Life at Bellerbys College

This Is Not Goodbye, It's Just See You Later!

Posted by Maggie

Hello again readers!

I hope your Easter holiday went well! I definitely had some good fun and good rest.  The upcoming months are going to be pretty tough.  May and June are the two crucial months that will determine which university I will go to, come fall.  Exam period, we meet again.  Wish me luck guys!

Anyway, as for my Easter holiday, I hit up Paris (for the 3rd time over the past year and still not bored of it!) with my mother and family friends.  We had a fabulous time! I brought them to my favourite restaurant in the world - Allard - and they all loved it!  I adore French cuisine.  Escargots (snails), Grenouilles (frog thighs)... bring them on!  After spending four days in Paris, strolling the unique streets, people-watching from local cafes and shopping at Galerie Lafayette, my mom and I were set to go to Italy!

My spring Italian affair was a rather beautiful one. First stop: Rome.

This city is full of ancient monuments and buildings from the Roman times.  Everywhere you go, there are remnants of the fallen empire.  What I love most about Roma is the fact that there are piazzas everywhere!  Not to mention, the gorgeous fountains!  We visited Fontana di Trevi, the largest fountain in the city.  It was stunning, just like the St Peter's Basilica which has the largest interior of any church in the world, holding 60,000 people.  We booked tickets to see the Sistine Chapel and felt extremely relieved when we found out that we didn't have to queue up for admission as the queue was about the length of a football field.  Inside the Sistine Chapel, there was not a single spot on the wall or ceiling where it wasn't covered by paintings.  Nevertheless, the sight of the chapel was still breathtaking.

Vatican City somehow carries an air of holiness to it.  I can't put my finger on what it is - maybe it's because of the magnificent architecture of St Peter's or the presence of numerous priests dressed in black.  All I know is that the city possesses a kind of grandeur that only few places have.  I can only imagine how powerful it used to be. (maybe it still is)  Reminds me of the Illuminati and that one scene in "Angel and Demons" where the priest saved the world.

Another great thing about Italy is the fact that the cafes are dirt cheap.  When in Italy, I did not hesitate to overload myself with caffeine.  Espresso shots over a bar counter every morning and a glass of blood orange juice - that was our standard routine.  Then, we would hop onto the "hop on/off" buses (25 euros for 48 hours!) and visit famous sites.  I loved Piazza Navona.  The atmosphere was really peaceful and it was a rather huge square so when I walked along it, I felt so free and alive!  We also went to the Colosseum but we only saw it from the outside as it was already closed when we got there.  Still, it was astounding.

Next stop: Florence.

When we were in the heart of the Tuscan, we ate marvelous food.  In fact, we even went as far as attending a cooking lesson.  We learned how to make pasta (mixing normal flour, Semolina flour and eggs together), and manually put them through a pasta machine so that they came out in tagliatelle strands!  Afterwards, we managed to make some bow ties as well.  The greatest part was that we got to eat our own food after the lesson!  We had two types of sauces.  One was funghi (mushroom), the other one was tomato.  Mmm.  On our second day in Firenze, we visited the Palazzo Pitti, the palace where the Medici family once lived.  Then, we crossed the Ponte Vecchio, a Medieval bridge over the Arno River,

One of my favourite brands is called Patricia Pepe, which coincidentally is from Florence so we went to the original store and of course, I just couldn't resist these cute blue shorts and this whimsical white dress for special occasions!  Hey, I'm only a girl.

As our apartment was located next to the Uffizi Gallery, we wandered over to look at the original painting of "The Birth Of Venus" by Botticelli.  I stared at it for at least five minutes and wondered how he managed to paint this masterpiece.  Must have taken him years to paint it.  The most amazing part about Florence was that we met a delightful old man who owns a tiny produce store.  All products were from Chianti, a town just a little outside of Florence.  My mom and I suspected he owns a farm there.  He was so generous and kept giving us free samples of salami and whatnot.  In the end, we hauled about 10 extra kg of food back to England.  Extra virgin olive oil, salami, biscotti... you name it!

Last stop: Milan.

Our fantastic design hotel called Straf was located right in front of the Duomo.  When we were browsing in a bookstore, we found out that Straf was actually mentioned in Wallpaper Milan as one of the hippest places to stay at in Milan and I couldn't agree more!  Definitely recommended for the young and stylish ones.  And is it just me, or does everything look incredibly enticing in Milan?  I'm talking about the fashion and the drop-dead gorgeous Italians.  Now this is a city that I can picture myself living in five years from now.  Via Montenapoleone and the Golden Triangle are streets that you must visit if you're into fashion.

Last but not least, I experienced one of the best meals I've ever had in my life in a Milanese restaurant called Boeuc Antico Ristorante.  It's the oldest restaurant in town (been there for five centuries I believe) and the food was flawless!  The service was commendable and we even spoke to the owner of the restaurant!  An impeccably dressed man who walks around with such pride and dignity of his restaurant that even I was a little touched.  My favourite dish was the Milanese style Ossobucco.  Bellisima!

I am a little sad to announce that this is going to be my last post for Bellerbys' blog. My life here over the past two years (almost) has been absolutely amazing. I met tons of awesome people from all over the world and I am honoured to have gotten to know some of the staff at Bellerbys because they are truly wonderful people. I will certainly miss the good times I've had here. It seems like such an ordinary place yet it means so much to me. It marks a period of my life, a very precious one too where everyone is at a crossroad, deciding which path they would like to take next. But don't stress, because this is not goodbye, it's just see you later. I will still be in London for at least another three years. I'm sure when nostalgia strikes me, I can just as easily take the DLR and come back here to visit everyone.

Bellerbys College, I will miss you. You will forever remain as a part of me.

P.S. Grad ball is coming up in a few weeks and I'm pretty excited about that!  I can now put my new Patricia Pepe dress to good use.

Maggie is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College London.

2010 - A Whole New Era

Hello readers,

It's been a while.  First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  2010 is a whole new year.  A whole new season.  A whole new era.  Are you prepared for it?  I definitely am.

Quick update... Over the last Christmas break, I went back to Malaysia to see my parents, relatives, friends and my dearest dog, Rainy.  During my stay, I finally obtained my driving license. It was a rather strange feeling.  I realized I'm actually an adult now, totally legitimate.  I can even vote in most countries! (not mine though, it's 21 in Malaysia)

Anyway, I tried to study everyday back home, but to no avail as friends kept calling me to go out.  Note to self: Possess more self-control in the future.  January results came out earlier this month.  I must say, they were not that desirable.  I only have one more chance in June now.  Those grades will determine which university I'll go to come fall.  I received an offer from UCL and they're asking for AAB.  I hope I'll get A's for both Economics and Psychology and at least a B for Maths.  Yes, I can do this.  Hey, I even created a studying schedule last week and I'm sticking to it!

So, back to my Christmas break, I celebrated New Year with my parents in our hotel room in Korea.  We stayed in Seoul for a few days after a 3-day skiing trip in another part of Korea.  Another note to self: Snow in Korea = crappy.  But I felt like a professional skiing instructor on that mountain as I taught my younger relatives how to ski, successfully!

In January, right before my exams, I returned to London and at last, I moved into G-block which is the over-18 block.  My room is located on the third floor and overlooks Canary Wharf.  I often sit in total darkness in my room, and just enjoy the sight of the tall, glistening buildings with jazz tunes coming out of my speakers in the background.

I also have a mini-kitchenette in my lovely G-block room.  Once, I accidentally set off the fire alarm because I forgot to turn on the ventilator.  On another occasion, I set my tea towel on fire.  Yes, good times.  But the Boyfriend can now attest to the vast improvement of my culinary skills.  Meanwhile, I now own a Nespresso machine, thanks to the Boyfriend.  Every morning, I just pop a tiny capsule into the machine and espresso leaks out of it.  Greatest invention ever?!  I overloaded myself with caffeine when I first got it, trying all types of flavors.  You can replenish your stocks at Harrods.  Definitely a recommended gadget!

 
 
Right, after a month of non-stop exams, I could finally breathe.  Half term break was fast approaching.  So the Boyfriend (forgot to mention he's German) and I decided to go to Germany for a couple of days.  First stop - Hamburg!

This port city is absolutely stunning.  It was quite cold when we were there on the third week of February. Fish are huge (I'm talking about the food culture, not the size) there.  It's a very fishy city, I must say.  I spotted the difference when we arrived in Stuttgart a few days later, which is in the south of Germany, bordering France.  People eat a lot more meat in southern Germany.  We took die Bahn (German trains) from Hamburg to Stuttgart and made many stops along the way like Frankfurt which is the financial capital of Germany.  In Stuttgart, the weather was super warm, even warmer than London.  (Oh London was like a freezer back in January!  Apparently the coldest since 1979 or something)

   
I had my fair share of sausages, I'll tell you that.  My favorite would probably be the ones from Bavaria. Instead of spreading the usual yellow mustard, you eat them with sweet mustard that looks brownish.  So delicious!  Another kind of wurst (German for sausage) that I like would be currywurst.  The story goes that an old lady back in the day accidentally poured some curry powder on her sausages and ate it.  Then she realized that they tasted amazing!  So now, it's a very common street snack in Germany and I fell in love with it. 

While we were in Hamburg, we also visited Ohlsdorf Cemetery. It is the biggest non-military cemetery in the world and the second-largest cemetery in the world after Calverton National Cemetery in eastern Long Island, New York.  You need to take different buses to get around in there!

   
 
 
Meanwhile, when in Stuttgart, the Boyfriend owns a Smart, so getting to places was a breeze!  The city centre itself reminded me of London and Paris.  There were art galleries, libraries, cafes and shops everywhere.  In short, it's my kind of city.

Anyway, that's just an outline of my trip to Germany.  We took Easyjet to Hamburg from London Gatwick and German Wings back to London Stansted.  In total, my airfares cost me less than 100 Euros.  Gotta love low-cost carriers! 

Prior to my Germany trip, I tried to learn the language on Youtube. There are numerous German language tutorials on the Web and they are so interactive that you pick up stuff really quickly!  But you learn even faster when you're in the Fatherland, which only shows me how important it is to be in a certain country to really master the language.  Otherwise, it's quite useless. (I forgot most words after watching those Youtube tutorials)  Before I move on though, I must commend on the quality of German food products.  They're almost on the same level as the French (and you know how much food means to the French!)

Now, back to reality, all the A2 (second year A-levels students) are working their behinds off now.  Because June exams are the ultimatum - a significant turning point in our lives.  So, I must leave you here now and go to class.  Easter holiday is coming up soon - so you'll hear from me after that!

Viel Dank (German for thanks so much) for reading my post and I'll catch up with you all soon!

Love,
Maggie

Maggie is studying A Levels at Bellerbys College London.

Half-Term Break in Paris

Posted by Maggie

Friday

5AM, London

My friend Elena and I dragged our luggage to the Eurostar departure hall at St. Pancras station with much enthusiasm.  In this wee hour, there were already numerous people at the station, waiting to board the train from London to Paris.  Some were older men and women who looked tired; some were younger children with their parents, running around with excitement; some were students traveling on their own and some were friends, traveling together to the city of love.

The train left the station at 5.25am, right on time.  Elena and I decided to watch "Paris, Je T'aime" but we fell asleep 20 minutes into the movie.  When we woke up to the voice of the captain, speaking both in French and English, we found ourselves staring at the fields of Paris.  As the train came to a halt at Gare du Nord, we jumped up and out onto the platform.  We couldn't believe we were in Paris!

 

8.30AM, Paris

It was a rather gloomy morning but that did not dampen our mood.  We grabbed a cab and went to check in at our hotel, Novotel in Gare du Lyon.  But our room wasn't ready yet so we left our luggage at the hotel and took the metro to Rivoli to visit the Louvre.

Before we went in, we ate some baguette and drank some cafe au lait at Cafe Marly - a cafe situated in front of the Louvre.  We laughed at the synonym between French pigeons and French men (how they're both extremely gorgeous and greedy) while enjoyed the great sight of the Louvre.  After visiting the Louvre, which house many great art pieces and crafts including Mona Lisa, we went back to the hotel to take a shower.  By the way, it was free admission for us because we're students!  How awesome is that?

4PM, Paris

I took an hour long nap before we went out again.  We were starving again so I brought Elena to my favorite restaurant in the world - Allard.  It is a French-cuisine restaurant located close to St. Michel metro station where the entrance is situated right in front of the kitchen.  Its cosy and homely feel appeals to most visitors and don't even get me started on the food.

First, we ordered escargots (snails) with garlic sauce. Then we had some duck foie gras with bread.  For our main course, we shared the boeuf au carrotes - beef with carrots stew.  We gobbled up everything and washed everything down with a very fine bottle of wine.  To top it off, we nibbled on some tarte tatin - apple puree tart.

We left Allard with much satisfaction and proceeded to walk to Champs Elysee - the main street in Paris with branded stores, bars and restaurants.  It's close to the Arc du Triomphe where Napoleon marched his victorious soldiers.

On our way there, we sang and danced on Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris and met lots of people on the street.  We were invited to a million parties but an hour later, we found ourselves listening to a Mediterranean band on a bridge.  Many teenagers and youngsters lounged about on the bridge with their guitars and beer.

It's a lovely atmosphere.  Some guys started asking us to dance with them so we just let go of our inhibitions and started dancing!  We had an amazing time, with this awesome buzz in our heads even after we left the bridge and continued to trek to Champs Elysee

One thing that I absolutely adore is the fact that Sephora is open till 1am.  We did some late night cosmetics/skin care shopping and then went to Monte Cristo Cafe for some late night tea and shisha.  This is when something totally crazy happened: I met a friend from Harvard Summer School just randomly on the street!  I mean, what are the chances?!  We talked to each other for a while and he was on his way to meet his friends, so we parted ways.  It was a shock.  A good shock.  On this fall night in Paris, my memories of Harvard Summer School resurfaced and took hold of me.  I miss that place.

 

Saturday

11AM, Paris

We woke up, fresh-faced and ready for another day of adventure.  After grabbing a quick lunch at a cafe outside of our hotel slash the Gare du Lyon train station called Les Deux Savoiles, (mouth-watering club sandwiches!) I wanted to show Elena my favorite hang out spot in Paris - St Germain des Pres.  There were American performers on the street right outside of the metro and we chilled there for a bit before heading to the Catacombs to meet some of my friends.  It's Halloween!

When we arrived at the metro close to the Catacombs, my Parisian friends told me that it was closed due to vandalism!  So instead, we went shopping around Centre Pompidou.  We made some trips to the tabaq.  They are shops that sell cigarettes, lottery tickets and beer.  We wanted to track down some vanilla-flavoured pink cigarettes that you can only get in Paris.

5PM, Paris

It was time to replenish our systems.  Everybody chipped in 5 Euros and we bought buckets and buckets of KFC fried chicken! (The irony)  We brought those chickens back to one of my friends' flat in the 16th arrondissement and stayed there for a couple of hours.  Elena and I decided to return to our hotel so we bid our goodbyes and thanks and left.

By the time we reached our hotel, Elena was tired and told me she wanted to sleep but I still had an enormous amount of energy so I went back to Champs Elysee and saw a French movie without any subtitles!  I understood parts of it, like how the dad had an affair with his son's teacher and when they were about to elope, the dad returned to his family.  Hmm. Interesting.  I wonder what's the moral lesson behind the story.

     

Still feeling restless, I wandered the streets of Paris, spotting 10 million different kinds of costumes.  Some people started speaking to me in French, and I actually understood what they were saying thanks to my weekly French lessons taken at Bellerbys!   I communicated with cab drivers, shop keepers, waiters and strangers.  Of course, it's just basic French but at least when the cab driver asked me if it was "froid?" (French for "cold?"), I said "oui, tres froid!" (French for "yes, very cold!")

For some late night snacks on my way back to the hotel, I bought myself some banana and chocolate crepes!  So delicious.  Makes me crave for some now, yum.

Sunday

Noon, Paris

Sitting in the Volkswagen taxi, Elena and I felt unwilling to leave Paris. It's such a beautiful city, filled with lots of beautiful people and things.  But school awaited us on Monday and the most important thing now is to get into good universities.  So we boarded the Eurostar train and we were homebound... 

Lessons learned dans Paris:

1. Do all your errands from Mon-Sat because nothing operates on Sunday.
2. Don't apologize on the metro, it's simply unnecessary.  It's the metro, you're bound to bump into people!
3. Wear flat shoes at all times.
4. Just be yourself, don't take things too seriously and you'll have fun!  The French may be blunt but are actually very nice people.
5. Start all conversations with bonjour/bonsoir.
6. Give money to street performers.
7. Expect people to flirt with you (and enjoy it!) 
8. Expect nothing.

Have an amazing day!

Maggie studies A Levels at Bellerbys College London.

Gigs & Concerts in Londontown

Posted by Maggie

One of the many fabulous reasons for living in London is the fact that there are countless concerts and gigs happening right in the middle of this city every single passing day.

1. Coldplay

Since I'm an Oxfam Outreach volunteer, I managed to score myself a free ticket to Coldplay earlier this term. The concert was held in Wembley Arena and we were in the standing area which was roofless. There were a vast amount of concert-goers, filling in all the seats and ground area. I was squeezed somewhere in the middle of the standing area with my fellow Oxfam volunteers. Chris Martin walked onto the stage, grabbed the microphone and started addressing the audience. Roars of applause went up into the air! I vividly remember when they played "Fix You", it was POURING rain and everybody got wet! Then, Chris said, "Hello, London in the rain!".  I'm not sure what it was, perhaps it was the combination of both the ethereal sound and the spirit of the audience, but I experienced a moment of epiphany standing amongst the crowd that night.  My pores were open and gasping for air.  The music flowed through the crowd and it felt so damn good. 

They played their classic songs like "Yellow", "Sparks" and "Viva La Vida", then some of their new songs. All in all, it was an amazing concert, mostly owing to Chris Martin's charisma on stage and the rain coming down on the perfect time.

Rating: 4/5

2. Beyonce

In June, I went to Beyonce's "I Am..." concert at the O2 with some friends from college.  While waiting for her to go on stage, we bought some beer and waited eagerly.  Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the music started blaring through the speakers and we saw Beyonce stormed onto the stage! 

She looked absolutely stunning that night.  There were at least 10 different costumes that she changed into that night, all designed by Thierry Muggler, a world-renowned designer.  She performed all the older hits that made her Beyonce including "Crazy In Love" and "Naughty Girl".  In addition, her new singles such as "Halo", "If I Were A Boy" and "Single Ladies" were greatly enjoyed by us on that night too.

The stage, the light and sound effects, the hot back-up dancers, her outrageously gorgeous costumes, Beyonce herself, (and maybe the beer) contributed to this unforgettable performance at O2 on that June night.  My friends and I were dancing and shaking our bootays all night.  We had such a blast.  Definitely recommended!  (And I can't believe I saw Beyonce in real life!)

Note: It's quite a feminist show.  She kept saying, "To all my ladies out there..." without acknowledging the male audience!

Rating: 4.5/5

3. Kaiser Chiefs

Hails from Leeds, this British band put on quite a good show at Wembley Arena earlier this year.  To be honest, I wasn't that big of a Kaiser Chiefs fan prior to the gig.  I only went along because I was volunteering for Oxfam and it's free entrance so I thought, why not?  

We sat very close to the stage but next to the blaring speakers.  However, I didn't mind it so much after a while, as I found myself swaying to the beat of their songs and actually liking them a lot!  Their music is super catchy and on my way home, a bunch of teenagers were still singing their songs on the Jubilee line.  Thank God, I got off at Canada Water and not Stratford.

Rating: 3/5

4. Ben Harper & Relentless 7

A relatively small gig held at the Forum, Ben Harper and his gang wowed us all.  I first heard about Ben in Canada and he's huge on the west coast.  His apparent laid-back style (dreadlocks) and pure talent convinced me to attend his concert in London.  My friend and I got tickets to the standing area and we stood quite close to the stage.  I saw him clearly (even though I had to dodge left and right to see him as this very tall man stood in front of me) and his music was absolutely fantastic.  We rocked to tracks that were bluesy, american folksy and just good ol rock!  Ben likes to mix interesting sounds in his music so it's always interesting to listen to his stuff. Not to mention, his lyrics often resemble some sort of pun.  For example, 

"I'm not sure what worries me more.

The fact that I'm talking to a wall

Or that the wall keeps answering me"

All in all, the gig was satisfying and we went home with huge grins on our faces, repeating his songs after songs.

Rating: 3.5/5

5. Nouvelle Vague

A recent gig that I went to was Nouvelle Vague at the Roundhouse in Camden.  It is a French band that plays mostly renditions of older songs with a bossa nova style.  I was lucky to be able to stand right in front of the stage.  I could see everything perfectly.

The band's lead singer, a sassy blond girl, put on a rather crazy (in a good way) show!  She splattered water all over the audience and many people got hit (including me - my hair was wet!)  But the music was wonderful!  We were all singing, screaming, and dancing. 

Melanie Pain opened the show for them and she is in fact, an ex member of Nouvelle Vague.  She has a unique voice and that captivated the audience at the beginning when she had nothing but her voice and a guitar.  Later on in the show, she joined the band and sang with them.

I adored the "Frenchness" of the performance (they spoke French at some point) and the energy they exuded.  I had a good time and would definitely want to see them again in the future.

Rating: 4/5

Lastly, to anyone who's reading this post, may your mind always be open, your heart always be full, and your life always be filled with wonder and adventure.

Love,

Maggie

Wrapping Up September, Welcoming October

Posted by Maggie

As the last trace of summer breeze disappear, autumn wind dawns on us.  School is in session and students are busy assessing questions.  New kids keep showing up everywhere, in French and Spanish lessons after school; debating society; Student's Union meetings and various social activities.  I'm quite impressed with their keen participation in school.  Most of them are exploring London on the weekends and some, even on weekdays!  I can't help but feel a wave of nostalgia cascade over me now...  I still remember my first year here at Bellerbys London.  I was so excited and everything was fresh.  New friends, new environment, new teachers, new culture.  How I long for those days.

But to be honest, I'm much more content with myself this year.  I've found peace in so many aspects of my life.  School life, personal life and even my domestic life (my room).  I actually enjoy studying this year (no joke!) and I have more time put aside to study.

Firstly, I only have three A2 subjects instead of four like last year.  Secondly, I'm not too preoccupied with wanting to visit every single attraction in London which by the way, is one of the best thing about London cause there are just so many amazing places to visit!  I'm so grateful that I live in this magnificent city - a world capital, where diversity prospers.

In regard to my personal life, I'm now enjoying the bliss of having a closely knitted group of friends unlike the beginning of first year, where everyone experimented with different cliques.  Lastly, I live in L block now so my room is bigger!  Which is always a bonus.  I really appreciate the extra legroom while I do my homework.

So what have I done over the past two weeks?  Apart from going to school, I got a hair cut and dyed my hair!  Nothing dramatic though so don't get excited.  My friend and I went to Sanrizz, a famous salon chain in London.  We went to both Grovesnor House and Covent Garden salons cause they didn't have anyone who could do rebonding for my friend - a permanent hair straightening process - at Covent Garden.  So while I waited for five hours for my friend, I went out for a stroll around the Mayfair area.  I think I fell a little bit more in love with London.  The streets are just gorgeous, and the people are so stylish! 

Not to mention, while my friends and I worked out at our gym in Canary Wharf, we noticed Jamie Oliver's new restaurant called Jamie's Italian!  Without a doubt, we went there afterwards to reward ourselves with our hard work at the gym earlier.

We ordered four plates of pasta - two plates of sausage pappardelle (TO DIE FOR!), a plate of Carbonara and a plate of Bolognese.  We also shared a plate of salad with yoghurt.  Then, another friend of mine came and ordered Lamb Lollipops (ANOTHER DISH TO DIE FOR!) which were basically lamb shanks.  The only thing is, the portions of the dishes were slightly smaller than the usual portion we get served here in London.  But considering how affordable it was, (the bill came up to a total of 80 pounds including tax for the four of us) we were willing to overlook that fact.

Anyway, if we're still hungry, we could always order dessert which we did!  We had a tiramisu, a cup of latte, an orange tart and vanilla ice-cream with espresso!  On top of that, we ordered three glasses of bellinis and a glass of cranberry juice!  So I'd say 80 pounds is a pretty good bargain for us students who would like to dine out at a relaxed and hip setting with very yummy food.

Well, it's almost 1 am now.  I should be getting to bed.  Economics class awaits me tomorrow at 9.30 am. Good night!

Love,

Maggie

Hitting The Restart Button - Back To College After A Summer in America

Posted by Maggie

I hope you haven't missed me too much.  I've just recently returned to London and I've never been this busy, ever, in my life.  College applications, writing personal statement, reading ahead for classes, running around getting all the necessities needed for a new school year, settling into a new room, catching up with old friends, meeting new students, trying to attend extracurricular activities, completing homework assigned, going to the gym, lending a hand at Oxfam outreach events, and planning my 18th birthday trip to Paris - enough to keep me fully occupied, if not, completely overwhelmed.

This is the time to hit the restart button.  September, when summer comes to an end, and fall takes over.  But before we hit the restart button, launching a whole new year, full of obstacles, opportunities, joys, challenges, and ups and downs, let's rewind time and I'll tell you more about my summer in America.

*

After I left London in June, I spent a week in New York City, discovering and taking advantages of what the city has to offer.  One of the nicest things about Manhattan is the fact that it is a walking city, like London for the most part.  The moment I touched down, I bought an unlimited travel pass that could be used for subway, overground, trains and buses for a week at $25 only! 

   

Not to mention, New York's subway does not sleep, like the city.  It runs 24 hours a day.  The first few days in the Big Apple, I walked around Times Square, Garment District, Upper West Side, 5th Avenue and Midtown; visiting the American Museum of Natural History, going to psychics, meeting random people in Starbucks, getting an American number, tracking down places with free Wi-Fi, sitting on the steps of New York Public Library devouring hamburgers and pretzels, participating in the walking tours of both Columbia University and NYU, bumping into the film set where Robert Pattinson was filming, watching films at Bryant Park Summer Film Festival and fell absolutely in love with NYC somewhere between the lines.

It seemed apparent that people simply meet new people on every corner of the city.  You could be a friend of the stranger who's lining up in front of you at CVS.  Everyone was open to new experiences and they were very helpful to the tourists, contrary to popular beliefs.  New Yorkers are not bitchy.  At least not in the summer.

   

For the second half of the week, I based myself in Greenwich Village, Union Square, Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, Wall Street and even Staten Island!  Yes, I took the free ferry ride to Staten Island after visiting Ground Zero.  It felt so strange, imagining planes crashing into the buildings that used to be right next to where I was standing.  I wonder how different this part of Manhattan might have looked today if 9/11 never happened.  Anyway, out of goodwill, I bought a magazine about the history of 9/11 on site whose profits will then go into the construction of new buildings around the area.

   

I saw the Statue of Liberty on my ferry ride to Staten Island.  I tried to envisage the immigrants moving into the Land of Freedom some 200 years ago, crossing the same path I crossed.  They were so brave, leaving everything behind at home, and travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, just so they could have a better life or in the earlier cases, in search of religious freedom.   

On the last day of my trip to New York, I further explored 5th Avenue.  I booked myself a hair appointment at the John Barrett Salon on the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman.  After leaving the salon feeling fabulous, I proceeded to the shopping floors and did some market research aka window shopping.  Well, not exactly. I tried some stuff on.  And bought some harmless things.  Hey, I'm only a girl!

   

I had a wonderful time in the city.  I'm considering living in Manhattan in the future.  The city is so amazing that they named it twice - New York, New York - I love you.  And I will be back for you.

After bidding the city goodbye reluctantly, I hopped on the Greyhound and I was Harvard-bound.  Yes, I was heading to Harvard to do a summer session there.  I was in the Secondary School Program (SSP) and took two courses - Journalism and Intro to Capital Markets and Investments. 

If anyone of you is thinking of signing up for Harvard Summer School, then I would highly recommend you to do so, because I had one of the best summers of my life there.  Seriously.  The university campus is situated in a nice spiffy little town called Cambridge.  It is about 15 minutes tube ride away from downtown Boston.  Cambridge has everything one needs.  Boutiques, Aldo, bookstores, kebab shops, J.P Licks (ice cream!), Starbucks, and Urban Outfitters!  Oh, I fell madly in love with Urban Outfitters.  They have these lovely Polaroid cameras, pillows, notebooks, shoes, and decorative objects for one's room!

 

   

The first couple of weeks at Harvard, I was trying to get to know different people.  The Summer School invited an array of multinational students from all around the globe.  One of my closest friends there this summer hails from Kenya and couple others from Hawaii, Greece, Brazil, Long Island, Singapore, Colorado, Nigeria, Spain, New Jersey, Paris, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico City and believe it or not, London!  In fact, one of the most bizarre incidents occurred to me there.  I actually met this Brazilian guy who went to Embassy London (Bellerbys partner college for students who want to study English) the same time I was attending Bellerbys at Harvard!  I mean, what are the chances?!  This is indeed a small world.

Now moving onto the classes... I enjoyed Journalism very much.  I loved doing all the assignments and going around town, writing and reporting stories.  I think I learned a lot about journalism this summer - the rapidly diminishing industry which has been replaced by internet blogs; the amount of work needed to write an effective story; the different types of writing like features, sports, reviews or just straight news reporting.  Did you know that obituaries are sometimes written before the regarding subjects even died?  How morbid eh?  For my obit assignment, I killed Karl Lagerfeld.  But hey, at least I got an A for killing him!  (Sorry, Karl.  In truth, I really admire your work with the Chanel House.  You're cool)

  

As for Intro to Capital Markets and Investments, I was mostly struggling (if not bored) to understand the mathematics aspects of the course - portfolios variance, alphas, betas, correlation, standard deviation etc.  Apart from that, I was intrigued by the social aspects of the course.  Learning about the stock markets, why they crash, bubbles, bonds etc.  I liked the intuition more than the actual mathematical side of investing.  Nevertheless, it was a very intensive and interesting course and I'm glad to have taken it this summer.  I got a preview of the investing world, and it looked pretty damn good to me.  (I do realize the irony, but hey, according to Warren Buffett, "Fear when there's greed, and be greedy when there's fear.")

Outside of the classrooms, we did tons of fun stuff too.  My friends and I went to Cape Cod and met gay couples, swam with seals and got tanned.  Then, we celebrated Fourth of July by the riverbanks and watched fireworks all night, then got lost in Boston as we didn't want to take the subway, knowing how crazy the crowds can get.  On top of that, we crossed two states and arrived in Maine on a Sunday morning, hitting the Kittery outlet malls, and visiting Ogunquit - which was a tiny seaside town. 

  

We also went crazy shopping on Newbury Street, finding a J Crew sister company called Madewell where the cutest boyfriend jeans can be found.  And what about the nights where we simply danced till we dropped?  The late night trips to Au Bon Pain for cinnamon rolls and orange juice?  The random excursions to Boston?  The time we spent at the Science Center, trying to convince the security man to let us check out the astronomy tower?  That one time where I almost died doing Bikram Yoga with a Norwegian friend? (where the room is heated while you do extreme exercises)  The days where we just lounged about on the lawn in front of our hall?  Jason Mraz's concert?  Trip to Andover, running after trains and passing by the hysterical fans of the Jonas Brothers?  Watching movies due to last minute impulses?  Ferry rides around Boston, visiting the historical sites and evidences the Pilgrims left when they first arrived at Plymouth Rock?  Going to my first Red Sox (baseball) game at Fenway, America's most beloved ball park?  Making fools out of ourselves (pole dancing) on the subway trains?  The good times were countless. 

Meanwhile, our Harvard dorms were huge - and we shared rooms with either one or a couple of room mates.  The bathroom was communal which meant that we had to share it.  (Something that I'm not too fond of - phew, thank God they've got ensuite bathrooms here at Bellerbys residence).

  

Our proctors were Harvard undergraduates and they were extremely nice.  We had study breaks once in a while and played games.  We had our meals at the Annenberg Hall, and I frequented the Starbucks on Church Road as well as this Italian restaurant called Uno where karaoke nights were held on Mondays.  I admit, my friends and I partied quite a bit this summer at Harvard.  But isn't that what you do during the summer?  Have some fun, let your hair down and who knows who you'll meet?  Maybe a Brazilian guy who went to the same school as you that you never knew; maybe an insanely hilarious guy from T&T (Trinidad and Tobago) who says "liming" instead of "hang out"; maybe a room mate who was named by the King of Thailand that you occasionally go to IHOP with; maybe a girl from upstate New York who has the same dreams as you.

The possibilities are infinite.  If anything, I believe the most important lesson that I've learnt this summer is to expect the unexpected.  Go with the flow.  Laugh.  Dance.  Sing.  Love.  And lastly, live.

Are You Ready for Summer?

Posted by Maggie

First things first. I just wanted to say that I had a fabulous time at the Graduation Ball a couple weeks ago. The weather was on our side, thank God. It was a beautiful and warm evening. Excitement was definitely palpable on the school ground pre-soiree. Everybody, and I mean everybody, looked absolutely stunning that night! The students huddled in groups, checking out others' outfits and giggling like mad.

When the 188 bus came, everyone boarded and we were on our way to the Greenwich Pier (which I recently discovered was in fact called Cutty Sark Gardens). There were a few latecomers but all was well and at 8.15 (or so), we left the dock for what proved to be a wonderful night, filled with equally wonderful memories. A glass of bubbly is, without a doubt, mandatory once we were on the boat. As we clinked our glasses and proposed silly toasts, I realized I've been in London for nine months. Time is a very strange concept. Lately, I feel as though time and I were playing this game called "Catch-me-if-you-can". Only time is winning.  That's why I've decided to live my life to the fullest, as if it's the last day.  No regrets. Just living in the moment. And make it worth it.

 

Alright! Enough of my neurosis now, back to the party. The party was incredible. There were a few amazing performances, commenced by Yusuke and Eleanor's rendition of a song... whose title I couldn't quite remember. All I could remember was the intensity of Yusuke's solo - it was off-the-hook. You could almost feel this electrifying vibe radiating from him and his violin. Eleanor provided a steady beat and melody on the keyboard that complemented Yusuke's part. Everybody loved it. The applause went on for what seemed like milleniums! Afterwards, we witnessed the moves of the year, only better when our beloved Bellerbys students showed them off! The Russian ladies strutted their thangs and flipped their hair back while the boys did their own thing. It was like a hip-hop comeback and the dance was so hot that some people requested for an encore! Unbelievable, I know.

Some prizes were given out - like the Best Dressed for the Lady and the Gent which went to Ting Ting, who wore a subtle and elegant kimono get-up and Ian, who pulled off this luxe tuxe look, accessorized with a quirky tie with Elvis' face splattered across it. They were awarded a bottle of Cava each - which I took advantage of. Then there was the King and Queen. Melina - a very very pretty and smart girl from A5 took the crown and a Nigerian boy whose name I couldn't remember became King (and I assure you, he sure is handsome).

The night was in full swing. The bar was packed with people, the casino was packed with people, the dance floor was packed with people. Everywhere you go - there was somebody. And don't forget, the flashing lights!!! I believe the photos taken that night exceed the Oscars red carpet pictures. Loads of us went outside when we were crossing Tower Bridge - only underneath it. We were screaming and laughing our heads off, waving at confused-looking tourists.

 

The boat stopped over at Westminster and some people left and continued partying in Central London. I stayed on (though I did go partying after we got back to Greenwich) and tore the dance floor apart with my girls and boys! Then, I went down to the casino and won quite a bit of chips at the Blackjack table! Too bad they're not real money. Anyhow, it was good fun. Just like the night. It was packed with glam and that's how we like it.

We also had a prize-giving ceremony recently, which was held at the Greenwich University. The staff body was hilarious, as usual, and gave different awards to the deserving students from different groups like the ELPP, Foundation and lastly, A Level. I got a little present as well, for being one of the student ambassadors. I had a tiny dilemma with my belt that day. It kept coming off! When I walked to the stage, all I could think of was, "Snap snap snap, what if my belt just bursts apart?!" I would be the laughing stock of the school. Thank God it didn't fall off.Phew.

After a whole week of grueling exams, suddenly, reality dawned on me. I sit on my desk now, blogging at 2am to tell you how stoked and psyched I am for the summer of 2009! There are several loose ends left for me to sort out, then I'm off! I just can't believe it's already been a year since I first arrived in London. Well, not a year yet but close enough.

I'm no longer the girl who gets lost while trying to find her way to IKEA in Wembley. I'm the girl who takes my friends and Mother around in London, as if I've lived here for my whole life. London has integrated into every single crumb of my soul. I'm definitely going to miss London this summer. Most of all, I'm going to miss all the awesome people I've met in Bellerbys and my closest friends from the college. You know who you are. My dearest flat-mates, I know that next year, we won't live together but remember, flat 5 is probably the most amazing flat that has ever existed on this planet. You girls were amazing. You put up with my constant loud music and late-night disturbances, begging for food. And anyone who feeds me good stuff, well, it goes without saying that I'll love you for the rest of my life. Also, I promise, when I return in September, I'll have heaps of tales to share for everybody!

Until then, I wish you all a splendid and marvelous summer and see you when we all get back!

With love,

Maggie.

The Lowdown #5 (Easter Break Sneak Peek!)

Posted by Maggie

Exams are looming and terrified pupils roam the school grounds.  One can’t help but feel the tension and stress students are experiencing now, especially if you’re one of the students. 

Life tends to go like this: a meal followed by a succession of revision periods then back to square one.  And the hedonist in me is protesting wildly.  So I compensate by gorging large amount of gourmet food while I flip through my Psychology notes.  This is to my disadvantage hence the graduation ball is coming up soon!  The dress I plan to wear on the night is already a bit too fitting on me and with the rate of my compulsive snacking, I’m not sure I’ll be able to wear that dress. 

Thank God for the invention of gym.  I am currently obsessed with the yoga hatha classes my gym offers on Sunday afternoons.  I am perfecting my tree pose as we speak.  Anyhow, I cannot wait for the graduation ball!  It is organised by our very own graduation ball committee – a group of highly talented and efficient Bellerbys London students. 

I sometime, just for the sake of it, hang out by the stall where the tickets are being sold and where my insane friends and I try to convince people to vote Khoa* for Queen (Khoa is an awesome guy, yes, guy, and so far, there are about 10 votes for him in circulation in the Queen box).  There will be a coronation of a King and Queen (vote for Khoa!) by the end of the night.  The ball itself will be held on a boat and there will be a casino running throughout the night (which is also where I’ll be pretty much all night when I need to take a break from the dance floor).  Of course, we’ll be using “fake” money but hey, it’s still good fun right?

People can get off the boat once we reach Westminster (which is on the other side of the River Thames) but unfortunately, the under 18s are not permitted.  The authorities believe that the fact that the grad ball ends at midnight is already pushing the limits since we normally have to be in our rooms by 11pm.  I’m not complaining though.  Hitherto, I rebelled against any restrictions placed upon me but I seem to understand why we have curfews now.  It is, believe it or not, really for our own good.  Plus, it’s not like we could go anywhere (let’s not get into the whole fake id dealio – they’re so phony).

On the other hand, I’ll enlighten you lot with my trip to Paris and Barcelona over Easter break but only briefly because I could go on for days if you want every single detail.  I hope all of you too had a good time, good rest or whatever endeavours you engaged in over the break.  My mom came to London to visit me and I took her around London like I was a Londoner myself.

It’s funny how time seems to creep up on you and bam! It has already been 8 months since I first set foot on the great British soil.  So after a couple of days spent in London, my mom and I flew to Barcelona where beautiful people and Iberico jamon coexist harmoniously.  My beginner Spanish came in quite handy and it seemed that the locals derived much amusement from my evident effort and struggle in trying to get my point across.  In Barcelona, architecture is its soul.  We witnessed Gaudi’s ingenuity.  Projects like the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo and Park Guell were flooded with waves of tourists ranging from China to Canada.  Gaudi became our friend during our time spent in Barca.

 

Here’s one tip from me to you when you travel to Spain in the future: Have tea in the afternoon because the Spaniards expect you to reserve tables after 9pm.  You must be wondering how I’d know this.  Well, when I tried to make a booking(s) at a restaurant(s), I asked for 8pm and all I got was a prolonged “uh” and “earliest is 9.30pm, Miss”.  It’s quite an interesting custom in my opinion.  I actually grew to enjoy having dinners late at night with a glass of cava in hand.

We found an amazing diner on a street called Escudellers.  Its name is Los Caracoles, which literally translates to The Snails.  Naturally, we ordered a plate of steamed snails and ate the snail-shaped bread they had baked.  We also ordered Osso Bucco and Paella on the second night (yes, we were there for two consecutive nights).  The food was great, the atmosphere was pleasant and the waiters were delightful (which consists of mostly middle-aged, bald men).  You have to walk past the kitchen where the chefs greet you passionately before you get seated.  We loved it there!  It felt like home.

We stayed at Le Meridian on Las Ramblas - a famous street (think Oxford street) that has abundant tourists and avid shoppers.  It belongs in the Barri Gothic district where old buildings that date back to many centuries ago remain.  Narrow streets are filled with shops and diners with an occasional cathedral and plaza appearing out of nowhere. 

I found out that the Spaniards have a penchant for fresh orange juice.  There were orange juicers everywhere!  The oranges were peeled and squeezed freshly right before your eyes in all the diners that I’ve been in.  Meanwhile, La Boqueria is a market where chefs buy their daily fresh produce from and where housewives gossip about the latest happenings.  Luckily for us, there were bars where fresh seafood were cooked and served promptly.  My mom also appreciated the fact that smoking is allowed.

Afterwards, we went to Picasso’s museum to satisfy our aesthetic cravings.  I fell in love with him after seeing his early works.  Picasso’s early works were intricately beautiful and he could really paint!  He’s not just anybody who took a stroll into the art world and decides to paint weird looking figures and call that art.  He was merely experimenting because one could only go so far with conventional paintings.  He also made sculptures, which were quite cute to be honest!

 

Now, we shall proceed to Paris.  We took an overnight train where we slept on bunk beds in a super crammed cabin.  I listened to the repeated and consistent rhythms of the grinding between the train and the train tracks.  It accompanied us for the night.  I thought that it was hypnotic and soothing.  My mom disagreed.  She swore she’d never take an overnight train again for the rest of her life. 

Once we got off the train (to my mother’s relief), we took a taxi and settled down in our hotel.  I absolutely love the cafes in Paris.  Their bread is… flawless.  The texture, smell and taste of the bread are the best in the world.  Of course, I’ve only been to a few places in the world so I can’t quite confidently admit it’s the best but as far as I’m concerned, it is the best. 

We did all the touristy shebang - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and whatnot.  My favourite part of the trip was when we went on a cruise ride on the River Seine on a sunny afternoon.  We saw the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Latin Quarters, the old yet stunning bridges (some of them had gargoyles), a couple of Parliamentary buildings and lovers lounging by the steps beside the river.

 

That is when I truly found Paris a romantic city.  Has anybody seen the film called “Paris, Je T’aime”?  When I got back from the trip, I borrowed it from our school’s library (it boasts many wonderful films!  I am so thankful as I’m a huge movie buff) and saw the film again.  I duly enjoyed it and kept pointing out all the places that I’ve been to that were shown in the film.  There was this one part where the short film was shot in Porte de Choisy which is supposedly the Chinatown of Paris but there were more Vietnamese there than Chinese.  Anyway, I vividly remember this Vietnamese shop and it was in the film and I jumped up jubilantly when I saw it!  It’s quite an exhilarating experience to see the places you’ve been to on the silver screen.

Another favourite area of mine in Paris is Montmatre.  It is a tiny hill located slightly out of the central and it is lined with colourful stores and cobblestone roads.  It is such a photogenic area.  If I were the editor of Vogue, I’d definitely shoot a fashion spread in Montmatre.  Mind you, I applaud Carine Roitfeld’s work (editor in chief of French Vogue).  French Vogue is probably the best Vogue in the world now.  Russian Vogue is not bad either.  My mom and I rode on the funiclement, which means Merry-Go-Round in French and laughed a lot.  Did you know that Merry-Go-Round first appeared in Montmatre?

The next day, we went to Les Deux Magots, which means The Two Old Men in French, located in St. Germain du Pres (another area that I admire).  Apparently, Ernest Hemingway (or was it Oscar Wilde) used to go there.  We ordered blood-orange juice and salmon salad for lunch and chilled out for a while, with our new books in our hands.

 

Earlier, we went to a cool bookstore called Shakespeare and Co where they sell books in no order whatsoever.  You just venture into the bookstore and pick up any book that you’d like.  The floorboards were creaky and it was super dusty inside but it was such an interesting experience!  Don’t forget to stamp your books with the signature Shakespeare and Co stamp!  Later on, we went to the ultimate fashion store for the chic youths called Colette in Tuileries on Rue St. Honore.  I lost myself in there.  Lastly, one has to go to Laduree before leaving Paris.  It is possibly the best tea parlour in the whole wide world.  Their macaroons are delicious.  I just couldn’t get enough of their rose macaroons!

So you see, the good thing about studying in England is the fact that you could fly off to anywhere in Europe on a whim and quite cheaply too.  Paris in May, Barcelona in September and who knows where else!  Personally, the next few destinations on my list are Amsterdam and Prague.  Gather your friends and all you have to bring is an adventurous spirit!  Okay, maybe not but with a little more planning, you’d be screaming how fortunate you are to be able to live in a great city like London and the fact that it is so accessible to visit other European cities while you’re here.  I’m off now, until the next time, peace.

*We’re just kidding about the whole Khoa business. It is for entertainment purposes only.  No offense intended.  We love you Khoa, if you’re reading this. J

The Lowdown #4 (Half-Term Break Sneak Peek!)

Posted by Maggie

Hello readers,

I hope you're all well.  I certainly am.  London's been experiencing some very fine weather lately.  Sun's out almost everyday! (I know, shocking!)  I'll be heading to the park to do some reading later on today, after meeting some of my friends for lunch at the Greenwich market and hitting the gym. 

I'm currently going to this amazing gym in Canary Wharf and I've introduced it to pretty much all my friends.  Alisa - my flatmate and I are going to the gym together during the weekends (we're on the weekends package).  Our aim is to get a fab bod by the time summer comes and we'll be wearing cute dresses, bikinis and flip-flops.  Our ritual at the gym starts off like this:

1. Stretch and make complete fools out of ourselves.
2. Cardio-related activities such as steps, running and rowing as we watch people scratch their heads, trying to figure out their next move climbing up the artificial rock wall. It's quite amusing really.
3. Join a yoga/pilates class and resist laughing out loud during the lesson.
4. Muscles-toning machines like the rotary torso, abdominal exercises and lat pulldown. You'll almost always see a macho man pushing himself way past his limit. This makes me nervous especially when they're bench pressing and it looks as though the bar will suffocate the man to death.
5. Badminton/Swim. Some kind of sports.
6. Shower then sauna and steam room! The best part of our ritual!

So there you go.  We're definitely trying to lead a healthy lifestyle.  I hope you're doing the same!

Now, I just remembered - my half-term break adventures.  I haven't shared that with all of you yet!  Let's get started then.  During the 5-days half-term break in late Feb, I took a short trip travelling to different cities in England.  First, I went up to Stoke-on-Trent, an industrial city up north in the Midlands to visit some of my friends at Keele University.  I missed my train twice!  In the end, I begged the kind Indian man at the ticket office to not charge me penalties with the limited amount of money I had brought with me.  He asked me to pray for him in return.  And I did that night.   

When I got off the platform at Stoke, my friends (Y, D and A) were there and we took the bus back to Keele Uni. Note: Oyster is useless here.  I stayed at my friend - Y's place while I was there.  That night, A made some chicken curry with spagetthi, a first for me. It wasn't that bad really. But now, I understand what a hassle it is having to cook for yourself after a long day at the uni. You just want to stir up something quickly and eat it instantly.  And this is bad! Because you start losing perspective of what a healthy diet should be, only caring about the convenience of preparing your meals.  I told the boys that they should start integrating more veg in their diets.

   

After our late night supper, we chilled in the common room where I met Y's flatmates.  My other friend, D and I started jamming together. (Him on the acoustic guitar, me singing).  I tried to play some basic songs with basic chords with the likes of Jason Mraz and Robbie Williams.  Then, D performed the acoustic version of "American Boy" and we filmed it (with me in the background, complementing his vocals).  Next thing we know, it's already 1am so everyone scurried off and in my case, went up to the co-ed bathroom to take a shower.  This is where it gets interesting...

I was so paranoid the whole entire time.  I kept checking to see if the lock on my cubicle is locked or not.  Then, when I got out, wrapped in my towel, and was brushing my teeth by the sink, some guy walked in and I completely freaked out (only in my mind of course).  We just acknowledged each other and kept going on with our business.  Now, I'm really starting to appreciate my en-suite accomodation at Bellerbys.  I can't imagine sharing bathrooms with someone else, especially guys.  Boy, I feel bad for the girls living there.

The next day, Y showed me around the university and took me to the uni's library so I could work on my essay for a writing competition that I signed up for while he went to his lecture.  It's a writing competition organised by Christi Corpus College at Cambridge and the category I chose was psychology and sociology.  After a few hours of complete devotion to Facebook, I started writing my first draft. But 5 minutes later, Y came looking for me in the library.  He's done with his lecture so we went to the Students Union hall and bought some beef burgers.  We ate them sitting on a tiny hill, overlooking an artificial lake the uni built.  It was just so relaxing and peaceful.

   

When we finished, we took a walk around the uni and I saw some really old buildings with very traditional interior design.  I also spotted some English gardens.  In the afternoon, I went with Y to his foreign policies lecture.  Most students looked bored when I entered the hall.  They had notepads on their laps and chatted with each other whilst waiting for the professor to put on the Powerpoint slides.  It was a lecture about ideologies.  I found it really fascinating as I took notes with much fervour.

After the lecture, we had tea at one of the cafes on campus. I was so hungry, I finished an entire muffin in less than a minute.  What can I say, I'm still a growing child.  Y had to go work on some group project so I just took my time, exploring the campus and worked on my essay.  Y gave me his username and password so I could log onto his account and work.  At one point, I needed to print some articles so I started pulling out my wallet.  Then, I realised the printing fees were charged to Y's account automatically!  Oh well, my bad.  I told Y about it but he said it's alright so I basically freeloaded on printing articles (I printed more afterwards).  What a sweet system though.

That night, we took the bus down to the city and ate Pakistani food. It was apparently, the best in town. I had chicken jalfrezzi (the spiciest kind of curry) with garlic nans (Indian flatbread - they're a bit like pita) and drank mango lassi (a mango-yoghurt blended drink).  Darn, it was such a good meal.  We even made some friends there.  The man who served us food, I can't recall his name but I remember calling him uncle ("cha-cha" in Urdu - a word a friend of mine back in Malaysia taught me) and he told me that I was "such a charming girl".   Totally made my night.

Anyway, D told me there's this thing called Bar Crawl happening in town that night where everyone gets dressed up and go barhopping.  Too bad I didn't have a costume with me and all the costume stores were closed.  Otherwise, I would've been partying all night.  What a shame.  On our way home, we met a drunken dude.  He told us he had upsetted his girlfriend and wanted to make it up to her by singing her a cheesy love song.  He asked us what song he should sing.  We gave him a few suggestions.  In the end, he settled on "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston.  He thanked us and left a few stops before us.  It was a rather uneventful night but we talked and just hung out back in Y's flat and I learned a couple of new songs on the guitar.

  

The following day, a Friday, we woke up at 9 in the morning and made breakfast.  D and A were over.  Y and I were about to go Manchester so we said our goodbyes and left, slightly later than we planned.  We almost missed our train to the big M.  Thanks to D, he called a cabbie for us so we made it to the station just right on time.  We were jumping with excitement when we arrived in Manchester!  My other friend - M, was supposed to meet us there.  He lives in the big M and even has his own apartment and ride.  We met him outside the station with his friends and all of us introduced each other and as my stomach was grumbling again, we went to Bella Italia to grab some lunch.

After lunch, we walked around town, took loads of photos and basically, tried to absorb as much "Manchester essence" as I can.  We went back to M's place afterwards to relax.  We were going to Leeds that night.  Once M finished packing, we left without any haste and picked up some of his friends and were on our way to Leeds.

Then the funniest thing ever happened.  We were driving at the opposite direction for one whole hour before anybody realises it! There was a road sign that said something about "Birmingham" and I thought, isn't Birmingham back down south..? Everyone laughed hysterically and we tried to find an exit on the highway to turn right back. We stayed at the Hilton hotel in Leeds. That night, we went to Nando's for dinner. It was so satisfying. Yum. Then, we went to a pub and drank and danced. It's a real joy to hang around M and his buddies cause they just crack me up. After "pubbing", we went to this new bar M's friend's friend opened and had free blue cocktails. They looked so beautiful. It was a moroccan-inspired bar and everyone just lounged about on the cushions and pillows. Twas a fun night.

     

On Saturday, we woke up at about 10 in the morning (I was so surprised) and checked out the city centre of Leeds. It's a pretty awesome city I must say. It's a bit like London, a bit like Brighton and a bit like Manchester.  They've got all the essentials (Starbucks, Topshop etc) and they've got some local, small-town joints as well.  It was a sunny morning and we had such a swell time just walking around and about. I also took tons of pictures.  It's quite a photogenic city. Some buildings were pretty dirty (hence, they're old) but in general, it's a good city to take pictures.  After our mindless wanderings, we decided to drive back down to Manchester.  On our way back, we stopped for food at this American restaurant. We ate more grilled burgers and fries while colouring. (Yes, they gave us some pencil crayons to draw).  You don't want to know what the boys came up with.  A few hours of real crappy traffic later, we're finally back in the city.  Y had other plans so he went out with his other friends while I was stuck with M and his camp humour.

That night, M and I went to M's friend's girlfriend's birthday shindig. We had a pre-drinking sesh and played Wii tennis. I totally owned at that game! They're all such lovely people. Then, we went to an extremely packed bar where I could barely move an inch and finally found a seat in the basement. The boys were getting the drinks. We hung around for 10 minutes or so just mingling and being merry then we left for this other bar down the street. This one's much better - more spacious and filled with even better looking people. We found a table for the 8 of us and stayed for at least half an hour. The drinks kept right on flowing. Everyone was just having such a great time. But it still wasn't enough - so we went to this club called Birdcage. It's enormous and filled with people. Eventually, we found ourselves a safe-looking spot and settled there. We danced to the kitschy pop songs of Katy Perry and Girls Aloud while downing even more drinks. It was definitely a night to remember.

After all this awesome shebang, we were famished and some of us frankly, drunk. So we decided to go to this after-clubbing Kebab place to eat. It was almost 3am by now. Some of the girls were tired so most of them went home while M, two of his pals and I stayed back to order second round. Once our tummies gave us the red light, we called it a night. The next morning, we had brunch at this new cafe called Gabrielle's just down the block from where M lives. Y joined us and we talked about the night before. (We had more fun!). M drove us back down to Birmingham after brunch (he's got a place down there as well and he needed to check up on it), and we took a short walk around the city. Not for long though cause Y and I had to catch a train back to Stoke. So we bid our farewells at the train station and thanked M for showing us a great time in the big M.

Y went back to Keele while I caught another train back to London. The original plan was to get back to Keele and gather the rest of my belongings since I didn't bring all of them up to Manchester and Leeds. But I didn't have much time to spare until the next arrival of the train back to Euston London so I just told Y to give them back to me whenever he's down in London. All in all, it was a great trip and the company alone, was more than enough.

Love from London.
xoxo

The Lowdown #3

Hello readers, how are you all doing?

It snowed majorly at the beginning of February here in London and I loved every single minute of it!  Apparently, it was the heaviest snowfall in 18 years.  We had a "snow day" and everyone was thrilled! All of us came out and had snowball fights everywhere on campus. 

Most of the public transport in London were not operating due to the "harsh" weather condition.  My friends and I had lunch in a tiny cafe in Greenwich before going to the park for an afternoon of snow-packed activities. Some people even took their snowboards and sleighs to the park.  We also saw snowmen varying in sizes and styles everywhere we went.

Perhaps the funniest thing I saw when I was out was kids stuffing snow into cones and placing these "snowcones" in the middle of the roads. The oncoming cars tried to avoid them but inevitably drove into them.  I wish I had the chance to take a picture of them but unfortunately, my hands were freezing so I didn't bother taking my camera out of my bag. 

I came up with a few ideas on what to do on a snow day though if you ever encounter one.  Besides having the regular snowball fights, building snowmans and "snowcones", you could:

1. Watch back-to-back episodes of Friends.
2. Blog about your last summer vacation in Italy.
3. Eat instant noodles (the more unhealthy, the better).
4. Read Cosmopolitan.
5. Colour co-ordinate your socks.

Since I've been back from my Christmas break, which seems like ages ago, I've done some stuff that's worth mentioning here.  Let's take Bodyworld for starters. 

Bodyworld is an exhibition that depicts and describes a person's life process starting from fertilisation in your mother's womb until the day you die. Professor Gunther used plastination to preserve all the real corpses and twist them into different poses.  There were about 10 bodies shown in this exhibition.  The one that I liked most was the "Basketball Man".  It was of a man, holding a basketball in his hand, in an eagle-spread pose.  It's such a powerful pose.  The power and strength it embodied completely took my breath away.

The entrance fee costs £9.  I thought that it was worth every single penny.  I don't want to reveal too much about the exhibition because it's something that one has to see for oneself.  There are many other Bodyworld exhibitions being shown around the world as we speak.  This exhibition shown at the O2 is only a fraction of the whole project.  Our visit ended with receiving a piece of certificate, indicating that we've been to the awesome Bodyworld exhibition!  Vonderful, Professor Gunther.

Besides staring in awe at dead bodies, I've also taken some ice-skating lessons.  The decision came about when I signed up at the Reebok gym in Canary Wharf.  There was a skating rink situated right across the gym.  I was so fascinated.  I thought to myself, I've lived in Canada for 3 years and I still can't believe I don't know how to ice-skate.  Shameful!  Therefore, I signed up for lessons on the following day.

The lesson started out a bit wobbly. I felt extremely uncomfortable in those skates.  After "walking" on ice for the first 10 minutes, alas, I could relax myself and actually started to move in a slightly smoother movement.  My instructor - Jamie, was nice (and patient!) enough to put up with my nervousness and paranoia.  I kept thinking that I would fall and someone would skate right across my fingers.  Yes, not exactly a pleasant scene. 

Then - a miracle occurred.  I could actually skate!!!   After many attempts and Jamie's effort to distract me from my scary thoughts by talking about our backgrounds, I found myself sliding and gliding happily round and round the rink!  Of course, I'm not saying I've turned into an ice-skating genius overnight.  But I'm quite shocked (and proud!) that I could skate now!  It was an amazing and liberating experience. 

All the boys and girls out there, one other tip: take your significant other for an ice-skating session the next time you're planning for an interesting date.  It's romantic (when you don't fall) and if you do fall, you two can share a laugh!

I'm out for now. See you!