year 2007/2008 ---> nearing an end

Lightning speed is the expression to describe my stay in INSA. My 1st year is nearing an end. This class photo of "Group 91" sums it up.
Had a great time having everyone around.
Cheerio!!

Léo’s cum Toulouse cum airbus

Before my Barcelona trip, I made my first visit to a French friend, Léo’s house. It was situated not too far away from Toulouse, something like a French ‘kampung’. His parents were so friendly that everyone felt at home right away. I was happy to have Paul, Mah and Tuan as company to share this beautiful experience. During these few days, we kind of let the time pass, just relaxing, playing ping pong, basketball, tennis, weightlifting and reading BDs (Lanfeust). We enjoyed ourselves with good food such as barbeque (I personally loved the magret de canard the most), crêpes, cassoulet… One day trip to Toulouse was quite interesting :P (at least the redness of the city caught my attention). Unfortunately I did not take any photos.

The most exciting part was the visit to airbus as we had a chance to see how things are done the airbus way. Not to brag, but we went under the planes, touched the planes, hugged the planes, kissed the planes, we even slept with the planes… ZzZzZz… Well, of course the hugging, kissing and sleeping part = nonsense. Anyhow, it was an ideal chance to open our eyes and understand how proud it is to be able to produce such a marvel.

I place a photo of a view of La Rambla for this post.

p/s: the photo has nothing to do with the content. Don’t be tricked.

Till then, signing off, it’s the end of the holiday.

~Barcelona in love~

Two weeks of spring break is finally nearing an end. I would pretty much say I spent one of my best holidays this time around. Why? because I enjoyed it… duh… OK I traveled to Barcelona and to my utter surprise; I totally fell in love… unfortunately not with a girl, but with the city itself. Sigh, so disappointed…

Anyway, I have no intention to go list my whole journey in detail, so here goes some interesting and unforgettable stuff during my trip:

-La Rambla, the most happening street in Barcelona, there’s just so many entertainers along the stretch of the street.
-Best food? Paella, Tapas, Seafood
-Sagrada Familia is the most amazing piece of art in the city of Barcelona.
-Gaudi is one of the most creative architects, notably with Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Batllo and La Pedreda under his name.
-It was a Champion’s League semi-finals week, between Liverpool-Chelsea, and Barca-ManU.
-Crossing path with Barca FC players (Henry, Thuram, Abidal, Marquez, Gudjohnsen) was a real luck.
-It’s a city where you find everything: beach, mountains, parks, cool architectures, interesting night life, good food, hot chicks, etc, etc.

Thanks to my travel-mates, CK and Siva for making this trip so enjoyable.

Till then, signing off, still loving my holiday trip.

semaine ASIATIQUE

31^st Mac to 4^th April 2008… A whole week of ‘Asian invasion’ in the campus of INSA LYON, seeing lots of passionate and motivated students (Asian or not) giving their best to present a carnival sort of event and to spread the ‘Asian love’ to everyone around.

First, there’s the spectacle on the first 2 days. A whole lot of Asian performance is put on in order to give the Asian flavour, for those who are really interested to our beautiful culture. Again, as this is an Asian week, it’s all about Asia, and nothing else other than Asia. Vietnamese dance, Lion+dragon dance, karate, taekwondo, sketch, Indian dance was among the famous performances.

Other than that, the other particularities of the ‘SA’ were Asian food, a Korean movie and also a soirée video game.

Since I’m in the orga bouffe equipe, so let’s talk more about food. A whole week of sushi bar was held in the middle of the campus to sell Asian foods. Nobody actually understood why it’s called sushi bar when it sells a whole lot of other Vietnamese and Chinese food aside from sushi maki, instead of other Japanese food, and it didn’t even offer alcohol, so precisely, the name doesn’t correspond with the content good sold. In the kitchen, non-stop cooking took place. The fun part was that I’ve made some new friends and have learnt some new stuff about gastronomy especially in making sushi, given that I squatted there for almost a week. It was an unforgettable experience indeed.

On the whole, it was truly a good opportunity to unite all Asians and all French who are interested about Asia. Sadly to say, Asia does not really interest French people on the whole, not all, but majority. Well, it seems like it’s just a natural phenomenon that not everyone is interested in everything…

Till then, signing off, still hesitating to make the move.

Why does everyone keeps complaining of being busy???

Busy, busy, busy… That’s the only thing in my life at the moment. I’m starting to lose my goal bit by bit as my current life is taking a toll on me. I’ve just too many things to do. Can you imagine having tests every Friday? Once you finish a Friday, the next Friday is waiting for you around the corner. That means by the time you wanted to take a break, it’s already time for you to prepare for your next test.

Furthermore, the ‘Semaine Asiatique’ translated into ‘Asian Week’ will be held this week, in which I’m helping with the food (and video games, perhaps). I initially was kinda reluctant to take part; however I thought that it should be a head start to get my social life back on track. Thus, I think sacrificing a week of studies and getting bad marks is unavoidable, since I already got used to the bad marks part.

Well, since I’m busy, busy, busy… I don’t really have time going on babbling… Plus, I lost an hour today and it made me so frustrated.

Till then, signing off... lost.

random post

Friends always ask me when am i going back home again. My reply is most of the time: i don't know, most probably the coming summer, or who knows i might wana go visit some other place during that particularly precious holidays.
My initial plan for my summer 2008, when the school season started last september, was a visit to China, since the Olympics will also be held there. However, for all the hellish life in this f@#king uni that i've chosen to enter, things have changed. The 'miss-home syndrome' finally attacked me. That's why i'm determined more than ever to go home when i get the chance.
Apart from that, i'm so looking foward to meeting my lovely sis again, after a year and a half. It will be 2 years when summer comes again. To my sis, i hope everything's fine with your new uni life, and be strong.
I just chatted with a friend living in Malaysia, and there is this 'being jealous of me' issue that keeps bugging me once in a while since the last 2 years. 'Wow, you're in France, so much fun, so good, you're so lucky..' kinda thing. The fact that i'm kinda stuck overseas make the fact that being overseas isn't that much fun anymore. Mind that i can't go home whenever i want, weekends are impossible and normal holidays are too short, unlike you guys. I'm sure those friends stuck in overseas will have the same view as mine. It's kinda sad that i've missed my cousin's wedding last december, and also 3 chinese new year occasion. Though i can't deny that what i'm doing now is a once in a life time chance that i will cherish for the rest of my life. My point is there are pros and cons whichever path you take, that something has to be sacrificed whatever choice is made. This is also a post to remind myself... So, be grateful for the choice you had and for what you have chosen.

Till then, signing off with a lazy mind, having an extra day off next monday for easter.

about..

I've been sitting in front of my laptop for the last 2 and a half hours, letting the time pass, over my head, over my shoulder, and under the chair too perhaps. Since this is my first post in this lovely but still undecorated blog page, i think it should have the privilege to be introduced.
The reason of me blogging again is that i now feel the real need to reconnect with my friends out there, and also to share with others my story, my thoughts and my philosophies.
The fact that i'm a quater of the globe away from my family and most of buddies, i do not have the privilege of sharing, all the time, my happiness or sadness with those that understood and still understand me.
Some would ask how the name of the blog came about. As i was thinking what name to give this blog (just like a father quenching his brain juice to think of a good name for his would-be born baby), i thought about my life, especially for the last 3 years. I felt that, being away from home, i've learnt so much.. just about anything, yet, not quite enough. I had made so many mistakes, yet, not quite enough to make sure that i don't screw up the next time. I tried so hard, yet, not quite enough to tell myself that i did my best.
I've learnt.. i've learnt that life is just a non-stop quest of finding your true self, your true identity, and also a non-stop quest of learning all the lessons of life, until the day you stop breathing...

signing off, tired after a whole afternoon of football.