Goodbye 2015, thank you!

Last post of 2015 (excluding all the backlogs and drafts of my trips which I will try to get around to eventually), so I thought I'd do a basic recap and reflection for the year!

- Jan: back to school for term 2, rehearsals, got the year abroad allocation and found out that I was going to Strasbourg! But everything was pretty slow-paced at the start.

- Feb: Watched Les Mis, went to Tromso, saw northern lights, apps and ints that turned out well so was very very thankful!

- Mar: Went to Stockholm, String Orch concert, opera rehearsals and crazy week of attending SW in the day and playing for opera at night but I survived that week!!

- Apr: Easter break, studying for exams, Brandy shopping, SW, more ints and AC with positive outcomes, more studying. Super grateful for everything :)

- May: Last bits of studying, exams, end of exams, packing, brunch dates around London. Sprained my right ankle.

- Jun: Moving out, cleaning, Thorpe Park finally and then back to SG! Admin stuff once I got back, applied to work at TS, met up with friends, started work at TS!

- Jul: Still working at TS, met up with more friends, ice-skating, basically SG life. Sprained my left ankle, LOL.

- Aug: Last days of work, packing, back to London then moved to Strasbourg all within the same week! Super excited to be in Strasbourg and weather was so amazing.

- Sep: Strasbourg life, started school, made new friends, went to Oktoberfest in Munich, great times with my Strasbourg friends!

- Oct: Came back to London for one weekend, more school, exams, did my 10-day Scandinavia-Europe trip: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Milan. Met the HCSE girls in Scandinavia and went to see the World Expo with M in Milan!

- Nov: Back to school, more exams, more studying, went to Cologne the last weekend to meet XC and met P for a few hours in Amsterdam!

- Dec: More studying, more exams, coursework, came back to London, met up with friends over meals, went to Nice and Monaco with S, Christmas Party at J's, Boxing Day, met more friends and now it's NYE!

It's been a crazy year of travels, new adventures and great times with friends, but I think I've also found the peace within myself that I've been searching for. I'm pretty proud of myself for staying positive and determined (maybe not calm all the time) even in times of adversity, and to always be grateful for everything, even the smallest of things. I've been lucky to have met many kind strangers who've helped me this year during my travels, and I'm really thankful for their random little acts of kindness. Last but not least, I'm thankful for all the friends that I've kept in touch with as well as am the new friends that I've made during the year, and of course for my family especially my parents who have always been so supportive of me no matter what I do. And I'm thankful for technology that has allowed me to keep in touch with everyone despite the physical distance between us all.

For 2016, to be honest I'm actually really happy with the way things are right now but then again, the only constant is change. I hope things stay the way they are or get even better! And I guess I should have some resolutions, but I'll keep some private for now :D I guess I've achieved about half of my resolutions for 2015 (as always haha it's almost impossible to achieve all because some aren't really within my control), but for 2016 I would really like to learn more new skills, travel more and remain positive and grateful towards everything! :) And of course do better in my studies and all. Good vibes, good vibes always :D

Thank you 2015, you've been absolutely amazing and I've been really really happy this year. Here's to an even better 2016 ahead!

Happy New Year / 新年快乐 / Bonne année à tous / Felice Anno Nuovo!

Back in London - and off again!

Sitting in the Starbucks at Gatwick now with Steph waiting for our flight back to France later! Hahaha. Had such a hectic 2 weeks before I came back to London omg was so busy with exams and coursework and all. Had 5 exams in 3 days between 8 - 10 Dec, then another oral evaluation on Friday of that week. Tuesday was the linguistique synchronique exam which was actually supposed to be the following week but turned out that it got shifted forward and I had no idea so I went in and thought the paper was a practice paper before realising 15 min into the paper that it was the actual exam ... Major FML moment LOL. And I didn't even study for it nor did I bring a dictionary. But the passage wasn't that hard so hoping it went well ... Rest of the exams were awful I really hate having back-to-back exams argh. But the oral exam went pretty well I think! And then I had to submit the literature dossier before I left so stayed up until 5am to finish it on Tuesday morning T_T But at last it was done and submitted, so I spent Tuesday afternoon doing last minute chocolate shopping, then went ice skating at the rink at Place Dauphine with K! The rink was really really tiny though and the ice wasn't smooth but it was fun and I hadn't skated for half a year omg. Then met V for a last dinner, we had Lebanese food and it was so good!! I got back quite late so showered and packed and backed up some files on my com but didn't sleep as my train was at 6.20am from the gare. Got to Saint Louis station and was trying to figure out how to get the bus to the airport with this other Spanish girl but this super nice lady walked past and saw that we were lost and she just offered to send us to the airport in her car! The airport was a 5 min drive away but apparently they'd changed the bus route or something so we couldn't find the bus stop, but I'm gonna have to figure it out when I next take the plane from BSL ... But anyway the lady was really nice, her name is Claude and we thanked her when we arrived. I was pretty early for the flight but I had a crappy seat and the flight was really full but I was so tired I just slept all the way LOL.

London days had been really really busy so I'm just gonna do some daily summaries here:
16/12 Wed - arrived in afternoon, picked up some stuff from WT's place, met O for dinner at All Bar One at Canary Wharf and also had a tour of his office!! Had a game of pingpong in the gym room LOL and the view up there was so amazing!
17/12 Thurs - Had breakfast with E at 8am at Le Pain Quotidien and then had a second brunch with the SW girls at the Breakfast Club - 2 places which I've always wanted to try! Food was really really good. Then S and Y and I went to check out the new Brandy Melville store at Covent Garden! Didn't buy anything cause there wasn't anything new. Met J and Y again for dinner at Shake Shack and also had Biju for dessert hehe.
18/12 Fri - Met CW for dimsum then we went to shop on Oxford Street - for the first time it was me waiting for someone else in the changing room LOL. Then went to meet H and J for dinner at Flat Iron, but there was a queue so we went to macs first and ate nuggets LOL. But the steak at Flat Iron was really really good omg will want to go again.
19/12 Sat - Went to explore Broadway Market with Car in the morning and had brunch at El Ganso - the avocado toast with salmon was really good but the pancakes were average except for the huge serving of berries. C had work after that so I got off at Russell Square to check out Office at the Brunswick for shoes - and the New Balance 574 in black and pink which I'd been eyeing was on sale!!! And it was the last pair, in my size!!!!! Was so happy and it fitted perfectly :) Then I saw another pair in burgundy and it actually suited me even more and I couldn't decide between the two so I just bought both LOL. But then again I never wear any other shoes anyway so I will probably wear the shit out of those shoes. Went back and was so tired I fell asleep and overslept for dinner ... Met the HCSE girls at Hare and Tortoise (but the Kensington one) for dinner! Didn't expect to see them so soon after Stockholm but we were once again reunited in London!
20/12 Sun - Had lunch with FY and helped her to shift some stuff, then went to meet M and L in Chinatown. They had dimsum but I missed it but we went to get Sharetea after that. L had a train to catch and M had until 5 before his dinner so he went with me to the post office at the Plaza. But it rained so we were stranded there so we decided to check out the sale at USC. And I found this super super pretty pair of Sketchers in pink and blue!!!!!! Didn't intend to buy shoes again since I'd just bought 2 pairs of NB but it was SO PRETTY and really light and comfortable to wear. And they were half price!!! So now I have 3 new pairs of sports shoes so I probably shouldn't be buying anymore for like the next 3 years maybe ... Then went back to UCL to print stuff before going out again for dinner with I Hall. Good company but made a bad decision so had the worst 炸酱面 ever LOL. Then went back to Car's place and chilled until about 11.
21/12 Mon - Met YX for a quick catch up over hot chocolate, then was supposed to run a few errands and go shopping but I was so tired I just slept the whole afternoon. Showered and packed before meeting S and Car for dinner! Went to eat at ASSA then went to Bone Daddies to try their French toast with matcha soft serve. Then packed and left for Gatwick. We caught the last tube so was one hour early but made the stupid mistake of waiting at bus stop 8/9 instead of GATE 8/9 inside the coach station lol we weren't even in the coach station. But we managed to get the 2.30am bus instead and finally got to Gatwick! Checked in our bags and went to Starbucks.

So anyway the past 5 days have been literally food food and more food. Boarding right now hehe very hyped to go back to Frenchland!

Sunday

So I'm stuck in Strasbourg while the Brandy Carnaby is having a garage sale today :( I have absolutely awful timing basically the only one I've ever been to is the first one ... And also realise my blog views are mostly for the Brandy sale post that I did back in June HAHA. Guess people are doing their research :P

Anyway, last night was a good night :) I woke up miraculously at 4.30am this morning to use the toilet, then I couldn't fall back asleep -.- Got up at 6.30am finally, made breakfast - milo and what was supposed to be a hardboiled egg turned out to be a soft boiled egg instead but all the better LOL. Then I actually went for a run by the canal!! :D Well it's my first time running in ages so didn't run too much only did 20 min but I was so tired LOL. Came back and had a fruit yoghurt and showered and it's only 10am. Normally I would only just wake up at this time, so feeling rather productive today and hoping this productivity will last LOL. And amazing gradient sunrise this morning I swear it's the only motivation for me to wake up early HAHAHA.

Okay but I have friends going for the Brandy sale for me so hopefully there'll be nice stuff OMG.

05122015

HAHA cool date today it's anagrammable!!

Okay but I've finished the syntax exam on Thursday then we all went to l'Epicerie again for dinner then Christmas market where I got another nutella crepe. I came back early and did some work :D Then Friday (yesterday) was a quite productive day, went for an atelier for FLE in the morning, stayed there for another 2 hours and got some work done, then went for lunch with Viivi in the uni resto before going for the methodo revision class. Went back to the library after the class to do some work before dinner, came back and cooked a really lazy soup for dinner, and went back again before the library closed at 10 so I would say that was a really productive day! But I didn't do anything after I came back ahaha. Slept a solid 10 hours so feeling well rested and talked to quite a number of friends it feels so nice to catch up with people after so long! And heard good news too so very happy for one of them :D And very excited to be meeting people in Dec when I go back :D Good day so far even though it's 4pm and I've not done anything for today but I've just showered and gonna do some work now woop woop!

First time at Strasbourg's Christmas Markets

Had the histoire de la langue exam today. Completely screwed it up we always thought it was going to be on everything including stuff from the first exam but turns out it was only the stuff taught after the first exam which was basically all the Latin stuff. I'm so bad at the Latin stuff gah so that was horrible ... couldn't resist checking the answers after the exam, not very hopeful for it at all :( Just hoping I can pass omg ...

Anyway after the exam V and O and I went to check out the Christmas markets in Strasbourg! It opened this weekend but as I wasn't here so today was my first time :D It was quite cool but we went before the sunset so couldn't see the lights, but I'll go again soon when it's dark! Was absolutely starving after the exam so we went straight for the food, but they had tons of cute stuff like candles and Christmas ornaments. I wish I could have a tree but there is no space at all in my room HAHA. Anyway, I got a bowl of spaetzle which is a type of Alsatian noodle/pasta I believe. It was quite good and about standard Christmas market pricing i.e. €5. V and O both got flam baguettes with cheese!

After the spaetzles I was still really hungry so I went for a crepe. Btw we were at the market near Place Broglie which seems to have more food. The one at Place Kleber was mostly clothes and accessories and stuff. Got a crepe with nutella from this store quite near the sides called Stand La Bonumeur. Prices start from about €2 for a basic crepe and you can add stuff like fruits and nutella and other stuff! And the owner was super friendly hahaha he gave me chocolate buttons as I was ordering as well as a brochure menu thing. But the crepe was so good omg it was really soft and chewy and the nutella was heavenly HAHA. Will want to go back again! They also have a Facebook page here: Stand La Bonumeur (it's on the brochure hahaha).

We walked over to the cathedrale afterwards for mulled wine. It was not bad but I still think red wine is a bit strong for me hahaha. Anyway it's really good here in Strasbourg that they dont use disposable cups, but instead they re-use proper plastic cups. So like basically you pay about €3 for a cup of say 30cl and you can return the cup to any store afterwards and get €1 back. Or keep the cup. I didn't really like the design that I got today so I returned it but I saw some people carrying nicer cups when I was walking back so gonna get one of those next time!!

After I got back I was really sleepy because of the mulled wine I think and also general fatigue from all the exams so I slept for 2 hours. Have the syntax exam tomorrow so need to study for that now!! As well as 5 hours of classes before the syntax exam omg ... so much for exchange life T_T

November

Omg can't believe it's been one whole month since I got back from Milan. THE WHOLE NOVEMBER. And it's already 1 Dec today last month of the year omg seriously 2015 is passing by way too quickly ...

Anyway, I have a whole row of exams coming up so gonna make this a quick post because I just wanted to update the stuff in November before I forget. So yep, got back from Milan to Strasbourg on the 2nd early morning I think, then had the Methodologie exam on the 5th. Didn't go anywhere on that weekend because Car came to visit me on the 9th!! I had classes on the 10th so we just explored Strasbourg, ate a LOT HAHAHA then 11th was Armistice Day in France so we did a day trip to Basel since everywhere in Strasbourg was closed. Basel was cool but it was my 2nd time there so nothing new, dragged Car to the Brandy as always and got quite a few items from the last chance rack at 50% off. We also managed to get free tickets to the Natural History museum because they close at 5pm and they give free entry from 4pm onwards. Unfortunately everything was in German so couldn't understand anything ... Then on the same week on Friday made the impromptu decision to go to Zurich because Charles and Han were there on a society trip so another excuse to travel. But I stupidly missed my 5am bus HAHA so got a blablacar instead and finally made it to Zurich at 3pm!! First stop as always is the Brandy so now I can proudly say I've been to all the Brandy stores in Switzerland which is a small but still an accomplishment. :D Got the bus back on Sunday and I was seriously so tired the whole week. Nothing much went on that week but we went to check out Academie de la Biere which was not bad, then Charlie came to visit Viivi that weekend so we all went out. I fell sick and lost my voice on Saturday, didn't even realise until I was calling my mom then I realised I couldn't talk!! So it was quite shitty. Had the synchronique exam on the 24th (last Tuesday), went to all my classes despite being sick and all. Met one of my neighbours on Thursday and he gave me soup and tea and a lemon after seeing that I was sick omg seriously people here are so nice!! Then on the same night I took the overnight bus to Cologne to visit Xichen cause that was something that we planned ages ago! 

Didn't sleep much on the bus and arrived at 6am but ended up sleeping until like 12 noon LOL ... Went to the university for lunch, then we went to the city centre where we climbed the Kolner Dom! A million spiral steps later we finally arrived at 157m up. I think it's like the first cathedral I climbed? Can't remember if I climbed any others before ... then we went to the bridge and caught the sunset and visited a Lindt chocolate factory :D Also went to like 4 Christmas markets, German Christmas markets are absolutely amazing! I think the Strasbourg ones also opened during the weekend so gonna have to check it out sometime ... Then on Saturday we were supposed to go to Aachen, but ended up sleeping in until 2pm LOL. We still went in the end but missed the daylight hours but we went to the Christmas market and cathedral in Aachen and they were really good!! Also bought a lot of Printens (this local chocolate and ginger biscuit thing which is absolutely amazing) and had champignons. Then we went to the Carolus Thermal Bath and spent 2.5 hours there HAHAHA new activity to do in Germany. Got back to Cologne quite late but we cooked dinner! I haven't properly cooked in ages. The next day we were supposed to go to Amsterdam, so thank goodness we woke up in time but barely just caught the train :P Met Petros at the central station, then we went to the Van Gogh museum. Xichen had a concert to watch after that so Petros and I just went to walk around and yes Brandy again LOL but they didn't have much stuff so I only bought the new grid print Kaitlee skirt. Met Xichen again at 6pm then we went for the Heineken Experience! We were the last batch but the staff were all really nice and chill so it was a nice experience :D Got back to Cologne quite late again and had so much difficulty waking up in the morning cause I had to catch a bus back but I made it and got back in the evening!

Then today was the phonetics exam which was quite hard and I have 2 more exams tomorrow and Thursday so gonna stop this post now but omg busy days!!