DESTINY

2008-12-30T02:25:00.000-08:00

30th Dec 08

Happy New Year in advance and thanks for the Christmas wishes.
yes, we celebrated our FIRST WHITE CHRISTMAS.
we ran on bare foot after sauna that evening. totally cool

will be flying tommorrow, so this blog hereby declare dead.

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20 Dec 2008

2008-12-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Swee Ting almost walked out of the hostel wearing her slippers. She forgot to change to shoes.

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18 Dec 2008

2008-12-19T02:18:00.000-08:00

YYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
We are the only living things left in the flat (plus some random ants). Taiwanese and Russians have gone to Russia and the whole place is ours!!!!! We can use whatever remaining days of the internet so don't have to go to school. WAH......MSN 24/7.

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15th Dec 08

2008-12-15T03:02:00.000-08:00

Weight results are out
Each of us gained 5 kg.

SO I don't understand why everyone said I became horizontally challanged but no one said anything about Kux growing fat.

Swee Ting:
height: 165 cm
weight: 51 kg

Shi Ya:
height: 175 cm
weight: 56 kg

I don't know why but I had a weird sense of achievement because my weight managed to touch a head 5.

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9 Dec 2008

2008-12-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

I always knew Swee Ting's brain grew in her stomach but today I was proved wrong. It probably grew in her butt. A few days ago, Swee Ting hung her clothes in the OPEN to dry. I didn't know why because it was freezing outside, but she did anyway. Today when she collected her clothes, they were frozen. They were like potato chip, dangerously snapable. I wanted to tell her to defrost them in the oven. AND she wanted to hang more clothes outside. I think the weather froze her brain.

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2008-12-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

30th November 2008, 23.00+ :

I was super bored. As usual, Kux was typing down recipes from a cooking book while I sat on the bed .. stoning. Took out my phone later and started browsing through the pictures .. realised that a lot of people *stole* my phone and took pictures of themselves.

30th November 2008, 23.00 ++ :

Explored the camera on my phone and found many functions, so I tried them and took few pictures. But I think because my aiming is bad, the photos didnt turned out the way I wanted. I got bored after all the trying.

KUX IS STILL SITTING THERE QUIETLY, TYPING all her recipes.

30th November 2008, 23.00 +++ :

I decided to disturb Kux.

HAHAHAHA

1st December 2008, 00.03:

Kux wished me a Happy Birthday

NOT TO FORGET, BEST PICTURE OF THE DAY:

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1 December 2008 - too bad it's raining

2008-12-01T04:38:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY SWEE TING!

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28 Nov 2008

2008-11-28T05:25:00.000-08:00

COME BACK!
The snow is melting and this morning the temperature was 6 deg. Big jump from the usual negatives- zero. The area looked like the Great Flood and the ground was slushy. EWW.

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19 October 2008- A day to remember

2008-11-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Finally, we saw it snow. Had snowball fight in the morning with Swee Ting and naturally I won. AHAHA. As forfeit, Swee Ting had to stand still and let me throw snow balls at her for 10 secs...but I think I went over 10.

The ground is still very slippery and my horrible shoes made it worse. I was sliding all the way to and from the city centre and to school. Nearly had a heart attack. On the way to the city centre, I fell and I dropped my bread into the snow...WAH!!! Had to eat cold bread after that. But good thing is that the ground is frozen soild so no more stepping into mud on the way to school.

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14 Nov 08

2008-11-14T05:15:00.000-08:00

Location: School
com labTime: 1200
FinlandWeather: 7°C
Thinking: YAYNESS! YAYNESS! and still YAYNESS!

GOOD NEWS GOOD NEWS!
Wendy, Nurul, Bao and Eugene:
We managed to book the flights to go Nice.
Please say you are happy too =)

GO:

31 Dec: Tempre - Dublin
Wednesday 13.10 - 14.35 FR853

2 Jan Dubin - Nice
Friday 06.55 - 10.30 FR1988

BACK:

8 Jan Nice - Dublin
Thursday 11.30 - 13.10 FR1989

9 Jan Dublin - Tempre
Friday 07.30 - 12.45 FR852

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11 October 2008

2008-11-11T01:57:00.000-08:00

Location: School, com lab
Time: 1200 Finland
Weather: 8°C, snow melted long ago
Thinking: Hope the reservation got through, I'm so going to NICE

Had the weirdest lesson ever. Visions started at 11.30. When the teacher entered the class, she said,"I have lecturing you about the same thing over again and that's not how I want to do it. I have 2 MARVELOUS articles here. I want you to read them and we will discuss them on Friday. You may read the articles anywhere you want (a.k.a. CLASS DISMISSED!)." So today's class lasted 15mins tops.

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7 October 2008

2008-11-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

Location: School, above cafeteria
Time: 1630 Finland
Weather: 2°C
Thinking: Mövenpick saved the day

All is lost.

And this helped a lot.

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6 December 2008

2008-11-06T05:39:00.000-08:00

Location: School, above cafeteria
Time: 1542 Finland
Weather: 2°C
Thinking: HOTMAIL IS SUCH A BITCH!!!!

IT SNOWED THIS MORNING AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 1 DEG!!!!

Went swimming this morning, not in ice...the pool. It was an indoor pool so the area was heated. Swee Ting almost drowned again. She didn't know that the pool gets deeper as it went along. Before she reached the other end, she stopped swimming and tried to reach for the floor. realising the floor wasn't there, she panicked and nearly killed herself.

My eyes! My eyes! the toilet was crawling with fat old women with sagging ding-dongs. I'll never live to that age...what a torture to see yourself become a humongous prune.

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2nd Nov 08

2008-11-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1700 Finland
Weather: 3°C
Thinking: When does Swee Ting not need to pee?

IT SNOWED YESTERDAY!!!! But I didn’t see it…ARGH!!! Nevermind, it was the small kind so by the time it touched the ground, it melted away.

29th Oct 08 : Went to the vocational school with Zhang Xiang to make paper. First attempt of our paper making turned out well, so we decided to go for more fun. Mixing different kinds of pulp. Ku Shi Ya succeeded in making wooden paper and whatever mixture she had managed to come out with. But poor Yap Swee Ting got nothing but a mere tissue paper. Torn.

We were so engrossed in our paper making before we realized that it was already 2 o’clock – we did not eat. Our stomachs complained loudly and so we decided to award ourselves with a good Lu-di. (Lunch cum dinner). Went to a Chinese restaurant.

On the first order, we ordered 3 dishes and a big bowl of rice. But because our stomachs are still not satisfied, we had a second serving of rice. No more ingredients but a lot of sauce, so another half bowl of rice. We ordered one more dish and another big bowl. Zhang Xiang and the ‘Lao Ban’ were so amazed that two skinny girls can consume so much. Even Zhang Xiang died halfway. As usual we ate from ‘got-people’ to ‘no people’ to ‘got people’ and to ‘no people’.

We counted - In total, 2 of us ate 5 rice bowls each. Minimum.
not this bowl...the smaller ones
The ‘Lao Ban’ very nice, gave us BIG discount. Total bill was supposed to be ~€45 but the bill came up to, €25.
But we are also very nice, because if it was a buffet, I think the shop can just close for the day.

Purely Ku Shi Ya:
30th Nov 08: Handmade pizza at host family. In the end, the pizzas had this dome shape because of the unbelievable amount of ingredients hidden under the tonnes of cheese. There were at least 3 kinds of cheese for each pizza- mozzarella, blue cheese, um…some other cheese. No pizza in the world could match to the pizza we made. The amount of cheese alone is ‘knock yourself out’. At least one bag of cheese for 1 pizza and there were 3.
I love my host mother. This was what she said, “it’s unhealthy but who cares.” Exact words. Her favorite phrase is “Where the hell…” because they just moved to their new house and she can never remember where she put her stuff.

1st Nov 08: Attended a Halloween party that was held in a cave. It was so cold that the smoke that came out from our mouths was like the “mushroom” formation when the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. It is also the reason for the blurry pictures.

kind of ironic

There were 3 life rock bands. It was good that we are not yet deaf.

2nd Nov 08:
Made Shepherd’s pie for dinner.
Shi ya got 3 burns on one hand
Swee Ting got a forehead bruise:: What a nice day =)

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25 October 2008

2008-11-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1437 Finland
Weather: raining, and it’s so gloomy
Feeling: neutral

We finally went to Lidl yesterday. Took us almost 2hours to get there as it was at the other end of Imatra. On the way there we took a wrong turn somewhere and landed in the hospital. Was wondering to myself, how can there be a supermarket in the middle of the hospital. Turned out we had to walk further down…wah.

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24 October 2008

2008-11-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1944 Finland
Weather: just rained, cold
Feeling: Happy

Was watching One Piece when Ya Zhen msned me. She asked if I wanted to attend the Wilderness Dining which I received invitation about 1 hour before she asked. I immediately agreed because 1) FREE!! 2) Nothing better to do other then watch movies.

When we reached our destination, the area was totally deserted. All we saw were trees, some log houses and more trees. We would have walked off if it weren’t for some random heads which popped up from behind some trees. We walked towards them and found some people doing outdoor cooking. As we didn’t know if they were the ones who organized the event, we pretended to walk around. Luckily some guy came out from one of the log houses to greet us. Turned out there were only two guests so far…Ya Zhen and me. LOL. He told us that the chef had gone to bring some more people there. The food wasn’t ready yet so he gave us a tour around the log houses.

The whole place is actually a museum. The log houses were transferred to Imatra from somewhere in Finland and they displayed a typical Karelian farm house in the olden times. The tour was interesting and the most fascinating thing that I learnt was that Finns in the past were short. All the ceilings were about 10 cm above me. If I jumped in the house, my head will break through the ceiling.

GraineryHorse shoe for walking in swampsStick for 'putting out fires'SAUNA!!!!

Pour water on the rocks
And finally DINNER. Good news (to me), there were no other guests so 10 people get to feed on 20+ people share of food. Muahaha.

Menu:
Soup- mushroom + cauliflower
Main course- potato + mutton (my first time) + survival cumber + braised root vegetable
Dessert- open fire pancake- Suvi Saimaajuice (Rhubarb, red current, raspberry) it was the first time they made it so we were all guinea pigs
- coffee/ tea
Drinks- cranberry juice with 7up and Lingonberries soup bowl made from rye flour...edible bowl...whee!

potatoessurvival cucumbers
braised veg roots No Wendy...this is not a WHOLE lambPIE!!!!
Overall I thought the food was not bad for a meal cooked in the wilderness. The ‘pancake’ turned out to be some sort of pie because they put too much dough so you will get sick of it if you eat too much.

There was a lot of food left so everyone had to ‘da bao’. Took quite a lot of food, hope it lasts.

Random: Someone didn’t believe that I am 173cm tall…she thought I was shorter.

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24 October 2008 My bread expires today

2008-10-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

Location: above cafeteria
Time: 0953, Finland
Weather: 6-7 deg
Feeling: shock

TDM EXAM WAS HORRIBLE. Nothing that I studied came out at all!!! Had to come up with some rubbish in the end to complete the paper...wah....It was the worst paper ever!!!!

Ahh...it's over anyway...school has offically ended...whee!!! FREEDOM.

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19 October 2008 Eternal Darkness is Approaching

2008-10-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Location: School, Computer lab
Time: 1651, Finland
Weather: just rained
Thinking: Uploading photos is such an ass
Feeling: crazy, excited, stressed, happy, explosive, sian

Decided to blog because facebook is taking so long to upload the pics from the Europe trip.

Feeling crazy and excited because Twilight is opening on 21th Nov and I'm still stuck in Finland. I think it opens here too but if I'm not wrong tix are going at €8. WAH!!!!

Feeling stressed: exams start on wednesday

Feeling Happy: we had free lunch today. Went to vocational school to eat today. When we went up to the counter to pay, there was no one there so we decided to pay after we ate. But in the end we still didn't pay because there was still no one at the counter (actually there was someone at the other counter but we were 'blind').

Sian: need to get groceries later

Explosive: too many feelings

Just returned from the Europe trip yesterday. To the people who are travelling to Europe, Paris is a MUST!!! Paris is AMAZING and I so want to go back. Go there and you will know what I mean. Will upload about trip next week because will be really busy this week. WOOT!!! 2 modules next period!!!!

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10 Oct 2008

2008-10-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

Location: Computer Lab
Time: 1547 Finland
Weather: cold, like always
Feeling: Jealous

This post is dedicated to Aishah and Kelvin.
Congrats on getting selected for training to go into Tennis team.

Aishah: 4 rounds is not a lot.
Dont complain about running because you make us jealous.

We were in Singapore for so long and didnt get the chance!
But anyway, hope you both will TRAIN hard and get into the team! =)

Cheers to TENNIS

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8th Oct 08

2008-10-08T04:06:00.000-07:00

Location: Computer Lab
Time: 1408
Finland Weather: 6 deg
Thinking: NYP

Saw NYP's school time table
It looks empty
Wednesday no classes?

People.. you all super lucky eh!

But just to tell you something that will burst your bubbles a little.
For the next term, we will only be having 2 modules.

HEH HEH

but we intend to sit in for french classes
no exams

HO HO HO

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4th Oct 2008

2008-10-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

Location: Computer Lab
School Time: 1652
Finland Weather: it rained again
Thinking: What should we do?
Mood: So dead

Sorry to flood you all with our hectic updates.

It rained again.
We saw ice on the grass on our way to school.

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2 October 2008

2008-10-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

Location: Above canteen, school
Time: 1147 Finland
Weather: it rained in the morning
Thinking: WE are in so much SHIT
Feeling: Stressed

Ok…haven’t updated for some time.

Last Friday there was a gathering at the Nigerians’ hostel. We mainly just talked, ate and drank. It was ok, a bit boring …got to meet some new people. We even played musical chairs. LOL.

On Monday during lunch break, Taiwan girls and we went over to the vocational school for lunch. Swee Ting and I ate like we will die the next day. It was mainly because instead of paying after we take the food, we pay before taking the food. So that way, no one will know if we went back for second helping. Menu for the day: potatoes (mashed/ whole), meat sauce, salad, rye bread, vegetable soup and biscuits. Eugene Pang will be so proud of us. We have found a way to differentiate Singaporeans from the rest of Asia (mainly China). POP: Black hair, yellow skin. POD: kiasu, kiasi, kia zheng fu (government). We ate so much the Taiwanese were O.O And I also took many paper cups as they were so cute and handy…the cups have handles. I also stocked on Lipton tea and sugar….muahaha. Any buffet restaurant that have us as customers are bound to lose money. When we first entered the canteen, there were only a few students. From our meal we experienced what is full canteen to empty canteen. In the end we were the last to leave the canteen. Even the cooks finished eating before us (and they were the last to eat).

Yesterday we went to the Nigerians’ hostel again to celebrate their independence day. They cooked fried rice and there was their national food. It’s the brother of yam…I forgot the name…and you have to put this curry on it. Super delicious. So sad I ate so little.

Supposed to go down to the river to play with the fallen leaves today but it’s RAINING!!! ARGH!! Of all times. Actually I think the weather has been quite kind. It usually rains at night so it’s dry in the morning. It’s also getting colder at night. A lot of smoke coming out from the mouth.

Sorry if this sounds very monotonous…don’t feel very well

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27 September 2008

2008-10-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0937 Finland
Weather: 9°C
Thinking: Long day

For the first time yesterday, I ate fish – salmon, because it was cheap. €0.97.

We went Lammassaari, which is another island of Imatra. (Their version of Pulau Ubin). Walked from 1.50pm to 8.10pm. HAHA. Super legs. Talked a lot. Today was one crazy day. I think Kux have to keep telling me to lower down my volume.

We were planning to go to the same place yesterday (Friday) as we didn’t have school. But we ended up walking the wrong direction so we landed up at Imatrankoski. Faint. And we spent 4 hrs walking around randomly. What made the journey worse was this random guy cycling towards us shouted, “ HELLO CHINA!” Damn it, enough with China already. Can’t they be more creative?

Ok .. Kux, as long as you are yellow skin and black hair, you are from china.
Get used.

So, while feeling hyper still, I shall tell you our story of what had happened today:

We bravely set off to Lammassaari as we both know it’s a faraway place.

LONG way to go

Sky is cool. If there’s a light shining down to the land, I think I can sign up to play the role of Mrs Bean. You can’t see me, can you?
Oh I forgot, only people with super eyes like Swee Ting can see.
Not even SUPER Hui Qing have super eyes. Tsk Tsk.

Anyway, we continued our journey..
It’s still long way, but we persevered.

And the road decided to reward us with a huge signboard.
What’s most important is #7.
This is very important to us. See the word?

And then, we saw something.

We were too happy.

We stared at the court for a long while before parting.
And then Kux said “Swee Ting, look.”
OOOOOOOO
The court’s materials are of those mats that you put inside a toilet to prevent people from falling. Singapore’s court is better.
But we had to leave.

Goodbye #7.
Sayoonara my court.

Journey has to go on

On our way, we found long grass

We finally see a lake. Somewhere near the place we are going.
This is called clear water. We tasted it and found out there is no taste too. But better not to drink, later LS.

But it’s getting dark.

So we decided to go into the hotel. =)

- Because we see the urgency to pee and “eat” GIANT ice cream.

Kux: Swee Ting looking for lice in her hair.
Swee Ting: eh. I’m clean ok. I got bathe.

After resting our legs, we fought with the weather by dressing like this. Almost froze.

Kux said she’s the hot dog (if you look at her from head to toe, I think you will agree with her totally) while I’m the banana.
P.S. She really looks like one. (Swee Ting said I look super weird, like turtle)

And so, our efforts are paid off. Our strong legs and brave souls have brought us thus far. Good work, body parts.

If only I own all these boats. Heh heh.

And we lived happily ever after

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26th Aug 08

2008-09-27T01:41:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0942 Finland
Weather: 3°C !!
Thinking: WAHAHA! Is my snow coming?

Oh hello! Swee Ting is blogging today. Because it’s 3°C! It’s so super cool. WAHAHAHA.

This morning, Kux woke up before me. SURPRISE SURPRISE~
I decided to remain in bed because it was so warm and comforty to stay under the blanket all mornings. But hurh! My sleeping mode was off. There isn’t any lesson today because OUR classes were cancelled. MARVELLOUS. But in the end we woke up at 8.00 AM. Zzz. But it’s ok .. I got my 8 hours of sleep anyway.

We’re doing banana pancakes now –AGAIN because we were too bored. We’ll be covering the other part of Imatra after lunch, and then to Adoela’s house at 7pm. What to put in lunch box this time?

Piece of good news: Shi yun found a trip that costs around €190 to Milan, Barcelona and Paris (including all transportation and accommodation expenses). And most importantly, the minimum age is 16. HooHoo. Swee Ting is 17!
So, on the first day of our holiday, 13th Aug, we’ll leave for Sweden by cruise at night. The next morning, we will fly to Frankfurt (Germany) and then finally to Milan. There, we will start our touring. OH yes! Haha.
This entire trip will take 7 days.
Our exams start on the week after the tour.
So we have to mug now.

Ooo. Kux is studying now – Visions of the Future and Global Travelling. See, I have the power to manipulate people. Mug hard .. I will sing for you. But open the windows first.

Hmm… Kelvin says the blog is boring. And I think so too. But Bao said it was getting more and more exciting.

P.S. We will will will abide by Espall’s #1 rule- FOR SURE! =)

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23 September 2008

2008-09-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Location: School, using computer
Time: 1547 Finland
Weather: 8°C, but it’s bearable
Thinking: Should I buy the top? It’s €19.90.

Yesterday Swee Ting and I went to collect my survival package which my mom sent quite sometime ago. The package really live up to its name. It's like the show Survivor and the package is the prize. The journey to the post office was a killer. We didn’t know where we were supposed to collect the package from so we asked the Taiwan girls as they have already collected theirs. Tze Yi collected hers from the city centre while Ya Chen had to go all the way to the custom as according to her, her package contained mainly food. So I was thinking mine contains food too so I should go to the custom. The custom was situated near the border of Imatra so we had to borrow Taiwanese’s bicycles. We cycled and cycled and cycled but no matter how much we cycled we could not find the post office. There were so many uphill slopes. We really tested our muscles. We almost cycled off the map of Imatra when we decided to ask someone to help us (the only thing present around us was wheat fields so we couldn’t do anything even if we wanted to). To our horror, the person told us that I had to collect the package from the post office which is at CITY CENTRE!!!! I was like WHAT!!!! WE CAME FROM THERE!!!! 1 ½ hrs of cycling for nothing. Ok…it wasn’t all for nothing. We saw beautiful scenery and even horses. We also bought some cheap groceries on our way back to city centre. But there were tonnes of these weird flies that kept sticking to our clothes and whenever you want to brush them off, you will accidentally squash them and they will leave a trail of weird colours. SICK.

We have no class today so Swee Ting and I went to Imatrankoski to make our ATM/ VISA card. The card looks really nice but too bad we have to return it when we close our accounts. After that we went SHOPPING. Ok…not exactly shopping. More looking then buying as usual. But H&M is having sales on their beauty range products so I bought a tub of body butter for €2.90 which I think is really cheap. I hope there will still be sales before I go back to Singapore. The packaging is so pretty. I think I’ll purchase the whole cosmetics section. Oh yah…and this sort of top/ dress. Very nice. I so want to buy it but its €19.90 which I think is a little expensive. And very impractical if I wear it in Singapore. Dilemma. More discounts please.

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21 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

Location: hostel, Imatra
Time: 1300 Finland
Weather: warm
Thinking: Daylight is getting shorter; it’s getting dark around 5+

Yesterday Swee Ting and Ya Chen made noodles, from scratch. I helped at bit in kneading the dough but I gave up after that and let them continue with the rest. It was the most unbelievable day. It was so boring we actually studied. We worked on our HRM essay. I even did laundry to pass the time. It feels horrible without the internet. Nothing to do at all.

Writing reports here are a breeze. We need to follow their thesis format which is 4 cm margin from the left, 2 cm from the right. Font size 12 Arial except for headers14. 1.5 spacing. Must enter before and after headers. Their 10 page requirements can’t hold a candle to NYP’s 4 page reports. In NYP’s report, you see nothing but words .. here, you see nothing but space.

For the next period we will only be taking 2 subjects. Maybe 3 – Drinks and Cocktails! So we will be even more free. We plan to chiong internet everyday. Plant our butts in the computer lab and watch movies from sunrise till sunrise.

Last night we were supposed to go the Ania’s hose to watch movie. Swee Ting was too LAZY to go so I went with Tze Yi (Because I’m in bed already). I was planning to undertake the mission of getting my “boyfriend” back but we turned around halfway as we realized that we have seen the movie before. Seems like Tze Yi “aim” a lot of people. She even likes this guy who Swee Ting used to think was cute.

P.S. We see 8 books right in front of us everyday we wake up.
1. Cross Cultural Management in Work Organizations- Ray French
2. International Management- David C. Thomas
3. Human Resource Management in Hospitality Industry- M.J. Boella
4. Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Industry- Frank M. Go & Mary L. Monachello & Tom Baum
5. The Democratic Enterprise- Lynda Gratton
6. An Introduction to Human Resource Management- Wendy Bloisi
7. International Management, Managing Across orders and Cultures- Helen Deresky
8. Behavioural Studies in Hospitality Management- Rita Carmouche & Nancy Kelly
Stupid HRM.

P.S.S. Chicken, milk, ham, bread and sausage (today!) expires in 2 days.

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19 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Location: hostel, Imatra
Time: 2307 Finland
Weather: chilly
Feeling: hardworking…I’m working on my HRM essay

We finally decided to go to the Imatra/ Lappeenranta tour today morning so we skipped the 2nd half of Destination Management, rushed through lunch and boarded the bus.

We had already visited most of the Imatra area so it was a little boring. But we learnt that the statue, Maid of Imatra, was built to commemorate the people who had fallen into the dam or decided to commit suicide by jumping. We also drove past the world’s second largest paper mill. After the mill, we went to the Church of Three Crosses. The church was really beautiful especially the organ in it.

After Imatra, we went to Lapeenranta. Pretty boring as we have been to the areas except for the supermarket Lidl where we found lots of cheap stuff. And we drove by Saimaa Canal. Very beautiful. And the houses nearby were WOW!

From this trip I found out that Tze Yi has a crush on my cute guy. Hmmm. How?

Swee Ting shivered for the first time today.

I finally bought rice! Whee! So I cooked fried rice for dinner. Forgot to take picture, too bad. I also bought 7 cups of yoghurt. At know it’s crazy but at €0.29 each, I couldn’t resist.

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18 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

Location: hostel, Imatra
Time: 2145 Finland
Weather: bearable
Feeling: bored

Was feeling very hungry when I came back from school. The moment I enter the hostel, I dumped my bag and headed for the fridge. I ate what ever I could lay my hands on. Russians were kind enough to give me some fish. And I burnt my waffles because the temperature was too high and I left it in the oven for too long.

After that I slouched in Taiwan’s room and even offered to help with their homework. Yes, we were that bored that we want to do someone’s homework. Ya Chen then had to go to the €1 shop to get some containers. But too late. By the time we got to the shop, it was already closed and the worst thing was it closed 5 mins ago. Argh. Finnish people are so lazy!!!! So we decided to walk around and we entered Sipari (clothing shop). The moment we stepped out of the shop, the shopkeeper started bringing in the clothes that were out for display. Like what!!! Then we went to the supermarket nearby. This was even worse. While we were still in the supermarket, they stared switching off the lights!

When we got back, it was time for dinner. I didn’t know what to cook as I have been eating the same thing ever since I got here. So I jokingly asked Tze Yi to cook for me. And she agreed! Wah! She was baking some muffins at that time so I gladly took over the beating of the eggs while she prepared my dinner. My dinner turned out to be stir fried macaroni with carrots, vegetables and sausage. Pretty much the same as what I eat everyday but it was tasty.

After dinner we helped with Tze Yi’s muffins. She was making apple muffins.

1. “fry” the apples and add cinnamon.
2. make batter
3. put some batter into the whatever container
4. put some apples in the middle
5. pour the rest of the batter
6. bake

I tell you, the muffins were mmmm. She also made garlic spread which I thought was better then the ones outside as the garlic taste wasn’t as overpowering. Oh…I think I forgot the say that Tze Yi is studying restaurant management in Taiwan and had worked in the kitchen before so she knows all these culinary stuff.

Too much fun at one shot so it got boring soon. Swee Ting and I watched Ice Age 2 and now Swee Ting has found a way to entertain herself by tying my hair.

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18 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

Location: classroom, South Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Time: lunch time, 1150 (They always eat lunch at 1130)
Weather: bearable
Feeling: bored

Yesterday night I decided to celebrate my very first alcohol purchase in 18 years. I planned to just drink it with the Taiwan girls but the Russians saw us so I had to invite them too. Russians have a funny way of drinking vodka. First they will drink pure vodka then down it with juice. In Russia, they will eat cucumber at the same time. Weird. Taiwanese were the first to go. Mainly because they have to wake up at early for class and their faces were all red. After awhile, Russians took out a bottle of alcohol. I don’t know if it’s vodka but it was 38% which was the same as my vodka. By the time we were done, we were like Whee! Swee Ting’s face was all red and she didn’t even finish the 2nd liquor. Drinking is a very good way of bringing people together. We were talking and laughing, having lots of fun. I slept very well after that, the best sleep ever since I got here.

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17 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2030 Finland
Weather: not bad, don’t feel cold
Thinking: damn, exams are coming

Returned to hostel at 1+ am this morning. Took a shower and immediately K.O. Was supposed to go for class this morning at 8.55 am but I couldn’t wake up. I didn’t even hear Swee Ting wake. So I went to school at 12 but I just felt so tired.

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16 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

Location: McDonalds, Tallinn
Thinking: The food here is so expensive, now we know how the locals eat

Left the ship at 7+. The town was like a dead place. Not a living soul was in sight except us. Life only started only around 9+.

Ok, I’m not going to relate my entire story of Tallinn so I’m just going to post pictures and tell you what we did there. If there was anything interesting that is not in the pictures, then I’ll tell you.

This monument was built for the people who lost their lives at sea when the ship sank in 1994. It was sailing for Stockholm when water started entering the cargo

many buildings in the back alley were structured like this one

had breakfast in this cute and cozy cafe...

many churches everywhere...left, right, up, down
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16 September 2008

2008-09-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

Location: Ship, Viking Line, cabin room

The trip to Helsinki took almost 3 hours. We stopped at a supermarket/ restaurant for a break where the price of the food can give your heart a good workout. Set meals cost a minimum of €10. Faint.

toilet is super small

Helsinki Habour

Viking Line, the ship we took to Tallinn

slot machines can be found verywhere on the ship

The cruise is really small. There was pretty much nothing to do unlike Star Cruise. Must pay for all F&B. But what can I say? The entire transport only costs €34. Can’t believe I spent €8.16 for mash potato, fish, meat wrapped in vegetable and meatballs. Must starve fot the rest of the week. Lol. It was surprisingly yummy though. Actually it had better be or I think I would have gone into fits.

ship deck

someone's room...i just "borrowed" it

After dinner, I walked around the ship and took some random shots. Then I entered this pub called Viking Inn Pub because I heard someone singing. Turned out to be karaoke. Many people went up to sing but they all sang in Finnish (I think) except for one guy who sang “Can’t help falling in love with you”. It was the best out of all of them.
very goog singer

The tax free shop is selling Toblerone at 2 for €7.80. They are about the size of one arm. I’m planning to buy this 5 for €4 chocolates.

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15/09/08

2008-09-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

Location: Train, on the way to Lappeenranta
Time: 1115 Finland
Weather: Windy
Feeling: The urgency to pee (the train toilets are HORRIBLE)

Yesterday when the Lithuania girls were having their dinner, they invited me to try some of their food as I kept saying that it smelt really good. It was really delicious especially the carrots. It was carrots and onions fried with butter. Later when I was having my dinner (pathetic bread), they gave me a surprise. They gave me a portion of what they were eating. Ok, I shouldn’t say portion but everything they were eating. So it was a whole chicken thigh, carrots and rice. It was so unexpected. I mean I have only met them for 2 days. They even gave me some peppermint tea which they planted from their garden in Lithuania. After dinner, Egle even washed the plate for me. I felt kinda bad when I was eating because they were beside me eating too- eating plain rice. I wanted to give them some chicken but they refused and told me that it was for me. Halfway they decided to put jam in their rice. Know it sounds weird but it was good.

After dinner Mei Qi, Shi Yun and I went to Kunle’s place. He had cooked some African food for us- potato porridge. It was tasty but it was too spicy for me. I had to leave soon after that as I had a train to catch back to Imatra. When I was about to leave, Egle and Sandra gave me another surprise. They wanted to accompany me to the station. I cannot thank them enough. They are such nice people.

Bloody tickets to Imatra was so expensive. €7.10. Faints.

I would like to thank Mei Qi and Shi Yun for accommodating me during the weekend. And Swee Ting and Ya Chen for picking me from the train station in the middle of the night.

Left hostel at 10.25 am today. When I reached Imatra station, it was only 10.45 so I had to wait until 11.09, but I was happy. Train tickets only costs €3.60 (students’ price) and the counter lady didn’t even ask for my student card. And I’m going to Tallinn today! It’s the capital of Estonia so it should be fun.

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12 September 2008

2008-09-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Lappeenranta
Time: 1445 Finland
Weather: cold…what else
Feeling: busy…cos there is internet here

Went to the fish market again this morning/afternoon. It was more crowded than yesterday. We ate this fish thing with wedges which was the most ULTIMATE thing ever. Unbelievably delicious.

We also bought this really long sweets. We bargained with the store holder and she was kind enough to knock off €1 for the sweets. So in the end we paid €4 for 7 sweets.

We went to the open market after that but it was a disappointment. There were very few stores and they were already packing up.

Will be going over to Adeola’s place (or is it Kunle) tonight for dinner. Curry chicken. I just hope I will remember that I have train to catch at 10.30.

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2008-09-14T04:44:00.000-07:00

We also bought this really long sweets. We bargained with the store holder and she was kind enough to knock off €1 for the sweets. So in the end we paid €4 for 7 sweets.

Swee Ting, you really left too early...you missed a lot. The party, the fish, the sweets...

We went to the open market after that but it was a disappointment. There were very few stores and they were already packing up.

Will be going over to Adola’s place (or is it Kunlay?) tonight for dinner. Curry chicken. I just hope I will remember that I have train to catch at 10.30.

12 September 2008

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2008-09-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

The following pictures involve R21 materials...look at your own risk

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Lappeenranta
Time: 0151 Finland
Weather: super cold…it’s colder here than Imatra
Feeling: Happy

I’m finally in Lappeenranta. On Friday, Swee Ting and I hitched a ride from our classmate, Marita, together with David. When we reached the Lappeenranta hostel, we first went to David’s room so that he can dump his things then bring us to Shi Yun and Mei Qi’s unit. But when we went we went over to their unit, they were still in school so we had to go back to David’s unit. It was a good thing though. He gave us free beer. Haha. A few minutes later, a couple of French guys came in. Thomas and Edu (?), France, PARIS!!!! Edu is half Greek. They are very nice people (so far) and very “interesting”.

I think I either drank the beer too fast or I didn’t eat much before eating because I was feeling woozy when I was done with the beer. We went over to Mei Qi and Shi Yun’s unit after that and settled in nicely. We met their Luthiana (?) flatmates, Sandra and Aglia (?).

There was a football game that night so we all went to the field. For some reason David, Danius and Edu had to dress as girls. I thought the image was very disturbing. It was very cold that night. We had to leave halfway through because we couldn’t take it anymore.

We spent the whole night updating one another of our current situation. Shi Yun turned out to be a good cook since she does all the cooking for Mei Qi. She was making a cake (very nice) when we entered the unit and after that she made banana pancakes (failure...haha).

The next day we went to the habour where there was this fair (fish market fair?)going on. I managed to get some souvenirs at a bargained price. We also found many interesting things there and had a lot of fun.

After that we went to this second hand shop where I bought boots for €3. We also visited a few shopping centres after that before deciding to head back to the hostel as we were visiting the sauna at 6.30 later. Mei Qi and I then accompanied Swee Ting to the train station as she was heading back to Imatra. On the back from the station, Mei Qi and I met a drunk. We were so scared we just ran away from the guy when he was asking us a question. At first I was stunned and didn’t know what to do as the guy was speaking in Finnish. Luckily Mei Qi pulled me away and we just ran until we were far enough.

At 6.30, Aglia and the 3 Singaporeans headed for the sauna. We were having a duper duper time when suddenly we heard this male voice outside the sauna. According to him, he booked the sauna. However, Mei Qi insisted that she booked it. The man asked if he could join us and we agreed. When he stepped into the sauna, we received the largest shock of our lives. The idiot was NAKED. We were all like SHIT!!! I think the guy felt awkward as he started asking some questions about our school. After some time he left but not before telling us that we are welcomed to visit his place to hang out. Faints. Today’s sauna was really hot. WHEW!! Very different from the one in Imatra.

After sauna, we went over to some China guy’s house to take some food as he cooked some food for us. And it was DELICIOUS!!! Finally, Chinese food. YUMMY!!! We were supposed to go to Adola’s (?) unit for dinner but he postponed it to tomorrow which sucks as I will be going back already. Hmm…maybe I can stay until dinner then go back. At around 9+, we went to the French guys’ house as there was a party. Woot!! The social life here is the exact opposite from the one in Imatra. Ok…maybe it’s the Finnish people’s fault. At the party, there were only maximum 3 Finnish people and the rest were international students. Everyone was talking at the same time that most of the time we were just screaming at each other. We also played this drinking game called “I have never ever ever”. First everyone raise all their fingers. You are suppose to state something that you have never done before and if someone has done it before, they out down 1 finger and drink some alcohol. From this game, I realised that all these people are sexually active especially Edu. He will drink for almost all the statements regarding sex. It was very funny and the stories they told about their experience were absolutely unbelievable. Funniest was “I have never ever ever been paid for sex.” And Edu drank to that!!! His story was that some woman mistook him for a gigolo and invited him to her house. LOL!!!

The game got boring after awhile and everyone did an immediate dispersion. We entered Edu’s room and started playing with his laptop. Damn. The French have their own keyboards. Very different from the American version. I was like where is this alphabet and I kept pressing the wrong keys. Oh yah…I just made a facebook account so add me. Made it during the party as Thomas was like “WHAT?! YOU DON’T HAVE FACEBOOK?! SHI YUN, MAKE SURE SHE GETS AN ACCOUNT.” So I did it there and then so it’s still fresh. Shi Yun had a fight with Dainus (?) using Edu’s clothes. They were throwing Edu’s stray clothes at each other and I think Edu’s underwear landed on Shi Yun’s head like a million times.
Black shirt guy is Thomas

Dainus
12 September 2008

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2008-09-11T03:13:00.000-07:00

Location: School
Time: 13:17
Weather: 8°C
Feeling: Why am I underage?

Yap Swee Ting is UNDERAGE.
Can't go Tallin unless there is a 30 year old adult's consent.
Got to stay in Imatra to study.

아! 왜안돼.. 진자
나도가고싶어!

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-11T00:24:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2114 Finland
Weather: 9°C
Feeling: cold and tired

The buffet was such a let down!! It wasn’t even a buffet. When we entered the dining area, the appetizer was already set out so I was ok, maybe the main course would be buffet. Then we had to wait for the students from Imatra to arrive and the wait just made me hungrier. Finally everyone arrived and the cook announced the main course. CHICKEN AND RICE. HOW THE HELL IS THAT A BUFFET? Ok…nevermind maybe we can take as much as we want. After stuffing the appetizer down my throat (I thought it was not bad, especially the mushroom salad and this bread thing stuffed with rice and topped with butter egg), I queued for the main course. BLOODY HELL. There were this 2 cooks giving out the food and the portions were so small, probably like half a bowl of rice and topped with chicken. I almost cried there. After main course, desserts. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberry and a blob of whipped cream.

After dinner, this old man started telling us some stories and singing Finnish songs. I think less than 10 people paid attention to him. Everyone was so bored, they started making origami using the paper napkins. By the end of the whole event, there were paper cubes, paper flowers, paper dogs and other weird things lying around.

The up side was we met with Shi Yun and Mei Qi. We were so happy to see them. We actually planned to stay overnight with them and go partying but they realized that we need our passports to get into the clubs and Swee Ting is still underage. There was going to be some before party at some French people house but we will have to leave around 10 to catch the last train. But nevermind, Friday will be here soon and we can PARTY!!!!

We are going to “pon” class from Monday to Wednesday. Shi Yun, Mei Qi, Swee Ting and I will be going to Tallin. I don’t know where that is but according to Shi Yun, it’s somewhere near Ukraine. It will cost €22.50 for the ship ride there, and we will have to stay overnight on the ship.

Ok…that’s all. Paka (that’s bye in Russian, I’m sure that’s not how it’s spelt but it sounds like that).

10 September 2008
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2008-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1934 Finland
Weather: windy…cold
Thinking: WE HAVE INTERNET CONNECTION!!!

INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET INTERNET.
It’s finally here. Ok…though it’s not in my room (I have to go over to the Taiwan girls’ room to use the internetàit’s not wireless), but still. Don’t have to go out to the cold anymore. Ya Chen is getting her family to send over this thing that can allow multiple users to use the internet at once.

There is a BUFFET dinner tomorrow!!! No need to eat breakfast and lunch…save space for dinner. AAHHHH!!!! BUFFET!!! Can eat the next day’s breakfast there too…Haha.

9th September 2008
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2008-09-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2135 Finland
Weather: 12°C
Feeling: Hyper

Today Zhi Kai (some China guy I met) showed me a cheaper alternative to eat lunch. It’s the same building where we played volleyball yesterday. The best thing was meals only cost €1.90 compared to our €2.45. My hyperness only started after lunch so I guessed there is something wrong with the food in that canteen.

Lessons start at 12 tomorrow but we have to go to school at 8 for this computer learning thing, like learning how to use CMS. ARGH!!!!

Looks like Swee Ting and I won’t be attending this Saturday’s cultural dinner. We are going to Lappeenranta!!!! Yay!!! Finally!!! I managed to ask David to give us a ride up on Friday and we will be back by Sunday. AAAHHHH!!!! So excited….there is NIGHT LIFE there and not to mention SHOPPING!!!!

Ate a bloddy chicken for dinner today. I had no idea how it happened...it just bled in the oven. It was rather disgusting but I ate it anyway...

8th September 2008

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2008-09-08T01:55:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0002 Finland
Weather: 13°C
Thinking: I want to go to Lappeenranta.

Today was so boring that I actually read all my wordy and dull reading materials for class. I even started on my Destinations project which is only due on Friday and it is not even a real deadline, just a date my partner set up to go through each other’s work.

We were supposed to go to a church today but somehow the Russians who were going with us decided to stay in the swimming pool. They made us wait the whole day thus making our Sunday the most boring ever. We could have gone to Imatrankoski or somewhere but no, we had to stay in the hostel and STUDY. We even did laundry which was supposed to be saved for tonight. So in the end we didn’t go to any church or temple or mosque.

What saved us from rotting were our neigbours. I think rotting would have been even more interesting than studying. At least you can see the mould grow on you. Around 3+ they asked us if we wanted to join them in a game of volleyball. We agreed immediately (Or at least I did. I would have done anything to not continue studying.) We used the hall in the vocational school next to City Market. After setting up the nets and all, we realized that we didn’t have a volleyball. Faint. So 2 guys went out to buy a ball while the rest of us either used the computers or hung around in the gym. Halfway in the gym, Swee Ting and I realized that we forgot about our laundry. We left the building in our shorts (surprisingly) and rushed back to take out our clothes.

After hanging the clothes, we went back to the hall where the Russians have already started the game. Tze Yi and I just joined them and I must say my volleyball skills are really gone after 4 years of not touching the ball. Everytime I hit the ball, it will fly everywhere except where I want it to go (ok…it got better but still). Now my forearms look diseased. Seems like the blood capillaries burst and there are red dots all over and it HURTS. Wah!!!

Next Saturday night, there will some sort of cultural gathering. Some China people and Finnish people have decided to cook something from their country and we are invited. Argh!!! I don’t know what to cook. I really missed the chicken I ate in Jiun Chyi’s house and I want to cook it but Finland really does not have the ingredients. Anyway, Jiun Chyi, can you send me the recipe just in case I found the ingredients? Thanks. Feel free to suggest any Singapore food which I can prepare.

There is no Visions class tomorrow morning so meaning I can sleep in. Whee!!!

7th September 2008
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2008-09-08T01:18:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0000 Finland
Weather: it’s raining now…
Feeling: tired…been out the whole day
Thinking: should I shower? It’s so cold.

Last night we went for a walk around the lake. It was really dark and there were only a maximum for 20 cars on the road. We walked around for 50 mins and took some good pictures. Tunnels in the dark make really good scary pictures.

When I took this picture, I was actually quite scared.

Woke up at 9.30 today. It was quite late as we were supposed to go to City Centre (Imatrankoski) later. When we were eating breakfast, we realized that everyone was getting ready to go out. We left the hostel around 11 and headed to Imatrankoski. Halfway we realized that we had to go to this other “shopping centre (Mansikkapaikka)” to see if they sold can opener. So we had to back track and walk all the way back. There, we found this cheap shop which sold a lot of items for €1-2. SUPER CHEAP. We finally managed to get 2 can openers for €1. The shop also sold knifes at €1 which we bought from City Market at €5+. I also bought 3 cups at €1. I’m currently using one for holding hot drinks, another as utensils holder and there is another one which I have no idea what I’m going to use for. We then went to this clothing shop, Sipari, next door where we found 2 very nice outer wear. The price was also “wonderful”.

€169…Love this leather jacket…damn I look good..haha

€64.50…And this is Swee Ting’s beloved white jacket …*hint hint* if you still don’t get it, just send money for Swee Ting’s present

We left the shop grudgingly and headed back for the hostel as we were feeling hungry. After lunch, we realized it was already quite late (most of the shops at Imatrankoski close at 3) so we decided to go to Prisma to get the €0.39 pasta sauce since we already bought the can opener. On the way to the supermarket, we saw this amazing tree which was half green and orange.

In the supermarket we found that information provided by the Russians were true. We immediately like the brand X-tra. We bought 750g of cornflakes for €1.35, 4 cans of pasta sauce (it’s not very nice though). They also sold tubs of jam at €1+ which can be found in City market for €2+. We also found tennis racquets at €19.90 which is less then S$50. WAAAHHHH!! We were so happy we nearly went overboard. We couldn’t buy too much as we forgot to bring plastic bags and that meant we had to use the supermarket’s flimsy bags.

After shopping, we went back to dump the stuff then headed out again for the swings. We had a really long chat trying to know each other better and revealing some horrible characteristics of ourselves (don’t tell you neh). The conversation continued in the hostel where we GOSSIPED about our classmates (Heh heh…). Halfway we decided that we had to eat something so Swee Ting roasted chicken and I toasted “pizza”. Ania came over with her guitar and performed some Russian songs for us. Ding dong. It was our Russian neighbours and they said that the waterfall will be open today at 9pm. Swee Ting and I were so excited as we really wanted to see the rapids. But then we realized that our dinner was still in the oven. We decided to abandon our dinner and changed quickly as it was 8.40 and we had to walk to Imatrankoski. When we reached the waterfall, we were greatly disappointed – again. The Russian guys entertained us by climbing over the barrier and into the dry river bed to retrieve a scooter bike which was sadly ditched.

To fill up the time, all of us walked around the area. We learnt more about the castle and the writings on the rocks as they were actually left behind by the Russians. A little history lesson: the castle was built in the 19th century for Nicholas the second. There is a metal cat on the roof which is used to commemorate the cat which lived with Nicholas the first. The castle is now a hotel and is the most expensive hotel in Imatra. The writings on the rocks were actually names of people who were one way or another related to Nicholas the second. Did you know that Finland was part of Russia in the past? I didn’t. Lenon(?) gave Finland independence when he was in power.

It was very dark during the walk. You could hardly see your hands in front of you.

It started to rain on our way back so we hitched a ride from one of the Russians. Turns out he is actually our neighbour and he drove all the way from St Petersburg to Imatra. By the time I ate my pizza, the crust was like biscuit but I must say that the sausage did a great job in masking the taste of the pasta sauce.

Movie: P.S I Love You And this is what we ate

We are going to a church tomorrow. Seems like we have to take a bus there. And need to do laundry too.

6th September 2008

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-05T03:53:00.000-07:00

Location: School, Imatra
Time: 1336 Finland
Weather: it was cold in class…I was sitting on my hands
Feeling: slightly happy…weekend is here…shitty…I have to write a 10 pg essay for HRM…argh! And I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do…
Thinking: Is it me or are the doors in school really heavy?

Just ended Destination Management class. Have to do a 5-10 pg report and presentation by 10 October…wah!!!!

Anyway, the main thing is that I want to complain about the lunch hour of the school canteen. Lunch hour is usually at 1130 so if we have lessons that have lunch hour in between, we stop at ll30 and go back to class at 12. As you all already know, our lunch is a buffet format. How can anyone eat buffet in 30 mins???!!!! Furthermore, today’s menu was quite generous. Salad, potatoes, penne, and mystery meat (most of the time I do not know what is in the meat in Finland). Naturally being Singaporeans, we heaped our plates and started to stuff ourselves. With only 15 mins left, we realized we still had a lot on our plates and we were really full. We tried to stuff the rest of the food in and managed successfully. Then we had to rush to class to only realize that the teacher wasn’t there yet. Dang.

We planned to go to this second hand shop later where they a lot of cheap stuff. The items are mainly sold at €1 so we can probably find something useful like a CAN OPENER. Was supposed to go to Lapeerenta for the weekend but we just realized that the event going on there is for the first year students and everything will be in Finnish. So we had to come up with a new plan to keep ourselves busy (maybe go to Prisma to get the €0.39 pasta sauce). I’ll drag Swee Ting to City Centre and make her go into every shop with me. There is a small H&M there so I want to try check out the clothes.
5th September 2008
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-05T03:32:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2320 Finland
Weather: cold…
Feeling: tired…but sleeping is boring…so is Swee Ting.
Thinking: Is it me or is the weather getting warmer? Hmm…adaptation.

Yesterday Tze Yi, Swee Ting and I went to another supermarket, Prisma, to buy groceries. On the way we stopped at this small store where they sell there own home grown vegetables, fruits etc. Wanted to but this box of raspberries but they were selling at €4 which I think is quite expensive. Tze Yi bought a box of gold(?) berries for €6. I thought they tasted horrible. The berries were yellow and tasted like bleah. Swee Ting and I bought 700g worth of carrots for €0.70. I don’t know if that is cheap or expensive but it is the cheapest we have seen so far. Prisma seemed larger than City Market. Most of the items were cheaper too. House brand: X-tra. Bought quite a lot of things including 2 big bags of chips. We wanted to buy more but we realized we didn’t have the manpower to do so even when Tze Yi offered to help us. X-tra pasta sauce was only selling at €0.39 per can of 400g. We need to get a can opener desperately, we still have that can of pineapples we bought 1 week ago and that €0.39 pasta sauce needs to be opened using a can opener. We did laundry yesterday too. We had accumulated so much clothes that I think we only had one set of undergarments left.

This afternoon the cafeteria served good lunch. Penne with white sauce and ham. But I wasn’t hungry at that point (11.30 a.m.) so I decided to eat after International Business. Swee Ting ate though and she dumbly put the salad on the same plate because she said there was no more salad plate. Aiyah…take another big plate lo. After International Business, we went down to the cafeteria to eat because I was starving. But by the time we reached the cafeteria, it was closed. Damn it. The Finnish people have a certain time for eating, cannot eat outside that period. I so miss school canteens’ opening hours. In the end I went back to hostel and ate instant noodles…left one packet now.

After lunch, I went back to school with my laptop. I couldn’t take it anymore. Anyway this week I saw another student using the school internet with his laptop. There is also this China guy who “steal” school internet regularly. I think it’s like everyday. It was so much easier to update the blog with my own laptop. I could also use a proper connection so as to log on to MSN. I also took the opportunity to watch shows…so deprived. I got so tense every time someone walked past the computer lab. At one point the teacher in charge of the international students walk past and I was SHIT! because she was the one who told us that students were not allowed to the school internet for their laptops. But she didn’t seem to see my laptop because although she looked into the computer lab, she didn’t say anything. Whew! After awhile my battery died, I didn’t take my charger with me as this was a trial run so I had to use the school computers…zzz.

Halfway through, Ya Chen mentioned that a Russian girl from hostel A asked if we wanted to go use the sauna. I immediately agreed as there was nothing to do (it’s amazing that Imatra can make you agree to any evening- night activities as there is seriously nothing to do around here). We discussed the time to meet but Ya Chen and I messed up and couldn’t remember if we were supposed to meet 10mins before or after 7. We went back to hostel and had a light dinner and changed to our swimming costumes. Swee Ting and I were waiting for Ya Chen when she appeared from her room in JEANS and LONG SLEEVES. We were like huh? are you sure you are going to dress like that. Swee Ting and I were dressed in shorts and T-shirts. Anyway, we went to the sauna and waited for the Russian girls there. The sauna was a decent one, very clean. While the 3 of us were soaking in the heat, the Russian girl appeared. ***Following information may cause slight shock*** Upon seeing that there were only 4 people in the sauna, she stripped from her bikini and entered the sauna BUCK NAKED!!!! Asians were WHAT?!?!?! According to the Russian girl, it’s better to not wear anything. Many Russians do that but not when there is a mix of genders. Hmm..ok.

Name: Anna (say: Ania)
Age: 19
Status: Attached
She has a summer house in Russia where she goes to every summer and there is a sauna in the house. They can use the sauna like 3-4 times a week.

Ania taught us the proper way (I think) of using the sauna.
Step 1: Shower
Step 2: Pour water over the hot stones.
Step 3: Seat in the sauna. Higher you go, hotter it becomes.
Step 4: If it gets too hot, leave the sauna and head for the showers. Blast yourself with cold water. Do this quickly so that your dead skin can be removed.
Step 5: Cool down at some area.
Step 6: When it gets cold, repeat step 2 onwards
Step 7: Enjoy!

Halfway Ania decided to put on her bikini as she didn’t want us to feel awkward. It was a good thing she did that as a few minutes later, some guy walked in. Ania chased the guy away as the sauna is for girls during that time. Girls hour: Every Tuesday 5-7 pm, every Thursday 7-9 pm. When we were done with the sauna, Asians decided to shower in the hostel instead of at the sauna. We decided who should shower first by playing scissors, paper, stone. And my mighty rock won. Haha. Surprising thing was that I didn’t feel cold when I left the sauna and into the open. And I was still wearing my swimming costume under my clothes so I was quite wet.

Was really hungry after showering so I cooked a big bowl of macaroni soup. Would have made pasta if we still had sauce.

Ok…my brain is really dead now…so sleep…zzzz

4th September 2008
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-04T05:36:00.000-07:00

Our University.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

Russian Pancakes

This came from (look like roti prata)......

this.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-04T05:25:00.002-07:00

These pictures are taken during our one night stay in Helsinki in Bonus Inn

This is the criminal on the run

Necklace shared by us and chyi

These are the pills Hui qing tried to poison us with

Precious

Presents from the darlings

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2008-09-04T05:25:00.001-07:00

Trip to the Forest

Our Russian neighbour: Anton (i think that's how it is spelt). Look at the height difference

BLUEBERRIES!!!!

Music grass

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2008-09-04T05:11:00.001-07:00

Pictures from the school excursion:

The guy I like is at the other end of the picture

Turkish guy in white...current target with hoodie...lol

My flatmate: Marina

Very giddy...zzzzz

The very funny dance...

Flatmate: Ya Chen

New Friend! Noemi from Hungary

Our Tutor: Asta

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2008-09-04T04:52:00.000-07:00

These are the pictures we took in our hostel

My dream house

Frogs from Long Long

5 packets for £1

The receipts are always long

Kux is counting money

Canteen Food - it's buffet everyday. HOHO

Taken from outside school building

There is a bridge over the canteen...cool!!!

School canteen

She is forever vibrating

Story: Kux took the initiative to clean the toilet so swee ting had decided to award her with her home cooked maggie. And this is the day when my maggie got too excited that it jumped out.

This is the hard rock pizza bread

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1430 Finland
Weather: misty...it rained last night
Thinking: I haven't finished my homework

There was a lot of clouds coming out from our mouth this morning and Swee Ting kept blowing. Unfortunately I was behind her so all the clouds were like coming to my face.

I can't believe it but I actually went outside the hostel to use the WiFi. But the connection was terrible. I had to sign in to MSN so many times and it was so frustrating as I had to attend class after that.

I'm currently waiting for my next class to start as my previous class ended early.

I'm so hungry....probably eat marcaroni tonght as there is nothing left. Need to do laundry and go to City Market to buy more grocceries.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-03T04:25:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2252 Finland
Weather: cold…
Thinking: rent €190

Today was pretty uneventful.

Went to the bank in the morning. Borrowed bicycles from the Taiwan girls as we were running late. This morning seemed warmer than usual. Was perspiring slightly when we reached the bank. It is free to set up a bank account but we have to pay €1 for the ATM card. Came back for lunch (instant potato).

After class we went to the international office to collect the tenancy agreements and take mug shots. According to the teacher who took the picture, it was to identify us. Hmm…ok. Then we spent the rest of the day at the library, doing and uploading homework. Swee Ting left earlier as she had to do project. I on the other hand stayed in school until 7+.

A Russian came over after dinner. She is going to be an exchange student in our school (NYP) so she wanted to know more about Singapore.

I think that’s all…sian.

2nd Sep 2008
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2008-09-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

Trip with Nepalish:

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2008-09-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2300 Finland
Weather: cold…I was shivering before I left school
Thinking: I need Singapore food, when is mid autumn festival?

This morning I woke up feeling very tired. I don’t know what’s wrong, it doesn’t usually happen. I slapped my phone and went back to sleep for another half an hour till 8. When we got to class, I remembered something. OH CRAP!!! All foreign students had to attend this briefing this morning at 8. I felt so bad after that.

Ate lunch with our foreign classmates today. Met a new friend from China. Her name is Zhang Ke but the westerners call her Echo…lol…funny name. Anyway, she is doing her degree in Finland so she has to stay here for 3 years.

I managed to log on to MSN through ebuddy!!!! WAH!!!! I was so happy, I haven’t gone into MSN for more than a week. Aiyah…forgot to send the pictures to the Nepal guys. We stayed in the computer lab until 8pm as we had to finish up our assignment which is due tomorrow. I’ll be uploading our pictures on flikr (darn, I don’t know how to spell it), so all you peeps can check it out soon. Met a China guy in the computer lab. Mental note to self: Do not say that you are Chinese when you introduce yourself. People immediately think that you are from China. Must say you are SINGAPOREAN. He was amazed by my MANDARIN. He said that it is accurate. I was totally shocked. If my mandarin is good that what is everyone else’s? He was also jealous they Singaporeans can speak mandarin and English so fluently. Hmm…what’s his name? I think I asked him to repeat his name at least 3 times.

After dinner (pizza bread and chicken (I don’t know what they put in the chicken but Finland’s chickens are superb)), the Russian boys came over to drink tea (I know, it’s funny). They told us their cook was frying pancakes so, we went over to eat. WOOT!!! Russian pancakes! They really made it from scratch. Eggs, milk, flour and sugar. When they were done, they looked like roti prata. We ate it with jam, honey and condensed milk. While we ate, we taught one another our language and they said I have very good pronunciation. Hehheh. We found their letters very funny as they were so not English and they have 33 alphabets. We learnt that today (1st September) is their first day of school in Russia so they will celebrate (like what? o.O) They also told us that they only started drinking so much when they came to Finland as there was nothing to do (hear, hear). One Russian guy wanted to buy paper for printing this morning but he complained it was too expensive. I think it costs around €5 and in Russia it costs about €0.20. He was ranting about how Finland being the number 2 paper producing country but still sell paper so expensively and Russia the number 20 something paper producing country producing paper so cheaply.

Some Russian words I learnt today (the Russian pronunciation is not the real word, it just sounds like it. / means how they spell it):

Hello-> Previat
Water ->Boda / Boga
I ->Ya
You ->Di
Thank you ->Spicybal
Honey ->Myot
People ->Lu-ji / ludi
Tea ->Chai
Pine tree ->Yoka
Pancakes ->Bleen (this is also a bad word)
Yes ->Da
No ->Nie

1st Sep 2008

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2225 Finland
Weather: cold
Thinking: dang…there is school tomorrow

We found out that there is wireless connection outside our hostel but in order to use it, we have to endure the freezing weather.

We went to pick berries and mushrooms today. We were supposed to go to a forest located 4km but we decided it was too far and went to another one nearby. The six of us were accompanied by our Russian neighbours. We picked a lot of berries and learnt how to differentiate mushrooms. The berries we picked were mainly blueberries as they are the ones in season. I managed to get one raspberry though. The blueberries can really stain your hands. After picking them, my hands looked like they just when through a war. There were bruise like stains and “blood” on my hands. I collected half a yoghurt cup as I lost interest after awhile à I was more interested in eating them, duh. Well at least I collected some. Swee Ting didn’t have anything at all. She ate all of them. We made friends with the Russian guys who came with us and learnt more about their country and them. One Russian guy showed us this plant that can be used as a musical instrument. It looks something like very long grass. You pull it apart in the middle vertically so it becomes very thin. You then put it between your thumb palm (?) and thumb and blow into the hole. It’s supposed to make a sharp whistling sound but I failed miserably. I realized that Swee Ting needs to be more exposed to the outside world. She doesn’t know what and where the Eiffel tower is. I was totally shocked, I mean, shouldn’t everyone know such things?

When we returned to the hostel, we persuaded the Russian guys to cook the mushrooms for us (yes, they are edible) and in return, we cooked potatoes for them or at least the Taiwanese girls did (we provided 3 potatoes). After eating dinner, we went over the Russian boys’ flat and waited for the mushrooms to cook. According to them, the normal looking mushrooms we picked today had to be cooked until they turn black o.O While waiting, Tze Yi tried if she connect to the wireless internet from their flat and surprise surprise, they had connection from their balcony.

Finally the mushrooms can be eaten (they are really black). They taste different from the ones in Singapore, sweeter and somehow crunchier, not bad for wild mushrooms.

We then showed them pictures of Singapore e.g. the chalet, Pulau Ubin, class bbq etc. Seems like they like Singapore. Halfway through photo showing session, the guys said that they had to shower and had to go to the sauna to do so as their bathroom is under construction. We peeked into their bathroom and it was really empty. No sink, no shower, and there is still some cement here and there. So we told them we will meet up again tomorrow night as we had not showered too and we had morning class tomorrow.

Ok…it’s almost 12mn and all the Russians have gathered at the dining area of our flat and are talking quite loudly. Feeling tired now but I don’t feel like sleeping.

31st Aug 2008
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:45:00.002-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1133 Finland
Weather: sun, wind
Feeling: there is a pain in my neck…didn’t sleep properly

*URGENT MESSAGE: Was just going through the pictures when I realized that I accidentally replaced all the pictures that I took at Changi airport. AAAAHHHHHH!!!!! Somebody please help me. I really want the pictures. If anyone knows how to recover the pictures please tell me. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. If you want you can call me at +358 040 4620655, I’ll pay for your overseas bill. ->but please do not randomly call me because overseas call is very expensive.* Actually I think I have free incoming.

Zzzz…still don’t have internet connection and our homework has to be handed in soon. Damn this hostel. I wouldn’t have mind if they made us pay more for rent if they installed wireless. Yesterday, our Taiwan flat mates went over to another hostel and they told us that the people living in there have FREE WIRELESS connection. Know why? They are tapping on some other people’s network. WAH!!!! WIRELESS neh. And here we have to pay for LAN connection. This world is just so not fair!!!

From yesterday’s party, I conclude that many Finnish girls are alcoholic and smoke like chimneys. The 2 Finnish girls who were here yesterday were like drowning themselves in alcohol and before they came, they were already drinking so they were already woozy when they came down. AND every few minutes, they will go outside to smoke. I think they smoked like 5 cigarettes in 1 hr. On Friday, Marina and Anastatia went to a pub (there is only one pub in Imatra) and they told us that there were many young Finnish girls drinking and they were all drunk. They can even start dancing on tables.

31st Aug 2008
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:45:00.001-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0002 Finland
Weather: 11 deg, Rainy
Thinking: heartbroken, cute guy is no longer cuteà someone has a girlfriend

We went to City Centre and realized that the internet shop (Sonera) only operates from Monday to Friday from 9-3. Finnish people are so LAZY!!!

Since we were there, we decided to walk around. The Taiwan girls recommended us to have lunch at Euro Pizza Restaurant. Ordered a bacon pizza and the size was O.O. About 30cm diameter. Salad, drinks and pita bread was free flow so, naturally being Singaporeans, we piled a lot of food on our plates and stuffed ourselves sillyàfor me anyway. We planned to eat enough such that we didn’t have to eat dinner. The pizza was unbelievably oily. When I lift it up, the oil was just dripping like rain. It was good though. The manager (I think) who served us was very hospitable and kept reminding us that the salad was free and we could take more drinks. He even gave us a lollipop each before we left.
Swee Ting had a very funny experience at the restaurant. The toilet didn’t have a lock so you have to hold on to the handle to prevent people from entering. While she was doing her business, someone pulled on the door and she almost flew forward because she was holding on to the handle.

After lunch we were walking around and we met the exchange students from Nepal. We basically toured the entire tourist district of Imatra with them. It was a good thing that they were with us because they liven up the whole trip. The walk was really long – we walked from 2.30 – 7.55pm. Because of the cold weather here, it wasn’t tiring at all – to me at least. Our friend said we had walked an approximate distance of 22 km! Good exercise after stuffing ourselves with the food. And something not new, Kux was shivering. AGAIN. I was standing beside her and I felt a continuous vibration.

“Are you shivering?”
“Yes, I’m cold.”

We don’t know the exact temperature but I think it was around 11 deg or so, maybe lower. Surprisingly, I don’t feel cold at all except my hands and the Nepalish and Kux were so shocked and Kux called me a Monster. So I decided to loan the vibrating girl my coat, but sad to say, her vibration didn’t stop. And she die die don’t want to wear her gloves.

That’s why I say, I’ll be the last to die in Antarctica. I think I can live with the Eskimos too.

I came to know a lot more about Nepal from the Nepalish. Chatting with them made me laugh so much that I think they got scared. They are all very friendly and very easy to communicate with. Went through forests, deserted areas, lakes and all. We even saw ducks. During the conversation, I found out that their national animal was COW. And when they asked me my national animal, I was totally blur. What is that?

So I stupidly answered “Merlion”.
Then the other guy beside asked “What is that?”.
“A statue”
“A statue is an animal??!!”
“ Oh. No~ it’s not an animal”
“So what is your national animal?”
Searching for instant help, “Kux! What is our national animal?”
She took few seconds to digest the words because she was conversing happily with another Nepal guy. “Lion.”

Worst still, when I thought we could continue with another subject, he asked
“So, what is your national flower?”

SHIT. No, I don’t know.

Sorry Singapore, but does anyone knows? àso goondo

Back home, there’s a mini party with our other friends who lived near us. Lots of people came, 5 Russians, 3 Turkish, 1 China, 2 Finnish and the 6 of us. One of the Russian guys is 1.98m.

Tall.

Kux’s eyes almost dropped out. But because there were too many people, conversations are broken into smaller groups and that’s what made it even more boring. We didn’t really get to converse with them a lot because it’s very hard for us to add words in between. And they speak in so many different languages.

Kux was really heartbroken because her cute Turkish guy had a Russian girlfriend whom he met like .. not long ago, say .. not more than a week? Anyway, that’s not the main point, the sadder part was that they were seated RIGHT IN FRONT of us. (kux: nevermind…there is still the Russian guy)

Hmm .. all in all, today was really fun because the Nepalish brought us around to explore the other part of Imatra which we have not discovered. Though we didn’t get to see the waterfall, (which ended on the day we landed in Finland), the trip was enjoyable. This is totally reflections.

Anyway, there are 2 new friends from Spain – Laura and Eman, and another Hungary girl – Eva.

We are going to the forest to pluck some berries tomorrow.

31st Aug 2008
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1819 Finland
Weather: SUN SUN
Thinking: my nose is dry and it hurts

Let’s tell a story: I stretched my tired body as far as it can go. My mouth and nose were dry and I felt the urgency to pee. Then I realized, it was brighter than usual. I could see the brightness through my eyelids. Had something happened? I opened a bleary eye and I saw THE SUN. FINALLY. Throughout the entire week, this is the first time the sun made its presence. Though it is playing peek-a-boo, we are glad that the weather changed.

We are going down to city centre later at 11 to apply for our internet connection.

We promise to abide by Espall’s #1 rule

31st Aug 08

2008-09-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1819 Finland
Weather: cold, windy
Thinking: sometimes I wished that I either didn’t come here or went to France instead

Just got back from the gathering. We played some games and danced. 1st game was tug of war, my group won. 2nd game was to pass a ball over the heads and between the legs. 3rd game was something like poison ball. Everyone had to stand in a circle and the people on the outside had to throw this ball at the people in it. If you are hit in the head or from the knee below, you can continue with the game, any where else and you get to throw the ball. I managed to become the 2nd last girl in the game. Heehee. 4th game was some song game.

Lyrics: here they come with the fat little ponies
Fat little ponies, fat little ponies
Here they come with the fat little ponies
And this is how they tell us.

One person will be in the circle and skip to the song. When the song ends, the person will have to dance in front of the person they stopped. 5th game is to fill a water bottle without using hands. 6th game, everyone stands in a circle and one person will be holding a stick. The person with the stick will drop the stick behind someone and run one round around the circle. The person who “kena” the stick will have to run the other direction and compete for the spot. Ok the game sounds weird when I explain in words but whatever. The main thing is was quite enjoyable. The last game required participants to go round and round 10 times and then dribble a football for a certain length. There were 2 girls who were super funny. One of them kicked the ball and her shoe flew over the fence. A Nepal guy had to climb over the fence to get it for her. Another girl kicked the ball and her shoe flew with the ball.

After that, we had “lunch”, fat sausage and drinks. Then we went into this small “house” and did the ACES Day workout. We then did this very funny dance. Subsequently it was pretty much free time for everyone. People could ask others to dance with them. We were doing the Russian dance halfway when the organizers interrupted us -_- I thought it was really fun because my cute guy took my hand. WAHAHA!!!!

Cute guys alert: Today I spotted this really tall guy from Russia. Ultimate hotness! Compared to Hui Qing, she is like ice cubes. Swee Ting saw this American-like-Finnish guy who she thinks is hotter than mine. But as everyone knows, Swee Ting’s taste cannot be trusted so…. Also Swee Ting thinks that my cute Turkish guy’s friend is cute too.

Swee: I want internet connection!
P.S: when Kux said I didn’t bathe, it’s because I bathe in the morning. I DID bathe ok.

Made some new friends today. Noemi from Hungary and C.B and Reesha(?) from Nepal.
Latest alert: We are having a party here tomorrow night at 8 pm. The Turkish guys may be coming. WOOT!!!

30th Aug 08
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0931 Finland
Weather: cold, windy
Feeling: ok

Was feeling super bored yesterday so when Swee Ting, Tze Yi and Ya Chen went to do the laundry, I went over to Marina and Anastatia’s room and asked if they wanted to hang out. I finally had my talk with them. 19 years old. They live in St Petersburg which is very near to Imatra. Only 4 hrs. And they didn’t have to pay for the rental of the flat. So not fair (imagine whiney voice)! They are nice people, very funny. Every time Marina wanted to say shop, she would say “magazine” which means shop in Russian. At one point she was speaking in Russian to us as she forgot to switch. She said that had happened before when she was talking to Astar (our tutor). Marina ran up to Astar and started sprouting Russian and Astar was like o.O

According to them, St Petersburg is a very wet place and rain can last for 2 weeks. In north Russia temperature can drop to -40°C. Halfway through, Tze Yi joined us and we had an even more animated conversation. We talked for quite long and before we knew it, it was already close to 12mn. And we started at 8 I think. Swee Ting was already sleeping by then and I had to take a shower. When I flipped on the lights she was like…zzzz close the lights zzzz….. So I had to survive with the lights coming from the dining room.

We have some exchange student gathering today. Will be playing some games and traditional dance?

We are going to City Centre later to make an appointment for our bank account. Ya Chen loaned us their bicycles so it will be faster to travel to City Centre. We have to be back by 11 as our gathering is at 1130 and Swee Ting is taking her sweet time to shower and change. Grr…so slow eh.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-09-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1955 Finland
Weather: raining, 12 ˚C
Feeling: sian…

After class we went back to hostel for lunch. Marcaroni soup with tomatoes, sausages and chicken seasoning. I thought it tasted bland -_- Then we went to City Centre with the goal of creating a bank account. We somewhat lost our way there so we asked these 2 guys who were cycling by. Turns out City Centre was just on our left. It was still raining when we left so our map was all soggy by the time we reached City Centre. The distance to our destination was so long. We walked for like ~30 mins before reaching our destination. Swee Ting thought the distance was like from Khatib to Yio Chu Kang but I think it is from Yishun to AMK. Anyway by the time we reached the bank, it was already 1630 which is the time the bank closes. Wah…why do they have to close so early?! We met up with Tze Yi and Ya Chen as they were there earlier. Since we were already there, we decided to walk around. Let me tell you, the City Centre is so boring and the rain just made it worse. It is like looking at the stretch of stores along AMK. The return to hostel was more fun. We found out more about our Taiwan friends. This is what I found out: Tze Yi is terrible at geography. She got a shock that when I told her that a person in Singapore can take ~2 hrs to drive the entire Singapore. She thought Kuala Lumpur is in Singapore. She got excited when she learnt that Singaporeans travelled frequently to Malaysia and took ~30mins to cross the causeway. She was O.O when she heard it only took 45 mins to go to Bali. Even worse she thought Turkey was in India because one of the guys who came over yesterday was quite dark. We trusted that the Taiwanese girls knew their way back to hostel so we followed them. Who knows they walk and walk and walk until we reached a dead end. Unable to do anything, we walked into some stranger’s backyard and into the forest. We bravely tackled the horrible branches and stones and weird stuff to break our way through. Halfway back, we realized that smoke was coming out of our mouths. SO COOL!!

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

ok...someone asked for a tag board but we do not know how to do that so can someone help...thanks

We just ended class and we are suppose to go tom City Centre after lunch but IT'S RAINING!!! ARGH. Someone in class predicted that it might start snowing earlier and rain throughout Christmas...Damn.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-28T03:42:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 0937 Finland
Weather: raining, 12 ˚C
Feeling: normal

Swee Ting is finally showering. Whew. Can finally breathe. In…, out…, in…, out.... We just went to collect our laundry. Lucky no one stole our underwear. Haha J I drank hot chocolate this morning. Wah…I was floating. Cos the weather is so cold when you drink something hot you will be like *heaven*.

I discovered Swee Ting is blind to anything above her head. She was trying to find the tomatoes which were like just above her head but she just can’t seem to see them. I was like “Above your head. Above the milk. Ok ok, look to your right. Look up.” I think she still hasn’t found them. LOL.

To all of you who are still envious that we are here and you are not, let me tell you something that might make you feel a lot better. Our exams dates have been set. Yeah and it is 2 months from now. AND we have assignments…we have a 1-2 pg(s) report for International Business and a 3-4 pgs report for B2B marketing. Bwah!! AND even worse is that we still do not have internet connection. Grr…Our lives here aren’t as whee! as you think it is. Hmm…maybe it is. We are going to City Centre this afternoon. It is something like a shopping district. I think. Haven’t been there. I know there is a waterfall. WHEE!! Haha! I’ll try to get the Taiwan girls to come with us, will be more fun and they have been there like a million and one times.

(Something random) Oh yah…I bought tea yesterday but forgot about sugar. *Faint* And I have 3 mini ulcers on my tongue.

The cute Turkish guy and his friend came over yesterday but they stay for like what? 10 mins? They were invited by our Russian flat mates so I thought it would be weird if I just jumped into their conversation. But I managed to say hi which was a start since I didn’t say anything to him when we first met. *Pumps fists into the air and screams “YES!”* WOOT!

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-28T03:39:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2129 Finland
Weather: 12 ˚C
Feeling: Teeth chattering, fingers pink

Just went grocery shopping Again. This is the third time we went there. Food finish fast. It’s Really Really Bad to be hungry monsters.

So based on my theory, I have came up with a very true formula which applies to us both: Food finish fast = money fly away faster.

So far, we have spent on nothing else but FOOD. And we haven’t been exercising for so super long. I missed my TENNIS.

We bought 5 packets of macaroni for just 1 euro! Eat eat eat! Hope this can last us for a longer period of time.

We figured out how to use the washing machine. Trial and error. Phew. Our clothes turn out fine but I think we didn’t put enough detergent. Zzz.

Kux is counting money spent on groceries.
So I shall take this time to reminisce a bit. But I say first: I am not emo :)

To Darlings:

Chyi: We missed you. We missed your bird action, worm action, monkey action, buta power actions … and our code: “Is this Destiny?” Are you worming in singapore everyday? LOL

PTS: I missed calling you Shu Rrrrrrrrrr-ong. Have you found another PTS or am I still #7 or 8 in your heart? At least have the heart to place me top 10 can? HAHA

Chia yao: How can I ever forget the person who call me no other names other than Da Chang Jin ?!?!

Jasmine: Are you floating in oil with your Jason? Haha! Zha si ni! Chia si ni!

Kelv: Keep your word about tennis-ing with me everyday.

Aishah: I cant promise but will try to serve in the right court. So please don’t do the stupid action with Kelv to make me lose my concentration. I wont laugh this time.

Hui Qing: Yo-ness to bao qing tian. OH hui qing!

Jessie: We missed your laughter and irritatingness

Josephine: 여기가 아주추워요! 그래고 보고싶어!

Nurul: Nulu .. do you miss me? Oh nulu nulu!

Espall: We will never forget your #1 rule (there’ll be Turkish guys coming over to our hostel later) …

Aloy: We wear your bracelet everyday

Gene: I want to see snow. And I guess I am really the only one in the world who can read your handwriting. Seriously.

Long Long: I read your frogs. Please accumulate many marks for me instead of minus-ing 5 while I’m away. I really didn’t act cute. Like I said, swee ting is naturally cute so she doesn’t have to act. Plus 10 marks! -> Minus 50 marks

Jermaine: Hmm .. no more mugging together

Xiang ting, yen Ju, Lyn: continue to jog on the track everyday. One day swee ting will see you from the court. And yes, lyn, I know Jay Chou is yours. We’ve never ever said he’s ours. So don’t worry. Nobody will snatch from you. We have plenty of better ones here. HA

The rest: enjoy your holiday and F1 job if you have. And we wish you good luck for your upcoming subject – the new FMA

Kux finished counting money. OH NO. Means I have to pay .. zzz

From dad:

Swee Ting,How's school?
Are they friendly? Don't stay out late.
Sleep early. Take care. Daddy & Mummy loves you.Bye

-Homesick

We tried the berries on the tree outside our hostel today. Tasted sour and bitter. Then tried the ones that are along the way to school. No taste one. So disappointing. To make up for that I stole a grape from the supermarket. It was alright, not very sweet.

27th Aug 08
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2217 Finland
Weather: 12 ˚C
Feeling: urgency to pee

We just had a really long talk with our Taiwanese flat mates whom kux referred them as culprits. But surprisingly when I opened the door just now, I saw Tze Yi sweeping the floor. Anyway, the talk had bonded us closer – I hope.

I want to embarrass kux here:
When conversing with them, we used CHIINESE which I think kux really sucked at. They asked about the price of the “squeeze-5-people” hotel we stayed in Helsinki which costs a total of €83 and she said €38 instead. LOL. And when they asked the date of our return flight, it was 一月十二号(12th Jan 09) but she said十二月一号 (1st Dec 08) ->kux: but I have a so much better vocab than you. Woo…I can actually translate. Swee: ok. That I agree. That’s what makes us a good couple. You are the listener and I am the speaker. And please no, I am not going to fly back on the day of my birthday. I am so going to spend my sweet 18 here – see snow: the white Christmas.

Lessons were as boring as ever. Nothing interesting but I guess kux want to take this opportunity to talk about her “oh-so-cute” Turkish guy seated right in front of us during the SHORT break. OH too bad, you can’t see enough of him (damn, should have taken Finnish language so I can see him in every Finnish class). HAHA.

Today we found out where the laundry room was but the bad thing is all the instructions are in Finnish so we are kind of back to square one.

Tze Yi found some berries on the way back to hostel. There were blueberries (I think), strawberry looking berry, raspberry and some red berries. She picked them in the forest.

We still do not have internet connection in the hostel so we have to use the school computers which are Finnish. We managed to post our earlier reflections but halfway the computer decided to hang so we couldn’t post the rest. So irritating.

We decided to go to the city centre on Saturday. We are going to see the瀑怖 (pu bu) -> WATERFALL. I think the “bu” is wrong but whatever, WHEE!

Swee Ting didn’t shower again. Eww…

26th Aug 08
We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 1051 Finland
Weather: cool, windy
Feeling: hmm…

We are cooking chicken for lunch.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

26th Aug 08

2008-08-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2218 Finland
Weather: cold
Feeling: tired…zzz

Lessons: Visions of Future and Global Travel
Human Resource Management

Had our very first lesson today. Guess what. Every class we attended today only holds a total number of 8 students. Tiny class. The first lesson was alright~ we had a small (really small) group discussions, tours and breaks in between. It’s an exceptional case because this school is totally new, so the teacher decided to bring us around. The canteen was cool. They have a so-called mini overhead bridge on the level above the canteen. Despite the many coolness, it’s very sad to say that every lesson in our time table is 3 hours long, so it’s really hard to adapt. – Initial school shock

Second lesson was worse. I couldn’t stay awake and the class is SO small that I can’t sleep without the teacher noticing. The words are blurred and it changed from one sentence to two within minutes. My eyes won’t listen to my brain, which was really trying hard to stay awake. So to keep myself awake, I tried to answer whatever questions I could catch from the teacher, but it just so happen that whenever I tried to speak up, another student will be speaking at the same time. But it was a good thing that I am able to stay awake without having STM on what I want to say (Jermaine, I hope I had left my STM in Singapore), so when the teacher came back to me, I can answer.

And all along, I thought Kux was so hardworking because she was scribbling on the notes all the time. But she faced the same problem as me. She was like “Buang” .. I think we are too tired because it was only yesterday that we had arrive and please imagine the hardships we had gone through when dragging and carrying the mega-heavy and big luggage.

But amazingly, we are able to last till the very last minute of the lesson. After our lesson, we headed over to the international student office because WE HAVE NO INTERNET CONNECTION. And I’m still typing here. Swee Ting is just too hardworking. Forgoing her precious 8 hours of sleep. We have to buy internet. BUY?

Went grocery shopping. Long and tiring day. We spent a whole 2 hours in the Citymarket which is mega big. We shopped for everything we need – FOOD. Bought a lot of food. Chicken, cheese, bread, sauce.. it’s all food. Yayness to house brand and Euro Shopper if not we will be begging on the streets by next month. We found half a marinated chicken at €2.59 and frosted cornflakes that are twice the size of the one in Singapore. We now understand why Europeans twice the size of Singaporeans. Even the euros are two times our currency. Check out the size of one bag of chips. O.O And that is average sized. But there is nothing considered too big to the starving duo. A loaf of bread which is longer than what Singapore has, only took us 2 days to finish. Because we ate nothing but bread every meal!

Forgot to say about the food in school canteen. It’s buffet. No meals. You pick what you want and you pay €2.45. We both took a plateful and there was not much space left, so we decided to stop. But we realized our mistake - take another plate. We don’t feel full and stomach keep making lots of noise ever since the day we alighted. Stupid stomach juice.

The school has its own version of CMS here and it’s called Moodle. (If only it’s noodle)

Kux:
Our Russian flat mates arrived today, Marina and Anastasia (my fave cartoon). We ate pizza bread for dinner today. We were supposed to buy the real pizza base but we forgot to bring plastic bags and we couldn’t carry so many items in our bags. Finland is very environmentally friendly and charge €0.61 for 1 plastic bag. So we played cheat and stole some plastic bags from the fruits area. For dinner, we baked our already hard bread with pasta sauce, sausage and mozzarella. There was supposed to be pineapples too but we so conveniently forgot that we do not have a can opener with us. Our pizza turned out to be quite murderous. It can cause a concussion if it landed on someone’s head. But it tasted quite good J

WHEE!!! Lessons start at 12 tomorrow and school is just 5 mins walk away from hostel. Check out our time table: (eh...blog cannot put table ah?)

Monday: 9-11 Visions of future and global travel
12-3 Human resource mgmt
Tuesday: 11-2 B2B mkting
Wednesday: 9-12 International business
12-3 Visions / B2B
3-6 Destination mgmt
Thursday: 11-2 International business
Friday: 8-10 Human resourec mgmt
10-1 Destination mgmt

Wednesday is busy busy. We even have lessons that clash -_-

Swee Ting decided not to shower.

P.S: A Russian guy sat next to me today at visions of future and global travel lesson. Teehee. He kept knocking his knee against mine because we had to do a group discussion but I forgive him because he looks quite nice.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule
25 August 2008

2008-08-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Update:
The train we took to Imatra (that’s where our school is) is super COOL. There’s a super cool toilet (it’s circular), a café and 2 dining areas. There’s even a second level (which I discovered during the search for my precious toilet). Anyway, the other 3 alighted in Lappenrantra and us, in Imatra. Aishah, hold your tears and stop whining about not packing you in my luggage.

Fortunately, when we had alighted from the super LONG and HIGH CLASS train, someone came to pick us up. Though we have to walk an amount of distance, for once, our eyes lighted up, or maybe it’s just me. We saw a CAR. Yayness. Finally I don’t have to carry my luggage which I think my arms are almost damaged.

Here we are, in the hostel now. We took the liberty of shifting our furniture to a more “feng shui” spot. However it seems like our “feng shui” senses were not working very well. We shifted the furniture at least 5 times before deciding on our original plan.

Our Taiwan flat mates are so dirty! Before we came in, they were roasting chicken in the oven. After eating their chicken, all they did was wash the oil off the tray and left the leftover chicken skin in the grill. YUCK! And the toilet, it was wet and black. And they have been living here since Monday.

Culprits: Tze Yi and Ya Chen, 21 years old, from a University starting with S. (STM)

Let me give you a surprise. KUX CLEANED THE TOILET AND MOPPED THE FLOOR. And she was very pleased with herself too, because she said it was the first time cleaning without being told. So I have decided to award her with my nicely cooked Maggie. But sad to say, after I served her her meal, I served myself with a somewhat weird tasting Maggie because when I tore open the packet, WHOO! The Maggie was too excited that it jumped onto the hot stove and it burnt itself without being told, too.

(there are suppose to be pics here but the uploading part has some problems)

Swee Ting wishes to complain about the biasness of the beds. When we entered our room, we just dumped our stuff on the first bed we saw and had to go out to get our SIM cards and some basic necessities. When we got back, we realized that the bed I got is better in everyway compared to Swee Ting’s. My quilt looks nicer, orange striped, hers is white with red and yellow polka dots. My pillow seems normal, hers is deformed. My bed is 10 times cushionier than hers. My bed sheet is soft and smooth while hers is hard and rough. I have this extra blanket which she doesn’t.

We promise to abide by Espall's #1 rule

2008-08-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

Location: Hostel, Imatra
Time: 2244 Finland
Weather: cold
Room mates: Russians, Taiwanese
Feeling: Shagged. Swee Ting is dead…

The 3 other students who were with us decided to wake the whole inn up just because they realized that the sun was rising at 5.30a.m. Click click click. “SO BEAUTIFUL! THE SKY IS SO RED. THE SUN IS SO RED. SO BEAUTIFUL!” Click click click. Damn it. Shut up already. Half the world heard you, not to mention the 2 other babes stuck in the room with you.

After we checked out, we had to walk to the nearby bus stop with luggage. The path wasn’t even a proper walkway. It is like a path created by one million and one people tramping and dragging to and from the inn. Pilling our luggage along the rocky path was an ass. The luggage seemed to weigh 10 times the original. People of Finland are nice though. This man of mid fifties even helped Swee Ting carry her disintegrating bag to the bus stop. There was also another man who amazingly carried 2 of our trolleys off the bus for us. At the train station, the sky decided to pull a stunt. It rained. We had to pull our luggage through 100m of rain and the dumb train station didn’t have a ramp to help with the dragging of the trolleys. (Swee: At least all your luagge have something called WHEELS. I was typically carrying my luggage when you all were dragging ok …)

On the train, we were supposed to sit in the area where most people would sit but we decided to plant our butts in the private cabins. The train conductor didn’t even object when he checked our tickets. So throughout our 2hr plus trip to our universities, Swee Ting and another girl became the sleeping gods. Actually, the girl was the sleeping god and Swee Ting was the concubine. '

Dedicted to Hong Hui Qing. Please do not start singing the money song.

I shall end here for Kux. For she too, died on the bed though I died before her.

We promise to abide by Espall’s #1 rule

24th Aug 08

2008-08-26T05:37:00.000-07:00

Location: Airport Hotel Bonus Inn
Time: 1942 Finland
Weather: cool, 20°C
Feeling: Nice…I just showered

We transferred to British Airways and the food was bleah. We had sandwiches for lunch, chicken and cheddar cheese. We then took a shuttle bus to the inn. We are actually committing a crime now. The room which we are currently in is meant for 1 person but we are squeezing 5.

We promise to abide by Espall’s #1 rule

23rd Aug 08

2008-08-26T05:12:00.000-07:00

Location: Heathrow Airport, London
Time: 0929 London
Weather: Windy, Cool
Feeling: giddy, literally. My head is spinning.

Checking in at Singapore Terminal 1, Qantas counter was such a drag. We had to wait for almost an hour to be told that we have been kicked off our original flight because of overbooking. Seems like the online agent we booked from sold too many tickets so we have to change our flights and transit area. Instead of stopping over at Frankfurt, we transited at Heathrow Airport, London, which is where we are now. There is nothing to do unless you have some pounds to spend which none of us have. So what are we doing? Rotting at Terminal 1’s waiting area and typing this essay -_-.

So what happened before this? We boarded Qantas at 0045 Singapore after being delayed for 1 hr which was a good thing since we were able to say our last goodbyes (I know this sounds like we died but it doesn’t matter) to our crazy darling classmates, the precious HS 0703 who decided to stay in the airport. We received quite a few gifts from the class which we had to bring along and they added on to our already dead weight luggage (ok, ok, thanks, happy?). But I think the highlight of the night was waterworks. Ok, I knew emotions will run high but I didn’t expect flooding. Hui Qing was like “cry me a river”. Hui Qing, please don’t flood Singapore during these 5 months. This is Aishah and Yen Ju :’(. I still can’t believe that KELVIN can actually cry. I was like o.O I would like to take this opportunity to award Kelvin with this award- A New History Record. Ok, even if he did cry before, I’m sure it’s not in front of the world. And to all the rest of you whom I didn’t catch, don’t think I don’t know especially Yao Wei. Shu Rong can use your tears to mop the floor. Jiun Chyi, your “zhen zi” pose reminds us of the Shutter show we watched in your house. We pray every night that when we dream of you (Kux: confirm nightmare), it won’t be a nightmare (Kux: double nightmare, Swee: especially with kux beside me every night).

Solely kux:
Ok, I want to complain about Qantas. I swear the seats are made for people like Aishah. The leg space really gave me a good yoga workout. AND have the people who designed the seat width ever thought of the kind people who board the plane? Have they ever thought of the thousand and one horizontally challenged people who board the plane everyday? AND why can’t the plane offer more movies and TV shows? The movies they had were like so 6 months ago. Like come on, Kung Fu Panda? Shutter-ang moh version (this one didn’t even scare us)? Get a move on lazy bums, is this all you got? Retired SIA who still want to work as stewardess can join Qantas. The stewardesses are quite old for stewardess, short and plum. AND the toilets. Faints. The sink was clogged the first time I went and there was spit out toothpaste swirling in the water. SICK! Somehow the toilet bowl is designed to splash your pee on your butt when you pee (for females) (Swee: It’s because you either got too-big a butt or you don’t know how to pee. Kux: is your butt no feeling, sit for too long. Even Parvin agrees.) The toilet bowl also cannot flush waste that is stuck around the bowl except for the centre part where your shit and pee is supposed to go. But sometimes people can’t aim at the centre so it gets stuck everywhere on the bowl except the centre. So the soggy paper will have to greet every user until someone clears it. The perfect thing about Qantas is the temperature. At least they have the decency to set the temperature to something other than Arctic Frost.

And Swee Ting says:
Who ask YOU to be SO LONG? No? Others want to be longer but sadly they can’t grow. Right Kelvin & Aishah? (Kux: that’s their business, go play more tennis.) Can’t stand Kux. Complaining about anything and everything under the sun. Old movies? (Kux: eh…they even had Sound of Music.) Someone seated beside me laughed so loud when watching Kung Fu Panda that she woke me up from my deprived 8 hours sleep -> so ugly, no amount of beauty sleep can help YOU. (Kux: I was watching House. Funny what.) And when we watch Shutter together, someone says “OH. Coming out already coming out already.”

But I consider myself to be luckier than the others. I’m neither too long nor too fat (Huiqing, I know what you are thinking). And the toilet I enter happens to be in a somewhat “perfect” condition as compared to what Kux experienced. I shall not mention the details because I am not as disgusting as her.
Change subject. I can’t wait to see SNOW. Eugene! S-N-O-W. And OH. Do you know the temperature in London is totally 24 hours air-con? London. Totally cool. They have 5 terminals. So huge. Good thing sweeting didn’t get lost, so LONG LONG, you have to award me with 5 more marks =)

I get what you mean now: The-extended-daylight. When you both went to Vienna, you experienced long hours of daylight. It’s 5 hours difference between Singapore and London time. It’s only 7.30am here when in Singapore, it’s like 2pm. It’s as if wherever you go, it’s always daytime. And we were served Breakfast. Again, good thing Swee Ting’s stomach didn’t vibrate too much. (By the way, Josephine, at least the plane served us breakfast :)

And if you think people in Singapore have no class, people in other countries have none too. As I am writing this thesis, I can statistically prove that at least 20% of the people around me are sleeping. Not sit sleeping but lie sleeping. There are people spread out over minimum 3 chairs sleeping.

Let me tell you story –
I was enjoying the wonderful atmosphere of the airport which comprises of visual, aural, tactile and olfactory. OLFACTORY! There was this guy beside Swee Ting airing his FEET! I discreetly tried to take a picture using Swee Ting as a BEAUTIFUL model (I’m glad you realize how beautiful I am) but he put his feet down before I could do anything. (Because you are a slow pok).

More updates will be available tomorrow night as we have to board our next flight. Finally, my butt super flat already. Er, I don’t think I had a butt to begin with. (Swee: I can vouch for that)

So, Finland, HERE WE COME!

We promise to abide by Espall’s #1 rule

23rd Aug 08

Introduction

2008-08-26T05:06:00.001-07:00

This blog shifts constantly between the two of us so read properly- word for word- to guess who is talking. Headings are misleading. Swee Ting may type in a 2nd person context from time to time. Pictures placed in the blog are the highlights. We will find another place to place the rest of the pictures so as not to jam the page.