Yingster's Xanga

Moving

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:26:34 GMT

Time for a change. I've been wanting to get a new blog to document my new "adventures" in a new country and i finally did it. Please continue to read my ramblings at

http://jen2ying.blogspot.com

Don't worry, i will still keep xanga account so i can comment on other people's xanga blog.
Goodbye xanga, i will miss u so~

Ali

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:37:43 GMT

When i was working in USM, my colleagues found out i had a boyfriend. They asked for the name so i told them, They must have misheard me because they kept refering him to as Ali. I was laughing when i found out. Although i've corrected them countless times, they still call Eddie Ali, until i don't correct them anymore because i just think it's cute. Sorry eddie~ I just got a message from one of them and it reminded me. i'd forgotten about this until i read their message : "Jenny, so is Ali coming to join you soon? "

a picture of ali and me taken a year ago. I decided to do something different and insisted on bangs when i cut my hair and i think this was the only day it turned out nice. probably i don't look good in bangs ;)

And then they were gone

Sat, 17 May 2008 09:11:31 GMT

Poof!~ It seems so fast the time flies. First i was blogging that I was going to pick up my brother and sister at the Melbourne airport and then now i'm blogging about how i sent them off at the airport in the wee hours this morning and how my apartment seems more lonely and quiet now without the two of them around. I know, so sad. I was dreading to come home to a lonely apartment today. For 17 days, the apartment was lively with our noises, the tv and the computer. Now it just seemed too quiet. I look around the sofa and am reminded of how a few hours ago, it was my brother's bed. I look around the room, and in every corner i am reminded of them.

Mom called this afternoon. I think she knows how sentimental i get. I told her I am already missing my siblings and she says that this is life and i have to be tough and get used to it.

Even though, i've been away from home for so long, i still get homesick and no matter what people say or how United States or Australia is a much nicer place to live in, there is no place like home. And for me, it doesn't get easier. In fact, it seems tougher. Hopefully this is a phase that i will grow out and be stronger. But i do miss them so~

On the bright side, we had so much fun. Rented a car for 4 days and took a road trip. Driving (with the help of the GPS- thank god for technology) around victoria was so so much fun. I will post pictures and summaries of the trip soon. This is a picture of the road in Sherbrooke forrest in Mt Dandenong National Park.

p/s: I lost my sandal/slipper. It was my favorite and i was so clumsy and careless to leave it in the rented car and now it cannot be found. arghh~ i'm mad at myself because i love that shoe.

Excited

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:56:14 GMT

i'm so excited i'm jumping out and down. i don't know how many times i've cleaned my apt so that it would be spick and span when they come.
yes, my brother and sister ARE coming to town.They're on the flight now. I managed to get a day off from boss to pick them up tomorrow morning at the airport. They'll be here for 17 days. and we're going to go on a roadtrip to the great ocean road and some other places. Wipeee!!!!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:52:45 GMT

hmm, a hairless cat?

What breed of cat are you?

You are a Sphinx! You are mocked for your unusual appearance, but you are very loving and devoted. People just need to give you a chance!
Take this quiz!

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:06:34 GMT

it's inevitable when u're a phd student, that your life revolves around lab.

what can i say about lab? my boss is grumpy, sarcastic and moody. i try to avoid bumping into him but unfortunately i seem to bump into him every time i go out of my office. He is EVERYWHERE. or i'm just plain unlucky. colleague in lab told me two things:

1. in this lab, u will either have to learn to swim or you will sink. metaphor for in order to succeed in this lab, u have to be independent and learn how to do things on your own because u're basically just dumped with one project and you find ur way. "great" . it affected me a lot when i heard this.

2. don't take what the boss says personally. it's hard because i met him at the lift one day and he asked me : so jenny have u contaminate ur cells yet? and everyone just snickered or laughed. and he keeps on asking me this everytime i see him.
Basically i've been here for one month plus, i've been reading boring journal papers. I just started experiments this week. My task according to boss for now is to grow cells. That's all i do this week, read more journal papers when i'm not doing cell work. Also Boss heard bout a talk that first year phd students have to give to the institute and recommended my name. I told him, "but the presentation is in May" ( to myself, i've only started experiments in late april and u want me to present my work in May-gila ah, are u crazy), then again he sarcastically replied " why, are you not going to be here in May?". it's hard to be motivated to work when he's like that and it's like crushing any hope or enthusiasm that i have.

Although the boss is like that, my colleagues are way different. At least most of them are very nice, and helpful and supportive. hooray for that. i think i will just die if they are sarcastic too.
and also to Eddie and great friends like rosie, who told me tat i will be awesome one day and jump out of the water and fly.
i have to be strong and really not take what he says personally. I have to not let that affect me so much. Masuk telinga kiri, keluar telinga kanan. I dont' know how to say it in english. Vi, how do i translate and aren't u happy i'm using more Malay? kaka.
My aim now is to be stronger, wiser, independent, confident and to jump out of the water and fly.

Recaps of my 1st Month in Melbourne

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:43:55 GMT

I have:
1. Been fortunate to have met some really good friends here (Malaysians + colleagues) who have helped me so much with everything and the list would stop here if i didn't have them
2. Visited an Australian/ Italian family for Good Friday dinner in Dandenong. Still not used to the cheeck kissing for greeting. :)
3. Last Sunday, took a bus to Doncaster for really good and authentic Hongkie dimsum
4. Visited Phillip Island, twice! One time for penguin watching. The other time for camp where i did archery and mountain biking. Refused to surf cause it was really cold.
5. Experienced the strongest winds (120km/h) Melbourne has had for 6 years.
6. Visited Uni Melb and Monash
7. Helped my friend navigate with the Melway. (it's like a book with maps). Actualy it's more like she navigated and i just held the book. i was still proud of myself. :)
8. Saw wild wallabies during camp. Was dissapointed tat i didn't see koalas.

Not bad for the first month, eh?

Temple

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:04:29 GMT

In Malaysia, temple chanting sessions was on Friday nights. I remember how i'd come up with so many excuses not to go when my Mom asked me to.
Here. I go to the temple every Saturday morning, willingly. It doesn't bother me that i cannot sleep in on Saturdays after a long week. I go, eventhough there's no Mom here to force or hurry me up to go.
I wonder if I'm going because I'm homesick and cling to the notion of going to the temple as a reminder of home. Maybe?
However, I like going to temple. First of all there is free vegetarian food and i get to meet Malaysian friends who are all at the city, whom i do not get to meet on weekdays. :)

ta

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:01:59 GMT

i borrowed a jacket from my colleague at work for the camp last week. Her name is Daniella. So i go to her office to return it to her.
Jenny      : Thanks Dan, for the jacket (hands her the jacket)
Daniella   : Ta
Jenny : (thinks that Ta is a shortform for tata which means bye bye because hey daniella might be busy or
                  something). Bye   (leaves the room)

keke. I think she must have thought i was quite strange. I will go and explain to her tomorrow that i did not realize that the word ta means thank you until a few minutes ago. ;)

Today was the most exciting day in the lab that i have had. Because today i did not have to read papers. Yipee! I went to watch a surgery done on mice today. it was quite exciting because the guy was one of the very few in the world who could perform this technique of open chest surgery. Really really cool.

Thong

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:06:12 GMT

i went for a student retreat at phillip island last week. got to know

some new people in my institute, which was good. Also found out the different terminologies used by Aussies. I was talking to a new friend and she was saying that she's so used to wearing thongs. I stared at her for a while wondering why on earth did the topic change to her underwear until i realized she was talking bout her flip flops. So ya, flip flops are called thongs in Australia. I didn't know that one! haha.

Also, during the retreat, one of them asked me. How long are u going to be able to do this? I'm like "Do what?" He replied, " Travelling and studying?" I said " I don't know but i think this might be the last straw, i would like to go home after this.

Things are looking better here. Adjusting to my new life. I've got most of the stuff for my apartment now and am trying to decorate it so it looks more homely. :) I have a discussion with my supervisor tomorrow on the journal papers i have been reading for weeks. Kaka, should be interesting. wish me luck. Will update soon.

p/s: i miss having an oven. i keep browsing for recipes online n there's so many i want to try.