Home Away From Home

Where is home?

It is where one is accepted and loved,

no matter how and what they do.

Many tend to feel lonely,

thinking where they are is where home is.

It could be a dysfunctional family,

it could be a dominant, overbearing mother,

it could be a demanding wife,

it could be an absent husband,

it could be an inconsiderate sibling.

Home is where we are celebrated.

Not because of what we do,

but because of who we are.

Don't tell me what I should do,

or what I should not do.

If you don't live my life,

or know my situation,

then perhaps it is safe to say,

accept me even when I'm so dang imperfect.

Am I home?

Am I away from home?

I know where my true Home is.

But my time has yet to arrive.

My calling is to be in the world,

where I make temporary stays.

Maybe that's where your true Home is too.

Where God resides and embraces us all,

no matter who we are,

what we do,

how we think.

Vacuum Storage Bag

Something which brings smiles to my face.

Funny and adorable memories!

Yet,

Today my tale is a sad one.

Especially when I see my clothes fluffing up.

Yes,

The valve cover was mysteriously broken!

It's a horror,

When I see them taking up precious space

Of my luggage bag.

But,

What can I ask for,

When it's a £1-for-2 item,

Off the shelf in Poundland?

Last hope for me,

Is that my friend is willing

To save my day,

By bringing back some,

On his way home.

What a start for me!

Barely a week back to Malaysia,

Still under the weather,

A.k.a. flu,

Plus a morning horror story to share!

 — feeling sick.

Release and Relief

Release,

A process of letting go.

Relief,

An emotion generated when one feels free.

Captive,

That's what we make of ourselves.

Enslavement,

That's how we torment ourselves.

Yet,

We aren't aware we do these to ourselves.

We thought we knew ourselves better

Than to be captivated or enslaved.

The moment of realisation,

Will be the moment we release ourselves

From that very cell we built within us.

Then,

Relief will come to existence.

Waiting...

This is the most challenging verb.

Many have less than enough patience.

Some said,

Not enough time to wait.

The torments of waiting:

heartaches,

loneliness,

uncertainties,

insecurities,

anxieties.

Yet,

despite knowing the waiting may be the best test,

and best training,

still,

I detest waiting.

Though I have decided,

waiting is still the best thing to do.

Yeah,

I need approval for deferral.

It's been more than a week.

No news..

I hope it is equals to good news.

Sizzling Heat

When having sore throat and all,

Heat isn't inviting. 

After whole year of chills,

Imagine a 10-degree increase.

The water in my body fizzling away.

Dang!

I'm dehydrating like a fish out of water!

Long Distance Flight

It is akin to a marathon.

Requirements include:

Endurance.

Patience.

Probably stamina too.

Interesting observation in Dubai.

All sorts of methods to kill transit time.

Sleeping behind rows of benches.

Covered by blankets is the luxurious ones.

Some only had jeans and shirts,

With their palms in between their thighs.

To keep warm.

I'm blessed.

Just an hour in Dubai.

Always a fleeting visit.

I prefer so.

Can't wait to lie down and rest.

To nurse my body back to health.

Missing everyone whom I bade goodbyes last night.

Peer Pressure

Two things I dislike

One is hypocrisy

Two is peer pressure

Go ahead and do what you want

As long as you don't come and tell me

I gotta be who you want everyone to be

I'm not some kid

Needing a group so much that I'd die.

I'm fine being aloof and detached,

And oblivious to weird statements,

Such as a famous "there's a lot of us this year".

I was initially excited knowing there's a healthy bunch

Now I think I might be dealing with peer pressure,

The infamous, and rather deadly,

If you say no, you're not one of us.

If you don't join this and that,

You're out.

Excuse me,

If you force me to drink like a fish

Or to only be with a certain group,

I'll make sure I'm not part of your exclusive group.

I don't need this.

Last Time in 2013

Here am I

Sitting in the waiting room

For the last time in 2013

To Southampton I go.

All familiar faces I'd meet

Indeed it's excitement I feel.

Yet some I'd bid farewells

For a long time them I will not meet

Some I'd bid goodbyes

For I shall see and meet very soon.

A year came and went.

Good friends I've met.

Those who are there

That I should stay sane and oblivious.

Of course I'm fine.

Finer than ever.

Some are horrible and rude backstabbers.

Somehow Truth prevails.

To Southampton I go

To my beloved ones.

All praise and honour be to God!

Oblivion

I never knew how detached I was

Until I hear tales from observers.

It might be some blessings,

I'd have suffered much if I knew.

I was deeply distressed,

How human beings could be so ruthless,

And unkind.

Yet I know they are sufferers too.

Unhappiness loomed over them always.

Inability to trust was their forte.

As for me,

My oblivion brought me to joy,

Despite my oblivion towards the oblivion.

Goodbye?

Sitting in the train station

After yet another "amazing race".

This is another of my "missed trains" record.

In three days,

I probably missed more trains than a year in UK.

What a way to bid farewell.

Not even a proper goodbye hug.

But always a memorable time together.

I probably said more goodbyes to everyone else.

Than the one who was the reason I came.

Till the next memorable time..

Be safe and have a great Eurotour.

Look forward to hear great tales.

P/S: NOC bear..

 — feeling nostalgic with Edgar Aristion.

Last Night in Lincoln

I just got back from library.

Spent all my print money,

except for the one penny.

Printing stuffs here and there.

A lot of reading materials to prep myself,

for the upcoming three years in Cambridge.

Right now,

sitting,

feeling totally exhausted.

I still have luggage to pack.

The most un-amusing thing to do.

I'm going off tomorrow morning.

Time to bid farewell to Lincoln..

The place I call home for a year!

Midnight Hunger

Yes.

It is past midnight.

I am still struggling to pack.

As usual.

Why can't the hoover be a silent machine?

Gave up trying to wake neighbours by the noise.

Use body weight to compress.

What?

The vacuum storage bags.

And I get hungry.

Craving for a hot pot of...

INSTANT NOODLES.

Wrong Train

I'm as blur as a sotong.

I went on the wrong train.

And the train I was supposed to be on..

Left.

The train I was on,

Doesn't bring me there.

So,

All my appointments are delayed for an hour.

Thanks to myself.

Eeekkk.

Preparation

Yes,

This chronicle shall continue further. 

It shall be based in Cambridge.

Perhaps it'll take a while before I get started.

Today is the first meeting.

Nervous about meeting my new boss.

A day trip to Cambridge.

Weather is cooling down fast.

Those who know me know I love warm room.

Hopefully the rooms in Fitz will be warm.

Sleeping with Pets

I've always wondered

But never experienced

How is it like to have a pet to sleep with?

For once,

tonight,

I have a visitor who's friendly,

my friend's pet kitten.

I'm honoured indeed.

Soton and Me

Tonight will be the last night

For many of my friends

In Glen Eyre Hall,

And Montefiore House.

As I wait for the bus to the train station

Which should be here but not yet seen

I have nothing to do but to wondee

For countless times

I stayed over..

It's like a home to me too.

Saw winter

Saw spring

Saw summer

And now,

Saw autumn

Seasons in a year indeed.

Go! Rhino

Spent the whole afternoon hunting

For rhino sculptures in Soton!

What fun it was,

Whenever I found them.

Colourful guardians of tourist spots,

Interesting and creative designs.

Discovered Southampton finally,

After the countless times of visit.

Brother Sun walked with me the whole day.

I've been hoping such day would come,

When I finally see warm Soton!

Southampton

A place I've been countless times,

Thanks to the friends I've got here.

Never been a traveller here.

So today,

With brother Sun shining bright,

I'm being a traveller

To hunt down the colourful rhinos!

GOOD NEWS!

The first reaction:

Tears of joy.

A miracle from God indeed.

Indeed, nothing is impossible with God.

The news arrived when I arrived in Wales,

while still in the Isle of Irishmore,

the cruise ferry which brought me back safely to the UK.

All I could say is God is good,

and His timing is the best.

Against all odds it was.

Yet, He made all things possible.

The final condition is met.

By His miraculous grace.

God's willing it shall be,

I will join Cambridge next January.

Special thanks to St. Jude,

my special patron of helpless and desperate cases,

for his intercession of my petition,

for financial support to do PhD in Cambridge.

All glory and praise be to God, the almighty Father!

http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/jude.htm

End of 16 Days

In another 8 hours,

I shall bid the land of Ireland farewell.

Will I return?

Will I not?

All but God's will to say.

A pleasure indeed,

this journey.

Ups and downs,

here and there.

With a grateful heart,

to St. Teresa of Lisieux as my companion,

and to the people from all walks of life,

who became my friends.

Not forgetting old friends who took time to meet up.

Spectacular is the creation of God,

wonderfully and intricately made.

The breathtaking scenery is unforgettable.

Completely etched within me.

A journey of joy I'd name,

with a bit of Irish luck,

I hope to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

My Worst Choice of Hostel

I made a wrong choice of hostel stay.

I should have known better than to stay above a bar.

No lock in the bathroom.

No kitchen facilities.

No secure lockers.

Loud music is fine.

But...

Random noisy kiddos as roomies?!

No problem at all.

As long as they don't be stupid,

and ask silly, obvious, idiotic questions.

I'd throw my boots at them,

if they come back drunk and noisy.

Ugh.

Guinness and Football

Here sitting in an Irish pub,

Watching Ireland vs. Sweden in FIFA qualifying match.

1-1 now.

I'm in Ireland.

Obviously who I'm supporting.

Ha ha ha.

C'mon.

More goals please!

Food Spree

After 11 days of scrimping on food

Today I'm going wild.

Maybe just a little.

Started the day with daily mass.

Then subconsciously walked to English market.

A superb bowl of mushroom soup.

And savoury salami sandwich.

End the meal with a cuppa latte.

Perfect life.

Going slow today in Cork.

Just chilling out here and there.

After 11 days of gungho-ness,

I'm slowing down for reflection.

Ahh...

When life gives me lemon,

I'm chilling with a lemon cheesecake,

And a cuppa.

Walking

I'm not a cyclist for sure

Nor am I a big time walker.

Yet today,

I covered 15 km.

On FOOT.

The last 5 km was a mental battle.

From the typical "I should......"

To temptation of hitchhiking.

I tried to focus on how Jesus survived back then.

Walking from one city to the next.

And He didn't complain that it was too far.

Then why should I?

It was a great 15 km walking experience.

Amazing landscapes almost everywhere.

Drinking Wasp

While having lunch at Torc Waterfall,

I almost drank a wasp.

Yes,

The 6-legged creature with a needle at its butt.

It was at the mouth of my drink,

Right at the moment I wanted a sip.

I could feel the hair rubbing my inner lips.

What a great relief I wasn't stung!

I could have died.

Yeah.

My new Dutch friend would definitely remember me!

Misunderstood

Being a solo Asian traveller myself,

With a rather tight budget,

I often am being misunderstood.

Fellow travellers seem to be awkward,

As though Asians should travel in taxi,

Staying in posh hotels.

Aside from Dublin,

I haven't seen any Asian travellers

Staying in hostels in west of Ireland.

A culture shock for me indeed.

I was asked few times if I speak English.

If not English,

What do I speak really?

Funnily annoying actually.

*Gasps of horror*

"Stop being so narrow-minded!"

That was often at the tip of my tongue.

I just gotta be patient and ignore them.

I'm not a posh Asian.

Just a world traveller with limited monies.

Hostels

Many travellers are familiar with this term

Some negative circumstances might include:

Rowdy drunks.

Noisy sleepers.

Hectic traffics.

Dirty linens.

Unhygienic toilets.

Uncomfortable beds.

These are the most frequently occurred conditions.

Yet,

Here in Ireland,

Out of the four locations I've stayed,

Only once I encountered drunks.

Tonight,

I'm hiding under the duvet,

Just to type this chronicle.

Everyone was fast asleep,

When I got to the room.

Concerned that I'd disturb them.

I probably did.

Total silence.

Total darkness.

Comfy bed.

Warm duvet.

Plus having a friary next door.

The smell was not awesome.

Can't do much about it.

At least it's a roof over my head.

The Way to Love

I'm bidding goodbye to Galway

With hopes one day I'll return

Only a short day here

Yet

I've come to love this city

A city of God and His people.

This bleeding heart of mine

In need of God's healing love

With St. Therese of Lisieux

My dear patron saint

Whose name I adopted at baptism

I pray in this journey of love

God's healing hands will bring me to health

Once again

Right from ground zero.

Delusion

Ask 10 individuals,

Would you rather know the truth, 

Or be in an delusion?

Maybe 9 out of 10 would choose the latter.

The odd one out might eventually chooses too.

The truth hurts.

But truth will bring healing too.

During the process,

We tend to wonder if it'd ever come.

This "so-called" healing.

It will.

At least this is what I believe in.

The road in front of me is difficult.

I can only trust through hurts,

I will be healed.

I might have been hurt,

But I'm not broken.

This odd me doesn't want to live in delusion.