My Auckland Journey
Times really flies, too fast at times. I remember when I first step into the lands of New Zealand, I was regretting for my stubborn decision to hold onto the opportunity of what most people wanted 'to be able to study and live life aboard'. I wasn't ready neither prepared to face what this foreign land has to offer. There was so much uncertaintly, so much things for me to learn, so much values for me to throw and adapt new ones.
I have to admit, I cried almost every day when I reached Auckland as I missed home alot and I was so confused with the system there. There were no friends that I could held on, no warm cosy home that I could run back to. I was like being throw out in the unknown, left to survive on my own till the endof june where I would return back to my cosy nest.
Life was hard when you held on your values and refuse to change. Sooner or later, I learn to accept the fact that I would be living in this country for 4 months or so and that I need to learn to be independent in finding my way around this country. Once you start to accept the fact and work on it. Life seems easier and less painful.
I am a person with a lot of pride and when I said something in my heart, I mean it. Before I went to Auckland, I told myself that I will not be like a cry baby and call home demanding for more money because my monthly allowance was not enough. It was not enough as the local meals costed twice as much in Singapore. Due to my pride, I work things out. I cooked my meals to save money on dinning outside and later on cut down on my intake of my meals to save my food stock for more days. If the food stock were expensive, I would make my way to the sunday market to buy cheaper fruits and vegetables even if they did not appear to be nice but to me as long as it was eatable and cheap, I would buy it. My mentality enable me to save more money to travel around Auckland so that I would not miss home that much and be sad all the time. It was this mentality that drove me to savage on chicken frames and salmon frames to subsitutue chicken and salmon, buy bee hoon that was not packed and laid on the ground in the market. If I wanted to travel on trips or need more money, I justsolf what I have like my lens, camera bag and my handphone to fund myself. So is my life really horrible there? No! even when I live my life like a savager, life has its meaning. So what if I survive on frames, eat unhygenic food? I gain more than I lose that is what I feel.
Firstly, I realised how important my family and friends mean to me. There was nothing that I wanted but to fly home back to their love. But still, I could not do that as there was still uncompleted business for me. Not just the semester but to grow up and change.
Next, from my new friends, I realised that the world out that is so much bigger and I am just that small. There is so many things that I did not know and life does not rotate around studies or work. Life has to have a meaning.
I think the most important thing that I gain from Auckland was that I learn to treasure my life even more. In the past like it or not, I used to hate myself but being there, I learn that life has its meaning and I learned to love myself bit by bit each day. I took photos of myself in the mirror each day, learn to smile again in front of the mirror. I was no longer complaining but thankful to what I have, what I can do and I was trying to lead life meaningful without regards. That got me to try things that I dare not do such as selling of bubble tea, wear boots, wear pink haha, try different fruits, coffees and learn about them. I was not afraid of uncertainty anymore. Things turn out simpler when you dare to take the first step to try and ask if you are not certain.
Travelling with Sunny around the south islands was like a dream come true. I always wanted to travel with a friend, learn how to travel free and easy and the best part is to touch and feel snow. Believe me when I saw snow falling outside my room in Queenstown, my heart was all joyed up and I rushed to the balcony with only t-shirts and pants to feel the snow, touch the snow, crush the snow in my hands. The snow was such a beauty. At that instant, it was like mircale. We were told that there was snow in the mountains but never did we expect snow to fall down in the hearts of queenstown. It was the happiest moment then. I learn to prefer flat white as my coffee from that 10 days. To me, a cup of flat white is full of surpises. Everywhereyou went, the pattern on the flatwhite would turn out different and you would never know that pattern drawn on the coffee unless you try it just like life itself.
Life was full of smile and happiness in Auckland. I learn to be grateful to what I have.
Its just seem so funny. I thought I would be dying to fly back home but never did I thought I miss Auckland. During the last few days in Auckland, I actually meet up with my friends there. For the first time, I felt the power of a hug. As I hug my friends, my heart turn sour, I missed them. I want to fly back to Auckland to see them again. I have to admit Auckland have become the turning point in my life and it sort of pull me back from the negative surroundings. I slowed down my pace in life, looked at things in a fresh prespective.
Back in Singapore, I was no longer anixous in the interviews. Things here was just not the same anymore. The language that the locals speak were so uncomfortable to me now, the way the local behave and things they do as well. As the realities sets in of job seeking and life back here, I know that I would be able to smile my way through. Why should I behave like everyone when I know that I would not like it. If I want to do something, felt like doing something I just do it.I wasted 20 odds years accomodating things around me and I am so not going to waste my future doing the same!
I recommend the movie of eat, pray and love or a similar title that I think would be coming soon to the threaters. Its about this character Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.
I find that the plot is similar to what I experience in Auckland, doing self searching of myself.
I have to admit, I cried almost every day when I reached Auckland as I missed home alot and I was so confused with the system there. There were no friends that I could held on, no warm cosy home that I could run back to. I was like being throw out in the unknown, left to survive on my own till the endof june where I would return back to my cosy nest.
Life was hard when you held on your values and refuse to change. Sooner or later, I learn to accept the fact that I would be living in this country for 4 months or so and that I need to learn to be independent in finding my way around this country. Once you start to accept the fact and work on it. Life seems easier and less painful.
I am a person with a lot of pride and when I said something in my heart, I mean it. Before I went to Auckland, I told myself that I will not be like a cry baby and call home demanding for more money because my monthly allowance was not enough. It was not enough as the local meals costed twice as much in Singapore. Due to my pride, I work things out. I cooked my meals to save money on dinning outside and later on cut down on my intake of my meals to save my food stock for more days. If the food stock were expensive, I would make my way to the sunday market to buy cheaper fruits and vegetables even if they did not appear to be nice but to me as long as it was eatable and cheap, I would buy it. My mentality enable me to save more money to travel around Auckland so that I would not miss home that much and be sad all the time. It was this mentality that drove me to savage on chicken frames and salmon frames to subsitutue chicken and salmon, buy bee hoon that was not packed and laid on the ground in the market. If I wanted to travel on trips or need more money, I justsolf what I have like my lens, camera bag and my handphone to fund myself. So is my life really horrible there? No! even when I live my life like a savager, life has its meaning. So what if I survive on frames, eat unhygenic food? I gain more than I lose that is what I feel.
Firstly, I realised how important my family and friends mean to me. There was nothing that I wanted but to fly home back to their love. But still, I could not do that as there was still uncompleted business for me. Not just the semester but to grow up and change.
Next, from my new friends, I realised that the world out that is so much bigger and I am just that small. There is so many things that I did not know and life does not rotate around studies or work. Life has to have a meaning.
I think the most important thing that I gain from Auckland was that I learn to treasure my life even more. In the past like it or not, I used to hate myself but being there, I learn that life has its meaning and I learned to love myself bit by bit each day. I took photos of myself in the mirror each day, learn to smile again in front of the mirror. I was no longer complaining but thankful to what I have, what I can do and I was trying to lead life meaningful without regards. That got me to try things that I dare not do such as selling of bubble tea, wear boots, wear pink haha, try different fruits, coffees and learn about them. I was not afraid of uncertainty anymore. Things turn out simpler when you dare to take the first step to try and ask if you are not certain.
Travelling with Sunny around the south islands was like a dream come true. I always wanted to travel with a friend, learn how to travel free and easy and the best part is to touch and feel snow. Believe me when I saw snow falling outside my room in Queenstown, my heart was all joyed up and I rushed to the balcony with only t-shirts and pants to feel the snow, touch the snow, crush the snow in my hands. The snow was such a beauty. At that instant, it was like mircale. We were told that there was snow in the mountains but never did we expect snow to fall down in the hearts of queenstown. It was the happiest moment then. I learn to prefer flat white as my coffee from that 10 days. To me, a cup of flat white is full of surpises. Everywhereyou went, the pattern on the flatwhite would turn out different and you would never know that pattern drawn on the coffee unless you try it just like life itself.
Life was full of smile and happiness in Auckland. I learn to be grateful to what I have.
Its just seem so funny. I thought I would be dying to fly back home but never did I thought I miss Auckland. During the last few days in Auckland, I actually meet up with my friends there. For the first time, I felt the power of a hug. As I hug my friends, my heart turn sour, I missed them. I want to fly back to Auckland to see them again. I have to admit Auckland have become the turning point in my life and it sort of pull me back from the negative surroundings. I slowed down my pace in life, looked at things in a fresh prespective.
Back in Singapore, I was no longer anixous in the interviews. Things here was just not the same anymore. The language that the locals speak were so uncomfortable to me now, the way the local behave and things they do as well. As the realities sets in of job seeking and life back here, I know that I would be able to smile my way through. Why should I behave like everyone when I know that I would not like it. If I want to do something, felt like doing something I just do it.I wasted 20 odds years accomodating things around me and I am so not going to waste my future doing the same!
I recommend the movie of eat, pray and love or a similar title that I think would be coming soon to the threaters. Its about this character Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.
I find that the plot is similar to what I experience in Auckland, doing self searching of myself.
