The day after Cambodia.

Slept at 2+/3am last night because of our late flight home. Woke at 6+, then 7+, then finally at 8 I decided to get my butt out of the bed because I really cannot fall asleep at all. Blame the body clock. And the fact that the skies in Cambodia brightens at 5 and darkens (like super super dark) at 6 in the evening.

Cambodia was a different experience every time I return. And that's what keeps me going back again and again. It's like watching your own siblings grow up and getting inspired by them and their dreams again and again. I get reminded of what life is all about. Last year's trip I was on full tippy toes as a leader my whole head was welfare of the team I was so afraid members get hurt/ unwell mentally and physically I couldn't even spend much time with the local kids. But this year, I get to create new memories and collect them all until 我心服口服哈哈

Memories in Beoung:

First and foremost. It has got to be Makara.
Amazing how much he matured in just 3 years, from the bad boy at the farm to a boy who wants to be a lawyer when he grows up. He doesn't know how proud I am of him :') I think it took him a lot of courage to tell us that he was a bad boy last time, smoking and drinking as a farmer's child, spending his days with the bad company and the cows at the farm. When I asked him to dance at the Christmas party, he said nope it's not Khmer. (because they were playing pop english music/ techno/ clubbing kinda songs) Look at how mature this boy is now, omg Makara my whole heart is bursting of pride and joy you don't know how much you inspire me. Thank you for all the care and concern you showered us in our short two days. You made sure we were well fed/ well slept/ well everything basically we were treated as tofu that can break anytime. This boy does things like coming back all the wayyy to the house to check if we are asleep. Not like the house is that near from the english learning centre/church that he spends the night in. What kind of an angel are you Makara. And when he popped by to see us at night, we didn't turn on the living room light to save electricity and so we got a shock of our lives when we saw him. Like legit shocked HAHAHAHA. like horror room kind of shock. Laughed so much. And of course we had some revenge the next morning when he came to accompany us to the market >:) I hope with all my heart that you will do well in Math. It's the subject he struggles with the most... The problem isn't about his attitude towards mugging though. The whole problem lies with the fact that he doesn't have time ever. School takes place both morning and afternoon, ending at 4. And after school he'll head back to Hope In Light to fetch kids to learn english, and then teach them english. And by the time classes end, that'll be 8+? Then it'll be dinner. And after dinner it'll be cleaning up of the school. And there are days whereby Makara goes for his own English classes, so that he can improve his English and help out more @ HIL. You tell me how can you find time and energy by then? :-( Sigh. Can't wait to see you grow up and... even though you don't have a passport/ even though you will never think of this thought, I honestly can't wait for you to shine so brightly in the future and for that very one day you can come over to Singapore. I swear I'm going to make you the most VIP tofu ever.

Next, Sokthea!
Aiyo our emotional little boy. Who looks like he was going to cry while eating his porridge when he saw the christmas card we gave. The moment I saw him for the first time that day I was OH MY GOD because Sokthea grew up SO MUCH he is so tall now!!! And that look on his face when he saw us for the first time again was so freaking epic it's glued in my memory. He also has this smile that can light up the world. shines brighter than a diamond la! Cutepie. I really hope his school work gets better this coming year, wanted to check and see if he did his homework he said nope no homework. Jiayou Sokthea, you can do this, conquer school!!!

Sokun, is the usual Sokun. S for Sokun, S for Superman. Idk what else to say about superman anymore. Except that we had to keep reminding him how he needs to take good care of his health because it is getting worse. He is also the pillar for the boys and this pillar cannot fall, pillar fall = everything falls :-(

At the end of the day... I know one-off donations don't work/ child sponsorship is debatable etc (after NUS biz brainwashed my head a bit) but I still did it. At least I think it helps in their immediate and most urgent need- esp Sokun's sickness. Whatever liao, I'm not gna care about the sustainability of this money haha my whole head was: better to have, than nothing.

Anyway. I emailed mummy bloggers who once blogged about Peter and Jane books a few years back, hoping to get them second-hand but then no replies so I jumped into the pool of unknown haha did a crowdsourcing thing on GiveASIA and JOY TO THE WORLD it is proven that people are kind (of course I'm a bit bias I will like to add on that ALL my friends are kind) haha love you all.

Current situation: kiao kar-ing while room is in a complete absolute mess aka taking a break from packing my bag aka taking my own sweet time the whole freaking day hahahaha I am forever and always, a true blood last minute packer :')

Cambodia in ONE DAY

The heart is fuller when I allow it to be.

(Tan, 2016)

#trudat

Recharging my batteries when I meet with with my buddies every time. Powerful AAA batteries. 

I get shag from too much social interaction so I consider myself an extroverted introvert... but that doesn't happen when it's with the right people heheh. 

Met up with James and Tze yesterday for dinner at bugis and catching up and just being together. Everything falls into place like the good old days :') Even if I haven't seen both of them much since the sem started, esp James. Time flew so quickly, I guess all good times do. It was 10 again and time to get home when shops were all closing and of course, as usual James is off to play mahjong overnight again like back in capt days lol. I will always, always remember how epic it was when I went to Level 7 at 4am crying like my world ended and James coming out of the mahjong room looking so freaking shocked at me. And that long counselling talk at the ledge omg hahaha thankful for this bro. Also the one who is always direct as heck, threatening to kill my sucky group mates/ showering dark chocolates like my real legit bro/ QCing my assignment essays/ dragging me out all the way to Clementi just for his gaming mouse/ fighting at capt stairways over the most childish shit/ matchmaking me ridiculously with any single guy he sees while we eat in dining hall "Eh that one! Look look look!!! The singlet one!" which makes it so damn bloody obvious any human will also know we are talking about them/ snatching the phone to chase away all the insurance people because I was too coward to reject them it was so difficult to say no to people haha. Now I know better :-) Now I can say no all by myself! 长大了有没有？！

Also got to see Tze and Hua again, and we enjoyed hawker goodness at Queenstown! Wah all the feast from Padthai to xiaolongbao and rojak etc got us just $6.50 each after we split everything siao. Love these two as well la. 

Conquered Mt Hojicha tgt with bingsu and chicken salad with HH, all three were great and yum at Twenty Grammes!! Mt Hojicha is unforgettable I LOVE IT. Every time I see anything green/matcha HH will float in my head LOL. Not a huge green fan but matcha is not bad as long as not too milky so here we go~ Onwards to engulf more good food/ more green things with HH! And also not a xmas person since family doesn't do celebrations and after all I still don't know the whole story of Jesus' sacrifice at this ripe old age so yup. Christmas is just an excuse for some presents and some shopping because $$$ SALES $$$.  But December is special because it's time for HH's BIRTHDAY! Have yet to find a good wallet, maybe JB has some good presents! Cross fingers!

Am currently obsessed with Weightlifting kdrama I love these kind of cheesy unrealistic drama plot of great awesome main guy liking the bigger sized/ less popular/ but happy and cheery main character girl. Things that only happen in drama haha. Man living in my house is getting too much of a serious mode la, bad things keep happening, taking away all the cheesiness haiz. 

On a side note, TWO MORE WEEKS TO CAMBODIA :>

Things that make my eyes more asian / Things that make me -.- / I wonder if I'm a feminist

1. when a guy says "help me to take care of so-and-so (a girl)" Come on la, how freaking old is she already, can't she take care of herself. Saw this on insta just now.

Anyway, someone said that to me before, asking me to take care of my best friend. I had the most asian eyes I can ever have deep inside but for politeness sake I just said okay of course but my insides were like !?@#?$?!!!! do I need YOU to tell me to take care of MY friend??? I take bloody good care of my friend on my own who the heck are you to tell me that la. Okay if it's coming from a parent I can totally accept. But from a random guy who knew her for like less than a year but I freaking know my bestie for 14 years omg hi guy you siao ah.

2. when a guy need to carry a girl's bags and all. I see this all the time and I still don't get it.

你的手在哪里啊女人？