It still feels like a holiday...: October 2012

Okay. I am now officially back to blogging. I felt that it is necessary to document the happy places I have visited and those I will be visiting, plus these little bits of thoughts and feelings now that I am back in school again. I have decided to stop playing those clicking games on FB that is taking up so much of my free time everyday - goodbye my Farmville 2 and Simcity Social neighbours - at least I am going to cut down my visits. Lol.

This post happens to be the 200th post on my blog AND today (22 Oct) marks the ONE MONTH since I reached the U.K. *applause*

I remember how I had to walk to Tesco's and lug those pillows, pots and pans, plates and bowls etc back home. I had a wonderful birthday in our first trip to Guildford town with my fellow Singaporean classmates and friends. We have been to London (for two weekends!) for sightseeing, went shopping at the outlets at Bicester Village and Portsmouth, and immersed ourselves in the 书香气息 in Oxford. I am so looking forward to the afternoon tea day-out next weekend! =)

And I am so lucky to have great flatmates who can really cook so well! So 幸福 to have yummy and hot home cooked dinner. I have been diligently trying to learn a trick or two from them as well. The minus side is we do spend up to 4 hours on dinner every day - includes preparation, cooking, eating, chit-chatting after food, and washing up. But it's all worth it!

Although it has been 3 weeks into lessons, I still feel like I am on holiday (i.e. not a student). Hopefully with my new determination to quit FB games the situation will be better?? (Lots of uncertainty here.) I am definitely enjoying every weekend when I would become the typical tourist and start exploring other parts of the U.K. and Europe - once the holidays come!

For those curious, life as an overseas student involves more than just playing and studying. The everyday troubles include:

what to eat and how to cook for your three meals (mine usually become just two meals on the weekends)
vegetables, meats and breads expiring faster than you can cook and eat (throwing away food is like throwing away money)
the pile of dirty clothes that you need to bring to the laundrette some 10 minutes' walk away (your mood to do laundry will be affected by the gloomy weather)
clothes shrinking in the dryer (I avoid this problem by airing my clothes with a laundry rack)
arriving on-time for school / play with the not-reliable-at-all bus timing (sometimes the bus drivers will change the routes or just skip your stop)

It's still a great experience for me though. Having fun everyday! =)

Hopefully I can whip up a dish or two when I am back!

To end this 200th post, some snapshots of my happy travels so far:

London!