun class), received a miss call from home. Called back & talked to my ma. I think she's super worried abt me over here, she asked me how I am over here, how's sch and stuff. I juz told her everything's fine here, only that it's getting cold here. Haha...then Andrea wants to talk to me, asking me if I got internet over here, then after knowing the answer, she juz said bye bye....how quick is that? Then I felt I kinda miss home, esp. when I dun really think I eat well here (how healthy can junk food be? moreover, I dun have fun eating kahkees over here). Okie...can't complain, bad bad bad!

Then after that went to buy groceries, tough again with the usual responses of "anythings". Haiz...tough to get things with "anything" you know? So we didn't really talk on the way back, that's my way of saying I dun really wanna talk to you now coz I'm afraid I'll say something nasty (which I always do) when I'm not very happy (I tend to wanna make the person suffer too coz I'm suffering). Fine I'm evil, so sue me...ha ha ha. She walked back, I took the bus coz she said she full, wanna walk. I came back, bathed, read a few pages of my book & knocked-out. Tired!

I woke up...deannie finally have time from her busy school work to msn me. Haha...then we did voice-call, not very clear connection but we had fun. She nv fails to make me laugh. When you put 2 people with LOUSY (and I really mean HORRIBLE Chinese knowledge), a funny joke is created. Here it goes:
Deannie: My Chinese very xi(第一声）.
Me: What Chinese very xi?
Deannie: My Chinese very xi(第一声）.
Me: huh? what talking you?
Deannie: you know xi(第一声）, xi(第二声）, xi(第三声）, xi(第四声）? 第一声啦！
Me: yah! but why xi?
Deannie: you know 洗尘机？
Me: oh yah! washing machine rite?
Deannie: what washing machine? 洗尘机...you know 洗尘机?
Me: orh...洗尘机....vacuum cleaner. why vacuum cleaner?
Deannie: you know vacuum cleaner sucks? My Chinese sucks lor! Wah lao! Still say my
Chinese lousy, yours is also lousy lor!

(Deannie & I started laughing non-stop, actually me lah! My Chinese is really bad...and she's really lame till can't lame anymore. That's why I can't stop laughing..even still grinning while I'm typing this entry)

Deannie: wah lao...I tell you a joke, I still have to explain what I'm trying to bring
across to you.

This explains something, Deannie's joke is too lame even for me to understand. Deannie you fail lah! Conclusion: BOTH of our Chinese very 吸!

In addition, I was reading thru fren's blogs...she said something about eventhough as Christians, we've accepted the Lord as our Saviour, we have to welcome him into our life everyday. The welcoming God into our lives prayer isn't just for non/pre-Christians, we have to constantly welcome HIM into our lives too ; ) juz a point to share & for me to remember too. Also, seeing your blog...you & him are so sweet tgt. *jealous* haha....me also wanna find a company too but I'm so shy & lazy too. Oops! My blabbering is setting in.

Anyway...I wanna say, I will take care over here, and study hard too I hope. Hee hee! I'm so sad I'm gonna miss the X'mas cooking session this year with my bimbos *boo hoo hoo* but you bims muz meet up to cook a gd X'mas dinner k?
Also for the benefit of bimbo leow...my address here is:

Ms. Charlene Su (092/N 0/T04)
Waversebaan 220
3001 Heverlee
Belgium

*p.s. it's my room no. in the parenthesis - room 92, North block, level zero. Also my belgian hp no: +32 498594514 (hee my incoming is free, you all muz pay if you wanna call me). Pls put a return address (your address) if you sending things over k? blur bim leow...

27th September 06, 14:54

I need help!!!!
How do I upload a song to my blog? and Why am I not able to upload a pic on my blog?
Advice please???

25th September 06, 20:37

It's a very cold day. The temperatures seems to have dropped quite a bit ever since the day I reached Leuven. Xuan & I went for the Economics Faculty talk (coz we're allocated to this faculty of the Uni) this afternoon. Short & sweet. According to the Undergraduate's timetable, with the modules that I'm going to take, I think I'm going to attend school almost everyday. That means travelling is compromised...argh! Moreover, I dun attend school everyday when I'm in S'pore. Why like that???

While walking to the supermarket after the talk, I received an sms from Cheryl - Hady won Singapore Idol! I screamed, juz screamed on the streets, so sad that Jonathan lost. I feel so sad for him coz I do love him, but I believe that God has his plans for him. Good thing is, he can concentrate on his studies in NUS (I suppose) and I believe he'll be offered a singing contract anyway & make it bigger than Hady. Oh! Did I tell you that Toot & I were in the same lift as Jon, Hady, Jasmine, Paul and I could hardly breathe...in shock!

Anyway...at the supermarket, and I found something I ate when I was a kid. Tried uploading the picture, but dunno why can't. It's a round biscuit base, with the sugary thingy on top of it. It's called Iced Gems over here. For dinner tonite, since it's been cold all they long, we had cabbage soup with chicken, 小白菜 with mushrooms, & fried eggs with onions. Yummy! Soup on a cold day - 赞！ I keep feeling hungry too...is it coz it's cold? Or I'm juz nv feeling full? Getting fat....wahahahaha!

24th September 06, 17:45

Just so sad I dun have an eating partner. Xuan hardly ever eats & I eat during meal times like luch & dinner. You know....I really dread meal times over here coz there no fun in the company. I can't help it if she's not hungry & doesn't wanna eat. How I wish I had come with someone who enjoys eating, & not minding putting on weight. Such as today, she didn't wanna eat lunch to avoid the hassle of cooking lunch, I 打包 Pizza Hut. How I miss food in Singapore - so much variety & I've got great company to makan with me. Seriously...with the amount of unhealthy food I'm taking in, I'm gonna die early. Haha...juz ranting away!

23rd September 06, 00:10

Sickening! My electric kettle still giving me chalky water due to the lime stuff on the heating element. How to survive without hot/warm water during cold mornings. Okay enough of complaining & more updating. Orientation started on 20th September & will last for a week, so lessons will only start on the 27th Sep for me (grinz). I skipped the 1st day of Orientation (with a valid reason - I didn't have a blanket, was freezing my ass off) so I took that day to go Carrefour. That day was tiring, stoopidly Xuan & I bought so many things that we forgot we didn't exactly live nearby. Eventually, we lugged everything back.

Oh! I have to tell you the interesting things that happened. During the 2nd day of our Orientation, Xuan & I met two China ladies, one older (much older) than the other, & we thought that was the mother of the other until we found out the older one was on a Master's Programme. We were like "Phew" we didn't say, “哇！你的妈妈真好，陪你来啊！”

Then we went to the auditorium for the talk on Belgian culture, traffice rules, thefts occurance, etc. To illustrate the importance of traffice rules & regulations, this China couple (students of the Uni) had to tell us their whole courtship period with explicit details (ie. it was love at first sight, where they dated, when they kissed, etc) just to tell us that during these dates they went, they had a run-in with the local police, broke traffic rules. How lame & funny is it? Oh & they had to end it with "we've been tgt for a yr". I mean how embarrassing is that? If I were in a relationship, I wouldn't wanna reveal it to anyone. Come on!


Anyway, hee hee hee...I've been cooking. Wah! Amazing rite? I can't believe it myself. It taste not too bad you know? Wanna try? Wait till I'm back & I'll cook a decent meal for you all. Haha! Everything's been quite okay but I miss people in Singapore - family friends but no bf to miss. Ha! Thankfully I have internet tv so I can still catch some programmes if the connections good. There's a Liverpool vs. Tottenham Spurs game on Saturday afternoon. Yeah! Looking forward to it. Heard Mooncake Festival coming, sadz, gonna miss all the fun with the PL bimbos, family & many. Hmmm...dun worry I'll do fine! Oh! heard SMU lost to NUS by 3 pts (shit! always this close...nvm, our revenge will come during the coming IVP help in 2007, can't wait to kick their asses)
Oh! Runli if someone get to pass you this info, there are 500 types of beer in Belgium, Stella Artois is from here, & it's freakin' cheap to drink here (around €1 for a glass of wine & €1.20 for beer). Gian?

OKie me going to rest. Nitez. Peace out!

19th September 06, 00:51

The last stop of our roadtrip is back at Manchester, Xuan's bro'place. This is the 3rd & last night before leaving for Leuven in the afternoon tomorrow. During these 3 days, there was a mad dog situation - xuan's bro had to care for a horribly disciplined dog of his friend's. Bloody hyper-active & noisy, freakin' pampered & I'm freaked by its high energy levels. We had to bein a small apartment with the dog because xuan's bro was watching Liverpool vs. Chelsea at his friend's place. Can't imagine I was in the same room as the dog! Anyway, its interest in me soon died down & I was able to concentrate on my game.

For those who watch this game would know that Liverpool lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Sucks! However, Arsenal won Man-U 1-0. Happy! Okay...this is not important. The important fact is finally after a disappointment that other day at Anfield, we were able to tour Anfield today. I am soooo happy!!! I got to see the field, changing room, interview area, the "This Is Anfield" flag, the KOP & the Museum too! Liverpool is a club with such great history & is the 3rd club with 5 times or more Champions League titles, plus many other major league titles. Writing about it now....I feel I'm gonna faint! Too much to handle but am glad receiving it. I'm just so grategul to have the chance to be where I am. Thank you God!

Oh! Cheryl emailed me today. I'm happy that she's moving in the right direction, & hope she's continuing it. Touched that they're sending me stuff in October, but why tell me? Surprise me lah! Haha...anyway thankz babes....it's remembered & appreciated but who no emails from the rest ah? Busy is not a valid reason coz I'm your dearest bim for years. =S Hope Cheryl doesn't shun that guy from work (know more friends lah!) you'll only have my wellwishes only if he's a Christian or else 免谈.

Sian! SMU lost to NTU today but dunno by how much coz Runli didn't reply me yet (but the updated news is they lost by 25 pts). Still happy from the Liverpool experience, dosage quite strong so I'll be smiling to sleep. Out!

15th September 06, 22:40

Today we left for Edinburgh from our B&B, Beinn Dheargh. When we checked out,our host wanted us to compensate £30 for two umbrellas that we left at the Brodie castle. Oh my...that's like S$90 for two brollies lah!!! Of course we offered we wouldn't want to pay for it, thus offering to get it back for her, but she claimed her husband's passing through the castle & we're able to save that cast. And our roadtrip to Edinburgh began.

Upon arrival ot the Belford, Edinburgh, our host told us we're able to obtain free parking at a street nearby. As soon as we parked our car & about to leave, our car was struck by a passing car. The side mirror was hit out of place, Xuan & I chased after the driver, she didn't stop but we soon caught up with her coz of the red-light. She ignored us, refused to leave her car. Surprisingly, I opened the passengers side door as it was unlocked, told the driver to come out but she just shrugged off not admitting to her fault. What a bitch! Soon she drove off, with her kids grinning away. I called the police & they took a million years to arrive, & we missed visiting the Van Gough Gallery & Edinburgh Castle tour (only got an outside view).

We just circled the roads around the castle & headed for dinner at a nearby place. We headed back to the hostel after dinner. The night scenery is beautiful. As we were walking back, this teen came up to Isa & scared all of us, with 2 of his friends grinning away. Seriously, how sick can they be? They are seriously troubled teens with nothing better to do, sitting along the streets drinking away.

Anyway, we got back to the hostel with one more scare by a passing car, honking us (or me...can't tell). Seriously!!! How I miss Leuven, Belgium...it's a much more friendly & safe place to live in. What a day!

14th September 06, 21:21

What a gloomy weather! It's been raining since this morning & was told by our host that today's the 1st day in September since it's rained. How lucky we are...so we planned to go for the Jacobite Temptation tour since we only had today to travel Scotland before setting off for Edinburgh tomorrow morning. But we had time to kill before the 2pm tour so we decided to go to the Culloden Battlefield to learn more about the battle between the Government Army & Jacobite Army. However, plans changed & we decided to head to Brodie Castle, giving the tour a miss. Well...the castle tour was worth it!

The weird thing is that staying near Loch Ness, we have not visited it so we're gonna see it tomorrow. Anyway, as I was driving to have dinner tonight, something sucky happened & I had hoped my friends in Singapore were here. I miss you gals. That's all folks! Update you on Edinburgh tomorrow = )

13th September 06, 23:33

In my room in Scotland at Beinn Dhearg. I'm at Dores, Inverness where I can see Loch Ness. Today was the beginning of my road trip with Isa & Xuan. It was arounf 7 hrs drive from Manchester & I took over the wheel at the last leg. As usual, I'm not a "zai" driver, ot abit lost but soon found our way to the lodge where we'll be staying over for 2 nights.

Anyway, I was just thinking about the 3 of us. One's muslim, one's buddhist & another is Christian. Really wonder how wonderful God is. Learning from each other, being religious-tolerant. Amazing!!!

Going to see the Loch Ness tomorrow. Can't wait! Okie gotta rest from the long drive. Nitez.

12th September 06, 23:36

Another tiring day! As I didn't get enough rest the night before from the unpacking in my new place, I fell asleep on our flight to Manchester. Isa, Yixuan & myself will be going on a road-trip starting from Manchester tomorrow, taking turns to drive. Upon arriving in Manchester, we went to Xuan's bro's place (Charles' place) for the night. After we got to Charles' home this morning, we headed for Old Trafford, & Anfield =) but the sad thing was we weren't able to tour the Anfield stadium coz we were too late for it. At least not too bad, I got to shop in the Liverpool FC store.

After all these, we went to Cheshire Oaks where, it's the factory outlets for many brands, got a pair of shoes & Levi's jeans but no bball shoes. Haiz! Then we went Sainsburys to get groceries for home-cooked dinner tonight - salmon, broccoli with carrots, curry with chicken fillet & beansprouts. Had fruits too! Did I tell you that seafood like fish is expensive in Europe??? Sadz!!!

That's all for today! Peace out!

12th September 06, 01:10

Tiring day! Walked in circles in Leuven to find a post-office to pay some liability insurance, went to sign contrace with regards to our accomodation & had to meet the campus principal, then had to shift from Patars Oblaten (our temporary housing) to Waversebaan (Thank God Brother Omer fetched us) or we have to lug everything there.

Finally, we had an expensive, luxury dinner since it's Isa's last night in Leuven, Belgium. We had a huge pot of mussels, & silly me ordered a large plate of pasta, then we had ice-cream (yummy!). Lastly, with our gargantuan dinner, we walked back from the city centre (took us abt 45 mins).

Now, being very tired with my long day & preparing for my UK trip in a few hours time, I need to go sleep. I'll be back. Peace out!

8th September 06, 23:00

Today had been a long, tiring day. Yixuan, Xuefen, Isa & I went to find our permanent residence but to no avail, most of the apartments/rooms had been taken up, too expensive or that we couldn't find a 2 single rooms in different blocks which are nearby. So I'm praying that we're able to get to nearby rooms tomorrow. Most rooms in the list that we're given (in the city centre - where our University lies) are taken up, so we are considering Heverlee which is out of the city centre. The pros is that it's close to the sports hall (yeah bball!!!) & the cons is that it's kinda far, & the dumb thing is I brought my bball gear but not my bball shoes....ARGH!!!!!!!

Anyway, God please grant us a good-priced, safe & close rooms for Yixuan & myself to stay, at least we are able to get settled before leaving for UK. That's all for today folks! Peace out!

5th September 06, 23:28

I just received this travel journal from Runli, Liying, Xiao zhe, & Qingfa. Thank you guys for getting me this journal, it'll be useful. LY passed it to me this evening. I was afraid to meet her, due to some issues but I'm glad we've talked it through. I think through this, certain issues have been resolved/let go (dunno how to put it) but I'm soory for being nasty >_<

When the air is cleared, a burden has been off my shoulder, I hope it did for you too. You are still someone I value, & I hope that I can be you listening ear when you need one. Sorry that I was mistaken, so it was the guy's fault :D haha...shldn't blame him too (well...i was dumb too).

ANyway, everything happens for a reason & time does heal. To all my friends who was concerned for me, I appreciate the lil' things you've done although I dun really know how to express my gratitude, but it's always in my heart. Peace out!