First things first, a very happy new year to one and all : ) - how formal am i?

And also, yes... I am finally back home in my little island paradise, Pasir Ris, Singapore.

After 6 months away from home... longer than I've ever been away.... let me just say that everything, E-ver-y-thing. Feels surreal.

I surprised my entire family by coming home earlier than expected on the 3rd of January, when it was nearing 12am and the only person in the house who was awake was my brother. The moment I entered the house and screamed "I'M BACCCKKK" (in my very typical fashion), everyone came rushing down and I gave each one of them - my brother, father and mother (small family haha) - a big ass hug. Mind you, my family aren't the huggy type but I think my time away and particularly this time, we have grown a lot closer and I think they missed me a lot, just as much as I missed them.

The past two months travelling with Sianpei, heck, even the four months before that during my internship... they all felt like it never.. ever happened. It's bloody spooky and I dunno why but it felt like that part of my life never happened. It's a strange feeling and I'm still tryna understand why I feel that way. Perhaps it's because the people I used to see every day during my time in Myanmar aren't here with me physically. Like they just disappeared. I know I have them on Facebook, but things aren't just the same...

Anywhos, I came back home and was pleasantly.. Ok, actually it wasn't very pleasant, my desk felt like it was full of junk and crap that needed sorting. BUT amidst the junk...

were letters that I had received while I was away.

Here's one Christmas card from my friend Lilian and I'll share with you an excerpt that she wrote to me:

"The hardest part, as we all know, is not leaving, or the heartache that comes when you miss the people, the place & the culture. But rather, re-entry. The picking yourself up from the remains of this life you had left. The moving forward. And how you carry what was deposited into your life through your travels, into this life here in Singapore."

To be honest, I couldn't quite understand what she meant when I read that. Probably coz it was past 12am and I was half drunk after a long ass train ride from Penang to Singapore (12 hours).

But today, while I was packing my room and trying to put everything into order, I came across a few things. And one by one, they slowly unravelled to me what she meant in her card.

There was a box full of stuff that I had posted from Yangon to Singapore before I started my two-months travel and inside, were some things that I had forgotten about. They were items that reminded me of my friends back in Myanmar - cards, necklace, DVDs, longyis - and I would even talk to myself in my head like, wow, I almost forgot about you... and you... and you. Kinda like unwrapping presents.

And then I continued packing my table, which wasn't packed before I left for Myanmar. I opened my closet to place items for safe-keeping and I found...



old pictures and letters that were addressed to me, which transported me back to whenever it was that those things were developed or written.

Then, what hit me the most was when I looked at an NTU bag. I thought it was probably junk inside and was all ready to throw it away. I took a peep, and saw..... my graduation robe. I felt something stir within me. I attended my graduation ceremony back in August. And that was the last thing that happened to me in Singapore. And that was the phase of my life that had stood still in time. That was when I realised what Lilian meant: Re-entry. To pick myself off from where I had left off.

I saw pictures of myself graduating on the table before I did all my packing and just thought "haha, I looked so funny." But the robes.... they made me feel something.

It is true also, what she said about depositing what I learnt from my travels. I spoke to Sianpei about how I wish I had written a journal during my travels because I know how bad my memory is and I know in time to come, the feelings and thoughts that I had at that moment in time will be lost forever, Writing a blog can help but it's hard to do it regularly while travelling and a journal is real, real private. And I want to remember all of those because I think it'll help me to constantly remind myself while I'm here in Singapore. To bring them forward, and move on.

But I suppose, strong, core memories, epiphanies and insight that I've gained will remain and sustain throughout my life. And lead me along the way.


As of now, you must be wondering what am I gonna be doing with my life?

Well, of course, I have to find a job hahaha. The status of being unemployed is a little embarrassing. But I will remain unemployed for the entire month of January, for myself to recuperate and get my act together before I go out into the working world. You all know how much I enjoy working and how I look forward to contributing to society so I'm pretty sure, I won't have problems with that. The only problem may lie with my parents. So I've already warned them that this coming CNY, when all the relatives ask about me, they may have to bear the embarrassment that one of their two children is currently a leech in society so all the best. After I told them, my dad was like, "Nevermind lah! Just say unemployed lor!" Hahahaha. Well, my parents have been supportive of me at every step of the way and have full confidence in me, which I am very glad to have. Not many Asian parents would allow their kids to run off into the world right after graduation.

I have already created a list of things I have to do before I apply for jobs. - Just a secret, I have already applied for a job and was due for my first interview but I told them I was currently in Myanmar and they told me to get back to them once I return home. So yes, I have to read up and prepare for that! - Finances is another big thing I need to get sorted out. I think it's super important to be literate about financial stuff especially since I'm entering this big bad world! Savings, bonds, investment, oh my lord, so much adult stuff, but so pertinent to get them in order.

Also, I want to reconnect with all my friends and family. I will start my mass meet-ups with everyone after this week of recuperation is over.

Finally, I'm gonna do my best to blog bit by bit, what happened in the past two months that Sianpei and I have travelled. All of them via border crossing ; ) I know I have been a sucker at keeping my word when it comes to travel posts but I'll do my best to write a post per country. I was looking through all my photos yesterday and I felt really emotional when I saw the Myanmar ones because that was the first travel destination, which happened 2 months ago, and there were some pictures taken that I had forgotten. So it was really nice to see them again.


I'll see you guys later!