So one sunny (and by sunny, I mean excruciatingly hot) sweltering afternoon, I found myself away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city – on the countryside grounds of Nottingham University campus in Semenyih.
What have ye travelled so far for?
The photo speaks for itself
No, it's not my graduation ceremony… YET.
It's someone else's moment; my buddy Pam's!
I certainly would not miss her graduation for the world.
So upon request, I was more than willing to shoot her post-ceremony photographs of this memorable day.
You're looking at the graduate in Masters in Science : Environmental Monitoring and Management!
Yes, very long title. I think so too.
I've often contemplated the thoughts of taking my tertiary education a notch higher with a Masters!
These days, Bachelor's Degree holders aren't a rare sight to see at all.
This is especially now true that many schools have programs that allow students to earn a Bachelor Degree online. Yep, it's really that easy.
Practically every well-educated person has pursued an undergraduate course.
Which is why it's a smart idea to set yourself a qualification apart from the pool of undergrads.
With the graduates, Iguniwari (Pam's classmate) and Pamela
Here I am holding the scroll for fun – and prolly because it's red!
And another one with fellow housie Edwin!
I was wearing a blazer initially but was roasting inside due to the weather
Many a time I've watched her sit for hours on end at the computer tabulating her data and doing whatever mumbo-jumbo required to complete her thesis paper of 'Perceptions of Human-Tiger Conflict in Peninsular Malaysia'
She even made a trip to the remote areas of Terengganu in the eastern countryside to conduct her research among the villagers living in the jungle and effects of tigers.
Also get bitten to near-death by mosquitoes LOL
Mission accomplished – finally!
My turn next, methinks? Masters of Journalism, Masters of Communications & Media Studies?
That's all just a thought for now BUT
Not sure if I want to endure months and months of research and thesis writing
I wish you all the best in your future undertakings and may you enter the voracious dog-eat-dog world of the corporate ladder with full gusto!
To be extremely honest, I've never seen/taste/smell/ate Vegemite in my entire life.
Until I came to Australia.
Bardha, Cleefy and I in the kitchen on the night of the challenge
This is how it all began.
One fine day, Konzy and Cleefy decided to ask me a million dollar question.
"Have you tried Vegemite before?"
My answer was an obvious "no".
However, I've heard some pretty horrid stuff about it; that it tasted vile, disgusting and nasty on your tastebuds. Then again, Cleefy insisted I had some, regardless of what I've heard.
Allow me to quote him "you haven't experienced Australia if you leave without Vegemite".
Looks like a creepy Vegemite ad, no?
He proposed I eat it in front of the camera so that I could always remember the "Australian goodness of Vegemite". Fair enough. So I decided to take up the challenge of the infamous yucky Vegemite.
Let the camera roll!
One night before we headed out clubbing, Cleefy brought me a jar of Vegemite
& had it wrapped in a cute blue ribbon too!
I was extremely hesitant after unwrapping it but my mates were pretty persistent.
Fine fine fine. I'll do it!
Here's the short video I made. Enjoy it!
Hahaha. Hope you liked it! So there, my 1st moments with Vegemite, added with laughter, nasty facial contortions and friendship encapsulated in a 6 minute video
Now, everytime I think of Australia or crave for Vegemite, this video will do the trick!
Ahoy mateys! Arrrr. Vegemite has arrived.
How am I ever gonna forget that?
The next time ANY of you come to Malaysia, I'll do the exact same thing for yall – not with Vegemite, but with Durians instead. *evil laughter*
Thank you Cleefy bear!
Now that I've finished blogging this entire post and editing the VLOG, I'm totally up for some. Only thing that's stopping me is…. I can't seem to find my Vegemite.
Who has stolen my jar from me!? Identify yourself!!
Yayyyy!!!! The much anticipated post is finally up!
The photos were already ready last week, but I wanted to wait till I posted up the video that I promised
Yup, I spent the entire night making that video tribute which I embedded at the bottom of this post.
If you missed it, today's post is a sequel tothis post
I had a pleasant surprise upon arriving the houseparty
OMG Alex decorated it so nicely!! With streamers, wall stickers.. etc
And also, helium balloons! I loved them so much!
Apparently my mates told me I kept playing with them while I was drunk?
Well, drunk or not, I'd still play with them anyway
And they told me I tried to make everyone fly up to the sky with me like that animated movie, 'Up'
Major thanks to my lovely co-hosts of the party!
Alex & Alex
Prior to the party, I spent the afternoon cooking dinner and baking with a good friend, Pamela.
Tonight's menu comprised 2 huge casseroles of Turkey Carbonara Pasta Bake with Mushrooms and Capsicums, and also Chocolate Pastry Puffs sprinkled with icing sugar.
I was glad all my guests loved it heaps!
omnomnomnom
After our late dinner, we began our drinking sesh and partying!!
Here are some party piccies of us
With Deanna and Alex
With my fellow partyrocker & kitteh, Kayla!
Clockwise L-R : With Abraham, Aaron, Laura and Jaime <3
Clockwise L-R : Mossy, Clayton, Hooper & Deanna
J
With Jaime! She's Konzy's sister & we both have tattoos on our wrists
Stole Hooper's glasses
I know I've mentioned this previously, but I flippin' love for helium balloons!
Up up up and AWAAAYYYYYY!!!!
Todd and I with our matching green (his) and red (mine) balloons
-photo courtesy of Britt-
I laughed myself silly when Mossy followed suit and tied balloons around his ears
i tied a red balloon around my neck upon arriving!
Somewhere in a cosy corner, some other inanimate friends of ours had their funtimes as well.
Say hi to Archibald the Panda and Skyla the Leopard
Yes. Like owners, like toys
While Kayla and I are busy partyrocking away, the toys will play!
Wootwoot!
The night was still young and we all sat down to play our usual, but deadly, King's Cup .Gather round, people!
Only half of us at the table, the rest were outside puffing away
Konzy and I on the comfy couch while waiting for King's Cup rules to be written
'
The gamemasters laying down the rules of the game
Let's get wasted!
Oh and speaking of which, I LOL-ed so much at Alex's straw.
Pretty damn awesome! Reminds me of beer goggles LOLOL
More party piccies!
This time was taken during King's Cup
With Kayla, Bardha, Clayton and Varun
With Jaime
Oh and, the fluffy red phoof-ball was a birthday prezzie from Britt & Laura! I love it <3
With Deanna, Britt and Cherie
With Konzylove
With Varun, Bardha, Todd and Konzy
Rules were rules – fair and square.
A card was drawn and the guys were made to pole dance with any girl LOL
-pic courtesy of Kayla-
Or…. in other instances, with a guy.
Mannn, that's hawt!
LOLOLOL I don't remember when this happened!
Poor Greg hahahahaha
I soon went outside at the porch to join the rest of the chimneys
It was sssooo cold outside I've no idea how the locals handle that kinda temperature of near 0 degrees!
With Aaron and Greg
Did some bongs with some of them and went back inside where it is warm and comfy!
With Ian, Clayton, Cherie and Varun
Playing it diagon-alley with Clayton, Varun and a hidden Cherie
-both pics courtesy of Britt-
Diagonally with Laura!
Can someone please tell me how we ended up under the table???
I don't remember this! O__o
Nor this.
OMG what is the shoe doing in the photo -___-"
Oh and, while I was filtering through some 150 photos of the party, I just HAD to post this up.
Funny picture!
What on earth were they doing LOLOLOL
After so much fun, eating, partying, karaoke-ing and drinking, t'was time to bring out the birthday cake
Credits to Pam who baked the cake for me *major love*
Due to our lack of candles, we decided a lighter would do the trick
Oh and check out the siblings photobombing me haha!
Couldn't really cut the cake properly as I was so close to passing out
from sheer drinkdrankdrunkeness already
-pic courtesy of Kayla-
Look at how dreadful my intoxicated cake cutting skills are
Nawwww birthday girl gets a birthday kiss!
T'was a good night indeed. Even better when people end up passing out. It's a knock out!
Current score : Humans 0 – 2 Alcohol/Bongs
TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
Thank you, to each and every one of you who made my birthday and farewell a fabulous one.
Being able to party with yall one last time before I leave meant a lot to me!
-pic courtesy of Kayla-
With some of my birthday presents!
Check out the massive birthday card on top of my head; it has everyone's messages & signatures on it. On my wall hanging up is where it will be I'll get to read/see it anytime I want when I start missing Australia again!
ZOMG I've no idea how my mates found out I had absolute love for chocolate.
I ended up receiving all these too! <3 <3
And just like I promised, here's a video for all of you to remember me by
I've encapsulated all our funtimes together and — okay, I won't tell you any more. Watch for yourselves!
Please please please watch till the END! I spent 6 hours making this.
If you don't, I'll slit my wrists with a blunt knife wtf
I hope you love it and enjoy looking back at our times together, just like I did! (My eyes kept streaming down tears during the process of making the video. Memories got the better of me. But I obviously don't expect you to cry too hahahahaa)
See you guys in September when I return!
Countdown : 62 days
With love, "that Asian girl with the red hair" , Jess.
Okay time for you to see yet another one of my places of residence again!
There's this nitty-gritty OCD part of me that loves a well-decorated, personalized, neat and organized room.
Most of the time, I'm very proud to let you guys take a look! Well, the efforts that I take to make my room pretty & cosy; one that truly represents me does pay off especially when I have guests over*bigwidesmile*
Most of you know that I live on-campus or more fondly referred to as 'on rez' (residencies) at the moment.
I was allocated to be on the West rez 32 when I first came to Australia, but since I spent 90% of my time and day in the South rez, I've decided to just permanently move into South rez 9.
Nicey?
Most of the time, my room/house will be splashed &decorated by reds every where.
I often adopt a red theme wherever I stay, but since I didn't have much choice (all my red stuff are in Malaysia!) my room – for the first time – picked up a blue theme instead :( Blue curtains, blue comforter, blue bedsheets, blue pillowcase.. etc.
My simplistic wardrobe. I hung up my accessories on the wardrobe
door (so they don't become tangled noodles when I wanna wear 'em!)
Seriously, I've spent almost an hour trying to detangle my necklaces/chokers before, causing myself to be uber late at certain events I go to! Grrr. Next time my accessories only stay hung up – no where else!
Another angle of my room. Can you see my shoe shelf?
Take a closer look I dreaded how I had to choose between all my shoes to pack into my luggage.
Mom wouldn't let me bring more than FOUR, I was crestfallen! How am I supposed to choose 4 out of my 30 pairs?
I eventually sneaked in more than 4 and ended up succumbing to more pretty shoes here
I bought 5 more. Ooops. Sorry mom.
Probably not important, but here's the insides of my cupboard.
Facial stuff, make up and clothes.
On to my study table! Where I'm sitting as we speak, supposedly mugging for the exams but can't help to take a short break to blog for a while. Nyahahaha
What do you see?
My camera gear, a pair of red sunnies, a red shark, an infographic on cannabis, my textbooks, the Greek alphabet, cute postcards, a bottle of memories, a frisbee, leopard-print handcuffs, random train tickets, bus ticket-stubs, tissue, a food pyramid, Churchill's bus timetable and little love notes! Do you spot everything?
Okay, one more picture for the road!
Here's a diagonally aerial view of my room
Nice nice nice? *beams* I love decorating!
Okay I should really head back to my exam revisions now.
Cheers! And if your room isn't half as neat as mine, you know what to do
Identify yourself!!
J
'
I love decorating!
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