Winter Vacation 2005
The best way to know whether something really happened is to share it with others. Well, by retelling the event, I guess I get to back track and go through all the happenings, reliving the moment, and rooting the memories into my system that nothing will be easily forgotten.
Ok, from the last time I wrote in Decemeber, I was already on my winter break which started on December 10. Though I had papers and work to wrap up, I got them done by the 15th, had a really early Christmas lunch with my mom (which was extremely delicious) and hopped on a plane towards the equator. Yep! I was going back home, to the tropics for my winter holidays!
SINGAPORE (Decemeber 16-17)
I arrived early in the morning on the 16th after some delays in my flight, around 1.30-2am in Singapore. After a short rest at the hotel, I was off to explore the long missed Singapore with an excursion to Sentosa Island with HongWei. There, we went to the aquarium, hung out on the man made beach and island, sitting close to 4 hours in the sun! We even got to watch the pink dolphin show! It was really fun. After spending the day there, we returend to the main island and hung out at Orchard Road enjoying the Christmas illuniations, decorations and display in the evening. We had to cut the night short as I had a terrible tummy ache.
The next day, we managed to hang out at Bugis and even caught a movie there, "Chicken Little." It was a fun trip taking things slow, at our own pace. We enjoyed the window shopping, local food and only started to make our way across the boarder back to Malaysia by MRT and the local bus in the evening. Haha… it was an experience… after hanging out for a while in Johore Plaza, killing time at Sushi King and McD’s, we boarded the 11.45pm train bound for KL. I thought I was able to make it back on time to join my sis, Su-Anne to go to church, but I only arrived at the doorsteps of home just a few minutes before Su-Anne had to leave. I was so exhausted then that I called it a raincheck, proceeding to my bed for my needed rest instead.
Home
Much has changed since summer last year. I was welcomed with a new, slightly different looking facade of the house since mom got the automatic gate along with the rocket-look-a-like water filter. Apart from that, the addition of a garden shed and the renovated back portion of the house seemed to make the view from the kitchen door a little strange. Hmm, the thing I longed for most was to dive into my bed but was suprised to find myself jumping on a different bed. haha… nonetheless, changes are good. The Christmas tree was put up and taken away in the length of my stay. Hmm, it seems to make my stay feel stretched out long though it was only 25 days. The cable was out until the very last moment when Mom got back from her trip, giving Astro a piece of her mind. Due to no cable and the lousy internet access, I found myself spending most of my time doing housework, cooking, watching DVDs… oh, and I even managed to read "The Half-Blood Prince" in 2 days!
Carolling (December 23)
Wow! This is one story I have to tell. It was a Friday and Su-Anne and I decided to take things slow with our preparations for the big night. We were to be the last house the carollers were to visit that night, and as the years of the past, lots of preparation has to be done with the cleaning and provision of food, drinks and snacks who were extimated to arrive around 10pm. Amidst all the stuff we had to do, I invited a few friends over for dinner. I made Linguini Ai Funghi (white sauce mushroom pasta) for MeiQi, ShatLi, HongWei, my sis and I. We a great time enjoying my almost dried out pasta with chips and wine. Still, all was good and I continued with the preparations for the night. With good helpers, we adorned the dinning table with a spread of O-nigiri (Japanese rice balls… which by itself has a story to be told another time), sausages, vegetable dumplings, crackers and dip, and some cakes with a fruit punch and watermelon on the side. The table was set to the festive color of red and green which made my night… until…
A few of the carollers arrived early, came in and greeted "Hi Su-Anne! Hi Su-Annes relatives!" I spun around and went "what? relatives? what an insult!" My sister went oops and said "she is my sister..lar!" Hmm, seems like I HAVE been away that long! Then, they came like the whirlwind. The house was soon packed with people that I couldn’t even count them. The dinning hall was packed, the living room had people on almost every square inch, and there were still people sitting and standing outside! They came, they sang, and they ate! All was pretty scary for me after being accustomed to the quiet and serene Christmas celebrations evpereinced for the past 3 years here in Japan. I hid myself in the kitchen with the company of those who knew me, catching up, etc. My other shock was to find that food were brought from other houses that the carollers went… there goes my table display… well, the intention was good though. It was just me being "little miss picky." The carollers sang a few songs and I was more than happy to meet the few familiar faces who I missed dearly: HonYau, Marcus, HonChien, Jonathan… it was a great night. I was wiped out with the preparations but my sis, Chris and HongWei did a great job cleaning up while I rest my back that slaved to do the cooking for the evening. Definately memorable!
Christmas
I have to admit that the Christmas celebrations at home are different from those I had here in Japan… instead of the quiet candle light services of Bible reading and carols, we have full fledge carolling, Christmas Eve Evangelistic Dinner, and Christmas Day service in KL. Su-Anne was busy with the rehearsals as she and Chris were the main producers and directors. Yep, my little sis ain’t that little any more. Since I left, she has matured so much and has played a major role in the creative ministry of Emmanuel EFC. I am so proud of her…
Anyways, getting back to the story… the Christmas Dinner was a new thing as it started the year I left for Japan. Wow, it was a night were everyone was in their best clothing (gowns and all) inviting friends and family for the occasion… after the presentation, a short message was given and then, dinner! It was great catching up with everyone who I miss.. there was Joshua Teo, Marcus, Hon Chien and Matthew… and a whole lot of new faces too. It was fun and the night was wrapped up with a good dessert.
oh… this year I attended Christmas Day service… something not practiced in Japan (unless it falls on a Sunday). The church celebration for Christmas is focused mainly on the 4th Sunday of Advent. Hmm, mainly it is because Christmas is to celebrate and remember the birth of Christ and the 25th is just the day when the later church chose to remember. Oh yeah… and there was also a Christmas Day episode… do ask me in private if you really want to know.
New Year’s
I was abandoned by my mom and sis on this weekend as they had some Rotary and roteract thingy to attend. I spent New Year’s Eve nursing myself from food poisoning (I think it was from the Nasi Goreng Kampung I had the night before). So, no partying for me that night… I was weak and in a total mess, sleeping my way into Year 2006. I couldn’t watch "kou-haku" as the cable was down… nor have any strength to even make it to the window to see the fireworks display! poor me, eh? Anyways, I went to church the next morning and though I missed my "ozoni" and "osetchi- ryori" (traditional Japanese new year food) I brought some "mochi" (Japanese Rice cakes) over to dad’s to eat it with the steamboat he prepared… not bad at all… it is almost like "O-nabe…" mmm…. yummy
In a whole, I spent a lot of time with my family and loved ones. My brother is super cute now. He still remembers me and has already started nursery school… aww, how kids grow! I apologize for not keeping in touch with most of you (online or in person). However, I did manage to meet those who went off far away for studies and all… and those "must-meet-less-i-wish-to-have-a-terrible-death" figures. I enjoyed great meal times with my grandparents, watched movies at the cinemas, shopping and playing dress up with sis… it was a good holiday… before making my way back to Japan for the winter semester. Now, back to work bunny… the Year 2006 has lots for you to get done… hurry up now… hop, Hop, HOP!!!
I did manage to put together a little album of my Winter vacations.. hope you will enjoy taking a look at it. There will be more updates and addition to it in the near future. Till then, I hope the visual aid helps.
