'Remember Me'

I need to write. It has been too long. I have been here in HK for who knows how long now, but honestly enjoying it here. But at the same time trying my best not to let homesickness overcome me. I miss my friends. And I miss my family. But at the same time I am blessed to have this opportunity to spend valuable time with my amazing grandparents. Nevertheless, I cannot overemphasize how much I am looking forward to my mom coming here in......17 days. And to finally return home... and to finally be reunited with my friends back in SD is a moment that I think about every day. I have been thinking a lot about a certain person as well, and I start to wonder if distance is starting to take its toll on them. It's a challenge, and I can't help but question whether or not patience will hold out through til the end. I really hope it does.

Being here in HK, living a comfortable, quiet life with my grandparents gives me a lot of time to think. About what? School.. friends.. exchange... what's important to me... all of the above. I've never been so contemplative. So analytical. So thoughtful. I've also been reading. A lot. I'm on my fifth novel, and I must say that reading is what I look forward to doing every spare moment that I have.

But I saw a movie tonight. I went by myself. It is honestly one of my favorite things to do. It was a movie that touched me, and really made me think about life. It was passionate, heartfelt, relatable, and a movie that I intend to buy and watch many times over. I know whenever I see a movie that I really like, I say it's my favorite movie. But this is truly my all-time favorite movie. It's something you just have to experience for yourself. It's about love..and loss..and the struggles that we face through it all.

Of the many significant lines, my favorite: "One part of me says I'm not ready for this. The other part says, hold on to it forever."

Reflections

My exchange program in Singapore has officially come to its end. Now that it is over, I have been reflecting a lot on the entire experience. Isn't it funny how it often takes the cessation of something to make us understand and appreciate its worth?

I can honestly say that the experience has changed my life. The places I have been to have opened my eyes to the indescribable beauty of the world, augmenting my curiosity and thirst to discover even more. I never knew that such places existed in the world. It only makes me wonder what other sights the world has to offer.
The people I met there, by chance, enriched the experience. Although the places were incredible, it was the people that made the journey to the locations worthwhile and truly memorable.
I came there, not knowing a single person. It was a huge leap of faith on my part, venturing to Asia on my own, but I was ready to take the plunge. I remember feeling scared. I remember the night before I came here, I turned to my mom and asked "Mom, what if I don't make any friends? What if I am lonely?" I now find myself surrounded by friends that I feel like I have known forever. I not only met some of the sweetest, most adventurous, kindest people on exchange, I have formed lasting relationships with them that I know will endure. I exceeded my own expectations of the kind of friendships I have made, and for that I feel exceptionally lucky.

But perhaps the most important thing I have learned on the program is the concept, and precious nature, of time. I have always been a person who is looking ahead in time - my life was always dominated by the future. Before one experience was over, I was already thinking about the next one, never truly living in the moment. I came there with the goal of learning how to truly just enjoy the moment I was in. Swimming in the middle of the South China Sea in the Philippines... climbing to the top of ancient Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia... going cliff jumping with my friends in Thailand... I have never felt true happiness like I did in those moments, where all problems, difficulties, worries, and skepticism about anything diminished, and I was left there, truly happy and grateful. Just me and the moment.

The time that I had in Singapore seemed too short, but i realize that because it was so short- really a mere a chapter in my life- it made it an even sweeter experience. Isn't it crazy how sometimes, it only takes one single person, out of the numerous that you may know, to make a lasting impact on your life? In a way, this experience was like that one person.
I'm looking forward to the ways in which I will apply what I have learned in Singapore to the situations, difficulties, and opportunities that I will encounter in the future. In the words of Sam, I've learned that life is all about perspective: you could be dealt the best hand or the worst hand - but I truly believe that it's the angle in which you look at it that makes all the difference.

2 DAYS LEFT

in the Garden City (aka Singapore).... aka the land of "ironies" (ie "no forced labor" yet requiring all men to attend National Service for 2 years)... the place that taught me so much about myself... and other people... the place that did wonders for my independence and pushed me so far outside my comfort zone.

There are only 2 days left here in the place that changed my life.. for the better. Please forgive me for my extreme nostalgia that I am feeling right now. I am so sad that this experience is coming to an end, yet so happy that it happened. In a way, it is good that it is ending, because 1 )all good things must come to an end eventually, right? and 2) it has made you truly appreciate the time you have left with people you care about. I look back on it all, and in the middle of the program it felt like such a long process, or time frame. And now that tomorrow is MAY SEVENTH (?!?!?!?!) it all seems so short.

I've never been so grateful for something in my entire life.. now I must find some motivation to study for the Human Motivation final that I have tomorrow (yet another irony). In less than 24 hours, my academic experience in Singapore will be complete. EEEEKK!!

PS. I will miss many many many things about Singapore, especially these girls:


{Forever Young}

However, I will NOT miss the insane amount of bug bites that I have right now. :(