Midnight Rambling about my First Week

So my first week as a fresher has just ended. Just came back from the student social with my coursemates. The dental society fed us with free pizza, chips, garlic bread, dessert and discounted drinks, while the committee got to know all of us. It's nice, really, that the dental students of all 5 years are like a community since it's not a big course.

Other than that nothing much really, mostly orientation and inductions all week at uni. Pictured above is my fresher pack from the dental society. Which is cool and all, but I can't help but feel cheated because they gave me the head for the electric toothbrush but not the motor part itself. Gahh. But hey, free stuff!

Had an occupational health check and drew some blood for tests to make sure I won't be giving patients any blood-borne diseases. Hmm..what else? Explored and got lost in the city too. Multiple times. And Jessy and Terrance showed me around the campus and the parks. Oh my gosh, I can't wait to take a proper walk in that park, it's massive and picnic-perfect. I'll go take some photos soon.

Yup, it's been really sunny outside still. The clouds are slowly rolling over though. I gotta get that raincoat asap. 

This girl ah really.

Grabbed free Ben&Jerry's with Joyce, a Scotland-born Chinese, and Shakirah also from Malaysia! Both of them are from my course too. Thank God there's another Malaysian in it with me. 

We met after class to get our Asian food fix at Wok to Walk.

I find food here rather bland. Here I had rice and beef stirfried in hot sauce, the spiciest one on the menu, and I still ended up pouring lots of soy sauce and chili in it. My friends were like omg are you crazy, but hey, my tastebuds are Malaysian born, yo.

Chicken katsu with salad, so funny right

Monday starts off formal lectures, starting with oral anatomy. I'm actually pretty excited about learning new stuff. My brain feels pretty rusty and unloved after completing A2 - I can't wait to jumpstart it up again. 

I found out that this year we'll be dissecting actual cadavers. Actual cadavers! 

While I think I'll need to mentally prepare myself for the sight and smells and the whole bizarre experience of handling a dead human body, I'm actually looking forward to it. Excited, even.

What can I say? I've always liked dissections. Before, I was the only one willing to dissect the pig's heart. Yeerdeh, proud.

Everyone was then surprised with an on-the-spot test on scalpel handling techniques.

They were like 3 stations, where each of us had to demonstrate long and short strokes with the scalpel on a halved orange. At first, we all felt kinda stressed lah, first day already got such test, but it wasn't too bad and I'm pretty sure everybody passed.

So today, Joyce and I went for this taster session with the Trampoline Club at the sports centre. 

I'm not looking to join and commit to this club though, I just wanted to jump on the trampoline!

Damn fun wei.

 Obviously I sucked at it la.

I kept stumbling about the first time, but on my second time, I could actually keep jumping on the centre, kay. I even tried to do that one trick where you bounce on your bum then jump up into standing position again. 

On the other hand, there were people who were already certified pros, demonstrating some stunts.

They'd jump soooo high then do like flips and somersaults in the air. It was so cool.

That moment where you're at the peak of your jump though.

You just feel like, for that moment, you're weightless and floating in midair.

Thinking of going for the taster sessions for Salsa and Latin Dance Club on Tuesday as well. Gonna see if I can drag any of my friends with me, hehe.

Then, we walked to Tesco Extra to pick up groceries and more household stuff.

Found this gorgeous knit for 25% off, so I grabbed it.

I really need more sweaters. I thought I packed a lot for this weather but it really wasn't enough!

Ughh, tired from such a long day. I'm so gonna sleep in tomorrow morning. 

Then, we're gonna scout out the asian supermarket and cafes a bit further from our place.

I feel like I've just been rambling quite pointlessly this post. Must be the fatigue setting in.

Gonna crash, good night world.

PS/ Learnt some Welsh words from the locals. I'll post about them once I've learnt more! 

Hello Cardiff!

So I finally left home for Cardiff a few days ago. And I've pretty much settled in. Still tired and achey from the journey over, but getting better.

I made sure to hug my mom last because she'd be the only one who would cry, which would then in turn make me cry as well!

I survived the 13 hour flight over in what I initially thought was the best seat in the plane. Aisle seat, near the toilet, nobody sitting next to me.NOBODY SAT NEXT TO ME!  How much better could I have it, right?

Well, like most things, it turned out too good to be true because I was sitting behind a baby that had lungs of a deepsea diver. He cried on and off the whole journey, and I barely got any sleep.

While I was waiting for the Cardiff Uni coach to come pick me up from the airport, I had an early breakfast with my ex-college mates YiLian and Darinee, who were waiting for their cabs down to London.

These are my luggages. One big one, one hand carry and a laptop bag. My big green bag was 33kg, 1 kg over the limit that MAS set for us. So I had to open it up and stuff 1kg worth of clothes into my backpack. They almost charged me RM170 for even going above 30kg, but thank God the JPA officers were there to help me tell the woman 'Tak payah charge la, dia terbang sendiri dari Sarawak' 

So this is my new room for the year. I had to singlehandedly lug my 32kg bag up 2 flights of stairs. Ohmygod I almost died. I have 3 big bruises on my legs from heaving it up to my floor. 

Don't mind the ugly sheets, I ordered a set from the residence for when I got there so I didn't have to set out to buy them myself. Ugh, I can't wait to buy some pretty sheets to replace them. 

The room is pretty cosy and I love having it to myself. Oh and by the way, it's ensuite too. 

Do NOT underestimate the luxury of having your own bathroom.

The extra cost is so worth it. 

The privacy.

Not having to share the bathroom and to be able to leave all your stuff in there just the way you like it.

Having it smell of your favourite soap.

Being able to shit without worrying about the stink you'll leave behind.

Just having it all to yourself, basically.

That beige building there is my residence.

Basically, I'm living in a student village. There are about 26 other houses just like this in the area. There's a gym and a pub/bar here too. 

In my flat, there are 7 other freshers. 2 girls from China, me and the rest are local to the UK. I've yet to meet and get to know all of them. Probably not this week though because it's Fresher's Week and most of the locals would be out partying at night at all the club events. As I'm typing, there's a big boisterous bunch of them in the dining area having pre-drinks. 

It's a little intimidating, to be honest. Okay, not just a little. 

I really want to go to the fridge to get my yoghurt but...errr...not right now.  

Maybe after they leave for the club. 

To keep myself awake til at least 10pm, I went to explore my new residence.

Yup, those are the basketball and football fields here. I wound up at a gigantic Tesco near my place and bought some household stuff to make my room into a home. Crashed that night at around 10, forced myself to stay awake til then. I ended up waking up at 3 and couldn't sleep til an hour later. Ughh, overcoming that time jump backwards.

The walk from my place to the Student's Union is about 30 minutes long, and the first time I took that walk  (pictured above), I thought it was the longest walk everrrr. But then again, I didn't really know the way so I kept checking the roads and stuff. 

After enrolling and getting my student ID, a few new Malaysian friends and I went into the city to open our new bank accounts and to shop. 

Again, crashed that night.

Woke up the next morning at around 10am, stayed in bed til around 12pm before I decided to explore the city centre. The weather, for the past few days, is perfect here. Sunny but cool, because the summer is kinda long this year. I was told to really enjoy this weather while it lasts because soon, it's gonna rain and the winds will blow like nobody's business. 

It's great walking around in Cardiff. It's not busy and packed and grey (...like London), but relaxed and friendly and chill.

The city centre/shopping area is much like Manchester too. 

Duck socks I got as a gift!

In the Royal Arcade

Major eyebags ft camo jacket that Sharon got me <3

Cardiff Castle

Street vendor pork sandwich with stuffing and apple sauce, yumm

 My first lecture only starts on Thursday so I still have a couple of free days to explore this exciting city. And also, to find more essentials for my room - I've been putting off clothes shopping til I have all my household stuff and raincoat in order. TAHANNNN.

Jessy arrives tomorrow so she'll be showing me around and taking me out to eat!

I was so looking forward to going to The Kooks concert in my Student Union but the tickets are already sold out. T_T 

What are the chances I'll be able to score tickets nearer to the gig? Fingers crossed.

Ending this post with a couple of gratuitous selfies, that I feel too paiseh to post on Instagram hehe

Oh my god they are so noisy outside. I guess they're pretty tipsy already. They're cheering and banging on things and just bumping things around. Beer bottles clinking here and there. Good music is playing from my dining room and from other flats outside as well - The White Stripe's Seven Nation Army, right now.

But y'know, I'd rather this than a dead, quiet hall. The whole place just feels alive. 

Here's to hoping the level of partying and noise dies down, at least a little, after this Fresher's Week. 

Before I Leave

Those Girls On Instagram

Duckface and faking dimples

Show all your teeth

#candid

Tighten ALL your face muscles

TIGHTER! Raise your eyebrows to the sky so your eyes will look bigger

My sis and I were bored so we took a bunch of selfies, inspired by those girls on Instagram. I'm sure you can think of at least one person who is guilty, haha. How they think they look more attractive than they actually are (as in, enough to post on social media) while posing like this perplexes me. People look their best when they smile naturally or just genuinely look like they're having a good time.

But to each, their own. 

Imitating our brother's resting expression. Hehe we love you.

Took my sibs and cousins to Megalanes to bowl and to play darts today. Just one last fun outing before I fly.

I had the 2nd lowest score -__-

 After bowling, Ash, my sis and I went for manicures, while my poor brother did as men do - wait outside for us.

Loving my nude nails right now. 

That's a sunny-side up egg on my sister's thumb btw

Just hangin' with Finn

My cousin, Ashleigh, with our matching Mulan hairstyle

Basically spent the whole day out., I'm sooooo tired right now. After lunch, I took them for bowling and manicures. Then, we had a family dinner for me before I leave on Wednesday. Suckling pig, oh my lordddddd.

The past few days I've just been trying to spend as much quality time with my family as possible.

By our definition, this of course meant rewatching Harry Potter with my siblings. Went hunting for them pirated discs but I guess they are considered outdated by now. We only had movies 2,4 and 6 so we watched those. Tomorrow we're planning to buy pizzas and stream the final 2 HP movies.

Also, I had my sis trim my hair in exchange for bubble tea.

Packing is an absolute bitch. I'm still moving things around, taking things out, putting things in. 

Ugh, the thought of lugging my luggage up 2 flights of stairs soon...

But! 

I'm so excited to fly over now. Just one day more in Kuching.

My 2014 So Far : UK Trip Pt 2

The Wheel of Manchester

So Yong and I reached Manchester Picadilly station at around 1 before we met up with her friend, Magdelene who brought us for lunch at the Northern Quarter. It's this eclectic part of Manchester which has a lot of quirky shops and tea places, as far as I remember. Magdelene took us to this really cosy cafe called Home Sweet Home.

SWEET POTATO FRIES <3 <3 

Cookie Milkshake, I think it's called. So yummy

 Loads of places in Manchester served milkshakes, I realised. There are even some food trucks around selling them.

After lunch, Nadia/Ned brought us back to her residence a little way off the Curry Mile in Rusholme. We spent the next couple of hours catching up, then Fira, Atikah, Derrick and Yvonne came to meet us for dinner. They brought me to this AMAZINGGGG Indian restaurant on the Curry Mile. All I remember about it is that it was across a corner shop selling ice-cream/gelato.

I don't remember the name, sorry!

 We just chilled in Ned's room for the rest of the night playing cards before Derrick went home and the rest of us girls had a sleepover at Ned's :)

I was the only one who got any sleep that night despite Ned's super loud snoring. Twas because I was still super exhausted on my 2nd day in the UK. Mind you, I was sleeping next to her too, hahaha.

View from Ned's window on a cold morning

The next morning, Yong took a train back to London and the rest of the girls went off to class, leaving me home alone. Ned left me with full access to the pantry, fridge, laptop and TV. In between reading up for my interview, I was watching Big Bang Theory on TV or on Ned's laptop Youtubing. In the evening, Ned took the liberty of showing me how to get to the university for my interview, as in which bus to take and which building to enter. Then we had falafel for dinner while watching the Kardashians.

Ned made me scrambled eggs for breakfast, heavily infused with love :P

Here are some random shots of buildings of the University of Manchester.

Opposite the main building

The way to the Manchester Museum (and also the dental building) 

The main road the uni is on

This and the next few buildings are further away from the main building

Walking to the Northern Quarter

Super creepy Archimedes getting into his tub of water (I think)

Where Tik studies EEE (???)

I wouldn't say I was particularly nervous on the morning of my interview. I didn't feel 100% prepared but I felt prepared enough. There were maybe 14 other people, 2 of which were international applicants. First, there was a nerve-wrecking group discussion. We basically had to discuss how to handle a patient's case, and it wasn't easy to catch the local accent, let me tell you. And because the discussion was timed, they were all talking really fast. 'Die la', I thought to myself. After the group discussion came individual interviews and I was the first one up. I was so grateful because it left me little time to ponder over my performance in the group discussion and potentially discourage myself. My interview went miles better and I left feeling good about it, like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, like 'My trip to UK has just started!'

 After my interview, Atikah and I walked from the main building to the Northern Quarter to find some Adventure Time merchandise! It took us a good half and hour, I think, but it was a fairly nice, sunny day and, at the time, I thought it would be good to get a feel of the place I'd potentially study at.

I was dead hungry so we had Archie's burgers for lunch (even though Tik had already eaten haha)
Eating places and stores along the road actually have lower grounds here! Like this place, we ordered our food at the counter at ground level before descending down a flight of stairs to the dining area.

I got this Adventure Time snapback with Finn and Jake on it over the word 'Schmowzow!' 

Love it, but I've given it to my sister who loves Adventure Time way more than I do.

One night, Ned and Ra went to a Rizzle Kicks concert so Tik had to babysit me again. She came over after her Muay Thai class before we went to hunt for her post-workout protein - we had fried chicken and jalapeno poppers. We then sat on a double decker bus (top deck front seat yo!) to her place, where we baked soy sauce+honey chicken (basically winged it, what could possibly go wrong?) and made potato salad.

To accompany such a decadent, scrumptious, fresh, homemade, warm meal (lol), Tik introduced me to BBC's Sherlock - which I love and had gotten me hooked! Spent the next hour or so reminiscing and laughing about high school before Ned and Ra picked me up to grab supper at this Arab food place.

Spent one night over in Ra's flat, where I edited her personal statement and watched a bit of a movie, and followed her to the gym in town the next day (using Ned's membership hehe). After showering, we took a bus to Trafford Centre to shop.

While waiting to meet Ned and some of her friends, we went for Gourmet Burger Kitchen for dinner. Neither of us had had GBK before but we kinda had pretty high expections. Having said that, you can guess that GBK wasn't that good. Ra said it just tasted like a cold McD burger, and I agree. Maybe they just had a bad day? The skinny fries were addictive though!

Yvonne and Fira took me to this small Korean place to eat, Seoul Kimchi. It's towards the Northern Quarter, if I'm not mistaken.

Had their kimchi pancake, japchae (? too lazy to check if this is correct) and spicy chicken. EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD I STILL THINK ABOUT THAT  SPICY CHICKEN. If you are going to study in Manchester or even visiting, you must try this place.

Was too hungry to snap photos of the place or food.

Attended my very first TED talk too! 

After a week in Manchester, I took a train back to London. Yong kept me well fed with the best Belgian waffle ever, Shake Shack burgers and cheesy fries at Covent Garden (which I totally recommend) and Four Seasons duck rice in Chinatown!

Oh yes, I made Ned's bed and threw out all her trash before I left. She was in class when I left her place. I did, however, fail to make her do her ginormous pile of laundry over the week.

For my last night in UK, Yong and Florence took me to my first musical ever! Initially, we planned on watching The Book of Mormon, which we hear is really really good, but the tickets were wayyyy too pricey :( so we picked a musical much lighter on our pockets, Jersey Boys. It was about the rise of a real band called The Four Seasons. They preceded the Beatles on the music scene, were not as popular but their songs are really damn good. If you asked your parents if they listened to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons back in the day, they would probably say yes.

It was so good, Florence and I gave them a standing ovation. A short one though because we were sitting at the balcony and it was a looong way down.

I didn't even know one of my favourite songs 'Begging' by Madcon was originally sung by The Four Seasons.

I got told off for taking photos in the theatre but I managed a couple :p

On the way back to Yong's place, I got to try the insta-famous Amaretto gelato rose. You can choose as many flavours as you want and they will sculpt out a rose for you with them. I picked pistachio, nutella and tiramisu. Winning combination? I think so :P

The day after, I left Yong's place and embarked on the long journey back home, ending my trip to the UK.

I got rejected my Manchester U in the end. I was disappointed at first because I thought 'There goes my chance at the scholarship.'
Luckily though, JPA came up with an updated list of universities they would sponsor us to, and Cardiff was in the list! After months of anxiety, I felt so relieved that everything worked out.
So yes, I made it into Cardiff U this year! :)

Procrastinated a lot on this post. I think it could be more than a month old, haha. Kinda half-assed it halfway, lazy to proofread too. Glad I saw it through though.