Today is Christmas Eve !!! So it will be another day staying at home :) Currently the Challis family is busy cleaning up and preparing for the big family Christmas dinner tonight. I washed their dishes ! I really don't mind to learn to be independent but the meat odour just makes me feel like puking...
So I can finally access my old laptop to the wifi here ! I can finally upload some of my pictures taken here..and I will start blogging from the scratch of my YE journey.
During 2008 when I was in the first grade of high school there was a French guy named Guihem in fifth grade. He was so attention grabbing in school as he stands out most among the Chinese, Indian and Malay students. I then heard from my friends he's on a student exchange programme for a year. Thats my first encounter with the word 'student exchange'.
How nice it is ! Travelling to a place as far as half a globe and staying there all by yourself without any friends and family for a year! Of course he made a lot of new friends. This is something a lot of people won't be experiencing in life. I began to wish that someday I could go on a student exchange programme. But at that time I was too young. Till 2010, I started searching on web bout many student exchange programmes. I stumbled upon AFS website and found out the programmes are very expensive. Until the beginning of 2011, I've found out that my friend, Wen Qian's dad is a member of Lions Club in District 308B1. She promised me to get me a copy of the programme form. I was so happy ! I asked her almost everyday did she bring the form I think she got annoyed. She always forgot to bring that I was so mad at myself because I gave myself huge fake hopes. I finally gave up.
2 months later, she finally got me the form I was so happy I read every word oh so carefully. I was too excited to even think of what would my parents say. I was very confident that they would let since Youth Exchange programme by Lions Club we only have to pay mainly the air fares.
On the form there were many countries for us to decide whether which country is our most desired place. There's Italy, Norway, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and others. The first few places got me chills I was too happy I couldn't describe. Those countries are so far away from where I live and I felt as if I am going on an adventure !
To my horror, my parents didn't let me go because I was too young.
I was very depressed but not as depressed as I thought I would be. After all, their reason is I was too young to go, so perhaps I still stand a chance in going, when I am older?
End of 2011, I only found out that my own district, 308B2 has Youth Exchange Programme as well. Once again my hopes are all fired up. I called my lions and requested for the forms. But the forms arrived 4 months later, I've waited for 4 months.
Sadly our district only send students to Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan. I put Italy as my first choice, New Zealand as second and Australia as third.
And yeah my parents said yes !
July 2012, I hosted a Japanese girl. Detailed post HERE. Meanwhile I attended the YE programme interview in Taylors College.
October 2012, I got offered to go Australia. I am not gonna lie I was very disappointed. I wanted Italy, I wanted New Zealand, I put Australia as my 3rd choice because the I wouldn't want to go any places other than those. I was quite depressed lah :(
If you are wondering why didn't I pick Japan just like most of my friends, because I am not interested in Japanese culture. And I find it hard to communicate because I will have to learn Japanese which I am so sick of it while Mayuko was here.
My region only send 7 students out to Japan, 3 to Australia and 1 to New Zealand. None to Italy. Why did they put Italy on the form then! They gave me fake hopes >;( And I was SO jealous of the girl who're going to New Zealand. :(
Mid November, when we were asked to send a copy of our passport, I only realised my passport expired a month ago. I was terrified, I could be in deep trouble.
The 2nd day I rushed to the immigration centre and much to my surprise, passport was done in a morning.
In the midst of SPM, I attended the orientation. Even until this stage, where the air fares are paid, I still didn't make any 'official' announcement on my dearest blog that I am going to Aussie for student exchange because there were so many setbacks when I was applying for this even if I didn't list out most of them. To avoid giving myself fake hopes again I did not tell many people about it.
14th December 2012, I am finally on a student exchange programme. FINALLY. Remember there was once I was in despair and I said what makes me go on are the 3 life changing events? One is Kenny G's concert, another one is still not here yet and the last one is this, YE programme!
Although Australia is not what I wanted but I am grateful cos Australia is beautiful too!
Dearest mom came and sent me off on that day.
There were only 2 leos going to Aussie from our region, I don't know where is the other guy. One is me another one is Beatrice from Leo Club of PJI.
Its my first time going overseas all alone without family! Everything is going to be different when I come back. I know my status will change, because my independence will be a stage higher. And I hope that is a good thing.
Now that I am finally sitting on my Aussie home's bed typing on my first post of YE, I finally accepted the fact that my dreams came true !
7pm I departed to Singapore. It was only merely 45 minutes trip to Singapore, I was separated from Beatrice and I was sitting beside a middle aged man. So uncomfortable I've never sat with strangers on planes before. But thank god he was sleeping throughout while I was reading The Hobbit.
Arrived in Singapore around 8pm. My first time in Changi Airport as I've never took a plane to Singapore before, mostly by cars.
It's freaking HUGEEEEE. Beatrice and I spent 30 minutes walking to the terminal. Yes 30 minutes walk, its very very very long and big.
Half an hour later we boarded on Singapore Airlines ! Once again I was sitting alone. In the middle of a Cambodian woman and a chinese man. The woman was very nice to me she talked to me at the beginning but slept through out the 7 hours journey and not even wake up for dinner and breakfast LOL.
The chinese man is gentleman to help me take my bag and everything but omgosh he was so smelly and his breath stinks T.T
I had to hold my breath everytime he yawns because...its simply unendurable.
First time taking Singapore Airlines. They even have a menu!! So cool.
Accidentally dropped my precious The Hobbit book thats why the cover is like that :( My heart hurts :(
Dinner choices for the night.
I took pictures of myself on the plane. People were looking at me and I was so embarrassed because I was alone but I don't care. Its not like they know my name :)
Dinner. The best part is the bread with butter. The butter was so good !!!
I slept very late a night ago. Although I was sleepy but I didn't sleep at all during the flight. I was too excited to sleep cos I LOVE plane rides. Its very bizarre because most of the people hate it. I don't know why but I just love.
I watched The Hunger Games and a Singaporean film called We Not Naughty.
The Hunger Games is so popular I felt like I need to watch it. Its nice, but overrated. Nice but not as nice as how people said it. I would rate it 7/10.
We Not Naughty is very terrifying in some ways because its too close to reality. Every conversations of the movie actually appeared in real life and those incidents actually happen very frequently in our lives. I teared while watching it and fortunately the two people beside me were both asleep. Jack Neo always knows the best way to attack our hearts, he knows our weak spots, he knows :(
The woman who slept throughout the flight wasted the seat beside the window. :(
Breakfast ! Loved the bread and butter.
A playlist consists of Simon & Garfunkel , The Beatles, Lady Antebellum and Backstreet Boys! What else could be better?
7am local time I arrived safely in Melbourne, Australia.
To be continued !
Merry Christmas !
Merry Christmas !