In typical Kash fashion, since she is not zi dong enough to return the money owed to various parties for the Goa trip, let alone inquire about it, we have taken matters into our own hands.....
I have to put this photo up too cos Erwin looks damn retarded in it...
I have to put this photo up too cos Erwin looks damn retarded in it...
Time to eat the humble pill, people.
0 Comments Published by nus on Wednesday, 26 March 2008 at 21:42.
"To tell you the truth, the Indian attitude is part patriotism and part smug defensiveness."
"You actually won't find a bunch of people more in love with their own voices than Indians....Goes double for MICA."
"One thing you should never expect an Indian to do is accept that he could be wrong...they'll feel it..but never say it."
HA! And of course, this wisdom can only come from one who has actually been out of the country.
"You actually won't find a bunch of people more in love with their own voices than Indians....Goes double for MICA."
"One thing you should never expect an Indian to do is accept that he could be wrong...they'll feel it..but never say it."
HA! And of course, this wisdom can only come from one who has actually been out of the country.
I swear the lizards are up to something
0 Comments Published by nus on Tuesday, 25 March 2008 at 02:46.
There are at least three huge ass lizards living in my room right now. Two of them were bold enough to climb on my bed and stared at me in a freaky way. Damn lizards, I don't mind sharing my space with them as long as they stay in their boundaries i.e. dark corners that I DON'T SLEEP ON. I don't know how the lizards get so damn big here..their bodies are as thick as your thumb and their tails the size of your pinky.
This one in the video got sliced by my aircon when I first turned it on. Damn gross cos the tail dropped out first followed by its mangled body. Same thing happened when Erwin turned on his. Now we're very alert when we hear strange sounds coming from the aircon.
This one in the video got sliced by my aircon when I first turned it on. Damn gross cos the tail dropped out first followed by its mangled body. Same thing happened when Erwin turned on his. Now we're very alert when we hear strange sounds coming from the aircon.
MICA always seems much rosier whenever I get back from trips. Clean bedsheets, toilet paper in the toilet roll holders, privacy of my room, convenience of wireless internet...the list goes on.
..UNTIL we sit at the mess quietly eating our butter toast when Dalzeen pops up and reminds us about the &%$#!%! Indian Cinema assignment we have to pass up. frick. And that reminds us of Services marketing exam and essay and the rest of the CCC modules we need to get credits for.
Damn it I wanna go home. I've just had enough of this place. This is the low point the counsellor was talking about when she addressed all of us going on exchange. Some people move on to pick themselves up and complete the exchange on a happy note. Some people get into this depressive state and never get out.
This morning Erwin and I survived a gruelling 25-hour bus ride from Goa to Ahmedabad to save S$170. What made two motion-sickness-prone people undertake such a task still makes me want to slap myself. Cramped seats, freezing aircon, a crying baby, a coughing idiot and the uncertainty of where exactly we were at any point because the conductor only spoke Hindi..is all fine for 25 hours. But why I would never again be cheap and go through this ever again is cos the memory of pee/faeces-flooded toilet stops will haunt me for life. Imagine being in a tight space having to wear footwear reeking in someone else's urine/shit for hours on end. Even after scrubbing my havis I still can't bear to wear them after knowing the trauma they have endured. It amazes me how women in saris manage to hobble into these peeholes with their complicated layers of cloth and do their business. Argh, ok enough about the standard of public toilets here. One of our lecturers attributed dirty public toilets as the reason why the class was able to go on without a break for 3 hours non-stop. Ok ok, enough about toilets.
Goa..hmm..one word: suffocating. I guess if you're the sort who likes beaches crowded with half-naked sunburnt ang mohs, drugged out trying-too-hard hippies in strange clothing, flimsy beach shacks and chaotic dirt roads then the place is fine. Well well well.......SOME people like that ok.
I took only 31 photos there...so not worth the weight of my D40. We went to Palolem, Colva and lastly Baga. By Colva I gave up trying to capture moments and I didn't want my camera to melt on the beach chairs so I left it in the hotel room. This is the photo of the trip:
Ahhh...just kidding. (Not really actually). Most of our days were spent in this order:
1. heading down to the beach
2. building a rapport with one of the restaurants facing the sea that looks decent enough (or tries hardest in greeting us as we walk past)
3. eating breakfast or lunch, depending on how early we wake up
4. plonking our bags on one of those beach chairs in the photo below that the restaurant will provide
5. running to the sea to catch waves
6. drying off on the beach chairs
7. returning to our rooms to wash up
8. having dinner and sampling calamari
Erwin came up with the theory that we get big waves at our end when fat people jump into the sea at the opposite coast. So thanks to fat, wrinkly, sagging, middle-aged people doing the YMCA dance somewhere out there, we get huge waves to dive into. heehee.
Palolem Beach is filled with flimsy shacks lining the beach. The one we stayed at, Chattai, is a midrange budget accommodation but still, we didn't get a proper solid structure. The lock on the door was spoilt so I couldn't sleep properly for three nights cos I was paranoid about people breaking in. Didn't help that news from home about rapes and drug dealers in Goa zhun zhun started coming in on the day we arrived.
This is our favourite Rendezvous Restaurant at Palolem, or as they say..Ron-deh-vuus.
We took a one hour boat ride out to see dolphins at Palolem, which left me with motion sickness and a lost of appetite for breakfast. But despite all that I still thought it was pretty cool getting to see dolphin fins just 10m in front of us.
Our last stop was Baga Beach..THE beach for tourists. It's swarming with commercialisation and rude Caucasians.
Anjuna Wednesday Flea Market, where you can find treasures if you look hard enough. There was a row of stalls run by hippie ang mohs with dreadlocks who looked like they haven't bathed in months. Btw, my bargaining skills have improved significantly since coming here. The trick is not to want something too badly.
We rented scooters in Baga and had a a rather hair-raising experience maneuvering through Indian traffic. And not to forget, Erwin can now lay claim to having BRIBED A POLICE OFFICER. hahhahahhahah...
The best souvenir I got from the trip has got to be the realisation that sketching with a black ballpoint pen is super therapeutic. I had really bad homesick pangs during the trip and sketching helped to distract me from thinking about it.
As you can see, I went a bit mad somewhere in the middle..when my drawings featured severed skulls and lots of cynism.
And now it's back to reality. ARGH. Starting to dread CCC modules now with the rather fluffy content and group work..ARGHHH GROUP WORK. Group work with these people sucks. Like, cereally.
..UNTIL we sit at the mess quietly eating our butter toast when Dalzeen pops up and reminds us about the &%$#!%! Indian Cinema assignment we have to pass up. frick. And that reminds us of Services marketing exam and essay and the rest of the CCC modules we need to get credits for.
Damn it I wanna go home. I've just had enough of this place. This is the low point the counsellor was talking about when she addressed all of us going on exchange. Some people move on to pick themselves up and complete the exchange on a happy note. Some people get into this depressive state and never get out.
This morning Erwin and I survived a gruelling 25-hour bus ride from Goa to Ahmedabad to save S$170. What made two motion-sickness-prone people undertake such a task still makes me want to slap myself. Cramped seats, freezing aircon, a crying baby, a coughing idiot and the uncertainty of where exactly we were at any point because the conductor only spoke Hindi..is all fine for 25 hours. But why I would never again be cheap and go through this ever again is cos the memory of pee/faeces-flooded toilet stops will haunt me for life. Imagine being in a tight space having to wear footwear reeking in someone else's urine/shit for hours on end. Even after scrubbing my havis I still can't bear to wear them after knowing the trauma they have endured. It amazes me how women in saris manage to hobble into these peeholes with their complicated layers of cloth and do their business. Argh, ok enough about the standard of public toilets here. One of our lecturers attributed dirty public toilets as the reason why the class was able to go on without a break for 3 hours non-stop. Ok ok, enough about toilets.
Goa..hmm..one word: suffocating. I guess if you're the sort who likes beaches crowded with half-naked sunburnt ang mohs, drugged out trying-too-hard hippies in strange clothing, flimsy beach shacks and chaotic dirt roads then the place is fine. Well well well.......SOME people like that ok.
I took only 31 photos there...so not worth the weight of my D40. We went to Palolem, Colva and lastly Baga. By Colva I gave up trying to capture moments and I didn't want my camera to melt on the beach chairs so I left it in the hotel room. This is the photo of the trip:
Ahhh...just kidding. (Not really actually). Most of our days were spent in this order:
1. heading down to the beach
2. building a rapport with one of the restaurants facing the sea that looks decent enough (or tries hardest in greeting us as we walk past)
3. eating breakfast or lunch, depending on how early we wake up
4. plonking our bags on one of those beach chairs in the photo below that the restaurant will provide
5. running to the sea to catch waves
6. drying off on the beach chairs
7. returning to our rooms to wash up
8. having dinner and sampling calamari
Erwin came up with the theory that we get big waves at our end when fat people jump into the sea at the opposite coast. So thanks to fat, wrinkly, sagging, middle-aged people doing the YMCA dance somewhere out there, we get huge waves to dive into. heehee.
Palolem Beach is filled with flimsy shacks lining the beach. The one we stayed at, Chattai, is a midrange budget accommodation but still, we didn't get a proper solid structure. The lock on the door was spoilt so I couldn't sleep properly for three nights cos I was paranoid about people breaking in. Didn't help that news from home about rapes and drug dealers in Goa zhun zhun started coming in on the day we arrived.
This is our favourite Rendezvous Restaurant at Palolem, or as they say..Ron-deh-vuus.
We took a one hour boat ride out to see dolphins at Palolem, which left me with motion sickness and a lost of appetite for breakfast. But despite all that I still thought it was pretty cool getting to see dolphin fins just 10m in front of us.
Our last stop was Baga Beach..THE beach for tourists. It's swarming with commercialisation and rude Caucasians.
Anjuna Wednesday Flea Market, where you can find treasures if you look hard enough. There was a row of stalls run by hippie ang mohs with dreadlocks who looked like they haven't bathed in months. Btw, my bargaining skills have improved significantly since coming here. The trick is not to want something too badly.
We rented scooters in Baga and had a a rather hair-raising experience maneuvering through Indian traffic. And not to forget, Erwin can now lay claim to having BRIBED A POLICE OFFICER. hahhahahhahah...
The best souvenir I got from the trip has got to be the realisation that sketching with a black ballpoint pen is super therapeutic. I had really bad homesick pangs during the trip and sketching helped to distract me from thinking about it.
As you can see, I went a bit mad somewhere in the middle..when my drawings featured severed skulls and lots of cynism.
And now it's back to reality. ARGH. Starting to dread CCC modules now with the rather fluffy content and group work..ARGHHH GROUP WORK. Group work with these people sucks. Like, cereally.
We just had a premiere screening of Erwin's film 'Go To Goa', about a slice of MICAn life. It was a nice warm feeling to sit together in the same room with the France-Singapore Alliance for the last time in MICA. Tomorrow Marine's dad will be coming and she'll be leaving with him. Romain will be gone on the 18th. Bertie will come with us to Goa then he'll be leaving too.
Chhorta and TT nights will soon become a fading memory. Chicken cheese frankees..grey glob at mess..butter toast for snacks..the terror that is KGK..days when toilet paper runs out..useful lessons in French swear words..badminton..frisbee..aerobics..Dasada..cynical grouses..late nights..chasing the dhobi man for laundry..countless countless memories.
One of the best, if not the best, thing we got out of this exchange would be having known these people. They are one of the most genuine, down-to-earth people I've had the privilege to meet in my life. Between now and the next time our lives cross paths again, I wish you only the best.
Chhorta and TT nights will soon become a fading memory. Chicken cheese frankees..grey glob at mess..butter toast for snacks..the terror that is KGK..days when toilet paper runs out..useful lessons in French swear words..badminton..frisbee..aerobics..Dasada..cynical grouses..late nights..chasing the dhobi man for laundry..countless countless memories.
One of the best, if not the best, thing we got out of this exchange would be having known these people. They are one of the most genuine, down-to-earth people I've had the privilege to meet in my life. Between now and the next time our lives cross paths again, I wish you only the best.
The Frenchies treated us to probably our last dinner out together at Sewa Cafe, which is a restaurant run by an NGO. The staff are all volunteers and it's a pay as you wish concept. Food, atmosphere and company were great, what more could I ask for?
And THIS is Micafe...
Here's what we do during Indian Cinema class, and almost any other class for that matter. (click to enlarge)
Erwin's art lesson on how to draw human figures
My take on the guest lecturer
Dude that was sitting diagonally across me
Romain's doodles..laced with cynicism!
I almost grew mold just waiting for the photos to be uploaded. Ok, I'm too drained to upload more at the moment. Going for dinner now for my twice a week dose of meat.
And THIS is Micafe...
Here's what we do during Indian Cinema class, and almost any other class for that matter. (click to enlarge)
Erwin's art lesson on how to draw human figures
My take on the guest lecturer
Dude that was sitting diagonally across me
Romain's doodles..laced with cynicism!
I almost grew mold just waiting for the photos to be uploaded. Ok, I'm too drained to upload more at the moment. Going for dinner now for my twice a week dose of meat.
Today was a good day because I finally got 3 hours straight of just shopping. woohoo. In my whole time here I've not been able to get proper unrestricted shopping time because of the need to accommodate everyone if we go out in a group. Also cos we can't go out anywhere on our own especially for girls cos there's always that element of danger (even if Kash thinks she's invincible...Erwin probably agrees to that.hehe).
So anyway, Kash and I got a lift from Harshal to Reliance. Oh yes..here's our beloved Reliance that we rely so much on..
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It's rs80 (S$3) by auto from Reliance back to MICA. Reliance is this really huge company in India, I think the biggest. It has a hand in everything from telecommunications to cars to megamalls. You can find groceries, clothing, electronics and jewellery all in Reliance Mart. We use it as one of the main landmarks to direct autodrivers. Iscon Mall, where we get stores like Reebok, Nike, Adidas and other more high-end stuff, is just beside it. Chroma, where we get electronic goods and household appliances, is just opposite. Crosswords, the Borders equivalent here, is next to Chroma. Masty, which serves superb kebabs at more-than-affordable prices, is walking distance from it. FabIndia, great clothing store that sells good quality Indian outfits, is a rs12 (S$0.50) auto ride away. Now you see why we heart Reliance.
Harshal wanted to give us just half an hour to get everything done so we told him we'll make our back by ourselves. I managed to get money from Western Union immediately after my mum sent it, which was the first of many pleasant surprises today. Western Union rocks...it is a god-sent for people who stupidly forget to bring their ATM card. After getting some mini toiletries for our Goa trip next week (YAY GOA HERE WE COME), we then popped by Macs for dinner. Need I mention again how much I love franchises? Eating Macs overseas always feels very good cos of the familiarity. Oh god, plus I had fillet-o-fish..pure heaven, of course.
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Everything was smooth sailing, even getting an auto back. Funny how getting transport back is an achievement in itself. The first auto we approached quoted us rs80 and knew where MICA was, which made my day. I was so happy I gave him more than that when we finally got back.
So anyway, Kash and I got a lift from Harshal to Reliance. Oh yes..here's our beloved Reliance that we rely so much on..
.jpg)
It's rs80 (S$3) by auto from Reliance back to MICA. Reliance is this really huge company in India, I think the biggest. It has a hand in everything from telecommunications to cars to megamalls. You can find groceries, clothing, electronics and jewellery all in Reliance Mart. We use it as one of the main landmarks to direct autodrivers. Iscon Mall, where we get stores like Reebok, Nike, Adidas and other more high-end stuff, is just beside it. Chroma, where we get electronic goods and household appliances, is just opposite. Crosswords, the Borders equivalent here, is next to Chroma. Masty, which serves superb kebabs at more-than-affordable prices, is walking distance from it. FabIndia, great clothing store that sells good quality Indian outfits, is a rs12 (S$0.50) auto ride away. Now you see why we heart Reliance.
Harshal wanted to give us just half an hour to get everything done so we told him we'll make our back by ourselves. I managed to get money from Western Union immediately after my mum sent it, which was the first of many pleasant surprises today. Western Union rocks...it is a god-sent for people who stupidly forget to bring their ATM card. After getting some mini toiletries for our Goa trip next week (YAY GOA HERE WE COME), we then popped by Macs for dinner. Need I mention again how much I love franchises? Eating Macs overseas always feels very good cos of the familiarity. Oh god, plus I had fillet-o-fish..pure heaven, of course.
.jpg)
Everything was smooth sailing, even getting an auto back. Funny how getting transport back is an achievement in itself. The first auto we approached quoted us rs80 and knew where MICA was, which made my day. I was so happy I gave him more than that when we finally got back.
Yes, I am narcissistic. Thanks to Erwin Nah's introduction to Statcounter, I am now even more compelled to keep up with the daily rants. Because I have readers in BELGIUM heeheehee (yea yea I know it's you Denise Kok). So if you feel like talking to the one and only, feel free to click on the chat box, I'm almost always available : )
Because we're just coolER.
Like come on man, we act so cool around you that you think we don't wanna mix with you. Not cool meh?
Like come on man, we act so cool around you that you think we don't wanna mix with you. Not cool meh?
If you ever google your own name or attempt to find me, I hope you find this blog. I met you on the bus from Mt Abu back to Ahmedabad and I lost you from there. I'm the Singaporean girl whom you took a snap with to remember that day. You wanted to rest at my hostel for a few hours before you continued on to Diu. But fate had it that the last image I had of you was of you with your huge luggage in the autorickshaw saying you'll meet us at Parshwanarth Travels, or Gujarat Travels, I don't know...the name slips by me. Why it did not occur to me to record your phone number or email address somewhere still bugs me until now.
I hope you're doing fine. You might still be in India, I think you told me you'll be here for two months. Maybe it's because of that snap we took that makes me want to look for you so badly. Somehow the memory of that day sitting at the bench talking to you about Israel while we waited for the bus to carry on its journey is immortalised in my mind because of that photograph. You were an interesting person, I felt comfortable talking to you..like as if I knew you for a very long time.
Maybe if luck has it I will bump into you again. Maybe in India, or in Israel, or back in Singapore. Anywhere.
Best wishes,
Nuria
*contact me at thepurplecat@gmail.com if this letter ever reaches you
I hope you're doing fine. You might still be in India, I think you told me you'll be here for two months. Maybe it's because of that snap we took that makes me want to look for you so badly. Somehow the memory of that day sitting at the bench talking to you about Israel while we waited for the bus to carry on its journey is immortalised in my mind because of that photograph. You were an interesting person, I felt comfortable talking to you..like as if I knew you for a very long time.
Maybe if luck has it I will bump into you again. Maybe in India, or in Israel, or back in Singapore. Anywhere.
Best wishes,
Nuria
*contact me at thepurplecat@gmail.com if this letter ever reaches you
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Silveroak will be transformed into an aerobics centre, inclusive of pumping loud music and a hot instructor in jeans. I have yet to join in one of the sessions. Erwin has agreed to join me in the next one..hehe. Roxy (PAT's dog) occasionally joins in as well.
Argh! Last two minutes to blog today or else I have to wait four years!
