It's been more than a week and I have more or less settled down. Not married, but adjusting haha. I'm only worried about whether I'll be able to transfer enough credits back to Singapore. Coz as an exchange student we're only allowed to take up to a maximum of 60 points here... but converted into AUs, the papers that I want to take and can take are not enough. I'll be going home with 13AUs which is pretty pathetic and I'm trying to push for 65 points here in my University. I'm gonna have to put some faith into this! So I'll have the perfect papers to take while I'm here!!

Other than that, everything else has been pretty much settled. : )

I am finally and slowly but steadily easing into the kiwi lifestyle.

To be honest, the past few days have been pretty daunting coz I had to do everything myself. I had to enquire about everything on my own. Sometimes I'd wish that I had someone by my side at least so I wouldn't feel too alone in doing stuff. Coz there were times when I felt like I didn't get what I want just coz I wasn't aggressive enough and that perhaps if I were to pry more, it would work. Then blame myself for not being something that I'd hoped to be. And if I had someone with me, it'll be less worrying.

But I'd tell myself, just try. Just ask, you never know.

For example, the papers that I was talking about earlier on... I wasn't sure if I could take them. I would think, ahh, just leave it as it is. It's not like I MUSTTT take them, I can settle for papers that met the 60 points requirement without exceeding. Yet, I knew that I really really wanted to do that certain paper. So I try. I try to push my luck. And so, right now I'm waiting for them to get back to me. And I really hope something good will come out of it.

And for dry admin stuff like my insurance. I wanted to extend my policy coz I thought it would end too soon. Money wise, I didn't want to take the risk and end up with my parents receiving nothing if I died. Plus, I didn't want to feel like I was worth nothing if I happen to die while I'm here in NZ. Hahhaha. So I decided to enquire at the help desk. Didn't get a very polite response. My day just died. I'd wished things could've been better. Those were the days when I wished I could do things with someone.

Then again, there were times when I pulled through, and it'd absolutely make my day. I'd give myself a pat on the back and tell myself, "See, it wasn't that hard. You just had to ask and make a little extra effort." And remind myself not to be scared of anything. You had the right to ask. And even if I didn't get a very receptive response, hey, at least I tried. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with you being Asian LOL LOL LOL. (totally does. ok i'm kidding)


That aside, YOU must be quite interested to know what has been going in my life. Quite a bit has happened and I've been tired everyday. I didn't get to blog, or update my facebook, or check my whatsapp or instagram or ANYTHING> I shut myself up from my old life.

But here I am, speaking to you once again.

I must introduce to you my new best friends in New Zealand, because without them, I honestly wouldn't have been able to pull through. They've provided me so much LOVE AND CONCERN AND UGH I can't feel grateful enough to them. I feel like I've known them for too long, when I've only met them the past few days. They've given me food last week when I only had cookies, took me out to town, told me where to buy stuff and OMG EVERYTHING I really do love them a lot.

They've truly taught me to be more generous in everything that I own because that was the kind of treatment I received. And I feel like I should reciprocate this to the rest of the world, coz I now know how nice it is to feel like someone is there for you when you think you're alone. I can never thank them enough.






Meet Talei. She was the first person to make me feel at home by her friendliness and warmth. She NEVER fails to offer me something whenever I go to her cottage. Yeap, she's my neighbour teeheeee. Cottage friends hahahaha. Oh we're dressed nicely coz we had a formal dinner at our hall!

She is also the first Islander I've ever met in my life. She lives in Fiji. Like OMG right? FIJI?! That's like exotic please. You know that place that conjures up the image of palm trees and beaches with a cocktail in tow on one hand hahaha. I sound ignorant but I've to admit, I dunno this part of the world. She's half German as well. Father's German. I realise they don't really have a race. Islanders. Their race is... Island. LOLL!!! Amazing.

Islanders are EXTREMELY friendly. They come to New Zealand to study coz NZ is closest to them. You know islands like Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa, yeap.. I find it incredibly amazing to be able to meet these people. And they are extremely EXTREMELY friendly. I can't stress enough.

Which brings me to my next awesome friend,

Also from the Islands, the country of Vanuatu,






LENI!!!!!! (pronounced as Lenny)
He is just the cutest thing. As you might tell from the pictures, he is VERY VERY much like Gaga, a friend back in Junior College. The moment I met him, was the moment I felt like, this boy is gonna be THE ULTIMATE bitch friend to be with.

And one more thing about him, which makes him different from Gaga and very much special is...

He's deaf.

He lip reads whatever people say and can't speak very well as like all other deaf people. So sometimes he has to repeat himself multiple times for us to get what he's trying to tell us. And I'd lip read him too. So it's quite a pity coz whenever we get excited about something, I wish I could scream with him and blabber away. I'd feel sad coz I'd love to hear his voice. And I'd imagine how a normal conversation with him would be like. One thing though, he expresses himself SO WELL even though he can't talk. I can tell what he's trying to say just by looking at his eyes and gestures. Him being deaf makes him very much special and I love talking to him. I am lucky to have met him.


Every Asian needs an Asian friend.

Mine comes in the form of Serena Lee from South Korea hehehehe. SOUTH, emphasis on the SOUTH yo? They always introduce themselves like that to angmohs coz apparently, they don't really know the difference between South and North goodnezz.




As all Koreans are, she is pretty glam in all her pictures hahaha and dresses up well. And puts on makeup well. I came to know her through Talei. She is awesome, I feel like I've known her for quite a bit coz I feel like I can tell her things. She's been here in NZ for about 9 years I think? So she's pretty adept to kiwi life. She doesn't stay in the cottages but the flats. She is such a joy to be around, always smiling.

So these are my first few friends in New Zealand and I feel really close to them already. We meet practically everyday coz we're neighbours, except for Serena but I still see her everyday coz she goes for dinner at the cafeteria which is next to our cottages. Ahhh, I feel like I'll miss the cottages already sigh.

Speaking of cottages, I'm sure you'd like to see how they look.




Talei's and Leni's cottage right in the middle. Mine's right next to their's on the right.
Every day I'd pop by their cottage and chill on the sofa hahaha.
These are self-catered cottages, meaning we cook and clean on our own. Bryant Hall woohoo!



The volleyball cum a lot of other games' net.
Played volleyball with kiwis once and badminton with THE friends.



That's Talei walking down the path outside of my cottage back to hers.
Can you tell what time it is when I shot these photos? 12pm? Nah. 1pm? Nah.

It was 5:30PM!!!!!!!!!!! It was evening but it freakin looks like noon right?!?!?! Apparently it's called daylight saving in summer so the sun sets later but earlier in winter. Really strange to me, coz by 9, I can still see specks of the sun setting.


Wanna check out my room?? ;D



This is what I see outside of my cottage window everyday.
Nice skies and trees but I was expecting mountains and forests and lakes HAHAHAHA. Just stereotype the country. JUST DO THAT




I bought a pot of purple flowers to accompany me and my lonely nights hahahhaa. So pretty right? They're called Limonium. Apparently very easy to maintain coz of low water usage and other stuff. Should be easy heh. If it manages to survive for more than 2 weeks, I'm gonna consider buying more flowers MUAHAHHA. I'll make my room a freakin rainforest I swear.

Anyway. That's all for my room. Coz I really wanna shoot a "Room Tour" for you guys, it's easier that way to view everything at one go. It's a cosy room, I like it! I make an effort to keep it tidy. Sometimes I wish I were that neat back in Singapore. Now that I wash my clothes and all... Surprisingly, it's not that hard to wash clothes at all. Quite enjoyable in fact. For now. I feel like one of those olden day maiden kinda girl with an apron and braids in the hair, something like the Dutch Milk Lady, going out to hang her clothes out in the sun.

I had a bit of a sore throat and flu. Now it's just a block nose. Coz of the extreme weather change. It's so bloody cold in the morning and night but once it's afternoon, the heat is crazy. I love the sun. But the cold.. argh, it seeps in when you least expect it to. Sneaky.

I'm adapting.

I like the cottage's bathroom, it's clean. So there isn't much to complain.

I've started classes already this week, but it's still O-Week (O for Orientation) so I can still add/drop papers. And not pay too much attention during classes. Same as in Singapore. I have some awesome papers this sem and I hope they won't get ruined just coz of that extra 5 points more than the maximum 60 points I'm allowed to take :'( I've really enjoyed one paper especially, and having to drop it would make me feel like shit. So God, I appeal to you. Haha. I feel bad for God. Has to answer stupid prayers like mine from so many people in the world. Sigh. God Bless HIMSELF.

As of now, thank you if you've been concerned about me. Just so you know Joelyn, I haven't used the polaroid camera yet!!!! I still love it. A lot. And people around me think it's cool. And thus, I am cool. LOL LOL>

I have so much blogging to do and am lagging behind. I can finally strike off some of the stuff I'd intended to do while I'm here. I've experienced their clubbing culture, and boy, angmohs are shit ass wild. More about that next time. I've done kayaking, really fun I must say, I wanna do it again esp since it's still summer and NZ waters are clean. I've also visited the set of The Hobbit. Wasn't impressed by it, but I can't say much since I wasn't a fan of LOTR to begin with. Visited Hamilton Gardens just a few days back. And done a lot more other stuff that I wish I could just vomit all out here. But I guess I shall summarise it another time in another blog post.

Am glad to be blogging again coz I've been feeling really bad about not blogging coz it was so much a part of my Singapore life. And I just shelved it while I'm here. But you must know, I have a practical explanation for that and that is... internet here is not free and I've to top-up for more internet. Right now I only have 1.5 GB free and video rendering on YouTube is pretty pathetic. I see pixels sometimes. So I've to pay for internet. And electricity. Sigh.


Ok, SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN. I hope all's swell in Singapore!